Photoplay Video and DVD

Photoplay is not so much a video store as an extension of my apartment. I go there almost every night afterwork. It's an expensive habit, but I've tried and I just can't live without it. Sure, Netflix gives you a cheaper means to watch movies, but I find there's no comparison to the immediacy of renting in person, the physical act of browsing among such a great collection, and the conversation! The employees (cute boys with great taste in movies) and the owner Michael (a total sweetheart with a movie passion) seem to actually enjoy helping you pick things out. And if you go often enough, it feels like Cheers.

PROS: friendly service, excellent collection
CONS: expensive habit, no drop box and they close at 11pm

For anyone used to their local video store being either an impersonal, oversized megafranchise whose most interesting offering is the latest shoot-em-up or rom-com, or a dingy storefront unhelpfully cashiered by a bored drone whose main job is ensuring no minors sneak beyond the curtain into the soft-core section, Photoplay is a refreshing change of pace. A friendly rental place staffed by hip Greenpoint locals, this tiny movie rental outlet manages to stock everything you've ever wanted to see, from cult classics to indie flicks to foreign films, not to mention more mainstream blockbuster offerings. The movies are organized by country of origin and director, but if you can't find what you're looking for, the knowledgable staff will not only locate it for you but give you a recommendation. The only drawback is no drop box; if you can't return your movie by 11pm, you'll have to come back the next day, and pay a late fee. Otherwise, thumbs up!