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Comment by sokoloff | Hacker News Reader

Concerts and festivals are made more enjoyable by the shared energy. Other than concert movies and maybe Rocky Horror Picture Show, I struggle to think of movies where I’d rather walk on sticky floors to see it with 100 other coughing, talking, texting, etc humans than at home in a decent home theater.

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" coughing, talking, texting"

True, but also laughing, cheering, and applauding (on occasion). For a big midnight release a lot of the fun is waiting with other fans - I loved going to openings of movies like Return of the King (LOTR), even the last awful Star Wars prequel, etc. and waiting with hundreds of other excited people at the Fremont Theater - a grand old theater seating 1100. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fremont_Theater

If you haven't seen Rocky Horror in a theater instead of at home, you ought to give it a try. Or The Room - bring spoons.

I'd rather be in the theatre, with a giant screen. Sharing in the appreciation with all the other people there when there's a particularly poignant line, or moment.

Often, it's only slightly better than a home theatre, but I don't want a giant screen I don't use 999% of the time taking up a large part of the wall.

And very rarely, you'll have spectacular moments, where the entire audience shares in a powerful emotion, moments you'll remember for the rest of your life. That you won't get at home.

And so we all have different preferences :)

Comedy and horror movies come to mind as being shared experiences.

Ah. I see. I explicitly avoid these genres. Maybe that's why I never experienced any positive influence from other people in the cinema.

While not a status statement as it used to be, one element is the "I was there" thing: being able to tell others later that you were there for the opening session of X blockbuster/defining movie...

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