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MoviePass' Low Subscription Price Just Got Lower (hollywoodreporter.com)

In a move to lure new subscribers, MoviePass has dropped the price of its monthly subscription service from about $10 per month to just under $7. From a report: The company said for $6.95 per month, new subscribers will get one movie ticket per day, a minor catch being that users must pay for a year up-front. There is also a one-time $6.55 processing fee. It's the umpteenth time that MoviePass has changed its price since launching six years ago at $40 per month (before raising it to $50), most significantly eight months ago when it was cut to just $9.95. The change had the desired effect, as subscribers swelled from 20,000 then to nearly 3 million today. Still, MoviePass is not without its critics, as some theater chains -- most notably AMC -- have criticized the service for allegedly cheapening the moviegoing experience. Also, industry executives worry that MoviePass cannot survive (it pays mostly full price for the movie tickets its subscribers use) and wonder if users that are left in the lurch when it folds will ever want to pay $9 (the average price in the U.S.) per ticket again.

96 comments

  1. Not Interested by registrations_suck · · Score: 0

    Still not interested. Even if you lower your price all the way to zero.

    Now, what I WOULD be interested in is a subscription service that let me watch movies on the day of release AT HOME. That would actually have some value to me.

    1. Re:Not Interested by OffTheLip · · Score: 0

      It's happening, albeit slowly. Dinosaurs feared extinction too.

    2. Re:Not Interested by omnichad · · Score: 1

      If you're rich, you already can: https://www.engadget.com/2013/...

    3. Re:Not Interested by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      ^^^^^THIS, times a million.

      (JustAnotherOldGuy posting anon from work for obvious reasons)

      I would pay a reasonable amount to get current movies at home. They wouldn't even have to be "first day", I'd be happy with "first week" or "first month".

      Frankly, the go-out-to-a-movie experience has turned to shit in general. The theater is crowded, noisy, and smelly, seating is an annoying free-for-all, and there are way too many people talking, screwing around, and behaving like assholes. They mindlessly RUIN any chance of being able to enjoy the movie. I don't give a shit about your date with Miranda or what your dickhead boss said at work, just shut the fuck up.

      Fuck that, I'd MUCH MUCH MUCH rather watch a movie at home. It's quieter, more comfortable, snacks are of my choosing, bathrooms are close by, and I can pause the movie whenever I want in case I feel like it. And, best of all, after it's over I don't have to drive home- I'm already there.

    4. Re:Not Interested by registrations_suck · · Score: 1

      If I were rich, I wouldn't bother watching movies at all.

    5. Re:Not Interested by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I started going to the movies again because of moviepass. It has allowed me to remember how annoying people at the theater can be. Even if everyone has their cellphones quieted, they still talk to one another when I'm trying to listen to the movie. Also, the snack prices are all more than I paid to see the movie. So I have a strong incentive to eat beforehand and NEVER eat movie popcorn/candy/sodas. If something happens in a movie, someone will yell out: "Hah!" It's more annoying than you might think. I'm not sure I will renew for the next month. (I used the phone app which allowed a monthly subscription instead of annual.)

    6. Re:Not Interested by registrations_suck · · Score: 1

      At home, I have a screen, stereo, a remote with a pause button, quiet environment, suitable lighting, food, drinks, free parking, proximity to the spawn of my loins and distance from inconsiderate assholes - everything I need for a good movie experience EXCEPT the fucking movie. That is ALL I require. That's ALL I am interested in paying for.

      If I could get "once per day" or even "once per week" access to current run movies, I'd gladly pay for that. A year in advance too.

    7. Re: Not Interested by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      You'll eventually get what you're looking for, which makes me very sad. It will kill theaters. And the internet has already killed almost every other reason to ever leave your house.

      I like going to the theater. I like that it's not my house. I like it even though conditions aren't perfect.

      I don't want to try to stop you from achieving your dream of watching movies on your couch sooner. I hope it makes you happy when you inevitably get it. It just makes me terribly sad.

    8. Re:Not Interested by R3d+M3rcury · · Score: 1

      Frankly, the go-out-to-a-movie experience has turned to shit in general.

      Maybe you should consider a different theater.

      I went and saw a movie a few months ago. The theater was crowded--sold out, in fact--but I had a reserved seat. It was a nice comfy lounge chair. It wasn't particularly noisy or smelly.

      So I'm not sure what theater you're going to, but perhaps you should consider going to a different one.

    9. Re: Not Interested by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Why do you need an excuse to leave the house? Just leave the house if you feel like leaving the house.

      I walk down the beach every morning. I don't have to, I just do.

    10. Re:Not Interested by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I just watch films as they get home releases. I don't have any need to watch them the instant they hit theatres.

      "New" just means "new to me". I don't give a shit when other people watch them.

    11. Re:Not Interested by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Paul Bond is uneducated. The title of the article should correctly be "MoviePass's Low Subscription Price Just Got Lower", because MoviePass is singular.

      "That is Jones's car." vs "That is the Jones' car."

    12. Re:Not Interested by jenningsthecat · · Score: 1

      I just watch films as they get home releases. I don't have any need to watch them the instant they hit theatres.

      "New" just means "new to me". I don't give a shit when other people watch them.

      On the whole I totally agree, but I can see why others don't. Watching a blockbuster, (or even just a reasonably popular movie), close to its release, means there are friends and co-workers that you can talk to about the flick while it's still fresh in everybody's minds. Plus, you're less likely to hear spoilers.

      I think cinemas as we've known them are pretty much in their death throes anyway. I suspect that within a decade, new movies will be available for home viewing either immediately, or within a week or two of release. Obviously, the former will happen if cinemas are dead by then. The latter will apply to any cinemas that might remain, because box-office receipts will fall off very quickly after opening day. In that situation maintaining an exclusive won't help the theatres much, but probably will reduce the movie's total take significantly.

      --
      'The Economy' is a giant Ponzi scheme whose most pitiable suckers are the youngest among us and the yet-unborn.
    13. Re:Not Interested by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I watch films with friends at home, so we would get the same benefit if we wanted to. In reality we never really talk about the films that we watch. We're all intelligent enough to understand them simply by watching, we don't need to discuss them.

      Spoilers are easy to avoid, if those sorts of things bother you. Fortunately, they don't bother me nor do they detract from my experience watching a film.

    14. Re:Not Interested by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 1

      It was a nice comfy lounge chair.

      So? I have that at home, but without someone else's boogers.

      I don't see the appeal of movie theaters. I would much rather wait until I can rent it for $3.99 for the whole family on Amazon Video.

      My wife is less patient, and has TWO MoviePass cards. She goes to see at least one movie a week, and takes along one of the kids, or a friend, or sometimes me. So they are losing a lot of money on her. She is paying $20 for the two cards, and (according to TFA) MoviePass is paying the theaters $80 to $100 per month. Unless my wife is very atypical, I don't see how they can stay in business.

    15. Re:Not Interested by tattood · · Score: 1

      I don't see how they can stay in business.

      Because they will sell the data that they collect from you to other companies that want the data. Much like with Facebook and Google, YOU (and the data about you) are the product, and the customer is the other companies buying that data from MoviePass.

      --
      WTB [sig], PST!!!
  2. cheapening the moviegoing experience by fahrbot-bot · · Score: 2, Insightful

    ... as some theater chains -- most notably AMC -- have criticized the service for allegedly cheapening the moviegoing experience.

    Funniest thing I've read all week. Thanks AMC, et al.

    --
    It must have been something you assimilated. . . .
    1. Re:cheapening the moviegoing experience by John+Napkintosh · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I think AMC overestimates the desirability of the movie-going experience. In reality, they should be happy that it's actually causing people to come to their bullshit establishment in the first place. They're going to charge moviepass whatever they want to charge, and cheaper ticket prices are actually likely to increase the amount of money cheap-asses like me are willing to spend on concessions.

      Sorry movie stars - the fact that you demand $20million+ dollars to run around and pew-pew bad buys is one of the reasons why movies cost so much. Sorry movie studios - your unwillingness to take a risk on unproven concepts because you feel some need to spend $100million+ on a moive because insist on making $200million+ at the box office is the other reason why movies cost so much. Unfuck your brains and maybe the struggling middle class can take a family to Redundant Action Shooter Part 14 without spending nearly $200 for the "luxury".

      --

      Long signatures suck.
    2. Re:cheapening the moviegoing experience by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      The hundreds of millions of dollars in special effects and marketing probably plays a role.

  3. Cheaper than Netflix. by b0s0z0ku · · Score: 1

    That's basically cheaper than Netflix and on a better screen. Also, if the app is on a shared smartphone, that's one movie per day for any member of a family or set of roomies.

    1. Re:Cheaper than Netflix. by fahrbot-bot · · Score: 2

      That's basically cheaper than Netflix and on a better screen.

      Sure, but with Netflix you can watch movies in your jammies and eat your own food. (And the floors are probably way less sticky - unless you have kids.)

      Okay, okay. You could probably do that at a theater too, but it could be problematic ...

      "One day I was kicked out of a movie theater for bringing my own food, so I said: 'C'mon the prices for the food here are outrageous... and besides I haven't had a barbeque in a long time...' " - Steven Wright

      --
      It must have been something you assimilated. . . .
    2. Re:Cheaper than Netflix. by b0s0z0ku · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Sneaking food/booze into a theater is basically trivial.

    3. Re:Cheaper than Netflix. by AvitarX · · Score: 3, Insightful

      You get a special credit card they fund with the exact price of the movie when you want to go.

      Unless you clone it, and it's not chipped, you won't be able to share it as easily as you imply.

      --
      Wow, sent an e-mail as suggested when clicking on "use classic" banner, and got a fast response that addressed my msg
    4. Re:Cheaper than Netflix. by b0s0z0ku · · Score: 1

      You need two things - (1) a phone and (2) the card. Both of which can be passed around between roommates depending on which one wants to go on which day.

    5. Re:Cheaper than Netflix. by sexconker · · Score: 1

      That's basically cheaper than Netflix and on a better screen. Also, if the app is on a shared smartphone, that's one movie per day for any member of a family or set of roomies.

      A bigger screen, sure. But no projection screen outside of a true IMAX theatre is going to be better than my direct view OLED. And I can't even tell you where the closest, true IMAX theater is, let alone what movies are available to watch on it.

    6. Re:Cheaper than Netflix. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They track where you go and what you do before and after the movie. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

      To use this app, you basically give them more info about you than your doctor, therapist, and the IRS combined.

    7. Re:Cheaper than Netflix. by b0s0z0ku · · Score: 2

      Stick it on a secondary phone with a cheap data plan, only allow it to run just before the movie.

    8. Re:Cheaper than Netflix. by Arkham · · Score: 3, Interesting

      They track where you go and what you do before and after the movie. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

      To use this app, you basically give them more info about you than your doctor, therapist, and the IRS combined.

      Turn off background refresh for their app, and they can't track anything when the app isn't running (on iOS at least). I did this 30s after I installed it.

      --
      - Vincit qui patitur.
    9. Re:Cheaper than Netflix. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Too bad Netflix's library dwindles each year

    10. Re:Cheaper than Netflix. by silas_moeckel · · Score: 0

      Because no movie theater has online ticket purchasing with saved CC into?

      --
      No sir I dont like it.
    11. Re:Cheaper than Netflix. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      MP won't activate the card until the phone is within 100 yards of the theater and won't cover any online purchasing fees.

    12. Re:Cheaper than Netflix. by Samurai+Nigel · · Score: 1

      Bigger != Better.

      My movie screen comes with the comfort of my couch, the convenience of pausing the movie for bathroom breaks, and the low-cost of my own store-bought food.

    13. Re:Cheaper than Netflix. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      if you're going to that much effort to defraud a company.

      why not just pirate? its easier.

    14. Re:Cheaper than Netflix. by MDMurphy · · Score: 2

      When I read that I disabled the app's access to location. If I try to run it it fails since it can't tell where it is. When I get to the theater I'll enable location and turn it back off from inside the theater.

    15. Re:Cheaper than Netflix. by MDMurphy · · Score: 2

      The other thing is you can only see each movie once, at least according to the agreement. I haven't tried to see if I told it I was seeing movie A when really bought a ticket for identically priced movie B.

    16. Re:Cheaper than Netflix. by Binestar · · Score: 1

      The other thing is you can only see each movie once, at least according to the agreement.

      Old info, this is no longer true. You can now see the same movie multiple times.

      --
      Do you Gentoo!?
    17. Re:Cheaper than Netflix. by Maxo-Texas · · Score: 1

      Well, first. yes.

      Second, the app is tied to a particular name and debit card and you can't load it until you are within a couple hundred feet of the theater.

      Third, Their sites and app didn't work for me when I tried to sign up a couple weeks ago.

      Fourth, it really is starting to sound "too good to be true". How can they charge $7 a month and offer a service that costs up to about $300 a month?

      Something smells. But I guess if you use it 10 times really fast when you first get it, then anything after that is gravy.

      --
      She was like chocolate when she drank... semi-sweet at first and then increasingly bitter.
    18. Re:Cheaper than Netflix. by dkcs · · Score: 1

      The card isn't chipped yet... Many theaters are starting to ask for ID now when you go to use the card to match your name to the card. You aren't given a pin to use so you have to run the card as a credit card so good luck to those sharing a card unless they can find a theater that won't ask for ID on an unchipped card.

    19. Re:Cheaper than Netflix. by AvitarX · · Score: 1

      Isn't that a violation of their merchant contract?

      https://www.creditcards.com/cr...

      --
      Wow, sent an e-mail as suggested when clicking on "use classic" banner, and got a fast response that addressed my msg
    20. Re:Cheaper than Netflix. by dkcs · · Score: 1

      Sure, merchants aren't supposed to ask but not many people are going to stand there every day and make a stink about it just to get into a movie so most comply. For those that want to take a stand, the card rule applies only to cards that were properly signed when received from the issuing bank. The merchant can run the card and ask for your signature on the receipt (these aren't chip pin based cards) and then compare your signature to the one on the back of the card. Additionally, MP has recent assembled a loss prevention department to handle the massive amount of fraudulent uses of MP cards. They are cracking down and canceling accounts if they even slightly believe one is violating the terms of service. As part of this initiative, MP is requiring some users to take a picture of their ticket stub and submit it through the app to verify the card was used to purchase a valid movie ticket. I would be very careful about sharing an account...

    21. Re:Cheaper than Netflix. by geoscodin · · Score: 1

      Not the exact price. They put more on the card, which expires after 30 minutes. I assume they do that so they don't have to keep track of individual cinemas' prices which can vary throughout the the day. Theater employees suggested a friend of mine use the excess for his wife, which cut her price in half. When I go alone they suggested he use the excess toward concessions. He complied and MoviePass revoked his account for what they claimed was using the card to see 3D movies (only regular 2D movies are covered by tye plan). They suggest it to me, too, so I obviously decline. I do see 2-4 movies per month now instead of 2-4 per year.

    22. Re:Cheaper than Netflix. by geoscodin · · Score: 1

      One movie per calendar day. My wife has seen The Greatest Showman 5 times using her account. A woman in line one day told me it's actually one movie per 24 hours, so when she went back the next morning she was declined, even though the terms say per calendar day. I haven't tested that.

  4. It's not mainly about movie ticket prices by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 2

    It's about having enough movies worth watching at all.

    --
    #DeleteFacebook
    1. Re:It's not mainly about movie ticket prices by b0s0z0ku · · Score: 0

      Hollywood puts out a lot of overproduced junk with too many special effects. Go to an independent film festival for more interesting movies.

    2. Re:It's not mainly about movie ticket prices by Trailer+Trash · · Score: 1

      It's about having enough movies worth watching at all.

      That's my thought. It's overpriced. I watch every single movie I want to in the theater, which means I was there last year one time.

    3. Re:It's not mainly about movie ticket prices by torkus · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Oh no, something that you aren't the intended audience for! Their business must immediately fail.

      For as many cranky people on here that want to cry about 'omg no good movies' and 'wtf stupid overpriced popcorn' or 'way more comfy at home' there are plenty (literally millions) who have already eagerly signed up for this service.

      They like at least one movie a month enough to go see it. They either don't buy overpriced snacks or don't care (booze in a bar is 'overpriced' too). They actually enjoy leaving their houses for the larger screen, better sound, etc.

      Plus, moviepass works in theatres playing indie films depending on your area. And...while some movies I wouldn't pay full NYC price to see I also don't mind popping in on a free afternoon to watch when there's no cost to do so...and if it's horrible I can just leave. ...but I'll get off your lawn now sir. Very sorry to have stepped on your grass.

      --
      You can get rich if you own a politician, but you have to be rich to buy one in the first place.
    4. Re:It's not mainly about movie ticket prices by Scoth · · Score: 1

      I don't disagree, but at that pricepoint I'd be a lot more willing to see all kinds of movies that I wouldn't otherwise pony up for. Basically zero risk at that point - if I'm not enjoying a movie I can get up and leave without feeling like I've thrown away a lot of money.

    5. Re:It's not mainly about movie ticket prices by registrations_suck · · Score: 2

      That's all fine and dandy - but what about the millions who do NOT fall into the group you mention? That's a rich market - why ignore it? Why not make a product for THEM too? It doesn't HAVE to be either/or.

      I don't understand why the studios don't pursue the opportunity to make more profit for themselves. Charge me $15 to see a new release movie and keep ALL of it for yourself. Allow the usual suspects (Apple, Amazon, Netflix) to distribute it with a $2 markup for themselves. I'll pay $17 for that. Easily. Hell, I'd pay $20.

      Do that AND continuing distributing movies to theaters for people who want the obnoxious "social" atmosphere of movie going. Everybody wins!

    6. Re:It's not mainly about movie ticket prices by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's about having enough movies worth watching at all.

      Your post subject is correct but conclusion wrong. Its about tracking moviegoers and logging their activity before and after a movie when they are highly likely to spend more money than on the original ticket price!

      *Movie Pass Alert* We hope you liked Phantom Thread and we've noticed fashion conscious moviegoers such as yourself don't buy popcorn so you must be hungry. Here is a coupon for nearby health conscious restaurants since our stitchfix partnership indicates you are trying to lose weight.

    7. Re:It's not mainly about movie ticket prices by Uberbah · · Score: 1, Offtopic

      That's all fine and dandy - but what about the millions who do NOT fall into the group you mention?

      So what about the millions of people who don't buy cars from Honda, or vehicles at all? Does that mean Honda has a failed business model?

    8. Re:It's not mainly about movie ticket prices by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Wrong. The overpriced junk doesn't have too many special effects. It has too much reliance on one special effect - CGI everything.

    9. Re:It's not mainly about movie ticket prices by jbn-o · · Score: 1

      For me too, it's not mainly about movie ticket prices. It's about the horrible and long-lasting legislation corporate movie makers lobby for and the adverse effect on the public (unnecessary and unhelpful copyright term extension made worse by making it retroactive, for instance). I don't want to fund that, so I don't.

      And I also don't agree with Americans who downplay or criticize connecting what they're paying to see with that legislation as if the two are somehow unrelated. It wasn't long ago that the same 'history begins now' kind of thinking led people to think having a Facebook page was de rigeur but now it's in vogue to get rid of one's Facebook page because of the horrible ways Facebook treated people and Facebook users are coming around to seeing that. So things pitched as "inevitable" or "necessary" are sometimes soon exposed as bullshit. Sometimes seeing through the PR happens later.

    10. Re: It's not mainly about movie ticket prices by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No, it means there are millions of people out there Honda isnâ(TM)t reaching - and it would do well to find a way to do so.

      FWIW, I never said MoviePass has a failed business model. I just said Iâ(TM)m not interested in their product. Then I went on to describe a related product that I WOULD be interested in. Does that distress you?

    11. Re: It's not mainly about movie ticket prices by Uberbah · · Score: 1

      Does that distress you?

      I've never used Move Pass so that would be a hard nope. The willful obtuseness that other members of my species is a bit worrisome, though. You do you know that expecting a company to be all things to all people is a farce of a proposition, yes?

    12. Re: It's not mainly about movie ticket prices by registrations_suck · · Score: 1

      I never suggested a company should be all things to all people. All I suggested is that they not be quote so narrow-minded.

      Same could be said for some Slashdot posters.

  5. MoviePass = Data Mining by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Hilarious indeed. I'm all for slashing prices, but the downside is MoviePass makes this all work by data mining.

  6. Is MoviePasses goal actually movies? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    How the article concluded stating they are not sure how MoviePass will survive. Perhaps they have no intention of surviving? They have stated what their app does (mining data) but of course it is to "improve the movie experience" if you believe that rhetoric. I am left wondering if MoviePass is actually just the tasty bait they are putting in the trap. Where their real goal is to quietly sell the user data to earn their winnings.

    1. Re:Is MoviePasses goal actually movies? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They also have started "MoviePass Ventures" acquiring smaller films (or portions of) for release. Not only that but when they advertise a film within their app to the user they receive a kickback from the distributor/producer (around $2 for some) of the film and they are trying to leverage a portion of the ticket back from the theaters (currently they have partnerships with Movie Studio Grill and some other smaller chains). I think we will hear more Monday after hours.

  7. More like 90$/yr [$7.50/mo] by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    There's an additional service fee and taxes and such.

    1. Re:More like 90$/yr [$7.50/mo] by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Still, $90/year for 365 movies comes out to $0.25/movie if you were to go to the cinema once a day. Even assuming you only find one movie per month worth watching (I'll be generous), that's still $7.50 per ticket, which is still cheaper than most movie theaters on matinees.

    2. Re:More like 90$/yr [$7.50/mo] by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Who are you trying to talk to? Are you trying to show off what you learned in algebra 1?

  8. Can you say... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Pyramid scheme?

    Sure, I knew you could!

    1. Re:Can you say... by The+New+Guy+2.0 · · Score: 1

      I don't think this is a chain letter, it's an offer that is too easily schemed against. It's to easy for the customer getting more service than they paid for, so I expect this to go bankrupt mid-year for most users. That's exactly what happened to MyGallons, a gas price hedging club.

  9. Wished it would have worked by swirlingbrain · · Score: 2

    For four months in a row, the app would not let me reserve a movie. Any tickets I purchased outside the app were not reimbursed. When trying to contact customer service, they never responded. So why pay for both a moviepass subscription and for movies, so for me it cost double so I cancelled. Oh well, I wished it would have worked.

  10. The real issue by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    The real issue is will they be around in a year? I might do this, but you better believe I'm going to try and recoup my yearly fee ASAP.

    1. Re:The real issue by AvitarX · · Score: 1

      I bet they will, I can imagine tons of people will use it the first couple months, the stoop.

      They got their full year, plus float.

      --
      Wow, sent an e-mail as suggested when clicking on "use classic" banner, and got a fast response that addressed my msg
    2. Re:The real issue by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      dude you're totally going to screw disney by seeing avengers like eleventeen times with these discount tickets

  11. Would you rather have piracy? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Would you like a "cheapened" movie experience or piracy? And a "cheap" experience still has to pay for food, taxi fare, taking a night out when I could be at home watching in my comfortable chair without crying babies.

  12. Not for me by sremick · · Score: 0

    Still not sure how much I'd pay for:

    - PITA drive, parking
    - Dirty theater with crap all over the floor and seats
    - Being surrounded by inconsiderate complete strangers who talk through the movie
    - Distractions from all the flowing smartphones from people texting during the movie
    - The "privilege" of buying bad food that costs 10X what it should
    - Not being able to drink alcohol (yes, I know SOME theaters allow this, but not many)
    - Not being able to pause the movie to use the bathroom

    1. Re:Not for me by b0s0z0ku · · Score: 1

      If you have to pay for parking, it's generally in a downtown area where you can walk. Booze = easy enough to sneak into a theater. Flasks exist that fit in a pocket and once the lights are off, who's the wiser?

    2. Re:Not for me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Flasks exist that fit in a pocket and once the lights are off, who's the wiser?

      The theater employee who's watching the audience through infrared goggles. Although they're mainly concerned about piracy, not drinking.

    3. Re:Not for me by b0s0z0ku · · Score: 1

      Yeah, they don't care about booze, especialy if you pour your flask into a soda container post factum...

    4. Re: Not for me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And how do they know you're drinking a rum and coke out of a diet coke PET and not the diet coke that was sold with the bottle? You need a breathalyzer. Just drink your alcohol at the theater; as long as you act normally, nobody will know.

    5. Re:Not for me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      once the lights are off, who's the wiser?

      The cop that later pulls you over for a DUI (assuming you drove to the theater).

    6. Re:Not for me by PrimaryConsult · · Score: 1

      The only places at the local mall open past 10PM are bars and the movie theater. The mall itself is in a different town than most of the surrounding roads, so the (very bored) town cops will wait at the town line and nab DUIs all night - it would be hilarious if one of those caught had come out of a movie rather than a bar. There's no excuse to drive drunk: the city buses run past midnight, the mall has a taxi stand, and overnight parking is allowed (so they can leave their car without fear of ticketing). Yet every night without fail there's at least one driver caught.

  13. And the price of popcorn is THROUGH THE ROOF! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So I bring my own. And beer. Got deeeeep pockets!

  14. Not applicable for the capital ... by AKCoder · · Score: 1

    I would be interested. However, they are not accepted at -any- theaters here in the capital of Alaska. Go figure.

    --
    I do not respond to trolls (AKA Anonymous Cowards)
  15. $9 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    By the time I pay for myself, wife and child plus drinks and snacks I'm over $50. I can buy the blu-ray for $20 or the 4K blu-ray for $30. These days I just wait for the Red Box release, which lowers my cost to $2 for the family, plus whatever lesser price snacks we have at home. $6 for a bottle of water is ridiculous. Plus we can pause if we have to use the bathroom, and we don't have to listen to people talking, hear ringing phones, or see the lights from their phones.

    Maybe if they did cheapen the server, I may consider going more often again.

    1. Re:$9 by The+New+Guy+2.0 · · Score: 1

      With 4K TVs getting cheap, and BluRay now competing with the likes of NetFlix, Amazon Prime movies, and cable on-demand, theaters are no longer the only way to see a high-quality movie. I expect ticket prices to sink soon.

    2. Re:$9 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And expect the cost at home to rise. If they aren't making money in theaters, they will make money somewhere else. These are studio execs we are talking about. They want their money! Think of the ACTORS!

  16. Smaller than Netflix too by Joviex · · Score: 1

    Too bad Netflix's library dwindles each year

    Too bad a theatre can only show a dozen movies versus the thousands at Netflix, regardless of a "shrinking" library.

    lol.

  17. Still to high by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    That's $7 a month more than I currently spend on going to movie theaters.

  18. i don't want to pay the 9 dollar ticket price..NOW by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    9 bucks for a ticket. times 2. 18 bucks. i dunno where tfs found 9 dollar tickets, but we'll go with that. they're higher here.

    5 bucks for a kid's ticket. times 3. 15 bucks

    5 bucks for snacks. times 5. 25 bucks. because bringing your own isn't allowed.

    transit tickets to and from. 8 bucks. about the same as gas and parking to drive. yes. paying to park at or near a theatre is a thing.

    price to take the family to a movie. 66 bucks.

    66 bucks... for one movie. and you're still annoyed by morons with their phones or who don't know how to shut the fuck up during it.

    66 bucks pays for either an entire month of home internet or a 'basic' cable or satellite package 50-100 channels (no premiums)... OR it can pay for a single movie in a theatre for one family of five.

  19. Too good to be true by The+New+Guy+2.0 · · Score: 1

    Seems to cheap here. They must be betting that 6/7 of the tickets promised go unused. If they have to pay the theater the full price of the ticket, how are they making money? This seems like MyGallons getting scammed in to the way of bankruptcy.

    1. Re:Too good to be true by PrimaryConsult · · Score: 1

      Subscribers get a debit card from them and they have access to smartphone location data. They're getting their RoI on the info they gather from their subscribers. While the average slashdotter is smart enough to work around this (burner phone with data plan, or various phone configuration settings, etc) most users will blissfully turn that over without a second thought.

  20. Re:i don't want to pay the 9 dollar ticket price.. by The+New+Guy+2.0 · · Score: 1

    One ticket per day sounds like a reasonable limit equating to "unlimited"... with the prices you pay for getting there the limiter from redeeming the ticket every day.

  21. Slashvertisement by rsilvergun · · Score: 1

    Could you be a little less obvious about it. e.g. run with a title like "Moviepass slashes subscription fee on lower subscriber numbers" or something? This reads like the copy submitted by the company's marketing director, which is probably is.

    --
    Hi! I make Firefox Plug-ins. Check 'em out @ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/youtube-mp3-podcaster/
  22. Less dodgy discount programs out there by PrimaryConsult · · Score: 1

    For this one you're giving this company a lot of personal info in exchange for the "free" movie ticket.

    On the very rare occasion I actually want to see a movie (which has never been more than once in a month), I'll buy the tickets through the union for $6 each. Since I can buy more than one at that rate, I'm not stuck convincing my buddies to pay 2-3x more than I am to go out to a movie. College students and employees can get similar deals through student associations and the like. People just have to actually look for these deals, they won't be advertised on Slashdot.

  23. keep going lower! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    When you start paying me $25 i might go see a movie. maybe.

  24. How disconnected they are... by Draeconix · · Score: 1

    "and wonder if users that are left in the lurch when it folds will ever want to pay $9 (the average price in the U.S.) per ticket again" We don't want to pay $9 in the first place! In my area the average movie price is $13 so we are above average. I would gladly pay $9 instead of $13 but I still didn't like the price increase in my area. We went from $5 to $7 to $9 to $13 over the last 10 years or so. Also, how can a subscription service cheapen the "movie experience"? For me the movie experience is linked to the quality of the theater not the cost of a ticket or even how I acquired the ticket, unless of course the movie sucked, then the cost of the ticket weighs quite heavily in my mind. For the most part the only movies I go see in theaters any more are those that benefit from a large screen. Sweeping epics (Dunkirk), Science Fiction (Star Wars, Star Trek), Action Movies (MCU). Most everything else I wait for DVD and Netflix.

  25. access to data and location at anytime to save $1. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    https://nypost.com/2018/03/06/moviepass-ceo-admits-that-his-company-creepily-tracks-where-users-go/

    why would anyone want yet another app snarfing and selling data for that price? they most likely subsidize the ticket sales by selling everything they can collect about users.

  26. Seeing a bit of this in Australia, sort of. by AbRASiON · · Score: 1

    Seeing deals to get movie tickets sub $12 / $10 and even $8 AUD (10 / 8 / 6$ US) per ticket.

    Mind you, it's a deal thing, sometimes it excludes one or two top end films, also if you go to I dunno, say an 8:30 session and it's playing in the 'Deluxe' room with better seats, you're forced to pay a $2 upgrade fee on the tickets (Etc)

    That being said, they do seem desperate to get people in seats. I've also heard a lot of cinemas took a beating on Star Wars TLJ paraphenalia, big time. Ours has been selling excess cups / water bottles from Star Wars for ages, the product isn't moving.

    Mind you, if you just walk in off the street and pay for the movies it's still going to be nearly $20 US a ticket unplanned. It ain't cheap here.

    I'm guessing movie theatres aren't getting butts in seats, maybe people are finally sick of comic book movies.

  27. WTF by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Free movies â"â"â"â"â"â" WHF

  28. WTF by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Fuck you & Your horse too!

  29. If it weren't for AMC we would not be going by Blinkin1200 · · Score: 1

    If it weren't for AMC we would not be going to the movies. We like the advanced seat selection. If the seats we want are not available, then it is no big deal. We just pick a different time and maybe date. We have two AMC theaters close to us. One is actually better than the other with more comfortable seats. That's the theater we prefer. We don't have to rush. We know where we are going to sit before we leave the house. I don't care for the Prime viewings as it seems to be nothing more than AMC LOUD, but that's just me. Their Stubs membership has paid for itself in the transaction fees we haven't paid.

    With the recent stories regarding the tracking the MoviePass app performs, I don't need them running down the battery in my phone, or consuming my data.

  30. you are the product by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    the actual movies are a break-even (or even minor-loss) proposition.
    the real product is data, which is being used for advertising purposes
    https://techcrunch.com/2018/03/05/moviepass-ceo-proudly-says-the-app-tracks-your-location-before-and-after-movies/