I am so sick of hearing about how DVDs are dying and if people don’t switch over to digital downloads, they will get left behind. As far as I am concerned, I still think digital downloads are a giant rip-off and I refuse to stop buying my precious Blu-rays.

Digital DownloadsNow, don’t get me wrong. I am all about the digital revolution. I don’t buy CDs anymore and get everything in MP3 format now. I don’t buy many books anymore, and get most of my stuff on my Kindle. However, there is one small exception, where I won’t buy film books on Kindle because I use them for research and prefer to have them spread out on my desk in front of me. I think it is easier to find what I am looking for that way.

But, those are completely different from Blu-rays.

A lot of people who are on my side of the fence claim they still buy Blu-rays because the quality of the picture and sound blows the hell out of digital downloads. Others just don’t have a way to watch the digital downloads on their nice big TVs – and honestly, a computer screen is a shit way to watch any movie.

That is not why I refuse to stop buying Blu-rays.

Digital DownloadsI am someone who does buy a lot of used Blu-rays. Now that they seem to be getting more expensive (what the hell is up with that?), I will sometimes wait a month or so and then get it used at Hastings with one of their Buy 1 Get 1 used specials.

Now, when I go to buy a Blu-ray used, I flip it over and check to see if it is a Used copy or a Previously Viewed copy. The difference here is that Previously viewed means it is a former rental Blu-ray. If you have ever been to a Redbox or rented a Blu-ray, there is a pretty damn good chance you got NO special features on it.

I won’t buy a Blu-ray – not even used – that has no special features on it. The extras are what makes a Blu-ray worth buying to me. CDs don’t have extras and neither do books. However, a Blu-ray bought from the store has commentary tracks, deleted scenes, featurettes, documentaries and much more.

Digital DownloadsRental Blu-rays have nothing and digital downloads have nothing. What that tells me is that renting a Blu-ray and buying a digital download gives you the same thing. If you don’t plan on watching Django Unchained 6 times, it is cheaper to rent it than buy a digital version. Me, I paid the $7 more that the Blu-ray cost and have the extra features to watch.

I LOVE extra features and – no matter the price difference – I will buy the Blu-ray that has the special features over the one that does not. You may not give a crap about documentaries or commentary tracks, and that is fine. But my question is why would you buy it instead of renting it unless you plan on watching it a ton of times?

My opinion. If they phase out Blu-rays and just have digital downloads, which means no extras, they will sell a whole let less and rentals will jump big time. Look, I don’t care if you just want to buy the digital download and have your movies stored on your hard drive. That is your prerogative. However, I want my extra features that comes with buying a Blu-ray. That is my prerogative.

My problem is the ass-clowns on other websites who are telling me, and others like me, to get with the program of digital downloads. Just because they love bare boned releases, doesn’t mean anyone else should fall in line with them.

But that’s just my opinion.