I enjoy going to the movies, even with all the disruptions that have come to theaters. Sure, some people check their phones during the film or have loud conversations about things that could wait. Others go even further, using the theater as an impromptu podcast studio. Despite these distractions, I still love the experience and continue to visit theaters, even though I don’t have easy access to those that discourage such behavior.
The movie-going experience is important to me. Yes, there are annoying people, but I don’t let them ruin my time. In fact, I have more positive experiences than negative ones. Most theatergoers are respectful and ready to enjoy the movie, though the number of people attending theaters has declined in recent years, worsened by the lockdown. So, I was thrilled when one of my favorite people, Conan O’Brien, helped promote movie theaters during the Oscars last night.
Conan hosted the 97th Academy Awards, and he did an incredible job. I’m biased, but I had no doubt he would nail it. The entire show felt like classic Conan: full of silly jokes, self-deprecating humor, and an energetic atmosphere. At one point, someone dressed as a sandworm from Dune 2, complete with a bow tie, and played with the orchestra. It was all lively and fun. Conan’s monologue had several great jokes, but my favorite moment was a pre-taped segment.
Look at that guy—he was born for this! I liked Jimmy Kimmel and thought he brought a fresh perspective, but Conan feels like an outsider in the best way. He doesn’t belong at the Oscars, which is exactly why he was the perfect host. Even as an outsider, he understood the growing concern of one of the night’s big winners.
Sean Baker, the director of Anora, which won Best Picture, used his time at the podium to speak about the decline of movie theaters. He urged people to keep making movies for the big screen, delivering an inspiring call to action. Conan had already touched on this issue during his “CinemaStreams” bit, which cleverly imagined streaming movies in a theater. It was a funny take on a serious issue.
While Conan’s segment was more playful than Baker’s sincere plea, the message was the same: moviegoing is a shared experience, one that holds cultural importance. We need to get people back into theaters. Of course, I’d prefer they treat it as a theater experience and not as their living room or podcast studio, but that might take some time.
