I can’t really say this enough times: Games that are based on or tied into movies are nearly always terrible. So when I heard that GameStop was running a promotion in which buyers of movie games are rewarded with a free movie ticket, I was a bit skeptical. After all, the Wii game for “Hannah Montana: The Movie,” which got a rating of 20 out of 100 from IGN, costs $50. It’s not worth the money even if you throw a free $10 movie ticket into the mix.

But looking over GameStop’s list of eligible titles, I found that it counts “Resident Evil 5” (rated M, $60 on Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3) as a “movie game.” It must be because the “Resident Evil” games franchise has spawned its own movies. So while the latest game in the series isn’t really a “movie game” in the traditional sense, it counts. Basically, all you have to do is buy the game at GameStop, redeem an e-Movie Cash promotional code online and go to your movie, which needs not be affiliated with the game you bought. According to the e-Movie Cash website, several Sonoma County theaters participate in the program.

I can’t recommend any of the other titles on GameStop’s list, though it’s possible the “Transformers” or “Ghostbusters” games might be halfway decent once they’re released. The promotion ends June 30 or while supplies last, so there’s a bit of time to check reviews of those titles before committing. Just don’t get overanxious and preorder.