Cryptic Meg

It’s something of a spiritual experience for me (and I don’t say that lightly, as a churchgoer!). There is a certain ceremony and mindfulness in waiting in line for popcorn, finding your seat in the dark room, following the set pattern of adverts and trailers, and finally settling in for a couple of hours engrossed in a film. There is an etiquette: not talking, not looking at phones, not rustling around or crunching too loudly during the quiet moments. It is a communal undertaking, with everyone silently united in their focus on the film.

Before the pandemic, my husband and I would sporadically go to the cinema if there was a new (usually superhero) film that we particularly wanted to see. Then lockdowns came along, the cinemas closed, and we didn’t go for about a year. Even once the cinemas had re-opened, it took us a long time to go back (as with much of ‘normality’!) as we were cautious and had adapted to a more restricted life. Then we took a two-week break from work in October, and decided to return to the cinema.

The first thing on the agenda was the new Bond film: No Time To Die. My husband is a particular fan of James Bond – I have to say that I am not (I can’t bear to watch the earlier films because of the misogyny, but I have enjoyed the more enlightened Daniel Craig installments). No spoilers here – I’ll just say that we both thought it was a great film, though my husband hated the ending as he felt it was a betrayal of the franchise. I was happy enough with the film, but utterly delighted with the cinema experience. After my pandemic abstinence, it felt exciting and fresh (possibly literally, as I think the cinema had taken the opportunity to revamp all their seating) and wonderfully escapist. It also seemed like an incredible bargain: with Meerkat Movies it had only cost £5.78 for the pair of us. I was hooked.

Next up was Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, which we went to see the following week. We are Marvel fans after all! I know a lot of people are critical of superhero movies, and I can understand why: their ubiquity is now threatening the existence of other genres and particularly independent films. But as I watched Shang-Chi (which was, as expected, good fun) I reflected on the appeal of superhero films, and how that related to my revived love of the cinema. Franchise films have a reliable pattern to them just as the cinema experience has a reliable pattern to it. There is a great comfort in knowing what you’re in for and in being part of a community of fellow fans. There is also joy in recognising a familiar universe and host of characters, and a particular nerdy thrill when you catch an obscure reference – it’s like getting an in-joke.

We’ve seen a couple of franchise films since then: Venom: Let There Be Carnage and The Eternals. We’ve also seen Dune, which is likely to become a franchise, and plan to see Ghostbusters: Afterlife and The Matrix Resurrections. But because I’m loving the cinema so much, I also want to seek out other genres and independent films. Last night my sister and I went to see House of Gucci, and we’re planning to see Spencer. I’m having a whale of a time.

I may write some more about the films I go to see. I think sitting in the cinema fully focused allows me to think more deeply and more critically about the films than I ever would at home, where I can be distracted by activity outside the house, pressing household chores, or the cat (bless her heart). But even if I don’t write about it, you can be sure that I will be continuing my regular pilgrimages to the cinema (Covid restrictions allowing, of course).