Everyone Should Go To The Movies By Themselves At Least Once Before They Die

This past Saturday, I went to see Sinners—and while it was one of the best movies I’ve seen in years, that’s not what changed my life forever.

Let me take you back for a second. Back in the day, young Smoke lived for Friday nights at the movies with friends. It was our weekly tradition. We never planned which film we’d see—half the fun was showing up and deciding on the spot. It was about the experience, the excitement, the laughter, and stuffing our face with popcorn. But times have changed. Movie theaters aren’t what they used to be. With streaming platforms dominating the scene, theaters feel more like a temporary pit stop for new releases before they’re available at home. And honestly, you can feel it—attendance is down, the energy is different, and the magic feels like it’s fading.

I’ve been alive for 25 years, and in that time, I’ve probably been to the movies hundreds of times. But not once—not once—have I ever gone alone. That changed this weekend, and I swear to you, I will never look at moviegoing the same way again.

Originally, I had been considering starting therapy. It’s been a rough few weeks mentally, and I felt like I needed something—some kind of reset. I didn’t realize that reset would come in the form of a solo movie night.

There’s something almost spiritual about sitting alone in a theater. As the lights dimmed and the previews rolled, a wave of calm washed over me. For the next two hours, nothing else mattered. No texts, no small talk, no sharing popcorn, no worrying about whether everyone else was enjoying the film. It was just me, a dark room, and a massive screen pulling me into another world.

That simple act of watching a movie alone became one of the most euphoric experiences I’ve ever had. I wasn’t distracted. I wasn’t performing. I was present. Completely and beautifully present.

And here’s the wild part—it was so good, I’d put it in my top 10 life experiences. No exaggeration.

So, if you’ve never gone to the movies alone before, I’m begging you: try it. Just once. Give yourself that time, that space, that moment to disconnect from everything else. Go watch something you’ve been wanting to see. Sit wherever you want. Order the large popcorn. Be selfish with your experience. You deserve it.

Because trust me—your life might never be the same either.