MoviePass? $9.99/month 1 theater movie a day

[gottalovepluto]

I have not used the MoviePass and don't intend to as I'm just not interested in any movies out right now but for anyone interested the internet and media world blew up today with discussion of a company called MoviePass. They changed their pricing scheme today. Now, for $9.99/month you can see 1 movie/day in theaters. Yeah, my jaw dropped too. No idea how this works in the long run but hey, Amazon lost money for years right? I wanted to share it so anyone interested in it can start there own research. I tries to see the website but it was down (up & down all day, they're getting crazy traffic volumes). FWIW AMC released a public statement they are having their lawyers look at legal options to block MoviePass, if they find one bet on them using it. Here's a small write up from a blog I follow with what it says is a 1 month free trial. Like I said, I'm not recommending this, I've never tried it, just passing along the info:
https://www.doctorofcredit.com/moviepass-unlimited-movies-9-99-per-month/

 

[mamamary]

I was just talking to my dh about this. Couldn't sleep last night so I was reading up about this. Almost sounds too good to be true right? Some comments I read did mention that there were lots of problems with the app such as getting to the movie theater and the app not opening. A few of these people that commented did not recommend getting it. Of course there were also comments totally recommending it.

 

[radar_74]

It is too good to be true. AMC is considering a lawsuit against MoviePass that would eliminate their theaters from the program.

 

[SMD]

I joined because I read the AMC announcement. I have their Premiere card and have nothing but issues for the last 8-9 months. If I go to 2 movies per month at Cinemark it's worth it. If it doesn't work out, there's no annual commitment, I'll cancel.

 

[gottalovepluto]

It is too good to be true. AMC is considering a lawsuit against MoviePass that would eliminate their theaters from the program.

That's why the theaters are in a panic. If they can't stop it, the entire theater industry is about to be shaken up Amazon style.

 

[ThisIsJason]

My wife and I have been using MoviePass for about 1.5 years at $40 a month. At $10 a month now it is a steal. LOVE IT!

 

[Jen and Ashwin]

That's why the theaters are in a panic. If they can't stop it, the entire theater industry is about to be shaken up Amazon style.

More like bankrupted. There is no way this could be sustainable. How does the app actually work? The website is down, so I can't read more about it.

 

[Albort]

I was reading this on DoC. Many of the readers believe they make money by selling your data and movie habits to marketers.
Also note that this is only good for regular movies, no 3D no imax. so tickets are technique cheaper. but then again, if you watch 2 movies, its probably worth it.

It seems like a good model though, it could deter many people who pirate the movies anyways, to actually pay a smaller amount to watch it in theatre. could be a good thing. Heck, i may consider it as well.

 

[ThisIsJason]

More like bankrupted. There is no way this could be sustainable. How does the app actually work? The website is down, so I can't read more about it.

MoviePass sends you a MasterCard card. You go to the theater (I believe you have to be within 100 yards of the theater), and on the app you click the movie and time you want. MoviePass then sends the amount of money the ticket costs to the card, any other time no money is on the card. You pay with the card just like a credit/debt card. Simple and easy. One account is needed for each person that uses it. One movie every 24 hours, and they either started it or will be starting you can see a movie more than once (before it was one time only).

 

[Jen and Ashwin]

MoviePass sends you a MasterCard card. You go to the theater (I believe you have to be within 100 yards of the theater), and on the app you click the movie and time you want. MoviePass then sends the amount of money the ticket costs to the card, any other time no money is on the card. You pay with the card just like a credit/debt card. Simple and easy. One account is needed for each person that uses it. One movie every 24 hours, and they either started it or will be starting you can see a movie more than once (before it was one time only).

I figured there had to be some kind of payment system that bypassed the theaters, since AMC couldn't just opt out of participating in the program. It still seems like $10 per month will be too little to be profitable in the long run. This seems more like a way to get their name out and then raise the fees back up again once they hit some subscriber goals.

 

[ThisIsJason]

I figured there had to be some kind of payment system that bypassed the theaters, since AMC couldn't just opt out of participating in the program. It still seems like $10 per month will be too little to be profitable in the long run. This seems more like a way to get their name out and then raise the fees back up again once they hit some subscriber goals.

Yesterday I believe it was started the $10/month would be good for 12 months. After that who knows. I would think they are trying the 'get people to sign up and forget about it and keeping paying' option. It works, my wife forgot she was paying $16 a month for unlimited car washes at a local place. Three months she never used it, went to a different cash wash and paid.

 

[tasha99]

Don't theaters not make their money on tickets anyway? If it gets people in who actually buy some popcorn, I think this would be good for theaters (who it sounds like get paid, anyway--how the moviepass company makes its money is another matter.)

Even with the pass, I'd be hard pressed to find more than 1-2 movies per month I'd spend my time seeing. For most people, the reason to not go to the movies has little to do with price. I would almost always rather wait and watch it at home--justifies my home theater, I can pause for bathroom breaks or to get a beer, I make better popcorn, no one is whispering behind me, no kids kicking my seat or running around, no one texting in front of me . . .

 

[gottalovepluto]

Don't theaters not make their money on tickets anyway? If it gets people in who actually buy some popcorn, I think this would be good for theaters (who it sounds like get paid, anyway--how the moviepass company makes its money is another matter.)

Even with the pass, I'd be hard pressed to find more than 1-2 movies per month I'd spend my time seeing. For most people, the reason to not go to the movies has little to do with price..

I thought I read somewhere the theater gets half the ticket take but idk. For us there are a number of movies I would have seen in theaters- like Cars & Minions off the top of my head, but the prices are crazy. Because we are all over children's movie age in order to justify the $13/person for movie tickets it has to be a huge type movie (SpiderMan). I don't see casual chick flicks for fun but if prices were cheaper I would. Guess what I'm saying is price is THE hurdle that stops us from going to the movies and I don't think my family is alone in that.

 

[Ava]

I've never heard of this service before and of course the website is down right now. I'll check again tomorrow, and may give it a shot if the $9.95 deal is still being offered. Movies are so expensive in NYC that I'd come out ahead even if I only see one movie per month with the pass. If we went as a family we'd still have to buy the kids' tickets at full price, but my wife & I could each get a pass to save on the adult tickets. We hardly ever go to the movies because 4 tickets (2 adult & 2 child) costs us over $50.

 

[ktate82]

I was wondering how this would work with families. It seems like we would have to go through the line and pay individually.

 

[jjjones325]

I haven't tried MoviePass, but I'm definitly intrigued. I've seen two movies in the past 6 days and paid over $10 for each ticket. Yeah, I can watch them at home a few months later, but there's just something about seeing it on a huge screen.

 

[elgerber]

Our local news just did a story on this a few minutes ago. They interviewed the owner of the chain of theaters that are right down the road from me, that we frequent. They said they gladly accept it at their theaters and are totally fine with it. They get paid full price from MoviePass and it gets people in the door.
Biggest issue I see for us, they have reserved seating, so we would all have to buy separate and might mess up seating. But unless it's something crazy like Star Wars or something, I'm guessing it's not an issue. For a movie like that I would probably pay out of pocket and reserve in advance.
This would actually be great for my film student daughter. She goes to the movies all the time.

 

[Dakota731]

If theaters get paid full price from Movie Pass then how could they stay in business? If you see even two movies a month then Movie Pass would be losing money. Doesn't seem like it would be profitable even in the short run.

 

[tasha99]

I thought I read somewhere the theater gets half the ticket take but idk. For us there are a number of movies I would have seen in theaters- like Cars & Minions off the top of my head, but the prices are crazy. Because we are all over children's movie age in order to justify the $13/person for movie tickets it has to be a huge type movie (SpiderMan). I don't see casual chick flicks for fun but if prices were cheaper I would. Guess what I'm saying is price is THE hurdle that stops us from going to the movies and I don't think my family is alone in that.

Yeah, I was too flippant there. When my kids were little, cost was a huge hurdle too. Now that they're grown, it's seeming pretty affordable once again. But, as a family, paying $40+ for passes every month seems high as well, even if the cost is low pp.

 

[brownhaired_girl]

If you have three people in a family and get 3 cards how do you load three different cards from the app when you get to the theater? I am very interested in getting this for my daughter's family.