It's Just a Movie Bud!

[Department stores *sigh*]

So I got in for a midnight release of Iron Man 2 today. Awesome movie btw if your a fan of marvel/Iron Man I would highly recommend it.

I showed up at about 9:10 to get some decent seating. This incident took place at around 10:55.

As we where waiting a guy in front of us was 'holding' a spot for about 6 friends. Annoying, yes, but not uncommon. The very annoying part is that these friends kept coming and going for smokes and such when they already arrived after us. So not only do they bud in by having spots held, they don't even stay once they get here. This pack of idjits had a 'leader' I'll call him Idjit Master (IM).

IM was always standing outside of the line talking to his friends since he came and went so often. Now when the movie started management and associates blocked off the entrance to make an orderly entrance. Manager (M) noticed IM standing outside of the line. Heres where things get interesting.....

M: Sir please get to the back of the line if you have a ticket.
IM: But I'm right here!
M: Sir your outside of the line, please go to the back.
IM: But i went for a smoke, this is where I stood before!
M: Then they will save you a seat if thats the case, your not in the line so please go to the back of it.
IM: No way man *rable rabble* this is my spot!
M: *annoyed* alright fine, then get in on the other side with your friends please.
IM: *getting in line with his friends* dont have to be so fucking rude.
M: Excuse me?
IM: I said you shouldnt be so rude.
M: No before that, what did you say?
IM: I said you didnt have to be so fucking rude!
M: Alright thats it, out of the line. Your money will be refunded.
IM: What! Fuck that man.
M: You will not speak in such a manner when we are asking something simple of you. Out now and your money shall be refunded.
IM: Fuck that man you wanna get messed up?

At this point I turn to my friend who is putting away his ticket and I say " im thinking I should put my popcorn down just in caaa...."

BAM!

IM LEVELS M. Sending him flying into the far wall with a shove and a right hook. Before anyone can react IM turns on his heel and leaves.

We are all to shocked but I turn to the M and with a lot of others ask 'You ok?'

He gets up and follows the guy out past my line of sight. IM's buddies figure out they should probably leave since they are line budders as well and got the hell out. A few minutes later M comes back and says...

M: Who knows that guy?!
M: Who knows that guy? *2 guys say they do* ALRIGHT you and YOU out, tickets refunded. All of you OUT NOW!
Friends: But we didnt do anything man!
M: Yes YOU let him in and I want him to know that he not only messed up his chances tonight but his friends as well! OUT!

I mentioned to the staff that I would be fine with signing some papers if the cops needed it but they said they had cameras in the area and about 4 staff members witnessed the whole altercation.

Yeesh! I went to see some action but that was a little bit much.

[Plaidman]

Wish I was there. I may be small. I may have been flattened. Even with my bad hip I still would have gone after that fucker.

.... Man I'm really messed up

[LillFilly]

I'm surprised he wasn't restrained and held for police right there.

I hate people that hold multiple spaces/seats at the movies.

[bainsidhe]

Good grief! And I'm glad M is tossing the friends. I mean, it sucks for the friends if they aren't jerks, but he's right in that SC will learn a lesson. Would be nice if a couple friends would be offered seats for turning in Idjit though.

What really makes me mad is that M didn't deserve it in any form. He was calm and polite. He was firm. Hell, he was a manager with a spine, go M!

[Tithera]

Had something similar happen when I took my younger sister to see "New Moon." Dear Lord, was that an experience. Now, I'm ok with the books and movies in general. I do think that they were written very well and I actually like Stephanie Meyer as an author. Also, the movies were directed amazingly (which surprised the hell out of me) and shot beautifully. The only thing that makes me so mad about it all is the hype. Merchandising, teenie boppers who prolly don't understand the whole subtext of the story, and the OMGEDWARDANDJAKEARESOHOT! bull crap. Because of that, I particularly don't like to have anything to do with the series and such, but my sister is a HUGE fan and wanted to go see the movie. Having nothing to do and a car while my mom was at work, I volunteered to take her. Thankfully, I suggested we go to the earlier showing, to avoid the crowd. Now the theatre was packed to the point where we had to sit right smack dab in front of the screen (one of my most hated spots. Screens right there, gives me a headache.) But, I deal with it. I sat and made jokes and what not throughout the movie (sister actually found it hilarious.)
The thing was, I noticed weird little flashes throughout the movie, with nothing to explain it until I turned around to crack my back and noticed a 40-some-year-old women with a camera out, TAKING PICTURES OF THE MOVIE. This, I must remind, is highly illegal. I turn look all around me and notice several other cameras out. All older women. That in itself, was creepy.
We get out of the movie and move to the lobby to leave and the lobby is PACKED Lines snaking everywhere for, can you guess it? New Moon. (note: this was the first day it came it, so expected, but damn). Well, one of the women who had been taking pictures was sitting by the divider between the main lobby and the bathrooms. I told my sister to hang on and went to a manager and told him what I saw. Oh was he pissed. Apparently, this woman did it for Twilight (though they couldn't prove because before she left, she handed the camera to a friend that walked out) and several other big movies.
So he approached her, very calm and polite. That is until he asks to see her purse. She starts ranting and raving saying she is being singaled out blah blah blah. She then says, "What proof do you have?" So of course, I step up and say, "Uh, I was sitting in front of you in the theatre. I noticed strange flashes that didn't go with the movie. I then turned around and saw you, with a camera in your hand. It even flashed me and blinded me momentarily when you took a picture."
Woman: You're a liar. You just want attention you little bitch.
Several other people who sat around us chimed in, saying they saw it too, with several others doing the same. Women looks nervous as security searches her bag. Guy pulls out the camera, goes through the pictures and finds over 60 of the movie. She freaks, punches the security guard, grabs her purse and runs. Several movie goers take off after her, followed by another security guard and the manager. I don't know what happened to her after that, since my sister was a little a freaked out, so we left. I'm pretty sure she went to jail though.

[Exaspera]

Taking a photo of a movie with a flash??!! Wouldn't she just get herself a blank screen? And then punching out the guard???

Seriously, this woman and the guy in the first story need to be charged with assault!

[Willis]

The friends who didn't do a thing shouldn't have to suffer because one guy decides to rough up the manager. People should be held responsible for their own actions. None of his friends told him to mouth off and punch the manager in the mouth.

I mean there comes a time when it's understandable to applaud when SC's get theirs, but the manager getting pissed and kicking all the friends out because of guilt by association and getting punched was just emotions kicking in.

[Dips]

I'd agree with you if the friends had done the right thing by offering to tell the police the name and address of the guy who threw the punch. Unless that tidbit is missing from the story, it doesn't look like they had any plans at all to do anything helpful, even if it was after the fact.

And there's the line-butting thing. I've seen people thrown out of places for that alone.

But fair or not, property owners have the right to throw anyone off of their property for any reason as long as it isn't illegal discrimination.

[Plaidman]

The friends who didn't do a thing shouldn't have to suffer because one guy decides to rough up the manager. People should be held responsible for their own actions. None of his friends told him to mouth off and punch the manager in the mouth.

I mean there comes a time when it's understandable to applaud when SC's get theirs, but the manager getting pissed and kicking all the friends out because of guilt by association and getting punched was just emotions kicking in.

Well, friends could have easily subdue their friend. Likely wouldn't get sued by sasid friend over that. Friends likely were cheering him on honestly. Going Yeah! Kick his ass! WOooot!" I can easily see that.

So now, friends are more likely mad at friend for making them lose chance to see Iron man 2. Likekly punch him now as revenge.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

The friends who didn't do a thing shouldn't have to suffer because one guy decides to rough up the manager. People should be held responsible for their own actions.

Exactly. And the friends' role in the incident is they did nothing to prevent IM from assaulting the manager.

They may not have been egging him on, but they sure as hell didn't do anything to keep the situation from escalating.

And after the fact, they probably wouldn't have helped out the manager or the police with identification of IM so he could be found and dealt with. At least not on their own volition.

So I don't have a problem with the manager kicking them out.

[Willis]

I'd agree with you if the friends had done the right thing by offering to tell the police the name and address of the guy who threw the punch. Unless that tidbit is missing from the story, it doesn't look like they had any plans at all to do anything helpful, even if it was after the fact.

And there's the line-butting thing. I've seen people thrown out of places for that alone.

But fair or not, property owners have the right to throw anyone off of their property for any reason as long as it isn't illegal discrimination.

I'm sure those guys weren't telling on their friend for throwing the punch. There was more than enough people eager to do that because the OP offered to do some telling and sign paperwork. Besides that, from the story that's not why the manager threw them out. He asked who knew the guy and 2 said they did and he kicked them out on the spot. No if ands or buts.

He wasn't a property owner he was a movie theater manager. Even so, kicking someone out for no reason is bad business. If they hadn't of spoken up, they probably could've seen the movie. Also if the OP acknowledges that the one guy was holding their spots then it's not cutting. Even here and I'm sure many other places people hold spots for friends.

Well, friends could have easily subdue their friend. Likely wouldn't get sued by sasid friend over that. Friends likely were cheering him on honestly. Going Yeah! Kick his ass! WOooot!" I can easily see that.

So now, friends are more likely mad at friend for making them lose chance to see Iron man 2. Likekly punch him now as revenge.

Subdued him? Why? The post said that the IM punched the manager and turned heel and left. No subduing necessary. Since he can't control his anger his friends have to suffer and miss the movie? That's makes absolutely no sense.

[Plaidman]

Say your friends with someone for a long time. You know what makes one tick after awhile. So yeah, they all would have very well knew before he threw a punch that he was. They were next to him. It doesn't take much to grab said frined to calm him down.

Not to mention what did they do after their friend turned and left? Likely laughed their fucking asses off.

Made no move towards friend. Made no mark towards saying where said friend was.

If your friend threw a rock through a window, grabbed stuff, and ran, you would also be taken away for that. Doesn't matter if you didn't steal anything. You didn't stop him. You didn't tell police. You just let it happen.

Thief is against the law. So is assult.

[Willis]

All you're talking about is assumptions, cynicism and not based off of info from the OP post. The OP made no indication that the friends were egging him on.

Theft and assault are against the law, who said it wasn't? According to the story, the friends of IM did neither. If they did then I would absolutely agree.

If they're still standing in line how would they know where he went? You can't stop people from doing things all the time even if you know how they are. You'd drive yourself crazy. I have no qualms with the idea of the manager throwing out the guy who punched him, but to throw out the other 2 still doesn't make sense. They spoke up when he asked them who knew the guy. According to the story, he didn't even give them a chance to tell on the guy even if they wanted to before kicking them out. It was "who knows him?" "we do", "gtfo". I still think the manager was amped up on emotions (which I can understand) and didn't care if they did anything or not, they were simply associated.

[Plaidman]

It still the same deal. They were with him. That's guilty by assosation.

It sucks. But if your with a person that does a crime, you don't get out of it. Someone robs a bank when your with them? Your going to jail. Your with someone who assults someone? Going to jail.

They were lucky that all they did was not get to see a movie. I would have gotten the police and make them tell where that guy lived. They got off LUCKY if ya ask me.

[Sliceanddice]

its called guilt by association and they can be arrested for not trying to stop him.