Ever since streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime started, the debate has raging on which is better. We have the die-hard collectors, the ones collecting VHS and other physical media, denouncing the streaming avenue and those traveling down it. While the ones streaming, like the convenience of it, having a wide selection at their fingertips without having to spend a lot of money. Is one right and the other wrong? Since I consider myself an Old One (meaning old school movie collector, not a Lovecraftian deity), who used to spend hours, days, and even years looking for a certain movie, that seems to be available in an instant, so let me put my two cents in. As far as which is better, I think I can safely say this: How about we stop complaining about which is better and just WATCH THE DAMN MOVIES!?!?

Yes, I am one that still prefers a physical copy of a movie. If I like the movie, I want to be able to break it out anytime and pop it into my player and hit play. I do remember taking a very long to find a certain film in my early days, so yes, I am a bit jealous that newer fans and their instant access. I don’t think the thrill of the chase is not there, but does how long they searched for it really matter if they are actually watching it?

Before we figured out how to make copies of our favorite VHS tape, we would rent them, watch them, and then return them. What is the difference between that and watching a movie today through a streaming service? Streaming is a way to watch titles that are available by the choice of the streaming service. Kind of like the early days of channels like HBO, where you had to watch it when they scheduled it to play. Granted, with streaming, you can watch it at anytime, as long as someone has it in their catalog. If you have it on some sort of physical format, then you really can watch it at any point in time, for as long as you have it.

Now some of these collectors seem to be against streaming because they think it will someday be streaming only, which is a strong possibility and one that I would almost agree with. Why should the studios spend all the money on packaging if they don’t need. But lets remember the first rule of consumerism, if the market is there, the product will be there for them to spend money on. Perfect example…the LP. With the advent of CDs, the LP, 8-track and cassette tape went all by the wayside almost overnight. But decades later, the LP has made a strong comeback because they know people will spend the money on it.

Streaming is a great way to make these titles available to a wider market, allowing people the opportunity to see them. What difference is that than when video stores first opened up? Instead of complaining they are not available on Blu-ray, how about you watch it and then start spreading the word if you really liked the film. Then when it gets a lot of viewings, then maybe will decide it is cost worthy of putting out on a special Blu-ray edition.

It really comes down to just watching the films. They are meant to be watched. To be enjoyed. To be experienced. Yes, collecting them is great so you can experience it over and over again. But when it becomes a collectible and not something that can be enjoyed other than looking at it sitting on your shelf, then you’re not doing that. It’s like buying an action figure for your 8-year old son and tell him he can’t play with it because it could be a collectible. That’s doesn’t mean squat to him. He wants to play with it. To enjoy it. To have fun with it. That is what it was made for. Not to be sitting on a shelf.

Watch and enjoy. Simple as that.