This is where I get rant, rave and swear I will never rent an actual DVD again. Why you ask? LATE FEES I answer. I am not against late fees, just like I am not against speeding fines. They have their place, but when you get a speeding ticket you still get upset; even if you were speeding. (I am not advocating speeding, nor am I admitting to speeding) Late fees are just a part of renting tapes and DVDs. I don't normally get upset with myself when I am a day late, or even just a few hours late. I didn't try and take it back on time, so I just live with the fees. This morning though was one of those times that really pisses me off; made all the worse because the movie wasn't worth renting in the first place. Up until I screwed up this morning, at least it had been sorta free.
Why sorta free? What did I do that has gotten me so angry with myself?
Well, the movie was "sorta" free becuase I had purchased Lord of the Rings: Two Towers from Blockbuster. They had a special deal, where if you bought the movie from them for $29.99 you got 7 rentals included (free would be incorrect). Basically 7 rentals costs you nearly $30. So it seemed like a good deal. One movie a week for 7 weeks and there were several movies I wanted to see. It has all worked out rather well, till today; returning my last movie... of course! Sunday I rented The Hunted. The movie starred Tommy Lee Jones, so I figured even if the movie was bad he would be worth watching. Short story, MAN WAS I WRONG! I barely got through the movie without digging out my own eyeballs and serving them up to Gracy. Yes, it was that bad. Stupid story. Bad acting. Bad writing. Bad directing. BAD, BAD, BAD.
So I suffer through this increadibly bad movie Sunday night. The movie was due back Tuesday before noon. I had rented another movie and thought I would watch it Monday night. It was a movie I knew I would enjoy, I have seen it several times already. Since I didn't want to go back to Bluckbuster twice I decided I would return both at the same time, sound business decision. NOPE. Monday night I didn't get around to watching my movie, I ended up working. Tuesday morning I grabbed the case for The Hunted I headed off to Bluckbuster on my way to work. As I walked up to deposit the wrenched title, I opened the case to verify the movie was actually there and N O M O V I E! I heard the cash registers in Blockbuster ringing for joy.
So I will return it tomorrow morning and I may not even get a chance to watch my movie tonight. So I will end up making three return trips to blockbuster, pay $4 in late fees and feeling stupid; all for one of the worst movies I have seen in years.
If that isn't Video Rental Hell, I don't know what is. Back to my Tivo and recording Video On-Demand. I don't get it in letterbox all the time and I don't get 5.1 audio all the time.... but the movie is never, ever late and I can still watch the movie at my liking, fast foward, reverse and do all the other things. I love the extras on a DVD but I don't normally get into those on a movie I am just renting anyway.
SO BOYCOTT BLOCKBUSTER! Until the next great movie comes out that I want to see with letterbox and in truly 5.1 sound. Hear those cash registers ringing... they ring for thee!