In an earlier life as a film critic, I’d often find myself screening movies alone at the afternoon matinees each autumn. That’s when vacation season ended and school resumed, leaving the local theaters largely empty. What a kingly indulgence to sit by myself in a huge space while a new movie played, a spectacle unfolding just for me.

But over time, being surrounded by empty seats made me feel empty, too. If I wanted to get the best insights about a film, it was ideal to screen it with other people. I might not agree about what others found funny, sad or inspiring, but seeing their reactions helped me better understand myself. I gleaned new insights from fellow moviegoers that I wouldn’t have gotten if I’d watched a new film as a solo viewer.

When I watched a movie alone, it was a thing;

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