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AMC's pricing becomes better if you take advantage of premium offerings, namely IMAX, Dolby, and 3D options; some tickets will go as high as $20 for a single screening. However, I just find it better to take advantage of their $5 Tuesday Tickets --- there tends to be less people overall, and most movies by then will have passed the opening-weekend-surge.

For me, there seems to be a different psychological effect between AMC's approach ($20/month --- watch LOTs of movies) vs Cinemark's approach ($9* ticket/month). The former feels like I have to force myself to watch 3-4 movies a month just to "break even", while the latter is more "Oh, I can watch a new movie, and pay the same price if I want to watch another".

*Cinemark MovieClub bills you $9/month, which gives you 1 movie credit â" access to regular/premium screenings. Credits roll-over. All subsequent tickets are also $9.

Even $25 is a lot to ask for someone such as myself. We have two national theater chains in the college town where I live, and their prices for tickets are ridiculously cheap. I have a pretty decent entertainment setup, but I can't compete with the big screen. When IMAX tickets are $7.75 each and regular tickets are $4.75 each, why would I choose to pay more for a worse experience?

Admittedly, the value proposition will be a lot different for others, particularly those with larger families, given that the ticket prices here in my town are unusually low (not that I'm complaining!), but regardless of where I live, I'd consider it a non-starter if it costs anything more than COST_OF_TICKET * FAMILY_MEMBERS_WANTING_TO_SEE_FILM. At that point, you're break-even on the cost, so all you're doing is trading the big screen experience for the convenience of watching on your own terms, which may be worth it on occasion.

I don't know about other theater chains but Cinemark actually rents out there theaters for all kind of events

"Host your corporate meeting or private event at Cinemark Theatres nationwide. Deliver your presentation on the big screen in a comfortable Cinemark auditorium.

Lights. Camera. Business. Cinemark Theatres offers an exciting alternative for:

company meetings
private movie screenings
employee reward & recognition
lead generation events
brand and product launches
client appreciation
education and training
award ceremonies
holiday outing"

In College Station, TX, the matinee prices for movies are pretty cheap, too. Two theaters in town:

http://pccmovies.com/theater.php?rtsID=22759
($4.50 matinees)

http://www.cinemark.com/theater_showtimes.asp?theater_id=182
($3.50 matinees)

Parking is free and abundant at both, though driving is somewhat mandatory due to the lack of public transportation and the fact that both theaters are pretty far away from most residential neighborhoods.

Interesting. fair of the NSA asside, here's the link the listing (and ticket prices) of the Cinema which I use (when I do _have_ to go to the Cinema): Cinemark. And aside from the usual, near inevitable, nuisances of being in a Cinema. The screens and large (dare I say huge) and plentiful. And the seats are comfortable. Save for the VIP section however, they do not screen guests - this has not yet been a problem for me. I can only wonder why the significant difference in price.

BTW...a spell checker in the post editing page would be nice

National movie theater chains are starting to show mainstream films on IMAX screens. Regal Cinemas lists a dozen IMAX locations, and Cinemark shows three locations, with 4 more under construction. Sony also has four locations. I know at least some of these theaters are showing mainstream films.

National movie theater chains are starting to show mainstream films on IMAX screens. Regal Cinemas lists a dozen IMAX locations, and Cinemark shows three locations, with 4 more under construction. Sony also has four locations. I know at least some of these theaters are showing mainstream films.

Unfortunately, I have to drive from Mid Michigan all the way to Ohio. Better start planning now :)


Yeah, who would have thought that the Valley View, OH Cinemark would have this capability? Not I, and I've lived in CLeveburg most of my life.

The downside is, if you go the the link, they DO offer advanced ticket sales, but only for confirmed films and showtimes. SWep2 hasn't appeared on their radar yet, apparently, because the website has nothing and they will give me no info on the phone. Come on; it's less than two weeks away!!

-Roger

Unfortunately, I have to drive from Mid Michigan all the way to Ohio. Better start planning now :)


Yeah, who would have thought that the Valley View, OH Cinemark would have this capability? Not I, and I've lived in CLeveburg most of my life.

The downside is, if you go the the link, they DO offer advanced ticket sales, but only for confirmed films and showtimes. SWep2 hasn't appeared on their radar yet, apparently, because the website has nothing and they will give me no info on the phone. Come on; it's less than two weeks away!!

-Roger

I know a guy who works at the local Cinemark, I can have him stick an 802.11b access point hooked to the storage system. Imagine having a perfect digital copy of a movie on Gnutella the same day it's released?

I saw Unbreakable on Thanksgiving night... I got my tickets online from Cinemark. By the time we got there, there was only seats avalible in the very first row, so my neck was a little sore by the end of the movie. For a while it seemed like I was watching the Sixth Sense again... it's quite scarey when the *spoiler* kid took the gun and was going to kill the father... I guess those with kids could really feel my pain. Anyways, the movie was actually pretty good, except for not having shooting and killing terrorists :)