Next Time You Visit Blockbuster Rent These Titles

How many times have you been at Blockbuster or your other local DVD store and scanned the shelves, in vain, looking for something to rent because all the best new releases are gone? Worry no more. I have compiled a shortlist of DVD that are almost sure to be there next time you go and that are well worth the price of the rental fee. Let's start with my favorite genre...

HORROR

BEHIND THE MASK : THE RISE OF LESLIE VERNON - Probably the smartest and most unique horror movie that I've seen in years. The movie starts out like a documentary with a bunch of college kids making a film about the next great serial killer (the premise is that Elm Street, Jason, and Michael Myers were all real characters). Leslie Vernon is the killer in question and he comes off as a very likeable guy, actually reminding me of a young Jim Carrey. The crew follow him during his preparation, never really believing that he is going to go through with it, but when he does, the movie flips from documentary to slasher flick in a heartbeat. Full of witty, clever dialogue and inside horror movie humor, it's a must see.

THE HOST - Be warned this one has subtitles. A new take on the old monster movie genre. A mutant lizard/fish type monster comes out of Seouls Han River and terrorizes the locals. It played in limited release here in the US so, unfortunately didn't reach the mass audience it deserved. Great special effects and the humor that was intended is not lost in translation.

ALTERED - From the maker of "The Blair Witch Project", this one is the story of 4 thirtysomething guys who claimed to have been abducted as kids and have spent the rest of their lives since then trying to snag one of the aliens. They do manage to bag one and take it back to their garage in the hopes of putting the alien through some of the torture they were subjected to. The creature gets loose though, and all hell breaks loose. Made on a small budget, the effects are surprisingly good including one of the cast members basically melting for an hour and a half.