Your personal Blu-ray purchase checklist?

[A Sith Lord?]

Decided to make this thread based on a lot of common random musings we share amongst each other from what I read.

Here's my checklist of what I require when I'm looking for a Blu-Ray!

For New Releases:

• Blu-Ray/DVD/Digital Combo Pack
  • Love the convenience of having the DVD even though I don't use them at all hardly. Loan them out to friends, or take them to the office on a rainy day to watch on the computer since they don't have blu-ray readers. I confess personally to have NEVER ever used any of my digital/ultraviolet copies EVER.
• Slipcover in very good condition
  • If I'm at Best Buy, I try to find the one in the back of the row that's least damaged/bent around the corners top. Otherwise, I'll just go with Target since they usually have them in the plastic anti-theft case. I really hard though when I see the cashier try to rip the blu-ray w/slipcase out of the plastic case when it's almost stuck/too tight …
• No hard to remove price tag on slip cover
  • I'm looking at YOU Best Buy. Your price tag stickers I've had to fight over the years with… leave terrible residue and it makes my slips look terrible.
• Try to avoid gift/boxsets (like Batcowl TDKR boxset)
  • Why you ask? Ain't nobody got the shelf space for all that! I like my blu-rays organized on the shelf like books and cassette tapes. Don't like having HUGE boxes everywhere. I own the huge Lion King box blu-ray collection only because my sister bought it for me… otherwise probably would've gotten all the individual releases with individual slipcovers.
  • I will make an exception to the rule on TV show boxsets. I don't own any TV shows on blu-ray yet, just because I get annoyed that most of the shows I like don't have fancy cosmetic boxsets like their DVD counterparts. A lot of them like Sons of Anarchy, Always Sunny, Breaking Bad are just regular/thicker blu-ray cases with basic artwork. Not brochure styled open boxes or box with multiple blu-cases inside. House has nice boxes for a blu, but I will wait in the hopes that one day the entire series is released on blu-ray. Would hate to have just the last 3-4 seasons on blu then buy the first 4 on DVD.

Older Movies with a Modern Release

• Slipcover! (makes it nice since most older movies aren't combo packs that usually come with slips! saw The Funhouse with a slipcover at Moviestop!)
• Special Edition > Regular Release (makes it sound nicer in my collection)
  • When Bourne movies came out on blu, they're Blu/DVD combo with no slips. When the Universal 100 Anniversary released them with the hardcover slips, I couldn't resist. I'm still trying to track down Bourne Identity though. Only found Ultimatum and Supremacy.

Things I try to avoid like the Plague!

• 3 Movie Packs
  • My reasoning is simple. I'd rather own each movie in its own separate case and artwork than have 3 in 1. I know it's cheaper to get 3 in one and more convenient, but I have too much respect for some classic movies like 2001 and Friday and Watchmen to get them clustered in a 3 movie pack as opposed to letting them have their own space on my shelf.
• Single Blu-Ray releases if I know there's a combo lying around somewhere.

Put it simply:
Blu-Ray+DVD+Digital Combo w/ Slipcover (exark Knight Rises)
Blu-Ray+Digital Combo w/ Slipcover (ex: X-Men First Class / Expendables 2)
Blu-Ray+DVD Combo no slipcover (ex: Remember the Titans/ Quantum of Solace)
Blu-Ray Steelbook > Blu-Ray Digibook
Single Blu-Ray (sometimes for my favorite pre-blu-ray era movies I have no choice like Collateral/Dumb and Dumber, Tears of the Sun).

There ARE some slippery slopes for me. I didn't start buying steelbooks until I saw the ones at Best Buy. I was looking for a copy of Batman Begins when Rises hit theaters this past summer, and I opted for the steelbook over the regular case because of how nice it looked and I know Begins would never get a combo pack + slipcover. The steelbook for Begins also looked better go with my Dark Knight and TDK Rises slipcovered combo packs. I bought Sherlock Holmes solo when Game of Shadows came out in theaters, but recently a steelbook was released that I double dipped and just gave away the old copy I had. I've almost bought The Departed several times in regular solo casing when I see it in the $7 deal section at BB... but I always stop because I know it comes on FX every week. The steelbook looks really nice though, so I might buy it when the U&S deal comes in a few weeks. Same for Book of Eli. No combo w/slip, but the steelbook looked too darn sexy for me NOT to buy it.

[Scottie]

I impulsively purchased a lot of films.

Basically what I've been doing lately is deciding if I want to see it, if it is part of a genre that appeals to me (i.e. psychological thrillers), if it got good ratings, if I would more than likely watch it again, and if it's a good price.

As far as the packaging is concerned, whenever I purchase a movie I make sure that there aren't any visible cracks or dents in the case and everything is in good condition, especially SteelBooks.

[vader4]

Originally Posted by MasturB

Decided to make this thread based on a lot of common random musings we share amongst each other from what I read.

Here's my checklist of what I require when I'm looking for a Blu-Ray!

For New Releases:

• Blu-Ray/DVD/Digital Combo Pack
  • Love the convenience of having the DVD even though I don't use them at all hardly. Loan them out to friends, or take them to the office on a rainy day to watch on the computer since they don't have blu-ray readers. I confess personally to have NEVER ever used any of my digital/ultraviolet copies EVER.
• Slipcover in very good condition
  • If I'm at Best Buy, I try to find the one in the back of the row that's least damaged/bent around the corners top. Otherwise, I'll just go with Target since they usually have them in the plastic anti-theft case. I really hard though when I see the cashier try to rip the blu-ray w/slipcase out of the plastic case when it's almost stuck/too tight …
• No hard to remove price tag on slip cover
  • I'm looking at YOU Best Buy. Your price tag stickers I've had to fight over the years with… leave terrible residue and it makes my slips look terrible.
• Try to avoid gift/boxsets (like Batcowl TDKR boxset)
  • Why you ask? Ain't nobody got the shelf space for all that! I like my blu-rays organized on the shelf like books and cassette tapes. Don't like having HUGE boxes everywhere. I own the huge Lion King box blu-ray collection only because my sister bought it for me… otherwise probably would've gotten all the individual releases with individual slipcovers.
  • I will make an exception to the rule on TV show boxsets. I don't own any TV shows on blu-ray yet, just because I get annoyed that most of the shows I like don't have fancy cosmetic boxsets like their DVD counterparts. A lot of them like Sons of Anarchy, Always Sunny, Breaking Bad are just regular/thicker blu-ray cases with basic artwork. Not brochure styled open boxes or box with multiple blu-cases inside. House has nice boxes for a blu, but I will wait in the hopes that one day the entire series is released on blu-ray. Would hate to have just the last 3-4 seasons on blu then buy the first 4 on DVD.

Older Movies with a Modern Release

• Slipcover! (makes it nice since most older movies aren't combo packs that usually come with slips! saw The Funhouse with a slipcover at Moviestop!)
• Special Edition > Regular Release (makes it sound nicer in my collection)

Things I try to avoid like the Plague!

• 3 Movie Packs
  • My reasoning is simple. I'd rather own each movie in its own separate case and artwork than have 3 in 1. I know it's cheaper to get 3 in one and more convenient, but I have too much respect for some classic movies like 2001 and Friday and Watchmen to get them clustered in a 3 movie pack as opposed to letting them have their own space on my shelf.
• Single Blu-Ray releases if I know there's a combo lying around somewhere.

Put it simply:
Blu-Ray+DVD+Digital Combo w/ Slipcover (exark Knight Rises)
Blu-Ray+Digital Combo w/ Slipcover (ex: X-Men First Class / Expendables 2)
Blu-Ray+DVD Combo no slipcover (ex: Remember the Titans/ Quantum of Solace)
Blu-Ray Steelbook > Blu-Ray Digibook
Single Blu-Ray

There ARE some slippery slopes for me. I didn't start buying steelbooks until I saw the ones at Best Buy. I was looking for a copy of Batman Begins when Rises hit theaters this past summer, and I opted for the steelbook over the regular case because of how nice it looked and I know Begins would never get a combo pack + slipcover. I bought Sherlock Holmes solo when Game of Shadows came out in theaters, but recently a steelbook was released that I double dipped and just gave away the old copy I had.

That is scary! I have those exact same things right down to the embarrassed to admit (Fright Night 3D).

[A Sith Lord?]

Originally Posted by iScottie

I impulsively purchased a lot of films.

Basically what I've been doing lately is deciding if I want to see it, if it is part of a genre that appeals to me (i.e. psychological thrillers), if it got good ratings, if I would more than likely watch it again, and if it's a good price.

As far as the packaging is concerned, whenever I purchase a movie I make sure that there aren't any visible cracks or dents in the case and everything is in good condition, especially SteelBooks.

I usually only impulse purchase if I know it's a good deal or if it's Black Friday (then I just grab whatever and think about consequences/return what I regret after I wake up later that afternoon. ).

I seldom do blind buys, unless I know it's got a lot of academy nominations/high rotten tomatoes rating/good word of mouth amongst my friends whose opinions I value on movies.

Impulse blind buys? Almost never ever happen with me.

[Villiam Hayes]

I don't have a checklist,I buy the films I enjoy,some are blind buy's and all I hope for is very good P/Q and A/Q.

[Petra_Kalbrain]

If it's good, I buy it.

If it's something I'm interested in but didn't get to see in theatres, I buy it for the right price.

If it's something that I really like and it's available in a metal case, I buy that.

The only real factor that SHOULD matter in making a decision regarding the purchase of a Blu-ray is the quality of the content within the presentation of the film itself and nothing else. Perhaps the quality of the content as it relates to the price could be the other option. Everything beyond that one detail is, quite frankly, OCD*.

* and yes, I freely admit that that statement includes my attitude towards metal case releases.

[Canuck21]

Title I like ✓
Good price ✓
Keepcase ✓
Digipak ✗ - For Universal boxset, I would wait for the keepcase packaging. Otherwise I just buy as is.
Digibook ✗ - I always wait for the keepcase edition
Sleeve packaging ✗ - I would buy the UK alternative keepcase or digipak packaging if available.
Steelbook ✗
Blind buy ✗

[sukraj]

most of my purchases are blind buys.

[The Great Owl]

I prefer to avoid steelbooks, elaborate limited edition packages, and such. For me, the bare bones Blu-ray in a standard blue case wins every time when I have an option, because I can easily replace these cases. I'm not really a collector, per se. I just like watching a lot of movies. I can take or leave slipcovers. If a slipcover is in immaculate shape, I keep it. If I buy a used Blu where the slipcover is jacked up, then I'll give the slipcover away.

The one question I ask myself before a purchase is whether or not I'll like the movie enough to watch it multiple times.

That said, I do look through the Blu-rays on the store rack to buy the one where the movie sleeve is lined up inside the plastic of the blue case. It annoys me for some reason when the edges of the sleeve protrude outside the plastic, although it's just a matter of adjusting the sleeve when I unwrap the shrinkwrap.

[bhampton]

• Want it
• Think I can afford it

[hsox05]

Yep. Pretty much if I want the movie I buy it. I kind of have a price threshold in mind for most movies, so ill rarely pay anywhere near Msrp. I always use amazon as a price point. I won't buy from best buy, etc unless they are equal or less than amazon. I normally buy from a used store that only buys from people if its in like new condition. Been buying from them since 08 and have yet to get a defective item, I don't even have to check. They're normally significantly cheaper than anywhere else.

I couldn't care less about steelbooks. I am all about price. I prefer the 3 packs to buying individually. Pretty much the only things ill pay a premium on are 3d and digibooks, but even that has to be within reason. My used store had the regular river Kwai for 3.99. I looked on amazon and the digibook was over 3
Dollars then, so I got the regular. Flip side, journey 2 was 4 at best buy Black Friday, and the 3d counterpart was 15. I got 3d. I don't buy anything that looks like its falling apart, but I don't have any kinda checklist. I just price check everything.

[DetroitSportsFan]

*I like the movie / really want to see the movie

*Price

That's about it.

[arcadeforest]

Don't really think I have a checklist. I usually buy a film that I want to see or one that I have seen and like. Usually I will wait until it comes down in price with a sale / promotion like Best Buy's U&S or can find used (MovieStop, Pawn Shops, etc). With that said I do ocasionally pick up new releases and pay - Dredd this week, especially if I missed it in the theater. As far as slipcovers, steelbooks, digibooks go I generally do not care. I do like digibooks and steelbooks but thankfully have not got pulled into it having to get it. Don't care about digital copies as well - have never used one provided as I always make my own for use in my home theater pc. Multipacks don't bother me for most films.

[tenebre6]

I want disk and art in perfect condition..

I too hate multi packs! unless its a series like Nightmare on elm street.

I have a couple shaw borthers multi packs on dvd and its frustrating because i cant put them in the correct order. When they hopefully re-issue on blue i will be sure to get individual releases.

[HD Goofnut]

Originally Posted by DetroitSportsFan

*I like the movie / really want to see the movie

*Price

That's about it.

Same.

[goldie1970]

OP hits it for me, but I try anymore just to get blockbusters or something that really justifies massive picture detail and beautiful sound

I'd never buy Ted on Blu, unless price was awesome. Comedies don't warrant added expense of Blu, unless the extras are worthy.

Also, digital copy is huge for me. I prefer iTunes as I can load movies for kids to watch on trips. I'm opening up to UV, but it's only good with free wifi.....not paying hotels to stream movies I own copies of

We camp 6-8 weekends a year. Having movies for travel time and rain time is massive benefit for me

[mastadge]

✓ -- Movie that I like and suspect I will watch more than once.
✓ -- Movie that I like or suspect I will like that I want to pick up before it sells out (or is returned to the vault, etc)
✓ -- If it's a catalog title of which I already own the DVD, a significant PQ upgrade and no significant strikes against. (For example, Conan with its botched music; Donnie Darko with its poor transfer.)

Don't care in the slightest about packaging style, quantity or quality of supplements, etc.

[joie]

I am likely to buy something because:

1) I've seen it before and know that I want a copy + the price is right.

2) It has the original theatrical cut. Director/extended/unrated/etc cuts can be interesting, but it's important to have the theatrical cut, especially if it's a movie that a lot of people talked and wrote about.

3) If it's something I haven't seen, it should 1) Be recommended by someone whose opinion I value and/or 2) Have a decent Rotten Tomatoes critics' score, X/10, and, ideally, also have a decent public score, X/5. To make them equal, the public's score can be multiplied by two to scale it to an X/10 score. The tomato-meter isn't a big factor to me.

4) The movie is region free, but that alone isn't enough to get me to buy.

5) The movie has its original aspect ratio, audio, etc. Anything else should be optional. But, that isn't enough to get me to buy.


Reasons to avoid buying:

1) I am wary of claims like, "director approved," "restored," etc. I do think that an artist has moral rights, but those rights imply that the public has a moral right, too, which is a right to see the movie unaltered and looking as close as possible to what the original, projected theatrical presentation looked like, minus normal wear and tear.

2) I refuse to buy any more sets. Why? 1) I shelve alphabetically by title and 2) The individual movies in a set usually don't have a UPC number and case, so that makes it hard to sell the duds, if any. The "Vengeance Trilogy," with each movie in a separate case with a UPC number, is an example of a "good set" -- there is even a UPC number for the slipcase (set). With Universal's monsters, I was able to buy standalones of the ones I was sure I wanted by ordering the UK standalones, which are region free.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by joie

I am likely to buy something because:

1) I've seen it before and know that I want a copy + the price is right.

2) It has the original theatrical cut. Director/extended/unrated/etc cuts can be interesting, but it's important to have the theatrical cut, especially if it's a movie that a lot of people talked and wrote about.

3) If it's something I haven't seen, it should 1) Be recommended by someone whose opinion I value and/or 2) Have a decent Rotten Tomatoes critics' score, X/10, and, ideally, also have a decent public score, X/5. To make them equal, the public's score can be multiplied by two to scale it to an X/10 score. The tomato-meter isn't a big factor to me.

4) I refuse to buy any more sets. Why? 1) I shelve alphabetically by title and 2) The individual movies in a set usually don't have a UPC number and case, so that makes it hard to sell the duds, if any. The "Vengeance Trilogy," with each movie in a separate case with a UPC number, is an example of a "good set" -- there is even a UPC number for the slipcase (set). With Universal's monsters, I was able to buy standalones of the ones I was sure I wanted by ordering the UK standalones, which are region free.

5) The movie is region free.

6) The movie has its original aspect ratio, audio, etc. Anything else should be optional.

7) I am wary of claims like, "director approved," "restored," etc. I do think that an artist has moral rights, but those rights imply that the public has a moral right, too, which is a right to see the movie unaltered and looking as close as possible to what the original, projected theatrical presentation looked like, minus normal wear and tear.

I'm going to take a wild guess and say that you don't own Star Wars: The Complete Saga.

[joie]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I'm going to take a wild guess and say that you don't own Star Wars: The Complete Saga.

I borrowed it (the two sets), but didn't watch all of them.

Add: It may have been in one of the prequels: there was a human character beside a CGI character. Very fake looking. They should have used a CGI human (but it was "Luke").