Who can’t get enough of huge screens, digital surround sound, the smell of popcorn and hot dogs and that comfortable feeling lounging in the theater seat, sipping soft drinks whilst watching the latest release at the movie house?
That’s what you get out of paying more than P200 at a Cineplex in pursuit of a larger than life cinematic experience. But that figure is just the price you pay for the ticket. It does not include the snack and your drink and the cost of travelling to the movie house. And watching a movie at the theater is exclusive to those who can afford it and since it is usually a group activity, you tend to spend more than what you usually allot for yourself when going out alone.
movie fanatics. Downloadable titles include Avengers:
Age of Ultron , Batman vs. Superman, and the new
version of Star Wars
The point is, the theater is expensive because there are fixed and variable costs involved, which theater owners need to cover – facility, maintenance, manpower and whatnot. That means you are not paying so much for the movie itself. Consequently, watching movies at the theater is a pricey pastime that if you’re just a minimum wage earner or just a member of the society’s middle class, this hobby is definitely not suitable for you.
However, with the advent of technology and internet connection that’s crazy fast, watching movies is possible and you can do it in the comfort of your home with just a few clicks and keystrokes on your computer, you can gain access to movie archives which collect all kinds of movies ranging from mainstream blockbusters to independently-produced, and from art films to classic titles. It’s an alternative, convenient and frugal way to watch a film without coughing up hundreds of pesos for one single movie at a cinema. Besides, the World Wide Web offers a vast variety of films movie freaks have the option to choose whatever genre they feel like watching. While there’s no shortage of free media, one can even have an option to rewind, fast-forward and pause the movie if the need arises, a kind of function not available of course when you’re in the movie house.
Some websites also offer a catalog of over a thousand films that you can search by genre, newly added, most reviewed, and most popular. At the same time, you can read a synopsis and even reviews of the film. Don’t you think it’s a more interesting and engaging way to enjoy your favorite flick?
You would be surprised even YouTube, which known to host a cosmic number of viral videos and homemade footage, now offers movie on demand service for mainstream movies whether they are local, Hollywood or foreign. But amid a legal deal with content producers, there are still occasions, though when a popular flick already made its way to the video-sharing site while the movie itself is still being exhibited commercially.
Now, if you feel guilty that you support piracy by watching copyrighted content on video-sharing sites such as YouTube or Torrent perhaps, there are plenty of websites where you can watch free movies safe (for your computer or TV), and are legal for you to use like those that fall under public domain, which means it’s free to be downloaded. In that way, you can burn it onto a CD or save it in your hard drive and presto, you can share it with people who have the same kind of interest in movies.
Now, if you feel guilty that you support piracy by watching copyrighted content on video sharing sites such as YouTube or Torrent perhaps, there are plenty of websites where you can watch free movies safe (for your computer or TV), and are legal for you to use like those that fall under public domain, which means it’s free to be downloaded. In that way, you can burn it onto a CD or save it in your hard drive and presto you can share it with people who have the same kind of interest for movies.
The only challenge in watching movies online, you have to wait for popular movies to have their DVD or Blu Ray versions because that’s the only time they can be made available for streaming or download. And if you’re that patient, you would see the advantage of just sitting at the comfort of your own home enjoying a “do-it-yourself” kind of movie entertainment rather than having a trip to a cinema in a crowded mall.