With some of Josh’s birthday gift cards, we picked up some new movies for home use — How to Train Your Dragon and Toy Story 3. I know video streaming (Netflix, Vudu, Amazon on Demand) is the new thing, and don’t get me wrong, I like the instant availability. However, not every film is available at your every whim. I used to purchase a lot of DVDs for my personal library during the heyday of DVDs — that time in the late 90’s and early 2000’s when everyone was convinced that you should be building a DVD library. Times changed when consumers realized that not every film is worth owning. How many times are you going to watch Miss Congeniality 2? I think video rental services help serve that once-in-a-while need.
I still think buying movies does fulfill a need when you know you will be rewatching a movie over and over again. Kids will rewatch their Disney/animated films relentlessly. I have my own favorites too. I think those films that fit that category would be better off in your home collection. To make the most of my money, I’ve also become a fan of Blu-ray discs (1080p, TruHD 7.1 surround sound) and movies combo packs. If I’m going to purchase a movie, the best ones include a blu-ray disc (home use), a DVD (car), and a digital copy (for viewing on my iPhone/iPod.) I think that’s a pretty good deal.
New movies -- Dragon, Toy Story 3