Why I Still Love Going to the Movies (and How I Make it Affordable)

There’s something special about going to the movies. Not streaming at home in sweatpants. Not half-watching on TV while scrolling your phone. I mean actually going to the theater, getting the big screen and the amazing sound, and sharing a big tub of butter-soaked popcorn. Even now, with all the convenience of home entertainment, I still look forward to movie nights at the theater, especially with my wife. It’s one of our favorite ways to spend a couple hours together.

A Shared Escape (Without Screens in Our Hands)

One of the things I love most about the theater is how it pulls you into a shared experience. Everyone is there for the same reason: to escape, to laugh, to feel something together. And in a world where it seems like we’re always half-distracted, the movie theater is one of the few places where people actually put their phones away for a while. That alone is worth the price of admission.

Movie Dates with My Wife

Funny enough, when we first started dating, we avoided going to movies because we wanted to actually talk and experience things together. But these days, heading to a theater together has become one of the rituals we really look forward to. A low-effort, high-reward kind of evening.

We always get a large drink (to share, since I am too tight with money and have too small of a bladder to have my own) and popcorn with butter. We settle into the heated, reclining seats and watch the previews (always a must) before disappearing into the dark. We laugh, we cry (I don’t let her see my tears), we whisper things like “where do I know that actress from?” We take turns going to the bathroom (yes, we both have small bladders), and we enjoy our escape from the things that usually keep us busy. On the short ride home, she often scrolls on IMDB or History vs. Hollywood to dig into what we just watched.

Yes, Movies are Expensive

I remember when you could catch a matinee for a few dollars. Not anymore. I am sure most of you are used to paying $15 or more… per ticket!

Thankfully, our go-to Emagine theater offers a great annual membership that makes regular movie-going actually affordable. For $350 a year, you get:

• 30 tickets you can use for anyone (no need for multiple memberships)
• 10% off concessions
• Platinum Mondays: my favorite part. On the first Monday of every month, you get two tickets to any show. Instant, recurring date night. We’ve put it on the calendar and made it a habit.

So, if you don’t have your calculator pulled up on your phone, that’s 30 tickets plus 24 more for Platinum Mondays, 54 tickets total. That’s less than $6.50 per ticket!

We are reaching the end of our first year's subscription. Even with 5 tickets and one Platinum Monday remaining, we have received $571 in value!

It Matters

Going to the movies might seem like a small thing, but it’s one of those everyday experiences that carries real value. It’s a chance to connect, to feel something deeply, and to create a small but meaningful memory along the way. Whether it’s a loud summer blockbuster, a predictable rom-com, or a hopefully accurate biopic, I’ll keep showing up, popcorn in hand, ready to be swept away.

We are alive to live. Go make memories. Even the Small ones.