I read recently in Time magazine that moviegoers are starting to die off. More and more people are staying home and streaming free movies than actually heading to the red-velvet seats and the big screen.
The last time I went to a movie, it was “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.” I went for Robert Downey Jr. of course. The time before that was “The Muppets,” which I went to because it was free movie night. Even if I strain my memory, I can’t remember any movies I saw last semester besides these two.
I love going to the movies, but I have to admit that I head to the theatre less and less.
Time offers all sorts of explanations for why movie theatre attendance is dying out, but I decided to collect my own explanations.
SNACKS ARE SO GOSH-DARNED EXPENSIVE
The appeal of the movie theatre is not just the huge screen and the excitement of a new movie.
Who (seriously) goes to a movie and doesn’t think as soon as they walk through the door and smell the amazing smell of butter “I want some popcorn!” The last time I went to the movies, though, it was $2.50 for a small. Come on, movie theatres, you already charged me $40 for the family just to get through the doors.
You’re seriously going to make snacks so expensive. No wonder so many people are carrying big bags in these days. Those bags are full of skittles and soda pop, so that everyone can skip the atrocity that is movie theatre snack prices.
MOVIE RENDITIONS OF BOOKS ARE TERRIBLE
A few years ago, I fell in love with the “Percy Jackson” series, literally right before the movie came out. However, after watching the movie, it seemed as though the writers might as well have just said, “We’re going to make a movie that is absolutely nothing like this book, we’re going to re-write the plot line, and just use these characters “K thanks!”
I can forgive a lot of things that changed in the Harry Potter movies, because these movies at least stuck to the plot for the most part, and small changes can be forgiven due to awesome acting and the tears I shed during the last four movies.
However, I’m starting to think I might not even want to go see “The Hunger Games” movie, just in case Hollywood ruins yet another book that I adore.
MOVIES ARE SEASONAL
In the Time article, it points out that summer movies are the one that rake in the most money. This summer, I went to see “The Hangover Part II”, “Harry Potter” (four times), “Pirates of the Caribbean,” and “Transformers.” After that, I didn’t go to see a movie in theatres for months. The numbers show that many people did the same.
Only two movies released after Labor Day, which were “Breaking Dawn” and “Paranormal Activity 3” managed to make over $40 million dollars in their opening weekend. In the past year we saw huge movies, like “Pirates,” in the summer, and not so huge movies, like “Crazy Stupid Love,” in the fall.
Why are epic movies only released in the summer, and crappy romantic comedies released in the fall? No wonder people aren’t headed to the movie theatres after Labor Day.
SEQUELS ARE TIRING
Let’s be honest, “Cars” didn’t need a second movie. Neither did “The Hangover.” Neither did “Pirates of the Caribbean,” really, but let’s be honest, they’ll only stop making “Pirates” movies when Johnny Depp stops being hot, in other words, never. The highest grossing movies of 2011 were all sequels, but eventually plot lines run out and movies become old.
NETFLIX™ IS, CHEAP, CONVENIENT, AND AWESOME
More people are staying home now-a-days streaming movies and television on their computers and gaming console for only eight bucks a month. Why drive to the movie theatre and pay out the butt when you can be comfortable in your home and watch cheap movies every night? Even better, cheap snacks.
As a movie theatre lover, I hope that Box Office hits are not a dying breed. However, unless the theatres start piquing more peoples’ attention, there’s going to be more and more people curled up at home with their cheap popcorn and XBox controllers.
