I think we can all agree that we miss that Friday night feeling of going to the movies with your closest friends. Going out to see the newest movie or watching a classic, going to the drive-ins, or the theater. We all have experienced, in some way, a movie night and are in need of one soon.

Due to COVID-19, most movie theaters have been closed. Many people used to go to the movies every week with their friends and family. The movies are commonplace for first dates, special occasions, and casual nights out, and we have been deprived of them for too long. It isn’t just the movie that makes the night, it’s the energy created. They bring a sense of comfort and warmth. A safe and affordable place for people of all ages. The excitement that came with the release of a new movie or the final part of a movie series that you just couldn’t wait to see. Even with new and popular streaming services, the movies are timeless. You cannot get the same experience at home that you do at the theaters. 

Movies have improved so much over the years, making the experience only better. Megan Lokuta says, “I miss how the big screen and sounds make the movie more exciting.” The big screen allows you to feel like you are in the movie, watching the events first-hand. With the huge speakers surrounding the theater, you can feel the intensity and energy. At a drive-in movie, you are even able to bring your speaker or radio and listen to the movie closely while in the comfort of your car. In both settings, you are surrounded by people who are there for the same reason as you, escaping the stress of the world and achieving ultimate relaxation. If you look around, everyone is laughing, having fun, and sharing the love. You can hear in the distance conversations about how the movie may end or how they are anxious to see what happens next. The sound of popcorn hitting the floor, ice in your drink, the candy box as it empties during the trailers before the movie even starts. We wouldn’t have thought we would miss buying overpriced food, but as quarantine goes on, we become nostalgic for what used to be.

At the movies you see people falling in love, making new friends, reuniting with old friends, and bonding with family. With the number of different types of movies, there is always one someone loves. Whether it is funny or scary, a documentary or science fiction, there is a movie for everyone. Emily Padva explained, “I loved going out and seeing a different type of movie each time and even exploring different theaters.” A change of scenery is greatly beneficial to so many people. The sense of exploring theaters with different seats, different food, different screens, different decor, is something you simply can not get at home. In the end, theaters have brought great happiness to so many people, including myself. We do not know how long it will be until theaters go back to normal, but we know that when they do, we will be ready and excited to return.