In an age where streaming services are increasingly integrated into the entertainment conversation, it can be easy to forget where movies become larger-than-life productions: the cinema.
Since the pandemic, streaming services have emerged as the primary way of consuming television. Cable and satellite television (TV) have since taken a back seat to the ease of accessing any of the two dozen subscriptions people have. Now, with a single click, anyone can access any movie or episode from a show they’re interested in. Platforms like Disney+ and Hulu, released in 2019, became major sources of entertainment for people once the COVID-19 shutdown occurred, allowing them to enjoy a wide selection of films at home. Since the end of the shutdown in 2021, the cinema industry has seen a slight bounce back, but moviegoers have decreased by roughly 10% year over year since 2019, according to Samantha Masunaga from the LA Times.
“Honestly, after quarantine, it just kinda grossed me out,” senior Matteo Demarchena said. “It’s way too expensive, I have to buy a ticket, buy food, and after all that, I’d rather just be watching from the comfort of my own home.”
With home theaters becoming increasingly convenient due to the rapid release of movies from theaters to streaming services, the appeal of a day out at the theater has become more of a chore than something to look forward to. However, there are steps that theaters can take to stop the decline.
“The price break is definitely a bigger kicker for me and many others,” digital photography teacher Aaron Campbell said. “I’m not a family of four, but to others, [20 bucks a ticket], that’s big money. It’s nice that [theaters] have created more comfortable seating over the past five years. But last time I went, a lot of those things were falling apart, and sticky food was all over the place.”
To many, movies have become a more cumbersome and expensive medium for consuming content. Blockbuster titles draw fewer people to theaters, and highly priced tickets can scare away large groups looking to hang out.
“There’s just not really anything worth going out to see right now, and there hasn’t been in a long time, at least enough to make the effort,” junior Charlie Dalrymple said. “It can just feel like a hassle because I’m busy a lot, as opposed to just watching at home when I have the time.”
However, there is hope, as theaters begin to enhance customer experiences with freshly refurbished recliners, such as at the Redwood City Cinemark, or $7 movie ticket promotions offered over the summer. The cinema may not be a complete relic of the past just yet.
“The cinema is a different kind of experience, it’s nice,” Demarchena said. “If they lowered prices or better movies came out, those are the confounding factors on whether I’d still go.”
