Options for Renting Criterion BDs and Eclipse DVDs

[aox]

My apologies, Matt. The internet can be a crazy place. Ever browsed a Star Wars thread?

[Perkins Cobb]

I can't ever seem to get anything from the top of my queue, or anything with a wait, but what I do get usually comes quickly.

I got Scorpion's Goodbye Gemini in a day, but the Blu-rays of Kes and Brakhage Volume 2 (both discs of it) took three or four days. Now I'm wondering if it isn't YOU GUYS and this thread that are slowing down my Blockbuster rentals!

[swo17]

Part of me wants to be selfish and not advertise that certain discs are available until after I've rented them. I try to convince myself that publicizing availability will give Blockbuster the hint that there is a market for these films so they'll be more liberal about carrying them, but I'm not sure that it's working.

[Perkins Cobb]

I hear ya. I didn't tell ANYONE that the New York Public Library has 100+ Warner Archive discs until I checked out practically every last one of them.

[swo17]

Perhaps as good karma, BB just shipped me a copy of Kuroneko. \:D/

(I can't believe I'm dancing over a rental company sending me a movie that just came out. This is indeed a disturbing universe.)

[swo17]

Going off promised availability of Criterion's November release slate, someone appears to have Freaky Fridayed Netflix and Blockbuster. I'm not sure whether to be optimistic about Netflix or to chalk it up to there being so many popular titles coming out next month.

[Perkins Cobb]

Can I assume Netflix has Carlos, at least? I'm only signed up with BB at the moment and they have a new messaging for it, "Don't Hold Your Breath."

EDIT: Never mind, I forgot you were updating that list on Page 1. Thanks again, Swo!

[swo17]

Yes, Netflix has Carlos, as my first post indicates. There is currently no wait for it.

[Perkins Cobb]

I got one update for ya ... Netflix has Insignificance on DVD only now.

Beyond that, man ... I had no idea it had gotten so bad. This company should be ashamed to have "flix" in its name any more.

[swo17]

Has anyone confirmed it's the Criterion release they have in stock, and not the old Artisan one? I don't think the updated cover art guarantees anything.

[swo17]

You will all be pleased to hear that Netflix and Blockbuster are both taking a well deserved break this December from allowing us to rent any of the new Criterion releases at all. Like, not even one of them.

Best wishes to everyone for a prosperous 2012. Because you're going to need some serious cash if you want to keep up with CC's release schedule.

[swo17]

It's slim pickings for January (see the first post). I hope you all like blind buying.

[bringmesomechemicals]

The DVD of Insignificance available through Netflix is indeed the Criterion edition.

[swo17]

Randomly, Netflix and Blockbuster are planning to stock, respectively, Anatomy of a Murder and Vanya on 42nd Street, but that's it for February releases. See the first post update.

[swo17]

Lena Dunham's mom must know someone who works at Netflix, because they'll now be carrying Tiny Furniture on both DVD and Blu-ray.

[Ishmael]

Apparently, Netflix will be carrying Drive, He Said and A Safe Place starting 2/14. DVD only, but at least they're claiming they're going to stock them. I didn't check any of the other BBS titles, but presumably they'll stock any of the others that didn't previously have DVD releases.

[Perkins Cobb]

Well, that's beyond pointless if they start getting the DVDs only. Might not make that much difference for some things, but with Criterion, I'm always going to hold out for the Blu.

[Ishmael]

Really, it's beyond pointless? Given that it's highly unlikely that they'll ever stock the blus and Blockbuster doesn't carry the blus either, I'm perfectly willing to watch these films on DVD. Especially since the DVDs will probably look pretty good when upscaled to 1080p. I'm never going to buy the BBS set, so this may be the only way I'll get to watch these films anytime soon. I can't see how it's a negative that Netflix is stocking extra Criterion titles.

[swo17]

But you can rent the BBS set on Blu from Blockbuster. Though they do make you work for it.

And I'm with Perkins Cobb--I have a nice enough home theater set up that if something's available on Blu-ray, I won't settle for watching it in anything less. Speaking of which, what exactly is Netflix doing with that $4 extra a month I pay them for Blu-ray access? I know from personal experience that all these recent Criterion BD releases are available for sale, because I have been having to buy them myself.

[knives]

Hookers and blow, but mostly exercise videos.

[Ishmael]

But you can rent the BBS set on Blu from Blockbuster. Though they do make you work for it.

Oh, shit, I missed that entirely. Thanks! I don't mind watching a good DVD, but if I have a choice, of course I prefer the blu. I must admit that I'm kinda dreading A Safe Place, though, since I don't think I've ever heard anything good about it. But what the hell.

[Perkins Cobb]

I have a friend who loves it. So now you've heard something good.

[swo17]

I've updated the first post with availability of March titles. It's a pretty good month to be enrolled with ClassicFlix. Anywhere else, not so much.

[stroszeck]

It's a pretty good month to be enrolled with ClassicFlix. Anywhere else, not so much.

I actually emailed ClassifFlix about a month ago suggesting they begin offering some sort of instantwatching a la our friends at Netflix and they said that they are busy working on it! Great news...

[Perkins Cobb]

I actually emailed ClassifFlix about a month ago suggesting they begin offering some sort of instantwatching a la our friends at Netflix and they said that they are busy working on it! Great news...

Oh good lord, not them too. They're the only ones left who get disc rentals halfway right; watch them fuck it up so they can waste a lot of money on streaming licenses.