Look, we get it. Prices for everything right now are outrageous. I remember when a movie was $5. I’m not a huge fan of going to the theater and spending $40+ on a movie and some snacks. But the theater is an important experience, and I will find my way around that. And while complaining is a valid response, there is a time and place for it, and it is not on the Instagram comments of somebody who is just doing a job.
Earlier this week Spielberg and Amblin Entertainment took to the official Hamnet Instagram to promote the film, which started playing nationwide on 12/5. In it, Spielberg talks about seeing the film in theaters to experience it with an audience and how that can change how the story affects us.
“We hear the laughs, we feel the tears, and we share emotion,” he said in the video.
Predictably, some users took it the way that they wanted to, calling the video “tone deaf” and calling for Spielberg to make it more affordable to go the movies.
As much as I wish he could, Spielberg does not have Taylor Swift-levels of influence over the market. He is, unfortunately, not going to be enacting any change anytime soon. There are, though, alternatives that can make frequenting the theater more accessible.
AMC and Regal both have robust subscriptions. There are options to save on tickets and snacks at AMC, and Regal offers truly unlimited movies, both for monthly fees roughly equivalent to the cost of less than two tickets.
Of course, subscriptions are not for everybody. But if you have the ability, there are offers out there to help you save money on theatergoing experiences, while also being able to help keep theaters in business and prevent streaming from dominating the landscape. It is important, and incredibly so, that we do not allow this experience to be pushed aside.
I’ve had AMC A-List since 2019, and it has kept me consistently going to the movies, even when I otherwise would not be able to afford it. If you love film, a subscription like this is absolutely worth it.
So stop complaining in the comments. Stop asking if a bean soup can be made without beans because you don’t like them. Prices are not going to go down any time soon, if ever, so all we can do is find workarounds to make sure theaters stay open and in business.
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