A subscription to MoviePass enables avid moviegoers to attend movie theaters for under $10 a month. Subscribers explain how the service enables them to save money, but how new rules and regulations have changed the way the subscription works.
MoviePass underwent some serious financial distress in the last month, leading to the company changing their pricing and plans. According to a statement made by MoviePass CEO Mitch Lowe, subscribers will now pay $9.95 a month to see three movies at theaters, whereas before, subscribers would pay the same price for unlimited movie attendance per month. They will also receive a $5 discount on any additional movie tickets purchased throughout the month.
MoviePass currently has three million subscribers, according to their website. Subscribers can access their subscriptions through the MoviePass app.
A subscriber to this service, Ervin John Dy, a freshman from the Philippines studying HTM, said, “It’s cheaper than buying a ticket than buying from a theater. Usually tickets at theaters are $12 to $14. Using MoviePass just once a month is beneficial because you are already getting your money’s worth.” Dy said if people do not use the pass it is akin to paying for any other subscription service, like Netflix, and not using it at all.
Explaining why he enjoys MoviePass, Kevin Brown, BYU-Hawaii alumni, said, “I love the MoviePass because if I use it once a month, then it already is worth the money. It’s good for someone who goes to the theaters and sees all of the movies, not just the anticipated ones.”
MoviePass is offered in the form of an app, and it has its pros and cons, according to Brown. Overall, he said he thinks the app comes in handy. Brown said, “I [thought] the app was really good when I first got it, but now they are starting to think of more ways they can make money off of people who use it… like surcharges for popular movies and extra fees for seeing any movie at night.”
According to the MoviePass website, not all theaters accept the MoviePass service. Customers, like Drexlerlee Leduna, an alumna from the Philippines, who are not close to participating theaters cannot enjoy the pass as much. Leduna said, “We don’t have a nearby theater that accepts it.”
Explaining more of the cons of the service, Brown added, “MoviePass is becoming less desirable as time goes on. It was a really good deal at the beginning, but the company itself is losing money... they are changing a lot of things now to try and make a profit. They are banking on people getting the pass but not using it that often.”
According to an article published by the Bloomberg business magazine, Netflix executive Mitch Lowe founded the MoviePass Company. His business model of having a fee “will let customers get into one showing every day at any theater in the U.S. that accepts debit cards. MoviePass will pay theaters the full price of each ticket used by subscribers, excluding 3D or IMAX screens.”
Aside from the disadvantages associated with MoviePass, Brown said he would still introduce it to his friends and family. Brown said, “I still use it about three to four times a month. I find my way around all of their games they try to play, so that I don’t pay anything extra. I would recommend it still. If you can take the time to work their system, it is worth it but it is always changing, so what you have today will not be the same next week. So, just anticipate that.”
Writer: Bruno Maynez