MoviePass and Other Cinema Subscription Services

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senseabove
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Re: MoviePass

#501 Post by senseabove » Wed Feb 06, 2019 1:02 pm

mfunk9786 wrote:
Wed Feb 06, 2019 11:02 am
No. The AMC one seems pretty appealing if they keep it going (or haven't gotten rid of it already), but this is a pretty dead time for going to the multiplex, the ability to use MoviePass anywhere is what made it most appealing.

If we move into the city limits proper and have an easy transportation method to the Landmark theaters, I might circle around and see what desperate monthly offer MoviePass is making. Because I'm assuming they're still full steam ahead with Landmark, at least? No missed showtimes or shady antics?
Nope, the Landmark e-Ticketing deal was cancelled shortly after the Cohen takeover, and I cancelled the next day. But they now have a new tiered, regionalized plan system (i.e. cityfolk pay more), at least one tier of which supposedly lifts the restrictions on movie selection, but I haven't paid close enough attention to know if it actually works out like that.

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mfunk9786
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Re: MoviePass

#502 Post by mfunk9786 » Wed Feb 06, 2019 2:15 pm

Thanks for letting me know! All interest in MoviePass is now officially gone.

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hearthesilence
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Re: MoviePass

#503 Post by hearthesilence » Wed Feb 06, 2019 2:27 pm

MongooseCmr wrote:
Wed Feb 06, 2019 11:00 am
I cancelled after the summer, but my girlfriend got a year subscription in April, and in September they stopped asking for ticket verifications on it. I just check in to something else and see what I want three times a month. The funny thing is it works more consistently now than it ever did while it was popular.
This is why I held on to mine, though my year-long subscription ended late last year. No ticket verification (as well as a lot of accepted venues within walking distance of each other) cancelled out their "selection" restrictions - I just checked into any movie that was available on the app and then used their credit card for whatever I wanted to see. The only drag was the three-film limit.

I was tempted to sign up again, but I didn't want them to draw an annual membership fee straight from my checking account, especially if they were going to go belly-up long before the year was up. It's just as well, my MoMA and Lincoln Center memberships pretty much have me covered anyway.

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mfunk9786
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Re: MoviePass

#504 Post by mfunk9786 » Tue Mar 19, 2019 5:48 pm


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CSM126
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Re: MoviePass

#505 Post by CSM126 » Tue Mar 19, 2019 6:44 pm

I’m so done with these people. Or I would be if they hadn’t conveniently hidden the cancel account button in the app. The automated help chat is, shock of all shocks, no help either. They haven’t offered one damn film in my area for months, either. Just rotten.

Self
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Re: MoviePass

#506 Post by Self » Tue Mar 19, 2019 7:52 pm


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DarkImbecile
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Re: MoviePass

#507 Post by DarkImbecile » Fri Jul 26, 2019 9:42 am


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Brian C
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MoviePass

#508 Post by Brian C » Fri Jul 26, 2019 10:02 am

Despite the headline playing up how “bold” the plan is, it seems less bold than AMC’s subscription plan, unless someone really plans on going to a huge amount of movies.

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DarkImbecile
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Re: MoviePass

#509 Post by DarkImbecile » Fri Jul 26, 2019 10:07 am

How so? The difference seems pretty stark on a superficial read of AMC’s terms (no AMC where I live, so I’ve not examined it too closely)

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HitchcockLang
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Re: MoviePass

#510 Post by HitchcockLang » Fri Jul 26, 2019 10:39 am

I am a subscriber of the AMC plan but have to drive a half hour to the nearest good quality AMC (though there’s a dinky little one in my town that’s okay). I’ve always said if Regal made a plan, I’d switch but now I’m not sure.

AMC allows you to see any format with no surcharge (RealD, IMAX, etc.) and doesn’t limit where you can go (I’d you’re traveling to a bigger city, your plan works there).

The only perk of the Regal plan is (for me personally, a high quality theater nearby and an art house theater not too far away but this will vary from person to person, and) being able to see unlimited movies as opposed to AMC’s 3 a week (which I struggle to reach). The article did say you can’t see two movies that “overlap” but I’m not sure what that means. Like playing at the same time? Duh. Or does it mean you can’t see the same movie twice like with MoviePass (AMC doesn’t limit the number of times you can see the same movie or how many of your slots you use in the same day).

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mfunk9786
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Re: MoviePass

#511 Post by mfunk9786 » Fri Jul 26, 2019 1:24 pm

Likewise: I've got a bunch of Regals near me and very few AMCs, so I'm psyched. The only thing that confuses me is how the tiers gate certain theaters - hopefully they have a useful and comprehensive way to figure out which theaters near you qualify for which tier.

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Mr Sheldrake
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Re: MoviePass and Other Cinema Subscription Services

#512 Post by Mr Sheldrake » Fri Jul 26, 2019 2:01 pm

I have an AMC 3 miles north and a Regal 1 mile south of where I live. I've been an A-lister since its inception and couldn't be happier with the setup as it includes Dolby and Imax (both at my AMC) which is possibly the dealmaker for many. I've averaged 8 a month (the overall average is 2.6) and since I'm retired would see more if there were better movies being made. Still it's a big screen and everything is worth seeing in the large formats. The AMC app is outstanding. Regal is making you pay a full year in advance if I'm reading it correctly. If you cancel the AMC monthly subscription I think they make you wait 6 months to reup. Both nearby theaters show the same movies so I'll stick with AMC.
Last edited by Mr Sheldrake on Fri Jul 26, 2019 4:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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senseabove
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Re: MoviePass and Other Cinema Subscription Services

#513 Post by senseabove » Fri Jul 26, 2019 2:16 pm

I just want Landmark/Cohen to do a subscription...

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Kirkinson
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Re: MoviePass

#514 Post by Kirkinson » Fri Jul 26, 2019 7:53 pm

mfunk9786 wrote:
Fri Jul 26, 2019 1:24 pm
Likewise: I've got a bunch of Regals near me and very few AMCs, so I'm psyched. The only thing that confuses me is how the tiers gate certain theaters - hopefully they have a useful and comprehensive way to figure out which theaters near you qualify for which tier.
They have what appears to be a full list up now.

It’s going to take me a minute to figure out whether I really want this. With a healthy amount of indie screens in town, $21 a month is more than what I currently spend at Regal theaters, so I have to decide whether I think the extra movies I could see are worth it.

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Kirkinson
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Re: MoviePass and Other Cinema Subscription Services

#515 Post by Kirkinson » Fri Jul 26, 2019 8:01 pm

Mr Sheldrake wrote:
Fri Jul 26, 2019 2:01 pm
Regal is making you pay a full year in advance if I'm reading it correctly.
They bill you monthly, but you are essentially entering into a contract for a full year’s subscription. The rules say you can only cancel during your first year if you have a medical condition that prevents you from going to the theater, or if you move outside the US. Presumably, as with most things in customer service, you could still get around this if you complained hard enough.

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Brian C
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MoviePass and Other Cinema Subscription Services

#516 Post by Brian C » Fri Jul 26, 2019 8:26 pm

DarkImbecile wrote:How so? The difference seems pretty stark on a superficial read of AMC’s terms (no AMC where I live, so I’ve not examined it too closely)
As others have said, the only real upgrade on AMC is the “unlimited” feature, since AMC includes large format and 3D shows and Regal doesn’t. But, AMC offers 3 movies a week, which leaves me at a considerable surplus even though I have a major AMC in town that shows a decent selection of indie/foreign releases also. And I go to the movies more than anyone I know.

So, like I say, if someone is really intent on seeing a ton of movies, then Regal has a big selling point. But otherwise, it seems to me that AMC’s is more “bold”, because those large format tix are expensive, and I’d guess that they’re going to end up paying more to distributors from their service that Regal will theirs. Because very few people go to the movies that much.

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mfunk9786
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Re: MoviePass and Other Cinema Subscription Services

#517 Post by mfunk9786 » Thu Aug 01, 2019 6:44 pm

LQ and I signed up for Regal Unlimited (the middle tier, as most of the theaters in our metro area are under that one, and we don't have any of the highest tier ones in our area at all), and it couldn't work more seamlessly - I've already used it for a movie tomorrow and a movie Saturday.

I guess theoretically the $0.50 surcharges "add up," but the convenience of using what is a pretty stable and easy to navigate app, plus being able to see as many movies as you want as often as you want, more than makes up for any price increase over MoviePass. No asking you to take a photo of your ticket or drive close to the theater or only see certain movies - it's a dream if they keep it this way, which I have to imagine with the backing of such a big multiplex, they will.

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Brian C
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Re: MoviePass and Other Cinema Subscription Services

#518 Post by Brian C » Thu Aug 01, 2019 8:41 pm

Regal has a ticket surcharge? That's messed up.

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TraverseTown
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Re: MoviePass and Other Cinema Subscription Services

#519 Post by TraverseTown » Fri Aug 02, 2019 8:43 am

I'm using the Regal Unlimited also and that surcharge is only for purchasing tickets in the app itself. I've bought my tickets in the theater and there is no additional charge.

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Brian C
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Re: MoviePass and Other Cinema Subscription Services

#520 Post by Brian C » Fri Aug 02, 2019 9:47 am

Yeah I figured, but just seems nickel-and-dimey to me. AMC waives those surcharges, so I’m surprised Regal didn’t follow suit.

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RitrovataBlue
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Re: MoviePass and Other Cinema Subscription Services

#521 Post by RitrovataBlue » Fri Aug 02, 2019 10:03 am

Going through the terms and conditions, I noticed that the program excludes “any foreign language film,” which I find unpleasantly restrictive. I mean, the majority of non-English films they show are Bollywood productions aimed at the local immigrant community, and that audience doesn’t need to pay more than everyone else... And on the offside chance that they should show some Oscar nominee/winner, will I have to pay full price?

“Admission tickets may be obtained for:
regularly scheduled 2D movie showtimes (excluding showtimes of any foreign language film)), subject to (if applicable) a premium seating surcharge (a “Premium Seating Surcharge”); and
regularly scheduled premium format (e.g., 3D, RPX, IMAX, ScreenX, 4DX and VIP) movie showtimes (excluding showtimes of any foreign language film), subject to (A) a premium format surcharge (a “Premium Format Surcharge”) and (B) if applicable,“Premium Seating Surcharge”).”

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movielocke
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Re: MoviePass and Other Cinema Subscription Services

#522 Post by movielocke » Fri Aug 02, 2019 10:55 am

We have a regal near us, but since they don’t disclose all the surcharges there’s no way of knowing how much a ticket would cost, since it is reserved seating. Since it’s $13 for a matinee or $23.50 for an IMAX, I would imagine the surcharges for reserved seating and IMAX are in the $5-$15 range.

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The Fanciful Norwegian
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Re: MoviePass and Other Cinema Subscription Services

#523 Post by The Fanciful Norwegian » Fri Aug 02, 2019 11:04 am

The exclusion of foreign-language films kills it for me, since the nearby Regal is often the only place in town that shows them (especially French films) and taking those out of the equation doesn't make this financially appealing anymore. I can't conceive of why they would have that exclusion but I guess they must have their reasons.

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cdnchris
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Re: MoviePass and Other Cinema Subscription Services

#524 Post by cdnchris » Thu Aug 08, 2019 11:46 pm

MoviePass changed the passwords of heavy users among other shady practices.

Appears to be a summary of this Business Insider article on their demise, which is behind a pay wall but I'll certainly pony up to read.

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Big Ben
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Re: MoviePass and Other Cinema Subscription Services

#525 Post by Big Ben » Fri Aug 09, 2019 12:18 am

If the Department of Justice is involved then oof. It's fascinating to me that they thought they could do something like that and well, people wouldn't find out.

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