Dinner and a movie isn't inherently bad — but it's not particularly connective, either. The problem is that side-by-side activities (watching something together) don't build the same kind of closeness as face-to-face, interactive experiences.
The most connecting date activities are ones where you're engaged with each other, not a screen or performance. Cooking a new recipe together, taking a walk somewhere neither of you has been, doing an art class — anything that generates shared experience and conversation.
Planning something you know your partner has been wanting to try shows you've been listening. The thoughtfulness of 'I remembered you mentioned wanting to visit that pottery class' is often more meaningful than any amount spent.
Novel experiences create genuine excitement and conversation. Try a cuisine you've never had, visit a neighborhood you don't usually go to, see a performance in a genre that's not your usual. The newness itself stimulates connection.
One of the simplest things you can do to make a date meaningful is to be genuinely present. Agree beforehand to keep phones in bags or pockets except for emergencies. Full presence is a gift.
One of the most connecting moments in a date is often the conversation after — what you noticed, what you'll remember, what it made you think or feel. Don't let it just end; extend it.