RAINY weather like this reminds me of going to the video shop when I was younger, scanning the shelves for new releases and hidden gems, and returning home with an armload of entertainment for the weekend.
We’re lucky in the Hawkesbury, as we have one of the state’s only remaining movie hire shops.
Civic Video Windsor owner Guirong Wu said the top five new releases available at the store this month are Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Tag, Ocean's 8, 24 Hours to Live and Adrift.
Brand new in store this week include Solo: A Star Wars Story, Sicario: Day of the Soldado, Spinning Man, The Bookshop, Brothers' Nest, Show Dogs, Picnic at Hanging Rock and Between Worlds.
Mr Wu’s top pick for the month is The Greatest Showman, which he said is “the best musical movie so far this year”.
“This movie is a very good family film – magical songs and performances, actors all good especially Hugh Jackman and Zac Effron,” he said.
He also highly recommends The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, and said it surprised him.
“I thought a girly movie, but not so!” he said.
“Story background is Second World War, looks simple at the beginning but opens to become quite a deep story. Beautiful camera work and new actress Lily James excellent performance.”
Mr Wu’s ‘classic pick’ for this month is Gone With The Wind, which is also one of his favourite films of all time.
“Read book in Chinese when I was in high school,” he said.
“Saw movie in the Capitol Theatre years ago and very impressed with quality filming and story. Watched a few more times.”
He is a huge fan of Vivian Leigh and Clark Gable in the film and said Ms Leigh has “cats eyes” in the film and he was impressed with how close the film is to the book story and description.
“Very moving story with unforgettable scenes of wounded soldiers and many casualties,” he said.
“When she comes out of hospital and suddenly realises depth of their situation and becomes ill with the effect of the scene.”
He said the thousands of wounded soldiers in the scene are played by acting extras – not computer-generated like this sort of scene would be these days.
So if you’re in the mood for a flick, drop in to see Mr Wu at the Old Post Office Arcade off Windsor Mall.