When I was younger I remember spending Friday evenings in the back of the family pick-up truck at the local drive in. Later on down the road I spent countless hours at Blockbuster with boys who I was trying my hardest to impress with my zombie and action movie trivia knowledge. Now we hit up a Red Box on the way home, turn on the DVR or boot up the Roku with Netflix On Demand and call it good. Do you miss the traditions of days gone by or are you on board with modern media's new ways?
On one hand, I miss the movie going experience and as a whole it being something you were able to take nerd pride in. To learn about a flick, you had to read newspaper reviews or watch specials on HBO to learn about the "making of". You didn't have IMDB to show you who was in what flick and your own personal knowledge of the cinema and the past traditions it held, now seem like a faint glimmer of what once was.
Family used to gather because you only had so much time before your movie was due back to the store (with more than a $1 fee!) and everyone wanted to get their money's worth out of the event. Now it doesn't matter if you have soccer practice or Mom works late, you can just pull it back up on the Roku later on.
How have your families traditions changed and where do you think the future of the movie watching experience in the home will be in 5 years? 10? 20? Will we be suiting up to be a giant blue cat person and take part in Avatar 5 and literally "be in the movie?" Share your thoughts on the journey this small act has taken over the years and how it's impacted your life below!
Image: Flickr member ginnerobot, bargainbri licensed for use by Creative Commons)
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I don't know... I have the 1 at a time Netflix plan and have it worked out so that I get them twice a week. I have to watch them pretty much as soon as I get them to keep that going. Instant Watch doesn't count because none of them are new releases.
The best part about going to the movie rental place was the free popcorn while you were browsing (thanks, Jumbo Video!), but I haven't gone to a store in many years.
Movie Gallery, here in Canada, just went bankrupt. The franchisees in this town are actually opening up another rental place under a different name. Suckers for punishment, I guess.
I absolutely love how it has changed. No more wasting gas to go find a movie. Not to mention when you get to Blockbuster and they don't have any available for rental. Gone also are the days of scratched discs.
Just fire up the media box and pick from a multitude of digital movies.
"Later on down the road I spent countless hours at Blockbuster with boys who I was trying my hardest to impress with my zombie and action movie trivia knowledge."
Does no one else think this is the cutest damn thing you've ever heard. Reminds me of the girl in our group that was always into all the "boy stuff" with us. No one really looked at her........until we all grew up.
The last movie I saw in theaters was 300. I am done with theaters. I do kind of miss family night movies. but more often than not they were movies no one really wanted to watch. More so than family night movies I miss friends night movies. However I think I am gonna start outdoor movie night while floating in the pool. It seems the absolute best way to enjoy booze, friends, movies, and lazy night all at once.
it was fun back in the day, an event, but i am fine with how things are now. No outrageous blockbuster costs (even with returning them on time, $4 a movie, crazy). We have a redbox almost literally behind our place and a lot more in the area. Either that or it is netflix streaming through the wii
I did however go to the drive in just last weekend, yes we still have them here. I actually even went to blockbuster a few weeks ago. Redbox did not have what i wanted (they seem to be getting a lot of movies on like a 2 or 3 week delay now) and I had a coupon for 2 movies, a bucket of popcorn, and 2 pops for free, so why not.
I have never understood people who rely on netflix for regular rentals though, how am i going to know now what I want 3 days from now, I don't get it?
Outdoor movies from the pool sounds AWESOME. I have neither a pool nor a projector, but there is a hot tub in my future. Must think on this.
And, as jmorey says, having to choose Netflix in advance is a drag. We've had movies lying around for weeks because even though we wanted to see something when we picked it on Tuesday, on no Friday night were we ever in the mood.
We see current movies in the theater no more than once or twice a year - it always seems like such a big investment for such moderate entertainment, when the home rental scene is so convenient and when the screens at the multiplex aren't even that big anymore. We choose on the basis of whether it will translate well to the home screen so it has to have exceptional scenery or special effects or be in IMAX or some such. No way for a romantic comedy. Last current theater movie we saw was Avatar.
But a local theater that has $1 popcorn and soda and $6 black and white films gets our business once a month. And last week we went to the drive in, which is also $6 a head and we could bring our own munchies. There's still something to be said for going out on a movie date, where the price isn't exorbitant.
The thing I liked least about the video store (besides the late fees) was standing around agonizing (with your date, your family, your sleepover pals) over which movie to get. My favorite thing about Netflix is the queue.
The cost of going to the movie theater has cut the number of times I go 75%. Blockbuster can burn in hell as far as I'm concerned, I hated when it was the only option. There were so many problems with that place I wouldn't know where to begin.
So it's Netflix from the Wii, through the mail, and the occasional trip to the theater for something I REALLY REALLY want to see.
Also, in Atlanta we're lucky to have both a drive in ($7 for a double feature!) and the Plaza Theatre, which shows old b&w movies and some new. Both of those offer more of an experience than going to some overpriced run of the mill modern theater.
This. Earlier in the decade (well LAST decade now) I could go to a matinee for 4.50. Now Its 8.50, the matinee time ends sooner, and half the theaters don't even do regular ones. It is to much.