The lobby is filled with excitement as the moviegoers await their turn in the concession lines. The smell of popcorn saturates the air and patrons scramble to find their ideal seats.
The sound of conversations starts to settle as the lights begin to dim. The projector lights up the screen and the audience is mesmerized by the pictures on the screen. The crunch of the popcorn and candy wrappers are also heard.
Watching a movie in a theater elicits such reactions as laughter, gasps, tears and many more.
During the pandemic, these sounds were silenced due to the closure of many theaters and people needing to isolate themselves.
Many experts recognize the advantages of going out to the theater.
According to The Medium, “When you’re watching a movie in a theater, you’re not just watching a film — you’re experiencing it.”
Many directors make their movies specifically to be viewed on cinematic big screens.
Tom Cruise told an audience at the Cannes Film Festival, “I make movies for the big screen… I love this experience and I want other filmmakers to have that experience.”
Watching a big-hit movie designed for the big screen on TV at home does not remotely compare to watching it at a movie theater surrounded by die-hard fans.
According to The Register, “Filmmakers spend years honing their craft and manipulating the light and color of the images of their films to create the intended effect and evoke certain emotions in the audience. The beauty of cinema lies in the specificity of the image and how the finer details create a visual experience.”
Watching a streaming service movie at home can be frustrating. Wifi interruptions that cause the screen to freeze is one major drawback to staying home.
This year’s major hit-movies such as Barbie, Oppenheimer and The Eras Tour Movie showed the popularity of going back out to the theaters (Total Gross of $1.6 billion, according to Box Office Mojo).
Millions of people opted to escape their homes and opted to attend movie theaters for a good reason.
According to Jacey Mok from The Science Survey, “Having a movie night with friends and family and going outside can benefit your mental health, but binge-watching Netflix definitely has negative effects.”
The benefits of going out make an evening feel special and provide a change from the normal routine.
Admittedly, going to the movies may be costly. However, there are ways to reduce the costs.
Movie theaters off er senior, student and other discounts such as off -peak hours and certain days (amctheaters.com).
In today’s hectic climate, we are constantly moving from one thing to the next doing chores around the house.
So sometimes it’s nice to just get out and away from daily responsibilities to sit down and relax for a while.
According to Penn Live, “Watching a movie uninterrupted allows you to be more fully transported into its world. That’s what movies are all about – escaping from reality for two hours.”
Being at a movie theater in unfamiliar surroundings sets us apart from the constant reminders of our usual routines and allows us to escape.
Now that we have the choice to be able to go out and mingle with others, there is little reason to continue with a self-imposed isolation and deny ourselves a dose of happiness.