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Category: Videos and Video Game Rental [Edit]
1550 University AveWe have a wide selection of previously viewed DVDs with prices as low as $1.99 Senior discounts of 25% on Wednesdays!
Mon-Sun 10 am - 10 pm
Here's what I got: -A double album by the Swan Silvertones -A CD of James Booker's early singles -Some Bulgarian choir music that was a staff… read more »
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five stars for five star video.
friendly people work here. they will have a conversation with you whether you like it or not! also these people never judge me based on my hocus-pocus type guilty pleasures.
i was seriously impressed by the selection-- this place is bigger than it looks! only one copy of the lost boys though so i had to steal it from the employee watching it... sorry!
good prices, too!
This place is so wonderful!
The owner, manager and workers are all SO friendly - they even remember my name, what I'm obsessed with at the moment, and they make super recommendations. Plus they're dog friendly so I always see great dogs in there. 5 stars!
In and if you rent 2 movies you get the third one free (as long as it's not a new release).
This video store makes me SO embarrassed that I even studied film in college! I seriously did not know 90% of what was in that store. I kind of recognized some films but I thought I dreamt those titles... didn't know it really existed!!
My hubby and I literally spent an hour trying to decide what to watch because there were so many good selections! I felt so awkward walking around the whole store like 30 times looking at everything. They even had Kubrick's "Lolita" which darn Netflix doesn't have!
They even have sections like all the films Kate Winslet or Johnny Depp have been in. They also have a gay/lesbian film section and a large tv show selection which I didn't get a chance to venture into because I was so roaming aimlessly in awe of all that they offered.
I'm not really a film-snob...... but with this place, I might start becoming one.
Cheers for five star video! We could spend hours just BROWSING here. They have such a good way of organizing their films. You go to some lame blockbuster and they have just one giant "foreign" section...this place has a separate section for CANADA.
There are so many films that I've never heard of, and so many that I've always heard of but could never get (not even on Netflix). They have the largest selection of Chinese films in one place I've ever seen. There's definitely no censorship going on because you can find all sorts of stuff with weird/mature/outrageous themes.
If I ever graduate I will spend a week just watching films from here.
Criterion section is off the chain. No pesky religious beliefs getting in the way of the selection here. They politely and personally recommend a good flick while looking you straight in the eyes. I think the owner might be breeding cool employees in the basement.
My only problem with this store is that they don't have any VHS.
I'm with Ligaya on this one. I've sold my soul to Netflix several times, but I always end up running back to ye olde video store. Maybe it's the instant gratification. Maybe it's the joy of wandering around a store and discovering something I didn't know I wanted. Or maybe I just love indulging my inner film snob with like-minded peeps in the flesh. Any way you slice it, video store browsing is one of my favorite activities and this is my new go-to spot.
Apart from the stellar collection of classics, docs, and TV series, I'm also a big fan of the staff. I'll say it again; the people who work here know their stuff, but aren't condescending about it. They're forgiving when you run in with a DVD a day after it was due and the store has great buy this, get that deals. New releases are at least a dollar cheaper than Blockbuster and Reel. I considered a membership here years ago, but was put off by the $100 temporary hold they put on your credit card. Thanks to fellow yelpers, I gave it another try and I'm so happy I did. Long live the independent video store!
Netflix and its ilk will never have my heart, robbing me of the oh-so-pleasurable tactile and visual aspects of browsing. Into the indie video store we go!
Organized into interesting sections like Criterion collections, movies by country, Oscar winners by year, and actors of particularly odd character (Johnny Depp, Cate Blanchett and Philip Seymour Hoffman - an odd trinity, I know), FSV is a joy to navigate and discover.
While it doesn't have the polish and high-tech systems (hello, dewey decimal) that some of the more conventional rental stores provide, the entertainment and quirk factor of the staff and space is high while prices are low, making it my video store of choice.
Listed in: Lazy Sundays, Downtown Berkeley, no dress up involved, Video Stores
This place is THE SHIT!
I mean, they call themselves Five Star Video so I must give it five stars, because if I gave it anything lower, then it wouldn't be Five Star Video and who wants to really shop at a place called Three Star Video? That's lame. It's got all these videos and if you watch them, you develop superpowers. No other video store/online rental service does that. Eat it, Netflix! Eat it hard!
And I would like to profess my love for Andy K.
We started going to 5 Star about 10 years ago when we first moved to Berkeley, and though we tested out the big video store down by Berkeley Bowl a number of times, we always ended up back at 5 Star. The owner and all the folks I've ever encountered there are super friendly and give good movie recommendations (and seem to be good at figuring out what I would like based on what I've liked before) and the store is manageable in size.
For a while I was convinced Netflix is the way to go, but I ended up spending money on movies that sounded good online, but that I was never compelled to watch. We wasted $15/month for a number of months, and have come to the conclusion that there's no other video store for us.
I'm glad to see that this brick & mortar store is doing well despite the the trend to do everything online these days.
Me: I couldn't find "Gross Point Blank," where might I find it?
Uber nerd clerk (I mean that with all praise): Where were you looking?
Me (complete idiot): Action.
Uber nerd clerk (no condescension): I think we might keep it in comedy (wink), let me get it for you.
Me: Wow, you didn't act like I was the stupidest person alive even though I thought "Gross Point Blank" would be in Action, which might make me the stupidest person alive.
Uber nerd clerk: No problem. Anything else you might need?
Me: I was going to get Dark City but I am unsure. It has Jennifer Connelly in it and she reminds me of cardboard.
Uber nerd clerk: Don't worry. She is, and you will love it.
I did.
These are the stores that are worth protecting against the Blockf*ckers and Netflix of the world. Knowledgeable staff, great selection, lots of indie, documentary, music, TV, ex-US. All good.
And a live person to talk to:
I'm wondering if I saw X2- was that the one with the Statue of Liberty? No, it was the one with the teleporter dude. Oh yeah right. The Final Stand is better. Yeah, and I haven't seen it, so I'll take it.
Can online video do that? I think not.
Closes at 10pm, 7 days a week. They sell used DVDs. And have DVD cleaning too.
This is the place to go when you can't find or won't wait for something off Netflix. They've held their own in Berkeley despite Netflix and the Reel store across town, because their collection goes from commercial to arty to classic...so they have most of what you may be looking to watch that night.
Also the employees are always cool & helpful without that "David Lynch is so brilliant, and you're such an idiot" attitude from your average Berkeley video store kid (Movie Image, RIP!)
The staff at Five Star are laid-back, jovial, and generous with even their most brutal, always strenuously-informed, opinions. That "joie de over-educated film geek" is so disarming, I'll bypass the racks in favor of their direction, either to their preferred transfer of some title on my list or some movie they liked better.
Bonus: their selection is pretty much unsurpassed.
My girlfriend used to work at this place, which is the only reason I ever set foot inside this store. I'm one of those download-everything-off-the-net kind of guys who hasn't sucked it up and gotten NetFlix yet and who hates the asstacular selection at megachains like Blockbuster.
The interior of Five Star is a little grubby, but I was totally amazed at the breadth of their collection. Sure, they may not have 60 copies of the latest Wayans Bros. flick that everybody wants this weekend, but they've got a great selection of really hard-to-find films, some of it stuff that's so hard to find that I had totally forgotten I wanted to see it!
If you hate Blockbuster and haven't signed up for NetFlix yet, take the time to stop by Five Star. Their prices are good, it's a locally-owned store (the owner has been puttering around behind the counter half the times I've gone), and the selection can't be beat.
Good place. People are real nice.
. They have rent 2, get 1 free. Good times. With restrictions, of course.
. As mentioned in another review, they have movies categorized in places you'd look last. It does take some getting used to.
. One thing they do that is great for pricing but that is that new releases are no longer 'new' after about 2 weeks.
This place is 3 blocks away from me and I have no complaints.
I walked by this video store several times before ever walking in... and I was always turned off by how janky and dirty it looks from the outside.
However, when I went in, I was shocked at the FABULOUS selection of documentaries, independent, criterion and so-on. They have so many DVD's that you would never expect to find in a video store. Also, the staff people are incredibly nice, always smiling, and very, very helpful. The inside isn't set up in the prettiest way possible, but all of the sections are easy to find.
If you live in my area of Berkeley... you have to go to five star video.
Years of working at indie record and video stores tainted me. My mark of a good video store is one that carries Captain Eo and knows Criterion is a genre (of awesome) all it's own, not one that has a wall of whatever new film Mel Gibson released that makes me want to blow my brains out.
What I'm trying to say is that, even to the most discriminating, five star meets our standards. I walked in and immediately felt like I was at my old haunt again, and that I should be busy realphabetizing the Hitchock section.
The staff are helpful, knowledgeable, and friendly and never make me feel stupid. I'm very happy to have them near my home and parking isn't THAT bad in their block of Solano. No meters!
This place gets EXPENSIVE! I love the store, the selection, the staff. All cool. But if you rent a movie and are late a couple of days, it is EXPENSIVE. Costs as much as an entire month of Netflixx. I love supporting local business's and all, but I wish they had more lentient late fee schedule. I'm affraid it is too EXPENSIVE for me. I'm back to Netflxx.
firstly, great selection for a little(r) place.
secondly, right now they are getting rid of their vhs selection. they cost fifty cents a peace. too bad i already got 'kiss me guido' and 'leprechaun 3' (the las vegas one). suckers!
the guys that work here are nice and they care about movies, both good and bad. and this is great; we at the house of long haus house tend to appreciate the bad ones.
Five Star Video has a great selection to choose from. Whether you're looking for a documentary, foreign film, cult classic, or just plain obscure film chances are they'll have what you want. Their rentals are also well priced, I always go with their "Rent 2, get 1 free" deal which means you can walk outta there with three movies for 6 bucks (unless one of your rentals is a new release, then it will be 7 bucks). Their staff is usually friendly and helpful as well.
So why does it lose a star? For starters they close at 10pm. I realize that almost all non-Blockbuster rental places close around this time but for a late night person such as myself I usually don't hit a video store before 11pm. My second complaint is that sometimes the store overclassifies their selection. Now I usually consider specific classification to be the mark of a great store, especially record stores, but I guess for movies I want things to be simpler. I once spent 30 minutes looking over their Drama and Classics section looking for "On the Waterfront." I couldn't find it so I eventually gave up. But lo and behold, on my way to the register I pass the Oscar Winners section and there it is. I've had similar futile searches for films that ended up in the Criterion Collection section. Once you get used to the store its no big deal but it was a minor inconvenience. My last reason for subracting a star is for their lack of availability of mainstream blockbuster new releases. They simply can't carry as many copies as the major chains and thus the popular new releases go pretty quickly.
I first came here simply because it was the video store closest to my house. I was surprised to find a really good video store. The staff are cool and knowledgeable, yet very approachable, they have tons of independent films, criterion, etc. I especially like that they classify their foreign movies by country. Reel is still better, but this comes a very close second.
5 stars for Five Star. Super-friendly, knowledgeable staff; great selection; and the Criterion titles are on their own rack at the front of the store. What more could a movie lover ask for? I usually have Net Flix queued up pretty deep, but when I need a fill-in title or something for the spouse, Five Star is the way to go.
Yes, totally great selection of titles, but BEWARE. They have this stupid 10 am cut-off time, and they don't warn you in advance. You look on the receipt and it says the dvd is due on 11/1, but if you return it AFTER 10 AM, then it's late. They put the time due in a totally different place on the receipt. To me, they're trying to fool you into thinking you have the movie for a day longer than you actually do. And then they charge you for a late fee. LAME!
I have to give this place 5 stars, just because the place is, afterall, called "5 Star Video". This is the kind of place that when you go to rent an intellectual film, they stop you and tell you to rent South Park instead. Some alien abduction movie is always playing overhead, but they give out free Men In Black 2 posters. Tear up your Blockbuster membership card and recieve a free video rental! A quaint little store with a suprisingly good selection. Don't count on any attractive employees though, I just went there and the boy that used to be cute had his hair in a pony tail and was sporting a pink dress. What can I say, it's Berkeley.
The guys who work in the store are very sweet and helpful. This is a really good store to go to if Blockbuster is picked clean. They have some interesting titles and I can always find what I want.
I have lived in North Berkeley 3 years and had not noticed Five Star Video until friends recommended it. After giving up on HBO and the pay-for-view, it was time to check it out. It is indeed a great video store with great selection for adults and kids. I like the layout of all of the videos and am picking up more variiety of movies as a result. Their staff is very knowledgeable and friendly. Prices are great and the 3 nights rental with return by 10 am on the day due is very reasonable.
This is a great local business.
any place i can chat about doom beats while debating between skate videos and romantic comedies deserves a perfect score
I've been going to 5 Star Video for the more than 20 months since my first review. I haven't needed to subscribe to Netflix, I haven't gotten cable, and I haven't missed out on finding any movie I've wanted. This place has been great. Elephant Pharmacy has closed, and, with it, their $1/night DVD rentals. That's a shame, but there's still 5 Star. All this time, their staff has been great. Of them all, there's one guy whom I've seen most frequently (I don't know his name, but I think he's the only one with glasses), and he's been great in recommending videos. He was there everytime I used to go, but I haven't seen him in the last 2 or 3 times. Still, everyone there has been great.
I'm torn between resubscribing to Netflix and going to 5 Star. I've driven past it many times, and… Read more »
Great rental store. Owner is a good guy, and his staff are helpful and knowledgeable. They have a good selection - both domestic and foreign. I highly recommend them.
Albany, CA
Neighborhood: East Solano Ave
El Cerrito, CA
Neighborhood: Lower Hills
Neighborhood: North Oakland
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