A love letter to the cinema
In recent months, I’ve rediscovered the joy of going to the cinema. It’s partly down to the fact I now live near so many incredible independent venues, and partly because I’ve been craving the unique kind of escapism that comes from going to the pictures.
For those two hours (or more), I’m transported to another time or place, and freed from day-to-day responsibilities and distractions in a way that otherwise feels out of reach in this fast-paced and constantly-connected world.
But the future of independent theatres feels increasingly precarious. Earlier this month, the wonderful and much-loved Electric cinema in Birmingham shut down, 114 years after it opened its doors as the first movie theatre in my home city. And while its closure doesn’t appear to be down to declining footfall - having been linked instead to a controversial potential redevelopment of the area - the loss of the Electric is symptomatic of how the indie arts scene is struggling across the country.
Stats released last autumn showed that around 45% of the UK’s independent cinemas would be operating at a loss by the end of the 2023/24 financial year, with 42% estimating that they could only keep their doors open for anywhere between three months to a year in the current climate. The rise in online streaming, a decline in public funding, a rise in energy prices and the cost-of-living crisis were all cited as contributing factors, noted Screen Daily.
And that’s the thing: going to the cinema is expensive - and it’s not going to get cheaper anytime soon. That’s why I wanted to share some of my top tips for saving money on cinema tickets - aside from bringing your own popcorn (we all do it!).
MUBI GO
MUBI GO is the reason why I’ve been able to go to the cinema so often recently. For £18.99 a month, you get a hand-picked movie ticket for free every week. A pretty sweet deal!
It’s probably only worth it if you know you’ll be able to get to the cinema every week, and it’s worth stressing that MUBI picks the film for you - you don’t get a choice. However, I love it for exactly that reason - it forces me to watch things I might otherwise have skipped. In fact, the film I enjoyed most over the last month was the one I was least enthusiastic to see (Four Daughters, if you’re wondering - go see it!!).
You can get a 7-day free trial here, but it’s worth keeping an eye out for other month-long trial offers which they often share over on Instagram.
ShowFilmFirst
This is a great way to get discounted (and sometimes free!) tickets for the cinema, theatre, dance performances, comedy gigs and lots more.
You need to sign up for membership first - they ask for details like where you’re based and your genre preferences - but then you’re good to start browsing for events near you. Again, this is a great way to not only enjoy the arts for less but also to try out new things.
Off-peak and discounted tickets
In my experience, the vast majority of indie cinemas offer discounted tickets earlier on in the week, so it’s worth checking whether your local has a similar deal.
The bigger chains are increasingly offering these deals, too. Last month, Cineworld introduced a new ticket type allowing moviegoers to see any film for £5.99 on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday.
I’ve also found that many cinemas have much more generous age limits for discounted tickets than you might otherwise expect. At Picturehouse cinemas, for example, anyone aged 25 and under can watch a movie anytime Monday to Thursday for £4.99 (or £5.99 in London).
And while there are too many deals to list here, I’ll leave you with MoneySavingExpert’s truly excellent guide to finding the cheapest tickets.