Jenna Bacon, Campus Carrier arts and living editor

I am a chronic re-watcher. It may sound silly, but I love to watch the same shows and movies over and over again. There are even specific things I like to watch during each season. For example, every fall I watch “Gilmore Girls,” “Friends,” “Harry Potter” and “Twilight” without fail. Since Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, I’ve been catching up on all of my favorite rom-coms like “50 First Dates,” “How to Lose A Guy in 10 Days” and “The Proposal.” There’s just something really comforting and nostalgic about it. I enjoy reconnecting with beloved characters and places every year. While I’m not opposed to watching a new show or movie occasionally, I definitely have some well-established favorites. 

Over the past couple of years, however, I’ve been running into an issue with my rewatch routine: my beloved shows and movies would randomly vanish from streaming services. My family is already subscribed to Netflix, Peacock and Disney Plus, so there is no need to add any more streaming platforms to the mix. That’s why I’ve decided to start getting physical versions of my favorite shows and movies. This decision was partly inspired by Instagram creator @helloangeline.r. Her content centers around slow, intentional media consumption, and I align with that mindset. Not to mention her DVD collection of early 2000s rom-coms is a sight to behold. 

Now, I’m not saying that I stopped watching streaming platforms altogether. I still liked the variety they offer. I just wanted to have my absolute favorites on DVD in case they move to a streaming platform my family isn’t subscribed to. Apparently, I’m not the only one who feels this way. According to a Rolling Stone article by CT Jones titled “Physical Media Is Cool Again. Streaming Services Have Themselves to Blame,” streaming services aren’t losing subscribers, but DVD collectors are saying that buying physical media is not just about nostalgia. 

“It’s participating in the digital world while recognizing the value of holding something in their movie-obsessed hands,” Jones said. 

Another reason to purchase your favorite films on DVD is the quality. In order to stream a movie through an internet connection, the file must be compressed, therefore reducing the quality. Most Blu-rays will provide a better viewing experience compared to a streaming platform. Movies offered in 4K UHD provide the maximum level of detail and visual clarity currently available for home viewing. Unfortunately, this platform of media is a little more difficult to find. Additionally, some DVDs have fun bonus features such as deleted scenes, interviews with the cast and blooper reels.

When it comes to growing my collection, I’m just doing it little by little. Buying a large number of DVDs at one time isn’t realistic financially. Fortunately, most DVDs aren’t crazy expensive, especially if you look on eBay. Some eBay sellers have movies for less than $5 that are still in their plastic cover. For people who prefer not to buy things used, Walmart and Target have a pretty good DVD selection, but those are more often in the $10 range. 

At the end of the day, physical media offers a sense of stability in an increasingly fleeting digital landscape. For re-watchers, it’s not about rejecting streaming platforms altogether, but about preserving the stories that bring nostalgia and feel like home.