Unfortunately,
What we are all encountering is a macro trend. My wife and I also went to see the War Of The Worlds and besides the sound being mis-adjusted,ther were three people, one in front of us one beside us and one behind us, who at various points in the movie were taking calls.
Theaters which are hurting, will do nothing about this because they need every paying admission.I bouht my home theater because I love movies and enjoy going out to a movie theater when things are as they should be. But lately with more and more situations described in this thread, I have backed off going to the movies for all but those films which demand a big screen experience such as War Of The Worlds. Until theater chains assemble focud groups to once again tell them why their attendence is down it is only going to get worse.
Oh by the way,don't be too surprised when the studios and theatrers try to pin the blame for declining attendance on the CE companies for producing electronics, speakers and video displays that rival the theater. All things being proper I would still prefer the theater experience for the first viewing of a good movie..But unless they address these issues, they will drive us all to our livingrooms. And this does not bode well for Hollywood. In the end it will be bad for all of us.