I go to restaurants alone when I’m out and about by myself, because a man’s gotta eat. But why would I choose to go to a movie theater by myself? I can just stay home and watch a movie for free, while being more comfortable. I go to the movies specifically for the event which is shared with the person/people I go with. Do some people go to the movies just to see the movie? Is the bigger screen that important?
On the opposite, I don’t really get movie theatre as a social activity.
Watching a movie is a passive, solitary activity that you do in the same place and time as other people. It feels to me like it has the same social significance as meeting and then everyone checking their phone for two hours. Sure there is a shared experience at the end of it, but there are a thousand things you could do instead in order to experience things together, most of which more interactive and more “social”.
For me the only benefit of going with a friend is pushing each other to actually go and see the movie. But for myself, I have watched movies alone and didn’t find it significantly better or worse than going with company.
For those of us without 100" 4K HDR TVs and perfect speaker setups, yes it is worth it. Not for every movie but there are movies I am very glad to have gone to the theater for because watching it at home on a 24 inch monitor and headphones is far less immersive and exciting an experience. Yes, even with popcorn crunching.
Ah yeah, I would definitely go to the theater more if that was my only setup at home. It’s amazing what you can put together from the thrift store though.
Depends on the movie. If it’s some drama or something a normal sized screen isn’t much different experience but like a huge action movie with large scale stuff happening the bigger screen adds to the experience. I went and saw Godzilla Minus One in the theater and it was amazing. Maybe if I had a nice home theater set up it would be different but if I’m not watching a movie at the theater it’s usually on my PC monitor at home or my small TV.
I have a 65" OLED, hooked up to a 5.1 surround sound system with floorstanding speakers, and a reclining couch, so I really only notice a big difference if it’s IMAX or if it’s 3D.
Sometimes the people I enjoy movies didn’t want to see the same movies, so I have gone alone to see something on the big screen. Not often since large flatscreens made most movies more enjoyable at home, but I would go slone if the situation came up again.
Honestly being alone or with people isn’t that much different when I’m watchijg a movie, unless they are distracting. The only thing I get out of going with others is talking about the movie sfter.
Yes, I enjoy movies with striking visuals or music much more on the big screen. I also go to the cinema alone from time to time. I’m rather introverted, so I don’t mind the solitary experience. I do like to later talk about the movie with someone who saw it too, though.
Do some people go to the movies just to see the movie? Is the bigger screen that important?
Maybe they want to see it as soon as it’s released instead of waiting for it to be available to stream. Also yes, some movies are definitely better and more immersive on the big screen with the big sound systems, like space or adventure-type ones with special effects.
The only thing the theater has that I don’t have is Atmos. I have a pretty awesome surround sound system at home. I know most people haven’t spent the time and money to set their house up the way I have though. I’ve thought about adding Atmos, but my ceiling is slanted, so it would be a challenge.
Movie theaters always seemed like such weird places to go to in general. I mean I get it if you go with a large friend group or to see a movie that has a lot of large scale scenes but for pretty much everything else it has literally zero advantages to make up for its major downsides.
Other people being noisy, no ability to pause, shitty audio quality due to bad placement, expensive tickets and food, having to go there and having to be there at a specific time, usually not being able to watch the movie in the original audio even when you do speak the language, pre-movie ads,…
People always talk about it as this great experience but I feel there is a reason they have to put the movies in there first because otherwise very few people would be willing to suffer through it all.
Did you forget that within living memory options for watching movies at home were limited to tiny televisions with poor sound, and what was either broadcast (possibly with commercials) or what you could rent at a store?
“Always seemed like such a weird place to go” if “always” is limited to like “after 2010” maybe.
Well, more like after the mid 90s or so. Movie theaters were pretty much shit from the moment when home audio started to allow you to use more than just stereo.
I go to restaurants alone when I’m out and about by myself, because a man’s gotta eat. But why would I choose to go to a movie theater by myself? I can just stay home and watch a movie for free, while being more comfortable. I go to the movies specifically for the event which is shared with the person/people I go with. Do some people go to the movies just to see the movie? Is the bigger screen that important?
On the opposite, I don’t really get movie theatre as a social activity.
Watching a movie is a passive, solitary activity that you do in the same place and time as other people. It feels to me like it has the same social significance as meeting and then everyone checking their phone for two hours. Sure there is a shared experience at the end of it, but there are a thousand things you could do instead in order to experience things together, most of which more interactive and more “social”.
For me the only benefit of going with a friend is pushing each other to actually go and see the movie. But for myself, I have watched movies alone and didn’t find it significantly better or worse than going with company.
For those of us without 100" 4K HDR TVs and perfect speaker setups, yes it is worth it. Not for every movie but there are movies I am very glad to have gone to the theater for because watching it at home on a 24 inch monitor and headphones is far less immersive and exciting an experience. Yes, even with popcorn crunching.
Ah yeah, I would definitely go to the theater more if that was my only setup at home. It’s amazing what you can put together from the thrift store though.
Depends on the movie. If it’s some drama or something a normal sized screen isn’t much different experience but like a huge action movie with large scale stuff happening the bigger screen adds to the experience. I went and saw Godzilla Minus One in the theater and it was amazing. Maybe if I had a nice home theater set up it would be different but if I’m not watching a movie at the theater it’s usually on my PC monitor at home or my small TV.
I have a 65" OLED, hooked up to a 5.1 surround sound system with floorstanding speakers, and a reclining couch, so I really only notice a big difference if it’s IMAX or if it’s 3D.
Sometimes the people I enjoy movies didn’t want to see the same movies, so I have gone alone to see something on the big screen. Not often since large flatscreens made most movies more enjoyable at home, but I would go slone if the situation came up again.
Honestly being alone or with people isn’t that much different when I’m watchijg a movie, unless they are distracting. The only thing I get out of going with others is talking about the movie sfter.
Yes, I enjoy movies with striking visuals or music much more on the big screen. I also go to the cinema alone from time to time. I’m rather introverted, so I don’t mind the solitary experience. I do like to later talk about the movie with someone who saw it too, though.
Maybe they want to see it as soon as it’s released instead of waiting for it to be available to stream. Also yes, some movies are definitely better and more immersive on the big screen with the big sound systems, like space or adventure-type ones with special effects.
That and the sound I think? Maybe people enjoy being in a crowd while being entertained? I don’t know: it’s not for me.
The only thing the theater has that I don’t have is Atmos. I have a pretty awesome surround sound system at home. I know most people haven’t spent the time and money to set their house up the way I have though. I’ve thought about adding Atmos, but my ceiling is slanted, so it would be a challenge.
Movie theaters always seemed like such weird places to go to in general. I mean I get it if you go with a large friend group or to see a movie that has a lot of large scale scenes but for pretty much everything else it has literally zero advantages to make up for its major downsides.
Other people being noisy, no ability to pause, shitty audio quality due to bad placement, expensive tickets and food, having to go there and having to be there at a specific time, usually not being able to watch the movie in the original audio even when you do speak the language, pre-movie ads,…
People always talk about it as this great experience but I feel there is a reason they have to put the movies in there first because otherwise very few people would be willing to suffer through it all.
Did you forget that within living memory options for watching movies at home were limited to tiny televisions with poor sound, and what was either broadcast (possibly with commercials) or what you could rent at a store?
“Always seemed like such a weird place to go” if “always” is limited to like “after 2010” maybe.
Well, more like after the mid 90s or so. Movie theaters were pretty much shit from the moment when home audio started to allow you to use more than just stereo.