By Isabel Pulgarin
Before 2021 comes to a close, there are many exciting movies coming out on both the big screen and all streaming services. With this “new normal,” movie lovers will have to decide the best way to watch these blockbusters. Is it in the movie theaters with the reaction of a big crowd, surround sound, and captivating story-tall visuals? Or is it in the comfort of your own home with free snacks and the people of your choosing?
The Buccaneer conducted a survey of 61 students to find out what Barry students think is the best way to watch movies post-pandemic.
In this survey, 51 percent of students prefer watching movies at home and 49 percent prefer the theaters. It’s an interesting split as the pandemic halted the movie industry and shifted the audience to their TV and computer screens.
Within this group, about 48 percent are waiting to see Marvel Studios’ “Spider-Man: No Way Home” when it comes out exclusively in theaters Dec. 17. This Spider-Man film is the third of the Spider-Man Marvel Cinematic Universe, excluding Sony’s previous Spider-Man movies portrayed by two other actors. This installment follows friendly neighborhood hero Peter Parker, played by Tom Holland, as he tries to navigate life unmasked -- following events from “Spider-Man: Homecoming.” In this movie, Parker seeks help from fellow superhero, Doctor Strange, which unleashes the multiverse, the MCU’s various dimensions. Plans for its streaming release has not been announced by either Marvel Studios producers or Sony, the distributors and film owners of the franchise. After a few months, though, around the summer of 2022, the movie, along with the rest of the Spider-Man franchise, should be available to rent and own on Amazon, Apple TV, and YouTube.
When asked which movies they are awaiting before the year’s over, about 28 percent voted on three upcoming Marvel movies. All of which, except “Encanto,” can be seen exclusively in theaters for a 45-day theatrical window following a lawsuit over the same day theater and streaming release of Disney’s Marvel movie “Black Widow,” according to Deadline.
About 13 percent of students chose Disney’s “West Side Story,” a new adaption of the 1957 musical classic that explores a 1950s New York love story of two teenagers who fall in love from different ethnic, rival backgrounds. This Steven Spielberg film releases Dec. 10.
About 8 percent of surveyed students are waiting to see Disney’s upcoming Marvel film, “Eternals” which released on Nov. 5. This film follows Marvel’s “Avengers: Endgame” and introduces a secret alien race of immortal beings with superhuman powers who reunite after thousands of years to fight evil Deviants, “mankind’s most ancient enemy,” per IMDb.
Senior public relations and advertising major Jada Mohammed saw Disney’s recent Marvel movie, “Shang Chi,” in the theaters. She preferred seeing Marvel’s new “Eternals” on the big screen, too.
“It’s a tradition for my boyfriend and I to go see Marvel movies in theater,” said Mohammed. "We have been doing it since we started dating, and it feels wrong to break the tradition. It’s a different experience to go out on a date and enjoy the movie in a theater - especially the Marvel ones since it’s the only movie genre we have in common.”
During the pandemic, she had to resort to drive-in theaters to keep their movie date tradition alive.
Meanwhile, about 7 percent are awaiting Disney’s “Encanto” on Nov. 24 which follows the Colombian Madrigal family living in an enchanted house, the Encanto, that has blessed each child with magical powers — all except Mirabel, though she soon becomes the only one able to save the magic of the Encanto.
About 7 percent of students are waiting to see “The Matrix Resurrections” when it releases both in theaters and on HBO Max Dec. 22. This will be the fourth installment of the Matrix trilogy and 20 years since the last film, “The Matrix Revolutions.” This film follows Neo — who now is Thomas A. Anderson — within the false reality called the Matrix and his journey to reopening his mind to the lie humanity has been living in and his true role as “The One” to free humanity from a centuries-long war.
Tamia Leslie, a senior graphic design major, recently watched “Malignant” on HBO Max, a horror movie about a woman who dreams of horrific murders that are actually real. Leslie wishes she had watched it in theaters when it came out Sept. 10.
“It’s been the best horror movie I’ve seen this year,” said Leslie. “All in all, if a movie is horror or something part of a fandom I’m connected to, count me in."