Walking back into the movie theaters after a year of sitting at home was a long-awaited feeling. By now we are getting tired of sitting around during the afternoons with nothing to do and with nothing to watch, believe it or not. French teacher Maggie Shore, who is a major movie fan, also agreed with getting out of the house and enjoying a different environment to watch a great film.

At first, Shore was worried about going to the movies. “I didn’t go right when they first opened up. But, my husband and I went online and we were able to see how many people had already purchased tickets in that theater, and it made us more comfortable buying tickets for the movie.” It can be worrying returning back to the movie theater after 20 months of a pandemic, but nothing beats the rich smell of popcorn and fizzy drinks that we’ve missed dearly. 

Entering the doors of Regal theater, the neon ticket sign was still as bright as always, however now, there was no one at the ticket booth. Instead, there was a welcoming sign, instructing you to use the self-serve kiosks; a sad sight. Without the sound of the ticket machine, the employee ripping them out and handing them out, it feels as if the exciting experience of going to the movies has now vanished. Shore thought that “watching movies at home is okay and there are certainly some benefits. You can be more comfortable, you can start it and stop whenever you want. But, going to see a movie is an outing. With the advent of the theaters opening up again, you actually have to make an effort to see the movie.” 

As the football season is about to end, Friday nights are opening up again. It’s time to head to the movies with friends or for a self-care day and go see the coming attractions! This is the time to get out of the house and get back into the normal routine of having fun watching new films in the “old fashion” style. With the tickets, the popcorn, and the red seats, you are ready for the movies!