MoviePass -- the best deal ever?

[Dave Gray]

MoviePass is a subscription service like Netflix, but for attending movies in the theater. 

You are allowed entrance to up to one 2D movie per day (no 3D, IMAX, DBox, etc).
You can go to any major chain (91% of all theaters in the US)
There are no blackout dates -- you can go on opening night or whenever.
You cannot go to see the same movie more than once.
You cannot buy your ticket prior to the day that you're watching the movie.

$9.99 a month.


I just signed up.

[Sunstroke]

Can't wait to get my card in the mail...

[masterfins]

I've been trying to sign up but the site keeps crashing.  I read an article that since they lowered the price from $35-$45 in some markets to this $9.95 nationwide that they added 150,000 subscribers in two days, which was their goal for the entire year.

I'm not a big theater goer, but for $9.95 I'll sign up.

[Spider-Dan]

The main time I go to see movies is on/near release, which gives this questionable value for me.

It seems to me that unless a) you don't buy concessions and b) you enjoy going to movies by yourself (or: you buy two MoviePasses), this isn't as good of a value as it appears at first blush.  Still, it's nice to have options.

[pondwater]

I could be wrong, but from what I can tell. MoviePass card is a prepaid Mastercard that is only good for tickets at theaters that accept MasterCard. And due to the MasterCard merchant agreement, the theaters have to accept the card for tickets.

Now there are two things that intrigue me about this situation. First, if the subscription is $9.95 and MoviePass pays retail price for every ticket that the subscriber uses. Then MoviePass is going to lose a shitload of money if they don't have some other kind of way to make up the difference between $9.95 and however many tickets at retail price the subscriber uses.

Next, AMC the biggest theater chain in the country is fighting this. Why? They are getting full price for each ticket from MoviePass. More asses in the seats equals more profit from ticket sales and concession sales. So I'm not sure where AMC's gripe comes from since they are making more money and MoviePass will eat the losses. There's got to be more going on behind the scenes than we know about.

It seems like a good deal, but I only go to the movies once every couple months so it wouldn't be a good deal for me. Then again there aren't many good movies coming out these days that I actually look forward to seeing. And with Kodi, PopcornTime, Showbox, and Terrarium TV you can pretty much watch most stuff within 30-60 days of it hitting the theater. It is intriguing though.

[Sunstroke]

It seems to me that unless a) you don't buy concessions and b) you enjoy going to movies by yourself (or: you buy two MoviePasses), this isn't as good of a value as it appears at first blush.  Still, it's nice to have options.

Not sure what the concessions have to do with it. You buy concessions when you pay full price for a movie...you buy concessions when you are on a discount plan like MoviePass. Unless you're referring to a person buying exponentially more concessions based on the number of movies they are seeing, concessions really aren't a factor in the value, at least as far as the end consumer is concerned.

[masterfins]

I would have to imagine that MoviePass has a contract with the theater chains to purchase seats at a discounted price from full retail, otherwise there is no reason for AMC to be upset by this (which they are).  By greatly increasing their membership, AMC, and other chains, are going to start losing out on the people that would normally pay full retail to see a movie, especially in big cities where there are premium ticket prices for certain showings.

[Spider-Dan]

Not sure what the concessions have to do with it. You buy concessions when you pay full price for a movie...you buy concessions when you are on a discount plan like MoviePass. Unless you're referring to a person buying exponentially more concessions based on the number of movies they are seeing, concessions really aren't a factor in the value, at least as far as the end consumer is concerned.

Pretty much.

Suppose that currently, I go to see 1 movie a month (let's say $10 for the ticket), and I spend $10 on popcorn+soda for that movie, for a total of $20.  Now with MoviePass, I can see many more movies; 10 movies seems like a pretty good return on investment.  But if I continue to get the same concessions I normally get at a movie, I have now spent $100 in concessions for the 10 movies I have seen, for a total of $110.

When you compare $10 for one movie ticket to $10 for a month's worth of movie tickets, MoviePass seems like a great deal.  But when you compare $20 for one ticket+concessions to $110 for ten tickets+concessions, that doesn't seem so impressive anymore.

Now, if you're the type of person that's already content to bring a bottle of water to the theater and only spend money on the ticket, then yes, you can get a good value with MoviePass.  But if you normally get concessions when you see a movie, if you are not willing to drastically curtail those purchases MoviePass can end up costing you a lot of money.

[Sunstroke]

Now, if you're the type of person that's already content to bring a bottle of water to the theater and only spend money on the ticket, then yes, you can get a good value with MoviePass.

Pretty much 50/50, I suppose...sometimes I'll pay for a soda and popcorn. Sometimes I sneak in a bottled drink and some chocolate snacks.

[DaLittle B]

I don't go to the theater,not enough movies I care to plunk down $$ to see,crowds,the experience is a bit overrated imo Etc,Etc...

I can see it for most people,much more of sign up for a month or 2,drop it for a few months,and repeat.I think the NOT being able to see a movie more than once (it seems big movies,a lot of people tend to see those 2,3,and maybe even 4 times),means you're going to run out of movies that you'd actually want to see fairly quick.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

Like most unlimited programs....it is a really good deal if you already consume a lot of the product. 

I am not buying moviepass.

But let say you are someone who typically goes to the movies twice a week.  Getting movie pass will save you money.  Doesn't matter if you buy snacks or not.  If before you were buying tickets and overprices snacks you aren't spending anymore for the overpriced snacks just less for admission to the movie.

I know someone who loves going to the movies.  She goes to 5-10 movies per week and she rarely sees the same movie twice.  This is perfect for her.  (She never buys snacks at the movies, but brings a soda and candy in her large pocketbook.)

[Dave Gray]

I plan on using this as a reason to go to the movies more.  ...not simply as a way to spend less.  I see it as a way to do something that I wish I could do a lot more of, but it is normally cost-prohibitive.

[Spider-Dan]

Like most unlimited programs....it is a really good deal if you already consume a lot of the product. 

That's the key.  If you already go a lot, then it is an unambiguously good deal. But if you use MoviePass to go more frequently than you were before, you need to take concessions into account.

[masterfins]

I plan on using this as a reason to go to the movies more.  ...not simply as a way to spend less.  I see it as a way to do something that I wish I could do a lot more of, but it is normally cost-prohibitive.

+1

Plus it opens you up to movies you may not normally want to pay to see.  You can go to a movie you aren't really thrilled about and find out it's really great, or halfway through it may suck like you thought it would and you can just get up and leave and not feel bad that you wasted money on it.

[Cathal]

It might help people go to the movies more often, as you say Dave. There are a lot of times where I don't want to spend $10 or so on a movie that I don't know if it'll be worth that much money. But, with this, there really isn't any critical thinking necessary. Just go see the movie.