Movie Theater Comfort Upgrades Compete With Home Viewing

Back in the day, going to see a movie on the big screen was a big deal! Heck, one of my very first jobs was as an usher at a movie theater.

The adventure of going out, getting popcorn, and sitting through trailers was all part of the fun.

But time has changed how and where we consume media. The creation of the tiny but mighty cell phone and streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime has made it easy to stay home and watch the latest cinematic offering.

Not to mention, there were those few years when folks avoided public places because of the pandemic.

Now that we're in the clear to gather again, and movie-making technology has expanded in such a way that the CGI of a decade or two ago can't even touch the special effects Hollywood has come out with now, people are finding their way back to the theaters and to big screens.

2 women sitting on blue leather chair holding white and red plastic cups — Photo by Felipe Bustillo on Unsplash

But one thing that the "Netflix and Chill" movement had over the theater-going experience was often comfort.

WWMJ Ellsworth Maine

So a couple of Eastern Maine movie spots have upped the ante a bit by swapping out the old theater chairs for new luxury recliners, some with the option of a heated seat!

Just this week, both Bangor Mall Cinemas 10 on Stillwater Avenue in Bangor and Black Bear Cinemas, on Stillwater Avenue in Orono, ripped out old theater seats in exchange for super swanky new seats.

Over at Bangor Mall Cinemas 10, they replaced the seats in theaters one through 10.

"Don't tell anyone - not only are they "wicked" comfortable, but they are heated as well.
New "heated" Luxury Recliners are almost ready. Wouldn't a nice warm recliner feel cozy while watching a great movie on a cold Maine day/night?"

And down the road, in the next town over at Black Bear Cinemas, they chose to upgrade their Theater 7, their "Stephen King" theater as they call it, with new recliners, too.

Black Bear Cinema Renovations, Black Bear Cinemas via Facebook

"A Huge Thank You to all of our family and friends for making this Theater 7 renovation possible! It was a fun 11 days! Thank you to everyone who supports our locally owned Theater! We will continue to update and improve the Theater as fast as we can while keeping our prices affordable."

To give you an idea of just what an undertaking a complete theater seat replacement is, take a look at this time-lapse video the folks from Black Bear Cinemas put together.

So the next time you're considering watching a movie from the comfort of your home, remember you can not be just as comfy, if not more, when you're out at the theater!