Blockbuster bankrupt...finally!

Just a matter of time before this happened. With all the ways to access movies/games nowadays the writing was on the wall. I haven't stepped foot in a blockbuster in 8-10 years

I grew up going to Blockbuster. As a kid, one of my favorite things to do was going to the video store with my dad, and he and I picking out horror movies to watch.

I haven't gotten on the Netflix wagon yet. And truth be told, I really haven't been involved with either renting movies or viewing new movies for a few years - with the exception of taking the kids to cartoons (Toy Story 3, Mega-Mind, etc).

It was inevitable. The prices were getting a little high, IMO. I remember being able to rent a movie for $1 as a kid. Last time I rented a movie, I think it was around $5.50 or so. Not that crazy, but just a significant price jump over a 20 year period.

I still go to Blockbuster. It's like a tradition for me. I rent movies off of Itunes and DirecTv too.

I tried Netflix, set up a queue and ended up only watching one movie from it and keeping it forever.

I have 2 local Blockbusters. 1 had a clearance sale and closed a week ago. The other is still going, but I haven't given it business in months. I don't remember how much a movie rental was up to, but game rentals were around $9 for 5 days. No thanks.

I've had Netflix for a year and the occassional Blockbuster box in the super market if I really want to see something when it comes out.

I don't feel sorry for those cocksuckers.

Don't you have to have movies mailed to you with Netflix?

I don't get the appeal of that.

It's Direct TV cinema for me(4.99 - 5.99$). I still go to the movies if it's deemed a must see but nothing beats the comfy confines of your own home watching a movie in HD on a 55' Samsung without having to take out a mortgage on your home just to buy a drink and popcorn.

sbk92 said:

Don't you have to have movies mailed to you with Netflix?

I don't get the appeal of that.

Keep reading...

Yeah, some selections you can make with the disc they give you, and you can order other titles through the mail.

When your done watching it return it to them in the mail, it's that simple.

sbk92 said:

Don't you have to have movies mailed to you with Netflix?

I don't get the appeal of that.

Keep reading...

I never got the appeal of it either...until I tried it. There's only a one day turnaround on mailed DVDs (for clarification: I mail a DVD on Monday and get a replacement on Wednesday) and their streaming service alone is worth the price admission. There's a reason that they were able to knock off the 900lb gorilla.

Only a couple negatives for me...they don't get most new releases available to "rent" until some amount of time has passed. I've not quite figured out the formula, because sometimes they'll be available on the day they're released, but sometimes you'll have to wait 3 weeks or more after the general release date before they start shipping. example: Due Date, released on DVD this week, won't be available through Netflix until March 22! Ridiculous.

That shoehorns me into my other gripe: sometimes the wait time for new discs is absurd. It's not so different from the old Blockbuster where new releases were sometimes impossible to get, but man...I've been waiting WEEKS for Dinner for Schmucks, ffs.

None of my gripes amount to much though because they just send you whatever is on top of your queue and if the first isn't available, they send just you the next one. I have 242 discs in my queue so I have a constant stream going in and out so I don't worry much about when Dinner for Schmucks will get here. If you're not one of the people that HAS to have a new release as soon as possible, it's a great service. If you ARE one of those people, supplementing it with iTunes or DTV Cinema is the way to go.

I'll miss Blockbuster though. It was a Friday night ritual for me (and, I suspect, most of those in my generation that grew up in the 80s) but I haven't done a traditional rental on a movie in a decade, so I won't miss it that much.

I want to watch a movie now, not two days from now. That's why I don't think I'd ever have a service like that. I'm willing to pay more to get the movie on demand.

Netflix does get new releases later than Blockbuster. If you've been in a Blockbuster lately you've seen the signs stating that on just about every wall of the joint.

I also pay more for laziness. I have a membership plan with Blockbuster where they take out like $20 a month and I can keep two movies out with no return date. Just stop over swap two for two more. No cash exchanged. But if I see a movie released on Itunes that I really want to see I'm just as likely to pay the $3 to $4 there then to make a run out to get the movie at Blockbuster.

63echo said:

I'll miss Blockbuster though. It was a Friday night ritual for me (and, I suspect, most of those in my generation that grew up in the 80s) but I haven't done a traditional rental on a movie in a decade, so I won't miss it that much.

Keep reading...

It's great to take kids to the video store.

Nobody appeases the laziness factor better than Netflix. You download the app to your PS3 or iPhone and can instant stream movies at any time. It's not available with all movies, but I've never not been able to find something to watch.

It sucks that Blockbusters are closing. It just means more jobs going away. Damn technology is killin jobs, as well as creating some.

I would think even more than Netflix, those redbox machines on every corner hurt Blockbuster.

I'll have to see if there are any clearance sales going on in my area.

The Blockbuster stores around here are all gone. Signs are down and they are out.

I just went to two stores, the first one closed at noon today. They had a sign up that they are moving their merchandise to another location, but, "this is not goodbye".

I went to another one down the street and they are still open, no closing signs. I heard a costumer ask if another location was closing and the guy at the counter said no.

Maybe they are just closing the weak locations.

Idk.

Last time they had a store close, I bought a ton of movies for cheap. Like maybe $500 worth of DVD and blue ray but I only paid around $80 for it.

Good times.

Sheik said:

Last time they had a store close, I bought a ton of movies for cheap. Like maybe $500 worth of DVD and blue ray but I only paid around $80 for it.

Good times.

Keep reading...

An items value is determined by what a person will pay for it.

So if you paid 80 dollars for those movies, they're worth $80.

Noob.

That was deep.