The stars, the sky, the cars, the oldies and the magic of the drive-in movie. As the fall air breezes by and the leaves crunch under tires, people flood into the drive-in movies every Friday and Saturday night just past 8. The sun sets as viewers pull out snacks and blankets and hunker down for a film.
Believe it or not, before a few Fridays ago I had never been to a drive-in movie before. The vintage outdoor cinema had always appealed to me but never quite enough that I would drag my friends to one mediocre movie in the middle of nowhere. Well, until now.
I recently visited B&B Twin Drive-In for a double feature of “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem” and “Haunted Mansion.” While this odd pairing was not my first choice, it was the experience that drew me to the drive-in.
We drove all the way out to Liberty, about a 40-minute drive from the Brookside area, to the B&B Drive-In. Although there is a closer option of Boulevard Drive-In, we didn’t go there because we weren’t interested in the movies they were playing that weekend. The price at the drive-in per car is around $20, which I don’t think is too bad when you split it with friends.
Once we found a good spot and parked, we took out a few stadium chairs and blankets. We set them up near the trunk and headed to the concessions. I bought a large popcorn and my friends and I went to the bathroom before the movie started. I was surprised they had a bathroom and a lot of food because it felt like we were in the middle of nowhere, however it was much appreciated. I have to say the popcorn was below average and I think it would have been best if we stopped by somewhere like Trader Joe’s for much tastier snacks. (I would personally recommend their Chili and Lime Flavored Rolled Corn Tortilla Chips and some vanilla mochi!)
The movie began and I don’t think there were any previews. I can’t be sure because we were a little late to the movie, which began on a huge screen that may have even been bigger than the standard theater screen.
One aspect I particularly enjoyed was being able to chat with my friends without bothering anyone throughout the movie. The cars were well spaced out enough that people can talk even if you are outside the car. However, I think we might have talked more than watched the movies because we did have trouble hearing it. But I am a subtitle lover, so I may be biased. I also would have been more annoyed about this if it was a movie I was really interested in.
My favorite thing about the whole drive-in experience was the atmosphere. I loved the cooler weather with the bright stars and moon above us. It was great being outdoors with my friends but still being able to do a chill activity. I’ll definitely be cruising down to the drive-in again this fall.
