From the Desk of Jim R: At the Movies: December 2021

By James V. Ruocco

Crowds.
Tickets.
Popcorn.
Soda.
New Releases.
Social Distancing.

Masks.
Proof of Vaccination.

It's happening.

Movie theaters are open.
The pandemic continues.
Cases of COVID-19 are up.
The Omicron Variant continues to spread.
Box-office grosses are hit or miss.
Things are absolutely crazy.

The big question: What to do?

Do you go to a movie theater with your mask in place?
Are you, like others, concerned about who's vaccinated and who has yet to receive the vaccine or booster shot?
What about the people who refuse to be vaccinated?
Do you want to put yourself at risk?
Do you feel safe?
The option to go (or not to go) is yours.

Given the recent rise in both COVID-19 and Omicron Variant statistics, watching movies at home is not only the safest option, it's still the preferred choice. And rightly, so.

Staying home, you are in complete control.
You don't have to worry about sitting next to strangers or wondering whether or not, you've put yourself at risk by going to an actual movie theater.
You don't have to deal with an audience that talks, texts and spills popcorn and soda all over the floor.
You don't have to turn around and tell these people to '"Shut the fuck up."
You don't have to listen to them laughing, crying, gasping or delegating who's going to bring back what from the concession stand.
And finally, you don't have to suffer through 25 minutes of previews while waiting for the movie to begin.

At home, you are the boss.
You can stream.
You can rent a DVD from Netflix.
You can record films from yesteryear on Turner Classic Movies and view them whenever you want.
You can watch or subscribe to Hulu, HBO MAX, Showtime, YouTube, Disney Plus, Paramount Plus, Apple TV, Peacock and Amazon Prime Video, to name a few.

You can also purchase lots of brand new films ($19.99 to $29.99 ) on the same day they are released in theaters. Or opt for cheaper ones at $5.99 or $7.99 each.

It's that simple.
It's great fun.
It's affordable.
It has many benefits.
And better yet, you don't have to leave the house.

Think about it.

You pop the popcorn.
You can enjoy hot dogs, hamburgers, sandwiches, sushi, chicken wings, fried mozzarella sticks and nacho chips.
You supply the drinks.
You pick the candy, the cookies, the gummy bears, the chips, the crisps, the cheese sticks and the chocolate.
You order the pizza, the Chinese food and the tacos from your favorite local eatery for home delivery.
And finally, you call the shots in terms of what you want to watch and when.

More importantly, there is no dress code.
You can wear your own pajamas. Or your favorite bathrobe, socks and fuzzy kitty-cat slippers.
You can hit pause, rewind or replay a movie's big moment any time you want. You can adjust the sound - high and low - whenever you so choose.

It's that simple.

To make life easier, here's yet another list of 20 films that offer the perfect, eclectic mix of entertainment. Some are new. Some are old. Some are classics. Some are in a different language. Some are personal favorites.

You pick. You decide.

Army of Thieves