It’s a bit odd that we’re doing a review for an online service, right? Well, not really actually. We are a DVD (and game) review site after all, and we can’t possibly get everything that comes out. There are times though when there is an unbelievably slow period as far as reviews are concerned, and while I could go back and watch one of the hundreds of DVD’s on my self or maybe ever take some time to actually finish a game, what fun would that be? No, I crave new things.

In 1999, Netflix introduced its monthly subscription service at a time when DVD was only just beginning to blossom. Even back then, I can remember that many rental stores hadn’t even made the transition over to DVD or if they had, it was very slim pickings. Netflix however has taken the concept and made a bundle off it, and others are following in their footsteps. Blockbuster has decided that it’s time to get into the game, and with a constant rivalry going with Hollywood Video, this may be just the thing to give them an upper hand.

So, after signing up I decided to start seeing what I could find. One thing with running Underland Online and doing reviews is there are a umber of press releases that come over that result in my wife wanting me to desperately get the movies, but here’s what she forgets; if I get them, I have to review them. Well, I don’t really have to, but companies and PR agencies are much happier when we do (and we even cover those things that we never asked for.) She’s wanted to see Aeon Flux and Ultraviolet for a while now, two films that I have not heard many good things about, so those get put into the queue. Why not look around for some horror titles for myself? Low and behold, there’s Cannibal Ferox on the list of titles, so that gets added to the list.

Once you’ve added films into your queue, that’s all you need to do, and you can get three titles shipped at a time, all for $17.99 a month, which really isn't bad. Comedy ensues however when I see the results. Aeon Flux and Ultraviolet are both available now, and that’s not a big shock to me being as they are both big releases. Cannibal Ferox on the other hand was a surprise to find listed and my wait time; a very long time. I can’t wait that long, so it’s quickly replaced with Aussie zombie film Undead. And on a side note, as fate would have it, a trip to Borders days later would find a lone copy of Cannibal Ferox needing a home. Sometimes it's all about instant gratification.

Then, it’s time for a bit more fun searching. I already realized that my search for “cannibal” popped up with Cannibal Corpse: Live Cannibalism, and personally, I find that to be a fairly cool thing, so I start tying in other band names to see what I can come up with. Behemoth manages to find me a DVD (though they have two that I know of out), “napalm” gives me two different Napalm Death DVD’s, and even “dimmu” gets me Dimmu Borgir: World Misanthropy, a three disc set nonetheless. Even Hypocrisy, Voivod, and Carcass come up in the search. If you love extreme metal, obviously you’ll find what you’re looking for, and if you’re into more mainstream bands, I’m sure they are there as well. What about anime though? Well, you can find plenty of it, and just because you might see a single volume, clicking on the image will actually show you which volumes are in the Blockbuster catalog, and the same goes for television series.

Blockbuster’s Online service will also make recommendations based on what has been selected in the past. After my first visit, what do I find on the list? Re-Animator, Underworld Evolution, Bad Taste, Evil Dead II and Dead Alive, all very good picks and all actually in the present and accounted for DVD collection (though I can’t say much about Underworld, that was one of my wife’s purchases and I’ve fallen asleep just as many times watching it as I have all the Harry Potter films.)

How long does it take to get your rentals you may be wondering? Assuming they are currently in stock, they will ship out and usually arrive within two days, sometimes even quicker. My first selections were in the mailbox within a day. If something is one your wait list though, you can always rearrange things to your liking; otherwise Blockbuster will simply jump to the next available title and ship it out.

Once you’ve finished with you DVD’s, you can mail them back, but there is also an alternative. Most Blockbuster locations allow you to return your DVD’s in the store and they will then ship them back for you. Considering the way things have been with the USPS recently, I find this a better alternative that way if there’s ever an issue, you have proof that it’s been returned. There’s one other bonus about taking DVD’s back into the store however, and your returned film acts as a coupon. This means that you get an additional in-store rental, though in this case, the usual rental time period does apply. You’re not relegated simply to older titles however, but new releases can be picked as well. The only thing that you can’t rent through this method are games, but each month, Blockbuster will allow you to print a coupon off the website that is good for either movie OR game rentals, all for free of course. You won’t find that option with Netflix.

Blockbuster does have more than just DVD however, and for any title, you can check the available formats. You may find that instead of getting the DVD version, you can pick the title up on BluRay or HD-DVD if you have a player for either of those formats. They even stock UMD’s that you can play in your PSP, though I did find a few instances where a title was only available in a certain format (UMD for instance) so definitely check to see what you’re getting before adding it to your queue.

There are a few things that I don’t like about Blockbusters site however, and that would be some of the ways that movies are displayed. For instance, I decided to take a look at horror, then the sub-category of ghosts and haunts. Some things here make sense such as The Grudge, Ju-on, and Ringu, but then I start seeing other titles that really don’t belong. The Haunted Manson? Sure, it does involve ghosts, but horror movie it is not. Then I see Casper, and that definitely shouldn’t be listed. I also noticed while navigating through page after page of genres, there was a tendency for some movies to show up over and over again.

With Blockbuster being just about everywhere these days, I’d have to say that compared to Netflix, this is definitely the advantage. With the ability to return at the store, get additional rentals for free and get a monthly coupon, you’re bound to keep your movie viewing habit supplied indefinitely. Plus, with the addition of new generation media, Blockbuster has something for every movie buff, no matter what format they are going with.

And of course, signing up is easy. Just head to http://www.blockbuster.com/

to get started.