Watch Unlimited Movies at Your Favorite Theater for Under $10 Using This Company.

Do you remember your first time in a film theater? Remember that excitement. The humming sounds, the big screens, the popcorn experience, and above all, the reaction of the audience.

In the past, movie theaters were places where we used to hang out, go for dates, and meet new people.

Not anymore.

Statistics point to an uncertain future for movie theaters. A recent article by Business Insider revealed that the number of people visiting movie theaters has declined. Another study highlighted by USA Today found that the interest of movie theaters by millennials was dwindling. Also, blockbuster movies are no longer as interesting as they were before.

Possibly, the biggest reason is that people have access to unlimited movies through subscription services like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Hulu.

Financially, theater companies like AMC, Regal Entertainment Group, and IMAX have seen their revenues and stock prices decline.

Still, many people including millennials, seem to love the idea of going to movie theaters. They like the idea of meeting new people and enjoying their favorite movies. However, they are mostly turned off by the high prices.

Consider this. An average movie ticket goes for about $10 while a large tub of popcorn goes for about $9. Most millennials are simply not interested in paying $20 to watch a movie.
Remember, the price of popcorn in most movie theaters is highly exaggerated. In a recent feature by ABC, a cinema owner stated that the average price of making a tub of popcorn is about $1. An 800% mark up.

This is where Moviepass comes in.

Moviepass is a 7-year old company aiming to disrupt the cinema industry by creating a win-win proposition for cinema owners and customers.

It aims to achieve this by introducing an exciting flat fee and subscription-based model. In their model, customers can pay $10 per month to watch unlimited number of movies in 91% of movie theaters nationwide.

This model creates a win-win situation for movie theaters, which will attract millions of viewers every month. These customers will then optionally spend more on higher margin products like popcorn and snacks. For movie lovers, the model makes watching a movie a less expensive undertaking.

Moviepass was started by Mitch Lowe. Mitch is best known for being a co-founder of Netflix, a company that has successfully disrupted the film industry. In 2017, the company generated more than $10 billion in revenues, and as of this writing, it is valued at almost $100 billion.

In other words, the 20-year old Netflix is currently valued more than traditional film companies like Twenty-First Century Fox, CBS, and Sony.

How Moviepass Works

To become a Moviepass customer, all you need to do is to visit the website and sign up. After this, you just need to pay your first monthly subscription of $9.95 and wait for your Moviepass debit card, and you are ready to go.

With this card, you can visit any cinema every day and watch a movie. How good is that?

The economics work just fine. Consider this. The average price of a movie is $10, and most movie lovers watch at least three movies per month. Thus, they spend an average of $30 a month or $360 a year. On the other hand, an annual Moviepass subscription costs less than $120.

According to Moviepass, more than one million people are subscribers with more than 91% of movie theaters including big brands like AMC and Cinemark are partners.

Moviepass’ price was not always this low. Until August last year, the company used to charge a ridiculous amount of $50 per month. This made little sense. The rate cut was helped by a significant cash infusion by Helios and Matheson, a publicly listed company.

Moviepass is not the only company trying the subscription model. We reviewed the perks offered by its closest competitors and believe that its model and price are the best.

For example, Sinemia and Cinemark are its closest competitors. They charge a monthly subscription of $10 and $9 respectively. However, for Sinemia, this subscription gives you access to watch only two movies while Cinemark’s subscription gives you access to its cinemas alone.

Better still, with Moviepass, you can opt out any time. So, if you don’t plan to watch a movie in a particular month, you can always cancel the subscription.

What We Don’t Like About Moviepass

While we love Moviepass and its model, there are certain things we don’t like.

First, if you are like most cinema enthusiasts, you possibly love the idea of buying tickets in advance. This lets you select your ideal sitting location in advance, and helps you plan your day or evening. With Moviepass, you can’t do this. This is because, to watch a movie, you must present your card physically to a movie theater.

Secondly, with Moviepass, your subscription is limited to watch regular 2D movies. This means you can’t watch premium movies like IMAX, 3D, and 4D movies. Also, the subscription doesn’t give you access to specialty movie theaters like Landmark Theaters. So, if you love movies like Star Wars, Jurassic Park, and Avengers, you will have to pay more.

Third, a Moviepass card is limited to one person. This means that you have two options if you like watching movies with your family members. First, you can decide to pay for them at the gate or second; they can each buy a subscription.

Frankly, I believe it would be nice for Moviepass to include a family package.

Finally, while you can cancel your subscription at any time, the process of doing so is not the best. According to the terms and conditions, if you want to cancel, you have to send them an email. Who uses emails these days? Why can’t they have a simple unsubscribe button?

Takeaway

Moviepass is making cinema great again. Sure, it has its limitations but, I believe that its benefits outweigh the weaknesses.

If your goal is to visit cinemas several times this year, while at the same time saving money, then Moviepass is ideal for you.