HBO has just released the official trailer (see below) for a new documentary that will be coming to its streaming service Max at the end of this month – although, I wish I could buy a discounted theater ticket to see it, because of the pure irony of it all.
MoviePass, MovieCrash recounts the rise and fall of the theater subscription service MoviePass, from key interviews with the company's former founders, CEOs, employees, investors, subscribers, industry analysts and the journalists at Business Insider (Nathan McAlone and Jason Guerrasio) who originally reported on the company's demise.
Once described as a movie-lover's dream, MoviePass allowed subscribers to see one movie at theaters per day for just $9.99 a month. It seemed too good to be true, and it was. The service launched in 2011, before eventually filing for bankruptcy in 2019 after being investigated for fraudulent business practices.
Is MoviePass, MovieCrash worth watching?
Judging by the trailer, definitely. I'm a big fan of these types of documentaries, especially off the back of hits like Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened and The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley – both of which recount very similar stories about the rise and fall of a company.
There's also the fact that HBO is known for making quality productions, just look at our previous roundup of the best Max documentaries, and with the award-winning filmmaker Muta’Ali (Yusuf Hawkins: Storm Over Brooklyn) onboard, it's likely to be another hit.
Expect to see scenes from extravagant and lavish parties at prestigious industry events from Sundance Film Festival, Coachella and the Cannes Film Festival, broken up by interviews from people who were closest to the story. It sounds like it's going to be a wild ride and I for one can't wait to hear the full behind-the-scenes story.
MoviePass, MovieCrash arrives on Max on May 29, 2024.
