Gen Z has been obsessed with finding the perfect third place, an environment that isn’t work- or school-related, but isn’t your home, either; a place where we can make new connections with strangers outside our typical daily routines, often around a shared experience of art.
Art, specifically the media we consume, is one of the best conversation starters there is — it gives strangers something to bond over, allowing them to bypass pesky small talk and jump straight into deeper, more emotional ideas. I often hear my peers complain that art-centric third spaces are increasingly rare for today’s lonely youth. The truth is, however, that these spaces are not as scarce as many think; look no further than one of the oldest institutions of entertainment in this country — the movie theater.
After theaters temporarily closed worldwide during COVID-19, many people became reliant on streaming services for their entertainment. Netflix subscriptions grew to an astronomical 10.1 million in 2020, compared to 2.7 million in 2019. Streaming remains popular even after quarantine, with 83% of U.S. adults subscribing to a streaming platform in 2025. It’s understandable to pay a monthly fee for access to a catalog rather than the staggering $24 I spent on a single trip to the theater last week (but if you don’t indulge in popcorn, what are you even doing with your life?). Concerns about convenience and affordability predicted the end of the movie theater; an awkward first date became Netflix and chill, and Dippin’ Dots employees thought they’d lost their main revenue source. However, a revolution is afoot.
This year has been an objectively exemplary year for movies, both in quality and popularity. As of Oct. 27, Rotten Tomatoes awarded 12 films released this year a 90% or higher from audiences and critics alike. Box office sales for 2026 are on track to top $10 billion in revenue for the first time since 2019. From horror hits like “Obsession” and “Backrooms,” blockbusters like “The Odyssey” and “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” and smaller but memorable titles like “Primetime” and “Wildwood,” these films brought in hordes of excited viewers. Moviegoers came for a two-hour mental escape, but likely also for the shared experience of seeing a film with friends, family and, most importantly, total strangers.
Globally, box office ticket sales are up 6.3% from last year, with sales projected to reach a cumulative $35.7 billion. Media quality is also increasing alongside these sales, as seen with Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey,” which, in an unprecedented artistic decision, was filmed entirely using IMAX 70 mm cameras. With only 41 theaters worldwide capable of projecting 70 mm film, tickets for the special theaters went on sale a year early and sold out within an hour, demonstrating how excited people are to experience exemplary filmmaking on the biggest screen. Sales driven by higher-quality scripts on screen shone brightest alongside the success stories of independent studio films such as “Obsession” and “Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma.” Indeed, originality and passion are at the core of many successful films this year, overshadowing a painstaking string of remakes and sequels. I mean, did anyone really want to watch “Moana 2”? We are entering a new age of creativity, forged through eclectic set designs, unique acting choices and unpredictable scripts that leave more to viewers’ interpretation. With such dramatic features, viewers have increasingly opted to sit together and feel overwhelmed by the scope of image and sound the theater provides, and the chance to engage with each other’s reactions. As Nicole Kidman claims in her famous AMC speech, “We go somewhere we’ve never been before; not just entertained, but somehow reborn. Together.”
Kidman’s words ring true. There’s an addictive inescapability to the theater. Having paid the price of entry, reclined your seat to the fullest and been boxed in by rows of viewers, leaving seems an arduous task. Rather than simply moving on to a new movie 20 minutes in that better suits our initial expectations, as is easy to do when streaming at home, theaters keep us open to having our minds changed within a couple of hours.
I didn’t think I enjoyed horror movies until I was dragged to a screening of “Obsession” this summer, where I ended up having a blast gasping and screaming alongside an audience. Micro-interactions with strangers make us hopeful, and they can ultimately help repair social cohesion. Our generation often gets a bad reputation for social incompetence — with screens as the main culprit. As phones replace in-person excursions with online chatting, face-to-face conversation has dwindled. Though substituting these little screens for one big, shared screen may seem counterintuitive, conversation can actually flourish; a film in a theater makes it easy to transition naturally into chatting with the people around you after the movie ends.
As the lights came on following the credits for “You Can See Everything,” I locked eyes with the young guy sitting in front of me. His wide-eyed stare and open mouth mirrored my own. We spent nearly 20 minutes pacing in the movie theater lobby, unpacking our theories about the various convoluted characters. We left as friends. As I’ve explored a wide range of opinions online about the film, many people shared that same post-film discussion experience. Even after three hours seated, viewers were still excited to debrief, trying to make sense of the uniquely crafted documentary that left so much up to interpretation. Its originality gave viewers a chance to connect over their individual takeaways.
These micro-interactions have been shown to help us feel connected to a broader community. The third place isn’t as elusive as we may think; in fact, there are theaters in most cities, with 7,050 total in the United States. I encourage you to stand up from your seat, reawaken your limbs and ask someone near you, “What did you think of that?” Chances are, you’ll both leave a little happier having talked to someone new.
Calli Taffel PZ ’30 is from Newburyport, Massachusetts. She’s seen “You Can See Everything” twice this month, which means she’s made direct, chilling eye contact with Elizabeth Holmes for roughly six hours in total.