AMC A-List & other theater subscriptions (1 Viewer)

[Josh Steinberg]

If a movie theater chain declines to participate in being a MoviePass theater partner (agreeing to show up in the MP app), oh well. Right? Got to vote with your dollars either way.

Patrick, the point I was making earlier was this: the chains have no choice as to whether or not they show up in the app. Both Regal and AMC have strongly protested MoviePass, but they have no choice but to accept it, because all they're being asked to accept is the purchase of a regular movie ticket at the box office using a MasterCard. Since those chains already take MasterCard, their agreement with the credit card company does not allow them to pick and choose which MasterCards to honor, so MoviePass is being used at their locations against their express wishes.

The movie times and locations show up in the app because MoviePass is able to build an app from data mining freely available information, like the names and locations of theaters and published showtimes.

Again, this is done without the consent of AMC and Regal, who have been rather vocal about their objections to Movie Pass. If AMC or Regal had a way to prevent Movie Pass from working at their locations, they would.

So it has nothing to do with a chain declining to participate, because virtually all of the chains have declined to participate, but are still part of the program nonetheless. That's because, on a technical level, it's not a program - it's the Movie Pass company deciding to shell out for each and every movie ticket at full price on behalf of their subscribers.

That's why it's so strange to me that Movie Pass has decided to classify the Landmark chain as a "luxury" chain on par with IMAX and Dolby Cinema showings, because Landmark does not offer luxury presentations, and at least in my neighborhood, charges the same admission that other neighborhood theaters do. They show standard 2D DCPs on standard sized screens, in regular auditoriums, without premium amenities - which is exactly what Movie Pass says its good for.

 

[Patrick Sun]

Ah, well, then it's only a matter of time if enough people bitch to MP about those theater chains not showing up.

 

[Patrick Sun]

I'mma gonna ride the wave for as long as it lasts. This business model can't last forever (without some correction in price for the MoviePass customer base).

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I'mma gonna ride the wave for as long as it lasts. This business model can't last forever (without some correction in price for the MoviePass customer base).

They've stated that they've raised money with the idea that they will operate at a loss for about two years (I think that's the timeframe they stated) subsidizing the program. When that period ends, it's their intention to go back to the theater chains and say, "Movie Pass customers amounted to X percentage of your revenue over the past two years. We will no longer subsidize those purchases. Either partner up with us and subsidize our losses, or those customers may never return to the movies again now that they've gotten used to $10 a month." They've literally said that that is their plan. The major theater chains have all stated that they have absolutely no intention of partnering with Movie Pass now or in the future.

Essentially, the Movie Pass company is saying to theaters, "We think you charge too much for your product. We're going to buy your product at full price and resell it to our customers at a loss to get them used to paying the price that we think your product is worth, and once we've gotten them used to that lower price, it will be up to you to figure out how to keep them as customers."

On the one hand, I am currently benefiting greatly from Movie Pass - where I live, a standard 2D-only admission ticket is $16.50 - $17.50 depending on the theater, so the monthly cost of MP is almost half the price of a single movie ticket. Even if I use it only 8 times a year, I've saved money over the cost of buying tickets at the box office the old fashioned way. But I don't see how it's sustainable. Ultimately, changing theater revenue from high cost pay-per-view admissions to low cost subscriptions will result in less money at the box office overall, and that will surely affect what kind of films get made. Why would Disney, for example, continue to spend $200 million producing their tentpoles if in the future, the most anyone pays is $10 a month for unlimited viewings? In the past month, I have spent about $80 on tickets to Disney-financed films. If the entire industry switches to the MoviePass model, instead of generating $80 in revenue from me, the studio and theaters would have gotten a mere $10 out of me. I don't see how that's good for the industry as a whole.

Maybe I'm a hypocrite. On one hand, I think it's bad for the industry, but on the other hand, it's good for me as a customer. If Movie Pass is going to exist regardless of what I think or what the theater chains think, why should I spend more when everyone else is spending less?

 

[benbess]

Now that I've thought about it some more, I'd say that there was some grade inflation in my rating of The Commuter. It's really a "B" movie that doesn't quite rate a plus at the end....

 

[Patrick Sun]

I'm just treating MP like I found a Golden Ticket, and don't over-think it. If MP goes under after 2 years, so be it. The theaters should be grateful for the extra concession sales for these 2 years, but if no more MP, and that affects movie attendance, it just means they were on a bubble for a while, and will have to deal with less ticket sales afterwards, and less concession sales too.

And yes, without MP, I'd be looking to stretch my movie-going $$$ with more early morning showings at AMC for $6 vs, just MP'ing an evening showing of the same movie for $14-$16. It's basically shifted my movie-going times, as well as the amount of product I'm consuming from Hollywood, but if MP went away, I go back to my old patterns, see less movies, and not too many in the evenings.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I do hope that MP leads to some improvements in the theater business, even if MP doesn't survive long enough to get credit for them.

I think probably $9.99 a month (or $90 a year, which is also a plan they offered) undervalues the moviegoing experience. But I think the $16.50-$17.50 that's my local theaters charge per ticket is also outrageous and unsustainable. They go up a little bit every few months so there appears to be no end in sight on that front. I know that Disney is experimenting with charging $30-40 for opening night tickets too, which I also don't think is the answer.

I hope that one day, everyone, from studios to theater chains to potential third parties with new ideas, can get together and find some sort of sustainable middle ground that's customer friendly without being antagonistic to the exhibitors and content creators.

 

[benbess]

My mp movie today was Call Me By Your Name. Liked it a lot. "A-"

 

[Doug Wallen]

Our MoviePass today was I, Tonya. Excellent film, really liked it.

 

[Wayne_j]

Today's MP film was Paddington 2. It was a truly delightful film.

 

[Patrick Sun]

Seriously, while in awards season, and being able to catch up on nominated films in the middle of the week, and not have to shell out night time movie ticket prices? Amazing!

A repost of my thoughts for this film:

Thanks to #MoviePass I’m caught up on the Best Picture nominees for the Oscars. Last movie was “Call Me By Your Name”. It sneaks up on you and hits you in the feels by the end of the film. Belongs on the list of nominees for Best Picture.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Today, I used MP to watch Proud Mary. Thank God!

 

[Doug Wallen]

Today my wife and I watched The Greatest Showman again. Surprised and pleased to see this one hanging around. Still a fun time.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Today my wife and I watched The Greatest Showman again. Surprised and pleased to see this one hanging around. Still a fun time.

Next week I'm going to try to see it for the third and final time in a movie theater using MP. If my siblings knew I watched a musical three times in a movie theater, they wouldn't believe it.

 

[Jason_V]

Movie Pass has apparently removed some previously available theaters. My closest theater was removed (an AMC) but the second closest one and the more expensive Cinebarre and Regal are both available.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I'm still seeing AMC in my app (NYC) ... maybe a glitch or perhaps their data mining algorithm missed the listings?

 

[Jason_V]

Per Deadline:

MoviePass No Longer Covering Certain AMC Theatre Locations

 

[Josh Steinberg]

AMC Empire 25 is one of my most attended theaters. If it's not going to work there, the program's value substantially declines for me.

 

[Wayne_j]

From the deadline article:

Note, MoviePass doesn’t cover ArcLight Cinemas, Landmark Theateres or iPic, and that doesn’t have to do with the exhibitor, but largely the high ticket price point of these theaters, and what MoviePass is willing to cover.

This is what I mentioned a week or two ago here. The strange thing is that my local Landmark is cheaper than Regal.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

This is what I mentioned a week or two ago here. The strange thing is that my local Landmark is cheaper than Regal.

Same here. And the AMC Empire 25 charges $16.40 a ticket, which is the same as other AMCs in the neighborhood that it still works at. And the Regal across the street from that specific AMC charges $17.15, and they do offer tickets there still. It's rather strange.