Disney Plus Premiere Access has been a bit complicated since it was launched last year for "Mulan" Most of the time I've been content to wait 3 months and just watch those movies when they don't cost $30

The situation with the recently released Black Widow is different Not only is it a Marvel movie (which makes it instantly more interesting than knowing Cruella's backstory, for example), but it is the first premiere access movie worth paying for Furthermore, it appeared on Disney Plus at the same time it was released in theaters

I am so glad I made the choice to go the Premier Access route, even though (in my opinion) I did not have to overpay

I've never been shy about professing how much I don't like watching movies in theaters Yes, you get the big screen and the sound, but you have to watch the movie on someone else's schedule and you have to share the experience with others In a society in the midst of a pandemic, it may not be worth the risk Besides, people don't always behave appropriately

That said, I am a big Marvel fan and usually attend the first screening of the latest film However, I am a big fan of Marvel and usually attend the first screening of the latest film Typically, I will be up for the midnight screening and spend the next day with only a few hours of sleep

In the case of Black Widow, I had no plans to go to the cinema, so that wasn't an option She had just gotten a dog a few weeks earlier and was not ready to leave her alone for long periods of time Especially not for the 3+ hours it would take to get to and from the cinema and "Black Widow"

The whole trip would cost no more than $15 Furthermore, UK cinemas began showing "The Black Widow" on July 7, two days before it arrived at Disney Plus

I could have found a dog sitter, but that would have cost money, and I could have gone on a weekend when my girlfriend (who has no interest in Marvel movies) would be by my side to take care of my dog

I can imagine new parents being in a similar situation Because while it is socially acceptable to take babies to restaurants and stores, taking them to the cinema is a sure-fire way to be hated by everyone there Especially if you are watching a loud action movie like "Black Widow," the crying is likely to be heard

So for the first time, it made sense to pay $30 for a premier access movie But honestly, dog-blame or no dog-blame, I'm pretty happy with that decision

When I watch "Black Widow" in my own space, I relax on the couch in a recliner Watching at home means I don't have to go out anywhere, and no one in my house has COVID

Being able to watch "Black Widow" on demand has also given me options I could include subtitles if I wanted them (I did), I could loop back and rewatch scenes where I missed a line of dialogue or found an Easter egg, or I could choose not to wear pants if I wanted to But most importantly, I can pause the movie for any reason, such as a bathroom break or to calm a barking dog, and come back to it later

The pause feature became especially valuable when I needed a longer break in the middle of a movie I realized I had lost track of time and needed to bake a birthday cake for my girlfriend (Carrot cake is her favorite, and it was delicious I even made the frosting from scratch)

Admittedly, pausing a blockbuster movie because you forgot to bake a cake is not a situation most people experience But we all may have other needs that require us to stop the reel Of course, when we are in a movie theater, we are essentially cut off from the outside world

Yes, movie theaters reduce the possibility of distractions Whether it's a phone call or a doorbell, there are an almost infinite number of things that can interrupt you while you are trying to watch a movie Sure, that's great, but it's nice to have the option of watching a new film at home, and one that isn't an impulsive one at that

Over the past year, there has been no shortage of opportunities to watch theatrical releases in the comfort of my own home The only downside was finding something I really wanted to see Something worth paying $22 worth of money to see anyway I wanted to see "Godzilla vs Kong" quite a bit, but not enough to pay £16 to rent it

"Black Widow" may have been the first movie I wanted to pay so much money to see away from the cinema, but definitely not the last With "Suicide Squad" and "Dune" coming soon and HBO Max not airing in the UK, a difficult decision has to be made

There is no doubt that both films will be streamed on demand, but the question is where will they be available and how much will they cost? Ultimately, the advantage of Black Widow is that it can be watched as many times as one wants over the next three months

Paying £16 for a 48-hour rental is something a little too painful Especially since my local theater sells adult tickets for only £5 ($7), unless HBO Max magically starts over here in the next few weeks and actually makes it available on demand

So I may have to bite the bullet and organize a trip to the theater Even though there are still plenty of cakes waiting to be baked