Newshub's movie guru Kate Rodger has recounted a disturbing nappy-changing experience during a screening of The Lion King that bolsters pleas from adult movie-goers to leave the kids at home.
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Earlier this week, a Poirura man's Facebook rant went viral after he asked parents to take their kids to the film "during the day while us adults are at mahi".
At the time of writing, Hikawera Ferris' post imploring: "Don't ruin my time with Mufasa and Simbux [sic]" has been reacted to over 5000 times and shared by 1500 people.
Rodger was at her second viewing of the Disney reboot when a large group of adults, teenagers and kids entered the cinema, including a young toddler.
"She had understandably zero interest in watching The Lion King," Rodger said.
"She spent a goodly portion of the second half going up and down the steep stairs beside me - very cute, very chatty, very loud and totally behaving age-appropriately.
"Not one single care-giver gave one single thought to the impact the toddler was having on those trying to enjoy the film."
The worst was yet to come, however, in a "cinematic first" for the veteran film critic, as she was forced to witness an unpleasant parenting moment.
"After decades of cinemas and movies day and night, I watched as someone - happy as a clam - laid the toddler down on the floor of the packed cinema and changed a nappy," she said.
"Less than a minute walk up the stairs to the toilets, she thought it was totally sweet to change the nappy right there, mid-Lion King."
Rodger, a parent herself, says she understands it's not always possible to control the behaviour of young kids when out and about, but that doesn't mean all bets are off.
"Am I expecting too much for parents to have even a teeny bit of social responsibility and respect for other people?" she asked.
Movie theatres across the country, including Wellington's Roxy Cinema, are offering adults only screenings for those keen to avoid unwanted interruptions.
Fans of all ages helped The Lion King make Kiwi box office history as the biggest opening day for Disney Studio film in New Zealand.
The remake also took the number three spot behind Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Avengers: Endgame as the country's biggest movie opening box office week of all time.
Newshub.
