The movie theatre provides some awesome perks: Great sound, comfy seats, and oh goodness delicious popcorn. However, streaming services like Netflix have fantastic movies that never even reach the movies, only your streaming sticks. So for these movies you turn on your tv and sit on your couch with your prepackaged popcorn. So much more convenient, the movie is in your house, there are no strangers whispering as you watch, and you're in your baby Yoda pajamas. There's a difference though... it's not as cool for some reason. Why?
Ambience
Your ambience has to be great! Your surrounding scenery, the vibe. At the movies, you have dimly lit lights, comfy seats, and a room full of excited viewers. At home, you have a cat jumping in front of the tv and car lights shining in the room every 5 minutes.
You have HUGE potential to make your ambience even BETTER than the movies, and that is because you can personalize it to YOU. The movies, generic and the same. It is cool, but you have the potential to make your ambience perfect for you.
First and foremost, designate a room to be a "Movie Room" so you can properly ambiencify this bad boy. Paint the room a relaxing color, and add some decals of your favorite actors of movie characters. Get some merch from these movies. Get couches resembling starships, go ham on this room and make the vibe amazing. Just making the room awesome will make the entire experience that more epic.
Here are some examples.
Don't let light in, make sure it's quiet, and make sure it's loaded with snacks. You can make the ambience whatever you want, just make sure it'll be amazing to watch a 2 hour movie in.
The Screen
Your tv does not allow you to see Ryan Reynolds beautiful smile 2 feet long like a giant movie theatre screen does. Either get a big ol' tv or a projector! My recommendation is a projector, it just fits the vibe better and you can have a massive display - like the size of the wall!
Just make sure you get the right projector if you go the projector approach, there are some projectors out there that do not provide enough lumen (or light) for you to see if there is other light sources. 2000-4000 lumen is the standard for home movie projectors.
The Sound
If your sound is coming strait out of the tv, ew. One directional poor quality is what you have. The movies provide surround sound, crystal clear sound. In the movies, they could make you feel as if someone is walking behind you by playing footsteps sound on the speakers behind you. You would know that someone is sneaking up on your hero, and this'll trigger emotions. If it's coming strait out of your tv, this effect does not exist. The emotion won't be triggered.
Get surround sound absolutely, the added experience is adds in unbelievable. Get great quality as people severely under estimate the power sound has to your experience.
The Snacks
Honestly for me, I ACTUALLY would choose to pay the $16 to watch a movie at the theatres over my house because they have that good of popcorn. If you want to beat the theatres, you are going to need good snacks.
Have a shelf dedicated to snacks in your movie room, or right outside of it. Have a wide variety of drinks and snacks, and make sure you have the most delicious popcorn out there. Get a popcorn maker and the correct gear to make the popcorn make your mouth water every bite.
It's Your Room
On average, I would say the theatres beat most home setups. However, you have the potential to be BETTER than the theatres by doing some work. With great sound, great picture, and an awesome vibe, you'll have the town coming over to your crib to watch Deadpool 3!