A staff picks roundtable for a cosy night in

A good night at home can begin with a very small decision: which disc belongs in the player? This staff picks roundtable gathers our favorite discs for a cozy night in, from tender classics and sharp comedies to strange little films that reward a second viewing. The point is not to build an impressive watchlist. It is to find the film that suits the weather, the company and the snack situation.

That kind of matching is easier when you can browse a real collection and talk with people who have watched the films themselves. Rain City Video’s shelves bring together DVDs and Blu-rays across classic, foreign, cult, documentary, independent and mainstream cinema, giving a quiet evening more possibilities than a streaming home page usually offers.

Start with the feeling you want

For a soft, companionable night, our staff often reach for films that feel like warm lighting. Amélie brings colour, music and gentle mischief, while Local Hero offers a slower rhythm, a windswept setting and characters who are easy to spend time with. Moonstruck is another dependable choice: romantic, funny and full of people who express affection through arguments at the dinner table.

A rainy Melbourne evening calls for a different sort of comfort than a hot night in Brisbane. On a cool Hobart weekend, a long black, a blanket and The Remains of the Day may be exactly right. If you have just come home from the servo after grabbing lollies and a packet of chips, a quick-witted comedy such as Clueless or The Princess Bride can reset the whole evening.

The best pick may also depend on who is watching. A film with subtitles can be a lovely shared discovery, while a familiar favourite leaves room for conversation, knitting or a second helping of takeaway. When you cannot decide between moods, you can get in touch and ask the shop team for a recommendation based on the kind of evening you have planned.

Comfort films with real texture

There is a special pleasure in choosing a film that feels lived-in rather than endlessly optimised. The Apartment has the warmth of a well-worn jumper, with enough melancholy to give its happy moments weight. Broadcast News is ideal for viewers who enjoy quick dialogue, complicated friendships and the particular anxiety of people trying to do good work in a messy industry.

For a family or group gathering, My Neighbour Totoro remains beautifully generous. Its quiet stretches give younger viewers room to settle, while adults can appreciate the hand-drawn detail and emotional intelligence. Paddington 2 belongs in the same category: bright, funny and sincere without talking down to anyone.

These are discs worth owning or borrowing because they change slightly with the room. The first viewing may be about the story; a later one might be about the score, a performance or the background details. Physical media makes that return easy, without wondering whether a platform has removed the title overnight.

Foreign cinema for an unhurried evening

A cosy night does not have to mean a familiar English-language film. Japanese, French, Italian, Korean, Iranian and Scandinavian cinema can create a sense of travel without requiring a suitcase or a long flight from Perth to anywhere. Still Walking offers a delicate family drama built from meals, silences and old tensions. A Man Escaped brings suspense through patience, concentration and the smallest movements.

For something romantic, In the Mood for Love turns corridors, rainy streets and repeated encounters into a complete emotional world. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg is more colourful and musical, with a sweetness that gradually becomes bittersweet. Both benefit from a proper evening setup: lower the lights, make a cuppa before pressing play and allow the film to establish its own pace.

Australian viewers are used to navigating different release dates, rotating catalogues and titles that appear on one service but not another. A DVD or Blu-ray gives the film a stable home, and subtitles can be selected rather than treated as an inconvenience. If someone in the room says, “I’m not usually into foreign films,” a warm, accessible choice is often the best way to change their mind.

A little cult energy after dark

Some nights need a film with odd corners. Cult cinema is perfect when the house is quiet, the group is small and nobody minds a plot that takes a scenic route. The Rocky Horror Picture Show brings music, costumes and communal energy, while Repo Man combines punk attitude, science fiction and deadpan humour in a way that still feels gloriously strange.

For a darker choice, The Wicker Man creates unease through landscape, ritual and the suspicion that everyone else knows something you do not. The Thing is colder and more intense, making it a strong pick for a winter evening in Canberra or the Blue Mountains. If you would rather keep the weirdness playful, What We Do in the Shadows offers a mockumentary structure, excellent timing and a flat packed version of vampire mythology.

A cult film works best when there is room for reactions. Pause for a laugh, explain a reference or let the credits roll while the group debates what just happened. These movies can turn a regular Friday night into a small event without requiring elaborate decorations or a carefully engineered home theatre.

Easy double features for a relaxed night

• The Princess Bride followed by Clue for quotable comedy
• Paris, Texas followed by Wings of Desire for reflective drama
• The Lost Boys followed by Near Dark for stylish vampire cinema
• Kiki’s Delivery Service followed by Whisper of the Heart for gentle animation

Documentaries that invite conversation

A documentary can suit a cosy night when the household wants something absorbing but not fictional. Jiro Dreams of Sushi is calm and beautifully observed, while The Gleaners and I turns a simple idea into a generous meditation on work, waste and collecting. Searching for Sugar Man offers mystery, music and the satisfying feeling of a story finding its audience.

Music documentaries are especially good for shared viewing. Stop Making Sense can become the centre of the room, with people gradually moving from the sofa to the floor. Buena Vista Social Club has a relaxed, late-night quality, and The Last Waltz makes a strong choice when the playlist has already been part of the evening.

The appeal of a documentary on disc is its sense of completeness. Bonus interviews, deleted scenes and director conversations can extend the subject without pushing another recommendation into view. In an Australian market where streaming libraries change according to licensing agreements, that extra material can be the difference between watching a film once and living with it for a while.

Make the disc part of the ritual

The simple acts around a physical film matter. Walk to the shelf, read the back cover, check the running time and decide whether you have enough energy for a three-hour epic. A DVD or Blu-ray gives the evening a beginning before the opening image appears, much like choosing a record or selecting a book from the bedside stack.

It is worth remembering that discs from different countries may use different region codes or video standards. Australian viewers should check whether a US DVD is compatible with their player, while Blu-ray compatibility can vary by disc and device. That small piece of practical knowledge helps avoid disappointment, especially when ordering or borrowing from overseas.

Rain City Video’s collection is designed for browsing rather than racing through thumbnails. The shop’s store details can help visitors plan a stop, check the location and make the most of an in-person search. Once inside, a recommendation may lead from a beloved blockbuster to a forgotten B-movie, or from a well-known director to a film you would never have found through an algorithm.

Small details that improve the viewing night

• Dim the lights before the opening credits
• Put drinks on a stable table, away from the player
• Keep the disc case nearby so it returns to the right shelf
• Let the credits finish when the music deserves it

The ideal cosy film is not always the most prestigious title or the one everyone has already seen. It might be an old comedy that lands at exactly the right moment, a foreign drama that slows the room down, or a cult oddity that gives everyone something to talk about afterwards. A strong rental collection leaves space for those discoveries.

For us, the pleasure is in matching a film to a real evening: a wet walk home in Seattle, a warm arvo in Adelaide, a quiet Sunday in Sydney or a late-night gathering in Melbourne. Put the kettle on, choose a disc with care and let the room become a small cinema for a few hours.