VHS and Betamax You Have Recently Rented

[Factotum]

15 hours ago, Devon Malcolm said:

Men (cinema)

This is a really good film when it's just Jessie Buckley walking round the countryside but the last half an hour is a mess. An enjoyable and disgusting mess, but even so. Alex Garland's first misfire but I still enjoyed it.

That was were I fell on it. Was quite something for me and the 5 blokes in the cinema I was with when that last half hour kicks in.

Jessie Buckley really is on a different level though. Superb

[BomberPat]

went to a screening of The Night Of The Hunter last night, one of my all-time favourites, at The Garden Cinema near Covent Garden - my first time there, and it's a gorgeous small venue, that I already can't wait to return to.

The movie, obviously, is a masterpiece. Robert Mitchum is so sinister, so expressive, and just brilliant, the kids are really compelling, and the use of light and shadow and expressionist set design is superb, really otherworldly and spooky. My girlfriend had never seen it before, knew nothing about it, and was absolutely amazed when I told her that it had been a complete flop and a critical failure on release.

[Keith Houchen]

4 minutes ago, BomberPat said:

I told her that it had been a complete flop and a critical failure on release.

I think it was a huge loss to cinema that Laughton didn’t direct again after the criticism. Imagine what we missed out on!

[air_raid]

16 hours ago, Devon Malcolm said:

The Lady in Red (ok.ru)

Excellent but unknown 70s crime drama based loosely around John Dillinger but focusing on Pamela Sue Martin's character. Really amazing what you can pack into 90 minutes when you try.

Totally mis-read this for a second and immediately thought of the Gene Wilder/Kelly LeBrock romp. Which beyond tame by todays standards, was my first and strongest childhood memory of "I shouldnt really be watching this." Not Terminator or Basic Instinct, The Woman In Red. Can you imagine.

[Hannibal Scorch]

Jurassic World Dominion is  as good or enjoyable as what you think it will be.  5/10

[Mr_Danger]

I watched Adam Sandlers latest Netflix offering, Hustle the other day. It’s an anomaly in so much that it’s not a terrible terrible comedy, it’s not an endearing but shit romantic comedy and it’s not one of his rare good ones. It’s an aggressively average sports movie that ticks all the boxes of any good sports film and has tonnes of Basketball related cameos that I didn’t recognise. 

[bAzTNM#1]

On 6/8/2022 at 10:40 AM, air_raid said:

Totally mis-read this for a second and immediately thought of the Gene Wilder/Kelly LeBrock romp. Which beyond tame by todays standards, was my first and strongest childhood memory of "I shouldnt really be watching this." Not Terminator or Basic Instinct, The Woman In Red. Can you imagine.

Gene Wilder plays a pure stalker in that one. Funny film though. Excellent Stevie Wonder soundtrack.

[air_raid]

3 hours ago, bAzTNM#1 said:

Gene Wilder plays a pure stalker in that one. Funny film though. Excellent Stevie Wonder soundtrack.

Funny thing about that film, I can still hear the narrator from the trailer saying “Teddy, don’t jump. Your wife will understand” etc, because it played an integral part of my childhood. The trailer, not the film. It plays at the start of one of three films (I forget which) on VHS - either Red Sonja, Short Circuit or BMX Bandits - which I watched to death at my mate Simons house, borrowed from his sisters video shop, and accidentally ended up owning once she sold up. This being my mate Simon who I always mention when “How did you get into wrestling” comes around and I go off on Mania VI and SummerSlam 92 trading cards. So The Woman In Red is as much an integral part of my childhood as Vince hyping up the Ultimate Challenge, Super Soccer on the SNES or scoring 30 yarders with floaters into an old swing you bastardised into goalposts.

”On second thoughts, Teddy…. jump.”

[Guest]

how I spent my 39th yesterday. Dinosaurs, sandler movie as chip n dale 
 

Jurassic Park Dominion

Summer movie full of dinosaurs. No 20 mins of people talking in this one. All Dinos, all the time. Exactly what I wanted and got. 

 

Hustle

Moneyball with a bigger ball and tiktok. Decent east watch 

 

chip’n’dale

heard on the empire film podcast this wasn’t a kids film and watched it, who framed roger rabbit for my late 30s generation. Fun easy watch 

[Hannibal Scorch]

6 hours ago, Louch said:

how I spent my 39th yesterday. Dinosaurs, sandler movie as chip n dale 
 

Jurassic Park Dominion

Summer movie full of dinosaurs. No 20 mins of people talking in this one. All Dinos, all the time. Exactly what I wanted and got. 

 

I disagree. Seemed to have about 20 minutes of Dinosaurs throughout the whole 2 1/2 hours. Glad you dug it though.

And bleated Happy Birthday.

[Keith Houchen]

3 minutes ago, Hannibal Scorch said:

And bleated Happy Birthday

[WyattSheepMask]

Jurassic World: Dominion

Had elements of Indiana Jones in the first act, which makes you wish you were watching Indiana Jones instead.

Laura Dern and Sam Neill have a Scooby Doo adventure in the middle, then Chris Pratt and his gang get to a jungle where it goes a bit Predator shortly afterwards, which makes you wish you were watching Predator instead.

Theres a part in the final act where I was convinced that Real American was going to kick in, and as they’d ripped off Predator earlier on, the fact that no-one shouted “get to the chopper” in the final showdown was very disappointing.

If you’ve got kids they’ll probably enjoy it, if not save your money and wait in till it’s on ITV2 next year.

[Devon Malcolm]

Top Gun: Maverick (cinema)

Compared to most of Tom's films, I wasn't as bothered about seeing this because I don't really have much of a connection to the original, even though it's obviously really good. But yeah, the response is justified. Exactly the sort of film the world needs right now - ridiculously entertaining, I loved every minute of it.

Spiderhead (Netflix)

Joseph Kosinski's latest film comes out just two weeks after the above and it's fair to say it's a drop in scope and quality. Still a decent enough thriller with some funny moments and the ending's quite good. This is just about Netflix's level now.

Rising Sun

Actually a lot more racist than I remember but I can't resist these stupid, over-plotted 90s thrillers with massive casts that think they're culturally sympathetic. Connery and Snipes were a decent double-act.

Deadly Hero (YouTube)

Superb and obscure 70s crime drama about an unhinged cop who shoots an unarmed black man and then goes after the witness who won't back his story. Really intense and violent with a superb ending. Love this sort of thing.

Rumble Fish

Francis Ford Coppola should have retired after Apocalypse Now.

The Hunter (Talking Pictures TV)

Steve McQueen's final film, shot while he was gravely ill and he looks it. Yet he still is as energetic and charismatic as ever even if the film doesn't really wake up until its last half an hour, where it promptly goes completely mad.

Relentless (1989) (YouTube)

Judd Nelson really fucking goes for it as a psychopath who's murdering blokes with the same name as his abusive dad. When he's not on screen this is quite boring but when he is it's ace.

[gmoney]

8 minutes ago, Devon Malcolm said:

Rumble Fish

Francis Ford Coppola should have retired after Apocalypse Now.

 boring but when he is it's ace.

I wasted a fiver on this when I was a skint student. Coppola owes me £5. 

[Magnum Milano]

A bunch of stuff I've watched over the past few weeks:

The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)

Coming-of-age story about a shy, insecure teen entering high school who befriends a couple of seniors who take him into their group. There are some dark undertones (I guessed about the aunt) so not all sweetness and light. Find yourself friends like Patrick and Sam and you won’t go far wrong.

Batman: The Movie (1966)

The Penguin, The Joker, The Riddle and Catwoman put their criminal brains together in order to hold the World to ransom, but they’ve got to get Batman out of the way in order to do so. All sorts of camp fun, highlighted by Batman fighting with the rubber shark! Does peter out towards the end.

Hanky Panky (1982)

A shared cab ride for an innocent architect sets off a chain of events that sees him fleeing for his life and wanted for murder. First half of the film is better than the second as the Government secrets story is all a bit mess and not fully explained. The plane scene is hilarious!

I Wanna Hold Your Hand (1978)

Its 1964, the Beatles have arrived in the United States to make their debut appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show and a group of friends decide to travel to New York determined to meet their idols. Real fun and a highly entertaining movie. The cast, who are mostly unknown to me, are all excellent.

Smithereens (1982)

An ambitious young runaway heads to New York to try and break into the Punk scene. Even though Wren is a user and gets what she deserves, she’s a bit of a lost soul who I did feel sorry for in the end. This low budget, indie flick paints a bleak picture of early 80s NY. Quality soundtrack.

Haunted Honeymoon (1986)

A radio voice actor is set to marry his co-star, however is suffering with panic attacks which are close to costing him his job. In order to cure him, he must be scared to death. My quest to watch more Gilda Radner led me to this stinker. Influenced by 1940s horror, just too weird and not funny.

Straight Time (1978)

Released on parole after six-years inside, lifelong criminal Max Dembo decides its time to go straight. However after being screwed over by his Parole Officer, he returns to what he knows best. I reckon Dustin Hoffman is one of those actors who is never not on form. Good film and well worth a watch.

St. Elmo’s Fire (1985)

A group of friends fresh out of College struggle with the transition into adulthood and the real world. Wasn’t a waste of time but not one of my favourite “brat pack” flicks, down mainly to the personalities of the characters. Wendy (Mare Winningham) is the only decent one amongst them ,the creepy obsessive stalker Kirby (Emilio Estevez) the worst of the lot.

Christine (2016)

The true story of Sarasota news reporter, Christine Chubbuck. Probably Rebecca Hall’s finest performance to date as you can not help but feel Christine’s pain. Even knowing how this ends it is still a shocking watch, can't begin to imagine how those who were watching live felt.