Do you prefer streaming movies, or the movie theater?
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Midoriya
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I'm kind of a mix of both. I do enjoy streaming movies at home because it's just easier, but nothing really beats that feeling of going to a movie theater with a friend(s). It's just really unfortunate that movie theaters are going out of style these days. : ' )
Alolan_Apples
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I prefer streaming, but mostly to avoid going to a movie theater (or anywhere else that I done too much we a kid when we had less varied entertainment). But I’m not much of a movie kind of person.
Going to the movie theatre is always more fun for me! There's something oddly comforting about a bunch of strangers coming together to watch the same movie at the same time. It's nice to hear people laugh with you during the funny parts, watch silently with you during the sad/serious parts, etc. It's such a simple yet nice human experience.
The best movie theatre experience I've ever had was going to see Barbie on opening night. It was such a special, unforgettable experience. The theatre was comfortably packed, and seeing almost everyone come wearing pink or nice outfits in a different colour was so good. The vibe in that movie theatre and even while leaving was so joyous and healing. I honestly don't think I would love Barbie as much as I do if I hadn't seen it for the first time in the theatre; the movie theatre employees and the strangers I saw the movie with were a big part of making the experience as magical as it was.
Streaming movies is great too, though! It's also nice to watch a movie in the comfort of your own home, wearing comfy clothes, and not having to pay an arm and a leg for a drink and snacks. I only go to the theatre to see a movie if I really want to see it, and can't/don't want to wait for it to release outside of theatres. If I don't mind waiting, I do and just watch the movie at home.
The best movie theatre experience I've ever had was going to see Barbie on opening night. It was such a special, unforgettable experience. The theatre was comfortably packed, and seeing almost everyone come wearing pink or nice outfits in a different colour was so good. The vibe in that movie theatre and even while leaving was so joyous and healing. I honestly don't think I would love Barbie as much as I do if I hadn't seen it for the first time in the theatre; the movie theatre employees and the strangers I saw the movie with were a big part of making the experience as magical as it was.
Streaming movies is great too, though! It's also nice to watch a movie in the comfort of your own home, wearing comfy clothes, and not having to pay an arm and a leg for a drink and snacks. I only go to the theatre to see a movie if I really want to see it, and can't/don't want to wait for it to release outside of theatres. If I don't mind waiting, I do and just watch the movie at home.
Saylor
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I love going to the movies! I have a subscription thingy with one of the theater chains here so I go anytime a movie vaguely interests me. I think horror and comedies are especially fun when you're with a group of strangers and reacting together. And there's something about leaving the theater after a really good movie that can make me feel like a whole new person
Neb
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The theatre experience, despite some of the annoying parts, always feels like a big event to me. It's something I can look forward to and it feels so much more immersive. When I stream a movie at home I tend to pause a lot out of habit and seeing exactly how much longer the film takes until it's done kills the atmosphere for me and makes it feel much longer in a bad way. Not knowing how much longer a movie is going to play lets me enjoy the experience more in the moment and leaves me unsure of when the climax will happen.
Yoshi155
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Theaters. It’s convenient to watch movies whenever you want, and I do stream them a lot, but I think that in general I prefer theaters. I agree with one of the points that @/Neb made, that watching it in theaters makes it more enjoyable since you don’t know how much time is left. Also, I prefer the atmosphere of a movie theater over my house.
ShadowLelouch97
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The theater experience is pretty fun and thrilling in of itself, but for some reason movie theaters have always given me anxiety when I go. Last time I was at a movie, I had to go to the bathroom so bad but I didn't get up from my seat because I didn't want to miss anything. If I stream from home, and that happens, I can pause and take care of what I need to do. To that end, I prefer streaming.
Halloqueen
Do you wanna party?! It's party time!
I like both experiences for different reasons.
Streaming, or watching DVDs or blu-rays, is very convenient and can be done from the comfort of your home or wherever else you might be if you have a device that can utilize these things. I tend to mix streaming and physical media, tending to rent stuff from the library system if I can't find it streaming, and vice versa if I can't find what I'm looking for in the system. I do most of my movie watching at home. Plus, you can pause, rewind or fast forward if you're so inclined or need to, which is not an option for a theater where you'll end up missing part of a movie or possibly missing some context.
That said, the theater experience is fun. It's no wonder why some people install home theaters to try to replicate that experience at home. I didn't go to a theater for like a decade and then ended up at one a few times in the years leading up to 2020 and the pandemic. I haven't been to one since, but if the right movie came along that I wanted to watch then I might.
Another fun option is the drive-in theater, where, as the name implies, you drive to a lot that features either one or multiple screens and either use one of the devices to listen to the audio or tune into the signal on your car radio. They tend to do two or three movies per showing. I think this is probably the most fun option, but it is kind of subject to what they're showing.
A theater or drive-in is a superior experience for the novelty, but I tend to be particular about what I watch so that makes home viewing more realistic most of the time. I also have to really want to watch a new movie to drag myself out to a theater; I usually just wait until things come to streaming services and/or get a physical release. I also tend to have more of a leaning toward older movies than new releases.
Let's say, hypothetically, that they're showing an older movie or two at a theater/drive-in and it's something I'm interested in. In that scenario, I'd say theater/drive-in.
To answer the poll, ultimately, if the stars align and I am actually at a theater or drive-in theater, then I like that better. I'll give it my vote. But yeah, a majority of the time I'm more likely to just watch streaming or physical media at home.
Streaming, or watching DVDs or blu-rays, is very convenient and can be done from the comfort of your home or wherever else you might be if you have a device that can utilize these things. I tend to mix streaming and physical media, tending to rent stuff from the library system if I can't find it streaming, and vice versa if I can't find what I'm looking for in the system. I do most of my movie watching at home. Plus, you can pause, rewind or fast forward if you're so inclined or need to, which is not an option for a theater where you'll end up missing part of a movie or possibly missing some context.
That said, the theater experience is fun. It's no wonder why some people install home theaters to try to replicate that experience at home. I didn't go to a theater for like a decade and then ended up at one a few times in the years leading up to 2020 and the pandemic. I haven't been to one since, but if the right movie came along that I wanted to watch then I might.
Another fun option is the drive-in theater, where, as the name implies, you drive to a lot that features either one or multiple screens and either use one of the devices to listen to the audio or tune into the signal on your car radio. They tend to do two or three movies per showing. I think this is probably the most fun option, but it is kind of subject to what they're showing.
A theater or drive-in is a superior experience for the novelty, but I tend to be particular about what I watch so that makes home viewing more realistic most of the time. I also have to really want to watch a new movie to drag myself out to a theater; I usually just wait until things come to streaming services and/or get a physical release. I also tend to have more of a leaning toward older movies than new releases.
Let's say, hypothetically, that they're showing an older movie or two at a theater/drive-in and it's something I'm interested in. In that scenario, I'd say theater/drive-in.
To answer the poll, ultimately, if the stars align and I am actually at a theater or drive-in theater, then I like that better. I'll give it my vote. But yeah, a majority of the time I'm more likely to just watch streaming or physical media at home.
I always have the worst experiences at movie theaters, so I prefer streaming.
My husband and I went to the new Deadpool & Wolverine movie on opening night and it wasn't enjoyable at all. The couple sitting directly next to us was talking the entire time in normal voices, not even trying to whisper. Then, halfway through the movie I guess their kid got bored so they let him watch Spongebob on a device. He had the volume turned up to hear it over the movie, no headphones or earbuds.
That's just the most recent experience and not even the worst. People are rude, so I'd rather not deal with them and watch the movie at home where I can actually pay attention to it. It's a shame because I've had a few amazing experiences like @Xara explained in the past, but not anymore.
My husband and I went to the new Deadpool & Wolverine movie on opening night and it wasn't enjoyable at all. The couple sitting directly next to us was talking the entire time in normal voices, not even trying to whisper. Then, halfway through the movie I guess their kid got bored so they let him watch Spongebob on a device. He had the volume turned up to hear it over the movie, no headphones or earbuds.
That's just the most recent experience and not even the worst. People are rude, so I'd rather not deal with them and watch the movie at home where I can actually pay attention to it. It's a shame because I've had a few amazing experiences like @Xara explained in the past, but not anymore.
cornimer
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I much prefer streaming! I don't like movie theatres at all - they're loud, cold and uncomfortable and I'd rather not sit with a bunch of strangers. I also prefer being able to pause the movie.
Mars Adept
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Streaming. I have a short attention span and I also have sensory issues so the loud sound of the movie is scary to me.
VernalLapin
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I don’t watch movies a whole lot. But going to the theater, making it an outing is usually more fun ^^
Pros for theater:
Social Aspect such as audience reactions
The sound system
Limited distractions
Cons:
Needing to get up means something will be missed.
No subtitles
People may turn on phones which breaks immersion in a dark room.
Pros for home:
Don't have to go anywhere or pay for snacks
Can pause at leisure
Has subtitles
Cons:
Potential to be completely disrupted while watching
Can't match the screening or audio quality of a public theater
Honestly, there's a certain satisfaction that I get from finishing a movie in a theater. The credits rolling at home doesn't hit the same.
Social Aspect such as audience reactions
The sound system
Limited distractions
Cons:
Needing to get up means something will be missed.
No subtitles
People may turn on phones which breaks immersion in a dark room.
Pros for home:
Don't have to go anywhere or pay for snacks
Can pause at leisure
Has subtitles
Cons:
Potential to be completely disrupted while watching
Can't match the screening or audio quality of a public theater
Honestly, there's a certain satisfaction that I get from finishing a movie in a theater. The credits rolling at home doesn't hit the same.
Hanami
bittersweet
I prefer streaming because I enjoy watching movies alone for the most part and I can set the environment (light, temperature, environment noise, replay, etc.). I enjoy going to the movies with friends from time to time, though - seeing new movies on a big screen with people who are also watching it for the first time is exciting. 
