The Last Video Store

The story wastes no time getting interesting, as the plot is set in motion in the very first scene, and every single scene after that drives it forward. The characters are very likable, and the villain maintains a constant threatening presence even when not in the scene.

Toward the end it struck me how much I liked the main characters and wanted them to succeed, and it culminated in the most emotionally engaging ending I've ever seen in an indie film.

The film often uses CCTV footage monitoring the store as a lens for us to see the love story unfolding, from the perspective of another character, which I really enjoyed.

The editing, cinematography, and performances of the cast are all great, and it was always funny seeing a new fictional movie DVD case on the shelves in the background.