First, if you are new to A Reel Cinema @ Home let me give a little background. We are serious home cinema buffs, cinephiles, movie fans, physical media collectors, blu-ray collectors, or whatever it is called these days. We love all things movie related.
We NEVER visit our local cineplexes to watch movies. We have converted a small room into a luxurious home cinema with a kick ass surround sound and a fantastic projected picture. We wait for all movies no matter the block blustering hype to release to blu-ray before watching. We can withstand the online hype, endless trailers, and television marketing to wait for the blu-ray. You needed to know that background information to make the next pieces of information relevant.
A Reel Cinema @ Home watches many of the latest movie releases on blu-ray without paying a dime for many of the titles we watch. Most people know public libraries are the place to checkout books. However, I don’t think most movie fans know that your local library is the place to checkout thousands of different movie titles, popular television shows, documentaries, etc.
On a regular basis, we visit our local library to checkout new releases available the same day they are available to purchase at Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Amazon, etc. Our local library has everything from comedy films to horror films to music concerts. We have checked out binge inducing television series such as Power, Game of Thrones, Billions, Downton Abbey, Orphan Black, House of Cards, Once Upon A Time, etc.
Newly released blu-ray movies at our local library are called QuickFlicks. QuickFlicks movie cases are tagged with a red flaming logo and can be checked out for two days. All other movies can be checked out for 14 days. We can checkout up to 15 movies at a time per library card.
We visited our local library three days after Black Panther was released to blu-ray. We were standing in front of the QuickFlicks section when a librarian came to the section to place returned movies back on the shelf. Low and behold what did she have in her hand – Black Panther. With the excitement of a little child I sheepishly asked, “Can I have that movie?” She handed it over with a smile. We felt like lottery winners that day. What were the odds of us standing there right as she was returning Black Panther to the QuickFlick shelves? That day the odds were in our favor.
We smiled the entire trip home like children on Christmas morning. We picked up take-out, popped popcorn, selected our movie snacks, and got our pajamas on. Thanks to our local library it was time to step into the spotlight – Wakanda Forever!
What’s even better than an outing to our local library? We can also stream thousands of movies for free via our local library’s website. Our public library network uses Overdrive. Overdrive is the leading digital platform for public libraries. Overdrive allows library patrons to access the library’s resources from home. Anytime and anywhere you can check out ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, music, and stream movies with a good internet connection.
All you need is a library card. It is just that simple. You may obtain a library card by filling out an application in-person at your local library. We were required to provide a photo ID and a current address verification document to get a card. There is no charge for a public library card. In addition, our library cards may be used at any public library in our state. We also reserve/place movies on hold for pick up on our next visit.
If you think of public libraries as out of date relics from the good ole days, you need to change your stinking thinking. Public libraries are the shit and offer a bounty of FREE resources to the community. It is so easy and convenient for us to pick up movies as we are out and about. We encourage all home theater buffs to visit your local library to elevate and level up your home theater game. If you don’t that’s okay too! It just gives movie buffs like us more movie selections and lowers our time on the wait list at our local library.
