As of Right Now: Netflix or Blockbuster?

[WordMan]

Jeez, walk away from a thread you start for a few meetings and come back to a large debate - who knew?

Well, I will stay out of the debate - lots of rich discussion, but for my practical needs, not germane.

I think we are going for Netflix because of the additional titles and the good things we’ve heard from friends. The last BB that was local enough to make the drop-off feature attractive closed a few months ago…

Thanks everybody.

WordMan

[JThunder]

@lissener

You’re skeptical; I’m lying. Great. So it makes more sense for you to think of me as “batshit insane” than “pissy about a situation that affects me personally.” Good plan: always assume the person you’re discussing something with is insane, rather than simply unclear in their first draft. THAT will always lead to productive exchanges.

I did not call you “batshit insane,” and you know it. In fact, I never use that term. There’s a wide gap between being skeptical about someone’s original intent and questioning that person’s sanity.

As SkipMagic correctly emphasized though, this thread is about Netflix vs. Blockbuster. For that reason, I’ll refrain from responding as I would otherwise be tempted to do.

[psycat90]

There is also GreenCine, which I think I’ve mentioned before on the board. Probably not the best turnaround for the OP as they are based only out of San Francisco right now (although they do have some available for streaming/download), but they do carry erotica and indie movies and stuff you definitely won’t find at either Blockbuster or Netflix.

[Bryan_Ekers]

I gather having the Mom-‘n’-Pop video store is the better choice, if Mom-‘n’-Pop have exactly the same taste as you in film.

If not, you’re just shit outta luck, or need Netflix.

[Stoid]

I use both.

1. BB flexitude and “extra” movies via store dropoff, though they finally wised up and scaled that back. Still nice to have when I need it NOW.

2. Netflix still carries more titles, more variety, more off the beaten path stuff, which is important to me.

3. I hate the fact that BB sucked me in, because I generally try not to support giant evil corporations with a scorched-earth policy, which BB has and has always had. It’s the video Walmart.

4. Netflix came up with it first, and kicked ass. It would so blow to see them destroyed by BB, so I continue to support, although at a reduced level.

[Hilarity_N.Suze]

@lissener

NEITHER:

By using either instead of your local independent video store, you’re moving us one step closer to a world where the only movies you can watch are the mainstream blockbusters that the corporate giants buy by the truckload.

But…my local video store that had all the obscure foreign films was bought out by Hollywood Video, which removed many of the films of the sort I liked to rent (Boudu Saved from Drowning for instance). But I can still get Boudu from Netflix.

[RickJay]

@lissener

I’m sad that there are no more local pet stores to speak of; the local bookstore is an endangered species. And next on the list is the local movie store. Pfft. Gone. That’s OK with you?

Absolutely. You’re talking about a type of business that has existed for only about 25 years and that, in every example I have ever seen and apparently in many examples others have seen, provides shitty selection and service. Why in God’s name should anyone be upset if that business model vanishes?

I’d kill to have Netflix. Unfortunately, in Canada we have Zip, which apparently has no stock. We joined five months ago, and of the top 10 movies in our queue (some blockbusters, some classics, some less popular) we have recieved exactly zero.