Sometimes, I hate buying DVD videos.

Movies are best viewed as a unique experience, in my opinion. Part of the enjoyment is the spectacle and the anticipation of seeing something new in a setting that is specifically designed to elevate the viewer's enjoyment. Monster screens. Tons of sound gear. A front-and-center place to sit. All the things theaters have that draw crowds.

Well, besides the prices of food and drinks, and the semi-literate crowds, and the iffy bathroom quality, and the commercials before the flick, and the restrictions on your behavior inside the theater. And missing parts of the film when rushing to the toilet. I hate that.

Hm.

There are good reasons to buy movies for home viewing. More things are under your control. Even better, they pay for themselves after a few viewings. But that's another problem.

I rarely want to watch the movies I've bought more than a few times. Perhaps I just need to buy more and broaden my selection, but I only buy movies I really like and I don't get out much to see what's out there. Some haven't suffered as badly as others; Memento, Dark City, Fight Club, and Heat have all worn well. But the majority I just don't feel as excited about. It's not just that I'm aware how things end...you get past that point pretty quickly when you catch yourself looking for contradictions, anachronisms, and production screw-ups. Sometimes the extras are nifty, but even when they are good they can't capture the same feeling as a great movie. They prolong the inevitable: boredom with the film itself. An additional problem is the time investment involved. The movies I own range from just over an hour to well over two and once I get done with all the typical after-work chores and have no friends to visit, I often feel like plopping down on the futon for more than 60 minutes would be time better spent elsewhere. Most of the movies I have gotten no action in over a year. Annoying to spend that money and then not feel like you're getting much worth out of it.

I don't own a TV series on DVD. Actually, that isn't accurate. I don't own any American TV series on DVD, though there are several on my short list. The bulk of my DVDs are anime series from Japan. With at least 26 episodes per series on average, they keep my interest longer because the conflicts build with more integrity and care. Even better, they are digestible in 25 minute chunks.

I was sitting at home Monday night, wondering what I wanted to do. I still don't have Net access at the apartment so blogging was out of the question; I had no interest in exercising though I knew I should, I was tired of reading libertarian/liberal/anarchist theory, and I just couldn't take the cable news any longer. I dismissed any thoughts about a movie, but my eyes passed over my anime collection and I felt an emotional tug as I saw the Neon Genesis Evangelion boxset. It was the anime that pulled me out of the Saturday morning cartoon kiddie fare anime mentality. I probably hadn't watched an episode in over two years. I sprung up and played volume one.

Ahhh.

Tonight: Volume 2!