I seem to have the same problem every time I want to rent a movie--as soon as I find myself in the video store, surrounded by hundreds of choices, I can never remember which movies I wanted to see. One of my favorite features of a mail-order DVD rental service is the option to submit a long list of movie choices, which are then shipped as they become available. This provides a great rotation of films that I'm interested in, and helps me avoid winding up with any second-rate second choices.

Mail-order DVD rental services usually provide extensive online descriptions of their available films. What's even better is the fact that, if I come across a film that seems interesting while browsing the rental site, it's convenient to access a wealth of reviews and information about the film via various online resources, such as The Internet Movie Database. This fast access to additional information has prompted me to take a chance on some great movies that I might not have seen otherwise.

Top Recent Movie Rentals

Since I've started renting DVDs online, I've been able to view a number of films that weren't available through my local video rental outlet. One of my favorite recent rentals was a film called "Going in Style." With a cast that includes George Burns and Art Carney, "Going in Style," combines character study and crime caper in a tale that is both humorous and melancholy. The movie tells the story of three elderly men who, mainly out of boredom, plan and successfully execute a bank robbery. I enjoyed how this movie avoided all the clichés and hackey gags that a lesser creative team would have employed to make it into a predictable comedy. Instead, the film quietly progresses at a relaxed pace, and favors subtlety and detail over set-ups and punchlines. In this respect it reminded me of a senior citizen version of "Bottle Rocket," another great film about aimless bank robbers.

Another film that I was glad to find available as an online rental was "Three O'Clock High." This film follows a day in the life of shy, nerdy high school student as he moves closer to an unavoidable after school showdown with the new kid in a school--a bully of legendary proportions. Although this movie might initially appear to be a by-the-numbers 1980s teen comedy, it stands out as a cult favorite thanks to a few distinguishing details. One of the most noticeable aspects of this film is the innovative, sometimes bizarre camerawork, which constantly makes the familiar high school locations appear strange and unnerving.