Don’t you love the feeling when you finally get your hands on that one movie that you just couldn’t seem to find anywhere?
It shouldn’t be any surprise that many others (myself included) have shared the same wide range of emotions when it comes to collecting movies.
But is collecting movies a hobby, or is it just some pointless activity? Allow me to answer those questions along with a few other popular movie-related questions.
Is Collecting Movies A Hobby?
Not only is collecting movies a hobby, but it’s also a great feeling to see your movie collection grow over time, title by title.
Collecting movies is also considered a hobby because it matches the definition of a hobby, which is an activity done in your leisure time for pleasure.
Is Collecting Movies Worth It Or Pointless?
Contrary to how others might voice their opinions online, collecting movies is certainly worth it and very far from being pointless.
Take this from someone who owns well over 2,000 movies (and even alphabetizes them too)! I also have a few reasons why collecting movies is worth it, so let’s talk about that now.
1) Collecting Movies Is Entertaining, Enjoyable, And Exactly What You Need
This is something that a lot of people don’t realize when it comes to collecting movies as a hobby. They think that if you want to get your entertainment fix, you can just:
And don’t get me wrong, you can certainly do that as I talked about in my articles linked above.
However, there’s a common problem when it comes to doing those things. First, you aren’t always able to watch your favorite sports team (and yes, I understand that you can pay to do that).
Second, and most important, streaming services like Netflix don’t always have your favorite movies that you want to watch. While they tend to offer a bigger and newer selection, they also remove older selections as well.
When collecting movies as a hobby, you are free to watch any movie that you have at any time. No extra waiting and no extra advertisements, and you get exactly what you need.
Aside from getting exactly what you want at the right time, it’s hard to argue that collecting movies is both entertaining and enjoyable:
- Entertaining because you and many others can watch them.
- Enjoyable because it’s a great feeling to see that movie collection grow, movie by movie.
And don’t worry, there are plenty of other great reasons as to why collecting movies is worth it. Let’s talk about the next reason now.
2) Collecting Movies Is Super Nostalgic
I don’t how about you, but I consider having a movie collection kind of like having my very own Blockbuster video. In other words, it’s about as nostalgic as you can get.
If you never had the luxury of spending an hour in Blockbuster, looking for the perfect movie to watch on a Friday night, then allow me to quickly explain:
- You walked in and entered the closest thing to a movie world.
- All of the movies were nicely categorized by genre for easier browsing.
- You just never knew which gem of a movie that you would bump into and discover.
- It also allowed for a family bonding experience where you could snack and watch movies.
Just don’t forget to return the movie on time, otherwise, you would have been hit with late fees. That was something that I never personally had to deal with since I returned my movies on time.
By collecting movies, you get to relive a lot of these amazing memories and nostalgic moments, and you don’t ever have to worry about late fees either!
I often joke around with others that I was the reason why Blockbuster shut down.
While I am joking, Blockbuster was one of the biggest reasons why I got into watching and collecting movies, and it’s all about nostalgia.
3) Collecting Movies Can Actually Be Profitable
Here is one of the biggest secrets when it comes to collecting movies as a hobby; it can actually be profitable. Now, there are two important things that I want to mention about this benefit:
- You most likely won’t get rich doing it (the margins are pretty small).
- You will also need to sell many of the movies that you buy.
However, by being able to purchase and then re-sell movies that you buy (called flipping), it allows you to grow your movie collection without actually losing a lot of money in the process.
Here are the important things that you need to keep in mind when doing this:
- You want to buy movies at deep discounts (tag sales, flea markets, etc).
- In other words, buying new movies for $10-$20 (and more) isn’t going to cut it.
- You can always resell the higher-priced movies on platforms like, and similar to eBay.
What many people also don’t realize is that there are a lot of out-of-print movies that sell for $10, to $20, to $50, and so on and so forth. You can begin to see how the money can add up when you purchase these types of movies for $1-$2 each.
So not only is collecting movies entertaining, exciting, and full of nostalgia, but you can actually make money in the process if you have the discipline and dedication. Not too shabby, right?
Are DVDs Still Worth Buying?
Yes, DVDs are still worth buying, and I believe that they are one of the best ways to buy movies, especially when compared to VHS, Blu-Ray, and 4K Ultra HD movies.
What’s great about DVDs is that they are so easy to get your hands on. People are always wanting to get rid of them, so the prices remain extremely low.
Not all DVDs are still worth buying, especially if you plan on reselling them. A good rule of thumb is that the more copies of a movie that were printed, the fewer people are going to want them.
Examples off the top of my head of bulk movies include:
- American Pie.
- Rush Hour (and its sequels as well).
- Walking Tall (the remake with The Rock).
There are thousands more as those were just a few examples. While I like and enjoy those older movies, they’ve been printed so much where there’s not really a huge demand for them.
Compare those movies to something like Silent Night Deadly Night, which is a film that you might not have ever heard of. Overall, it’s a poorly reviewed horror movie, but it sells for around $20.
So not all DVDs are created equal. Keep that in mind when making your purchases.
Are Movies A Waste Of Money? Closing Words
Like most things that you can spend your money on, movies can certainly be a waste of money. However, you can always make the most of purchasing movies.
Aside from the fact that buying and collecting movies comes with many great memories and nostalgia, you can always collect movies with the intent of selling some too.
I understand that this is not something that the average movie collector wants to do. After all, what’s the point of buying movies if you’re only going to sell them?
The fact of the matter is that you don’t have to sell every movie that you buy. Some movies will be purchased for collecting, while the others will be used for re-selling.
At the end of the day, I personally don’t think that movies are a waste of money. You can trust me on that topic, as I have well over 2,000 of them 😛
More Reading: Watching Movies: Is It A Hobby?
