Movies, Videos and Television
One of my greatest joys is watching movies. I love them all…even the over the top Hollywood stuff that purists call crap. A matinee on a rainy Sunday afternoon is a great entertainment bargain. I know that some people love to be the first to see a film and will squeeze into the crowded theater on opening night. I hate crowded theaters so; I try to avoid the going to see a film on opening night (I usually wait a week or two for the crowds to die down). I like matinees for two reasons, the theater is generally less crowded and the ticket prices are lower. I also love going to independent art film houses, the experience is usually unique and the films are unlike the big Hollywood studio films that you see in most theaters.
Movie theaters are not the only place to see a film. As drive –in theaters fade, other outdoor venues like “films in the park” have become very popular during the summer months. The outdoor shows are generally inexpensive and a fun way to spend an evening. You usually have to bring your own seating. I like to talk a big blanket to lie on and pack a picnic dinner to enjoy during the show. DVD’s are a great way to enjoy a film. Whether you enjoy browsing your local video store or ordering movies on-line form Netflix.com or Blockbuster, video rentals are a bargain. I really like the convenience of online rentals. I seem to have a hard time getting the movies back to the store on-time so, the on-line option works well for me…all I have to do is drop the movie in the mail when I am done watch it and another one will magically arrive within a day two. Plus, the cost for the on-line service is a steal; for less than $20 per month, I can watch a whole lot of movies. As much as I love DVD’s, I must admit there are some films that you really have to experience on the big screen in a state of the art movie theater.
Most households have at least one television. Now days, you have to have cable or satellite to obtain most of the available programming. There are a number of programming packages you can choose from and various upgrades you can purchase. For some, television is the only source of entertainment they enjoy. I do not watch that much television. I like to have access to news and some national programming. I have found that although there are many more channels available today I seem to be paying a lot for the privilege of surfing thru countless infomercials and other paid programming.
Before you go out and signup for the most expensive cable package, you should review the channel line up and see if you will really want to watch the channels that you are paying extra for. I find that the basic package generally meets my needs global news, local access to the major net works, a few home and garden/ travel type channels.