The Videostore Junkies

A lot has changed since the release of Joel Schumacher's Falling Down in 1993. And while the sociopolitical atmosphere may be different than it was 28 years ago, good filmmaking remains a constant across the decades. So, how does this tense, LA-based drama hold up in an era that is in many ways much different from the one in which it was created?

On our latest deep-dive episode, we pick Falling Down apart and discuss what works about this film, what doesn't, and how the film has aged since it was originally released.

For the weekend of 8/13/21, Renee, Zachary, and Paul give you 6 recommendations for your weekend viewing pleasure, featuring freaky killers, classic indy sci-fi, and bone-chilling boogeymen.

The advent of online streaming services has given the average film fan instant access to more viewing options than at any time in history (no matter how big your local videostore was), but sometimes it can be hard to settle on something to watch. But fear not, the Videostore Junkies have you covered, offering up a fresh batch of picks every week that you can add to your queue on almost every major streaming platform.

The DC Cinematic Universe has seen a lot of ups and downs - some would argue far more downs than ups - so it makes sense that Warner Bros hired what should be a sure thing: James Gunn, the writer and director of Guardians of the Galaxy. Giving him what appears to be free reign of their Suicide Squad property, Gunn is a gamble to get DC films back on track - both critically and financially.

So how does The Suicide Squad fare - does James Gunn manage to steer the franchise in the right direction, or is this a failed attempt to chase the success of similar Marvel films? Listen to our spoiler-laden review to find out what we liked, what we hated, and what we ultimately thought of this anti-hero actionfest!

For the weekend of 8/6/21, Renee, Zachary, and Paul give you 6 recommendations for your weekend viewing pleasure, featuring runaway trains, government conspiracies, and dangerous stepfathers.

The advent of online streaming services has given the average film fan instant access to more viewing options than at any time in history (no matter how big your local videostore was), but sometimes it can be hard to settle on something to watch. But fear not, the Videostore Junkies have you covered, offering up a fresh batch of picks every week that you can add to your queue on almost every major streaming platform.

A decade after the release of Night of the Living Dead, George A. Romero's debut film was considered an absolute classic of the horror genre. How would one of the creator's of the zombie genre follow up on one of the most important horror films of all time? With, it turns out, a sequel which is almost as important as its predecessor.

Join us in this episode for a deep dive on the second installment of George A. Romero's Living Dead series. We'll discuss the Living - the characters and the actors who play them, the Dead - the zombies, and how they've evolved since we first saw them in Night, and the locations and co-creators which make this film so unique. As always, we'll pass final judgement on Dawn - does this film live up to its reputation as one of the greatest horror films ever made, or have the intervening years taken the sheen off of the undead shopping experience?

For the weekend of 7/30/21, Renee, Zachary, and Bill give you 8 recommendations for your weekend viewing pleasure, featuring outdoors horror, angry aliens, and ensemble television.

The advent of online streaming services has given the average film fan instant access to more viewing options than at any time in history (no matter how big your local videostore was), but sometimes it can be hard to settle on something to watch. But fear not, the Videostore Junkies have you covered, offering up a fresh batch of picks every week that you can add to your queue on almost every major streaming platform.

For the weekend of 7/23/21, Renee, Zachary, and Bill give you 6 recommendations for your holiday-weekend viewing pleasure, featuring asskicking, Hannibal Lecktor, and the best summer camp ever.

The advent of online streaming services has given the average film fan instant access to more viewing options than at any time in history (no matter how big your local videostore was), but sometimes it can be hard to settle on something to watch. But fear not, the Videostore Junkies have you covered, offering up a fresh batch of picks every week that you can add to your queue on almost every major streaming platform.

There are very few films - indeed, very few works of art in the 20th century - which can claim to be as influencial as George A. Romero's debut 1968 film, Night of the Living Dead. It's the film that launched careers, invented a new subgenre of horror, and ultimately inspired generations of creators to draw and expand on the film that started it all.

In this episode, we trace the history of this epochal work of art, discuss its merits as a film over 50 years after its initial release, and pass final judgement on one of the most influential films of all time. Does Night of the Living Dead hold up as an original piece of art, regardless of its influence on pop culture and the horror genre, or have the ideas and concepts which it progenerated outgrown their ultimate source? Join us in the video store as we discuss!ho

For the weekend of 7/16/21, Renee, Zachary, Bill, and Paul give you 8 recommendations for your weekend viewing pleasure, featuring vampire nasties, romantic comedies, and Clint Howard.

The advent of online streaming services has given the average film fan instant access to more viewing options than at any time in history (no matter how big your local videostore was), but sometimes it can be hard to settle on something to watch. But fear not, the Videostore Junkies have you covered, offering up a fresh batch of picks every week that you can add to your queue on almost every major streaming platform.

For the weekend of 7/9/21, Renee, Zachary, and Paul give you 6 recommendations for your weekend viewing pleasure, featuring sharks, superheroes, and an abstract Russian history lesson.

The advent of online streaming services has given the average film fan instant access to more viewing options than at any time in history (no matter how big your local videostore was), but sometimes it can be hard to settle on something to watch. But fear not, the Videostore Junkies have you covered, offering up a fresh batch of picks every week that you can add to your queue on almost every major streaming platform.