In Memorium of the Movie Theatre
By Samantha Bradley
Do you remember the days when it was actually fun to go to the movies with your family and friends? It's kind of funny when you think about it, because we have things so much better now than we did back then. Don't we?
It really hasn't been that long since one absolutely had to physically go to a movie theatre if they didn't want to wait forever for it to be released on Blu Ray or DVD. The release process was so long that by the time the movie was actually available for viewing at home, you might have actually forgotten about ever wanting to see it in the first place. If the film was that important, then you had no choice but to physically show up at the theatre and watch it, which was expensive but could be a lot of fun. You have people around you who were experiencing seeing the movie for the first time the same way you were, and then there were the delights of the lobby. (Okay, the public bathroom might be something you could do without, but the other stuff was kind of magical!)
A lot of the theatres I used to go to had a game arcade, and it was always fun to challenge your friends to see who would end up with the highest score. Bragging rights have always meant a lot, you've got to admit.
My favorite part, however, was the concession stand. It was way overpriced and definitely not gourmet cuisine by any stretch, but you could get all the perfect movie food to enjoy. Who doesn't want a huge container of buttered popcorn, after all? There is no one who can make buttered popcorn as tasty as you can find behind that counter, trust me. You could also buy hotdogs with all the fixings, candy bars (some of which could be found nowhere else), bonbons (those little ice cream treats in a box) and sodas of all sizes and varieties. And yeah, it's true you can microwave popcorn right at home, but it just isn't the same and never will be. There is NOTHING that beats movie popcorn. End of story.
What can you do? Things are changing incredibly fast in our world, and in some cases they are changing way too fast. I wish the theatres were still the magical world they once were, but I guess that's progress for you. True, you can lie in bed and watch the newest release without having to move an inch, but where is the magic in that? The movies have become just like any other thing on TV, and I find that kind of sad.
Ooooh, I just came up with a brilliant idea! Instead of going to a Broadway show like Hamilton, why don't they just film it and we can pick it up on our android box? We get to decide when the break will be that way and we don't have to get all dressed up. Brilliant, isn't it? (I shouldn't even joke about this, as it may yet become a reality.)
I think I'll go to the movies now. I wonder what's playing?