One of my safe places has always been the movies. There is nothing like cozying up with the perfect movie snack in hand to escape into a different world for a couple of hours. I love being entranced by the actors’ performances and being pulled into gripping stories that take me out of the ordinariness of my own life. 

Although I am a certified movie lover, I have never been a big movie theater goer. Unless it was a movie I had been particularly dying to see and eagerly waited for its release, I usually could wait for when the movie became available on disk or a streaming service. However, this changed when I discovered the Alamo Drafthouse.

After studying abroad in London and experiencing the expected post-study abroad hangover, where I was constantly missing the bustle of life and endless possibilities that came with living in a big and global city, I was pleased to discover that SLU had a new nearby attraction. 

The Alamo Drafthouse has all of the features of a great movie theater: reclining and spacious chairs, charming and retro decor and countless showtime opportunities for all the new film releases. However, the Alamo also has many distinct perks, which make it a movie-going experience like you have never seen before. 

Unlike traditional movie theaters, where you order boxed candy and popcorn over a slightly sticky counter that you are half convinced has never been cleaned, at the Alamo, you can order right from your seat. In addition, they have cuisine options beyond the typical popcorn, candy and soda; there are appetizers, entrees, craft cocktails and more. There are servers who check in on you at the beginning of the film, but you can also order in the middle of the movie, too, when you get a sudden craving for a fabulous spicy margarita or a refill for your bottomless popcorn. 

Another great characteristic of the Alamo is that they do not just play new movies; they frequently play old movies and have themed nights. For example, during the last few months, they have paid homage to iconic films made in 1989, 1994 and 1999. As someone who loves old movies and is working her way through all of the so-called “film classics,” I have been able to check off countless flicks at the Alamo. Overall, visiting the Alamo is an elevated movie-going experience. 

As cheesy as it sounds, the best part of the Alamo has been the memories and friendships I have made that revolved around this magical movie theater. For example, one of the most authentic and enduring friendships of my college years developed after a spontaneous viewing of “Puss in Boots.” We both purchased the Alamo Season Pass and found ourselves seeing one to two movies every weekend, bonding over the Letterboxd reviews we would write immediately after the credits began rolling and the movies we would shamelessly view multiple times. This friendship also gave me the unforgettable memory of a drunken viewing of “Clueless,” which involved one too many Dirty Shirley’s and a blindfolded makeover.

My experience with the Alamo Drafthouse has also reiterated one of my fundamental traits: my love of alone time. As an introverted person, I have always loved hobbies and activities I could immerse myself in. It is why I love reading and writing—they are hobbies which allow me to escape, but also to reflect and think about myself and my life. Watching movies gives me the same thrill; for as long as the movie is playing, whatever is happening on screen has my attention, and I can let the rest of the world fade away. Moreover, movies, like books, tend to have the power of inspiration. I almost always leave the movies feeling untouchable and happy to be alive—they remind me that whatever is stressing me out is not that deep in the long run. Watching movies and the act of going to the movies is therapeutic to me. 

In a few weeks I will graduate, and I do not know the next time I will live in a town with the Alamo Drafthouse. I am worried no movie theater will ever have my heart like the Alamo does right now. It has been a place of solace, but also a place of immense personal development. However, what the Alamo has given me that I can take into my regular movie-watching habits is that watching a movie should not just be something you throw on to make the time pass—it should be an entire experience in itself. When I watch movies at my apartment now, I try to make it a whole ordeal, with designated snacks, almost always a fun beverage in hand and the perfect ambience or friends to watch with. Even when I am not paying for a ticket or overpriced snacks, movie watching should always be the main event. 

Although I’ll never be able to recreate the incredible chocolate milkshake they offer or the hilarious previews specifically designed for every movie, I will always carry the memories made at the Alamo Drafthouse with me, and it’s safe to say that the Alamo will always have a piece of my heart.