I miss the hell out of a movie theater, man.
I mean, I miss a lot of things.
Being blissfully unaware that the POTUS has a social media presence.
But that’s not quite it, either.
All the normal go-to spots we took for granted.
I think often ofwhatRoger Ebertwroteabout a film’s unique ability to bond.
Image via Warner Bros.
“Movies are the most powerful empathy machine in all the arts.
When I go to a great movie I can live somebody else’s life for a while.
I can walk in somebody else’s shoes.
It’s that electrical current that moves from person to person that I miss.
It doesn’talwayshappen, but when it does, it’s magic.
The third act ofAvengers: Endgamethat transformed the El Capitan Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard into a rock concert.
The gasp of realization that turned into straight-up screams duringthatrestaurant scene inThe Invisible Man.
Even quiet moments, moments without sound.
This isn’t a bad thing.
When you lose that shared experience, you also lose an element of immersion.
Listening to it from around a corner.
Watching a movie in a theater, however, is watching it on the movie’s terms.
You were a small part of the crowd.
Now, with your iPhone, you dominate it.
You are a giant, peering into this small world.
And that gives you power, but it also distances you.
I’m not demanding you stay home.
A technicolor microcosm of the world at its best.
