Movies during the pandemic: home theater, drive-in theaters, inflatable screens

We all love movies. We watch films at home, in the car, but we can only fully immerse ourselves in a film while at the movie theater.

The COVID pandemic has been disrupting the world as we know it. Many cinemas are still closed to the public. Even if the cinemas are open, movie-goers are less likely to visit them, as they avoid large gatherings.

The cinema industry is suffering, but the people who suffer the most are the people for whom watching movies has become an integral part of their lives.

What is there to do? Stop going to the movies? Look for an alternative? There is a way out and we will talk about it in a moment.

Choose NOW from this selection of outdoor movie screens to watch a film or TV series on the big screen, at home

Home theater

This is definitely a convenient way to watch movies and your favorite TV shows on a big screen these days. The market offers a wide variety of systems for in-house viewing. But the disadvantage of the home system is the limited screen size and the impossibility of changing the location.

Drive-in theaters

We loved going to the drive-ins before the pandemic. In almost every bigger city, you can find information on the location of their local drive-ins. Tune your car radio to the specified wavelength and enjoy watching a movie without leaving the comfort of your car.

Screens at such outdoor cinemas can be on fixed frames, or they can be inflatable, sealed or not. 

The pros of drive-ins are that they can be available at the same time in multiple locations throughout the city -- or even state parks etc -- and so you can choose the movie you want to go to, as well as the size of the screen and the surroundings as per your mood that particular night. In addition, at many drive-ins you can order drinks and snacks right there on-site.

But there are also disadvantages to drive-ins. Sometimes tall cars can limit your view of the outdoor screen, and -- if you end up at the end of the line of parked vehicles -- the whole experience could result too far away from what you anticipated while driving to the place.

Inflatable screens

Recently -- certainly during the pandemic -- the demand for such outdoor screens has skyrocketed. You can select any screen size from approx. 9 to 60 feet in diameter.

Learn about the difference between cheap and expensive inflatable movie screens

By purchasing such an outdoor movie screen, you can easily and quickly deploy it in your backyard, on a vacant area or -- even -- out in the field. You can also organize your own drive-in -- turnkey systems like these by the Utah-based manufacturer Open Air Cinema allow for that!

There are a lot of advantages to inflatable movie screens. Mobility, the ability to choose the model that suits you the best, ease of installation and independence from service providers. You can sit your guests at a safe distance from each other while making sure everyone enjoys a large cinema-quality screen, under the stars.

Such screens start at $999 and will last you for many years to come. 

We told you here about several options for watching a movie during the ongoing global pandemic. We are all waiting for the opportunity to freely visit cinemas, the old way. But each of the alternatives described above will remain relevant for years to come, no doubt.

Stay healthy!