That was one of the hardest transitions from laserdisc to dvd for me. I hate the menu... I like when the movie starts first.. If I want a menu option, I'll choose it.

Also, kudos to criterion for finding a way not to pay the licence fee for the blu-ray logo. (I'm assuming)

I think that's a bad assumption. The blu-ray logo is on the rear cover of every Criterion BD, as far as I can tell.

^ Yeah, Somehow I overlooked it.

In regards to the earlier comment about buying "Return to House on Haunted Hill" on regular DVD at Big Lots for 3 bucks, the reason to get this title at all is the HD-DVD and Blu-Ray versions are interactive- the DVD is just the movie.

And yes, menus suck. Start the movie and let the player have a setting that automatically picks the best soundtrack for my setup, and if I want to change it then I'll bring up the menu. What REALLY sucks are the menus that take a couple minutes to load, and you can't just start the movie without them.

1. Eco-cases; too easy to crease/dent the artwork while removing or replacing discs.

2. Digipaks; too difficult to replace if they get damaged.

3. Not porting over all existing DVD special features to blu-rays.

4. Cost. $40 MSRP is pushing it for catalog releases and shitty new releases.

5. Scratches. Blu-rays are much more sensitive to scratches than DVDs, and fortunately they have that awesome anti-scratch coating. Problem is that I've received a few discs that came scratched, and looks like they received their damage before the coating was applied...

6. Making bonus content BD-Live exclusive. BDL sucks enough as it is, don't make me log in to listen to a goddamned commentary that should be on the disc in the first place.

I know about the Blu interactivity. I rented it from Netlfix on Blu a few months ago. I am strapped for cash at this moment so the debate is not about features: its about $3 plus tax versus 25.99 (Amazon.com).

I ended up getting with Return to House on Haunted Hil:

House on Haunted Hill 1959 and 1999 Double Feature DVD (Dual-sided disc)
Tales From The Crypt: Demon Knight and Bordello of Blood Double Feature DVD (Both on one side)
Tsui Hark's Vampire Hunters
Fist of The Red Dragon

5 DVDs x $3 = $15.

I haven't given up Blu-ray Discs altogether but seven movies for the same price as a single Blu is worth losing the interactivity.

My brother did buy me the Zombieland Nut Up or Shut Up Edition on Blu-ray Disc and that was awesome. I tried out the MovieIQ and its cool but a bit cluttered and confusing. The picture-in-picture track was cool.

I didn't realize this, bought a copy right after reading this

Yes, that's annoying too. FYI, you can usually avoid that by going through the Scenes Selections menu and choosing Chapter 1, rather than using the Play Movie command.

That's 30 seconds to a minute of the movie you've just missed, or have to replay. IMO, once the movie starts, I don't want anything distracting me from watching it.

These things are not mutually exclusive. Plenty of Warner discs have Blu-ray promos and trailers before the movie starts.

You know what, I actually used to do that on DVDs all the time. I don't know why I never thought to do it with BDs. Thanks for the tip.

Meh. As I said in the other post, it's usually studio/production company logos. I've seen the WB logo before...

Why cant this be a setting on the player... start movie or go to main menu. (sigh)

Meh yourself. The studio logos are part of the movie and an important part of setting the mood. We shouldn't have to futz with setting after the movie has started.

I hate studios that remix their films up to 7.1 channel sound, but don't bother to include the original theatrical 6.1 soundmix, yes I'm pointing my finger at New Line/Warner - although they sort of accomplished this with Menace II Society which included 7.1 and 6.1 (although the latter was lossy and not Lossless audio).

Do you think that they'll be able to come up with a player that will allow blu-rays to keep their places when you turn the player off ?

It's not the player it's the BD spec