I Won’t Be Going Back To Cinemas For A While

Hello everyone.

Welcome to ‘Bradley’s Basement’ blog and I’m Tim Bradley.

I’m…in a bit of a dilemma. You see, one of the pleasures I usually enjoy in life is to see a movie at a cinema. After seeing that movie, I usually do a quick review on it to share my initial thoughts on whether I like it or not. This is something I’ve been doing for the last five years since I began my blog.

I’d like to think I can continue with this and hope I’ll get to see a movie again at a cinema sometime soon. But, for the past five months or so, we’ve been going through a pandemic – please keep safe. A result of which is that cinemas have been closed in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

This I can appreciate as it is important to look after everyone’s well-being and health during these current times. Lately however, cinemas in the UK have begun to re-open as a result of the easing of restrictions during the lockdown. My local Showcase Cinema in Nantgarw will reopen on August 3rd.

A number of films like ‘Back to the Future’, ‘Black Panther’, ‘Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back’, the first two ‘Lord of the Rings’ films (extended versions I believe) and the 2019 remake of ‘The Lion King’ will get re-released at cinemas for short period of time. It sounds exciting!

There are also a few new film releases at cinemas such as the new Russell Crowe thriller called ‘Unhinged’ as well as the new period drama film ‘Summerland’. I’ve seen previews for these films in the past day or so. However, I am very reluctant to return to see a film at a cinema at this present time.

Whilst the option is tempting and I have been considering the possibility of pursuing a trip to the cinema, it’s not worth it when social distancing measures are put in place at cinemas. You see, hand sanitizers will be provided on arrival and there’s the requirement to wear a face mask beforehand. 😐

You also have to book tickets in advance and you’ll have to sit in specific seats in order to ensure social distancing is carried out. Now it’s good that cinemas are doing this to ensure people’s safety when watching a film on the big screen during this difficult time. I’m not criticising against it. 🙂

But here’s the thing. When I want to see a movie at a cinema, I want to feel that I’m enjoying myself. That I can escape into the fantasy world created in the film whether it’d be a sci-fi extravaganza, a superhero film, a period drama or a kids’ fantasy whether it’d be a live-action or a cartoon film here.

With these precautions and limitations placed in cinemas about to reopen, I don’t feel like I’m going to get that sense of enjoyment that I usually have in seeing a film. I feel I’m not going to be able to relax. I’m likely to be minding myself a lot when it comes to seeing a film and looking out for others.

And here’s another issue I bring up. Sometimes with certain movies, people have the tendency to go out for a toilet break. This I can appreciate, but it’s going to be difficult when it comes to seeing a ‘LOTR’ film and you are going to have the need to go out for a toilet break when seeing a 3 hour film.

That’s likely to happen, especially for an extended version of a movie. I think a reason why ‘The Return of the King’ might not be re-released at cinemas is because if the extended version was shown, the duration time will be 4 hours long. Something I don’t think is very ideal during this time.

I would like to see the first ‘Back to the Future’ movie on the big screen since I’ve never seen it on the big screen before and it would be great to celebrate that movie for its 35th anniversary this year. But with all the issues I’ve identified, I don’t think I’m going to enjoy it as much as I do seeing it at home.

I don’t want to go to see a movie at a cinema when there’s an element of risk concerning my health. I’m sure other people are like me in feeling reluctant about going to see a movie at the cinema. But, I would like to see a movie at a cinema. I’d like to see the new releases we were promised this year. 🙂

I would like to see new films like ‘Peter Rabbit 2’ and the James Bond film ‘No Time To Die’. I was looking forward to seeing ‘Black Widow’ on my birthday back in May this year and I hoped to see ‘Wonder Woman 1984’ back in June. I hope I’ll have an opportunity to see the films I’ve waited for. 🙂

But, unless a vaccine can be provided to protect us against the coronavirus that’s hanging in the air, I don’t feel like it’s going to be safe to see a film at a cinema for a long while. I’d like to think I’m responsible in protecting other people’s health as well as my own in order to ensure we’re all safe. 🙂

And here’s the thing. I’m not a person who watches every movie that gets shown at cinemas. I watch movies that I have a particular interest and I feel are worth talking about. Sometimes I’d watch a film after it’s come out at cinemas, whether it’d be on DVD or Blu-ray, and I’d give a review on it via that.

Usually I would like to see a film at a cinema and I hope by the time the pandemic has ended, I’d be able to get that chance and enjoy seeing a movie in that environment. Until that time comes, it’ll be a struggle to resist the temptation to see a new film at the cinema when the pandemic’s going on.

So, what to do? Luckily, I’ve had the chance to see some relatively new films via digital release on Google Play. I’ve seen films like ‘Onward’, ‘The Personal History of David Copperfield’, ‘Scoob!’ and ‘A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood’ on the home computer for rent and I have enjoyed them. 😀

Therefore, until the pandemic comes to an end, I’ve decided to not go to the cinema for a while and watch new film releases at home via Google Play on the home computer. I’ve already started by seeing the new ‘Dolittle’ film, which I will share a review on soon, and I’ll be seeing ‘Aquaman’ soon.

When it comes to films like ‘Peter Rabbit 2’, ‘No Time To Die’, ‘Black Widow’ and ‘Wonder Woman 1984’, if they’re released at cinemas and the pandemic’s still ongoing, I’m going to wait until they’re available via digital release on Google Play. It will mean having to wait, but I’m willing to be patient.

I’ve also got plenty of other movies to check out at home and perhaps I’ll do a few quick reviews on those. I’m happy to watch films like ‘Back to the Future’, ‘The Empire Strikes Back’, the ‘LOTR’ films and the 2019 ‘Lion King’ at home rather than at the cinema in order to preserve health and safety. 🙂

I wouldn’t like this to be a permanent situation as I’m looking forward to seeing new movies at the cinema again soon. But whilst we’re going through the pandemic at present, I wouldn’t like to risk it. I also would like to encourage you to see new movies at home and wait for them to come out on digital.

If you do want to see a new film or a re-release of a film at your local cinema, then I wouldn’t want to dissuade you. Maybe the safety measures at cinemas will be okay and maybe I’m being overcautious about this. Maybe I might change my mind and actually see a film during the pandemic.

But here’s question I want to leave you with, whether you agree with what I say or not. Would you rather want to watch a film in a safe environment…or would you watch it where your health is at risk? I hope I will return to seeing movies at cinemas soon. And I hope the pandemic will be over by then.

In the meantime, please keep safe!

Thanks for reading!

Bye for now!

Tim. 🙂

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