Cinema as religion?

I don’t know how I got started into this, because I am by no means any sort of movie buff, but something I re-read the other day intrigued me:

"I believe cinema is the most powerful secular religion, and people gather in cinemas to experience things collectively, as they once did in church. Cinema storytellers have become the new priests ... I don’t think we fully understand yet the need of people to gather together to listen to a story, and the power of that act".

George Miller, film writer/director

I am not so sure I can whole-heartedly agree with that. Are people really seeking a "together" experience when they go to the cinema? Would it be the same if the rest of the cinema was empty? Just last weekend a friend of mine said she was going to see a movie on her own, because she wanted to do something non-social and just sit back and enjoy some input. Maybe George Miller has a point ... (and maybe he also has a vested interest in the film industry).