Frequent moviegoers continue to express frustration over the persistent delays between advertised start times and the actual beginning of films, a practice some describe as misleading and disrespectful to audiences. Jeffrey Ingold, a freelance journalist and self-identified cinephile, recently shared his experience at the North Finchley Vue cinema, where a screening of "The Odyssey" scheduled for 7:15 p.m. did not begin until 7:45 p.m., with pre-show content including a car advertisement and a horror film trailer extending the wait.

Ingold criticized the widespread acceptance of late film starts, noting a double standard compared to live theater, where audiences expect performances to begin promptly at the ticketed time. He highlighted how the expansion of trailers and advertisements now often totals 20 to 30 minutes, further delaying the film itself. This delay can affect audience behavior, leading to late arrivals who miss parts of the film or disrupt screenings.

Drawing on his own experience growing up in Canada, Ingold pointed out that cinemas there typically begin films at the advertised time, with advertisements running beforehand. This system, he suggested, encourages punctuality and preserves the integrity of the viewing experience. He recalled a personal example in which arriving late to a showing of "The Fellowship of the Ring" resulted in missing the film’s crucial opening sequence.

Efforts to address inaccurate movie start times have encountered resistance. In 2025, a Connecticut state senator proposed legislation to require accurate disclosure of film start times in advertisements. However, the initiative was scaled back to the formation of a "working group" after opposition from cinema operators, who argued that eliminating pre-show content would threaten essential advertising revenue. The debate over balancing financial interests with customer satisfaction remains unresolved.

Ingold proposed a more radical restructuring of the moviegoing experience, suggesting the removal of assigned seating and the introduction of a flat fee for admission regardless of seat location. Under this model, known colloquially here as a "Hunger Games" approach to seating, audiences would be incentivized to arrive early to secure preferred spots, while the film would begin punctually as listed.

Ultimately, he called for greater respect for patrons’ time and a move toward transparency and punctuality in cinema scheduling. His critique reflects wider industry conversations about how to modernize movie presentations without undermining commercial viability.