When I was younger going to the cinema used to be a really special thing. Because there was three young kids in the house, with very different opinions and interest it was a rare occasion for the whole family to go and see a movie together. But I remember when we did, it was always such a fun day out. The whole experience was just bliss. Being together as a family, getting exited about the big screen and of course the popcorn. I used to absolutely LOVE everything about the cinema. During my teens and early 20s I however, really got out of the habit to go and see movies. I guess there are a a lot of reasons that kind of added to that. Especially you realise quickly, once you start to get pocket money from your parents, that the cinema is a really expensive place. That really makes you think twice whether a movie is actually worth spending your money on going to see it on the big screen. I think it came to a point where I would only ever go if one of my friends asked me to join them or I gave into the hype surrounding some highly popular movies. Also I think since streaming services such as Netflix or Amazon came along, there is so much material at your disposal which hardly leaves you craving for more.
My brother, who is a filmmaker as well and therefore a massive fan of everything regarding movies, has long urged me to make the effort and actually watch movies in the cinema. He himself goes all the time, especially during the Oscar season, mostly all by himself. To him, good movies have to be consumed and enjoyed on a big screen and not on a small computer. Too much effort has gone into the tiniest details of the movies, for them to be drowned in the bad quality of a little screen.
So, since the new year I have been trying to make the effort and start going to the cinema more often. And what can I say: I am ABSOLUTELY loving it!
Of course it is still really expensive but this time round I feel like it is really well spend money. In my town we have quite the variety of cinemas. A big cinema that belongs to a chain you can find all over the country and also smaller, independent cinemas. As you might guess I MUCH prefer the smaller, more independent cinemas. Not only because I hate feeding into big businesses but also because I much prefer the more intimate and cosy atmosphere in our small cinemas. Another big reason is that most movies who interest me are small budget, independent productions which are not profitable enough for most cinemas. But these are most often the films who win all the Oscars each year, which means they are most definitely a must watch.
Another great privilege I have in my town is that we have a tiny, one screen cinema which actually shows a great variety of movies in their original language. Personally, I absolutely hate when films are synchronized into German as in most cases it takes so much away from the characters and the artistic delivery of the actors. Therefore being able to watch the movies in their original form is really exciting and makes me rather happy.
Since going to the cinema much more frequently I have to give my brother credit and admit that, it really does make all the difference watching in a dark room, watching on a big and high quality screen and have great audio. That is what ultimately movies are created for and it is only fair to the production to experience it this way. Also I really enjoy making the effort to pick a movie that really interests you, get excited about it and then going to the cinema for the sole purpose of seeing the movie. When you're watching movies at home you are easily distracted by your phone and may not pay attention during certain scenes. In the cinema however you put your phone on silent, put it in your bag and will not look at it during the whole duration of the movie. And for the whole ninety of more minutes you forget about the world and indulge simply in the story itself. That really is a rare thing in our fast moving and digitally driven world.
So what I am trying to convey is that the cinema should not be a dying concept in times of Netflix and co.. If you haven't been in a while I really urge you to go. Now, shortly after the Oscars, there are lots of really great and inspiring movies showing that you definitely should not miss. Once I have seen and would highly recommend are: The Shape of Water, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri (Hilarious film!!) and Call me by your name (What an important love story to tell!)
I really hope I have sparked excitement in some of you to go anytime soon!
Much love,
Pia
