Have you ever sat in a movie theater and thought, “Man, it’s cold,” “Wow, theater food sucks!” or “God, I really have to use the bathroom, but I don’t wanna miss anything”?
I’m sure we’ve all had some less than pleasant movie-going experiences. With the absolute overturn the pandemic has caused on the film and TV industries, audiences have been afforded new and more accessible ways to watch all the latest content. Of course, entertainment companies were not happy about this transition and seemed eager to return to the old days of sold-out movie theaters and box office hits. While that’s still very much happening, it looks like the pandemic has sent us on a fast track to a more modern method of seeing new releases almost as soon as they’re out: streaming.
Streaming has certainly been around for a while now, but movies always had big theatrical releases before any streaming service could get their hands on them. For many people, the movie theater experience has always been a fun time. Going out with friends, planning a date, or even just going on your own often brings a sense of excitement because you’re not just seeing a movie, you’re getting a surround sound experience with a giant screen, large seats, and an excuse to eat nachos and popcorn.
But this isn’t the case for everyone who goes to a theater. Many disabled people might go to a movie every once in a while or never due to the lack of accessibility and accommodations for things like wheelchair spaces and seats that don’t require steps to reach. People who have medical conditions like epilepsy might want to avoid the theater because they don’t know if the movie will have flashing lights that could be dangerous to them. Similarly, there are several more cases where a person would likely have a better time if they were in control of their own movie. Someone could have hearing issues and need subtitles. Another person with ADHD may have trouble sitting still for long movies. Others might simply find the theater uncomfortable, the volume turned up too high, or are sitting next to someone crunching on their popcorn too loudly.
Before, anyone who wanted to watch the most anticipated films as soon as they came out had to go to the theater, but for some people, that simply wasn’t an option. Streaming has given those who were always left out of the new releases and likely spoiled for big movies a chance to watch from the comfort of their own home.