Movie theaters are quite popular for a variety of reasons.
However, some people are just not movie theater people.
If you have ever wondered why some love movie theaters and others can’t stand them, we have all the answers you need.
Here are 25 pros and cons of movie theaters, and we are sure there will be some options on this list that you can relate to.
25 Pros And Cons Of Movie Theaters
If you are a movie buff, you can likely come up with more than 25 reasons why you wouldn’t want to be at a movie theater.
However, we have pulled together 25 of the top reasons to make this a bit easier for some to understand.
Pros Of Movie Theaters
1. Experience Instead Of A Possession
So many people realize that they don’t want their homes or their lives filled with possessions.
Instead, they would rather create memories and enjoy times doing things.
The movie theater offers this experience for people.
You don’t have to worry about where you will store your movie theater experience because you simply create a memory and will always be able to pull it out again.
This reason is becoming more and more popular among people.
2. Fun
People go to the movie theaters because it is fun.
The experience is supposed to be enjoyable and allow you to say afterward that you really enjoyed it.
Sometimes the movie theater makes an excellent option for those difficult weather days or really warm days when there are not many fun things to do outside.
In the end, if you are going to the movies, it’s likely because you think they are fun.
3. Birthday Or Anniversary Event
For kid’s birthdays or to celebrate an anniversary, sometimes it can be a great thing to go to the movie theater.
The movie theater offers a perfect special event to go to and enjoy time with people.
Since the tickets cost money and you usually follow the movie up with a nice meal, this is a great event to make a day more special for someone.
4. Pairs Well with Dinner
Movies are a great choice to go to before or after dinner.
If you feel like going out to dinner is not enough of an event, you can simply add a movie to the end of it.
The movie makes the night feel fuller and feel as though it was a bit more of a special event.
5. Great First Date
The movies make a great first date.
Since many people are nervous on a first date, it can be a great way to help start a conversation.
You can both watch the movie together, and then at the end of the movie, you will be able to talk about what happened.
For those who are nervous or are worried about potential conversations, the movie theaters are a perfect first date choice.
6. High-Quality Picture
The quality of the picture presented on the screen at a movie theater is going to be much higher than that at your home.
The higher quality makes it easier to see, and the experience feels more like real life.
If you want to see a movie with a lot of action or some outdoor scenes that have great picture quality, the movie theater is a great option to consider.
7. Easy To See
If your television at home is quite small, you won’t have to worry when you head to the movie theater.
The screens at these theaters are so large that you will have no issues being able to see the action and feel as though you are right there in the movie.
For those with vision issues or who have a hard time focusing on a smaller screen, the large screens at movie theaters can be a great benefit.
8. Availability Of Snacks
When you are sitting in your seat for a few hours watching a movie, it is nice to have snacks to accompany the event.
The snacks at movie theaters are going to be some of the most popular.
People love the buttery popcorn and the candy to pair with it.
You can attempt to make your own movie theater snacks at home, but chances are you will not be able to replicate this, and you will end up with something that doesn’t taste as good.
It’s best to try and get your snacks before the movie starts, but if you end up missing out or running out, you can always run and get some in the middle of the movie.
9. Latest Releases
Potentially the number one reason people enjoy going to the movies is that you will have access to the latest releases.
When movies first come to the market, they do not go directly to streaming services, premium cable channels, or DVDs.
There is a certain period of time during which movies will be available only in the theaters.
If you have a favorite actor or actress, or you have been waiting for a sequel, the movie theater is going to be your best bet for getting to enjoy this as soon as possible.
You can take a look at all the latest releases and plan your movie dates accordingly.
10. Only The Best Acting
Although there is always a chance that you won’t like the movie that you pay to see, most of the time, the movies that make it to the theaters are known for being really good.
These movies have lots of great acting and some of the best directors.
The time and money spent on a movie are quite high and should be thought of as a major benefit to seeing a movie in the theaters.
11. Satisfying For Movie Buffs
If you are a movie buff and you pride yourself on seeing all of the new releases, there is no place quite like the movie theater.
This will be your only chance to stay on top of the world of movies and find something that you truly enjoy.
Movie buffs tend to like to get to one of the first few showings of a new movie, and the movie theater provides the perfect solution.
12. Great Sound Quality
If you ever have trouble hearing a movie at home, chances are the movie theater is going to be a perfect solution for you.
The sound in the movies is not just higher in volume, but it is also very clear.
The advanced audio and visual technology make it much easier to follow along with what characters are saying in a movie.
13. Incredible Graphics
If you think that you have a great television at home, try heading to the movie theater.
Since this business is all about showing the highest quality movie on the best screen, the graphics are very advanced.
If you are someone who can appreciate great graphics and enjoy the art and design that went into putting a movie together, chances are you are going to love the movie theater.
The incredible graphics can also make you feel as though you are in the scene.
14. Unwind And Relax
The movie theater offers a great place to unwind and relax.
If you have a stressful job that requires you to spend some time zoning out and not stressing about your work, then the movie theater is a great solution.
If you are at a movie, you can immerse yourself in all that is going on and forget about the stresses of everyday life.
Unwinding and relaxing is a major reason you will want to head to the movie theater.
15. Bonding Experience/Conversation Starter
Movie theaters can create a bonding experience between two people.
You will have just watched the same movie together and created the same memory.
This memory is then something that can be talked about for years to come.
This is why so many people choose movie theaters as a perfect first-date location.
16. Keep Your Home Clean—No Need to Clean Popcorn off the Floor
If you want to watch a movie and eat popcorn, but you don’t feel like breaking out the vacuum afterward, the movie theater is a great place to go.
At a movie theater, you will want to be respectful about where all of the popcorn is dropping, but at the same time, they expect you will drop some on the floor.
For a great way to enjoy a movie but also keep your home clean and neat, the movie theater is a smart choice.
17. High-End Comfortable Seating
More and more movie theaters are moving to high-end comfortable seating.
In years past, movie theater seats were not always known for being the most comfortable.
However, with movie theaters having to compete with premium television and movie subscriptions, it seems as though the furniture and seating have gotten much more comfortable.
18. Perfect Lighting
At home, it can be challenging to get the perfect lighting for a movie.
With the lights on, the picture won’t always be as clear, but if you turn the lights off, that can be a burden on your eyes.
Movie theaters have gone through great trouble to ensure that the lighting they provide is perfect for movie watchers.
If you are particular about the lighting when watching a movie, this is a great place to enjoy your time.
19. People Know To Be Quiet
At a movie theater, people tend to know that they need to be quiet.
Even though there are some people who are going to break this rule, most are respectful and realize the importance of being silent during the movie.
At home, you may not experience this same benefit.
Sometimes people or children will continue to talk while you are trying to focus on the movie.
Avoid this by going to a movie theater and enjoying your movie in the peace and quiet.
20. No Commercials
Commercials or advertisements tend to come in the form of previews at the beginning of a movie.
Once you start watching the movie, you won’t have to worry about these ads.
This is a great benefit and one that you won’t always get at home.
Some movies on television and premium subscriptions do have pauses or breaks that make you watch a few ads.
21. Drive-In Movies Coming Back
Drive-in movies were a thing of the past, but they are starting to come back.
This is a unique kind of movie theater experience where you can watch the movie from the comfort of your car.
You will enjoy the fact that these movies allow you to stay up to date with new releases but also talk and enjoy time with friends in your vehicle.
22. Don’t Have To Worry About Spoilers
If you miss a movie in the theater, then you will have to wait for it to come out on DVD or other formats.
This means that you will likely hear a lot about the movie and what goes on between now and that time.
This can be a problem for movie buffs who like to be the first to know about a movie.
Spoilers are everywhere and they can be really difficult to avoid.
If you don’t want the ending of a movie to be spoiled, simply go and be one of the first ones to see it.
23. Saves You Costs On Large TV And Premium Services At Home
Although many people consider the movie theater to be more expensive than other options for watching movies, this is not always the case.
If you are trying to set up a similar movie-watching experience in your home, things will get quite costly.
Movies at home will require large televisions and premium monthly services that allow you to watch a variety of shows.
This is not the case when you are going to the movies.
You can simply spend a small amount on one showing and leave.
At home, the costs of purchasing a large television, a high-end sound system, and more are going to add up rather quickly.
24. Cool Temperatures In Summer Months
Although movie theaters are often thought of as being a great place to go on a rainy day, they are also great for the summer months.
If you live in an area where the temperatures are 100 degrees or more in the summer, it can be challenging to get comfortable.
The movie theater almost always has a very cold AC to keep you from getting too hot while watching a movie.
Take advantage of this on those days when you need it the most.
25. Advanced Technology
Movie theaters have advanced technology.
When you are there watching a movie, you know you are getting the latest and greatest in audio and visual technology.
New theaters that have been built more recently will have even more technological benefits than others.
If you are a person who tries to stay on top of the latest advances in technology, a movie theater will make for a great experience.
Over time, you will notice that more advanced technology is going to come to the market and make watching movies even more enjoyable.
Cons Of Movie Theaters
Now that we have gone through the positives of movie theaters, let’s take a look at a few of the negatives.
As always, along with the good, there will be a bit of bad.
Here are 25 cons of going to a movie theater.
1. Pricing
Watching a movie in the movie theater as opposed to at home is going to be quite a bit more expensive.
Prices have gone from around $5 a ticket to closer to $20 a ticket.
Through the years, the increase in price has led people to choose different ways to enjoy watching movies.
If you have a large family, heading to the movies is likely going to cost you more than $100.
2. Cleanliness
Not all movie theaters are clean.
Sometimes there will be a crew that comes in after a movie to do a brief sweep up, but do you really know how long it’s been since the seats or the floors were really cleaned?
If you are someone who worries about cleanliness or germs, you may not feel comfortable in the movie theater.
3. Loud People
It’s unfortunate, but sometimes in a movie theater, there are people who don’t respect others.
These people will talk on their phones, talk to their friends, and sometimes even just be extremely loud with their food.
There is not much you can do about loud people aside from just dealing with them, and this makes it difficult to avoid this issue.
4. Bad Seating
Most movie theaters have tons of seats, and if you get there early, you can have your pick of which seat you would like.
However, if you are running in late and there are only a few spots left, chances are you are going to end up sitting in not such a great area.
The seating could leave you near the aisle where you are distracted during the entire movie, or you may end up too close or too far away from the screen.
If you go to a packed movie, you will take a chance of getting inadequate seating.
5. Availability Of Movies And Tickets
When you go to a movie theater, you are subject to their schedule and their availability.
Typically, there are only a few movies out at any given time.
If you find that you are not interested or the times don’t work for you, there won’t be much you can do about it.
6. May Not Work With Your Schedule
If you work in the evenings, it’s going to be hard to find a time to go to the movies.
Some will offer shows in the afternoon, but this is typically more likely on the weekends.
Therefore, if you work on the weekends, you could struggle with finding a time for the movies.
Overall, you have to find a time that works with your schedule.
7. No Way To Pause Movie
Sometimes you need to pause a movie to answer your kid’s questions, send a text message, or run to the bathroom.
When you are at a movie theater, this is not going to be an option.
Since there is no way to pause, you must make sure you can sit still for about two hours to watch the entire movie.
8. Unhealthy Food
Although many people enjoy the food that movie theaters offer for you to purchase, there is no debating the fact that the food is unhealthy.
If you are a health-conscious person, the unhealthy food will make it difficult for you to feel great upon leaving.
Some people sneak in their own snacks, but this is usually against the rules.
9. No Refunds
If you have to leave in the middle of the movie, or you found that the movie wasn’t a good fit for you and your family, you won’t get a refund.
You are taking a chance in hoping that the movie is going to turn out to be a good one.
Most people are pleasantly surprised, but even if you are not, you won’t get a refund.
10. Movie May Not Be Good
Not all new movies are good.
Sometimes people assume that since it’s in a movie theater, the movie will have to be pretty good.
This is really not the case, the movie is not always good, and it could leave you frustrated that you just paid for it and sat through it.
11. Accessibility To More Movie Choices At Home
Although you may not get the most recent movie choice when you are at home, chances are you will have access to hundreds of them.
The movie choices at home are likely part of a subscription-based service where you will be able to choose the genre that you want.
In addition, if you don’t like the movie you chose, simply change it up.
12. No Talking
Are you someone who has a hard time being quiet?
If you want to be able to talk to your friends or family during a movie, a movie theater is not the place to go.
Movies are intended to be quiet so that others are not disturbed.
13. Can Be Hard To Get Comfortable
The chairs in a movie theater are designed to be comfortable.
However, they are not always going to be as comfortable as you can get at home.
When you are at home, you can also change position quite often until you find a spot that makes you feel comfortable.
14. Lines At The Bathroom
At the movie theater, there is a chance there will be a line if you need to use the restroom.
This can be frustrating because it can make you miss part of the movie you are attempting to watch.
Try to make sure you use the restroom before the movie starts so that you don’t miss out on any of the big events.
15. People Using Phones
We all know that people have phone addictions.
This is fine if they use the phone on their own time.
However, when in a movie theater, the light and the noise from the phone are distracting and difficult for people to put down.
This could disturb your movie watching experience.
16. Can Dress More Comfortable At Home
At home, you can wear your pajamas to watch a movie.
When you go to the movie theater, you will likely be dressed nicely after coming from dinner or something similar.
Ensure that your clothes are comfortable enough to sit for a few hours because you won’t have too much choice at a movie theater.
17. Not Always The Best Choice For Kids
Although many people like to take their kids to the movies, it is not a good fit for some.
If you have kids who have a hard time sitting still or will talk through the entire movie, the theaters are not always the best choice.
Try to consider long and hard before taking your child to the movies because it’s not just yourself you need to consider but those sitting around you as well.
18. Have To Drive And Park
To get to the movie theater, you are going to have to drive there.
Once you get there, you will need to find a place to park your car.
For some areas, this may be difficult and could even require you to pay for parking.
Certainly, getting to the movies is a bit more involved than simply walking to your living room.
19. Not Really A Social Experience
If you are out with friends or relatives that you are looking to try and talk to and catch up with, the movie theater is not the best choice.
You will find that you won’t really be able to talk to them much because making noise in the theater is frowned upon.
20. Poor Customer Service At Times
If you experience a problem, the customer service that is on staff is not always going to know how to or be willing to handle the issue.
Many of these people are not trained because the turnover at movie theaters can be high.
The job is tough, and during the times right before the movie, there are hundreds of people filing in.
21. No Pause Or Rewind
Did you miss out on something the main character said?
Would you like to watch a really great scene in the movie again?
Unfortunately, you won’t be able to do that at the movie theater.
If you are one of those people who is always saying, “What did he say?” then the movie theater might not be the best place for you to be.
22. Tall People Blocking Your View
Nobody has anything against tall people until they sit directly in front of you at the movies.
Depending on the person’s height, there is a good chance part of your view could be blocked.
In a busy movie theater, there will not be anything that you can do about this.
23. Kids Being Loud
Sometimes parents really need a night out, yet they can’t find someone to watch their kids.
This is when you see people bringing babies into adult movies hoping that they will sleep.
Although there is a chance that this could happen, sometimes the kids wake up, and they are tired, cranky, and loud.
Depending on where you are sitting, this could ruin your experience at the movies.
24. One Movie And Done
Are you looking for an all-day event of watching movies?
If you are someone who enjoys watching one movie after the next, then the home will be a better place for you.
Although movie theaters will sometimes offer a double feature, you usually watch just one movie and then leave.
If this is not enough for you, this is a negative to a movie theater experience.
25. Need To Drive Home
Once you finish watching a movie, you may be tired and ready for bed.
If you watch a movie at home, chances are you can fall asleep right in your chair.
If you are at a movie theater, you will need to drive home first, which can be frustrating and annoying.
Wow. Great job! Except some of the things you talked about were kind of the opposite of the pros that you set up in the previous passage so they were kind of misleading. Other than that, very well done. Thank you, you provided me with the facts I need.