IF you go to the movie theater... WHY do you go?
I go because:
-Excellent resolution on the picture and large enough to see tiny details.
-The darkness helps with immersion.
-I'm forcing myself to shut out all distractions, so while I'm there, only that movie exists in the world.
-Best 3D and most of the movies I see in the theater are 3D.
-Living in the West Los Angeles area, the theaters are fantastic. All reserved seating too.
-Hot dog + nacho cheese + jalapenos, even though it would be about 1/50th the price if I just made this at home.
I do have a home theater, but it's only a 720p projector and the throw only creates an 84 inch screen (corner to corner, on a blank dry erase marker board with a brown wood frame). Also the 3D is LCD based and it strains the eyes. Only my computer monitor does passive 3D and uses the same RealD glasses that most theaters use. It's nice but the left/right image separation is done using alternating lines, so each image looks like scan lines if you shut one eye. Sometimes that's noticeable.
I will say this: I don't go to the theaters for the sound. My home system sounds better and has more clarity. Theaters today seem to focus too much on the lows and the bass. Higher sounds can get lost.
I also have excellent hearing, so the theaters can be too loud. Rush (the Ron Howard racing movie) was painful to watch in the theater, I often had to plug my ears.