Yes, we understand that in the age of Netflix, large screen high-definition television and stereo systems, and entertainment-on-demand, going to the movies seem like of the dinosaur age. But we still love going to the movies, especially to a neighborhood iPic Theater, for the following reasons.
Opportunities for Socialization
Let’s face it. When you’re watching movies at home, you don’t have as many opportunities for socialization as when you’re watching them in a theater! There’ something about being around other people, from the ticketing booth and lobby to the theater itself, that makes going to the movies a social event in itself.
Of course, there are annoyances that come with going to the movies, such as the moviegoer who’s talking loudly into his cellphone or giving a running commentary on the movie. But these are annoyances that can be minimized, if not prevented from happening, by shushing the other person or changing your seats. The overall movie-going experience is a net positive because you’re with people who actually likes the same movies that you do!
Think about it: You will be more inclined to laugh when others in the theater are laughing and it’s a shared experience that builds camaraderie, if only briefly and in a limited way. You will feel united with others when other people are crying, holding their breath, and screaming their lungs out, too.
This is true even when you’re with family and friends who also watch movies in your home. You’re essentially adding a fresh twist to a familiar experience, especially as you aren’t wont to talk about what’s happening onscreen. You just exchange glances, grab each other’s arm, or give a raised eyebrow, all of which can be just as meaningful as words.
Furthermore, going to the movies changes your expectations about your behaviors and actions while watching the show. Unlike watching YouTube or Netflix, you’re actually in a new physical space that transforms the movie-watching experience into an event in itself. You and your fellow moviegoers may even dress up in your Sunday’s best.
Better yet, you may even come in costume! Think of the cosplay-like events that the opening of Star Wars, Star Trek, and Marvel movies can become and you get the point. You certainly can’t have as much fun as when you are at home.
Physical Experience Beyond Compare
Unless you’re Bill Gates with money to spare for a full-sized cinema of your own, you won’t be able to enjoy movies on a big screen at home. We don’t think that you can do so even when you have the largest television screen or projector that money can buy! There’s nothing like watching a great story on a three-story screen, especially when the filmmakers have the foresight to make full use of the format.
It’s all a matter of scale when you come to think about it. You can watch movies on smaller screens, from your smartphone to your large-screen television, but you won’t appreciate the grandeur and the glory, much less the nuances, on these media. On a movie screen, however, you will observe small details that you would have missed so your experience becomes more enjoyable.
And then there’s the audio system that complements the visual system! You will agree that whether you’re watching a romantic comedy or a horror flick, your senses are more alert and awake when you’re literally surrounded by the soundtrack. Your in-home entertainment system can probably give your ears a good workout but it likely won’t compare with the theater’s audio system.
There’s also the previews that amp the anticipation of watching a good movie in the future. Sure, you can watch trailers on YouTube but there’s little to no thrill at all since you likely won’t appreciate their beauty on such a small screen.
We also like the fact that when we’re in a theater, we have more focus on the screen and less distractions. At home, we have so many distractions – family or friends who talk too loud, gadgets beeping everywhere, and pets demanding your attention, perhaps household chores screaming to be done.
But at a movie theater, the movie usually has our undivided attention! Most, if not all, the audience will be so focused on what’s happening on the screen, too, that you will have little to no distractions. Such focus means that you will not only get to appreciate the audiovisual storytelling, the actors’ performances, and the plot but you will also likely get the most value for your money.
Since you also can’t pause, stop and rewind the movie at a theater – it’s relentless and the only way to stop seeing a movie is to get out of the theater – you become more deeply immersed in the story. You may have lost control but it is part of the more intense emotional experience that you get from watching a movie in a darkened theater.
Did we mention the comfort food, the customer service, and the comfortable chairs? When you watch a movie at an iPic Theater, you become a valued guest for the duration and it’s an experience that you won’t get at home.
