Tuesday’s Tip: Watch Downloads, Not DVDs (When It’s Sensible)

Before anyone gets on my case about how watching fine cinema on a laptop (or, gasp!, a portable device), is shameful, you should know that I’m not recommending that you watch The Godfather on your iPod. That would be a shame; don’t do that. Good film deserves a better viewing than what an iPod or iPhone or iWhatever can offer, so in those instances, go ahead and watch the DVD on your HDTV.

But, let’s say you were to watch Bridget Jones while your husband was out of town (you know, theoretically). Do you REALLY need to worry about lines of resolution for that kind of movie? I’m pretty sure that your downloaded version of Fool’s Gold will give you the same viewing experience as it would in the theater. Why waste the materials and emissions created by the production of a DVD on a throw-away film? Save your DVD consumption for those movies where quality really matters, like Blow Up or The Bourne Ultimatum. Make your DVD watching count, and you’ll be freed up to watch The Fast and the Furious on your computer. In shame.