Widescreen: Another holiday tradition taken away by 2020

Ten years ago this weekend, I spent Friday morning seeing "TRON: Legacy" twice - once just after midnight, once just before noon - both times sitting in the front row of the stadium seats in the IMAX auditorium at AMC South Barrington.

This weekend I should be in the same auditorium watching the new take on "Dune" from Denis Villeneuve, whom I've been calling the best filmmaker alive after the one-two-three punch of "Sicario," "Arrival" and "Blade Runner 2049." The world had other plans, so I suppose I could once again try to convince myself that David Lynch's 1984 version is good.

The holidays haven't been the same this year for obvious reasons, and moviegoing has always been essential to my family's Christmas celebrations. The thrill of seeing blockbusters and Oscar hopefuls on the big screen has been replaced in 2020 by watching the new David Fincher movie on a 40-inch television while sitting on the floor of my home office. (The cat had already claimed the couch.)

Given my woeful experiences at movie theaters over the last few years, I am delighted by the chance to watch "Mank" (and HBO Max's "Wonder Woman 1984" and Disney+'s "Soul") without leaving my home. But this year has taken so much from us - and seemingly every passing year takes more enthusiasm out of Christmas, and injects a little more melancholy.

Thanks to our holiday movie outings, I will inexplicably associate these images with Christmas for the rest of my life: Matt Damon whacking Jude Law with an oar in "The Talented Mr. Ripley." Helena Bonham Carter baking meat pies in "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street." Leonardo DiCaprio flying the Spruce Goose in "The Aviator."

This year we'll have to settle for Gal Gadot fighting Kristen Wiig and Pedro Pascal on our living room TV, with no other family members around. Well, except the cat and her canine brother.

You know? That doesn't sound so bad. Here's to new traditions.

• Sean Stangland is an assistant news editor who really hopes he feels safe enough to see "The Matrix 4" on the big screen next Christmas.