Key Takeaways
Subscription to AMC Stubs A-List offers up to 3 movies a week for $20, includes all formats.
Free AMC Stubs Insider gives points per $1 spent, fee waivers, and $5 rewards.
Monthly subscription payments may require diversifying movie choices, but AMC A-List is a valuable service for movie lovers.
A common complaint among movie theater-goers is the rising prices. Whether it's the movies themselves or the concessions, it's becoming more appealing to sit at home and wait for something to hit streaming. The downside to that is that there's nothing that beats the theater experience. I have a modest 5.1.2 surround sound setup with Dolby Atmos at home, but it doesn't compare to the sound or look of Dolby Cinema. Luckily, I found a way to greatly lower the cost of my theater trips.
By signing up for AMC Stubs A-List, I have access to up to three movies a week for $20 a month. On top of that, it includes all formats, whether it's Dolby Cinema, IMAX, or 3D. I went from somebody on the fence about going to the movies and only going for things I was really excited for to someone who checks out a lot of different things.
For example, I was never going to see films like Challengers, The Beekeeper, Saturday Night, or The Apprentice in theaters if it weren't for an A-List subscription. For $20 a month, there's a lot less pressure on me about going to see something I might not like, and it's allowed me to open up my horizons. For the record, I enjoyed all four of the movies I listed before, and I'm glad I got to see them on the big screen.
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AMC
AMC Stubs
The AMC app not only allows you to access showtimes and purchase tickets, but also gives users the ability to sign up for AMC Stubs, the chain's loyalty program, which has a free tier as well as its signature A-list offering.
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An AMC membership is worth it even without A-List
Free options are available
AMC A-List
AMC
If you're like me, you like to know what you're going to see before showing up at the theater. While it was nice to show up at a movie theater and see whatever's showing at the time, that's no longer necessary since you can book your seats ahead of time.
Although A-List costs $20 a month, you can bump it down to a free AMC Stubs Insider account. While you don't get the free weekly movies, you get points per $1 spent at the theater, and 5,000 points earns you a $5 reward. Along with that, you get waived online ticket fees when you buy four or more tickets at a time, so you save some cash there.
For $15 a year, but $17.99 beginning January 1, you can get an AMC Stubs Premiere membership that gets you more bang for your buck. Instead of 20 points per $1 spent, Premier gets you 100 points, and you get your online ticket fees waived every time regardless of how many tickets you buy at a time. Your points don't expire, you get free size upgrades on your popcorn and fountain drinks, and you get access to the priority lanes that help move you through the concession line much quicker.
At the very least, you should sign up for the free tier because any rewards are better than no rewards. You can easily keep track of your subscriptions and how many points you have through the AMC Theatres app on Android and iOS.
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There are still downsides
You have to stay busy
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While I love the subscription, there have been months when I genuinely wonder what you'll see to get your money's worth out of the service. Januarys are often slow months for movies, so you have to stretch your boundaries and see things outside of your comfort zone. In 2024, that meant me seeing Night Swim and The Beekeeper.
While I didn't think it was horrendous, Night Swim is a movie that's often regarded as one of the worst films of the year, and it has an abysmal 1.7 rating on Letterboxd. That's the type of risk you have to take with A-List, but even with gambles like that, I don't regret seeing anything even if I don't like it.
The big issue I run into in those slow months is finding the motivation to get out of the house and go to the movies. Using January again, it's cold, snowy, and my theater is a 20-minute drive. If the weather is bad and the movie I'm going to see isn't exciting for me, it's a tough sell. Of course, your situation could be completely different from mine, so don't let my situation change your mind. Ultimately, an AMC Stubs A-List subscription is something I wholeheartedly recommend, and it's helped me appreciate a wide variety of things.
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The one subscription I can't get rid of
There's just so much value
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Marvel/ Pocket-lint
I made it a goal for myself to see more movies in 2024, and my subscription to A-List that I signed up for near the end of 2023 made that possible. In that time, I saw 55 movies, and there are still a few I plan on seeing before the year is up -- I'm coming for you Nosferatu! It's easily been the service I get the most use out of it, and even if I see some duds, it's still nice to get out of the house doing something I love.
The jump start I needed was constantly looking at the Golden Globes or Oscar nominees and simply not recognizing many of the films. I realize that not only could I know what these films are to be better informed when awards season comes around again, but that I might actually enjoy a good chunk of them.
Using a very recent example, Sebastian Stan was nominated for two separate 2024 Golden Globes for The Apprentice and A Different Man, two movies I very much enjoyed, and movies I wouldn't have known much about if it weren't for A-List. Because of A-List, I realized somebody like Sebastian Stan was much more than his Bucky Barnes character in the MCU.
While many services like YouTube Premium, Amazon Prime, and Max come and go in my household, the AMC A-List subscription is something I don't want to give up. While watching movies at home is nice, I find myself enjoying the experience much more when I go out to the theater. I don't typically find myself there three times a week like the subscription allows me to be, but that's more than okay. Even if I don't get the full value each month, I see more than enough films to make it worth it to me.
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