How to be a Moviegoer in the Time of COVID-19

For when you can’t actually go anywhere

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There are so many more important things to think about happening in our world right now than how to watch the latest movie release. I also understand how returning to even a slight sense of normalcy can relieve stress and allow us to focus on situations bigger than ourselves.

For me and many others, going to see a movie was our normal. We would buy a ticket then wait for the weekend, see our movie, think about what we saw, then plan to go see the next one. Now we can’t go to theaters, we may not even want to go even if we had the chance.

I currently don’t have the opportunity to go see a movie in theaters. I wanted to take a moment to list what I’ve been doing at home to give myself more of a “moviegoer experience.”

First off, I pick my movie! Am I going with a DVD or streaming service, new movie or tried-and-true favorite? Lately, streaming services have been ramping up their original movie content so I have opted for that option.

Next, invite your roommates, or family, to either watch with you or to not bother you. Afterall, once a real night-out movie would start you wouldn’t be distracted by others (hopefully) until it ends.

Then, have a good snack and drink handy. I like to go with popcorn and/or Junior Mints along with a cup of green or herbal tea.

Then, find anything else you need to make yourself comfortable. I grab a large blanket to wrap myself up in, something I always wish I could do at the movie theater.

Lastly, enjoy! This is your movie time, done up exactly how you like it. If you need to yell at a character for being stupid, why not, you’re at home. Need to pause to run to the bathroom? Why not?

There are more important things happening right now than watching the latest Netflix film release. But if you need a mental health break and want a good movie to aid in that, I hope the above helps make it a more “normal” movie-watching experience for you. I also want to encourage you to read this article and choose a movie from that list for your next movie night. If you have Netflix, they have a Black Lives Matter collection that I would encourage you to choose from as well.

So let me know:

Have you been watching a lot of movies while in quarantine?

What is your favorite streaming service original movie?

Are you doing okay? I hope you are.

#BlackLivesMatter #POCinFilm #Covid19 #QuarantineHobbies #MentalHealthBreak #Moviegoer #2020Changes