The Askew Student Life Center (ASLC) is famous for many things, but some of the most special things at this FSU institution are the midnight movie screenings. Gathering with a group of fellow cinephiles for a midnight movie is an experience like no other.
To achieve a successful night at a midnight screening, there are things to prepare for. A night out at the movies isn’t something to be trifled with.
Before the Screenings
Before you even make the decision to go to a midnight screening, you have to make sure it’s a movie that you actually want to see. When watching a movie at midnight, you need to be entertained.
Yes, it would be cool to see the cinematic masterpiece that is Eraserhead at midnight, but do you really want to stay up to watch that? Are you mentally prepared for that experience? If you are, then go for it! All this to say, make sure that you’re excited and prepared to watch the movie you’ve chosen. Check the runtime, read the synopsis, and make your decision from there.
Rest, Rest, REST!
Staying up until midnight isn’t an easy feat, or at least not for an early sleeper like me. When I’m planning to go to a midnight screening, I try to make a point to take a nap that day. Whether it’s a 15-minute nap or a two-hour nap, anything will make your journey into the night more enjoyable.
I’ve been to many screenings where I didn’t take a nap or at least rest up, and that was my downfall. You’d catch me dozing off, and that’s not a good look at all.
Eat a Good Meal
Since you’ll be up for quite a while, you’ve got to make sure that you have enough fuel to get you through the night. You can’t be having a granola bar or yogurt pack before going to a midnight screening. You’ll likely need something more substantial.
Well before the doors to the movie open, I like to go to one of the many on-campus eating options. If you’re looking for some quality over quantity, then you’ve got to go to Joe Mama’s or Vato Tacos. 1851 has some of the best places to eat when you’re tired of the dining hall food.
For my Suwannee warriors out there, I can see the appeal of getting some all-you-care-to-eat food before such a long endeavor, but what’s most important is getting the full meal. Yes, I know you want to get some snacks at the theater, but if you eat early enough, you’ll still have plenty of room for those movie theater cravings.
Prepare to Get There Early
Midnight screenings are a classic event at the ASLC, and because of that, these events usually fill up. Of course, some screenings don’t fill up as much, especially if they’re more niche movies. Other times, the theater will have every seat filled.
On Jan. 1,the midnight screening of The Lego Movie brought flocks of people from across campus, and the show even sold out. For special events, like The Rocky Horror Picture Show, people line up outside the ASLC for hours before the doors even open.
All this to say that if you’ve chosen to go to a very popular movie or event, try to get there early. You might have to use your own judgement, but as a rule of thumb, get there at or a little after the doors open.
I hope all this information doesn’t scare you away from a midnight screening. I can say that essentially all of the screenings that I’ve been to have been an absolute blast. There’s something so special about the community that the ASLC has fostered that’s so welcoming, and that feeling is amplified at a midnight screening.
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