Here's a nice article from Den of Geek about the joys of going to the movies alone.
I used to be scared (embarrassed?) to go to the movie theatre alone, but now I truly enjoy it. I like being able to sit through a movie without being interrupted, so if my friends or family can't or don't want to see a particular movie, I just go by myself. I find that going alone is also a good way to get away from literally everything in your real life, if only for a couple of hours. We all need a respite sometimes.
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Comments
I mean, you wouldn't read a book with someone over your shoulder, sticking a finger in it and saying 'ooh, I really like that bit there', and 'oh just you wait, the next paragraph is ace', and 'here, let me turn the page for you, because you won't believe what's on the other side'.
Which doesn't mean we can't enjoy movies in the company of others, and there is something to be said for group reaction - as long as 'reaction' doesn't become 'distraction'.
I can count on one hand the number of people I know who I can go to a movie with who won't be distracting/spoilery. But, yes, sometimes there are those occasions where going to a movie with others is fun (for me, it's usually comedies).
Oh, and I hate when I end up sitting behind a group of people who are talking the whole time (usually about things completely unrelated to the movie). I mean, if you wanted to hang out with your friends, why would you waste eight bucks on a movie you obviously don't care about? Go somewhere more appropriate for having a conversation, like a restaurant or a coffee shop.
I can think of only two things I like about having somebody with me.
1. Sometimes if I'm with someone whose fandoms overlap a lot with mine (like
2. If I and a sister/friend have been really looking forward to a particular movie, it's fun to see it and then go to dinnner or drinks and talk about it immediately afterward.
I am such a curmudgeon about distraction (talking, rustling, popcorn chomping, etc.) and I have been since I was a teenager. So I rarely go to a movie theater. I go when it's a movie I really want to see AND it benefits from the big screen and surround-sound. Sherlock Holmes: Yes. Harry Potter: Yes. The Kids Are Alright: No.
Last night I went to see Eat, Pray, Love with one of my law school friends, but I did't mind going with her because she doesn't like it when people talk during the movie either. There was, however, a woman in the row behind me who spilled her drink everywhere. It was quite annoying, particularly when she stood up to try to clean it up (I feel especially sorry for the people in the row behind her).
I'm with you on going to the theater only when it's something you want to see and it benefits from the big screen. Recent movies: Inception - definitely; Eat, Pray, Love - meh, wait for the DVD.