2020 has been a year filled with some monumental changes, including the fact that going to the movies has now transitioned, for the most part, into an at-home experience. Unfortunately, movie theaters have taken a massive hit this year due to the pandemic, which has prompted many studios to figure out what to do with their new releases, and prompted us movie lovers to find other ways to enjoy movies together. Enter Movies Anywhere’s co-viewing feature, which allows you and up to 9 other people to Watch Together at the same time the movies in your collection!
Movies Anywhere is one company that’s helping to bring cinephiles together during this difficult time. On their website or app, you can compile your favorite movies purchased through participating digital retailers, along with redeemable codes from Blu-rays or DVDs, and keep them all in one big online library. Not to mention, signing up is completely free. And with this ability to Watch Together, you can share in the experience with your friends and family remotely.
How Do You Get Started?
Signing up for a Movies Anywhere account is incredibly easy and only takes a few minutes. After creating your account, you can start building your library by either adding digital codes from Blu-rays or DVDs you’ve purchased or through purchases made online through a digital retailer.
If you’re using a digital code rather than purchasing online, you can head up to the left hand corner of the screen to redeem it. Or, if you went with the latter, the movie will automatically appear in your library after you connect Movies Anywhere to your digital retailer accounts to bring your previously purchased movies together into one library. However, in order to include your friends in on the fun, you have to hit the “Watch Together” button instead of the “Play” button. This will bring up a screen that explains the feature and asks if you want to host or if you’re a guest. After hitting the “I want to host” button, you’ll be taken to a screen with the room code that you can copy and send to anyone who wants to join in on your movie-watching party. However, this brings me to point number two…
Who All Can Watch the Movie?
You can invite anyone else who has this movie in their Movies Anywhere collection, and for those who don’t, for eligible movies you can send them a Screen Pass so they can Watch Together with you at no additional cost. Screen Pass-eligible movies are all located in a row titled “My Screen Pass Eligible Movies” within your “My Movies” page on the app. Movies Anywhere has a section of popular Screen Pass eligible titles where you can see plenty of great titles to choose from.
In order to be eligible to send a Screen Pass, all you need to do is to have purchased a Movies Anywhere-eligible movie or redeemed a non-promotional digital code in the past six months. Once you’ve done that, you will earn 3 Screen Passes each month that you can send to whomever you like. Any unused passes will expire at the end of each month, though, so make sure to use them all up during your watch party. For my movie night, I decided to watch Mad Max: Fury Road, which is a Screen Pass-eligible movie! See what I mean by plenty of great titles available?
Getting the room code is the same process as before, but before hitting the “Watch Together” button, you’re going to hit the “Screen Pass” button. From here, you send out the pass to whoever needs it so they can join in on your co-viewing session. And again, the person receiving the pass must have a Movies Anywhere account. Then, the receiving party can enter the room code and jump in the lobby! Once everyone is in the lobby and ready to go, you can hit the “Play Movie” button. Keep in mind: once it’s started, the lobby is closed — so make sure not to leave anyone behind.
How Does the Reactions Feature Work?
Movies Anywhere’s reactions feature isn’t so much a section where you can write your detailed opinions on the movie you’re watching, but rather, it’s a bar with emojis located just above the play/pause bar. As a guest, you can send a brief message from the bottom saying “Rewind”, “Pause”, or “Forward” if needed, too! This way, you can react to the movie without distracting others with endless messages. Anytime an emoji is sent, it pops up on the bottom right of the screen and fades away after a while, making for a nice way to watch something without being too distracted.
What Movies Are Available to Watch?
All movies in Movies Anywhere are currently available to Watch Together. Major titles from 20th Century Studios, Sony Pictures, Universal Studios, Disney, and Warner Bros. are all right at your fingertips to purchase and add to your own collection. Plus, Movies Anywhere also shows Daily Deals for both new and old movies, providing a simple way to expand your library while on a budget. Not to mention, Movies Anywhere also supports 4K UHD, HDR, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and 5.1 Surround Sound, so you can truly get the full experience of whatever movie you choose to watch.
What’re the Pros?
There’s a lot to like about being able to Watch Together on Movies Anywhere. I, for one, really liked how easy it was to get started. The process wasn’t overly complicated, and I especially like the Screen Pass feature. Knowing I could still include friends that didn’t have the movie in their own library makes their options feel less limiting. The reaction feature was also a nice way to see reactions without feeling distracted by a sidebar filled with endless messages. All in all, as someone who’s always on the lookout for new ways to connect with people over movies while also remaining safe during the pandemic, I really enjoyed my experience with it. And since safety still remains a number one priority right now, what better way to have a socially-distanced movie night than with Movies Anywhere?
This article is presented by Movies Anywhere. Screen Pass-eligible movies are subject to change without notice. Movies Anywhere and Screen Pass are trademarks of Movies Anywhere, LLC. © 2020 Movies Anywhere.
Users must be 13 years or older to sign up for Movies Anywhere.
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Hannah Hoolihan
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