One thing I've not "kept up with the times" with is Online Video Rental.

Honestly I don't understand the point.

Why would anyone want to rent videos through the mail?

Once or Twice a week, my wife and I get in the car and go to the shopping center that stores our video rental store. While out, we stop for coffee, maybe have a bit to eat, do a little shopping, what ever.

It's a pleasure to head to the video store, oh sure you can have to put it off for life things, but I'm sure to get at least a cup of coffee along with new Videos to watch when I head out.

So someone please tell me why do you like it so much?

Do you live in a small town without much an opption for video store rentals?

What Gives?

Have you seen the service at Blockbuster?

Unlimited movies a month for a set price is the attraction

I like the unlimited movies part... also, the fact that you can search a huge database of movies by actor, genre, awards won, etc, helps you to pick out movies that you may never have heard of before. Netflix also has user reviews and links to professional reviews (Roger Ebert, etc) that you can easily click on and read before renting. Netflix also recommends movies to you based on past rentals and your ratings of movies - it might sound unnecessary, but I have honestly found some gems based off of those recommendations that I would never have thought to look for simply by going into a traditional brick and morter rental facility...

I agree with everything the assclown above me said.

get a DVD player that can play DIVX files. Then get a Rapidshare account. You would be amazed at what you can find, using google. Once you get the movie you want, it's just a matter of burning it to a regular CD and you're good to go.

katt said:

If that was the case, I still don't understand. I use "Hollywood" Video, and for something like 20-25 dollars a month, I get to take home 3 videos at a time, "unlimited" (including new) videos. If I wanted to, I could even changer out my videos 3-4 times a day if I were that much a movie buff.

Tom said:

jerseykrs said:

DarkKnight1 said:

jerseykrs said:

Me too. Add to that the convenience. They come to me in the mail, I drop them back off in the mail when I'm done. 2 days later I have new dvds to watch. I don't have to make an extra trip or stop anywhere or wait in line behind anyone.

MickG said:

the way tehcnology is developing we will soon be able to hook into a 'matrix' like headset which allows us to watch movies, study, shop, work and do anything virtually. maybe someday people who are not 'hooked in' like this for the majority of their day will be considered primitives. people who actually continue to walk around and physically experience things will be outside the norm

then again, maybe i've just been watching too many science fiction movies

Or, you can steal them off the internet

Selection, don't have to worry about getting them back on time, keeps track of what I've seen and what I want to see, cheap.

MickG said:

I would love a local store to do that here, we seem not 2 have that option, I have only seen unlimited rental through online websites.

You can get new releases as soon as they come out. When I used to go to only video stores looking for a new release, they were always out, especially on Fridays.

You can order movies before they come out. I put X Men in my queue before the release date, and had it the day it came out.

There are no late fees. I rented Jesus of Nazareth for my church, and kept it for two weeks.

I pay $10.59 a month (tax included) to rent one DVD at a time. With the speed of mailing them to me when I've returned them, I can get like three DVDs a week.

dustysgirl said:

Yes but what is the best and worst turn around times?

MickG said:

I can put any movie I want in my queue. Old or new they have it 99% of the time.
I return my movies on a Monday I get more on Wednesday.
I can keep it as long as I want,no late fees. If they get lost in the mail,I dont pay for them.

I go to blockbuster and spend 30 minutes walking around looking for something and I always walk out empty handed.
I just like having a list of movies I want to see and they come to me. I dont have to go anywhere and I dont have to stand in line and I dont have to drive back to drop my movies off.

MickG said:

Netflix is FAST. I don't know if I ever had it take more than 3 days. I might live near a distribution center. . . don't know how many they have.

ThreadCula said:

Yeah, not long ago I decided that I wanted a movie that night, so I went to Hollywood Video. "Oh, it's checked out, it's supposed to be back tomorrow." Ok, what good does that do me?

Mostly, I'm retarted about getting them back on time, so I always end up paying extra. Fuck that shit.
[Edited 10/15/06 18:39pm]

HereToRockYourWorld said:

When Richard Pryor passed away. I wanted to watch a few of his movies. Blockbuster didnt have any of his movies They weren't checked out,they just didnt have any period. Demographic stuff

I signed up for Netflix the same day and I got plenty Pryor movies.

HereToRockYourWorld said:

Yeah, I would say the longest I've waited was maybe 3 days. Usually, when they ship it, I get it the next day.

MickG said:

The Internet and its services have helped squash down this kind of thing - We are slowly becoming more dependant on Internet shopping and becoming Couch Potatoes in the process (not everyone) Hell you can even do your weekly shopping online and have it delivered to your door - No more queing in line at the Checkouts etc.....

We have created a literal rat race for ourselves and the Internet promises, though not always delivers, a way round this.....A little bit like the turn from Home cooked foods to pre packed meals.....Its all about convenience and time saving. Thats what I think anyway.....