The Ritual of Racing to the Video Rental Store for New Video Releases

Some of us are such fanatics about new video releases that we practically stand in line at 5 a.m., our fingers and noses pressed against the glass of the shop, praying like the Mervyn's shopper for the place to "open, open, open...." Some of us, myself included are adamant about keeping up with the freshest of new video releases that we always make sure to have a copy of that new video releases guide they give away at the counter, so we can circle and highlight and X out the ones we must see, the ones we have already seen, and the ones we consider, unfortunately, as belonging in the must-miss category.

I go even further. As much as I dislike television advertising, when a new video release shoots across the screen, I perk up, snatch my special book, and list the new titles. Then I can't sleep, waiting for the "coming soon to video" to actually come to video.

I guess this compulsion to make lists of coming attractions came about because it used to be that I would have to wait too long: I was an English teacher at a community college, and would get so ensconced in the prepping, teaching, and paper-reading processes and activities that I would have to wait until the semester's close to watch anything, save new video releases. So when the grades were finally in, I would hit the video rental store (pre DVD days) and rent a stack of pictures I would then watch, movie marathon or moviethon style.

What's really pitiful is that although I am liberated from the commitments of working outside the home, I now work more than I would by leaving the house, so the new video releases list has gotten longer than I would like and the ritual of racing to the video rental store has happened far too infrequently. What this means is that my favorite actors have made numerous films I have yet to see, and/or I have no clue what is hot right now.

This is really tough on Academy Awards week. While my friends and I used to dress up, make appropriate dinner foods, and vote and hype and holler and scream on Academy Awards night, I now am saying, "What movie is that now? Which film did she star in?" Absolutely appalling.

So I have to update my list, including such movies as Mr. and Mrs. Smith, with Brad and Angelina Jolie; Willa Wonka...(with the versatile Johnny Depp); and movies my absolute fav, Nic Cage, has done over the last two years that I have not had a chance to swoon over: after National Treasure, I am disgustingly at a loss for the brilliant Nic in Lords of War, National Treasure 2, The Weather Man, Electric God, Amarillo Slim, World Trade Center, Ant Bully, The Wicker Man, and Ghost Rider. Oh, wait, those last five titles go on the new video releases list. Guess I'll be standing in line again real soon.

Muna wa Wanjiru has been researching and reporting on Internet Marketing for years. For more information on Video Rental Store, visit his site at Video Rental Store