My local movie theater closed back in Jan. 2025. In hindsight, I should have expected it because it was always empty, but I thought I was single handedly keeping them afloat by going about three times a month. Movie theaters closing probably affects me more than most because I am absolutely enchanted by the theatrical experience every time. Sometimes I even see the same movie more than once in theater. Every time I go, though, it’s completely dead, even on a Friday or Saturday night.
I wish more people would go to theaters again because the experience is so special. If people realized that, I think they would be revived, but people do not want to take that initial step to get up and go in the first place. I personally love getting to the theater in time to watch the trailers and, if more people saw them, I think it would incline them to go back for those movies, creating an ongoing cycle. Movie theaters are fun, but people treat going like a chore. Nicole Kidman is not lying in her advertisement for AMC Theatres when she says, “Stories feel perfect and powerful because here … they are.”
It’s hard to understand the vibe of being in a dark enclosed theater with nothing but a film and the emotions it evokes.
Many people don’t physically attend movies anymore because the films typically arrive on streaming services just months after their releases or do not even get a theatrical release and go straight to streaming. Films like “Companion” had a measly three weekends of exclusivity to theaters, barely urging people to see it on the big screen. “Happy Gilmore 2,” a sequel to the beloved “Happy Gilmore,” is only arriving on Netflix, denying audiences the opportunity to see the film in theaters at all.
Streaming services are a huge reason why movie theaters are dying off. People have access to almost every film at just a click away. Nobody wants to leave their homes and put away their phone for more than 90 minutes to enjoy a movie in theaters, indicative of everyone’s attention spans going down the gutter. Streaming movies also gives people the luxury of pausing it as much as they want. People are free to use their phones whenever they please in the comfort of their own homes. If you cannot put away your phone for two hours to be respectful to other watchers in the theater, consider the possibility of an addiction.
Movie theaters have been, and still are being, affected by COVID-19. People were forced to stay indoors and purchase streaming service subscriptions if they wanted any form of entertainment. It was a good thing at the time, allowing people to still watch new movies from home, but lazy new habits seem to have replaced the practice of nights out at the theater. The community within movie theaters is a treasure, and I love watching audience reactions to scenes in big blockbusters. Streaming services have stripped us of this community. There is some degree of shared experience when television shows release episodes on a weekly basis, leaving people to bond over one thing at a time, but most of it is done via social media anyway. Nobody experiences anything with other people physically next to them.
The prices for a single ticket also factor in reasons why people do not attend movies. I have seen ticket prices rise with my own eyes and, when purchasing three tickets every month, even just a couple dollars per ticket adds up. When “Wicked” came out, I bought three tickets, each one over $23. This was super unreasonable considering this movie was going to be a hit anyway and theaters would make money no matter what. More recently, I bought a ticket to “Captain America: Brave New World” in IMAX and it was over $30.
On top of ticket prices, the prices for popcorn and drinks are outrageous. Most people enjoy eating snacks while watching movies. It’s hard enough getting people to the theater, so if popcorn is expensive, it makes more sense for people to eat their cheaper snacks at home.
Movie theaters are nothing short of magical, and I wish more people would see this for themselves. I am begging you to get up and go see a movie. I promise you it is worth it.
