DVD Rental

I’ve always loved going to the movies. Our local movie theatre was a popular hangout, especially when I was in middle school. Every Friday night our parents would dump us off at the theatre where we’d buy popcorn and sodas and gossip during the movie, crunching our feet on the sticky floors and rocking back and forth in the squeaky seats. Though it smelled a little musty, the movie theatre was the scene of a lot of adolescent firsts; first dates, first kisses, first breakups, first fights. My first date was at the theatre in the sixth grade; my dad sat in the row behind us in the theatre. I can’t quite remember what the movie was, since I really wasn’t paying much attention.

It’s tough to go to the movies for $2 anymore. Though if you look you can still find a few budget theatres, they’re few and far between. When I got to college I couldn’t afford going to the movies every weekend, so I started watching movies at home. DVD rental stores are more popular than ever, and their selections are better than most of the films showing in the theatre these days anyway. They’re also a lot cheaper, a blessing for a poor college student.

Netflix, a by-mail DVD rental company, will send you as many DVDs you can watch in a month. They are the pioneers of DVD rental by mail, and for a $20/month subscription fee you can compile a list of DVDs you want sent to your home. They’ll send them in batches, and when you’re done watching the DVDs you can mail them back in the supplied envelopes. When Netflix receives your DVDs they’ll send out the next few on your list, letting you order the DVDs by phone or online. Blockbuster, a longtime leader in both VHS and DVD rental, picked up on Netflix’s lead and now offers a similar program, allowing you to either order their DVDs through the mail or to pick them up in their brick and mortar stores; as many as you want for a monthly fee.

Though I miss my local movie theatre, it’s tough to beat the current DVD rental options. I can watch more movies for less money than the cheap seats, and I can even have the movies delivered to my home. If only I had a bigger TV and a stickier floor I could edge out the local theatre in every respect.