My Cinematic Church: Why I Love the Movie Theater

Movie nerd. Film buff. Cinema connoisseur.

Okay, maybe connoisseur is a little—no, you know what? The cinema connoisseur feels right.

From the second I first saw Christopher Reeve adorn in his red and blue suit fly off into the sky, I have been infatuated with motion pictures. E.T., Raiders of the Lost Ark, Back to the Future, The Goonies, and the list goes on. As early as age five, I adored these moving pictures of charismatic characters placed in intriguing tales. Whether it was a Disney Classic on VHS or a movie my dad recorded off television, I became very familiar with the operation of a VHS player. However, one thing that would make my love for cinema grow stronger was the experience of being in a movie theater.

My first trip to the multiplex came during the holiday season of 1986. I was four years old, and my parents had taken me to see An American Tail. I sat between them in those old-school theater seats, clutching my plush, nearly three-foot-tall Fievel Mousekewitz doll. What I remember from that experience was how in awe I was when the images first appeared, the sounds echoing in my ears. Those feelings stuck with me as I grew up and began to frequent the theaters more often.

Growing up in Lodi, CA, there were two movie theaters in town: Valley Cinema and Sunset Theater. Sunset was a one-screen-only theater, with its name towering over Lodi Avenue on its large structure and marquee. At age eleven, my parents and I caught the double feature of Mrs. Doubtfire and Jurassic Park. Walking through the front doors, the half-circle concession stand took up the entire center focus of the room. With a tub of popcorn and soda, we made our way down the long, descending aisle to our desired seats. There, I witnessed two films that would become favorites of mine. I also remembered the excitement I felt four years after that, on the opening day of The Lost World: Jurassic Park. With Sunset just across the street from Lodi High School, I spent that entire day counting down the seconds. Not only would I be seeing the much-anticipated sequel to my favorite film, but on its release date in my favorite setting: a movie theater.

The theaters I attended would become just as memorable as the films I viewed in them. Watching Armageddon with my cousins at the beautiful Edwards Cinemas in Cerritos. Catching Mission: Impossible II at the Cinelândia in Braga, Portugal. My dad and I reveling in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King at snow-covered Village Theaters in Big Bear. Marathoning The Dark Knight Trilogy with my wife at the then brand new downtown Lodi Stadium 12, capped off with the opening night midnight showing of The Dark Knight Rises. I even collected movie ticket stubs for years—back when movie ticket stubs were rectangle-sized and on strong paper, not the receipts they are today.

(Yes. You may feel free to read that last sentence in a stereotypical “back in my day” old man’s voice. I did to myself as I typed it.)

As time went on, so did the evolution of technology. We jumped from Blockbuster Video to Netflix. After Netflix, Disney arrived with their app. Then came Warner Bros. Then Universal. Numerous streaming services with newly released films only days after their theatrical release. During the pandemic, some even had “same day release” in both theaters and streaming services. While it was understandable, it opened the door to a new development: staying home to watch a film. Technological evolution also made home entertainment systems more advanced. Large, high-definition televisions and crisp audio systems opened the door to creating a media consumer’s dream at-home theater. Or did it?

To many, this created the perfect alternative to going out to the movie theater. Why go out and watch it when I can watch it while on my couch? As a parent with a busy schedule, it can be much easier to stay home and catch whatever is streaming with our boys. On those nights when a babysitter is not available, knowing we can watch a new movie at home does have its advantages. Trust me, I get it.

However, and this is my opinion—the cinema connoisseur’s opinion—no home entertainment setup will ever match the movie theater experience. Ever.

No big-screen television or home surround sound system will ever equal the silver screen and Dolby Digital of the multiplex. At home, you can start the journey and enjoy the film, but you are not as immersed in it as you could be. You can pause and walk to the kitchen or change into your pajamas. When you are not in the story, distractions take you out of it. Distractions like the biggest blasphemy one could ever commit while watching a new movie: scrolling through your phone.

(That last sentence hurt my heart while typing. It’s one thing to scroll through your phone when you’ve seen the movie numerous times. However, when it’s a first-time viewing paired with doom-scrolling through your Instagram or TikTok? That’s the equivalent of flipping off the filmmaker and shitting on someone’s grave. Yeah. I took it there, and I will not apologize because I’M RIGHT!)

From this film lover’s perspective, a movie theater is a special place. Its grand lobby entrance with concession stands filled with a variety of treats for you to savor. The walk to your designated screen, anticipation building as every step brings you closer. You walk down the dark aisle way that eventually leads you to the large theater with rows of seats before an enormous white screen. You sit in your assigned reclining seats and take in the trailers for upcoming films. Then, finally, the lights slowly go out, and your cinematic journey has begun. The characters appear on screen, the sounds echo off the walls, and you and your fellow moviegoers are experiencing this tale together. Movie magic is on display for you all as the Hollywood storytellers take you on an adventure—and not a single cellphone around to ruin it.

(And if someone dares to bring one out, it is your cinema-viewing duty to give them the dirtiest look possible. We’re here for cinema, not a trending Reel.)

I am never one to admonish the advancements within a society. I’m not one of those who thinks my generation is better than the current and future ones. Change is inevitable; one must adapt or be left behind. Additionally, I thoroughly enjoy having access to numerous stories through multiple subscription apps. It’s wonderful. However, those will always be secondary to what I consider the Mecha for cinema, the movie theater. To me, it will always be my primary choice in viewing a new film. I may not make it out as often as I did in my younger years, but it remains my top choice for experiencing cinematic adventures.

To put it dogmatically, cinematic storytelling is my scripture, and the movie theater is my church. Blessed be the filmmaker; may their temple forever reign.