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Welcome Film Lovers... |
| Hello
and welcome to That's Rentertainment
-- the last locally owned and operated video store in the Champaign-Urbana
/ University of Illinois area. That's Rentertainment caters to film
fans (and fanatics) who have grown tired of the typical
Blockbuster fare. We specialize in International, independent, classic
American and Art House films on DVD (with a handful of VHS tapes
left over that have never been released on DVD). With over 40,000 DVDs and close to 3,500 BluRay discs, That’s Rentertainment has the largest selection
of movies in the entire Champaign-Urbana area -- if not all of Illinois.
We get new movies every week -- if you want to be kept up to date
about them sign up for our weekly e-mail
update or check out our New Arrivals
page. Membership is free (requiring
only 2 photo IDs, or an ID and credit card) and rentals can
be as cheap as $1.00 per disc. So, come
on down and check out what you've been missing! |
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| Hours |
Our Summer hours are:
Monday - Thursday (11am - 9pm)
Friday - Saturday (11am - 10pm)
Sunday (noon - 9pm) |
| This Week's New Release Message |
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Greetings everyone,
Enjoy the peace and quiet of Campustown while you can. I'm guessing the construction equipment will be rolling in soon! This week's new releases include: "Cloud Atlas" (w/Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Susan Sarandon, etc), "Frankie Go Boom" (w/Charlie Hunnam, Chris O'Dowd, Lizzy Caplan and Chris Noth), "Liz & Dick" (w/Lindsay Lohan and Grant Bowler) and "Texas Chainsaw" (the all new 2013 version). We added "Compulsion" (1959, w/Orson Welles and Dean Stockwell) to the Classics section. Also, a few more seasons of TV shows: "30 Rock: S7", "Dexter: S7", "Private Practice: S6", "Royal Pains: S4". Lastly, in the Horror/SciFi corner, "Massage Parlor Murders" (tagline: "Small town girls with big city morals!") and "Manborg" (tagline: "Revenge is Back"). Check out the complete list of new arrivals below.
Remember: We are now in "Summer Hours" mode as follows:
Monday - Thursday (11:00-9:00), Friday - Saturday (11:00 - 10:00) and Sunday (noon - 9:00).
Ingrid Bergman, Humphrey Bogart, Charlie Chaplin, Joseph Cotton, Tony Curtis, Cary Grant, Rex Harrison, Audrey Hepburn, Katherine Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, Gregory Peck, Donna Reed, Jimmy Stewart and Orson Welles -- all household names and each can be seen in the Top 10 of this week's Top 100 Classic Films. The only other list with that much star-power would probably be the Top 10 Seventies Disaster Films -- and I bet you'll be able to see Holly Golightly's "Breakfast at Tiffany's" co-star, John "Hannibal" Smith, somewhere on that list, too! Don't forget, here at Rentertainment we define a "Classic Film" as anything older than I am. In other words, it has to have come out before 1962 (with a few exceptions). Here you are, the Top 100 renters from our Classic Movie section:
1 CITIZEN KANE: REMASTERED
2 CASABLANCA
3 PHILADELPHIA STORY, THE
4 CHAPLIN AT KEYSTONE
5 GREAT DICTATOR
6 BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S
7 IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE
8 MY FAIR LADY
9 SOME LIKE IT HOT
10 TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
(a longer version of this list and more "Top 100" lists can be found here)
Have a great week...
Geoff (and all the other Rentertarians) |
(for this week's complete new release listing and previous week's listings click here) |
| Dinner and Bikes |
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The Dinner and Bikes Event |
May 30, 6:30-9:30pm $15/person
University YMCA, 1001 South Wright Street, Champaign, IL |
| A Dinner and Bikes evening includes a gourmet, vegan and gluten-free buffet dinner prepared by Joshua Ploeg, a presentation about transportation equity and the everyday bicycling movement by Elly Blue, and a near-complete excerpt from Aftermass, Joe Biel’s forthcoming documentary about the history of bicycling in Portland. The event is followed by a book signing with all three presenters, and some time to peruse our traveling bicycle and cooking themed bookshop. |
| The number of dinner guests is capped at 70. You make a reservation automatically when you pay for your ticket. Please get your tickets in advance at: Champaign County Bikes |
| "Work-in-Progress" Search Engine now available |
| Search engine update: Renter friend Mert has been working diligently on getting a search engine up and running on the Renter site. He said it would be okay to post the work-in-progress version. The two things that need immediate fixing are 1) get rid of duplicate results and 2) make the search look for all words entered with the option to expand to each word (ie: right now if you type in HUNGER GAMES it finds everything with HUNGER and/or GAMES instead of HUNGER and GAMES). Click below to try it out... |
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| League of American Bicyclists Bicycle Friendly Business |
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In April 2012, the League of American Bicyclists (LAB) designated That's Rentertainment as a Bronze Bicycle Friendly Business. Thank you to everyone who voted and put in a kind word for us during the process. We are one of 67 businesses nationwide to receive this designation during this cycle -- and the only video store on the list. As a life-long resident and a cyclist for almost as long, I am honored to have received this award and plan to continue doing all I can to promote safe commuting and recreational bicycling in the Campustown and Urbana-Champaign area. (more) |
| The 2012 Parkland Poster Project |
| The Parkland Poster Project is hung! This year, one of Professor Paul Young's assignments for his Parkland College Graphic Design III class (GDS 222) was to re-imagine popular movie posters in the style of Jason Munn, an American Graphic and Poster Artist. The class ultimately came up with 16 posters we thought would represent That's Rentertainment well. You can see the posters here, or better yet, stop by the store -- they are all on display. Here's a sampling... |
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| Meet the Rentertarians... |
| Jessica |
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10 movies that I re-watch repeatedly, repeatedly:
(August 16, 2011)
1) Blade Runner (SF)
2) Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (ST)
3) Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (ST)
4) Aliens (SF)
5) Amandla! A revolution in four part harmony (DOC)
6) Twister (GEN)
7) Jurassic Park (SF)
8) Stander (INT)
9) A Goofy Movie (ANI)
10) Blazing Saddles (COM)
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Renter News -- not all about film but all of interest... |
Illinois Green Business Association Certifies That's Rentertainment as a Green Business!
With assistance from the Illinois Green Business Asociation, That's Rentertainment continues to implement as many energy saving, waste reducing and environmentally friendly practices as possible. After working with the IGBA for the past few months, we are pleased to be their 4th Certified Green Business in Champaign-Urbana (the first three businesses to be certified were the International Society of Arboriculture, B. Lime, and Ippatsu Salon). You can read more about the process and what we do to reduce, reuse and recycle right here. |
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The 2012 Parkland College Graphic Design Poster Project
The Parkland Poster Project is hung! This year, one of Professor Paul Young's assignments for his Parkland College Graphic Design III class (GDS 222) was to re-imagine popular movie posters in the style of Jason Munn, an American Graphic and Poster Artist. The class ultimately came up with 16 posters we thought would represent That's Rentertainment well. You can see the posters here, or better yet, stop by the store -- they are all on display. Here's a sampling... |
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Introducing "The Itty Bitty Bike Shop"
If you've been in our store lately, you may have noticed what might very well be the smallest bike shop in the world (right now it's 2' x 2') sitting where the Pepsi machine used to sit. We call it the "Itty Bitty Bike Shop". It's got all the basics for your commuting needs: chain lube, inner tubes, lights, multi-tools, patch kits, some reflectors, tire levers, water bottles, and, of course, the ChampaignCountyBikes.org Urbana-Champaign Bike map. We've also got a pump (schrader and presta) in case you need some air. By the way, 10% of all sales will go to ChampaignCountyBikes.org and another 10% will go to The Bike Project in Urbana. Ride safely! (link) |
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What's up in the local world of cycling?
1) Are you a bicycle commuter, interested in becoming a bicycle commuter, or just love joining groups? Check out ChampaignCountyBikes.org -- tons of information (including routes and maps) and super nice folks.
2) The Priarie Cycle Club has started their spring rides. Check out their web site for more information.
3) We've got a Cycling in Film list posted and here's a bunch of links to other cycling related stuff
4) Next time you are at Renter pick up a "Watch for Bikes" t-shirt -- now in "don't hit me" neon green!!!
5) And, we've made it easier than ever to stay hydrated while riding with the official That's Rentertainment water bottle. Check 'em out here. |
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Welcome "Urbana-Champaign Bike Ride!"...
We've started a new web site -- UCBikeRide.com! You'll find some route maps (and a few cue sheets), some local cycling links, and a Google group for setting up spur of the moment impromptu bike rides. Check it out, join the mailing list and get out on your bike... it's fun. |
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Champaign County Bike Map
This week at the farmer's market, Champaign County Bikes held a press conference to announce the release of the all new Champaign-Urbana Area Bicycle Map. According to the good folks at CCB, "20,000 copies will be made available at local bike shops, fitness centers, other retailers, and public buildings throughout the communities. 10,000 copies will be distributed on the University of Illinois campus." Maps can picked up at various locations in Champaign-Urbana... including That's Rentertainment! (link) |
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Essential
Art House Films: 50 Years of Janus Films
A few years ago (2007) I decided to watch the entire Essential
Art House box set -- one film per week in the order presented
in the box, alphabetical chronological order. I wrote
one paragraph reviews of each film as I watched them. If you want, you can read the reviews here. |
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Sign up for the That's
Rentertainment mailing list!
Enter your e-mail address in the box below and hit "Submit"
to start receiving the weekly That's Rentertainment New Arrivals
(every Tuesday-ish) e-mail update of the new DVDs
available for you to rent (sample updates can be seen
here): |
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NOTE
#1: We will never ever give, sell or provide your
e-mail address to anyone. It will only be used to send out
the That's Rentertainment New Arrivals weekly update.
NOTE #2: If you have a spam blocker in place
make sure <renter@rentertainment.com> is in your white
list. |
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International
Video Transfers: That's Rentertainment can transfer your
PAL VHS tapes and DVDs to NTSC video and DVD. We can also make DVDs from your home videos (VHS, 8mm or MiniDV). Click here
for more information. |
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| GIFT
CERTIFICATES: Give the gift that shows you don't care enough
to give it a whole lot of thought -- Gift certificates are NOW
AVAILABLE! Buy one for a friend, send one to your kid or be
selfish and just get it for yourself. |
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That's
Rentertainment used to be the proud sponsor of...
we've stopped but you can still watch the Red Green Show on WILL-TV |
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