With streaming, we have every movie we could want right at our fingertips, but it’s easy to forget why going to the movies used to feel so special. Convenience is nice, but it’s not the same as a real connection.
Streaming services have completely taken people away from the movie-going experience. According to a Washington Times poll, “75% opted to stream a movie instead of seeing its theatrical release.” It seems as if we’ve lost the plot. In this day and age, streaming is more convenient and even cheaper than going to the movies.
When going to the movie theater, you’re not just paying to see the movie, but also for the experience that comes with it. Much like going to a concert, the experience is what makes the cost worthwhile. Being in a huge, dimly lit room with a bunch of strangers watching the same movie and experiencing the same emotions as you is priceless. Plus the popcorn. You can’t forget the popcorn.
Let’s use the theatrical release of Avengers: Endgame as an example. I would sacrifice one of my limbs to experience watching Avengers: Endgame in theaters again. I cry just thinking about it, and I know I’m not the only one. Watching the portal scene, listening to everyone in the theater screaming and jumping, oh, what I would do to go back. The people yearn for this community again.
Another example I’ll use is the recent release of Project Hail Mary. Ryan Gosling said during a surprise appearance at a screening of the movie in New York, “It’s not your job to keep [theaters] open, it’s our job to make things that make it worth you coming out.”
This movie is a perfect example of why you must go to the theater to see it: it adds to the story. I think I cried maybe five times while watching it on opening night. I wasn’t the only one, either; I heard other people sniffling, too. This was such a surreal moment because I became aware that other people were experiencing the same emotion I was.
You just can’t get that shared reaction from your bed. Let’s be real, how many times have you “watched” a movie at home while texting, scrolling, or getting up every five minutes? At home, it’s way too easy to zone out, but in a theater, you’re actually present. Your phone is (hopefully) out of sight, the lights are down, and for two hours, your only job is to actually feel something. That kind of focus? It’s a whole different vibe.
Also, movies just look and sound better in theaters. Looking at my 24″ Roku TV, it doesn’t come close. The music, the visuals, all those little details you’d totally miss on your laptop, they hit so much harder on the big screen. It’s the difference between thinking a movie is pretty good and being absolutely obsessed with it.
But honestly, the best part is the feeling you leave with. Walking out with your friends, instantly breaking down every scene, quoting your favorite lines, just sitting there in silence because your brain is still processing, or my personal go-to, immediately whipping out Letterboxd. That sticks with you.
If you’re sitting there thinking, “There’s no way I can afford that,” trust me, I hear you. College budgets are brutal. But here’s the thing: movie theaters have actually made it way easier than you’d think. Reward programs like AMC Stubs A-List and Regal Unlimited are absolute lifesavers for broke college students. Becoming an AMC Stubs A-Lister is honestly the best choice I’ve ever made. I get four free movies a week in any format. Yes, that’s 16 movies a month for the cost of two tickets. Talk about a steal. UCF students can also get discounted movie tickets by visiting the Student Government Ticket Center, making the deal even sweeter.
Movie theaters also fix the classic “we have nothing to do” crisis, and you don’t have to blow your whole budget every weekend. Instead of dropping cash on something random, you can just hit up a movie, whether it’s the big new release or something you’d never bother with otherwise. Suddenly, going to the theater isn’t some rare treat; it’s just part of your normal routine.
Yeah, streaming is easy, but actually going to the movies? That takes effort. Maybe that’s exactly why we need to bring it back.