Article by Ella Mariano Graphics by Julianna Ahongon
December 29, 2021
It has been two years since I've been in the cinema. The feeling of excitement of watching the film you've been dying to watch for months has become nostalgic. Ever since the lockdowns happened, cinemas all over the country have become eerily quiet. I missed watching a film in a room of random people - laughing at the jokes, crying on the scenes, getting shocked at jump scares, and all those great moments.
I couldn't explain the joy I felt when I found out that the government was allowing malls to open up cinemas again. I immediately told my friends and family about the great news - hoping that we'll go to the movies again. This is a small step forward to getting back to normal and I can't wait to watch my first movie in the cinema since 2019. However, going to the cinema wasn’t like how it was two years ago. Here’s what you should know:
1. Updated Ticket Prices
The movie tickets got a bit pricey this time around. The usual 210-220 pesos that I pay for one ticket became 250. For other theaters, it’s even more expensive. Since most of us are still on a budget, you might have to prepare yourself before thinking of buying that ticket.
2. Vaccination Card
Even if you've already bought your ticket, you still have to show your vaccination card to get in. They make sure that everyone who gets in is fully vaccinated. My dad even had to go back home to get his card.
3. No Food Inside the Theater
I could say that this is one of the real bummers in the new movie-watching experience. It’s almost a habit to buy popcorn and hotdogs before watching a movie, but we couldn’t do that anymore since it will be harder to sanitize the cinema after every show. Although water is allowed inside, you might have to eat before or after watching the film.
4. Fewer Audiences
Not all the cinemas will be open and each cinema is not allowed to be full. With the one seat apart rule, fewer audiences could get to watch the film. According to The Cinema Exhibitors Association of the Philippines (CEAP), all theaters will be limited to 30% capacity to reduce potential risks. When my family and I went to watch the Eternals, I didn’t even think we were at 30% because we were only 10 in the room. It was weird because it was on a Sunday. We expected the cinema to be at least be packed in the middle but you can count us by your fingers. The excitement that I once had for watching a Marvel film didn't feel as exhilarating. I was enjoying the experience but, I’m so far away from my sister and my dad to even make a reaction. And at the end of it, I know I couldn’t talk about it with my friends because most of them haven’t been to the theaters yet.
Some of us may be glad to get into the movie spirit once again, but I can understand the confusion if going back was a good thing if some people aren't having the greatest lives at the moment. I wanted to go back to the cinemas because I want to experience at least a few hours of normalcy that I missed. But I also know that safety is still a priority. Here’s to hoping that 2022 will give us better days and hopefully, watch in theaters with our cinephile friends again.
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