Lone cinema goers...

Brian_Uckfast

Was bored yesterday, sick of studyin and all the rest, so I decided I'd go to the cinema and catch a 5pm showing.

None of me mates were up for it, so I just said to hell with this, and went by myself!

Its really odd the looks you get from everybody when you go into a screen by yourself. I don't get it!!
How has society come to over-develop this idea that its only a social thing to do, especially considering everyone ends up sitting there in silence anyway!!

thoughts..

Red Hand

I often go to the cinema alone and nobody gives me funny looks.

You weren't going to a G rated film dressed in a dirty raincoat, were you?:D

Rob_l

Yeah I often go to the cinema alone and dont get funny looks I prefer to go early while the cinemas are empty and cheap or if I just wnat to see a film and no one else is about at that time

jester77

It's not much different to going to a bar and drinking on your own, don't see anything wrong with it!

Karl Hungus

I often go on my own, and never got any funny looks at all. Maybe it was for some other reason people were giving you the eye?

Spud83

LOL Look at all the Johnny No Mates. *points and laughs at Jeremiah 16:1, Brian_Uckfast, Karl Hungus, Rob_l, etc...*

metaoblivia

I've been to the cinema alone a few times. I always got weird looks in the theater, once the people around realized that no one was coming to sit with me. I think men are more likely to go to the cinema on their own. That seems to be what I've noticed, at least.

Pompey Magnus

I'd have no problem going to the cinema on my own and I never notice any odd looks. I also would have no problem drinking on my own (if there was sport on the TV) but I draw the line at eating in a restaurant alone.

Lux23

I prefer to go to the cinema on my own, I mean its one of the few places that you can go to alone without getting looked at funny. The cinema is normally full of other people on their own too. I think there is something really wrong with people who can't do things by themselves, you don't need someone holding your hand all the time. Ive never got funny looks so I don't know why the rest of you are.

Homer J Simpson

I've often gone to the cinema on my own especially during a weekday. For some reason I cant go to the pub on my own....it doesnt feel right.

Rabies

alanmurphy83 wrote: »

LOL Look at the two Johnny No Mates. *points and laughs at Jeremiah 16:1, Brian_Uckfast, Karl Hungus, Rob_l, etc...*

johnp

jester77 wrote: »

It's not much different to going to a bar and drinking on your own, don't see anything wrong with it!

Spot on!

John Mason

i go to the flicks by myself all the time. i havent noticed any funny looks maybe cos i dont really care about anyone else, i havent been looking

padi89

Go on my own a fair bit.Don't see whats wrong with that .You SHOULD be sitting in silence for the movie anyway but alas some idiots think its a place where you go to yap to your mates:mad:

Dudess

OP, I'd say the "funny looks" were only in your head.

Depeche_Mode wrote: »

I draw the line at eating in a restaurant alone.

I was discussing that with someone recently. I'm the same - not because I'd be afraid I look "sad" or anything, but I just think going for a meal is a relaxed, sociable occasion, not just about getting something to eat. However if I was in town on my own and fancied a quick bite, I'd go to a café for a sandwich and a coffee.

JCDUB

Hahahhaaahahahaaa you're all a shower of poindexters.....:D:p

Went to a screening of Deep Throat in the IFI last year with my gf and there was definitely a few strange loner types around, goes with the territory though eh?

I'm sure none of you were there alone *sniggers to himself*

Cathmandooo

wow I've never gone on my own but I wouldnt give someone a dirty look for doing it. I tend to go when its quite busy so I cant say i've noticed many people going alone either!


I eat in a cafe alone for lunch, do it most days, the joys of working in a small office

MOH

I've often gone on my own, beats dragging the gf to a film she doesn't want to see, never really noticed any strange looks.

Often eaten in a restaurant alone too, bring a book or paper to read while waiting.

wouldn't really sit in a pub alone though, unless there was a match on.

Dr Lektroluv

I dunno, I prefer going with my girlfriend.

leninbenjamin

Cathooo wrote: »

I eat in a cafe alone for lunch, do it most days, the joys of working in a small office

exactly.if i were to maintain the whole "don't in a restaurant alone" thing i'd have probably starved to death years ago.

monkeyfudge

Dudess wrote: »

OP, I'd say the "funny looks" were only in your head.

I was discussing that with someone recently. I'm the same - not because I'd be afraid I look "sad" or anything, but I just think going for a meal is a relaxed, sociable occasion, not just about getting something to eat. However if I was in town on my own and fancied a quick bite, I'd go to a café for a sandwich and a coffee.

Yep... I think this is very much a case of it all being in your head all right.

I do often eat in restaurants on my own though... but I do have a certain amount of restaurants that I eat in quite regularly and the staff know me and know that I do bring dates and large groups of people in with me from time to time as well...

Lands Leaving

I'd only go alone if I really wanted to see something that absolutely no one else wanted to see. As for eating alone in a restaurant, much prefer it, no one talking while you're trying to eat. I hate eating with people, I'm usually well finished because I've been silently eating away while everyone yapped. Then I sit bored waiting to leave and do something more interesting!

Cianos

Brian_Uckfast wrote: »

Was bored yesterday, sick of studyin and all the rest, so I decided I'd go to the cinema and catch a 5pm showing.

None of me mates were up for it, so I just said to hell with this, and went by myself!

Its really odd the looks you get from everybody when you go into a screen by yourself. I don't get it!!
How has society come to over-develop this idea that its only a social thing to do, especially considering everyone ends up sitting there in silence anyway!!

thoughts..

You were probably feeling slightly uncomfortable about the fact that you were there by yourself, and so interpreted any looks in your direction to be more than what they actually were.

I draw the line at eating in a restaurant alone.

Would you ever go into McDonalds by yourself? If yes, what's wrong with going for a nicer meal by yourself?

beans

I dunno, I prefer going with my girlfriend.

Plenty of things I prefer doing in the company of a lady, but if the urge takes me I'll just do it on my own, and to hell with anyone who stares.

Lands Leaving

monkeyfudge wrote: »

I do have a certain amount of restaurants that I eat in quite regularly and the staff know me and know that I do bring dates and large groups of people in with me from time to time as well...

RENT-A-CROWD - making you look like less of a loser.

Latchy

Godd way to loose yourself in a cinema ,leave the real world behind for a few hrs ,always seems better or worse when you come out (the real world ) .....depends how good the movie was lol

I find it so much better if I either go to the cinema by myself or with just one other person. I find you can actually enjoy the film so much more than if you go with a group.

Case in point, when I went to see Superbad with a college friend and his housemate and her friend. The 2 girls were so loud and annoying, they nearly got us kicked out of the cinema I work in!?!?! It completely and utterly took away from the enjoyment of the movie.

You'd be amazed at the amount of people going to a cinema by themselves- in fact I'd say about 40% of cinema-goers where I work would be by themselves.

MagicMarker

I've been on my own a couple of times, but not in a long time tbh. There was a guy on his own last time i went, that's not strange but i found the fact that he was eating an apple quite strange. i don't know why:)

What about travelling? I went to NYC on my own and it was probably the best holiday i've ever had.

I've eaten in a resturant on my own but it was empty and wasn't comfortably with the waiters just staring at me!!

I went to the pub on my own once to watch a match and i wasn't comfortable at all. But i don't really like pubs that much anyway.

fricatus

Depeche_Mode wrote: »

...but I draw the line at eating in a restaurant alone.

Sometimes you have no choice. I travel with work maybe 3-4 times a year and because those I end up working with have families, I tend to be left on my own in the evenings. One of my colleagues hates going to restaurants on her own when she travels, so she orders room service. Myself, I prefer to sit in a restaurant where there are people coming and going, and chat to the staff. What's more, the food is nicer out and about in restaurants than it is in hotels, I find.

Sean7

I go alone every so often, if I want to see the movie I just go. If my mates can't make it I don't mind.

johnp

MagicMarker wrote: »

I've been on my own a couple of times, but not in a long time tbh. There was a guy on his own last time i went, that's not strange but i found the fact that he was eating an apple quite strange. i don't know why:)

What about travelling? I went to NYC on my own and it was probably the best holiday i've ever had.

I've eaten in a resturant on my own but it was empty and wasn't comfortably with the waiters just staring at me!!

I went to the pub on my own once to watch a match and i wasn't comfortable at all. But i don't really like pubs that much anyway.

I travelled through Australia by myself. I went over with some mates and after a year of living together everyone had different ideas on what we wanted to do, so we did our own thing.
Just come back from a little interrailing trip, Zurich/Berlin/Krakow.
It's a fantastic way to get away from it all.

MagicMarker

MagicMarker wrote: »

I've been on my own a couple of times, but not in a long time tbh. There was a guy on his own last time i went, that's not strange but i found the fact that he was eating an apple quite strange. i don't know why:)

I would rather eat an apple than some of the food in most cinemas. Just from a health-perspective. But I would prefer if said person would throw the apple-core away themselves rather than leaving it on the ground. Somebody has to pick it up and that somebody is usually us. And an apple-core left in a heated cinema for 2 hours can become quite vile.

Moral of the story, dump your own waste, its what the bins provided are for.

[/rant]

ojewriej

I go on my own quite often - GF doesn't like cinema. I actually preffer to go on my own. Also never noticed anyone giving me weird looks.

I actually often go on Sunday morning - can't really sleep longer than till 9 anyway. Tickets are cheaper and there is less people, plus parking is free as well. Very often i see this old chinese lad there, he must be like 70 or something, always wearing loads of clothes, kinda looking like a homeless person, but not dirty or anything. It's brilliant, because you woulkd never expect to seee a person like that in the cinema and i like to think he must really love films.

Earthhorse

You guys are pretty brave doing all that stuff on your own. I don't even post to boards.ie on my own. Always have a few mates round to ensure I make no mistooks.

kelle

Depeche_Mode wrote: »

I draw the line at eating in a restaurant alone.

I do this quite often and don't mind. We have staggered lunchtimes in my workplace so we don't lunch together, and if I eat in the staffroom the day seems long. I enjoy my hour alone without my children!

Wacker

Up until recently I would never go on my own. This was mostly becasue I have quite a lot of movie-buff mates, and there would simply be no need to go on my lone-some. I had a few hours to spare one day though, and I figured that I watch at least five movies a week on my own in my bedroom, so why not watch another one while alone in the cinema?

I don't do it on a regular basis, but now maybe one in six or so cinema trips will see me unaccompanied.

latenia

ojewriej wrote: »

I go on my own quite often - GF doesn't like cinema. I actually preffer to go on my own. Also never noticed anyone giving me weird looks.

I actually often go on Sunday morning - can't really sleep longer than till 9 anyway. Tickets are cheaper and there is less people, plus parking is free as well. Very often i see this old chinese lad there, he must be like 70 or something, always wearing loads of clothes, kinda looking like a homeless person, but not dirty or anything. It's brilliant, because you woulkd never expect to seee a person like that in the cinema and i like to think he must really love films.

Matt the Jap raises his head on Boards again-see Trinity forum and Dublin city characters thread. He was in a screening of Species II (Saving Private Ryan was sold out before you ask) and wouldn't shut up for the whole movie.

As for going alone, there's nothing at all wrong with it if you really like cinema but don't have the same taste as your friends. For example, I'll be going to see a special showing of Fitzcarraldo in the IFI on Sunday whether or not I can get someone to come. There is one friend who might be interested even though we've both seen it about 6 times each but if he can't the chance to finally see it on a big screen is more important.

Cathmandooo

MagicMarker wrote: »

What about travelling? I went to NYC on my own and it was probably the best holiday i've ever had.

wow I think that takes great guts, I'd be afraid that no one would talk to me even though I can easily chat to any strangers. I'd love to go travelling but no friends are interested, they prefer the comfort of hotels :rolleyes:

GhostInTheRuins

I only went to the cinema once before on my own. It was a film I was really waiting on and nobody else was up for it. I didn't get any strange looks because most of the people in the cinema were on their own too.

MagicMarker

Cathooo wrote: »

wow I think that takes great guts, I'd be afraid that no one would talk to me even though I can easily chat to any strangers. I'd love to go travelling but no friends are interested, they prefer the comfort of hotels :rolleyes:

All you have to do is stay in a hostel. I'm not one for talking to strangers, i'm not shy or anything i'm just an introvert. But i met sooo many people on that trip it was awesome, in a hostel you'll meet plenty of lone travellers.

Cathmandooo

MagicMarker wrote: »

All you have to do is stay in a hostel. I'm not one for talking to strangers, i'm not shy or anything i'm just an introvert. But i met sooo many people on that trip it was awesome, in a hostel you'll meet plenty of lone travellers.

I'd be too much of a scaredycat to do it. Luckily I got a good few holidays over the last few months so I'm happy enough, would still love to travel in Australia but you cant have everything eh?

Spud83

Cathooo wrote: »

I'd be too much of a scaredycat to do it. Luckily I got a good few holidays over the last few months so I'm happy enough, would still love to travel in Australia but you cant have everything eh?

Cant you.

Cathmandooo

alanmurphy83 wrote: »

Cant you.

No I'm too wussy to go alone. :eek:

Blitzkrieger

I think the OP must have had his underpants on his head or something. I usually prefer to go to the cinema on my own. I do shift work so I'm off a lot of days when none of the lads are around and I prefer to go during the day when they're not busy. Never get funny looks - partially because there's not many people around to give me funny looks and partially because most of the people who are there are on their own too.

Depeche_Mode wrote: »

I also would have no problem drinking on my own (if there was sport on the TV) but I draw the line at eating in a restaurant alone.

"

If I'm eating on my own I'd rather get a take away and eat in my car. I hate eating on my own in public.

Galadriel

If you go to the Screen cinema in town on a Saturday or Sunday you will
find lots of people on their own.

phasers

I immediately think that these people have no friends and try to pair them up with other loners in the cinema

Mossy Monk

Who cares if someone looks at you funny. I go to the cinema alone a lot.

Dudess

Earthhorse wrote: »

You guys are pretty brave doing all that stuff on your own. I don't even post to boards.ie on my own. Always have a few mates round to ensure I make no mistooks.

bronte

I often go on my own if i've been out shopping and feel like a sit-down.
I just enjoy film.

Dord

I've gone on my own a few times, various reasons. Bored with time to kill but had to stay in town, wanted to see a film but no mates wanted to go with me, just felt like going on my own. I think it can be more enjoyable sometimes, depends on the movie though.

eroo

This thread has highlighted SOME peoples attitude towards those I like to call,'free spirits'.

When i see someone in a restaurant/cinema/pub etc on their own i don't think to myself,''ohh loners!''.The reason being i couldnt give a **** about whether or not they are alone.So what?I like my own company every now and then,because as we all know....everyone needs a break!But in Ireland if you are in public by yourself,people think your a loner.I have seen enough scangers ripping into people(verbally) because they were sitting by themselves!In America,not just the US,because the cities are so big people tend not to give a **** about other peoples business.Pity it is not the same over here!