Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve jokingly called the movie theater my second home…which may not have been much of a lie. It’s been my favorite pastime for years, as I can catch a sudden escape from reality and enter a completely new world. Growing up in Texas, it was quite an easy getaway, as I was able to enjoy movies for $5.00, increasing to around $10.00 at the absolute most for the newest Marvel release. I exercised this rather cheap luxury until college.
After moving to Manhattan, I found that movie tickets range from a rare $11 to a more common $19.00 or even $30.00. I tried to regularly continue my theater-going streak, but the entertainment category had begun draining much more of my tight budget than I had expected. It was the spring semester of my freshman year of college when I started looking into movie theater subscriptions, a phenomenon that I was previously unaware of, and came across the AMC A-List membership.
For $24.95/month, the AMC A-List subscription allows you to reserve up to three movie tickets per week at any AMC theater nationwide in any format (Standard, Dolby, IMAX, 3D, etc.). Although you are limited to only reserving three movie tickets a week, I find that to hardly be a limit, as most college students, myself included, would not have time to fit any more into a week-long period regardless. When many individual NYC movie tickets are a similar price to the monthly subscription, I saw this opportunity as a complete steal and signed up. To this day, excluding basic necessities, it has been my smartest financial decision — by far.
I’ve seen over 40 films with my AMC A-List subscription and saved over $750, dividing my time among seven AMC theaters. I’ve found that my favorite theater is AMC Lincoln Square 13, which I feel is completely unmatched in its audience atmosphere and screen selection. My favorite particular auditorium in the establishment is their IMAX theater, which is among the largest in the nation. Whether it is through IMAX, Dolby, or just a standard screen, I have had my best moviegoing experiences with this membership. Below are some specific theater trips that I will cherish forever.
Best Audience Experiences
Saltburn
After enjoying many solo trips to the movies, Saltburn was the first film I was able to enjoy alongside fellow Her Campus at Pace member Katie Getz after I convinced her to enroll as an A-List member. After seeing the star-studded cast lineup and mysteriously intriguing trailer, I reserved tickets for us immediately. Seeing it on a Thursday preview night, the day before it was released, we were unsure what to expect, as there had not yet been any social media buzz. I have never seen a film with a friend where I sat in complete silence with my jaw on the floor when it ended. It completely blew us away, and clearly did a number on the audience as well, as I heard every possible emotion you could’ve heard in a theater that night. People roared in laughter, loudly gasped, and even gagged throughout the film. Overall, it was probably the most fun that I ‘ve ever had in a theater.
The Iron Claw
I was able to catch a special early screening of The Iron Claw two weeks before it was released, which was the first time that I heard an entire theater completely sobbing. I was excited about the film based on the trailer that I’d seen before several previous movies but had no idea how incredibly intense and heartbreaking the story of the Von Erichs ultimately would be. Everyone was consoling each other afterward, and it oddly felt like we’d become a little family during that showing. This screening was also the first time I witnessed a movie quote drive a grown man to stand up in the middle of the auditorium and begin loudly applauding. We were all incredibly immersed in the story, and, ultimately, I regretted not bringing tissues.
Dream Scenario
Before seeing Dream Scenario, I didn’t think it was possible to laugh so hard that I cried. Nicolas Cage gave a fantastic comedic performance in this bizarre A24 picture and had the entire audience almost screaming in attempts to catch their breath from laughing. One duo had to leave the theater to control themselves, while a man in front of us laughed so hard after one scene that he could not stop in the serious segment that followed. Everyone’s reactions were contagious and really strengthened the viewing experience.
Favorite Re-Released Movies
Shrek 2 (2004)
Somehow missing its extreme popularity, I never saw Shrek 2 as a kid and was glad to be able to catch the re-release with my roommates at the Times Square AMC location. Upon entering the theater, we were surrounded by large friend groups and families who were completely decked out in ogre gear. It was clear that I was the only one who had never seen it, as applause roared throughout the theater before iconic dance numbers and funny one-liners, which I found to elevate my experience so much more. Many audience members also quoted scenes of the film verbatim. I mainly went for jokes, but actually found this to be a fantastic animated movie, and quite honestly, one of the best I’d ever seen.
Hereditary
As soon as one of my favorite movies of all time was announced to be re-released in theaters as part of a series between A24 and IMAX, I immediately sprinted to reserve a ticket. I find Hereditary to be a complete masterclass of a horror film, and was so excited to finally experience it on not only a theater screen, but a much larger-than-usual IMAX screen with surround sound. I truly valued the experience, as I heard sounds and saw things that I had never seen before, even as a self-proclaimed “expert” on the film. It opened my eyes even wider to the intricacies director Ari Aster placed into the film and how it all came together so wonderfully, descending into absolute madness.
Spider-Man (2002)
I had a blast watching the original Spider-Man at AMC as a part of their series of bringing back all of the Spider-Man films. I was instantly transported back into the comfort of the early 2000s, and was able to fully absorb Tobey Maguire’s wonderful and sincere portrayal of Peter Parker. I felt very lucky to be able to see such a superhero classic on the big screen.
Most Re-watched Movies
Saltburn
I ended up seeing Saltburn twice in theaters and five times in total, which I mainly attribute to wanting to show it to all of my friends. I find it incredibly fascinating upon rewatch, as you notice so many new things that foreshadow the ending and bring in such complex characterization. It’s a film that makes me think so deeply about all of the “what if’s” and the continued legacies of the characters after it ends.
Priscilla
I saw Priscilla four times in theaters. There is something so hypnotic about Sofia Coppola’s filmmaking and the substance that she places into every shot and song selection. I found this film incredibly relaxing and aesthetically pleasing, but also such a sly nightmare intertwined with all of the glamour. I perceive these performances as absolutely top-tier, and I enjoy re-analyzing them with each rewatch.
Favorite Movies
Women Talking
Women Talking was a very pleasant surprise for me, as I wasn’t very interested in it at all, and only initially viewed it as a box to check off on my Best Picture nominee list. It has one of the most eloquently written scripts I have ever seen put to screen and unmatched monologues. Upon watching, I often found myself mouthing “wow” with so many moving quotes dropped throughout the film. Once the credits rolled, I immediately knew that I had a new movie entering my all-time favorites list.
Killers of the Flower Moon
With trailer time included, I spent four hours in the theater to watch Killers of the Flower Moon and did not regret a single moment. Martin Scorsese’s newest 206-minute picture was an absolute marvel to watch in IMAX in an early Thursday preview. It was inspiring to see how deeply he submerged himself into the world of the Osage tribe as an observer and learner, and how he wove together their stories so carefully in attempts to make an earnest, true film about such a heavy topic. The film’s cinematography and editing stood out to me most clearly, as Scorsese and the production team attributed the movie with such a unique and memorable tone.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)
The euphoria of seeing a Marvel movie on an opening night in NYC is a feeling that cannot be easily replicated. I felt that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was the perfect combination of a heart-wrenching, comical, and action-packed picture, and I saw it to be miles beyond many of Marvel’s other recent films at the time. I strongly resonated with the overall narrative and soundtrack, which tied the entire picture together for me.
Luckily, this is only the beginning of my AMC A-List journey, as I plan to continue this subscription for as long as I live…or can logically afford it. Regardless, I’ll always enjoy having something to look forward to every few days; a new story to completely immerse myself in, with a group of other passionate moviegoers yearning for a cinematic escape.