Best Buy shelves growing bare as promised 2024 phaseout of physical media begins (Photos)

The DVD and Blu-Ray shelves are growing spare, if not quite bare, at Best Buy stores nationwide. The big box electronics chain announced last fall that it would phase out such physical media in 2024, and it's one New Year's resolution that's being kept. While 4K, Blu-Ray and DVD movies are still being manufactured, Best Buy won't be stocking them as they're released anymore. You can see the policy change beginning to take effect at this Best Buy store at 10901 Georgia Avenue in Wheaton. 

It's been a long time since I've bought a physical copy of a movie. For me, it wasn't so much the convenience of digital or streaming films, but the fact that fewer and fewer releases came with deluxe packaging and collectible items inside. When all you get is an expensive steelbook case and the disc(s) inside, there's little incentive to buy the physical product anymore. And behind-the-scenes features on many discs seem to get illegally uploaded to YouTube eventually, where they can be viewed for free.

WHICH CATCHING FIRE BLU-RAY/DVD PACKAGE IS BEST FOR HUNGER GAMES FANS? (PHOTOS)

Friday is the big day for Hunger Games fans, as the second film installment hits stores across the country. Catching Fire doesn't have quite the elaborate special edition packages the first movie did, but offers more than the average Hollywood blockbuster release in these days of dwindling bonus gifts. For collectors, it's all about the bonus pack-ins, and exclusive content and artwork.

So, which store has the best Catching Fire Blu-ray/DVD package?

In my opinion, it's Target.

The Target Catching Fire set includes 45 minutes of exclusive bonus content:

Target Exclusive (45 minutes of content): 

• “ONE VISION” (A FAITHFUL ADAPTATION)--translating Suzanne Collins' source material to the big screen 

• “THE ALLIANCE” (RETURNING CAST)—an inside look at the close-knit relationships of the returning actors 

• “FRIEND OR FOE” (NEW CAST)--finding the perfect embodiments of the new characters 

And a booklet.

But, wait, there's more!

Pre-order your copy from Target, and you also get this Target-exclusive fabric poster:

Not to mention that the Target edition appears to have the best cover design. And you get all of this for $22.99, more than you pay for many recent Blu-ray releases that had no collectible bonus items.

Walmart

Walmart is second best, if you live near one that is opening at midnight tonight - the first 50 Catching Fire purchases will come with a Walmart-exclusive poster. Find a Walmart midnight opening event near you.  The poster isn't new; it is said to be the IMAX theater poster from last November's opening.

But that's it for bonus items, and Walmart has no exclusive bonus-disc content. The only other Walmart exclusive is a 2-movie set for the completist. Walmart has an online price of $19.96 for the Blu-ray/DVD.

Best Buy

Best Buy's primary exclusive, is offering Catching Fire in the steelbook format. This is best for those who collect steelbooks in general, or, again, for the completist. If you're not near a midnight opening Walmart, bump up Best Buy to #2 on the list. The other 2 Best Buy bonuses that can bump it up to #2 are A) you can pick up the first Hunger Games Blu-ray steelbook version for only $5 when you buy Catching Fire, and B) you also get $8 in Fandango Cash, payable towards Divergent when it hits theaters on March 21. Best Buy's price is the same as Target.

Amazon.com

Zip, zilch, nada. Just the movie, that's it.

WHICH THE HOBBIT BLU-RAY DVD PACKAGE IS BEST? (PHOTOS)

Which DVD package of The Hobbit is the best?

If you're a completist, you don't need the answer.

But if you can only afford one, Target and Walmart are the places to go.

All 3 give you 2 full hours of extras.

Best Buy gives you an additional 30-minute documentary, and exclusive Gollom packaging.

Target gives you a collectible Bilbo Baggins Lego figure.

Walmart has an exclusive 60-page book.

The Hobbit arrives in stores on Tuesday, March 19.

WHICH AVENGERS BLU-RAY PACKAGE IS THE BEST?

Tuesday is Avengers Day:  the top movie of 2012 is finally coming home on Blu-ray and DVD.  The question on everyone's mind is, Who has the best Avengers Blu-ray package?  Which one has the best exclusive extras?

I'm here to answer that question.

If for you, price is no object when it comes to The Avengers, then Best Buy is the winner, hands down.

Check out the list of all that comes in the package - including a gift card, a high-quality Avengers guide, and that nice, lighted[!] case to display it in.   But it will set you back over $70, with tax.

If you are just planning to get the movie in the low $20s range, Target is the place to go for sure.

Only Target has this bonus disc, which may be taken from the now-delayed Marvel box set of all of the individual films of each Avenger.

Wal-mart is just offering an entry into an Iron Man 3 contest, and Amazon is offering nothing at all!  Boo!!

To summarize, if you're willing to pay over $70, Best Buy is the place to go (and I mean that literally - that mega boxed package is only available in stores, not online).  And you'll want to check online, to find out if your local Best Buy is one opening at midnight tonight.

But for the rest of us, Target is definitely the best choice for that bonus disc.

Excelsior!

MORE DETAILS ON HUNGER GAMES DVD BEST BUY NUMBERED ACRYLIC COLLECTIBLE KEEPSAKE

A lot of people are understandably asking, "What exactly is the 'numbered acrylic collectable keepsake" in the Best Buy-exclusive Blu-ray package?

It was a bit of a mystery before last midnight's release, but here are some new details:  It is a three-dimensional, small paperback book-shaped artwork.  The front panel has the Mockingjay logo art.  The back panel is blank, except for a label that declares it (insert number here) of 47,000.  So there are "only" 47,000 of these.  Finally, the "middle" part of the object - where the pages would be if it actually was a book - is made of a clear material.

So it is mainly a nice piece for those who a) want a collectible not everyone will have, b) like the logo and want to display it or c) all of the above.

WHICH HUNGER GAMES DVD PACKAGE IS THE BEST TO BUY NEAR BETHESDA?

Saturday is the big day for Hunger Games fans.  You can buy the DVD version for around $17, and the 2-disc Blu-ray for around $20, everywhere.

But for the fanatic, the big question is, which of the more-expensive, "exclusive" packages is the one to get?

We don't have a Wal-Mart nearby in Bethesda.  So here are your three practical options:

Best Buy, 4500 Wisconsin Ave. NW

Best Buy's package is arguably the most deluxe Hunger Games edition

$29.99 Collector's Edition includes 4-disc Blu-ray, DVDs+Digital Copy, "numbered acrylic keepsake," and collectible case.  The case is actually a box with hinged lid and opening flaps.  That acrylic keepsake is a mystery item.  It looks like a book-shaped artwork, with the Mockingjay logo.

Target, 5700 Bou Avenue, Rockville

$24.99 Target Exclusive Edition has only 3 Blu-ray discs, DVDs+Digital Copy. What it does have is the 45 minutes of "Tribute Video Diaries," which are actually video diaries of the actors' experiences while making the movie.

Amazon.com

Amazon doesn't have a special package, but if you pre-order today, you can stream The Hunger Games movie online at midnight tonight (12:00 AM EDT).

What to decide?

Ultimate fans will want all of the packages.  But if money is still an issue, decide what's important to you:

Do you display a lot of Hunger Games merchandise in your home?  Then the Best Buy edition is for you, with the cool box and numbered artwork collectible.

More interested in the actors?  Target's video diaries would be best, and that package does fold out with some artwork inside.

Finally, do you just want bragging rights to be the first person you know to watch the movie at home?  That could make Amazon's offer tempting.

If you buy a lot of these things, you know there'll be future repackagings, and you'll probably end up getting those bonus discs from the other sets one day, anyway.

Which Hunger Games version are you planning to buy this weekend?  Will you host or attend a Hunger Games release party?  Or are you simply tired of the whole Hunger Games phenomenon at this point?