Despite being busy with work on a Sunday, I took time out of the day to Google when the next Star Wars movie comes out. It is going to be awhile. I miss going to the movies. I am not one to want to see every movie in the theatre. I typically only go for major releases, namely Star Wars, Jurassic Park, and Guardians of the Galaxy, with Star Wars being my all time favorite.
The future longevity of movie theatres is and has been under debate for more than a decade. Many believe that movie theatres will phase out, go bankrupt, just as Blockbuster did. Without a doubt, the way we watch movies changed drastically over the last 20 years with the onset of home theatres and streaming.
For me, I definitely prefer my couch over a seat at the movies. On my couch, I have premium wine and healthy popcorn to snack on, and my sweet doggie snuggled in my lap while I watch movies. I often also have three affection kitties on the couch with me as well. It is difficult to be beat that. I also do not pay more than $50 dollars to sit down with my two boys on the couch to watch a movie with snacks. If we start a movie, and we don’t like it, we just turn to a different movie, or turn off the television and play a board game.
Why go to the movies?
I would not enjoy going to the movies if I went every week, or even once a month. Yet, I do very much enjoy going to the movies when I do go. I think that the novelty of going to the movies is the anticipation that the trip to the movies builds for a great release. I love picking my movie seats, and counting down the hours until my movie.
I like spoiling the boys with overpriced boxes of candy, and drinks from the Freestyle coke machine. I like treating myself to a glass of sadly cheap wine. I like the excuse to turn my cell phone completely off. I like watching the previews and thinking to myself that they will be the reason for my next trip to the movies, but that never happens. I like the excitement of the lights further dimming, and the words, “And now for our feature presentation.”
It has been more than two years since I went to the movies. I found myself craving a big Star Wars release today. As far as the debate, will movie theatres become a thing of the past? There will always be vintage theatres, just as drive in movies became a thing of the past, yet we still have a drive in theatre here. Right now, there are four movie theatres in a ten mile radius of where I live. I believe that will change, but movie theatres are not dinosaurs, they are not going extinct.