It has been an exhausting week of no longer being able to sleep in, being out late to catch up with friends and getting back into the daily grind of class. And now, all students want to do is relax. What better way to unwind by renting a movie?\nTo avoid pricey rentals and hidden late fees here are some alternative places to rent your favorite movies without the hassle or venture beyond your favorite genre and try something new. \nMovie Gallery\nThree Locations:\n• 2612 E. 3rd St.\n• 1202 S. Walnut St.\n• 4683 West Richland Plz.\nHere is an example of a successful movie rental business with dual locations. Movie Gallery has a specific late fee policy. Unlike Blockbuster, which charges its customers money per day and per rental, Movie Gallery charges the late fee to the renter's account. The movie is then rented again for however long it was originally rented. This gives the viewer an extra day or two (in some situations a week) for a minimal charge.\nMovie Gallery has a plethora of deals. A video renter can rent a free gallery movie, excluding new releases, Friday through Sunday. \nMany question why a business would send customers out with a movie free of charge. \nJason, an employee of Movie Gallery on South Walnut says "It was the company's original idea to increase traffic." \nStudents also have the option to rent two movies and rent one free of charge on Wednesdays.
\nTop Ten Video\n• 413 S. Walnut St.\nTop Ten Video is a favorite movie rental store for many students on campus, including freshman Kate Roseman, who is always ecstatic about the movie rental location. \n"I really like the idea of an independent chain in Bloomington, especially one with five-day rentals and good deals," Roseman says, who is a lover of free movie rentals. \nOn any given day of the week, if a customer walks into Top Ten Video and rents three videos he or she will also be permitted to rent two others completely free of charge. \nJust like Movie Gallery's late fee policy, Top Ten also uses the renewal method. Each movie is a five-day rental, if the customer forgets to return the film on the day it's due back, Top Ten will charge for another five-day rental giving the customer enough time to finally finish the movie.
Plan 9 Film Emporium\n• 118 E. 6th St.\nPlan 9 Film Emporium is a favorite among local independent film-makers, because the business allows people to display and rent their own movies. \nAdam-Gregory Catanzarite, a sophomore studying film, says "Plan 9 is a good place not just for film majors, but for everybody because they have a wider and more diverse range than the mainstream video rental places." \nContaining a large collection of low-budget films and Sundance and Cannes Film Festival winners, Plan 9 is the place to go for independent films.\nWhen customers rent a movie from this company Plan 9 throws in a free independent local film, most of the time a local director's first film project. Plan 9 has a shelf dedicated solely to these personal endeavors.\nAlthough they do have late fees, for those looking for a very friendly yet personalized atmosphere to browse and rent movies, Plan 9 is an excellent choice. Also, for those who are interested in supporting local businesses, Plan 9 is the place to go.
The Cinemat\n• 123 S. Walnut St.\nThe Cinemat is like Plan 9 when it comes to movie selections because independent films are their stronghold. According to the Web site, www.thecinemat.com, the building is home to more than 3,000 titles including a wide variety of art-house, foreign, independent movies, television series and documentaries. Along with the movies, The Cinemat also houses a 49-seat screening room where movies are played each day of the week for a low fee to the public. Admission is about $3.50 to $4.00, depending on if you're a member or not.\nIn order to rent movies from The Cinemat customers must become a member. To do so, renters pay a one-time fee of $9.95, which includes one free movie credit. \nMovies are rented with credits, which have to be purchased before you rent the movie. Credits can be bought separately, but it's recommended customers buy a package if they plan to rent from The Cinemat frequently. Buying a package is much cheaper than buying credits separately. The credits can also be used toward the screening room. \nFor more information on The Cinemat's pricing and general information visit The Cinemat's Web site.
\nothers\n• herman B Wells Library\n 10th St. & Jordan Ave.\n• Monroe County Public Library\n 303 E. Kirkwood Ave.\nTwo highly overlooked movie rental locations include the Monroe County Public Library and the Herman B Wells Library. If you can't find anything on campus at the main library, students are able to get a library card at the Monroe County Public Library. \nFree movie rentals are a popular aspect of libraries, and students should take advantage of these opportunities. \n"We keep our collection up to date," Margaret Harter says, an employee at the Monroe County Public Library. "We're always looking at literature for things (movies) we should buy, and we also look at what's being requested by our patrons"
