Why I miss movie stores
Try to remember those ancient buildings called movie rental stores—the good ol’ days. There was no standing outside in the freezing cold while selecting a DVD. No Internet streaming issues. No choosing between a few crappy movies you don’t really want to see. No, I do not want to watch this just because Netflix recommended it. I would rather choose between the rather larger selection of rows labeled “drama,” “horror,” “family,” and so on that used to be categorized as new releases or old favorites.
Well, they’re coming to extinction. Our technologically hungry society wanted a more innovative movie-watching experience. Movie rental stores slowly shut down and went out of business, while “easier” options replaced them.
Netflix and Redbox took center stage and seemed fabulous—at first. No more driving all the way to Blockbuster or Hollywood Video. A quick click and your movie was in the mail or sliding outside the big red box that only costs you $1.20 a night.
Reality check: When was the last time you saw a movie on Netflix that you were dying to see? Not only was there a recent upswing in Netflix subscription prices, but Netflix is also losing the rights to tons of titles. Date-night movie negotiations just got even more complicated.
Redbox seemed like a smart idea too, but when you add up travel time, late fees, and a small selection of unwatchable films, it’s lost its luster. Even though you can check online to see what movies are at Redbox locations, then you have to do a Fast & Furious-style dash to get there before someone else rents the DVD you want.
With only a few good selections per location, you end up driving from Redbox to Redbox, hoping to find the movie you are searching for. I’m not looking to take a tour of the town; I just want to rent a damn movie!
In the hi-tech craze that we live in, people think that a return to the movie rental store is a return to a technological stone age. But really, just give me back the dependable local Blockbuster or Hollywood Video, and take the headache out of renting. Maybe then we could actually watch a movie we wanted to watch, instead of whatever crap happens to be available.