How often do you look at the TV guide and with an upturned nose and moan that there’s nothing on that you fancy watching? Well now there’s an alternative that could be of interest to you – Cinema Paradiso, an online DVD rental company.
In return for 3 months free rental of four DVDs a month I agreed to review their service and the first thing I had to do was visit their site and set up an account which was an incredibly easy process, then on to the fun. The idea is that you choose 20 films and add them to your wish list, well we haven’t been to the cinema in years so I went straight over to the top 100 and clicked on all the names that I had wanted to watch when they were first out. That bit done I just had to sit and wait. The next day an email popped up in my inbox telling me the first of my DVD rentals was on its way. I found myself really looking forward to seeing which one we’d get to view.
As you can see from the above photo it arrives in a neat envelope which you open along a serrated edge on one side, this opens a flap which is then torn off and inside you’ll find your DVD in a plastic protective case. The beauty is once you have viewed the film, you pop it back in the same envelope and there’s a sticky tab to close it insuring no loss during postage. Already addressed all you have to do is pop it into a post box and wait for the next DVD to arrive.
Our first film was The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. It’s good and has a great storyline. We watched it in English (thank goodness as I hate subtitles) there’s a good mix of suspense, mystery and action, there were a couple of strong scenes that left me wondering how necessary they were to the end product but we enjoyed the film.
My only negative comment would be that it was slow moving and being used to fast action drama this was slightly irritating. Definitely a good watch though.
Our second film was Tell No One with Kristen Scott Thomas, one of my favourite actresses. I hadn’t heard of this film but that’s hardly surprising seeing as I’ve been confined to TV watching for the past 3 years! The film was brilliant, an excellent plot, brilliant acting and great scenery our only fault would be it was all in sub titles!!!! It was a french film. Now had I know this previously I wouldn’t have added it to my list as when we sit down to watch a film we want to relax and enjoy and not have to sit ‘working’ by reading text.
As the above films have both been returned, I am already in possession of the next two to watch Volver with Penelope Cruz (please don’t let it be in Spanish!) I love Pedro Almodovar’s films I just hope Him Indoors does too and No Country for Old Men which again I haven’t heard of before but got good ratings on the Top 100, it also stars Tommy Lee Jones which should keep His Lordship happy.
So there you have it, an online DVD rental company where you can get good films on your doormat in a jiffy. My only niggle is I don’t have any say over which films I see first and although they’re sending through films I do enjoy there are others on there that I would prefer to see first. It does make me want to put them in an order of preference and as far as I can see that’s not an option right now.
As Kerry very kindly points out I haven’t included any information of cost well currently you can receive two discs a month for only £4.89. Have a look at the costs for more options
Disclosure – I accepted 3 months free rental of four DVDs per month in return for writing this review
Roary the number one star!
I have discovered that Roary is showing up and down the country in theatres across the land. It’s the day for Champion of Champions race at Silver Hatch and Roary will be racing against his favourites friends but Flash the mischievous rabbit has got his eye on Farmer Green’s bio fuel and without fuel will the race take place?