Movies, memories and the bucket of popcorn

In the world of streaming and digital movies and TV shows, I’d like to encourage readers to take the plunge and return to the movie theater.

In years past, I used to go much more often, but with life happening and, in my opinion, a dip in movie quality, it is a less frequent but welcome escape with excellent popcorn. Just the popcorn alone, with extra butter, may be worth the time, but the movie theater also provides an escape.

Leave your troubles at the door, choose your reclining leather seat, get your drinks and snacks, which will cost more than the ticket, and immerse yourself when the lights dim.

Opening nights can be fun but hectic and, honestly, I haven’t been to many of those. The crowd can be more reactionary, cheering or booing. If that’s your thing and you don’t want to have what the kids call FOMO (fear of missing out), then have at it. It is also an opportunity to enjoy shared laughter, collective gasps and other emotions with the camaraderie of strangers.

Don’t like crowds or a busy theater? Wait two to four weeks and you can basically have a private screening. One of my recent favorite movie memories was sitting in an empty theater with my cousin enjoying a movie.

That brings me to my next point: movies with friends, family or loved ones are a nice way to spend time together in a setting where talking is discouraged and relaxation is encouraged. And have I mentioned the excellent popcorn?

The large screen itself has become a novelty once again in the world of small phone screens, tablets and even televisions. That movie explosion, the character emotions, action and drama scenes will look and sound better in the theater. I’ll never forget being a little kid in a movie theater next door to a Jurassic Park screening. The sound systems were so loud back then the theater would shake and we could hear dinosaurs roaring next door during my Disney movie. When I later watched the movie when I was older, most likely on VHS, I recall wondering which scenes I was hearing years ago in the theater next door.

I have a lot of fond memories at the theater when I was a kid with my parents and sometimes my grandmother too. It was a time when movie trailers before the film were actually new to you and not online before even going to the theater like today.

While it may not be the same as you remember, especially after a long absence, I highly recommend returning to the theater for the unique experience of watching the big screen with no cellphone or distractions.

One thing, however, has remained the same throughout my entire life, and that is the large bucket of popcorn with extra butter.