Wouldn’t it be funny if a documentary about Blockbuster Video was entirely narrated by mediocre celebs who –like Blockbuster itself- you don’t think about anymore? Hmmmm, Kevin Smith, Samm Levine, Jamie Kennedy, Ione Skye? I see this film is ahead of me. You win this round, The Last Blockbuster.
Invoking a nostalgia that may or may not exist, The Last Blockbuster displayed two things in painful detail: the rise and fall of the world’s greatest movie middleman and the anachronistic remainder the Blockbuster empire: one store clinging to life in Bend, Oregon. The Bend store is run by the sharp and capable Sandi Harding. She has to be both; this is a labor of love as there no longer exists any Blockbuster headquarters support system. Watch her raid Target for new releases and MacGyver the outdated Blockbuster computer system with scavenged parts abandoned by other Blockbusters. Do we admire her or feel sorry for her? You decide.
The film asks: is the city of Bend itself is anachronistic? It’s possible. What community would support video rentals in the age of streaming? They must know about streaming, right? I mean why go collect your video from a store when you can get the 
same thing at home? Is there something to be said for a tangible DVD v. a possible buffering error? Yes. Is there something to be said for not having to subscribe to a host of premium channels to cover all your bases? Yes. Is there something to be said for face-to-face transactions? Yes. Does this collection of positives beat the ease of streaming? Not even a little.
You can’t tell the story of The Last Blockbuster without telling the story of Blockbuster itself. At the height of its popularity, Blockbuster opened a new store every 17 hours. Impressive. All so we could scour the return bins for The Hours. Not so impressive. Many people think Netflix ended Blockbuster. The film claims otherwise and makes a compelling argument … but, let’s face it: the stores were gonna close. Like leather football helmets, milkmen, and Casio watches, the technology grew up while the delivery system did not. Blockbuster made plenty of mistakes, but the biggest was the assumption that people would forever consume their non-theater films by physically going to a film store.
With an army of C-list and D-list celebrities, The Last Blockbuster interviews backwards-looking well-wishers as if drifting in a sea of self-pity. “Didn’t we have such great times?” … “Isn’t it a shame there’s only one left?” Ummmm, hmmm. How shall I put this? No. No, it isn’t. We knew this time would come and it has. Video rental was never the best option for delivering movies to their audiences. I feel like this documentary is carved in the same place as the dilemma in Cars: we were all supposed to get behind the sad fate of Radiator Springs, a once thriving metropolis on Route 66. Then the freeway came and the popularity of Route 66 went away, along with hundreds of opportunistic cash-ins. I’d feel much more for Radiator Springs or Blockbuster had it existed before the thing it cashed in on. It didn’t. This is a well-meaning love letter, and I appreciate that other people feel differently about their experiences…but I’m guessing that you felt stronger about them or if Blockbuster truly offered something special, there would be more of them left.
Blockbuster had a kingdom for a while
Perhaps they even once gave me a smile
I’m not exactly jeering
But was it so endearing
When the dude said, “Check the return pile?”
Not Rated, 86 Minutes
Director: Taylor Morden
Writer: Zeke Kamm (is that a special video spy for hillbillies?)
Genre: Things you’re supposed to feel sad about, but don’t
Type of being most likely to enjoy this film: People whose lives revolved once around a Blockbuster
Type of being least likely to enjoy this film: People with lives
