It's a dark and windy Saturday night, you've got homemade chip dip fresh out of the oven at home, the whole family's there, and you find yourself having made no prior plans. It looks like it is time for a trip to your local Family Video to pick up something for your viewing pleasure to help make this particular weekend inside the best it can be! Upon arriving, it seems that there are a few other couples and homebodies that had very similar ideas. Immediately, it is easily discernible to categorize each of these film renters based solely on their selection.
1. The Thrill-Seekers
I'm not one to get into this particular genre, but I'll condone and applaud the brave soul willing to rent something dark enough to force me to leave the lights on in the hallway for the next few weeks. There are those who thrive and live off of these scary flicks. Usually they have a tell; either they are by themselves, picking up the movie for their friends waiting back home in the basement for a night of fright, They could also be a couple, both scavenging the shelves for the most menacing and frightening title they can find, hiding the fact that underneath their scare-ready exterior, they are both trembling with a rich mix of excitement and anxiety.
2. The Classics
These movie viewers are a rare, but rather admirable breed. They are often regulars at the rental store, coming every other weekend if not every other. It seems as if they just cannot get enough of the classic must-sees. These are the films that either won every award possible in every category, or at least they should have. Motion pictures such as these are so monumental and timeless, either the humor never dies, or there is just something so unique that it has the power to evoke countless memories each time it is viewed. This category of movie renter can come in any shape or form, but as soon as one is spotted, it is recommended that you give them a simple nod of approval for their fantastic taste in film.
3. The Buffs
This type of renter is often particularly annoying, and it is not recommended that you take them to the store with you. They have seen just about EVERY SINGLE movie in the store. No matter what you suggest, they'll just respond with a short, "I've seen that one three times already." You'll be lucky to find anything worthwhile, since they've already managed to find all of the good ones. The one thing that doesn't make sense with these people though, is that there is no way they have time to devote to seeing all of these movies, since these are the same people that always have plans and very seldom seen at home on a Saturday night. How these individuals pause time for months on end to sit and watch everything in existence is mystery that will probably have experts scratching their heads for years to come. The one plus is, if you're ever not sure what to see, you can give them a call and they'll most likely have an award-worthy review for you!
4. The Action Revelers
This type of renter is quite similar to the thrill seekers, in that this is more times than not the only genre of movie they will ever see, and it will be a battle to change their minds. These movie lovers rave about the newest Michael Bay masterpiece or obsess over the most recent James Bond sequel. It can be a possible struggle attempting to converse and thoroughly discuss any other type of film, because as previously mentioned, even delving into an action comedy will be an adventurous step for them in their mental repository of movie knowledge.
5. The Comedians
The comedy is a type of flick that you will often find me indulging in stretched out on the couch on any particular Saturday night. Comedy-lovers come in no particular stereotype, as many people like a good laugh with their loved ones at the end of their week. There is never a bad time for a feel-good movie that is just good enough to stick with you through that next week and maybe even month! I always feel that I've won the lottery when I've been lucky enough to come across such a gift of a film, as sometimes it can be the luck of the draw.
6. The Risk Takers
Another category I continuously find myself riding into repeatedly. This is also perhaps my favorite brand of movie renter. These people are the ones you have to carefully observe and try to learn from, as they often find the best movies. They are more than likely alone. A trip to the store for this category of renter includes wandering aimlessly up and down the aisles after already viewing several of the new releases and the oldies, hoping to stumble across a title that looks appealing and promising enough to be the highlight of the weekend. After ten to twenty minutes of searching, almost to the point of giving up and going back home, there it is, right in plain sight! The renter finally comes across an unknown movie that likely no one has ever heard of, either because they didn't pay attention to the previews, or somehow it just slipped through the cracks. These films are a mystery, but are usually well worth the $3.49 spent to borrow it! They are a culmination of familiar characters with ordinary lives. Maybe it's something about the lighting or the soft acoustic indie music that plays repeatedly throughout the film, but they make you laugh out loud, completely breakdown silently in tears, and ultimately leave you smiling ever so humbly. They also almost never fail to leave you with that weird yet satisfying feeling for weeks to come.
No matter what type of "renter" you believe you are, I encourage you to at some point take a leap of faith blindly jump into the last category of risk takers. You'll thank yourself a week later when your thoughts are still consumed by the strange fulfillment of the hidden treasure you found at the store that Saturday night.
