Spending hours at the beach cooking in the sun is tiring work. As a result, I sometimes find myself having a lazy day and staying in so that I can regenerate for the next string of continuous beach days. I sit on my couch, watch movies, and eat far more than my fair share of candy with no remorse. As much as I love the comfort of my home, I’ve discovered that there’s a far better way to enjoy a movie, which is to watch it on the beach.
My whole childhood, and current teenage years, has been spent running around in the sand, so watching a movie there when the sun goes down seems like the next best thing. The movie is set up on Stockton beach, just to the side of the Convention Hall, every Thursday. I remember before the new one was built that there were swimming whales painted on the back of the building. I can’t believe just how much has changed.
As dusk starts to set in, the beach explodes with people, chairs, and blankets. If you think the beaches are packed during the day, you’re in for a shocker when nighttime rolls around. Everyone crams in for the best view possible, chairs are practically bumper-to-bumper and the smart ones lay a big blanket out in front of them for a little extra foot room. Kids are running around dancing, playing, and partaking in limbo while the parents get some down time to relax.
In the mean time, I’ve discovered a way of cheating for better seats. The movie is projected on what seems to be a giant, blow up screen. But what no one realizes is that the movie isn’t only projected on to the screen, but through it. When you walk around the screen, you might be surprised to find a few smart families sitting there. Why might they be doing this? From behind the screen you can still watch the movie, with practically no crowd and plenty of food room. Because it’s behind the screen the image of the movie is flipped, but I would totally say it’s worth the change. A new perspective never hurt anything! This week ‘Jaws’ is being played, and the beach is so full you can’t even see where the people end, so behind the screen might not be such a bad idea.
When the beach chairs are set and the movie finally starts, you can still hear the lull of the waves and see the stars above your head. You have the comfort of your friends, the entertainment of a movie, and the beauty of the outdoors. A Thursday night can’t get much better.
