Saw this on Reddit, and wondered if anyone here uses MoviePass? They just dropped their monthly subscription to $9.95/month. With it, you can see any movie at any time, one movie/day.

That's crazy cheap, even if there are some restrictions (I'm not sure there are). Here in CS, it essentially pays for itself after one movie.

Anyone use this? Is it convenient? Can you still reserve seats online?

The site is getting hugged to death because the link hit r/all.

https://www.engadget.com/2017/08/15/moviepass-unlimited-movies-10-dollars-a-month/

https://www.reddit.com/r/movies/comments/6ttrnq/moviepass_a_subscription_plan_that_lets_you_go_to/

Been trying to sign up for an hour. Seems like a successful promotion.

I've used it the last few months! There are some restrictions:

1. You can't see the same movie twice
2. You can't reserve tickets/seats, unless it's within 24 hours of your screen time and you are at the theater.
3. I've had screenings at specific theaters not available for specific times. I always check before I get to the theater to see if it's grayed out.
4. It's only for 2D showings.

Even with those restrictions, best investment I've made in some time. Having it $10 is a no brainer.

Ag13 said:

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Been trying to sign up for an hour. Seems like a successful promotion.

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I managed to get signed up about 10 minutes ago.

I just did as well. Hoping this goes as smoothly as it makes it seem!

Does it include Drafthouses? I'm guessing not

http://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-amc-moviepass-20170815-story.html

Quote:

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That may sound good to moviegoers looking for bargains on seats as ticket prices rise. But AMC Theatres on Tuesday criticized the service in a sharply worded news release with bold type proclaiming, "Not welcome here." AMC called MoviePass a "small fringe player" whose plan was "not in the best interest of moviegoers, movie theaters and movie studios." AMC also said it will try to block the service from its theaters.

"In AMC's view, that price level is unsustainable and only sets up consumers for ultimate disappointment down the road if or when the product can no longer be fulfilled," the Leawood, Kan., exhibitor said.

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Don't really understand AMC's hesitations. They are getting paid on full price tickets and based on the demand for Movie Pass yesterday, theatre attendance is going to spike up. If Movie Pass does go out of business, who cares what the consumers expect? Seems like AMC is really going to hurt themselves unless all the other theater chains jump on this.

AMC threatens Movie Pass with lawsuit after dropping prices

Signed up last night. Hell of a deal.

More than pays for itself with one movie.

I am confused. What is the business model here?

Where is the service getting the tickets? Are they buying them retail at each theater? Are they buying them in bulk from each theater? Or are they buying them on some kind of secondary market?

I don't see any theaters that use this in Austin

Is the app wrong?

Duncan Idaho said:

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I am confused. What is the business model here?

Where is the service getting the tickets? Are they buying them retail at each theater? Are they buying them in bulk from each theater? Or are they buying them on some kind of secondary market?

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My understanding is that movie pass currently pays AMC full price for every ticket used by a moviepass user.

It doesn't seem sustainable unless moviepass negotiates lower rates.

Here's my understanding of it.

They send you a debit card. You get to the theater, and go in the app and "check-in" to the showing you're attending.

They then activate your debit card for 30 mins and load the exact amount of the ticket price, then you purchase it at the box office as you would any other ticket, with your MP debit card.

Why is it so cheap? They could charge $15 per month, and it would still be a good deal.

Also, I would think that theaters would be behind this. More people in the theater means more concessions on which their profit level is off the charts.

Josepi said:

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Also, I would think that theaters would be behind this. More people in the theater means more concessions on which their profit level is off the charts.

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My guess is that AMC is anticipating negative feedback when the prices have to rise and moviepass blames the theaters.

astros4545 said:

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I don't see any theaters that use this in Austin

Is the app wrong?

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Apparently your app won't populate with available theaters until you get and activate your card.

Duncan Idaho said:

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I am confused. What is the business model here?

Where is the service getting the tickets? Are they buying them retail at each theater? Are they buying them in bulk from each theater? Or are they buying them on some kind of secondary market?

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Data mining per the article I read.

powerbelly51 said:

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It doesn't seem sustainable unless moviepass negotiates lower rates.

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Dont forget that their end goal is to sell your information and movie watching habits to the highest bidder, even if they don't know who that is yet. The age of big data is here.

Edit: D'oh, EastSide beat me to it.

Dr. Horrible said:

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powerbelly51 said:

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It doesn't seem sustainable unless moviepass negotiates lower rates.

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Dont forget that their end goal is to sell your information and movie watching habits to the highest bidder, even if they don't know who that is yet. The age of big data is here.

Edit: D'oh, EastSide beat me to it.

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Agree, but I don't know if they can hit the volume needed without raising prices to a sustainable level.

CJS4715 said:

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Is the future that this service starts trying to negotiate a reduced rate with theaters?

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Theaters will back out and make their own service like Disney backing out of Netflix. There's no competition right now but there will be with this reaction.

Josepi said:

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Why is it so cheap? They could charge $15 per month, and it would still be a good deal.

Also, I would think that theaters would be behind this. More people in the theater means more concessions on which their profit level is off the charts.

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This is the part where I don't understand why the theaters wouldn't love this. It has been a while since I looked at the financial reports for theaters but the make all of their margin on the concession sales.

I don't understand how the company plans to make any money. I agree that it seems like the theaters should like this as long as their deal with MoviePass is that Movie Pass pays full price. But how can Movie Pass not lose their ass offering this for $10 per month?

And it's not like MoviePass can plan to offer for $10 per month to get the market share and then raise it to $40 per month. Because then most of their customers will just cancel the service. So they lost money initially for nothing.

And if the movie theaters are scared that MoviePass will come to them and demand that they lower the prices for the tickets that MoviePass buys, the theater can just say no. I don't see what sort of leverage MoviePass would have to force the theaters into lower prices.

Seems weird all the way around.

Guess that kinda makes sense.

I read a comment that said that even though AMC will get paid full price for tickets from MoviePass, they are worried about what happens when MoviePass inevitably goes under. The MoviePass consumers will have been conditioned to value movies at unlimited movies for $10 per month (or around $2 per movie), instead of the $10-12 average price per movie that AMC charges. Therefore, these consumers may stop going to the movies altogether once MoviePass folds.

I guess that argument makes a little sense? Doesn't seem too convincing though.

Prophet00 said:

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In my opinion, this is very much like a gym membership. I'm sure MoviePass is counting on a large number of people buying this subscription service, and then not using it very often.

I would fall in that category. Seems like too good of a deal to pass up, but honestly, with 3 young kids, i go to the movies once every 4-5 months. I'll still sign up, but i may pay $30-40 by the time i get to go see anything.

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I'm the opposite camp. I too have 3 young kids, and I'm not signing up because I know i would only use it once every few months. If I was single or didn't have kids, I would be all over this.

Prophet00 said:

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In my opinion, this is very much like a gym membership. I'm sure MoviePass is counting on a large number of people buying this subscription service, and then not using it very often.

I would fall in that category. Seems like too good of a deal to pass up, but honestly, with 3 young kids, i go to the movies once every 4-5 months. I'll still sign up, but i may pay $30-40 by the time i get to go see anything.

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Same. And the few movies that I go to are on opening weekend, which means I usually buy tickets a few weeks out from release.

I agree amc shoukd do a season pass.

Does anyone know if you would still be able to get your Victory points at Alamo Drafthouse with this?

FarmerJohn said:

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they should tell their cashiers not to accept these cards.

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That's where it's difficult. The Movie Pass is a regular mastercard -card correct? Unless they stop accepting MasterCard, then they really can't do anything about it.

This is a fight over our data I believe. AMC wants us on their website. Not someone else's. Will see how the courts decide. I've never heard an argument that is basically "we can't figure out how your business makes money, so you better stop."

jock1020 said:

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Does anyone know if you would still be able to get your Victory points at Alamo Drafthouse with this?

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I'm wondering the same thing. I went ahead and signed up, so I'll let you know next week.

I signed up as well. Expecting to have to drive 75 miles to closest theater, and not AMC one that is 3 minutes from my house.