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An Honest MoviePass Review

February 6, 2018

It’s February, the month that drags and drags because the days aren’t getting longer fast enough and that darn groundhog always ends up seeing its shadow. It’s not the kind of month that brings to mind movie theater popcorn and double features, but I’m here to tell you why it should be: MoviePass. We’ve been subscribers for three months at this point, so I feel confident that this will be an honest MoviePass review with the good, the bad, and everything in between.

Want to guess how many movies I’ve seen since Thanksgiving? (I don’t have to guess because my MoviePass app has a nifty “History” feature that will tell me the exact number of movies and what I saw.)

I’ve seen 22 movies in the last three and a half months (including Coco twice because, my God, that was a superb film). As a person whose natural setting is frugal, just reading that sentence gives me heart palpitations. But then I remember that I have MoviePass, which means I get to see a movie every single day and only pay a $10 monthly fee. So for 22 movies, I’ve spent $40.

According to a little Internet searching, the average movie ticket price in the U.S. in 2017 was $8.93. If you attend matinees, it’s probably a little less. If you spring for the cushy seats on a Friday night, it’ll cost you a bit more. But if we’re going with the average, that means my recent movie addiction should have cost me $196.46, so I’ve saved over $150.

Do I have your attention yet? Hopefully at this point you’re wondering “so what is MoviePass, anyway?” It’s a monthly subscription service that allows you to see one movie each day at approved theaters throughout the country. Once you sign up, you’ll receive a MoviePass credit card, which you’ll use to make the ticket transactions along with the MoviePass app. You must be within 100 yards of the theater to “Check In” for a movie, and you must be checked in to go to the ticket counter/kiosk and purchase the ticket using the credit card.

That’s a basic understanding of how it all works, but what kind of a MoviePass review would it be without digging into a few pros and cons?

Pros of MoviePass

You Can Still Earn Points with Your Movie Theater Rewards Program

You’re currently reading the blog of a diamond status Regal Crown Club member. That’s right, I said diamond status. I’ve had my darn Regal Crown card for years, and I never came close to diamond status until we got MoviePass. Since the payment portion of MoviePass works like a regular credit card, you can use your theater rewards program like you normally would.

I’m Seeing All Kinds of Movies That I Never Would Have Before

As of this moment, there are only three Academy Award Best Picture nominees that I haven’t seen (and one of those isn’t even in theaters anymore!). You don’t have to be quite as selective when you can always go see the other movie the next day. It’s also great for those difficult moments when you want to see a feel-good movie and your husband wants to see something that will scare the pants off you instead.

We’ve Visited So Many New Theaters

Before signing up for MoviePass, we only saw movies at the Regal Theater near our house because 1. I wanted to get Regal Crown Club points (diamond status, you guys!), and 2. it was close to our house. Since signing up for MoviePass, we’ve visited six other theaters in the Cincinnati area, including other big chain theaters and local indie ones. As long as your MoviePass recognizes the theater in the app (and I’ve yet to visit one that isn’t included), you’re good to go!

It Easily Turns an Average Evening at Home Into Free Date Night

The following has become a regular occurrence since getting MoviePass:

S: Do we have plans tonight?
Me: I don’t think so.
S: Want to see the 7:30 showing of XYZ movie in Newport?
Me: Sounds good to me.
S: Meet me at Yardhouse for a pre-movie drink at 5?
Me: You read my mind.

While I love lazy nights on the couch at home, it’s nice to spend a random evening out without worrying about breaking our budget.

Cons of MoviePass

You Can’t Use It for 3D or IMAX Movies

Full disclosure: This isn’t really a con for me. I’m a 2D movie lover and will be ’til the day I die because all the other types with the spinning and the 3D jump scares and the immersive craziness make me sick. But I know this might be a big deal for others, so I’m including it here.

You Could Still Pay for Part of Your Ticket

I should qualify this one by saying this scenario has only happened to us once at the super premium, very new CinéBistro up at Liberty Center. It’s one of the swanky “your server will bring your steak dinner to your seat during the previews” places, and they obviously break their ticket price into a “movie” fee and a “service” fee. Since MoviePass only covers the movie portion, we had to pay for the $1.99 service charge per ticket ourselves.

The App Could Definitely Be Better

I’m not saying it’s bad. It certainly does what it needs to, which is show you the movies available near you and let you “check in” once you’re within 100 yards of the building. But the interface could be a little more user-friendly, it sometimes takes a minute to load everything, and it’s just not pretty to look at.

If You Live in a Smaller Area, You May Not Have Access to Many Movies

Living in Cincinnati, we’re within easy driving distance of at least ten MoviePass eligible theaters. My parents in rural Georgia though find that they quickly run out of movie options and have to make the drive south to Kennesaw or even Atlanta to get some of the less popular or limited release films.

If you’re concerned about your theater options, you can always download the app and check out the movies available in your area before you actually fork over the cash for the pass.

Each Ticket Must Be Paid for in a Separate Transaction

I’m not sure this product of how the system works is negative enough to count as a “con.” Just know that if you’re with someone you’ll have to pay for each MoviePass ticket in a separate transaction since the MoviePass credit card will only work for one ticket each day. (But they do work at all of the little kiosk ticket machines I’ve tried, so that’s nice!)

But perhaps most importantly…

They Are All Up In Your Data

People say nothing is free, and in this case, MoviePass isn’t just $10 a month. It’s $10 a month and access to all of your movie-related data: which movies you’re watching, where you’re watching them, when you’re watching them. All of that data is available to MoviePass and any companies they choose to sell it to. Personally, I’ve made my peace with it. I’m willing to hand over access to my data for a seemingly unlimited amount of movie theater visits. But that’s a decision you’ll have to make for yourself!

Is MoviePass Worth It?

And that’s the most honest MoviePass review I could possibly give you. After three months of testing it out and then taking a good, hard look at it, I’m of the opinion that MoviePass is worth the money and then some. Of course, I believe this service is still in the exploratory phase, so one day soon we might have to determine if we’d pay $15, $20, or even $30 for a month of movies. In the meantime, I would recommend MoviePass to anyone who loves the experience of seeing a movie in theaters but can’t justify all those full-price movie tickets in their budget.

Have you considered MoviePass? What questions do you have that I didn’t address in this MoviePass review? Which movie would you go see if you didn’t have to worry about the price?

Harry Potter Tag

September 24, 2016

In honor of the Patronus quiz launching on Pottermore, I figured I would start this blog post that I first began ages ago. (Before you ask, my Patronus is a badger!) When I saw that Sarah had done the Harry Potter Tag, I really didn’t have a choice but to do my own. Before we saw Harry Potter and the Cursed Child last month in London, I reread all seven books, so they’ve been on my mind lately. I’m a big Harry Potter fan, (but you probably already knew that) and for a Libra who hates making decisions, this tag was really difficult.

1 – Favourite book?

And right out of the gate a nearly impossible question to answer. Surprisingly, I think my favorite is Goblet of Fire, which I don’t remember necessarily loving when I first read it but loved something fierce when I recently reread it.

2 – Least favourite book?

I feel like the “correct” answer to this question is Chamber of Secrets, but I think I liked it even better than Sorcerer’s Stone, so we’ll go with the very first one.

3 – Favourite movie?

My typical answer to this question is Prisoner of Azkaban because it’s a gorgeous film, and I love it, but I think I may have to change my answer to Half-Blood Prince. I think they did a good job of keeping the really relevant pieces of the plot while still giving us a glimpse of the characters’ lives and relationships.

4 – Least favourite movie?

Goblet of Fire. Where’d the story go? We get three Triwizard tasks but no S.P.E.W., no relationship development, no Winky, no bad ass Hermione trapping a person in a jar?

5 – Favourite quote?

How are you supposed to choose just one? (Alright, I did.)

“Words are, in my not-so-humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic.” – Albus Dumbledore

6 – Favourite Weasley?

Ron. I feel like he doesn’t get enough love. If you ever find yourself thinking “was Ron really that great?,” go back and read the books again because yes, he really was.

7 – Favourite female character?

Hermione. Yes, I know it’s predictable, but she’s smart, she’s kind, she’s fearless. I’m a bit of a fan.

8 – Favourite villain?

Using the word “favorite” very lightly, I would say Umbridge. She is the absolute worst, and I love how Rowling makes us hate her just as much as we hate Voldemort even though she’s not “the villain.”

9 – Favourite male character?

I have such a soft spot for Draco Malfoy. I don’t quite believe he ever gets a chance to form his own opinions or make his own decisions, but you know he’ll be feeling the consequences of his actions during the war for the rest of his life.

10 – Favourite professor?

McGonagall. She is an insanely gifted witch, and her students learn a lot from her. Also, you know she loves them all dearly despite how strict she is in class.

11 – Would you rather A) wash Snape’s hair or B) spend a day listening to Lockhart rant about himself?

Lockhart. There’s no way I could do something so intimate-feeling with Snape. Plus how many times are we treated to a description of his greasy hair?

12 – Would you rather duel A) an elated Bellatrix or B) an angry Molly?

Not sure there’s a good answer to this question, but maybe Bellatrix? If Molly’s angrily dueling someone, it’s probably because her family is somehow threatened, and I don’t see how I would get out of that situation with all of my limbs intact.

13 – Would you rather travel to Hogwarts via A) Hogwarts Express or B) Flying Car?

HOGWARTS EXPRESS. We really don’t have enough trains in the U.S.

14 – Would you rather A) Kiss Voldemort or B) give Umbridge a bubble bath?

Are we talking Voldemort or Tom Riddle? Because I could probably survive kissing Tom Riddle.

15 – Would you rather A) ride a Hippogriff or B) ride a Firebolt?

Definitely Hippogriff. I have a feeling I would do about as well with riding a broom as Hermione does.

16 – Is there a character you felt differently about in the movies?

Without a doubt, Ginny. Did the screenwriters just skip over every part with Ginny in the books? By limiting the screen time of both Quidditch and the Weasley family as a whole, they didn’t give her any opportunities to showcase the personality and spunk that Rowling wrote for her. I mean, they might as well have changed her name to “Harry Potter’s girlfriend.” Her character is my least favorite thing about the movie series.

17 – Is there a movie you preferred to the book?

Blasphemy!

18 – Richard Harris or Michael Gambon as Dumbledore?

Michael Gambon. Was everything perfect? NO HE DIDN’T PUT HIS NAME IN THE GOBLET OF FIRE, OKAY. But he gave new life to the character, and I came to love him.

19 – Your top thing (person or event) that wasn’t in the movie that you wanted there the most?

I lived for the Marauders in the Pensieve scenes in Goblet of Fire because we got to see the dynamic between the boys and Lily and James. The one memory montage that we got just fell short for me.

Also, Winky. Poor, alcoholic Winky.

20 – If you could remake any of the Harry Potter movies which would it be?

I feel like it’s way too soon to be thinking about remakes…

21 – Which house was your first gut feeling you’d be a part of?

Ravenclaw. Wit beyond measure and all that jazz.

22 – Which house were you actually sorted into on Pottermore?

Ravenclaw

23 – Which class would be your favourite?

I honestly don’t know why, but I’ve always thought I would enjoy Transfiguration.

24 – Which spell do you think would be most useful to learn?

Apparition. Think of all the commuting time I could cut out of my day!

25 – Which character do you think you’d instantly become friends with?

Dean Thomas. That boy doesn’t get enough credit.

26 – If you could own one of the three Hallows, which would it be?

The invisibility cloak. Isn’t that the obvious choice? 😉

27 – Is there any aspect of the books you’d want to change?

Not of the books themselves, though I think I am about ready to be done with the epilogues and “later in their lives” stories unless they’re going to be written by Rowling herself. (Cursed Child was an extraordinary piece of theatre magic, but I still don’t know how I feel about the play itself.)

28 – Favourite Marauder?

Such a difficult question, but I feel pretty good about choosing Lupin. He’s my runner-up for favorite teacher, and I just want to hug him and never let go when I think about his post-Hogwarts life. If you can read his story on Pottermore without tearing up, you might not have a soul.

29 – If you could bring one character back to life, which would it be?

ONLY ONE?! Okay, Fred. The world needs more Freds.

30 – Hallows or Horcruxes?

Hallows. All day, Hallows.

Shows I’ll Be Watching This Fall

August 26, 2015

This year, fall seems to have snuck up on me. I know that we’re not quite there yet, but the mornings are growing chilly, and I imagine it will only be a few more weeks before I trade my TOMS for moccasins and then those for boots. I hadn’t even begun to think about the upcoming TV season until Sarah visited from Orlando, and we started discussing our hopes for old favorites like Once and the hype around some new ones. (I’m lookin’ at you, Scream Queens!)

Most of the shows that I’m most looking forward to are newbies, but just because a show isn’t on this list doesn’t mean I’ve given up on it for good. New Girl, I promise to catch up on last season soon; The Blacklist, if I’m being honest, I’m a little over you, but Spencer’s still invested, so I’ll be tuning in; and SNL, you know I’ll never abandon you.

Now on to the shows I’ll be watching this fall, new and old.

1. Fear the Walking Dead – Sunday, August 23 @ 9 pm

Okay, so technically this one already started, but I still wanted to include it in this list. So far all I know is that it’s supposed to be the story of what happens in the U.S. during the time when Rick is in a coma in the first episode of The Walking Dead. I’m hoping it will give a little more insight into the things that I’ve been waiting for from the original series — how did the zombie apocalypse begin, what’s causing it, are there any parts of civilization that haven’t fallen to it. In Spencer’s opinion, they won’t include that kind of important information in a six-week miniseries if they haven’t shown it in the original, but the first episode wasn’t bad, so I’m holding out hope.

2. Doctor Who – Saturday, September 19 @ 9 pm

Oh how I’ve missed Doctor Who. First of all, Peter Capaldi definitely grew on me last season, and I have no doubt he’ll continue to do so… with Clara by his side! I was so happy to find that she wasn’t leaving the show yet; it just didn’t feel like her time was up. The Comic Con teasers and official previews have brought up all sorts of questions — Missy, new creatures, Arya Stark?! I’m thoroughly ready for some answers.

3. Blindspot– Monday, September 21 @10 pm

I hadn’t seen a thing about this show until I went scouting for new shows to watch this fall, but so far this one seems like it will be a frontrunner. A possibly Special Ops woman with no memory and a bunch of tattoos who is dropped naked in Times Square and has to help a special agent figure out what happened to her? It sounds awesome. I’m just hoping it won’t be one of those predictable cop shows. It looks like it has definite potential.

4. Scream Queens – Tuesday, September 22 @ 8 pm

From the creators of Glee and American Horror Story, a show about a stuck-up sorority with a haunting past is born. First of all, they’ve pulled together a great cast, which is enough to make me want to watch. But I also think that everything Ryan Murphy touches is gold, and you know they’ll be all sorts of over-the-top scenarios that only former sorority women will truly understand. I’m sure Spencer won’t care to watch it with me, but I’ll be tuning into Scream Queens this fall.

5. Once Upon a Time – Sunday, September 27 @ 8 pm

This show never ceases to amaze me with its ability to reinvent itself. Seriously, I think back on the first season, and it’s completely different from any of the others. Last year’s forays into Frozen territory were some of the best storyline combining that they’ve done, and I’m sure that bringing in Merida from Brave will be handled equally well. Plus Dark Emma?! What will Hook do? How will Regina cope with all that guilt? Will Charming and Snow ever stop being so naïve and useless because I feel like they weren’t like this before? Hopefully all these questions and more will be answered this season!

6. iZombie – Tuesday, October 6 @ 9 pm

I started watching this show last season by accident; it was featured on Hulu Plus, I double-clicked, and the rest is history. I know that we’re probably all getting a little over the zombie craze, but I will say that this show is so much more than that. Rose McIver is wonderful, the writing is great, and I love the concept — girl eats brains to keep from becoming a full-on zombie, steals the dead person’s memories, and helps solve their murders. It’s pretty genius, and the character dynamics are wonderful. Do yourself a favor and check out this show before the new season!

7. Supergirl – Monday, October 26 @ 8:30 pm

If I’m almost over the zombie craze, I am over the superhero one. But, if CBS is going to do what no one else has done and give us a completely girl power, female-driven superhero show, then I’m going to at least give it a chance. Plus Melissa Benoist is great, and I wish I could’ve enjoyed her seasons of Glee.

What shows are you planning to watch this fall? I don’t think I’m missing any big ones, but let me know if you think I am!

Disney World Bachelorette Scavenger Hunt

June 10, 2015

Nearly six months ago, Spencer and I got married. About two months before that, I had the best bachelorette party ever at Walt Disney World. I’m still not over it.

We spent a lovely Saturday in October drinking around the world at Epcot, which is the most fun, unofficial park experience for adults! We also worked to complete this bachelorette scavenger hunt, designed especially for the happiest place on Earth.

Know a bride-to-be who knows all the words to “Let It Go” and balks at the idea of a typical bachelorette scavenger hunt, complete with taking shots and doing uncomfortable things with strangers? Then this Disney World bachelorette scavenger hunt is just for you!

Receive a proposal from a character

But perhaps not from Chip or Dale since the odd one out will get jealous, and it will cause this whole big thing.

Recreate an old photo with a character

On my very first trip to Disney World, I got to meet Mickey, and I kissed him on the nose. Therefore, when my mother helped my sister with this scavenger hunt, I just had to recreate my “first kiss” with the mouse himself!

Have your first dance with a character

Tigger is my bro. Always has been, always will be. And the spring in his step (or tail) was perfect for shaking a leg!

Take an “awkward prom” photo with a character

Please tell me you’ve seen people do “awkard prom” poses before? I don’t think Flynn Rider was technically allowed to grab me awkwardly by my waist, but I appreciate his effort. Also, matching awkward expressions? Better watch out, Rapunzel.

Be serenaded by a cast member

Or a whole group of them! The lovely servers at Via Napoli were happy to oblige.

Find another bride and buy her a drink

Since we were there during the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival, it wasn’t too difficult to find another bride. Plus the ears made us easy to spot!

Receive marital advice from a character

I know what you’re thinking: How could Minnie possibly give me words of marital wisdom? Well, she rubbed her stomach and mimicked eating, then pointed to her shoes, which I took to mean “A man’s stomach is the way to a closet full of shoes.” Words to live by.

Take a selfie with a character

Oh Belle, my very own princess who loves books and doesn’t judge people how much hair they have on their face. Like I could ever use my selfie with a character on anyone but you!

Be “carried across the threshold” by a character

To be honest, this one kind of backfired! If Flynn wasn’t allowed to grab my waist, Goofy definitely wasn’t going to pick me up and carry me bridal style. But he did do this awkward little dip with me, and I was satisfied.

Take a photo with a tiny princess

I’m pretty sure I ended up adding this one to the end of my list. I just couldn’t resist going up to a little girl in a princess outfit and calling her Cinderella. This interaction was priceless because Cinderella’s older sister was way more into it than she was!

Find a cast member with the groom’s name

We looked everywhere (but especially in the United Kingdom area) for a cast member named Spencer, but alas we did not come across one the entire day! I think this is a great idea, though, and I’d love to see photos of any brides who do find “their man.”