Movie Night on a Budget

By Danielle Collins ‘20

I love movies, and I love seeing movies at the theater. But in LA, too many movies nights can break the bank. Coming from my hometown where movie tickets are $7, going to the theater in LA was a shock. So I’ve done my best to figure out how to keep seeing movies without draining my bank account.

My two biggest recommendations are buying tickets from the USC Ticket Office, or investing in MoviePass if you’re a serious moviegoer. Keep reading to learn about those options and a couple of other suggestions!

USC Ticket Office

The USC Ticket Office has some great movie theater steals! They have discount tickets available at 4 different theaters (see below). Here’s how it works:

• Go to the USC Student Union building located next to the USC Pharmacy (search for “Student Union” on USC Maps)
• Buy a pass to whichever theater you want. These passes don’t expire, so feel free to buy them well in advance.
• Bring the pass to the movie theater when you go, and exchange the pass for a real ticket at the box office. 
• Go see your movie!
• Keep in mind: The passes can only be used to see regular 2D movies. No “premiere cinemas” or “4D experiences.” Also, sometimes the passes won’t work the first weekend a big blockbuster is released. Just check on Fandango and see if it says “No passes” — if not, you’re good to go!

And here’s a list of theaters offered:

• Regal: $9
• Laemmle: $7
• AMC: $10.75
• Cinemark: $9

MoviePass

You’ve probably heard of MoviePass, the deal for moviegoers that is taking LA by storm. As someone who sees a lot of movies, I decided MoviePass was the best deal for me. Here’s how it works:

• You pay $9.99 per month and get to see one movie per day.
• Like passes from the USC Ticket Office, it’s restricted to regular 2D movies.
• Another restriction is that MoviePass not all theaters accept MoviePass, but a lot of the major ones do! Regal, AMC, Laemmle, Cinemark, and more all accept MoviePass. See their website for a full list.

• To sign up:
• Go to moviepass.com and register your MoviePass account
• Your MoviePass card should arrive within 2 weeks (mine did)
• You are charged and your first month begins when you see your first movie using MoviePass
• To see movies:
• Download the MoviePass app. When you’re within a certain radius of the theater, you can register on the app ahead of time
• Bring your MoviePass card to “purchase” a ticket at the box office or a kiosk
• Enjoy the movie!

My opinion: I’d say if you see at least 2 movies a month, MoviePass is worth it. If you see two movies at LA Live that’s at least $14, and with MoviePass you’re only paying $10. For me, MoviePass lets me see movies guilt-free. I can see as many as I want and rewatch movies too. If you’re a movie-lover, I say MoviePass is the way to go! Also, you can cancel MoviePass at any time.

Other Movie Steals

• Theater specials: Some theaters have their own special discounts and days, so feel free to do some Googling about your favorite theaters. I’ve taken advantage of LA Live’s $9 Tuesdays in the past. (But since that’s the same price as the Ticket Office pass, you can go to LA Live any day for $9).

• Smaller theaters: LA has some really cool small theaters that do specialized showings. One of my favorites is Laemmle Theaters. They have a few locations, but I go to the Santa Monica location— it’s on 2nd street right behind the Promenade. Laemmle only shows independent films, so they usually have lots of Oscar contenders. You can get tickets for $7 at the USC Ticket Office or $11 at their box office.
  
• Pro tip: Get there early! The theaters are small and often sell out. Also, there’s no assigned seats, so arrive early if you don’t want to be in the front row.
  

Don’t let expensive box office prices stop you from seeing movies. Take advantage of these opportunities to get cheaper tickets, and you can see all the movies you want! Happy moviegoing!

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