I thought that was just a running joke, until one day when I dragged a buddy to watch one movie which I had been waiting for a long time and right in the middle when I was totally lost in the film, he poked me in the side and confessed that it was his first time to be inside Hollywood even though he had been on island for 10 years now.
Another friend who has been here for over 25 years said she also had never set foot inside the theater but would rather rent DVDs and watch movies at home.
I had been on Saipan but two months when I took the chance to see what this island had to offer in terms of theater entertainment. The name Hollywood would astound any newcomer of course, but although thereâs no comparison with the big movie houses in metropolitan areas, the seven-screen multiplex located next to Joeten Superstore has eased a lot of âbad hair daysâ for me and other residents, too.
Hollywood screens the latest first-run movies and I always had to curb the urge to watch on the first day because several times Iâd tried sitting at the topmost row where you could barely stretch your feet, and at the very front where you would get stiff neck afterward and come out of the theater dazed because of a very close encounter with the actors on screen.
Watching movies perched on your sofa or from your bed is a good option because you can do it wearing house clothes or just a bathrobe. You can also pause the movie if you want to have a restroom break or a few minutesâ nap. But going to the theater is a totally different experience.
Opening the glass doors after you bought your ticket and inhaling the smell of popcorn is bliss, but carrying a huge bucket to munch on throughout the movie is priceless.
Hollywood Theaters is Saipanâs meeting place for kids and parents, friends and relatives especially during the weekends. It is one place here where I never hesitate to watch movies alone and still feel at ease (something I could never imagine doing back in the Philippines), which usually happens when my companions and I donât agree on what movies to watch, so we go our separate ways and meet up after.
When you feel the need to relax, steal an hour or two and make the Hollywood Theaters your destination. Try hopping from one movie to the next when you have the luxury of time.