My 2023 Movie Stats
What a year of movies it's been.
2023 is close to wrapping up, and to celebrate a great year where I watched A LOT of movies, I wanted to give you a peak behind the curtain at some of my stats that I’ve been keeping track of this year that pertain to my film consumption.
505 Movies Watched
I realize it’s a lot. Thank you, thank you. The applause isn’t necessar-, you know what, it’s extremely necessary. This is a pretty solid feat that no one else I know did, but that’s also probably a problem. Boy, the dichotomy of seeing over 500 movies in a year is tough.
Nevertheless, I reached this point by watching multiple in a day with no real goal in mind. I didn’t sit down at the start of 2023 and say “I’m going to watch 400 movies this year and if I don’t I’ll be pissed.” I’m just a simple guy. I like movies. Movies are a fun escape from reality and transport you to some of the most jovial or grim places or time periods. You get to go on a journey with characters you love and rage against the ones you despise. Movies are magical and I anticipate I’ll probably watch close to the same amount in 2024. But again, it’s not a goal. I just like movies.
67 Trips to the Movie Theater
If I’m being honest, this is far less than I had anticipated. But then again, it’s definitely way more than the average person which doesn’t shock me because I love going to the movie theater. Whether I’m seeing a great or an abysmal movie, the experience is made better when you’re at the theater sitting in silence and taking in a piece of cinema. My distribution of time at the movies has been spread out evenly over the seasons. It wasn’t like one time of the year dominated my time at the theater — I always seemed to manage to make it to the movies and always, even if the movie sucked, was glad I had gone.
12 Different Movie Theaters Attended
Enfield Cinemas (R.I.P.): 26
Before it died, I was able to see 26 movies at my childhood theater. Unfortunately, due to the Enfield Mall being a baron wasteland and the rent expense rising, Cinemark opted to close down the Enfield Cinema which is truly a detriment to me. I now have to drive to either Manchester or West Springfield to goto the movies. Are you kidding?
West Springfield Cinemark: 3
While it is a pain in the neck to drive to the West Springfield Cinemark, I did go a couple times this year, a few before the Enfield Cinema closed down just because their selection was a little better. They also have the reclining seats that the Enfield Cinema never had so that’s a bonus.
Amherst Cinema: 4
2023 was a big year for me because I found my new favorite movie theater. It’s the Amherst Cinema. It’s a smaller independent theater in downtown Amherst, Massachusetts, diagonal from Antonios Pizza which is a must get every time I go see a movie. This summer, they did their version of Big Screen Classics and I got to see one of my all time favorites, Apocalypse Now on the big screen. WHAT AN EXPERIENCE!
Coolidge Corner Theater: 3
In 2023, I also found my second favorite movie theater. This’d be the Coolidge Corner Theater in Brookline, Massachusetts. With a unique set up of having an upstairs with two theaters and a down stairs with two theaters that are complimented nicely by old movie posters, I feel at home when I walk in. The first time I went, I saw an interesting double feature of the 2023 comedy Bottoms, and then Park Chan-wooks 2003 revenge film, Oldboy. Quite the day.
Regal Mashpee Commons: 5
When I’m up at school, I alternate between my home base movie theater. Regal Mashpee Commons is usually where I go when I’m already over the Cape, but it’s nice. It’s quiet and usually when I go, I’m the only one in the theater. That’s a win in itself.
Regal Independence Mall: 14
My other home base theater up at school is Regal Independence Mall. It’s easier to get to and is definitely cleaner, but what’s tough there is it’s difficult to theater hop. They’ll be on you like a hawk if you try it which is definitely a downside. Nevertheless, I still saw my second highest number of movies there.
Cape Cinemas: 2
One I found this year was Cape Cinemas in Dennis, Massachusetts. It’s looks like an old church turned to a one screen theater that plays old classics and off the beaten path new releases. I saw Stop Making Sense there this year and it was the best theater going experience I’ve had because everyone was dancing and singing along.
Chatham Orpheum: 1
When my parents and I goto Chatham, we always walk by the Chatham Orpheum but never go. I finally went and saw Anatomy of a Fall there and it was a top tier theater experience because they’re connected with a pizza shop. I got two slices of pizza, a diet coke and saw one of the best movies of 2023.
Manchester Cinemark: 1
Sneaking in at the buzzer, I saw The Iron Claw here yesterday and while they do have reclining seats, it’s the dirtiest theater I’ve been to all year. Aesthetically it’s decent, but just messy every where you look which is a negative.
The Clairidge: 4
The Clairidge and the next theater on this list were from when I attended the Montclair Film Festival with Brett. The Clairidge is your run of the mill normal theater with decent seats and solid theaters. It’s not going to blow you away, but it’s above average.
Wellmont Theater: 3
The Wellmont is awesome. Not a traditional movie theater as it’s more for plays and comedians, but it was a great venue for 2,000 people to watch Alexander Paynes The Holdovers. I will note, they have the best diet coke I’ve ever had. From the gun, it’s ice cold and they added three limes consistently which was a great touch.
Regal MGM Springfield: 1
Much like the Manchester Cinemark, Regal MGM Springfield snuck in in the finals days of the year when I went to see Anyone But You. It’s the nicest theater I’ve ever gone to. The reclining seats are comfortable and the Barbie margarita I got was delicious.
2 Altercations at the Theater
I’ll preface this section by saying that I was right in both instances that I got into minor altercations at the movie theater. Both occurred at the Enfield Cinema, once again R.I.P.
The first spat I got into at the movie theater was when I saw Creed III. Sitting a few seats down from me was three kids, probably in seventh grade. That’s fine, no issue. Previews are rolling and they’re a tad chatty, but it’s the previews. I’ve seen all of these previews a bunch of times so I could care less. But then the movie started and they didn’t halt their chatter. It got so bad that the people in front of them moved their seat. After seeing this, I spoke up and asked them to quiet down. I did it politely and they said sure. However, they did not. I then got up and quietly shuffled towards them. When they saw me come over again, they quieted down. I asked them one simple question — “Can you guys shut the fuck up, please” and proceeded to go back to my seat. What am I supposed to do? I like the Creed movies and wasn’t going to have the third installment get ruined. Eventually they stopped talking, but I did look long and hard in the mirror when I got home. That wasn’t good of me.
My second disagreement came in an oddly packed theater to see Sound of Freedom. The guy next to me, one seat separating us, kept exclaiming “Wow” or “Oh my God” anytime anything would happen. Not even about kids getting abducted — he’d react to Jim Caviezel eating a sandwich the same way. And while I know the story was gutting and eye opening about child sex trafficking, but we’re not talking about jaw dropping cinematic moments like Keyser Söze walking straight or Dae-su Oh from Oldboy finding out that he had sex with his daughter. So with close to thirty minutes remaining, I leaned over to him and told him “We don’t need the commentary.” A good line overall, but it clearly flustered him because he did tell me to “Fuck off”. Am I a better person for getting into these spats? Probably not, but it’s needed. I’m a hero for the voiceless, thank me later.
19 DVDs Added To My Criterion Collection
My final stat pertains to my growing Criterion Collection. Before the year started, I had no clue what the Criterion Collection was, but found out about during the Barnes and Noble summer sale where the Criterion DVDs are 50% off. So, I went all in. I bought six at the time and as the years progressed, I’ve added to the collection.
Christmas was good to me on the Criterion front. I received WALL·E, Frances Ha, All That Jazz, Pan’s Labyrinth and Sex, Lies and Videotapes all on Criterion and it’s led to some epic watches thus far. There’s nothing better than getting to hear a directors commentary over a film or to see some behind the scenes action from some of your favorite films. Physical media is coming back and when the times comes where streamings obsolete, I’ll be ready.