If you’ve ever seen packs of lost teenagers scrutinizing
movie times inside the local multiplex, or families with
suspiciously large shopping bags concealing enough food inside to
last for the entire day, then you’ve probably spotted movie
hoppers before.
These movie hoppers are people that buy a ticket early in the
afternoon and then sneak into additional films without purchasing
more tickets. Whether you realize it or not, the people sitting
behind or in front of you may belong to the mysterious category of
multiplex patrons who are watching what you just paid eight dollars
for, free of cost.
I should know, because last week I decided to cross over and
join them.
Do I feel guilty? Of course not, and neither should you if you
have also decided to join this secret suburban club that I refer to
now as Movie Hoppers Anonymous (we’ll be chartering our
organization soon).
Although the ethics of this club may be questionable, my motives
for joining are clear.
Due to the rising cost of ticket prices, I decided to take
advantage of the local multiplex for everything that they’re
worth and gorge myself with all of the new releases I could watch
over the course of a day. Not only have I saved more than $20 in
the process, but I can now advise those who have not been fortunate
enough to discover this money-saving secret society.
Now before all of you start requesting membership cards,
belonging to MHA requires more than just being able to pay for the
price of a ticket and finding good movies to watch. It requires the
impeccable timing that Leonardo DiCaprio needed in “Catch Me
if You Can,” and the confidence and stamina that he used in
“Gangs of New York,” two movies I was able to see with
one ticket.
Didn’t happen to catch those films yet? Don’t worry,
you still have time to learn, my little grasshopper.
The key to effective movie hopping is mostly in the preparation
and planning. Checking movie times and visiting Web sites like
Hollywood.com to see how long the running times are would be a good
idea prior to leaving for the theater. Then, predetermine a
schedule for your day in order to ensure smooth transitions from
one movie to another (much like picking classes). There’s
nothing worse than having to miss the first fifteen minutes of your
second film, or waiting an hour in between the movies you want to
see.
In addition to planning the day’s schedule, what many
forget to take into consideration is proper rest and nourishment in
order to stay alert during all the movies they plan to attend.
Watching five to seven hours of movies in one day can be more
draining than you’d imagine, but here’s where those big
shopping bags come into play.
Be prepared to sneak in enough food to snack on, and caffeine to
drink during your day at the movies, otherwise it would be
pointless to watch two additional movies for free only to spend
another $15 on hot dogs, a soda and hamburgers inside. I’ve
noticed that the big blue GAP bags seem to work the best,
especially if you’re visiting a multiplex located inside a
mall, such as in the Beverly Center or the Westside Pavilion.
Remember, once you’ve joined this organization, there is
no turning back. Being a member of MHA may be tiresome at times,
but well worth it in the end when you can look into your pockets
and realize that as a poor college student, you’ve been able
to stretch your dollars even more.