VHS and Betamax You Have Recently Rented

[Merzbow]

I haven't watched many films this month but I'm going to catch up at the last second, started with Love Lies Bleeding today which I've wanted to see since the first cast shots were shown. Grimey as all hell, even the tender moments between the two girls had a layer of grease over it and the mullets were out of this world. Full of style and edge and came with the most banging soundtrack including a bit of Suicide and Throbbing Gristle, it wont win any major awards but I had fun with it. Ed Harris plays the big baddy to perfection once again but this time he's sporting the best balding long hair ever put on to film, Hulk Hogan ain't got shit on him.

[Keith Houchen]

9 minutes ago, Merzbow said:

came with the most banging soundtrack including a bit of Suicide and Throbbing Gristle

[Hannibal Scorch]

Boy kills World is a love letter to films like Crank and Shoot ‘em up. A cross between a graphic novel and video game turned into a film. Hilarious over the top gory action but I thought the story lacked especially in the last third for me. A lot of fun for the most part and I still recommend it to people who enjoy those kind of films, I just wished it was 20 minutes shorter.

[cobra_gordo]

Thoroughly enjoyed Monkey Man. Dev Patel is great and I had no idea that he'd written, directed and produced it. Some proper wince-inducing violence and me and my wife both popped for the run in towards the end. My only gripe was some of the cinematography was weirdly disorientating. Not sure if that was a deliberate style choice but most of the shots feel really zoomed in which was making me dizzy at times.

[Hannibal Scorch]

9 minutes ago, cobra_gordo said:

Thoroughly enjoyed Monkey Man. Dev Patel is great and I had no idea that he'd written, directed and produced it. Some proper wince-inducing violence and me and my wife both popped for the run in towards the end. My only gripe was some of the cinematography was weirdly disorientating. Not sure if that was a deliberate style choice but most of the shots feel really zoomed in which was making me dizzy at times.

Not especially. They basically got funding pulled early in production and had to find loads of ways of getting stuff done. I’m sure that included filming on iPhones. I did read an article about it just after it came out, but I’ve slept since then and my memory is hazy. But it basically is a miracle that not only did the end product look so good, but it got rescued from being straight to Netflix as well.

[Donald J Trump]

Shot Caller, a 2017 Crime Thriller starring Nicolai Coster-Walder (Jaime Lanister from Game of Thrones) and Jon Bernthal (who needs no introduction) is a surprisingly enjoyable popcorn movie. At first glance, it looks like it could be one of those Hallmark Christmas movies but it quickly gets into the action and its recommended viewing if you enjoy prison films. It's not going to win any awards and it wasn't a success, but there's more than enough there to enjoy if you're able to overlook any surface level failings. 

[Devon Malcolm]

1 hour ago, Hannibal Scorch said:

Not especially. They basically got funding pulled early in production and had to find loads of ways of getting stuff done. I’m sure that included filming on iPhones. I did read an article about it just after it came out, but I’ve slept since then and my memory is hazy. But it basically is a miracle that not only did the end product look so good, but it got rescued from being straight to Netflix as well.

Jordan Peele rescued it, didn't he? Said it needs to go out in the cinemas. I can see this happening more and more going forward.

[Hannibal Scorch]

2 hours ago, Devon Malcolm said:

Jordan Peele rescued it, didn't he? Said it needs to go out in the cinemas. I can see this happening more and more going forward.

That he did. I’m sure it was finished in 2021 and Netflix was due to release it. Shamelessly copied and pasted, but fascinating 

Spoiler

On March 12, 2021, it was announced that filming was completed and Thunder Road Films had sold worldwide rights to Netflix for $30 million.^[20] However, Netflix later felt the film was too gritty for Indian audiences and was concerned about their reaction to the film's political commentary, instead quietly shopping it around and nearly cancelling the release.^[21][22] Of this decision, Patel said, "[Netflix] didn't really know what they'd bargained for. The actual film itself is a lot denser and it's saying a lot... it's not your usual action scene on page one, and then you continue fighting nonstop. It's trying to do a bit more."^[23]Sometime thereafter, Jordan Peele saw the film and came on board as producer under his Monkeypaw Productionsbanner and persuaded Universal Pictures to acquire the film from Netflix for under $10 million.^[24] Patel later stated that Peele "took us from this thing that was brushed under the carpet to putting us on top of the mantel piece.

 

[Hannibal Scorch]

Despite what I said about reviewers in on topic, I may have to start using TikTok to follow this amazing film reviewer. He watched Rebel Moon parts 1 & 2

 

[Merzbow]

I caught Caitlin Cronenberg's directorial debut Humane today and eh.. it's a mostly ok thriller but with some pretty poor acting and dialogue. It beats you over the head with it's messaging without letting it feel organic, too. You could argue Brandon does that too but at least his films so far have been impossibly stylish and truly fucking weird.

I also rewatched Hard Candy which is still tense as hell even while knowing all the turns it takes, Elliot Page is just outstanding here. Catching it on Blu-ray really shows how good the digital colour grading was there, it did a lot of things for the first time ever and still looks better than many current films in that regard.

[Devon Malcolm]

The Fall Guy (cinema)

As expected and promised, excellent fun. Hit and miss with its comedy but Gosling and Waddingham are absolute treats, Winston Duke gets to batter some lads, and it's a nice tribute to stunts and stunt performers. Will rewatch a lot.

Perfect Days (cinema)

Glad I waited patiently to see this at the cinema. Wim Wenders is another old director still making stuff of a high quality when he should be long retired but this might actually be the best film of his whole career. I enjoy films about nice people just getting on with their lives and with each other almost as much as dumb action-comedies. Wonderful.

Dune (1984)

I mean, this is fine? It doesn't even feel slightly like a David Lynch film but I didn't think there was anything awful here. Its main problem is that it clearly couldn't fit everything into one film, making the recent two-parter make even more sense. So many characters and so much exposition and inner thoughts, it's ridiculous. But also quite good fun.

Dead Man's Letters

Amazingly depressing post-nuclear apocalyptic Soviet film. I've watched a few of these lately (Testament is excellent, too) but this might be the most depressing of the lot. Brilliant film, though.

Screamers

Still a perfectly adequate sci-fi actioner. 15 minutes too long but more than enjoyable even if the effects are terrible. You can tell it's Canadian.

Blade Runner / Blade Runner 2049

One of the biggest cinematic travesties is both these films being box office failures and us not getting more of them despite them both being two of the greatest sci-fi films ever made. 

[Merzbow]

Yeah the Lynch Dune is perfectly decent if you know the story going in to it, you fill in the gaps yourself but at the time I think many went in thinking it'd be Star Wars. I actually think it still looks amazing today, gorgeous set designs.

I watched eXistenZ and I kinda loved it even if it is goofy as all hell, David Cronenberg had surely never ever played a videogame before yet has such a disdain for them? Making a games console that looks like a set of tits that plugs in to a vagina in your back was some inspired design...

Baise-Moi is truly an awfully made film, one of the earlier New French Extremity flicks that'd I'd somehow never seen before yet I came away from it loving it for what it is, just the edgiest female power fantasy and unlike much I'd ever seen before. Accidentally timed the watch so close to Love Lies Bleeding but there are definite comparisons.

[Devon Malcolm]

24 minutes ago, Merzbow said:

Yeah the Lynch Dune is perfectly decent if you know the story going in to it, you fill in the gaps yourself but at the time I think many went in thinking it'd be Star Wars. I actually think it still looks amazing today, gorgeous set designs.

Kenneth McMillan's a great Baron Harkonnen too, I think I even preferred him to Stellan Skarsgard.

[SuperBacon]

Spoiler

52.) Trainspotting (10)
53.) Anatomy Of A Fall* (9)
54.) Good Will Hunting (8)
55.) Sister Act (7)
56.) Sister Act 2: Back In The Habit (7)
57.) When Harry Met Sally (10)
58.) High Fidelity (10)
59.) Fight Club (9)
60.) Star Wars (10)
61.) Clueless (10)
62.) The Empire Strikes Back (10)
63.) Return Of The Jedi (10)
64.) Bruce Almighty* (5)
65.) Gassed Up* (4)
66.) The Force Awakens (9)
67.) The Last Jedi (8)
68.) The Greatest Hits* (7)
69.) About A Boy (8)
70.) The Rise Of Skywalker (8)
71.) Dazed and Confused (10)
72.) Wild Style (9)
73.) Blackberry* (9)
74.) Air America* (5)
75.) Blood Simple* (9)
76.) Inside Out (10)
77.) The Zone Of Interest* (9)

I've been a bit depressed recently and devoid of all inspiration to really do anything at all, so a lot of these are just comfort watches I've seen loads to make me feel better and things I can lie in bed and watch while wanting to be anywhere else (don't worry, it passes until Spurs play)

Best first watches: Anatomy Of A Fall was absolutely fantastic. I did groan when I saw the running time, but I was engrossed all the way through. If my husband had played that fucking P.I.M.P. cover over and over, I'd have definitely chucked him out of a window (not a spoiler don't worry)

The Greatest Hits was a fun time loop romp, not going to win any awards but its well told, has a novel "loop" part and Lucy Boynton is gorgeous.

Blackberry was brilliant. I love a good, serious, tense biopic or whatever, so this was right up my street. I was very worried I wouldn't be able to separate Glenn from Dennis, but I did (one "IDIOTS! SAVAGES!!!" style outburst aside) and he was unbelievable here. That Julliard training paying off! Jay Baruchel great too.

The Zone Of Interest was another gorgeous Glazer film. His balance of story with genuinely innovative sound and vision is an art. Was in bits at the end.

Shit? Well Bruce Almighty was all-shitey (waheeeeeeeey) and Gassed Up was a FAM! BRUV! FAM! MANS! CUZ! load of bollocks (decent soundtrack though) Air America was rubbish as well.

Rewatched all the Star Wars (not Episodes I to III as even a completist like me has limits) All 3x original trilogy films are 10/10 and I think TFA is the best one of the recent lot. Just such a fun romp, which I dont get from the others, but I do enjoy them.

Wild Style is one of the most important films of my formative teen years and a massive reason why I love rap so much. Its a brilliant capture of the still new culture at the time. Yes its cheesy and a bit amateur, but I think it's a really important cultural touchstone.

Trainspotting is the best British film ever and I've always held a massive soft spot for About A Boy. High Fidelity watched again? IMAGINE MY SHOCK.

Nearly half a year in and not even hit 80. Rick I've failed you.

[BomberPat]

Dead Heat (1988)

Utter madness. I feared the worst, but it was actually a lot more entertaining than I expected. A buddy cop film, in which one of the buddies dies in the first act and spends the rest of the film as a reanimated corpse, battling zombie bank robbers. Vincent Price, Toru Tanaka, Gene LeBell and the shop owner from Gremlins all show up, there's some really nice physical effects, and some absolutely ridiculous set-pieces. One of the lead characters has the kind of throwaway cruel misogynist dialogue that you only normally get in Italian genre pictures. Better than it has any right to be, which still means it's probably a generous three stars.