The Last Video Store

John Leguizamo enthusiast and children’s television antagonist Zachary Ruane steps into the Last Video Store. Even more important than his mind-melting comedy work in the legendary sketch comedy group AUNTY DONNA, Zach is a lover of film presenting cinema with his ​​FUN TIME FILM CLUB at the Lido in Melbourne. So this is a real meeting of the cinematic minds.  Zach’s picks include Alexei’s shared favourite film of 2023, a comedy with style, an Aussie Hitchcockian thriller and a surrealist masterwork from David Lynch. AND of course Lex has cooked up the most fricking weirdly perfect pick of the series so far. Like it’s nuts how he linked them up. Watch this episode on YOUTUBEFollow ALEXEI TOLIOPOULOS on Letterboxd for all the rental combo lists. Here’s Zachary’s list! Music & sounds by Rowan Dix Produced & Edited by Alex Jae and Xanon Murphy  Art by Hollow Bones Studio  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Comedian/actor/writer/director/close personal friend Nina Oyama steps into Betoota Video. Fresh off AACTA nominations for her enthusiastic performance of Abby in Deadloch and Taskmaster Australia, Nina is about to embark on her Comedy Festival tour of her new show Nina Oyama is Coming at Melbourne Comedy Festival, Sydney Comedy Festival, Brisbane Comedy Festival and Perth Comedy Festival. A true lover of cinema, Nina’s picks range from a Norwegian body horror comedy, an indie classic in modern monochrome and one of the greatest revenge thrillers that just celebrated its 20th anniversary with a huge cinematic re-release. Somehow, Alexei weaves these together for the rarest staff pick recommendation. Watch this episode on YOUTUBE Follow ALEXEI TOLIOPOULOS on Letterboxd for all the rental combo lists. Here’s Nina’s combo on LB. Music & sounds by Rowan Dix Produced & Edited by Alex Jae and Xanon Murphy  Art by Hollow Bones Studio  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A true Renaissance man whose multifaceted career continues to surprise us all. Tony Armstrong kicked things off in AFL playing for the Sydney Swans, then he won 2 Logies back-to-back as a presenter on ABC News Breakfast and now he’s in Betoota for his new foray into story-driven documentary with his upcoming ABC series TONY ARMSTRONG'S EXTRA-ORDINARY THINGS.  With picks like one of the great masterpieces of surrealist anime, a grounded gritty crime epic and an inventive heist film that sits somewhere right in the middle… Alexei Toliopoulos has the perfect staff pick to pop into Tony’s combo. Watch the full video on YOUTUBEFollow ALEXEI TOLIOPOULOS on Letterboxd for all the rental combo lists. Here’s Tony’s picks! Music & sounds by Rowan Dix Produced & edited by Alex Jae and Xanon Murphy  Art by Hollow Bones Studio See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The passionate journalist and Betoota local Clancy Overell welcomes Alexei to the desert town he now calls home. Stopping by to pick up a rental combo and settle some overdue late fees from a bygone era.  It’s up to Betoota’s registered cinephile to form the perfect staff pick from an Australian classic comedy, one of Scorsese’s grandest crime sagas and a warm melancholic hug from contemporary Irish cinema. Watch the full video on YOUTUBE HEREFollow ALEXEI TOLIOPOULOS on Letterboxd for all the rental combo lists. Here’s Clancy’s full list!  Music & sounds by Rowan Dix Produced & Edited by Alex Jae and Xanon Murphy  Art by Hollow Bones Studio See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With perhaps more films in Betoota Video than any other performer (all located behind the beaded curtain), who better to stop by the Last Video Store than the legendary adult film superstar Angela White. The AVN Hall of Famer was the first to win Female Performer of the Year 3 times in a row earner her the honorary moniker the Meryl Streep of porn.  From modern crime masterpieces, a bonafide video store cult classic and a relationship drama with unsimulated sex Alexei weaves the perfect staff pick for Angela.  Watch FULL VIDEOS on YOUTUBE Follow ALEXEI TOLIOPOULOS on Letterboxd for all the rental combo lists.  Here’s Angela’s full list! Music & sounds by Rowan Dix Produced & Edited by Alex Jae and Xanon Murphy  Art by Hollow Bones Studio See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you need an actor to convincingly play a real-life figure that the whole world is deeply familiar with you get Polly Bennett to teach them exactly how to move like them. Teaching Austin Butler to wiggle his hips like the King in ELVIS, Rami Malek to command the stage like Freddie Mercury in BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY, how to stroll like a royal in THE CROWN and choreographing a murdered dancefloor with Barry Keoghan in SALTBURN - Polly Bennett is the moment.  And here on The Last Video Store she talks with Alexei about some classic female lead comedies, musicals and a genre-defining legend from Australia’s indie cinema boom of the 1990s.  Watch FULL VIDEOS on YOUTUBE Follow ALEXEI TOLIOPOULOS on Letterboxd for all the rental combo lists. Here’s Polly’s list for you, mate!  Music & sounds by Rowan Dix Produced & Edited by Alex Jae and Xanon Murphy  Art by Hollow Bones Studio  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From the trenches of HACKSAW RIDGE, to the sparkling glitz of ELVIS, and the crude humour of HOLIDATE… Working with some of the biggest directors, Luke Bracey is an actor building up a fascinating resume ranging from hardcore action thrills to Netflix romcom and chills.  From his cinematic selection, it seems like he has a taste for high-pressure international intrigue, espionage, political thrillers with personal stakes and GREAT acting. So what could Alexei possibly pick for him to leave the Last Video Story with?Follow ALEXEI TOLIOPOULOS on Letterboxd for all the rental combo lists. Here’s Luke Bracey list right here.  Music & sounds by Rowan Dix Produced & Edited by Alex Jae and Xanon Murphy  Art by Hollow Bones Studio  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to the Last Video Store. Joining us as our inaugural guest and customer #0 is Cameron James (FINDING YEEZUS, FINDING DRAGO, TOTAL REBOOT).  His debut single BOYS NIGHT has hit the web and he is about to embark on his most ambitious comedy festival tour to date with MIXTAPE, a show about music, love and the summer in 2009 that he worked as a singing Captain Jack Sparrow impersonator at a suburban dinner theatre restaurant. Music, comedy and the entwining of both are on his mind when it comes to his rental combo at Betoota Video. Follow ALEXEI TOLIOPOULOS on Letterboxd for all the rental combo lists. Here’s Cameron James’ list of favourites and recommendations.  Youtube Version  Follow us on Instagram @lastvideostorebetoota Music & sounds by Rowan Dix Produced & Edited by Alex Jae and Xanon Murphy  Art by Hollow Bones Studio  Produced by DM Podcasts    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here are your links to the forever archive of TOTAL REBOOT and SPECIAL FEATURES from Cameron James & Alexei Toliopoulos! AND a sneak peak at The Last Video Store with a little teaser trailer at the end! TOTAL REBOOT ON SPOTIFYTOTAL REBOOT ON APPLE PODCASTS   TOTAL REBOOT WEBSITESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Decade by decade, Cameron & Alexei canonize the very best in films in a century of cinema. From the 1990s all the way back to the 1900s, we discuss a few favourite films from each decade.  And as you'll hear, this is the last Special Features episode (in this form at least for some time). So we had to treat you to our most Special Feature yet. If you're reading this before listening to the episode, we talk about it a bit more frankly and in-depth on the show. But it's all positive! We're trying to make more stuff together. More ambitious larger form projects. More things in the vein of Finding Yeezus and the other Finding shows. We're not breaking up, in fact, we're probably more deeply committed to each other than ever. In the meantime, Cameron is embarking on his biggest stand-up comedy tour yet! (You can pick up tickets here: 2024 COMEDY TOUR) And Alexei is kicking off a brand new podcast in this feed called THE LAST VIDEO STORE. It's a chat show with high-profile guests about the films they love. Basically, the film podcast Alexei's always dreamed about. Cam is even the very first frickin’ guest and will stop by constantly. So please stay subscribed, babies! Old episodes of Total Reboot and Special Features will migrate over to a new feed and be protected in an archive forever.  TOTAL REBOOT ON SPOTIFYTOTAL REBOOT ON APPLE PODCASTS   TOTAL REBOOT WEBSITE Until then, We love you! Thank you! Forever Special Creatures. Forever Jungle Babies. Forever Reboot Rats. Forever Groovy Babies. xoxoxoxSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.