What is the Best Way to Watch a Movie?

I don’t think there’s one correct answer

In one of the first creative writing classes I took in college, the first major assignment was to write about something we loved. I wrote about movies (no surprise there). Much of my college essay was focused on the pleasures of seeing a movie in a theater. I don’t believe that I ever published that essay anywhere, and while some of its ideas will be included in this discussion, much of my thoughts have changed in the years since that class.

I have discussed how the story or the concept in a work of art influences the medium. Some stories are better suited to a novel; some ideas and feelings are better engaged with through music. Maybe, I believe, the different ways of watching a movie are each suited to a different effect. Depending on what a viewer is looking for at a particular moment, one method might be better than others.

For example, there is a level of respect that is expected and required at a movie theater in order for a group of strangers to have as much of an enjoyable experience as possible. I’m not saying people should be completely quiet, and I’m not saying that people can’t feel free to relax and express reactions to the film. People should feel free to have fun, react to what they’re watching, and unwind. But, there are certain things I believe most of us can agree on that shouldn’t happen at a theater because they can ruin the enjoyment of the audience. I remember watching a Marvel film many years ago and being annoyed that I couldn’t focus because people were running up and down the stairs that ran alongside and through the rows of seats. It was impossible to pay attention to what was happening on the screen when people were doing that.

In contrast, there is the possibility for a much looser, laid back energy when watching a movie with friends and family at home. Firstly, everyone can decide what the atmosphere should be. Are people going to focus intently, or will the time be more of a party? I have fond memories of watching films on TV or laptop screens with my friends when we just wanted to have a good time and enjoy the film as much as each other’s thoughts and reactions. I remember the films, like Mean Girls and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, as much as what my friends and I were doing while watching the films. The joy of the art works is deeply tied in my mind and heart with the joy of friendship.

The atmosphere can also be intimate. I once saw a film on a date night with my date at home. We didn’t talk at all during the film, but we shared our thoughts and feelings about the film in the comfort of the cozy space when it was over. There was also something special about the fact that it was just the two of us experiencing the film with no one else around. We really dove deep as we shared our thoughts and reactions to the movie.

Also, some films are better suited to certain settings than others, in my view. Imagine being by yourself in your home. No one else is there, and it’s night. The lights are all off, and you watch a horror film in which the primary setting is a house, such as Hereditary or The Conjuring. Afterwards, you are left alone in the dark by yourself, and you wonder if the ghosts and spirits from those movies have escaped the screen and entered your home, hiding in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to strike. This is how the setting in which the viewer watches the film can enhance the film’s emotional impact. The horror lingers for a longer time in this case.

I don’t mean to suggest though that all horror films work best when viewed at home. Some horror films, such as Talk to Me, have viscerally brutal scenes, the impacts of which are enhanced by the sound design and large picture size at a theater.

There is even an ideal circumstance for watching a film on a portable screen, such as a smartphone. I hesitate to say that such a small screen completely diminishes the experience. There’s a comfort to watching a favorite film no matter your location. If you’re on a long road trip, and the sights are unfortunately monotonous for a long stretch of time, you can ease your boredom by watching a film you enjoy. The same goes for if you’re on a flight, and there are no movies provided for free by the airline.

Even if I’m not traveling, I occasionally find comfort through watching movies with my smartphone. Maybe I’m not feeling well, and I want to curl up on the couch without having to worry about a bulky laptop. If I’m bundled up in a blanket, trying to overcome some ailment, and there’s no television for me to use, a smartphone gives me the most freedom of movement if I want to watch a comforting movie. I’ve done this once in a while, and it has improved my mood during my recovery. 

I’ve listed the special elements of watching films outside a movie theater. I don’t mean to devalue the movie theater experience, though. It can be pricey, but I think every time someone goes to a theater to watch a movie, it feels special.

When you step into the lobby, you are surrounded by posters for films that are currently playing and also for upcoming releases. Even when you know what film you’ve come to watch, the list of showtimes sparks your imagination as you picture fellow visitors coming to watch different shows while you enjoy yours.

Even if you don’t want snacks, the rich smell of buttered popcorn makes you salivate, and the rows of colorful boxes of different candies entice you.

I’ve loved going to the movies ever since I was little, and the smell of movie theater popcorn reminds me of childhood. The smell lights up parts of my heart and brain that I associate with comfort and ease.

The setting of the movie theater lets you feel at ease. It lets you take a brief break from your life. Maybe you’re stressed or overwhelmed. Maybe work feels difficult, or your daily routine is feeling monotonous. The theater is different. It’s not home, it’s not school or work. When you walk inside the auditorium, the speakers engulf you in the sounds of pre show ads or music if the film hasn’t begun. You are already enveloped. You follow the little lightbulbs on the steps and the walls to find your seat in the dim lighting. The cushy seats recline. A big screen is in front of you, filling your eyes with one image.

If you’re with friends, you are transported together, and you think of them with every exciting moment, every emotional beat, every twist of plot. If you’ve come by yourself, you still feel the magic of a film community as the strangers around you go on the same journey as you do, laughing at every joke, screaming at every scare. Maybe, when the credits roll, you all join together in applause and cheers.

When you step out of the auditorium, you feel as if a spell has been broken. It couldn’t last forever; its magic would dull otherwise. As you walk back out through the lobby, you already picture your next visit.

There was a difficult stretch of time for me when I was working my butt off trying to find work. I was sending dozens of job applications a day. After hours of being hunched over my computer every day, I needed a break in the evenings. It was the summer, and while I did enjoy relaxing walks, the weather was sometimes too hot.

I decided to get an AMC A-List membership. For less than the price of two tickets, I got three passes per week to watch anything I chose. I went to the theater on many evenings, and the escape the setting provided was a balm. For a few hours, I could walk away from my desk, from all the applications and rejection letters, and occupy my imagination with something else.

Though I’ve probably gone to AMC theaters the most due to their proximity to places where I’ve lived, I admire independent theaters immensely. Theaters like the Jacob Burns Film Center and the IFC Center host great events to promote the art of film. They hold screenings of hidden gems and even host talks with people who work in film. These events spread knowledge and build appreciation for the art form. I look forward to visiting more independent theaters in the future.

I don’t think there’s one ideal way to watch a movie. The circumstances and desired effect determine the best option at that moment. I think art, no matter where or how it’s experienced, always possesses a bit of magic. That magic is there no matter where and how you watch a movie.

I’m grateful I’m able to watch movies and write about them. I’m grateful for you, my readers, for taking an interest in my thoughts. I hope we can continue to discuss movies here, and to continue celebrating films.