Some movies are more than just rewatchable, they feel like pure comfort. In this episode of My Retro Comfort Movies, we’re heading back to the video store era for a laid-back look at 80s and 90s favorites that still deliver laughs, nostalgia, action, quotable moments, and that perfect Friday night rental feeling.
Tonight on Friday Night Rentals, we’re heading back to the wild world of Cannon Films with a VHS-era stack featuring a breakout martial arts classic to Cannon’s jungle adventure pulp, to prestige thriller grit, to neon dance-floor energy, and grimy 80s neo-noir,. This episode looks at the movies, performances, box office, cult appeal, and video store legacy that made Cannon such a fascinating part of 80s movie history.
The summer of 1987 wasn’t just another movie season. It was a full-blown video store fever dream. From massive action classics like Predator and RoboCop, to vampire cool with The Lost Boys, horror favorites like The Gate, comedies, family hits, cult oddities, and bold studio swings, the summer of ’87 delivered something for almost every kind of movie fan.
Mel Gibson and Goldie Hawn teamed up in 1990 for Bird on a Wire, a fast, goofy, stunt-filled action comedy that feels tailor-made for the video store era. In this episode, we revisit this forgotten 90s rental favorite to see how it holds up today. From its wild chase scenes and big star chemistry to its oddball villains, romantic comedy energy, and pure early-90s studio movie charm, we’re asking the important question: is Bird on a Wire still any good?
John Candy goes full detective disaster mode in 1989’s Who’s Harry Crumb?, a goofy late-80s comedy mystery packed with disguises, pratfalls, ransom schemes, and pure Candy charm. In this episode, we revisit the movie’s slapstick chaos, its video-store appeal, the supporting cast, and whether this forgotten comedy caper still delivers laughs today. Is Harry Crumb an underrated John Candy gem, or just a case file best left in the VHS drawer?
