MoviePass, Yea or Nay?

[SuscipeMeDomine]

Are there any MoviePass users here? Do you have any thoughts about their latest e-mail?

The latest update (August 6, 2018) makes these changes:

• You can see up to three movies a month for $9.95 and get up to a $5.00 discount to any additional movie tickets purchased.
• The plan includes many major first-run films but there will be some exceptions.
• They are suspending Peak Pricing and Ticket Verification.

The parts I bolded leave me with questions. I would generally be satisfied with three movies for $9.95 a month. I don’t usually see more than that anyway (except maybe at the end of the year when all the Oscar contenders come out). And getting $5 off additional tickets would be fine. Or is it $5? Maybe it’s less…or nothing.

I want to be able to see all the movies that are out and not have major movies blocked for the first few weeks.

Peak pricing was ridiculous. It seemed like every movie had peak pricing, even an older movie shown in the afternoon. Getting rid of that is a good move.

Mostly I want things to work. Yesterday I went to see Three Identical Strangers in the afternoon. The movie has been out for a month or so, it’s not a major movie, and yet it wasn’t available through MoviePass.

After my experience yesterday I was ready to cancel. With today’s e-mail I’m going to give them at least another month or two. I still don’t think they have a sustainable business model, but it’s fun for as long as it lasts.

 

[Joe_5859]

Yes, when I saw that they were charging $10 a month for someone to watch a movie every day (while simultaneously reimbursing the movie theater for the full price of the ticket), I was scratching my head trying to think of how that could be a sustainable business model. Turns out, it isn’t!

I think you’re right that it is still a good deal. I only go to the movies once every year or two, so I never signed up for it. But it seems like it still pays for itself pretty easily.

I don’t think I’d pay for a year up front, though. Month-to-month is the only way to go at this point. I have the feeling they are not long for this world. But they did shake things up, which I think is good. Everything is going to subscription models these days, so it makes sense to see it with movie tickets. Maybe that will help keep ticket costs more reasonable.

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

I think you’re right that it is still a good deal. I only go to the movies once every year or two, so I never signed up for it. But it seems like it still pays for itself pretty easily.

One of the things it’s done for me is get me to movies that I probably wouldn’t see otherwise. Something that maybe sounds interesting but isn’t exactly loved by the critics, for example. Mostly I come away thinking the critics were right, but sometimes I’m surprised. If I were paying full price for the tickets, I wouldn’t bother.

Month-to-month is the only way to go at this point.

Oh, yeah. If they fold tomorrow, I’m only out $10. But paying for more than that…I don’t think so.