Due to the COVID-19 outbreak a lot of favorite teen activities couldn’t be done anymore; including a personal favorite of mine, going to the movies. A lot of big movies that planned to come out in theaters couldn’t anymore and they had to come up with a solution that would help their movie do well without their biggest and easiest way to do so. Some movies delayed their release, released their movies early or they had their movies released on different streaming platforms. Here are some movies that were supposed to come out this year but had to adapt to the current health situation:

• Mulan– Original Release Date: March 27 , After being delayed three times, the movie was released exclusively to Disney+ subscribers September 4, with an extra fee of $30
• Black Widow– Original Release Date: May 1 – New Release Date: November 6
• Trolls World Tour– Original Release Date: April 17 – Released April 10 via on-demand providers and available as a 48-hour rental for $19.99
• A Quiet Place Part II– Original Release Date: March 20 – Released September 4
• The Love Birds- Original Release Date: April 3 – Paramount sold its distribution rights to Netflix, where it premiered May 23
• Spiral– Original Release Date: May 15 – New Release Date: May 21, 2021
• Wonder Woman 1984– Original Release Date: June 5 – New Release Date: October 2
• Candyman– Original Release Date: June 12 -New Release Date: September 25
• The New Mutants– Original Release Date: April 3 – Released August 28

    Some good news is that some Florida theaters are opening! (With new health regulations of course.) Seats are being sold in socially distanced blocks with capacity limited, and some screening rooms are closed entirely. Masks are mandatory at all times, except when actively eating or drinking. Lines for concessions and to enter theaters follow dedicated paths lined with floor markings that tell guests to keep proper spacing. For the most part, cash is not accepted. Transactions can be completed with credit, debit and gift cards, the latter available where tickets are sold. 

    Boca Raton’s very own Cinemark Palace has also had some service changes for the better. These include adding more easily accessible hand sanitizers and seat wipes, thoroughly cleaning and sanitizing the concession, kitchen areas, restrooms, high touch areas (door handles, soap dispensers etc.) every 30 minutes, seats are sanitized before every movie and the auditorium every morning. They use EPA approved products known to eliminate COVID-19. Cinemark Palace encourages ordering your tickets online for a more contactless theatre experience. They have reduced the capacity levels and when you order a ticket online they automatically block the seats adjacent to yours. Not only do they want the guests to social distance, but also the workers.  They have markers on the floor as a reminder and continually monitor overall traffic. The staff are given proper face masks and are required to wash their hands frequently. The employees responsible for concessions are provided with gloves, which they change regularly throughout their shift. So if you want to go and enjoy a movie on a 50 ft screen, grab a mask and a card and go now! 

    For those who prefer staying in and watching movies on a rather smaller screen, here are a few trending movies you can watch now at home. 

• The Extraction (Netflix)
  ‘An action-thriller film where a black-market mercenary (Chris Hemsworth) is hired to rescue the kidnapped son of an imprisoned international crime lord. The deadly mission is nearly impossible with all of the other skilled criminals and harmful obstacles.’ I’ve watched this movie myself; and if you enjoy lots of action, comedy, and emotion I recommend you watch this movie.

• Parasite (Hulu)
  ‘Greed and class discrimination threaten the newly formed symbiotic relationship between the wealthy Park family and the distute Kim clan.’ This movie has an 8.6/10 rating with almost half a million raters ( I think that speaks for itself). This movie is said to put you through so many emotional states in its 132 minute runtime without ever making you feel that the  plot is inconsistent. Some parts are hilarious, some parts are heartbreaking, and some are suspenseful. I think if you’re in need of a good movie, this one is worth the watch.

• All Day and a Night (Netflix)

‘A young man embarks on a journey of self-discovery after landing in the same prison as his father’ While researching for this movie I saw nothing but good reviews which moved me to want to watch it myself. The film depicts multigenerational struggles, complex father-son relationships, and the fight to break the cycle bred by systemic poverty and the pipeline to prison. The actors put on a spectacular and emotional performance and if you enjoy heart-felt, realistic movies, I think you’d enjoy it.