Netflix DVD replacements

[JirinPanthosa]

As most of us know, Netflix will stop shipping DVDs in two months. It was the last service that had 99% of movies I wanted to watch, now the streaming realm is so fragmented, you need like 8 services just to get like 40% of the movies.

For someone who wants to watch all kinds of classic and foreign movies, including obscure ones, what are the new options? Renting on Amazon might not be too expensive but adds up. Is there any way to replicate the sheer availability Netflix DVD had without having to pay hundreds per month on a huge amount of services?

 

[JirinPanthosa]

Movies Unlimited. From a generally satisfied customer since 1991. You'll have to buy rather than rent, unfortunately....and some titles such as MANK won't be found post-pandemic.....

What's the cost like? I've got like 40 titles left on my netflix queue, probably won't get more than 7-8 of those before it closes, would I have to spend like $10/title?

 

[Starbreaker]

Criterion Channel is $10.99/month.

 

[valkyrie013]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.di...ere-to-rent-dvds-blu-rays-redbox-gamefly/?amp

Gamefly has some apparently..
Redbox.. If you can find what you want..

 

[JirinPanthosa]

Criterion Channel is $10.99/month.

I've been meaning to check that out, but does it have all Criterion titles or a more limited selection?

 

[cardinal biggles]

I've been meaning to check that out, but does it have all Criterion titles or a more limited selection?

It has the Criterion titles that they have streaming rights for — which is not the entire Collection — but then there's also other films that flex in and out, many of which haven't had a Criterion release, but they're part of curated collections they're running.

For example, right now there's an AI-themed collection that includes Spielberg's A.I. Artificial Intelligence, Robert Longo's Johnny Mnemonic (in both color and black & white), Spike Jonze's Her, the 1995 anime version of Ghost in the Shell, John Carpenter's Dark Star, John Boorman's Zardoz, and Wong Kar Wai's 2046. Only the last film has even had a Criterion release; the others have been licensed for the month and will depart at the end of July.

You can browse what they're currently streaming here: https://www.criterionchannel.com/browse

It looks like some really solid titles, but I've got too many streaming services going right now to add another. It's one I think I'd add if I ever started to pare back on the others (currently Disney+, Paramount+, and AppleTV+), or if the new management at Warner Bros. Discovery started fucking around again with Turner Classic Movies.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

So Criterion would be like my ninth subscription and might get the percentage from 40% up to 70%.

I wonder if when Netflix DVD closes down they'll have a huge clearance sale and I can just buy up my entire queue.