From the magic of a movie theater to the comfort of your own home, watching a movie is a great way to pass time and escape from the real world into a magical story. 

Watching a movie can easily become a way to bond with people around you, from a family movie night to a first date. 

Watching a movie with your friends is a great way to hang out and learn about each other’s interests. Reading a book with somebody and talking about it after the fact just isn’t the same. Experiencing the story together allows for conversation about the content and closer relationships being built.

One of the best parts of a movie is the beautiful scenery and colors depicted on screen. The movie “Avatar” is a great example of someone putting their imagination on a screen and using special effects to create a scenic image throughout the movie. The magic of Avatar simply couldn’t be recreated through words on a page the same way it is in the animated film.

Another genre that a book can’t fully recreate is action. I love watching Marvel movies because of the action and movement being depicted throughout the film. Sure a comic book can use pictures to show some action, but it doesn’t fully depict each detail. Every punch, dodge and kick can’t be fully recreated through a book and is difficult to imagine in your head. There is just something about the rhythm of two skilled opponents fighting each other that doesn’t hit the same without the image on screen. 

Watching a movie is a much more relaxing and accessible pastime in contrast to reading a book. When reading a book you have to create the story in your own head, fill in the blanks, come up with your own depiction of what characters and the setting look like, and sometimes infer the tone or attitude of a character. 

A lot of people say they see a movie in their head while reading, but if that’s true why not just watch a movie? It has the same effect with way less brain power. Watching a movie is also so much quicker than reading a book. A lot of people just don’t have time to read the four-book “Hunger Games” series but do have time to watch a couple movies throughout the week.

Another detail that makes a movie better than a book is the soundtrack. So many amazing songs have been written for the sole purpose of being used in a movie like “Safe and Sound” by Taylor Swift or “You Can’t Catch Me Now” by Olivia Rodrigo. Another iconic example is The Greatest Showman soundtrack full of amazing songs like “This is Me” or “The Greatest Show.” 

I can’t tell you how many songs I have discovered or rediscovered from watching a movie and that just isn’t a feature you get from reading a book. Even if you don’t care for the music, the background sounds of birds chirping, leaves crunching or waves crashing adds so much to a story — trying to imagine those sounds in your head just isn’t the same as actually listening to them.

All of the little details and beautiful scenery is why I would prefer to watch a movie instead of read a book.