Unpleasant Experience at Sunrise Multiplex

I guess I'm not understanding what made you think that 7pm was late
enough that kids would not be in attendance? And PG13 rating? My 7
year old daughter is able to watch PG13 movies depending upon why it
was rated as such. Most movies that are rated PG13 are specifically
geared towards older children and tweens. I also have to agree with
another poster that said you could have gotten up and approached an
employee at the time the movie was rolling. Or, you could have waited
until it was over and approached someone. Instead, you are writing
this letter after the fact when your information can't be verified.
After reading about the stabbings that take place in the area of this
theater, I would think that you'd be happy that you no longer go
there.

I have to say, the first thing I thought was "So he's mad that he had
to wait in line and that there were other people in the theater?"
People have the right to take their kids to a movie. Everything you've
complained about is a normal part of the movie going experience. If
someone is being unreasonably noisy, you can ask an usher to talk to
them or escort them out.

Jeffrey..if I were you, I'd avoid this theatre. It's poorly run and a
lot of crime occurs there including murder. More often than not, the
cops are called there on a weekend night.

PG-13 is a rating not a curfew. It is up to the parents if they decide
to take their children to a PG-13 or even R rated movie at 7 pm. Which
really is quite early!!! I do think that the parents of the crying
children should have been more respectful and left the movie until
their kid quited down, but it has been a long time since I've been to
a movie where no one was bieng at least a little inconsiderate (child
or adult). I think that if you wanted to be compensated that you
should have spoke with a manager right then, not now after sitting
through the movie.

I gotta agree w/ a poster below, whats the point of going to a movie
anymore? I went out, bought a good size TV, and a REALLY good
surround sound. I spend a few thousand bucks, and basically have my
own home theater. The thing is, I dont pay ten bucks per movie, don't
have to put up w/ people talking, crying babies, the door opening all
the time so people can come in and out, it was WELL worth the expense.

"A PG-13 rating is a sterner warning by the Rating Board to parents to
determine whether their children under age 13 should view the motion
picture, as some material might not be suited for them. " I don't see
any clause regarding 7pm in the PG-13 system. Is this a suggested
change by you? Send it to the proper place, not Sunrise.

Why complain to Sunrise about parental decisions? Are you serious?
Um, newsflash, Ebert, it is the Christmas holidays and the kids aren't
in school. Doh!

Next time this happens drag your lazy butt out to the office and
complain. You want a refund after the commotion is over? Oh yeah, I
think some kids were talking during the movie I saw a month ago. I
want a refund!

Lack of professionalism? I don't see one thing mentioned that
supports that claim. If you are going to say such a thing, you need
to support it with evidence.

Refund for waiting in a line? HA hA HA HA! Whoa daddy, that's a hot
one! Refund for listening to children cry? Bwah HA HA! Another hot
one. Pop a DVD in the X5's rear seat palyer and head for home. No
refund for you.

I rarely go to the theatre any longer...unless its a movie that I
really want to see on the "big screen".
Otherwise I have my 42" set and surround sound and wait until the DVD
comes out. Much more comfortable and no little kiddies crying or
people talking during my movie.

You need to talk to the lady who complained about Walgreens being
opened on Christmas day. She may have some sympathy for you!

As someone that worked in a movie theatre I can tell you that buying
your tickets in advance is a waste of time and money. You still have
to stand in line at the box office to pick up the tickets, and while
you are guaranteed seats, if you show up 5 minutes before the movie
starts then you will have to take the seats wherever they are. There
are ususally no refunds for ANY reason on online tickets.
We don't have a PG-13 rating in Ontario, however, I have seen enough
American commercials to know that it means that parental guidance is
needed for those under 13. That means that kids can and (since it was
christmas day) most likely will be in the theatre. There is no way for
the theatre to stop allowing kids after a certain time.
1) It would be age discrimation to not allow people of a certain age
into a movie at any time if the rating allowed them to see it
2) There would be a loss of customers and money.
I don't know about that theatre chain, at the box office of my theatre
we would often ask those with babies to be mindful of others and step
out if the baby started crying. We would also ask this when we checked
the theatre. We could not however force anyone to leave for the noise
disruption.
You had to have had the sense to think that maybe there would be
families at the theatre.
I went and saw Juno yesterday (boxing day) at the late show and there
were a few kids in the theatre, were they disruptive, yeah a little,
but that was the risk I took going on boxing day.

It was Christmas Day at a movie theatre. What did you expect?! The
local news here did a whole story on Christmas about families going to
the movies because they have nothing else to do. Most people have the
day off and kids have the day off from school. Of course movie
theatres are going to be filled with little kids. My advice: Quit
going to the movies and wait for it to come out on DVD. That's what I
do.

1. The purpose of buying your tickets off of movietickets.com and
fandango is to guarantee you a seat in the theater if the show is
selling out. Buying them off the internet does not mean you get to
bypass the lines. Machines are failable and will stop working from
time to time and with it being Christmas there would be no way to get
a tech in to fix it. Also even if the machine was working there would
still be a line of people using it to retreive their online tickets.

2. With regards to parents bringing their kids to inappropriate
movies, there is nothing the theater can do about it. It is the
parents job to properly raise their kids and decide what is good and
what is bad for them to see. Theater workers and managment cannot
tell a parent they can't take their kid to a certain movie unless it
is an NC17 or X rated movie.

3. You try finding people willing to work on Christmas. There is
always going to be people who fail to show up for their shifts on this
day and there is nothing management can do about it. Movie theaters
can do anywhere from 5000-8000 people on this day so have PATIENCE and
don't yell at the employees. They are working hard and would really
appricate your understanding.

You have a point about the kids.
The parents should have taken action, and removed their kids from the
theater, its courtesy. But is not the theater's job to do it for them,
which sucks.

Secondly, the machine broke down. Too bad. Nothing is perfect. Be
flexible.

If kids are a problem at this theater, go to a different theater.

Google Earth turns up 4 cinemas in your town, with one being only two
blocks away from the one you mentioned in this letter. Go there, and
once there is no business, maybe the manager will put a restriction in
place then....

Had you talked to the manager at the time of this experience, another
ticket would have been given.

Did you ask for someone to come in and quiet the children?

As far as the children not being allowed, do they not have special
theatre times, that serve alcoholic drinks to ensure no children?

I do agree that there should be a time where children under the age of
13 are not allowed in theatres, period.

I'm going to guess you don't get out very often do you?

Boy do you sound like a snob.

Really! Your letter is hysterical and dillusional. Where are you
from dude? This is a trippy letter. And not well written either.
You think because things are not up to your fabricated standards,
you're going to actually be compensated? Hah.....funny! Very, very
funny! Thanks for the laugh!

Well aren't you lucky that you didn't have to work on Christmas day
and be forced to put up with customers like you? But I guess all
those lowly retail workers just exist to serve you, right? My gosh,
have some consideration for those who had to work on Christmas!

No children at a 7pm movie? Aren't you a tolerant fellow. And it's
not the businesses job to parent the children in attendance. Blame
the parents.

You deserve absolutely nothing.

Uhhh... it was a PG-13 movie which means children 13 and under are
allowed and you're actually surprised that there were children there?
I know it sucks when you pay crazy money to see a movie only to have
the experience ruined but you do have to realize that the chances of
being in a theater full of kids is going to be extremely high at a 7pm
viewing a PG-13 movie, which you don't name but I wonder if it were
Golden Compass, on a holiday. As far as being reimbursed, forget it.
If you stood and watched the movie, you got what you paid for.

Jeffrey,

I hate to point out the DUH factor in your letter, but what did you
really expect?? It was Christmas night and for many families, that
means heading to a show after dinner.

There are SO many problems with your letter, most of which were not
even within the control of the theater:

**Machines break - good luck getting a tech to come out to look at it
on Christmas night.

**You don't say how the staff was unprofessional, but if I had to
guess I am pretty confident it had something to do with you griping
about the broken ticket kiosk and them not immediately kissing your
posterior.

**A 7PM showing of a PG-13 movie and you were SURPRISED that there
were many children there?

**A baby started crying and you expected the staff to usher the parent
and child out??? Um, hate to tell you, that isn't likely to happen
because then it infringes on that parent's right to enjoy the film and
since they complain to movie theaters too (over things like the lack
of a changing station in the restrooms!) the theater isn't likely to
sanction another paying patron (likely 2 paying patrons) just to
accommodate your need for "a little peace and quiet."

Overall, your letter made you sound like a snob who wouldn't have been
satisified no matter WHAT was done. Can't imagine that boding well
for this theater complex taking your complaint seriously. But then
again, if you would write this, surely you don't care how you come
across.

Good luck with that refund.

"it infringes on that parent's right to enjoy the film"

It peeves me that it's all right for parents and crying children to
'infringe' on everyone else's right to enjoy the film, but the
opposite is not true. Honestly, if I can wait until movies come out on
DVD, so can parents with small children.

you say this happened 7pm christmas DAY...yet you wrote the letter
NOON on christmas day. Did you time travel?

Why didn't you leave? And maybe you should talk to a manager at the
theatre.

How were the staff "unprofessional"? You make this accusation but
don't supply any specific examples as to what they may have said or
done that was unprofessional.

And while I agree that theatre staff should be popping in on films to
make sure no one is being disruptive, surely you could have spoken
with a manager or usher yourself?