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I don't spend much time streaming, but I got a glimpse of the Amazon Prime catalog yesterday, and was surprised at how many titles on the front page were movies

I don't spend much time streaming, but I got a glimpse of the Amazon Prime catalog yesterday, and was surprised at how many titles on the front page were movies I'd actually watch. Reminded me of Netflix a dozen years ago.

nicce 2y ago
Amazon Prime front page includes currently a lot of ads for movies that you can rent or ”buy”. Are you sure these movies weren’t them?
- joshuakcockrell 2y ago
  This is my biggest issue with Prime Video. You never know what's included and what costs extra.
  - squeaky-clean 2y ago
    There's also the "FreeVee" items, which have ads regardless of whether you're a prime subscriber or not. And it feels like a lot of their catalog has been transferred over to FreeVee.
  - HDThoreaun 2y ago
    You can toggle to only show free content. Still get ads but theyre obvious.
LollipopYakuza 2y ago
Prime Video has to be the worst of all major streaming services. The video quality is horrible, its crippled with ads (3 not skippable ads for an episode of 45 minutes, lastly), and a lot of interesting titles are behind a "partner paywall".
- hughesjj 2y ago
  It's also super annoying to try to watch on a computer compared to Netflix or YouTube
- unsnap_biceps 2y ago
  I was watching the rings of power and it started with a "Commercial free experience provided by so and so" with a long ad at the start of the episode, and then a third of the way into the episode, at a critical action part, it broke in the middle of the actor's sentence to a 6 minute ad block. I exited playback and haven't gone back to finish it. I'll wait for it eventually to make it to a Blu-ray release someday.
- m463 2y ago
  I have prime and my shopping experience is crippled with ads too. I think it got worse for sellers recently too. If I search for something, like a specific item using its description, sometimes the only result for it shows "sponsored". It used to show up as sponsored and also unsponsored below. If this changed, I assume it is bad for the seller. Either they pay for all search results, or their metrics are skewed because all searches were helped by "sponsorship" (and there are no longer unsponsored hits)
- RaftPeople 2y ago
  > Prime Video has to be the worst of all major streaming services I would put Prime Video at 2nd worst. Absolute worst IME is Paramount+. Edit: worst for streaming quality
stackghost 2y ago
> Reminded me of Netflix a dozen years ago. It's been pretty rough the last few years. So many great films and series, not to mention kids programming, removed to make way for mediocre NeTfLiX oRiGiNaLs and Bollywood trash.
- antamonia 2y ago
  [dead]
- JCharante 2y ago
  is this specifically in India? I never see bollywood stuff in the US but half the catalogue is dubbed/subbed korean dramas
Spooky23 2y ago
Netflix pivoted to be a platform to waste as much of your time as possible vs entertain. The Amazon originals are way better imo. They do the dark pattern crap with paid content, as one would expect from Amazon.
- djbusby 2y ago
  Every Amazon show looks the same, yellow washed or something; and they should spend more money on costumes - they get beat by low budget cosplay.
  - nicce 2y ago
    Fallout was pretty good. Very loyal to the game.
deleted 2y ago
[deleted]
spike021 2y ago
Amazon Prime isn't so great. Lots of for rent/purchase content or content with ads these days. And they end up repeating slots of content in all the rows in their UI, so I end up seeing the same suggestions everywhere rather than much that's new (other than first party productions). To me they're basically padding their front page. But honestly that's most of the major streaming platforms these days. I recently cancelled Disney Plus for similar reasons. The only reasons I don't cancel prime or Netflix are because I have family members I split the memberships with to share.
- chamomeal 2y ago
  I recently found a lil dvd rental place in my city. It’s a non-profit, they also do archivals and stuff. It’s pretty much a two-story townhouse packed head to toe with DVDs (lots of blu rays!) You don’t realize how limited the streaming collection is until you’re back in a movie store, looking through thousands and thousands of movies you would never find otherwise. Since I found it, I’ve started doing movie night every week with my friends. It’s such an absolute blast. We go to the store, each pick out a random movie that looks good (or bad, in a good way) or just different. All of a sudden, I love movies again!!
  - spike021 2y ago
    That's an excellent option. I think it'd be remiss not to mention local libraries. Of course, your mileage may vary, but the ones I've gone to do seem to have adequate selections. I just don't often make time to go there and browse like I would have at traditional video rental places back in the day. Heck, mine even have some video games; though from when I've checked they're usually pretty back-reserved.
  - bsimpson 2y ago
    I was in high school in the early 00s, and going to the movies was such a big part of my life. Now, I never even know what's out. I suspect life stage is a factor, but it does feel like there are many classes of entertainment (cinema and standup come to mind) that don't resonate like they used to.

nicce 2y ago

Amazon Prime front page includes currently a lot of ads for movies that you can rent or ”buy”. Are you sure these movies weren’t them?

joshuakcockrell 2y ago
This is my biggest issue with Prime Video. You never know what's included and what costs extra.
- squeaky-clean 2y ago
  There's also the "FreeVee" items, which have ads regardless of whether you're a prime subscriber or not. And it feels like a lot of their catalog has been transferred over to FreeVee.
- HDThoreaun 2y ago
  You can toggle to only show free content. Still get ads but theyre obvious.

LollipopYakuza 2y ago

Prime Video has to be the worst of all major streaming services. The video quality is horrible, its crippled with ads (3 not skippable ads for an episode of 45 minutes, lastly), and a lot of interesting titles are behind a "partner paywall".

hughesjj 2y ago
It's also super annoying to try to watch on a computer compared to Netflix or YouTube
unsnap_biceps 2y ago
I was watching the rings of power and it started with a "Commercial free experience provided by so and so" with a long ad at the start of the episode, and then a third of the way into the episode, at a critical action part, it broke in the middle of the actor's sentence to a 6 minute ad block. I exited playback and haven't gone back to finish it. I'll wait for it eventually to make it to a Blu-ray release someday.
m463 2y ago
I have prime and my shopping experience is crippled with ads too. I think it got worse for sellers recently too. If I search for something, like a specific item using its description, sometimes the only result for it shows "sponsored". It used to show up as sponsored and also unsponsored below. If this changed, I assume it is bad for the seller. Either they pay for all search results, or their metrics are skewed because all searches were helped by "sponsorship" (and there are no longer unsponsored hits)
RaftPeople 2y ago
> Prime Video has to be the worst of all major streaming services I would put Prime Video at 2nd worst. Absolute worst IME is Paramount+. Edit: worst for streaming quality

stackghost 2y ago

> Reminded me of Netflix a dozen years ago. It's been pretty rough the last few years. So many great films and series, not to mention kids programming, removed to make way for mediocre NeTfLiX oRiGiNaLs and Bollywood trash.

antamonia 2y ago
[dead]
JCharante 2y ago
is this specifically in India? I never see bollywood stuff in the US but half the catalogue is dubbed/subbed korean dramas

Spooky23 2y ago

Netflix pivoted to be a platform to waste as much of your time as possible vs entertain. The Amazon originals are way better imo. They do the dark pattern crap with paid content, as one would expect from Amazon.

djbusby 2y ago
Every Amazon show looks the same, yellow washed or something; and they should spend more money on costumes - they get beat by low budget cosplay.
- nicce 2y ago
  Fallout was pretty good. Very loyal to the game.

deleted 2y ago

[deleted]

spike021 2y ago

Amazon Prime isn't so great. Lots of for rent/purchase content or content with ads these days. And they end up repeating slots of content in all the rows in their UI, so I end up seeing the same suggestions everywhere rather than much that's new (other than first party productions). To me they're basically padding their front page. But honestly that's most of the major streaming platforms these days. I recently cancelled Disney Plus for similar reasons. The only reasons I don't cancel prime or Netflix are because I have family members I split the memberships with to share.

chamomeal 2y ago
I recently found a lil dvd rental place in my city. It’s a non-profit, they also do archivals and stuff. It’s pretty much a two-story townhouse packed head to toe with DVDs (lots of blu rays!) You don’t realize how limited the streaming collection is until you’re back in a movie store, looking through thousands and thousands of movies you would never find otherwise. Since I found it, I’ve started doing movie night every week with my friends. It’s such an absolute blast. We go to the store, each pick out a random movie that looks good (or bad, in a good way) or just different. All of a sudden, I love movies again!!
- spike021 2y ago
  That's an excellent option. I think it'd be remiss not to mention local libraries. Of course, your mileage may vary, but the ones I've gone to do seem to have adequate selections. I just don't often make time to go there and browse like I would have at traditional video rental places back in the day. Heck, mine even have some video games; though from when I've checked they're usually pretty back-reserved.
- bsimpson 2y ago
  I was in high school in the early 00s, and going to the movies was such a big part of my life. Now, I never even know what's out. I suspect life stage is a factor, but it does feel like there are many classes of entertainment (cinema and standup come to mind) that don't resonate like they used to.