The Burdens of Cinemas

Movies Should Be Watched at Home, Not in Theaters

Photo by Mollie Sivaram on Unsplash

Recently, moviegoers have increasingly chosen to watch movies at home versus in movie theaters. In 2024, movie theaters’ revenue was down 40% from 2019. And it’s not without good reason; watching a movie at home offers better pricing, more convenience and less restrictions compared to watching it in a movie theater.

The main argument for watching a movie at home is the pricing. A movie theater ticket usually costs upwards of $10, granting a person viewing of only one movie, whereas at-home movie watchers can watch unlimited movies using a streaming service that costs as little as $8 per month (the price of a Netflix subscription, one of the most popular streaming services). Moreover, multiple people can watch a movie at home with only one subscription, while each person in the group has to buy an individual ticket if they choose to go to a movie theater.

Furthermore, watching movies at home is much more convenient. Movie theater movies only show at specific times on certain days, while movies at home can be watched whenever. Some movies never appear in theaters, and those that do only stay in theaters for just a few months, so they have to be watched in a theater immediately after release. Going to a movie theater also requires more planning and driving to the theater location. Additionally, viewers at theaters have to sit through ads and trailers.

There are also more restrictions to watching movies in theaters. For most theaters, outside food and beverages are prohibited, whereas viewers at home can eat whatever they please. Some say that movie theater food is worth it because it is high-quality and convenient. However, snacks are extremely overpriced at theaters. It costs theaters about 90 cents to produce a bag of popcorn, but it is commonly sold with a markup of 788%. Also, at home, viewers can pause or rewind the movie, unlike in theaters. Therefore, if moviegoers need to use the restroom at the movie theater, they have to miss a part of the movie. At-home movie watchers can rewatch the scenes and talk them out, allowing for deeper understanding of the movie. Lastly, at home, movie watchers typically have more room to spread out than in a theater and can easily change where they are sitting, allowing for more comfortability.

So, next time you’re thinking about where to watch a movie, consider doing it in the comfort of your own home instead of in the overpriced movie theater.