Where do you rent your dvd's? 

I ask the question because I love movies! I would prefer going to the Cineplex to watch them but when I'm pressed for time I don't mind watching them when they come out on DVD. Nothing really compares to the energy of watching a brand new movie at the Cineplex, especially if the movie is a long awaited blockbuster. At these showings, the seats are nearly always full and the audience is completely tuned in vicariously to the magic on the big screen. The ooh's and ahh's , the gasps and screams, the cheers and jeers all add to the excitement.

I could never recreate that environment at home but I could come close. I invested in a huge 52" wide screen High Definition DLP television along with an incredibly sounding surround sound system. I have the comfort of my Lazy Boy® recliner and popcorn fresh from the microwave. I have 600+ digital channels on my satellite system and, of course, there’s nothing on. I need a DVD to watch.

Lucky me, I have a few choices. I have a pretty decent DVD collection, but I’m in the mood for something I haven’t seen before. I just sent back my Netflix movies yesterday and the next movies in my queue aren’t due to arrive for two more days. I could check the Redbox. I need to run out and get my lottery ticket anyway. Hey, it’s up to $129 million and you can’t win it unless you’re in it.

Seriously, I am pretty lucky to have so many choices available to me. But it’s not all by chance. The choices I have are by design. I could have spent my hard earned money on a number or frivolous items that may or may not have given me some temporary pleasures but I chose to surround myself with options that give me great pleasures.

For me, movies really are magical. They take me to places I have never been or are unlikely to see in my lifetime. They have taken me to far away galaxies and to alternate dimensions. They have taken me to the bottom of the oceans and to the top of Mount Everest. They have shown me what it’s like to be a detective, a gangster, a teacher and a doctor. Movies have shown me how I could have everything and lose everything then get everything back. They can bring me up or bring me down, make me laugh or make me cry (don’t tell anyone). They can make me angry but they mostly make me happy. Movies are great. I love movies!

I’ve mentioned the two places I where I rent my movies, Netflix and Redbox. Lets examine the pros and cons of each.

Pros: The selection of movies is incredible. You have all the new releases and very hard to find titles. Independent filmmakers and low and no-budget filmmakers can have their titles available on Netflix. There are different levels of membership, you can choose 1 movie at a time and up to 8 movies at a time. There are over 100,000 titles available, from movies to TV shows to Concerts. You can also stream movies from a Netflix ready device, or Xbox 360 directly to your TV or watch them instantly online. There is never a late charge.

Cons: If you’re a movie junkie like me, there is a lag time between sending your old movies back and receiving the next movies in your queue. You can’t just take a movie back to the store and get a new one, the store is online only. The fees: starting at $4.99 for limited and $8.99 for unlimited and Blu-Ray DVD’s will cost even more.

Pros: Fees are $1.00 per movie per night. You can choose and reserve your movies online. New movies are added weekly. You can return a movie to any Redbox location. Most are located in or near the stores you are already shopping at so there is no need to go to a separate location. You can rent a movie right when you want to watch one. Every Monday, Redbox gives you a promo code for a free movie.

Cons: There is a limited amount of titles. Movies are dispensed at a kiosk and not at your front door.

Each service has it’s own benefits and drawbacks.  For me, there is nothing better than Netflix except during the summer months I rarely have time to watch many movies so paying the fees on a recurring basis is wasteful.  I usually put my Netflix account on hold during the summer and resume at the end of summer.  This is when Redbox is really handy.   I need my fix of new movies when I want them.  With these services, I can have what I want when I want it.