I tend to subscribe to a specific app for a short time, especially if there’s an offer. I watch all that I want to see and then cancel until enough new original content has built up to warrant subscribing again. I’m currently without Now, Apple and Netflix. I keep Amazon Prime for free delivery on purchases. I buy a lot of books so the subscription covers the p&p for those. I don’t watch much content on Prime apart from the occasional film or TV series.
I prefer vintage, indie and world cinema. I subscribe to BFI for £35 a year and am also a member of Cinema Paradiso. The latter is DVD rental and costs £10.99 a month. Old school, I know but unbeatable for choice.
Netflix has about 4,000 films and 2,000 TV shows. Amazon has about 16,000 films and 2,000 TV shows but very many of those you have to pay extra for. Cinema Paradiso has over 100,000 titles.
It’s good if you enjoy programmes such as the Discovering series on Sky Arts and would like to watch some of the featured actor’s back catalogue. The Cinema Paradiso equivalent is the Getting to Know blog.
The service does depend on a quick Royal Mail turnaround but I have rarely had any problems. I reckon on three to four days per DVD: delivery, watch, return. This represents good value for money for films that I can’t see anywhere else. This is especially true of world cinema where the films, other than big award winners, rarely have a general release in the UK.
CP has some excellent curated collections e.g. Remembering Alan Arkin for the actor who died in June.
www.cinemaparadiso.co.uk/films/collections/people-of-the-pictures/remembering-alan-arkin
For anyone who has watched the recent series Reframing Marilyn Monroe on BBC iPlayer, there’s a collection of her films including Ladies of the Chorus, Love Nest, Bus Stop and many others.
www.cinemaparadiso.co.uk/films/collections/getting-to-know/getting-to-know-marilyn-monroe
Or maybe a Brief History of Old Age on Screen?
www.cinemaparadiso.co.uk/films/collections/film-history/the-history-of-film/a-brief-history-of-old-age-on-screen-part-1
Fims for art lovers?
www.cinemaparadiso.co.uk/films/collections/what-to-watch/films-and-tv-by-topic/fine-art-films-gallery-of-great-painters
Using this service requires a bit more forward planning - you build a list of films and TV series you want to see and in what order.
If you aren't finding what you like on the main streaming services, assuming you still have a DVD player, receive regular Royal Mail deliveries and don’t have to make a long trek to a post box to return the discs, it’s certainly worth taking a 14 day free trial.