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A trip to the movie theater has always been a go-to option for a date night or a night out with friends, but with ticket prices at an all-time high, moviegoers are forced to think twice before spending the dough. Cord-cutters and traditional broadband viewers alike may not actually realize the extent of the value they’re getting by subscribing to one or more of the many quality SVOD platforms available. By sacrificing one night out at the movies you can instead choose from thousands of titles for 4 whole months on Netflix, for example, right from the comfort of your own living room.
While AMC Theatres has recently stepped up its moviegoing experience by installing comfortable reclining seats, does that make it worth spending nearly $20 per ticket to see the latest box office release on the big screen? Some of the other theaters like Regal Cinemas and local venues may offer tickets that are somewhat more affordable (around the $12 range) but that’s still more than an entire month of Netflix, which is priced at $9.99 per month, and equivalent to a full month of ad-free Hulu.
Additionally, you can get a 6-8 month subscription to Seeso (priced at $3.99/mo), 4-5 months of commercial free CBS All Access, and almost 6 months of Prime Video just by cuddling up next to your date or significant other at home instead of spending $40+ at the movies. Let’s also not forget that there are plenty of free streaming options with big name titles and originals like Crackle, Tubi TV and The CW apps, just to name a few.
While it’s certainly understandable how you might not want to spend every night at home or that you wouldn’t want to wait to watch the occasional must-see new release, by choosing to forego a pair of movie tickets just one time could get you nearly 6 months of quality streaming… as if you needed another reason to Netflix and chill. That’s not only 24/7 content for your home, but also for your commute, travel and to share with friends.
With the popularity of streaming rising as fast as movie ticket prices, theaters will be forced to do more to keep its customers. It’s even rumored that they might start serving alcohol at the concession stands. Overall, however, we choose streaming. Not only because of convenience and value but also because of the quality of original programming that has continued to surface over the past few years. Plus the fact that many new releases, like Zach Galifianakis’ Masterminds, end up on streaming platforms soon after their theatrical premiere anyway.
Michael is a music and television junkie keen on most things that are not a complete and total bore. You can follow him on Twitter — @Tweetskoor
