What's your ideal length for a movie?

[Captain Jean-Luc Picard 1]

I watched The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers tonight as it was a Christmas gift from a friend. I have to say, I loved the story, but this movie was waaay too long! So, that gave me the idea for this thread.

 

What's your ideal length for a movie?

I'd say anywhere from 1 1/2 hours to 2 1/2 hours would be just the right length for a movie. The longest movie I'd see would be 3 hours, but the story has to draw me in the whole time.

[LadyNarana 0]

You must have watched the extended edition, CJLP, if you sat for four hours. ROTK is the longest in the theater, coming in at 3 hrs 20 min or so.

 

Anyhoo, it depends on the movie for me. If I enjoy it, I don't mind the over-three-hours movies. But, in general, two hours and something is good. If it's a cartoon or a Pixar movie, an hour and a half is fine.

[Mike 5]

Usually I would say that 2 1/2 hours is a good length for a movie. Course if I'm really into it I don't mind it being longer..I too just saw The Return of the King..It was over 3 hours in length but I didn't mind because I was very much into the story..I can just imagine how long the extended version DVD will be..What got me was sitting thru 1/2 hour of commercials and previews before the movie! And no I'm not exaggerating!!

[trekzone 0]

sitting in a cinema for 3 and half hours watching LOTR ----- argh!!!!! ---- sitting in a cinema for 3 hours watching 24 ----- better!!!

[Captain Jean-Luc Picard 1]

sitting in a cinema for 3 and half hours watching LOTR ----- argh!!!!! ---- sitting in a cinema for 3 hours watching 24 ----- better!!!

Yep. I can sit through 2 movies, or a Star Trek or Stargate marathon. However, a 4-hour movie? It should be re-named The Neverending Story. B)

[Mike 5]

sitting in a cinema for 3 and half hours watching LOTR ----- argh!!!!! ---- sitting in a cinema for 3 hours watching 24 ----- better!!!

Yep. I can sit through 2 movies, or a Star Trek or Stargate marathon. However, a 4-hour movie? It should be re-named The Neverending Story. B)

Depends on your point of view. I've been waiting a long time for these Lord of the Rings movies..I was happy to be in the theatre watching this great story unfold.!! Course I've read the books a couple of times so I'm really into the whole LOTR story..

[Captain Jean-Luc Picard 1]

Personally, I like fantasy, I'm just not into epics. Maybe that's why I didn't like the lenth of the LOTR movies.

[cptwright 1]

these movies couldnt have been shorter, they were perfect. i have no preference in lengh just as long as the movie if fulfiling, if its too short i want to ring someones bell, if its too drawn out, same thing, bit i usually lean toward longer, for the adventure, fantasy movies, but some of the comedies are fine at one and a half to two hours. i cant wait to see the extended version of ROTK.

[ARMS 0]

I hate long films, after about 2 hours i get really bored!

[Mofo Jones 0]

Probably 2-3 hours. Some movies need to be shorter, while others could use some additions to make the story flow better (Nemesis)

[Mr.Picard 12]

Let's see. If it's a movie with Patrick Stewart, it could be a 24-hour-movie, I wouldn't mind at all. :)

 

Ok, seriously (though I already was serious B) ). The ideal length for me would be 2 hours. I don't know why, that just seems to be the perfect time. :)

 

 

 

Mrs. Captain Picard

[Ace 0]

If it's extremely entertaining, I could handle a 4 hour sitting. Anything more would be overkill, imho. Ideal time for me would be 2-3 hours. I think it's hard to get a whole story into less than 2 hrs.

Edited January 1, 2004 by Ace

[Captain Jean-Luc Picard 1]

If it's extremely entertaining, I could handle a 4 hour sitting. Anything more would be overkill, imho. Ideal time for me would be 2-3 hours. I think it's hard to get a whole story into less than 2 hrs.

I agree, although I can't imagine a movie that could possible be entertaining for a complete 4-hour-block. Just too much time for one story on TV.

 

1 1/2 hours works for a short movie, 2 hours is ideal, 2 1/2 hours rocks, and 3 hours would be the perfect length for a movie, I think.

[mj 7]

Two hours is a good length for a movie. However, I did not have trouble sitting through the Lord of the Rings films I have seen. I had trouble tearing myself away....

[removed 0]

About 2 hours and 20 minutes is absolutely perfect. I hate, and I mean HATE, the non-comedy movies that go for 1 hour 30 minutes. That is sooo cheap! Like Jurassic Park 3! (But that was so bad that I don't think I could sit through another 30 minutes of that! Haha!). But these 1.5 hour movies make me so angry. It's not about telling a good story then, it's about making money. The only reason non-comedies go for 1.5 hours is so that they can run in the theatres more times a day. Very cheap indeed.

 

(And why I say non-comedies is because comedies are usually only 1.5 hours.)

[Captain Jean-Luc Picard 1]

Well, I agree with Bysty, 2 hours & 20 mins is pretty good. However, I loved JP3. What was so bad? My opinion as to it being much shorter than JP2 was due to a short set-up and jumping right into the action. Not all movies have to be 2 hours, as long as it's 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 huurs, I'm good, with 3 hours being the longest I could sit for. :lol:

[removed 0]

If felt so ripped off by JP3. It had zero story, really bad acting, and I just plain didn't like it. They seem to have tried too hard. And 1 1/2 hours? Not worth the money I paid to see it in theatres. The only JP movie I'd consider buying would be the first one. The rest don't appeal to me.