You know the drill. You stop by your friendly neighborhood video store and dig for hours, only to turn up a dud that makes you fall asleep. No more! Follow these tips for a rewarding rental.

Difficulty Level: Average      Time Required: 15 minutes

1. Keep lists. I always jot down names of promising movies I come across. That way, you don't go into the store empty-handed.
2. Use the Internet as a resource. Go through my ever-growing lists of foreign and independent movies for ideas, plunder the forum for suggestions, or stop by the chat for some tips.
3. Try a new video store. Memberships usually don't cost anything anymore. Avoid the glitzy corporate chains (you know the one) and check out the dinky, dark, local places - their selections are often much more interesting.
4. Set yourself a time limit. I've spent hours and walked out empty-handed. 15 minutes should be enough - after all, you want to spend your evening watching a movie, not picking it.
5. Avoid any movie they have more than one copy of.
6. Sometimes it's good to get something you've never heard of. It takes guts, but when it's a success, you've made a true discovery. I've seen Bulgarian films that were better than anything I watched that week.
7. Trust your intution. If it looks like stupid crap, it probably is. If you're not sure, it might be a winner.
8. Go to a section of the store you usually ignore. There are great movies in every genre. Don't overlook the documentary section - far from being boring, you can find excellent stuff there.
9. Don't overanalyze. This is especially true if you're with somebody. If there are no loud objections, go for it. If it sucks, let others pick next time.
10. Don't play it safe. You are not a dumb consumer; you are an adventurer in celluloid, an explorer of narrative and cinematic frontiers.
    

1. My local video store offers great two-for-one deals on certain days of the week. Even when I don't want to watch two movies, I get a second one just because I can make it a complete off-the-wall choice.
2. Try your public library. It's free, and often their selections are curious, eclectic, and full of old and new international classics -- and you can keep them longer than usual.
   

Related Features:

• Netlinks: Documentaries
• Netlinks: French Film
• Netlinks: Italian Film
• More links