Film fans were dealt a recent blow when internet giant Amazon said it was scrapping its DVD rental service LoveFilm By Post. 

Here, we assess the best-value ways to watch your favourite movies.

VISIT A CINEMA 

There is still no better way to watch a new blockbuster than on the big screen.

Although ticket costs can be prohibitive, there are some great discount deals available.

Odeon, the biggest cinema chain in Britain, is currently offering family tickets where two adults and two children aged 12 or under all pay the same child ticket rate.

This means a £10.50 adult ticket can be purchased for just £7.95.

Those aged 55 or Фильмы без регистрации и смс lostfilm over can also become members of the Odeon Silver Cinema club and watch films during the day with tea and biscuits for just £3.

If you have a Cineworld complex nearby you should consider a Cineworld Unlimited Card.

You pay £17.90 a month and can enjoy as many movies as you like. 

Those who visit Vue cinemas can enjoy a 'mini mornings' deal on a Saturday or Sunday.

Film showings at 10am cost just £2.49.

Cinema chain Curzon offers 'cult' membership for £350 a year that gives the cardholder free entry to all its cinemas nationwide. 

Picturehouse, a 23-strong chain, offers those aged 60 or over free membership to the 'silver screen' club.

Films shown during the day cost £5.50.

Small independents also offer great value. John Bennett is house director of the Electric Picture Palace in Southwold, Suffolk. 

The 70-seater offers an eclectic mix of movies - from black-and-white classics such as Ealing comedy Whisky Galore!
and Monsieur Hulot's Holiday to modern hits such as Beauty And The Beast and The Lego Batman Movie.

Tickets cost from £6 though there is an additional membership fee that starts at £3.

Bennett says: 'We try to make the most of the magic of the cinema, turning a trip to the movies into a special night out. 

The dynamic of sharing your enjoyment of a film with an audience, especially when there is laughter, cannot be replicated by sitting at home watching a film alone.'

The Electric Picture Palace has an interval in all its movies so the audience can enjoy an ice cream or glass of wine.

It also has a musical organ, commissionaire and usherettes.

STREAM OVER THE INTERNET

The internet has transformed the way we watch movies and TV, with streaming and downloading revenue overtaking DVD sales for the first time last year.

Faster internet and technology improvements, such as internet-linked TVs, tablets and laptops used to stream movies, have fuelled the revolution. 

Total revenue from digital video was £1.3 billion in Britain last year compared with almost £900 million from the sale of DVDs and Blu-ray.

Online giant Netflix is the market leader with about a quarter of UK households subscribing to the service.

Other major players include Amazon and Sky along with Sky's Now TV service.

Alternatives that allow you to stream or download include Apple iTunes, Curzon Home Cinema and Mubi. 

It is also worth taking advantage of the online BBC iPlayer service to browse through its movie choices.

This service is paid for out of the £147 annual fee households pay for a TV Licence.

The British Film Institute has a BFI Player service with unlimited access to hundreds of movies - many picked by film critic Mark Kermode - for £4.99 a month. 

They can be watched on your TV, smartphone or laptop and the contract can be cancelled at any time.

Edward Humphrey, director of digital at the British Film Institute, says: 'We want to offer a diversity of choice, not just mainstream movies that people often associate with streaming services.

'As long as you have a minimum download speed of two megabits per second on your internet at home you should be able to watch films with no problems.'

Those with a poor internet connection - perhaps a result of living in a rural area - may suffer lower speeds during busy times. 

This can lead to 'buffering' where frames freeze or the picture goes into pixellation meltdown.

For watching high definition films five megabits a second is often the recommended minimum speed.

Netflix allows you to stream as many films as you like for £5.99 a month - or £7.49 if you want sharper high-definition.

Amazon also offers access to a huge library of movies for £5.99 a month.

Those prepared to pay a bit more - £7.99 - also get access to Prime, its fast one-day delivery service for goods bought through its website. 

Now TV sells a Sky Cinema Pass where viewers get access to Sky films for £9.99 a month.
Mubi offers a wide range of movies that include world cinema and cult classics for £5.99 a month.

Apple iTunes focuses more on renting or selling individual movies rather than offering a monthly package where you access lots of films.

Prices are usually £3.49 to rent - and stream - online or £4.49 for high-definition viewing.

Alternatively you can buy a movie where it is downloaded on to your laptop rather than streamed - but you may have to pay £9.99 for the privilege. 

Curzon Home Cinema allows you to stream a wide range of movies.
You can rent films to view - paying between £2.20 and £10 each time.

Curzon cinema card members enjoy a 15 per cent price discount. They can also stream up to 12 films for free each month through the Curzon12 service.