The Film Buff

I used to come here not for movies but for their peanut butter chocolate ice cream. However the last I was here I ordered the same peanut butter chocolate ice cream but
I was disheartened to find out the ice cream I fell in love has changed… A lot.
I came back today with my hopes high that the recipe has been improved and closer to my old favorite but I’m afraid I’m going home with dampen spirit. The new recipe is a big improvement from the last one I had but it is still a far cry from the original maypole recipe. The peanut butter in it is not the same. Gone is the creamy chunky peanut butter with just the right amount of saltiness in it that goes very well with the dark creamy chocolate ice cream. It WAS simply the best. I dare say this new version is just your run of the mill chocolate ice cream with strips of peanut butter. :(

this has to be one of the worst film stores I have ever been too. You would think with the dying of video stores across the world that the service would be a little better but this place has service and selection that is less than mediocre. The staff seems lazy and disinterested and they never want to look farther than their reach to find a title that you might be looking for. I use to like film buff but I now will never go back.

What an amazing place. You’ll be hard– pressed to find a better rental place in the city. Huge stock and a very knowledgeable staff eager to help. Love their selection of silent films. Tons of eclectic choices.

This is a surprisingly decent place to study.
They’ve got caffeinated beverages, muffins and cookies. And ICE CREAM! Because we all know how important breaks are.
There’s a long tall table in front of the check-​out counter where you can rest your books and head (once it gets too full). Definitely an unconventional study spot and not one I would over-​abuse. But once in a while, it’s nice to get away from the hipster-​filled cafes.
And after a long day of hitting the books, what’s better than picking up a film to watch at home?

This review is solely for the ice cream. Oddly, I’ve never rented a movie from here.
It is delicious — some flavors better than others (the pistachio is subtle, the chocolate peanut butter is divine) & the price is right. Perfect for early evening summer strolls & holding hands in-​between trying to catch all the ice cream before it melts down the side of your cone.

Best. Movie. Store. Ever. Best staff! Best selection! And they have amazing ice cream — get the Crunchy Frog (mint choco chip)! Love the Buff!!!

they said this was the best in toronto. that may be true but im a ice cream connoisseur. says me. bi-​rite and humphrey slocombes are tough to beat and film buff didnt quite do it. to their credit the ice cream was pretty good, and a really cool vibe to be in a VIDEO STORE. they still exist! felt like i was 18 again first discovering crazy films. its a cool spot though… check it out.

We’ve fallen in love with watching movies again! My girlfriend and I have made it a weekly thing that we rent a movie, and without The Film Buff there is no way we’d have as much fun as with it as we do. Wonderful selection of old, classic, indie, hard to find and yes, even blockbuster films. Tons of TV on DVD as well.
Oh, and ice cream :)

5 stars, and let me tell you why. Film Buff is the the only equivelent to the much loved Suspect and Queen Video movie rental shops this far out west. You wont find 10 copies of the latest blockbuster film for rent but there is a good chance you can find that indie, foriegn or classic film you’ve been trying to hunt down and watch. In fact you don’t even have to step but three feet in the door until you encounter a standing rack of semi-​obscure films picked out by the staff that would make for great viewing. They also have a very good selection of TV series box sets (this is where I was able to find Rollergirls and Life on Mars).
What else? The place also doubles as a café and ice cream parlor. Need a latte and a table to sit at as you and your SO deliberate over whether to rent Pride and Prejudice or Kung Fu Hustle? You can do it at Film Buff. Need some Atomic Chocolate ice cream to munch on as you decide between watching Dr. Strangelove or Hadashi no Gen? They got that too. Oh, and the ice cream is only $ 2.50 for a big scoop!
The staff are not exactly film geeks but they are knowledgeable and friendly enough in helping you find what you are looking for. If you live in the nieghborhood this is the video rental place you want to got to.

I absolutely love this place. My boyfriend lives within walking distance from here, and I love strolling here with him to pick out a great movie and some yummy ice cream.
I have been coming to the Film Buff for years, and it has never disappointed me. They carry a very large selection of movies, including international films, independent films, old Hollywood classics, an impressive comedy section, horror films, you name it, they have it. Their staff is very knowledgeable, and more than happy to help assist you in finding what you are looking for. I have never in all these years had a bad experience here.
Now the real reason why I absolutely love this place: Ice Cream!
They have a decent variety of ice cream flavours with cute, quirky names like «cookies and cow» (cookies and milk) and «crunchy frog» (mint choc chip). I’ve tried most, if not all of their flavours and I have liked them all.
They even have «baby» cones for when you want a little something sweet, but are watching your weight or not in the mood for a huge cone. The baby cones are tiny and really cute, most importantly they are only .75 cents

The Film Buff has a wide selection of international movies, where you cannot get them in any other dvd rental store. At least not in St Catharines.
I love the icecream bar, the desserts and coffee.
A great place to read a newspaper, relax in the sun, a fun atmosphere!

i’ts flipping hot outside, and they are tearing up Ronce to put in new sewers and streetcar tracks. but after grabbing a latte at Cherry Bomb. i over heated and went nextdoor to the film buff where $ 2.75 gets you 2 big scoops of icecream to eat while riding through the dust… YUMMY!
i’ll have to rent a movie next time as my hands are full
Unilocaled from my blackberry STORM

Great little local shop. Wide selection of documentaries and foreign films. It is often most busy with ice cream patrons and the reason I visit so regularly. Also wide selection and cheap too.

One part café, one part movie haven. This is one of the city’s best independent movie rental places.
For me, their comedy section alone is worth a visit. They carry great classics and even feature a SEASONAL wall, which right now is proudly displaying all sorts of great Christmas movies (…but may I also suggest, The Hebrew Hammer?)
If you live in the area, this is your place.

Here’s a real testament to the power of Unilocaling: a while after I wrote my first review of the Film Buff, I got a message from someone there telling me that, after reading the review, they decided to order Comic Book: The Movie after all. Now it’s in. That’s the kind of take-​charge approach to customer service I like to see! Go Film Buff!

Really cool video store for the film lover in you. You can sip on a cup of joe whilest browsing their large and diverse selection of films. They have a lot of films that you’d be hard pressed to find at Blockbuster. Asian cinema, silent movies, even a section devoted to Hitchcock.
The store is located in the basement of the plaza. It’s a little dark and dingy in there, which I guess adds to the appeal. I went on Thanksgiving day and it was pretty busy.