From the Brickyard | Subject: Waxing nostalgic about the movies
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Sure, they still exist. You can still find the marquees lit up, the recliner seats, the overpriced popcorn. But it’s not the same. Not like it used to be.
I remember being a kid in the 90’s—when going to the movies was a ritual. We’d pile into the car and hit the theater two, three times a month. You didn’t scroll through trailers on your phone. You didn’t wait for the stream to drop. You went, in person, to see it now.
There was nothing like it. Picking the movie. Grabbing a bunch of junk food. Finding your seat before the lights dimmed. The smell of buttered popcorn that clung to your shirt. The buzz of the crowd waiting for the previews. The collective gasp when the hero showed up, the villain got crushed, or the credits rolled on a twist ending.
It wasn’t just about the movie. It was the event. The ritual. The presence. You don’t get that anymore.
Now? Movies trickle onto streaming platforms weeks later. Everyone’s got their own screen, their own couch, their own snacks. Comfort has replaced ritual. Convenience has replaced community.
And maybe that’s what we’ve lost—not the theaters, but the shared experience. The showing up. The anticipation. The energy that only happens when you’re there.
That’s the danger of this “on-demand” world—it makes everything easier, but it strips away the weight of the moment. It steals the rituals that give life its rhythm.
The plight of the movie theater reminds us of something deeper: rituals matter. Shared presence matters. Don’t let convenience rob you of the experiences that shape your story.
Brick by brick.
-Brickwall