Weekend Activities: Four Compelling Reasons You Should Still Watch Movies in the Theater

"The only reason why we ask other people how their weekend was is so we can tell them about our own weekend" –Chuck Palahniuk

In the age of streaming services and applications, it is indeed a wonder why quite a lot of people would still prefer to watch movies in the theater. Despite the plethora of on-demand options conveniently at your disposal, a trip to the cinema is always worth the effort and not just out of sheer novelty either.

Indeed, in this time and age where streaming services seem like the more practical and feasible option to get our slice of entertainment, cinemas should have been rendered obsolete—a thing of the past. And yet here we are, peppered weekly with Ayala Malls Movie schedules, Movies in Greenbelt and even current movies in Makati being advertised in applications and newspapers. Instead of dying out, it seems like the theaters and the cinemas are thriving and they are ever as robust despite having a significant price hike on movie tickets. Why? Well, just because there are some experiences that you can only ever get within the walls of your local cinema.

Sure, there might be a myriad of ways to watch films without setting foot inside a movie theater (most of them legal, mind you) and the novelty of watching movies in theaters might never beat a Netflix subscription, the fact remains that the cinema or the theater has not lost its magic. Indeed, there are only a handful of ways wherein a makeshift home theater can emulate the kind of experience you have in movies, and that is a good enough reason to watch cinemas. Given that there are also a handful of bad experiences that might deter you from stepping in a cinema ever again, there are still compelling reasons why it is still worth watching movies in cinemas. Here are just some of them:

Avoid spoilers and be part of the conversation

Let us be realistic here and attest to the fact that spoilers are always present whenever a blockbuster movie opens. With social media being the constant and consistent medium of communication among many individuals, people would soon get word of what happens in a particular film before even seeing it. More importantly, as social media is a tool that allows users to communicate their thoughts to a broader audience, some netizens would inadvertently read these spoilers regardless of how meticulous they have screened their posts. Incidentally, if you opted to wait for a particular movie to air only on the streaming service then hearing spoilers is inevitable. If you wish to be in-the-know of the latest films without reading them through spoilers, then consume movies in a timely fashion. This process means you have to see them in theaters. Here are some of the ways you can avoid spoilers.

Movie Food

Granted that you can munch on movie snacks in your kitchen or even on your sofa while you are watching a movie, nothing quite compares to snacking on a tub of popcorn while anticipating your film. There is an absolute joy in loading up your movie snacks, beverages and maybe even some candy when you are at a movie theater that cannot be emulated by your home entertainment room. There are some people whose primary motivation for watching movies is getting to eat their favorite movie snacks. That, in itself, is pretty convincing.

Your home theater is good (but not that good)

Regardless of how much you spent on your home entertainment system or whether you have a 90-inch 3D TV with surround sound speakers, all of that would still not compare to the kind of experience you will get at a movie theater. As said above, there are just some cinema experiences that you cannot replicate no matter how hard you try. Certain scenes are made to be viewed in theater or viewed best in them. Scenes such as the ones in Gravity or that particular scene wherein Dwayne Johnson makes a jump in Skyscraper is seen best in a large screen. And let us face it; you really could not fit that kind of television screen in your homes. So, you might as well watch movies the way they are meant to be viewed: in theaters.

Support movies that you love

The movie industry is a business, and of course, it needs to make enough profit for future movie ventures. In this regard, only movies that do well will get sequels or get similarly made. After all, films are made based on what does well at the box office. In this regard, you can cast your vote with dollars and let them know that the movies you watched are the movies you like. If a film does not do well, then you will never see another iteration of it sometime soon regardless of how much you love it. Support the types of movies you love, and maybe you will see more of the same get made.  

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Discover Philippines: All You Need to Do About the Philippine Nightlife

“There is no night life in Spain. They stay up late but they get up late. That is not night life. That is delaying the day. Night life is when you get up with a hangover in the morning. Night life is when everybody says what the hell and you do not remember who paid the bill. Night life goes round and round and you look at the wall to make it stop. Night life comes out of a bottle and goes into a jar. If you think of how much the drinks are it is not night life” –Ernest Hemingway

The nightlife scene in the Philippines is unlike any other.

Influenced significantly by Western culture, there might be some aspects in Philippine nightlife that allude to the nightclub scene commonly found in the United States. However, there are also several aspects about it that make it so unique. For an instance, the nightlife in each district is so drastically different than how you would find it in another city. Makati nightlife is associated with upscale living insomuch that you can find some of the most luxurious and exclusive bars and nightclubs here. Other towns are also known for their distinct brand of nightlife—whether that may be a simple night at the pub or a speakeasy that is frequently patronized by up-and-coming writers, singers, artists and poets. Indeed, nightlife in the Philippines is so vibrant and colorful that everyone needs to experience it—whether they may be a local and even more so when they are a foreigner. Regardless of what your poison might be, the Philippine nightlife caters to everyone and you might find something just for you. Everything is there—from laser light discotheques, karaoke bars, underground music gastropubs and exclusive VIP clubs. There is always something for everyone’s fancy and kind of play during the weekend.

So, if you have been looking to hit up some nightclubs or bars this upcoming weekend, here are some of the things you might want to know before going on that nocturnal jaunt:

Friendly attitude towards foreigners

Filipinos are known for their hospitality. In this regard, a foreigner would not have a hard time striking up a conversation with a local. In fact, they may even expect Filipinos to initiate conversations with them first. More importantly, Filipinos have an excellent command of the English language so communication would not be a challenge. Aside from that, foreigners are basically treated like celebrities in the Philippines insomuch that most Filipinos would be receptive to accommodating them. Although things might be relatively different in low-end establishments, you can still expect Filipinos to be welcoming to foreigners.

English-speaking nation

As stated above, Filipinos have an excellent grasp of the English language that communication would hardly be a problem at all. In fact, this is seen as one of the many advantages when it comes to partying in the Philippines as most of the locals can speak English. Even the poorest urban communities can speak Basic English and would be able to accommodate tourists without a hitch. However, even if your trip to the Philippines does not necessitate the reading of a Filipino phrasebook, knowing a few key phrases will earn you extra appreciative smiles from the locals—just for trying!

Unique alcoholic beverages and food

Filipinos love their booze just as much as they love to eat. For this reason, most of their alcoholic beverages have food matches to further improve the taste and the drinking experience. A local drink that is a must-try to beer drinkers is the Filipino local staple for libation, the San Miguel Beer or simply called San Mig. This beer variety comes in a variety of forms from the classic pale pilsen offering to the super dry variant. Apart from alcoholic beverages and spirits, there is quite a number of recognizable American fast food establishments in the Philippines. Recently, there has also been a growth of Japanese, Chinese and Korean cuisines inside shopping malls.  However, if you truly want to experience the diversity of Filipino cuisine, take a stroll in one of the Sunday food night markets and food bazaars. There you can find a range of unique food offerings and flavors all in a single place. Have a taste of the local street food as well as Filipino “pulutan” or finger food and beer matches said to enhance the taste of your alcohol.

Love for KTV

Filipinos love to song—that much is evident from the series of KTV bars you can find in almost every nook and cranny in a major city. In fact, you might even find a standalone one in a local store with a singing patron to match. Indeed, a Filipino’s love for singing has no match and it is something you have to witness for yourself should you ever find yourself in the Philippines. Even those without the gift of vocal prowess can be found singing and belting out tunes in karaoke machines. After all, it is more about your performance rather than the song. So, do not be afraid to try your hand at karaoke too. Let go of your inhibitions by belting out your favorite songs.

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Makati Nightlife: Three Weekend Night Out Alternatives for People Who Hate Bars

“No one looks back on their life and remembers the nights they got plenty of sleep. –Author Unknown

To many people, Friday and Saturday nights mean getting to enjoy a night all to yourself without worrying about work the next day. It means getting to unwind and relax from a long and excruciating week and fully embracing the fact that for the next two days, you would not have to put work in your mind and focus on the things one enjoys. While some people would enjoy a quiet day in and spending the weekends entirely at home with nothing but the telly on, some people would not want to waste a single moment of what they see as a golden opportunity of unabridged fun . This is particularly true for individuals who are in their early to late twenties. In this regard, many would opt to enjoy a drink or two with friends or co-workers as early as Friday nights (with some even going as far as to enjoying them on Thursday nights).

In fact, it can be safely assumed that in the workplace—particularly one dominated by millennials—there would only be a handful of people who would not enjoy whiling away the time in a pub or bar enjoying their favorite beer or signature cocktail. After all, apart from getting finally having that weekly chance to relax, it is also seen as an avenue for socialization. And for singles, Friday and Saturday nights are prime nights for checking out the scene and dating pool in clubs insomuch that these are the days slated for hunting their next targets. However, what about those of us who have outgrown the nightlife scene or are otherwise weary of it? What if we are sick of the big city shenaningans and are desirous of something a little different? After all, we cannot realistically expect to stay in the Makati nightlife scene and sphere for the rest of our lives, can we? At some point in our lives, we would inevitably retire our party flags and look for a more subdued way to enjoy our nights during the weekends without getting smashed in the club. If you are one of such individuals looking for feasible alternatives, take a gander at the list below for some suggestions as to how you can spend your Saturday nights sans going to bars or clubs:

 Invite your friends or co-workers to a Trivia Night

 If you feel like the club scene is somewhat repetitive with basically what you are doing inside as redundant, you might be one of the few individuals wishful of intellectual stimulation while you are there. In this regard, round up your squad or the office gang and invite them for a drink on a Trivia Night. More often than not, most bars in Makati or any major city in the Philippines would have themed nights so as to appeal to a wider range of club goers. More importantly, it keeps them relevant and prevents them from progressively declining into a place wherein the same thing happens night after night. So, for a change, go ahead and enjoy a few beers while taking part in Trivia Night. Who knows? You might just be the lucky group to bag the first prize that can range anything from cash money to free drinks for a year.

     Belt it out at a Karaoke Bar

 Filipinos are known for their penchant for singing and unique affinity for Karaoke bars. Those 5Peso Karaoke machines you can spot in almost every sidewalk bar in the Philippines can attest to that fact. In this regard, why not spend your next weekend night out at a Karaoke bar in lieu of a regular bar. Admittedly, it might be just as loud as a regular bar is but at least, only you and your friends would be making the noise in a private function room. More importantly, karaoke nights always make for fond memories as you and your squad would be doing more than just drinking. If you want to take it up a notch, you can even turn the entire thing into your own version of the American Idol where some of your friends who do not want their own turn on the mic can stand in to judge the singing prowess of those that do.

    Watch a comedy show

 Instead of staying in on weekend nights binging on comedy shows on Netflix, why not witness a live stand-up comedy with your gang? Go out and see comedians live and who knows? You might just discover the next comedy icon that would soon take the world by storm. Stand-up comedy shows usually feature a variety of comics that are guaranteed to appeal to a range of humor styles and preferences. If you do not enjoy the first comedian or comedienne, do not be so quick to dismiss the idea and stay for a while.

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