So Regal Unlimited went live on Monday.
You can go to their site to get the specifics, but I'll give you the TLDR rundown.
It's $18, $21, or $23.50 per month depending on where you live. (It's $23.50 where I live, even though I live in a small town, but there's a college here, so dagnabbit!)
You have to pay for a year in advance or sign a contract agreeing to pay the monthly amount for a full year.
According to all reports I'm reading--and I'm reading all the reports--the service is working. (So that's Regal Unlimited: 1, MoviePass: 0)
Pros:
-You can see movies multiple times and even see multiple movies per day, so it's literally UNLIMITED (unlike AMC's plan, which only allows three movies per week).
-There are no fees if you walk up and get your ticket at the box/kiosk on the day of your screening.
-If you're in the highest pricing tier ($23.50, like mine), then you can use your plan at literally any Regal theater nationwide, and if you're in a lower tier you only have to pay $1.50 or $3 per ticket to see a movie in a bigger city's Regal theater.
-10% discount on concessions (which only makes them 90% overpriced).
-It's Regal (not MoviePass) so it's more likely sustainable and it actually works.
Cons:
-It commits you to one theater chain (unlike MoviePass, which opened access to all theater chains, but MoviePass doesn't exist at the moment, so hey) and you might find AMC's plan or the upcoming Alamo plan or the maybe-someday-returning MoviePass plan might be a better fit for you.
-It's expensive and only really makes financial sense if you're a person who currently buys more than two full-price tickets at Regal per month.
-Dastardly 50 cent microtransactions per advance ticket you buy in app (unlike AMC's plan, which has no such fees), plus they admit they might raise the fees.
-You have to pay upcharges for 3D/IMAX screenings (unlike AMC's plan, which is also cheaper).
-They check your ID at the usher stand (at least, they're supposed to, many reports say they're not doing that because they don't pay employees enough to care).
-You have to upload a photo of yourself and they use facial recognition so you can't cheat the plan and let your friend/spouse use it. (Requiring ethical behavior? BLAH!)
-Specialty/Fathom screenings are not included.
-You don't earn any Regal reward points for tickets purchased with the Unlimited plan.
-Your account gets canceled after a year and they might price-gouge you harder for a renewal after you're helplessly addicted.
As a wise citizen of Detroit once said...
*
-B.P. Kasik/Phony McFakename
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