Import your photos and video, choose a theme and soundtrack, click finish and the software does the rest, generating a professional-looking movie complete with special effects.

ENGADGET: Sony bumps out Vaio Z, F, W and Y series laptops

PowerDirector gives Windows filmmakers the ability to import multiple types of video (including mpeg 2, h.264, and mkv files) and trim thos clips using taps, pinches and swipes, like its counterpart for iOS. It also outputs finished work in up to 1080p resolution.

ENGADGET: Cyberlink's PowerDirector app lets you edit movies on your Windows 8 slate (hands-on)

But that's just the thing: In all this time (DVDs were introduced in 1995), it hasn't become any easier to import and use the digital video files that come on these discs.

ENGADGET: This is the Modem World: It's my movie