NOAH: I admit it. My freshman year, I had a difficult time fitting in. I had been used to the circle of childhood friends I adhered and I wasn't prepared for starting over again socially. I made friends in my dorm. But those dorm friendships tend not to be built from common interest, but rather from the common temporary need for human companionship during a difficult time of transition.

So it came to be, after trials of tiring bonding through drinking with people I had little in common with, that I came to a crossroads. I still had no direction in my education, and was about ready to give up any attempt at creating an entertaining life f or myself at the U, opting instead to never get out of bed, cocooning (with my roommate, who had similar problems) and hiding from the scary world of campus life. Finally, my parents rescued me. They bought me a VCR. Within a year, I knew what I wanted to pursue in school and in life - the acquisition of as much film knowledge as possible. I was, and am, a video addict.

BEST VIDEO STORE NEAR CAMPUS:

Flicks on Campus (910 E. University Blvd.)

DOUG: Not including Blockbuster Video (See Worst of Tucson), Flicks is the closest reservoir of video entertainment in the UA community, a feature that cannot be over-emphasized. It may not be the largest store in Tucson, but it is one of the frien dliest, making it one of the few campus area stores not taking its college clientele for granted.

NOAH: Needless to say, this was the epicenter of my freshman year rescue mission. I walked to Flicks daily, returning with two or more of their cheaply priced videos under my arm. At first I thought I was special (read: pathetic), because they reme mbered my name immediately, but I soon realized it was part of their great customer service.

DOUG: They've also just recently expanded and merged with a poster store. For a corner-type business, their selection ain't bad, either.

NOAH: The good times soon came to an end for me and Flicks, however, with a sordid episode concerning an "Amityville Horror" (don't ask) videotape.

DOUG: Yeah, well, they do require people to return their tapes on time.

BEST VIDEO STORE IN TUCSON:

Casa Video (2905 E. Speedway Blvd. and 1925 E. Grant Rd.)

NOAH: This only upped the ante as far as my obsession with watching movies is concerned. I can still walk through their hallowed aisles (a tear comes to my eye as I write this) and chart the last five years of my life. Casa has the best selection o f videos I have ever seen in any video store - a deep classics section, wide-ranging foreign films, rare, hard-to-find and independent videos, and laser discs. They have it all.

DOUG: It's really not an overstatement to say the people of Tucson are lucky to have this store. As a video-obsessor who has lived in St. Louis and Phoenix, it's by far the best-stocked video store I've seen. They file foreign films by country, for crying out loud. And they offer free bags of popcorn. But, it must be said that their laid-back atmosphere can become indifferent. It's not the friendliest store.

NOAH: Casa Video is so good that I get angry when they don't have something. I forget that at any other store I would just shrug and think, "what do you expect?" At Casa, I feel let down. But that doesn't happen too often, and they're really good a bout filling customer requests.

DOUG: Then again, how many readers have actually looked for "Cockfighter" or "The Big Combo"?

NOAH: But don't just take our word for it. Go to Casa Video and ask to see our account records. I think you'll be a little surprised at the heights late fees can reach.

SECOND BEST VIDEO STORE IN TUCSON:

Pink Motel (3226 E. Speedway Blvd.)

NOAH: Take the classic section of Casa Video. Take away a few titles, add a few different titles. Wrap it all up in a (bordering on annoying) retro package, and you have the Pink Motel.

DOUG: I once asked a friend if she'd like to go to the Pink Motel, and she responded, "I'm not that kind of girl." It is a video store, though, and while it's skeptical if their selection is good enough to inspire an entire store, they are classic s, and it's encouraging to see a store promoting good movies.

NOAH: Pink Motel really tries to make renting a video fun, which means little signs reminding you that you're having a good time, and daily specials like "Wear Your Pajamas To Pink Motel and Get Two For One Videos."

DOUG: Don't forget their "room number" key chain system, which invokes extreme ire in their employees if you don't adhere to it.

NOAH: Personally, I could do without all this, and wish they would just focus their energies on building their inventory more, but ... it's still a pretty good video store.

WORST VIDEO STORE:

Blockbuster Video (various locations)

NOAH: Blockbuster is responsible for the dumbing down of Video America. They tell you all you want to rent are the "blockbuster" new releases, and if you believe it, you will. They also only stock "R-rated" versions of their titles, opting for edit ed versions of films rather than the actual film or director's cut. They also generally only stock the "pan and scan" version of videos, rather than the wide-screen versions.

DOUG: Anyone with an interest in movies outside contemporary Hollywood has no business near a Blockbuster franchise. The nearest store to campus has no less than 24 copies of "Mr. Holland's Opus." Is that really necessary?

NOAH: Blockbuster is also expensive, the account-opening process is grueling and scary, and there's no payoff, unless you really want to rent "Father of the Bride II" and nothing else.

DOUG: When I walk into a Blockbuster, I feel completely devoid of a personality - I'm just a mindless box-office statistic.

DOUG: As recently as 10 or 20 years ago, college students had to join 16mm screening clubs in order to view movies outside the theaters. We really do live in a cinematic dreamland with the advent of the corner video store. Take advantage of the fri endlier, more widely-stocked video stores in Tucson to expand your viewing pleasures and enjoy what is often referred to as the "art form of the 20th century." From our VCR to yours, here's to good movie-watching.