LACKAWANNA COUNTY, Pa. — Are we currently sitting back, relaxing, and watching the slow death of one of America's favorite pastimes?
To some, it may seem that way.
Now production companies are skipping the big screen and heading straight to your streaming apps and even including handy buttons on your remote.
How did this happen, why did this happen, and why is it still happening?
Well, once upon a time in Hollywood and the rest of the world, there was something called a pandemic. It shuttered many businesses at its peak in the hopes of slowing the spread of COVID-19.
But that didn't stop Hollywood from making movies. Producers just needed to find a way to get them out to the masses.
Enter the streaming services.
Safely from the comfort of your home, you could stream the latest films, eat your own popcorn and even pause the movie to use the bathroom.
But that isn't always a good thing, and it isn't the only thing theaters bring to the table.
"Some movies come in 3D, and it just enhances the experience. It's just a lot better than having to sit at home and stream it because, at home, you can get distractions," said Elliot Ruiz of Scranton.
But is it cost-efficient?
"Personally, for me, I have a big family, so I probably wouldn't be able to take all of them to the movie theaters. So if I was having like a family night, I would probably stream it."
The cost of most items has significantly gone up while most of us continue to pull in the same income as pre-pandemic.
The price of a streaming service, such as Netflix, costs at most $20 per month.
Theaters charge around $10 for one movie ticket on a typical night out or more.
Kyle Harro of Shickshinny sees the increase," Typically, the opening nights, the bigger movies, like Marvel movies, come to mind. I notice the prices rising there."
So, what are we missing?
There are so many ways to access movies now that we don't even have top movie stars who bring us into the stadium-stacked seats to see in the first place.
Too many movies and too many actors. We are drowning in choices.
I recently told my 4-year-old we could go and see a movie at the movie theater, and he asked me why. I said because it's cool, and it's on a big screen the size of a whole wall. He told me he will watch it on his iPad.
I felt heartbroken.
Are movie theaters the new drive-in theaters? The iTunes and Spotify to our CDs and records?
"I feel like it's a thing of the past at this point that a lot of the time, the people, for the most part, want to stay home, in the comfort of their home, and due to the rising prices of it..a lot of people can't afford to do, so," said Stephanie Berta of Jessup.
So, when it comes down to it, it's all about the experience you are looking for and if you can afford it.
But the question remains, will theaters find their spot to shine amongst streaming services for years to come?
Either way, the show must go on.
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