I know most people look forward to big discounts on daily necessities and big-ticket wish list items come the Singles’ Day sales bonanza on Nov 11. But for me, I’m always most excited by the movie deals the cinemas offer.
Call me old school, but nothing beats watching a show in a cinema with a state-of-the-art sound system and comfy seats. Look, I get that watching a show on the television at home is more convenient, but the experience is just not as great.
It’s the same as ordering fried chicken delivery. Takeout fried chicken will never be as fresh and crispy as when you have it at the restaurant. This is why I never order fried chicken to go.
In a similar vein, I refuse to go on treks in Bukit Timah Hill with the wife. Because ascending a hill leisurely will never be as exciting as when you’re chionging alongside your NS buddies and screaming “bang, bang, bang”.
My buddies and I used to go chionging in a different sense too (clubbing). Unfortunately, most of them are now slaves to their kids these days and the only sort of chionging they do is rushing to do primary school registration, or picking up their children from football practice.
Our diet has changed quite drastically too. Gone are the days when we could knock back jugs of beer and shots of Flaming Lamborghinis at 2am. These days, we just catch up at a Heavenly Wang outlet in SAFRA. At 2pm.
Because doing otherwise could very well mean incurring the wrath of our wives and becoming, well, toast.
In case you haven’t heard, several cinemas in Singapore have shuttered for good over the last couple of years. Cathay Cineplexes in AMK Hub was among the latest casualties when it closed in June after operating for 17 years. It’s unfortunate, but I can’t say I’m surprised. Covid-19 didn’t just wreak havoc in our lungs. It also caused a seismic shift in the way we go about our lives.
I don’t know about you, but my NS buddies just aren’t as keen as hanging out anymore. It’s as if they just became more used to staying home following the pandemic.
The common refrain I would get is, “Come over to my place, lah. We’ll do drinks here. So much cheaper than drinking outside.”
I hate it when this happens. You see, I’m the kind of person who loves getting a drink in a lively bar or restaurant where I can watch the crowds go by and soak in the atmosphere.
Also, trust me, most people who use this line don’t have your interests at heart – they just want to avoid paying midnight surcharge for the ride home and conveniently saunter a few steps to their bed after the drinking session is over.
You, on the other hand, end up paying just a little less than you would have during a night out at the bar.
Some of us would have come across such a person during National Service – yup, I’m talking about that platoon mate who always volunteers to be the casualty during casevac drills. I still remember the time my platoon mates and I decided to teach said person a lesson, telling him that the most feared CSM asked to see him.
But back to the cinema. As much as I love the cinematic experience, I must acknowledge that cinema operators need to innovate. The times have changed, and they must too. Sure, some new innovations have popped up over the last few years, like the 4D cinema experience, which comes with physical effects like wind and vibrations.
Honestly, I found the experience to be more annoying than immersive. Why? Because I was pelted with random gusts of wind throughout the movie that made my eyes dry. The shaking seats also gave me a backache.
In fact, the entire experience reminded me of my NSF days when I was sandwiched between my section mates in an old school M113 armoured personnel carrier. There was no air conditioning, but we did have a karaoke system – which came in the form of everyone singing army songs.
Oh, those were good times.
Good singers aside, we were still in a stuffy M113. Trust me, you’d be wishing there are hatches to let the air out when your section mate becomes a farting machine after eating too much combat rations.
Anyway, I reckon our local cinemas could take a leaf out of their counterparts in China. Earlier this year, a cinema in Foshan, Guangdong Province went viral on social media because it lets moviegoers enjoy a hotpot meal while watching a movie. Apparently, the Dadi Cinema in Pavilion, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia has started offering the same service.
I’m pretty sure such a cinematic experience would be a hit in Singapore. I mean, don’t we Singaporeans just love hotpot? And you know what? Getting a foot massage in a movie theatre would be awesome, too. I reckon the key here is introducing another experiential element to the movie theatre.
But instead of crossing our fingers for a hotpot cinema (which, fingers crossed, will happen someday), SAFRA members can enjoy exclusive movie deals at Shaw Theatres right now, where you can save some serious dough and still afford those overpriced nachos. Just grab your discounted tickets, hit the plush seats, and maybe indulge in some guilt-free movie snacks.
Who knows, maybe next time you can have a foot massage while watching the latest blockbuster – but until then, nothing beats the comfort of a clean, well-lit cinema with perks you can actually enjoy!
LOL Mondays is an ongoing series of slice-of-life stories from freelance writer and NSman Ethan Lim.
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