Have you been to the video store lately?

[Generator]

I know everyone is You-tubing or ipodcasting or dvd burning or whatever you hipsters do.

BUT GOD. I swear to Jesus half the movies are about torture or horror that is so extreme I don't even pick up the box. One sounded interesting-I like psychological dramas-it seemed to suggest that the people in it were given any wish as long as they cut three inches off their body or something like that. Does this reflect the mental state of America? JEEZ.

Then I noticed there were not one but TWO anti-Michael Moore hit pieces.

One with the very subtle name of Michael Moore hates America. (I dunno what that's about!)

The other-Manufacturing Dissent.

Yes, we have no dissent of our own- we love our leaders. AND they had more copies of that manufacturing dissent than they did SICKO.

This is not the deep south here. This is a video store in southeast portland where 90% voted for Kerry and is pretty liberal.

I was just taken aback.

[AX10]

1. I saw a preview for a movie called "Candyman".

Then I unfortunatly saw parts of it too! :puke: Everyone involved with the making of this POS should be ashamed! :puke:

[peace13]

2. America is sick form the inside out. n/t

[Mythsaje]

3. Nah--we use Netflix...

And torture movies are disgusting...hostel, captivity, etc...ad nauseum. No thanks. I like psychological thrillers too. But I'd rather read them than watch them 90% of the time. Hollywood all too often goes for the shock value--at least the movies do.

:shrug:

[groovedaddy]

4. Yeah, they don't like Michael Moore AT ALL - in fact, they hate him

Which makes me feel good when I pay full admission price to see his films. They are a public service striking at the heart of the beast and the BEAST doesn't like it one bit!

[reprehensor]

5. Yes.

Blockbuster's new release wall is crawling with straight to DVD torture flicks.

Way too many for my taste.

[KT2000]

6. TV ads too

so many of the ads for movies are about horror flicks.
Wonder how many sick people get ideas from these sadistic films.

[whoneedstickets]

7. I've noticed that too. Its like the Roman Colliseum effect on video...

...the masses want to see gore and suffering. Are they seeking cathartic solace in the images which affirm that their own lives are, at least, still better than this?

[unhappycamper]

8. Want violence?

SPIKE TV is loaded with violence. Now that they stopped Star Trek Voyager reruns, I rarely watch them anymore.

[Warren DeMontague]

9. That's because most of the liberals have figured out Netflix.

Anyway, I spent years working for a chain of indie, non-corporate video stores run and staffed by liberals... I can tell you that what you found on the shelf is not indicative of what people are renting- in fact, if they're on the shelf, that means no one wanted to take 'em home. Conversely, you might not have found any copies of SICKO because they were all rented out.

Or who knows- maybe the owners of the store are part of the pissed off 10% wingnut crowd.

If it's Blockbuster, all bets are off- they suck, and you should be ashamed of yourself for giving them your money.

Maybe the thing to do is pull the manager aside and go "Wow- looks like you guys over-estimated the market for the anti Michael Moore stuff, huh?"

[hlthe2b]

15. "If its Blockbuster, you should be ashamed of yourself for...."

Little judgemental, aren't you?

Well, let's put it this way... Blockbuster is within walking distance. I don't burn that all important gas, pollute, nor add to our carbon load when I go for a movie. I also had a problem with lost DVD's with Netflix. Perhaps you recall there was an issue with PO staff in some cities around the country absconding with them a few years back. Well, even after they found out what was going on, they made me pay for one that I had mailed back to them. I'd been a good customer and happy before that, but never again. :mad:

So, now, I track online what movies Blockbuster is sending; I notify them immediately if it is late, and I WALK to the store to return it, so that I can be sure it is tracked going the other way. Netflix does NOT allow that.. AND, I can immediately exchange for whatever looks interesting on the shelf if I choose, while also triggering the next movie on my list to be sent out. Again, not something one can do with Netflix.

[Warren DeMontague]

28. Eh. Whatever.

Sorry, I'm not a fan of Blockbuster, for a long-ass list of reasons. They're a corporation, not somebody's grandmother. I'm sure they can live with the psychic pain of me not liking them.

Am I judgmental? I guess so. You're free to judge me for it.

[Generator]

25. It was actually Hollywood video

Don't know if there is any diff between them and blockbuster? Well, yes I know I should say something to the manager-they have less copies of Sicko-it sure seems to be a push by the management-why else? There is not a huge anti-Michael Moore backlash, I know Sicko resonated better than anything he has done.

I used to live next to the best video store in the country practically-Movie Magic, but now it's quite a drive.

This video store is two blocks from my library and it's a two-fer for me.

If I do pay for view now from Comcast-they just raised it to 4.99 plus tax. Comcast already has too much of my money.

[Warren DeMontague]

29. I have no idea the selections carried by local franchises are determined at a corporate level, or

not. For all I know, they could be. And it could very well be a push by the mgt.

They probably don't want the employees to start asking for health coverage (and no, I don't know for a fact that hollywood video employees don't have health coverage, but I'd wager they don't)

[aikoaiko]

10. What is this video thing you speak and why are there stores of them?

:shrug:

seriously, I can't remember the last time I walked into a video store. Maybe back in the late 1990s.

[hlthe2b]

11. Yes.. I have noticed that... yeach...

And they buy copy after copy of that trash. Meanwhile I've been trying to catch one of four copies of No End in Sight since it was released and can never get it, either in the store or online (Blockbuster).

Desensitizing the masses, so they don't question torture to others? Maybe I'm overreacting, but at the least, it does reflect some very trashy offerings.

[Arkansas Granny]

24. Desensitization is why I wouldn't let my kids watch violence on tv

when they were young. Now the violence, blood, guts and gore on tv are worse than the horror movies of 20 years ago. I don't watch them and I don't understand their appeal.

[zabet]

12. Movie rentals

are one of the things we have cut out of
our budget to compensate for rising costs
of food, fuel, and utilities.

[hlthe2b]

19. I do the minimum monthly blockbuster deal that gets the movies

down to about $1/month. I turned off the cable tv so this minimal bit for video is my major home entertainment, and I walk to the store to return the ones I get in the mail or to exchange them.


The store I frequented used to allow dogs to come in before they started carrying ice cream and other frozen snacks. So, my doggie girl loved to go along. She still does, but I have to hurry now with one eye on her tied outside, unless I can find someone to sit with her (it is a safe neighborhood for doggies, but I'm protective). :loveya:

[callous taoboy]

26. Blockbuster is a red company. n/t

[hlthe2b]

27. Well that's unfortunate, but they get little of my money regardless..

I do shop blue whenever I can...

[shain from kane]

13. My son brought home something called "Black Sheep" the other day. Genetically mutated sheep

running amok. It was about the worst thing that I had ever seen. It wasn't scary, it wasn't funny. It was just baaaaaaaaaad.

[Kazak]

14. 'Haven't stepped into Blockbuster in probably better than a decace...

David Lynch and Darren Aronofsky, at least America still has two decent directors still making films... :shrug:

[Trillo]

16. You've got to wonder if that store is only stocking titles that actually sell,

or, if instead they're offering selected titles to sell that may not be selling well.

[quinnox]

17. no, netflix is way better

I get movies every week and they have a ton of variety.

But about the torture movies - yes, it's a current trend in the horror genre, and like fads it will go away eventually.

I'm a horror movie fan but I think the torture subgenre is repulsive and don't watch those movies.

[Annces]

18. I grew up on Dracula and Werewolf

But those had imagination.

TV has all the crime shows, and they get more graphic every year.

[lovuian]

20. theres a reason You tube and other home videos are doing

well they are cheap and they have substance

Hollywood is pathetic write now and is going under

You see whats going on
its crap

[Clark2008]

21. In the deep South, we have more copies of SICKO than

whatever that other thing was you said - I haven't seen that.

[Mnemosyne]

22. I can't take my 6yo grandson there because of the boxes.

I get creeped out at 49, he freaks later when it gets dark. I asked them to please put those boxes up high so little kids don't see them.

They couldn't, company policy apparently. Manager doesn't like it either.

America is obsessed with torture as entertainment, no wonder we have Gitmo, Abu Ghraib and the secret prisons. :puke:

[peacetalksforall]

23. Chain or indepenent store?