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A Case For Why Movie-Theater Experience Is Still Worth the Effort (theverge.com)
It's all but confirmed that major Hollywood studios are chalking out plans to make movies available in the home mere weeks after their theatrical debuts. Some director and producers, including Christopher Nolan of Inception, The Dark Knight, The Prestige and Interstellar fame are seemingly opposed to the idea, urging people to watch movies at the theaters for "best experience." The Verge has an article today in which it lists 10 reasons it thinks people should not stop going to the cinema halls. From the article, condensed for space:
1. The big screen. There's something to be said about watching visual storytelling on a three-story screen, particularly when the film really takes advantage of the format.
2. People everywhere. A group of people laughing together simultaneously triggers a feeling that you should laugh, too; during a suspenseful moment, you can feel dozens of strangers suck in their breath together.
3. Focus. Even people who try their hardest to give a movie their undivided attention on a living-room screen have fallen victim to temptations like "Well, I'm just sitting here, I might as well pay the electric bill."
4. Relentlessness. Part of the advantage of that kind of focus is that movies that are tense, scary, or deeply emotional can cast much more of a spell over you when you don't have the option to pause or turn away from the worst, then rewind later to catch it safely out of context.
5. A massive speaker system.
6. Previews.
7. Disruption. A problem with watching movies at home is that it makes the film-watching experience blur into the same experience as surfing cable channels, running a Netflix comedy show in the background while you do dishes, or half-assedly watching an Adventure Time marathon while stoned.
8. Alone time. Going to the movies with friends or your significant other can be a cherished pastime, especially when you're surrounded by an excited audience.
9. 32 ounces of cola in the dark.
10. Bragging rights.
1. The big screen. There's something to be said about watching visual storytelling on a three-story screen, particularly when the film really takes advantage of the format.
2. People everywhere. A group of people laughing together simultaneously triggers a feeling that you should laugh, too; during a suspenseful moment, you can feel dozens of strangers suck in their breath together.
3. Focus. Even people who try their hardest to give a movie their undivided attention on a living-room screen have fallen victim to temptations like "Well, I'm just sitting here, I might as well pay the electric bill."
4. Relentlessness. Part of the advantage of that kind of focus is that movies that are tense, scary, or deeply emotional can cast much more of a spell over you when you don't have the option to pause or turn away from the worst, then rewind later to catch it safely out of context.
5. A massive speaker system.
6. Previews.
7. Disruption. A problem with watching movies at home is that it makes the film-watching experience blur into the same experience as surfing cable channels, running a Netflix comedy show in the background while you do dishes, or half-assedly watching an Adventure Time marathon while stoned.
8. Alone time. Going to the movies with friends or your significant other can be a cherished pastime, especially when you're surrounded by an excited audience.
9. 32 ounces of cola in the dark.
10. Bragging rights.
Sounds like #9 is in direct conflict with #8. I mean... DIRECT CONFLICT!
Here are the reasons I love going to the Cinema.
1) At home I have to worry about ruining my carpet if I spill my drink. At the cinema I can splash it around without worrying about making my floor sticky.
2) It gets dark in the cinema so I can see my phone screen really well. This makes it great for texting or looking at the list of contacts to pick someone to call.
3) Sometimes the movie screen makes a great photo op. I love to stand up with my budies and take a selfie.
4) It's a great place to catch up on gossip. I can talk with my friends about who is seeing who and oh my god, what they did last weekend.
5) You can put your feet up. The seat in front makes a great footrest.
6) I can leave the kids at home and make out with my lover in the middle of the cinema without the kids bothering me asking for beer and crap.
7) Or, I can take my kids, let them scream their heads off- I don't have to worry about someone complaining to the Home Owners Association about how much noise the kids are making.
8) Watching other people's expressions when saying things like "oh my god, like, this guy on the left is about to be killed by a man who smashes through the window unexpectedly". Dropping spoilers and watching strangers get mad is like, the bomb.
"That's the way to do it" - Punch
I initially read that as "... gets my GF off" and I was thinking 'so, the problem is ...?'