Piracy Question
 

Okay, my girl and I really want to see MI4 before it leaves theaters, and it seems to be at or nearing the end of its run. My GF's life is a little crazy right now, so I don't think we're going to be able to find time to see it in the theaters. But we have been holding off, trying to find the time to go see it.

Since that is not happening, I have devised a plan to find a pirated copy, burn it onto a DVD, take it over to her place and watch it with her...after going to a local theater and purchasing two full price tickets to the movie (but just pocketing the tickets, not going in).

Putting aside legal issues, from an ethical standpoint, in your esteemed opinions, am I covered?

P.S. If I am covered, if anyone happens to know some sites I can go to for this, that would help me a lot. I have never "pirated" a movie before and am normally very much against it. PM me if you don't want anyone knowing you know of these sites.

Putting aside legal issues, yes...from an ethical standpoint you would be covered IMO.

Why not just wait the couple months (if that) till it's out on demand for cheaper though? Do you really have to see it now? it's not exactly critically acclaimed.

Perhaps if we knew some of the back story here, we'd be able to offer the best advice. Oh and pictures would help too. Otherwise, I would never suggest anyone check out piratebay to see if a movie or tv show they want to watch, is on that site.

Second best movie wide in theaters according to metacritic.

CR, I've applied the categorical imperative and think you'd be ok. But I would imagine the copy you'd find to download would be a cam, and even though those have gotten better since the time of "Death Blow" I'm not sure it would be ideal.

I'd imagine that it will be in the dollar type theaters for at least another month.

I would normally wait, but this is more of a "doing something for my GF" sorta thing. She really wanted to see this movie as soon as she could, as we planned a whole nice evening around it. We both were looking forward to both the movie and a time to go out together, since we almost never get to these days.

Unfortunately, things have fallen through for the night in question (Thursday night), and we're both so busy (particularly her) that it seems like we won't ever have a chance to see it before two months from now.

So, really, it's less about the movie and more about doing something for my GF.

Yes, that is an option, too. The key will be finding a night off again where we can go.

You should go and bootleg it in the movie theater and then bring the recording home and show it to her on the TV. Or for extra style points, on your video watch.

What is your definition of critically acclaimed? According to Rotten Tomatoes, it has 93% approval rating from critics. 178 Fresh, 13 Rotten.

My issue on the main question is not ethical, but quality. You really want to see this film in a theater.

Our local IMAX has this running for like the next couple of weeks at least. Check around.

Ethically, I'd say what you propose is about as close to squared away as you can get it to be. You get (ethical) credit for making the effort to square it at least.

In an extremely philosophical discussion, if you're the kind of guy who would normally have spent the $20-$25 bucks on refreshments in the theater then you might be a little grayer area but that feels like intentional nitpicking on my part.

(This all assumes that we set aside any ethical questions involved with the broader concept like rule-of-law & it's role in society or something like that)

We were debating something at lunch today and this fits this thread some...

Legally...if one streams something that is put up illegally, whether it be a movie, a game, a tv show, or music -- is it illegal for that person, the website, or both?

If one watches a blacked out NFL game from a website, is it illegal for the person viewing or only for the person supplying?

Does it become illegal only for the person if they download a copy of it?

Lot of gray area it seemed to a lot of us and quite frankly, none of us are sure.

If you download it via bit torrent you are not only downloading the copy you get but also sharing the copy you are downloading, so in that sense I would say "ethically" you aren't covered.

Good luck finding it outside of bit torrent...

However if you find one of those people that is downloading it and format their hard drive, you'll be even.

And just after doing some research it sounds like the cam rip that is out there isn't even of decent quality.

Youre not going to find an even remotely good version of the movie, you're throwing away 25 bucks imo.

You don't have 2nd run movie theaters where you live? I'd just wait till it hits the cheap theaters and kick back with a nice slice of pizza and beer ;)

Honestly, I think you'd be fine just buying it On Demand when it comes out through whatever service. You aren't getting the theater experience from it at all.

Closest I've come is grabbing a torrent of a couple Breaking Bad episodes last year since I fell behind on the show. But I just went into Zune on the 360 and purchased them so I didn't feel shitty about it. In the end I don't think you have to be too crazy about it, just find a way to send some money toward the content at some point.

I don't understand the rush to "see it before it is out of the theater" if you're not going to see it in the theater. Kind of ruins the whole theater tie-in is as you won't be seeing it on the big screen.

While you're buying a ticket and supporting the film, you're also supporting the piracy industry so I wouldn't say you were covered from that standpoint.

We decided to make the effort to still try to see it in the theater if we can. We're aiming for Sunday now. So this ends up being a moot point. But I am glad to get the feedback, and I appreciate it for future reference, should the need arise.

It's a perfectly legitimate business.
It's not legitimate.
It's a business.

You're still in a grey area IMO.

Yes, you paid the money that the studio & movie theater would get if you actually watched the movie in the theater.

However, by consuming the pirated copy, you also contribute to the "demand" out there for pirated entertainment.

I think point A is more important than point B, but you're not entirely in the clear ethically IMO.

The most ethical thing to do would be to either see the movie in the theater, or wait for it to come out officially and legally on DVD/Blu-Ray.

And by the way, I certainly get the thought on your part. I'm no saint - I've watched bit-torrented captures of TV shows that friends have shared with me. And I think it's great you'd go so far as to actually pay for the movie tickets even if you don't watch the movie then.

I still don't really get how he's "supporting the piracy industry" or "contributing to the demand." He would be listed as a downloader, which if anything would help the RIAA in their fight against piracy. As far as I know most sites don't have ads on them, though I could be mistaken.

The peer-to-peer aspect, though, he'd have trouble with as he would be helping others if that's what you all mean.

Cams aren't good for anything unless you just got back from the theatre and want to jerk it to a scene that sparked your manhood. Seriously, they are shit and I will never understand the demand for them.

Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, Matey! From an ethical standpoint, just who be carin'?
No one.

Aside from the MCAA. Those landlovers will nail yer hide to the wall and you'd be walkin' the plank no matter how innocent you think ye be.