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1 - Double
sided "Flipper" DVDs – This one is certainly up there
on the annoying scale. First you never know what side to
put in, since many companies reverse the direction. Not
only that; but many of us have multiple discs DVD players
and like to load several in at once. Hey it might be lazy;
but we all do it. With double sided you have to get up and
switch it. But the biggest reason I can’t stand double
sided is that you run the risk of ruining two discs if you
accidentally drop it or have some other unfortunate
mishap.
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- Inconsistent Box Designs – You have the first
4 seasons of your favorite series and go to the store to
pick up the new 5th season. Except you can’t find it on
the shelf. You look and look and finally right when you
are about to give up is when a title catches your eye. It
is the series you were looking for but the packaging is
completely different. Northern Exposure did it by removing
the parka from season 3. Now I know that this one and some
of the following may be looked at as being anal; but I
know of many people that enjoy displaying their DVDs so
this complaint is for those people.
3 - Thin Plastic Slip Cases – You know them and
more than likely you have struggled with them too. There
is anywhere between 3 to 6 or more crammed into a
cardboard sleeve. In order to get the one out you want you
have two options; 1. cram your fingers into the box and
tug while distorting the cardboard or, 2. tilt it sideways
making all the cases slide out until you can get your
fingers around the one you want.
4 - Unique Packaging that Doesn’t Fit – Some DVDs
take a risk to come up with an interesting design to make
their DVD stand out. And while some of them are really
cool to look at you have no where to put them. They are
just to awkward/tall/bulky/flimsy/etc. to fit on any
shelf. So often the only other choice you have is to stack
them on top of your DVD player or they are left lying
around. We all know of the recent Simpson’s box set (see
here) and the numerous complaints it received.
5
- Over-lapping DVDs – You bring home the
expensive TV box set you’ve been wanting and quickly open
it up just to find that they are overlapping. You have to
pull out disc 2 to get to disc 1, disc 4 to get disc 3.
And what is even worse the plastic circle clips that hold
the DVDs in give you problems because they stick making
you fear that you will snap it in two. So eventually you
just stick them back in wherever is easiest or leave them
sitting out.
6 - Auto Play – You turn on the TV & DVD player,
pop in the DVD, then go to start the pop-corn, grab
drinks, take a quick bathroom stop, and start to get
settled on the couch just to find out that your movie is
10 minutes into it. Why do they feel like you need help
deciding when to start your film? Many of us put the movie
in first to let the previews and stuff run so when you get
ready you can just start the movie. But for some reason
now studios think that the menu should only cycle once and
then start the film to take away the extra energy it takes
to hit play. Isn’t that nice of them.
7 - Non-gag Gag Reels – Gag reels at one time were
a guaranteed laugh with people falling down, or running
into doors, missing their cues, having jokes pulled on
them, etc. There were always a few flubbed lines thrown
in; but now that seems to be all they are. I’m sorry but
10 minutes of people not able to say their lines and then
making faces is not funny to me. If that is all you have
then don’t add it in the bonus features.
8
- Bare Bones Release – It was the blockbuster of the
summer, you saw it 5 times in theaters, and have been
holding your breath for it to come out on DVD. Then
finally it is released and the only thing on it is the
movie and maybe a trailer. Yet you paid the same amount
they will charge for the special edition that will be
released at a later date with all the features you could
want on it. Now you are going to have to shell out twice
as much money just for the special features.
9
- Non-special Special Editions – So you have
the blockbusters that are bare bone releases and yet there
are flops that have 4 or 5 “special editions”. What makes
them special? Well usually it isn’t the bonus features
because they have already been released. No, it is to
include a free movie ticket, or to promote a sequel, or to
promote a new movie by the same director. Not only is it a
waste of money it takes up space at the local store so
they are always out of stock of the movie you want.
10 - Pointless Multi-Discs
– Many releases today you often have the choice of buying
a 1 disc or 2 discs release. So who wouldn’t go for the 2
discs? But after watching the movie and then switching out
to the 2nd disc to watch the special features you can not
figure out why they couldn’t fit it all on to 1 disc, and
truthfully there isn’t any reason other than 2 discs are
more appealing than 1.
11 - Forced Commentary – I like deleted scenes and
I feel that I am smart enough to figure out what is going
on in them. But sometimes regardless of how smart you are
the directors feel the need to baby you through the
scenes. And just to make it worse you start to fast
forward through the commentary and then catch a glimpse of
the film so you hit play just to find out they are still
talking and were using that clip as an example. Do us a
favor and please make commentary optional.
12 - Hard
to Navigate Menus – I really hate this one. Most menus
you can hit the direction that you would think you need to
hit based off of where the options are on the screens. But
then there are those few that even though the option you
want is down you have to hit right instead. The guess and
check game has to be the most annoying especially having
to do it in the dark.
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