Streaming is better
Theaters have always held a soft spot in my heart. But let’s face it, they aren’t the same anymore.
The expenses for me back home are almost too much to want to go at all — it costs $15 for a ticket and even more for snacks and drinks. If you’re going on a theater date, you’ll want to get snacks and two tickets instead of one, easily coming up to around $50. What young adult has that kind of money to spend every time there’s a new blockbuster?
I have also personally noticed throughout the years that theater speakers have gotten louder.
If I want to become a more well-rounded cinephile while being squeamish about horror, the last thing I want is to try out a new, well-reviewed horror movie and have my eardrums bleed in the process.
Meanwhile, for streaming, I can just turn down the volume to slowly build up to being comfortable with the level of terror the movie has to offer. The theater only offers one volume — loud.
I still remember the panic of springing to cover my ears from an explosion featured in 2022’s “The Batman.”
That’s not even mentioning the absurdity some theatergoers will bring to the screening room. I’m not the only one who remembers the screaming of “chicken jockey!” while trying to see if “A Minecraft Movie” was mid or not.
The chaos didn’t stop there. The internet showed me the worst of it, with
blood-curdling screams, a live chicken in one theater, and floods of popcorn being thrown in joy at hearing Jack Black state the obvious.
I, for one, witnessed a 9-year-old boy topple his popcorn lazily as his father groaned and ignored the mess entirely during my screening.
Until theaters become civilized once again, you’ll find me watching all the new releases from home.
Theater-going is better
Streaming services such as Netflix and Disney+ soared in popularity during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when everyone was confined to their homes. Sure, they were convenient for the time, but we need to bring back going to the theaters.
Movies are meant to be enjoyed with others, and the experience is often lost when watching movies through a streaming service. Take comedy movies, for example. They’re much more enjoyable and funny to watch with a group of laughing people than alone.
Sure, really popular films such as “A Minecraft Movie” have fans going a bit over the top in the theaters. Still, I think this adds to making a memorable theater experience.
One of my favorite movie-viewing experiences was back in 2021 at New York Comic Con, when I had an opportunity to see “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” a month before its official release. Watching the movie in a packed auditorium filled with die-hard fans of the “Ghostbusters” franchise, along with the cast and crew of the film, made the movie a million times better than if I had first seen it streaming at home.
The shared emotions — cheering, crying, laughing — are my favorite part of watching movies in a theater with a packed audience. Plus, theaters give audiences the best viewing experience in terms of visual and sound quality.
They play the movie as it was made to be played: with enhanced, vibrant visuals that regular televisions might not be able to naturally produce, and surround sound that can be both heard and felt.
Further, going to the theater right when a new blockbuster has been released would prevent overhearing some unfortunate spoilers.
Nobody remind me of the “Avengers: Endgame” incident. I’m still not over being spoiled for that.
If you ever find yourself with some spare time, consider going to the theaters for a change instead of staying home.