Working their press release writers to the bone -- or silicone, whichever's harder -- CinemaNow introduces Warner Bros downloads in addition to their Disney offerings announced yesterday. And because it's all been designed to please the studios more than the consumers, "all content [is] copy protected by Microsoft’s digital rights management software." So there.
Is that permanent? At a conference on the future of DVDs, industry insiders speculated that "downloadable hit movies that can be burned on a DVD playable in any DVD player are in the near future." Really? I mean, seriously? I'm consulting my psychic friends right this minute just to make sure. (If I'm honest, though, I wonder if my purchase and ownership expectations are defined by my generation. I grew up thinking that when you bought a book, magazine, CD or DVD, it was yours to use as often as you want, yours to loan to friends and yours to sell to Half Price Books when the rent was due. Maybe to a 14-year old, that's not so important.)
But more to the point, where does all this leave NetFlex? Apparently, they'll have their own downloads thanks to partnerships with indie filmmakers. That's pretty brilliant. Just the kind of thing you like to hear from a company started by and for movie lovers.
AND: yes, I finally became a NetFlix customer. The amazing part? Even though friends have told me for some time how cool NetFlix is, I was still impressed. According to my email, I'll be watching Fight Club tonight. Ooh! I get all melty inside when Tyler says, "Advertising has us chasing cars and clothes, working jobs we hate so we can buy shit we don't need."
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