In order to help us keep a better handle on what the kids are exposed to, as well as to limit the temptation for us adults to plop down in front of something mindless, our TV is only connected to DVD and VHS players — no cable or broadcast television for us. We do enjoy movies a fair bit, however, and have been regular patrons of our local video store. There are two things about that solution, however, that have left us wanting: 1. There are always lots of mainstream titles, but more obscure documentaries or independent releases are tough to come by. 2. Late fees are the bane of our existence.

Enter Netflix. We subscribed with them for a while a couple of years ago, and were generally quite happy with them. Their subscription terms have changed a bit since we were last on board, so that we can only get three movies at a time, instead of four. However, they now have a service center in Austin, which means that turnaround time on movies is typically a day or two, rather than the three to four it used to be. Additionally, they’ve added the feature I most wanted: the ability to make a note of a movie that’s in theaters to be added to your queue when it becomes available on DVD.

So far, I’m quite liking the service, and am glad to have an option that allows us to get around to returning the movies whenever we feel like it. Thanks, Netflix!