I love Blu-Rays. Probably my favourite format for movies. Though not as big a leap as VHS-DVD (well arguably it is a bigger leap than Laser Disc- DVD, as Laser Disc is probably the real predecessor to DVD, but never gained much popularity), it was still a major upgrade. 4K UHD Blu-rays are cool, but the required set-up you need to take advantage of the upgrade makes it diminishing returns for most people considering what they still charge for the discs. Blu-rays are for the most part already so good when it comes to audio and visuals.
I still primarily watch movies on physical media, as the streaming sites don’t know what the fuck they are doing. Letting algorithms tell me what to watch is not my thing. The quality of picture and audio is not as good as Blu-rays really, and depends on internet bandwidth. Streaming sites just want power and don’t give a shit about the art. HBO MAX cut the first 5 min of 2001: A Space Odyssey, which is black screen with ambient noise. Yeah, I am happy to have the Blu-Ray.
With the authoritarian leadership in Washington, it is probably also just a matter of time before Ali Abbassi’s incredible biopic The Apprentice gets pulled from streaming and online stores, they won’t get my physical copy!
I consider 1998-2012 give or take a year or two as the golden age of physical media as far as movies are concerned. And of course the Blu-Ray entered the market right in the middle of that.
I was an early adopter, getting a PS3 early, Sony even sent me a copy of Casino Royale as I got the system early, it became my first Blu-Ray, and I still have it to this day.
