At the start of the summer, several of my film friends discovered that not only did I not have Letterboxd, but I also did not have an AMC Theatres A-List membership. I tried to explain to them that I had no clue what Letterboxd was and I did not see enough movies to merit an A-List pass, but my explanations fell on deaf ears. Instead, here I am several months later, with a column about AMC and a Letterboxd account finally made. So, with the end of the semester approaching, I have to ask myself: Was it worth it?
After countless trips to AMC, several punny Letterboxd reviews and being chased by a giant rat through Boston Common at 1 a.m., it's safe to say that it simply depends. As a movie lover and avid writer, I find myself wanting to go to the theaters whenever I can find the time. I also find myself watching films that are by no means good at the theaters just to be able to experience the film with other audience members. However, for those who have little time to commute back and forth or those who only want to see box office and film festival hits, the A-List pass may not be worth it. But for those who love films that go beyond green witches and immortal R-rated superheroes, an A-List membership is a golden ticket to another world.
What is worth it, however, is the moviegoing experience in general. Since I’ve returned to the theaters, I have found myself even more engaged in newly released art. In the past, I’ve tended to be the person to wait for the entire season of a show to drop or a film to hit streaming before watching. While this can be useful when I want to binge media during the semester breaks, it prevents me from connecting to my peer film circle.
For myself, going to the theaters a few times a month, writing reviews on the most entertaining films and even running from giant rats late at night is completely worth it. But for everyone else, I still recommend getting to the theaters for films beyond the newest movie musical or superhero film. Even with the bad films that hit theaters, there’s a sense of enjoyment and entertainment that cannot be replicated at home. Most, if not all, films are meant to be experienced on the big screen. The theaters are a place like no other, and when you can experience it, you should to the fullest possible amount.
So, in the words of the legendary Nicole Kidman, “We need …that indescribable feeling we get when the lights begin to dim. And we go somewhere we’ve never been before; not just entertained, but somehow reborn. Together.”
