Learn English – Why “go to the movies” and not “go to a movie”

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Why do we use Do you ever go to the movies? and not Do you ever go to a movie? Is the latter also correct?

Best Answer

Per the Macmillan Dictionary, the movies refers specifically to "movies as a form of entertainment," or, secondarily, "the industry involved in making movies."

(In the British version of Macmillan, the movies refers to "the cinema or the film industry.")