It isn't so much a question of bars or no bars. It's more a question of quality. Personally, I also prefer the black bars because it allows you to see everything that was originally captured on film. If a movie was shot in 2.38 : 1 or in 2.78 :1, then that's how I want to see it. Having it fill a 16 x 9 screen sacrifices video information, and I'd rather not do that. If a film is shot in 16 x 9, then cool. Otherwise, give me the bars.

But without an anamorphic transfer, trying to watch it on a widescreen monitor is going to distort the picture terribly. It'll be like watching it through a carnival mirror. That's the issue.