An Open Letter to MoviePass

UPDATE: Since this was posted, MoviePass has now updated their service to 3 movies a month for $9.95. Additional movie tickets may rec...



UPDATE: Since this was posted, MoviePass has now updated their service to 3 movies a month for $9.95. Additional movie tickets may receive a discount of up to $5. We'll see how service changes.


When MoviePass came into being, we all knew it was impossible. How could the company possibly make any money with a subscription service with a monthly fee that costs less than one movie ticket? I mean, I'm not adept at anything slightly business-related or anything, but that much seemed pretty common sense to most of us. But who are we to not take advantage of such a great deal.

Well, it obviously took MoviePass a bit too long to realize their company, one of the fastest growing ever with over 3 million subscribers, was bound to be a total failure. They obviously seem to have no clue how to run a business, and because of that, they're losing subscribers left and right to other services, like AMC Stubs A-List. Unfortunately, Regal doesn't yet have any type of subscription service, and Regal is my favorite - it's closest to me and I love the Crown Club loyalty program. So, the only reason I haven't yet quit MoviePass is because there's not a Regal subscription.

I haven't even had MoviePass for two months at this point, barely a month actually, and I've already experienced more issues than I can count. I obviously joined during the downfall. When I joined, MoviePass wasn't totally ruined yet. The deal was unlimited movies, but you could only see one a day and you couldn't see the same movie twice. Not too big a deal - I mean, that definitely seemed reasonable to me for $9.95. a month.








Since I've joined, here are some of the issues I've experienced:

1. Blackouts for popular movies, like Missions Impossible: Fallout and Christopher Robin.

2. Peak-pricing during popular showtimes (from $5 -$8 extra), which aren't entirely accurate, but whatever.

3. Only certain movies and certain times being available for MoviePass showings, including times that movies aren't actually being played at the theatre, like 3:00 AM.

4. Leaving my house with the app working, then getting to the theatre, only for the app to not work, so having to go back home. The app will work for e-ticketing theatres, but "locally" (as in 30 miles), those are only the Studio Grill locations, which are much more expensive that my more local theatres - and I'm not driving an hour out to watch a movie. There also seem to be no restrictions for those e-ticketing theatres, too, so what the actual hell?







But honestly, there are so many solutions that MoviePass could've done from the get-go, including some of the following:

1. No opening weekend tickets. Honestly, I tend not to go to the movies opening weekend anyways, and if it's something I want to see that bad, I'm totally fine buying my ticket out of pocket.

2. Allow for more showings during the week and matinee tickets (because hello, those tickets are cheaper anyways).

3. Actually have a customer service department that cares and even responds to people (what a novel idea!). I contacted customer service to basically just receive an email response that said "we know about the issue and you won't receive an individual response."

4. Charge $19.95 a month. I would happily pay $20. One movie ticket at my local theatre ranges from $10-15 for a regular 2D ticket, so $20 for unlimited or hell, three times a week would be a-okay. $9.95 a month for unlimited movies seems a bit ridiculous anyways, am I right?






As long as I can continue to see at least one movie a month, though the app and the company really suck, it looks like I'll continue to subscribe to MoviePass until it's dead or until Regal creates a subscription service, just for the fact the one month subscription costs less than one movie ticket. So, that's a win, I guess. But honestly, they should really get their crap together, because I think the majority of people are much less tolerate than I.



Have you quit MoviePass yet? What's been a good solution for you?














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