Scott Kirsner @ CinemaTech has summary and comments on Amazon’s new Unbox movie download service, and his predictions on where (legal) movie downloading will go in the next few years.

Mark Cuban at Blog Maverick comments on the service, and the financial concerns of studios. He believes this is a niche market.

“This aint the music business. This aint 3 minute songs that download in under a minute and allow users the option of getting the 1 song they like instead of a package of 10. IF movies were sold in prepackaged albums of 10 movies. Maybe. If movies were 3 minutes in length. Maybe. If watching on a computer or on an Ipod was as good an experience and often better than watching on the smallest TV in the house, maybe. But its not.”

Slashdot has some discussion on the service, here’s a few of the more insightful observations:

“No Subtitles? …As a hearing impaired person, I rely on subtitles extensively. Basically, you don’t even get the basic “features” of the DVD, or even regular cable show.”

“Amazon Unbox WON’T play on ordinary DVD player, won’t play on my almost-spiffy almost-new Mac Mini, won’t play on my wife’s PC (Windows 98), wouldn’t have played on the Hewlett-Packard PC my daughter’s family uses (WIndows 2000 Home Edition) before it crapped out a few months ago, won’t play on the spiffy new Mac Mini she replaced it with, apparently won’t play on any portable video device… …is time-limited, and costs about the same as straight DVDs.”

“It’s simple. People want to download movies. Paying for it is not the issue, as many people will say. It’s just plain old availibility…
…That’s where this service comes in. They set up a mini-theatre in your house with some control (although, they own the process and restrict its use). This is what people don’t like. But, it also means its happening. For Amazon to get this far, means that the industry recognizes the need. It’s a large step, though perhaps not large enough for the consumers. The point is, it will happen. Eventually. And the more the industry holds back, the more piracy will pound them on the side.”

“From Terms of use:
Removal of Software. If you uninstall or otherwise remove the Software, your ability to view all Digital Content you have downloaded to the Authorized Device will immediately and automatically terminate and we reserve the right to delete all Digital Content from that Authorized Device without notice to you.
So why would I buy this?”

DVGuru has also reviewed the service and posted a detailed review of the experience.

At CNET, Tom Merritt says “I do not recommend you try Amazon Unbox” and explains his concerns with the software installing itself as a windows service and phoning home without warning.

Another Unbox user simply states “It sucks” and outlines why he believes the service will fail.

The bottom line? Unbox is getting beat up by the technical crowd, and at least initially it seems that the service may not be the panacea that the movie industry is looking for.