Imagine sitting in a theater, about to watch a movie you have been dying to see. Your popcorn and large drink are next to you and your seat is fully reclined. Add a friend sitting next to you, soliciting comments. They are also stealing your popcorn, crunching in your ear and showing you a video on their phone, all while the movie of your dreams plays. Despite the social pressures of attending movies with others, the uninterrupted enjoyment of watching films alone cannot be beaten.
Many of us have been taught throughout our lives that going to the movies alone is for friendless freaks and old people. These external pressures are such that the liberating experience of seeing films alone is overshadowed and shamed. Despite the harmful stereotypes of poor solo movie viewers, the empowerment that can come with viewing movies alone values personal choice, self-reflection and uninterrupted movie enjoyment.
The personal choices that come along with solo movie viewing are unsurmountable, promising a movie viewing experience unclouded by outside opinions. Ordering popcorn for oneself, choosing your seat and being able to have your own opinions on previews are all delights that could not be enjoyed in a group, or even a duo. Similarly, the self-reflection that can be triggered while admiring a piece of film alone can be eye-opening and very cleansing for the soul. With the purpose of the film itself to inspire the mind, being able to engage in individual contemplation on a movie’s meaning can be extremely rejuvenating for any cinephile regardless of the content of the movie.
Finally, uninterrupted movie watching is the biggest pro for deciding to see a movie by one’s own self. No matter how fun it may be to lean over and whisper a rude joke to a friend about a moment in a movie, this situation may be less fun if you are fully into the movie and your friend is not at the same level of enjoyment. While you might be crying as the main character dies a tragic death, being poked and prodded while sobbing makes this experience less dramatic and moving.
Going to the movies alone is underappreciated, shamed and people who take advantage of this experience are often seen as social pariahs, unfairly judged for simply trying to enjoy one of the best things that society has to offer: solo movie viewing.
