VHS and Betamax You Have Recently Rented

[cobra_gordo]

It was probably my third watch of Lebowski before it really clicked. First time I didn't get it, second I knew it was good and there was something there so I stuck with it. Not watched it for a couple of years so it's probably due a rewatch.

[SaitoRyo]

The Big Lebowski is an eminently watchable and enjoyable film for me. I've probably seen it six or seven times and never failed to laugh during it. 

Speaking of watchable and enjoyable, I stuck Get Shorty on the other day. First time I've watched it for about a decade or so, maybe longer, and I expected it to annoy me because a lot of those 90s post-Tarantino films haven't aged well at all. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that it holds up and is a very entertaining movie elevated by a great cast. 

Be Cool is also up on Prime at the minute, but we're not going to bother with that now, are we?

Edited March 17, 2025 by SaitoRyo

[Hannibal Scorch]

@SaitoRyo I have very fond, personal memories of Be Cool, but I’ve not watched it in a long time. I do remember it was the first time The Rock showed me he had some range as an actor though.

saw two films this weekend

Opus - I knew nothing about this other than Ayo Edebiri and John Malkovic were in it. I saw it described as MenuSommar and that’s a good way of describing it. It was good, but definitely not great, though Johnny is having a lot of fun.

Black Bag - another 90 ish minute film, but this is a spy thriller with a small but great cast. Lots of twists and turns and I thought it was well done and breezed by. I had more fun with this, though Opus will probably be the one that sticks more in my head.

[Chris B]

23 minutes ago, Hannibal Scorch said:

 I do remember it was the first time The Rock showed me he had some range as an actor though.

He then spent the rest of his career trying to keep that particular genie in the bottle.

[LaGoosh]

I recently went to Jordan for work. On the 6 hour flight back I saw they had Lawrence of Arabia and a) I had never seen it, b) it's 3hr30 run time seemed perfect for a long flight and I would never have the time for it at home and c) it seemed fitting, so I chucked it on.

I know it's a bit ridiculous to say this about a film widely considered a classic but this film is FUCKING GREAT. Think I was grinning ear to ear the whole way through and genuinely annoyed it took me 37 years to get round to it. Incredible scale, epic sweeping shots, brilliant performances all round. Maybe a perfect film.

[Lorne Malvo]

Late to the party here but I loved Lisa Frankenstein! But not as much as I loved;

Mickey 17 - Baggy as hell and completely undisciplined in comparison to Parasite which is just a tightly-wound clockwork of a film, but I had a smile on my face the entire time and thought it was a complete blast. Mark Ruffalo is playing a complete caricature but I think I laughed everytime he was on screen. May be my favourite of the year so far.

One Of Them Days - the script probably wasn't as sharp as it could be but it got by on the charm of it's two central characters. One of those lovely screenings aswell - only 3 of us in there, no knobheads!

Add me to the 'didn't get Big Lebowski on first watch' gang, but I liked it more with each rewatch to the point it's one of my favourite films now.

[Carbomb]

1 hour ago, LaGoosh said:

I recently went to Jordan for work. On the 6 hour flight back I saw they had Lawrence of Arabia and a) I had never seen it, b) it's 3hr30 run time seemed perfect for a long flight and I would never have the time for it at home and c) it seemed fitting, so I chucked it on.

I know it's a bit ridiculous to say this about a film widely considered a classic but this film is FUCKING GREAT. Think I was grinning ear to ear the whole way through and genuinely annoyed it took me 37 years to get round to it. Incredible scale, epic sweeping shots, brilliant performances all round. Maybe a perfect film.

I got the chance to see it at the BFI back in 2012, when they were doing a showing for its 50th anniversary. If you ever get a chance to see it in the cinema, go for it; it was filmed to be seen that way. A "film's film", so to speak.

[Devon Malcolm]

I'd put Lawrence of Arabia on the very short list of films where you know you're watching one of the greatest films ever made after, at most, half an hour.

See also The Red Shoes, Seven Samurai, Paths of Glory.

[cobra_gordo]

16 minutes ago, Devon Malcolm said:

I'd put Lawrence of Arabia on the very short list of films where you know you're watching one of the greatest films ever made after, at most, half an hour.

See also The Red Shoes, Seven Samurai, Paths of Glory, Mean Girls.

Fixed.

[Chris B]

Here's how good Lawrence of Arabia is - when it was shown on TV one time (many years ago), they split it over two showings. My dad only watched the first half, unaware there was another half. And he *still* talked about it as being an astonishing film.

[Mr_Danger]

On 3/10/2025 at 8:30 AM, cobra_gordo said:

 

The Fugitive. I've seen it a dozen times and how quickly it gets out of the blocks to the point of Kimble escaping the bus still surprises me, you're off to the races within the first ten minutes and it doesn't really let up. I'd struggle to choose between this and The Last Crusade as my favourite Harrison Ford film.

 

This post reminded me I’d never seen The Fugitive even though I’ve seen U.S Marshalls and seeing it was on Netflix I remedied that today. It’s fantastic. A massive shame that we don’t get blockbusters like this so much anymore or if we do they seem to pass me by. It just relentlessly powers on from start to finish. Some absolutely great Harrison Ford faces too. Did Tommy Lee Jones and Harrison Ford ever work together again? They have great chemistry. Maybe the greatest fugitive and fugitive hunter can reunite to hunt down Chris Pratt or something before either of the old boys pop their clogs.

[SuperBacon]

I rewatched it the other day as well. I can't think of many better films to be honest. It's definitely in my top 10.

One for The Sopranos fans, there is a clip in the show of Tony watching the dam scene which cuts off just before Joey Pants appears. Otherwise he'd have been screaming "Jeeeshusssshhh Chrisshhhht Ralphie you rat!"

[Chest Rockwell]

I've never seen it despite my brother having watched it loads when we were young (consequently I have seen some scenes from it and roughly know how it goes}. I should remedy this as well, clearly.. 

[TheBurningRed]

Saw Marching Powder on Friday evening. It’s your typical Danny Dyer hard geezer movie. Clearly a loose sequel to Football Factory. They ripped off at least two scenes from it. Some funny lines (and I don’t mean dodgy gear) but it was what you can expect. Certainly not the worst Danny Dyer movie (I’m looking at you Run For Your Wife/Deviation/The Other Half).

Now I’m on permanent nights, I might do a Danny Dyer filmography rewatch. For the torture of it. 

Edited March 18, 2025 by TheBurningRed

[SuperBacon]

7 minutes ago, TheBurningRed said:

Now I’m on permanent nights, I might do a Danny Dyer filmography rewatch. For the torture of it. 

NICE ONE BRUUUUUVAAAAAAAA