I’m not a great believer in that the dawn of a new year is the perfect time to make changes. By all means, it’s possible but it too often feels like an excuse. If you’re intent on doing something then, why wait? Don’t delay. What are you really waiting for?
I actually made a decision towards the end of my Christmas break to take out my first DVD subscription with LoveFilm, who now seem to be owned by Amazon. It was a little confusing at first but I’ve since been able to make us of the ‘30-Day Free Trial‘ letters they’ve been sending me lately… (Yes, Amazon still use Snail Mail!)
So, this first month won’t cost me a penny and, even after that, it looks like I have the option to pay a set fee of £7.99 each month, with the ability to rent two DVDs simultaneously and, unless I’m missing the small print here; I can keep said discs for an unlimited time period?! No late fees and no hidden charges.
Another option is to go for the on-demand streamed video (I suddenly forget what it’s called) but even though my broadband connection’s surely good enough, I think you’d need a Smart TV to watch films from your settee (I don’t own one) and I don’t fancy hunching over my laptop (or phone) for extended periods. I’m sure it’s a great option for some people, though.
As a regular cinema-goer (twice-a-month feels close to an addiction, as someone who has to drive a good ten-miles to get there), this is an option that could allow me to save money as the months go by, where ticket prices at my preferred cinema have risen to £9.50, I think it was. I’ll be still be heading out there as I enjoy floating amongst the social world that exists beyond my curtains. But with Film-to-DVD conversions happening at an increasingly efficient rate, perhaps I shall no longer need to go quite as often.
It’ll certainly keep me occupied for these long winter nights.
Your discs come with a pre-paid returns envelope and, with your very first order, you get an extra five spare, just in case you happen to lose any later on. It looks as though you can also request spares envelopes through the website.
So, to my first two selections – not realising that you create your Rental List and then, the system selects your first two discs from the bottom of the list (ie. the most recent additions). You can also tinker with the Priority ratings to select your immediate preferences.
The Hobbit – I loved the Lord of the Rings trilogy but didn’t feel inspired to rush in and absorb this new franchise at the time, when it was said to be heavily-filled with CGI cinema. I believe in such a thing as ‘over-doing it‘ but I have to say that I enjoyed the entire length of the first installment and I look forward to renting the second, while the third is currently screening across cinemas nationwide.
The Bourne Legacy – This is the one that fell through my letterbox but kind of got mixed in with the Junk Mail… Almost. I’ve been curious about it since its conception but simultaneously wary of the fact that Bourne himself would not feature. Isn’t it a bit like Batman without the Dark Knight? It has its moments… I still don’t know who Jeremy Renner is or what Edward Norton’s significance in the film was – but then, I watched it twice within a week and slept through a big chunk in the center on each occasion. Sorry but I could not be bothered to try again. I don’t think I missed much. I hope they’re not doing another.
I’m probably going to spell his name wrong but Zejlko Ivanek is a man who clearly gets around. From The X-Files in the early 1990s to the first series of 24, Die Hard 4.0 and now, he’s made it in to the Bourne franchise as well. I didn’t see him in Batman and I don’t remember him being in Lost but I’m sure I’ve seen him in everything else!
Anyway, that’s my little evening ramble and films and why I’ve subscribed to LoveFilm. Perhaps I’ll make this a regular feature?
Next week: Die Hard 5 and Taken 2!
Thanks for reading!
