Videodrome Staff Picks Top Movie Releases Of 2015

January 12th, 2016

Videodrome is a vestige of an era gone-by and provides the Atlanta community with a range of cinema, from the deranged cult classics to new releases.

Courtesy of Videodrome

As Blockbusters and other video stores across the country went out of business, Videodrome stood its ground.

Sixteen years ago, the Atlanta video rental shop started out with shelves of cult classics. Today, it still collects movies on the fringes of film culture, but the store has also ventured into the mainstream with more popular films adorning the new release section.

In the midst of movie award season, the Videodrome staff has recommended some of their favorite films released in 2015. The list includes both new films recently screened in theaters and movies released on DVD for the first time.

“Dangerous Men” (2005): This film by Iranian director John Rad, “a great nom de plume” according to Videodrome’s Matt Owensby, was shot over the course of 26 years. Owensby said the movie makes absolutely no sense but is a blast. Drafthouse Films revived the film this year, screening it across the country.

“Mad Max: Fury Road”: While some audience members have complained that this third installment in the Mad Max universe lacked any plot, Videodrome’s John Robinson said that the film actually returns to the most important part of filmmaking. It is the ultimate visual storytelling film, making the audience use their imagination to fill in the holes.

“Ride the Pink Horse” (1947): This film noir was released from Criterion Collection.

“The Revenant” (2015): The Videodrome staff took a field trip to see this film in theaters. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy, it won three Golden Globes over the weekend for best dramatic film, best director for Alejandro González Iñárritu and best actor for Leonardo DiCaprio.

“The Wolfpack” (2015): This documentary follows a group of siblings who were rarely allowed to leave their home and who developed a connection with the world through movies.

“Things” (1989): This low-budget Canadian horror film will be an instant hit with cult classic-loving film nerds.

“Tales from the Quadead Zone” (1987): This film was one of the rarest and most sought-after releases on the VHS circuit. The Chicago filmmaker of this very low-budget horror movie seemingly disappeared after releasing only 50 copies to Chicago rental stores.

“The Assassin” (2015): This graceful film, the first from director Hou Hsiao-Hsien in six years, reinvents the martial arts film, according to the Videodrome staff.

Some additional films the Videodrome staff suggested include: