Criterion Channel launches today

[evil wasabi]

https://www.criterionchannel.com/

apps will be coming, but I'm interested in how they will deliver new content to justify the monthly subscription fee, once you've watched all the movies.

 

[LoneSage]

How many netflix copycats are there now

It's like, started with one service that had EVERYTHING (which would have even mailed you a DVD of even some obscure film within three days) whereas now competitors have slowly (or quickly) adopted the same model which kinda makes the whole thing moot

By the time you subscribe to all these different services, might as well just pay for cable and watch TCM or whatever.

 

[Jon]

I remember when nearly every Criterion movie was free along with a subscription to Hulu. So many great movies I'd never even heard of like The Devil and Daniel Webster, Androcles and the Lion, basically every Toshiro Mifune/Akira Kurosawa movie, list goes on and on. Then, one day, it was just gone. Now I know why.

Jon

 

[smokehouse]

How many netflix copycats are there now

It's like, started with one service that had EVERYTHING (which would have even mailed you a DVD of even some obscure film within three days) whereas now competitors have slowly (or quickly) adopted the same model which kinda makes the whole thing moot

By the time you subscribe to all these different services, might as well just pay for cable and watch TCM or whatever.

I can't speak for everyone, but personally, it will land up with my having none (or next to none). I'm not going to drop $10-15/month on 12 different services. I dropped "cable" because of bloated pricing, I'm not going to hop back on that wagon under the guise of individual subscriptions.

 

[evil wasabi]

What if Apple or Disney buys the Criterion service and makes it a $4 add on?

 

[terry.330]

How many times can you watch M, La Dulce Vida, Vivre Se Vie?

Their BD releases are so nice it almost makes more sense to just buy physical copies of the few movies you do want to watch.

 

[gusmoney]

I had Filmstruck. This service is like Filmstruck-. Supposedly there is a service in the near future that is going to have Criterion and additional content (I forget the specifics) so I am going to pass on Criterion.

 

[GohanX]

I might do it once in a while to do a Kurosawa binge if they have his movies, but it's not something I'd keep an active subscription to.

 

[NeoSneth]

The reality is all these services are just pushing me back to piracy. I had almost stopped stealing media, but this year has been a rather busy one.
It's going to get worse with Disney closing the fox deal.

 

[titchgamer]

The reality is all these services are just pushing me back to piracy. I had almost stopped stealing media, but this year has been a rather busy one.
It's going to get worse with Disney closing the fox deal.

Think I am the same tbh.

To many services playing to many things I would like to watch without the will or the funds to pay for them all.

 

[GohanX]

It's going to get worse with Disney closing the fox deal.

Ugh, good point. It's going to be great when every single bluray movie costs $20-25 without ever going down.

 

[fake]

How many netflix copycats are there now

It's like, started with one service that had EVERYTHING (which would have even mailed you a DVD of even some obscure film within three days) whereas now competitors have slowly (or quickly) adopted the same model which kinda makes the whole thing moot

By the time you subscribe to all these different services, might as well just pay for cable and watch TCM or whatever.

Yup, when the whole streaming thing started it was great - tons of quality stuff in just one or two locations. Now it's so broken up that it's not very compelling. Criterion though is obviously a niche product. I loved that Hulu had most of the library, and going back to that would be ideal. But I'll sign up for this every once in a while to watch the stuff that doesn't warrant buying a physical copy.

I used to pay for Netflix and HBO Now, but when my parents' cable / internet contract expired, Verizon offered to throw in HBO Go in for free. So now I just pay for Netflix, get HBO for free, and use a friend's Hulu log-ins. So even though it sucks that everything is so sandboxed, it's still preferable over cable when you factor in freebies and sharing.

 

[HornheaDD]

Streaming services, which were the *reason* people cut cable - are now basically cable providers! Oh, now I gotta pay $15/mo to get that one show I wanna watch, and sift through countless different "original shows" that are complete shit. And half the shit on these services, Netflix included is fucking reality tv. WHY IS THAT SHIT ARCHIVED IN THE FIRST PLACE.

Ive got Hulu+ and Netflix. I *have* Amazon video because I'm a prime member but I rarely use it. I noticed the 2nd season of the Tick just came about so, yay.. but holy fuck I'm just gonna start pirating everything again.

 

[wyo]

There's no point in subscribing to everything at once. Either rotate subscriptions or stick with one or two and call it good.

 

[GregN]

Yea, Netflix used to have movies, now it's original series of stuff. Some of it is good, most of it is not. The only thing I've watched lately is Z Nation. I find myself watching mini documentaries on youtube. 12-15min worth. I have Amazon Prime, (my Dad has it). I don't even watch it. I'll probably get Disney when it comes out.

 

[F4U57]

I’ve already got the .mkv

 

[oliverclaude]

What if Apple or Disney buys the Criterion service and makes it a $4 add on?

If Disney finally brings Der Fuehrer's Face after almost 80 years to Germany... I'd consider.

 

[evil wasabi]

Yea, Netflix used to have movies, now it's original series of stuff. Some of it is good, most of it is not. The only thing I've watched lately is Z Nation. I find myself watching mini documentaries on youtube. 12-15min worth. I have Amazon Prime, (my Dad has it). I don't even watch it. I'll probably get Disney when it comes out.

The Expanse (amzn)
Mr. Robot (amzn)
Van Helsing (syfy/nflx)
Deadly Class (syfy)

Go home and watch your tv.

 

[GohanX]

There's no point in subscribing to everything at once. Either rotate subscriptions or stick with one or two and call it good.

Yeah, I turn the various services on and off depending on what I'm watching at the time. It's easy enough.

 

[Lets Gekiga In]

There's no point in subscribing to everything at once. Either rotate subscriptions or stick with one or two and call it good.

Exactly, only takes three remote clicks to unsubscribe from HBO Now on Roku.

 

[100proof]

Yeah I'll continue to subscribe to one or two things but these morons are crazy if they think the way to get cord-cutters to give them money is by siloing content behind a dozen different services. A good VPN is significantly cheaper.

 

[FAT$TACKS]

How many netflix copycats are there now

It's like, started with one service that had EVERYTHING (which would have even mailed you a DVD of even some obscure film within three days) whereas now competitors have slowly (or quickly) adopted the same model which kinda makes the whole thing moot

By the time you subscribe to all these different services, might as well just pay for cable and watch TCM or whatever.

I'm actually getting ready for this.

I have a plan.

I'm going to bring back the video store, but use the netflix model. You become a member and come in and get to have X amount of movies checked out at a time based on your monthly membership level.

 

[SpamYouToDeath]

I'm actually getting ready for this.

I have a plan.

I'm going to bring back the video store, but use the netflix model. You become a member and come in and get to have X amount of movies checked out at a time based on your monthly membership level.

Will you stock Laserdiscs?

 

[MrRoboto19XX]

Truth be told, I'd be happy to buy a service like this if it gave the entire Criterion experience. If I could have a level of curation in addition to an online version of their "film school in a box" approach, I'd be psyched. I'd love to have access to commentaries, short films and essays that could be consumed in relation to the movie you're watching. As someone who enjoys wandering around wikipedia and discovering stuff, this would be a goldmine of discovery.

Ah well, a man can dream.

 

[FAT$TACKS]

Will you stock Laserdiscs?

You have to be a premium level member to be able to check out laserdisc, betamax, VHS, or CED. We'll have a few players for each that we loan out as well but those you'll have to pay extra for. That way the hipsters can have their ironic party nights and play old movies on outdated formats to show how niche a person they are.