Unlike many other cinephiles, I’m not a zealot about the theatrical experience. Yes, IMAX showings are impressive, but they’re not exactly accessible, and I had a much better time watching Sinners on HBO Max than I did at my small-town theater. Going to the theater is nice, especially if you care about Tom Cruise’s mission to save the movies, but it’s not the be-all and end-all. My stance has always been that as long as you pay attention, there’s no wrong way to watch a movie.
But there’s one exception to my rule: a creepy sci-fi flop that, on its own, is a mediocre campy comedy. But in the half-century since it came out, it has become the cult classic to end cult classics, and a safe space for all the outcasts to gather at midnight.
