If there’s one place I’ve visited during every stage of my life, it’s the movie theater.
Iconic actress Nicole Kidman said it best: “We come to this place for magic; we come to AMC theaters to laugh, to cry, to care.”
While my choice of theater varied, the feeling I would get walking into those double doors was unmatched every time, no matter the location.
“Chicken Little” was the first movie my parents took my brother and me to see when we were one and two years old.
After the credits rolled, they took us to the Disney store immediately after to get “Chicken Little” merch. Most standalone Disney stores no longer exist, but boy, oh boy, was it one of the most extraordinary places when I was a kid.
Coming from a family of film lovers, it only made sense one of our favorite outings was sitting side by side in front of a larger-than-life screen witnessing legendary movie moments such as Alice going down the rabbit hole, Andy gifting Woody and Buzz to Bonnie, the East High Wildcats taking their final bow and Captain America saying, “Avengers assemble” for the first and last time.
I loved going to the movies so much that I had my seventh birthday party at AMC, where I invited my friends to watch “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules” in my private party room in the theater. In total, I have seen 140 movies, at the very least, on the silver screen.
My favorite thing to do was put on pause during Covid-19. While I was thankful for streaming platforms in quarantine, it saddened me to see movie theatres everywhere being abandoned.
In 2020 and a little after theaters were drastically impacted by the pandemic, with ticket sales at the box office being at an all-time low. Movie theaters might be up and running again; however, a slight problem remains.
Over spring break, I was unsuccessful with a movie day because there was absolutely nothing to see. The options were very limited, leaving me with the choice of either “Snow White” or “Death of a Unicorn.” No offense to either film, but I just wanted something simple and chill.
This wasn’t the first time I found myself in this predicament. Why are the following movies the only genre ever available to see: an animated children’s movie, a disturbing horror movie or five action movies with the same plot? What does a girl have to do to see a feel-good movie like “Mama Mia,” “Clueless,” “Beauty Shop” or “Bridget Jones?”
Speaking of “Bridget Jones,” the final installment of the beloved film series was only released in U.K. theaters, which was a huge mistake. The previous three films went to the box office while “Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy” streamed exclusively on Peacock in the U.S.
I’m not alone on this; Anne Thompson, co-host of IndieWire: Screen Talk podcast, shared insight, saying that Universal wanted to save marketing dollars and did just that by taking the film right to streaming.
I don’t want to live in a world where theaters are forgotten landmarks.
Streaming platforms rob avid moviegoers of the experience of a night out at the movies. Imagine if “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” went straight to Max or Prime, we would’ve missed out on the pop culture phenomenon “Barbenheimer.”
Going to the theater is like going to a concert to hear your favorite song; it’s an indescribable bundle of emotions.
Seeing “Challengers” was everything and more. The cinematography was meant to be viewed on the big screen, not my laptop, via a streaming platform from the comfort of my apartment.
It’s time for this box office drought to end. While some theaters occasionally bring back films for an anniversary release or special occasion, we’re lacking consistency.
A perfect resolution is for theatres to start offering “Throwback Thursday” and “Flashback Friday” events with the idea that these days are dedicated to playing old movies alongside new releases.
The movie theater should be a time machine; it’s up to the viewer on what decade they want to reside in for an hour or two. Will you choose 1950s New York with Audrey Hepburn in “Breakfast At Tiffany’s” or 2012 with Anna Kendrick at the iconic Riff Off in “Pitch Perfect?”
The possibilities are endless at the theater. Well, I’m off to the theater, I have an Icee and popcorn waiting for me.
Ava Francis is a 22-year-old journalism major from New Orleans residing in Texas.
