That’s oh-fer-two (for those of you keeping score at home)

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I guess it’s just me and my wife who are keeping score, but it’s now two movies in a row that we’ve managed to sit near the family who can’t impress upon their child that “no talking” is the rule inside a darkened theater.

Last night’s fare, Pirates of the Caribbean, wasn’t sullied like Superman Returns was a few weeks ago. During that flick, the family in question were shushed and/or asked to be quiet no less than sixteen times. Last night, the mother did get the little one to whisper. Distracting, yes. But not to the point of debating whether to ask for a refund or move to other seats.

So, what is it about attending movies these days that people just don’t get it? Thankfully, no one’s cell phone rang while either movie was playing.

Don’t get me wrong, both of these shows have a definite kid appeal. Superman is a timeless hero of young and old alike. And the success of the first Disney-spawned pirate movie all but guaranteed the sequel would be successful, too.

I also understand that the length of these movies would make a child a little antsy. Hell, at three hours, they made me a little antsy, too. (Beware—if you haven’t seen these movies, get the small soda and make sure you’re well-peed before they start.)

As I thought about it, it occurred to me that everyone who drops $9 a head to see a flickershow feels a sense of entitlement. “I paid my money, too. I’ll talk if I want to. If you don’t like it, you can kiss my ass.”

Of course, this thinking is wrong.

Or maybe it’s not even a sense of entitlement that’s entering into the equation. Maybe it’s just plain ignorance. Maybe it’s just the general tendency for some parents to shy away from actually being parents and making it clear that there’s no talking.

Maybe it’s a little of all three. After letting this line of thought run its course, I had to wonder why it is both the parents—as well as the rest of us—let it continue.

I say the “rest of us” because we have an obligation to stand up for ourselves. The fear of confrontation, perhaps, holds us back. Either that or the fear that the chatting people will perceive US to be rude stops us from speaking out. How broken is that?

Very broken, if you ask me.