Something came upon me within the last year that has caused me to be particularly interested in film. It could have been the “Barbenheimer” chaos of 2023 which led me to think more intellectually, or analytically, about movies, or perhaps the new friendships I made with people who religiously use the Letterboxd app.
This summer, as I have devoted myself to the cause of less time on social media, I have become more enthralled with watching movies instead. In particular, I would say that I enjoy the experience of going to the movie theater more than the average person.
In May, I was entertaining the idea of going to see a movie on a Monday night, scrolling through the AMC website to see what the local theater was showing. At the very bottom there was a screening time for “AMC Screen Unseen,” at 7 p.m., with no other info other than its rating and runtime.
After reading the description, I realized the concept was simple. Essentially, you buy a ticket for an unknown movie. All you know walking into the theater is the rating and the runtime. Even better, the movie is unreleased, and tickets are only $5, less than half the cost of an ordinary ticket.
So, my boyfriend and I bought tickets to go and see what it was about. We even found a website which listed unreleased films with their rating, runtime and spots for movie-goers to cast a vote for which movie they think will be that week’s “AMC Screen Unseen.” The site even had a list of “Unseen” films from weeks prior to get some idea what to expect.
After reviewing the website, we were positive the film was going to be “I Used To Be Funny” starring Rachel Sennott, who I am a big fan of, and were excited to get an exclusive showing. Once the little sequence of the mysterious “AMC Screen Unseen” envelope played, and the opening scene of the movie began, we realized it was not “I Used To Be Funny,” and was instead an unreleased movie that was not even on our radar.
The movie was “Ezra,” starring Bobby Cannavale and Robert De Niro. The film even had appearances from Whoopi Goldberg and Rainn Wilson. It was a story about a divorced stand-up comedian, Max, Cannavale’s character, who frequently disagreed with his ex-wife on how best to raise their autistic elementary school aged son, Ezra, played by William A. Fitzgerald. After a complicated and dangerous situation, Max is no longer allowed to see his son. Consequently, Max decides to take Ezra in the middle of the night, and the two embark on a road trip from New York City to Los Angeles.
Ultimately, the story has a happy ending. But the plot was emotional and touched on heavy themes about the difficulty of parenting and especially co-parenting. Was it a movie that I would normally go to the theater to watch? No. But that was the beauty of the experience.
Since going to the theater is sort of a luxury, I usually only go when there's a specific movie I want to see. I hadn’t seen any previews for “Ezra,” nor even heard of the title before watching it, and I honestly would likely not have known about it if I hadn’t gone to the “AMC Screen Unseen.”
There are so many movies out there, and often times we only treat ourselves to seeing the big, blockbuster films in theaters. We lose out on the experience of seeing different movies with different concepts that are outside our preferred movie-watching palette. There was a certain thrill in seeing something different for a change. You get to see the world from a new perspective.
The next “AMC Screen Unseen” film I got to see was “Thelma.” Starring June Squibb, the movie was the story of Thelma, an older woman in her 90s who loses a large amount of money to a phone call scammer pretending to be her grandson in need. She embarks on a journey with an old friend to get it back and prove her independence to her daughter, who is contemplating putting her in a retirement home. It was a story about growing old, knowing when to ask for help and being empathetic.
I loved the movie.
So, I went back again.
Just like books, art or music, movies are meant to culture us. Putting a paywall on movies makes that sort of experience a luxury and limits the impact that those films, big and small, have on those who watch them. The price tag that guards film often leads us to stay in our movie comfort zones.
But “AMC Screen Unseen” offers a more accessible opportunity for an intake of culture and a different intake of global perspectives —to indulge in a theater experience that feels less limiting and one we can enjoy on occasion without the burden of splurging.
Now, I can brag that my Letterboxd is a little more diversified, too.
