Thanks for the insight. I wonder how much of it is the brain. Normally the acoustic processing inside our heads is capable of reducing unfocused sounds by aroun

Thanks for the insight. I wonder how much of it is the brain. Normally the acoustic processing inside our heads is capable of reducing unfocused sounds by around 12 dB (a phenomenon described with the term "Cocktail Party Effect"). So I wonder what happens when the hearing focuses on the ubwanted stuff instead. As for cinemas: Unless you go to weird off the beat venues the listening levels should be those specified by the mixing engineer in the studio. Most cinemas have dolby certifications, which means the engineer in the studio will hear nearly exactly what you hear. The levels within cinema productions are painstakingly kept below any levels considered harmful by both the industry and the law for obvious reasons. That however doesn't mean it will be equally pleasant to all people or that there are some people with special hearing conditions where it might come across as downright hostile (like you). If this happens often to you I'd suggest investing into decent hearing protection. I have one with me at all times, despite being relatively insensitive to sounds and levels that would put other people at the edge of their seats.