The movie-going experience is not the same. Unless it is a blockbuster, made for the big screen, you will not see me in theaters as much anymore.

A few weekends ago was National Cinema Day. Over 3000 theaters participated by lowering ticket costs to $3 for the day. With recent temperatures outside reaching 100 degrees, it would be nice to relax in an air-conditioned room. The only issue was, that there was nothing I wanted to see.

It seems that there is less of a reason to go to the theater. Many of the options I could choose from this past weekend were almost going to, or already appearing on demand. Even the cheap price point was not enough for me to leave my house.

While looking back at the movies I have seen in theaters this year, the only one I would say was worth it was Top Gun Maverick. Even Thor Love and Thunder, the big Marvel movie of the summer had me feeling that I saw a subpar film and was now down $25.

The other weekend I saw Baz Luhrmann’s newest movie Elvis on HBO Max. When it was first released, I was going to go see it in theaters. But I wasn’t able to go, the hype around the movie began to die down and I waited. A few months later I streamed it on my 42-inch TV and enjoyed it just as much as If I saw it in theaters. I didn’t miss out on anything. Likewise, I could have easily waited a few months until Thor Love and Thunder went onto Disney +. I feel this sentiment towards movies more often. Why not wait?

There is no reason to go to the movies anymore. Unless it’s a one-of-a-kind experience that can only be experienced in theaters, subscribing to streaming services and having patience can save you a lot of money and disappointment.

My experience lately has been that the seats are uncomfortable, people are talking, I see the bright screens of phones, the sound is either too loud or too quiet, and the rooms have been dimming the lights, not turning them off fully. More people will begin to feel this fatigue I am going through.

However, there is hope. That hope is in the form of The Alamo Draft House, the best theater I have ever been to. With specialty food items for new movie releases, (one of my favorites being the Got Ham friend chicken sandwich for The Batman), classic screenings, giveaways, and more, this is what the movies should be, fun. With The Alamo theaters mostly being in Texas and one in Los Angeles, my dream is for us to see more of them. No matter how mediocre a movie is, or how old it is, if theaters are willing to give us an experience that is worthwhile and memorable, I know I will be there, falling in love with the big screen once again.