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Odd Obsession
Category: Shopping Books, Mags, Music and Video Music & DVDs Music & DVDs [Edit]
1822 N Milwaukee Ave(between Bloomingdale Ave & Moffat St)
Chicago, IL 60647
Neighborhood: Bucktown
(773) 276-0894
- Nearest Transit:
-
Western-O'Hare (Blue Line)
Damen-O'Hare (Blue Line)
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 2 pm - 10 pm
Sat-Sun 12 pm - 10 pm
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
60 reviews for Odd Obsession
Review Highlights
"This place takes pride in quality movies."
(in 26 reviews)
"The Film Buff's Wet Dream Come True."
(in 13 reviews)
"If Blockbuster and Hollywood Video just dont do it for you."
(in 9 reviews)
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60 reviews in English
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Review from Meghan B.
12/5/2011
I'm so glad to have this video store in my neighborhood. I'm not into the whole Netflix or Redbox trip-- I actually really enjoy wandering through the aisles of this place and searching for the right movie-- or asking the dudes working if they have any suggestions.
Odd Obsession has a good selection of under the radar movies and I think the prices are fair. I also think the store is well organized.
People complain about the guys that work here but they've always been nice to me, and what do you expect from film nerds? They're gonna be a little awkward, come on. Don't take it personal. -
Review from Paul S.
Chicago, IL
10/16/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Yes they're hipsters, and yes they have that movie with that guy before he was that movie with the it girl... You want it they got it (or they'll get it. Even if it's on VHS.
*You can still rent form here without a mustache. -
Review from Namey M.
Chicago, IL
1/19/2012
I've been renting here for years. It's hands-down the best video store I know of. It has a cool, slightly kooky atmosphere and a great selection of rare movies.
If you're allergic to cats, you should know that one lives in the store and sheds all over the place. Also, they allow all kinds of pets into the store, but will probably tell you to watch your dog because the cat isn't very friendly. If you're on a bike and forgot to bring your lock, they will let you bring it inside.
The rental prices are super low, and if you're late with a video, the staff will usually cut a deal with you on the late fee. If there's something you're looking for that they don't have, the staff will try to track it down.
About the staff: I see that a couple of people writing reviews here are complaining about them. Personally, I've found the staff to be helpful and friendly. For the most part.
For the uninitiated, I've decided to put together the following Guide to the Staff of Odd Obsession. I've seen a lot of different staff members there over the years, but here are the ones you're most likely to encounter:
"Brian:" Brian is the owner of Odd Obsession. He is the only one who gets paid. Everybody else volunteers their time. Brian is a guy in his 30s with dark hair who sometimes wears glasses. He's always very nice and can usually offer very good recommendations if you're looking for something weird or funny. He listens to reggae records while he's working, so when you come in you can always hear whether he's there before you actually see him.
"Ignatiy:" Ignatiy is a Well-Known Film Critic who used to work at Odd Obsession a lot. I used to see him there several times a week but now I see him there less often. He is recognizable because he is unbelievably tall. Ignatiy seems to know a lot about everything, and I've found that he gives the best recommendations. If you come in and he's there, he's the guy you want to talk to. However, you can't just ask him to recommend you a comedy or something, because he'll usually ask you a bunch of questions first, which is very different from Brian, who will recommend you things just off the top of his head.
"The short guy with the glasses:" I feel really bad that after all this time, I don't know his name. He's really friendly and knows a lot, but he's also very talkative. I'm cool with that, but I can understand how it can turn some people off. Like Ignatiy, he will usually provide you with a lot of information about the film / filmmaker you are looking for and seems to know about everything. He is easy to recognize because he is a short guy with glasses. If you're up for it, he can be really fun to talk to. He and Ignatiy will usually go with you to whatever section the movie you're looking for is in and get it for you.
"Joe:" When I read people on here complaining that Odd Obsession is staffed by disinterested hipsters, I know that what they really mean is that they came in once or twice and this guy was behind the counter. Yes, he will probably not acknowledge you when you come in. Yes, he will probably never look you in the eye. But if you ask him to recommend something, he will probably give you a very thoughtful answer. He has very strong opinions, and will let you know if he thinks the movie you're looking for isn't good. Sometimes he's right. Joe is recognizable because he looks like a disinterested hipster, and is very skinny and pale and has a very low voice that is sometimes difficult to hear. He often wears a hat and looks like he's cold. Joe will never stand up and grab a video for you. He's the only one who is kind of tough when it comes to late fees. He also sighs a lot.
"The Sharp-Dressed Guy:" Again, I don't know this guy's name. I haven't seen him there in a while, but I put him on here just in case. He is skinny and should not be confused with Joe. He sometimes wears a suit and has a bunch of tattoos. I haven't really talked to him much, but he's nice and seems to know a lot about Asian movies.
"Antoine:" Antoine is a black man with a very loud laugh. Like Sharp-Dressed Guy, I don't see him around much, but that just might be because I don't come in on the days he's there. He usually stays behind the counter. I've only talked to him once or twice, but his Staff Recommendations shelf always has a lot of recent Asian movies. -
Review from Ria R.
Chicago, IL
4/1/2011
I ADORE this place. after years of shameful illegal downloading, I finally decided to go legal, and this place made it painless. They have a superb collection of movies that all your friends (if they have good taste) probably have recommended to you, and you forgot about it. Foreign films, docs, 'sexploitation', TV shows, everything I could want.
And man, people seriously need to grow up and stop talking about the supposedly pretentious, hipster employees. While I don't know them beyond a few interactions, they have all been nothing but professional, helpful, extremely-educated, and funny. Yes, they're nerds (in the highest of regards). Just because you feel dumb around them, doesn't mean you have to be defensive! Ask them a question about any movie and you'll likely walk out knowing far more than you did.
Oh, and Precious the cat, is my hero. -
Review from Mallory J.
Brooklyn, NY
10/23/2011
My favorite video rental place in the world. Forget Netflix, Hulu +, and even university libraries. They don't have everything, and the simple fact is that Odd Obsession most likely has what you want and can't find elsewhere (they have an online database too). Because you're not staring at the same selection of Criterion DVDs, this is one of the few places where browsing is fun again.
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Review from Dustin Y.
Chicago, IL
8/27/2010
I have had such terrible terrible experiences at this place that it actually led me to register for yelp just to complain about it. OO has a sensational selection of films and absolutely the worst customer service I hope you will ever have to endure. Whether on the phone or in person, the staff are completely disinterested in you and what you're looking for and I'm frequently lucky if I can get them to say two words, none of which is "hi" or "can i help you."
If you have another choice, do not come here. -
Review from Justin B.
Chicago, IL
6/13/2010
I remember when I fell in love.
It was this morning.
I was just walking up Milwaukee Ave, not looking for anything in particular, when I happened to glance up at the store I passed.
A lightning bolt struck. Everything got quiet and I had tunnel vision. All I saw was the wonderful video store in front of me.
I was led in by mysterious forces. I got a membership. I felt at home there even though I had just walked in. I didn't even rent anything then.
It's all good, though. I got her digits and I will definitely be texting up Odd Obsession later. -
Review from Juliet M.
Chicago, IL
6/9/2011
I loiter at Odd Obsession all the time and I can tell you all the following:
1) There is no rudeness here - even when the customers exhibit it towards the staff. And I am including Precious, the store cat. She is lovely.
2) These people know their sh*t to a degree that is astonishing. If you want to have a serious discussion with another human being about the nun-sploitation genre, this is the place.
3) If you start coming here, you will no longer need to be shackled to the corporate behemoth that is Netflix and you will be able to sleep sounder at night., with a conscious free of guilt. -
Review from Euripides X.
ASTORIA, NY
1/23/2011
"Hi, I'm looking for a movie, I can't remember whats its called, but its that one where the Louisiana Purchase serves as a metaphor for human angst, and the entire cast has cerebral palsy, shot in black and white"
"Oh, you mean 'Thomas Jefferson Boinks Napoleons Mom', right this way Sir." -
Review from Joy D.
Chicago, IL
6/28/2011 4 Check-ins Here
There are some things I can't get anywhere else, and Odd Obsession has them. The staff is knowledgeable and helpful. It's fun to just wander about the aisles and see what's available. I get such a kick out of the people who work here. They love movies even more than I do, and that's a relief!
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Review from Karen L.
Chicago, IL
6/5/2006 ROTD 7/24/2006
Odd Obsession recently moved to a new location so, being a fan of making fun of movies, I thought I'd check it out. Their selection is quite extensive. They carry films from all over the world, plus plenty of cult classics, B movies, TV shows, cartoons, rarities, porn, and even some good Hollywood films we all know and love. I was amused to find the banned episode of Pokemon that sent over 500 Japanese children to the hospital for seizures. They also had a bunch of Andy Kaufman stuff bootlegged! I decided to sign up (which is free) and automatically received 2 free rentals! Rentals are generally $3 for 3 days, $5 for six days. However, on Tuesdays and Thursdays you can grab 3 movies for $5! Quite a deal, and quite a selection I must say. Friendly staff too! Definitely check this place out if you're looking for something unusual.
Oh, and the Andy Kaufman Vol. 4 that I rented had no sound... My friend and I still debate whether this was intentional or not. -
Review from Vaughn C.
Chicago, IL
2/8/2007
A little birdie--who happened to be a film geek--slipped word to me that an underground (literally) video store happened to be across from the Steppenwolf, in a dark corner where I would imagine Malkovich sometimes relieved himself when bathroom queues curled around the lobby.
I sought it out, and my introduction was surreal. Time slowed, confetti fell, and balloons rose as I meandered the stacks. It was a small space, packed from floor to ceiling with an impressive collection of rare and obscure films. I was so overwhelmed, that I lost concentration on actually finding a movie. When I snapped to, I looked at the titles in front of me and realized that I was in the Nazi fetish porn section. I checked to see if he carried Ilsa: Shewolf of the SS (he did, among its intellectually stimulating sequels) and then moved onto the cartoons.
I struck up a conversation with the unpretentious and personable owner, Brian, and the dozen or so pets he kept around the space. We talked about hot titles in Korean cinema, the San Diego band The Locust, and making a buck in Lincoln Park. The parrot refused to tell me the origins of their copy of Wong Kar-wai's 2046, which preceeded the US theatrical release by almost a year.
It didn't take long for me to become a regular, to the point where I'd saunter in and blindly took Brian's suggestions of the week. It was cheap entertainment: $3/3 day rentals which could be extended to a week for $4, topped with 20 minutes of good conversation, and occasionally we'd go check out the glory hole on North Ave for chuckles.
Brian has since moved the store to the Bucktown/Wicker Park area into a bigger space with a larger staff of eccentrics. But the selection still makes it one of the most diverse and unique stores in the country, so Chicago's film appreciation circles scored with Odd Obsession's existence.
A suggestion for a first rental? Around the time The Simpsons introduced their Ahnold-like action character, McBain, a stereotypical 80's action flick of the same name was released--starring Christopher Walken as a retired war veteran taking on Colombian drug lords. It was stupidly hysterical when I saw it as a preteen and I never thought it made it onto DVD, until I found it on the shelves of Odd Obsession.Listed in: HomoerotiCity!
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Review from Hela V.
Chicago, IL
11/4/2010
I stumbled across this place while riding my bike on Milwaukee ave. The storefront looked interesting so I turned around a parked my bike.
Upon entry I was looked at (glared at even) by the handful of Superhipsters parked by the register/front desk. Not a word. Hmm okay. A "hey how's it going" would have been sufficient. I'm not expecting you goofballs to jump right out of your chairs or whatever to greet me and show me around but for the sake of minimal customer service a "hello" might be nice once in a while.
They seem to have an ample supply of hard to find films of the horror variety. They get at least a star and a half for this. Didn't get a chance to look around much and I didn't bother asking the CLEARLY PREOCCUPIED with sulking front desk guy how I'd go about renting. Maybe next time I'll feel welcome enough to look around more and ask about renting stuff. -
Review from Matt W.
Streamwood, IL
8/6/2006
I was referred to Brian when looking for a copy of Rappin' starring Mario Van Peebles. I throw an 8 hour movie fest once a year before B-Fest and Rappin' was to headline. That was back in 2005 and I've been a customer ever since.
Odd Obsession has the best selection of cult, underground, strange, offensive and otherwise eclectic movies. Blacksploitation to Kung-Fu, Japanese occult to Swedish death cinema you'll find it there. Pricing is stupid cheap and a great alternative to the rental chains.
If you're looking for something weird, interesting and worth your attention odds are Odd's has it. -
Review from Zachary H.
Chicago, IL
5/24/2006
What?! I'm shocked that I'm only the second person to give props to Brian and Odd Obsession! I'm honestly befuddled every time I meet a hardcore film buff who's never even heard of this store. The current location, across from the Steppenwolf is obviously not the place to draw in casual passers-by. However, next week's move to Wicker Park should increase the membership base, and rightfully so!
I've discovered many of my recent favorites through this mecca of cinemania. In the last few weeks alone I have encountered:
"Fame Whore", an underground trilogy of interlocking stories from Jon Moritsugu about people dealing with their fame, or lack thereof. It starts out entirely ludicrous and silly, but the end result is strangely poignant, much like...
"Reflections of Evil", which since seeing it on Sunday has quickly vaulted to the top few of my all-time favorites list. Another underground classic from Damon Packard, I have become obsessed with this film and everything surrounding it. In fact, this movie deserves its own Yelp review (forthcoming?). Put simply, this film attacks everything that is wrong with America today and the experience of watching it I would imagine is the closest I will ever get to understanding what it is like to be completely insane.
"The Night Walker" is an older one, starring Barbara Stanwyck in her final film appearance. The box at the store had no description on it, but I sure am glad that the cover graphics piqued my interests as they did. It's a fantastic psychological thriller, with a major Hollywood star but with true B-film attitude.
For rare choices like the three listed above, most of Godard's filmography, a "Recommended Hipster Viewing" section, a plethora of exotic birds, truly fanatical and knowledgeable employees (including a porn guru, though Odd Obsession is NOT a porn store, as they emphatically state upon entrance) and an exponentially growing film library, there is no better place in the entire midwest, for sure. -
Review from Timothy M.
Chicago, IL
1/3/2007
There's really nothing you can say bad about this place, except it could be a tad bigger. But I'm just being picky. The movies are cheap, the selection is great, and they have cool specials and knowlegable staff.
Tons of hard-to-find movies. I've never been a huge movie buff, but I love music, so for true movie geeks, this place must be what I feel like when I find an amazing record store. It's a real draw, worth the drive if you live out of the neighborhood. Wicker Park needs more stores like this, that make it something you can't get in Lakeview or Lincoln Square. Truly unique.
The vibe is totally 1990s High Fidelity-era Wicker Park. And that's a good thing!Listed in: Hot moms and cool dogs
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Review from laura heather h.
Chicago, IL
8/8/2008
Oh yes I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE Odd Obsession!!!!! There are always tons of movies that I want to rent and tons of movies that I haven't seen in a while that make me all nostalgic.
I also really love that the cute guy that works there, possibly the owner?, with the glasses, anyway he can always tell you where movies are and if they have them and possibly even if they are currently rented.
I also also really love the animals there! The kitty is SUPER cute and sweet and the birds are pretty swell too.
I think I would live here if I could. -
Review from Lindley E.
Chicago, IL
12/17/2006
who needs netflix when you have odd obsession? They've got rarities you haven't seen in years, if ever...and the owner has great taste and an eye for the unusual.
having them close by makes da logan area so much sweeter. -
Review from Julia H.
Chicago, IL
11/8/2009
This is my new favorite movie rental place. Sorry North Coast Videos on Division. What attracted me to this place was the cozy feel to it. A thin dark haired employee behind a table, humbled and surrounded by thousands of movies that seem to stretch for days. The movies are divided by country. There is a fantastic selection of documentaries and a stand filled with staffs odd picks of the moment. I picked up another Kurosawa film, my favorite director.
$3 for 3 nights, or $4 for a week per movie. AMAZING.
I really really could get lost in this place.
$1 a day for late fees.
This place takes pride in quality movies. It has a reverance for the classics and a penchant for the obscure.
Thank you once again Chicago. -
Review from Joshua K.
Chicago, IL
8/21/2007
This is not a video store. It's the video store.
3 movies, 3 night for $6 (I miss when it was $5 though, but this deal is still the most unbeatable thing you can get your hands on). I found it out of nowhere when my friend and I were walking thorugh the neighborhood back in April, and I've been a regular ever since. Obscure japanese anime is lacking, if your into that sort of thing, but everything else (German, Russian, Asian, French), all is in big numbers and enough to keep you occupied for many, many years. I place to come here for many, many years in fact.
I HIGHLY recomend vermillion pleasure nights. The jokes are corny and weird, but I like it.
I also HIGHLY recomend Hausu.
They don't have Paprika though, which bums me out. -
Review from Ashley S.
Chicago, IL
9/18/2010
Now I have Netflix.
But before I did, I had Odd Obsession!
I love this place!!!! Great selection of rare movies, stuff I thought I could never find anywhere else --especially foreIgn movies.
It can be pricier than other places to rent, but it's totally worth the trip. -
Review from Em M.
Chicago, IL
2/24/2010
Amazing amazing amazing selection of films. The owner really cares about stocking films that are unavailable elsewhere. This is a great place to go to rent limited release films. Mondays and Tuesdays they have some great deals, too.
Know your stuff before you go because they are organized alphabetically by director. If you can't find something, though, the staff is very helpful.
This isn't the place for bros to rent Scary Movie 4. This place is tailored to the needs and desires of cinephiles.
Support this place and rent from them!! -
Review from candace l.
Chicago, IL
3/8/2009
Only movie lovers need enter. You will find what you're looking for and if not, just ask. They are very knowledgeable and friendly. The movies are organized by directors so it's helpful to know who that'd be.
They are not going to have the latest hollywood movie but you'd know that if you're renting here. What they will have is an amazing assortment of the greatest movies of all times.
Their prices are more than reasonable: $3/3 nights or $5/wk and weekly specials that are $2/movie. Take that, Blockbuster!! I highly recommend checking them out. -
Review from Dave S.
Chicago, IL
12/10/2009
Only been there twice, but both times the owner was working and he's super cool and helpful.
as far as the store, they have an awesome collection of movies ranging from very weird obscure stuff to foreign films and domestic ones.
It's a very neat, classic looking video store that has that classic video store look, sadly replaced by the all too clean and sterile feel of corporate chains. It's nice to have a video store that looks like the kinds we all went to when we were kids.
In the age of Netflix and Redbox, sadly video stores are a dying breed, but as long as stores like this exist and there's other weirdo's like me renting weird stuff that nowhere else carries, we're good. -
Review from Jen L.
Chicago, IL
7/14/2009
Echoing all of the ultra-geek cinemaphile praise typed heretofore PLUS
extra stars for not being too chatty with me about my movie selection and cutting me some slack on the late fees. -
Review from Dimitri S.
Los Angeles, CA
5/7/2007
The greatest thing to happen to man ever? Most certainly.
I am completely addicted to this place, to the point where it's become a problem. An unbelievable selection ranging from silent films, to every Japanese art house flick you'd ever want to see, to amazing 1980's after school specials, to countless Criterion titles. If you haven't gone yet, make these some of your first rentals...
The Beaver Trilogy, Creating Rem Lazar, The Dinah Shore Portal To Hell, C.H.I.P.S. Tape, McBain, The Skateboard Kid, Grill Skill!, The Boy Who Drank Too Much, Happy Together... etc. etc. etc.
Plus, 2 days a week, they have this deal where you get 3 movies for 3 nights, for 5 bucks. Ridiculous..
Oh yeah, the owner and staff make you feel like you're at a sleepover at your friends house when you were 14- which is awesome. They're always sitting around watching sweet movies and hilariously critiquing them throughout. Sort of like a local Mystery Science Theater 3000. Why are you still reading this? Go there now. -
Review from John-Ryan G.
Chicago, IL
2/20/2010
Great place to find weird ass movies! Get over the fact that they are DVD-R, because that's probably the only way you will ever get 'em. If you are smart about movies (which I am not...) you will be in obscure-film-heaven, but if you are a dummy, you will just have to sift through the covers until something pops out at you. Don't worry, it will. I recommend "THUNDERCRACK" because that movie is FUCKED UP. 3 words: Gorilla hand-job.
The staff is a bit cooky-- long awkward pauses, and WAY too much information... but pretty darn helpful. Check it out, and don't ask for any "main-stream" movies, because they will probably laugh at you. -
Review from Steven S.
Chicago, IL
10/2/2007
I've tried Netflix, but I've never enjoyed it as much as have being a reliable patron of the local video store, and Odd Obsession rewards those tendencies. First, I love the place itself. The store is welcoming (the birds in the window are a nice alternative to those cats that are always populating book stores); the place is well-organized, and I've run across so many things I had given up on ever finding. It's a great place to browse, because they only have the stuff you're interested in (read: they only have stuff I am interested in).
Also, I love their Monday and Tuesday 3 for the price of 2 special. There's nothing like being able to rent movies for $2. -
Review from Lauren M.
Brooklyn, NY
1/27/2010
I was never that big on renting videos until I got here.
The selection has a nice variation from the offbeat to the blockbuster movies although of course more of the former. Their special weekly rates are also good too, especially if you're like me who will sit through a season of a television show while sewing some project together. The owner is outgoing with everyone though some of the staff can be rather pretentious, but it's a video store, who isn't. As long as they bring my copy of Frankenhooker, they can do whatever the hell they want. I can indulge in all of the trashy movies I want along with the art school necessities and occasional times I might actually want to use my brain.
And most importantly, they have a cat, which seriously every video rental place should consider standard. -
Review from Amina D.
Chicago, IL
6/25/2009
The Film Buff's Wet Dream Come True!
Odd Obsession is one of the reasons I'm glad I moved to Chicago. Being a horror movie buff and growing up in Shreveport, Louisiana, BlockBuster and Hollywood just never did it for me, I was on a quest for years to find and watch the goriest movies ever made. Cannibal Holocaust, The Untold Story, Aftermath, I Stand Alone, Men Behind The Sun, All Night Long 1-3 (Watch All Night Long 3, that is some sick a** s**t up in that movie!) and countless other gems are to be found here.
Brian and Friends are all very nice are more than happy to recommend movies to you and don't have that Wicker Park "I love the smell of my own sh*t" attitude. The last time I came in here Brain said I should rent Stuck starring Mena Suvari for he knows my love of gory twisted movies. I was not disappointed at all, in fact, I loved Stuck and recommend you see it too, if you can handle some gore.
I'll be honest I haven't been here in a while, I'm sure I got a huge late fee there, but they are good about reducing it for you, and I've been cheating on Odd Obsession with Netflix. I'm sorry Brain I only use it for fitness dvds, I promise to pay the late fee and you can spank me with a John Waters movie.
So, check this place out, chat it up with the people there and for God's Sake rent DUCKMAN! -
Review from Owen L.
Chicago, IL
8/2/2008
Screw the guy with his bootleg complaints. Okay, yes there are a few bootlegs, but most are because the title is not available on DVD, and they have been nice enough to convert it from VHS for us. Or maybe it is because the movie isn't available at all.
I like this place. My only complaint is that I'd like them to have better hours, though, it's not enough to keep me from coming back again and again. I'd rather go here than any other place in the city. And the blockbuster a few blocks away can suck my n***. -
Review from Dennis J.
Chicago, IL
1/29/2010
They still haven't made any words in the English language to describe how much I LOVE this place!!!
O.O is a movie buffs "Holy Land".
The selection is dope...the employee's are knowledgeable...rental prices are cheap....and the store itself is very unique. I mean they even have pet parakeets and a cat just loungin around. If Blockbuster and Hollywood Video just dont do it for you.... run, dont walk to O.O
I'd give more stars if I could -
Review from Jonathan A.
Chicago, IL
4/16/2008
This place is awesome.
I have to admit that I haven't been in the new store location since moving to Wicker Park. And I don't get out to rent videos as much anymore.
So I haven't been here for a long time.
This review is more to say that I am glad Odd Obsession exists and to get the word out. I hope it remains a fixture in Chicago.
I remember the first time I came here was to rent the entire original 1966 Batman TV series on DVD, which you cannot find anywhere.
The Turkish remakes of Star Wars and Superman were amazing.
And once the owner went into the back to find me his own personal copy of early Dada and Surrealist films for me to rent.
Extremely helpful, passionate about film, and totally unique video store. You can't get these rareities on Netflix. or Facets.
Thank you -
Review from Fornikate S.
Chicago, IL
8/12/2007
I adore this place.
Although, they did not have Dead End Drive-In.
John Waters section=FTW. -
Review from Nana h.
Chicago, IL
3/26/2007
Easily one of the best video stores in the city- It started with what was a giant personal collection of dvd's for rent, has now grown into something so amazing and special for all of those who love watching fucked up, funny, rare never seen before films and shows from around the world.
The store is littered with pets and awesome vintage movie posters, worth stepping into and picking up anything! The staff are movie nerds and would love to give you their opinion, or suggest something. -
Review from Tim B.
Evanston, IL
Updated - 10/20/2008
Is it me? I rented 3 titles at the old location and noticed that 2 of them were DVD-Rs.
The guy is blatantly burning discs in front of me, and as he hands me my "rental" goes, "we sell copies of this".
I smirked at him, as why would I buy a burn from him when I could (and did) easily just run myself off a copy.
Selection was great, yeah, but quality on 2 of the 3 I rented (suprise, the burned discs) was kind sub-par. Missing 2 minutes at the beginning on 1 disc, the other one had a blip/sync every 90 seconds for the whole movie.
I'll just stick to filesharing networks for the rare stuff.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/2/2007
Is it me? I rented 3 titles at the old location and noticed that 2 of them were DVD-Rs.
The guy is… Read more »
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Review from Stephen F.
Chicago, IL
6/17/2009
This is far and away the greatest place for DVDs in the whole city, possibly anywhere. Nothing I've known even touches it. As a huge movie nerd, it is the closest thing to Graceland I've come across in the Midwest. I consistently spend an hour there every time I visit, just marvelling at the selection. They've got it all; The good, the bad, and the downright sleazy (cheers) from all over the globe, silent era to brand new releases.
Plus, as if the store and selection weren't cool enough, the staff is tremendously well-watched and friendly as hell.
So cancel your netflix account, and run -don't walk- to Odd Obsession. They have all the movies you crave, and many more you never knew how desperately you wanted to watch.
Any place that uses the poster art from Bronson's St Ives on their sidewalk sign is alright by me. Much love Odd Obsession! You guys are aces. -
Review from Brian M.
Chicago, IL
8/23/2010
Odd Obsession is cheaper than Facets, and while the selection is not as good, I am rarely seeking movies that Odd Obsession doesn't have. They organize mostly by director, which might put off some people, but I think it is a great way to match your mood with a director's style. Or even a country. If you have any questions, just ask. The people who work here might look like film snobs, but really they don't act like it. On occasion, a DVD is irreparably scratched. I see it as an inevitable negative to a small store that doesn't replace inventory frequently. Take it back and the store is very understanding.
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Review from Alex H.
Chicago, IL
4/19/2008
The staff talks too much. Do not ask any questions. God help you if you ask a question.
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Review from Andrew P.
Chicago, IL
11/9/2007
Dumped the Net Flix because we'd always get a movie and not feel like watching it, then feel like watching a movie and not have the one we wanted. Good thing this is here...always something I want to see, stumble upon. Anyhow, this place is a must for anyone into cult movies/tv shows/educational filmstrips. If you are one of those people who searches for movies by director, this is your place. If you've ever lived in Austin think Vulcan or I Love Video. Staff can be surly and snobby, and lots of times there's some kind of college-age girl drama going on in the store between the workers, but other than that, I think you should check this place out. Cheap prices too!
