Just a quick reminder to pick up tickets for Across the Movie Aisle live at the Alamo Drafthouse in Crystal City on Tuesday, May 16, where we’re presenting the Matthew Broderick classic WarGames. There are only 20 tickets or so left, but I’ve got good news: they’re the best seats in the house! The front row! You’ll be very close to Alyssa, Peter, and me as we do the show! Can’t ask for more than that.
This week, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) lament the end of Netflix DVD. It was a golden age of exploration for budding cinephiles, and streaming still can’t quite match its breadth. Then the gang does something a little different: with the multiplex back to something approaching full power, there are too many movies to discuss! So we each grabbed a new (or newish) release to talk about. Alyssa’s handling The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Peter got Beau Is Afraid, and Sonny took on Evil Dead Rise. Make sure to swing by Bulwark+ on Friday for our bonus episode about the xennial relationship to social media. And if you enjoyed the episode share it with a friend!
The demise of Netflix dvd service makes me so happy I live near a large independent video store. I still think there is something worthwhile about the in person video store. Also at least for me it’s cheaper than renting from Amazon.
You are lucky! I hope that independent store thrives!
I think it should. It’s now a nonprofit so I think that should help it with existing long term.
I take it you're talking about Scarecrow Video? Alas, I don't live anywhere near it, but I just joined it to support their work as a nonprofit trying to preserve physical visual media, and have recommended their rent-by-mail program to some people who are being hurt by Netflix's decision to close their DVD rental service.
Nope. Movie Madness in Portland is my local. But I have been meaning to check out scarecrow durning my next Seattle trip. I wonder how many more of the remaining video stores will go nonprofit route to stay alive?
Good question!
I'll go sign up for a Movie Madness membership, too. These nonprofits deserve our support.
https://moviemadness.org/about/membership/ here’s the membership info. I highly recommend checking out movie madness if your ever in Portland. It’s also a bit of a museum with movie memorabilia and costumes.
Glad to hear ‘Beau Is Afraid’ is as awful as the trailer suggests. Was on the verge of giving me a panic attack.
“My father doesn’t respect my wish to become an arena-fighting monkey.” Thank you, Alyssa, for making me realize I’ve misjudged Mario all these years. I should have paid attention in the 90s.
Ode to Netflix disc service. Back in the day, it was the superior choice to get Blu-ray discs! Your local Blockbuster had *nothing* compared it.
Peter has clearly never tried a Coronarita if he thinks cocktails only come in little martini glasses haha
I subscribed to Blockbuster's service as well around 2005 - could return them / exchange them in person at the Eastern Market Blockbuster on 8th Street SE. I believe they passed on the opportunity to buy Netflix around that time actually!! 👀