The Top Shelf Video Podcast

This week, Denise and Eli do a "Quick Bite" review of Yeon Sang-Ho's film Colony. His film Train to Busan was a huge zombie hit, and this follow-up in the genre is no letdown. This is a spoiler-free episode and gives you our quick thoughts and recommendation to pair with Colony.  Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X   Please rate and review us!   You can also email us at [email protected]   Follow us on Instagram  Top Shelf Video on Instagram   Follow us on BlueSky Top Shelf Video Podcast Bluesky   Follow the Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram   Theme music by Colin Nance

The summer of Ninja comes to an end with the conclusion of the series in Cannon's trilogy of ninja action with Ninja 3: The Domination. In the tradition of films such as Return of the King and Return of the Jedi, this film does not come close to filling any of those shoes; however, in this trilogy, it is almost a perfect fit.  While the heat of the summer winds down, the heat of ninja action, exorcism horror, and 80's exercise music reaches a record high, but is it enough to make the Top Shelf? Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X Please rate and review us! You can also email us at [email protected] Follow us on Instagram  Top Shelf Video on Instagram Follow us on BlueSky Top Shelf Video Podcast Bluesky Follow the Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Theme music by Colin Nance

The boys are back from summer break and jump back into their Summer of Ninja with the second film of the holy ninja trilogy, Revenge of the Ninja. This high-powered action-ninja movie is maybe one of the most influential for Jaime and Eli growing up in South Texas. This movie set the standard for what ninja movies should be, with maybe one of the lightest storylines in the Cannon film repertoire. Can Revenge of the Ninja climb its way to the Top Shelf?    Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X Please rate and review us! You can also email us at [email protected] Follow us on Instagram  Top Shelf Video on Instagram Follow us on BlueSky Top Shelf Video Podcast Bluesky Follow the Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Theme music by Colin Nance  

The whole gang gives a quick update on where we've been and what we're working on during this extremely hot summer in Texas. Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X Please rate and review us! You can also email us at [email protected] Follow us on Instagram  Top Shelf Video on Instagram Follow us on BlueSky Top Shelf Video Podcast Bluesky Follow the Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Theme music by Colin Nance

This week, the summer of action continues with a foundational genre film that defined both the video store and the desire for a martial arts video store section: Enter the Ninja (1981). This film was the start of the holy trinity of Ninja films with Enter the Ninja, Revenge of the Ninja, and Ninja 3: The Domination.  Jaime and Eli discuss how ninja movies weaved into their youth as young Gen-Xers. The big question is if this movie still holds up, and does it deserve a spot on the Top Shelf   Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X Please rate and review us! You can also email us at [email protected] Follow us on Instagram  Top Shelf Video on Instagram Follow us on BlueSky Top Shelf Video Podcast Bluesky Follow the Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Theme music by Colin Nance

This week, the boys kick off the tournament of martial arts films at Top Shelf Video, starting with a video store champion in 1988's Bloodsport in honor of Donald Gibb. This was the first starring role for Jean-Claude Van Damme, who would go on to start the fighting tournament genre, which led to many more films and video games.    Join us for this summer event of high kicks, low kicks, and kicks in the middle with a special guest appearance by store employee Julie Basile from Flickers from the Cave podcast. Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X Please rate and review us! You can also email us at [email protected] Follow us on Instagram  Top Shelf Video on Instagram Follow us on BlueSky Top Shelf Video Podcast Bluesky Follow the Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Theme music by Colin Nance

Mistaken identities! Revenge plots! Drunken boxing! Puns about pig trotters! The 1979 film Magnificent Butcher has it all. When Butcher Wing inadvertently starts a feud between his kung fu faction and another, fists fly until one man is left standing. Roundhouse kick your way to Film to Table with Eli and Denise for this kung fu classic! Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X   Please rate and review us!   You can also email us at [email protected]   Follow us on Instagram  Top Shelf Video on Instagram   Follow us on BlueSky Top Shelf Video Podcast Bluesky   Follow the Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram   Theme music by Colin Nance

Agent X is on a mission to find the secrets to making the best Top Shelf Video choice. With the help of Jaime and Eli, who have the experience and skills to assist in this top-secret operation, can they complete their mission to find the films that make up the Top Shelf Video? Tune in and find out Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X Please rate and review us! You can also email us at [email protected] Follow us on Instagram  Top Shelf Video on Instagram Follow us on BlueSky Top Shelf Video Podcast Bluesky Follow the Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Theme music by Colin Nance

This week the Top Shelf Video boys go beyond the video store to look for help in fighting off the evil streaming companies to keep the ways of physical media alive in this Roger Corman take on Seven Samurai with Battle Beyond the Stars. One part Kurosawa, one part Star Wars, and a lot of cheese sum up this classic 80's hidden gem. Will this ragtag team fight off the powers of evil and make the Top Shelf? Tune in and find out   Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X Please rate and review us! You can also email us at [email protected] Follow us on Instagram  Top Shelf Video on Instagram Follow us on BlueSky Top Shelf Video Podcast Bluesky Follow the Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Theme music by Colin Nance

The “Hooker with a Heart of Gold” trope gets a murder mystery treatment in Brian de Palma’s “Dressed to Kill!” Will the victim’s nerdy son find the clues? Who is behind the straight razor slashing through the city? Help Eli and Denise find the killer in this week’s Film to Table! This podcast has some spoilers, but we have a callout before then, so listener discretion is advised    Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X   Please rate and review us!   You can also email us at [email protected]   Follow us on Instagram  Top Shelf Video on Instagram   Follow us on BlueSky Top Shelf Video Podcast Bluesky   Follow the Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram   Theme music by Colin Nance

This week, the boys of Top Shelf Video go on an adventure to find what has been missing in adventure movies and turn to their childhood foundational film, Time Bandits. Terry Gilliam makes a true childhood adventure movie, even if it was ahead of its time and not something most current generation parents would allow their children to watch. Will the time map lead this film to the top shelf, or will it get lost in a time portal, lost forever? Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X Please rate and review us! You can also email us at [email protected] Follow us on Instagram  Top Shelf Video on Instagram Follow us on BlueSky Top Shelf Video Podcast Bluesky Follow the Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Theme music by Colin Nance

Film to Table is back for Season 3, and we kick off with a hidden gem of 2026, Gore Verbinski's sci-fi film Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die. Set in a fictional (how fictional is sadly very questionable) time period, sets off Denise and Eli to go off on their thoughts on what this movie is wanting to say. With a bearded Sam Rockwell and a rag tag team on a mission to save the world this sci-fi film is something we highly recommend for all cinephiles.  This podcast has some spoilers, but we have a callout before then, so listener discretion is advised  Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X Please rate and review us! You can also email us at [email protected] Follow us on Instagram  Top Shelf Video on Instagram Follow us on BlueSky Top Shelf Video Podcast Bluesky Follow the Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Theme music by Colin Nance  

The boys at Top Shelf Video kick off season 3 with the iconic video store poster, Cobra. This poster set the foundation of the seminal 80’s action movie. With scissors in hand to slice our pizza will Cobra make the Top Shelf or will we just end up with cold pizza Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X Please rate and review us! You can also email us at [email protected] Follow us on Instagram @topshelfvideotx Follow us on BlueSky Top Shelf Video Podcast Bluesky Follow the Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram @dallasvhsswap Theme music by @colinanance

Film to Table is back to talk about their favorite movies of 2025! .....only 4 months late. Denise and Eli go back to last year's menu to see what made their top 5 and what  films made an impact on their tastes Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X Please rate and review us! You can also email us at [email protected] Follow us on Instagram  Top Shelf Video on Instagram Follow us on BlueSky Top Shelf Video Podcast Bluesky Follow the Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Theme music by Colin Nance

The gang is back from a break to take care of the video store and talk about their favorites of Season 2. Get your tapes ready to return and start making your list for season 3 of Top Shelf Video.    Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X Please rate and review us! You can also email us at [email protected] Follow us on Instagram  Top Shelf Video on Instagram Follow us on BlueSky Top Shelf Video Podcast Bluesky Follow the Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Theme music by Colin Nance

How about some holiday leftovers? When daddy issues meet unbridled hubris, what we get is a curiously gorgeous monster from the mind of Guillermo del Toro. Eli and Denise examine this new vision of Mary Shelley’s classic, asking all the important questions like, is del Toro a monster smut girly? Dissect this movie with us right here on Film to Table! This podcast has some spoilers, but we have a callout before then, so listener discretion is advised  Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X Please rate and review us! You can also email us at [email protected] Follow us on Instagram  Top Shelf Video on Instagram Follow us on BlueSky Top Shelf Video Podcast Bluesky Follow the Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Theme music by Colin Nance  

Till death do us part… but what if the point was to NEVER be apart? This week, Eli and Denise watch Together, starring Allison Brie and Dave Franco, a couple that’s about to find out exactly how much they want to be together. Tune in as they talk about the fine line between being romantic soulmates and codependent weirdos, right here on Film to Table. This podcast has some spoilers, but we have a callout before then, so listener discretion is advised  Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X Please rate and review us! You can also email us at [email protected] Follow us on Instagram  Top Shelf Video on Instagram Follow us on BlueSky Top Shelf Video Podcast Bluesky Follow the Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Theme music by Colin Nance

It is almost time, kids! Time to put on your masks and listen to the final episode of October with the boys at Top Shelf Video, and what better way to end the month than with Halloween 3: Season of the Witch. This polarizing movie in the Halloween franchise has a bit of a backstory and a theme song you won't soon forget. It sticks in your ear but is it worth of sticking on the Top Shelf Video? Tune in and find out! Happy Halloween! Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X Please rate and review us! You can also email us at [email protected] Follow us on Instagram  Top Shelf Video on Instagram Follow us on BlueSky Top Shelf Video Podcast Bluesky Follow the Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Theme music by Colin Nance

Jaws made the water unsafe, but Poltergeist made the suburbs very unsafe, and this week, Jaime and Eli talk about their experiences with this classic. This influential film in creating urban legends from sacred burial grounds to killer clowns under beds, this film was more impactful on horror than many people give it credit for. Will this film make the Top Shelf, or will it be buried with the other graves without their tombstones? Tune in and find out   Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X Please rate and review us! You can also email us at [email protected] Follow us on Instagram  Top Shelf Video on Instagram Follow us on BlueSky Top Shelf Video Podcast Bluesky Follow the Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Theme music by Colin Nance  

How much tugging, pulling, stretching, and cutting will you do to get the Happily Ever After you deserve? Emilie Blichfeldt’s dark version of the Cinderella story explores the pain and the sacrifices we take to become lovable. Once upon a time, Eli and Denise didn’t have to think about such… drastic… measures to beauty! Don’t be a pumpkin and meet us at the stroke of midnight at Film to Table! Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X Please rate and review us! You can also email us at [email protected] Follow us on Instagram  Top Shelf Video on Instagram Follow us on BlueSky Top Shelf Video Podcast Bluesky Follow the Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Theme music by Colin Nance

The BOOOOYYYYYYYs this week pull out another tape from the Don A. Coscarelli film library with the sci-fi horror film that gave him a seat at the table of the Masters of Horror, Phantasm. This far-out '70s film is one of the most bizarre films you'll see, but it also has a style and story that helped build a five-film franchise that continues to grow its fanbase every year. From the flying chrome balls to a Plymouth 'Cuda, this film has just about everything, but does it have enough to make the Top Shelf? Tune in and find out   Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X Please rate and review us! You can also email us at [email protected] Follow us on Instagram  Top Shelf Video on Instagram Follow us on BlueSky Top Shelf Video Podcast Bluesky Follow the Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Theme music by Colin Nance

This week, Jaime and Eli stay the course of October and revisit the iconic 1987 classic A Nightmare on Elm Street: Dream Warriors. The film that launched Fred Krueger into the stratosphere of pop culture, this film would define a new horror genre that would find its audience in the video store. If you're ready or not, it's time for Prime Time Bitch!! Will Krueger slash his way to the Top Shelf, or will the kids of Top Shelf Video take him down! Tune in to find out   Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X Please rate and review us! You can also email us at [email protected] Follow us on Instagram  Top Shelf Video on Instagram Follow us on BlueSky Top Shelf Video Podcast Bluesky Follow the Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Theme music by Colin Nance

Director Francis Lawrence gives us a dystopia from the mind of Stephen King where a group of young men march through a wasteland to win a shot at survival. Isn’t the real prize the friends we made along the way? When the American Dream becomes a nightmare, Eli and Denise wonder how their own journeys will fare, right here on Film to Table!   Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X Please rate and review us! You can also email us at [email protected] Follow us on Instagram  Top Shelf Video on Instagram Follow us on BlueSky Top Shelf Video Podcast Bluesky Follow the Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Theme music by Colin Nance

Top Shelf Video kicks off the spooky season, along with the start of the Video Crypt at the Texas Theater as they review the video store classic, Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night 2. This quirky Canadian film was shot during the height of the video store era and went on to become a cult classic. Join the boys as they discuss the opening night of the Video Crypt and find out if Hello Lou Mary: Prom Night 2 has taken the crown and found a place on the Top Shelf Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X Please rate and review us! You can also email us at [email protected] Follow us on Instagram  Top Shelf Video on Instagram Follow us on BlueSky Top Shelf Video Podcast Bluesky Follow the Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Theme music by Colin Nance

The boys at Top Shelf Video give a quick update on the Fall season and discuss their favorite time of year and the start of The Video Crypt down at the Texas Theatre for the entire month of October Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X Please rate and review us! You can also email us at [email protected] Follow us on Instagram  Top Shelf Video on Instagram Follow us on BlueSky Top Shelf Video Podcast Bluesky Follow the Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Theme music by Colin Nance

This week, the boys at Top Shelf Video close out their Summer of D&D with the 1981 groundbreaking spectacular, Dragonslayer. This film touches on all the highlights of the prior movies, Jaime and Eli discussed in this trifecta, but with the high-end production value, the guys discuss some of the elements that make this film special. From the acting to the art direction, this movie has it all, and for a film made nearly 45 years ago, it still holds up and, in many ways a better film than many modern movies. But does this film have enough firepower to make the Top Shelf?    Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X Please rate and review us! You can also email us at [email protected] Follow us on Instagram  Top Shelf Video on Instagram Follow us on BlueSky Top Shelf Video Podcast Bluesky Follow the Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Theme music by Colin Nance

Where have all the children gone?? Won’t anyone think of the children?!  Eli and Denise search for answers in this week’s Film to Table as they watch Zach Cregger’s Weapons. A small community is rocked by a devastating mystery with no discernible logic. What kind of monster prowls the neighborhood? Find out in this week’s newest episode!   This podcast has some spoilers, but we have a callout before then, so listener discretion is advised  Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X Please rate and review us! You can also email us at [email protected] Follow us on Instagram  Top Shelf Video on Instagram Follow us on BlueSky Top Shelf Video Podcast Bluesky Follow the Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Theme music by Colin Nance

This week, the boys at the Top Shelf Video store continue their campaign of watching sword and sorcery movies with the 1982 Don Coscarelli classic The Beastmaster. Continuing the Dungeons and Dragons theme from Krull, Jaime and Eli discuss the things that drew them to making this a high rental for them and many Gen X kids, and where it stands in the long line of sword and sandal movies of the 80's. With a big cast of familiar faces and furry animals, does this forgotten gem have what it takes to be a Top Shelf Video?   Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X Please rate and review us! You can also email us at [email protected] Follow us on Instagram  Top Shelf Video on Instagram Follow us on BlueSky Top Shelf Video Podcast Bluesky Follow the Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Theme music by Colin Nance

Join us for the quest of a lifetime or for the two-hour run time of this swashbuckling adventure called Krull. This week, Jaime and Eli dust off their old Dungeons and Dragons playbooks and revisit this cult classic.  This 1983 movie was a major influence on our video store boys, and they discuss some of their favorite aspects of Krull, along with some flashback memories that include one of the most epic weapon designs put to film. Grab your bag of holding and join us on this adventure to the Top Shelf Video mountain top   Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X Please rate and review us! You can also email us at [email protected] Follow us on Instagram  Top Shelf Video on Instagram Follow us on BlueSky Top Shelf Video Podcast Bluesky Follow the Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Theme music by Colin Nance

This week, the boys, particularly Eli, discuss why physical media is as important as it has ever been, as they explore Johnny Dangerously. This movie is often overlooked in discussions of Michael Keaton's filmography. This 1984 film was an early parody film of cinema and other aspects of crime movies, and its sharp wit and humor left a big impression on Jaime and Eli but is it enough to make the Top Shelf? Tune in an find out! Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X Please rate and review us! You can also email us at [email protected] Follow us on Instagram  Top Shelf Video on Instagram Follow us on BlueSky Top Shelf Video Podcast Bluesky Follow the Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Theme music by Colin Nance

This week, Denise and Eli ask the important question, "If you could put your head on a robot body, would you?" but they also watched 2025's Companion starring Sophie Thatcher and Jack Quaid. This ended up being a fun conversation about some deep aspects of the movie and what the film's story was saying in our opinion. The film is a great sci-fi film that we'd love of but one thing is certain: the robots are coming, and there is no stopping them. They will soon be here, and I, for one, welcome our new robot overlords. As a trusted podcaster, I can be helpful in rounding up others to toil in their underground robot caves....so join us on Film to Table this week! Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X Please rate and review us! You can also email us at [email protected] Follow us on Instagram  Top Shelf Video on Instagram Follow us on BlueSky Top Shelf Video Podcast Bluesky Follow the Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Theme music by Colin Nance

This week, the boys from Top Shelf Video revisit their school days and Hispanic heritage as they discuss the 1988 film Stand and Deliver. A drama film discussing the trials and tribulations of a group of underprivileged high school students from East Los Angeles who are pushed to find success by their teacher, Jaime Escalante, in the subject of math. Based on actual events, this film discusses the challenges that minorities face both at home and in school. Does Stand and Deliver get an A+ and make the Top Shelf, or will it fail and stick around for another year before graduating to the next level Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X Please rate and review us! You can also email us at [email protected] Follow us on Instagram  Top Shelf Video on Instagram Follow us on BlueSky Top Shelf Video Podcast Bluesky Follow the Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Theme music by Colin Nance

This week, the Top Shelf Video boys turn up the action dial as the summer heat turns up and watch the return of gunkata in 2011's The Raid. This action-packed movie is a tribute to the John Woo wave of movies in the 1980s and restarted the action movement that is seen in most films from John Wick to the Marvel movies. Although this movie was at the tail end of the video store this has all the hallmarks of a video store rental but does it have a place on the Top Shelf? Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X Please rate and review us! You can also email us at [email protected] Follow us on Instagram  Top Shelf Video on Instagram Follow us on BlueSky Top Shelf Video Podcast Bluesky Follow the Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Theme music by Colin Nance

Oh yeah, brother! Let me tell you a thing about...Yeah, I don't have that type of aura about me, but Densie and Eli love them some horror, and when you toss some wrastling with some delicious food, you've got yourself another episode of Film to Table. This week, we talk about the Shudder original Dark Match with Joe Bob Briggs fan Chris Jericho. We lace up our boots and prepare for our match-up of horror movies vs. culinary delights.  Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X Please rate and review us! You can also email us at [email protected] Follow us on Instagram  Top Shelf Video on Instagram Follow us on BlueSky Top Shelf Video Podcast Bluesky Follow the Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Theme music by Colin Nance

While Film to Table was down in the Mississippi Delta, the boys from Top Shelf Video made a double feature out of Sinners with 1986's Crossroads (no, not the Britney Spears joint). The classic story of a young man's journey to discover himself and what it means to know the Blues as he learns from his guide Willie Brown. Their adventures lead them to a duel over the fate of Willie's soul. Will the Karate Kid, Ralph Macchio, and his skills to save Willie's soul, and can this duel push this film into the Top Shelf? Bonus Homework: The Devil Went Down To Georgia Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X Please rate and review us! You can also email us at [email protected] Follow us on Instagram  Top Shelf Video on Instagram Follow us on BlueSky Top Shelf Video Podcast Bluesky Follow the Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Theme music by Colin Nance

Meet us down in the Mississippi Delta to watch the summer’s hottest blockbuster! Ryan Coogler weaves history, music and horror in his latest masterpiece, and Eli and Denise are eating it right up. The Juke Joint is a pretty exclusive spot but we’re hoping they invite us in…   Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X Please rate and review us! You can also email us at [email protected] Follow us on Instagram  Top Shelf Video on Instagram Follow us on BlueSky Top Shelf Video Podcast Bluesky Follow the Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Theme music by Colin Nance

This week, the boys go back to the Cannon Films library to watch another Chuck Norris classic. This one has it all: retired CIA agents, Soviet terrorists, alligator farms, swamp boats, tanks, and tons of explosions. Following up on a massive 1984 year in film, this 1985 movie is a video store classic, but does Chuck have it in him to get a second of his films on Top Shelf    Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X Please rate and review us! You can also email us at [email protected] Follow us on Instagram  Top Shelf Video on Instagram Follow us on BlueSky Top Shelf Video Podcast Bluesky Follow the Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Theme music by Colin Nance

Just in case the current political climate wasn’t stressful enough, let’s dive into fictional civil unrest! Today, we’ll shoot our way through Alex Garland’s Civil War, following some war journalists photographing their way across a nation divided. What’s a good food pairing for the dissolution of a nation? Let’s find out on Film to Table!   Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X Please rate and review us! You can also email us at [email protected] Follow us on Instagram  Top Shelf Video on Instagram Follow us on BlueSky Top Shelf Video Podcast Bluesky Follow the Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Theme music by Colin Nance

The boys are back for Season 2 of the Top Shelf Video Podcast and start with some of the employee favorites. The season kicks off with the John Carpenter classic Escape from New York. This iconic 80's helped shape Eli and Jaime and seeing it as adults the messages and themes of the movie have a different tone. Join the Eli and Jaime as they discuss the film and decide if Snake Plissken has the skills to make the Top Shelf. Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X Please rate and review us! You can also email us at [email protected] Follow us on Instagram  Top Shelf Video on Instagram Follow us on BlueSky Top Shelf Video Podcast Bluesky Follow the Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Theme music by Colin Nance

The gang is back and working on Season 2, and for this week, we discuss a few films we are looking to cover in Season 2, along with some of the things we've been up to since the start of the year. New episodes will start to drop on May 2nd! Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X Please rate and review us! You can also email us at [email protected] Follow us on Instagram  Top Shelf Video on Instagram Follow us on BlueSky Top Shelf Video Podcast Bluesky Follow the Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Theme music by Colin Nance

For the Season Finale of Film to Table, Denise and Eli discuss the year of 2024 in the cinema as the year provided a solid year of entertainment. They also discuss some of their favorite bites of 2024. Film to Table will take a short winter break and will return in 2025! Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X Please rate and review us! You can also email us at [email protected] Follow us on Instagram  Top Shelf Video on Instagram Follow us on BlueSky Top Shelf Video Podcast Bluesky Follow the Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Theme music by Colin Nance

For the Season 1 finale, Jaime and Eli look back at the movies they watched for the initial season of the Top Shelf Video Podcast. The boys make a retrospective look at the movies they chose to be on the Top Shelf and a little history behind the show. The show will take a short winter break but will return with more tapes to stock the video store in 2025 Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X Please rate and review us! You can also email us at [email protected] Follow us on Instagram  Top Shelf Video on Instagram Follow us on BlueSky Top Shelf Video Podcast Bluesky Follow the Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Theme music by Colin Nance

The Top Shelf Video boys would not let the holiday day season go without a little company party so they hosted their first annual holiday party in the store exchanging gifts, enjoying some pizza, and having a movie-watching part of the seasonal classic Silent Night Deadly Night. This video store titan from 1984 might not have been the best movie to show at a company party but if you're gonna do something you might as well do it right. What did Jaime and Eli think of this seminal classic and is it enough to earn a spot on the Top Shelf? Grab a glass of eggnog or whatever your choice is this season and listen to our gift to you. Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X Please rate and review us! You can also email us at [email protected] Follow us on Instagram  Top Shelf Video on Instagram Follow us on BlueSky Top Shelf Video Podcast Bluesky Follow the Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram   Theme music by Colin Nance

What lurks in the Bavarian Alps? This episode finds us in the dark forests of Germany. After a tragic loss, Gretchen moves an ocean away to try to connect with her father and his new family but instead finds ominous signs that something evil lurks in the woods. What is the eccentric philanthropist up to, and what does it have to do with her family? Is the threat out in the unknown, or right in front of her? Eli and Denise sample all that the German wilderness has to offer in this episode of Film to Table!   Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X Please rate and review us! You can also email us at [email protected] Follow us on Instagram  https://www.instagram.com/topshelfvideotx/ Follow the Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/dallasvhsswap/ Follow Flickers from the Cave on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/flickersfromthecave Theme music by Colin Nance

The Top Shelf Video store is in the full holiday spirit with decorations and a VHS Christmas Tree, so there is no better way to spend the holiday than by watching some holiday classics and no better classic than the Joe Dante 1984 film Gremlins. You'll hear what Gremlins means to owners Jaime and Eli and their therapy session on this episode as kindertrauma reviles itself this week.  Will Gremlins have what it takes to make the Top Shelf and will did the firemen save the tamales from certain doom? Tune in and find out   Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X Please rate and review us! You can also email us at [email protected] Follow us on Instagram  https://www.instagram.com/topshelfvideotx/ Follow the Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/dallasvhsswap/ Follow Flickers from the Cave on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/flickersfromthecave   Theme music by Colin Nance

This week, unlock your inner, better self! Very, VERY literally. This week, Eli and Denise jazzercize their way through The Substance, the visceral and shocking body horror written and directed by Coralie Fargeat. As much an homage to Cronenberg, Carpenter, and Lovecraft, is it also a scathing indictment on impossible beauty standards? Or maybe just a fun excuse for some gnarly monster makeup? Inject the glowing green goo into your veins and find out in this week’s episode!   Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X   Follow us on Instagram  https://www.instagram.com/topshelfvideotx/   Follow the Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/dallasvhsswap/   Theme music by Colin Nance   

Greetings Podcasters! This week the boys take flight on yet another 1984 classic The Last Starfighter. This film was seminal for Jaime and Eli growing up as it likely spurred enough interest of "how did they do that" to shape their futures. Join the armada with Jaime and Eli this week and find out if The Last Starfighter has what it takes to make the Top Shelf! Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X Follow us on Instagram  https://www.instagram.com/topshelfvideotx/ Follow the Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/dallasvhsswap/ Follow Flickers from the Cave on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/flickersfromthecave   Theme music by Colin Nance

Looking forward to a summer of go carts, swimming in the lake, and bonding with other “husky” kids, Gerry gets a rude shock to the system when the camp is unceremoniously taken over by the manic fitness guru Tony Perkis. Today we roast some marshmallows over the campfire while we chat about 1995 children’s classic Heavyweights. Camp never looked so fun and Ben Stiller is at his most unhinged, so join Eli and Denise as they reminisce about this gem!   Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X   Follow us on Instagram  https://www.instagram.com/topshelfvideotx/   Follow the Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/dallasvhsswap/   Theme music by Colin Nance     

It is a very special week in the Top Shelf Video store as an acclaimed director in the genre film world, Jill Gevargizian came by to return some video tapes. She gave us some of her time to talk to us about her films, how she got into directing, her love for Kansas City, and some great behind-the-scenes nuggets for all of us. We discuss her first feature film The Stylist from 2020 and how the project developed to where it has taken her and her journey as a director. Spoiler Warning for The Stylist as we talk a lot of shots and moments in depth so block out time to watch the movie first We also discuss her new film Ghost Game which is available now where you find your favorite streaming movies online. You can also pre-order a Blu-ray copy of the movie at Epic Pictures' website You can follow Jill on Instagram or at her website https://www.instagram.com/jillsixx/ https://www.sixxtape.com/ Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X Follow us on Instagram  https://www.instagram.com/topshelfvideotx/ Follow the Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/dallasvhsswap/ Follow Flickers from the Cave on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/flickersfromthecave   Theme music by Colin Nance

In this episode of the Top Shelf Video podcast, the guys bring in new applicants from The Flickers from the Cave podcast to see if they have what it takes to run the shop when Jaime and Eli are away. As part of their application process, they offer their movie suggestion for this week, Raw Force. This movie has everything from Kung Fu, luxury ships, exotic resorts, monks, shag carpets and cannibals. Does the gang at Flickers from the Cave have what it takes to work at Top Shelf Video and does Raw Force have what it takes to make the Top Shelf Video?   Top Shelf Video – Reliving the Video Store Era with Gen X Follow us on Instagram  https://www.instagram.com/topshelfvideotx/ Follow the Dallas VHS Swap on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/dallasvhsswap/ Follow Flickers from the Cave on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/flickersfromthecave   Theme music by Colin Nance