Buy outright vs Rent/Theater first

[gadgtfreek]

Do you just like to buy and own movies before viewing them, or do you prefer to watch them first in some sort of way before purchasing?

Reason I ask is because I have a couple of friends who just hit walmart every Fri and buy 3 or 4 new movies they have never seen.

 

[berck]

I prefer to watch first before I buy. So I'll either see it in the theater, or rent it first.

 

[navychop]

Usually, I'll just buy it after reading reviews and seeing trailers, etc. Lots of previews available on the net.

But sometimes I'll buy one that I've seen, because I want to own it. Catalog titles. I'm waiting/hoping for Star Wars, Starship Troopers, Fahrenheit 451, Battle of Britain, etc etc.

 

[gadgtfreek]

Usually, I'll just buy it after reading reviews and seeing trailers, etc. Lots of previews available on the net.

But sometimes I'll buy one that I've seen, because I want to own it. Catalog titles. I'm waiting/hoping for Star Wars, Starship Troopers, Fahrenheit 451, Battle of Britain, etc etc.

Im kinda trying that process now. Bought Yuma and Res Evil 3 today.

 

[allargon]

For new movies you will pay $20 + in the theater if you see it with a date/wife/s.o.


For catalogs, it's $4 to rent at Blockbuster ($6 at Hollywood) vs. $10 in a BOGO free sale.

 

[gadgtfreek]

It costs me more to go to the movie than it does to buy the BD. BUT, we wouldnt see many movies at the theater now. Even with some movies(like RE3) that I knew Id buy, id still rent it first. I think these Ill just buy from now on. I cant bring myself to blindly buy everything.

 

[1080iBeVuMin]

I hardly ever buy. Just rent.

After I have seen it once I know how it ends.

 

[csschrot]

Most generally we will just buy it. Once in a great while will we spend money to rent then buy.

Plus if we buy and don't like we can usally off load it to someone else fairly easy.

Shawn

 

[bsk116]

Primarily rent, but I do buy live concert BD disc's such as Dave Matthews, David Gilmour and The Black Crowes etc as I will view these more than once

 

[Zookster]

I'll only buy if I know I'll want to watch it again when I want to (ie won't necessarily be available on Netflix when I want it) and its not showing all the time on premium cable. This mostly applies to major franchise series (Spiderman, X-man, etc.)... though my interest in even them is now waning.

 

[tonyp56]

I'm a renter (dont' go to the theater but maybe 1-2 times a year). I always rent first...

 

[JoeSp]

This is a fifty-fifty for me. I do both. I like going to the theater for big movies and for smaller more intellectual ones I just buy them for the wife. I will go watch big budget SCI-FI films in the theater always but sometimes I want to watch a comedy and I miss them so I just by those when they come out.

 

[duckydan]

I usually buy my movies (I only buy BD now anyway but even when it was DVD or HD same) and then see if I like em. If they suck I'll either trade them or sell them to someone who will like it (i.e. I did not care for 3:10 to Yuma so I traded it for War.. yet to watch that but not hearin good things) I also see a lot in theaters with my daughter (anything G-PG13 that is for girls or fantasy usually) so that only leaves the R rated sector anyway and very few kids/comedies that aren't very good anyway.

 

[Naves]

I mostly buy. In my area I have to drive an hour to even get to a decent movie theater. So for me and my wife thats $20 gas + $16 tickets = $36 to see a movie one time. So even a full price HDM at Wally World is less than $30. And I prefer my theater over most movie houses.

Plus I use my Home Theater that is spent all my money on.

Naves

 

[WalksInDarkness]

I have Netflix, with the 3 @ home "Unlimited" deal; for an average of 12+ movies a month it work out to like $1.50 per movie. Therefore, renting first is a no-brainer to me. But then again, I have owned DVD player since 1997 and have only bought about 70 discs total since (I consider most movies to be either mediocre or a "one trick pony").

 

[FlyingJ]

Neither. I honest to god have never understood the buying at all. I remember when VHS first started and a buddy bought every movie possible, I just don't get the library aspect of Video. I see just about everything, use to at the theater but now ith the FP, we watch at home. I read the posts that are about the purchasing and have had posts with most of you here and respect you all, but damn, I just don't get it.