Episode 6 - Be Kind Rewind

Blockbuster nights, VHS nostalgia, Netflix’s mail-in era, midnight movie releases, and the rise (and fall) of physical media. Plus: GOTY predictions, upcoming movie hype, and deep-pull memories from the video rental days.

This week on The Midnight Release, Chase and Austin jump out of the gaming lane and back into another core part of 90s–2000s childhood: Friday nights at Blockbuster. From VHS tapes and late fees to catching that one copy of a new release before anyone else, this episode dives into movie culture, video rental rituals, and how physical media shaped an entire generation.

But it doesn’t stop there — we rewind all the way through Netflix’s mail-in DVD era, GameFly, Redbox luck, and late-night midnight movie premieres before big studios phased them out. We also break down how movie culture has shifted, why physical media is disappearing, and which films defined our childhoods before 2010.

As always, the episode rounds out with our recurring and brand-new segment lineup, including nostalgia deep-dives, upcoming movie hype, and a quick look at this week’s big event: The Game Awards.

📼 Be kind, rewind — and enjoy the nostalgia trip.