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Posts in ‘Top Rentals’

2012′s Top Movie Rentals and Why We Loved Them – Part 2


A few days ago, we posted part 1 of the top 2012 movie rentals and why we loved them. We are closing out the list in this post here for the most popular movie rentals (as determined by number of times rented) from the past year and we highlight their best moments.

The Watch

The Watch was another theatrical disappointment for the studio, but killed it in the video rental market.  Comedies typically do well as rentals and with the promise of Vince Vaughn, Ben Stiller, and Jonah Hill headlining one film, it flew off rental shelves from November though the end of the year.

Why we liked it: Ok, now I’m a sucker for Vince Vaughn movies because I still think he is one of the funniest actors in Hollywood, and he and the rest of the gang in The Watch deliver the laughs here.  Sure it gets pretty course at times, but Stiller, Vaughn, and Hill all show they still have great comedic timing.  Richard Ayoade also delivers a great dry-humor “nerd” role to round out the foursome during their alien adventures.

Our favorite moment: As a guy, there’s a scene where the gang is in the car doing a stakeout and Vince Vaughn has to take a leak.  For you ladies out there, what ensues is exactly what happens in situations like this for most groups of guys.

 

The Campaign

The 2012 Presidential election was a huge event this past year and the movie The Campaign came out on DVD/Blu-ray right in the thick of it.  It appears that many Americans wanted to take a break from the real life political ads and mudslinging to laugh at some fake politicians do some mudslinging of their own.

Why we liked it: You wouldn’t know this from the trailers, but The Campaign is pretty dirty.  If you can stomach that though, there are some pretty funny moments in it that are perhaps a little too close to what I imagine real politics is behind the scenes. Either way, Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis portray clueless politicians brilliantly.

Our favorite moment: When Marty Huggins (Galifianakis) brings up a crayoned story that Cam Brady (Ferrell)wrote when he was 8 years-old and claims it’s a communist manifesto.  This is hilarious, because while perhaps not as extreme as this, our real life politicians pull stunts like this all the time when digging up the past.

WARNING: The video clip below has explicit language.


Magic Mike

Who would have guessed that a movie about male strippers could be so successful?  Well, the year of Channing Tatum continued with this eye-candy feast and women that didn’t want to go check this one out in the theaters certainly weren’t shy about renting it for some Magic Mike “Girls Night In” parties. Read More

2012′s Top Movie Rentals and Why We Loved Them – Part 1

Well, another year has come and gone and once again Hollywood has done its best to outdo the previous year.  Fortunately for movie fans, 2012 did not disappoint (well, that’s not entirely true).

Here at Blockbuster, we see a unique side of the movie industry, the movie rental side.  Sometimes a movie performs poorly in theaters, but has a great run as a video rental.  Sometimes a movie does great at the theaters and then continues to dominate as a rental too.  Either way we’ve listed the top DVD/Blu-ray rentals from 2012 with our favorite moments from each film.

 

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD

 

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter is a great example of the so-so theatrical run turned to rental gold.  Sometimes, a movie just isn’t worth paying $10+ per person to see, but to split a $3 rental between a group of friends…sure!

Why we liked it: It’s a reinvented President Lincoln that hunts the undead and is an amazing fighter! What’s not to like?

Our favorite moment: The first time you see Honest Abe wield that silver ax of his and take care of business Quentin Tarantino style.


 

 

The Expendables 2

The original Expendables movie proved that just because action stars get old, doesn’t mean that people won’t go pay to see them.  The Expendables 2 upped the ante and brought in even more old men to deliver the punches to the world’s bad guys.

Why we like it: Well, obviously, this film franchise rides on the star-power of its overloaded cast.  But it’s pretty hard to not enjoy a Read More

Top DVD Rentals – Week Ending December 9, 2012

This past week’s hottest rentals are listed below and all can be found now at Blockbuster.  Read the synopsis and visit  your local Blockbuster store to pick these titles up and see how they end.  Special props to Tommy Lee Jones and Tom Hardy for having two titles in the top 5 this week.

 

5.  The Watch

A group of guys stumble upon an alien invasion during a faux neighborhood watch meeting where they usually do some male bonding to get away from their dull suburban lives in this sci-fi comedy starring Ben StillerVince Vaughn, and Will Forte.  Co-starring Jonah Hill and Richard Ayoade.

 

 

 

 

4.  Hope Springs

An aging couple strive to conquer their sexual hang-ups and save their 30-year marriage from going stale by visiting a renowned couple’s therapist in this comedy from directorDavid Frankel (The Devil Wears PradaMarley & Me). After three decades of marriage, Kay (Meryl Streep) and Arnold (Tommy Lee Jones) still love each other deeply. But somewhere along the way, their passion for one another seems to have perished. Upon learning about a relationship therapist (Steve Carell) in Great Hope Springs whose methods have yielded incredible results, Kay pleads with Arnold to sign up for a weeklong session. Little does the committed couple realize that overcoming years of sexual repression will prove to be quite an exhausting challenge.

 

 

3. Lawless

Three rebellious, bootlegging brothers find the elusive American Dream within their reach, and fight to maintain their grip as powerful urban gangsters reap the rewards of their hard work in this sprawling Great Depression-era crime drama from director John Hillcoat (The RoadThe Proposition). At the height of Prohibition, ambitious country boy Jack Bondurant dreams of becoming “Public Enemy #1″ while reaping all the benefits that go with the gangster lifestyle. By expanding his family’s moonshining business, he plots to launch a vast criminal empire while winning the heart of beautiful Amish girl Bertha. With his older, intimidating brother Howard by his side, Jack has the brawn to get the job done, too. But they need a strong leader to guide them — a responsibility that falls on their eldest sibling Forrest. Stoic and stalwart, Forrest is the kind of man who holds his cards close, and places a high value on character. Meanwhile, as the three siblings rise to power while battling treachery on both sides of the law, a mysterious woman named Maggie appears out of nowhere, prompting the thoughtful Forrest to question the true price of his outlaw ways.

2. Men in Black 3

The Men in Black are back, and this time Agent J (Will Smith) must take a trip into the past in order to save both the future and his taciturn partner Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones) in the third installment of the hit sci-fi comedy series. After 15 years of working with aliens from all across the cosmos, Agent J is sure he’s seen it all. But just when he’s getting the hang of the game, he learns that history has inexplicably been rewritten. In this new timeline of events, Agent K has been dead for 40 years, and Earth will soon come under attack from an extraterrestrial force with the power to claim the entire planet. Now, in order to set the past straight and head off an invasion of epic proportions, Agent J must travel back to the year 1969, when Young Agent K (Josh Brolin) was just a fresh new face on the force. But Agent J only has 24 hours to find the source of the coming catastrophe and discern how his longtime partner ties into the situation — should he fail he’ll be stuck in the past forever.

 

1. The Dark Knight Rises

Christopher Nolan‘s Batman trilogy concludes with this Warner Brothers release that finds The Dark Knight pitted against Bane, an unstoppable foe possessed of tremendous physical and intellectual strength. Nearly a decade after taking the fall for Harvey Dent’s death and disappearing into the darkness, a fugitive Batman (Christian Bale) watches from the shadows as the Dent Act keeps the streets of Gotham City free of crime. Meanwhile, an elusive cat burglar seizes the chance to strike, and a masked anarchist plots a devastating series of attacks designed to lure Bruce Wayne out of the shadows. Determined not to abandon the people who he once risked his life to protect, The Dark Knight emerges from his self-imposed exile ready to fight. But Bane (Tom Hardy) is ready, too, and once Batman is within his grasp, he will do everything in his power to break Gotham City’s shadowy savior.

Top Weekly DVD Rentals – November 11, 2012

3.  Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Witness Protection

A crooked investor (Eugene Levy) is forced to go into the Witness Protection Program and ends up having to live with the brazen Madea in this comedy that marks Tyler Perry‘s return to the beloved character.

 

 

 

 

4.  Arthur Christmas

Take a trip to the North Pole and discover exactly how Santa Claus makes Christmas magic happen every year in this imaginative comedy for the entire family. Produced by Aardman Features in association with Sony Pictures Animation, this fun-filled holiday film introduces viewers to Santa’s mischievous son Arthur, who races to complete an important mission in time to ensure that this year’s Christmas celebrations will go off without a hitch.

 

 

 

 

3.  Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

Abraham Lincoln is reinvented as a vampire-killing president in this Timur Bekmambetov-directed action picture starring Benjamin Walker, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Rufus Sewell, and Dominic Cooper. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies author Seth Grahame-Smith adapts his own book for 20th Century Fox.

 

 

 

 

2.  The Campaign

Two powerful CEOs pit a blundering congressman against an unlikely political newcomer in order to seize control of a crucial North Carolina district in this satirical political comedy starring Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis. On the eve of an upcoming election, incumbent congressman Cam Brady (Ferrell) makes a misstep that threatens to end his career in politics. Recognizing the opportunity to gain influence in the aftermath of the public gaffe, a pair of scheming CEOs handpick credulous tourism-center director Marty Huggins (Galifianakis) as Brady’s political rival, quickly shaping him into a viable candidate with the help of a seasoned campaign manager. As Election Day draws near, Brady and Huggins cast ethics aside to engage in the brand of hysterical mud-slinging that’s sent contemporary politics straight down the toilet.

 

1.  The Amazing Spider-Man

In this rebooted version of the popular 20o2 film, typical teenager Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) embraces his incredible destiny after uncovering one of his father’s most carefully guarded secrets.  Now he must face-off against one of his mentors after he transforms into the Lizard and wreaks havoc across New York.  Emma Stone, Sally Field, and Martin Sheen co-star in this retelling directed by Mark Webb.

 

Top Weekly Rentals – October 29, 2012

10.  Chernobyl Diaries

An extreme vacation turns terrifying when a group of friends visit the Chernobyl disaster site, and learn that some nightmares never die. Conceived and produced by Paranormal Activity‘s Oren Peli, Chernobyl Diaries gets underway as six thrill-seeking tourists hire a fearless tour guide, and travel to the abandoned Ukrainian city of Pripyat. Back when the Chernobyl nuclear reactor was up and running, Pripyat was the place the workers called home. But 25 years after one of the worst power-plant accidents in history, the city serves as an eerily silent testament to the dangers of nuclear power. Later, after getting unexpectedly stranded in Pripyat, the tourists and their guide realize they are being hunted.

 

 

9.  The Cabin in the Woods

As five friends pile into an RV bound for a secluded cabin far from civilization, the operators of a mysterious, high-tech control room monitor their every move while preparing an arcane ritual that dates back to the beginning of time. Shortly after arriving at the rickety cottage, Dana (Kristen Connolly) and her friends Curt (Chris Hemsworth), Jules (Anna Hutchison), Marty (Fran Kranz), and Holden (Jesse Willaims) venture into the basement and discover a little girl’s diary from the early 1900s — which recounts a series of horrifying events that unfolded precisely where the vacationing teens how stand. Before long, the nightmare comes knocking at the door — murder gleaming from its putrid eyes and a rusty saw clenched in rotting hands.

 

 

8.  Seeking a Friend for the End of the World

Steve Carell and Keira Knightley star in this apocalyptic comedy following two neighbors who set out for one last road trip after learning that a massive asteroid will wipe out all life on Earth in just three weeks. Dodge (Carell) and Penny (Knightly) are both having a very bad day. Shell-shocked after hearing that the last hope of destroying the massive asteroid on a collision course with Earth has failed, Dodge watches helplessly as his wife bounds out of their car and vanishes into the night. Later, as the now-reluctant loner ponders what to do with his remaining time on the doomed planet, sobbing waif Penny appears at his window lamenting her breakup with self-centered boyfriend Owen.

 

 

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Top 10 Weekly Rentals: October 19, 2012

 

10. Snow White and the Huntsman

The enchanting Snow White (Kristen Stewart) joins forces with the fierce Huntsman (Chris Hemsworth), who was recruited by the diabolical Queen (Charlize Theron) to kill the fair beauty, and together they fight to rid their kingdom of evil in this bold new take on the fairy-tale classic from commercial director Rupert Sanders. Obsessed with being the fairest woman in the land, the Queen learns that Snow White will soon surpass her in beauty, and seeks to achieve immortality by consuming the young girl’s heart. But the Huntsman is the only one capable of braving the dark forest to seek out Snow White. Threatened with death should he refuse to follow his order, the Huntsman finds Snow White, and begins training her for the arduous battle ahead. Meanwhile, a handsome prince (Sam Claflin) falls hopelessly under Snow White’s spell.

 

9. The Avengers

Marvel Studios delivers the ultimate comic-book film, which ties together such characters as Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Captain America (Chris Evans), The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), and Thor (Chris Hemsworth) for a big-screen franchise team-up like no other. Taking center stage this time is Nick Fury (played once again by the note-perfect Samuel L. Jackson), leader of the peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D. Fury, along with former Russian spy Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), recruits a super team to combat Thor’s ever-deceptive brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) after he brainwashes ace archer Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) while stealing a cosmic cube from an underground base. Thus the heroes must learn to work together alongside outlaw scientist Bruce Banner (Ruffalo), who can track down the artifact’s gamma signals when he’s not hulking out into a giant green monster.

8. Rock of Ages

A small-town girl and a big-city boy find their fates intersecting on the Sunset Strip, riding a wave of romance through the height of the “hair metal” scene as the off-Broadway musical rocks its way to the big screen courtesy of choreographer-turned-director Adam Shankman (A Walk to Remember, Hairspray). Arriving in Hollywood with stars in her eyes, Sherrie (Julianne Hough) meets Drew (Diego Boneta), and together they plunge headlong into the local rock scene. Meanwhile, as Sherrie struggles to stay afloat in a churning sea of rock ‘n’ roll excess, she gets swept off her feet by audacious rock star Stacee Jaxx (Tom Cruise).

 

 

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Top Weekly Rentals: 6/17/2012

safe-house-poster

These were the top rentals from Blockbuster for the week ending 6/17/2012:

  1. Safe House
  2. Gone
  3. Contraband
  4. Man on a Ledge
  5. The Vow
  6. We Bought a Zoo
  7. Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance
  8. The Grey
  9. This Means War
  10. War Horse

Top Weekly Rentals: 6/10/2012

safe-house-poster

These were the top rentals from Blockbuster for the week ending 6/10/2012:

  1. Safe House
  2. Man on a Ledge
  3. Contraband
  4. The Vow
  5. Gone
  6. We Bought a Zoo
  7. This Means War
  8. Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol
  9. The Grey
  10. One for the Money

Top Weekly Rentals: 6/3/2012

man-on-a-ledge-movie-poster

These were the top rentals from Blockbuster for the week ending 6/3/2012:

  1. Man on a Ledge
  2. Gone
  3. Contraband
  4. The Vow
  5. Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol
  6. We Bought a Zoo
  7. This Means War
  8. War Horse
  9. One for the Money
  10. The Grey

Top Weekly Rentals: 5/27/2012

This Means War

These were the top rentals from Blockbuster stores for the week ending 5/27/2012:

1. This Means War
2. Red Tails
3. The Grey
4. Chronicle
5. The Woman In Black
6. Contraband
7. One For The Money
8. Rampart
9. The Vow
10. Underworld: Awakening

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