The DVD & Blu-Ray Business Might Be Dead.

I think I may have a different device by the 2020s, so I'm not sure if putting space aside right now is a wise move. But I will consider it and let you know my definitive decision in due course.

That's what they said about vinyl...

Let them die. Just incorporate commentary tracks on digital releases.

As I've said many times, yes streaming and downloading is going to be 'it' someday. But that's a someday many, many years from now. Although sales might be down, physical media still holds a prominent place. Netflix and Hulu Plus have lots of movies and tv shows but they have a very small percentage of 'all' movies and tv shows. I still buy blu rays all the time because not all of them are available. When they are then yes, physical media will be dead but there's still a long way to go.

I'll still buy the occasional Blu-ray, but I really moved on from physical media this past year.

Counting gifts, I think I attained maybe 15 new Blu-ray's in 2014? I don't listen to commentaries and I never watch special features anymore, so there really isn't as much of a point for me.

In 2015 I'll buy:

- Avengers: Age of Ultron (assuming it's good)
- Ant-Man (assuming it's good)
- Interstellar
- Big Hero 6
- Jurassic World (assuming it's good)
- Mad Men Season 7.2
- the rumored Criterion trilogy for Linklater's 'Before' series

That's seven, and that's probably it unless a big catalogue release comes out.

I like having the physical media for certain things. Like obsessive fandom kind of things but my video collection is relatively small.

I was disappointed with my Guardians of the Galaxy blu-ray. That movie should have had one long, awesome gag reel, and a lot more behind-the-scenes footage. It was pretty meh.

I'm probably way too picky, but that felt like a burn purchase, which is why I buy physical less and less unless I know it has a lot of really good content. I prefer having multiple people for commentaries as well. Just a director talking by himself is boring to me. I'd rather have a director and a couple actors who can converse while watching.

If nothing else, it'll put an end to me falling asleep with the DVD menu on repeat. Nightmares.

Netflix stops playing television series every few episodes, to ask if you're still watching it. Unless there's some way of disabling that feature that I'm not aware of.



I love em, if there's actually any effort put into them. It was one thing that got me excited for the release of DVDs. The fact that I could get those extras along with the movie, without needing a separate VHS all on it's own (if the studio even bothered) or a made-for-TV special. That very idea was awesome to me, otherwise I probably would have waited longer to get a DVD player.

Every facet of the movie industry interests me. I would assume being amongst other movie buffs the same would be true. I love seeing behind-the-scenes footage and listening to the filmmakers, and having it all conveniently together in a high quality package. The LOTR special edition sets are easily some of my favorite physical copies that I own, because there's so much content within them.

If a physical copy of a movie doesn't have them, I don't bother.

The more bonus features, the better.  It's very frustrating to me when a major movie is released with nothing worth speaking of in the way of extras. 

Both are important, Ian.

I think I know what's keeping DVD's alive. Portable players. I wanted to buy a portable Blu-Ray player but those motherfuckers are more expensive than a regular Blu-Ray player. Meanwhile, you can get a portable DVD player for $60.