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Patrons can invite friends without having to pay for their ticket, although they can if they want. The app can also be used to order food and drinks at the concession. Those who order ahead of time can than go to a location at the counter specifically reserved for Atom users to pick up their order, avoiding a lineup.

The developers of the app say the idea is to take the frustration out of planning a night out at the movies with a larger group of family and friends.

“People of all ages have all kinds of movies they want to go to,” said Ameesh Paleja, co-founder and

CEO of Atom Tickets, who gave an enthusiastic presentation to the Herald earlier this week at Landmark’s Shawnessy location. “They just get frustrated. So they end up narrowing the number of people they invite. Maybe it’s just your significant other. Maybe it’s just a three-person party. Imagine kids in a dorm room — there’s 20 of you and you’re trying to get 20 people organized to go to the movies. It’s impossible.”

The app has plenty of other nifty features to make planning easier. Users can watch trailers and “like” various films, which will then aid in compiling lists of friends who want to see a certain film, and identify those who have already seen it. Users can also instruct the concession workers when to start preparing their food, so it’s ready to pick up when they arrive in the theatre.

But clearly, the main idea is to fill more seats in theatres. This is likely why Atom Tickets has had some high-profile studio backers. Fox, Disney and Lionsgate led the $50-million investment in the company.