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Phil Smith
Joined: 08 Mar 2006
Posts: 7717
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| Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 5:48 am Post subject: How do you determine which DVDs to buy/rent? |
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The question: How do you determine which DVDs to buy/rent?
I learned a long time ago that a movie's tiltle and DVD cover art mean nothing when choosing a DVD. It almost seems the coolest covers house the worst movies. So instead of browsing and hoping for the best, I make my selections according to Rotten Tomatos movie revue averages. I've been doing this for years, and it's grown to be pain in the ass, but for me, it beats the heck out of the grab bag approach.
I'm curious as to how others approach this. How do you select which movies to buy/rent?
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Tom.W
Joined: 09 Mar 2006
Posts: 6635
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| Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 5:56 am Post subject: |
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Rent the SD version for $1.00 at Mc Donalds If you like it buy it in HD or rip an SD copy and then decide... 
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Mark_A_W
Joined: 15 Mar 2006
Posts: 3068
Location: Sunny Melbourne Australia
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| Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 7:58 am Post subject: |
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DVD?...
Is that like VHS or an 8 track cassette (honestly never seen one of those in my life).
Get with the program Phil
I'll just end up buying the same 50-100 movies in HD that I have on DVD...and VHS..
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ThomasW
Joined: 22 Jan 2008
Posts: 16
Location: Uppsala, Sweden
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| Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 9:27 am Post subject: |
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| Mark_A_W wrote: | DVD?...
Is that like VHS or an 8 track cassette (honestly never seen one of those in my life).
Get with the program Phil
I'll just end up buying the same 50-100 movies in HD that I have on DVD...and VHS.. |
Just have to wait forever until they will release the ones that you want on HD media.....
Available DVD titles of 2004 (!): ~ 42500 (source:DVD faq)
Available HD titles of 2008: maybe 400 ?
I for one will watch DVD's for a looooong time to come....
Rent DVD on Netflix or what they are called, if you consider the movie worth watching again, then wait a couple of years until it eventually comes on HD.
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Phil Smith
Joined: 08 Mar 2006
Posts: 7717
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| Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 5:33 pm Post subject: |
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I really meant how do you select what movies you want to watch. The format was irrelevant. It's especially irrelevant to me, because half the movies I watch will never be released in HD anyway.
Speaking of HD: I rent, I don't buy. My local Blockbuster stocks high def DVD, but it rarely has any recent releases. Blockbuster online does, but there's always a long wait to get them. By the time you finally do, they're no longer new releases. It's so bad that I've pretty much given up on renting HD.
As Thomas pointed out, HD isn't ready for prime time yet. It's amazing how long it's taking. I thought it would be established by now. I wouldn't have bought HD-DVD and Bluray players had I known.
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deronmoped
Joined: 03 Nov 2006
Posts: 1154
Location: San Diego
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| Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 1:51 am Post subject: |
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Phil
I usually go to my local library and pick five titles that look interesting. Mine has a pretty big selection, main stream stuff and a lot of off the wall stuff. I then check on the reviews online and watch the ones that sound most promising. The Library is a sweet deal, five titles for a couple of weeks and they are Freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
I use MRQE, you search the title, it brings up all the reviews.
http://www.mrqe.com/lookup
I agree with you guys on HD. SD is still excellent if you have not spoiled yourself on HD.
Deron.
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winduptoy
Joined: 25 Nov 2006
Posts: 187
Location: Lunenburg, Nova Scotia
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| Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 3:06 am Post subject: |
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Do some homework;
What genre(s) appeal to you?
Look at the credits of movies you like; Director, Screenwriter, DP, then find out what else they've done
If there is a film in limited release with a lot of buzz and no familiar cast members or director, check it out.
Long trailer = crappy movie; short trailer = potential gem...more often than not, IMHO.
Beware glowing reviews on case from East Podunk Weekly News. Stay away...far away.
Once you get used to doing a little research, you'll find some actors/actresses choose their projects very carefully.
Listen, read, watch. Bad films are not the end of the world, there are some that are so bad, they're good.
If you uncover a gem, don't be afraid to share. (Saw 'Once' on DVD this weekend, soooo worth it!)
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deronmoped
Joined: 03 Nov 2006
Posts: 1154
Location: San Diego
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| Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 6:36 am Post subject: |
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I would also like to add that the mainstream movies are kinda locked into what sells. They can be good, but it can get boring seeing pretty much the same formula done over and over.
I like to catch some of the stuff coming from different countries. They can be really quite good, they almost always depend on a good story and acting to make them that way 
Deron.
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Heywood Jablome
Joined: 12 Mar 2006
Posts: 1548
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| Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 1:10 pm Post subject: |
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OK, I'll be the first to drag this thread into the gutter:
Nekkid Celebrity Chicks! (Or, alternately, the always horribly overdressed Jessica Alba.)
_________________
"Those countries which lag behind in industry, in the application of mechanics and technical chemistry, in the careful selection and utilization of natural products, where the respect for such activities does not permeate all classes of society, will unfailingly decline in prosperity. They will sink faster when neighbor states, with an energetic exchange between science and industry, go forward with renewed vitality."
-- Baron Alexander von Humboldt: 1769-1859
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emdawgz1
Joined: 14 Mar 2006
Posts: 7949
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| Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 1:41 pm Post subject: |
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I have Dish HD. One of VOOM HD channels HD net has a show "nothing but trailers"
I tivo it. So this gives me a preview of new release movies.
Then i wait for the DVD( or hopefully B/R ) release.
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www.thesinglebrother.com
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Phil Smith
Joined: 08 Mar 2006
Posts: 7717
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| Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 8:23 pm Post subject: |
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| deronmoped wrote: | | I would also like to add that the mainstream movies are kinda locked into what sells. They can be good, but it can get boring seeing pretty much the same formula done over and over. |
That's my problem, and I would think it would be a problem for a lot of forum members.
I've seen a LOT of movies. Having seen most plots many, many times, it's hard for a movie to be a surprise anymore. I watched Live Free, Die Harder (or whatever it is) the other night. It was very good for that type of movie, but still rather boring to me, because I felt like I'd seen it before. Nothing about that movie was surprising or unexpected. I found it particularly amusing that the bad guys would pretty much shoot on-sight everyone they wanted dead -- except for the main characters, who they always opted to capture instead. Well surprise, surprise, just like a James Bond movie, they always found a miraculous way out of that jam. 
| Quote: | | I like to catch some of the stuff coming from different countries. They can be really quite good, they almost always depend on a good story and acting to make them that way |
That's why I said half of what I watch will never be in high def. I watch a lot of foreign films, documentaries and independents. Sometimes they suck too, but many of them are quite good. And most of all, many are quite different from your typical Hollywood offerings. That alone makes them appealing to me.
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Phil Smith
Joined: 08 Mar 2006
Posts: 7717
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| Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 8:27 pm Post subject: |
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| emdawgz1 wrote: | I have Dish HD. One of VOOM HD channels HD net has a show "nothing but trailers"
I tivo it. So this gives me a preview of new release movies.
Then i wait for the DVD( or hopefully B/R ) release. |
I like watching that, but trailers are a couple of minutes highlighting the absolute best parts of the movie. The other 118 minutes may totally suck. I guess you can tell a little bit about it though. I have rented some good movies based solely on seeing the trailer.
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Phil Smith
Joined: 08 Mar 2006
Posts: 7717
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| Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 8:29 pm Post subject: |
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| deronmoped wrote: | Phil
I usually go to my local library and pick five titles that look interesting. |
Deron,
I wasn't aware libraries had DVDs! Shows how often I go to the library. 
I'll have to check that out.
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BradTheAggie
Joined: 08 Mar 2006
Posts: 651
Location: Oak Point, Texas
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| Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 10:48 pm Post subject: |
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I like to mine the $5 bargain bin at WalMart. Picked up "Once upon a time in the west" and "letters from Iwo Jima" for $10 plus tax...
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jask
Joined: 17 Mar 2006
Posts: 10187
Location: kamloops BC
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| Posted: Sat Feb 02, 2008 6:57 am Post subject: |
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WOW! I actually have both of those (great movies) but had no idea there were good movies in that bin, I better have a look next time.
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rod
Joined: 18 Mar 2006
Posts: 418
Location: Northern Ontario, Canada
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| Posted: Sat Feb 02, 2008 9:53 pm Post subject: |
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Take a look at DVD Rental places. They sell previously viewed for about 10 bucks. I always ask to see the DVD first and make sure there are no scratches on it.
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Rod
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ronholm
Joined: 26 Jan 2007
Posts: 12111
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| Posted: Sat Feb 02, 2008 10:23 pm Post subject: |
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| BradTheAggie wrote: | | I like to mine the $5 bargain bin at WalMart. Picked up "Once upon a time in the west" and "letters from Iwo Jima" for $10 plus tax... |
I picked up one at wally world that was titled "Iwo Jima: 36 days in Hell" It had a lot of really decent footage and some great interviews...
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