I’m generally not the type of fan who needs to be convinced to buy movies and shows on disc. In fact, I’m the type of physical media collector who will gladly make the case for why it’s worth buying movies you haven’t even seen on DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K.

That doesn’t mean I think every physical format release of a movie or show is worth your money. Sometimes, even if a film is beloved by both critics and audiences, you may be better off watching it via a streaming service. Or, at the very least, you should keep an eye out for certain physical editions that should be avoided if you don’t enjoy wasting your money.

Consider these examples:

Avoid early versions of the Sunshine Blu-ray

The Danny Boyle sci-fi thriller got a famously glitchy initial Blu-ray release

It can’t be stated enough: None of the points here are meant to suggest the actual movies being discussed are unimpressive. That’s important for me to establish, because Danny Boyle is my favorite director, and Sunshine is one of my favorite films of his. Despite this, and despite being a devout physical media enthusiast, I’ve yet to invest in a physical copy of this particular movie.

That’s partially because no studio or label has released an attractive version yet. As someone who believes supplemental content is one of the main selling points of DVDs, Blu-rays, and 4K discs, I’m waiting for a special release that offers more than just the film and some bare-bones extras.

In a situation like this, where I’m hoping a better disc will eventually come along, I may be inclined to buy a used copy of the disc that is currently available in the meantime. After all, buying used discs is one of my go-to methods for saving money on physical media.

The problem is that Sunshine’s early Blu-ray release famously had a technical glitch. An old Blu-ray gimmick that’s fallen out of favor in recent years was Enhanced Viewing mode, in which a little window would pop up at key points during a movie. This window might share trivia or other such content.

On some early Blu-ray editions of Sunshine, viewers found they were unable to turn this window off. The result was a major distraction throughout the viewing experience.

Nowadays, if you buy a used copy of Sunshine, you run the risk of getting a copy with this same glitch. Because the movie’s current physical editions don’t showcase the true benefits of physical media, you may be better off investing in another disc. Again, in the meantime, we can wait and hope for a better release to come along.

The T2: Judgment Day 4K UHD delivers too much visual smoothness

Cleaning up an image can sometimes have unwanted consequences

This is an instance in which a physical copy of a movie isn’t necessarily glitchy. On the contrary, it may deliver exactly what those who released it intended. The problem is that the effect might ultimately look less appealing than it sounds on paper.

In 2017, fans of The Terminator franchise noticed that the 4K UHD release of Terminator 2: Judgment Day had some issues resulting from digital noise reduction. In an effort to offer smoother visuals, it seems those involved in this release went too far. Many found the result looked too waxy and unnatural. Luckily, Terminator 2 has had no shortage of physical media releases in the past, so there are plenty of other editions from which to choose.

Beware of used Criterion copies of Citizen Kane

The disc had a contrast problem that affected the viewing experience

The Criterion Collection is my personal favorite boutique physical media label. That doesn’t mean the team there is incapable of making mistakes.

Specifically, when Criterion released the seminal classic Citizen Kane on Blu-ray, a number of discs were affected by a contrast problem. This problem would arise about a half hour into the movie, and it would continue throughout the film’s runtime. For a movie whose visuals were very carefully designed and considered, this type of error can ultimately ruin the experience.

It’s worth noting that Criterion was made aware of the problem and sent out replacement discs accordingly. Thus, customers were eventually satisfied, and anyone selling a used Criterion Blu-ray copy of Citizen Kane may be selling an updated version after the problem was fixed. However, this is essentially a “buyer beware” scenario. Since it’s technically possible that older, glitchy versions of the disc are still floating around, you should research a seller’s reputation before buying a used copy of this particular Criterion Blu-ray.

None of these points indicate that physical media is essentially inferior to streaming and digital downloads. However, we should be fair and admit that both have their pros and cons. For example, discs can be glitchy, or they can offer visuals that are almost too smooth to truly enjoy looking at. If anything, these points should remind you of the value of conducting thorough research when building a physical media collection.