Before the pandemic, I used to go to the movies four times a month. When the pandemic happened, the theaters closed, and I was left to watch movies at home. At first, I was sad about this, but I kind of like watching movies at home after a year. Here are some of my reasons why I may not return to the theater.
Cleanliness
I never questioned the cleanliness of theater. I would see attendants come into the theater to sweep and throw away things left behind. I never questioned the cleaning process. But the pandemic has now put that into perspective that more than that needs to be done. For example, people put their feet on the back of your chair; shoes carry germs, not to mention the germs from the people in the seat. Will the attendants take the time to wipe the chairs from front to back and sanitize the floors? What about the areas where you can put butter on your popcorn and even the water fountain and beverage area? Can you trust they are doing these things well?
Movie Ticket Cost
I have watched multiple movies from home. At first, I thought this would have been nice to see at the movies, but then I thought about travel and ticket cost. When I would go in the morning, I would pay 5 dollars because I would catch a 10 am showing. If I went to the movies in the evening, I would pay 15 dollars and up if I wanted to see the movie in IMAX or 3D. That’s not bad. However, the price does come into play when you add the factor of health and safety. For example, tickets are cheaper now than pre-pandemic. AMC will offer you 30% off ticket prices, and AMC is only open from Thursday – Sunday. The risk factor coupled with the cost is the real issue. Yes, it’s cheap to go now, but what you save in price may cost you your health.
Movie Snacks
When I went to the movies, I always expected to spend at least 30 dollars. The reason being is tickets and snacks. Snacks consisted of a drink, popcorn, and maybe candy. Can you look at getting popcorn or hot dogs or pretzels the same again? The cost isn’t an issue, but the safety factor comes into play.
Conclusion
I do miss going to the movies, but my overall concern is safety. None of us have experienced a pandemic before, and we all are handling it in our own way. I think one day I will return to the theater but not in the near future. Things are too fresh and unpredictable for me to take that chance. I will say I enjoy watching movies at home. I can make a sandwich, get my own drinks, pause and rewind depending on what studio streaming service you have, will depend on your options. For example, HBO Max features Warner’s various releases. It was nice to watch Wonder Woman 84 and Godzilla vs. Kong. You have 31days to watch it; they release the movies in the theaters as well. Amazon Prime Video has a section called: Prime Video Cinema. You can rent movies that are currently in the theater for 30 days and even set up a viewing party to chat with your friends who also have prime and rented the film as well. Disney Plus has a feature called Premier Access which is 29.99 for their latest releases. That price is steep, but convenience always comes at a cost. Once the pandemic is behind us, I hope studios continue to do this; I think it is an excellent option for those who wish to go out and those who may not. Have you gone back to the movies yet, or will you go back? Drop me a line and let me know.
Matt C Bennett here. Feel free to reach out to me with your comments about this blog and other suggestions for me here