The Reel View

Who doesn’t like a good movie? Be honest. Every now and then, we enjoy the chance to escape our crazy lives.

To do this, we kick off our shoes, pop some popcorn and turn on that big box thing all of our furniture is pointed toward. Today we are offered a wide range of services that allow us to enjoy a movie from the comfort of our own homes.

So, I must ask this question: When we are able to access free movies on our
computers, rent a DVD at Redbox for $1 or pay a small Netflix fee, why do we still go to the movies?

If you have been to the movie theater lately, you would know that going to the movies now costs a small fortune.

A few months ago I saw “A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas” (couldn’t resist), and in order to view the movie comfortably (with a small slushy drink and popcorn) I spent a grand total of $22.

I say grand total because to a college student, $22 can buy three months’ worth of ramen noodles, half a tank of gas or a Keystone beer box hat.

But most of us still flocked to see “The Hunger Games” without a single complaint about the small fortune we had to pay.

What is it about going to the movies that is so great anyway? My answer: I do not go to movies; instead, I go to cinematic adventures.

I enjoy walking into a movie theater and being welcomed by the sweet aroma of warm, buttery popcorn, finding the perfect seat (a footrest is necessary) and sharing the experience with friends, family and strangers around me.

The community experience is key. Let’s face it: Some movies you just can’t watch on a laptop at home alone.

I still remember dressing up as Ginny Weasley and attending the midnight showing of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1” with a group of friends — laughing at Fred and George’s dry humor, having my heart skip a beat when Harry was captured by the group of Snatchers and crying hysterically when (editor’s note: major spoiler alert) Dobby died.

Even though we like to see movies to escape from reality, we still enjoy the sense of community the cinema brings because they bring experiences we will never forget.

People think of going to the movies as an experience rather than a service received. Movie theaters try to give us an experience we cannot access from home, hence the
prevalence of 3D.

This experience is so awesome that we forget about how much we pay or the unidentified sticky stuff on the floor. Because movie theaters turn movies into cinematic adventures, they will survive the free streamings and the convenience Netflix and Redbox provide.

We all need a little adventure in our lives.

That being said, let’s shut our laptops, open our wallets and  go to the movies.

­— sarizzi@indiana.edu