Christina Nixon
This article is my love letter to the big screen! I don’t know about you, but there’s something unshakably magical about stepping into a cinema. All those dimmed lights during the screening, the anticipation that fills the room just before the screen flickers to life — these are the cinema experiences I treasure most.
Recently, I had the chance to watch “How to Train Your Dragon” action-movie on the big screen at Everyman Cinema in Leeds. It didn’t feel like watching a movie; it felt like living it. It reminded me why I always choose to watch blockbuster films at the cinema, rather than waiting to stream them at home.
This article isn’t about hating on streaming — I love the convenience as much as anyone. But there’s a reason I still carve out time for theatre visits. Let me walk you through what makes the cinema experience not just worth it, but irreplaceable.
At home, distractions are everywhere. The doorbell might ring, my phone might buzz, or the temptation to check Instagram halfway through a movie becomes too hard to resist. Streaming is comfortable, yes — but it’s also fragmented. At the cinema, it’s different. You’re fully immersed. Your phone is on silent. You’re not pausing to make a cup of tea. You’re there, in that world, with those characters.
Let’s be honest, nothing compares to a cinema screen. The vivid colours, and that earth-shaking surround sound — it’s all designed to make you feel like you’re inside the story. During the flying scenes in How to Train Your Dragon, when Hiccup and Toothless soar through the clouds, the screen makes it feel like an immersive cinema experience. My living room can’t replicate that! No matter how advanced home tech gets, there’s a kind of cinematic alchemy that only happens in the theatre.
Also, there’s a sense of ritual to going to the cinema — picking a film, choosing your seat, grabbing snacks, settling in just before the previews. For many of us, it started in childhood — family outings, first dates, midnight premieres. The cinema is a place where memories are made, is it not? Streaming may offer more choice, but it doesn’t hold the same emotional weight.
Cinema Experiences Are Supporting The Art
Cinema is a celebration of storytelling. It’s a place where the work of thousands — writers, directors, designers, editors, musicians, and voice actors is honoured in its full glory. When I choose to see a film in theatres, I’m showing up for the art and the effort behind it.
Yes, I could have waited for How to Train Your Dragon to appear on some streaming platform. But seeing it in the theatre was my way of saying, “This story matters. This art deserves to be felt.” It felt right to give it that respect.
Moviegoing Is a Shared Human Experience
Cinemas are one of the few places where collective emotion still exists. Ironically, going to the cinema is the one time I’m not tempted to scroll. No second screens, no multitasking — just me and the film. And in today’s overstimulated world, that kind of focus feels like luxury.
Cinema Experiences Make Blockbusters Feel Like Events
There’s a reason filmmakers still design movies for the big screen. Action films, superhero stories, fantasy adventures — they’re built to be experienced, not just watched. Whenever there’s a new blockbuster, I don’t hesitate. I give the film the space it deserves.
I have to mention Everyman Cinema in Leeds again, because it truly made the difference. From its cozy, comfortable seating to the warm atmosphere and table service, it felt more like a boutique film lounge than a traditional theatre.
Streaming is here to stay — and that’s a good thing. But the cinema isn’t going anywhere either. Because no matter how advanced technology gets, we will always crave that shared human experience, that moment of magic when the lights dim, the screen glows, and the world fades away.
I’ll always choose the cinema. For the emotion. For the artistry. For the connection.
Because some stories are meant to be lived — not just watched.
