Citizen Video
Category: Videos and Video Game Rental [Edit]
Neighborhood: South Park2207 Fern St.
San Diego, CA 92184 (619) 281-3456
All we need are friends. Three takes on the meaning of…
Announced 3 weeks ago
- Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
20 Reviews for Citizen Video
One of Citizen Video's Favorite Reviews
There's a reason people love this place. This is a movie lover's paradise. The carefully chosen selection spans from foreign (separated by country of origin) to American films (organized by director) and everything in between, including the newest arthouse releases. They've got reasonable rental prices and great specials during the week. If your tastes lean towards Audition, Volver & anything by Jim Jarmusch, you'll feel right at home here.
This place is great. They carry a lot of movies you can't find any where ells. The people are really friendly and they are fellow movie nerds. They really have connected with the community.
I can't believe it's taken me this long to join!
A Parker Posey shirt and a Godard shirt on the same shelf? and for free if you join? AND the films are organized by director, rather than title?! This store is too good to me.
Oh, and i watched Divorce Italian Style last night, which I highly suggest if you enjoy viewing incest in black and white. Which I, of course, love.
People thought this was:
Funny (1)
Citizen Video was my first SD indie video store love. Citizen: you took my Inarritu rental virginity. I'll always remember that as a wonderful and somewhat painful experience.
Not only is Citizen Video in South Park, another one of my favorite of SD neighborhoods, but its an amazing Mecca for those with taste in film.
First off, they do have a good selection. Yes, they are small- but what they have is what you want/should see. I'm kindof obsessed with their documentary shelf. Only kindof.
They also have amazing staff there. Everybody is always friendly and incredibly helpful. Not to mention knowledgeable. One of my first times in there I was trying to rent movies for my roomie (who had just had her wisdom teeth pulled) to veg out to. The girl who was working (I wish I remembered her name!) was amazingly helpful and picked out 3 great movies that helped my poor roomie through her drug/pain induced 36 hour semi coma. Not only that, but when I went to return the films, the same girl was there, and she remembered me, and she asked how my roomie was doing! It was great.
They have a few options for membership. I went with the most expensive one, cause i've just got soo much money rollin around in my bank account. Or, because, it goes like this. You pay $25/year. You get 1 free film every month, and another free one on your birthday month. I figure, most rentals are about $3. 3x12=36. So, even if you don't rent videos, and just get the free ones, you are still saving money! Also, if you rent on tuesdays, its 3 films for $3. Seriously people, these are some amazing deals.
So, stop giving Blockbuster and Hollywood video money. Also the netflix thing (however wonderful it may be) is getting a little out of control. I like it, but I'd rather these small stores stay in business. Try this: see if they have it first, and then netflix it. My advice, obviously you don't have to take it.
People thought this was:
Useful (4)
Cool (1)
Great South Park Video Rental Store. Really feel that they are providing a great service to the South Park area. This place feels like something that you'd find in more artsy-cutting edge areas of the country, perhaps like in NYC-- San Francisco. Feel that we are very lucky to have in in SD.
I joined with a one month membership to catch up on independent films that I hadn't yet seen.
The staff recommended some really good films for me to see that I had never heard much press on.
My favorite was called "Sweet Land"...
A great film that showed the struggle that young American couples had during the depression when they were fighting to keep their farms, homes, and to grow strong crops despite the weather conditions, economic hard times, etc.... This film really made me appreciate my Grand Parent's generation from a new angle.
Wish that they had a few newer release films-- because I really like seeing those on occasion.
Great store-- giving it a 5 Star because they have really good Customer Service; Act like the genuinely care to help you find a video that you'd enjoy... and I like the Vibe in their store.
Holly is always friendly and helpful-- a nice thing to see in San Diego! I love it when people become an Ambassador of Goodwill in the neighborhoods and local stores. It sure beats dealing with Ebenezer Scrooge's!
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (1)
Cool (2)
Nice video store in the cozy neighborhood of South Park. I def. want to give it more stars but they have a small selection of movies. I'm giving 4 due to the great customer service. Great place to buy cool t-shirts and odd trinkets. They even special order. Would be great if they had more foreign films, esp. risque french films from the 60's or Melvin Van Peebles! Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song!!!
People thought this was:
Cool (1)
Citizen Video is a loner, a rebel.
Citizen Video is also the coolest movie shop in SD, taking pride in stocking all the indie movies for your viewing pleasures. They carry the weird B-Movies, Foreign, Documentaries, and even take customer suggestions on what to order in the future. CV also has shirts, magazines, books, popcorn, and other film related stuffs.
Oh yeah, and Citizen Video screens films for free across the street at the Whistle Stop twice a month. How cool is that?
Its just obvious the place is run by people who love films and care about 'em. Almost anytime I'm in this joint a conversation about something film related strikes up.
If not its not in one way, then its in another that Citizen Video promotes film-fanatics to really let there freak flags fly.
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Funny (1)
Cool (2)
We bike over here about twice a week, get new movies, and we kinda dont return them sometimes for months. But that is okay, because we love them and they love us.
All sorts of good stuff, documentaries up the wazoo, all the foreign flicks you could ever dream up. Indie films galore. This place has filled our void since we no longer are cable recieving residents... meaning were cheap. And spend too much money at the bar to be worrying about silly little bills like that. Who needs a phone line anyways?
That being said, 15 dollars a month for unlimited rentals and no late fees and you can grab like 2 or 3 movies at once. How fantastic!
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
Screw Netflix. Support your local business by getting a membership here. I'll admit I'm a far cry from being a film buff, but do I love a lot of foreign and independent films. The staff here bridge that particular love and my lack of knowledge with their recommendations. They're also very friendly about it. Nothing is more intimidating/a turn off than an indie business with a holier-than-thou vibe, and Citizen Video is far from that.
Like interesting films that can test your intellect? Maybe you like horror films like Blacula or an indie film no one has ever heard of? Foreign is an option along with hard to find Japanese/Korean films. LGBT films are falling from the sky! Along with that 80's film you loved (or still love) is here.
Citizen Video outright has to be THE video store in the county!! Holly, the owner, sponsors movies at the Whistle stop, has really fun parties at the store, and she also supports the "Teen Producers Project"!!!
She is VERY forgiving with late fees and always has fun items for sale! BEST MOVIE SELECTION IN SD.
So long corporate videos stores, I'm now a citizen!!
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Funny (3)
Cool (3)
I love that they don't have the Star Wars trilogy. So funny. If you can handle just a smidge of pretentiousness, the people working always have great advice. "Crash" (the academy one, not the indie one) really did suck the big one.
Citizen rocks the indie's. You can stop Netflix and GreenCine and just go here...there's lots of interesting stuff and if you get stuck, Holly *always* has great recommendations.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
for craig, but not craig alone.
and now, another sentence or two:
i just found out that citizen video hosts a movie night at whistlestop bar. twice a month they show matinees at 4pm. their choices of films are pretty great. and you can meet craig if you go... he's a cool guy (known him 5 years or so.)
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Cool (1)
Owner Holly Jones always has great movie suggestions. Citizen's collection of indie, foreign, and just-plain-good films is not huge, but it's quality! Holly also gives great recommendations if you aren't sure what you're in the mood for (e.g., she once recommended Tsotsi and I bawled like a baby all night). I would say it's like a miniature version of La Video or Lost Weekend here up in SF.
Must give Holly props for tolerating this same 15 minute fight every time we walk into the store:
EL: Baby, let's get a horror film.
ME: Noooooooooooo, you know I hate those! I refuse.
EL: Please? I'll watch this drama with you if you do.
ME: Absolutely not. Remember last time when you made me watch the Descent and I couldn't sleep for two nights?
EL: That's not fair. I watched that really emo and cheesy love story with you last time.
ME: no. no. nononononoo. and no. NO!
EL: Fine, I'll just watch it alone. You get your movie and I'll get mine.
ME: No, don't make me watch alone. I want to watch one with you - just not the horror film.
EL: ::gives intimidating look::
ME: Fiiiiiiiiiiiine I'll watch it but I'm not gonna like it.
EL: ::smug, victorious smile::
ME: ::sad, defeated look::
They also have great deals on weekdays (2 for 1 days or 1 free movie per month if you join the membership) and even have special movie showing nights and they host community events!
Citizen also has a cute collection of zines, American Apparel printed t-shirts, a Citizen Video calendar, and random books. Checkcheck it out.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (3)
Cool (2)
I rented Spirited Away here once, then I moved and lost the movie. I called them so they could charge me for the price of the movie, which they were appreciative of, but I was never actually charged.
I've heard stories of them dropping fees and stuff, so I like to think not charging me was intentional and that they're very nice people.
They've got plenty of foreign films and tons of stuff I've never heard of, plus I could find a lot of my favorites there. It's not riddled with all kinds of signage saying "NEW RELEASES" or any of that flashy garbage you'd find at most video stores.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
I've tried before to give my business to mom & pop video stores, just because I hate Blockbuster. But many of those places still just have a bunch of crappy movies. Citizen is refreshingly a happy marriage of good people and a healthy selection of interesting movies. If you live near here, you don't need Netflix.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Cool (2)
Yay for an indie place with indie and foreign movies! I hate Blockbuster and not having Netflix so it's nice to know this place exists. I also love this location as it sits right beside Rebecca's. Grab a cup of coffee, a scone, a scoop of ice cream from the ice cream shop across the street, and a movie. It's seriously fun! (:
Praise citizen video for its smart and eclectic collection of independent and foreign movies! This is such a breath of fresh air for any cinephile who simply loves the medium and the most marginal creative movies no regular video rentals joints seem to be able to offer. I mostly pop in for foreign movies and simply love their selection.
People thought this was:
Funny (1)
Cool (2)
sick of the dreck from the majors? seen everything the joint around the corner has to offer? drowning in main-stream movies and need to come up for air? what are you waiting for! let Holly help you get your movie groove back on and appreciate the finer things in life!
Holly Jones, co-owner of Citizen Video, is a freakin' genius. She picks the movies she puts in her store carefully. If you find yourself wandering through wanting to rent every movie you see, take a step back and ask Holly to recommend something; she comes through every time.
The place is organized by genre and director, so if you're feeling kind of Finch, you can go right to the shelf holding all his kooky madness.
Citizen is more than just a video store. Get on the email list and check out all the events they sponsor.
People Who Viewed This Also Viewed...
Related Lists
-
San Diego with Cyn
SD from an outsider-insider's perspective (I live… -
Cinco Estrellas!
I try to be judicious in handing out a five-star… -
The Best of Golden Hill,…
List of restaurants, businesses, and events that… -
My Neighborhood
My local dry cleaner, watering hole, deli, cafe,…
Hot and New
- Hair Drezzers On Fire
65 reviews
Neighborhood: Normal Heights
- Tajima Japanese Restaurant
167 reviews
Neighborhood: Kearny Mesa
- The Pearl Hotel
61 reviews
Neighborhood: Liberty Station
- Hash House A Go Go
416 reviews
Neighborhood: Hillcrest
- Lafayette Hotel & Suites
17 reviews
Neighborhood: North Park
