RandyRants: Shouldn't Movies Be an Alone Event?

Randy No Arms' ongoing commentary on life, gaming, and the rest of the world.

Shouldn't Movies Be an Alone Event?

Rant: Monday, July 12, 2004 at 10:38 PM by Randy

I don't understand why most people don't go to the movies alone. Or worse, why people still go to the movies on a first date. Movies are geared for people to be alone, yet every time I mention to someone that I went to a movie alone, I get a shocked look of disbelief at my actions... and I don't get that.

I guess it's because when I go to the movies alone it's because I want to see the movie. There are a number of people that I can go to see a movie with - everyone likes to go to the movies right? Hah! Ever try to get a group of more than two to agree on one movie? Try getting a group of five to agree on less than seven movies... so if I go alone, I can guarantee myself that I'll see the movie I want to. Good reasoning.

Then there's the theatre. It's dark, loud, and there's a big, big moving picture that will monopolize my attention. Granted a club can be dark and loud, with plenty of eye candy to watch, but... wait, I don't like to try to talk there either - I can't hear a thing over the music - so that's a moot point. Anyway, when I watch TV, I don't mind taking a call or being interrupted by someone - TiVo can pause and rewind live TV. There's no TiVo at the theatre, so if I miss something because of having to be an attentive companion... lemme try explaining it another way: see how well you do with a date if you ignore her or him (hir?) instead of talking to hir. Yeah, right. That's a sure fire way of having a lot of first dates.

Besides, have you ever seen a couch in the seating of a theatre? No. They have the little armrest-cubicle-walls between seats: you aren't supposed to have conversations with the person next to you! You're supposed to watch the movie. Given that, what in the hell do you need another person there for? Sure, when you get out you can compare notes, laugh about funny lines, etc. - that's the only time I feel I miss being with someone when I go it alone, but that's about it... besides, that's why you can talk on a cell phone on the ride home.

I just think that more people should be open to going to the movies alone... it doesn't make you a social leaper if you only buy one ticket for yourself.

Comments: (14)

(latest)

Posted on: July 13, 2004 at 05:34 AM by Jeremy C. Wright

I go to the movies every Friday to wind down from work, so I can spend the weekend with my family. Roughly half of it is alone, and it's often after a hard week. Time alone recharges my batteries.

When I go with folk, we generally grab some grub and a pint after the show and hang out for a couple of hours, with the movie providing the first bit of conversation.

It works well, but I agree: movies alone are great. We should go alone sometime ;-)

Posted on: July 13, 2004 at 06:08 AM by Davi

I agree people always look at me like I am nuts to go alone. You are right it is less annoying to go alone. Also as you said if you go alone you can watch what you want. and not worry what someone else wants to see.. One other thing about going to the movies if you are in an R rated movie why do people bring their children? Stay home and rent the kids don't need to be exposed to that.

Posted on: July 13, 2004 at 07:41 AM by Randy

I actually wrote this a while ago - like 2 months ago - but I was reminded about it after going to see Spiderman 2 this weekend... I was at the local mall, sorta tired, saw the movie was starting, and remembered that almost every soul I know (on both coasts and in between) had seen it already... why wouldn't I go see it? Great movie, BTW... really good.

Posted on: January 15, 2005 at 05:08 PM by Latosha

I have been contemplating going to see a movie alone for weeks now. My fiancee and I go to the movies often and have problems choosing a movie that we both would like to see. It all results in us compromising. I would choose a movie that he wanted to see the most and then we would plan to see the movie I wanted to see the next time. For example, I wanted to see "Meeting the Fockers" when it came out this past Christmas and we ended up seeing "Fat Albert". Although "Fat Albert was a very good movie, it wasn't my first choice. Now it is the middle of January and we still have not seen "Meeting the Fockers". Lastnight we went to see "Coach Carter", another of my fiancee's choices. I bit because it was his birthday. I have decided that this week I will go alone to see "Meeting the Fockers".

Posted on: March 28, 2005 at 08:47 PM by SGC

Bingo! If more people went to the movies alone... there'd be less noise. Nobody walkin up and down the isles with an annoying flashlight lookin for people makin out. I go to the movies alone because I want to see the movie and don't want the distraction of someone who's not there to watch the movie with me. Not to hafta rent the movie later to see if i liked it the first time. And I feel that if a "first date" ends up wantin to take me to the movies... I must be boring to him, or he must not want to put forth the effort to make the date interesting. Either way, it's a clue to me that it'll most likely be the LAST date. Now if I could just get everyone to keep their cellphones on vibrate while they're in there lol

Posted on: May 01, 2005 at 06:21 AM by shaan

Posted on: January 18, 2006 at 12:51 PM by Lindsay

I ALWAYS go to the movies alone. Probably 75% of the movies I've seen, I've seen by myself. I felt weird about it at first (The first movie I ever saw alone was 'Dogma,'- it was in high school, I had no car and I asked my mom to drop me off. My mom was the official first 'you're weird' look I got because of the alone-ness factor.)

It's wonderful going alone. You can fully focus on the movie. You can sit anywhere you want, without compromise. You can easily move if someone near you is being noisy. You can sneak into other movies not quite as noticeably, not that I condone that. You can get Sno-Caps AND popcorn and not feel self conscious about it, or, on the other hand, there's no one to wait for while they get Sno-Caps and popcorn. And , I mean, what are you supposed to do when you go with someone? Have a conversation? No thanks. Nosireebob. And what if no one WANTS to see the movie you want to see? I sure as hell am not taking my roommate to see Hostel with me if she's ging to vomit through the whole thing, and I sure as hell am not going to pay ten bucks to go see some Adam Sandler crap and also vomit through the whole thing.

Also, you sort of get to a stage when you no longer feel like a weirdo going alone, and actually start to feel.. what's the word... cool. Yes, that's it, cool. Going to the movies alone gives the lone movie-goer a distinct air of desireable mystery. I highly recommend it.

I mean, what does Roger Ebert do when HE has to go the movies? Does Roger Ebert whine when nobody wants to go with him? "Oh, oh, I can't review the movie because no one will go with me!!!" Wah wah wah...

No. Roger Ebert sucks it up and goes alone.

Actually, I'm just guessing. But I bet I'm right.

Posted on: July 22, 2006 at 08:56 PM by Diva

I couldn't agree more with you. People always think Im crazy because I go to the movies by myself. I started going by myself when I couldn't find anyone to go with me. Since Im the type of person who doesnt wait on anybody, I just decided to go solo and now its a habit. I get along with myself better than any other person in the world, so why not?

Posted on: July 29, 2007 at 12:35 PM by Chloe Villeneuve

It's fun to hear all of you guys. I'm trying to fing somebody to go with me at Harry Potter: The Order Of The Pheonix, and nobody seems to want to come. Ive been exploring the possibility to go alone, it seems a good idea because i am a really good fan of Harry Potter so i want to enjoy the movie! I Hope nobody looks at me weird at the movie theater(i live in a 6000 people tow).

Posted on: November 10, 2007 at 10:10 PM by Natalia

Today for the first time, I went to the movies alone, I asked a bunch of people, but all my friends were dating their bfs (yep, I've got good friends :P), so I wanted to go out, and I dared to go alone, I thought I was gonna feel totally unconfortable, I mean I'm a 19 year old girl going alone to the movies, looks kinda odd. but I wasn't gonna let "friends" make me feel bad, so I went and I had a great time, I loved the movie (be with me, asia 2005)and I don't think I would have appreciate it enough if there would have been someone next to me talking.

Posted on: January 29, 2008 at 02:54 PM by greg

Cool that other people feel this way too.

When I was in junior high / high school I would go to the movies with a group of close friends all the time. However, it would get pretty annoying how someone always "knew that was going to happen" or would give me the "oh watch this part, watch this" throughout the film or were never scared during horror movies. Some times there were bonuses like if we brought a group of girls they'd be phone texting / screaming at jumpy scenes the whole time :) Some times I go alone if I missed the opening weekend and everyone has seen it already.

I am horrible at predicting endings,I try to focus on the plots and themes, and I get freaked out in horror films...and I like it that way :)

Posted on: August 12, 2008 at 07:38 PM by kate

I agree with all of you... I think that doing things alone (like going to the movies/dinner, etc) shows that you are not only independent but confident in yourself! If people think your weird, then they do! Not that we care anyways :)

Posted on: November 28, 2008 at 12:10 PM by Teresa

Well folks, y'all just decided it for me. Tonight I am going all by my lonesome to see Australia. Hubby is at works, kids out and about, and so it's just little ol' me. And I have a funny feeling I'm going to like it.

Posted on: May 25, 2009 at 01:55 AM by John Funfat

At first John Funfat felt pretty uneasy and insecure. Then John Funfat had a blast, especially this one time he went to see Hidalgo. Then someone John Funfat knew was in the same movie and a row behind him. The friend asked John Funfat if he wanted to sit with him and his fiance. John Funfat felt hella funny going to the movies alone ever since that happened. In fact John Funfat rarely ever goes to the movies anymore (cuz he's busy). But still, if you are not as insecure as John Funfat, trust me, you're gonna have a blast.

Track with co.mments