The problem with being a film lover and having five movies hitting theaters every week is that sometimes I have to put on my big girl boots, head to the T and watch a movie by myself. Most of my film friends love doing this, especially at midnight showings, but I still prefer to see movies with other people.
Personally, one of my favorite parts about going to the movies or having required film screenings for class is leaving the theater with others and immediately debating whatever we just saw. Sitting on the T and breaking down if “Blink Twice” was actually a good directing debut for Zoë Kravitz or not and driving back from Salem after seeing “Alien: Romulus” were some of the highlights of my summer, believe it or not.
But with the fall semester picking up and a new movie to review every week, I’ve had to understand that sometimes I simply need to go to the movies by myself.
And honestly, it’s slightly boring. Whenever I have a few hours free to catch a movie instead of having to lock myself in the library, I hop on the Green Line and take it all the way down to Boston Common (an insanely long ride, I know). And if you know anything about AMC Theatres’ previews, you know that you can pretty much show up 30 minutes after showtime to catch the very start of the film. So, I grab myself a small, regular popcorn, say hi to my friends who work at the theater and weave my way into the theater. Very boring.
Unlike most of my friend group, I like to sit towards the back of the theater and off to the side, away from everyone else so I can take notes with my feet propped up and no one to judge. However, anyone who goes to see shows and live music alone knows that it can take away from the small social aspects of it, like sharing snacks, swapping comments or even just being able to take in someone else’s reaction — even if they are a stranger. When I watched “It Ends With Us” in theaters, I felt completely isolated from my movie-going peers (strangers), although maybe that could be attributed to simply not liking the film.
But more importantly, going to the movies alone means that sometimes I walk out of the theater and something doesn’t click, or a joke completely goes over my head. Then, I begin the hunt for anyone in my friend group who has seen the newest films as I try to compare impressions and get new opinions that can retroactively shape my movie-going experience.
And while I believe completely that being able to talk about films is what makes them such an ideal form of art and communication, I also understand that sooner or later the time will come when I will be the sole person to have seen a horribly written, B-rated film that’s only in theaters for two days. And I guess that’s fine?
Regardless, for the sake of this column actually being about films, and the movie-shaped hole in my heart, next time I go to the movies it may just be by myself. And when I walk back out, I will still be fine because hey, more movies are never a bad thing.
