MoviePass

*I had a nice pretty logo up, but then realized that I was violating the Terms of Service by posting it without their written consent!  Zoinks!

MoviePass is a subcription service that allows you to watch theatrical releases for one, relatively low, monthly fee.  Sign up for your membership, wait for your card to arrive in the mail and download the app for your smartphone.  The app will ask you to verify that you received your card, and when you have, you are off and running.  Go to the theater, check in to the movie and showing of your choice and then use your card to pay for the ticket at the kiosk.  Easier than it sounds.  But wait, there’s more!

There’s something that most people should know about MoviePass:  It’s probably not for you.  That being the case, I will tell you the potential pitfalls first and then lead into what’s great about it.

Let’s begin by reviewing the Terms of Service.  It is pretty restrictive and will leave you feeling as though they could come and take away any pets and/or children that you have if you violate the rules.  On top of that, they had to put in a lot of boundaries, due to how the service works.  No 3D movies, no IMAX, no seeing more than one movie per day, no seeing the same movie twice.  If you didn’t look closely, you would probably think that you could see a movie every single day.  The Terms will not make that easy on you.  Know what you are signing!

The subscription is $34.99/month, but you are agreeing to a year contract when you sign up, complete with scaled cancellation fees.  Your subscription is also limited to participating theaters, so make sure they work for you!

The process of buying your ticket is also inherently restrictive.  You must check in to the theater, movie and showing of your desired film using the smartphone app in order for your card to be credited the amount of the ticket.  Once your location is verified and the card is credited, you have 30 minutes to complete the transaction at the kiosk.  This means that, unless the kiosk happens to be selling advance tickets, you will only be able to buy a ticket for that day.  You can probably forget trying to see midnight openings and opening weekend showings for the big releases.

If that hasn’t scared you off, let me tell you the good stuff!  This subscription is for the movie lover that doesn’t care too much about the glitz and glamour of 3D and IMAX.  This is for the viewer that is looking for an excuse to see movies that they normally wouldn’t drop their hard-earned money on.  This is for a person who finds themselves with a few hours here and there throughout the week that they wouldn’t mind spending in the cool, dark comfort of a movie theater.  With the proper mindset, the service can be an incredible value, but potential subscribers will need to weigh the pros and cons carefully.

I will be writing mini-reviews for the movies I see, complete with ticket price and trailers.

P.S.  A word of advice:  If you want to get the most out of your MoviePass, look beyond your closest or favorite theater.  Some theaters hold onto movies longer than others or have access to films that others do not.  While browsing through the list of theaters on my phone, I noticed that one of the participating theaters showed second run movies.  This is a good way to go and see the cheap movies as well as the newest available.

*I signed up for the Regal Crown Club today.  I will post how well this works with the MoviePass service.

*This service is fully compatible with the Crown Club free membership.  I am now happily earning Regal rewards.