When I first mentioned to my fellow film peers that I do not catch enough new releases because of the outrageous prices of movie tickets these days (not to mention the sheer number of movies that come out every week), they quickly bullied me into joining the AMC Stubs A-List.
Honestly, I didn’t want to join the A-List at first. I already pay for too many monthly subscriptions (including one to go to this school). Who even has time to hop the Green Line, navigate the greater Boston area, spend two or more hours in the dimly lit theater and make the trip back between classes, work and socializing?
Then, I realized that I not only love watching movies, but I love going to the movies after not being able to do so for a while. So, I started a trial test — just for the month of August I downloaded the AMC app, paid the $25 A-List bill and saw around 10 movies at various AMCs in Massachusetts. The experience: not too bad.
With the A-List you get up to three free movies a week. (If I didn’t fail math, that’s 12 free movies every month.) And, the true win with free tickets is that your A-List pass applies to any movie format: IMAX, Laser, even Dolby Cinema. Then, after you skip the concessions line with your pass, you can scan it to get points back for every concession purchase you make. Or, use your birthday rewards for free popcorn and drinks.
But popcorn and slushies aside, the best part of joining the A-List has been seeing movies on the big screen. I often opt to wait for movies to hit streaming before watching, especially those that are not blockbusters or big cultural events. However, this means I tend to miss out on the good, low-budget movies whose only faults are being poorly promoted. Even worse, it means I miss out on the complete joy ride of watching movies in a theater with other people.
Truthfully, not every movie I’ve seen with the A-List pass was amazing, but none of them were experiences I regret. As a filmmaker and film lover, going to the theaters has been a place to relax and indulge in good fun, while also finding inspiration in the most random lines and joy in the smallest details. With my A-List pass I’ve been trying new movie snack hacks, figuring out which AMC is the most comfortable and even determining which popcorn bucket is worth buying. And there are more adventures that are just waiting behind Nicole Kidman.
So, is the A-List pass worth it for a busy student on a budget, or is it simply another unnecessary monthly bill? My verdict: Let’s see where this adventure takes me.
