So yesterday the GF and I went to our first movie in a theatre since TIFF, and our first non-festival movie (together anyway) since last spring or thereabouts. We went to see Shame, a film we were both interested in seeing.

We were confronted by the usual “pre-show” barrage, which at this point is expected. But then, when the movie was supposed to start (1:15), we were treated to “Timeplay”, which they warned us was coming by telling us things like “get ready for Timeplay, which is so interactive” during the pre-show. Timeplay is a gimmick which supposedly lets the audience choose their own adventure… during ads. In order to participate, audience members must download an app, and then must follow the instructions on the screen. That is to say, in the moments before everyone should turn off their phones, Cineplex would like everyone to begin using their phones.

The point of Timeplay for the audience alludes me. The point for Cineplex and the advertiser is obvious: by signing up for the app they are are registering current and potential customers, respectively, without appearing to do so. But for those of us who just want to watch a movie, I really don’t see the point. We were treated to extra ads; the ads of Timeplay.

Following Timeplay, we were treated to the usual pre-coming attractions ad campaigns, only they seemed longer than in the past; let us say between 5 and 10 minutes. (I did not time it, but it felt like that.) Then, when I had just about decided that they stopped showing previews and just showed ads – I thought the advantage of going to a theatre was to avoid ads? – they then showed three coming attractions. So we were treated to at least 20 minutes of stuff between the “pre-show” and the feature, most of which made no impact on my life. (I can’t tell you what the ads were for one day later; one of them may have been for Ford or some other car company.) The previews I remember (or at least I remember one of them) because they spoke to me as a moviegoer. The ads did not.

So I am left wondering why I should go to the theatre, when I can watch ads-free movies through Zip and through Netflix? We still have a few passes left we want to use, but after that: why should I go? Can anyone tell me? Cineplex is clearly trying to survive and I get that. But there has to be a better way than barraging the viewer with ad after ad (whether interactive or not) after they have paid a fair chunk of change to see what used to be an ad-free feature.

Really, aside from the “big screen” aspect of it, I have no desire to go through that again. So I think once we are done these passes, it will be revue theatres for me from now on (as it should have been) because at least they treat their customers as paying moviegoers, rather than potential buyers of cars and the like