I went to the movies by myself... AND IT WAS AWESOME!
It can be scary to try something new and it can be intimidating to do it by ourselves, but it’s through discomfort that we grow…
This week, I went to my first movie by myself. Yes, I bought a ticket - just one ticket - to a movie that I had been looking forward to for months. And it was the best decision. In case you didn’t know, a spin-off from the Fast & the Furious franchise hit theatres on Thursday night. You can watch the trailer here - and then I strongly recommend that you buy tickets (but that’s an aside).
Before I bought my ticket, I agonized over not only which time and which seat to get, but also who to go with before deciding to go by myself. This series has a special place in my heart and is deeply meaningful to me and I wanted to see it for me - without the pressure of finding someone to go with. I’ve spoken with several people since Thursday about this, and it’s inspired my blog post. Turns out, there’s a lot of us that would like to go to the movies alone but don’t know where to start. I’m not an expert, but here are my tips for success:
1 - Pick a movie that means something to you: Yes, this movie is about cars and strapping bald men, but I also have a personal connection to it. From the characters, to the actors, to my upcoming themed fan tattoo (sorry Dad, it’s happening), and a pending scholarly paper on the series, I love everything about it. It doesn’t hurt that the Rock is in it either.
2 - Pick a movie that you’d enjoy watching alone or with someone else: Related to the first point, pick a movie that you know you’ll like, regardless of when, where and with whom you see it. I knew what to expect from Hobbs & Shaw before sitting down in the theatre and I knew that I’d like it no matter what. These movies are truly made for the fans - there’s one-liners that play to larger moments in the Franchise, as well as those that play to fans of the actors generally (yes, the Rock did The People’s Eyebrow), and plenty of other surprises and cameos (Ryan Reynolds was in this one and he was hilarious!).
3 - Go VIP: As much as I complain about how complicated it is to book a ticket nowadays and even though I lament over days gone by where “true” fans waited in line for hours to see a movie on opening night, there was something easy about pre-booking a specific seat - and a comfy one at that. I especially lucked out! The movie theatre had 25, maybe 30 people there, and the seats on either side of me were empty. Because it was VIP and two seats basically form a couch, I put my feet up and made myself at home.
4 - Go when it’s not busy: I was actually surprised that the theatre was not jam packed on opening night (I guess not everyone is as big a fan-girl as I am), but it worked out so well. In addition to having tons of space to myself, it made watching the movie seem more intimate and more comfortable. Just me and 20 or so other friends.
5 - Make it YOUR experience: Finally, one of the great things about seeing a movie by yourself is that you get to do it your way. For me, this meant getting there early, grabbing a seat in the VIP lounge, sipping on a Diet Coke and reading a book. It also meant getting to watch ALL the trailers, and the pre-trailer reel, and eating the healthy snacks that I brought in (mmmmm… frozen mangoes). We all have things that we love about going to the movies - walking to the theatre, reading the Premiere magazine, playing Dance Dance Revolution in the arcade - that, for whatever reason, we don’t always get to do when we’re with other people. Going to the movies by yourself is an opportunity to do them.
So, now that you’re convinced about going to the movies by yourself… here’s what the critics are saying about Hobbs & Shaw:
Globe & Mail: Hobbs & Shaw is two outrageous hours of planes, Dwaynes and automobiles – which isn’t a complaint
Entertainment Weekly: Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw is silly, Kevlar-crunching fun
I’ll just say, it’s good. Go see it!
