by C. Elliot

Created on: July 08, 2008

Going to the movies is one of those romanticized experiences that never pans out the way we imagine. In our heads, we will sit back in comfortable chairs alongside respectful fellow movie-goers. We will munch on popcorn and wait for the giant silver screen to light up with our favorite stars. The film will make our hearts pound, will inspire laughter and tears. Occasionally this scenario does play out. But, more often than not, seeing a film in theaters is a costly, complicated experience. Indeed, it's generally preferable to watch a movie at home on DVD.

First and foremost, there's the financial component. These days, in a best case scenario, you're almost certain to pay at least $8.50 a person to see a movie in theaters. For a family of four, it would be nothing to pay $40 just to get into the theater. And of course, that number does not include the cost of food, drinks, or the gas to get to the theater location. On the flip side, if you waited for the movie to come out on DVD, you could pay $5 to rent it or - heck! - even $20 to own it. You could furnish your own snacks. If you used a company like Netflix, you wouldn't even have to pay to drive to the video store - and, for under $15 per month, you and yours could watch as many movies as you like.

But some people might argue that the price of getting into a movie is trivial compared to the magical experience of seeing a film in theaters. Fair enough. There are some films that are particularly fun to see in movie theaters - but in this case, the exception proves the rule. Most movies are not worth the hassle. To see a film on opening weekend, you usually have to arrive to the theater extra early to make sure you can sit with your friends or family. The theater tends to be crowded and noisy, and if it doesn't have stadium seating, there's no guarantee that you'll even be able to see very well. If you arrive to the theater right before the show starts, you might not get to sit with your movie date(s). That's not to mention other annoyances, like theater patrons' ringing cell phones, children crying, and you having to continually readjust to let people out of the aisles to use the restrooms.

By contrast, you could be watching a movie at home, lying comfortably on your favorite couch or chair. You could start the movie whenever it was convenient for you, and you would find yourself disturbed or discomforted by scads of movie-goers. If you or someone else had to use the restroom mid-movie, you could simply pause

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