What Redbox Taught Me About Movies, Life, and the Friend Who Changed It All

Discovering Horror and Action with Dannette-before Redbox

Way back in the day, my good friend Dannette introduced me to the world of action and horror movies. She introduced me to The Hitcher (1986), a now cult classic horror film. Prior to that I’d occasionally give a hitcher a ride, after that, no way in Hades! She was also responsible for my first foray into action-fantasy with The Wraith, which was my first introduction to Charlie Sheen. Despite, in hindsight, what I now see as her questionable taste in movies, I was hooked then and still a fan today. Rarely did I watch a scary movie at night before bringing the dogs in for the evening. I was that jumpy. Watching scary movies might qualify as a cardio workout for me.

Childhood Drive-In Memories

As a child I remembered my parents taking us to a drive-in theater. I only remembered going once and had no idea what movie was playing. What I did remember was the box you attached to the car window which allowed us to listen to the movie playing on the big screen. Beneath the screen was a playground with swings, a merry-go-round, and other playground equipment. At that age the playground must have won out over whatever was playing on the big screen.

Passing the Drive-In

Later, as a pre-teen, I remembered riding with my parents to church. On the way we always passed the drive-in with its “larger-than-life” pictures. My sister and I would crane our necks to watch the screen for as long as we could while passing by.

The Redbox Review Project

Back when cheap movie rentals were as easy as a trip to a convenience store or Walgreens, Redbox was our go-to for Friday and Saturday movie nights. Since I didn’t go to theaters, I stuck to movies that made it to Redbox and created my own little rating system to share with friends. The project lasted about six months, and I called it Redbox Reviews. I’ve included a few of those reviews below, along with my personal rating system:
R – Recommend
E – Eh (it’s only a $1)
D – Doomed (past B-rated)
These were my personal opinions. Redbox didn’t endorse these ratings.

From Redbox to Streaming

A few years after streaming became more widespread (and way more convenient), we ditched Redbox, but not the endless browsing to see which movie would make the cut. But I still looked back on that time with a smile (insert Redbox Hug pic that was submitted for their Hug Redbox campaign). These reviews captured a fun era of cheap rentals, movie nights at home, and the thrill of finding something good in that little red kiosk.

Remembering Dannette

Dannette passed away in 2018, not long after the Redbox days. Her birthday was a few days ago, which reminded me of these old reviews. She would never know just how much she influenced my life from movie watching to learning how to enjoy life to the fullest, because that’s what she did—light up people’s lives. Every time I picked up a suspenseful flick or a good horror film, I thought of her. I thought she’d get a kick out of these reviews and probably argue with at least half of my ratings all the while laughing because I wouldn’t go outside to check out a noise.

Redbox Movie Reviews from the Vault

Revisiting these memories made me dig up my old Redbox movie reviews. They’re snapshots of a simpler time — back when one-dollar rentals brought unexpected hits, near-misses, and plenty of opinions. The photo below was my entry in Redbox’s 2012 “Hug the Redbox” contest — because yes, I really did love that big red box. You’ll find a few of those reviews below.

Perfect — these are strong reviews, and you’re already using a consistent tone and rating format. To make them blog-ready for the tail end of your Redbox memory post, I’ll format and polish them for readability, add light SEO optimization (including titles and formatting), and keep your voice intact.

Redbox Movie Reviews from the Vault

The photo below was my entry in Redbox’s 2012 “Hug the Redbox” contest

Revisiting these memories made me dig up my old Redbox movie reviews. They’re snapshots of a simpler time — back when one-dollar rentals brought unexpected hits, near-misses, and plenty of opinions. The photo below was my entry in Redbox’s 2012 “Hug the Redbox” contest — because yes, I really did love that big red box. You’ll find a few of those reviews below.

🎬 Decisions (2011)

Vicky’s Rating: E — Eh (It’s only a $1)

I rented this for Corey Haim, but while the message, about how our choices affect others, was solid, the film just didn’t deliver. Predictable plot, weak acting, and low production value made it hard to stay invested. Not a total waste, but definitely one I could’ve waited to catch on cable.

🎭 The Dark Nemesis (2011)

Vicky’s Rating: D — Doomed (Past B-rated)

A superhero fantasy that nearly put me to sleep. The story had potential and the ending wasn’t awful, but the stiff acting and cheap visuals dragged it down. It felt like the cast was made up of A-list lookalikes without the talent. My husband actually liked it more than I did, but I wouldn’t recommend it — especially not for kids.