Moviepass: Lets you watch unlimited movies in theaters

[number8]

Huh. This might be worth it for me.

It's a smartphone app that lets you into any movie in any participating theater for however many times you want in lieu of a movie ticket.

Subscription is $50 a month for unlimited movies, $30 a month for 4 movies, and you pay $3 admission every time you use it for IMAX or 3D showings. Not too outrageous if you go to the movies every week.

http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2011/...l-to-theaters/

[Irish]

Whoa. $30 for 4 movies a month is a pretty sweet deal.

Do they block you out of certain showtimes or new releases? You used to be able to bulk buy tickets in advance at AMC but there were certain times and shows you couldn't use those tickets at, which limited the usefulness of it.

[Dukefrukem]

I posted this in the Flick discussion thread. I think it's awesome. I don't go 4+ times a month so it wouldn't be worth it for me, but it's a good idea for moviegoers.

[number8]

Heh, to be honest, the idea of not having to print or pick up tickets and just walk in whenever I want with my iPhone is pretty great, too.

[chrisnu]

That is awesome. Now, if only art house theaters would participate...

[number8]

That is awesome. Now, if only art house theaters would participate...

Aside from the AMCs, all the theaters listed as participating theaters in the Bay Area beta are arthouse theaters.

[Spun Lepton]

I love the idea.

But, what do the studios think?

[Irish]

I love the idea. But, what do the studios think?

I don't think the studios care, as a long as they keep getting the same percentage.

My guess here is that this is sorta like an ongoing Groupon, where the item in question is sold as a loss leader to get people into the store.

What they really want is (1) your ass in the theater buying $6 bags of popcorn every week and (2) the opportunity to upsell you on DVDs the second the movie is over.

This article from Wired really highlights how much marketing they're hoping to do to the people who sign up for this:

http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2011/...l-to-theaters/

[Fezzik]

I'll be honest, if this is supported in my city, Im jumping on it and going to as many movies as I can.

This is a fantastic thing.

[eternity]

It's cheaper for me to just buy tickets, so...nah.

[Ezee E]

Question though, where does the $30 go? Is it split amongst the studios?

I'd consider this if my main multiplex carried more indie theaters, but with certain movies getting 5-6 screens (3d, 2d, imax 3d) it takes away movies that usually would've gone there before.

[number8]

Question though, where does the $30 go? Is it split amongst the studios?

I highly doubt the studios are even involved at all. My guess is that the theaters still pay the studios the same deal as before, which is a certain small % for each ticket sold, and whenever you go in using Moviepass, that still counts as one ticket sold.

The participating theaters are doing this because it probably won't make a lot of difference to them, given the very small profit they make from ticket sales anyway. You earn less money from there, you recoup from increased concession sales, which is their true bread and butter. And if no one takes advantage of their Moviepass, the theaters don't lose anything because they don't have to pay the loss to the studios, and yet they still gain a piece of the subscription fee. It's win-win, and there's good PR on top of it.

[EyesWideOpen]

Here in Arizona the early day AMC screenings are $5 (which is what I go to) so I would have to go to the movies 10 times a month to get my money back.

Otherwise I think it's a great idea.

[Irish]

After MoviePass announced its launch earlier this week, movie exhibitors have been pulling away from the service, which would offer users unlimited movie screenings for $50 per month and allow them to buy tickets using their smartphones. AMC even claimed MoviePass included the theater chain without its consent.

:lol: So this is pretty much dead-in-water.

http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2011/...-beta-on-hold/

[number8]

“We’re enthusiastic that once we can walk them through the service they’ll be excited, we just haven’t had that opportunity yet,” Spikes said. “The silver lining of all of this is that this has created the ability to have that dialog now.”

WTF? Are these people morons? Why the fuck would you announce something you haven't arranged yet? Goddammit.

[Fezzik]

I just signed up for this.

They have lowered the price to $29.99 a month and have added a couple of restrictions:

1 - One movie per day
2 - The program can only be used to see any given film one time
3 - Only 2D, not IMAX "regular" screen showings allowed.

How it works is you use the app to chose the show and time you want

When you get to the theater, you "check in" with the app and it verifies you're there.

I didn't understand the reason for this at first, but I do now:

The card itself is a prepaid Discover credit card. When you check in, they load the amount of the ticket price onto the card so you can pay for it.

If they didn't require checkins, people could use the money for anything they wanted. Its a minor thing and not really an inconvenience.

Plus, since you "buy" the ticket with the card, you still get full credit / points on your frequent watcher card (like AMC Stubs) because the system shows you paid full price for the ticket.

$30 a month for this is a sweeeet deal.

[Ezee E]

AMC is doing this? Thought it fell through....

[number8]

1 - One movie per day

OH, YOU THINK SO?

Moo hoo ha ha.

[Dukefrukem]

"Only 2D" is what will screw me. My theater's 2D listings for movies is very restrictive. I wouldn't be able to go at any decent time.

[number8]

AMC is doing this? Thought it fell through....

It did during the beta, but they found a workaround to bypass partnership with theaters.

Now they send you a Moviepass credit card to go with the app, and you use it to buy tickets normally like any other credit card. So you can literally use this service in any movie theater that accepts cards, which is pretty much 98% of all theaters.

EDIT: The Moviepass card is a Discover card, so I guess only movie theaters that accept Discover.

[Dukefrukem]

Discover: The exclusive group called anybody.

[EyesWideOpen]

Discover: The exclusive group called anybody.

When I was 21 they gave me a card with a $4000 limit. It was the worst thing that ever happened to me.

[Dead & Messed Up]

I think this can only work if, upon every entry, you have to turn to the usher and say "Leeloo Dallas Moviepass."

[Gizmo]

When I was 21 they gave me a card with a $4000 limit. It was the worst thing that ever happened to me.

I was 19 and it was $1500, but yes, horrible. Almost have all my credit cards paid off finally. Can't wait to be done with that demon.

[Lucky]

Highschool/undergrad me would have been all over this. Nowadays, to go to the theater 3 (to break even) or 4+ times (to take advantage of the deal) a month is pushing it.