WASHINGTON – Gone are the days when people went to the movie theatre to just sit and watch a movie.

The urge to check cell phones, update Facebook statuses or text a friend in the lobby to pick-up a large popcorn with extra butter is now the new norm.

One company is looking to return to the older and simpler days of movie watching when cell phone etiquette was not an issue.

CineMark, the group that runs the theaters at Arundel Mills, is launching a feature called CineMode.

The app, which is available for download on an iPhone or Android smartphone, will flash a message on the screen just before the movie starts, prompting movie-goers to put their phones on vibrate.

If individuals behave and stay in CineMode for the entire film, they will earn digital coupons.

Cinemark calls it a win-win for participants, who can earn rewards while being courteous to folks nearby.

WTOP’s Rosemary Frisino-Toohey contributed to this report. Follow