Today's entry is my first entry that comes from borrowing a physical disc from my local library. I'm sure this feature is not new to anyone really, but I'll still point out some of the benefits and drawbacks. Let's start with the benefits. First of all, this is a brand new feature film just released this year. Most of the digital titles you find on the Hoopla and OverDrive platforms are going to be a few years old or going to be fairly obscure titles. New release, major motion pictures are going to take a while before they relinquish streaming rights to general public services like these. But the library regularly purchases physical copies of new releases for patrons to borrow. Libraries also offer hold services so that even if your library's copies have all been checked out, you can go ahead and put in a request to be put on a waiting list so that you hold your place in line to borrow that title when it's ready for you. Interlibrary loans also allow you to check out books and movies even if your local library branch doesn't carry the title, so your options are pretty much limitless as long as you have the patience to wait for delivery. The drawbacks to this service are that you do have to pay close attention to due dates. Videos usually have a higher late fee than books, and you have them for a shorter loan period (usually 7 days). One big leg up on borrowing physical copies that the digital platforms have, is that you don't have to worry about late fees because the titles automatically return when your loan period expires. However, if you know that the movie you want is very popular, and you want a little more time with it, you could always shell out the extra $1 to keep it another day. Another drawback is that you are using shared materials. That means that you are at the mercy of the treatment that other patrons apply to the material. Sometimes you get a DVD or Blu-ray that could be scratched (I know that Blu-ray's are supposed to be nearly unscratchable, but it seems that some people have taken that as a personal challenge), or dirty to the point that it skips, or is even unwatchable.
So there you have it! I have not reviewed each of the platforms. They all have their pluses and minuses, and no one service is better than another. However, if you take advantage of all three, you have nearly limitless access to any material you might want and you can keep the chills coming all year long. Speaking of chills, on to the review!
Day 6 - The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (2021) Borrowed disc from the Clermont County Public Library.
“We’ll show you all of the evidence we’ve collected over the years. Introduce you to Annabelle.”
The most recent of The Conjuring universe (which I’m only recently getting into), sees Ed and Loraine Warren going CSI to uncover evidence that a young man was possessed by a demon when he committed a murder. The couple has their faith and dedication to each other tested when they match wits with the power behind the possession. I won't give away the details of the plot, but I will say I enjoyed the way they worked a villain into this one.
I’ve still got a few films to watch in the Conjuring Universe, but I have seen the first two Conjuring films, and that's all you really need to have seen (and honestly, you could jump in with this one without having seen the others). This was an interesting path to take the story. They did something different with it by having the Warrens tracking down clues to a mystery that took them out of the initial haunting. The other films have all had their air of mystery as the Warrens try to figure out what’s going on with the family that they're helping and why the haunting is taking place, but this one had a distinct detective feel to it. Ed and Loraine visit several locations attempting to find out who or what is behind the demon possession. While solving a mystery is not wholly original to the series, the criminal investigation angle does make for an interesting change of pace from the other two films. It also seemed like this one really veered away from some of the creepy jump-scare style focus that the previous installments had. There are fewer lingering shots on backgrounds waiting for something to jump out. Instead, they seemed to be focused on providing more action than the previous films. It was almost more like Ed and Loraine were on an episode of Supernatural than in a Conjuring film. I feel like I need to see it again to really get a sense of how I feel about it overall (especially as part of an entire universe), but I did appreciate that they were trying to do something different (which is one of the strengths of Marvel's universe building, providing different styles of film for different characters). For that, I’m giving it a recommend for at least a one-time watch. I do wonder if there will ever be an Avengers level crossover that will somehow bring all of the Conjuring elements together in a single storyline.
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