4 Reasons Why Going to the Movies Has Such Enduring Appeal

by Lewis Robinson

The human love affair with movies has been going on for more than a century. People have embraced it in all its forms. In good times and bad, people flock to the movie theatres in droves. Friends gather in living rooms around the world to share the latest offerings. Beyond entertainment, what is it that makes going to the movies such a universal activity?

They Let You Escape

The term escapism often has a negative association. It shouldn't. Wanting to escape for a couple of hours doesn't necessarily mean that you hate your life or you are in some way deeply dissatisfied. Even essentially happy people want to get away from their day-to-day routine and experience something new and different on occasion.

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Movies are immersive. They give you permission to turn off your devices, sit in the dark, and put all your focus on the story in front of you on the screen. They pull you out of your reality for a little while which is usually all you really need; just a little space, a breather before you re-engage with reality.

They're Therapeutic

Some mental health professionals actually do use watching movies as part of their patient's treatment plan. They feel that when patients engage in films that deal with issues similar to their own, it can help them to process their challenges.

On a smaller scale, people use movies as self-therapy all the time. They watch funny films to feel better or tragic films to process sadness. Comedic films can offer perspective when times are hard or just make a good day better. Sad movies offer the opportunity for catharsis as well as reminding people of what they have to be grateful for.

On the big screen the good guys usually win and the bad guys usually lose. Movies renew the hope that things will work out as they should, and they remind people that they are stronger and more resilient than they believe they are. 

They Are a Communal Activity

One of the reasons that people attend group outings is for a sense of community. Everyone likes to be reminded that they aren't alone, that they share this experience of life with a lot of other people.

Certainly attending a movie in a theatre offers that connection, but even at home people tend to watch movies with others. The move to a digital age has come with many benefits, but the loss of community is one negative side effect. Going to a movie and sharing laughter or tears with a group is a powerful experience that fosters a sense of connection with others.

They Help Explain the Human Experience

Before there were movies, and even before there were books, humans gathered around fires and told each other stories. Humankind has always used stories to comprehend the world. Movies offer a fully immersive, scripted, curated, scored and visually captivating storytelling experience.

You can, and should, study great events in history, but a film like "Private Ryan" can create a more human connection to the horrors of war than a textbook. Whereas dry news stories about corporate pollution may be too complex to have an impact, a movie like "Erin Brockovitch" elicits a visceral response that can motivate people to change. Movies can help people understand themselves and others on a deeper more emotionally intense level than any other medium. 

From silent films to talkies to technicolor, from video tapes to compact discs to streaming; advancements in technology have always strived to find new and better ways to present the stories of film makers to the public. And regardless of the form or delivery system, going to the movies continues to be one of the most popular pastimes in the world.