Netflix and chill? More like Netflix and kill (the theatres!). Streaming movies may seem like one of the most innovative advancements that have been brought about over the years. However, this somewhat recent phenomenon is actually destroying the idea of watching movies in theatres, and stripping people of one of the most important aspects of movie watching.
I will never forget the day that my dad took me to see the last Harry Potter movie. I grew up in love with the series — I’d stay up all night reading the latest book, and steal bathroom breaks in the middle of my classes to finish what I didn’t read the night before. When I first saw the trailer for the last movie, I was over the moon excited. So one morning, when my dad said he wanted to see it with me in theatres, I couldn’t get it out of my head. All I could think about was watching my favorite characters, friends I loved and looked up to, on the big screen. Needless to say, my expectations were high.
Still, nothing could have prepared me for the incredible story I watched unfold on screen that night. Everything was perfect; the spells, the flying, the mythical creatures— it was all better than I could have hoped for. It felt as if the theatre had fallen away around me, and I was in Hogwarts with Harry, Ron and Hermione, fending off the Death Eater invasion and trying to figure out Voldemort’s final weakness.
I have never, nor will I ever, experience the same level of magic and awe using a streaming service. Sure, it may be far easier to dial up whatever movie you want and throw it up on your Macbook screen, but as you do this, you trade something very special away: the experience of going to the movies. Never in a million years will I forget how I felt going with my dad to see the last Harry Potter. The anticipation of the drive, buying the tickets and popcorn, shuffling into the best seats we could find, and hearing an entire room of hushed, excited whispers— these are all moments just as invaluable as the movie itself. Streaming trades this all away for the widely accepted fallacy that movies are best experienced from the comfort of your own couch. The worst part is, as more people accept this belief to be true and streaming becomes increasingly popular, movie theatres lose valuable customers. Soon, all movies will be sent straight to Netflix, just like Roma was, and soon, “going to the movies” will be just as ancient as listening to sports games on the radio.
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