01-11-19, 05:29 PM
MoviePass... would it work for you? [UPDATE: THE DEAD SHALL RISE]
09-22-19, 10:55 PM
#3076
DVD Talk God
re: MoviePass... would it work for you? [UPDATE: THE DEAD SHALL RISE]
Yeah people were just questioning how this could be a viable business when you're only charging someone $10/month and letting them see up to 30 movies per month, which they pay the theatres full price for.
If you saw 15 movies at $12 per ticket, that's $180 and MoviePass just lost $170 from you. And I along with 3M+ people took full advantage of their stupid business model.
If you saw 15 movies at $12 per ticket, that's $180 and MoviePass just lost $170 from you. And I along with 3M+ people took full advantage of their stupid business model.
09-22-19, 10:57 PM
#3077
DVD Talk Hero
re: MoviePass... would it work for you? [UPDATE: THE DEAD SHALL RISE]
And it was a (presumably) viable business before they hired Lowe and went chasing after the pricepoint. It wasn't available in all areas and it was certainly costly but I'm sure some people got their money's worth. It was when they were trying to stay afloat and cooking numbers (look at how many subscribers we have! we have a business model, promise! Those theaters will totally give in! We're going to spend money on films like Gotti to expand our portfolio!) that they got shady, but I guess they had to shut people off and change passwords to even stay afloat at that point.
Costco basically allowed everyone up to a certain date to get a full refund too so I'm sure they took a massive hit with that.
Costco basically allowed everyone up to a certain date to get a full refund too so I'm sure they took a massive hit with that.
09-23-19, 03:24 AM
#3078
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
re: MoviePass... would it work for you? [UPDATE: THE DEAD SHALL RISE]
And it was a (presumably) viable business before they hired Lowe and went chasing after the pricepoint. It wasn't available in all areas and it was certainly costly but I'm sure some people got their money's worth. It was when they were trying to stay afloat and cooking numbers (look at how many subscribers we have! we have a business model, promise! Those theaters will totally give in! We're going to spend money on films like Gotti to expand our portfolio!) that they got shady, but I guess they had to shut people off and change passwords to even stay afloat at that point.
Costco basically allowed everyone up to a certain date to get a full refund too so I'm sure they took a massive hit with that.
Costco basically allowed everyone up to a certain date to get a full refund too so I'm sure they took a massive hit with that.
The following users liked this post:
MR Round (01-30-20)
09-23-19, 08:54 AM
#3079
DVD Talk Hero
re: MoviePass... would it work for you? [UPDATE: THE DEAD SHALL RISE]
09-23-19, 09:04 PM
#3080
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
re: MoviePass... would it work for you? [UPDATE: THE DEAD SHALL RISE]
I honestly don't know. I would have suspected they would have initially refunded all the customer's money out of their own pocket and if they tried to go after MP for that I wouldn't be surprised if they got shot down. Yeah sure ruthless in negotiations but you have to have a company that cares about their future to care to negotiate. When people started asking for refunds is when the Mission Impossible weekend thing happened and that was the beginning of the end. I'm not privy to info but I wouldn't be surprised that they didn't get a dime out of MP.
10-29-19, 12:15 PM
#3081
DVD Talk Hero
Join Date: Aug 1999
Location: Not necessarily Formerly known as Solid Snake
Posts: 29,261
Received 1,245 Likes
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856 Posts
re: MoviePass... would it work for you? [UPDATE: THE DEAD SHALL RISE]
Still charging those on-file credit cards ... I called it!
https://nypost.com/2019/10/17/moviep...bank-accounts/
MoviePass resurrects from the dead to charge bank accounts
By Nadine DeNinno
October 17, 2019 | 8:13pm | Updated
Enlarge Image
NYPost Composite/ShutterstockThe ghost of the shuttered MoviePass appears to be haunting bank accounts this October.
The movie subscription service, which shut down for good Sept. 14, has allegedly resurrected from the dead, appearing as a variety of mysterious charges on credit cards, former members tell The Post.
Maricar Tinio from Chicago says she was charged twice for unknown fees in September after service was terminated — once for her $9.95 membership and another for $5.64.
“I think they need a class-action lawsuit filed against them,” she says.
Rachel Vidak of Boulder, Colorado, canceled her account in January 2019 when MoviePass “began retracting the promises that made them worthwhile” and was still charged twice in September — once on the day of the shutdown announcement. She ended up filing a fraud claim with her bank to get her money back and is now a member of AMC’s unlimited Stubs program.
“It feels like theft,” she says. “I can say for certain that my trust in them is completely gone. Even if they manage to make a comeback, I strongly doubt I would ever consider going back to them.”
In an email statement to The Post, CEO Mitch Lowe says reports that subscribers were charged following the Sept. 14 service interruption are “false” and former subscribers are simply misreading their bank accounts.
“One single subscriber, out of the many thousands of MoviePass subscribers, was charged $9.95 on September 15 and has been refunded that amount,” he says. “We are aware that some of our subscribers have mistaken refunds appearing on their credit card statements for charges.”
MoviePass made a splash when it launched a $9.95 monthly membership for unlimited theater screenings, which quickly resulted in troubles for the company. Though it quickly added millions of users, the company started running out of cash just as fast and even lowered its prices to combat the turmoil.
CEO Mitch Lowe then announced it was dropping its unlimited plan but after a revolt from subscribers, brought it back just days later. Behind the scenes, the company completely ran out of funds, the app started crashing and the service became nearly impossible to use. MoviePass finally crashed and burned when Helios and Matheson’s stock tanked and desperate measures for a reverse stock split fizzled.
After briefly blaming fraud and schemes from theater owners for its troubles, a temporary shutdown was announced in July before it officially terminated on Sept. 14.
Though no longer operational, many Twitter users reported random charges from MoviePass in the past month since the shuttering and vented their frustrations online.
“A big middle finger to MoviePass, which despite having closed on 9/14, is still charging my card ($4.64 for no service). Canceling my card, but there’s a reason why this company failed,”
.
“I’ve literally had to put a block on them through my bank because they wouldn’t stop charging me,” one crafty
.
“MoviePass why are you charging my credit card? There is no service and your app says no charges until there is a change,”
.
Others are frustrated that since the app has been terminated, they can’t even reach customer service to dispute claims.
“Please explain why I was just charged for your service, when your service is currently down. I’m only contacting you via Twitter because your website has lost the feature to communicate with you,”
.
Some users even report that they were charged in the days before the announcement — and even the day of — that service was canceled.
“Shameful MoviePass that on the very day you are closing you are still charging people for their (no longer available) plans,”
.
“MoviePass charged me on the 12th and shut down on the 14th. I need that refund or it’s war. #stopplayingwithme,”
.
https://nypost.com/2019/10/17/moviep...bank-accounts/
MoviePass resurrects from the dead to charge bank accounts
By Nadine DeNinno
October 17, 2019 | 8:13pm | Updated
Enlarge Image
NYPost Composite/ShutterstockThe ghost of the shuttered MoviePass appears to be haunting bank accounts this October.
The movie subscription service, which shut down for good Sept. 14, has allegedly resurrected from the dead, appearing as a variety of mysterious charges on credit cards, former members tell The Post.
Maricar Tinio from Chicago says she was charged twice for unknown fees in September after service was terminated — once for her $9.95 membership and another for $5.64.
“I think they need a class-action lawsuit filed against them,” she says.
Rachel Vidak of Boulder, Colorado, canceled her account in January 2019 when MoviePass “began retracting the promises that made them worthwhile” and was still charged twice in September — once on the day of the shutdown announcement. She ended up filing a fraud claim with her bank to get her money back and is now a member of AMC’s unlimited Stubs program.
“It feels like theft,” she says. “I can say for certain that my trust in them is completely gone. Even if they manage to make a comeback, I strongly doubt I would ever consider going back to them.”
In an email statement to The Post, CEO Mitch Lowe says reports that subscribers were charged following the Sept. 14 service interruption are “false” and former subscribers are simply misreading their bank accounts.
“One single subscriber, out of the many thousands of MoviePass subscribers, was charged $9.95 on September 15 and has been refunded that amount,” he says. “We are aware that some of our subscribers have mistaken refunds appearing on their credit card statements for charges.”
MoviePass made a splash when it launched a $9.95 monthly membership for unlimited theater screenings, which quickly resulted in troubles for the company. Though it quickly added millions of users, the company started running out of cash just as fast and even lowered its prices to combat the turmoil.
CEO Mitch Lowe then announced it was dropping its unlimited plan but after a revolt from subscribers, brought it back just days later. Behind the scenes, the company completely ran out of funds, the app started crashing and the service became nearly impossible to use. MoviePass finally crashed and burned when Helios and Matheson’s stock tanked and desperate measures for a reverse stock split fizzled.
After briefly blaming fraud and schemes from theater owners for its troubles, a temporary shutdown was announced in July before it officially terminated on Sept. 14.
Though no longer operational, many Twitter users reported random charges from MoviePass in the past month since the shuttering and vented their frustrations online.
“A big middle finger to MoviePass, which despite having closed on 9/14, is still charging my card ($4.64 for no service). Canceling my card, but there’s a reason why this company failed,”
“I’ve literally had to put a block on them through my bank because they wouldn’t stop charging me,” one crafty
“MoviePass why are you charging my credit card? There is no service and your app says no charges until there is a change,”
Others are frustrated that since the app has been terminated, they can’t even reach customer service to dispute claims.
“Please explain why I was just charged for your service, when your service is currently down. I’m only contacting you via Twitter because your website has lost the feature to communicate with you,”
Some users even report that they were charged in the days before the announcement — and even the day of — that service was canceled.
“Shameful MoviePass that on the very day you are closing you are still charging people for their (no longer available) plans,”
“MoviePass charged me on the 12th and shut down on the 14th. I need that refund or it’s war. #stopplayingwithme,”
01-29-20, 01:28 PM
#3082
DVD Talk God
re: MoviePass... would it work for you? [UPDATE: THE DEAD SHALL RISE]
https://variety.com/2020/digital/new...0XRn3Xhwd_j-no
Moviepass update
The parent company Helios and Matheson filed for bankruptcy. So yeah they are still dead and will never come back.
In its bankruptcy filing, Helios and Matheson listed the estimated value of assets at between $1 million-$10 million and $60.9 million in total creditor claims.
Moviepass update
The parent company Helios and Matheson filed for bankruptcy. So yeah they are still dead and will never come back.
In its bankruptcy filing, Helios and Matheson listed the estimated value of assets at between $1 million-$10 million and $60.9 million in total creditor claims.
01-29-20, 02:37 PM
#3084
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
re: MoviePass... would it work for you? [UPDATE: THE DEAD SHALL RISE]
I was with it until the end - laziness/forgetfulness kept me from canceling a couple of months prior - and was pleasantly shocked when I got a prorated refund on my final billing cycle, which was charged a few days before they announced the end of the service. I believe it was eight bucks and change.
BTW I mentioned earlier in this thread that I was going to turn my card into an ornament and last month I did:
01-29-20, 06:52 PM
#3085
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
re: MoviePass... would it work for you? [UPDATE: THE DEAD SHALL RISE]
RIP Moviepass
ShareUpdated 5 hours agoMoviepass filed for bankruptcy liquidation, meaning the movie-ticket subscription service won’t be revived. The service, which shut down last year, said it may owe as much as $1.2 million to 12,000 subscribers, or almost $100 a pop. Its unique proposition had aroused skepticism and industry opposition alike: unlimited-movie access to subscribers for $10 a month. The business, which began in 2011, also proved unprofitable.
01-30-20, 09:25 AM
#3088
DVD Talk Hero
re: MoviePass... would it work for you? [UPDATE: THE DEAD SHALL RISE]
I assume this is from the bait and switch class action lawsuits that have been bubbling up, mainly from people who say (rightly so) that they were advertised unlimited movies and then were hit with all kinds of restrictions that didn't allow them to even see a movie a month. That's the only reason I can see for why they're just liquifying instead of restructuring.
02-16-20, 01:36 PM
#3089
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
re: MoviePass... would it work for you? [UPDATE: THE DEAD SHALL RISE]
Some MP/H&M bankruptcy fallout:.
Helios and Matheson went belly-up after accruing unsustainable losses from MoviePass, the now-defunct theater subscription service. Meanwhile, tucked away in the bankruptcy filing was the disclosure that the net book value of Moviefone’s intellectual property is estimated to be $4,379,504. That’s just 1.1% of AOL’s $388 million stock deal for Moviefone in 1999, right before the internet bubble burst.
While Moviefone is now worth just a pittance of its erstwhile valuation, it’s actually one of Helios and Matheson’s most valuable assets: The company reported total assets of under $10 million in the Chapter 7 filing.
Nearly all of Moviefone employees were laid off at the end of January after Helios and Matheson’s Chapter 7 filing. However, the site still has one staffer left to keep the lights on (who, for the record, is not “Seinfeld’s” Cosmo Kramer): Moviefone general manager Matt Atchity tells Variety he’s been retained by the trustee overseeing Helios and Matheson’s liquidation to keep Moviefone running pending a sale of the property.
Atchity, who also is a co-host of the “Breakfast All Day” film podcast, joined Moviefone in September 2018 after a stint as head of programming for The Young Turks and prior to that serving as editor-in-chief of Rotten Tomatoes.
The site’s current movie listings are automated, with showtimes linking directly to AMC Theatres, Regal, Cinemark and other movie theaters. Previously, Moviefone had an online-ticketing partnership with NBCUniversal’s Fandango.
Helios and Matheson acquired Moviefone in April 2018 from Verizon (which picked up the movie site via its AOL deal) for $1 million in cash, plus HMNY stock that is now worthless. After the acquisition, the company discontinued the Moviefone mobile apps — and directed users to download the MoviePass app instead. The strategy, according to MoviePass’ then-CEO Mitch Lowe, was to try to use Moviefone to boost the cinema-subscription service’s subscriber base and generate more sponsorship and marketing income.
Moviefone was founded in 1989 as a dial-up service for checking movie times, and at one point operated a nationwide toll-free number (800-777-FILM) and numbers in 67 local area codes across the U.S. In 2014, AOL shut off the phone service and tried to reposition Moviefone as a broader entertainment destination stocked with more news and other content. (Today, the 800 number, operated by XIP Services, welcomes callers 18 and older to “America’s hottest talk line.”)
The original Mr. Moviefone — co-founder Russ Leatherman — parted ways with the service in 2013. His trademark greeting (“Hello, and welcome to Moviefone!”) was memorably spoofed in an episode of “Seinfeld,” in which Kramer’s new phone number keeps getting misdialed by people trying to get movie info, whereupon he decides to impersonate Mr. Moviefone.
https://variety.com/2020/digital/new...ue-1203505129/
Moviefone, Worth 1% of Its Former Value, Is Being Run by One Employee After Parent Company’s Bankruptcy
By TODD SPANGLER Is there a future for Moviefone? The relic of the high-flying dot-com days is in limbo, essentially running on life support after the movie listing and news site’s parent company, Helios and Matheson Analytics, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy last month.Helios and Matheson went belly-up after accruing unsustainable losses from MoviePass, the now-defunct theater subscription service. Meanwhile, tucked away in the bankruptcy filing was the disclosure that the net book value of Moviefone’s intellectual property is estimated to be $4,379,504. That’s just 1.1% of AOL’s $388 million stock deal for Moviefone in 1999, right before the internet bubble burst.
While Moviefone is now worth just a pittance of its erstwhile valuation, it’s actually one of Helios and Matheson’s most valuable assets: The company reported total assets of under $10 million in the Chapter 7 filing.
Nearly all of Moviefone employees were laid off at the end of January after Helios and Matheson’s Chapter 7 filing. However, the site still has one staffer left to keep the lights on (who, for the record, is not “Seinfeld’s” Cosmo Kramer): Moviefone general manager Matt Atchity tells Variety he’s been retained by the trustee overseeing Helios and Matheson’s liquidation to keep Moviefone running pending a sale of the property.
Atchity, who also is a co-host of the “Breakfast All Day” film podcast, joined Moviefone in September 2018 after a stint as head of programming for The Young Turks and prior to that serving as editor-in-chief of Rotten Tomatoes.
The site’s current movie listings are automated, with showtimes linking directly to AMC Theatres, Regal, Cinemark and other movie theaters. Previously, Moviefone had an online-ticketing partnership with NBCUniversal’s Fandango.
Helios and Matheson acquired Moviefone in April 2018 from Verizon (which picked up the movie site via its AOL deal) for $1 million in cash, plus HMNY stock that is now worthless. After the acquisition, the company discontinued the Moviefone mobile apps — and directed users to download the MoviePass app instead. The strategy, according to MoviePass’ then-CEO Mitch Lowe, was to try to use Moviefone to boost the cinema-subscription service’s subscriber base and generate more sponsorship and marketing income.
Moviefone was founded in 1989 as a dial-up service for checking movie times, and at one point operated a nationwide toll-free number (800-777-FILM) and numbers in 67 local area codes across the U.S. In 2014, AOL shut off the phone service and tried to reposition Moviefone as a broader entertainment destination stocked with more news and other content. (Today, the 800 number, operated by XIP Services, welcomes callers 18 and older to “America’s hottest talk line.”)
The original Mr. Moviefone — co-founder Russ Leatherman — parted ways with the service in 2013. His trademark greeting (“Hello, and welcome to Moviefone!”) was memorably spoofed in an episode of “Seinfeld,” in which Kramer’s new phone number keeps getting misdialed by people trying to get movie info, whereupon he decides to impersonate Mr. Moviefone.
The following users liked this post:
The Valeyard (02-22-21)
02-20-20, 05:46 AM
#3090
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
re: MoviePass... would it work for you? [UPDATE: THE DEAD SHALL RISE]
What?! It's only worth 1% of, how much did AOL pay for Moviefone $388 million dollars?!
...oh of AOL stock
...oh of AOL stock
02-22-20, 02:02 AM
#3091
Suspended; also need updated email
re: MoviePass... would it work for you? [UPDATE: THE DEAD SHALL RISE]
For every Apple, Google and Microsoft, there has to be huge failures to balance things out
02-19-21, 10:15 AM
#3092
re: MoviePass... would it work for you? [UPDATE: THE DEAD SHALL RISE]
EXCLUSIVE: Mark Wahlberg’s Unrealistic Ideas, the company behind HBO’s Emmy-nominated McMillions, is taking another deep dive into the absurdities of greed with the story behind the rise and fall of MoviePass. Unrealistic Ideas has teamed with Assemble Media and Insider (formerly Business Insider) to develop a premium limited docuseries chronicling the demise of the famed movie-ticket subscription service.
The docuseries is based on Insider reporter Jason Guerrasio’s award-winning coverage of the rise and fall of the company. Guerrasio’s reports chronicled MoviePass’ explosive growth in 2017 after offering unlimited theatrical movies for just $9.95 a month, through its downfall.
The docuseries is based on Insider reporter Jason Guerrasio’s award-winning coverage of the rise and fall of the company. Guerrasio’s reports chronicled MoviePass’ explosive growth in 2017 after offering unlimited theatrical movies for just $9.95 a month, through its downfall.
02-19-21, 10:23 AM
#3093
DVD Talk Legend
re: MoviePass... would it work for you? [UPDATE: THE DEAD SHALL RISE]
Bound to happen. I'll watch.
02-19-21, 11:51 AM
#3094
DVD Talk Limited Edition
re: MoviePass... would it work for you? [UPDATE: THE DEAD SHALL RISE]
yes! That's what I wanted, even though I never subscribed to MoviePass haha
I wanted to see another Fyre Festival-type documentary
I wanted to see another Fyre Festival-type documentary
02-19-21, 01:11 PM
#3095
DVD Talk Hero
re: MoviePass... would it work for you? [UPDATE: THE DEAD SHALL RISE]
If they had only held out a little longer, they might have started making money when the pandemic shut the theaters down. With no money going out, and revenue coming in from people that didn't cancel their account, they could be making bank right now.
02-19-21, 01:46 PM
#3096
DVD Talk Legend & 2021 TOTY Winner
re: MoviePass... would it work for you? [UPDATE: THE DEAD SHALL RISE]
I loved the service when it was $30 a month. It worked great and had great customer service. I'm not sure that they made any money, but I would bet that they weren't bleeding it like they did after they went to $9.99.
Customer Service went to shit after that too.
I mean I still took advantage of it and saw lots of movies, but I knew that their days were numbered after the price cut. I stayed monthly the whole time and never went in for a year, because I never expected it to last that long.
Customer Service went to shit after that too.
I mean I still took advantage of it and saw lots of movies, but I knew that their days were numbered after the price cut. I stayed monthly the whole time and never went in for a year, because I never expected it to last that long.
02-19-21, 02:07 PM
#3097
DVD Talk Hero
re: MoviePass... would it work for you? [UPDATE: THE DEAD SHALL RISE]
Yeah, they may not have been making money hand over fist but their older model certainly didn't bleed money like the 9.99 did. They even had regional pricing, to account for, you know, regional differences in movie prices.
I still remember thinking they must have some deal with the theaters when they dropped the price, and then to find out that they not only didn't have deals but they were paying full price for each ticket just blew my mind.
The movie has to have scenes where people check in and get a movie ticket just for the free parking, then throw the ticket away. That's like peak movie pass.
I still remember thinking they must have some deal with the theaters when they dropped the price, and then to find out that they not only didn't have deals but they were paying full price for each ticket just blew my mind.
The movie has to have scenes where people check in and get a movie ticket just for the free parking, then throw the ticket away. That's like peak movie pass.
02-19-21, 02:57 PM
#3098
DVD Talk Legend & 2021 TOTY Winner
re: MoviePass... would it work for you? [UPDATE: THE DEAD SHALL RISE]
You also had people checking in and buying a ticket every day just for the theater rewards points.
03-16-21, 09:21 AM
#3099
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
re: MoviePass... would it work for you? [UPDATE: THE DEAD SHALL RISE]
Any idea what this countdown is all about?
https://www.moviepass.ventures/
Rebranding during a pandemic? Classic MoviePass.
https://www.moviepass.ventures/
Rebranding during a pandemic? Classic MoviePass.
03-16-21, 09:28 AM
#3100
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
re: MoviePass... would it work for you? [UPDATE: THE DEAD SHALL RISE]
Any idea what this countdown is all about?
https://www.moviepass.ventures/
Rebranding during a pandemic? Classic MoviePass.
https://www.moviepass.ventures/
Rebranding during a pandemic? Classic MoviePass.