I recently visited the cinema section of SM Cabanatuan and noticed "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga" was now showing.  There were no lines and the attendant looked bored and sleepy. The vibrant energy of movie-going had vanished, replaced by empty seats and silent halls. It reminded me of when cinemas were the beating heart of our social lives. In the 80s, the excitement of a new movie was palpable. Cinemas in the Philippines offered double features—two movies for the price of one ticket.  After watching the second movie, I would often leave with a headache, my eyes struggling to adjust after nearly five hours in the darkness. The smell of buttered popcorn filled the air, mingling with the musty scent of the theater—a mix of wood, leather, and human odor.  Colorful, hand-painted billboards by local artists adorned intersections, announcing the latest films and drawing us in like moths to a flame. We eagerly awaited the weekends, then hurrying to get our tickets.  Inside, the buzz of