VHS and Betamax You Have Recently Rented

[johnnyboy]

2 hours ago, gmoney said:

The Punisher (1989)

I feel that there was a point in the late 90s/early 00s that this was on Bravo every other weekend .

[davertfnewman]

And very few people would've known it was a Marvel movie.

[Onyx2]

I saw Project Hail Mary for the second time in the cinema yesterday. I know fucking idiot children bandy about that Scorsese "CINEMA!" image for anything on a screen but this actually is what I have been missing from films for quite a while now. A Spielbergian four quadrant film that makes you laugh, cry, gasp and just enjoy yourself. Oh and it looks bloody wonderful on IMAX if you're able.

Is it perfect? Hmm, not really but I had such a good time I don't care. If you get an opportunity go see it.

[DavidB6937]

I'd argue that it's the perfect cinema movie. Just fucking beautiful and a true big screen experience. One that exists rarely in 2026 but a true reminder of why cinemas are so important.

[SaitoRyo]

Runaway Train

Absolutely loved this. Just a fucking great action film with tremendous performances, especially from Jon Voight (Eric Roberts kind of pissed me off a bit at times tbh). So well paced and plotted and with genuine stakes. The sort of film where you can feel the violence and the stunts. Everything has a consequence. I was gripped by it from the start and also very inrtigued by how the whole thing came to be. I mean, a reworked old Kurosawa script produced by Cannon? Nominated for a couple of Oscars? OK then! 

Edited May 4 by SaitoRyo

[Onyx2]

35 minutes ago, SaitoRyo said:

Runaway Train

Absolutely loved this. Just a fucking great action film with tremendous performances, especially from Jon Voight (Eric Roberts kind of pissed me off a bit at times tbh). So well paced and plotted and with genuine stakes. The sort of film where you can feel the violence and the stunts. Everything has a consequence. I was gripped by it from the start and also very inrtigued by how the whole thing came to be. I mean, a reworked old Kurosawa script produced by Cannon? Nominated for a couple of Oscars? OK then! 

I thought it was a Milk Tray advert. 

[Chest Rockwell]

Finally got around to watching the dungeons and dragons movie. I loved it! Thought it was just a really fun fantasy action. No big surprises, but hit all the beats just right and all the action set pieces were really well executed.

Hugh Grant did a lot to elevate it, as you would expect, but everyone played their roles well. 

The humour is obviously of its time with some Marvel style quippery and flippancy that is unavoidable these days, but they didn't undercut the serious moments so I thought the balance was good. 

Think the kids will still find it too scary for now, but I look forward to watching it again with them in a couple years. 

[SaitoRyo]

Affliction

A small-town cop (Nick Nolte) investigates a hunting death, while the investigation and events in his personal life cause him to slowly lose his mind. 

This was brilliant and perhaps the best Nick Nolte performance I've ever seen. James Coburn as his abusive, alcoholic father was incredible, too, as were Sissy Spacek (Nolte's significant other) and Willem Dafoe (his brother). Not the sort of film to watch if you want to feel good about life, as it is relentlessly bleak (but utterly captivating). Paul Schrader is obviously really good when it comes to telling stories about deeply troubled men and he is on top form here.

I also had to pop when Nolte and Coburn sit down in their squalid little house to watch some good, old-fashioned professional wrestling and the match was The Godwinns versus TL Hopper & Who. No wonder they were so fucking miserable...

[gmoney]

The Prophecy 

Mad avenging angel guff. Something about a war in heaven, Christopher Walken Walken-ing it up as an angel on Earth , Elias Koteas brooding as an ex-preist cop. Vigo Mortensen as the Devil. It's fun, but sort never gets as crazy as you hope it will. Apparently Danzig is in the sequel. I'm 100% going to watch that. 

Gone In 60 Seconds (1974)

This is less a film and more an excuse for a man to smash up as many cars as he can. I can barely remember the remake, so can't really say how this compares. It's pretty incomprehensible, badly acted and fairly dull (except for a bit with a tiger in the back of a car) up until there's a three quarters of an hour long insane car chase through LA at the end. I'd say it's worth watching just for that. 

Edited May 6 by gmoney

[Shirtie]

The Devils Rejects 

Rob zombies best film which I know isn't saying much but it's a cracker. A horror/Western 

Some grim scenes, I don't even hate Sherri Moon Zombie in it and possibly one of the best endings in cinema history....  He then ruined it by making a sequel... The ending is perfect, they go out in a blaze of glory. 

Fantastic stuff 

Edit...

And I completely forgot DDP is in it as a Bounty Hunter! 

Edited May 6 by Shirtie

[SaitoRyo]

Trees Lounge

A film about an alcoholic car mechanic and the other alcoholics who frequent the Trees Lounge bar. Written, directed by and starring Steve Buscemi, it's a really good mid-90s indie comedy/drama with a bunch of other good actors (Chloe Sevigny, Mark Boone Junuior and Anthony LaPaglia to name but three). 

I liked it because it felt like quite a realistic portrayal of functioning alcoholism and they were fun losers to hang out with for 90 minutes. I don't think it's as great as some people seem to, but it is very good.

[TheBurningRed]

24 minutes ago, SaitoRyo said:

Trees Lounge

One of my favourite films. Lots of future Sopranos cast members as it was a favourite/influence for David Chase.  

[SaitoRyo]

35 minutes ago, TheBurningRed said:

One of my favourite films. Lots of future Sopranos cast members as it was a favourite/influence for David Chase.  

I did enjoy it, and I can see it being a bit of a comfort watch (oddly), but I'd had it hyped up to me beforehand and felt slightly underwhelmed.

Yeah, I clocked a bunch of Sopranos regulars. Also Buscemi was brought in to direct some episodes, most famously Pine Barrens.

[SuperBacon]

I enjoyed Spinal Tap II a lot more than I thought I would (well more accurately it was a better film than expected) but it just wasn't very funny. It was more me enjoying being with them again.

Having said that Derek's bit with the tortoise glue made me absolutely bellow with laughter so that was nice. 6/10

[DavidB6937]

11 minutes ago, SuperBacon said:

I enjoyed Spinal Tap II a lot more than I thought I would (well more accurately it was a better film than expected) but it just wasn't very funny. It was more me enjoying being with them again.

Having said that Derek's bit with the tortoise glue made me absolutely bellow with laughter so that was nice. 6/10

Absolutely - one of those weird warm fuzzy feeling movies where it's like you're visiting an old mate or something. But yeah, certainly not a laugh after laugh kinda movie, but then I suppose the first wasn't necessarily either. Better than it could have been anyway.