What happened to twilight specials and matinees being appreciably lower than night showings at the theater? I know this is not a new trend, but a couple of years ago I used to go see twilight shows at AMC for $4.00. Now here in Atlanta the lowest matinee I can find is $6.00 and most are $6.50. That's not a bank buster, but for two of us it rules out going to see many movies. Especially since I have Netflix. I have a very hard time justifying $8.75 for a movie at night, but now I skip the theater even in the day. I realize NYC and other cities are even worse, but the line has been crossed for this movie fan to venture out to the cinema.

You got that right! To the best of my knowledge, there have never been twilight or matinee discounts here in Manhattan (the outer boroughs have some, but then you'd have to spend $4 round-trip to get to 'em), so we have $10.25 admission all day every day.

Well, I was used to $6.50 features and $5 twilight shows for the longest time. The rates here seemed to haved jumped up pretty quickly. Now it's $6.75 for matinees and $8.50 all other times.

I know we're still cheaper than east/west coast prices, but couple that with the ridiculous concession prices....that's a lot of $$ to sit with a bunch of noisy morons in a theater for a couple of hours.

I'll take my couch and home theater over that any day.

What's matinee? If I want to see the first showing of a movie at 10am it's going to cost me $10.25. 5pm, $10.25, 8pm, $10.25...

This is the very reason to theater hop. I see it as a 2-for-1

God, NYC is ever worse than I imagined! I'm still going to bitch about prices here, though. I wonder if Netflix has more subscribers in the NYC area because of theater prices?

$8.50 around me. But it's within walking distance.

I loved the Twilight deal - $4.00 was a nice bargain. Now though, a matinee runs me $6.00.

Gotta love the new weekend evening premiums too. Loews Theater near me is 6.50 matinees (all shows before 6pm weekdays, 1st show only on holidays and weekends), 9.50 evening shows and 10.00 evening shows on Fridays and Saturdays.

Agreed. If I go to the first showing on a Saturday morning, I can get in for under five bucks, and watch four or five movies in a day. It's rare that I pay admission to only one movie.

But with Netflix, I'm willing to wait for most movies. Don't have to deal with the sticky floors, kids screaming, cell phones, people chatting, etc. It's not just the high cost of movies keeping me away from the theaters...

I'm so busy with school that when I finally get to the movies, I see two or three. So even if I pay student admission price, I'm really only paying like two dollars and change for a ticket. I can't complain. . .yet.

Never heard of a twilight discount, but matinee prices have risen accordingly to regular ticket prices.

True about how they have risen as full price has risen.

BUT....

2004 $6.50 matinee $8.75 night

2010 $15.50 matinee $18.00 night

2020 $26.00 matinee $30.00 night

I'm exaggerating (I hope), but my point is that there really isn't a huge difference between the two. Seems there used to be.

I'm a college student so I see anything, anytime for 6.00-6.50 (depending on which theater I go to). There is one local 8 cinema theater that has 4.50 student/matinee price, but I greatly prefer stadium seating so I never go there anymore.

Thank god for WGA and Los Angeles. I see a years worth of movies in 2 1/2 months!

So you're a thief?

Yes, he is a thief. Also, a trespasser. And a fraud. And he can be prosecuted for each charge.

Then again, that's if we at the movie theaters care that much...

I don't mind most jumpers. If you're being surreptitious and you're not bothering anyone, fine. It's the really obvious people that grate me - the ones who ask what side a show is on when you've sold them a ticket for another show - that sort of thing.

My managers are the same way. Who cares if the studio doesn't get money? We only care about if you've bought food! OUR profits come from THAT!

you're all spoiled... i pay $14 per ticket at the ArcLight in LA. although, the assigned seating and open bar makes it entirely worth it IMO.

Cygnet's signature is remarkably applicable!

A new theater recently opened in Des Moines. I went to a 3 p.m. movie, and was shocked when they asked for pull price. Their matinees stop at 2 p.m. 2 p.m.? All the other theaters go until five or six.

No no no, my friend. The real spoiled ones are you and I who have experienced the wonders that is Arclight. Besides, if you go from sunday night to friday morning it's only 11 bucks. For the quality theater experience recieved, it's well worth the money.

Several years ago I was going to the theater about 40-50 times a year. Now, maybe 3 times a year. It's just not worth it anymore. Matinee (whenever that is) is around $7.50-$8.00 in San Francisco, and regular is $10.00.

Student prices are same as matinee, so that's not much of a discount.

And it just happens that two of my friends recently bought projectors for their house, so with Netflix, I can watch any recent movie at their place, HUGE screen and comfy sofa.
I'm definitely getting a projector one day.

i just go to the ghetto discount theater. they recently reduced their price from $3 to $1.50, i actually felt guily when i slid in and watched a second movie last night. the feeling passed when i realized the first movie i watched was catwoman.

Arclight = overrated. :shrugs:

Wow, I must be lucky. The theatre I go to (within walking distance) has matinees for $5.50 until 6pm. Plus free popcorn!