It’s 2:45 p.m. on a Wednesday, and you’re craving an escape from the overwhelming sights and sounds of campus. Suddenly, you recall the wise words of a national treasure whispering ever so softly in the back of your mind: “We come to this place for magic.” Nicole Kidman’s striped suit sparkles in the distance, and drawn like a moth to a flame, you simply cannot resist the “dazzling images on a huge silver screen.” 

AMC Theatres have always been a fan favorite, but with prices increasing by the day, an $18.50 movie doesn’t always fit into the average student’s budget. Let’s face it: movie theater popularity is dwindling. With the popularity of Barbenheimer, you might have rediscovered the wonders of the big screen only to be faced with a hefty bill after the day’s excursion. 

The solution to your financial and cinematic woes? AMC A-List. 

For a monthly cost of a single IMAX movie ticket ($24.99), the Stubs A-List membership has transformed me from a skeptic to a faithful advocate in just two weeks. Taunted by the stacked holiday lineup of new film releases, I finally caved and opted for the highly-praised subscription. And after seeing four stellar movies in ten days, I am now qualified to give you the inside scoop on whether an A-List membership is worth the hype.

Spoiler alert: it is. 

Here’s a quick rundown of everything I’ve come to learn and love about AMC’s membership.

1) Big screens and bigger savings

First and foremost, the savings are unbeatable. With the option to reserve up to three movies a week, including IMAX and Dolby exclusives, you could be seeing 12 movies every month for the price of one. I’d consider that an incredible deal. Racking up reward points is also an added cost-efficient bonus, earning you plenty of discounts on popcorn and drinks. However, these savings are only worthwhile if you use the membership to its fullest potential, so make sure you’re able to take advantage of weekly movies if you’re considering an A-List pass. Remember, folks: we’re trying to beat the system here, so use it or lose it. 

2) Up your coolness

A-List allows you to see the latest and greatest that cinema has to offer. This gives you the opportunity to then brag to all of your friends about how amazing each new movie is before it releases on streaming. Picture this: “Have you heard of that new Elvis movie?” “Oh, you mean ‘Priscilla?’ I saw it last week in theaters. I think it might be some of Sofia Coppola’s best directorial work to date.” Boom, you’re immediately the coolest person in the room. Once the Academy Awards roll around, you’ll be flexing your wealth of knowledge and predicting Oscar winners left and right, further upping your coolness factor exponentially. 

3) An experience like no other

I know what you’re thinking: Why can’t I just see the same movies at home? Nicole Kidman can help out with this one: frankly, your television screen, or worse, your laptop screen, can never compare to “that indescribable feeling [you] get when the lights begin to dim.” A movie theater’s ambiance — the massive screen with quality surround sound, the alluring aroma of synthetic butter, the harmonious crunches and murmurs of a community of strangers — makes a world of difference in creating the ideal viewing experience, one like no other. A-List gives you the chance to escape reality three times a week and enter into a fantasy world: a place where there’s no thinking involved, where you can just be. In my opinion, it’s well worth the price of admission. 

4) The perfect incentive 

After a long day of hard work and monotonous lectures, we all deserve a treat. What better way to end the night — or take a long afternoon break — than to lose yourself in a great story? Instead of wasting away in the bottomless abyss of your TikTok For You Page, A-List provides an opportunity to invest your recreational time in something more meaningful. Not to mention, it’s an excellent cure for chronic procrastination. Reserve a movie time in the AMC app and plan ahead to finish your assignments. The allure of the movie theater can help you set goals for yourself, providing an incentive for toiling away in the library and thus boosting your productivity. Work hard so you can play even harder. 

Nothing compares to the comforts of a weekly movie experience; with a tasty snack in hand, a warm blanket on your lap, and a great new movie projected before your eyes, all worries slip away for a brief moment in time. You forget life’s burdens, and your day becomes defined by the emotions you feel while sitting in the theater’s recliner seat and immersed in the movie’s world. 

Despite appearances, this is not a sponsored ad for AMC Theatres. I’m just a passionate, novice A-Lister trying to spread the good word of the cinema to any and all who will listen. Now is the perfect time to try out the magic of movie memberships for yourself and start watching more for less. A great movie on the big screen is guaranteed to brighten your week.