The Top Shelf Video Podcast

This week, the boys, particularly Eli, discuss why physical media is as important as it has ever been, as they explore Johnny Dangerously. This movie is often overlooked in discussions of Michael Keaton's filmography. This 1984 film was an early parody film of cinema and other aspects of crime movies, and its sharp wit and humor left a big impression on Jaime and Eli but is it enough to make the T...

This week, Denise and Eli ask the important question, "If you could put your head on a robot body, would you?" but they also watched 2025's Companion starring Sophie Thatcher and Jack Quaid. This ended up being a fun conversation about some deep aspects of the movie and what the film's story was saying in our opinion. The film is a great sci-fi film that we'd love of but one thing is certain: the...

This week, the boys from Top Shelf Video revisit their school days and Hispanic heritage as they discuss the 1988 film Stand and Deliver. A drama film discussing the trials and tribulations of a group of underprivileged high school students from East Los Angeles who are pushed to find success by their teacher, Jaime Escalante, in the subject of math. Based on actual events, this film discusses the...

This week, the Top Shelf Video boys turn up the action dial as the summer heat turns up and watch the return of gunkata in 2011's The Raid. This action-packed movie is a tribute to the John Woo wave of movies in the 1980s and restarted the action movement that is seen in most films from John Wick to the Marvel movies. Although this movie was at the tail end of the video store this has all the hall...

Oh yeah, brother! Let me tell you a thing about...Yeah, I don't have that type of aura about me, but Densie and Eli love them some horror, and when you toss some wrastling with some delicious food, you've got yourself another episode of Film to Table. This week, we talk about the Shudder original Dark Match with Joe Bob Briggs fan Chris Jericho. We lace up our boots and prepare for our match-up of...

While Film to Table was down in the Mississippi Delta, the boys from Top Shelf Video made a double feature out of Sinners with 1986's Crossroads (no, not the Britney Spears joint). The classic story of a young man's journey to discover himself and what it means to know the Blues as he learns from his guide Willie Brown. Their adventures lead them to a duel over the fate of Willie's soul. Will the...

Meet us down in the Mississippi Delta to watch the summer’s hottest blockbuster! Ryan Coogler weaves history, music and horror in his latest masterpiece, and Eli and Denise are eating it right up. The Juke Joint is a pretty exclusive spot but we’re hoping they invite us in…   Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X Please rate and review us! You can also email us at topshelfvideo...

This week, the boys go back to the Cannon Films library to watch another Chuck Norris classic. This one has it all: retired CIA agents, Soviet terrorists, alligator farms, swamp boats, tanks, and tons of explosions. Following up on a massive 1984 year in film, this 1985 movie is a video store classic, but does Chuck have it in him to get a second of his films on Top Shelf    Top Shelf Video – Reli...

Just in case the current political climate wasn’t stressful enough, let’s dive into fictional civil unrest! Today, we’ll shoot our way through Alex Garland’s Civil War, following some war journalists photographing their way across a nation divided. What’s a good food pairing for the dissolution of a nation? Let’s find out on Film to Table!   Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen...

The boys are back for Season 2 of the Top Shelf Video Podcast and start with some of the employee favorites. The season kicks off with the John Carpenter classic Escape from New York. This iconic 80's helped shape Eli and Jaime and seeing it as adults the messages and themes of the movie have a different tone. Join the Eli and Jaime as they discuss the film and decide if Snake Plissken has the ski...

The gang is back and working on Season 2, and for this week, we discuss a few films we are looking to cover in Season 2, along with some of the things we've been up to since the start of the year. New episodes will start to drop on May 2nd! Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X Please rate and review us! You can also email us at topshelfvideopodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Insta...

For the Season Finale of Film to Table, Denise and Eli discuss the year of 2024 in the cinema as the year provided a solid year of entertainment. They also discuss some of their favorite bites of 2024. Film to Table will take a short winter break and will return in 2025! Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X Please rate and review us! You can also email us at  topshelfvideopodc...

For the Season 1 finale, Jaime and Eli look back at the movies they watched for the initial season of the Top Shelf Video Podcast. The boys make a retrospective look at the movies they chose to be on the Top Shelf and a little history behind the show. The show will take a short winter break but will return with more tapes to stock the video store in 2025 Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store...

The Top Shelf Video boys would not let the holiday day season go without a little company party so they hosted their first annual holiday party in the store exchanging gifts, enjoying some pizza, and having a movie-watching part of the seasonal classic Silent Night Deadly Night. This video store titan from 1984 might not have been the best movie to show at a company party but if you're gonna do so...

What lurks in the Bavarian Alps? This episode finds us in the dark forests of Germany. After a tragic loss, Gretchen moves an ocean away to try to connect with her father and his new family but instead finds ominous signs that something evil lurks in the woods. What is the eccentric philanthropist up to, and what does it have to do with her family? Is the threat out in the unknown, or right in fro...

The Top Shelf Video store is in the full holiday spirit with decorations and a VHS Christmas Tree , so there is no better way to spend the holiday than by watching some holiday classics and no better classic than the Joe Dante 1984 film Gremlins. You'll hear what Gremlins means to owners Jaime and Eli and their therapy session on this episode as kindertrauma reviles itself this week.  Will Gremlin...

This week, unlock your inner, better self! Very, VERY literally. This week, Eli and Denise jazzercize their way through The Substance, the visceral and shocking body horror written and directed by Coralie Fargeat. As much an homage to Cronenberg, Carpenter, and Lovecraft, is it also a scathing indictment on impossible beauty standards? Or maybe just a fun excuse for some gnarly monster makeup? Inj...

Greetings Podcasters! This week the boys take flight on yet another 1984 classic The Last Starfighter. This film was seminal for Jaime and Eli growing up as it likely spurred enough interest of "how did they do that" to shape their futures. Join the armada with Jaime and Eli this week and find out if The Last Starfighter has what it takes to make the Top Shelf! Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video...

Looking forward to a summer of go carts, swimming in the lake, and bonding with other “husky” kids, Gerry gets a rude shock to the system when the camp is unceremoniously taken over by the manic fitness guru Tony Perkis. Today we roast some marshmallows over the campfire while we chat about 1995 children’s classic Heavyweights. Camp never looked so fun and Ben Stiller is at his most unhinged, so j...

It is a very special week in the Top Shelf Video store as an acclaimed director in the genre film world, Jill Gevargizian came by to return some video tapes. She gave us some of her time to talk to us about her films, how she got into directing, her love for Kansas City, and some great behind-the-scenes nuggets for all of us. We discuss her first feature film The Stylist from 2020 and how the proj...

In this episode of the Top Shelf Video podcast, the guys bring in new applicants from The Flickers from the Cave podcast to see if they have what it takes to run the shop when Jaime and Eli are away. As part of their application process, they offer their movie suggestion for this week, Raw Force. This movie has everything from Kung Fu, luxury ships, exotic resorts, monks, shag carpets and cannibal...

What would the horror genre be without Leatherface chainsawing his way into our hearts? This week, we’re bringing some Texas barbecue and much more for our Halloween special discussing the classic Texas Chainsaw Massacre. TCM was the ultimate “I dare you to watch” VHS when they were kids, so Jaime and Eli invite Film to Table co-host Denise to talk about the terrifying classic. Pull up a (skin-cov...

Is that a chest-burster or are you just happy to see me? This week, Eli and Denise chat and chew over Alien: Romulus. Who’s the real enemy here? Corporate greed, or the monster that just wants to inject its babies into your face? The dangers of ravenous lifeforms bent on our destruction will whet the appetite of our fearless hosts! Join us this week… because in space, no one can hear your scream!...

They say that when the boogyman sleeps he checks his closet for Chuck Norris and this legend may be true after Jaime and Eli watch 1982's Silent Rage. This hidden gem of the video store is only one of two horror films that Chuck Norris would star in alongside a young Ron Silver and Brian Libby this John Carpenter Halloween clone is filled with twists and turns. Will this movie make the Top Shelf o...

Denise and Eli walk into the neo-filled nightlife of Hollywood in the conclusion of the Ti West trilogy Maxxxine. The series concludes in the late 80’s in a throwback to grindhouse films of the era such as Angel and many Frank Henenlotter with a killer soundtrack and plenty of visuals to whet the appetite of any cinephile. Join our hosts as they talk about this release and find some late-night foo...