roy

I have decided that Blockbuster is evil.

Recently a new trend has swept America, and that trend is known as netflix. Basically it allows you to rent out two DVDs via the mail at a time and hold them as long as you want. Realizing (correctly) that unless Blockbuster did something similar they would lose a lot of $$$, they decided to implement the "Blockbuster Movie Pass."

This movie pass allows me to rent up to 2 DVDs and hold them as long as I want; I can rent two more when I return the other two. It's a great idea and I was enthralled to finally get a pass to rent anything from Blockbuster that I wanted.

Until today.

Today, one might say, was the day I ran into "the wall." I went into Blockbuster, holding the movies "The Terminal" and "Thirteen" in my hands ... and I was eager to trade them in for two fresh DVDs.

So I casually stroll into the Blockbuster ... and I begin going through the new releases. The first two walls ... nothing. Hrm. Ok ... this is a bit worrisome, but perhaps there will be some movies on the last wall that I might find I like.

I go through ... "The Terminal," "Walking Tall", "White Chicks..." ....... and nothing. Fear begins to build up.

It's about this time that I decide to go through the action and drama sections. Nothing there. Thinking that perhaps I missed something in the new releases ... I go through the new releases again. It's about this time I get a call from home.

"Roy, where are you? I thought you were just going to Blockbuster."

"I am, I'm still here." I look at my pocketwatch ... it's been 45 minutes since I left home. Crap.

20 minutes later, I finally decide on "The Replacement Killers" and "Along Came Polly" and leave the store. I'm dejected.

See, the problem is that when you return the two movies from the Movie Pass, you're obligated to rent out two movies; it's pretty much free! But the problem is that you really don't want to watch any of the crappy DVDs they have ... but you can't leave the store emptyhanded.

This causes problems where people spend too much time trying to find a movie they might like. But the quandary is worsened when it becomes impossible to cancel your movie pass. You reason to yourself, "Hey, I've got two more weeks. Even if I can't find anything to rent today, "Harry Potter" comes out next week. I'll just get that and then I'll cancel the movie pass. But next week, you come back and notice that "Hero" is coming out next week ... so I guess you really aren't going to stop the movie pass.

I look around the Blockbuster and notice many other helpless souls ... just looking for two movies to get and get out. And it's not even enough to get one ... you have to get one. More than once I passed a couple who were going through the racks, trying to find a movie... "Honey, want to see this?" "I saw it, it's not too good." "What about this one?" "We saw that one already, honey." I wouldn't be surprised if young couples with Blockbuster movie passes had a higher rate of breakups than non-movie pass people.

I long for the days with Blockbuster's overpriced rental prices; at least then you could just not rent something...

I'm stuck in a horrible addiction I can't break. Help.