Cinema Experience in the Time of Covid

by Lewis Robinson

The Movie Going Experience of Yesteryear

As the pandemic has absolutely ravaged the movie industry, leaving it in tatters. It is now up to us, the consumers and movie-goers, to create a similarly satisfying experience in our homes. Even if the theaters were still open, it would arguably be grossly irresponsible to ignore the dangers of the pandemic and potentially spreading it around; alas, we are left to our own devices. With theater chains like Regal Cinemas and AMC closing down their theaters across the country, and in some cases for good, it seems to be the end of an era. No longer will we be able to enjoy a delicious batch of fresh movie popcorn. No longer can watch plots unfold with unexpected twists and turns on enormous screens providing a crystal clear picture quality with audio so clear and so loud that it would shake the very foundation of the seats in which we sat. Okay, maybe I'm over-romanticizing the movie going experience. I can't help it. I was raised as a movie buff. Now that we are in the age of social distancing and limiting the number of outings we attend, it is up to us to find ways to replicate the cinematic experience.

Culinary Innovation and Mastering the Art of Popcorn

When I think of movie theaters, the first thing that comes to mind is the smell and the taste of freshly made popcorn. For those among us who aren't exactly the most culinarily inclined, perfecting the best popcorn recipes may prove to be quite a challenge, but not necessarily an impossible one. On the contrary, it can be rather easy to learn to perfect your own "brand" of popcorn. The upside to this challenge however, is that since our movie going experience is limited to our homes, the variety of choices of types or flavors popcorn has drastically increased from either "buttered or dry." One recipe I tried recently that I absolutely loved, was garlic bread popcorn. It was fairly simple to make and only took a few minutes to prepare, and though not necessarily traditional in the sense of "movie theater culture", it was absolutely delicious. The experience of making my own popcorn to enjoy in my own home, in front of my own home theater system was, in a way, a far more intimate and, dare I say, satisfying experience.

There are literally dozens of recipes readily available on the internet for a veritable litany of different popcorn flavors ranging from Sriracha-Lime Popcorn to the oddly named Daddy's Popcorn. With a little ingenuity and research, it shouldn't be too difficult to find the best popcorn recipes the internet has to offer.

Bringing Theater Sounds to Your Home

Another way to help bring the theater to your living room is to invest in a quality sound system. Nothing really engrosses you in a story quite like the seemingly earth-shaking and solar-rattling sound quality that the movie theater experience provides. It may seem a little daunting at first, choosing a sound system that is compatible with your T.V or computer, setting it up, and then finally getting the thing working, but I assure you that there are a plenty of guides available online to help you navigate these previously uncharted waters. From deciding on which kind of system to purchase, to setting it up so that it not only functions properly, but optimally, to simply asking for basic questions, there are resources to help you make the right choice in bringing the theater to your home. One key factor in replicating the theater experience is the positioning of the speakers. Configuring surround sound systems to work optimally can feel like trying to build a time machine at times, however experts are available to help anywhere home theater systems are sold, discussed, and/or reviewed.