Remember when you’d go to Costco and buy DVD movies? Some habits are hard to break and I’m embarrassed to admit I buy a ton of movies on Apple and Amazon. That’s why the news coming out now surprises even the cynical me.
Buying a digital movie isn’t like purchasing a physical copy. The movie maker or distributor can’t come into your home’s DVD player and say, “Sorry, this is not yours to watch anymore.” When you “buy” a digital copy of a movie or show, they can do just that, and poof, you lost the movie and your money.
Drama rama is a risky business
The Discovery-Warner Bros. merger has stirred up a bunch of licensing issues. Max lost 87 titles, including the still-popular “Westworld.” And say goodbye to “Mythbusters,” “Minx” and “Legendary.” This means if you bought these titles on Max, you can no longer watch them.
The sci-fi drama and other axed programs are available for free (with ads) on Roku and Tubi, but the point remains: Just because you bought a show or movie doesn’t mean it’s yours to watch forever.
Companies are cutting shows and movies from streaming services to save money on paying residuals to actors and writers, so who knows what you’ll lose next. Enter the second rise of the Blu-ray.
Say no to digital
When I look at the rack in my home theater at my new house, there’s a Blu-ray player. When the AV nerds asked me if I wanted one, I figured, “Why not?” Turns out a lot of other people are doing the same thing now.
Folks are doubling down on collecting DVDs, Blu-rays and other physical media of their favorite shows and movies. For a while, it was just niche hobbyists and film snobs. Now, ordinary people are dusting off the old DVD player.
And where do you go to learn about a new hobby? Reddit, of course. Check out this haul one guy posted to the Blu-ray subreddit. He and his wife recently spent a weekend building a vast collection of their old faves. They’re up to about 500.
It’s not just old movies trending, either. The “Barbie” movie even has a special edition Blu-ray with a pink case. They wouldn’t make it if folks weren’t buying.
Want to go old-school?
Unless you live in Bend, Oregon, where the last remaining Blockbuster store is, you’ll have to get creative.
- Buy super affordable collections: You can now buy multiple movies on one DVD. For example, Harry Potter Complete 8 Movie Collection ($23.98), 8 Wartime Comedies ($4.99), The Rock’s 8 Movie Collection ($16.96), Universal 10 Film Action Collection ($19.99). Find more collections here.
- Look around: Open that cabinet in the attic and see if you still have your DVD player. I found mine under a box that had “2009” written on it. Bonus points if you still have a stack of old movies.
- Keep your eyes open for deals: Record stores, public libraries (if you want to rent), and, of course, the internet are good places to start. You can find almost anything you’d like to watch for sale on Amazon, eBay or Facebook Marketplace.
- Shop secondhand: Cruise by a garage sale, or check your local secondhand shops. You never know what gems you’ll find.
You could also start swapping movies with family and friends.
“I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore!”
We have streaming service costs increasing, commercials being added to the services we pay for, and movies and shows we bought disappearing … it’s all just for corporate profits with disregard for the customer. I’m getting tired of it. I bet you are, too.
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