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We open with a scene from 1905 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at the world's first movie theater, or the Nickelodeon, as they called it, deriving its title from a combination of the admission price and the Greek word for theater.
The theater is crowded, stuffy, and filled with excited patrons. The film, "The Great Train Robbery," begins to play and though most of the patrons are mesmerized during this 10-minute miracle, some begin to shuffle in their seats, rattling candy wrappers, and text their friends, until one patron says to the other, "Next time, let's just wait for it to come out on Netflix."
Okay, perhaps there was a bit of a time-lapse in that story, but the debate about Cinema vs. Streaming among moviegoers doesn't seem to be impacted by the passage of time. If anything, some moviegoers who were once content at home streaming their favorite plot lines, are now seeking the cinematic experience with the increased perks of Over-21 movie theaters that offer alcoholic drinks with your movie and the option to order a meal – without ever having to leave your reclining seat.
From the convenience of looking up show times on Fandango to reserving great seats with the simple click of a button on your phone or tablet, movie theaters have stepped up their game when it comes to all the perks they offer. Sure, you can do that at home, but chances are, you'll be serving yourself.
Geek Wire recently reported, "While movie attendance has dropped slightly in recent years, 246 million people in the U.S. still see movies in the theater every year" and about 35 million go every month, according to the Motion Picture Association of America. Overall, people spent $11 billion going to movies last year. That's still more than Americans spend on subscription streaming services — $9.5 billion last year, according to the Digital Entertainment Group.
There is no denying that going to the theater is fun, but it's also quite expensive. Cue the rise of streaming services. Companies like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon are also staking their claim on moviegoers with compelling original programming that have held their own in production value and landed them center stage during awards season, including this year's Oscar nominee, Mudbound and Hulu's multi-Emmy-winning original series, "Handmaid's Tale."
The best part of streaming, however, is the fact that you can do it from anywhere, the best place is at home. You can prepare a nice, home-cooked meal, or you can host a gathering with your friends and family. No matter what the numbers and experts say, we can't argue that there's nothing like cozying up in your apartment in your pajamas, popping up some microwave popcorn, and settling in for a series binge or having some friends over for a blockbuster comedy night. The debate continues.
What about you? Do you prefer staying in for movie night or going out? Let us know by tagging #LifeatWeidner!
– The Weidner Team