Why Some Movies Are Worth Going Into Debt For (Yes, I Bought a Ticket to The Odyssey)
Some years ago, more specifically when Top Gun: Maverick was released, something not so unusual happened. I was too broke to see it in theaters.
A few months later, I finally watched it at home, and I regretted missing it on the big screen. Every fifteen minutes I caught myself thinking, "This would have looked incredible in a theater."
Since then, I've started separating movies into two categories: the ones I'm happy to stream someday, and the ones I know I'll regret not seeing in theaters. Top Gun: Maverick taught me that lesson, and movies like Dune, Mad Max: Fury Road, and now The Odyssey feel like they're meant to be experienced on the biggest screen possible.
Not every film needs a giant screen, but some are clearly made for it. Spectacle, sound design, cinematography, and the feeling of sharing a room full of strangers all become part of the experience. You can always stream those movies later, but you'll never get your first watch in a packed theater back.
And then it happened again.
Everyone is watching The Odyssey, and here I am, broke without a penny. You'd probably imagine me lying in bed, sadly watching the 1954 version instead.
Wrong.
I'm sitting in the theater lobby, waiting for the doors to open so I can finally watch it.
I'm not particularly a Christopher Nolan fan. I like his movies, and I really enjoyed Dunkirk, The Dark Knight, Memento, and The Prestige. I know this is controversial, but I never liked Inception.
Still, I know this is exactly the kind of movie I'll regret not seeing in theaters. So I grabbed my credit card and willingly went a little further into debt.
I have absolutely no expectations for the movie, which is probably for the best. I'm just going to enjoy the experience with some beef jerky, a mix of nuts, and a bottle of water.
I'm not one of those people who think every movie has to be seen in theaters. I've watched The Godfather on a tiny 3-inch Samsung phone. What matters most is watching great movies, regardless of the screen. But every once in a while, a film comes along that deserves something bigger, and I don't want to spend years wishing I'd been there.