Viewpoint: Here is what I learnt about why S’pore moviegoers head to JB cinemas

JOHOR BAHRU – After years of hearing about the better value, I went to watch movies in Johor Bahru (JB) for the first time on Sept 17, a Wednesday afternoon, between noon and 5pm.

Yes, tickets are cheaper, but that is true for most consumer goods and services there. Quality matters as well.

I visited three cinemas within a 30-minute Grab ride from the JB Sentral Bus Terminal: GSC at KSL City Mall; GSC at The Mall, Mid Valley Southkey (with its luxury Aurum Theatre option); and TGV Cinemas at Toppen Shopping Centre, a family-centric mall with a free playroom for kids.

1. Lower ticket prices, higher quality seating

At GSC KSL City Mall, I paid RM12 (S$3.60) for a standard weekday afternoon ticket. The seats were wide leatherette recliners with generous legroom that felt premium-class, by Singapore standards.

The screen was small – about the size of a typical one from a Singapore neighbourhood cinema – but bright and sharp. The sound was crisp, the hall spotless and the seats roomy. This was the baseline offering.

On peak days from Thursdays to Sundays, standard tickets cost RM19 – still considerably lower than Singapore’s peak-period $16 for standard halls.

Sitting there, watching horror movie The Conjuring: Last Rites, I thought of Golden Village Bedok, the cinema closest to me, and its narrow, cramped seats.

2. Singaporeans are already here

The friendly general manager of GSC at The Mall, Mid Valley Southkey said that Mandarin and Cantonese movies were hits with Singaporean moviegoers, who made up 30 per cent of the audience on weekends, and slightly less on weekdays.

Of the five groups I approached, three turned out to be Singaporeans spending a few hours at the mall, eating and shopping.

The trend is so established that GSC cinema chain allows Singaporeans to use their mobile numbers to register as customers for online bookings.

3. Movies are a bonus, not the main attraction

The Singaporeans I approached at the cinemas had made a spur-of-the-moment decision to watch either the Jackie Chan thriller The Shadow’s Edge or The Conjuring: Last Rites.

Tickets were cheap enough that a bad movie would not matter. The cinema served as a comfortable rest stop during extended shopping trips, with the movie a bonus rather than the main draw.

Affordable pricing and pampering seating make moviegoing in JB an impulse activity rather than a planned expense. In Singapore, a night out at the movies can cost up to $100 for a family of four, if snacks are included.

The three locations I visited each offered distinct experiences, from standard screenings to family entertainment complexes with rooftop splash parks.

For Singaporeans willing to cross the border, the JB cinema scene provides both value and variety that the local market struggles to match.

4. Imax options exist, with caveats

For more than a year, film enthusiasts have complained about the visible patterns on Shaw Lido’s Imax screen.

Reddit users have dismissed Singapore’s Imax offerings as “LieMax”, because the screens fail to meet the format’s original specifications for size and projection. Hollywood film-makers such as Christopher Nolan shoot specifically for these larger Imax formats.

The reportedly “best” Imax screen closest to Singapore can be found at TGV Sunway Velocity, which is several hours’ drive up north in Kuala Lumpur.

The Imax options in Johor, like the one at GSC at The Mall, Mid Valley Southkey, are of the smaller, older variety that is said to be a step up from Singapore’s offerings, but not by much.

For bigger and brighter Imax options, moviegoers have to jet to Bangkok, Hong Kong, Seoul, Tokyo or Osaka.

5. Premium cinema experiences slightly pricier, but come with extras

GSC Aurum at The Mall, Mid Valley Southkey elevates movie-watching with levels of coddling that rival any experience in Singapore. Think lie-flat seats that look like beds, smothered in blankets and pillows – washed after every screening.

The premium experience includes a dedicated lounge with waiter service; reclining armchairs with side tables; a drink and a meal, with food choices ranging from snacks like tiramisu-flavoured popcorn to entrees such as chargrilled chicken.

GSC Aurum tickets cost a flat RM160, including a meal and drinks. In Singapore, Golden Village Gold Class tickets range from $28 (off-peak) to $45 (peak), with add-ons like a take-home blanket and cookies, and for peak bookings, bottled water.

Which is better depends on preference: Singapore offers flexibility and a lower entry price, while JB offers the assurance of an all-inclusive price.