‘This video was liked on TikTok’: Gen Z on why they like to go to the movies | Video

PPeople born between 1997 and 2012 are now more moviegoers than other age groups, according to a survey conducted in the US by Fandangowhile 87% had seen at least one film in the cinema in the past 12 months compared to 58% of those with children.

With this in mind we asked young people why they like this movie.

‘Being able to block two hours is very rare’

Many respondents said that the large screen provides a relief from the small screen. Emma Balfour, 19, from Kirkcaldy, Scotland, said: “There are no distractions. It helps me not to be on my phone, because it’s something I want to stop using so much. There’s a lot of stigma attached to being on your phone when a movie is playing on your home theater, and total darkness means I can be completely immersed.”

Alex McAleer, 22, a resident of Berkeley, California, agrees. “Being able to block off two hours and make that time your own is a rare thing in a world where you’re always there, you know what’s going on and you know what your phone can alert you to.”

Alex says that not all of his friends are as excited about the movie as he is. “I have friends who ask me how long the movie is because I think they’re worried they can’t be there for two and a half hours.”

‘One of the few water-cooler moments our generation has left’

There is a social aspect to the cinema which pleases Jae, 23, from Swansea. “You don’t get many opportunities to watch things together in public anymore,” he said. It’s a time when you’re not fully committed to socializing, but you still interact with people.”

Cinema offers the few “cool moments” that Jae’s generation has left behind, he says. “Not many people watch the same thing at the same time. Films are released all over the world. People go into groups or vice versa and then they can talk about what they think. I don’t think you get that chance anymore.”

‘This video was liked on TikTok’

Social media drives the popularity of video with young people, even those who want to escape from their phones. That’s where blockbusters like Marty Supreme and Wuthering Heights focused their marketing efforts, Alex says. He said: “People are proud of being sophisticated and talented (on social media) even if it’s high-end. “It’s like a popular thing, where you can say you like movies. I think it’s become popular, almost.”

Kate, 26, from Cambridge, uses TikTok to get ideas for films. “TikTokers make movies to care about, and there are normal people showing Letterboxd or their experiences going to the movies.” Video events are often preferred now, he says. “You put everything to good music and make it fun, and the content on this site goes really well.”

‘I’m on Letterboxd more than anything else’

Letterboxd is a very popular program for cinephiles to write about the movies they watch, publish reviews and follow other people. By 2026 the platform has been more than 26 million users and is very popular among the elderly between 18 and 35.

“I’ve been using Letterboxd for probably four years now,” says Kate, who has saved 850 movies so far. “I’m into everything more than anything else and that’s my main way of seeing what might be worth seeing.”

He introduced the program to his father, with whom he often watched movies. “If I see a lower rating, I’m not too dirty, but my dad doesn’t watch anything below an average of 3.5 (out of five) on Letterboxd, that’s his rule.

Another fan of Letterboxd is Ali Akbar, 28, from Liverpool, who has been to the cinema eight times this year so far. “I used to use IMDb to track movies, but that kind of site wasn’t for the community. A friend of mine recommended Letterboxd a few years ago. It works like a social network, so maybe that’s why it gets so much attention. I like to leave comments and see what other people are saying.”

‘I wonder about the future of cinema’

For some, the allure of theater is based on its price. As Cesca, 26, from London says: “If my only option was to go to Cineworld or something that’s about $15, I think I’d struggle to go, but my home cinema is Peckhamplex and they get tickets for $6.99, so it makes sense.”

Emma Balfour says her subscription to the Odeon myLimitless membership offers more money than booking. “The annual membership is about $11 a month, which is what you’d be paying for Netflix or Amazon, and you’re getting a full experience.”

Many players realize that movie theaters may be at risk as attendance declines. Cineworld closed 11 UK cinemas in 2024, and the 2025 survey revealed almost a third of independent cinemas in the UK. they are in danger.

“You can see how the video industry has been affected post-Covid,” says Kate. “There is a lack of money in the cinemas in my area. Many seats are broken and all the screens are not working. It is sad to see because I wonder about the future of television, so I try to do what I can.”

Alex said: “Movies are very important. I try to encourage as many of my friends to go as I can.”