Video Store Podcast

This week on the podcast, I’m recommending four sports movies from the 1970s. These aren’t the usual titles you hear brought up. Some are a bit strange, some are just overlooked. All of them are worth checking out. Slap Shot (1977) Directed by George Roy Hill, who also did The Sting and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid . Paul Newman plays the player-coach of a struggling minor league hockey team...

Make a date with the Video Store Podcast this Prom season. We’ve selected four of our favorite films to enjoy on prom night, either with a date or your friend group. And I bet your friends aren’t made of plastic either. Prom Night (1980) Even if you had a bad prom night, I guarantee your prom night didn’t go quite as bad as it did for the folks in Prom Night from 1980. What would otherwise be an u...

Welcome back, custmers! I recently took a vacation from the video store to go on a cruise with my wife. I’ve had cruises on the brain ever since, so what better time to recommend some of my favorite films that take place on ships! OVERBOARD (1987) Handyman and single-father Dean Proffitt sees an opportunity to get even with a pompous heiress named Joanna after an accident leaves her with amnesia....

This week on The Video Store Podcast , I’m recommending four offbeat cop films that have stuck with me over the years. These films can be funny, gritty, offbeat, and sometimes kind of chaotic in the best way possible. So what movies am I recommending? Running Scared (1986) – Billy Crystal and Gregory Hines as two wisecracking Chicago detectives. This one’s got a great mix of comedy and action, and...

Welcome back to the Video Store Podcast and a happy belated Record Store Day to you! Since you hang out at the Video Store, you are obviously a fan of physical media, and I hope that includes vinyl records. I’ve selected four films this week that look at films featuring records and record stores. High Fidelity (2000) First up is High Fidelity featuring John Cusack, Iben Hjejle, Todd Luiso, Jack Bl...

Welcome back to the Video Store Podcast! Our little store recently celebrated two separate milestones! Not only does March mark the one year anniversary of our fun little podcast, but this just so happens to be the 50th episode of the show, which means I ( Rob "Flack" O'Hara ), Ashley Thomas , and The Retroist have officially recommended 200 films for your viewing enjoyment. U hope you returned th...

Welcome back to another edition of the Video Store Podcast . In honor of Women’s History Month, I’ve selected four films featuring what I like to call “Wonder Women.” These are women who are brave, kind, strong, and all-around wonderful. This isn’t meant to be an exhaustive list—simply four films that resonate with me personally as a woman, and you should watch, whether you’re a woman or not. Frie...

This week, I’m recommending four movies that have some connection to Ireland, whether through folklore, setting, or just a certain Irish sensibility. There’s a mix of fantasy, horror, family-friendly adventure, and romantic drama, so no matter what you’re in the mood for, you might find something here to check out. The Secret of Roan Inish (1994) – A quiet, beautifully filmed story about a girl un...

Welcome to another episode of the Video Store Podcast. Inspired by a wild kung-fu brawl that recently took place in the street in front of the video store, I decided to recommend four kung-fu style films. None of these will win many points for their creative plots, but all of them are fun to watch with popcorn and friends. An alcoholic beverage or two might not hurt, either. Big Trouble in Little...

Welcome to this week’s episode of The Video Store Podcast . This week, I’m focusing on animated movies that lean into darker themes and mature storytelling. These aren’t your typical Saturday morning cartoons or Disney films. They’re imaginative, ambitious, and not afraid to explore the more complicated corners of life. Let’s dive into the four films I’m recommending this week. 1. Watership Down (...

Welcome back to another episode of the Video Store Podcast! Valentine’s Day may have come and gone, but we’re still feeling the love at the Video Store. I’ve selected four films this week that love love so much that even the romance denier in your life will melt like so many boxes of chocolate in the noonday sun. Miss Congeniality (2000) Put on your dress and strap on your gun, it’s time for Miss...

Welcome back to the Video Store! Valentine’s Day is almost upon us and if you’re here looking for movie selections instead of out buying flowers or making dinner reservations, then sir or madam, I salute you. For this week’s episode of the show I’ve picked four movies that feature unconventional relationships. After browsing the stores aisles looking for this week’s film recommendations, I ended u...

Welcome back to The Video Store Podcast. This week, I’ve curated a lineup of films that capture different aspects of Los Angeles: its humor, its struggles, its danger, and its intrigue. Whether you’re a longtime fan of these movies or discovering them for the first time, I think they’re worth your time. Here’s what we’re watching this week: L.A. Story (1991) Steve Martin stars in and wrote this qu...

Welcome back to another edition of the Video Store Podcast . This week, get your BFFs together for a movie marathon focusing on Film Friendships. I’ve selected four films for the staff picks wall, highlighting my favorite best buds and friendships forged in fire. I also answer the age-old question, “Can men and women really be friends?” Let’s dig in. Stand by Me (1986) First up is Rob Reiner’s 198...

Greetings, customers. Last week, the world lost one of our boldest creators, the one and only David Lynch. On this episode of the Video Store Podcast, I recommend four of David Lynch’s “most Lynchian” films. In the episode I explain why I didn’t pick anything related to Twin Peaks or some of Lynch’s more mainstream films, including The Elephant Man and Dine. In this episode you’ll hear me use the...

Welcome to another episode of The Video Store Podcast , where each week we pull some movies off the shelf and recommend a few you might want to watch. This week’s theme is sports comedies, specifically some great ones from the '80s that still hold up. If you’re in the mood for underdogs, quirky characters, and a lot of laughs, these films should hit the spot. The Best of Times (1986) This one ofte...

Happy New Year! Shoot off the fireworks, toot the noisemakers, and make yourself a nice plate of black-eyed peas, collard greens, and cornbread. Do you have any resolutions this year? A word or mantra for the year? No? Well, you’re in luck. We’re here to help with that by way of four movie recommendations. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986) First up is the 1986 John Hughes comedy classic, Ferris Buel...

Happy New Year! While I know not everyone makes new year resolutions, at the end of every year I personally like to reflect on the previous year and, more importantly, correct course and find ways to succeed in the future. On this week’s episode I have picked four movies in which regular people just like you and me are presented with unique opportunities and are able to seize the day. If the chara...

Welcome back to The Video Store Podcast , where each week I recommend four films I think you should check out. This week, I’ve picked a mix of holiday movies that range from heartwarming to hilariously chaotic. Whether you’re looking for some nostalgia, laughs, or a little Christmas chaos, these films have something to offer. First up is… One Magic Christmas (1985) This film has a quiet charm that...

Merry Christmas from all of us here at the Video Store Podcast ! I’ve picked out a few lesser-known Christmas specials from Rankin/Bass for this week’s show. The first is The Leprechaun’s Christmas Gold from 1981. Originally conceived as a St. Patrick’s Day special, this story was reimagined as a Christmas special for ABC. Join sailor Dinty Doyle as he works to guard the Leprechaun’s gold from the...

Season’s Greetings! After this episode of the Video Store Podcast some of you may be wondering about my sanity. (I know my mother does.) Listen, I love Christmas films — I really do! I grew up on all those Rankin-Bass specials and classic Christmas movies… but after watching a dozen Hallmark specials in a row, don’t you wish that at least once a fight would break out and someone would carve more t...

Welcome to The Video Store Podcast . Each week, I recommend four films you might want to check out, whether you're looking for something to rent or just want to expand your movie knowledge. This week, I’m diving into a themes that are timeless and relatable: rebellion, youth, and the struggles of growing up. The four films I’m highlighting are Over the Edge (1979) , Times Square (1980) , River’s E...

Welcome back to a Thanksgiving Edition of the Video Store Podcast ! We’ve selected a veritable cornucopia of Thanksgiving-themed specials and films for you to watch this week, so make a plate and join us for a feast of fun and festive Thanksgiving recommendations. First up is Garfield’s Thanksgiving from 1989. This delightful special puts Garfield on a diet, sees Jon and Liz on their first date, a...

Welcome back to the Video Store Podcast! Next week is Thanksgiving, a holiday many of us celebrate by spending time with our families… whether we want to or not. Can you believe my family banned me from bringing the mashed potatoes just because of the time I piled them up into the shape of a mountain and screamed “THIS MEANS SOMETHING” while serving them? My family has no sense of humor. Or apprec...

This week on The Video Store Podcast , we're diving into some adventurous waters with four pirate films you might not have rented yet, but are worth a look. These films span decades, showing how Hollywood has captured the allure of swashbuckling adventures over time. Whether you're a fan of classic Hollywood, musicals, or big-budget ‘90s action, I’ve picked a lineup that I think captures the spiri...