Better than a Black Card

Two years ago, and I couldn’t even tell you how, I came across a service called MoviePass. Curious, I signed up for an invite to the program, and shortly thereafter, I was in.

Well, I could’ve been in if I wanted to be in. I didn’t get in because it didn’t really make sense for me at the time. But it’s stayed on my radar off and on the last while, and recently it came back up as something to consider joining.

MoviePass is a subscription service for movie theaters. For a flat monthly rate, you’re able to see one movie every 24 hours in participating theaters. For a girl who’d been putting off seeing everything she wanted to because a $14 ticket price hit her budget a little too hard, it’s basically a dream come true.

When I’d first found out about it, they required a site-based selection process with printable passes you brought with you to the theater. They also didn’t offer too many theater selections in Indianapolis. At least, not enough that I considered it a justifiable expense at the time.

Fast forward two years and it took me all of a New York minute to decide it’d be worth joining this club. Today, the service is app-based – select the movie you want to see once you’re at the theater, and the cost of the ticket is automatically posted to your MoviePass card (that works on Discover’s network). Swipe the card, get a ticket, head in to the movie. At NYC prices, I need to see just 3 movies a month to make it worth the investment.

Done. (Here’s a great article on how it works – and the company’s business plan.)

I’ve used the pass a few times now, and I’m happy to report that I’m impressed. It really does work as advertised – my several times checking in and purchasing in theater have gone off without a hitch. If anything, my biggest peeve is the 24-hour rule. They say “a movie a day,” but really they mean a movie every 24 hours (and they have a countdown in app to help you track!). So, if I go see an 8p movie on Thursday night, I can’t go to a 7:30p show on Friday – my pass won’t have renewed by then.

Which, for this movie-buff, means some careful time management. But it’s a small price to pay for the service. I’ve gone from carefully selecting which one or two movies a month I can see to gleefully listing out all the ones I really want to check out plus ones I just kinda wanna maybe see. Because with MoviePass, why not?!