Would you like popcorn with that?
My renewed love for the cinema
My mum will only watch TV that is “live”– the minute she finds out that something is on Netflix or Prime, she totally loses interest. The reason, when I push her on it, comes down to camaraderie. She says that she likes the idea of her friends and neighbours all watching the same thing at once. She feels that streaming has pushed us all further apart.
Blah blah blah, were my thoughts on that, to be honest. I just felt bad for her never getting to watch White Lotus or Succession. Last week, though, when I went to watch Bridget Jones at the cinema, I suddenly understood what she meant about that sense of togetherness. There was something quite lovely about being in a room full of people all laughing and crying in the same places. Especially after three mini bottles of Sauvignon Blanc.
At the end of the film my friend asked me if I was ok, because there was a lot of grief in this Bridget Jones and it was almost a year to the day since my sister died. I was ok, somehow. I definitely cried a lot, but so did everyone else – and that made it better.
There is stuff to dislike, of course - from loudly masticating (I said masticating!) seat neighbours to the obscene price (£18.50 at my local!), but when you get lucky, and the seats recline and you’ve got a little table for your white wine and a friend sitting next to you – well, life feels good.
My local cinema is screening live theatre now, too. I saw Jodie Comer in Prima Facie there and it was SO nice not having to slog to the West End for the pleasure. So yes, cinemas (exclusively the most pretentious, overpriced ones, to be clear) are the new Netflix and the new West End. Next up for me, A Real Pain, because if it doesn’t work out with my new boyfriend Leo Woodall, Kieran Culkin is next on my list. The man is charisma. Here he is accepting his Oscar the other day.
