EYE 2 EYE: Streaming vs. going to the movies

Alex Gaspar, Mikaela Merilles, Megan McCoy, and Lily Huynh|January 14, 2022

Neel Vats / Talon

Streaming at home is more ideal than being in the theatre

Grab your popcorn and kick off your shoes!

By: Mika Merilles and Megan McCoy

The safety of your home and the comfort of your very own couch—a feeling we have familiarized ourselves with for the past two years more than ever—is simply unbeatable. Plus, $8.89 for a bucket of popcorn? We’ll pass.

Along with your very favorite snacks by your side, you can also kick off your shoes and enjoy your favorite movie in pajamas, judgment-free. The movie theater is a public space with strangers sitting less than 3 feet away from you.

Being at home isn’t just about being more cozy; it is also safer. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, local movie theaters such as AMC theatres are mandating and recommending masks indoors. However, due to poor ventilation, people crowded together and indoor settings, there is always an inherent risk for COVID-19 transmission.

Sure, dressing up and going out with your friends to enjoy a movie on the big screen is fun, but do you know what’s more fun (and comfortable)? Dressing up in your pajamas and streaming at home. Not only can you invite your friends to your home as well, but you can also watch whatever you want for however long you want … while eating all the food that you want.

Let’s not forget the most important thing—bathroom breaks. In a movie theater, you have to skip part of the movie in order to use the restroom. Although a restroom break only takes a few minutes, a lot of events can unfold within those minutes. The only way to make sure you don’t miss anything is pausing whatever you’re watching. How can you do that? By watching at home.

The movie theatre experience is unrivaled

By: Alex Gaspar and Lily Huynh

During the past couple of years when movie theaters were closed, it began to feel redundant turning on a streaming service and watching a movie or television show. The more we were home watching on the television, the more we longed for a real movie theater experience.

Part of the reason for this is rooted in the fact that many people had quite literally nothing else to do than stay inside and put something on their television. However, now that movie theaters are starting to open, people like me—sick of streaming movies on a tiny screen—will gravitate towards movie theaters simply for a better viewing experience.

Not only does it feel safer inside movie theaters with updated COVID-19 guidelines in accordance with the CDC, the feeling of watching a movie while part of the movie theater environment is also incomparable to being at home while watching. After all, there’s something special about eating movie theater popcorn with a large refreshment in hand, advertisements about upcoming movies playing on screen and the anticipation of the movie you came to see exponentially building.

“I did miss going to the movies because it is a different experience at home than at the theater. I did also enjoy watching it at home but watching it in the theaters just gets you in the mood for a movie,” sophomore Kaela Chou said.

The excitement of being able to watch movies where they’re designed to be watched is apparent with the upcoming release of “Spider-Man: No Way Home.” While playing in theaters on Dec. 17, people went absolutely insane to secure a ticket to the experience on the first ticket release day of Nov. 29. Box office sites crashed, representing something that the box office has yet to experience since the beginning of the pandemic.

The anticipation for in-person movie watching is at an all time high, and we don’t see this going away anytime soon. Going back to the movies is an absolute must-do, and we strongly recommend securing your tickets for a new movie near you.