Last night, I went to a screening of HARRY POTTER & THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE. Lady Hatter has actually been seeing screenings of Harry Potter weekly through the summer, and she’s been joined by a few other local geeks. Not to be outdone, I enlisted the company of a fellow geek myself. While most of the others are massive Potter fans, I wanted to see this one the most because my first kick at it in a theatre had me nodding off for ten minutes in the middle (midnight shows do that to me these days).

Momentary nap aside, this now marks two times I’ve seen this film in a theatre and it got me thinking about the phenomenon of multiple screenings.

Many of you know by now my viewing habits, and how I tend to consume far more movies in an average week than most people would during a rainy week at the cottage. The thing to that is that a lot of my repeat viewings happen at home…with the luxury of a dvd collection that allegedly had a young Miss James unable to concentrate on anything else when she recently visited Casa del Hatter. Repeat viewings in a theatre are a whole other matter.

There are a ton of films that I see in theatres, and as I walk out I feel a certain bounce in my step and glimmer in my eyes at the notion of seeing them again. I enjoy them just so much that I have to restrain myself from not just getting back into line. (500) DAYS OF SUMMER comes to mind…as does HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON…or INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS.

The funny thing is, I rarely do. Once in a while, going with a different group of friends will spark me actually going to see something in theatres again (INCEPTION, STAR TREK, and GARDEN STATE to name a few). Beyond that, there’s the chance to see something in a different way…IMAX screenings of THE DARK KNIGHT or SAVING PRIVATE RYAN for instance.

But on the whole, I tend not to see films in theatres more than once. One small part of the issue is time…even with a theatre up the street from my apartment, there’s a commitment involved. Staying in and getting a few things done before popping on a dvd can often make the difference between a good night’s sleep or being up late (like tonight). The other consideration is money – in Toronto, an evening show (and even certain matinees) can run $13 a pop. That adds up fast.

For these reasons, it’s a rare few films that I’ve seen in a theatre more than twice (TITANIC, GOOD WILL HUNTING, and SAVING PRIVATE RYAN come to mind). Don’t get me wrong; all things being equal, I could see certain movies three or four times over in a cinema. Heck, as it is I’m a bit antsy to give TREE OF LIFE and SUPER 8 another go. There’s something to be said for experiencing a great flick over and over with all the big screen/big sound trimmings. I guess what I’m saying is that if I ever won the lottery, I’d be an easy person to find every day.

What about you folks – do you find yourselves seeing the same movies over and over in a theatre? You a “one-and-done” sort? Do you have any titles that you saw in theatres a certain number of times?