Gorden Kaye, Carmen Silvera David Croft and Jeremy Lloyd's sitcom 'Allo 'Allo started life in 1982 as a modest one-off spoof of the classic 1970s drama series Secret Army. A throwback to an earlier era during the 1980s heyday of alternative comedy, the show's decidedly un-PC mix of bedroom farce and crudely drawn national stereotypes was subsequently stretched over nine series in all (1984-1992), making it TV's successor to the long-running Carry On series. 'Allo 'Allo was not only similarly preoccupied with seaside postcard humour, it was also blessed with a cracking ensemble cast (including Carry On veteran Kenneth Connor) whose sheer energy eked out comic gold from even the laziest jokes about humourless Germans, cowardly Italians, "Tally ho!" Brits and onion-selling Frenchmen. Like Croft & Lloyd's Are You Being Served, it was the cast interaction more than the material itself that produced the laughs.

Gordon Kaye deserves much of the credit for keeping the show fresh. Whether he's plotting with the sexy Resistance leader, in cahoots with the Nazi commandant about a priceless painting of "The Fallen Madonna with the Big Boobies", or fending off the attentions of sex-starved waitresses under the withering gaze of his wife Edith, bumbling Rene is the lynchpin around which the endless farce revolves. Despite its determination never to vary the formula from week to week, the show had at least one virtue—it wasn't afraid to offend anyone. —Mark Walker

Gorden Kaye, Carmen Silvera David Croft and Jeremy Lloyd's sitcom 'Allo 'Allo started life in 1982 as a modest one-off spoof of the classic 1970s drama series Secret Army. A throwback to an earlier era during the 1980s heyday of alternative comedy, the show's decidedly un-PC mix of bedroom farce and crudely drawn national stereotypes was subsequently stretched over nine series in all (1984-1992), making it TV's successor to the long-running Carry On series. 'Allo 'Allo was not only similarly preoccupied with seaside postcard humour, it was also blessed with a cracking ensemble cast (including Carry On veteran Kenneth Connor) whose sheer energy eked out comic gold from even the laziest jokes about humourless Germans, cowardly Italians, "Tally ho!" Brits and onion-selling Frenchmen. Like Croft & Lloyd's Are You Being Served, it was the cast interaction more than the material itself that produced the laughs. Gordon Kaye deserves much of the credit for keeping the show fresh. Whether he's plotting with the sexy Resistance leader, in cahoots with the Nazi commandant about a priceless painting of "The Fallen Madonna with the Big Boobies", or fending off the attentions of sex-starved waitresses under the withering gaze of his wife Edith, bumbling Rene is the lynchpin around which the endless farce revolves. Despite its determination never to vary the formula from week to week, the show had at least one virtue—it wasn't afraid to offend anyone. —Mark Walker

Gorden Kaye, Carmen Silvera David Croft and Jeremy Lloyd's sitcom 'Allo 'Allo started life in 1982 as a modest one-off spoof of the classic 1970s drama series Secret Army. A throwback to an earlier era during the 1980s heyday of alternative comedy, the show's decidedly un-PC mix of bedroom farce and crudely drawn national stereotypes was subsequently stretched over nine series in all (1984-1992), making it TV's successor to the long-running Carry On series. 'Allo 'Allo was not only similarly preoccupied with seaside postcard humour, it was also blessed with a cracking ensemble cast (including Carry On veteran Kenneth Connor) whose sheer energy eked out comic gold from even the laziest jokes about humourless Germans, cowardly Italians, "Tally ho!" Brits and onion-selling Frenchmen. Like Croft & Lloyd's Are You Being Served, it was the cast interaction more than the material itself that produced the laughs. Despite its determination never to vary the formula from week to week, the show had at least one virtue—it wasn't afraid to offend anyone. —Mark Walker

Mark Wahlberg, Denzel Washington, Baltasar Kormákur sealed - dispatched from the uk

2dtv

Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Hal Walker, Joseph Kohn, Leonard Reed, Walter Forde

Noel Clarke, Emma Roberts, Mark Davis United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2.4 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), Italian ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), Spanish ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), English ( Subtitles ), Italian ( Subtitles ), Spanish ( Subtitles ), ANAMORPHIC WIDESCREEN (2.35:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Alternative Footage, Anamorphic Widescreen, Commentary, Featurette, Interactive Menu, Music Video, Scene Access, Trailer(s), SYNOPSIS: From the BAFTA winning British Actor/ Writer/ Director Noel Clarke comes 4.3.2.1, a sexy, gripping thriller following three days in the lives of four very different girls. Starring some of Britain and America's most exciting rising stars including Emma Roberts (Nancy Drew, Wild Child), Tamsin Egerton (St. Trinian's), Ophelia Lovibond (Nowhere Boy, London Boulevard) and Shanika Warren-Markland (Adulthood), the four intricately woven stories are about four best friends who become involved in a major diamond heist. Whilst Jo (Emma Roberts) is chained down in a dead end supermarket job, her friends are all out on their own separate adventures: Cassandra (Tamsin Egerton) is jetting off to New York to meet her internet boyfriend; Kerrys (Shanika Warren-Markland) is on a one woman crusade fighting for female liberation and Shannon (Ophelia Lovibond) is on a one way trip to meet her maker. But a chance encounter with some diamond thieves sends their separate worlds on a collision course with not only each other, but fate itself. These 4 girls are about to have 3 days they will never forget, spanning to 2 cities. That is- if they survive. ...4.3.2.1. ( Four Three Two One (4 3 2 1) )

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Michael Rapaport, Roger Spottiswoode For a movie about cloning, it's only appropriate that The 6th Day, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, is instilled with a strong sense of déjà vu, namely from Arnold's previous "Who am I?" outing, Total Recall. In that movie, Arnold is a normal Joe who discovers that his entire reality has been co-opted by an evil conspiracy, and has to take his life back by force. The same premise applies here for Roger Spottiswoode's clever if overlong sci-fi thriller—Arnold thinks he's a regular guy leading a regular life, until a twist of fate puts him on the run from a vast conspiracy that's replaced him with a clone. While he's trying to evade the evil genetics corporation—and its trendy, deadly, clone-friendly assassins (who don't care how many times they're killed: there's more where that came from)—his double is snuggling at home with his wife and daughter. And new legislation outlaws the existence of human clones, so somebody's got to go. But who gets to be live and who gets to be the dead Memorex man?

Why does said genetics corporation want to clone people? How does the kindly scientist (Robert Duvall) fit in? What's the mystery behind the slick billionaire (Tony Goldwyn) who runs everything? It's all kind of irrelevant in the end, as long as it provides a chance for Arnold to indulge in some energetic mayhem and explosive action. What distinguishes The 6th Day is its sneaky, humorous—and chilling—look at the near future, taking everyday technological advances and turning them up just a couple notches, envisioning an era with cloned pets, virtual girlfriends, and computers running most everything, from the refrigerator to your car. Arnold is supposed to be a throwback to the "real" world—you can tell because he cherishes his vintage, navigation-system-free Cadillac—but as usual, he just brings his behemoth presence to the role and not much else. Still, he's a friendly enough hero, and he rolls with the punches (literally) all the way through to the end. Too bad the film overstays its welcome by about half an hour—a little shorter and it could have been a breezy sci-fi/action romp. With scene stealers Michael Rooker, Sarah Wynter, and Rod Rowland as the trio of cloned assassins who always come back—again and again. —Mark Englehart, Amazon.com

Eminem, Brittany Murphy, Curtis Hanson Rap star Eminem makes a strong movie debut in 8 Mile, an urban drama that makes a fairly standard plot fly through its gritty attention to detail. Jimmy Smith (Eminem), nicknamed B Rabbit, can't pull himself together to take the next step with his career—or with his life. Angry about his alcoholic mother (Kim Basinger) and worried about his little sister, Rabbit lets out his feelings with twisting, clever raps admired by his friends, who keep pushing him to enter a weekly rap face-off. But Rabbit resists—until he meets a girl (Brittany Murphy) who might offer him support and a little hope that his life could get better. Under the smart and ambitious direction of Curtis Hanson (LA Confidential, Wonder Boys) and ably supported by the excellent cast and the burnt-out environment of Detroit slums, Eminem reveals a surprising vulnerability that makes 8 Mile vivid and compelling. —Bret Fetzer, Amazon.com

8mm Collection

Elijah Wood, Christopher Plummer, Shane Acker 9 (Nine) [DVD] [DVD] (2010) Elijah Wood; Christopher Plummer; Martin Landau

Jessica Moore, Joshua McDonald, Joe D'Amato

John Cena, Ashley Scott, Renny Harlin Extended version of the action thriller starring wrestler John Cena as Detective Danny Baxter, who discovers that his girlfriend Molly (Ashley Scott) has been kidnapped by his old adversary, ex-con Miles Jackson (Aidan Gillen). In order to secure Molly's

Jennifer Garner, Mark Ruffalo, Gary Winick Jennifer Garner glows like a rising star in 13 Going on 30, a girly version of the Tom Hanks classic Big. Jenna (Garner, Alias, Daredevil), a frustrated teenage girl, just wants to skip past all those annoying adolescent years and arrive at a glamorous adulthood—and thanks to some inexplicable wishing dust, she does. But once she re-orients herself to a life as a high-end magazine editor with a sports-star boyfriend, she discovers that in the 17 years she skipped she became a not-so-nice person, including casting aside her best friend Matt (played as an adult by Mark Ruffalo, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind). There's no question that Jenna will rediscover her lost innocence, but Garner rises above the lack of suspense. 13 Going on 30 floats along, buoyed by her goofy sweetness. Her lovely looks are made accessible by her unfettered silliness; it's a winning combination. —Bret Fetzer

Spacey/Fishburne/Bosworth/Sturgess ~ 21

Skylar Astin, Miles Teller, Jon Lucas, Scott Moore

Channing Tatum, Jonah Hill, Phil Lord, Chris Miller When 21 Jump Street premiered on TV in the 1980s, it offered a cool-kid twist on the cop drama formula. This new-era reinvention keeps the cops, but trades earnest drama for raunchy comedy. At Sagan High, Schmidt (newly scrawny Jonah Hill, fresh off an Oscar nomination for Moneyball) was a brainy guy with no game, while Jenko (ever-brawny Channing Tatum, funnier than expected) was a popular jock with bad grades. Five years later, they reconnect at police academy, where enemies become friends when they pool their resources, but after their first bust goes bad, the deputy chief (Nick Offerman) ships them off to Jump Street, where their youthful looks lead to an undercover sting operation at Sagan (apparently, no staff members recognise the former students). Due to a mix-up, Schmidt ends up with the theatre kids and Jenko with the science nerds. Through a production of Peter Pan, Schmidt meets Molly (Brie Larson), who introduces him to her drug dealer boyfriend, Eric (James Franco's deadpan brother, Dave). Now, they just need to track down Eric's supplier to shut the whole operation down. Along the way, Schmidt discovers his inner performer and Jenko his inner geek, but these new personas threaten the case, generating several Superbad-style laughs, so it's too bad the finale devolves into bloodshed more befitting a John Woo crime caper, though the snappy chemistry between Hill and Tatum papers over some of the holes in the script—along with a foul-mouthed Ice Cube and one rather famous original cast member. —Kathleen C. Fennessy

Channing Tatum, Jonah Hill Got this and never opened it, still in the plastic it came in.

Kiefer Sutherland, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Bryan Spicer, Davis Guggenheim, Frederick King Keller, Jon Cassar, Paul Shapiro There's not one cougar to be found in 24's dynamic third season, and that's good news for everyone. After Jack Bauer's daughter Kim (Elisha Cuthbert) survived hokey hazards in season 2, she's now a full-time staffer at CTU, the L.A.-based intelligence beehive that's abuzz once again—three years after the events of "Day Two"—when a vengeful terrorist threatens to release a lethal virus that could wipe out much of the country's population. Jack (Kiefer Sutherland) attempts to broker a deal for the virus involving drug kingpin Ramon Salazar (Joaquim de Almeida), whose operation Jack successfully infiltrated at high personal cost: to maintain his cover, he got hooked on heroin. That potentially deadly triangle—drug lords, addiction, and bioterrorism on a massive scale—sets the 24-hour clock ticking in a tight, action-packed plot involving a potential traitor in CTU's midst; the return of TV's greatest villainesses in Nina Meyers (Sarah Clarke) and former First Lady Sherry Palmer (Penny Johnson Jerald); a troubled romance between Kim and Jack's new partner Chase (James Badge Dale); and a scandalized reelection campaign by president David Palmer (Dennis Haysbert), who monitors CTU as they struggle to (literally) save the day.

The intricately woven subplots that are 24's greatest strength are masterfully developed here, and character arcs are equally strong, especially among CTU staffers Tony (Carlos Bernard) and his wife Michelle (Reiko Aylesworth); CTU director Ryan Chappelle (Paul Schulze), who is season 2's tragic bargaining chip; and the annoying but well-intentioned Chloe O'Brian (Mary Lynn Rajskub), who makes pivotal contributions with by-the-book efficiency. It's 24's superior casting that overcomes the series' occasional lapses in credibility, and season 3's twists make marathon viewing a nerve-wracking delight. By the time it's all over, with a high body count and the surgical reattachment of a main character's severed hand, 24 once again leaves you gratefully exhausted. As always, Sutherland anchors the series in the role he was born to play. When Jack takes a private moment to release 24 hours' worth of near-fatal tension and psychological anguish, Sutherland proves that 24's dramatic priorities are as important as its thriller momentum. DVD extras include behind-the-scenes featurettes (about the prison break sequence, climactic F-18 Hornet air-strike, and real-life bio-weaponry) that pay welcome tribute to the series' hard-working crew, who create Emmy-worthy television under pressures as intense as 24 itself. —Jeff Shannon

Kiefer Sutherland, Cherry Jones Accepting that by the time people get to season seven they tend to know the formula of 24 inside out, the creative minds behind the show respond here by emptying out every cupboard to throw everything they can at you. The core of the show remains the adventures of Kiefer Sutherland as Jack Bauer, as he battles to save the world from yet another terrorist threat. With the action taking place in real time, we get 24 episodes set across a single day, and it’s one filled with twists, turns, action and surprise. That much we’re expecting.

Surprise number one in 24 - Season 7 though arrives within 20 minutes of the season starting, as the character of Tony Almeida seemingly returns from the dead. So what’s happened? Has Tony turned? What kind of threat is brewing? Ah, it’s these and many questions that are resolved at the show’s usual breakneck pace.

24 - Season 7 also wisely gets on board a roster of enviable acting talent. Cherry Jones ably takes on the role of President Allison Taylor, while Jon Voight makes a suitably sneery Secretary Of Defense. Add in the likes of Kurtwood Smith, Bob Gunton, Janeane Garofalo and Tony Todd, and it’s an impressive roster who put a straight face on the occasionally silly narrative.

Season 7 does find 24 inevitably lacking some of that original spark, and a few more ideas wouldn’t hurt it. But it’s still a confident season of arguably the best thriller currently on television. And, bluntly, there’s nobody who does all this quite like Jack Bauer, even if the man’s best days may be behind him… —Jon Foster

Sandra Bullock, Viggo Mortensen, Betty Thomas To appreciate 28 Days, it's best to be thankful that director Betty Thomas hasn't forced Sandra Bullock into a remake of Clean and Sober. Instead Thomas has balanced her comedic sensibility (evident in Dr. Dolittle and Private Parts) with the seriousness of alcoholism and substance abuse, and she succeeds without compromising the gravity of the subject matter. Some critics have scoffed at the movie's breezy, formulaic portrait of 27-year-old boozer and pill-popper Gwen Cummings (Bullock), but this smooth-running star vehicle does for Bullock what Erin Brockovich did for Julia Roberts, focusing her appeal in a substantial role without taxing the limits of her talent. It's no wonder that Susannah Grant (who wrote both films) was one of the hottest new screenwriters of 1999. She writes "Hollywood Lite" without insulting anyone's intelligence.

As played by Bullock, Gwen is an alcoholic in denial whose latest bender with boozer boyfriend Jasper (Dominic West) ruins the wedding of her sister (Elizabeth Perkins) and lands her in a month-long rehab program with the requisite gang of struggling drunks and junkies. Newcomer Alan Tudyk steals his scenes as a gay German rehabber who might've dropped in from a Berlin performance-art exhibit, and Steve Buscemi aptly conveys the weary commitment of a counsellor who's seen it all. Thomas has surrounded Bullock with a sharp ensemble, and the addition of singer-songwriter Loudon Wainwright III (as a kind of Greek chorus crooner) is sublimely inspired. Certainly no surprises here—the warring sisters will reconcile, and at least one rehabber will fail to recover—but there's ample pleasure to be found in Bullock's finely tuned performance, and in Thomas's inclusion of flashbacks and tangents that add depth and laughter in just the right dosage. —Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com

Alec Baldwin, Tina Fey, Don Scardino, Adam Bernstein Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it. Remember Arrested Development? Smartest, funniest show on television. A critics' darling. An Emmy-winner for Best Comedy Series. But no one watched, and it was cancelled. Will history repeat itself with 30 Rock? It's the smartest, funniest show on television. A critics' darling. An Emmy-winner for Best Comedy Series. And it finished its inaugural season in 137th place! Hopefully, people will discover all that they missed with this Season 1 set and 30 Rock will, better late than never, find the audience it so richly deserves. A behind-the-scenes workplace comedy in the grand tradition of The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Dick Van Dyke Show, 30 Rock stars comedy geek goddess Tina Fey as Liz Lemmon, who juggles her hapless personal life with her chaotic career as the producer and head writer of an SNL-ish sketch comedy show. She has a new boss, cunning and ruthless GE executive Jack Donaghy (Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award-winner Alec Baldwin), who insists on being her mentor, and a new star, medicated, loose-cannon comedian Tracy Jordan (Tracy Morgan), who steals the spotlight from the show's flighty star, Jenna Maroney (Jane Krakowski).

Briskly paced and perfectly cast, 30 Rock rewards viewers with brilliant dialogue (when Liz asks Jack why he is dressed in a tuxedo with no formal event to attend, he coolly responds, "It's after six; what am I, a farmer?") and fresh characters you haven't seen on a hundred other sitcoms. Jack McBrayer is the series' scene-stealing breakout star as NBC page Kenneth, a sweet and innocent "rube." The ensemble's seemingly spontaneous byplay invites repeat viewings to catch jokes and sly bits of business you might have missed (in "Tracy Does Conan," listen for the initial confusion over how to pronounce Tracy's less-than-ethical physician, Dr. Spaceman, or, in "The Hair and the Head," watch for the Katie Couric slur on the wall of what is purported to be NBC anchor Brian Williams' trashed office). In a season full of gems (including "Black Tie," featuring Paul Reubens as severely inbred royalty), there are only a couple of comparative clunkers, but the pleasure of this ensemble's company more than compensates. 30 Rock is highly recommended for people like Kenneth who just love television so much. And by the hammer of Thor, watch season 2! —Donald Liebenson

Josh Hartnett, Shannyn Sossamon, Michael Lehmann Some movies are so stupid that they are depressing to watch: 40 Days and 40 Nights is one of them. Almost nothing here even remotely resembles genuine human behaviour. Matt (Josh Hartnett) is brutally dumped by his knockout ex-girlfriend, and as a result is so torn-up inside that he vows to give up sexual activity—including masturbation—for Lent. His friends and coworkers start betting on how soon he'll crack. Their scepticism is fuelled when Matt meets Erica (Shannyn Sossamon) at a laundrette. They're immediately smitten with each other, but Matt struggles to stay true to his vow, even though it threatens to founder his potential relationship with Erica. Based on this description, you might think that 40 Days and 40 Nights is a religious educational video, however, the barrage of sex gags and frequent nudity will quickly dispel this notion. —Bret Fetzer

Steve Carell, Catherine Keener, Judd Apatow The 40-Year-Old Virgin (XXL Ve

Samuel L. Jackson, Nigel Whitmey, Ronny Yu Columbia, TriStar, Region 2 2001 92 mins

John Cusack, Samuel L. Jackson, Mikael Hafstrom Conclusive proof both that one man can power a horror film, and also that John Cusack is one of the most believable actors of his generation, 1408 is an entertaining and surprisingly effective Stephen King adaptation, albeit one that runs out of steam by the final reel.

The premise finds Cusack’s character as an author of paranormal books, even though he doesn’t believe in such things himself. However, when researching his latest work, he checks into the mysterious room 1408 at The Dolphin Hotel in New York, managed by Samuel L Jackson in an effective cameo. But room 1408 is a room where nobody has lasted more than an hour in it, and thus Cusack considers it the perfect location for some book research.

It’s in the build up of its premise where 1408 is very much at its strongest. Cusack is a compelling guide through the story, and the film delivers some effective chills and jumps as the tension ratchets up. Into the final act and this control is relaxed, and as a result some of the potential is wasted, but you’re still hard-pushed to feel short-changed as the credits role. For 1408 proves to be both an effective little horror film, and one of the best Stephen King adaptations in many, many years. —Simon Brew

Keir Dullea, Gary Lockwood Confirming that art and commerce can co-exist, 2001: A Space Odyssey was the biggest box-office hit of 1968, remains the greatest science fiction film yet made and is among the most revolutionary, challenging and debated work of the 20th century. It begins within a pre-historic age. A black monolith uplifts the intelligence of a group of apes on the African plains. The most famous edit in cinema introduces the 21st century, and after a second monolith is found on the moon a mission is launched to Jupiter. On the spacecraft are Bowman (Keir Dullea) and Poole (Gary Lockwood), along with the most famous computer in fiction, HAL. Their adventure will be, as per the original title, a "journey beyond the stars". Written by science fiction visionary Arthur C Clarke and Stanley Kubrick, 2001 elevated the SF film to entirely new levels, being rigorously constructed with a story on the most epic of scales. Four years in the making and filmed in 70 mm, the attention to detail is staggering and four decades later barely any aspect of the film looks dated, the visual richness and elegant pacing creating the sense of actually being in space more convincingly than any other film. A sequel, 2010: Odyssey Two (1984) followed, while Solaris (1972), Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), The Abyss (1989) and A.I. (2001) are all indebted to this absolute classic which towers monolithically over them all.

On the DVD: There is nothing but the original trailer which, given the status of the film and the existence of an excellent making-of documentary shown on Channel 4 in 2001, is particularly disappointing. Shortly before he died Kubrick supervised the restoration of the film and the production of new 70 mm prints for theatrical release in 2001. Fortunately the DVD has been taken from this material and transferred at the 70 mm ratio of 2.21-1. There is some slight cropping noticeable, but both anamorphically enhanced image and Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack (the film was originally released with a six-channel magnetic sound) are excellent, making this transfer infinitely preferable to previous video incarnations. —Gary S Dalkin

Joel Gretsch, Jacqueline McKenzie The 4400, which began as a five-week mini-series, is built around a deceptively simple, dramatically rich premise. What if all the people, who had ever been abducted by aliens, were suddenly returned to Earth? What would happen? Although they look exactly as they did when they left, they have no knowledge of where they were or why they were taken. Now some even have special powers, like clairvoyance. As with ABC's Lost, which centres on the survivors of a plane crash, The 4400 features a large cast of characters and a host of mysteries to be solved. If the special effects, which are kept to a minimum, can be a little cheesy at times, the concept—and the skillful execution of the concept—easily makes up for it.

Produced by Francis Ford Coppolla's American Zoetrope and created by Scott Peters (The Outer Limits), The 4400 is set in Seattle, where the 4400 are returned. The principal characters include Dennis Ryland (Peter Coyote of E.T.), the local supervisor of Homeland Security. He's joined by agents Tom Baldwin (Joel Gretsch of Taken), whose nephew was one of the returnees, and Diana Skouris (Jacqueline McKenzie of Romper Stomper), who takes in one of the youngest returnees.

Guest stars include Michael Moriarty (Law and Order) in "Pilot" and Lee Tergeson (Oz) in "Becoming." Billy Campbell (Once and Again) also appears in several episodes as Jordan Collier, a real-estate magnate and returnee who becomes an advocate for others like himself, many of whom are having problems adjusting to a changed world. Like Lost, one of the biggest success stories of 2004, The 4400 debuted to strong ratings and was renewed for a full season. —Kathleen C. Fennessy

John Cleese, Jamie Lee Curtis, Charles Crichton A Fish Called Wanda was the blockbuster which proved that John Cleese could be a movie star in his own right. Directed by the Veteran Charles Crichton, who made the 1951 Ealing Comedies classic The Lavender Hill Mob, Wanda combined Ealing-comedy capers and Basil Fawlty-esque farce with contemporary big-screen swearing and black comedy. The plot develops in classic film noir style as Cleese's lawyer, Archie Leech, gets sucked into the double-crossing aftermath of a London diamond heist.

For sound box-office reasons, British comedies often sport an American star and here Cleese delivers not only Jamie Lee Curtis as a smooth operating femme fatale, but Kevin Kline as her idiotic, and insanely jealous lover (for which he won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar). Pushing the limits of bad taste is Michael Palin's animal-loving Ken, who in the film's best running gag attempts to murder an old lady, only to slay her beloved pet dogs. Other highlights include Palin as a man with two chips up his nose and Cleese showing the world a different sort of "Full Monty". One of the funniest British films ever made, A Fish Called Wanda was followed by Fierce Creatures (1997), which reunited the lead cast and claimed to be an "equal" not a "sequel", but sadly wasn't. —Gary S Dalkin

Seth MacFarlane Seth MacFarlane directs, produces, co-writes and plays the role of the cowardly sheep farmer Albert in A Million Ways to Die in the West. After Albert backs out of a gunfight, his fickle girlfriend leaves him for another man. When a mysterious and beautiful woman rides into town, she helps him find his courage and they begin to fall in love. But when her husband, a notorious outlaw, arrives seeking revenge, the farmer must put his newfound courage to the test.

Starring alongside MacFarlane are Oscar winner Charlize Theron, Liam Neeson, Amanda Seyfried, Giovanni Ribisi, Sarah Silverman and Neil Patrick Harris. MacFarlane reunites many of the filmmakers behind Universal and MRC’s hit film Ted including Scott Stuber (Bluegrass Films) and Jason Clark who produce, and Wellesley Wild and Alec Sulkin who co-wrote the script.

George Peppard, Mr T, Ron Satlof, Bernard McEveety, Christian I. Nyby

Stefan Schwartz "We are gentlemen brought together by necessity!" So goes the thinking behind The Abduction Club, the name of a wily gang of penniless 18th-century chaps who attempt to cure their singledom by swiping wealthy heiresses from the comfort of their own homes. The aim? To sweet talk them into marriage by morning, securing their future in the manner to which they are accustomed with the aid of the lady's hefty dowry. Daniel Lapaine and Matthew Rhys are two loveable rogues who get more than they bargain for with the feisty Kennedy sisters (Alice Evans and Sophia Myles), who give them a run for their money. But, with their family in hot pursuit, the question is: will the girls ever relent and fall for the boys? And if so, what will their folks say?

Based on true events, the whole setup of The Abduction Club is dubious, intended to be overlooked by the fact that these abductors are rather handsome, so of course the ladies don't mind being kidnapped. But to launch a moral tirade against such a frivolous film would be as ludicrous as some of the oversized wigs and corsetry on offer here. There is some dodgy acting and some even more unsteady scripting, but The Abduction Club is just a genial romp that aims to amuse, and little else.

On the DVD: The Abduction Club disc is completely bereft of any additional material apart from a trailer. —Laura Bushell

Hugh Grant|Toni Collette|Rachel Weisz, Chris & Paul Weitz The film version of Nick Hornby's novel About a Boy takes a deeper though no less entertaining approach than the easy laughs of Fever Pitch and High Fidelity. The "coming together" of idle playboy Will (Hugh Grant) and put-upon loner Marcus (Nicholas Hoult) is a revealing tale of self-understanding and role reversal. Will finds that being yourself is of little consequence without a defining human context, while Marcus finds that pleasing others counts for little without a degree of self-confidence. How they arrive at this complementary awareness is the intriguing subject matter of the film, involving well-meaning single mothers, difficult adolescents and helpless older adults. Yet there's a wider significance to all this in the guise of human stereotypes—how we fall into them and how we can try to get out of them.

The film's wit and amusement comes down to deft and understated directing from Chris and Paul Weitz, and a snappily crafted screenplay from Peter Hedges and the Weitz brothers. Grant clips his hair as well as his vowels for a believable and ultimately sympathetic Will—by far his best performance since Four Weddings and a Funeral. As Marcus, Hoult is convincingly self-dependent, but could have been even more self-absorbed. Toni Colette is a dead-ringer for the well-meaning but ineffectual hippie mother Fiona, while Rachel Weisz gives her best screen performance to date as the attractive and vulnerable Rachel, with whom Will comes of age emotionally. Badly Drawn Boy's soundtrack will delight those who enjoy his brand of reconstituted 1970s Dylan; the title track has a wistful charm and there's a gem of an instrumental in the "Countdown" sequence. About a Boy is in the best traditions of British comedy: enlightening as it amuses, it's a film to enjoy and come back to. —Richard Whitehouse

Stuart Townsend, Kate Hudson, Gerard Stembridge Directed by playwright Gerard Stembridge, About Adam is a charmingly funny romantic comedy set against an unusually trendy Dublin backdrop. Adam (Stuart Townsend) is the sweetly bashful young man for whom singing bistro waitress Lucy (Kate Hudson) falls. She introduces him to her family who adore him, she proposes marriage to him from onstage, he accepts. However, in a clever series of flashbacks and alternative narrative perspectives, we see that Adam has shown very different sides of his character and told a very different story about himself in seducing Lucy's bookish sister Laura (Frances O'Connor), her older, unhappily married sister Alice (Charlotte Bradley) and even inducing a deeply embarrassing boyish infatuation in young brother David. Two questions arise; which of these is the "real" Adam? And will he be exposed and punished as a bounder?

The resolution, when it comes, is as pleasingly unpredictable as the film itself, which not only resolutely avoids the usual rustic clichés of skirling soundtracks and verdant scenery usually deployed in Irish films, but, in its deceptively light way, poses some pertinent questions about romance, fidelity and truth, while filling you with a warm glow.

On the DVD: Presented in audio options 5.1 and 2.0. The disc contains various extras, including trailer, interviews with cast and director (in which Gerard Stembridge explains that Adam is "a joke on the New Man") and b-roll footage. However, the interviews are sloppily edited, while the b-roll footage consists of little than various inconsequential outtakes, which look like they've been grabbed randomly from the cutting room floor and sellotaped together. —David Stubbs

Rob Lowe, Demi Moore, Edward Zwick For better or worse, David Mamet's hit play Sexual Perversity in Chicago is watered down into this romantic comedy about a couple (played by Rob Lowe and Demi Moore) who get together and then fall apart due to Lowe's character's inability to commit. Jim Belushi is on hand as the gratuitously swinish best friend who looks at women as meat, and Elizabeth Perkins is entertainingly arch as Moore's gal pal and Belushi's nemesis. There is nothing about this 1986 film by Edward Zwick (co-creator of TV's thirtysomething and director of Glory and Courage Under Fire) that is at all reminiscent of Mamet, but that doesn't make it bad or dull. While one can feel the script straining to fill in gaps where chunks of the original play have disappeared, Zwick often successfully tells the story without words at all, relying on the actors to convey pure emotion. Lowe is good, and the then-willowy Moore's understated performance reminds one of the actress she might have been before she became a spectacle. —Tom Keogh

Stills from About Last Night (click for larger image)

Clint Eastwood, Gene Hackman Director Clint Eastwood's 1997 box-office hit stars himself as Luther Whitney, a highly skilled thief who finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time, witnessing the murder of a woman involved in a secret tryst with the US president (played by Gene Hackman). Determined to clear his name, Whitney cleverly eludes a tenacious detective (Ed Harris) while investigating a corruption of power reaching to the highest level of government. Adapted by veteran screenwriter William Goldman from David Baldacci's novel, this thriller balances expert suspense with well-drawn characters and an intelligent plot that's just a pounding heartbeat away from real White House headlines. Absolute Power features the great Judy Davis in a memorable supporting role as the White House chief of staff who desperately attempts to cover up the crime. —Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com

Ed Harris, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Conrad Buff IV, Howard E. Smith, Joel Goodman, James Cameron PLEASE NOTE - THIS DVD COMES WITH AN ENGLISH LANGUAGE OPTION ONLY, BOTH AUDIO AND SUBTITLES, NOT A FRENCH AUDIO OPTION.

Justin Long, Blake Lively, Steve Pink Justin Long has been hovering on the edges of movies like The Break-Up and Dodgeball, providing little comic bursts that are often funnier than the rest of the movie. In Accepted, Long plays Bartleby Gaines, a fast-talking slacker who, when he gets rejected by every college he applied to, invents a phony college to get his parents off his back. Unfortunately, the website his best friend creates is too effective—hundreds of other rejects apply and are accepted. Instead of revealing the hoax, Gaines decides to forge ahead and let the students create their own curriculum, little suspecting that their school is obstructing the expansion plans of the nearby snobbish college. Accepted is much better than you might expect, given the low bar set by most campus comedies; it aims for, and sometimes achieves, the blend of slapstick and social satire that Animal House embodied. Long proves to be a charming leading man without losing his quirky comic sense and the supporting cast is consistently entertaining, particularly stand-up comedian Lewis Black, who delivers a variety of sardonic rants about society. Accepted's critique of conformism is glib—you wish they'd given it a little more bite—but it's still valid and a pleasant sliver of substance in an otherwise vapid genre. —Bret Fetzer

Jim Carrey, Courteney Cox, Tom Shadyac The 1994 box-office hit that turned comedy maniac Jim Carrey into Hollywood's first $20-million man, this gag-filled no-brainer stars Carrey as the titular rubber-faced gumshoe who tracks down lost pets for his heartbroken clients. Ace's latest case involves the apparent kidnapping of the Miami Dolphins' team mascot, Snowflake the dolphin. His investigation is a source of constant aggravation for Miami police lieutenant Lois Einhorn (Sean Young), who turns out to be packing more than a pistol under her skirt. Friends fans will appreciate the presence of Courtney Cox, who remains admirably straight-faced as the Dolphins' publicist and Ace's would-be girlfriend, but of course it's Carrey who steals the show with shameless abandon. One viewing may suffice for a lot of people, but Carrey's hyper antics made Ace Ventura: Pet Detective one of the bestselling videos of the 1990s. —Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com

Steve Oedekerk

Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, George Nolfi The Adjustment Bureau [DVD] [2011] [DVD] (2011) Matt Damon; Emily Blunt

Eddie Murphy, Jay Mohr, Ron Underwood Actors: Eddie Murphy, Jay Mohr, Randy Quaid, Rosario Dawson, Joe Pantoliano
Director: Ron Underwood
Manufacturer: Whv

Charlize Theron, Paterson Joseph Like the animated series it’s based on, Aeon Flux is the kind of sci-fi that’s best appreciated by the MTV generation. It’s a serious attempt at stylized, futuristic action/adventure (the title character, played by Charlize Theron, is essentially a female James Bond for the cyberpunk era) and taken for what it is, it’s not all that bad. The action takes place in the year 2415, four centuries after a virus nearly decimated the human race, leaving only five million survivors in a utopian city called Bregna. Aeon belongs to the Monicans, a secret rebel resistance force that is struggling to destroy the Goodchild regime led by its namesake, Trevor Goodchild (Martin Csokas), the ruler of Bregna and a descendant of the man who found a cure for the deadly virus. As instructed by the Handler (Frances McDormand, gamely playing along in ridiculous sci-fi regalia), Aeon is assigned to assassinate Goodchild, but there are deeper secrets to be discovered, and conspiracies to be foiled. This leads director Karyn Kusama (who fared much better with her debut feature Girlfight) to indulge in all sorts of routine action and fast-paced gunplay, but the elusive pleasures of Aeon Flux are mostly found in the sleek athleticism of Theron and costar Sophie Okonedo (as a fellow Monican), who commit themselves 100% to roles that are dramatically flat yet physically dynamic.

Other highlights include Aeon’s high-tech gadgetry (including an eyeball that doubles as a microsocope) and the amusing sight of Pete Postlethwaite in a costume resembling a construction-site disposal tube, but Flux fans may wonder what happened to the surreal, chromium sheen future that gave the MTV series its visionary appeal. As a live-action feature, Aeon Flux is a miscalculated exercise in cheesy style and dour tone, but it’s entertaining enough to earn a small cadre of admirers. —Jeff Shannon

Aerosmith New !!! Neuf !!! Neu !!! Nuovo !!! Nuevo !!!

Mel Gibson, Robert Downey Jr., Roger Spottiswoode

Lloyd Bridges, Leslie Nielsen, Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker, Ken Finkleman Airplane!

The quintessential movie spoof that spawned an entire genre of parody films, the original Airplane! still holds up as one of the brightest comedic gems of the '80s, not to mention of cinema itself (it ranked in the top 5 of Entertainment Weekly's list of the 100 funniest movies ever made). The humour may be low and obvious at times, but the jokes keep coming at a rapid-fire clip and its targets—primarily the lesser lights of '70s cinema, from disco films to star-studded disaster epics—are more than worthy for send-up. If you've seen even one of the overblown Airport movies then you know the plot: the crew of a filled-to-capacity jetliner is wiped out and it's up to a plucky stewardess and a shell-shocked fighter pilot to land the plane. Robert Hays and Julie Hagerty are the heroes who have a history that includes a meet-cute à la Saturday Night Fever, a surf scene right out of From Here to Eternity, a Peace Corps trip to Africa to teach the natives the benefits of Tupperware and basketball, a war-ravaged recovery room with a G.I. who thinks he's Ethel Merman (a hilarious cameo)—and those are just the flashbacks! The jokes gleefully skirt the boundaries of bad taste (pilot Peter Graves to a juvenile cockpit visitor: "Joey, have you ever seen a grown man naked?"), with the high (low?) point being Hagerty's intimate involvement with the blow-up automatic pilot doll, but they'll have you rolling on the floor. The film launched the careers of collaborators Jim Abrahams (Big Business), David Zucker (Ruthless People), and Jerry Zucker (Ghost), as well as revitalised such B-movie actors as Lloyd Bridges, Peter Graves, Robert Stack, and Leslie Nielsen, who built a second career on films like this. A vital part of any video collection. —Mark Englehart

Airplane 2

The 1982 sequel to Airplane! is basically more of the same class-clown ironies but with a more forced feeling to the jokes. In the first film, veterans such as Peter Graves, Robert Stack, and Lloyd Bridges were feeling their way through self-parody, and the air of experimentation was part of the fun. By this film, however, everybody knows what's up, and the assuredness of new cast members Raymond Burr, William Shatner, and Chuck Connors is almost counterproductive. Still, there's lots to laugh about. —Tom Keogh

Ernest Borgnine, David Hemmings, Donald P. Bellisario Hip spy shows with covert agencies within agencies—like Alias and 24—are missing only one thing: A super-duper armor-plated helicopter with "nuclear-tipped shrike missiles." In the action series Airwolf, a mysterious national security agency called the Firm constructs a "Mach-one-plus chopper that can kick butt," only to have it stolen by the nefarious scientist who designed it (David Hemmings, Blowup, Barbarella). Desperate, the Firm turns to Stringfellow Hawke (Jan Michael Vincent), a soulful, cello-playing, art-loving, eagle-watching, guilt-ridden master pilot. Hawke refuses to help unless the Firm searches for his brother, who went MIA in 'Nam. Of course, he succeeds in his mission, but until the Firm fulfills its side of the bargain, he keeps the chopper—but also agrees to fly covert missions in exchange for tips about government efforts to retrieve Airwolf.

This elaborate setup proves surprisingly durable. The combat scenes in Airwolf are clumsily edited, but the scripts—though firmly in the cheesy techno-thriller vein of Robert Ludlum and Tom Clancy—are pleasantly zippy. While Vincent may have gone on to a straight-to-video career (appearing in such sterling titles as Hidden Obsession, Indecent Behavior, and Animal Instincts), he’s a persuasive and sexy pilot; he's got the same kind of rangy, athletic physicality that makes Kevin Costner convincing as an athlete. Add to this mix the ever-zesty Ernest Borgnine (Marty, The Wild Bunch) and it's clear why Airwolf outlived the similar series Blue Thunder. Most episodes feature international skullduggery with foreign agents trying to steal Airwolf and sell it to the Soviets or Libya, but there are enough clever details to keep you from objecting to the larger absurdity of the all-powerful helicopter. Guest stars include Shannen Doherty (Beverly Hills 90210) and David Carradine (Kill Bill). It's too bad Hemmings didn't become a regular; his sadistic, lecherous traitor gave the two-hour pilot some real juice. —Bret Fetzer

Al Murray, Phil Daniels

Al Murray, Melanie Chisholm, James Cooper, Peter Orton Al Murray, John Barrowman, Natalie Cassidy, Graham 'Suggs' McPherson, Donny Osmond Directors: Peter Orton

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Al Murray, Andrew Mackay, Richard Boden DISC IS MARKED BUT PLAYBACK IS PERFECT

Al Murray Hot on the heels of winning a British Comedy Award for Best New Entertainment Programme, Al Murray's Happy Hour comes to DVD for the first time.

Watch as The Pub Landlord 'interviews' some of his favourite stars from the world of entertainment and showbiz in his own unique way (expect some common sense reasoning).

This specially edited version allows you to relive classic moments from the first series including former teen idol Donny Osmond sweetly serenading The Pub Landlord's long dead, stuffed, slightly falling apart dog, Ramrod; our humble publican proving he was never confused dancing cheek-to-cheek with Strictly Come Dancing's Len Goodman and celebrating "mince" most certainly being "off the menu" at John Barrowman's.

Other guests in the series included: Shane Warne, Buzz Aldrin, Myleene Klass, Jason Donovan, Emma Bunton, Jodie Kidd, Amanda Holden, Martin Kemp, James Cracknell OBE, Jerry Springer, Major James Hewitt, Jermaine Jackson, Louis Walsh and David Coulthard.

"Consistently Brilliant" Ally Ross—The Sun
"Murray has reinvented the chat show... light entertainment with brains" Mike Bradley—The Observer

Alan Carr The first stand-up show from comedian Alan Carr, star of Channel 4's 'Friday Night Project'.

Alan Carr, Leslie Phillips

Alexander If you're determined to spend three hours with Oliver Stone's take on the personal and military struggles of ancient Macedonian conqueror Alexander the Great, you should know that Alexander (Colin Farrell, in blonde disarray) is not half so much fun as mom Olympias (Angelina Jolie) or his future wild bride Roxane (Rosario Dawson). Indeed, it's the women in Alex's life who provide the movie's most satisfying action: Jolie, sporting some kind of Russian accent, wraps herself in snakes while hissing promises of Farrell's destiny; Dawson disrobes and threatens to cut Farrell's throat before shtupping his brains out. The rest is leaden history, supposedly novel because it showcases epic battle sequences and addresses Alexander's great love for his buddy Hephaistion (Jared Leto). But the man-on-man romance is limited to teary hugs, and the battles are indecipherable messes-you have to wait for Anthony Hopkins' narration to tell you what happened (in fact, you have to wait for Hopkins' narration to tell you everything that happens). There's some spectacle on display but, alas, not much that is truly spectacular. —Steve Wiecking, Amazon.com

Steve Carell, Jennifer Garner, Miguel Arteta Alexander & The Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day

Michael Caine, Shelley Winters, Thelma Connell, Lewis Gilbert Alfie (Michael Caine in his first starring role) is a streetwise womaniser in swinging Sixties London. His conquests are numerous, from common-law wife Gilda (Julia Foster) to frustrated housewife Lily (Vivien Merchant), but the chirpy cockney's sexual antics catch up with him faster than he had counted on. The film is now seen as a period piece of Sixties British Cinema and to show the consequences of the sexual revolution that began in that era (Alfie is not repentent about his harsh treatment of the women in his life and so never quite finds fulfilment), was nominated for 6 Academy Awards and has a soundtrack by jazz musician Sonny Rollins.

Jude Law, Susan Sarandon, Charles Shyer Jude Law's Alfie, much like Michael Caine's in the 1966 original, is what you'd call an unrepentant womanizer. He beds 'em but never weds 'em, and New York provides ample opportunity to continue the process—until reality slaps him in the face. Because Jude Law is, well, Jude Law, you can see why he gets away with it as long as he does, and the actor also pulls off the usually awkward trick of narrating directly to the camera. Neither his Alfie, however, nor director Charles Shyer's remake emerges completely without scratches. Law has a Chesire Cat carnality, but he emanates too much intellect to buy him as the relatively dim bulb he's supposed to be. The film, meanwhile, is a bit soft around the edges; the whole thing would have more resonance if it wasn't quite so intent on watching the unrepentant repent. Regardless, it's a surprisingly thoughtful diversion, and there's fine work from Marisa Tomei, Nia Long, and Susan Sarandon as the women who understandably make Alfie reconsider his ways.—Steve Wiecking

Sacha Baron Cohen, Scott Preston, James Bobin

Sacha Baron Cohen, Michael Gambon, Mark Myloyd By the marginal-or-miss standards of British TV spin-offs, Ali G in da House is well above adequate, even though it drags out every smart line or decent routine until they lie dead on the screen just begging for a laugh track. The film pulls back a bit from the absolute obnoxiousness of the Ali G TV skits, which makes Sacha Baron Cohen's character bearable at feature length, but also significantly less funny. Here it is finally confirmed that Ali is a weedy white kid called Alistair who pretends to be Jamaican, rather than a weedy white comedian doing a Jamaican character.

Believe it or not, there's actually a plot, with a scheming Chancellor of the Exchequer (Charles Dance) recruiting Ali as a parliamentary candidate for Staines in a devious attempt to unseat Prime Minister Michael Gambon. Yet this framework is really an excuse for the sketch-like bits, such as a Los Angeles ghetto movie fantasy, Ali G addressing a meeting of lesbian feminists ("I've seen a lot of your videos"), and Charles Dance forced to read a budget speech in Ali G speak. Oddly, the film makes early-1990s jokes about Tories rather than going after New Labour, but any political satire here comes in second to knob-polishing jokes and sometimes-hilarious patter. Luckless inhabitants of the M4 corridor will nod ruefully at the final gag, in which Ali G persuades the PM not to devastate Staines and nods agreement as Gambon reassures him, "it's all right, we'll destroy Slough instead". —Kim Newman

Jennifer Garner, Ron Rifkin Created by JJ Abrams, Alias plays like a cross between Buffy the Vampire Slayer and James Bond. Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner) is a super (and super-sexy) spy, fighting nefarious villains and working for the good guys—or so she thinks. Recruited as a college freshman for espionage work, Sydney found her true calling with SD-6, a secret division of the CIA. When her hunky doctor-boyfriend proposes to her, she decides to let him in on the truth she's not supposed to tell anyone: she's not a grad student with a demanding job for an international bank, but a secret agent who constantly puts her life on the line for the free world. But when SD-6 discovers her security breach, her fiancé is brutally assassinated, and Sydney suddenly finds herself face-to-face with the truth: she's been working for the bad guys. Deciding to become a double agent for the CIA and bring down the evildoers, Sydney gets one more surprise—her estranged father (Victor Garber) is also working for SD-6, and the CIA as well. Welcome to the family, Syd!

Confused? This is all just the first episode. With its double-edged tension (how long can Syd play double agent?) and one heck of a MacGuffin (the dreaded Rambaldi device, the mythic creation of a Renaissance genius), the show leads its viewers from episode to episode with visceral, compelling action, not to mention the nascent romance between Syd and her CIA handler, Vaughn (Michael Vartan), and her clashes with her heretofore distant father. Sharp, smart and always suspenseful, Alias' centre was held by the gorgeous Garner, a stellar action heroine and an even better actress who could pull off Sydney's exotic undercover missions and conflicted emotions with equal dexterity. By the end of this first series, which concludes with a breathtaking cliffhanger, you'll be seduced into Alias' world with, happily, no desire to escape. —Mark Englehart

Jennifer Garner, Ron Rifkin It was a family affair in the second series of JJ Abrams' wonderfully inventive Alias, as super secret agent Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner) came face-to-face with the mother of all super secret agents—her own mother, Irina Derevko (Lena Olin), a former KGB agent, presumed dead, and more dangerous than ever. After shooting poor Syd, Irina later shows up at the doorstep of the CIA, offering to turn herself in and work for the good guys. But can she be trusted? Alias set up so much duplicity in its second series that it might have been hard to keep track of who was doing what to whom, but thanks to a great ensemble cast, fast-paced writing and direction, and some cannily cast guest stars, the show rode a stunning emotional roller-coaster and never broke its momentum, even when halfway through the season, it reinvented itself. With episode 13, "Phase One" (which aired after the Super Bowl to the show's biggest audience), Syd's original nemesis (and employer) SD-6 changes forever, yet the kick-butt agent still finds herself going up against the malevolent leader Sloane (Ron Rifkin) and his ever-changing set of henchmen. Action fans got plenty of fighting, while romantic Alias watchers swooned as Syd and the dashing Vaughn (Michael Vartan) finally consummated their unrequited love.

The critically acclaimed show owed a debt to Buffy the Vampire Slayer for its mix of action, romance, mystery, and moral quandaries, but in this series Alias truly came into its own—with a climax that came as a total shocker and prepped the show for an emotionally volatile third series. Guest stars included the phenomenal Amy Irving as Sloane's wife, Faye Dunaway as a nefarious bigwig, Christian Slater as a kidnapped scientist, and Ethan Hawke as a fellow CIA agent (or rather, two of them), but it was the dysfunctional nuclear family of Syd, Irina, and father Jack (Victor Garber) that gave Alias its heart and its strength, whether the three perfectly cast actors (all Emmy nominated) were just bickering or undertaking deadly hand-to-hand combat. —Mark Englehart

Jennifer Garner, Michael Vartan The third season of Alias found super spy Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner) waking up in Hong Kong with a monster hangover and two years in the future with nary a memory. What's worse, her world has been turned upside-down with the evil Sloane (Ron Rifkin) now a world-famous humanitarian and philanthropist, and, even worse, her true love Vaughn (Michael Vartan) married to a seemingly great gal. Nice way to go back to work, eh? After coming up with one heck of a cliffhanger in season 2, Alias proceeded a bit aimlessly through these 22 episodes, and as a result, the parts were truly greater than the whole. With Lena Olin no longer around as Syd's duplicitous mother, and the addition of admirable yet bland Melissa George as Vaughn's wife Lauren, Garner found herself for the first time without a compelling female foil to play off. By dividing its focus equally between the quest for the enigmatic Rambaldi device, Syd and Vaughn's now-contentious relationship, and the uncovering of Syd's missing years, Alias lost a little of its power without a larger story arc. The loss of regular cast members Merrin Dungey (Francie/Alison) and Bradley Cooper (Will)—both of whom do make great guest appearances—also divest the show of the personal life that kept Sydney human and approachable. Still, Garner is stellar as always, the plot twists come fast and furious, and secret identities are revealed. This season does have a great panorama of guest actors including Ricky Gervais, Justin Theroux, Djimon Hounsou, David Cronenberg, Quentin Tarantino, Vivica A. Fox, and Isabella Rossellini as Syd's long-lost aunt. —Mark Englehart, Amazon.com

Jennifer Garner, Victor Garber, Ken Olin, Lawrence Trilling, Jeffrey Bell

Jennifer Garner, Ron Rifkin, Donald E. Thorin Jr., Fred Toye, Jamie Babbit, Jay Torres, Jeffrey Bell

Melissa George, Ron Rifkin, J.J. Abrams

Steve Coogan, Rebecca Romijn-Stamos

Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Tim Burton The marriage of director Tim Burton with the darker edges of the Alice In Wonderland story seems, on paper, to be an impressive match. And to a point, it is: Burton’s film explodes with colour and style, bringing a real sense of imagination to the classic Lewis Carroll stories. Alice In Wonderland isn’t perfect, though. It’s, at heart, far more conventional than you may be expecting, and the beefing up of the Mad Hatter’s role to accommodate the casting of Johnny Depp is problematic. That said, Depp’s performance is fine, even if it’s Helena Bonham-Carter who steals every scene she’s in. And Burton also wisely casts a strong supporting cast of British thespians, who don’t get enough screen time, but make the most of what they get. The end result, however, is a fun telling of an engaging story. And while Tim Burton’s take on Alice In Wonderland is far from the best filmed take on the source material, it’s nonetheless a solid family movie. It also looks stunning on Blu-ray. The colourful production design comes across wonderfully well, in vibrant 1080p, and the enveloping sound mix matches it too. And given how often the film is likely to be re-spun over the years, it’s easily the best way to own the film. —Jon Foster

Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, Ridley Scott, James Cameron, Jean-Pierre Jeunet, David Fincher The Alien Quadrilogy is a nine-disc box set devoted to the four Alien films. Although previously available on DVD as the Alien Legacy, here the films have been repackaged with vastly more extras and with upgraded sound and vision. For anyone who hasn't been in hypersleep for the last 25 years this series needs no introduction, though for the first time each film now comes in both original and "Special Edition" form.

Alien (1979) was so perfect it didn't need fixing, and Ridley Scott's 2003 Director's Cut is fiddling for the sake of it. Watch once then return to the majestic, perfectly paced original. Conversely the Special Edition of James Cameron's Aliens (1986) is the definitive version, though it's nice finally to have the theatrical cut on DVD for comparison. Most interesting is the alternative Alien3 (1992). This isn't a "director's cut"—David Fincher refused to have any involvement with this release—but a 1991 work-print that runs 29 minutes longer than the theatrical version, and has now been restored, remastered and finished-off with (unfortunately) cheap new CGI. Still, it's truly fascinating, offering a different insight into a flawed masterpiece. The expanded opening is visually breathtaking, the central firestorm is much longer, and a subplot involving Paul McGann's character adds considerable depth to the story. The ending is also subtly but significantly different. Alien Resurrection (1997) was always a mess with a handful of brilliant scenes, and the Special Edition just makes it eight minutes longer.

On the DVD: Alien Quadrilogy offers all films except Alien3 with DTS soundtracks, the latter having still fine Dolby Digital 5.1 presentation. All four films sound fantastic, with much low-level detail revealed for the first time. Each is anamorphically enhanced at the correct original aspect ratio, and the prints and transfers are superlative. Every film offers a commentary that lends insight into the creative process—though the Scott-only commentary and isolated music score from the first Alien DVD release are missing here—and there are subtitles for hard of hearing both for the films and the commentaries.

Each movie is complemented by a separate disc packed with hours of seriously detailed documentaries (all presented at 4:3 with clips letterboxed), thousands of photos, production stills and storyboards, giving a level of inside information for the dedicated buff only surpassed by the Lord of the Rings extended DVD sets. A ninth DVD compiles miscellaneous material, including a Channel 4 hour-long documentary and even all the extras from the old Alien laserdisc. Exhaustive hardly begins to describe the Alien Quadrilogy, a set which establishes the new DVD benchmark for retrospective releases and which looks unlikely to be surpassed for some time. —Gary S Dalkin

Sanaa Lathan, Raoul Bova, Paul W.S. Anderson In delivering non-18-rated excitement, Alien vs. Predator is an acceptably average science-fiction action thriller with some noteworthy highlights, even if it squanders its opportunity to intelligently combine two popular franchises. Rabid fans can justifiably ask "Is that all there is?" after a decade of development hell and eager anticipation, but we're compensated by reasonably logical connections to the Alien legacy and the still-kicking Predator franchise (which hinted at AVP rivalry at the end of Predator 2); some cleverly claustrophobic sets, tense atmosphere and impressive digital effects; and a climactic AVP smackdown that's not half bad. This disposable junk should've been better, but nobody who's seen Mortal Kombat or Resident Evil should be surprised by writer-director Paul W.S. Anderson's lack of imagination. As a brisk, 90-minute exercise in generic thrills, however, Anderson's work is occasionally impressive... right up to his shameless opening for yet another sequel. —Jeff Shannon

Ryan Gosling, Kirsten Dunst, Andrew Jarecki Mystery inspired by real events and directed by Andrew Jarecki. When Kathie McCormack (Kirsten Dunst), wife of Robert Durst (Ryan Gosling), went missing in 1982, it sparked a huge missing persons case which led to Robert Durst being suspected of killing h

Victor Henry, Susan George, Christopher Morahan

Steve Martin takes his wild and crazy persona and splits it into an hilarious battle of the sexes within the same body. Ambitious attorney RogerCobb is assigned to alter the will of ailing millionaire Edwina Cutwater (Lily Tomlin), who wishes to bequeath her estate to a healthy young woman (Victoria Tennant)—after Cutwater's guru transfers the old eccentric's soul to her healthy body. No one believes for a second it will actually work until Ms. Cutwater awakens in Roger's body and he becomes, literally, a man possessed, fighting for control of himself. Martin delivers a hilariously animated performance as a body torn between two masters as it wrestles with itself in a spastic walk down a city street. Directed with comic aplomb by regular Martin collaborator Carl Reiner, All of Me combines the best of Martin's self-scripted films—anarchic moments of inspired physical comedy—with a solid (if somewhat silly) narrative holding the scenes together. Screenwriter Phil Alden Robinson went on to script and direct Field of Dreams. —Sean Axmaker

Matt LeBlanc, Eddie Izzard

Tom Cruise, Lea Thompson, Michael Chapman

Calista Flockhart, Greg Germann Much lighter in tone than creator, producer and writer David E Kelley's other forays into legal drama LA Law, and The Practice, the slick thirtysomething series Ally McBeal has never been out-and-out comedy but it spikes its exploration of emotional territory with sharp funny lines. Ally (Calista Flockhart) is a kookie cutie, a ditzy, skinny, single lawyer and we are privy to scenes from her overactive imagination (courtesy of CGI), surrounded by larger-than-life peripheral characters—almost grotesques—like outspoken boss Richard Fish (Greg Germann), nervy courtroom wizz John "The Biscuit" Cage (Peter MacNicol) and nosy secretary Elaine Vassal (Jane Krakowski). In later series these characters (including popular newcomers Lucy Lui and Portia de Rossi as frosty law babes Ling and Nelle) would edge towards one-dimensional caricatures as the same ground was retrodden relentlessly, but in this first series there is something compelling about the intrusive dynamics of this group of oddballs. The point is you don't have to like them to find them entertaining. Ally herself can be extremely irritating in a love-to-hate-her kind of a way. She is a curious dichotomy, a 1990s woman with a go-getting career and a penchant for her own way and yet with the romantic ideals of someone from another generation. Basically still hung up on ex-boyfriend Billy (Gil Bellows) who works for same Boston practice, alongside wife Georgia (Courtney Thorne-Smith), Ally is on the look out for her Prince Charming. The first series and its lead both garnered Golden Globes, a lot of gossip and a healthy audience for the Fox television network in America. Channel 4 snapped it up for British audiences who were intrigued, not least by the unisex toilets and sophisticated afterwork bar soirées where chanteuse Vonda Shepherd was always to be found crooning away in the corner. All in all, Ally McBeal leaves you with the conundrum of wanting more but not being able to say why. —Emma Perry

Calista Flockhart, Greg Germann

Calista Flockhart, Greg Germann At the start of Series Two of the Boston law firm drama, nothing much had changed at Richard Fish's rather kooky establishment. Ally (Calista Flockhart) was still a skinny, whimsical woman-child looking for Mr Right. Billy (Gil Bellows) was still married to Georgia (Courtney Thorne-Smith), John Cage (Peter McNicol) was still too eccentric to be considered for romantic involvement, Elaine (Jane Krakowski) was still a nosey meddler and Fish (Greg Germann) himself was still looking for ways to make money. Lots of it. Greed prompts him to hire new litigator Nelle (Portia DiRossi), a tall, blonde power-dresser who leaves the other women bristling in her wake. But their antipathy towards their new colleague is nothing compared to the forces of hatred spiky Ling (Lucy Liu) inspires. Before long John (The Biscuit) and Nelle are embarking on a tempestuous romance, Ally is stealing Elaine's new boyfriend before going out with one of Georgia's exes and Billy begins to show the signs of instability which lead to him to bleach his hair blonde in the following season. Ally's outspoken flatmate Renee (Lisa Nicole Carson) got a welcome increase in her time on screen in this second season. Despite the sheer number of episodes David E Kelley and his team turn around each year, this second series consistently provided entertaining viewing to the last, despite—or perhaps because of—some of the characters being so unlikable. The inter-office banter reached new heights of inventive bitchiness, the comic CGI illustrations of Ally's imagination still felt reasonably fresh and the court cases managed to combine oddity with emotional involvement. All in all this group of dysfunctional and rather incestuous workaholics proved curiously engaging yet again. —Emma Perry

Calista Flockhart, Greg Germann

Calista Flockhart, Greg Germann In David E Kelley's Boston law drama, Ally McBeal, his lawyers' private and work lives are always inextricably linked. Nobody does anything in the "Cage and Fish" firm without their colleagues knowing about it, including going to the toilet. Kelley is as willing as always to embrace implausible coincidence in his storylines for the pay-off of maintaining the high pace and dramatic neatness.

Our anti-heroine Ally McBeal starts her third season with a wet, wordless fling in a car wash with Jason Gedrick, and it's no surprise that Ally ends up facing Gedrick at the altar when a client asks her to be bridesmaid. With the entire firm invited along as guests, can she keep quiet about the groom? Well, you know Ally—she may not have any lasting success in the romance department but it's a subject she feels very strongly about. The third season sees fewer CGI expressions of Ally's thoughts and imagination, but the drama is just as colourful. Billy's increasing concerns over the balance of male and female power manifests itself in his newly dyed blond hair and his hiring of six PVC-clad women to follow him around boosting his testosterone. Other highlights include Ally exploring her lesbian side with Ling, Elaine posing as John's "fluffer" to banish his sexual insecurities and an explosive Thanksgiving party at Ally's. There are plotlines within Series 3 which stretch plausibility, such as finding out that Ally's dad is the man Georgia's been snogging to forget her husband's metamorphosis into a blonde-haired, sexist egomaniac. Ally McBeal does have the tendency to descend into sickening sentimental tosh, like all the "child inside" nonsense in Episode 11, but that aside, it continues to provide escapist entertainment of the first order. —Emma Perry

Calista Flockhart, Greg Germann

Calista Flockhart, Greg Germann The first half of Ally McBeal's fourth season starts with that all important question, the one Ally has been waiting for from day one: "Ally will you... move in with me?". As always Ally's romantic dreams never quite become a reality and the series continues within the Grimm Fairy Tale world of Ally's love (and quirky work) life. The most important twist this season occurs in the first episode "Sex, Lies and Second Thoughts"—the departure of Tracy Ullman and Ally's current beau, Brian, to be replaced by the series' new heart-throb Larry (Robert Downey Jr). Initially dating both father and son ("Two's a Crowd") Ally cannot help but become besotted by Larry's charisma; he being a fellow lawyer further seals their bond, that is until Larry's past comes back to haunt him.

Other highlights include a quirky romance for John ("Reason to Belive"), a charity auction leading to an all male fan-club for John ("Love on Holiday") and a romantic connection for Mark—though the recipient of his affection may have hidden more than he bargained for. Unfortunately the series was outshone by the real-life drama of Calista Flockhart's and Downey's rocky relationship along with Downey's drugs convictions. Even though he won a Golden Globe for his performance, he ultimately had to be dropped from the series.

On the DVD: Not much on offer here for Ally's début into the DVD market. The individual episode menu does offer a language selection of French and English and the subtitles for the Netherlands and French. You also have the option to select chapters from the specific episodes, along with a "previously on Ally McBeal..." for that little reminder of whom Ally is dating now. Although standard for a TV DVD release, the 1.33:1 aspect ratio and 2.0 Dolby sound is disappointing for a television series which offers ground-breaking use of special effects. —Nikki Disney

Calista Flockhart, Greg Germann Too mainstream to be a cult, yet too odd to be totally conventional, Ally McBeal has become one of televisions curios. While its early days saw the show become something of a victim of its own self-conscious stylising, the episodes included on series 4 volume 2 are far stronger in terms of characterisation and plot and the storylines are easy to pick up. Not that the quirks have been exiled—the first programme features McBeal hallucinating about Barry Manilow—rather they have now become part of the overall feel of the show.

Despite the attention lavished on both the lead character and the actress who plays her, the show is a real ensemble piece and works best when all the players are together. One of the collection's weakest moments is the episode that sends the usually excellent Richard and John off to LA on their own, an episode which lays threat to a dreaded spin off. While there are annoying moments—could they not have edited out the "previously on Ally McBeal" parts for retail release and why do they never go out with anyone other than work colleagues—with guest appearances from the likes of Sting this is a must for any fan of the series.

On the DVD: Sadly, the DVD collection betrays very little thought or effort. The pace of the show is certainly brisk (especially when shorn of the adverts) and the picture quality is equally dynamic, instilling real depth to the many aerial shots of Boston itself. Given that music is such an integral part in the show, it is no surprise that the soundtrack has been given a boost by its recreation in Dolby digital stereo. The interactive menu, however, is clumsy to use and having to work back through the options at the end of each episode quickly becomes tiresome. The complete lack of any extras whatsoever is also a definite minus point.—Phil Udell

Calista Flockhart, Greg Germann The fifth season was the last series of Ally McBeal, and probably the least satisfying. While always at least slightly entertaining, it was troubled by two conflicting imperatives: first, to steer its neurotic characters and multiplicity of sub-plots towards a coherent and credible resolution; second, to sustain another series of a programme which had, by now, exhausted all the plot possibilities that were remotely believable. The result is a bemusing onslaught of new characters (Ally's Mini-Me Jenny and a barely distinguishable phalanx of lantern-jawed male leads), celebrity cameos (Edna Everage, Christina Ricci, Barry White, Matthew Perry, Jon Bon Jovi), several storylines that would test the credulity of any of the curiously indulgent judges before whom Ally's firm practises (notably the arrival of a 10-year-old daughter that Ally didn't know she had) and one misbegotten attempt to anchor the programme to the real world (the "Nine One One" episode, an unwatchably mawkish allegory about the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States).

Granted that Ally McBeal was never intended to be realistic drama, but when the programme spirals entirely off into the realms of the surreal, any possibility of the sort of identification with the characters on which the programme once relied is lost. Though not without its moments, the sudden redemption of Fish, always the best-written character, is deftly handled. Series Five will be of chief interest to adherents who stuck with it through the first four and so wanted to see how it all ends; in keeping with the central character's defining motifs of solipsism and self-pity, it does so with a whimper.

On the DVD: Ally McBeal has episode selector on each disc, and a scene selector within each of those. The final disc contains two short and desultory documentaries on the series billed, somewhat hopefully, as "Special Features". A French audio soundtrack is available, as are subtitles in English, French and Dutch. –-Andrew Mueller

Calista Flockhart, Greg Germann The fifth season was the last series of Ally McBeal, and probably the least satisfying. While always at least slightly entertaining, it was troubled by two conflicting imperatives: first, to steer its neurotic characters and multiplicity of sub-plots towards a coherent and credible resolution; second, to sustain another series of a programme that had, by now, exhausted all the plot possibilities that were remotely believable. The result is a bemusing onslaught of new characters (Ally's Mini-Me Jenny and a barely distinguishable phalanx of lantern-jawed male leads), celebrity cameos (Edna Everage, Christina Ricci, Barry White, Matthew Perry, Jon Bon Jovi), several storylines that would test the credulity of any of the curiously indulgent judges before whom Ally's firm practises (notably the arrival of a 10-year-old daughter that Ally didn't know she had) and one misbegotten attempt to anchor the programme to the real world (the "Nine One One" episode, an unwatchably mawkish allegory about the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States).

Granted that Ally McBeal was never intended to be realistic drama, but when the programme spirals entirely off into the realms of the surreal, any possibility of the sort of identification with the characters on which the programme once relied is lost. Though not without its moments, the sudden redemption of Fish, always the best-written character, is deftly handled. Season Five will be of chief interest to adherents who stuck with it through the first four and so wanted to see how it all ends; in keeping with the central character's defining motifs of solipsism and self-pity, it does so with a whimper.

On the DVD: Ally McBeal has episode selector on each disc, and a scene selector within each of those. The final disc contains two short and desultory documentaries on the series billed, somewhat hopefully, as "Special Features". A French audio soundtrack is available, as are subtitles in English, French and Dutch. –-Andrew Mueller

Billy Crudup, Zooey Deschanel, Cameron Crowe Almost Famous is the movie Cameron Crowe has been waiting a lifetime to tell. The fictionalisation of Crowe's days as a teenage reporter for Creem and Rolling Stone has all the well-written characters and wonderful "movie moments" that we expect from Crowe (Jerry Maguire), but the film has an intangible something extra—an insider's touch that will turn the film into the ode to '70s rock & roll for years to come. We are introduced to Crowe's alter ego, William Miller (Patrick Fugit), at home, where his progressive mom (Frances McDormand, just superb) has outlawed rock music and sister Anita (Zooey Deschanel) has slipped him LPs that will "set his mind free." Following the wisdom of Creem's disheveled editor, Lester Bangs (Philip Seymour Hoffman in an instant-classic performance), Miller gets on the inside with the up-and-coming band Stillwater (a fictionalised mixture of the Allman Brothers, Led Zeppelin, and others). A simple visit with the band turns into a three-week, life-altering odyssey into the heyday of American rock. Of the characters he meets on the road, the two most important are groupie extraordinaire Penny Lane (Kate Hudson in a star-making performance) and Stillwater's enigmatic lead guitarist (Billy Crudup), who keeps stringing Miller along for an interview. From the handwritten credits (done by Crowe) to the bittersweet finale, Crowe's comedic valentine is an indelible, heartbreaking romance of music, women, and the privilege of youth. —Doug Thomas

Tanya Roberts, Jeff Conaway, Irit Raz, Michael DeLuise

Morgan Freeman, Michael Wincott, Lee Tamahori After an obligatory prologue in which its detective hero suffers a tragic professional setback, Along Came a Spider (based on the James Patterson novel) sets about its business of luring the viewer into its nefarious plot, relying on the magician's technique of misdirection to reveal a double-whammy surprise. The clever, late-coming plot twist is a bit too mechanical but effectively unexpected, making this a satisfying prequel to the hit thriller Kiss the Girls—based on the first) of Patterson's Alex Cross detective novels—and a welcomed addition to a promising movie franchise. It's no better or worse than a good vintage episode of Peter Falk's Columbo, adhering closely to the mystery-thriller's time-honoured traditions, but with Morgan Freeman settling comfortably into his role as seasoned sleuth Alex Cross, familiar formula is given fresh vitality. When a senator's daughter is kidnapped from her high-security private school, the kidnapper (nicely played by the underrated Michael Wincott) draws Cross into the case, knowing that the psychologist-detective's involvement will bring high-profile publicity. Cross partners with the Secret Service agent (Monica Potter) who botched her assignment, but wait... the movie's got a rabbit in its hat and that rabbit has an ace up its sleeve. Director Lee Tamahori (who brought similar intensity to The Edge) handles the sleight-of-hand with slick precision, dispensing just enough information to keep the viewer off guard without resorting to cheap manipulation. Don't look for much depth of character here, but Along Came a Spider is well served by everyone involved. It's the movie equivalent of a bestseller you'd impulsively buy at the grocery-store checkout, and on those terms it succeeds. —Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com

Julia Ann, Tom Byron, W Bosley Delongprez, F J Lincoln ALTERED PARADISE / SEDUCTION OF JULIA ANN

F. Murray Abraham, Tom Hulce, Michael Chandler, Nena Danevic, Milos Forman

Audrey Tautou, Dominique Pinon, Jean-Pierre Jeunet Jean-Pierre Jeunet's Amelie could have been marketed as a simple love story, but this would be missing a huge part of its appeal. It is in fact only the second half of the movie where romance begins to blossom, and even then it is in an unconventional way. With its use of special effects to express the main character's internal emotions, this could also have been mistaken for a French version of Ally McBeal; however, unlike Ally "woe is me for I cannot find a man" McBeal, Amelie is not distressed by the lack of men in her life, in fact the whole idea of sex seems to amuse her no end. Basic pleasures such as cracking the top of a Crème Brule offer her all the sensual satisfaction she needs and her existence in the "Paris of Dreams" is the stuff of fairy-tales. Indeed, this cinematic treat must have worked wonders for the Paris tourist board; Jeunet's beautiful interpretation of Parisian life includes all the vibrant colours you would expect from the director of Delicatessen.

But Amelie is much more than a simple "feelgood" movie. The pixie woman herself is a shining symbol for our times. Set at the time of Princess Diana's death, Amelie is struck with a plan to offer goodness back to the world—to become the Mother Teresa of France. The film never offers a motive for this do-gooding—like all great martyrs Amelie simply is and does as she pleases to please others. She demands no thanks for her offering of love, simply hiding in the shadows and gaining the warm glow of satisfaction from the knowledge that she has managed to change someone's life. Her selflessness is a breath of fresh air in a dog-eat-dog world where we ignore our neighbour's troubles, and each other's loneliness. Featuring a strong supporting cast who play fully rounded characters, as well as the beautiful imagery and typical French humour which borders on the black, Amelie will leave the viewer feeling like the happiest person alive.

On the DVD: Disappointingly low on features for such a well-loved release, this disc has one treasurable special feature: a commentary (in English) by the enigmatic Jean-Pierre Jeunet which is pure joy (it's also refreshing to hear an accent other than American—a rarity for the DVD format). The disc comes with a choice of Dolby Digital or DTS sound adding to the enchantment of the piece; the anamorphic widescreen print enhances the rich colours so loved by Jeunet.—Nikki Disney

Julia Roberts, Billy Crystal, Joe Roth

Kevin Spacey, Annette Bening, Christopher Greenbury, Sam Mendes From its first gliding aerial shot of a generic suburban street, American Beauty moves with a mesmerising confidence and acuity epitomised by Kevin Spacey's calm narration. Spacey is Lester Burnham, a harried Everyman whose midlife awakening is the spine of the story, and his very first lines hook us with their teasing fatalism—like Sunset Boulevard's Joe Gillis, Burnham tells us his story from beyond the grave. It's an audacious start for a film that justifies that audacity. Weaving social satire, domestic tragedy and whodunit into a single package, Alan Ball's first theatrical script dares to blur generic lines and keep us off balance, winking seamlessly from dark, scabrous comedy to deeply moving drama. The Burnham family joins the cinematic short-list of great dysfunctional American families, as Lester is pitted against his manic, materialistic realtor wife, Carolyn (Annette Bening, making the most of a mostly unsympathetic role) and his sullen, contemptuous teenaged daughter, Jane (Thora Birch, utterly convincing in her edgy balance of self-absorption and wistful longing). Into their lives come two catalytic outsiders. A young cheerleader (Mena Suvari) jolts Lester into a sexual epiphany that blooms into a second adolescence. And an eerily calm young neighbour (Wes Bentley) transforms both Lester and Jane with his canny influence. Credit another big-screen newcomer, English theatrical director Sam Mendes, with expertly juggling these potentially disjunctive elements into a superb ensemble piece that achieves a stylised pace without lapsing into transparent self-indulgence. Mendes has shrewdly insured his success with a solid crew of stage veterans, yet he has also made an inspired discovery in Bentley, whose Ricky Fitts becomes a fulcrum for both plot and theme. Cinematographer Conrad Hall's sumptuous visual design further elevates the film, infusing the beige interiors of the Burnhams' lives with vivid bursts of deep crimson, the colour of roses—and of blood. —Sam Sutherland

Mandy Moore, Billy Bob Thornton, Joel Coen, Paul Weitz

Michael Dudikoff, Steve James, Sam Firstenberg The first of what would be a series, 1985's American Ninja is a martial-arts thriller. Michael Dudikoff plays Joe, a sullen young GI who turns up at American airbase Fort Sonora and immediately makes himself unpopular. Even when he single-handedly saves the Commanding Officer's daughter (Judie Aronson, whose function is to scream a lot and get her clothes very wet), from a ninja ambush, he's still ostracised. It turns out that Joe is actually a highly skilled ninja warrior, but he's an amnesiac with no idea how he acquired his abilities. Eventually, having bonded with fellow GI Steve James, he helps foil criminal arms-dealer Ortega, whose morals are as dubious as his accent, which veers from French to Hispanic.

American Ninja is essentially an excuse for a series of martial arts set pieces, though these seem a little lumbering by the standards later set by Jackie Chan and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. The soundtrack and overall feel is clearly influenced by the classic A-Team. The plot is well signposted at every turn and the dialogue makes you think of an American film that has been badly dubbed. However, the film will work as kitsch, for idle comfort-viewing or for small boys.

On the DVD: The cheapness of the original has been immaculately preserved—however, the only extra is the original trailer.—David Stubbs

Kudos to the home-video exec who came up with the "Presents..." prefix to keep a movie franchise going, even though it has almost no relation to the entries that came before. This is number five in the series that started with American Pie, an unexpected hit of a teen sex romp that kept the box office and DVD grosses (not to mention gross-outs) coming. The last entry, American Pie Presents: Band Camp, was the first non-theatrical release, which gave the filmmakers more "anything goes" freedom in the "unrated" department than ever. The Naked Mile kicks it up another notch with more gratuitous female nudity, bodily fluid flinging, and sexual overtones than anyone thought could be topped. Pubescent boys and those with minds forever stuck in that dimension, get ready to ogle babes and roar at puerile humor like you never have before. The only American Pie connections are in the form of the Stifler family, filled with a never-ending string of sex-crazed high school and college boys, and Eugene Levy as family friend Mr. Levenstein, who pops in for a (presumably) hefty paycheck and a couple of lines of sexual wisdom about the connection between promiscuity and growing up. Our hero, Erik Stifler, is on a weekend vacation at the local college where his cousin knows all the hot babes. He's in possession of a "free pass" from his virginal girlfriend to lose his own virginity. His visit just happens to coincide with the college's traditional Naked Mile run, an excuse to fill the screen with raw young flesh and stupid drunken frat kids engaging in silly sexual deviance that some people may find funny. And let's face it, if they're going to find the nudity and sordid sex play offensive, they're not going to have this DVD in their hands. All ends as it should: Erik finds true sex—ahem, love—with his girlfriend and everyone else finds it with whoever is handy. Mostly importantly, the cycle is left open with everything ripe for another sure-to-be classic in the American Pie Presents series. —Ted Fry

Jason Biggs, Chris Klein, Chris Weitz, Paul Weitz Anyone who's watched just about any teenage film knows that the greatest evil in this world isn't chemical warfare, ethnic cleansing, or even the nuclear bomb. The worst crime known to man? Why, virginity, of course. As we've learned from countless films—from Summer of '42 to Risky Business—virginity is a criminal burden that one must shed oneself of as quickly as possible. And while many of these films have given the topic a bad name, American Pie quietly sweeps in and gives sex some of its dignity back. Dignity, you may say? How can a film that highlights intercourse with fruit pies, premature ejaculation broadcast across the Internet and the gratuitous "gross-out" shots restore the dignity of a genre that's been encumbered with such heavyweights as Porky's and Losin' It? The plot of American Pie may be typical, with four high-school friends swearing to "score" before the prom, yet the film rises above the muck with its superior cast, successful and sweet humour and some actually rather retro values about the meaning and importance of sex. Jason Biggs, Chris Klein, Thomas Ian Nicholas, and Eddie Kaye Thomas make up the odd quartet of pals determined to woo, lie and beg their way to manhood. The young women they pursue are wary girlfriend Vicky (Tara Reid), choir girl Heather (Mena Suvari), band geek Michelle (Alyson Hannigan) and just about any other female who is willing and able. Natasha Lyonne as Jessica, playing a similar role as in Slums of Beverly Hills, is the general advisor to the crowd (when Vicky tells her "I want it to be the right time, the right place," Jessica responds, "It's not a space shuttle launch, it's sex"). The comedic timing hits the mark—especially in the deliberately awkward scenes between Jim (Biggs) and his father (Eugene Levy). And, of course, lessons are learned in this genuinely funny film, which will probably please the adult crowd even more than it will the teenage one. —Jenny Brown

Jason Biggs|Shannon Elizabeth|Alyson Hannigan|Chris Klein, James B. Rogers American Pie 2 [DVD] [2001]

Jason Biggs, Alyson Hannigan, Seann William Scott, Eugene Levy, Jesse Dylan The producers of the American Pie movies pushed their luck with a third slice of their lucrative raunchy comedy franchise, but American Wedding cooked up surprisingly well. It's the sourest serving of Pie, with half of the original cast missing, and there's something undeniably desperate about comedic highlights (involving dog poop, a lusty old lady, two strippers to offset the absence of Shannon Elizabeth, and the ill-advised use of a trimming razor) that arise more from obligation than inspiration, on the assumption that another penile mishap is guaranteed to please. And yet, that's just what this movie does for devoted Pie-munchers: it gives 'em what they want, especially when the notorious Stifler (Seann William Scott) nearly ruins the frantic nuptials of Jim (Jason Biggs) and his band-camping sweetheart Michelle (Alyson Hannigan). Eugene Levy and Eddie Kaye Thomas also return for some reliable comic relief, but the one who's laughing most is three-time Pie writer Adam Herz—all the way to the bank. —Jeff Shannon

Tad Hilgenbrinck, Arielle Kebbel, Steve Rash A spin-off rather than a sequel, Band Camp is the fourth entry in the American Pie franchise, but the first without the original cast. Instead a new trash-talking teen takes the lead. His name is Matt (Tad Hilgenbrinck) and he's Steve Stifler's younger brother (and despite the dark hair, Hilgenbrinck does resemble Seann William Scott—without the impish charm). There's nothing the football playing party boy hates more than bandies, the geeky members of the high school band. After he gets caught "punking" his favourite victims, he's sent to the guidance counselor, a redheaded gent known as the Sherminator (Chris Owen), who recommends band camp as penance. Since Steve has moved on to become a Girls Gone Wild impresario, Matt decides he'll make his own R-rated opus, "Bandies Gone Wild." This means spying on the well endowed camp counselors and other unwitting campers while they're showering, sunbathing, etc. When the not-so-bright triangle player gets caught yet again, his new friends abandon him, leading Stiffmeister Jr. to believe he just may have gone too far. Band Camp, which was released straight to DVD, plays more like Porky's than American Pie, and features Eugene Levy as Mr. Levenstein, AKA "Jim's Dad," the camp's conflict resolution officer and ex-porn star Ginger Lynn Allen as the camp nurse. —Kathleen C. Fennessy

Michael Douglas, Annette Bening, Robert Leighton, Rob Reiner What sounds like a high-concept romantic comedy pitch from hell—widower president falls for smart lobbyist while the world watches—is actually intelligent, charming, touching and quite funny. Granted, it's wish fulfilment all the way (when was the last time you saw a president who was truly presidential?) but in the capable hands of writer Aaron Sorkin (TV's Sports Night) and director Rob Reiner, TheAmerican President is incredibly enjoyable entertainment with quite a few ideas about both romance and the government. Michael Douglas stars as the president, who after three years in office starts thinking about the possibility of dating. When he auspiciously encounters cutthroat environmental lobbyist Sydney Ellen Wade (Annette Bening), sparks begin to crackle and the two begin a tentative but heartfelt romance. Of course, his job gets in the way—their first kiss is interrupted by a Libyan bombing—but darn it if these two kids aren't going to try and make it work! However, they hadn't counted on the president's Republican antagonist (Richard Dreyfuss), who starts carping about family values. The predictable plot—Douglas finally goes to bat for his lady and his country—is leavened by Sorkin's wonderful, snappy dialogue and a light touch from the usually subtle-as-a-sledgehammer Reiner. Both manage to create a believable White House-office atmosphere (with a crack staff including Martin Sheen, Michael J. Fox, Anna Deavere Smith and Samantha Mathis) as well as a plausible and funny dating scenario. The true success of the movie, though, rides squarely on Douglas and Bening; this is unequivocally Douglas's best comedic performance (ergo his best performance, period) and Bening, usually such a good bad girl, takes a standard career-woman role and fleshes it out magnificently. You can see in an instant why Douglas would fall for her. One of the best unsung romantic comedies of the 90s. —Mark Englehart

Reese Madigan, Trent Bushey, Lucas Lowe

David Naughton, Jenny Agutter, Malcolm Campbell, John Landis With an ingenious script, engaging characters, nerve-shredding suspense, genuinely frightening set-pieces and laugh-out-loud funny bits An American Werewolf in London is a prime candidate for the finest horror-comedy ever made. Americans David (David Naughton) and Jack (Griffin Dunne) are backpacking in northern England when Jack is killed by a wild beast and David is bitten. Back in London David finds himself falling in love with a nurse, Alex (played with winning charm by Jenny Agutter), and turning into a werewolf. Adding to his problems, an increasingly decomposed Jack keeps coming back from the dead, and he is not a happy corpse. The Oscar winning make-up and transformation scenes still look good and rather than send itself up Werewolf plays its horror seriously, the laughs coming naturally from the surreal situation. Naughton is engagingly confused and disbelieving, desperately coping with the ever more nightmarish world, while Landis delivers one absolutely stunning dream sequence, an unbearably tense hunt on the London Underground and a breathtaking finale. Gory, erotic, shocking and romantic, this unforgettable horror classic has it all. Tom Holland's Fright Night (1985) remixed the formula with vampires, as did Landis himself in Innocent Blood (1992). A disappointing sequel, An American Werewolf in Paris, followed in 1997. —Gary S Dalkin

Tom Everett Scott, Julie Delpy, Anthony Waller On the strength of his Hitchcockian-thriller debut, Mute Witness, writer-director Anthony Waller was hired to direct this belated sequel to the 1981 horror comedyAn American Werewolf in London but lycanthropy in the City of Light just ain't what it used to be. The movie offers plenty of gruesome make-up and special wolf-transformation effects and there are some effectively spooky moments in the plot involving an underground population of hungry Parisian werewolves. One of them is seductively played by Julie Delpy, who is rescued from attempted suicide by an American tourist (Tom Everett Scott, from That Thing You Do!) but ultimately can't hide her dual identity when darkness falls and the full moon shines. The movie begins well but gradually succumbs to nonsense and mayhem, prompting critic Roger Ebert to observe that "here are people we don't care about,doing things they don't understand, in a movie without anyrules". In other words, you'd have to be a die-hard horror buff to give this one the benefit of the doubt.—Jeff Shannon

George Clooney, Violante Placido, Anton Corbijn Thriller starring George Clooney as Jack, an American master assassin working in Europe. When a job in Sweden ends messily, Jack flees to the Italian countryside and vows that his next assignment will be his last. But this simple decision becomes complicated when his new client, Mathilde (Thekla Reuten), appears to have sinister ulterior motives. Meanwhile, Jack pursues an ambiguous relationship with local prostitute Clara (Violante Placido) and is befriended by elderly priest Father Benedetto (Paolo Bonacelli), who encourages him to put his past behind him and seek absolution. But which of these new acquaintances, if any, can Jack truly trust?

Anastacia

Will Ferrell, Christina Applegate, Adam McKay Will Farrell followed up his star-making vehicle Elf, which matched his fine-tuned comic obliviousness to a sweet sincerity, with a more arrogant variation on the same character: Ron Burgundy, a macho, narcissistic news anchor from the 1970s. Along with his news posse—roving reporter Brian Fantana (Paul Rudd, Clueless), sports guy Champ Kind (David Koechner), and dim-bulb weatherman Brick Tamland (Steve Carell, Bruce Almighty)—Burgundy rules the roost in San Diego, fawned upon by groupies and supported by a weary producer (Fred Willard, Best In Show) who tolerates Burgundy's ego because of good ratings. But when Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate, View from the Top) arrives with ambitions to become an anchor herself, she threatens the male-dominated newsroom. Anchorman has plenty of funny material, but it's as if Farrell couldn't decide what he really wanted to mock, and so took smart-ass cracks at everything in sight. Still, there are moments of inspired delirium. —Bret Fetzer

Benjamin Bratt, Christa Miller, Mikael Salomon

David Boreanaz, Charisma Carpenter It is with this second series that Angel, the darker Los Angeles mean-streets spin-off from Buffy, comes entirely into its own. Angel, the vampire with a soul and rather too much hair gel, is driven partly by his need for atonement and partly by his anger at the manipulations of the satanic law firm Wolfram and Hart, especially the morally equivocal Lindsey (Christian Kane). At the end of the previous season, they set his emotional destruction in motion by bringing back from hell Darla, the vampire who turned him, whom he loved for centuries and then killed to save Buffy. Julie Benz's soft-voiced passion—"God doesn't want you, but I still do"—makes her a perfect tragic foil for David Boreanaz's "billowy coat King of Pain" hero and mid-season offers further cause for Angel's despairing rage at his failure to save Darla from being turned vampire again.

There is a nice balance of comedy, horror and the starkly tragic here—fake swamis, accursed shrouds, sexually abused telekinetic assassins all come into the mix along with Angel's gang of sidekicks—pedantic Wesley, abrasive Gunn, flighty clairvoyant Cordelia—and a new and wonderfully improbable character who starts as a running joke and becomes so much more—the Host (Andy Hallett), a green demon with red horns, eyes and hair, who sees into the souls of those who sing karaoke at his bar. And in a four-part finale, the group's friendship with the green karaoke demon Lorne sends them off to his home dimension to rescue Cordelia, right wrongs and acquire an important new character.

On the DVD: Angel, Season 2 on disc presents all the episodes in their original 16x9 widescreen format (2.35:1), which enables viewers to see shots as they were originally conceived, for example in impressive moments like the march of the four vampires through a burning Shanghai or the climaxes of the mediaeval Pylea sequence. The sound is a sumptuous Dolby Surround 2.0. The first Pylea episode, "Over the Rainbow", has a commentary by its director Fred Keller; the 1959 flashback episode "Are You Now or Have You Ever Been?" has a commentary by writer Tim Minnear. There are also featurettes on the set designs—specifically concentrating on the huge hotel set which dominates Season 2. —Roz Kaveney

David Boreanaz, J. August Richards, Joss Whedon, James A. Contner, Marita Grabiak, Steven S. DeKnight Lives were upended—and some co-opted—in the fifth and final season of Angel, as the denizens of Angel Investigations found themselves taking on one of their scariest endeavors ever: corporate life. After making a literal deal with the devil (or something distinctly devil-like), Angel (David Boreanaz) moved his team from their crumbling hotel to the high-rise digs of law-firm-from-hell Wolfram & Hart, his reasoning being they could better fight the forces of evil from the inside, and with more resources to boot. Clever maneuvering or easy rationalization? A few members of Angel's team accused him of selling out (as did a number of viewers), but as with most of the show's previous four seasons, Angel somehow took a dubious premise and mined it for gold. And with one core cast member gone (Charisma Carpenter, whose Cordelia was immersed in a deep coma), it seemed as if the show, from within and without, would suddenly fall apart—that is, until Angel's longtime nemesis Spike (James Marsters) showed up, fresh from his sacrificial roasting at the series finale of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Let the vampire games begin!

With Buffy off the air, fans flocked to Angel's last season to get their fix of Joss Whedon's "Buffyverse" in any form they could, and the addition of Spike was a shrewd one, albeit not enough to keep the show from getting canceled. And for the first half of the season, the creative forces behind the show seemed to be toying ruthlessly with the audience. Spike was around, but not entirely corporeal; Angel himself became sullen and withdrawn; and most horrifically, sweetheart scientist Fred (Amy Acker) and former watcher Wesley (Alexis Denisof) underwent traumas that would test even the most devoted viewer. However, just when you'd be about to throw in the towel, things started changing for the better—Spike became a permanent fixture (both in the flesh and on the show), Angel's secret motives were revealed, and the introduction of demon warrior Illyria, who proved to be the show's answer to Buffy's sardonic demon-made-human Anya, was a welcome breath of fresh air. Creatively, Angel also came up with some of its best episodes, including "Smile Time" (where Angel is turned into a puppet – really!) and "You're Welcome" (the show's 100th episode, which marked the bittersweet return of Carpenter's Cordelia). The ending of the series was deliberately ambiguous, and not everyone made it through alive, but in going out kicking, it was a proper sendoff for a show that always fought the good fight. —Mark Englehart

Mark Rylance, Kristin Scott Thomas, Philip Haas Angels and Insects—an ambitious costume drama—tells the tale of William Adamson (Mark Rylance), a buttoned-down Victorian explorer who returns to England penniless and dependent on the kindness of his sponsor, Sir Harald Alabaster (Jeremy Kemp). Adamson's intelligence and lower social standing endear him to the old man, but Sir Harald's son, Edgar, seems annoyed by his presence. Nevertheless, Adamson falls in love with Sir Harald's daughter, a shy sex kitten (Patsy Kensit), and offers to marry her.

As the web of sexual politics, true love, and class struggles develop; the explorer begins an intriguing study of a nearby ant colony. With encouragement from a dirt-poor Alabaster cousin (Kristin Scott Thomas), Adamson begins to write about the insects, never realising the parallels with his own life. The film, too, is a puzzle for the audience to solve while savouring the beauty of flesh and outlandish, vibrant costumes. Rylance is a perfect hero to root for, with his impeccable manners and soothing Scottish tones. All in all it's another curious winner from filmmakers Philip and Belinda Haas (The Music of Chance). —Doug Thomas, Amazon.com

Jack Nicholson, Adam Sandler, Peter Segal The irresistible pairing of Jack Nicholson and Adam Sandler is the best reason to see Anger Management, a comedy that might have been subtitled "The Funny and the Furious". Nicholson and especially Sandler have screen personas that partially rely on pent-up anxieties, so there's definite potential in teaming them as a mild-mannered designer of pet clothing for chubby cats (Sandler) who's been ordered to undergo anger management therapy with a zany counsellor (Nicholson) prone to occasional tantrums and devious manipulation. Surely this meandering comedy looked better on the page; director Peter Segal scores a few lucky scenes (particularly Sandler's encounter with a Buddhist monk, played by John C Reilly), but a flood of cameos (Heather Graham, Woody Harrelson, Rudolph Giuliani, and others) can't match the number of laughs that fall flat. As Sandler's understanding girlfriend, Marisa Tomei plays a pivotal role in a happy ending that leaves everyone smiling, with the possible exception of the audience. —Jeff Shannon

Clay Kaytis, Fergal Reilly

Kelsey Grammer, Ian Holm, John Stephenson The animals of a farm successfully revolt against its human owner, only to slide into a more brutal tyranny among themselves.

Actors: Ian Holm, Julia Ormond, Pete Postlethwaite, Peter Ustinov, Kelsey Grammer
Director: John Stephenson
Manufacturer: Boulevard Entertainment Ltd

Maxwell Caulfield, Jan-Michael Vincent, A. Gregory Hippolyte

Woody Allen, Diane Keaton Annie Hall is one of the truest, most bittersweet romances on film. In it, Allen plays a thinly disguised version of himself: Alvy Singer, a successful—if neurotic—television comedian living in Manhattan. Annie (the wholesomely luminous Dianne Keaton) is a Midwestern transplant who dabbles in photography and sings in small clubs. When the two meet, the sparks are immediate—if repressed. Alone in her apartment for the first time, Alvy and Annie navigate a minefield of self-conscious "is-this-person-someone-I'd-want-to-get-involved-with?" conversation. As they speak, subtitles flash their unspoken thoughts: the likes of "I'm not smart enough for him" and "I sound like a jerk". Despite all their caution, they connect, and we're swept up in the flush of their new romance. Allen's antic sensibility shines here in a series of flashbacks to Alvy's childhood, growing up, quite literally, under a rumbling roller coaster. His boisterous Jewish family's dinner table shares a split screen with the WASP-y Hall's tight-lipped holiday table, one Alvy has joined for the first time. His position as outsider is incontestable when he looks down the table and sizes up Annie's "Grammy Hall" as "a classic Jew-hater".

The relationship arcs, as does Annie's growing desire for independence. It quickly becomes clear that the two are on separate tracks, as what was once endearing becomes annoying. Annie Hall embraces Allen's central themes—his love affair with New York (and hatred of Los Angeles), how impossible relationships are, and his fear of death. But their balance is just right, the chemistry between Allen's worry-wart Alvy and Keaton's gangly, loopy Annie is one of the screen's best pairings. It couldn't be more engaging. —Susan Benson

Ryan Phillippe, Tim Robbins, Peter Howitt Anti-Trust is a gripping thriller, and although far from being great filmmaking it is at least notable for being about something important and having the will to follow it through. Macro software company NURV, based on a giant "campus" in the Pacific North West and under investigation by the Department of Justice, is planning to launch a proprietary broadband Internet. Ryan Philippe is adequate as the young geek hero, though Tim Robbins dominates the film as CEO Gary Winston, a skilfully cutting interpretation of a power-corrupted software multibillionaire; Gary Sinise offers an equally compelling characterisation. Peter Howitt directs in broad strokes, keeping things exciting if not exactly subtle, while Don Davis' score is alternately suspenseful and overblown. Howard Franklin's screenplay offers surprising plot detail and a couple of good twists while straining credulity with hoary thriller clichés. Nevertheless, the technical stuff is far more accurate than usual, despite the Hollywood compromises. Anti-Trust provides a rallying cry against the global domination of global communications for the profit of the few, the final 15 minutes delivering an uplifting if simplistic wish-fulfilment fantasy.

On the DVD: The Dolby Digital 5.1 sound is highly atmospheric, though the anamorphically enhanced 2.35:1 image is only average, some grain and artefacting letting down the sleek look and elegant design of the film. "Cracking the Code" is a routine 22-minute "making of" documentary, while the audio commentary by director Peter Howitt and editor Zach Staenberg spends a lot of time stating the obvious. —Gary S Dalkin

Ardal O'Hanlon

Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston Please note this is a region 2 DVD and will require a region 2 or region free DVD player in order to play. Based on real events, the dramatic thriller Argo chronicles the life-or-death covert operation to rescue six Americans, which unfolded behind the scenes of the Iran hostage crisis, focusing on the little-known role that the CIA and Hollywood played—information that was not declassified until many years after the event. On November 4, 1979, as the Iranian revolution reaches its boiling point, militants storm the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, taking 52 Americans hostage. But, in the midst of the chaos, six Americans manage to slip away and find refuge in the home of Canadian Ambassador Ken Taylor. Knowing it is only a matter of time before the six are found out and likely killed, the Canadian and American governments ask the CIA to intervene. The CIA turns to their top "exfiltration" specialist, Tony Mendez, to come up with a plan to get the six Americans safely out of the country. A plan so incredible, it could only happen in the movies. Actors: Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, John Goodman, Alan Arkin, Donovan Tate Language: English, Czech, Hungarian Subtitles: English, Arabic, Czech, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Romanian Audio Description: English Number of discs: 1 Run Time: 115 minutes

Bruce Willis, Billy Bob Thornton, Michael Bay This 1998 testosterone-saturated blow-'em-up from producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Michael Bay (The Rock, Bad Boys) continued Hollywood's millennium-fuelled fascination with the destruction of our planet. There's no arguing that the successful duo understand what mainstream audiences want in their blockbuster movies—loads of loud, eye-popping special effects, rapid-fire pacing, and patriotic flag waving. Bay's protagonists—the eight crude, lewd, oversexed (but, of course, lovable) oil drillers summoned to save the world from a Texas-sized meteor hurling toward the earth—are not flawless heroes, but common men with whom all can relate. In this huge Western-in-space soap opera, they're American cowboys turned astronauts. Sci-fi buffs will appreciate Bay's fetishising of technology, even though it's apparent he doesn't understand it as anything more than flashing lights and shiny gadgets. Smartly, the duo also try to lure the art-house crowd, raiding the local indie acting stable to populate the film with guys like Steve Buscemi, Billy Bob Thornton, Owen Wilson, and Michael Duncan, all adding needed touches of humour and charisma.

When Bay applies his sledgehammer aesthetics to the action portions of the film, it's mindless fun; it's only when Armageddon tackles humanity that it becomes truly offensive. Not since Mississippi Burning have racial and cultural stereotypes been substituted for characters so blatantly—African Americans, Japanese, Chinese, Scottish, Samoans, Muslims, French ... if it's not white and American, Bay simplifies it. Or, make that white male America; the film features only three notable female characters—four if you count the meteor, who's constantly referred to as a "bitch that needs drillin'". Sadly, she's a hell of a lot more developed and unpredictable than all the other women characters combined. Sure, Bay's film creates some tension and contains some visceral moments, but if he can't create any redeemable characters outside of those in space, what's the point of saving the planet? —Dave McCoy

Jack Nicholson, Helen Hunt, James L. Brooks For all of its conventional plotting about an obsessive-compulsive curmudgeon (Jack Nicholson) who improves his personality at the urging of his gay neighboor (Greg Kinnear) and a waitress (Helen Hunt), who inspires his best behaviour, As Good As It Gets is one of the sharpest Hollywood comedies of the 1990s. Nicholson could play his role in his sleep (the Oscar he won should have gone to Robert Duvall for The Apostle) but his mischievous persona is precisely necessary to give heart to his seemingly heartless character, who is of all things a successful romance novelist. As a single mom with a chronically asthmatic young son, Hunt gives the film its conscience and integrity (along with plenty of wry humoor)and she also won an Oscar for her wonderful performance. Greg Kinnear had to settle for an Oscar nomination (while cowriter-director James L. Brooks was inexplicably snubbed by Oscar that year) but his work was also singled out in the film's near-unanimous chorus of critical praise. It's questionable whether a romance between Hunt and the much older Nicholson is entirely believable but this movie's smart enough—and charmingly funny enough—to make it seem endearingly possible. —Jeff Shannon

John Badham Point of No Return is one of those Hollywood remakes of a European hit in which one can visualize a committee of studio executives sitting around and saying, "Okay, we know what made the original film unique and different and fun. How can we make that same movie and do exactly the opposite?" For-hire director John Badham (Saturday Night Fever) took La Femme Nikita, Luc Besson's undeniably sexy, original, and kitschy French film about a female assassin, and translated it into a calculating, mechanistic American thriller with no distinctive style. Bridget Fonda gamely plays the willowy street punk who becomes a high-society killer, but once that provocative irony is in place, the movie is pretty much a series of by-the-numbers action set pieces. Until, that is, Dermot Mulroney shows up as a love interest; but even that twist can't save this film. You're much better off with the original, subtitles and all. —Tom Keogh

Brad Pitt, Casey Affleck, Andrew Dominik Having idolised Jesse James all through his young life, Robert Ford desperately tries to join the outlaw's gang, only to soon find himself getting resentful towards his hero...

Sean Penn, Naomi Watts, Niels Muller In The Assasination of Richard Nixon, Sean Penn is Samuel Bicke, whose life, circa 1974, has become unbearable. His wife (Naomi Watts) has left him, his dead-end sales job is killing him—even his best friend (Don Cheadle) has had enough. Bicke's a loser, but at least he's an honest one. Nixon, the epitome of dishonesty, becomes the locus of his rage, so Bicke devises a plan to eliminate him. Paul Schrader claims he finished writing Taxi Driver before the real-life Byck attempted to assassinate the president. Maybe so, but the similarities are hard to ignore (and "Bickle" sounds a lot like "Byck"). Niels Mueller (Tadpole) doesn't disguise the fact that his debut was inspired by the guy. If The Assassination of Richard Nixon doesn't hit Taxi Driver's (admittedly lofty) heights, it's still a discomfiting look at a man determined to leave his mark on the world, only to become a footnote. —Kathleen C. Fennessy, Amazon.com

Christian Clavier, Gérard Depardieu, Claude Zidi United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), WIDESCREEN (2.35:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Interactive Menu, Scene Access, Trailer(s), SYNOPSIS: Asterix and Obelix, the French comic book heroes created by René Goscinny and Albert Underzo (their adventures have sold 280 million copies to date in Europe), are brought to the big screen in their first live-action adventure. Set in 50 B.C., Asterix (Christian Clavier) and Obelix (Gérard Depardieu) are a pair of comedic heroes living in a small but well-protected village in Gaul, where a magic potion concocted by Druids turns the townsfolk into mighty soldiers. When Roman troops carve a path through Gaul to reach the English Channel, Caesar (Gottfried John) and his aide de camp Detritus (Roberto Benigni) discover the secret elixir and capture the Druid leader who knows its formula, and Asterix and Obelix are sent off to rescue them. Shot in Brittany, Bavaria, and Arpajon, Asterix et Obelix Contre Cesar brings these cartoon characters to life on a grand scale; it was reportedly the most expensive French-language film ever, at a cost of 274 million francs ($48 million).
SCREENED/AWARDED AT: Ceasar Awards, ...Asterix and Obelix vs. Caesar ( Astérix & Obélix contre César ) ( Asterix and Obelix Take on Caesar (Asterix & Obelix Versus Caesar) )

Mike Myers|Beyoncé Knowles|Michael York|Heather Graham, Jay Roach

Mike Myers, Rob Lowe, Jay Roach If you don't think Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997) is one of the funniest movies of the 1990s, maybe you should be packed into a cryogenic time chamber and sent back to the decade whence you came. Perhaps it was the 1960s - the shagadelic decade when London hipster Austin Powers scored with gorgeous chicks as a fashion photographer by day, crime-fighting international man of mystery by night. Yeah, baby, yeah! But when Powers's arch nemesis, Dr. Evil, puts himself into a deepfreeze and travels via time machine to the late 1990s, Powers must follow him and foil Evil's nefarious scheme of global domination. Mike Myers plays dual roles as Powers and Dr. Evil, with Elizabeth Hurley as his present-day sidekick and karate-kicking paramour. A hilarious spoof of '60s spy movies, this colourful comedy actually gets funnier with successive viewings, making it a perfect home video for gloomy days and randy nights. Oh, behave!

"I put the grrr in swinger, baby!" a deliciously randy Powers coos near the beginning of The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999), and if the imagination of Austin creator Mike Myers seems to have sagged a bit, his energy surely hasn't. This friendly, go-for-broke sequel finds our man Austin heading back to the '60s to keep perennial nemesis Dr. Evil (Myers again) from blowing up the world - and, more importantly, to get back his mojo, that man-juice that turns Austin into irresistible catnip for women, especially American spygirl Felicity Shagwell (a pretty but vacant Heather Graham). The plot may be irreverent and illogical, the jokes may be bad, and the scenes may run on too long, but it's all delivered sunnily and with tongue firmly in cheek. Myers teams Dr. Evil with a diminutive clone, Mini-Me (Verne J. Troyer), then pulls a hat trick by playing a third character, the obese and disgusting Scottish assassin Fat Bastard.

Despite symptoms of sequelitis, Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002) is must-see lunacy for devoted fans of the shagadelic franchise. Unfortunately, the law of diminishing returns is in full effect: for every big-name cameo and raunchy double-entendre, there's an equal share of redundant shtick, juvenile scatology, and pop-cultural spoofery. All is forgiven when the hilarity level is consistently high, and Mike Myers -returning here as randy Brit spy Austin, his nemesis Dr. Evil, the bloated Scottish henchman Fat Bastard, and new Dutch disco-villain Goldmember - thrives by favouring comedic chaos over coherent plotting. Once they've tossed Austin into the disco fever of 1975 (where he's sent to rescue his father, gamely played by Michael Caine), Myers and director Jay Roach seem vaguely adrift with old and new characters, including Verne Troyer's Mini-Me and pop star Beyoncé Knowles as Pam Grier-ish blaxpo-babe Foxxy Cleopatra. A bit tired, perhaps, but Powers hasn't lost his mojo.

Ralph Fiennes, Uma Thurman, Mick Audsley, Jeremiah S. Chechik

Sylvester Stallone, Madeleine Stowe, Martyn Burke

Hayden Christensen, Jessica Alba, Joby Harrold Now here’s an intriguing premise for a horror-thriller. What if you were entirely aware of what was happening mid-operation, when you were supposed to be under anaesthetic? That’s just what happens to Hayden Christensen in Awake, a tidy, intriguing little film that makes a few interesting choices as its storyline evolves.

Christensen plays Clay Beresford, born into a rich family and dating a woman that he hides from his mother. He also is in need of heart surgery, and as he heads in for his operation, he gradually seems to be tying his life together. But there’s more to Awake than that, and writer-director Joby Harold’s screenplay throws in a couple of fairly obvious rug-pulls, although it’s still decent fun spotting them nonetheless.

What’s surprising about Awake is that it’s less interested in its central concept than perhaps it should be. It also hinges a too-challenging role on the shoulders of Jessica Alba, although supporting players such as Terence Howard, Lena Olin and Fisher Stevens do carry some of the weight.

With a concise and to-the-point sub-90 minute running time, Awake knows not to outstay its welcome, and generally delivers an entertaining, if ultimately shallow night in front of the box. There was, however, potential here for a more interesting movie than the one we got. —Jon Foster

John Goodman, Kelly McGillis, Arthur Hiller

Gary Cole, Tracy Scoggins

Mira Furlan, Richard Biggs In the gap between seasons four and five of Babylon 5, fans suffering withdrawal symptoms were sated by this first TV movie. As a prequel to the series' timeline, creator J. Michael Straczynski had an awful lot of continuity to consider. Amazingly, there's only one inconsistency throughout (a matter of who met whom and when), making this an essential part of the overall storyline. The tale is told cleverly from the future as the remembrances of Londo (Peter Jurasik), who is now Emperor of a dying Centauri homeworld. He looks back at the beginnings of the Earth-Minbari war and links together many clues strewn throughout the shows' early years. We see exactly how Delenn contributed to the first blows, the death of dignitary Dukhat, and most importantly what really happened to Sinclair (Michael O'Hare) at the Battle of the Line. The FX showcased by the battle are genuinely spectacular, but overshadowed by the make-up department which had the thankless task of making everyone look younger. Their best success is on an uncredited Claudia Christian who appears as an 18-year-old Susan Ivanova dealing with the death of her brother. Being a prequel there's little in the way of a surprise finale, but there's plenty of intrigue along the way. —Paul Tonks

Mira Furlan, Richard Biggs In the gap between seasons four and five of Babylon 5, fans suffering withdrawal symptoms were sated by this first TV movie. As a prequel to the series' timeline, creator J. Michael Straczynski had an awful lot of continuity to consider. Amazingly, there's only one inconsistency throughout (a matter of who met whom and when), making this an essential part of the overall storyline. The tale is told cleverly from the future as the remembrances of Londo (Peter Jurasik), who is now Emperor of a dying Centauri homeworld. He looks back at the beginnings of the Earth-Minbari war and links together many clues strewn throughout the shows' early years. We see exactly how Delenn contributed to the first blows, the death of dignitary Dukhat, and most importantly what really happened to Sinclair (Michael O'Hare) at the Battle of the Line. The FX showcased by the battle are genuinely spectacular, but overshadowed by the make-up department which had the thankless task of making everyone look younger. Their best success is on an uncredited Claudia Christian who appears as an 18-year-old Susan Ivanova dealing with the death of her brother. Being a prequel there's little in the way of a surprise finale, but there's plenty of intrigue along the way. —Paul Tonks

Dylan Neal, Alex Zahara, Michael Vejar

Michael O'Hare, Tamlyn Tomita, Robert L. Sinise, Richard Compton "The Gathering", the feature-length pilot episode for Babylon 5, still ranks amongst the best of introductions to any TV science fiction show. In 1993 there was just nothing else to compare with its wall-to-wall CGI effects backed up by eye-popping architectural and interior production design, costumes, alien make-up and hairstyles. A couple of flat performances let down an otherwise intriguingly cast ensemble, but these problems would vanish in the series. Here, character introduction and development was refreshingly left to fend for itself within an elaborate narrative structure that kicked-off several plot threads at once. Creator Michael Straczynski ambitiously starts proceedings with a multi-layered mystery concerned with the nature and destiny of the soul. Political shenanigans, trigger-happy action stereotypes and wavering physics linger in the viewer's memory, but the tantalising tale told by smooth Commander Sinclair (Michael O'Hare) about the "hole in his mind" makes the strongest impression. Considering how convoluted the show's mysteries would become, "The Gathering" remains an essential starting point.

On the DVD: Babylon 5: The Gathering is presented here in its 1998 Special Edition version. However, nowhere on the packaging is this stated. In fact, the back-cover credits are incorrect: apart from anything else, this version features a new score by Christopher Franke and not Stewart Copeland's original. Special effects and sound quality are also superior to the original version, even if still only presented in 1.33:1 ratio and two-channel Dolby.—Paul Tonks

Michael O'Hare, Tamlyn Tomita, Robert L. Sinise, Richard Compton "The Gathering", the feature-length pilot episode for Babylon 5, still ranks amongst the best of introductions to any TV science fiction show. In 1993 there was just nothing else to compare with its wall-to-wall CGI effects backed up by eye-popping architectural and interior production design, costumes, alien make-up and hairstyles. A couple of flat performances let down an otherwise intriguingly cast ensemble, but these problems would vanish in the series. Here, character introduction and development was refreshingly left to fend for itself within an elaborate narrative structure that kicked-off several plot threads at once. Creator Michael Straczynski ambitiously starts proceedings with a multi-layered mystery concerned with the nature and destiny of the soul. Political shenanigans, trigger-happy action stereotypes and wavering physics linger in the viewer's memory, but the tantalising tale told by smooth Commander Sinclair (Michael O'Hare) about the "hole in his mind" makes the strongest impression. Considering how convoluted the show's mysteries would become, "The Gathering" remains an essential starting point.

On the DVD: Babylon 5: The Gathering is presented here in its 1998 Special Edition version. However, nowhere on the packaging is this stated. In fact, the back-cover credits are incorrect: apart from anything else, this version features a new score by Christopher Franke and not Stewart Copeland's original. Special effects and sound quality are also superior to the original version, even if still only presented in 1.33:1 ratio and two-channel Dolby.—Paul Tonks

Bruce Boxleitner, Tracy Scoggins, Michael Straczynski, Sara Barnes

Michael O'Hare, Jerry Doyle We were promised that it would all end "in fire". Maybe at the end of its five-year run Babylon 5 fulfilled that promise for some viewers, but the announcement that a spin-off series, Crusade would serve to complete story threads moved the goalposts for most. It was a brave idea to attempt bridging the segue into Crusade via this fourth TV movie, but after the ending given by the episode "Sleeping in Light", the timing seems a little last-minute. Bruce Boxleitner gives one last greyed-up and chiselled performance as Sheridan—now President of the new Alliance. Overseeing an unveiled fleet of prototype Victory Destroyer ships, he receives visions offering warning about a lingering danger despite the end of the Shadow War. Though advised and manipulated by Technomage Galen (Peter Woodward), Sheridan is still unable to prevent the unleashing of the Drakh's last Planet Killer weapon. Infused in Earth's atmosphere, this plague will take five years to go "live" and then kill every last human. So begins the premise for the new show. It's a little too incomplete to satisfy as an individual movie. Watching it in conjunction with "War Zone" (the Crusade pilot episode) will give a better understanding of what's motivating everyone. —Paul Tonks

Bruce Boxleitner, Claudia Christian Captain John Sheridan (Bruce Boxlietner) arrives on Babylon 5 in the first episode of the second series, "Points of Departure", which marks the handing over of command of B5 to Sheridan from Commander Jeffery Sinclair (actor Michael O'Hare had become a victim of studio politicians who wanted a bigger star in the leading role). This excellent instalment also reveals more about why the Minbari surrendered to Earth at the Battle of the Line when they were on the verge of victory. "Revelations" explains that Sheridan's wife, Anna, died during an archaeological survey of the world Z'ha'dum, the name being just one of many oblique references to Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. "The Geometry of Shadows" introduces the Technomages, characters who featured more significantly in the ill-fated spin-off series Crusade (1999), while "The Coming of Shadows" proved to be Babylon 5's finest hour. The story of political intrigue foreshadowing the fate of two of the major characters won the Hugo award for the Best Dramatic Presentation at the 1996 World Science Fiction Convention and proved so powerful that J Michael Straczynski included it in his Complete Book of Scriptwriting.

"And Now for a Word" takes the unusual step of presenting a day-in-the-life of B5 seen through the eyes of a TV news crew, just as the Narn declare war on the Centauri. The inclusion of a PSI-Corps commercial paid homage to Paul Verhoeven's satirical ads in Robocop (1987). In "In the Shadow of Z'ha'dum", Sheridan learns that Morden was on the ship on which Anna died, this episode seeing the Captain pushed to his limits by grief and determination to discover why Morden survived. Three exceptional shows conclude the year. The Narn-Centauri war escalates in "The Long, Twilight Struggle", Sheridan faces a most unusual ordeal in "Comes the Inquisitor", while in "The Fall of Night" all hope of peace is shattered as a nerve-wracking assassination attempt reveals a startling secret about Ambassador Kosh.

On the DVD: Babylon 5—Series 2 presents all 22 episodes anamorphically enhanced at 16:9, with Dolby Digital 5.1 sound. Originally shot with eventual widescreen presentation in mind, the programmes looks far better than they did when broadcast. The effects shots, reformatted from full-screen CGI, show occasional pixilation, but the new compositions are more dynamic than the old 4:3. Always a show with powerful audio, the remixed soundtrack is rich and involving, if lacking in the bass punch and complex layering of much more expensive cinema productions. Extras are an introduction to Series 2 (eight mins) and Building Babylon: Blueprint of an Episode (13 mins), is a perfunctory promotional piece. More interesting is Shadows and Dreams, an eight-minute feature on B5's two Hugo Awards. Three episodes have commentaries, with J Michael Straczynski examining the politics, mythology and production of In the Shadow of Z'Ha'Dum and The Fall of Night, and stars Bruce Boxleitner, Claudia Christian and Jerry Doyle have a decidedly low-brow laugh-fest through The Geometry of Shadows. There is an alternative French soundtrack and subtitles for the hard-of-hearing. —Gary S Dalkin

Mira Furlan, Richard Biggs, Stan Brakhage "Matters of Honour" launches the third series of Babylon 5 with the introduction of the White Star, a spacecraft added to enable more of the action to take place away from the static space station. Also introduced is Marcus Cole (Jason Carter) who, in another nod to The Lord of the Rings, is a Ranger not so far removed from JRR Tolkien's Strider. In "Voices of Authority" the show finds an epic scale as Ivanova seeks the mysterious "First Ones" for allies against the Shadows, and evidence is discovered pointing to the truth behind President Santiago's assassination. A third of the way through the series "Messages from Earth", "Point of No Return" and "Severed Dreams" prove pivotal, changing the nature of the story in a way previously unimaginable on network TV. Earth slides into dictatorship, the fascistic Nightwatch takes control of off-world security and Sheridan takes decisive action by declaring Babylon 5 independent.

"Interludes and Examinations" presents the death of a major supporting character, while the two-part "War Without End" reaches apocalyptic dimensions in a complex tale resolving the destiny of Sinclair and the fate of Babylon 4 (dovetailing elegantly with the events of Year One's "Babylon Squared"), resolving a 1,000-year-old paradox and presenting a vision of a very dark future for Sheridan and Delenn. All this is trumped by the monumental "Z'ha'dum". In the preceding "Shadow Dancing", Anna Sheridan (Melissa Gilbert, Bruce Boxleitner's real-life wife) returns from the dead, no longer entirely human. In the mythologically resonant climax Anna invites Sheridan back to the Shadow homeworld with no hope of survival. Just as Gandalf fell into the abyss at Khazad-Dum, so Sheridan takes a comparable leap into the unknown on an alien world.

On the DVD: Babylon 5, Series 3 presents all 22 episodes anamorphically enhanced at 16:9 for widescreen TVs. While not up to blockbuster movie standards these are the finest looking B5 discs yet. Likewise the remixed Dolby Digital 5.1 sound packs a considerable punch in the many action scenes while remaining clear and atmospheric throughout. Reasonable though unremarkable extras are in line with previous box sets, with detailed and informative commentaries by series creator J Michael Straczynski on episodes "Z'Ha'Dum", and the Hugo Award-winning "Severed Dreams". Actors Bruce Boxleitner, Jerry Doyle, Richard Biggs and Ed Wasser offer a more jokey and backslapping appraisal of "Interludes and Examinations".

Introduction to Point of Return is essentially a six-minute trailer for the season, while Behind the Mask: Creating the Aliens of B5 offers make-up artist John Vulich, JMS, and producer John Copland reflecting on the creation of various races. Complementing this is a seven-minute look at Building a Better Narn. Designing Tomorrow: The Look of Babylon 5 focuses on the work of production designer John Iacovelli. Finally The Universe of Babylon 5 presents five short character profiles. The set offers an alternative French soundtrack and subtitles in English, English for the hard-of-hearing, French and Dutch. —Gary S Dalkin

Mira Furlan, Richard Biggs The fourth series of Babylon 5 begins on a high point with Centauri Prime in the grip of the insane Emperor Cartagia (Wortham Krimmer) and a run of six shows leading to the climax of the war against the Shadows in "Into the Fire". If this colossal narrative is resolved a little too easily and the ultimate aim of the Shadows turns out to be a tad disappointing, it's still one of the most powerful slices of space opera ever to grace the small screen.

In the aftermath the sheer scale drops back a little but the pace never slows as the rest of the year plays out in one relentless cycle of conspiracy, betrayal and conflict, Babylon 5 siding with the rebel Mars colony against the totalitarian Earth regime. Meanwhile, Delenn finds herself increasingly in conflict with her own people and, paralleling her relationship with Sheridan, Garibaldi becomes involved with his ex-fiancée Lise Hampton (Denise Gentile); in addition, an intense platonic love grows between Ivanova and Marcus Cole. On an unstoppable wave fuelled by roller-coaster plot twists and spectacular action shows from "No Surrender, No Retreat"—when Sheridan avows to overthrow EarthGov—to "Rising Star"—when the aim is realised—this series of Babylon 5 achieved a consistent excellence rare in television.

Yet within that run "Intersections in Real Time" stands out as a bold experiment; essentially a two-hand drama taking place entirely within one dimly lit room. Then in "The Deconstruction of Falling Stars", a descendant of humanity one million years hence reviews excerpts from the history of Babylon 5. In one sequence set in 2762 a Brother is devoted to the preservation of history some time after the "Big Burn". In a homage to Walter M Miller's SF classic A Canticle for Leibowitz, Sheridan and Delenn have themselves become the stuff of legend. —Gary S Dalkin

On the DVD:
All 22 episodes of Season 4 of Babylon 5 are presented on six DVDs. Anamorphically enhanced for widescreen TV, the picture is significantly stronger than on the original TV broadcasts, if not up to blockbuster movie standards. The remixed Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack is punchy and richly impressive, if again not quite state-of-the-art. As with previous seasons the main extras are three commentaries. The first, by actors Bruce Boxleitner, Jerry Doyle, Peter Jurasik and Patricia Tallman, finds these leading cast members having a great time joshing around on Falling Towards Apotheosis and failing to say anything very interesting. Series creator and writer J Michael Straczynski and director Michael Vejar discuss The Face of the Enemy, the conversation tending towards a technical scene-by-scene analysis, while by far the most interesting commentary is J Michael Straczynski alone on The Deconstruction of Falling Stars. JMS covers many aspects of the show, going into depth explaining both his ideas behind the series and the practicalities of realising his vision. Celestial Sounds is an interesting but too-short five-minute look at the scoring process with composer Christopher Franke, complemented by a powerful six-minute musical suite. The package also includes a six-minute introduction, a three-minute gag reel and video data files of characters, organisations and places. An Easter egg offers a comparison between untextured and completed CGI models of Babylon 5 itself. There is an optional French soundtrack, plus English, English for Hearing Impaired, French and Netherlands subtitles. —Gary S Dalkin

Mira Furlan, Richard Biggs A disappointment after the superb two previous seasons, the final run of Babylon 5 found Claudia Christian departed and Ivanova replaced by Captain Elizabeth Lochley (Tracy Scoggins), who in a soap-opera twist turned out to be Sheridan's first wife. Sheridan was promoted to President of the Interstellar Alliance and the action moved to a group of telepaths seeking sanctuary from the PSI-Corp on B5. Giving a prominent role to Patricia Tallman's Lyta Alexander, a love story for her was woven with the leader of the telepaths, Byron (Robin Atkin Downs). Meanwhile the aftermath of the Shadow War was explored as the origin of human telepaths became clear in "Secrets of the Soul," and the appearance of PSI-Corp's Bester (Walter Koenig) brought the plight of the refugees to a powerful close in "A Tragedy of Telepaths" and "Phoenix Rising."

This was immediately followed by a rare episode not written by J. Michael Straczynski. Much was expected of "Day of the Dead," penned by Neil Gaiman, the British creator of DC's landmark Sandman comic and graphic novel series. Yet despite a change of tone including a guest appearance by Penn & Teller as 23rd-century comedy favorites Rebo & Zooty, the story proved an incongruous side trip into an unexplained twilight zone of fantasy. As usual the season picked up toward the end, with a string of fine political episodes leading to "The Fall of Centauri Prime" and the haunting "Objects at Rest," in which Sheridan and Delenn leave Babylon 5 for new quarters on Minbar.

The final episode, "Sleeping in Light," was directed by J. Michael Straczynski and made an epilogue to the series. Set 20 years later, after all the sound and fury this quiet, elegiac tale is the apotheosis of the love story that proved the balance to the tragedy of the preceding darkness. A personal story resolved against a background of the epic, at once transcendent, deeply human, and profoundly optimistic, "Sleeping in Light" is as moving as any hour in the history of television drama and a thoroughly satisfying conclusion to one of the greatest series ever made. —Gary S. Dalkin

Bruce Boxleitner, Jerry Doyle, Michael Vejar, Jesus Trevino, Janet Greek

Bruce Boxleitner, Michael O'Hare

Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Robert Zemeckis Before he grew up and started to become a serious filmmaker, Robert Zemeckis created arguably the most unashamedly entertaining film trilogy ever with his Back to the Future series. It's here that Zemeckis came closest to emulating his mentor Steven Spielberg, and here, too, that he showed his own talent for combining flashy visual effects and knock-about comedy. The vivacious screenplays, cowritten with Bob Gale, are chock full of forwards and backwards-looking jokes, 1950s nostalgia and wry nods to other movies. Michael J Fox and Christopher Lloyd, both alumni of successful small-screen sitcoms (Family Ties and Taxi respectively), bring a frenetic energy to their roles, but also the warmth and likability needed to carry the audience with them through time.

Don't try and unravel the time-travel thread running throughout, as that way lie paradoxes: just accept its inherent absurdity and enjoy the ride. Marty McFly travels from 1985 to 1955 in a souped-up DeLorean sports car (Back to the Future), then forward in time to 2015 and back to 1955 again (Back to the Future II), before going all the way back to the Old West of 1885 (Back to the Future III). Matters become progressively more complicated as actions in the past have repercussions for the future, and vice versa. Marty learns life-lessons and Doc finds love at last; the joyful, helter-skelter pace never slackens for an instant. —Mark Walker

On the DVD: Back to the Future travels through time to the DVD era with a three-disc set charting the much-loved trilogy in full, along with an abundance of special features. The real joy in this box set is the "Making of the Trilogy" featurette, which spans the three discs and offers a wealth of information on the films. The deleted scenes have not faired well with age, with the visuals and sound suffering immensely. On Disc One the anecdotes can be played along with the film as subtitles, which is more than can be said for the commentary with Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale recorded at the California University, which is simply a Q & A session—not played along with the movie—and would have been stronger as a filmed special feature. But all in all as three-disc sets go it doesn't get much better than this—and you won't need 1.21 gigawatts of electricity to enjoy it. —Nikki Disney

Jennifer Lopez, Danneel Harris, Alan Poul The Back-up Plan [DVD] [2010] [DVD] (2010) Jennifer Lopez; Danneel Harris

Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, Michael Bay Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, Gabrielle Union, Jordi Mollà, Peter Stormare Director: Michael Bay

A preposterous espionage thriller starring the unlikely pairing of Chris Rock and Anthony Hopkins, Bad Company is a prime example of brash, mainstream filmmaking. The plot premise says it all: with its separated identical twins, Russian terrorists, stolen nuclear weapons and high-tech gadgetry, it's an attempt to tie up elements of Lethal Weapon, Bond and The Matrix in one semi-coherent whole, although director Joel Shumacher never really pulls it off. The main fault lies with the relationship between Hopkins and Rock—the former looking increasingly uncomfortable in leather jacket and baseball cap. Rock, meanwhile, has the potential to be a fine actor (demonstrated by his fine turn in the Dogma) but is given very little to work with here aside from a weak, Eddie Murphy-style comedy stereotype. Despite all its shortcomings, however, Bad Company manages to build up to a fairly diverting, reasonably exciting conclusion.

On the DVD: Bad Company's DVD release is totally in keeping with the film itself: brash and showy, certainly, but lacking in real content. The gadgets, guns, explosions and chases all come up well in the digital format, as does the extensive use of the breathtaking Prague backdrop to the action. There are virtually no extras, however, with the package limited purely to a behind-the-scenes feature where everybody involved maintains what a great piece of work this film is, how wonderful the rest of the cast were and how much fun they had making it. —Phil Udell

Chloë Grace Moretz, Zac Efron, Nicholas Stoller Seth Rogen, Zac Efron and Rose Byrne return to star as neighbours in this American comedy sequel directed by Nicholas Stoller. Mac (Rogen) and Kelly (Byrne) finally think peace has come to the neighbourhood now that Teddy (Efron)'s fraternity has cleared out. They're in for a nasty surprise however, when the Kappa Nu sorority, headed by the devious Shelby (Chloë Moretz), moves in next door and proves to be even more raucous than the fraternity before them. Mac and Kelly see no other choice than to invite their former nemesis Teddy back and ask for his help to get rid of the wild sisters.

Cameron Diaz, Justin Timberlake, Jake Kasdan Bad Teacher [DVD] [2011] [DVD] (2011) Cameron Diaz; Justin Timberlake

Karen Lancaume, Raffaëla Anderson, Virginie Despentes, Coralie United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: French ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), English ( Subtitles ), WIDESCREEN, SPECIAL FEATURES: Cast/Crew Interview(s), Interactive Menu, Making Of, Trailer(s), SYNOPSIS: BAISE-MOI, based on the controversial novel written by codirector Virginie Despentes, is a vivid and brutal reality-based exploration of two women's attempts to reclaim their sexual power. Real-life p*rn stars Raffaela Anderson and Karen Bach star as the film's THELMA AND LOUISE-style anti-heros. Manu (Raffaela Anderson), a p*rn actress, is the victim of a violent g*ng r*pe, depicted in the first fifteen minutes of the film, that fills her with internal rage and violent aggression. She sets out on a road trip and meets Delphine (Karen Bach), a drug-addled former prostitute with an aggressive streak. Delphine and Manu join forces and begin on a revenge-fueled sexual rampage, seducing and killing with reckless abandon. Delphine and Manu are furious and empowered by their sexual prowess; they wield their guns and lingerie-clad bodies like true professionals. Adrenaline drives their killing spree, set to a pounding punk rock score, and murder becomes implicitly linked to sexual gratification. Directors Virginie Despentes (a former prostitute) and Coralie Trinh Thi (a former p*rn actress) shot the film in gritty digital video at a fast-paced reckless clip of 76 minutes, heightening the acute sense of urgency and nihilistic desperation of the two women. Despentes and Trinh Thi blur the lines between cinema and reality and delve into the dark recesses of female psychology. By shooting real scenes and employing former p*rn actresses, they create a compelling and daring film that sets the conventional notions of female sexual appetite on end.
SCREENED/AWARDED AT: Stockholm Film Festival,

Gareth Lewis

Christopher Walken, George Lopez, Robert Ben Garant Balls of Fury will score points with anyone who ever wished that Enter the Dragon played out in the subterranean "underbelly of ping pong" instead of the world of martial arts. Tony Award-winner Dan Fogler (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee), joining the ranks of Jack Black, Seth Rogen, and Jonah Hill as a schlub (romantic?) hero, stars as Randy Daytona, a Def Leppard-loving ping-pong wizard who, as a 12-year-old, was disgraced at the 1988 Olympics. Nineteen years later and gone to seed, he is reduced to performing a novelty act in Reno until an FBI Agent (George Lopez, and yes, at one point, he will proclaim, "Say hello to my little friend" a la Al Pacino in Scarface) recruits him to infiltrate an underground ping pong tournament run by Feng (Christopher Walken), the arch villain who killed Daytona's father. Co-written by Reno 911 colleagues Robert Ben Garant (who also directed) and Thomas Lennon (who costars as Daytona's taunting East Berlin rival), Balls of Fury is hit and miss, but it fitfully kills with some ace performances, including Walken, bringing more cowbell, as Feng, resplendent in silks and red fingernails (his Christopher Walken impression, while perhaps not as uncanny as Kevin Spacey's or Jay Mohr's, is dead-on).

James Hong puts a wicked spin on the clichéd role of mentor, and action babe Maggie Q rocks as his niece. Look quick for David Koechner as hopeless entertainer Rick the Birdmaster, Patton Oswalt as an obnoxious early opponent, Kerri Kenney-Silver as a showgirl, and Diedrich Bader as one of Feng's imprisoned sex slaves (don't ask). With less go-for-the-groin humour than the title might indicate, Balls of Fury brings its A-game with some subversive bits of business, such as an ominous moment that is undercut when a menacing character is forced to re-enter the scene to ask for directions back to the highway. —Donald Liebenson

Scott Grimes, Matthew Leitch, David Frankel, Tom Hanks, David Leland, Richard Loncraine, David Nutter A genuinely epic achievement, the 10-part World War II drama Band of Brothers is a television series that makes big-screen Hollywood war movies look small in comparison. Based on the book by historian Stephen Ambrose, the series follows the US 101st Airborne Division's "Easy" E-Company from initial training through D-Day and across Holland, Belgium, Germany and Austria until the end of the war. Coproduced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, the series take its initial inspiration from Saving Private Ryan and borrows that film's visceral visual approach to combat scenes using hand-held camerawork and de-saturated photography. But where Band of Brothers excels is in its scrupulous attention to the realities of military life (retired US Marine Captain Dale Dye, who also co-stars, is the man to credit).

After the high drama of the parachute drop on D-Day, Easy's greatest trial comes during the Battle of the Bulge, when they are besieged at Bastogne in the depths of winter. In one of the most harrowing and credible depictions of war ever committed to film we see the men enduring the repeated artillery attacks of the German forces and experience, if only vicariously, some of the sheer terror of the assault, while being humbled by the soldiers' courage and determination. Such feelings are enhanced by the series' masterstroke—bookend interviews with the surviving members of Easy Company, who talk with barely suppressed emotion of the experiences we see recreated. The endorsement of these veterans elevates Band of Brothers beyond any mere "war film"—its extraordinary achievement is that it shows the horror and savagery of war without gloss or jingoism, and yet celebrates the fraternal bonds and dogged heroism of the men who fought.

On the DVD: Band of Brothers arrives handsomely packaged in a six-disc box set with two episodes on each of the first five discs. Sound (Dolby 5.1) and picture (1.78:1 widescreen) only enhance the series' epic credentials. Disc 6 contains all the extras, the meatiest of which is the marvellous 80-minute documentary "We Stand Alone Together" about the real men of Easy Company. There's also a first-rate, genuinely interesting 30-minute "making of" feature about actor boot camp, visual effects and blowing up fake trees among many other things. This is complemented by actor Ron Livingston's revealing Video Diaries of boot camp. Additionally there's a "Who's Who" section and footage of the HBO premiere at Utah Beach, plus a TV spot for car company Jeep. —Mark Walker

Manufacturer: Eiv

Jason Statham, David Suchet, Roger Donaldson A cheerful, energetic, and completely entertaining movie, The Bank Job follows some small-time hoods who think they've lucked into a big-time opportunity when they learn a bank's security system will be temporarily suspended—little suspecting that they're being manipulated by government agents for their own ends. The result is that the movie doubles its pleasures: While the robbery itself has the usual suspense of a heist film, when the robbery is over the hoods find themselves being hunted by the police, the government, and brutal criminal kingpins who were storing dangerous information in a safety deposit box. The Bank Job won't win any awards, but it's enormously fun. Director Roger Donaldson (No Way Out, Species) propels the action along with vigour, zippy editing (with perfect clarity among multiple story-lines) and various colourful characters. Jason Statham (Snatch, The Transporter), as the leader of the bank robbers, successfully steps away from his usual bone-crunching roles to a more human presence. The rest of the cast—including Saffron Burrows (Deep Blue Sea), Keeley Hawes (Tipping the Velvet), David Suchet (Poirot), and many faces familiar from British film and television—give their characters the right degree of personality and flavour without getting fussy or detracting from the headlong rush of the story. A little sex, a lot of action, a sly sense of humour, and a twisty plot. If more movies had these basic pleasures, the world would be a happier place. —Bret Fetzer

Pamela Anderson, Temuera Morrison, David Hogan Remember the old days, when Pamela Anderson was still just a Playboy Playmate turned Baywatch babe? You know—back before the bootleg release of her infamous home video with then-husband and ne'er-do-well rocker Tommy Lee, at which time the whole world got to compare Pam's barely adequate acting chops with her formidable skill at fellatio? Yes, those were the days (1996, to be exact), when a movie like Barb Wire represented dubious progress for the busty blonde, who was determined to make as big a splash on the big-screen as she did in the world's most popular syndicated TV series. Set in the year 2017 when the Second Civil War is in full force, this sci-fi action thriller stars Pam in the title role—a leather-clad biker babe ("don't call me babe," she warns) who runs a nightclub in the last free city in America. The rest of country is controlled by the "Congressional Directorate," a dictatorial superpower which suspects Barb of trafficking in black-market contraband. That gets her into plenty of trouble (and a lot of cleavage-revealing costumes), and ... well, if any of this sounds even vaguely familiar, it's because this comic book-inspired movie is really just a shamelessly breast-enhanced variation on Casablanca, with Pam Anderson in the Bogart role. Taken for what it is, it's a brazen folly with action to spare, and as guilty pleasures go it's surprisingly enjoyable. What—you were expecting Oscar material? —Jeff Shannon

Barbra Streisand, Philip Austin, Bruce Motyer, Kelly D. Hommon, Dwight Hemion

Barbra Streisand, Don Mischer

John Goodman, Judy Davis, Joel Coen John Turturro stars in this drama by the Coen brothers. Young playwright Barton Fink (Turturro), determined to become a success, travels to Hollywood where he immediately obtains a contract, only to develop writer's block when he discovers he is to write a wrestling movie for a faded 40s star. The Los Angeles heat, his dingy hotel and a noisy neighbour (John Goodman) combine to increase the pressure on him, and Barton begins to lose his grip on reality.

John Travolta, Samuel L Jackson, John McTiernan Basic is a military mystery that offers multi-layered deception as its dramatic raison d'etre, but with plenty of machismo attitude as befitting a semi-effective thriller from Die Hard director John McTiernan. John Travolta stars as an ex-Army Ranger-turned-DEA agent, recruited by an Army investigator (Connie Nielsen) to solve the fratricide of a reviled Sergeant (Samuel L Jackson) who was allegedly killed while commanding a Special Forces training mission in the hurricane-swept rainforests of Panama. Two survivors (Giovanni Ribisi in a showboat role and Brian Van Holt) recall the ill-fated mission as the truth unfolds, Rashomon-style, in a series of repetitive flashbacks. Tricky enough to hold one's attention as it grows increasingly irrelevant, Basic is so enamoured of its bogus ingenuity that its ultimate twist is a letdown. A second viewing might prove rewarding, if only to confirm that it all holds together. —Jeff Shannon

Claire Forlani, Christian Slater

Kevin Conroy, Loren Lester

Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, Tim Burton Batman Returns

Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Christopher Nolan Director Christopher Nolan's sequel to his own 'Batman Begins' sees Gotham's avenging angel squaring-up to a new kid on the block - psychotic prankster, the Joker (Heath Ledger, in the role that won him a posthumous Oscar for Best Supporting Actor). In the space of a year, Batman (Christian Bale), aided by Commissioner Gordon (Gary Oldman) and new District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), has managed to rid Gotham's streets of the organised crime gangs that once ravaged the city. Things seem to be looking up, although on the personal front, Bruce Wayne discovers he has a rival in his affections for main squeeze Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal) in the shape of the new D.A., who, as a political climber, likes to keep his cards close to his chest. But just when the authorities think they're finally making progress in their fight against crime, the appearance on the streets of a sinister new figure, with a demented grin and a passion for chaos, causes panic among the good people of Gotham, and leads to a battle of wits between Batman and the Joker which threatens to get extremely personal.

John Gregson, Anthony Quayle, Emeric Pressburger, Michael Powell United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Mono ), English ( Subtitles ), SPECIAL FEATURES: Interactive Menu, SYNOPSIS: Widely regarded as one of the best and most intelligent British war dramas of the 1950s, The Battle of River Plate is the story of Britain's first significant naval victory in WW2. John Gregson heads the cast as Captain Bell, skipper of the Exeter, one of several vessels engaged in pursuit of the 'indestructable' Geman battleship Graf Spee. Taking refuge in the neutral harbor of Montevideo, the Graf Spee is covertly protected by the Uruguayan government. Eventually, however, German captain Langsdorff (Peter Finch) is faced with a difficult decision: either stand his ground and fight a losing battle against the Exeter and its sister ships, or scuttle the Graf Spee and save the lives of his crew. Battle of the River Plate was released in the US as Pursuit of the Graf Spee. SCREENED/AWARDED AT: BAFTA Awards, ...The Battle of the River Plate ( Pursuit of the Graf Spee )

Katee Sackoff, Jamie Bamber, Jim Callis, Edward James Olmos, Mary Mcdonnell Battlestar Galactica's Edward James Olmos wasn't kidding when he said "the series is even better than the miniseries." As developed by sci-fi TV veteran Ronald D. Moore, the "reimagined" BG is exactly what it claims to be: a drama for grown-ups in a science-fiction setting. The mature intelligence of the series is its greatest asset, from the tenuous respect between Galactica's militarily principled commander Adama (Olmos) and politically astute, cancer-stricken colonial President Roslin (Mary McDonnell) to the barely suppressed passion between ace Viper pilot "Apollo" (a.k.a. Adama's son Lee, played by Jamie Bamber) and the brashly insubordinate Starbuck (Katee Sackhoff), whose multifaceted character is just one of many first-season highlights. Picking up where the miniseries ended, season 1 opens with the riveting, Hugo Award-winning episode "33," in which Galactica and the "ragtag fleet" of colonial survivors begin their quest for the legendary 13th colony planet Earth, while being pursued with clockwork regularity by the Cylons, who've now occupied the colonial planet of Caprica. The fleet's hard-fought survival forms (1) the primary side of the series' three-part structure, shared with (2) the apparent psychosis of Dr. Gaius Baltar (James Callis) whose every thought and move are monitored by various incarnations Number Six (Tricia Helfer), the seemingly omniscient Cylon ultravixen who follows a master plan somehow connected to (3) the Caprican survival ordeal of crash-landed pilots "Helo" (Tahmoh Penikett) and soon-to-be-pregnant "Boomer" (Grace Park), whose simultaneous presence on Galactica is further evidence that 12 multicopied models of Cylons, in human form, are gathering their forces.

With remarkably consistent quality, each of these 13 episodes deepens the dynamics of these fascinating characters and suspenseful situations. While BG relies on finely nuanced performances, solid direction, and satisfying personal and political drama to build its strong emotional foundation, the action/adventure elements are equally impressive, especially in "The Hand of God," a pivotal episode in which the show's dazzling visual effects get a particularly impressive showcase. Original BG series star Richard Hatch appears in two politically charged episodes (he's a better actor now, too), and with the threat of civil war among the fleet, season 1 ends with an exceptional cliffhanger that's totally unexpected while connecting the plot threads of all preceding episodes. To the credit of everyone involved, this is really good television.

Edward James Olmos, Mary McDonnell Let’s get straight to the point: bar none, Battlestar Galactica is the best science fiction television programme currently showing. In fact, let’s go further. It’s the best of the last decade. And truthfully? You’d find very few sci-fi fans who’d disagree.

What’s more, plenty of people must be busy eating their words, too. Back when it was announced that Battlestar Galactica was being revived, feelings were mixed, not helped by the divided reaction to the mini-series that kickstarted this iteration of the show. Yet over the past couple of years, it’s cleverly proven to be a tense, gripping mix of action and drama, with a tightly-woven plot.

This third season? It’s arguably the best so far. A delicious soup of mystery, relevations, actions, striking characters and winding narrative, Battlestar Galactica is also served superbly well by a quality cast, some quality special effects, and a real focus on what matters from behind the camera.

As usual, there are no spoilers in this review, although it’s not giving much away to say that the deadly cylons have to share the screen time with some intriguing and revealing character development this time round. And with word that season four of the revived Battlestar Galactica will be the last, things are set up for a terrific final act.

Season three of the show though is extraordinarily good, a real, genuine sci-fi classic that’s going to have one mighty shelf life once this particularly iteration of the programme has gone. And with umpteen surprises to go back and check out, it’s never likely to be one to gather dust on the shelf, either. —Jon Foster

Edward James Olmos, Mary McDonnell, Michael Rymer

Baz Luhrmann

John Travolta, Uma Thurman, F. Gary Gray Be Cool takes its own advice: It's slick, Hollywood entertainment that kills two amusing hours with relative ease and comfort. Better than leftovers but not as tasty as a full-course meal, this sequel to 1995's hit comedy Get Shorty (and based on Elmore Leonard's 1999 sequel novel) finds former loan shark Chili Palmer (John Travolta) itching to get out of the movie business, so he hooks up with a newly widowed music executive (Uma Thurman) to launch the career of an up-'n-coming Beyoncé-like singer (newcomer Christina Milian). A mock-black manager (Vince Vaughn), his sleazy boss (Harvey Keitel), and an upscale gangsta-rap executive (Cedric the Entertainer) all have a competing stake in the fast-rising pop diva's future, and this sets the plot rolling in a fun but rather hand-me-down fashion that lacks the savvy panache of Get Shorty but still provides plenty of lightweight humor. The Rock and Outkast's André Benjamin provide the best laughs in supporting roles that effortlessly relieve the movie from the symptoms of sequelitis. —Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com

Ron Howard

Russell Crowe, Ed Harris, Ron Howard A Beautiful Mind is an award-winning movie if ever there was one. This biopic of mathematician John Forbes Nash is two parts Shine to one part Good Will Hunting. Scripted by Akiva Goldsman (Lost in Space) and directed by Ron Howard (The Grinch)—both trying to get sincere and serious after previous movies—it showcases a big, compelling performance from Russell Crowe as a genius whose eccentricities turn out to be down to a genuine mental illness. Though his early work as a student offered a breakthrough that eventually won him the 1994 Nobel Prize, Nash goes off the deep end in later life.

The film works better in the early paranoid stretches—which include a wonderful 1950s spy movie parody as Nash is sucked into an imagined world of fighting commie atom spies—than it does with the inspirational ending, where Nash's handicaps are overcome so he can triumph at the end. Crowe's genuinely fine work still seems a bit Shine/Rain Man/Forrest Gump-ish in mannerism, yet experience shows this can be a powerful career move. Crowe gains sterling support from Jennifer Connelly, Ed Harris, Paul Bettany and Christopher Plummer—some playing a mere character in Nash's world. —Kim Newman

Anne Hathaway, James McAvoy Becoming Jane [DVD] [2007] [DVD] (2007) Anne Hathaway; James McAvoy

Jerry Seinfeld, Renee Zellweger, Steve Hickner, Simon J. Smith Bee Movie [DVD] [DVD] (2008) Jerry Seinfeld; Renee Zellweger; Steve Hickner

Jay Chandrasekhar, Kevin Heffernan

Nicole Kidman, Colin Firth, Rowan Joffe Nicole Kidman, Colin Firth and Mark Strong star in this adaptation of the bestselling novel by S. J. Watson. Christine Lucas (Kidman) suffers from anterograde amnesia, waking up every day without any knowledge of who she is. Christine regularly visits Dr.

John Moore Fighter navigator Chris Burnett (Owen Wilson) wants out of the Navy: he was looking for something more than boring recon missions he's been flying. He finds himself the lone Christmas day mission over war-torn Bosnia. But, when he talks pilot Stackhouse into flying slightly off-course to check out an interesting target, the two get shot down. Burnett is soon alone, trying to outrun a pursuing army, while commanding officer Reigert (Gene Hackman) finds his rescue operation hamstrung by politics, forcing Burnett to run far out of his way.

Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Tom Wilkinson, Amma Asante United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), English ( Subtitles ), WIDESCREEN (2.35:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Interactive Menu, Photo Gallery, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: Belle is inspired by the true story of Dido Elizabeth Belle (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), the illegitimate mixed race daughter of a Royal Navy Admiral. Raised by her aristocratic great-uncle Lord Mansfield (Tom Wilkinson) and his wife (Emily Watson), Belle's lineage affords her certain privileges, yet the colour of her skin prevents her from fully participating in the traditions of her social standing. Left to wonder if she will ever find love, Belle falls for an idealistic young vicar's son bent on change who, with her help, shapes Lord Mansfield's role as Lord Chief Justice to end slavery in England. ...Belle (2013)

Beryl Reid, George Cole, Frank Launder

Rob Schneider, Jon Heder, Dennis Dugan Credit The Benchwarmers for achieving the impossible: It makes the 2005 remake of The Bad News Bears look like a masterpiece. They're essentially the same film, with the same lowbrow PG-13 humor (mostly involving bodily functions, broad slapstick, little people, nerds, geeks, and nose-picking), but this baseball comedy earns a few brownie points for its heart-warming message about including non-athletic kids (i.e. "benchwarmers") in Little League baseball, if only to boost their confidence and give them a moment of ball-field glory. It's a pleasant sentiment intended to encourage under-achievers to feel good about themselves, and that makes this loose-and-goofy vehicle for Rob Schneider, David Spade, and Napoleon Dynamite's Jon Heder an easygoing time-killer. Parents with good taste should be warned that his movie has no taste at all (it's hopelessly mired in the swamp of fart jokes and juvenile sight-gags), and is there really a need for mild profanity in a movie like this? That said, there are a few laughs in the efforts of Schneider and his ultra-nerdy pals as they form a team of rejects and go to bat against an enemy squad of current and former school-bullies, led by former late-night talk-show host Craig Kilborn. In addition to Schneider and Spade, Saturday Night Live alumni Jon Lovitz and Tim Meadows show up for an easy paycheck, and director Dennis Dugan handles the dumb-and-dumber shtick as if he were on vacation, sipping margaritas and shamelessly going for the easy laughs. If that's what you're looking for, you've come to the right place. —Jeff Shannon

Parminder Nagra, Keira Knightley, Gurinder Chadha Bend It Like Beckham [DVD] [DVD] (2007) Parminda Nagra; Keira Knightly

Johnny Vegas, Steve Pemberton

Johnny Vegas The Solana resort, at the heart of Benidorm, sounds like quite a place to spend a holiday. It attracts a broad selection of characters, all sorts of antics, and fortunately for anyone picking this DVD up, a good few laughs too.

A comedy programme that slipped under many people’s radar, Benidorm puts an all-inclusive holiday destination at the heart of its setup, and then sets about filling it with a collection of fascinating characters. So you have the quiz kings for starters, along with a pair of mature swingers. There’s a standard-ish stereotypical family, a gay couple on holiday to celebrate, and a squabbling married pair too. It’s a broad ensemble, and this proves to be one of the many qualities of the programme.

However, also in Benidorm’s favour are some witty scripts, plenty of not-for-the-kids dialogue and a lot of belly laughs. All six episodes from the first series are collected here, and while the laughs don’t always constantly flow throughout, the hit count is certainly high. And given the lack of quality fresh British sitcoms of late, Benidorm proves to be quite a collectors item. It might not, on the basis of this first series, be on the way to being a flat-out comedy classic, but there’s so much enjoyment in the episodes here that a second series is hard to resist. —Jon Foster

Johnny Vegas, Steve Pemberton, Sandy Johnson Benidorm proved to be a surprise hit out of nowhere for ITV, earning not just good ratings, but a sizeable amount of acclaim for the sheer number of laughs it crammed in per episode. This second series picks things up again very quickly too, having immense fun with the notion of the British being away on holiday.

If you’ve not caught the show before, the basic premise behind Benidorm is that it follows a group of holidaymakers, be they regulars or new visitors, at the Solana resort. The writers take little time settling people in before they start having fun with traditional holiday scenarios, hurling their characters head-first into the fun and frolics.

And it all works very, very well. Thanks to its pacey, energetic script, and a plethora of quite brilliant belly-laughs, Benidorm is one of the most deliciously enjoyable comedies that ITV has produced in some time. And a lot of the credit for that too must be aimed in the direction of the cast, who are clearly having a ball here. Johnny Vegas, Steve Pemberton, Sheila Reid and Geoffrey Hutchings are among the highlights, but it’s an ensemble effort, and all the better for it.

Series two of Benidorm features eight episodes, all of which are gathered together here. And with a great deal of rewatch potential, along with some uproariously memorable moments, the chances of you not thirsting for more come the end of the series are really quite slim. —Jon Foster

Johnny Vegas, Steve Pemberton Benidorm - Series 3 (2009) Johnny Vegas; Steve Pemberton

Sheila Reid, Steve Pemberton

Steve Pemberton, Siobhan Finneran

Ray Winstone, Anthony Hopkins, Robert Zemeckis Spectacular animated action scenes turn the ancient epic poem Beowulf into a modern fantasy movie, while motion-capture technology transforms plump actor Ray Winstone (Sexy Beast) into a burly Nordic warrior. When a Danish kingdom is threatened by the monster Grendel (voiced and physicalised by Crispin Glover, River's Edge), Beowulf—lured by the promise of heroic glory—comes to rescue them. He succeeds, but falls prey to the seductive power of Grendel's mother, played by Angelina Jolie... and as Jolie's pneumatically animated form rises from an underground lagoon with demon-claw high heels, it becomes clear that we're leaving the original epic far, far behind. Regrettably, the motion-capture process has made only modest improvements since The Polar Express; while the characters' eyes no longer look so flat and zombie-like, their faces remain inexpressive and movements are still wooden. As a result, the most effective sequences feature wildly animated battles and the most vivid character is Grendel, whose grotesqueness ends up making him far more sympathetic than any of the mannequin-like human beings. The meant-to-be-titillating images of a naked Jolie resemble an inflatable doll more than a living, breathing woman (or succubus, as the case may be). But the fights—particularly Grendel's initial assault on the celebration hut—pop with lushly animated gore and violence. Also featuring the CGI-muffled talents of Anthony Hopkins (Silence of the Lambs), Robin Wright Penn (The Princess Bride), and John Malkovich (Dangerous Liaisons). —Bret Fetzer

John Lynch, Patsy Kensit, Mary McGuckian

Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, John Madden Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Dave Lamb, Jan Ravens, Tim Searle DVD CONTENDER, CTD10109,

Ralph Bakshi, Tony Collingwood, Bob Clampett Doctor Seuss - The Best Of Dr Seuss

Eric Roberts, James Earl Jones, Robert Radler

Ernie Hudson, Tobin Bell, Phillip Rhee

Phillip Rhee, Gina Gershon

no name This compilation pays tribute to a man who had such a talent for comedy that he was capable of entertaining an audience with appalling magic tricks, horrendous jokes and the stage presence of a clumsy giant. Born in 1922 in Caerphilly, Glamorganshire, Tommy Cooper was to become one of the best-loved British comedians of all time and his sudden death on stage in 1984 left the showbiz world mourning a great comedian and magician. His act began life whilst he was training in the army. Tommy's humour lay in his ability to mess up magic tricks in the most remarkable way. His comic genius and talent for timing marked him out for success and once he had adopted his trade mark fez he was on his way to super-stardom. Cooper became a familiar face on British television through out the 60's and 70's. An all round entertainer, he excelled in the light entertainment genre, frequently appearing on variety shows and invariably succeeding in stealing the limelight every time. This specially selected selection contains some extracts from Cooper at his best including his infamous appearances on Parkinson and the Bob Monkhouse Show which left the hosts in stitches.

no name This compilation pays tribute to a man who had such a talent for comedy that he was capable of entertaining an audience with appalling magic tricks, horrendous jokes and the stage presence of a clumsy giant. Born in 1922 in Caerphilly, Glamorganshire, Tommy Cooper was to become one of the best-loved British comedians of all time and his sudden death on stage in 1984 left the showbiz world mourning a great comedian and magician. His act began life whilst he was training in the army. Tommy's humour lay in his ability to mess up magic tricks in the most remarkable way. His comic genius and talent for timing marked him out for success and once he had adopted his trade mark fez he was on his way to super-stardom. Cooper became a familiar face on British television through out the 60's and 70's. An all round entertainer, he excelled in the light entertainment genre, frequently appearing on variety shows and invariably succeeding in stealing the limelight every time. This specially selected selection contains some extracts from Cooper at his best including his infamous appearances on Parkinson and the Bob Monkhouse Show which left the hosts in stitches.

James Woods, Brian Dennehy, David Rosenbloom, John Flynn John Flynn has directed some good, tough, pacy thrillers and Best Seller, along with the 1973 The Outfit, can claim to be the best of them. It kicks off with not one but two slam-bang action sequences and then, having grabbed our attention, pitches us straight into its twisty plot premise. Brian Dennehy, reliably watchable as ever, plays an ageing cop-turned-novelist who has hit a writer's block since his wife died. James Woods at his most suavely sinister is a hitman with dirt to dish on the head of a big corporation. Woods proposes a Faustian pact. He provides Dennehy with the full crooked story on the mobster-turned-corporate boss and the cop writes it up. Dennehy gets a best seller; Woods gets his revenge and comes out looking like a hero.

The dialogue, courtesy of screenwriter and horror-movie director Larry Cohen (It's Alive; Q—The Winged Serpent), is satisfyingly hard-boiled and slips in plenty of subversive sideswipes at rampant capitalism. ("It's the American Way, Dennis," says Woods, detailing how he helped his boss rise via robbery and murder. "I'm a businessman, an executive.") This certainly isn't the only movie to get mileage out of the symbiotic relationship between cop and crook (see Michael Mann's Heat), but it works several neat variations on the theme, with Dennehy and Woods both at the top of their respective forms. If the film never quite lives up to its potential—the required final confrontation between the two principals doesn't materialise and Victoria Tennant is thrown away as Dennehy's love-interest—it remains a way better than average thriller with its roots deep in the best B-movie traditions.

On the DVD: Best Seller on disc has no extras apart from the theatrical trailer. The transfer is good and clean, and preserves the original's full-width framing. —Philip Kemp

Chow Yun-Fat, Ti Lung, John Woo John Woo's forays into Hollywood cinema have revealed just how childish a lot of his material can feel when it is delivered without the clouding medium of subtitles. In his earlier Hong Kong movies it is possible to allow that the melodramatic, risible and at times confusing dialogue—a disgruntled gangster exclaims "Nobody dares not give me face!" and after being shot about 43 times two of the heroes concede "Yes. We're not right"—is at least in part due to clumsy translation. However, when added to a complex plot of twin brothers, undercover cops and honourable gangsters in A Better Tomorrow II, it can often be quite difficult to keep track of what is going on, especially if you haven't seen the original. Restaurant owner Ken (Chow Yun Fat), "secret" twin brother of the dead main character of the first movie, leaves New York and returns to Hong Kong after an old friend's daughter is murdered. There he re-assembles the group of four heroes from the original movie to exact revenge and bring down a counterfeiting ring. The film loosely addresses Woo's pet themes of loyalty, betrayal and honour but, as always, any exposition is merely the excuse for a series of violent and over-the-top shoot-outs. Here the action is a long time coming, but delivers much as you would expect—violent, explosive and with a nice line in tongue-in-cheek humour. Yun Fat is cool as ever, with shades and a toothpick, gliding through scores of faceless, blood-splattered henchmen with a gun in each hand. In fact, the final bloodbath is so frenetic that it seems to lack the deliberate and graceful choreography of other Woo classics, such as Hard Boiled and The Killer, but A Better Tomorrow II is typical enough of his work to easily satisfy all but the most unforgiving action fans. —Paul Philpott

Eddie Murphy, Judge Reinhold, Martin Brest, Tony Scott Eddie Murphy, Judge Reinhold, John Ashton, Bronson Pinchot, John Landis Directors: Martin Brest, Tony Scott

Nicole Kidman, Will Ferrell, Nora Ephron As one of many in the ongoing trend of resurrecting old TV shows and turning them into contemporary Hollywood product, Bewitched tries awfully hard to distinguish itself. It succeeds in lots of surprising ways, not least of which is the star power brought by Nicole Kidman and Will Ferrell. Even if they don't create the kind of romantic chemistry that would have elevated the already high concept, they act as delightful foils to each other, but more often to themselves. The conceit of this Bewitched is that it's a self-reflexive look at the entertainment business, with Ferrell playing Jack Wyatt, an actor starring in an updated version of the classic TV show. Out of favour with the Hollywood elite and desperately in need of a hit, he insists on an unknown to play Samantha, as he wants the show to be about him, since if something doesn't come his way soon, he's going to be hearing a lot of no's, despite the yes-men surrounding him. While his agent gets him the "unknown Samantha" deal, it's Jack himself who discovers his own leading lady in the delightful figure of Isabel Bigalow, who possesses just the right nose wiggle, not to mention other wiggles.

But wouldn't you know it, Isabel really is a witch, and exactly the kind of "good" witch trying to rely less on her magical powers that Samantha Stevens was back in her "real" world. Instead of a cranky mother like Endora, Isabel has a distinguished father, Nigel who lurks around her as a constant reminder that she can't be who she's not, and she certainly can't be the star of some zany TV show. As the plot thickens and the movie's reflexivity grows more convoluted, Nigel falls for the non-witch actress who plays Endora, and Jack and Isabel fall for each other. Here's where the Ferrell/Kidman gel doesn’t quite become aspic, but her perkiness and his goofiness are more than enough to make the entirety of the proceedings a delectable trifle. Director Nora Ephron has fun skewering her own business in the script she co-wrote with her sister Delia, and her eye for quality craft makes everything sparkle as it should. Even if we have yet to see the definitive remake of an old TV show on the big screen, at least Bewitched is well more than run-of-the-mill as so many adaptations have been, and so many will be.— Ted Fry

Martin Sheen, Christian Slater, David Saperstein

Marcia McBroom, Cynthia Myers, Russ Meyer You either love Russ Meyer's garishly sexist movies about bodacious babes and horny men or you find them utterly disgusting. The response to his work is that clear-cut. Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, which features a screenplay by critic Roger Ebert, barely qualifies as a sequel to the film based on Jacqueline Susann's trashy bestseller. Rather, it's a broad, trashy remake on its own terms about what happens to a trio of female rock musicians when they leave the Midwest and head for Hollywood. Sex, drugs, murder—the only thing it doesn't have is cannibalism, the gold standard when it comes to trashy entertainment. —Marshall FineEND

Adam Sandler, Joey Lauren Adams, Dennis Dugan Gosh—kids. You gotta love 'em, right? Well, not necessarily—particularly if you're Adam Sandler. But Big Daddy is about paternal devotion in its own oblique way. Sandler plays Sonny Koufax, a law-school grad who has been milking an accident settlement to cover his living expenses, while he continues to slack his way through life. But when his girlfriend threatens to dump him, he decides to show her he's serious about their relationship and pretends to adopt a little boy (in fact, his roommate's son from a one-night stand several years earlier, who shows up on their doorstep just after the roommate leaves town on a job). But after taking care of the tyke for a couple of days, Sonny finds that it's a little like feeding that stray dog that followed you home: before you know it, you've grown attached to the little fella—and then what are you going to do? By turns crude and maudlin, Big Daddy has its share of laughs and will certainly entertain fans who like Adam Sandler best when he plays the case of arrested development with a smart-aleck retort for everything.—Marshall Fine

Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Ethan Coen, Joel Coen The Big Lebowski, a casually amusing follow-up from the prolifically inventive Coen brothers (Ethan and Joel), seems like a bit of a lark and the result was a box-office disappointment. It's lazy plot is part of its laidback charm. After all, how many movies can claim as their hero a pot-bellied, pot-smoking loser named Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski (Jeff Bridges) who spends most of his time bowling and getting stoned? And where else could you find a hair-netted Latino bowler named Jesus (John Turturro) who sports dazzling purple footgear, or an erotic artist (Julianne Moore) whose creativity consists of covering her naked body in paint, flying through the air in a leather harness, and splatting herself against a giant canvas? Who else but the Coens would think of showing you a camera view from inside the holes of a bowling ball, or an elaborate Busby Berkely-styled musical dream sequence involving a Viking goddess and giant bowling pins?

The plot—which finds Lebowski involved in a kidnapping scheme after he's mistaken for a rich guy with the same name—is almost beside the point. What counts here is a steady cascade of hilarious dialogue, great work from Coen regulars John Goodman and Steve Buscemi, and the kind of cinematic ingenuity that puts the Coens in a class all their own. —Jeff Shannon

Craig Ferguson, Chris Langham, Kevin Allen Anyone who's suffered the misfortune of stumbling upon Kevin Allen's nauseous debut Twin Town—a ramshackle Trainspotting transposed to the cinematic slag heap of Swansea—will be pleasantly surprised by this gentle sophomore effort. The Big Tease follows gay Glaswegian hairdresser Crawford Mackenzie (Craig Ferguson), a flamboyant character who stays just the right side of caricature, as he heads to LA to represent bonny Scotland in the World Freestyle Hairdressing Championship. Only there's a hitch: once in Hollywood, Crawford discovers he's only been invited to be a spectator at the event, which means the huge hotel bill he's racked up will have to come out of his own pocket.

Undeterred, the stubborn stylist sets about gaining a union card and, ultimately, entry to the competition, frantically trying to establish Beverly Hills contacts with a mind to pulling a few much-needed strings. Allen's movie is an interesting hybrid, half Hollywood satire (the greed, the self-importance, the insincerity) and half sports-movie with a twist (events inevitably lead to a climactic showdown, as Crawford goes blade-to-blade with the wonderfully pompous Norwegian champ). And yet, by and large, it works, the loquacious Ferguson giving us someone to hold onto in a slippery world populated by disdainful creeps, his probity alone ensuring our heartfelt support come competition night. The filmmakers' decision to opt for a "mockumentary" format à la The Blair Witch Project and Drop Dead Gorgeous also pays dividends, for it is Crawford's candid confessions to camera that allow us to navigate beyond his carefully constructed plumage and discover the person beneath.—Jamie Graham

Kurt Russell, Kim Cattrall, John Carpenter I will ship by EMS or SAL items in stock in Japan. It is approximately 7-14days on delivery date. You wholeheartedly support customers as satisfactory. Thank you for you seeing it.

Kurt Russell, Kim Cattrall, John Carpenter I will ship by EMS or SAL items in stock in Japan. It is approximately 7-14days on delivery date. You wholeheartedly support customers as satisfactory. Thank you for you seeing it.

Keanu Reeves, Alex Winter, Peter Hewitt Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey is ample proof that not all sequels suck. Sometimes they're even better than the original. It is the future. Society has at last solved all its major problems, thanks to amiable lunkheads Bill and Ted and the inspiring music of their band, Wyld Stallyns. Only one man is dissatisfied with the way things have turned out, the evil De Nomolos (Joss Ackland). In an effort to change the future, De Nomolos sends evil Bill and Ted robots back in time to prevent the real Bill and Ted from winning a pivotal Battle of the Bands. What follows is a spirited journey through the afterlife as Bill and Ted try to rescue their girlfriends, save the future, and, oh, yeah, learn how to play the guitar.

Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey swings easily between childish and clever humour, and is good at both: a Bergman reference is quickly followed by an equally funny bit about Death's stinky feet. Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter seem happy to be reprising their roles and even manage to add funny spins on Evil Robot Bill and Ted. William Sadler very nearly steals the movie as Death, playing both his wounded dignity and budding desire to be funky to a T. As if that weren't enough, George Carlin returns as Rufus and Pam Grier does a cameo just for the hell of it. —Ali Davis, Amazon.com

Keanu Reeves, Alex Winter, Peter Hewitt, Stephen Herek

Dustin Hoffman, Nicole Kidman, Robert Benton

Billy Connolly

Jamie Bell, Julie Walters, Stephen Daldry Foursquare in the gritty-but-hearwarming tradition of Brassed Off and The Full Monty comes Billy Elliot, the first film of noted British theatrical director Stephen Daldry. The setting is County Durham in 1984, and things 'oop North are even grimmer than usual: the miners' strike is in full rancorous swing and 11-year-old Billy's dad and older brother, miners both, are staunch on the picket lines. Billy's got problems of his own. His dad's scraped together the fees to send him to boxing lessons, but Billy's discovered a different aptitude: a genius for ballet dancing. Since admitting to such an activity is tantamount, in this fiercely macho culture, to holding up a sign reading "I AM A RAVING POOF", Billy keeps it quiet. But his teacher, Mrs Wilkinson (Julie Walters, wearily undaunted) thinks he should audition for ballet school in London. Family ructions are inevitable.

Daldry's film sidesteps some of the politics, both sexual and otherwise, but scores with its laconic dialogue (credit to screenwriter Lee Hall) and a cracking performance from newcomer Jamie Bell as Billy. His powerhouse dance routines, more Gene Kelly than Nureyev, carry an irresistible sense of exhilaration and self-discovery. Among a flawless supporting cast Stuart Wells stands out as Billy's sweet gay friend Michael. And if the miners' strike serves largely as background colour, there's one brief episode, as visored and truncheoned cops rampage through neat little terraced houses, that captures one of the most spiteful episodes in recent British history. —Philip Kemp

Adam Sandler, Bradley Whitford For Adam Sandler fans only, this dopey comedy features the former Saturday Night Live star as an overindulged rich guy whose father insists he repeat grades 1 through 12 before taking over the family business. The scenario is perfect for Sandler's infantile leanings (which he has fortunately outgrown in more recent movies), and for the most part the jokes about being too old and too big for the experiment are obvious. Chris Farley and Steve Buscemi turn up in uncredited cameo appearances, but otherwise the film is pretty dismissible, except for those diehards who can't get enough of Sandler. —Tom Keogh

Matthew Broderick, Christopher Walken, Sam O'Steen, Mike Nichols DVD Biloxi Blues Universal, Pictures, UK Region 2; Region 4 1988 102 mins

Mel Gibson, Goldie Hawn, John Badham This action-comedy from 1990 makes the critical mistake of trying to mix a potentially suspenseful plot with the kind of humour that Mel Gibson can only get away with in his Lethal Weapon movies. It doesn't work here because the movie's supposed to be a Hitchcockian thriller and Mel's wisecracking—not to mention some implausible plot twists and ridiculous chase scenes—makes it impossible to take any of this movie seriously. It works best as a lightweight vehicle for Gibson and Goldie Hawn, who bring their own established appeal to their roles as old lovers who are reunited under unexpectedly dangerous circumstances. After testifying against some drug-running killers, Mel's been safe under the protection of the FBI's witness relocation program, and Goldie coincidentally enters his life again just as the bad guys are hot on Mel's trail. They join up and go on the run from the villains and ... well, let's just say director John Badham doesn't have any big surprises up his sleeve. Goldie and Mel are enjoyable, as always, but you'd have to be their biggest fan to watch this movie more than once. —Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com

Robin Williams, Nathan Lane, Mike Nichols The great improvisational comedy team of Mike Nichols and Elaine May reunited to (respectively) direct and write this update of the French comedy La Cage Aux Folles. Robin Williams stars as a gay Miami nightclub owner who is forced to play it straight and ask his drag-queen partner (Nathan Lane) to hide out when Williams's son invites his prospective—and highly conservative—in-laws and fiancée to a meet-and-greet dinner party. Gene Hackman and Dianne Wiest play the straight-laced senator and his wife, and Calista Flockhart (from television's Ally McBeal) plays their daughter in a culture-clash with outrageous consequences. May's witty screenplay incorporates some pointed observations about the political landscape of the 1990s and takes a sensitive approach to the comedy's underlying drama. Topping off the action is Hank Azaria in a scene-stealing role as Williams's and Lane's flamboyant housekeeper, "Agador Spartacus." —Jeff Shannon

Pauline Quirke, Linda Robson, Charlie Hanson, Sue Bysh, Terry Kinane, Tony Dow

Matthew Modine, Nicolas Cage, Alan Parker Based on William Wharton's transcendent novel of the same name, this film is about many things: friendship, war, and, of course, birds. The framing device is an effort by a horribly scarred combat soldier (Nicolas Cage) to break through to his best friend, Birdy (Matthew Modine), hospitalised after seemingly being driven mad by fighting in the Vietnam War. Cage then flashes back to their boyhood, where Birdy, a canary aficionado, was considered the school weirdo but managed to be a solid companion none the less. Directed by Alan Parker, it works best as a coming-of-age story, but misses the bizarre psychological transferences of the book, in which Birdy imagines himself within the world of canaries he creates in his bedroom at his parents' house. Modine is fine as an out-of-it misfit enraptured by his own little universe. —Marshall Fine

Nicole Kidman, Vincent Cassel, Jez Butterworth

Joan Collins, Oliver Tobias, Quentin Masters, Gerry O'Hara

Carice van Houten, Sebastian Koch, Paul Verhoeven Absent from the directors’ chair for over half a decade, Paul Verhoeven returns to business with the engaging thriller Black Book, and it finds him once again near the top of his game.

Leaving the disappointing Hollow Man firmly in the rear view mirror, and more in keeping with his original Dutch films than his infamous Hollywood output (Basic Instinct, Robocop, Starship Troopers and Showgirls all sit on his CV), Black Book is the story of a refugee by the name of Rachel Stein in the second World War, who embarks on a quest for revenge when her family are killed. Stein joins up with the Resistance, and is giving the mission of using her seductive charms to infiltrate the German Security Service, and the ingredients then fall into place for a labyrinthine thriller of some quality.

Black Book works for several reasons. Firstly, lead actress Carice von Houten is quite excellent, while the tight screenplay is happy to provoke questions and keep the complex plot in check. Verhoeven, too, directs well, occasionally relying a little too much on one or two of his conventions, but nonetheless delivering an engrossing piece of cinema.

For sure, Black Book isn’t perfect, and there are films that treat the material with more gravitas than is on display here. But it’s still a strong, well-made thriller, and one that leaves you hoping its director won’t be away for quite so long next time. —Jon Foster

THIS DVD IS EX-DISPLAY NEW BUT NOT SEALED - BECOMING VERY COLLECTABLE NOW - RARE TO FIND -The case may be slightly shop soiled but the disc has been kept in a plastic disc sleeve in a dry area.

4 DVD Films on two Disks Black Eagle - American Spy Plane carrying sensitive information is shot down & the CIA is forced to call on their martial arts expert to avoid disaster. Fire on the Amazon - A Photojournalist finds her life n danger while investigating the assassination of a famous environmentalist. Kickboxer - Van Damme special ! Nightmaster - Futurustic - only the game can hold the attention of the teenage population - but is it really a game ?

Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Darren Aronofsky Psychological thriller set in the American ballet world starring Natalie Portman in an award-winning performance. Nina (Portman) is a dancer in a New York City ballet company. Still living with her domineering and obsessive mother Erica (Barbara Hershey),

Paul Kaye, Vince Vaughn, Mel Smith Blackball marks the feature debut of Paul Kaye, who spins a somewhat more likeable variation on his arrogant Perfect World TV persona in this underdog-triumphs-over-adversity comedy. Set, like Fawlty Towers, in the holiday resort of Torquay, and echoing the small-town seaside pettiness of Tony Hancock's The Punch and Judy Man (1963), Blackball is as bitterly class conscious as either, with Kaye as a working-class, potentially world-champion bowler with an enormous chip on his shoulder. Written by Tim Firth (the man also responsible for 2003's Calendar Girls), the film seems unsure what it wants to be, aiming potshots at the corrupting influence of big money TV deals and commercial tie-ins on traditional values, while simultaneously trampling on those very values by celebrating the repugnant antics of Kaye's MTV-generation angry young sportsman.

Director Mel Smith eventually swamps any satiric intent under a full slate of feel-good comedy clichés, though he does win fine performances from James Cromwell and Bernard Cribbins as Kaye's proud nemesis and kindly uncle respectively. While parts of the script involving their back stories seems to have been left on the cutting room floor, the restrained dignity these two elder statesmen bring to their roles speaks volumes about changes in attitudes between the generations. Consistently amusing, though too predictable to be hilarious, Blackball features strong support from Vince Vaughn, Johnny Vegas, Imelda Staunton and Alice Evans. Stephen Warbeck's score really elevates proceedings once the product-placed rock soundtrack stands aside. —Gary S Dalkin

Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Ridley Scott When Ridley Scott's cut of Blade Runner was finally released in 1993, one had to wonder why the studio hadn't done it right the first time—11 years earlier. This version is so much better, mostly because of what's been eliminated (the ludicrous and redundant voice-over narration and the phoney happy ending) rather than what's been added (a bit more character development and a brief unicorn dream). Star Harrison Ford originally recorded the narration under duress at the insistence of Warner Bros. executives who thought the story needed further "explanation"; he later confessed that he thought if he did it badly they wouldn't use it. (Moral: never overestimate the taste of movie executives.)

The movie's spectacular futuristic vision of Los Angeles—a perpetually dark and rainy metropolis that's the nightmare antithesis of "Sunny Southern California"—is still its most seductive feature, another worldly atmosphere in which you can immerse yourself. The movie's shadowy visual style, along with its classic private-detective/murder-mystery plot line (with Ford on the trail of a murderous android, or "replicant"), makes Blade Runner one of the few science fiction pictures to legitimately claim a place in the film noir tradition. And, as in the best noir, the sleuth discovers a whole lot more (about himself and the people he encounters) than he anticipates. The cast also includes Sean Young, Edward James Olmos, Daryl Hannah Rutger Hauer and M Emmet Walsh. —Jim Emerson

Wesley Snipes, Kris Kristofferson, David S. Goyer Blade: Trinity (Extended Version) (2005) Wesley Snipes

Bronson Pinchot, Dudley Moore, Michael Ellis, Mark Herman

Brendan Fraser, Alicia Silverstone, Hugh Wilson Coasting on the successes of Gods and Monsters and George of the Jungle, Brendan Fraser turns in yet another winning performance in this fish-out-of-water comedy in which Pleasantville meets modern-day Los Angeles, with predictably funny results. Fraser stars as Adam, who was born in the bomb shelter of his paranoid inventor dad (a less-manic-than-usual Christopher Walken), who spirited his pregnant wife (Sissy Spacek, in fine comic form) underground when he thought the Communists dropped the bomb (actually, it was a plane crash). Armed with enough supplies to last 35 years, the parents bring up Adam in Leave It to Beaver style with nary any exposure to the outside world. When the supplies run out, and dad suffers a heart attack, Fraser goes up to modern-day LA for some shopping and long-awaited culture shock. More of a cute premise with lots of clever ideas attached than a fully fleshed out story, Blast from the Past is also supposed to be part romantic comedy, as the hunky Adam hooks up with his jaded Eve (Alicia Silverstone) and tries to convince her to marry him and go underground. The sparks don't fly, though, because Silverstone is saddled with the triple whammy of being miscast, playing an underwritten character, and suffering a very bad hairdo. Fraser, however, carries the film lightly and easily on his broad, goofy shoulders, mixing Adam's gee-whiz innocence with genuine emotion and curiosity; only Fraser could pull off Adam's first glimpse of a sunrise or the ocean with both humour and pathos. Also winning is Dave Foley as Silverstone's gay best friend, who manages to make the most innocuous statements sound like comic gems. — Mark Englehart, Amazon.com

Cleavon Little, Gene Wilder, Mel Brooks Blazing Saddles [1974] [DVD]

Gillian Anderson, Patrick Kennedy, Justin Chadwick, Susanna White Andrew Davies is the king of the BBC mini-series—his skilfully adapted scripts for Pride & Prejudice (the beloved Colin Firth version) and many, many more are peerless examples of classic novels done right—cunningly edited and shaped to let all the rich emotion and sharp intelligence spill over with zip and vigour. Bleak House is no exception; it's one of the best Dickens adaptations to date. The mini-series form allows Dickens' panoramic view, brimming with eccentric characters and complex turns of plot, to sprawl out without losing an iota of suspense or momentum. Two innocent young orphans (Patrick Kennedy and Carey Mulligan) are the potential heirs to a fortune, but their fates are snarled in a monumental legal battle known as Jarndyce and Jarndyce. But the heart of the story is another orphan, Esther Summerson (Anna Maxwell Martin), whose mysterious parentage proves to be intertwined with the fate of the Jarndyce wards and the aloof Lady Dedlock (Gillian Anderson, The X-Files). Dickens' story twines through an excoriating vision of the legal system to heartbreaking domestic drama to a murder investigation to near-Gothic horror, all broken into utterly delicious half-hour segments (after the hour-long opening episode). Martin is utterly beguiling, homely at one moment and luminous the next; Anderson's grippingly eerie and brittle performance will delight her fans. But to single out anyone seems absurd, because every character—from the vicious lawyer Tulkinghorn (Charles Dance, White Mischief) to the foppish parasite Skimpole (Nathaniel Parker, The Inspector Lynley Mysteries) to the simpering clerk Guppy (Burn Gorman)—is intricately drawn, all hitting a mesmerizing balance between caricature and stark emotional honesty. Bleak House demonstrates that humour, pathos, and social criticism can all be contained in one wonderfully entertaining package. —Bret Fetzer, Amazon.com

Kim Basinger, Bruce Willis, Blake Edwards Bruce Willis’ first starring vehicle was 1987’s Blind Date, a Blake Edwards comedy in which the actor plays a yuppie set up on a blind date with a beautiful blonde (Kim Basinger). Everything goes swimmingly until Willis does what he was warned not to do: give the lady alcohol, which causes her to get entirely out of control. The one-note joke basically turns the film into a succession of set pieces in which Willis has to keep up with Basinger, bail her out of trouble, or get out of the way of her hot-headed former boyfriend (John Larroquette). Willis is fine, Basinger is impressively unhinged, Larroquette is hilarious, and Phil Hartman has a nice role as the friend who set up Willis’ evening from hell. The slapstick shtick is classic Edwards, but the film is not Edwards at his most inspired. Consider Blind Date the work of a good filmmaker in a holding pattern.—Tom Keogh, Amazon.com

Sandra Bullock, John Lee Hancock The Blind Side takes the true story of a young man who went from abandonment to success as a pro-football player and treats it with respect. The movie doesn't oversell what is, on the face of it, already compelling. It's almost impossible to describe the plot without sounding painfully inspirational: Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron, Be Kind Rewind), a hulking but gentle African-American teen in Tennessee, gets taken in by a well-to-do white family; the mother, Leigh Anne Touhy (Sandra Bullock), pushes and mothers the boy, who eventually wins a football scholarship to the University of Mississippi. In the wrong hands, this could have been maudlin, manipulative, and condescending. To the credit of writer-director John Lee Hancock, adapting Michael Lewis's acclaimed book, the result is intelligent, genuine, and alternately funny and moving. Leigh Anne could easily have been grandstanding and virtuous, but Bullock doesn't shy away from her vain and domineering side. The football scenes will be gripping even to non-sports fans because they've been so successfully grounded in Michael's emotional life. The all-around solid cast includes country music star Tim McGraw, pint-sized Jae Head (Hancock), and Kathy Bates as the tutor who guided Michael's academic success. Don't be surprised if you can't keep yourself from watching all the real-life photos of Michael, Leigh Anne, and the rest of the family that are featured in the credits; by the end of the movie, you will care about them all. —Bret Fetzer

Clint Eastwood, Jeff Daniels, Joel Cox

Daniel Bernhardt, Pat Morita PLEASE READ THIS DESCRIPTION BEFORE BUYING THIS ITEM - This Dvd Is Ex-Display - NEW BUT NOT SEALED - The case may be slightly shop soiled but the disc has been kept in a plastic disc sleeve in a dry area).

Marlene Dietrich, Emil Jannings, Josef von Sternberg Classic early German talkie, directed by Josef von Sternberg (Shanghai Express; Blonde Venus; The Scarlet Empress) which made an instant star of Marlene Dietrich (Blonde Venus; Knight without Armour; Destry Rides Again; Judgement at Nuremberg). Dietrich plays Lola Lola, a singer/dancer at the local Blue Angel nightclub. One day she meets the much older and far more unwordly, Professor Rath (veteran stage and silent film star, Emil Jannings - Quo Vadis; The Way of all Flesh). Blind to her colourful past, he's immediately entranced and soon they are married but can she now be faithful, does she really love him or is she simply after his money. * Trivia; This is the fiilm in which Marlene sings 'Falling in Love Again'. * Black & White/PAL/Region 2/German Language + English Subtitles/105 mins.

Elvis Presley, Joan Blackman, Terry O. Morse, Norman Taurog NOTICE: Polish Release, cover may contain Polish text/markings. The disk has English audio and subtitles.

Martin Lawrence, Luke Wilson, Les Mayfield If Eddie Murphy's comic tone turns on a dime, Martin Lawrence can perhaps be described as sauntering around the dime, looking around to see if anyone else has seen it, then picking the dime up, pocketing it, and casually walking off. He lazily indicates his humour, as if it's too much trouble to actually make the joke—and that distance is what makes him funny. At his best, Lawrence describes a kind of comic space and wanders around in it, claiming it for himself the way a dog might mark his territory, suggesting that what you think is funny doesn't matter to him; he just happens to be where the jokes are, and if you aren't laughing, that's your problem.

In Blue Streak, Lawrence plays a jewel thief who plants a stolen diamond in the ventilation duct of a building under construction. When he's released from prison a few years later, he discovers that the building is now a Los Angeles police station. His solution: he impersonates a detective. Of course, everyone believes his disguise. Not only that, using his inside knowledge, he solves several crimes and earns the general admiration of the force. It's a standard fish-out-of-water setup and the plot doesn't take any chances with the formula, but Lawrence wears his role like a loose suit and does a little low-key boogie whenever he can, drawing you into the absurdity with a cock of his head and a roll of his eyes. —Bret Fetzer, Amazon.com

Ryan Gosling, Michelle Williams, Derek Cianfrance Derek Cianfrance writes and directs this unflinching portrayal of a once-loving relationship in freefall. When Cindy Michelle Williams and David Ryan Gosling first met, they were passionately in love - but over their five years as a couple they have grown apart. Boredom and disenchantment come to the fore as they fumble their way through the sexless emotional vacuum of their humdrum life in rural Pennsylvania; looking helplessly back to the days when life still seemed filled with excitement and romance.

Nick Frost, Michael Hadley, Bill Nighy, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Richard Curtis Richard Curtis turned his talents to telling the story of 1960s pirate radio with The Boat That Rocked. And while the film may not have scaled either the commercial or critical heights of some of his earlier work, there are still plenty of reasons to commend the film.

Chief among them is the excellent cast. The Boat That Rocked brings together a welcome collection of British talent, including Bill Nighy, Kenneth Branagh, Rhys Ifans, Nick Frost and Gemma Arterton, and then they’re joined by Philip Seymour Hoffman. Between them, they effectively recall the Radio Caroline story, as a pirate radio station is set up on a North Sea cruising yacht, broadcasting to England. Said broadcasts become wildly popular, making celebrities out of some of those concerned. Yet naturally enough, the authorities, led by Branagh’s Sir Alistair Dormandy, aren’t best pleased.

Curtis then laces The Boat That Rocked with plenty of comedy, and a killer soundtrack. But he loses his focus when editing the film down, as it’s a movie that, try as it might, still manages to outstay its welcome by a good 20 minutes. It doesn’t help that he’s simply trying to cram too much in here, and contrasted with the tight screenplays of some of his earlier films (take the script of Notting Hill as an example), it’s curious that he chooses to do so.

Yet quibbles aside, The Boat That Rocked is still a fine comedy, with a real love for its subject matter. It arguably works best in the home, too, over the big screen, and with many laugh-out-loud moments, and some memorable characters, it’s ultimately hard to resist the film’s many charms. —Jon Foster

Technical Specs: Languages(s): EnglishInteractive Menu

John Le Mesurier, Maggie Henderson Those who remember the children's animation Bod from the 13 episodes broadcast by the BBC in 1975 generally recall, with considerable precision, not stories but images. This is because the stories that constitute Bod, created by Joanne and Michael Cole, are mere wisps of narrative, in which, almost always, almost nothing happens (in "Bod and the Cake", for example, no cake arrives), serene anti-dramas which are elusive and thus hard to remember as stories. Its images, by contrast, are the heart of its minimalist charm and its unforgettable strangeness, from narrator John Le Mesurier's unvarying announcement, "Here comes Bod", to the moment the unvarying fivefold cast sashay towards the horizon at the end. Bod is small and bald, with a yellow dress and a Buddha-like imperturbability. He and his four eternal companions—Aunt Flo, Farmer Barleymow, Frank the Postman, PC Copper—are animated as sparely as a 60s cartoon from the Eastern bloc. In each episode, the five gather one by one, each arriving to their own characteristic perky jazz-folky theme, in their own characteristic gait (indeed, like a zen riddle, the walk itself is far more important than where they're walking to, or why). Some viewers consider the cartoon's mysterious pastoral stillness alarming, as if something terrible were going on that we're never told about or shown—"Waiting for Bodot", as it were—but most found its calmness both beguiling and addictive. As in the original Watch with Mother format, Bod is paired with Alberto Frog and his Amazing Animal Band (in which an all-animal orchestra plays the classics, then guesses what flavour milkshake their frog conductor will reward himself with). Who knows how tots so exposed to the over-active kids-fare of today will respond, but the grown-ups in their charge will find The Complete Bod soothing, seductive and bizarre. —Honey Glass

On the DVD: the DVD contains all 13 episodes of Bod. Five of these are extended, as originally broadcast, to feature animal identification games, counting songs, Bod snap and Alberto Frog and his Amazing Animal Band.

Max Beesley, Neve McIntosh, Jed Mercurio, John Strickland, Richard Laxton, Jon East United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2.4 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital Stereo ), English ( Subtitles ), WIDESCREEN (1.78:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Box Set, Cast/Crew Interview(s), Interactive Menu, Multi-DVD Set, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: When Rob Lake begins work in a maternity unit, he soon comes to suspect that his new boss, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist Roger Hurley, may be incompetent. He tries to turn a blind eye, but one of Hurley's blunders leads to a young mother being left brain-damaged and her baby stillborn. Rob watches a fellow doctor being hounded for attempting to bring the incompetence to light, seeing the ranks of the establishment join together to protect one of their own. He realizes he must risk his career to put a stop to Hurley's negligence. Meanwhile, his passionate affair with colleague Donna leaves him alternatively confused and hungry for more... Includes series 1, 2 and the series finale. SCREENED/AWARDED AT: BAFTA Awards, ...Bodies - Complete Series - 6-DVD Box Set

David Caruso, Linda Fiorentino, Joseph Gutowski, Robert Patton-Spruill

Richard Roundtree, Don Swayze, Gregory Hippolyte

Leonardo DiCaprio, Russell Crowe, Ridley Scott Set it next to the similar Middle-East intrigue of Syriana, and Body of Lies is easy to follow, in fact, this movie's plot is amazingly straightforward for an espionage flick. Leonardo DiCaprio is the CIA agent on the ground, an Arabic-speaking chameleon who believes in forging personal relationships based on trust and professionalism. Russell Crowe is his supervisor, a meddler who makes up the rules as he goes along and is more than willing to trade long-term benefits for a short-term "win". While working on a case in Jordan, DiCaprio gets a modest flirtation going with a nurse (Golshifteh Farahani), although his most intense relationship is with a Jordanian intelligence chief (great role for Mark Strong) who takes a wary view of the CIA's activities. Ridley Scott directs as though weary of all the fuss, and his merriment in Crowe's breezy sociopath gives the movie a rather strange aftertaste. It gets the job done, although after it's over you might find yourself craving the head-scratching complications of Syriana. —Robert Horton

Anne Dudek, Bonnie Engstrom, Patrick Doherty The Book Group, the creation of writer-director Annie Griffin, is a superb, Glasgow-based comedy-drama. Annie Dudek stars as Claire, the prissy and neurotic American expatriate who initiates the titular group with a view to meeting high-minded types like herself. Instead, she gets Dirka, Fist and Janice, three Scottish footballers' wives, the wheelchair-bound Kenny, a leisure-centre worker with ambitions to be a writer despite his apparent inarticulacy, the stubbly-faced football-mad Rab and the insufferable Barney, a post-grad student and heroin addict at whom Claire makes one of the most embarrassingly disastrous passes in TV history in the opening episode.

The Book Group is a magnificent device for bringing an unlikely cast of characters together, supposedly out of a love of literature but in fact because each of them in their own way has pretensions or ambitions to make something different out of their lives. Waves of sexual longing between the group members are among the many things that interfere with the discussions of the texts, with Kenny in particular an object of fascination for both Dirka and Fist. With each episode cleverly themed around the chosen book of the week, The Book Group is hilarious yet wise, understated and often painfully melancholic, based on detailed character study rather than contrived situations or eye-catching melodrama. It is indispensable viewing.

On the DVD: The Book Group's main extra is a poorly edited but absorbing sequence of interviews with all of the cast members except James Lance, who plays Barney. Rory McGann (Kenny), who comes from a non-acting background, is particularly interesting. —David Stubbs

Denzel Washington, Gary Oldman, Albert Hughes, Allen Hughes Denzel Washington, Gary Oldman and Mila Kunis star in this sci-fi action thriller. 30 years after an unspecified environmental disaster, a lone man, Eli (Washington), fights his way across the desolate wasteland of a post-apocalyptic America guarding a sa

Colin Friels, Tom Long, Ana Kokkinos

Troy Duffy Imported Fullscreen Version of the Uncut Version. The standard UK release of Boondock Saints is cut in several places

Sacha Baron Cohen, Ken Davitian Feature mockumentary starring Sacha Baron Cohen that brings one of the 'Da Ali G Show' star's most popular characters to life on the big screen. Borat Sagdiyev (Cohen) is a leading journalist from Kazakhstan's state-run television network. He is sent to t

Craig Ferguson, Ian Hart, David Kane Born Romantic is a second slice of what David (This Year's Love) Kane does best: a quirky picture of contemporary London with young and variously screwed-up protagonists getting a second chance at love. This time, the premise is that there is a salsa club somewhere in East London where three boys meet three girls and things go other than smoothly until they actually take the trouble to learn to dance—and in case we didn't guess the metaphoric point of this, Olivia Williams' cold control freak lays it out for Craig Ferguson's Dean Martin obsessed retro-lounge singer at an early stage. The other central characters are Jane Horrocks as a party girl who is not exactly keen to pick up again with David Morissey, the man who jilted her years earlier and who has now come to London to make amends; and Jimi Mistry as an incompetent thief who falls for a neurotic grave-tender. Adrian Lester is the widower mini-cab driver who listens to all six moan about each other and dispenses wisdom on a regular basis; back at the cab office, Ian Hart rants misogynistically until Kenneth Cranham tells him he is wrong. The stylised and schematic script is redeemed by loud La tin music and an affection for these characters' quirks.

On the DVD: The DVD is generously filled with deleted scenes, the trailer and extended interviews with Kane and most of the stars: Horrocks and Williams in particular talk intelligently about the challenges and advantages of working as part of an ensemble cast. The recorded sound is just good enough to give the dance-club scenes a real energy. —Roz Kaveney

Rik Mayall, Adrian Edmondson, Bob Spiers Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson give the flat-share sitcom a much needed kick up the Bottom in the show which, alongside Men Behaving Badly (1992-8) injected new life into a legendarily dire genre. With glorious comic gusto they play Richie Rich and Eddie Hitler, a pair of misfits barely surviving unemployment in a Hammersmith hovel. They spend their life in frustration, minus female company or money, in facile schemes to entertain or better themselves, their best intentions always proving the catalyst for hilariously OTT cartoon-style violence. The humour benefits from being rude, crude and surreal, and though happily bereft of subtlety or sense the situations and set-pieces are always superbly constructed, delivered and directed. But that's only to be expected from a show that essentially presents two of The Young Ones a decade down the line.

Mayall and Edmondson had earlier perfected their surreal double act as The Dangerous Brothers and these first episodes of Bottom find them in side-splitting form. From a misadventure with pheromone spray and the wrong sort of dogs down the pub in "Smells" to a birthday "Accident", which introduces The Young Ones' Christopher Ryan as a regular guest character, this is BBC comedy at its best. Brace yourself, 'cos this is going to hurt.

On the DVD Bottom, Series 1 contains all six episodes presented in the original TV 4:3 ratio with mono sound. The transfer is flawless, if anything rather revealing the limitations of the source material. The only extra beyond optional English subtitles and a Danish dub is "Bottom Fluff" a 15-minute blooper reel that offers a masterclass in the art of swearing. —Gary S Dalkin

Mayall Rik

Klara Hlouska, Kira Reed Lorsch, Lloyd A. Simandl Netherlands released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), Dutch ( Subtitles ), WIDESCREEN (1.85:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Interactive Menu, Scene Access, Trailer(s), SYNOPSIS: In the future anarchy and slavery is a way of life. A beautiful young girl (played by Klara Hlouska) is taken as a slave in the emerald mines. She is forced to become an attendant to the mine's lesbian commander (Kira Reed) but her intention is to gain the confidence of her captors, betray them to the rebel forces and gain freedom for the slaves. ...Chained Rage: Slave to Love ( Femmes enchaînées: Q.H.S. 3 )

Technical Details: Fullscreen English Dolby Digital Stereo Dutch Subtitles All Regions Pal

Gerard Butler, Jennifer Aniston, Andy Tennant

Matt Damon|Franka Potente, Doug Liman DVD Universal, Studios, Region 2; Region 3 2002 118 mins

Jeremy Renner, Rachel Weisz, Tony Gilroy NOTICE: Polish Release, cover may contain Polish text/markings. The disk has English subtitles. An expansion of the universe from Robert Ludlum's novels, centered on a new hero whose stakes have been triggered by the events of the previous three films.

Matt Damon, Franka Potente, Paul Greengrass Matt Damon Bourne Supremacy

Michael Moore, Charlton Heston An Oscar-winning documentary based around a 1999 massacre at an American High School in Colorado, Bowling for Columbine is filmmaker Michael Moore's take on the culture of firearms violence that is, apparently, peculiar to the USA. Significantly, this is no detective investigation into the psychology and motives of the two students who randomly opened fire on their classmates, killing 12 of them—Moore regards such particulars as practically irrelevant—rather, it's an attempt to counter the moral panic and right-wing diagnoses that followed the massacre, with the likes of rock star Marilyn Manson blamed by some.

Using a mixture of roving interviews, statistics, historical documentary footage, cartoon animation and the set-ups familiar to fans of his TV Nation series, Moore teases out appalling truths about gun proliferation in America. He's able to obtain a rifle by opening a bank account and shows that the bullets used in the Columbine massacre were still available at KMart—until he confronts their management with victims of the shootings. But it's not just gun proliferation that's the problem. Canada, Moore discovers, is similarly rife with firearms yet has a far lower murder rate. The problem with the US, Moore believes, is an irrational climate of fear that has driven the country to reactionary extremes since the days of the pioneers, persuading citizens that they need to be armed to the teeth.

In a film short on lowlights, the highlight is Moore's confrontation with NRA President Charlton Heston. Moore's deceptively genial, shambling, regular American dude appearance (as well as his NRA membership) wins Heston's confidence and Moore teases from the actor an inadvertently racist slip of the tongue, before turning up the heat, at which point Heston terminates the interview. In this moment, the sort of anger Moore demonstrated at the 2003 Academy Awards ceremony surfaces briefly as he brandishes a picture of a gunshot victim to the retreating Heston. Funny, shrewd, righteous, hard to deny, Bowling for Columbine is uncomfortable and irresistible filmmaking. —David Stubbs

Tim Poole, Danielle Sanderson, Ray Brady

Kelly Macdonald, Billy Connolly, Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman

Mel Gibson, Sophie Marceau DVD Braveheart Paramount Pictures, 5039036002998, 1995, Region 2 PAL Special Edition

Jonathan Pryce, Kim Greist, Julian Doyle, Terry Gilliam If Franz Kafka had been an animator and film director—oh, and a member of Monty Python's Flying Circus—this is the sort of outrageously dystopian satire one could easily imagine him making. However, Brazil was made by Terry Gilliam, who is all of the above except, of course, Franz Kafka. Be that as it may, Gilliam sure captures the paranoid-subversive spirit of Kafka's The Trial (along with his own Python animation) in this bureaucratic nightmare-comedy about a meek governmental clerk named Sam Lowry (Jonathan Pryce) whose life is destroyed by a simple bug. Not a software bug, a real bug (no doubt related to Kafka's famous Metamorphosis insect) that gets smooshed in a printer and causes a typographical error unjustly identifying an innocent citizen, one Mr. Buttle, as suspected terrorist Harry Tuttle (Robert De Niro). When Sam becomes enmeshed in unravelling this bureaucratic glitch, he himself winds up labelled as a miscreant.

The movie presents such an unrelentingly imaginative and savage vision of 20th-century bureaucracy that it almost became a victim of small-minded studio management itself—until Gilliam surreptitiously screened his cut for the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, who named it the best movie of 1985 and virtually embarrassed Universal into releasing it. —Jim Emerson

Jean Boht, Victor McGuire

Audrey Hepburn, George Peppard, Blake Edwards No film better utilises Audrey Hepburn's flighty charm and svelte beauty than this romantic adaptation of Truman Capote's novella. Hepburn's urban sophisticate Holly Golightly, an enchanting neurotic living off the gifts of gentlemen, is a bewitching figure in designer dresses and costume jewellery. George Peppard is her upstairs neighbour, a struggling writer and "kept" man financed by a steely older woman (Patricia Neal). His growing friendship with the lonely Holly soon turns to love and threatens the delicate balance of both of their compromised lives. Taking liberties with Capote's bittersweet story, director Blake Edwards and screenwriter George Axelrod turn New York into a city of lovers and create a poignant portrait of Holly, a frustrated romantic with a secret past and a hidden vulnerability. Composer Henry Mancini earned Oscars for the hit song "Moon River" and his tastefully romantic score. The only sour note in the whole film is Mickey Rooney's demeaning performance as the apartment's Japanese manager, an offensively overdone stereotype even in 1961. The rest of the film has weathered the decades well. Edwards's elegant yet light touch, Axelrod's generous screenplay and Hepburn's mix of knowing experience and naivety combine to create one of the great screen romances and a refined slice of high-society bohemian chic. —Sean Axmaker

Molly Ringwald, Ally Sheedy, John Hughes John Hughes's popular 1985 teen drama finds a diverse group of high school students—a jock (Emilio Estevez), a metalhead (Judd Nelson), a weirdo (Ally Sheedy), a princess (Molly Ringwald), and a nerd (Anthony Michael Hall)—sharing a Saturday in detention at their high school for one minor infraction or another. Over the course of a day, they talk through the social barriers that ordinarily keep them apart, and new alliances are born, though not without a lot of pain first. Hughes (Sixteen Candles), who wrote and directed, is heavy on dialogue but he also thoughtfully refreshes the look of the film every few minutes with different settings and original viewpoints on action. The movie deals with such fundamentals as the human tendency toward bias and hurting the weak, and because the characters are caught somewhere between childhood and adulthood, it's easy to get emotionally involved in hope for their redemption. Preteen and teenage kids love this film, incidentally. —Tom Keogh

Richard Pryor, John Candy, Walter Hill He's had some good performances in supporting parts, but Richard Pryor's major film roles, including Brewster's Millions, never managed to captured his comic brilliance the way his concert films did—proving that magic isn't something you can bottle. This 1985 film is no exception, even though it was directed by Walter Hill three years after he turned Eddie Murphy into a film star with 48 Hours. The seventh film reworking of a warhorse stage play, this film stars Pryor and John Candy as a pair of minor-league baseball players whose best days are behind them. Then Pryor is informed that he's just inherited a fortune—300 million dollars. But it comes with a condition: he must spend 30 million dollars in one month, with a number of rules about how much he can spend at one time and how many of any one thing he can buy. Both Pryor and Candy were at the top of their comedy games at this point, but were utterly failed both by ham-handed direction and a script that left them higher and drier than seems humanly possible, given the comic talents involved. —Marshall Fine, Amazon.com

The exotic sounds, vibrant colours, and ecstatic dancing of Bollywood collide with the cunning storytelling of Jane Austen in Bride & Prejudice (from the writer/director of previous East/West hybrid Bend It Like Beckham). When smart, outspoken Lalita Bakshi (Indian beauty Aishwarya Rai) meets Will Darcy (Martin Henderson, The Ring), she finds this American businessman arrogant and conceited—but because his best friend is falling in love with her sister, Lalita agrees to travel around India with Darcy. On the trip, a childhood friend of Darcy's named Johnny (Daniel Gillies, Spider-Man 2) both tickles Lalita's fancy and confirms her worst suspicions about Darcy. But as events unfold, Lalita wonders if she hasn't misjudged Darcy—and Johnny. Austen fans will be find much to criticize; Bride & Prejudice transplants the basic plot of Pride & Prejudice to modern India, but not much of Austen's sly wit or her insights about character and society have survived the translation. Henderson, though handsome, lacks the intimidating charisma of previous Mr. Darcys (including Laurence Olivier and Colin Firth). Thank goodness for the delightful Rai, here making her first all-English-language movie. She commands the screen like a true star (unsurprisingly, she's hugely popular in India, and previously starred in a more homegrown Austen adaptation: I Have Found It, based on Sense & Sensibility). For Western audiences unfamiliar with the freewheeling exuberance of Indian movies—wild musical numbers can break out at almost any moment—Bride & Prejudice offers an engaging taste of this fantastic cinematic style. —Bret Fetzer

Anne Hathaway, Kate Hudson, Gary Winick How important is the perfect wedding? Emma (Anne Hathaway) and Liv (Kate Hudson) have been best friends since childhood and each has always dreamed of an extravagant wedding at the Plaza hotel. When both friends get engaged in the same week, they rush to the exclusive wedding planner Marion St. Claire (Candice Bergen) to book the perfect weddings at the Plaza hotel. The reservations get mixed up and both weddings end up scheduled on the same day and, since there are no other suitable openings available at the Plaza, the friends find themselves in the impossible situation of having to decide who will sacrifice her long-held dream and change venues. It turns out that neither woman is willing to give up her plans for a perfect wedding and the friends turn against one another in a hilarious battle that results in everything from blue hair to rumours of pregnancy and embarrassing home videos accompanying one bride's walk down the aisle. Can even a life-long friendship survive the emotional turmoil of two weddings gone wrong? Bride Wars is an amusing look at the trials of friendship and love that's sure to inspire laughter and perhaps even a tear or two. —Tami Horiuchi, Amazon.com

Renée Zellweger, Colin Firth, Beeban Kidron Although it's been three years since we last saw Bridget (Renée Zellweger), only a few weeks have passed in her world. She is, as you'll remember, no longer a "singleton," having snagged stuffy but gallant Mark Darcy (Colin Firth) at the end of the 2001 film. Now she's fallen deeply in love and out of her neurotic mind with paranoia: Is Mark cheating on her with that slim, bright young thing from the law office? Will the reappearance of dashing cad Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant) further spell the end of her self-confidence when they're shoved off to Thailand together for a TV travel story? If such questions also seem pressing to you, this sequel will be fairly painless, but you shouldn't expect anything fresh. Director Beeban Kidron and her screenwriters—all four of them!—are content to sink matters into slapstick, with chunky Zellweger (who's unflatteringly photographed) the literal butt of all jokes. Though the star still has her charms, and some of Bridget's social gaffes are amusing, the film is mired in low comedy—a sequence in a Thai women's prison is more offensive than outrageous—with only Grant's rakish mischief to pull it out of the swamp. —Steve Wiecking

Richard Attenborough, Hermione Baddeley, Peter Graham Scott, John Boulting Rightly regarded as a genuine classic of British cinema, Brighton Rock has stood the test of time remarkably well to emerge as a tense, original thriller. Although there is much that is old-fashioned here (particularly the less than convincing East End accents), the tale of feuding gangster factions holds up favourably compared to modern-day efforts. In place of the now all-too-familiar violence is a quiet, brooding menace with much of the black and white film shot in the dark shadows of the underworld. Richard Attenborough holds it all together with his remarkable portrayal of young gangster Pinkie, exuding a threatening aura while often saying very little. Not surprisingly, given its base in Graham Greene's famous novel, the film has an exceptionally strong storyline that is matched by the directions and performances. A good lesson in timeless film making.

On the DVD: Brighton Rock on disc sadly is a package with nothing to offer over the standard video release. The black and white footage shows little sign of remastering, nor does the soundtrack. There are no extras whatsoever—this is surely a massive oversight given the classic nature of the film itself. —Phil Udell

Saoirse Ronan, Domhnall Gleeson, John Crowley Saoirse Ronan and Domhnall Gleeson star in this romantic drama adapted from the novel by Colm Tóibín. Set in the 1950s, the story follows young Irish woman Ellis Lacey (Ronan) as she travels to New York City in search of a better life. Initially homesick, she begins to adjust to her new surroundings with the help of Italian-American Tony Fiorello (Emory Cohen) with whom she becomes romantically involved. After news of a family crisis, Ellis returns to Ireland where she enjoys spending time back in her hometown and becomes acquainted with a young man, Jim Farrell (Gleeson), finding herself torn between two very different paths. The cast also includes Jim Broadbent and Julie Walters. The film was nominated for three Academy Awards including Best Picture.Based on: The novel by Colm Tóibín Technical Specs: Languages(s): EnglishInteractive MenuScene Access Extras included: Bonus FootageDocumentaries: FeaturetteInterviews: Interviews

Matt Damon, Heath Ledger, Terry Gilliam

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Peter Archer, Walt Missingham

Sacha Baron Cohen

Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nicholas Brendon, Bruce Seth Green, Charles Martin Smith, David Semel, Ellen S. Pressman, John T. Kretchmer Vampire-slayer Buffy Summers moves to Sunnydale, a Californian community located above the "Hellmouth", a phenomenon which explains the local graveyard's overpopulation of vampires and other supernatural beings. Angel, a mysterious loiterer, starts flirting with Buffy and gives her helpful tips on how to cope with the local nasties. However, he turns out to be a vampire, which complicates the future of their relationship. Buffy makes friends with school outcasts Willow, a computer nerd, and geeky Xander. But she excites the enmity of high-school princess Cordelia. The season's prime villain is the Master, a Nosferatu-looking vampire lurking under the town. Giles, Buffy's mentor, looks things up in books and demonstrates the exact same look of puzzlement actor Anthony Head used to demonstrate in those horrifying instant coffee ads. —Kim Newman

Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nicholas Brendon, Bruce Seth Green, David Greenwalt, David Semel, David Solomon, Deran Sarafian After the first season of Buffy The Vampire Slayer became a ratings success the show was renewed with a bigger budget and twice as many episodes. Seeds are sown through the early episodes for many of the stunning plot developments later in the season: there's a slow burn for the relationships building between Buffy and Angel (no surprise), Giles and Jenny (nice surprise), and Xander and Cordelia (huge surprise). Most importantly, we're introduced to important semi-regulars Spike and Drusilla ("School Hard"), Oz ("Inca Mummy Girl") and fellow Slayer Kendra ("What's My Line Part 1"). Their appearances tackle youth issues such as sibling rivalry, sexual maturity and rejection.

But nothing that came before it prepared audiences for the latter half of season 2. In the extraordinary double act of "Surprise" and "Innocence" every aspect of the show grows up in a big hurry: the result of Buffy sleeping with Angel is a series of tragedies everyone is powerless to predict or prevent, a piece of powerful storytelling conveyed with pared-down dialogue and remarkable performances from the young cast. All of these threads are tied together then torn apart by the two-part finale "Becoming". With a cliffhanger ending to rival The Empire Strikes Back, the second chapter of Buffy The Vampire Slayer closes in tantalising style leaving everything at stake. —Paul Tonks

On the DVD: The computer-animated menu opens this gorgeous box set in style with a tour through a dark and oppressive cemetery, a lavish display of graphics that's all the more impressive when compared to the uneventful DVD for the first season. Most of the extra features are concentrated on the last disc, which includes the obligatory biographies, trailers and TV spots that add little value to hardcore fans but serve as a good introduction to the world of Buffy for non-adepts. The three featurettes are captivating: "Designing Buffy" offers a wealth of information about the set designs, and even includes a walk through of Buffy's home; "A Buffy Bestiary" features every monster from the second season, and "Beauty and the Beats" explores the make-up artistry and special effects. There are also brief cast interviews, in which James Masters ("Spike") reveals his American accent. All in all the extras make a worthy accompaniment to the spectacular season 2 episodes, though one might regret that Joss Whedon did not offer a commentary on the double bill season finale "Becoming". —Celine Martig

Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nicholas Brendon, David Greenwalt, David Grossman, David Semel, David Solomon, James A. Contner Action-packed Season Three develops major characters and plot lines brewing over the last couple of years. The Mayor, this season's major baddie, wants to become an invincible demon by slaughtering everyone at Sunnydale High's graduation ceremony but he's going to torture them all by giving his speech first. Bad-girl vampire-slayer Faith wants to get one over on Buffy and becomes even more rotten. Angel comes back from hell but isn't sure what to do about his girlfriend. Willow meets her evil gay vampire duplicate from another dimension. Xander loses his virginity but still has to contemplate his essential uselessness. Cordelia gets less whiny and has to work in a dress-shop when her father becomes bankrupt. Giles wears tweed and drinks tea, though it is revealed that he used to be a warlock and in a punk band. Besides the soap opera, there are monsters, curses and vampires (inevitably). —Kim Newman

On the DVD: The DVDs are presented in a standard television 4:3 picture ratio and in a clear Dolby sound that does full justice both to the sparkling dialogue and to the always impressive indie-rock and orchestral scores. Special features include an overview of Season Three by its creator Joss Whedon, and by writers Marti Noxon, David Fury, Doug Petrie and Jane Espenson and documentaries on the weapons, clothes special effects of the show and the speech/verbal tone which makes it what it is-"Buffyspeak". The episodes "Helpless", "Bad Girls", "Consequences" and "Earshot" have commentaries by, Fury, Petrie, director James Gershman and Espenson, in which we find out some fascinating details about the way the scripts mutate and about the particular illuminations added to scripts by actors' performances. After complaints about the Season 2 DVD packaging, the disc envelopes include a protective coating. —Roz Kaveney

Danny Dyer, Tamer Hassan, Nick Love

PHIL COLLINS AND JULIE WALTERS STAR IN THE ICONIC COMEDY.

Director Jamie Babbit's assured first feature But I'm a Cheerleader is subversive, smart and extremely funny, but not entirely original. Megan Williams (Natasha Lyonne) is a good Christian cheerleading girl. She doesn't think it at all strange that she can't get the image of tumbling cheerleaders out of her mind while her football player boy friend is trying to French kiss her. But her parents, played respectively by Bud Cort (Brewster McCloud) and John Water' s regular Mink Stole, have noticed Megan's odd behaviour and arrange an intervention. They send her off to New Directions, a sexual rehabilitation camp run by a straight-laced school madam, Mary (Cathy Moriarty), where she is forced to come to terms with her lesbian tendencies. But while on a strict regime of corrective therapy, Megan falls head over heels f or surly dyke, Graham—played by Clea DuVall (The Astronaut's Wife)—and is forced to reassess whether straight really is great. The zany script and over-the-top characterisations have the feel of a John Waters comedy; The day-glo sets and costumes give the film a surreal Pee Wee's Playhouse feel and Lyonne is charmingly dizzy and bewildered throughout. RuPaul excels as Mike, a former gay exercise trainer, and Moriarty out-camps them all.

On the DVD: The main feature is presented in letterboxed widescreen with Dolby Digital sound. Extra features are limited to a theatrical trailer and a 10-minute behind-the-scenes look at the film in which director Jamie Babbit explains the genesis of the film followed by hastily assembled footage of random scenes being shot. —Chris Campion

A mysterious man, Suba, gets himself a job at a fencing academy, and as he learns the way of the students, the school, and its maestro, they learn that there's more to him than meets the eye. He gains (or regains?) his fencing skills and his philosophy of teaching clashes with the maestro's. As they are thrown into conflict, Suba and the maestro's past appear to be linked. And the resolution of their mysterious relationship may be a duel to the death.

Starring Lorenzo Lamas, John Savage, Kathleen Kinmont...

Helen Mirren, Julie Walters, Michael Parker, Nigel Cole In the sensible yet elegant hands of actresses Helen Mirren and Julie Walters, Calendar Girls walks a fine line between sappiness and snickering and ends up both wonderfully funny and gently touching. When her best friend Annie (Walters) loses her husband, Chris (Mirren) cooks up a scheme to commemorate him: they and their friends—all fiftysomething women—will make a nude calendar to raise money for the hospital where he died. The calendar becomes hugely popular, but the success may drive a wedge between the two women's friendship. Based on a true story, Calendar Girls carefully balances the stories of several women as it follows the calendar's media explosion, becoming a surprisingly moving fable of loss, determination and the perils of fame. And let's face it—Helen Mirren is one of the wittiest and sexiest women alive, clothes on or not. —Bret Fetzer

John Candy, Alan Alda, Michael Moore

Tommy Cannon, Bobby Ball, Colin Fay

Burt Reynolds, Roger Moore, Donn Cambern, Hal Needham

Douglas Hodge, William Armstrong, Clive Fleury, Diarmuid Lawrence, Mike Vardy, Paul Seed

Douglas Hodge, William Armstrong, Clive Fleury, Diarmuid Lawrence, Mike Vardy, Paul Seed

Elliott Gould, James Brolin, James Mitchell, Peter Hyams Thanks to repeated showings on cable television and home video, this speculative thriller has built quite a loyal following since its release in 1978. The provocative "what if?" scenario still packs a punch, even if it is not always believable. James Brolin, Sam Waterston and O J Simpson star as three astronauts who agree to spare the government embarrassment by faking their historic landing on Mars after their spacecraft is determined to be unsafe for blastoff. When a scheming mission controller (Hal Holbrook) plots to kill the astronauts in a staged capsule fire, the trio embarks on a dangerous mission to expose the truth. Elliott Gould costars as the journalist determined to crack the conspiracy, and director Peter Hyams turns up the tension with an exciting chase sequence involving Telly Savalas as an eccentric barnstormer who comes to Gould's aid in his attempt rescue the hoax mission's sole survivor. —Jeff Shannon

Nicolas Cage, Penélope Cruz, John Madden While Captain Corelli's Mandolin may frustrate admirers of Louis de Bernières' densely detailed novel, it proves Shakespeare in Love director John Madden is a worthy craftsman of literary films. It's a tastefully old-fashioned adaptation, preserving the novel's flavour while focusing on its love story set against the turbulence of World War II. Set on the Greek island of Cephallonia, the drama begins in 1940 with occupation by Italian troops, awkwardly allied with the Nazis and preferring hedonistic friendliness over military intimidation. That attitude is most generously embodied by Captain Corelli (Nicolas Cage), who is instantly drawn to the Greek beauty Pelagia (Penélope Cruz) despite her engagement to Mandras (Christian Bale), a resistance fighter whose absence leaves Pelagia needy for affection. Mandras's eventual return—and the inevitable attack by German bombers and ground troops—threaten to stain this Greek-Italian romance with deeply tragic bloodshed.

Accompanied by pensive serenades from the captain's cherished mandolin, the film charts the unlikely attraction of Corelli and Pelagia, whose wizened physician father (splendidly played by John Hurt) fears for the worst. Their love is uneasy (and Cage's miscasting doesn't help), but the island's beguiling atmosphere is as seductive to them as it is to the viewer, thus making the outbreak of violence—and a climactic earthquake—jarringly traumatic. Emphasising nobility in war and the many definitions of love, the story's wartime context intensifies the film's admirable depth of emotion. Faults will be found by anyone who's looking for them, but Captain Corelli's Mandolin remains a sensuous, richly layered film that die-hard romantics will find hard to resist.—Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com

Andrew Lancel, Helen Baxendale, Audrey Cooke, Morag Fullarton, Jo Johnson, Peter Mullan, David Garnett United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2.4 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital Stereo ), English ( Subtitles ), SPECIAL FEATURES: Box Set, Interactive Menu, Multi-DVD Set, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: A satirical medical comedy CARDIAC ARREST follows the perils and pitfalls of the staff in an NHS hospital. Idealist and newly-qualified houseman Dr Andrew Collin arrives on the wards with the best intentions ready to put his theoretical knowledge into action. Within no time he realises that his optimistic outlook is at odds with Claire Maitland the senior house officer someone who sets about trying to teach the young doctor a lesson. Includes all the episodes from all three series. SCREENED/AWARDED AT: BAFTA Awards, ...Cardiac Arrest - Complete Series - 5-DVD Box Set ( Cardiac Arrest - Complete Collection ) ( Cardiac Arrest - Entire Series 1-3 )

Lea Thompson

Lea Thompson, Eric Lutes, James Burrows

Lea Thompson, Jay Leno

Lea Thompson, Eric Lutes

Lea Thompson, Eric Lutes

Sean Biggerstaff, Emilia Fox, Sean Ellis A slight but likable British comedy-fantasy with a touch of naughtiness, Cashback is an expanded version of director Sean Ellis' Oscar-nominated short film of the same name about a bored supermarket clerk who discovers that he has the ability to stop time. Sean Biggerstaff (from the Harry Potter franchise) is Ben, a lovelorn young man whose chronic insomnia (due to a bad breakup) forces him to bury himself in pointless and repetitive work at a local grocery store. Once there, boredom causes him to believe that he can stop time, and he enjoys long and languid fantasies about undressing and sketching the female shoppers. But reality intrudes in the form of recollections of his troubled past, as well as the lovely presence of fellow clerk Sharon (Emilia Fox), who offers the promise of love in the real world. A gentle and artfully directed independent film, Cashback doesn't run very deep in terms of emotion, but the special effects are clever, the cast quirky and amusing, and its premise is an appealing mix of softcore reverie and boyish longing. —Paul Gaita

Robert De Niro, Sharon Stone, Martin Scorsese Director Martin Scorsese reunites with members of his GoodFellas gang (writer Nicholas Pileggi; actors Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci and Frank Vincent) for a three-hour epic about the rise and fall of mobster Sam "Ace" Rothstein (De Niro), a character based on real-life gangster Frank "Lefty" Rosenthal. (It's modelled on Wiseguy and GoodFellas and Pileggi's true crime book Casino: Love and Honour in Las Vegas.) Through Rothstein, the picture tells the story of how the Mafia seized, and finally lost control of, Las Vegas gambling. The first hour plays like a fascinating documentary, intricately detailing the inner workings of Vegas casinos. Sharon Stone is the stand out among the actors; she nabbed an Oscar nomination for her role as the voracious Ginger, the glitzy call girl who becomes Rothstein's wife. The film is not as fast-paced or gripping as Scorsese's earlier gangster pictures (Mean Streets and Good Fellas) but it's still absorbing. And, hey—it's Scorsese! —Jim Emerson, Amazon.com

Kevin Spacey, Barry Pepper, George Hickenlooper

Bill Pullman, Christina Ricci, Brad Silberling This 1995 family film tries to put a fun spin on the story of a paranormalist and widower (Bill Pullman) who moves into a new house with his daughter (Christina Ricci) and meets up with the ghost of a dead little boy. Based on the comic book about Casper the friendly ghost, the film is a dreary series of awkward interactions between live actors and computer effects, and you can almost see Pullman and Ricci reconsidering the project while on camera. A few cameo appearances from uncredited stars help things a bit. But theres no way, based on this film, that one could have guessed that its director, Brad Silberling, would go on to make the exceptional drama City of Angels. —Tom Keogh

Ferris Webster, Richard Brooks

Kirsten Dunst, Edward Herrmann, Peter Bogdanovich A Hollywood scandal springs to life in Peter Bogdanovich's lively Cat's Meow. In 1924 the immensely powerful publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst held a yacht party that ended with a gunshot. Between Hearst's influence and that of his glitterati guests (including Louella Parsons and Charlie Chaplin), no satisfying account of what happened ever made it to the public. The Cat's Meow reconstructs one of the more whispered-about possible scenarios and has quite a bit of fun doing so. Cast and crew alike skewer 1920s Hollywood decadence and, by extension, today's. Eddie Izzard is a boldly odd casting choice as Chaplin, but he succeeds, refusing to fall back on Little Tramp mannerisms. There are several other good performances, but best of all is the cool-as-sherbet Joanna Lumley as the deliciously jaded Elinor Glyn. The script is a strong one, never stooping to the excesses of its characters—Bogdanovich's take is far from the most lurid allegations of what happened that weekend. —Ali Davis

Jennifer Garner, Juliette Lewis, Susannah Grant Catch and Release [Import anglais]

Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg

Elaine Paige, John Mills, Andrew Lloyd Webber Cats is a musical composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot.

The musical tells the story of a tribe of cats called the Jellicles and the night they make what is known as "the Jellicle choice" and decide which cat will ascend to the Heaviside Layer and come back to a new life. Cats also introduced the song standard "Memory".

This is the Ultimate Edition. Double Disc DVD.
Disc One: Original Musical Feature.
Disc Two: Interviews With Andrew Lloyd Webber Cameron MacKintosh And Trevor Nunn.
A Makeup Featurette With Karen Dawson Harding
Documentary "What's A Jellicle Cat?" The Making of Cats.

PLEASE NOTE: This is a Region 2 DVD playable in the UK, Europe, Middle East and Japan only, unless you have an All Region DVD player. Please check before ordering.

Celine Dion

Celine Dion

Jennifer Lopez, Vince Vaughn, Tarsem Singh Brand new DVD - we ship worldwide

Jason Bateman, Ryan Reynolds, David Dobkin

Angelina Jolie, Gattlin Griffith, Clint Eastwood Clint Eastwood directs this thriller based on true events that took place in 1920s California. Angelina Jolie stars as Christine Collins, a mother who thinks her prayers have been answered when her kidnapped nine-year-old son is returned to her. However,

Jason Statham, Ryan Phillippe, Tony Giglio Crime thriller about two cops on the trail of a criminal mastermind. Forced to team up with new rookie partner Shane Dekker (Ryan Phillippe) when a shooting goes badly wrong, veteran detective Quentin Connors (Jason Statham) has to grin and bear it. But

Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, McG Happily Charlie's Angels is a surprisingly successful TV-into-movie update of the seminal 1970s jiggle show. Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore (who also produced) and Lucy Liu star as the hair-tossing, fashion-setting, kung-fu fighting trio employed by the mysterious Charlie (voiced by the original Charlie, John Forsythe). When a high-tech programmer (Sam Rockwell) is kidnapped, the angels seek out the suspects, with the daffy Bosley (Bill Murray in a casting coup) in tow. A happy, cornball popcorn flick, Charlie's Angels is played for laughs with plenty of ribbing references to the old TV show as well as modern caper films like Mission: Impossible. McG, a music video director making his feature film debut (usually a death warrant for a movie's integrity), infuses the film with plenty of Matrix-style combat pyrotechnics, and the result is the first successful all-American Hong Kong-style action flick. Plenty of movies boast a New Age feminism that has their stars touting their sexuality while being their own women, but unlike something as obnoxious as Coyote Ugly, Angels succeeds with a positive spin on Girl Power for the new millennium (Diaz especially sizzles in her role of crack super agent/airhead blonde). From the send-up of the TV show's credit sequence to the outtakes over the end credits, Charlie's Angels is a delight. —Doug Thomas, Amazon.com

Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, McG Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle is a big, fun, bubble-brained mess of a movie and that's exactly as it should be. Its popular 2000 predecessor got the formula right: gorgeous babes, throwaway plots and as many current pop-cultural trends as you could stuff into a candy-coated dollop of Hollywood mayhem. This sequel goes one "better": the plot is even more disposable (if that's possible), the babes, cars, and fashions are even more outlandish and the stuntwork (heavily digital, heavily absurd) reaches astonishing heights of cartoon silliness. Reprising their titular (and shamelessly titillating) roles, Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore and Lucy Liu are having the time of their lives, especially when sparring with ultra-buff rogue angel Demi Moore (looking better at 40 than most women half her age) and Justin Theroux as a sleazy Irish mobster. Bernie Mac replaces Bill Murray as angel-sidekick Bosley (they're step-brothers, don'cha know), which is one more indication of McG's intentionally reckless stewardship of an intentionally reckless franchise. —Jeff Shannon

Charmed: The Complete First Season recaptures a period when television's WB network was particularly keen on series about the supernatural and specially powered characters. The original home of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and future launch pad for Angel and Smallville, the WB debuted Charmed in 1998 with many of the same intriguing ironies that made those other shows click. Specifically, the greater a character's powers, the more vulnerable he or she becomes; the more superhuman, the more painfully obvious one's lonely, fragile humanity. The Halliwells, a trio of witch heroines and siblings at the center of Charmed, is a case in point. Phoebe (Alyssa Milano) returns to her San Francisco family home after losing her job, and moves in with her older sisters Prue (Shannen Doherty) and Piper (Holly Marie Combs). On her first night back, Phoebe finds the Book of Shadows in the attic and recites a spell giving all three women unique powers they were always meant to have: Prue suddenly has the gift of telekinesis, Piper can make time stand still, and Phoebe can see into the future. All well and good, but along with those extraordinary abilities is a new awareness of dark forces in the world from which mortals need protection. In some cases, those forces have been plotting a long time to steal the Halliwell's magical legacy once they awakened to it—and now they will never let up.

Evil warlocks, demons, ancient curses, Grimlocks, and Wendigos (the last two are best left explained by their respective episodes), however, are only half the battle on this sexy dramedy, in which more ordinary matters of emotional and real-world survival also preoccupy the Halliwells. An important ally, Inspector Andy Trudeau (Ted King), is Prue's ex-lover, a delicate detail that mixes pain with duty as the couple rekindles their troubled relationship while solving otherworldly crimes. In "Dead Man Dating," Piper falls for the ghost of a murdered man who needs help, and later competes with Phoebe for the attention of a handyman, Leo (Brian Krause). Jobs and money are always an issue, too. At one time or another, Phoebe works as a psychic, Piper as a caterer, and Prue finds a job at an auction house. As with Buffy, the engine of Charmed is the seamless, sometimes-comic, sometimes-tender way in which all these dynamics in the magic and non-magic worlds blend together, presenting young adult challenges that are both unique and somehow terribly familiar. It is particularly fun to watch this series grow, deepen, and experiment during its first year. The season's true highlight is probably "That 70s Episode," in which the Halliwells go back in time to meet their younger selves. —Tom Keogh, Amazon.com

Shannen Doherty, Alyssa Milano Charmed: The Complete Second Season finds San Francisco's favourite and fetching trio of witches, the Halliwell sisters, still battling supernatural forces while trying to make sense of their tricky personal lives. It has been a year since Prue (Shannen Doherty), Phoebe (Alyssa Milano), and Piper (Holly Marie Combs), were each endowed with a unique, magical ability after discovering the Book of Shadows in their attic, and while Phoebe and Piper are in the mood for celebrating, Prue is emotionally incapable of using her telekinetic gifts. Powerless to have saved her ex-lover, Andy Trudeau (Ted King), from death in Season 1, Prue's grief prevents her from cooperating with her sisters in a battle against a demon who steals the all-important Book. That's just the beginning of the Halliwells' otherworldly troubles. The second season finds the sisters also taking on brain-zapping Warlocks, a Demon of Hate, a Darklighter who inspires thoughts of suicide among the living, evil witches, and—get this—the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, who turn out to be quite dapper (albeit nasty) fellows. Meanwhile, Piper struggles to raise $60,000 to open a happening new club (at a site where two other clubs have failed) while also juggling romantic feelings for two guys, one a hunky new neighbor and the other last season's handyman character, Leo (Brian Krause), who turns out to be a Whitelighter (a kind of an angel). Prue's job at the art gallery gets a bit wobbly, and she gives unintentionally mixed signals to a very nice man who likes her a lot. Phoebe, for her part, is still in school and meets a handsome prospect at a dating service—then has to save him from a succubus (a female demon who seduces men and then kills them). Season highlights include the episode "She's a Man, Baby, a Man," in which Prue—due to a botched spell—becomes a man (a clever and funny performance by Doherty). In a reversal of Tootsie's feminist theme, Prue learns how to be a better woman for having a been a man, though a lot more repairs take place at the house while she's a he. "Animal Pragmatism" concerns yet another spell gone awry, this one turning a pig, a rabbit, and a snake into full-grown men with the characteristics of the creatures they were. The final show, "Be Careful What You Witch For," is a lot of fun, co-starring French Stewart as a genie who makes a lot of mischief at the same time the sisters are trying to put a Dragon Warlock in his place. —Tom Keogh

Holly Marie Combs, Alyssa Milano The challenges come fast and furious for the Halliwell sisters in Charmed: The Complete Seventh Season. Some of them are pretty exotic, too: a visit from Lady Godiva, who inspires a certain, unexpected freedom in witchy sisters Phoebe (Alyssa Milano), Piper (Holly Marie Combs), and Paige (Rose McGowan) while dodging the evil designs of a nasty land baron. Shakti and Shiva, the ultimate lovers of Hinduism, manage to occupy the bodies of Piper and still-evolving Whitelighter Leo (Brian Krause) at a very bad time: The consummation of their love will destroy the universe. An ex-demon turned professor at the Magic School falls under a spell that causes him to believe he's Robin Hood and that Phoebe is Maid Marian. And it goes on like that: an invisible demon posing as an imaginary friend to a child; a time-travel trip to 1899 (and the site of a tragic fire) that strands Phoebe; the arrival of Pandora's Box in the hands of a shape-shifting visitor from the Underworld. Things never quiet down for the Halliwells, and their lives are even more complicated by Zankou (Oded Fehr), who shows up in a running storyline about his effort to release the Shadow, the ultimate power, and steal the Book of Shadows, which is crucial to the sisters' witchcraft. Meanwhile, Leo must make a crucial choice in order to release Piper and Phoebe from their deaths at the hands of yet another demon: Should he save them or engage in magic that will ultimately rob him of his free will? An exciting season full of new changes and characters, transitions, children, and much else, Charmed: The Complete Seventh Season carries on this long-running television show's breathless pace and intriguing mix of the arcane and ordinary. —Tom Keogh

Holly Marie Combs, Alyssa Milano Season eight of Charmed brings the story of the Halliwell sisters to a satisfying conclusion, but not without a lot of bumps on the road for the witchy trio. The season begins with Paige (Rose McGowan ), Piper (Holly Marie Combs), and Phoebe (Alyssa Milano)—exhausted after years of magical responsibility for protecting the mortal world and fighting off demons—pretending to be dead and hiding behind new appearances. (The characters, when seen in mirrored reflections or through the eyes of others, are played by different actresses.) The gambit works smoothly for awhile, until each of the sisters begins missing aspects of her old life and feeling a sense of responsibility for protecting the innocent. Meanwhile, a gaggle of restless, young demons suspect that the Halliwells aren’t really dead at all, and are out to prove it. While fending off new demonic plots to take over the sisters’ San Francisco home and seize control of a school of magic, Piper and Phoebe’s father, Victor (James Read), takes care of Piper and Leo’s kids at the near cost of his own life. Also, Phoebe falls for a sculptor (Jason Lewis) early in the season and Cupid (Victor Webster) himself later on; Paige considers a career in law enforcement; and a newcomer arrives on the scene: Billie (Kaley Cuoco), a young witch with a flashy, Buffy-like style as demon-slayer.

Billie’s story provides a narrative backbone to Charmed: The Final Season. Powerful but untutored, Billie reluctantly becomes a protégé of Paige, learning the ropes of witchcraft just as Paige did a couple of seasons back. The problem is that Billie makes a well-intentioned mess of a number of situations (at one point, she draws the attention of a Homeland Security agent to her powers), and then goes rogue when her long-lost sister shows up and turns Billie against the Halliwells. The latter half of the season slowly draws to a showdown between the two sets of siblings, but as always, there are lot of storylines with plenty of other issues and action to worry about. Longtime Charmed fans will certainly enjoy the series finale, an imaginative, time-travel tale in which some of the main characters meet different versions of themselves, and we all get a peek into what the future holds in store for the Halliwells as individual women. —Tom Keogh

Ben Affleck, Joey Lauren Adams, Kevin Smith Writer-director Kevin Smith (Clerks) makes a huge leap in sophistication with this strong story about a comic-book artist (Ben Affleck) who falls in love with a lesbian (Joey Lauren Adams) and actually gets his wish that she love him, too. Their relationship is attacked, however, by his business partner (Jason Lee), who pulls a very unsubtle Iago act to cast doubt over the whole affair. The film has the same sense of insiderness as Clerks—this time, Smith takes us within the arcane, funny world of comic-book cultism—but the themes of jealousy, deceit and the high price of growing up enough to truly care for someone make this a very satisfying movie. —Tom Keogh

Cheech Marin, Thomas Chong Cheech and Chong's Nice Dreams [DVD]

Cher

David Barry, Sonny Bono

Chevy Chase, Jason Lively

Ford Kiernan, Greg Hemphill

Catherine Zeta Jones, Dominic West, Rob Marshall

Clive Owen, Julianne Moore, Alfonso Cuarón This Dvd Is Brand New & Sealed - 2006 - Another Dvd Is Now Becoming Very Collectible & Sought After. This Dvd Is In Stock And Will Be Posted From The UK - Region 2

Clive Owen, Julianne Moore, Alfonso Cuarón This Dvd Is Brand New & Sealed - 2006 - Another Dvd Is Now Becoming Very Collectible & Sought After. This Dvd Is In Stock And Will Be Posted From The UK - Region 2

Jane Fonda, Jack Lemmon, James Bridges James Bridges (Urban Cowboy, Bright Lights, Big City) directed this 1979 film that became a worldwide sensation when, just weeks after its release, the Three Mile Island nuclear accident occurred. Jane Fonda (Klute, Julia) plays a television news reporter who is not taken very seriously until a routine story at the local nuclear power plant leads her to what may be a cover-up of epic proportions. She and her cameraman, played by Michael Douglas (Wall Street, American President), hook up with a whistleblower at the plant, played by Jack Lemmon (Save the Tiger, Missing). Together they try to uncover the dangers lurking beneath the nuclear reactor and avoid being silenced by the business interests behind the plant. Though topical, The China Syndrome (produced by Douglas) works on its own as a socially conscious thriller that entertains even as it spurs its audience to think. —Robert Lane

Nick Moran, Neil Stuke, Paul Tickell Christie Malry's Own Double Entry is the revenge fantasy of a resentful, humiliated, somewhat simple office wage-slave who undergoes an epiphany in the unlikely surroundings of a lecture on accountancy. Malry, superbly depicted by Nick Moran as a sort of English Timothy McVeigh, decides to allocate a monetary value to every single act of, as he puts it, "casualness, indifference and mass carelessness" that besets him, and to exact appropriate recompense. As the debt grows, so do Malry's retributions, from disfiguring the paintwork of a Rolls-Royce to poisoning a substantial percentage of London.

Based on the novel by B.S. Johnson, the film is funny and clever, making inventive use of flashbacks, and the echoes of broadly similar fables, like Taxi Driver and Falling Down, are never loud enough to be distracting. An overall atmosphere of tensing malevolence is abetted by a terrific soundtrack of original songs by Auteurs and Black Box Recorder songwriter Luke Haines. The only duff notes the film strikes are the initially engaging but eventually utterly baffling excursions to the Renaissance court of an Italian prince. Aside from this one over-ambitious conceit, this is a fine and mystifyingly under-rated film.

On the DVD: Christie Malry's Own Double Entry includes only the original theatrical trailer as a special feature. It is all too easy to imagine that an advertisement for a product you've already paid for is exactly the kind of thing that Christie Malry would have entered in the "Debit" side of his ledger. —Andrew Muller

Christina Aguilera

Rob Lowe, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Andy Wolk

Michael B. Jordan, Dane DeHaan, Josh Trank If you should come upon a glowing, possibly extraterrestrial object buried in a hole, go ahead and touch the thing—you might just get superpowers. Or so it goes for the three high-school buds in Chronicle, an inventive excursion into the teenage sci-fi world. Once affected by the power, the guys exercise the joys of telekinesis: shuffling cars around in parking lots, moving objects in grocery stores, that kind of thing. Oh yeah—they can fly, too: and here director Josh Trank takes wing, in the movie's giddiest sequence, as the trio zips around the clouds in a glorious wish-fulfillment. It goes without saying that there will be a shadow side to this gift, and that's where Chronicle, for all its early cleverness, begins to stumble. Broody misfit Andrew (Dane DeHaan), destined to be voted Least Likely to Handle Superpowers Well by his graduating class, is documenting all this with his video camera, which is driving him even crazier (the movie's in "found footage" style, so everything we see is from a camcorder or security camera, an approach that gets trippy when Andrew realises he can levitate his camera without having to hold it). Trank and screenwriter Max Landis (son of John) seem to lose inspiration when the last act rolls around, so the movie settles for weightless battles around the Space Needle and a smattering of mass destruction. Still, let's give Chronicle credit for an offbeat angle, and a handful of memorable scenes. —Robert Horton

Vin Diesel, Judi Dench, David Twohy Bigger isn't always better, but for anyone who enjoyed Pitch Black, a nominal sequel like The Chronicles of Riddick should prove adequately entertaining. Writer-director David Twohy returns with expansive sets, detailed costumes, an army of CGI effects artists, and the star he helped launch—Vin Diesel—bearing his franchise burden quite nicely as he reprises his title role. The Furian renegade Riddick has another bounty on his head, but when he escapes from his mercenary captors, he's plunged into an epic-scale war waged by the Necromongers. A fascist master race led by Lord Marshal (Colm Feore), they're determined to conquer all enemies in their quest for the Underverse, the appeal of which is largely unexplained (since Twohy is presumably reserving details for subsequent "chronicles"). With tissue-thin plotting, scant character development, and skimpy roles that waste the talents of Thandie Newton (as a Necromonger conspirator) and Judi Dench (as a wispy "Elemental" priestess), Twohy's back in the B-movie territory he started in (with The Arrival), brought to vivid life on a vast digital landscape with the conceptual allure of a lavish graphic novel. But does Riddick have leadership skills on his resumé? To get an answer to that question, sci-fi fans will welcome another sequel. —Jeff Shannon

Zachary Levi, Yvonne Strahovski

Jon Culshaw, Tom Clarke Hill, Peter Richardson

Rachel Miner, David Anders

Chris O'Donnell, Minnie Driver, Pat O'Connor The same year as the BBC's Pride and Prejudice (1995) writer Andrew Davies and star Colin Firth were also hard at work on Circle of Friends, an Irish romance brought to the big screen by director Pat O'Connor (Dancing at Lughnasa). It's 1957 and three small-town friends Benny (Minnie Driver), Eve (Geraldine O'Rawe) and Nan (Saffron Burrows) arrive at university in Dublin, the scene set for an entertaining obstacle course along the path to true love. Jack, an excellent Chris O'Donnell, is the object of Benny's affections, and as the still unsure young woman beginning to find her way Driver gives an extremely engaging performance. Alan Cummings has a rather stereotyped role, which involves him in an attempted rape scene, one not only out-of-character with the rest of the film, but not even in the original novel. The transfer of 1990s mores onto 1950s Catholic Ireland jars a little towards the end, but whereas the cinema usually portrays Ireland as either a backdrop to "The Troubles", or—Angela's Ashes-style—as a land of hard working-class struggle, it's appealing to see it taking a look at the adventures of decent, ordinary middle-class people. The plot never springs any serious surprises, but makes for beautifully photographed Sunday-night TV-style nostalgia. —Gary S. Dalkin

Al Pacino, John Cusack, Harold Becker This complex 1996 drama directed by Harold Becker (Sea of Love) attempts to explore big-city corruption and the flexibility of what's right and wrong in the political arena. John Cusack plays the senior aide to mayor John Pappas (Al Pacino), a popular and seasoned politician whose administration is threatened when what seems to be an accidental shooting of a child reveals a nest of corruption and lifelong personal debts. This tests Cusack's loyalty to the man he thought he knew. Pacino turns in a finely textured performance as a man who has his own lofty ideals, but whose pragmatism sets in motion a series of events with tragic results. Cusack admirably captures the essence of someone polished and savvy at his job but must cope with fundamental disillusionment. This political thriller suffers at times from a lack of focus, but still offers an insightful and poignant treatise on the quagmire of politics in the modern age and the human toll it sometimes exacts. —Robert Lane

Nicolas Cage, Meg Ryan, Brad Silberling as new unplayed but not sealed region 2 dvd

Jacqueline Bisset, Rob Lowe, Lewis John Carlino As rites-of-passage films featuring a young man's sexual initiation in the arms of a beautiful woman go, Class (1983) has plenty going for it, not least its attractive cast: Andrew McCarthy as Jonathan, Rob Lowe as Gatsby-ish best friend Skip and Jacqueline Bisset as the beautiful woman who is old enough to know better and just happens to be Skip's mother.

Lewis John Carlino's film has moments of insight, taking a few well-aimed shots at the vaguely sinister network of American public school life. In the first reel it neatly subverts the bullying scenario that threatens when the geekish Jonathan arrives at the school, while offering the briefly intriguing sight of Lowe in scarlet bra and pants. And there's a subplot of deceit and complicity that both strengthens and threatens the friendship that rapidly forms between Skip and Jonathan. In many ways, though, the most interesting element of the picture—Skip's relationship with his dysfunctional family—is left unexplored. Jonathan's deflowering and subsequent interludes are merely titillating. And Bisset's Ellen, a desperately sad character, becomes superfluous once the revelation that she is the "teacher" sets the boys' friendship on the path to fraternal solidarity.

On the DVD: Class is presented in widescreen anamorphic format and looks as good as its leading players, although the Dolby Digital mono soundtrack has odd moments of flatness that detract from the cinematic experience. Extras are limited to the cinema trailer that now looks like a red rag to the puritanical objectors who were appalled by the graphic scenes in which Jonathan loses his virginity to the predatory Ellen. —Piers Ford

Classic Scottish Comedy

Sean Bean, Charlotte Rampling, Hadi Hajaig United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), English ( Subtitles ), WIDESCREEN (2.35:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Interactive Menu, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: This privately-funded little film 'Cleanskin' starring Sean Bean, Charlotte Rampling, James Fox and Michelle Ryan takes the standard 'lone vigiliante tasked by MI5 to take out a domestic terror cell' story (as described in this wonderfully misleading trailer) and flip it on its head. Sean Bean stars as the lone vigilante, Charlotte Rampling his controller. It was a very strange film to watch because slowly, like a prolongued water torture scene, you realise ... you realise that this film's playing with your mind. The good guys are painted bad. The bad guys are painted a vague editorial colour to suit the film's ulterior motive. ...Cleanskin (2012) ( Clean skin )

Brian O'Halloran, Jeff Anderson, Kevin Smith Before Kevin Smith became a Hollywood darling with Chasing Amy, a film he wrote and directed, he made Clerks, a $27,000 comedy about real-life experiences working for chump change at a New Jersey convenience store. A rude, foul-mouthed collection of anecdotes about the responsibilities that go with being on the wrong side of the till, the film is also a relationship story that takes some hilarious turns once the lovers start revealing their sexual histories to one another. In the best tradition of first-time, ultra-low budget independent films, Smith uses Clerks as an audition piece, demonstrating that he not only can handle two-character comedy but also has an eye for action—as proven in a smoothly handled rooftop hockey scene. Smith himself appears as a silent figure who hangs out on the fringes of the store's property. —Tom Keogh, Amazon.com

Brian O'Halloran, Jeff Anderson, Kevin Smith Kevin Smith knows his audience, so he's mostly indulging his fans with the abundance of Clerks II's DVD extras. On disc 1, three separate commentaries cover the entirety of Clerks II's production, beginning with Smith, producer Scott Mosier, and original Clerks director of photography David Klein talking about Clerks II's technical details, focusing on Klein's approach to the film's desaturated colour palette, the benefits of digital color manipulation, and other aspects of the DP's craft. It's informative material for anyone who's curious about the many decisions that go into any film's overall look and feel. Smith and Mosier return for the cast commentary, which quickly devolves into a casual free-for-all with Jason Mewes, Jeff Anderson, Brian O'Halloran, Trevor Fehrman, and Jennifer Schwalbach candidly riffing on varied topics including reluctance or enthusiasm in reprising their Clerks roles, on-set romance (Mewes and Fehrman got some), working with Dawson (who was unavailable when the commentary was recorded), and their general happiness with the film. Smith, Mosier, and Anderson also provide a podcast commentary that's more focused, but mostly redundant if you've listened to the other two. With an introduction by Smith and Mosier, over 30 minutes of deleted scenes are OK but not great, with some nice character interplay between Anderson and O'Halloran, and some mostly-improvisational riffing from stand-up comedians Wanda Sykes and Earthquake in extended takes from their "Mooby's" scene. "A Closer Look at Interspecies Erotica" is a good-natured featurette about Zak "Sexy Stud" Knutson, who gamely made movie history with his leather-clad performance in the infamous "donkey-show" scene.

Mosier and Smith (who obsessively monitors his fans and critics on the Internet) also provide introductions to the features on disc 2, starting with "Back to the Well," a comprehensive 90-minute "making of' documentary that's almost as fun as the movie itself. "How Movies Are Made" is another name for "Blooper Reel," with nearly 30 minutes of flubs, goofs, and crack-ups—enjoyable enough for a quick look, but mostly a waste of time. The 50-minute compilation of "Train Wrecks" (or video production diaries) is more worthwhile, covering such topics as crewmember intros (with Mewes), Smith's early feedback screening (in December 2005) for friends Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino, and the eight-minute standing ovation that Clerks II received at the 2006 Cannes film festival. All in all, these bonus features function as a video scrapbook for Clerks II's cast and crew, revealing a happy shoot that led, to the relief and delight of everyone involved, to a happy ending of critical and box-office success. The uninitiated should be forewarned that most of these features are just as lewd and crude as Clerks II itself, but devotees of the View Askewniverse wouldn't have it any other way. —Jeff Shannon

Brian O'Halloran, Jeff Anderson

Richard Dreyfuss, François Truffaut, Steven Spielberg Close Encounters of the Third Kind—Collector's Edition (two discs) [DVD] [1978]

Julia Roberts, Jude Law, Mike Nichols Four extremely beautiful people do extremely horrible things to one another in Closer, Mike Nichols' pungent adaptation of Patrick Marber's play that easily marks the Oscar-winning director's best work in years. Anna (Julia Roberts) is a photographer who specializes in portraits of strangers; Dan (Jude Law) is an obituary writer struggling to become a novelist; Alice (Natalie Portman) is an American stripper freshly arrived in London after a bad relationship; and Larry (Clive Owen) is a dermatologist who finds love under the most unlikely of circumstances. When their paths cross it's a dizzying supernova of emotions, as Nichols and Marber adroitly construct various scenes out of their lives that pair them again and again in various permutations of passion, heartbreak, anger, sadness, vengeance, pleading, deception, and most importantly, brutal honesty. It's only until you're more than halfway through the movie that you'll have to ask yourself exactly why you are watching such a beautifully tragic tale, as Closer is basically the ickiest, grossest, most dysfunctional parts of all your past relationships strung together into one movie. Ultimately, it falls to the four actors to draw you deeper into the story; all succeed relatively, but it's Law and Owen whose characters will cut you to the quick. Law proves that yet again he's most adept at playing charming, amoral bastards with manipulative streaks, and Owen is nothing short of brilliant as the character most turned on by the energy inherent in destructive relationships—whether he's on the giving or receiving end. —Mark Englehart

Mike Vogel, Jessica Lucas, Matt Reeves This Blu-ray Is Brand New & Sealed - 2008 - Another Dvd Is Now Becoming Very Collectable & Sought After. This Blu-ray Is In Stock And Will Be Posted From The UK - Region ABC (Free)

Alicia Silverstone, Stacey Dash, Amy Heckerling Alicia Silverstone won everyone over with her portrayal of a Beverly Hills teen, Cher, whose penchant for helping others with their relationships and self-esteem is a cover for her own loneliness. Director Amy Heckerling (Fast Times at Ridgemont High) made a smart, funny variation on Jane Austen's novel Emma, sweetly romantic and gently satirical of 90210 social manners. The cast is unbeatable: Dan Hedaya as Cher's rock-solid dad, Wallace Shawn as a geeky teacher, Paul Rudd as the boy who has always been Cher's surrogate brother—and the true holder of her most secret wishes. —Tom Keogh

Samuel L. Jackson, Rob Brown, Thomas Carter

Sylvester Stallone, Brigitte Nielsen, George P. Cosmatos

Tom Cruise, Bryan Brown, Neil Travis, Roger Donaldson Cocktail - Artist: Tom Cruise

Audrey Tautou United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: French ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), English ( Subtitles ), WIDESCREEN (2.35:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Cast/Crew Interview(s), Commentary, Interactive Menu, Making Of, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: A little girl from central France, who is placed in an orphanage with her sister and waits in vain every Sunday for her father to come and collect them. A weak-voiced café singer, who faces an audience of tipsy soldiers. A young seamstress destined to repair hems in a provincial tailors back shop. A thin-bodied apprentice courtesan, who finds refuge at her protector Etienne Balsans abode, among the loose women and party revellers. A lover who knows she'll never be "someone's wife", not even for Boy Capel, the man who nonetheless loves her. A rebel who feels stifled by the conventions of her time and wears her lovers' shirts. This is the story of Coco Chanel, who embodied the modern woman before inventing her. SCREENED/AWARDED AT: European Film Awards, ...Coco Before Chanel ( Coco avant Chanel )

Don Ameche, Wilford Brimley, Daniel Petrie, Ron Howard Cocoon / Cocoon The Return - Artist: Don Ameche

Rosie Cavaliero, Liam O'Brien (II), Declan Lowney Before Cold Feet, there was sitcom and there was drama. This 1997 newcomer straddled both worlds effortlessly and single-handedly seemed to create a new genre for its mother channel, ITV. Set in Manchester, the action revolved around three couples at different stages of the relationship development continuum. In the pilot Adam and Rachel (who dominated the plot) were barely a couple at all, Pete and Jenny were desperately trying to conceive their first child and their friends David and Karen were married with a toddler called Josh. This is one of those rare but delightful examples of a sharp-witted and sassy script being wedded in perfect bliss to the actors's performances (as long as Helen Baxendale, who is decorative but lacks timing, didn't grace the screen for too long).

Mike Bullen's comedy drama was about the human condition writ large, but although its six characters go through a life's worth of emotions in each series and the action consistently draws on elements of farce, Cold Feet never strays too far from the bounds of credibility. Initially James Nesbitt (Adam) and John Thomson (Pete) provided the comic core but, as the series developed, Fay Ripley (Jenny), Hermione Norris (Karen) and Robert Bathurst (David) all proved they had comic capabilities worth exploiting.

Series One begins with Adam and Rachel celebrating an anniversary of sorts. Adam, revealing a propensity for slushy romanticism, decides to make a song and dance about it with fairly disastrous consequences. It's this same romanticism that gets him into trouble as a charming but incorrigible womaniser in later episodes. But not before the couple move in together, explore their sexual fantasies and then watch as the shine of love gets tarnished by petty irritations and Rachel's intolerance of Adam's bad habits. Meanwhile after all their struggles to conceive, Jenny gives birth to baby Adam which leaves her and Pete exhausted and wistful about their long-gone social life. By the end of the series David and Karen have gone one stage further and tried marriage counselling after David started having problems in the bedroom department. This takes some feats of persuasion on Karen's part—one of David's defining characteristics is his constant worry about what other people think—but the yuppie couple do see some of the benefits in Series Two. Like all good drama, the series ends with a cliffhanger in the form of some bombshell news from Rachel, who is last seen boarding a train for London. —Emma Perry

Laurie Jenkins, Yasmin Bannerman, Tim Sullivan (III)

Rosie Cavaliero, Liam O'Brien (II), Declan Lowney Although its premise of three men, three women and their interconnected lives and loves may mark the show as a copy based on an American template, Cold Feet has slowly but surely developed into a masterpiece of its own. The third series delivers more of the same, but the script is so perfectly written and delivered that it feels like they could continue running with the same premise indefinitely and no one would mind. The performances are, as ever, sublime—particularly the trio of James Nesbitt, John Thomson and Fay Ripley—and the humour is relaxed and unhurried, leaving room for large amounts of drama. With this series seeing dramatic plot lines being developed for all six characters there is also a fair amount of suspense (the story of Rachel and Adam's wedding will have you on the edge of your seat) and the writers are in no rush to wrap things up, merely leaving you agog for the developments in Series Four. Newcomers to Cold Feet should not worry about joining the show late, as they will quickly fall into step with the ins and outs of this group of British friends.

On the DVD: With eight episodes split over two discs, there is little room for any substantial extras. The scene selection process is clear and concise and there is a rather pointless photo gallery. The standard behind the scenes footage is brief but certainly entertaining, not least the material surrounding the cast's location shoot in Nesbitt's home town in Northern Ireland—including a memorable drunken ride in a police wagon.—Phil Udell

Laurie Jenkins, Yasmin Bannerman, Tim Sullivan (III) The fourth series of Cold Feet marks something of a watershed for the six friends from Manchester. Previous series, punctuated with drunken bachelordom, mindless flings and wild stag weekends, give way to themes of alcoholism, broken families and divorce. It's also part-way through the fourth series that Jenny leaves Manchester for pastures new, thus departing Fay Ripley's hugely popular and instantly missable character.

As fans have come to expect, however, such dramatic shifts are handled with assurance, finesse and sensitivity by writer Mike Bullen. Everything from the script to the acting is in tune with the exceptional comic and dramatic standards set by previous episodes. Hermione Norris as Karen delivers a remarkable performance as her world tumbles around her while James Nesbitt maintains his perfect portrayal of Adam, suitably moving and hilarious by turns. There's also room for a new character: Rachel's bubbly Australian workmate Jo seamlessly enters the circle of friends, providing Pete with a new love interest.

As ever, we're left eagerly anticipating the next instalment, impatient for Bullen and company to tie up the numerous loose ends. Series 4 ends in a whirlwind of matrimony, marital dysfunction, a new arrival and all the indications that there's plenty to look forward to in the final series. —David Thwaites

James Nesbitt, Hermione Norris, Paul Kousoulides The irresistible wit, comedy and drama we have come to expect from Cold Feet is again obvious in Series 5, but the lives of the ensemble of friends have changed almost beyond recognition. Adam (James Nesbitt) and Rachel (Helen Baxendale) are preoccupied with baby son Matthew, the stable Marsden family has disbanded and fall-guy Pete looks to have found true love at last. It seems wholly appropriate that Cold Feet should end at this juncture and it's all the more fitting that the show is given such a first-class send off. That's not to say that everything is conveniently tidied up in the final episode, nor that the series has run its course to the point of becoming dull. There's still much to enjoy in this fifth series, a triumph of scriptwriting, acting and production values that stands on a level with anything from the previous episodes, or indeed with anything else on television.

Simply put, it's the astonishing twist in the tale that singles this series out as the right place to stop. Cold Feet devotees will be hard pushed to hold back the tears in what is an emotional rollercoaster ride. It's all the more credible for the way it's presented: there's no over-the-top dramatics, no over-long sentimentality and no over-acting to speak of.

Writer Mike Bullen insists he penned his best script for the final episode of the final series. Few would disagree, for the conclusion soars above the inevitable difficulties in ending this long-running comedy-drama to deliver a highly memorable finale. Frankly it's impossible to imagine how this unique show could have ended any better. —David Thwaites

James Nesbitt, Helen Baxendale

Tom Cruise, Jamie Foxx, Michael Mann Collateral offers a change of pace for Tom Cruise as a ruthless contract killer, but that's just one of many reasons to recommend this well-crafted thriller. It's from Michael Mann, after all, and the director's stellar track record with crime thrillers (Thief, Manhunter, and especially Heat) guarantees a rich combination of intelligent plotting, well-drawn characters, and escalating tension, beginning here when icy hit-man Vincent (Cruise) recruits cab driver Max (Jamie Foxx) to drive him through a nocturnal tour of Los Angeles, during which he will execute five people in a 10-hour spree. While Stuart Beattie's screenplay deftly combines intimate character study with raw bursts of action (in keeping with Mann's directorial trademark), Foxx does the best work of his career to date (between his excellent performance in Ali and his title-role showcase in Ray), and Cruise is fiercely convincing as an ultra-disciplined sociopath. Jada Pinkett-Smith rises above the limitations of a supporting role, and Mann directs with the confidence of a master, turning L.A. into a third major character (much as it was in the Mann-produced TV series Robbery Homicide Division). Collateral is a bit slow at first, but as it develops subtle themes of elusive dreams and lives on the edge, it shifts into overdrive and races, with breathtaking precision, toward a nail-biting climax. —Jeff Shannon

Arnold Schwarzenegger, John Leguizamo, Andrew Davis DVD Warner, Bros., Region 2 PAL 2002 109 mins

Arnold Schwarzenegger, John Leguizamo, Andrew Davis DVD Warner, Bros., Region 2 PAL 2002 109 mins

Juan Fernandez, Andrea Roth

Paul Newman, Tom Cruise, Thelma Schoonmaker, Martin Scorsese Martin Scorcese handles directing duties in this 1986 sequel to the classic 1961 film The Hustler, which marks the return of Paul Newman to the role of pool shark Fast Eddie Felson. Anxious to break into the big time again, Eddie finds a talented protégé (Tom Cruise) to groom; but with the addition of the latter's manipulative girlfriend (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio) and the wild streak in Cruise's character, the trio make for a fascinating portrait in group psychology. The cast is brilliant, the script by Richard Price (Clockers) is a paragon of tightly controlled character study and drama (at least in the film's first half), and Scorcese and cinematographer Michael Ballhaus make an ornate show of the collision and flight of pool balls through space—something of a metaphor for the dynamics among the three principals. The film is generally regarded as weaker in its second half, and rightly so, as everything that was interesting in the first place disappears. Still, Newman won a deserved Oscar for his performance. —Tom Keogh

Bruce Willis, Jane March, Richard Rush

Danny Glover, Whoopi Goldberg, Steven Spielberg Danny Glover Color Purple

Geena Davis, Donald Sutherland

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rae Dawn Chong, Mark L. Lester A massively underrated action thriller which kept Schwarzenegger occupied between blockbusters, Commando may be one of the last shoot-out films ever to have real characters in it. Not, of course, that they're anything other than stereotypes, but they're painted with such detailed, positive strokes that it's impossible not to relate to them. Arnie plays a retired military special-ops officer whose daughter (played with an expert balance of cute/feisty by Alyssa Milano) is kidnapped by the baddest of bad guys, who'll only hand her back as and when he's assassinated a tiresome banana-republic president on their behalf. Needless to say, Arnie is deeply annoyed by this, rescues the moppet single-handed amid more bullets and explosions than you can shake a stuntman's pay cheque at, and... well, why spoil the fun by revealing any more? Co-star Rae Dawn Chong gets some nice one-liners as the innocent bystander who gets caught up in the mayhem.

The DVD comes with no additional features at all, but who needs 'em anyway? —Roger Thomas

Robert Arkins, Michael Aherne, Alan Parker An irresistible, comic drama from director Alan Parker (Evita, Mississippi Burning), overflowing and alive with passion, humor and music, The Commitments showcases some old R&B standards in a new light. A headstrong, fast-talking, ambitious young Dubliner (Robert Arkins) fancies himself a promoter of talent, and sets about assembling and packaging a local Irish R&B band. His group of self-absorbed, backbiting, but stunningly talented individuals begin to succeed beyond his wildest dreams, until petty jealousies and recrimination threaten to scuttle the whole deal. A moody, vivid and soulful exploration of the Dublin club scene as well as a showcase for some wonderful unknown actors, the film (and its wonderful soundtrack) also features the actual band covering classic soul tunes from the likes of Otis Redding and Sam and Dave. It's that combination of soul and soul music that makes The Commitments a special little film. —Robert Lane, Amazon.com —This text refers to the VHS edition of this video

Julie Holder United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), SPECIAL FEATURES: Interactive Menu, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: Relive your wasted youth with The Complete Flumps! Kult Kidz Gold presents every single episode of The Flumps on one fantastic DVD. Marvel at the furball antics of Perkin, Posie and Pootle! Hang out with Mother Flump in her kitchen! Chill out with Father Flump as he digs on his allotment. Thrill to the truly remarkable playing of Grandfather Flump! If you enjoyed watching The Flumps when you were a kid you'll love watching them now, so sit back and enjoy this absolutely Flumptastic trip back in time! ...The Complete Flumps ( Flumps )

Complete History of My Sexual Failures

Nicolas Cage, John Cusack, Simon West Con Air is proof that the slick, absurdly overblown action formula of Hollywood mega-producers Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer (Top Gun, Days of Thunder, The Rock) lives on, even after Simpson's druggy death. (Read Charles Fleming's exposé, High Concept: Don Simpson and the Hollywood Culture of Excess, for more about that). Nicolas Cage, sporting a disconcerting mane of hair, is a wrongly convicted prisoner on a transport plane with a bunch of infamously psychopathic criminals, including head creep Cyrus the Virus (John Malkovich), black militant Diamond Dog (Ving Rhames), and serial killer Garland Greene (Steve Buscemi, making the most of his pallid, rodent-like qualities). Naturally, the convicts take over the plane; meanwhile, on the ground, a US marshal (John Cusack)and a DEA agent (Colm Meaney), try to figure out what to do. As is the postmodern way, the movie displays a self-consciously ironic awareness that its story and characters are really just excuses for a high-tech cinematic thrill ride. Best idea: the filmmakers persuaded the owners of the legendary Sands Hotel in Las Vegas to let them help out with the structure's demolition by crashing their plane into it. —Jim Emerson

Lindsay Lohan, Megan Fox, Anita Brandt-Burgoyne, Sara Sugarman

Jimmy Carr, Martin Freeman, Debbie Isitt

Edward Burns, Dustin Hoffman, James Foley very good condition

Clint Eastwood, Lee J. Cobb, Don Siegel Clint Eastwood is Walt Coogan, a deputy sheriff from Arizona on the loose in the urban jungle of New York. Searching for a violent prisoner he has let slip ("It's got kinda personal now"), Coogan, in Stetson and cowboy boots, runs up against hippies, social workers and a bluntly hostile New York police chief played by Lee J. Cobb. It's a key film in the Eastwood oeuvre, the one in which his definitive persona first emerges, marrying the cool, laid-back westerner of the Rawhide TV series and the Italian westerns to the street-wise, kick-ass toughness which would be further developed in the Dirty Harryfilms. Directed by Eastwood's mentor, Don Siegel, Coogan's Bluff has pace, style and its share of typical Eastwood one-liners (to a hoodlum: "You better drop that blade or you won't believe what happens next"). Like all Eastwood's successful movies, it cunningly plays it both ways. Coogan represents the old-fashioned conservatism of the west in conflict with the decadence of city life. Yet he's the perennial outsider, hostile to authority, a radical loner who gets the job done where bureaucracy and legal niceties fail. The film was to be the inspiration behind the TV series McCloud, in which Dennis Weaver took the Eastwood role. —Edward Buscombe

Peter Greenaway

John Candy, Leon, Jon Turteltaub dvd import parlato italianodai tropici alla neve. la pazza ,incredibile avventura di quattro atleti giamaicani con l'unica aspirazione: vincere una medaglia d'oro olimpica nello sport piu' esotico che si possa immaginare : il bob.

Bruce Willis, Tracy Morgan, Kevin Smith

Taking its lead from Jonathan Demme's Oscar-winning pulse-raiser The Silence of the Lambs, Copycat strives for intelligence over gristle and carnage. It's a terse, involving thriller that swings away from the usual cinematic notion of violence as a means to an end by forgoing brawn for brains. Young San Francisco police inspector Ruben Goetz (Dermot Mulroney) is teamed with brilliant force vet, M.J. Monahan (Holly Hunter), a diplomatic, no-nonsense cop who must buck the system in order to find a killer who is copycatting the crimes of history's most notorious serial killers. Ruben would rather shoot to kill than merely wound a suspect; Monahan labors to help him think more diplomatically. Everything changes when crank calls arrive at the station from serial-killer pin-up girl psychiatrist Helen Hudson (Sigourney Weaver). She's been housebound for 13 months, ever since murderer Daryll Lee Cullum (Harry Connick Jr.) nearly made her his next victim because she testified against him in court. Though he's in prison, he's still mentor and muse to every loose cannon walking the streets—one of whom is killing people with a vengeance and hoping to finish the job Cullum began. Cop and doc team up to solve the case in this stylish, plot-driven movie. Though Copycat loses steam in the end, it still makes a point. And it serves as a cautionary tale for people everywhere, tossing in street smart warnings against victimization. The teaming of Hunter and Weaver works well, the short and the tall forging a terrific and frictioned relationship that leads to grudging respect. Establishing an ominous atmosphere reminiscent of his classic British TV miniseries The Singing Detective, director Jon Amiel has an eye for the dark and the unusual and it gives this film an edge that eludes most other mainstream filmmakers. —Paula Nechak

Aaron Eckhart, Hilary Swank, Jon Amiel The Core is high-tech Hollywood hokum at its finest; smarter than Armageddon and equally extreme. It's scientifically ridiculous, naturally, but this variant of Fantastic Voyage at least tries to be credible as it plunges deep into the Earth's inner core, where a formulaic team of experts pilot an earth-boring ship to jump-start the planet's spinning molten interior, now stalled by a military secret that could seal the fate of all humankind. It's a geophysicist's daydream, which only a fine ensemble cast could rescue from absurdity, and director Jon Amiel (Entrapment, Copycat) draws excellent work (and plenty of humorous interplay) from Aaron Eckhart, Hilary Swank, Stanley Tucci, Delroy Lindo and a host of memorable supporting players, especially DJ Qualls as the world's greatest cyber-nerd. With enough digital FX disasters to satisfy anyone's apocalyptic fantasies, this is a popcorn thriller with all the bells and whistles that its genre demands. Sit back, pump up the volume and enjoy the dazzling ride. —Jeff Shannon

David Neilson, Julie Hesmondhalgh United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital Stereo ), English ( Subtitles ), WIDESCREEN (1.78:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Behind the scenes, Interactive Menu, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: What could be better? A footballer's wedding, a week in the sun, a luxury villa in historic Transylvania. It's the trip of a lifetime for Coronation Street's favourite café owners Roy and Hayley Cropper, until the brash Glen and Verity appear... Opposites don't attract in this chaotic comic caper as the unlikely foursome embark on an adventure neither couple will ever forget. And when Weatherfield hell-raiser Becky McDonald jets in from her honeymoon, the stage is set for mountain mayhem deep in the heart of Dracula Country. ...Coronation Street: Romanian Holiday

The Corporation

Yun-Fat Chow, Mark Wahlberg, James Foley Nick Chen (Chow Yun-Fat) is not your average New York cop. Working in Chinatown has its multifarious cultural nuances and its fair share of ubiquitous enticement, both of which are reflected in detective Chen's weary face. He had to get into bed with the highest echelons of the Chinese Mafia as a way of augmenting his own career, while maintaining a semblance of control over the dime-a-dozen hoods who proliferate on this turf. To make matters worse, he now has to break in rookie detective Danny Wallace (Mark Wahlberg), who has asked to be assigned to the Chinatown division. Apparently Wallace is infatuated with all things Chinese, or is suffering from "Yellow Fever," as his fellow colleagues would have us believe. Chen, not one to suffer fools gladly, takes young Wallace under his protective wing, oft-warning the shady powers of the neighbourhood not to sink Danny into their sordid pool of corruption. But before he knows it, both he and Wallace are caught in a deadly ring of double-crosses, shady-dealings, murders, and car chases. And all of this under the suspicious eye of Internal Affairs.

Part Serpico and part Hard Boiled, this film seems at first to be a major departure from director James Foley's previous work. However, Foley has frequently revealed a keen eye and understanding for emotionally complex relationships, especially between teacher and pupil (Glengarry Glen Ross) or father and son (At Close Range). This movie is no different. In fact, Foley's meticulous attention to the relationship between the wise, morally burdened Chen, and the naove, innocent Wallace morphs this otherwise tedious plot into a thoroughly enjoyable experience. Hats off to Chow Yun-Fat and Mark Wahlberg, whose sympathetic chemistry creates an authentic and deeply personal connection, a factor that proves crucial to the film's poignant, disturbing finale. —Jeremy Storey

Robert Pattinson, Juliette Binoche, David Cronenberg The union of director David Cronenberg and Twilight star Robert Pattinson is hardly a predictable one, but the pair prove quite the combination with Cosmopolis. A drama set across 24 hours in New York City, the film sees Pattinson as Eric, a rich asset manager on a trip across Manhattan in a luxury limousine. But it's no ordinary trip: with Manhattan preparing for the visit of the President of the United States, things soon start to go very, very wrong for Eric.

Cronenberg wrote the script as well as directing here, and Cosmopolis is a challenging, slow film, that treats its audience with intelligence. Pattinson works hard in the lead role, with considerable success, and the supporting players, including Paul Giamatti, Juliette Binoche and Samantha Morton are excellent, too.

Cosmopolis may not be as accessible as Cronenberg's films that more immediately preceded it, but it's a film with real substance to it, from a genuinely great director. The disc explores that, too, with the key extra feature being a documentary that goes into the making of Cosmopolis. Backed up by interviews with those involved, it's an involving piece, that digs deeper into an already-interesting film.

Whilst Cosmopolis isn't David Cronenberg at his very best, it's still an interesting, important and engaging piece of work. A film that comes strongly recommended. —Jon Foster

Vince Vaughn, Jason Bateman COUPLES RETREAT

Jack Davenport, Gina Bellman Coupling is a witty, instantly addictive series that charts the tangled sex lives of a close-knit group comprising "exes and best friends": womaniser Jack, hapless nice guy Steve, "strange and disturbing" Jeff, uninhibited Susan, neurotic Sally and manipulative Jane. The obvious frame of reference is Friends (Steve and Susan are the Ross and Rachel equivalent), but this series also echoes Seinfeld in its coinage of catchphrases and plot lines (in episode one, Steve tries to dump Jane, who refuses to accept). But it's no mere British clone of US sitcoms: Coupling has its own fresh and provocative take on relationships. At one point, a furious Susan discovers that Patrick not only had a videotape of the former couple having sex, but that he also taped over her. —Donald Liebenson

Jack Davenport, Gina Bellman Steven Moffat's second series of Coupling, first broadcast in 2001, is a brilliant consolidation of all those neuroses, small deceits, obsessions and personality tics that struck such a resonant chord when Steve, Susan and their four friends were first unleashed on us. Comparisons with Friends itself are tiresome and lazy: Coupling is an intrinsically British comedy that picks apart the trivial and the mundane in everyday relationships and takes them on surreal journeys, leaving the participants hilariously bemused and rarely any wiser.

Its success is due to the magical combination of Moffat's very funny scripts and the talents of six extremely likable actors, including Jack Davenport (Steve) and Sarah Alexander (Susan). But it's Richard Coyle's Jeff, whose sexual fantasies and putting-your-his-in-it propensities exert a compelling fascination, who really keeps you watching through your fingers as you hold your hands to your face in disbelief.

Breasts, bottoms and pants are the basis for most of the conversational analysis when these friends get together as a group, as couples, as girlfriends or as mates, invariably becoming metaphors for the state of a relationship or situation. Individual viewpoints and terrors are explored through respective memories of the same event and what-if scenarios. Chain reactions inevitably ensue, fuelling comedy that is based almost entirely on misunderstanding.

On the DVD: Coupling, Series 2 on disc is presented in 16:9 anamorphic video aspect ratio, together with a crisp Dolby Digital stereo soundtrack; Mari Wilson's sensuous version of "Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps" for the theme tune deserves a special mention. Extras include disappointing interviews with writer Steven Moffat and Jack Davenport, which are mainly an excuse to repeat several major scenes from the series in full. The "Behind the scenes" feature is also a let-down: it's just a not very funny record of a cast photo shoot. —Piers Ford

Jack Davenport, Gina Bellman The third series of Coupling, first aired in 2002, takes fans of the BBC's comedy of sex, manners and modern relationships into new realms of engaging surrealism, leaving those irritating comparisons with Friends trailing in its wake. The men are constantly in pursuit of a basic grasp of the "emotional things" that make women behave the way they do. The women analyse everything to death. But thanks to Steve Moffat's scripts, tighter and quirkier than ever, these characters are living, breathing human beings rather than cynical ciphers for comedy stereotypes.

The performances are as strong as you'd expect from an established team, with actors such as Jack Davenport (the ever-perplexed Steve), Ben Miles (unreconstructed chauvinist Patrick), Sally Alexander (dryly intelligent Susan) and Kate Isitt (neurotic Sally) wearing their roles like second skins. But in the surreal stakes, it's Richard Coyle as Jeff, wondering aloud what happens to jelly after women have finished wrestling in it, and Gina Bellman as Jane, musing on the importance of a first snog in identifying what men like to eat, who really raise the laughter levels. All things considered, this is superior comedy for all thirtysomethings—genuine and putative. —Piers Ford

Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Jon Favreau DVD Dreamworks, 5014437145734, 2011, Region 2 PAL 1 Disc

Piper Perabo, Maria Bello, Bridget Moynahan, Tyra Banks, Izabella Miko

Robbie Coltrane, Geraldine Somerville, Charles McDougall, Jean Stewart, Michael Winterbottom, Richard Standeven, Simon Cellan Jones First screened in 1993, Jimmy McGovern's Cracker was at once a variation on a familiar theme and a daring new departure from the run-of-the-mill cop show. Robbie Coltrane's Fitz is an independent criminal psychologist called in by the police to help them crack intractable cases, usually involving grisly serial murders. But like its Granada TV stablemate Prime Suspect, Cracker also delves deep into the main characters' personal lives, revealing a chaos of emotional entanglements that become increasingly inseparable from their professional duties.

Robbie Coltrane's charismatic presence dominates: the contrast between Fitz's professionalism and his complete inability to diagnose his own psychological failings provides much of the show's dramatic impetus. His frequent interrogations of murder suspects are tour de force demonstrations of coolly analytical method shot through with biting humour. But his drunken, intemperate behaviour towards his wife and everyone else is a telling contrast of extremes, and one that creates dangerous resentment among his colleagues. Coltrane is supported by a strong cast that includes Barbara Flynn, Geraldine Somerville, Lorcan Cranitch (as the terrifyingly unstable DS Jimmy Beck), Christopher Eccleston, and a pre-Royle Family Ricky Tomlinson. McGovern's screenplays balance gritty, Manchester-based realism with splendidly mordant wit, making Cracker simply riveting viewing.

On the DVD: This complete Cracker 10-disc box set contains all three series that ran from 1993-95. The feature-length episodes are: "The Mad Woman in the Attic", "Say I Love You", "One Day a Lemming Will Fly" (Series 1); "Be a Somebody", "The Big Crunch", "Men Should Weep" (Series 2); "Brotherly Love", "Best Boys", "True Romance" (Series 3); "White Ghost" (1996 special). —Mark Walker

Audio: Czech ONLY! Audio: Original. Subtitles: None.

Robin Tunney, Fairuza Balk, Jeff Freeman, Andrew Fleming If Buffy the Vampire Slayer represents the lighter side of high school as a macabre experience, here's a movie that asks the burning question, "What happens when angst-ridden teenagers develop supernatural powers?" More to the point, how do four outcast teenaged witches handle their ability to cast wicked spells on the taunting classmates who've nicknamed them "The Bitches of Eastwick"? The answer, of course, is "don't get mad, get even." That's about all there is to this terminally silly movie, which makes up for its ludicrous plot by letting its young female cast have a field day as they indulge their dark fantasies. Fairuza Balk is enjoyable as the most wicked of the witches, and is therefore the focus of the film's most dazzling special effects. But it's Neve Campbell from television's Party of Five who made The Craft a modest box-office hit, just before she became her generation's fright-movie favourite in Scream and its popular sequel. —Jeff Shannon

James Spader, Holly Hunter, David Cronenberg Adapted from the controversial novel by J.G. Ballard, Crash will either repel or amaze you, with little or no room for a neutral reaction. The film is perfectly matched to the artistic and intellectual proclivities of director David Cronenberg, who has used the inspiration of Ballard's novel to create what critic Roger Ebert has described as "a dissection of the mechanics of pornography". Filmed with a metallic colour scheme and a dominant tone of emotional detachment, the story focuses on a close-knit group of people who have developed a sexual fetish around the collision of automobiles. They use cars as a tool of arousal, in which orgasm is directly connected to death-defying temptations of fate at high speeds. Ballard wrote his book to illustrate the connections between sex and technology—the ultimate postmodern melding of flesh and machine—and Cronenberg takes this theme to the final frontier of sexual expression. Holly Hunter, James Spader and Deborah Unger are utterly fearless in roles that few actors would dare to play, and their surrender to Cronenberg's vision makes Crash an utterly unique and challenging film experience. —Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com

Breck Eisner

Mandy Patinkin, Thomas Gibson Criminal Minds - Complete Series 1 - Artist: Thomas Gibson

Paul Hogan, Linda Kozlowski, Peter Faiman

Paul Hogan, Linda Kozlowski, John Cornell The sequel to `Crocodile Dundee' (1986). Mick Dundee and Sue (the New York journalist) are happily living together in New York until some Columbian drugs dealers enter their lives and the adventures begin again. Paul Hogan and Linda Kozlowski star.

Paul Hogan, Linda Kozlowski, Simon Wincer Made 13 years after the previous sequel, 2001's Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles sees Paul Hogan's likeable, heroic and unworldly Aussie hero accompany his partner Sue (Linda Kozlowski, Hogan's real-life wife) to Los Angeles. There he finds himself wrestling with the niceties of the Californian lifestyle somewhat less easily than he wrestles with crocs back in the outback. Sue, meanwhile, uncovers a smuggling plot involving artworks from Yugoslavia. Dundee duly steps forward to go undercover and—with a bit of muscle and survivalist nous—saves the day.

As anyone who saw Escape from LA will testify, the moral here is: never make a sequel in Los Angeles. The kindest thing that can be said about this outing is that it is harmless. It exudes a family-friendly geniality throughout that almost makes its many flaws endurable—almost but not quite. Hogan—61 when he made this—makes for an embarrassingly implausible action hero, lacquered in trowel-loads of make-up to fill in the facial creases. The antipodean-abroad jokes are insultingly feeble; Dundee strolls into a gay bar by mistake, thinks the parking valet is a mugger, can't operate the remote control, etc. There's a cameo involving Mike Tyson that belongs nowhere and Kozlowski's performance only fuels suspicion that this is a husband and wife vanity project. If nothing else, Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles is proof that Hollywood's alleged stony-heartedness is a myth, for it can only have been out of charity and benevolence to an elderly Australian thespian down on his luck that this movie was given the green light.

On the DVD: Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles is presented in anamorphic widescreen format with excellent image quality, bringing out the rich contrasts between the early outback scenes and the early establishing shots of sunlit LA. Sound quality is impeccable also. The only extras, however, are the trailer and some "behind the scenes" clips so perfunctory and unrevealing they might as well not have bothered. —David Stubbs

Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, Roger Kumble This modern-day teen update of Les Liaisons Dangereuses suffered at the hands of both critics and moviegoers thanks to its sumptuous ad campaign, which hyped the film as an arch, highly sexual, faux-serious drama (not unlike the successful, Oscar-nominated Dangerous Liaisons). In fact, Cruel Intentions plays like high comedy for its first two-thirds, as its two evil heroes, rich stepsiblings Kathryn (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and Sebastian (Ryan Phillippe), blithely ruin lives and reputations with hearts as black as coal.

Kathryn wants revenge on a boyfriend who dumped her, so she befriends his new intended, the gawky Cecile (Selma Blair), and gets Sebastian to deflower the innocent virgin. The meat of the game, though, lies in Sebastian's seduction of good girl Annette (a down-to-earth Reese Witherspoon), who has written a nationally published essay entitled "Why I Choose to Wait." If he fails, Kathryn gets his precious vintage convertible; if he wins, he gets Kathryn—in the sack.

When the movie sticks to the merry ruination of Kathryn and Sebastian's pawns, it's highly enjoyable: Gellar in particular is a two-faced manipulator extraordinaire, and Phillippe, usually a black hole, manages some fun as a hipster Eurotrash stud. Most pleasantly surprising of all is Witherspoon, who puts a remarkably self-assured spin on a character usually considered vulnerable and tortured (see Michelle Pfeiffer in Dangerous Liaisons). Unfortunately, writer-director Roger Kumble undermines everything he's built up with a false ending that's true to neither the reconceived characters nor the original story—revenge is a dish best served cold, not cooked up with unnecessary plot twists. —Mark Englehart, Amazon.com

Robin Dunne, Sarah Thompson, Roger Kumble There's a reason you haven't heard of Cruel Intentions 2, a straight-to-video "sequel" to the seamy teen romp that had Ryan Phillippe baring his polished behind: it's twice as bad as the first one and is only worth a look to see just how embarrassingly trivial it can get. Writer-director Roger Kumble's original was no classic, but at least the game, nubile cast knew how to smack its lips—his follow-up (which, in tamer form, was to be the pilot for a proposed series called Manchester Prep) can't even pout properly. Phillippe's Sebastian character (here played by a bland, doughy Robin Dunne) is carted back out to be reintroduced to scheming stepsister Kathryn, enacted by a woefully unsexy Amy Adams (Sarah Michelle Gellar played Sebastian's ripe cousin in the first film). The two don't hit it off, and Sebastian—far more sentimental than his big-screen counterpart—immediately decides he's all for love, in the form of pristine deb Danielle (Sarah Thompson). It all amounts to a ponderously cartoonish nothing, and includes a twist ending that renders everything proceeding it completely incomprehensible. Kumble has the film spouting homilies on love and self-esteem, then randomly throws in bare breasts; it's like a horny Saved by the Bell, without the kick or pace of good camp. —Steve Wiecking, Amazon.com

Mark Dacascos, Julie Condra, Christophe Gans

James Griffiths Beneath Bruce Garretts shabby, overweight exterior, the passionate beating heart of a salsa king lays dormant. Only one woman can reignite his Latin fire, but first Bruce must learn how to unshackle his dancing beast, regain his long lost swagger and claim the love of his life. Spotlight hits, sweat drips, and heels click. Nick Frost IS Cuban Fury!

Jeremy Northam, Lucy Liu, Vincenzo Natali

Michael McKean

Tom Hanks, Audrey Tatou, Ron Howard The Da Vinci Code: Critics and controversy aside, The Da Vinci Code is a verifiable blockbuster. Combine the film's huge worldwide box-office take with over 100 million copies of Dan Brown's book sold, and The Da Vinci Code has clearly made the leap from pop-culture hit to a certifiable franchise (games and action figures are sure to follow). The leap for any story making the move from book to big screen, however, is always more perilous. In the case of The Da Vinci Code, the story is concocted of such a preposterous formula of elements that you wouldn't envy Akiva Goldsman, the screenwriter who was handed a potentially unfilmable book and asked to make a filmable script out of it. Goldsman's solution was to have the screenplay follow the book as closely as possible, with a few needed changes, including a better ending. The result is a film that actually makes slightly better entertainment than the book.

So if you're like most of the world, by now you've read the book and know that it starts out as a murder mystery. While lecturing in Paris, noted Harvard Professor of Symbology Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) is summoned to the Louvre by French police help decipher a bizarre series of clues left at the scene of the murder of the chief curator, Jacques Sauniere. Enter Sophie Neveu (Audrey Tautou), gifted cryptologist and Sauniere's granddaughter. Neveu and Langdon are forced to team up to solve the mystery, and from there the story is propelled across Europe as it balloons into a modern-day mini-quest for the Holy Grail, complete with alternative theories about the life of Christ, ancient secret societies headed by historical figures like Leonardo Da Vinci, secret codes, conniving bishops, daring escapes, car chases, and, of course, a murderous albino monk controlled by a secret master who calls himself "The Teacher."

Taken solely as a mystery thriller, the movie almost works—despite some gaping holes—mostly just because it keeps moving forward at the breakneck pace set in the book. Brown's greatest trick might have been to have the entire story take place in a day so that the action is forced to keep going, despite some necessary pauses for exposition. Hanks and Tautou are just fine together but not exactly a memorable screen pair; meanwhile, Sir Ian McKellen's scenery-chewing as pivotal character Sir Leigh Teabing is just what the film needs to keep it from taking itself too seriously. In the end, this hit movie is just like a good roller-coaster ride: try not to think too much about it—just sit back and enjoy the trip. —Daniel Vancini, Amazon.com

Angels & Demons: If the devil is in the details, there's a lot of wicked fun in Angels & Demons, the sequel (originally a prequel) to The Da Vinci Code. Director Ron Howard delivers edge-of-your-pew thrills all over the Vatican, the City of Rome, and the deepest, dankest catacombs. Tom Hanks is dependably watchable in his reprised role as Professor Robert Langdon, summoned urgently to Rome on a matter of utmost urgency—which happens to coincide with the death of the Pope, meaning the Vatican is teeming with cardinals and Rome is teeming with the faithful. A religious offshoot group, calling themselves the Illuminati, which protested the Catholic Church's prosecution of scientists 400 years ago, has resurfaced and is making extreme, and gruesome, terrorist demands.

The film zooms around the city, as Langdon follows clues embedded in art, architecture, and the very bone structure of the Vatican. The cast is terrific, including Ewan McGregor, who is memorable as a young protégé of the late pontiff, and who seems to challenge the common wisdom of the Conclave just by being 40 years younger than his fellows when he lectures for church reform. Stellan Skarsgard is excellent as a gruff commander of the Swiss Guard, who may or may not have thrown in with the Illuminati. But the real star of the film is Rome, and its High Church gorgeousness, with lush cinematography by Salvatore Totino, who renders the real sky above the Vatican, in a cataclysmic event, with the detail and majesty of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. —A.T. Hurley, Amazon.com

Eddie Murphy, Jeff Garlin, Steve Carr There are some good laughs to be found in Daddy Day Care, especially if you're a pre-schooler with energy to burn. This romper-room comedy shamelessly exploits its high concept idea—dropping Eddie Murphy into a seething den of rugrats—but kids will have plenty of vicarious fun as Murphy and his fellow laid-off colleague (Jeff Garlin) battle unemployment by opening a day-care centre in Eddie's home. In partial Witches mode, Anjelica Huston hams it up as a day-care competitor bent on closing Eddie down, while doofus extraordinaire Steve Zahn is recruited as a third partner in "Daddy Day Care", trying his best to entertain a pack of hyperactive kids who've stopped taking their Ritalin. Zahn makes a funny Star Trek fan (even when the script contains bogus Trekkie trivia), and Murphy deserves credit for giving his all in a comedy that mostly squanders his talent. —Jeff Shannon

Juliette Binoche, Miranda Richardson, Louis Malle

Michael Sheen, Timothy Spall, Tom Hooper United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), English ( Subtitles ), Hindi ( Subtitles ), ANAMORPHIC WIDESCREEN (1.85:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Anamorphic Widescreen, Commentary, Deleted Scenes, Featurette, Interactive Menu, Making Of, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: Based on David Peace's book, The Damned United portrays the tempestuous 44 days that forthright Brian Clough (Michael Sheen) spent as manager of Leeds United. After alienating the side's star players and a string of awful results, 'Cloughie' was given the boot, but that's just half the story! Brian Clough was one of a kind. In 1974, Clough was already a renowned figure, just as much for his dynamic personality as for his fantastic managerial ability. Having led Derby County to the first league victory in their history, Clough left in a cloud of controversy and, after a brief spell at Brighton, found himself in the Leeds United hotseat after Don Revie's departure for the England job. What followed was the most incredible 44 days of football management! ...The Damned United

Glenn Close, John Malkovich, Mick Audsley, Stephen Frears A sumptuously mounted and photographed celebration of artful wickedness, betrayal and sexual intrigue among depraved 18th-century French aristocrats, Dangerous Liaisons (based on Christopher Hampton's Les Liaisons Dangereuses) is seductively decadent fun. The villainous heroes are the Marquise De Merteuil (Glenn Close) and the Vicomte De Valmont (John Malkovich), who have cultivated their mutual cynicism into a highly developed and exquisitely mannered form of (in-)human expression. Former lovers, they now fancy themselves rather like demigods whose mutual desires have evolved beyond the crudeness of sex or emotion. They ritualistically act out their twisted affections by engaging in elaborate conspiracies to destroy the lives of their less calculating acquaintances, daring each other to ever-more-dastardly acts of manipulation and betrayal. Why? Just because they can; it's their perverted way of getting their kicks in a dead-end, pre-Revolutionary culture. Among their voluptuous and virtuous prey are fair-haired angels played by Michelle Pfeiffer and Uma Thurman, who have never looked more ripe for ravishing. When the Vicomte finds himself beset by bewilderingly genuine emotions for one of his victims, the Marquise considers it the ultimate betrayal and plots her heartless revenge. Dangerous Liaisons is a high-mannered revel for the actors, who also include Swoosie Kurtz, Mildred Natwick, and Keanu Reeves. —Jim Emerson

Rocco Siffredi, Stefania Bonafede, Alessio Doglione, Maria Martinelli

Dara O'Briain The Irish comic/presenter captured live at the Hammersmith Apollo in London during his 2008 tour. The acerbic wit and massive intelligence he's known for on the panel shows, 'QI' and 'Mock the Week', are on full display in his stand-up show.

Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner, Mark Steven Johnson Whether or not one likes Daredevil the movie probably has a lot to do with whether or not one likes Daredevil the comic book. To its credit (or, depending upon your perspective, its detriment), Daredevil is one of the most faithful comic-book adaptations to make it to the big screen. Yet in a world where the red-suited crimefighter is hardly a cultural icon in the same league as Batman and Spider-Man, that will mean very little to most filmgoers.

Daredevil tells the story of Matt Murdock (Ben Affleck), a young lawyer who spent his youth getting kicked around by life in Hell's Kitchen, NYC. He's blinded at an early age in an industrial accident, but when he recovers, he discovers that his remaining senses are superhumanly acute. When his father, a boxer, is killed by gangsters for refusing to throw a fight, Matt Murdock vows to dedicate his life to fighting for what's right. To that end, he becomes a lawyer by day and a masked vigilante by night—Daredevil, the Man Without Fear.

Using as its source material a classic (well, to comics fans, at least) Frank Miller story line, the film manages to find room for Daredevil's origin, his love affair with Elektra (Jennifer Garner) and his first meetings with his two arch-nemeses, Bullseye (Colin Farrell) and Kingpin (Michael Clark Duncan). Colin Farrell has fun with the psychotic Irish assassin Bullseye, who can use nearly any object as a deadly projectile (and who, as he proudly states, never misses). Michael Clark Duncan adds stone-cold menace to the Kingpin of Crime, the criminal mastermind at the nexus of New York's underworld. Yet Daredevil tries to cram too much into its relatively short running time, and ultimately it's the relationship between Matt Murdock and Elektra that suffers—Garner does all she can with the character, but she could have benefited from a bit more screen time. And the action sequences—particularly the faster-paced, Matrix-style wire fights—only succeed in making Affleck and Farrell look a bit awkward (unlike Garner, neither are natural martial artists). Still, Daredevil is a film by comic-book fans, for comic-book fans, packed with cameos and in-jokes sure to appeal to the die-hards. If that's you, then there's much to love here. —Robert Burrow

Ben Affleck|Colin Farrell|Jennifer Garner, Mark Steven Johnson Whether or not one likes Daredevil the movie probably has a lot to do with whether or not one likes Daredevil the comic book. To its credit (or, depending upon your perspective, its detriment), Daredevil is one of the most faithful comic-book adaptations to make it to the big screen. Yet in a world where the red-suited crimefighter is hardly a cultural icon in the same league as Batman and Spider-Man, that will mean very little to most filmgoers.

Daredevil tells the story of Matt Murdock (Ben Affleck), a young lawyer who spent his youth getting kicked around by life in Hell's Kitchen, NYC. He's blinded at an early age in an industrial accident, but when he recovers, he discovers that his remaining senses are superhumanly acute. When his father, a boxer, is killed by gangsters for refusing to throw a fight, Matt Murdock vows to dedicate his life to fighting for what's right. To that end, he becomes a lawyer by day and a masked vigilante by night—Daredevil, the Man Without Fear.

Using as its source material a classic (well, to comics fans, at least) Frank Miller story line, the film manages to find room for Daredevil's origin, his love affair with Elektra (Jennifer Garner) and his first meetings with his two arch-nemeses, Bullseye (Colin Farrell) and Kingpin (Michael Clark Duncan). Colin Farrell has fun with the psychotic Irish assassin Bullseye, who can use nearly any object as a deadly projectile (and who, as he proudly states, never misses). Michael Clark Duncan adds stone-cold menace to the Kingpin of Crime, the criminal mastermind at the nexus of New York's underworld. Yet Daredevil tries to cram too much into its relatively short running time, and ultimately it's the relationship between Matt Murdock and Elektra that suffers—Garner does all she can with the character, but she could have benefited from a bit more screen time. And the action sequences—particularly the faster-paced, Matrix-style wire fights—only succeed in making Affleck and Farrell look a bit awkward (unlike Garner, neither are natural martial artists). Still, Daredevil is a film by comic-book fans, for comic-book fans, packed with cameos and in-jokes sure to appeal to the die-hards. If that's you, then there's much to love here. —Robert Burrow

Frank Oz, Jim Henson Enjoy incredible footage from the Henson archives in The Dark Crystal. Travel back in time to the faraway planet of Thra. Cheer on the Mystics as they fight to overthrow the evil Skeksis and take back control of their planet! When Jen, a member of the Gelfling tribe, sets out to find the crystal's missing shard, his dangerous journey brings him face to face with monsters at every turn. Determined to restore peace to their planet, Jen will not back down! From the brilliant imagination of Jim Henson, this masterpiece of animation recounts the timeless tale of good vs. evil and has become a cult favorite of children and grown-ups alike!

Description See what evil develops... A teenage boy befriends an escapee from a mental institution and together the two will discover the violence of their pasts, the evil in their future and the shocking secret that waits deep inside the Darkroom. Details Release date NZ October 15th, 2008 DVD Region Region 4 Stars Ellie Cornell Erin Foster Greg Grunberg Lucy Lawless Reed Diamond Shawn Pyfrom Length (Minutes) 80 Aspect Ratio 1.78 : 1 Languages English Supported Audio Dolby Digital Surround 5.1

Chris Penn, Joseph Fiennes, Finn Taylor The Darwin Awards [DVD]

Alyson Hannigan, Adam Campbell, Jennifer Coolidge, Carmen Electra, Josef Sommer Sophomoric is too weak a word by at least half to describe the utter silliness Date Movie revels in at every turn. But that's exactly the point of this effort in lowbrow slapstick that proudly proclaims it was created by two of the six writers of the Scary Movie franchise. Adhering to the same spoof formula of those movie romps, Date Movie lampoons countless other current movie characters and plot themes, plus a few that might be a little old for the core audience of youngsters to remember. Date Movie isn't quite as successful in keeping the gags at the same pace they came in the Scary Movies, but it will certainly satisfy those with a taste for tasteless humor. The wisp of a story involves fat girl Julia Jones, played by Alyson Hannigan, who quickly becomes as thin and pretty as she was in the American Pie movies and on TV's Buffy the Vampire Slayer. You'll lose count how many movie references writer/directors Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer throw in her path as she searches for true love in a world gone mad. Hitch, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Meet the Fockers, King Kong, Lord of the Rings, When Harry Met Sally, Pretty Woman, Bridget Jones' Diary, and Kill Bill, are just a few of the movies that get unkindly homage. There's also plenty of flatulence, mild sexual ribaldry, and the kind of bad taste humor that will utterly delight the pubescent and teenage audience this movie was made for. —Ted Fry

Gareth Carrivick

James Van Der Beek, Katie Holmes, Arvin Brown, Greg Prange

James Van Der Beek, Katie Holmes, Arlene Sanford, Bethany Rooney, David Petrarca, David Straiton, Joe Napolitano Even viewers who consider themselves beyond their teen-angst years might find Dawson's Creek compelling. In the first series we are introduced to Dawson (James Van Der Beek) and Joey (Katie Holmes), who for years have watched movies and slept in the same bed; but they find that as they enter high school their relationship will inevitably change. That becomes especially clear when Dawson is immediately attracted to Capeside's sexy new arrival, Jen (Michelle Williams). Meanwhile, their friend Pacey (Joshua Jackson) pursues an unachievable love object.

Creator Kevin Williamson based Dawson's Creek on his own youth, and even though the characters may not really look or sound 15 years old, the Dawson-Joey-Jen interplay—especially embodied by the sad-eyed and cynical (but still adorable) Joey and the smart but emotionally inept Dawson—gives the show its heart. And just like Williamson's fresh take on the teen-horror genre, Scream, Dawson's Creek has a winking self-awareness, for example when Dawson says they're having a "90210 moment" or explains that they use big words because they watch too many movies. Highlights of the first series include Dawson's discovery that his perfect home life may not be so perfect, an unwelcome reminder of Jen's past, the Breakfast Club takeoff "Detention", the Scream takeoff "The Scare", a beauty contest in which two unlikely competitors square off, and the heart-rending finale. —David Horiuchi

James Van Der Beek, Katie Holmes, Arlene Sanford, Bethany Rooney, David Petrarca, David Straiton, Joe Napolitano The second series of Dawson's Creek finds Dawson (James Van Der Beek) and Joey (Katie Holmes) exploring the newest phase of their lifelong friendship, leaving Jen (Michelle Williams) and Pacey (Joshua Jackson) on the outside. The former enters a downward spiral assisted by bad girl Abby (Monica Keena), but Pacey happens into a "meet cute" with one of Capeside's new residents, the impossibly perky Andie (Meredith Monroe), who turns out to be his perfect foil. The Creek also struck gold with its second major addition, Andie's brother Jack (Kerr Smith), who shows Joey that he's more than just a clumsy waiter. With the siblings' help, Pacey and Joey show the most personal growth during the season's 22 episodes.

The constant parent-child crises can be a bit much, but there were numerous other developments, including a two-part sexual whodunnit, Dawson embarking on his second movie (assisted by Rachael Leigh Cook in a sizzling guest appearance), Dawson's birthday party from hell, a vicious rumour that spreads through the high school, and the emotion-wringing finale.

The only bonus feature is a commentary track on the first and last episodes just as with the first season, though executive producer Paul Stupin is by himself rather than accompanied by creator Kevin Williamson. The interplay is missed, but Stupin enthusiastically offers a lot of information about how the cast had become celebrities by the second season and had to juggle other projects and random details and trivia. Stupin mentions how carefully he selected different pieces of music, which "would become forever part of our show." That's ironic because for this DVD set Stupin himself picked a lot of new music to replace the selections that originally aired, presumably because of the cost involved in securing the rights (a problem for many television DVD releases). A couple of episodes are unaltered, but others have had almost every song replaced. Newcomers to the series probably won't notice, but serious fans may want not want to tape over their video cassettes just yet. —David Horiuchi

James Van Der Beek, Katie Holmes, Arlene Sanford, Bethany Rooney, David Petrarca, David Straiton, Joe Napolitano "Jen is a cheerleader and Jack's on the football team. I got sane and everyone else went crazy?" That's how Andie (Meredith Monroe) sums up the topsy-turvy beginning to the third season of Dawson's Creek, in which nothing seems to be as it should and the series takes a major turn. It's junior year at Capeside High, and Jack (Kerr Smith), the town's resident gay teen, is indeed on the football team, and Jen (Michelle Williams) finds herself the object of unexpected and unwelcome popularity among her fellow students, especially the freshman quarterback (Michael Pitt). Pacey (Joshua Jackson) finds that his relationship with Andie can't be restored, and Dawson (James Van Der Beek) and Joey (Katie Holmes), after the events of last year, both think it's for the best that they're no longer together—they just never think it at the same time. Significant events include the friends starting to date outside their circle, Dawson's giving up some of his aspirations, a ! crisis for the school's new principal, a college tour, and the openings of the Potter Bed & Breakfast and Leery Fresh Fish. But the Dawson-Joey relationship is still the heart of the Creek, and it comes to a head in one of the series' most memorable episodes, "The Longest Day," and then the season finale. Even in its first season without series creator Kevin Williamson, Dawson's Creek still had plenty of punch.

On the DVDs, executive producer Paul Stupin does his usual commentary track for two episodes, and he's joined by Kerr Smith. They discuss the series itself, Smith's character, and Smith's subsequent career more than the events of the episodes. The second-season DVD set disappointed many fans by replacing a large portion of the music, and that trend continues in the third season, most surprisingly in the loss of Paula Cole's theme song. Instead, the opening credits feature Jann Arden's "Run Like Mad," which was used briefly in the international broadcast. Stupin explains the switch as an attempt to do something different and creative, but then admits there was also "a bit of an economic reality." Fortunately, the DVDs do have John Lennon's "Imagine" and Mary Beth Maziarz's "Daydream Believers"—songs that in dramatic context simply could not have been replaced—and it could be argued that a veteran viewer might skip the opening credits anyway. Still, for many fans, the music made Dawson's Creek what it was, and without all of it—especially the theme song—the DVDs seem like a compromise rather than a permanent keepsake. —David Horiuchi

James Van Der Beek, Katie Holmes, Arlene Sanford, Bethany Rooney, David Petrarca, David Straiton, Joe Napolitano The fourth season of Dawson's Creek is dominated by two themes. The first is senior year at Capeside High, as high achievers Joey (Katie Holmes) and Andie (Meredith Monroe) have as much pressure to deal with as low achiever Pacey (Joshua Jackson). The second is the constant love triangle following Joey and Pacey's return from their summer of bliss, threatening to destroy anyone's chance of having a healthy, functional relationship. Pacey's insecurity doesn't let him believe he's actually the lucky one, even as he proves with his actions that he deserves it. Fortunately for Dawson (James Van Der Beek), he finds a sympathetic ear in Pacey's older sister, Gretchen (Sasha Alexander), though he also has to enter an "indentured servitude" relationship with an old curmudgeon (Harve Presnell). Joey takes a job waiting tables at the yacht club, where she has to deal with the heir apparent to Abby Morgan's evil shoes, Drue Valentine (Mark Matkevitch), who also turns out to have a shadowy history with one of the friends. Meanwhile Andie and Jack (Kerr Smith) coach a youth soccer team, and Jen (Michelle Williams), having suddenly lost her boyfriend from Season Three, cements her best-friendship with Jack and drags him to a gay coalition group where he spars with the activist leader (David Monahan). Look for cameos by Andy Griffith as a retired movie actor and by frequent soundtrack contributor Mary Beth Maziarz as a club singer.

Toward the end of the season, Dawson asks, "Is it just me, or did things get suddenly bigger in the last year?" It's true that as the characters have grown up—even Dawson, sort of—situations turn more serious, whether it's an afternoon sail on the cape or a rave that leads to the abrupt departure of one of the regular cast. After a prom from hell, the final phase is the graduation ceremony, and for Dawson's Creek it marked the end of an era, which the characters themselves felt deeply in the season-closing "Coda." The series would run for two more years, but it would never be the same again.

As with previous DVD sets, the background music has been changed significantly, including replacing the Paula Cole theme song. On the bright side, some of the linchpin songs—Shawn Colvin's "Blue Like That," Eva Cassidy's "Fields of Gold," Sarah McLachlan's "I Will Remember You"—have been preserved. Executive producer Paul Stupin contributes his usual (and increasingly unnecessary) commentary on two episodes, joined on the second by a "mystery guest," consulting producer Alan Cross. —David Horiuchi

James Van Der Beek, Michelle Williams It's goodbye to Capeside, hello to Boston in Dawson's Creek's fifth season (a.k.a.: Dawson's Creek: The College Years). While the end of the fourth season sent the five friends their separate ways—Dawson (James Van Der Beek) to USC Film School, Joey (Katie Holmes) to Wilmington College, Jen (Michelle Williams) and Jack (Kerr Smith) to Boston Bay College; and Pacey (Joshua Jackson) to the high seas—it doesn't take them long to find themselves together again. That's a good thing, especially when tragedy strikes a family member and threatens to tear the survivors apart.

More than anything, the fifth season seems to be about falling into bad relationships. Jen dates a cute but sleazy musician (Chad Michael Murray), Pacey gets a job in a restaurant where he pursues a woman (Lourdes Benedicto) already having an affair with a married man, then fends off a vampish new boss (Sherilyn Fenn, Twin Peaks). Joey is drawn to her handsome English professor (Ken Marino). And Jack joins a frat, becomes a jerk, and starts a devoted relationship with his beer bottle. Dawson meets an eccentric young filmmaker (Jordan Bridges) which in turn leads to a meeting with his favorite Boston film critic (Meredith Salenger). And Joey's new roommate, the annoyance-with-a-heart-of-gold Audrey (Busy Phillipps), becomes the newest major addition to the cast. The irritation factor is high this season, a couple of "Joey is threatened" interludes don't have the punch that they could have, and in the season finale, the inevitable resolution of the show's central relationship doesn't really resolve anything at all. But viewers who have followed the Capeside crew for four seasons will still want to see what happens in the fifth.

The fifth season is the first to have no DVD extras at all, and it continues the music-replacement strategy (which, since the second season has replaced much of the music, and since the third season has replaced Paula Cole's theme song, all due to licensing expenses). In addition to the usual background-music switches, some scenes have been edited (for example, the episode "Highway to Hell" has cut two of the performances on-stage at the Drunk & Dead). Also, the opening credits of "The Long Goodbye" and "Downtown Crossing" had originally used instrumental versions of "I Don't Want to Wait," which had underscored the emotion of those episodes. In the DVD set, those have been replaced by the standard version and an instrumental version, respectively, of "Run Like Mad." —David Horiuchi, Amazon.com

James Van Der Beek, Katie Holmes

Dennis Quaid, Jake Gyllenhaal, Roland Emmerich Supreme silliness doesn't stop The Day After Tomorrow from being lots of fun for connoisseurs of epic-scale disaster flicks. After the blockbuster profits of Independence Day and Godzilla, you can't blame director Roland Emmerich for using global warming as a politically correct excuse for destroying most of the northern hemisphere. Like most of Emmerich's films, this one emphasizes special effects over such lesser priorities as well-drawn characters and plausible plotting, and his dialogue (cowritten by Jeffrey Nachmanoff) is so laughably trite that it could be entirely eliminated without harming the movie. It's the spectacle that's important here, not the lame, recycled plot about father and son (Dennis Quaid, Jake Gyllenhaal) who endure an end-of-the-world scenario caused by the effects of global warming. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the awesome visions of tornado-ravaged Los Angeles, blizzards in New Delhi, Japan pummeled by grapefruit-sized hailstones, and Manhattan flooded by swelling oceans and then frozen by the onset of a modern ice age. It's all wildly impressive, and Emmerich obviously doesn't care if the science is flimsy, so why should you? —Jeff Shannon

Scottish Premier

Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Bert Lovitt, Tony Scott Paramount Pictures, Region 2 1990 107 mins sealed

Konstantin Khabensky, Mariya Poroshina, Timur Bekmambetov Sequel to the Russian fantasy thriller, 'Night Watch'. Over a year has passed since the denouement of the original film. Anton (Konstantin Khabensky) continues to fight the forces of Darkness while simultaneously attempting to find and save his son (Dmitr

Jason London, Wiley Wiggins, Sandra Adair, Richard Linklater E' l'anno 1976, ultimo giorno di scuola nel quale si celebra il rito di passaggio fra gli "anziani", che terminano gli studi e i nuovi arrivati.

Paul Bettany, Katy Carmichael

Walter Baziak, Kerol Rae, Tom Barker (II) Digital Video, Dreams Any Region 85 mins

Olivier Gruner, Daniela Krhutova, Derek A Whelan, Lloyd A. Simandl

Thomas Vinterberg quando dick trova una pistola decide stranamente di prenderla e usarla, in spregio alle sua convinzioni pacifiste. insieme a un amico convince gli altri giovani emarginati della citta' a unirsi a lui in un club segreto, a cui da' il nome di the dandies, un club basato sui principi del pacifismo e dell'amore per le armi. nonostante il loro fermo credo nella regola pi importante del dandy, non tirare mai fuori l'arma, tutti loro si troveranno nella condizione di infrangerla

Matthew Macfadyen, Rupert Graves, Keeley Hawes, Daisy Donovan, Alan Tudyk The latest comedy from director Frank Oz, Death at a Funeral unusually sets a funeral at the heart of a film that’s trying to generate laughs. It does prove to be quite a hurdle, but it’s to the credit of those involved that the film proves to be a worthwhile and diverting way to spend an hour and a half.

Starring Rupert Graves, Matthew MacFadyen and Peter Egan among a talented ensemble cast, Death at a Funeral ticks most of the boxes you’d expect of its concept, but does throw in a few twists of its own, too. There are family secrets, mix-ups, battling characters and the funeral itself to deal with, and Oz proves skilful at marrying the threads together.

Death at a Funeral manages to generate a good few laughs on the way to its fine ending, but it does have its problems. There are perhaps one too many contrivances to put up with, and the script doesn’t really do the director and his cast too many favours. In spite of its slight running time, it also manages to feel a little too long.

But Death at a Funeral is still, despite these problems, a perfectly competent British comedy, and a useful way to fill a night in. Don’t expect a masterpiece, and chances are you’ll have some fun with it. —Jon Foster

Zoe Saldana, Keith David, Neil LaBute Less than three years after the 2007 Brit-com Death at a Funeral hit cinemas, this remake offered a nearly scene-for-scene variation on the original. Once again a family has gathered for the dignified memorial service for a patriarch: older son (Chris Rock) has prepared a eulogy; younger son (Martin Lawrence) has flown in on his celebrity as a bestselling author; favorite niece (Zoe Saldana) has brought her fiancé (James Marsden, flipping out), unaware that he has accidentally ingested a hallucinogen manufactured by her pharmaceutically minded brother (Columbus Short, from Cadillac Records). You know, the usual fare for a funeral. The wild card is a stranger (Peter Dinklage, the only member of the cast to repeat his role from the 2007 film) who has something urgent to impart to the two sons. There's nothing terribly elevated about the slapstick, and one particular scatological sequence tests the boundaries of the bearable (30 Rock's Tracy Morgan, in his usual unbounded form, takes the brunt of this scene). The unexpected director is Neil LaBute, who shows off his sense of comic timing and keeps the whole apparatus moving along briskly. In addition to the relatively subdued lead turns by Rock and Lawrence, the big cast includes Danny Glover, Regina Hall, Luke Wilson, and Loretta Devine. It is almost irrelevant to debate whether this version improves or deflates the original; both hit their marks, deliver the broad yuks, and leave behind a mostly mechanical feel. But the job is accomplished—now rest in peace. —Robert Horton

Stills from Death at a Funeral (click for larger image)

Jason Statham, Joan Allen, Paul W.S. Anderson NOTICE: Polish Release, cover may contain Polish text/markings. The disk DOES NOT have English audio and subtitles.

Kelly Macdonald, David Tennant, Sheree Folkson United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), English ( Dolby Digital Stereo ), English ( Dolby Surround ), English ( Subtitles ), WIDESCREEN (2.35:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Interactive Menu, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: David Tennant, Kelly MacDonald and Alice Eve star in this romantic comedy set in rural Scotland. When Katie (MacDonald) is jilted at the altar, she returns broken-hearted to her remote Scottish island home. But little does she know that Hollwood superstar Lara Tyler (Eve) has chosen the island as the secret venue for her wedding to her fiance James (Tennant). When the paparazzi gets wind of the location, Lara runs away in exasperation. Her management team decides to stage a fake wedding, hoping the paparazzi will fall for the deception and leave the island, and Katie is asked to don a white dress and walk down the aisle as a 'decoy' for the absent Lara. However, the path of true love is further complicated when attraction begins to grow between James and his decoy bride. ...The Decoy Bride

Greg Evigan, Nancy Everhard, Sean S. Cunningham

Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber, Steven Rosenblum, Edward Zwick

Ryan Reynolds, Isla Fisher, Adam Brooks The latest romantic comedy from the Working Title production line, Definitely, Maybe got a little forgotten on its original cinematic release in early 2008. Yet beneath the covers here is a smart, enjoyable film, that does Ryan Reynolds' potential as a romantic lead no harm whatsoever.

The story of Definitely, Maybe is mainly told in flashback, as Reynolds' daughter in the film (played by Little Miss Sunshine's Abigal Breslin) quizzes him as to how he met his mother, who he’s in the process of getting a divorce from. Reynolds' tale follows three failed romances, and the film holds back on revealing the answer to its mysteries until pretty much the final reel.

Deftly written and directed by Adam Brooks (who previously had scribing credits on Practical Magic, Wimbledon and Bridget Jones: The Edge Of Reason, among others), Definitely, Maybe has several factors in its corner. Firstly, the script is witty, well layered, and engaging. Secondly, the casting is good, too. Reynolds is in good form here, and Elizabeth Banks, Isla Fisher and Rachel Weisz turn in fine performances as the three women in his life. And finally, while only slightly outstaying its welcome, Definitely, Maybe achieves a satisfying balance of wit and romance, and then manages to squeeze in a great Kevin Kline cameo on top. Can't be bad.

It may not be talked about in the same breath as other Working Title successes such as Notting Hill and Love Actually, yet Definitely, Maybe is very worthy of DVD discovery. With good rewatch value too, it's a recommended buy. —Simon Brew

Val Kilmer, Jim Caviezel, Tony Scott In his most effective thriller since Enemy of the State, Tony Scott makes time travel seem plausible. It helps that his New Orleans hero, ATF agent Doug Carlin (Denzel Washington in his third go-round with the director), spends more time in the present than the past. In order to catch a terrorist, FBI Agent Pryzwarra (Val Kilmer) invites Carlin to join forces. They have the technology to see the past. He has the expertise to interpret the data. Unfortunately, the bomb has already gone off and hundreds of ferry passengers have died. Then there's the body of a beautiful woman, Claire Kuchever (Paula Patton, Idlewild), that turns up in the vicinity of the blast. Evidence indicates she was killed beforehand. Since the FBI enables him to observe Claire prior to her murder, Carlin gets to know what she was like and finds himself falling in love. He becomes convinced that the only way to solve the case—and prove her innocence—is to travel to the past. But as Pryzwarra's colleague, Denny (Adam Goldberg), argues, "You cannot go back in time. It's physically impossible." Or so he says. Déjà Vu is constructed around a clever script and executed by a top-notch cast, notably Washington, Patton, and an eerie Jim Caviezel (miles away from Passion of the Christ). In shedding the excesses of recent years—the sadism of Man on Fire and weirdness of Tarantino favorite Domino—Scott re-affirms his rep as one of the action movie's finest practitioners. —Kathleen C. Fennessy

Vince Vaughn, Cobie Smulders, Ken Scott

Sylvester Stallone, Wesley Snipes, Marco Brambilla Searching for new directions, Sylvester Stallone starred in this farcical, 1993 SF piece about an ex-cop (Stallone) freed from 36 years of forced hibernation to help catch a criminal (Wesley Snipes) who released himself from a similar incarceration. The futuristic story finds Los Angeles a sea of Taco Bells and enforced peace and within that satiric overview Stallone's character becomes a gun-toting fish out of water. The film plays like a live-action cartoon and while there is nothing particularly wrong with that, Demolition Man is a rather flat experience. The irony of a peaceable society that both requires and despises its bloody saviours has been captured far more profoundly in movies like Dirty Harry. Sandra Bullock costars. —Tom Keogh

George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Alexander Payne Comedy drama from director Alexander Payne starring George Clooney as a lawyer forced to rethink his approach to life after his wife is hospitalised following a serious accident. As trustee for a large estate, Matt King (Clooney) has had a fairly easy lif

Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Robert Rodriguez Before Robert Rodriguez' El Mariachi, Mexicans in North American action films were typically maids, drug dealers or prison inmates. Even if the Cisco Kid was a friend of yours, you handled a dust cloth or a Mac-10 if you lasted in Hollywood longer than a New York minuto.

But when El Mariachi crossed the border in 1992, things changed. Granted, it still involved a drug lord in a shoot-em-up but this time the good guy was a Mexican.

Austin-based Rodriguez made El Mariachi for a fistful of pesos and a little help from his friends. He wrote, directed, coproduced, edited and operated the camera. Plus, he assembled a cast that had never acted before to work por nada.

Desperado continues the outrageous action adventure. Working with a much bigger budget, Rodriguez returns the nameless mariachi to non-stop action. Again thrust into a world he never made, the hero takes his guitar-case arsenal deep into the criminal labyrinth of Bucho (Joaquim de Almeida), el gran chingon of the Mexican drug lords. With an amigo (Steve Buscemi) and a beautiful bookstore owner (Salma Hayek), el mariachi confronts an outrageous cast along the way, including a bartender (Cheech Marin), a drug-deal, pick-up guy (Quentin Tarantino) and the original mariachi (coproducer Carlos Gallardo) as a new-found compa'.

Antonio Banderas has the lead this time, and if he's not quite up to the challenge, it's probably because he's Spanish, not Mexican, a distinction not lost by anyone raised on what the popular media now calls "ethnic food."

That said, Desperado is not to be missed. Using intelligence, romance and humour—as well as plenty of explosive, surreal violence—Rodriguez again showcases the timeless struggle between the forces of darkness and light. And, in the process, he's recasting the mould for the contemporary action hero—kids now argue about who gets to play the Mexican. —Stephan Magcosta, Amazon.com

Marcia Cross, Polly Draper

Teri Hatcher, Felicity Huffman Experience the entertainment phenomenon in series one of Desperate Housewives that has fans cheering and critics raving. Its refreshingly original and addictive television at its best. This series reveals dirty laundry on the housewives and their nosy neighbours. With spectacular bonus features.

Teri Hatcher, Felicity Huffman Series 2 Desperate Houswives gets even hotter and juicer. The women of Wisteria lane are back, and just when you thought things couldn't get any steamier, a new neighbour and her handsome teenage son arrive to make new waves on the shady side of surburbia. Sizzling with sensational bonus features, including revealing, never seen before story lines featuring Susan Mayer, and Lynette Scavo.

Teri Hatcher, Marcia Cross All Goods Will Be Despatched As Per The Item Description Unless A Buyer Requests And Pays For Another Option.All Goods Are Sent Via Royal Mail And Covered Up To The Value Of 39.00.Proof Of Postage Is Available On Request.All Goods Sent With The Value Of 19.99 And Over Are Sent Registered Post Or International Signed For.Goods Sent Overseas Under This Value Are Despatched Via Air Mail Small Parcel Should You Require International Signed For This Is Available At Extra Cost And Can Be Selected On The Postage Options.Please Note Due To Postage Problems With Brazil And Italy All Goods To These Countries Will Only Be Sent International Signed For So Please Select This Postage Option. Please Note With Pre Owned Games Dlc Codes Are Not Guaranteed To Work. As A Company We Are Vat Registered On The Global Accounting Scheme And All Invoices Are Of Such. Vat No 131662142.

Teri Hatcher, Eva Longoria Parker, Larry Shaw, David Grossman

Rosanna Arquette, Madonna, Andrew Mondshein, Susan Seidelman This likeable, feminist screwball comedy about several incidents of mistaken identity is remembered more as the film that made Madonna a movie star. She's flip, hip and energetic as Susan, the wild tramp with whom bored, suburban New Jersey housewife Roberta Glass (Rosanna Arquette) becomes obsessed after reading of her sexual conquests in the personal ads. Of course, since Madonna essentially played herself, the role's hardly a stretch.

Director Susan Seidelmen presents a series of zany incidents too complicated to recount, but the result is that Roberta swaps lifestyles with her fixation to explore New Wave culture on New York's Lower East Side. It's territory Seidelmen knew well as her more offbeat, indie debut, Smithereens, revelled in the same setting. But where Smithereens took a more edgy approach to its characters, Susan is a fairy tale romantic comedy, and eventually becomes as conventional as the suburban characters it mocks by settling conflicts with predictable Hollywood formulae. Still, there's much to be enjoyed. The film's at its funniest when juxtaposing New York hip and New Jersey suburbia, like when Arquette's straight, suit-and-tie husband dances with Madonna in a punk club. The performances, too, are engaging, especially Arquette and Aidan Quinn, playing a romantic film projectionist who becomes her grubby Prince Charming. —Dave McCoy, Amazon.com —This text refers to the VHS edition of this video

Steve Carell, Jason Segel, Chris Renaud, Pierre Coffin In a happy suburban neighbourhood surrounded by white picket fences with flowering rose bushes, sits a black house with a dead lawn. Unbeknownst to the neighbours, hidden deep beneath this home is a vast secret hideout. Surrounded by an army of tireless, little yellow minions, we discover Gru (Steve Carell), planning the biggest heist in the history of the world. He is going to steal the moon (Yes, the moon!) to prove to his Mum (Julie Andrews) that he is better than the other super-villains, especially the new kid on the block, Vector (Jason Segal). Gru delights in all things wicked. Armed with his arsenal of shrink rays, freeze guns and battle-ready vehicles for land and air, he vanquishes all who stand in his way. Until the day he encounters the immense will of three little orphaned girls who look at him and see something that no one else has ever seen: a potential dad. One of the worlds greatest super-villains has just met his greatest challenge: three little girls named Margo, Edith and Agnes in the box office hit Despicable Me.Special Features: 3 brand new Minion Movies (Home Makeover, Orientation Day and Banana) Voices Of Despicable Me The World Of Despicable Me Despicable Beats A Global Effort Grus Rocket Builder Game Super Silly Fun Land Games Feature commentary Audio: English 5.1 Surround, English Audio Description Track 2.0 Subtitle: English SDH

Rob Schneider, William Forsythe, Mike Mitchell The title character of Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo, played by Saturday Night Live alumnus and Adam Sandler sidekick Rob Schneider, is a miserable fish-tank cleaner who stumbles onto a new and different lifestyle when he looks after the fish of a high-priced male prostitute (Oded Fehr from The Mummy). Deuce teams up with a man-pimp (Eddie Griffin), gets harassed by a crazed cop (William Forsythe), and of course falls in love with a cute client (Arija Bareikis). The nonsensical plot is festooned with gags about wet T-shirts, foul-mouthed senior citizens, flatulence, Tourette's syndrome, narcolepsy, and just about everything else you might imagine. More surprising is that, by and large, the movie works. It's a combination of bad taste and goodheartedness, similar to There's Something About Mary, which Deuce Bigalow is clearly emulating. It's not the pat "people should learn to accept themselves for who they are" theme or the formulaic happy ending; it's that the movie understands that sex is not the same thing as happiness or contentment. For all its crassness, Deuce Bigalow actually treats its characters as people, and the result is silly, obnoxious, and enjoyable. —Bret Fetzer, Amazon.com

Harrison Ford, Brad Pitt, Alan J. Pakula Any movie starring Brad Pitt and Harrison Ford has got to be worth seeing, right? That's as close to a guarantee as this well-meaning thriller ever gets, however, and the talents of Pitt and Ford are absolutely vital in making any sense out of this dramatically muddled scenario. Ostensibly the movie's about an IRA terrorist (Pitt) who escapes from British troops in Belfast and travels to New York City, where he stays in the home of a seasoned cop (Ford) who has no idea of the terrorist's true identity. (Why a veteran cop would host a complete stranger in his home is one of those shaky details you're better off not thinking about.) But while Pitt's passionate character waits to make an arms deal for his IRA compatriots back in Ireland, The Devil's Own conveniently avoids any detailed understanding of the Northern Ireland conflict, focusing instead on the cop's moral dilemma when he discovers that his young guest is a terrorist. The film is superbly acted, and overall it's quite worthwhile, but don't look to it for an abundance of plot logic or an in-depth understanding of Protestant-Catholic tensions in Northern Ireland. (For that, take a look at In the Name of the Father or the underrated historical biopic Michael Collins.) —Jeff Shannon.

Naomi Watts, Naveen Andrews, Oliver Hirschbiegel

Kirsten Dunst, Michelle Williams, Mia Goldman, Andrew Fleming So who exactly was Deep Throat, that all-important source who helped Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein bust open the Watergate scandal? Well, according to this thoroughly funny, keenly smart comedy from director Andrew Fleming (The Craft), it was two sweetly daft teenage girls named Betsy and Arlene. Taking the history and figures from Watergate and running gleefully and sacrilegiously amok, Dick offers up a hilarious what-if scenario that takes the Nixon administration's downfall from grave tragedy to hilarious farce. When Betsy (Kirsten Dunst) and Arlene (Michelle Williams) run into a shady figure in the stairwell of Arlene's Watergate apartment building, little do they know they've stumbled upon G. Gordon Liddy (Harry Shearer) on the night of the Democratic National Headquarters break-in. Later, on a White House field trip, they wind up meeting with Nixon himself (Dan Hedaya) who, to ensure their silence, decides to make them official White House dog walkers and "secret youth advisors".

Of course, Betsy and Arlene soon find out their idol has feet of clay, and ultimately decide to aid "radical muckraking journalists" (and queasy rivals) Woodward (Will Ferrell) and Bernstein (Bruce McCullough) in their investigation. Fleming and co-writer Sheryl Longin's enfolding of the Watergate scandal is extremely clever and inspired, from Arlene's 18-and-a-half-minute declaration of love on Nixon's tape recorder to the Hello Dolly cookies (laced with a certain herbal stimulant) that help bring about the U.S.-Soviet accord. And after all the angsty-serious portraits of Watergate, it's bliss to see the prime players sent up mercilessly; in addition to Shearer, the cast boasts Dave Foley (Erlichman), Jim Breuer (John Dean), Saul Rubinek (Kissinger), and Ana Gasteyer (Rosemary Woods), all in fine form. Hedaya's Nixon, dead-on but never parodic, is an Oscar-worthy comic turn and Dunst and Williams invest their characters with affection and humour; the success of the film lies in the way these talented actresses make us laugh with Betsy and Arlene, never at them. Don't be put off by the teen sheen on this comedy—it's also for all of us who still remember Watergate even after 25 years, and still love dancing on the scandal's grave. —Mark Englehart, Amazon.com

Hugh Grant, Sarah Jessica Parker, Marc Lawrence Did You Hear About The Morgans? [DVD] [2010] [DVD] (2010) Hugh Grant

Bruce Willis, Graham Greene, John McTiernan, Renny Harlin, Len Wiseman Now joined by a hit fourth instalment, the Die Hard Quadrilogy is, bluntly, an essential set for any self-respecting fan of action cinema.

The gold, of course, is the original Die Hard, a flat-out five star classic pretty much without equal. Introducing Bruce Willis’ John McClane as an ordinary guy in an extraordinary situation, it’s littered with great lines, great characters, and genre-defining moments. Plus, in Alan Rickman, it has one of the finest cinematic villains of the past few decades.

Die Hard 2: Die Harder inevitably dilutes matters, this time switching the action to Washington’s Dulles International Airport. But with Willis and a good number of characters returning from the original, it’s a fun—if at times brutal—ride, that scores highly in the entertainment stakes.

Die Hard: With A Vengeance, the third film in the series, pretty much strips away the bulk of the supporting cast, and replaces them with the not-significant figure of Samuel L Jackson. It changes the dynamic of the film into a buddy-buddy movie, albeit a good one. And again, it’s a ride that’s hard not to enjoy, with Jeremy Irons giving good measure as McClane’s chief foe.

Finally, Die Hard 4.0 is a real surprise. Given the fact that it arrived over a decade after the third film, it finds Willis and relative newcomer Justin Long shouldering an entertaining, old fashioned action film, that papers over its occasional cracks by asking its lead actor to ramp things up a gear when necessary. And watching John McClane do what he does—even when any hint of reality is thrown out of the window near the end—is endlessly entertaining.

So while none of the sequels have matched the peerless original, the Die Hard Quadrilogy nonetheless delivers one classic, and three very enjoyable action movies. And you can’t argue with that kind of hit rate. Always, always bet on McClane... —Simon Brew

Bruce Willis, Jai Courtney, John Moore Good Day To Die Hard

Daniel Stern, Chris Elliott, Craig R. Maras, Declan Moran, James Hull, Mike Kunkel, Rick Del Carmen

Daniel Stern, Chris Elliott, Craig R. Maras, Declan Moran, James Hull, Mike Kunkel, Rick Del Carmen

Patrick Swayze, Jennifer Grey, Emile Ardolino As with Grease (1978) and Footloose (1984) before it, Dirty Dancing was a cultural phenomenon that now plays more like camp. That very campiness, though, is part of its biggest charm. And if the dancing in the movie doesn't seem particularly "dirty" by today's standards—or 1987's—it does take place in an era (the early '60s) when it would have. Frances "Baby" Houseman (Jennifer Grey, daughter of ageless hoofer Joel Grey), vacationing in the Catskills with her family one summer, falls under the sway (as it were) of dance instructor Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze). Baby is a pampered pup, but Johnny is a man of the world. Baby's father Jake can't see the basic decency in greaser Johnny that she can. It should come as no surprise to find that Baby, who can be as immature as her name, learns more about love and life—and dancing—from free-spirited Johnny than traditionalist Jake. Dirty Dancing spawned two successful soundtracks, a short-lived TV series and a stage musical. It may be predictable, but Grey and Swayze have chemistry, charisma and all the right moves. It's a sometimes silly movie with occasionally mind-boggling dialogue—"No one puts Baby in a corner!"—that nonetheless carries an underlying message about tolerance and is filled with the kind of exuberant spirit that is hard for even the most cynical to resist. Not that they would ever admit it. —Kathy Fennessy

On the DVD: The information outlined on the package makes the special features appear very appealing: you too could "Learn to Dirty Dance". However, all the DVD actually teaches you is how to move from side to side with a slow "cha cha cha"—not exactly "dirty". Other additional features include the obligatory scene selection and a directors commentary from Eleanor Bergstein, offers interesting snippets of trivia, but overall is dull and stuttering. There's also the original theatrical trailer plus a very poor selection of filmographies for the cast and crew which (none of whom aside from Swayze ever amounted to much) which is difficult to read due to the italic scrawl they insist on using across the whole features section. That being said with a 1.78:1 ratio and Dolby Digital 5.1 this release is the closest you will get to reliving those 1980s school discos and back-seat cinema rows. —Nikki Disney

Diego Luna, Romola Garai, Guy Ferland Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights

Lee Marvin, Ernest Borgnine, Michael Luciano, Robert Aldrich A model for dozens of action films to follow, this box-office hit from 1967 refined a die-hard formula that has become overly familiar, but it's rarely been handled better than it was in this action-packed World War II thriller. Lee Marvin is perfectly cast as a down-but-not-out army major who is offered a shot at personal and professional redemption. If he can successfully train and discipline a squad of army rejects, misfits, killers, prisoners, and psychopaths into a first-rate unit of specialized soldiers, they'll earn a second chance to make up for their woeful misdeeds. Of course, there's a catch: to obtain their pardons, Marvin's band of badmen must agree to a suicide mission that will parachute them into the danger zone of Nazi-occupied France. It's a hazardous path to glory, but the men have no other choice than to accept and regain their lost honor. What makes The Dirty Dozen special is its phenomenal cast including Charles Bronson, Donald Sutherland, Telly Savalas, George Kennedy, Ernest Borgnine, John Cassavetes, Richard Jaeckel, Jim Brown, Clint Walker, Trini Lopez, Robert Ryan, and others. Cassavetes is the Oscar-nominated standout as one of Marvin's most rebellious yet heroic men, but it's the whole ensemble—combined with the hard-as-nails direction of Robert Aldrich—that makes this such a high-velocity crowd pleaser. The script by Nunnally Johnson and Lukas Heller (from the novel by E.M. Nathanson) is strong enough to support the all-star lineup with ample humor and military grit, so if you're in need of a mainline jolt of testosterone, The Dirty Dozen is the movie for you. —Jeff Shannon

Clint Eastwood, Liam Neeson, Buddy Van Horn After the drudgery of Sudden Impact, the third and worst sequel to Dirty Harry, no one could have expected the fourth to have any signs of life. But The Dead Pool is fairly inspired, even playful—check out a "chase" scene between Clint Eastwood's Harry Callahan character and a remote-controlled toy car wielding a bomb—and it ended the long-running series on an unexpectedly positive note. This time, Callahan investigates a series of murders that appears to be on a "death list," while becoming romantically involved with a television reporter (Patricia Clarkson). Jim Carrey has a small but memorable part as a doped-up rock star, and Liam Neeson is on board, too. IT is directed by Eastwood-surrogate Buddy Van Horn (Any Which Way You Can). —Tom Keogh

Steve Martin, Michael Caine, Frank Oz On its original release in 1988, the pairing of Steve Martin and Michael Caine in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels was seen as something of a dream ticket. Viewing the film many years later, that assessment still proves completely accurate: the casting is perfect. American Freddy Benson and Briton Lawrence Jamieson are con men who work the French Riviera—at first as colleagues, later as rivals—praying on rich, gullible women before finally meeting their match. Having spent the decade veering between popular rubbish and low-key quality, for once Caine was able to find a populist vehicle that did justice to his talents. Steve Martin is, well, very Steve Martin but there are few better suited to the visual comedy of his character. The film has an old-fashioned feel (no sex, violence or bad language) and owes much to the earlier period of film humour—it really doesn't take that much imagination to see this as an Ealing comedy. All round, it's a stylish, charming, witty film.

On the DVD: Extras are few, limited to scene selection, subtitles and the very funny trailer. Picture quality is superb, allowing the film's exotic setting to sparkle and there are many scenes of breathtaking beauty. Given that the film is full of fantastic comedy set pieces, the ability to select scenes is a real plus, allowing to the viewer to locate that classic Martin pratfall at the push of a button. —Phil Udell

Donald Sutherland, Peter Krause, Michael Grossman Filled with intriguing story lines and a smoking hot cast, Dirty Sexy Money focuses on a idealistic lawyer wrestling with his father's death and the family that may be responsible for it. Peter Krause (Six Feet Under) stars as Nick George, whose father was the legal counsel for the Darling family and good friends with patriarch Tripp (Donald Sutherland) and his wife Letitia (Jill Clayburgh). When Nick is offered to take his father's position with the family, he goes through a gamut of emotions: He never saw his father because his dad was always tending to the Darlings' needs; he had dated troubled Darling daughter Karen when they were younger. He doesn't want to get sucked up into the drama that is their life but, like his father, he is unable to resist both the salary (upwards of $10 million) and the Darlings' tremulous connection to his dad. But that money doesn't come without strings; Nick serves as both counsel and therapist to the family. Occasionally, he is also asked to play the role of errand boy (When favoured son and rising politician Patrick (William Baldwin)—who is married—wants to break up with his tranny girlfriend, he asks Nick to do it. And to give her a cheque to show his affection). To his credit, Nick says, "I'm not going to go into a hotel and give a tranny hooker a check." To which Patrick says, "She's not a hooker!" All 10 episodes of the debut season are included in this boxed set. Executive produced by Greg Berlanti (Dawson's Creek, Brothers & Sisters, Eli Stone), the thoroughly entertaining drama has a group of characters that keep viewers glued to the screen. Karen is a boozy socialite who switches husbands often; Patrick can't stand up to his wife, even after she kinda-sorta shoots him; Tripp and Letitia have a litany of secrets that affects their marriage and their children; Nick finds himself sparring (both verbally and otherwise) with their eldest son, the Rev. Brian Darling. And whether Nick has found a friend or foe in charming multi-millionaire Simon Elder (Blair Underwood) has yet to be determined. Dirty? Yes. Sexy? Absolutely. As for the money, it just may be the root of some of the Darlings' evil. —Jae-Ha Kim

Lia Williams, Rufus Sewell, Michael Winner

Michael Douglas, Demi Moore, Barry Levinson Disclosure [1995] [DVD] [1994] [DVD] (1998) Michael Douglas; Demi Moore

Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope, Neill Blomkamp Brand new - We ship worldwide

Cyril Raffaelli As Damien; David Belle As Leïto; Tony D'Amario As K2; Bibi Naceri As Taha; Dany Verissimo As Lola Digital Factory, Region 2 2004 85 mins

Shia LaBeouf, Sarah Roemer, D.J. Caruso The soaring career of Shia LaBeouf was powered in no small way by Disturbia, an effective surprise hit thriller that he headlines alongside Carrie-Anne Moss and David Morse. Covering ground previous trodden by the likes of Hitchcocks Rear Window, Disturbia finds LaBeoufs Kale, a year after the death of his father, subjected to house arrest. And as cabin fever sets in, he starts to look out of his window and spy on his neighbours. As you do. This is, naturally, where the problems soon begin. Because Kale soon starts to get suspicious of the antics of the quiet Mr Turner, played by David Morse, eventually convincing himself that his neighbour is, in fact, a killer. This fairly straightforward plot, however, is then mined effectively by a talented cast and director D J Caruso. And Disturbia, to its credit, has its fair share of bumps and jumps along the way, working best when it plays things low key. It doesnt, ultimately, manage to prolong the suspense it generates for the full running time, and neither is it a top grade thriller. But Disturbia is still good at what it does do: serving up solid entertainment, a few thrills, and showcasing one of cinemas fast-rising talents. Well worth a watch. —Jon Foster

James Marsden, Katie Holmes, David Nutter Katie Holmes Disturbing Behavior

Jaime Pressly, Holly Valance, Corey Yuen

Peter Davison, Patrick Troughton, John Nathan-Turner, Pennant Roberts, Peter Moffatt Feature-length episode designed to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the long-running sci-fi series. All five Doctors (Peter Davison, Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee, Richard Hurndall and Tom Baker) and many of their old companions are taken out of time and deposited in the Death Zone on Gallifrey. There they must battle not only the Master, but Daleks, Cybermen and Yeti in order to reach the Dark Tower and discover the Tomb of Rassilon. This special edition includes new special effects and extra footage not included in the original broadcast.

David Tennant, Billie Piper A disc that features three more superb episodes from David Tennant's first series in the TARDIS, this DVD finds Doctor Who facing one of his deadliest opponents—the Cybermen.

The lethal foes are brought back to life in the first two episodes on this disc, Rise Of The Cybermen and The Age Of Steel. They find the Doctor, Rose and Mickey in an alternative version of Earth, where zeppelins dominate the London skyline and Roger Lloyd Pack's maniac genius is hard at work on an enhanced version of humankind. Ruthlessly harvesting humans, his work is soon revealed as the all-new Cybermen, who are as fatal as ever. And while the two-part story may cut the odd corner here and there, it's nonetheless a triumphant return in an action-packed, tightly scripted story.

However, the real treat on the disc is the lower profile episode, The Idiot's Lantern. Set at the time of Elizabeth II's coronation, the Doctor and Rose find a shop offering strangely low cost television sets, and people worried by rumours of strange goings in. Buoyed by a guest appearance by Maureen Lipman, this is yet another highpoint for an increasingly confident series, by turns clever, sinister and intriguing.

In short, the best disc yet of episodes from the second new series of Doctor Who. And there's the promise of even better around the corner...—Simon Brew

David Tennant Kicking off with a jam-packed Christmas special and ending with a blockbuster extended closing instalment, Doctor Who?s fourth series since it was revived is a breathless, exciting one, that also boasts some exceptional episodes.

You get fourteen episodes for your money here, and the ones in particular to watch out for are the outstanding Silence In The Library/Forest Of The Dead double header, the almost single-location creepfest that is Midnight, and the trio of Turn Left, The Stolen Earth and Journey?s End that round off the series. In the midst of those is also one of the very best cliffhangers that Doctor Who has ever employed in its long and glorious history.

This is also the series of Doctor Who that introduces Catherine Tate as full-time companion Donna Noble, working alongside David Tennant?s Doctor across time and space. And it?s—against initial expectations—arguably the best combination since the show returned. Here, there?s no hint of romance between the pair, as they instead knuckle down to business, occasionally helped by the likes of Martha Jones (Freema Agyeman), Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen) and Jack Harkness (John Barrowman).

Let?s not forget too the collection of monsters we meet this time round. The daleks and Davros are the main attractions in Doctor Who Series 4, while the return of the Sontarans proves to be a bit of a disappointment. But, after viewing the series, chances are you?ll be counting shadows around you, and wary of getting on the wrong side of the Ood.

As with most series of Doctor Who, there are one or two bumpy episodes and missteps, but this is still unmatched at what it does, and finds the show in even more confident form than last time round. That, along with the immense rewatch value, is what makes this terrific piece of family entertainment such a compelling buy. —Simon Brew

David Tennant, Kylie Minogue, James Strong NOTICE: Polish Release, cover may contain Polish text/markings. The disk has English subtitles. The further adventures of the time traveling alien adventurer and his companions.

Vince Vaughn, Christine Taylor, Rawson Marshall Thurber How's this for impressive trivia: Dodgeball faced off against The Terminal in opening-weekend competition, and 29-year-old writer-director Rawson Marshall Thurber aced Steven Spielberg by a score of $30 to $18.7 in US box-office millions. That's no mean feat for a newcomer, but Thurber's lowbrow script and rapid-fire direction—along with a sublime cast of screen comedians—proved to be just what moviegoers were ravenous for: a consistently hilarious, patently formulaic romp in which the underdog owner of Average Joe's Gym (Vince Vaughan) faces foreclosure unless he can raise $50,000 in 30 days. The solution: A dodgeball tournament offering $50K to the winners, in which Vaughan and his nerdy clientele team up against the preening, abhorrently narcissistic owner (Ben Stiller) of Globo Gym, who's threatening a buy-out. That's it for story; any 5-year-old could follow it with brainpower to spare. But Thurber, Vaughan, Stiller, and their well-cast costars (including Stiller's off-screen wife, Christine Taylor) keep the big laughs coming for 96 nonsensical minutes. With spot-on cameos by champion bicyclist Lance Armstrong, David Hasselhoff, Hank Azaria, Chuck Norris, and William Shatner, and a crudely amusing coda for those who watch past the credits, Dodgeball is no masterpiece, but you can bet Spielberg was unexpectedly humbled by its popular appeal. —Jeff Shannon

Sean Pertwee, Kevin McKidd, Neil Marshall An enjoyable low-concept monster movie, Dog Soldiers is basically Night of the Living Dead with werewolves. A platoon on a training exercise in Scotland, already fed up because they are missing a vital England-Germany match, come across the wounded survivor of a special ops team (Liam Cunningham) that has been attacked by monsters. There's a confused conspiracy angle, with a scheme to sacrifice the squaddies in order to capture a werewolf for military uses, but it's mostly a lost patrol picture with the soldiers besieged in a mysteriously abandoned house in the woods, complete with "pork" stew on the boil.

The hardman sergeant (Sean Pertwee) is disembowelled early but gruesomely patched up with superglue, letting the sensitive Scot (Kevin McKidd) play hero. A pack of effectively glimpsed Howling-style bipedal werewolves make repeated attacks on the house, whittling the cast down with each invasion. The soldier characterisations are solid cliché, albeit of a British variety rarely seen in horror movies (a highlight of the use of Brit slang is the Geordie shouting "Come on if you think you're hard enough"). The monsters are okay, but writer-director Neil Marshall's strongest suit is his third, as editor, covering for the old-fashioned monster suit effects and making the suspense and action mechanics work.

On the DVD: Dog Soldiers is an excellent DVD package complete with two commentary tracks, a British one with Marshall and the cast and an American one with a couple of producers. Both are interesting and rarely overlap, and there's an amusing contradiction between the Brits who rush over script changes they didn't want to make and the Yanks who imposed a sub-plot they feel saved the picture. Also, a bunch of trailers that amusingly spoof a recent army recruitment ad, deleted scenes and outtakes with optional Marshall commentary, a standard making-of featurette, storyboards and Marshall's short film, Combat. —Kim Newman

Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Scott Mosier, Kevin Smith Bored of being eternally banished to earth, two errant angels hatch a plan to sneak back into heaven. Unfortunately, if they use the required loophole in religious Dogma, they'll prove God fallible and undo the very fabric of the universe, ending all existence. Bummer. Enter the distant grand niece of Jesus Christ and an army of angels, beautiful mythical figures, saintly apostles and all entities good and holy. And Jay and Silent Bob.

The phrase "it's a religious comedy" must have caused Hollywood to have a sacred cow. And, as Smith's first attempt to move away from the early lo-fi, character-centred, relationship-based comedies (Clerks, Mallrats and Chasing Amy) toward the narrative-led big-budget spectacular, Dogma is not without problems. Proving controversial on release, stones were cast by churchgoers and Smith devotees alike. Frothing-mouthed extremists levelled charges of blasphemy at the more colourful elements (a Malcolm X-style 13th apostle, the crucifix being binned as uncool and God not being a white-bearded patriarch), leaving the devoutly Catholic Smith, who's intentions were to celebrate the mystery and beauty of religion, completely bemused. Equally, the Luddite Clerks obsessives who wrote it off as "Smith-gone-Hollywood" should have recognised that the script was written way before he gave us his black-and-white debut.

More ambitious than his previous mates-roped-in cheapies, the apocryphal and apocalyptic Dogma is still blessed with water-into-wine performances, pop culture gags, postmodern self-referencing and stoopid shagging jokes. Though it may not be wholly miraculous, this is still a righteous movie; and, in comparison with the average big-buck formulaic Hollywood evil, it's practically saintly.

On the DVD: Dogma's budget outstripped the early Smith films by miles, and the 2.35:1 Anamorphic Widescreen transfer does it justice, with divine colour and heavenly sound. The picture quality of the extras—including trailers, TV spots and cast and crew interviews—is not so good and pixilation occurs throughout. The interviews are provocative enough, though, giving huge insight into the film. And it's quite something to see Smith looking all "Clark Kent" in his civvies. —Paul Eisinger

Keira Knightley, Mickey Rourke, Tony Scott Loosely based on the real life story of the late bounty hunter Domino Harvey, Keira Knightley quickly sheds her softer image here with an unflinching performance in the title role. As Domino, she brandishes guns, reacts against anyone who crosses her, and isn’t above a lapdance to get her out of a tight spot. Yet it’s the partnership she forms with Mickey Rourke’s Ed Mosbey, her leader and effectively surrogate father, that sits at the core of this good-but-uneven movie, and allows both actors to excel in their roles.

The story is told in flashback, as Domino is interrogated by Lucy Liu’s police detective. From there, it follows the story of Domino’s life, from her tragic early days, through to meeting Mosbey and her subsequent life as a bounty hunter. And, laced with strong performances and some nicely-constructed sequences, for long periods the film works well. Working against it at times though is director Tony Scott’s (Man On Fire, Crimson Tide, True Romance) over-fussy directorial style, which is very much take it or leave it, but does at times get in the way of the storytelling. At the point where you want him to focus on what’s happening, there’s just one too many flashy shots or quick edits.

Still, Domino works, and is suitably removed from the glossy, vacuous action movie you may be expecting. It’s very stylised, but the script from Donnie Darko’s Richard Kelly covers its bases well. And while the film itself isn’t without a couple of problems, the end result is still well worth watching.—Simon Brew

Al Pacino, Johnny Depp, Mike Newell Original Owner DVD's...Not The Recycled £0.01p Versions Available Online From Zoverstocks "Music Magpie" Recyclables! Our DVD's Are Collectible to Like New. Please View All Photos Before Deciding To Buy.

Jake Gyllenhaal, Jena Malone, Richard Kelly Rated: 15 - Suitable only for persons of 15 years and over. Language: Some strong Sex/Nudity: Some moderate Violence: Some moderate Other: One scene of hard drug use

Ben Barnes, Colin Firth, Oliver Parker Brand new - we ship worldwide

John Bett

Robert Patrick, Mark Dacascos, James Yukich

Richard Gere, Topher Grace, Michael Brandt Crime thriller directed by Michael Brandt. When a US senator is brutally murdered in the middle of the streets, the CIA think it bears the mark of Russian assassin, Cassius. The only thing is, Cassius has been thought dead for years. They draft in retired

Ewan McGregor, Renee Zellweger, Peyton Reed The bright, glossy world of Doris Day and Rock Hudson sex comedies gets a self-aware brush-up in Down with Love. Pillow-lipped Renée Zellweger (Chicago) plays Barbara Novak, the author of a bestselling book called Down with Love that advises women to focus on their careers and have sex à la carte—just like a man would. Determined to prove that Novak is just as vulnerable to love as any woman, dashingly chauvinist magazine writer Catcher Block (ever-charming Ewan McGregor, Moulin Rouge) pretends to be a courtly astronaut who wouldn't dream of putting his hand on a woman's knee. This piffle of a story seems like nothing more than an excuse for ironic double-entendres and dazzling production design, until a sneaky plot twist suddenly raises the stakes for the movie's end. As he always does, the brilliant David Hyde Pierce (Frasier) scores the most comic points as Block's fussy editor. —Bret Fetzer

Bruno Ganz, Corinna Harfouch, Oliver Hirschbiegel The riveting subject of Downfall is nothing less than the disintegration of Adolph Hitler in mind, body, and soul. A 2005 Academy Award nominee for best foreign language film, this German historical drama stars Bruno Ganz as Hitler, whose psychic meltdown is depicted in sobering detail, suggesting a fallen, pathetic dictator on the verge on insanity, resorting to suicide (along with Eva Braun and Joseph and Magda Goebbels) as his Nazi empire burns amidst chaos in mid-1945. While staging most of the film in the claustrophobic bunker where Hitler spent his final days, director Oliver Hirschbiegel dares to show the gentler human side of der Fuehrer, as opposed to the pure embodiment of evil so familiar from many other Nazi-era dramas. This balanced portrayal does not inspire sympathy, however: We simply see the complexity of Hitler's character in the greater context of his inevitable downfall, and a more realistic (and therefore more horrifying) biographical portrait of madness on both epic and intimate scales. By ending with a chilling clip from the 2002 documentary Blind Spot: Hitler's Secretary, this unforgettable film gains another dimension of sobering authenticity. —Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com

Hugh Bonneville, Maggie Smith Please note this is a region 2 DVD and will require a region 2 or region free DVD player in order to play. Sumptuous costume drama Downton Abbey, written and created by Academy Award winner Julian Fellowes (Gosford Park, The Young Victoria) boasts an all-star cast featuring Hugh Bonneville, Maggie Smith, Elizabeth McGovern, Michelle Dockery, Dan Stevens, PenelopeWilton, Jim Carter, Phyllis Logan, Siobhan Finneran, Joanne Froggatt, Rob James-Collier and Brendan Coyle. This prestigious ensemble brings the world of Downton to life with splendour and passion. Set in England in the years leading up to the First World War, Downton Abbey tells the story of a complicated community. The house has been home to the Crawley family for many generations, but it is also where their servants live, and plan, and dream, and they are as fiercely jealous of their rank as anyone. Some of them are loyal to the family and committed to Downton as a way of life, others are moving through, on the look out for betterment or love or just adventure. The difference is that they know so many of the secrets of the family, while the family know so few of theirs. But for all the passions that rage beneath the surface, this is a secure world, serene and ordered, and, at first glance, it seems it will last forever. Little do they know, family or staff, that the clouds of the conflict that will change everything are already gathering over their heads.

Dan Aykroyd, Tom Hanks, Dabney Coleman, Christopher Plummer, Jenifer Esposito In 1987 moviegoers had yet to be crushed under the weight of the 1990s TV remake mania, and Dragnet comes off as fresh and funny. The line between parody and tribute can be hard to draw, but any marginally hip baby boomer who has ever watched Jack Webb's straight-laced Detective Joe Friday caught a glimmer of the comedic vein waiting to be mined beneath Dragnet's gritty Los Angeles streets. Dan Aykroyd plays Joe Friday, the straight-arrow nephew of Webb's iconic cop. This part was made for him (in fact, he's given top writing credit), and under his steely exterior you can tell he's having a ball delivering those rapid-fire recitations of regulations and deadpan expressions of moral outrage. Tom Hanks plays Pep Streebek, the laissez-faire narco agent who is Friday's new partner. Their assignment: bust the Pagans, a wild-and-woolly gang of dope fiends, deadbeats, and beatniks behind a bewildering array of bizarre robberies. Hilarity ensues. Friday and Streebek outfox a corrupt televangelist (Christopher Plummer), bicker over chili dogs and cigarettes, alternately revile and fawn over a porn millionaire (Dabney Coleman), wrestle a 30-foot-long anaconda, and rescue the virgin Connie Swail—the only girl capable of stealing Friday's heart. —Grant Balfour, Amazon.com

Brad Johnson, Kelly Stables, Stephen Shimek United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), English ( Dolby Digital Stereo ), WIDESCREEN (2.35:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Anamorphic Widescreen, Behind the scenes, Cast/Crew Interview(s), Interactive Menu, Scene Access, Trailer(s), SYNOPSIS: Orphaned as a baby Kendrick has been raised by his elder brother Darius. Having grown into a great warrior, Darius is determined to protect his brother from all harm. However stories are spreading that fierce dragons are once again ravaging the land, and Darius decides to travel with Kendrick to the castle of Ocard, where Dragon Hunters are trained. But they will first have to overcome a number of enemies along the way. ...Dragon Hunter

Michael Caine, Angie Dickinson, Gerald B. Greenberg, Brian De Palma To condemn Dressed to Kill as a Hitchcock rip-off is to miss the sheer enjoyment of Brian De Palma's delirious thriller. Homages to Hitchcock run rampant through most of De Palma's earlier films, and this one's chock-full of visual quotes, mostly cribbed from Vertigo and Psycho. But De Palma's indulgent depravity transcends simple mimicry to assume a vitality all its own. It's smothered in thickly atmospheric obsessions with sex, dread, paranoia, and voyeurism, not to mention a heavy dose of Psycho-like psychobabble about a wannabe transsexual who is compelled to slash up any attractive female who reminds him—the horror—that he's still very much a man.

Angie Dickinson plays the sexually unsatisfied, forty-something wife who's the killer's first target, relaying her sexual fantasies to her psychiatrist (Michael Caine) before actually living one of them out after the film's celebrated cat-and-mouse sequence in a Manhattan art museum. The focus then switches to a murder witness (De Palma's then-girlfriend Nancy Allen) and Dickinson's grieving whiz-kid son (Keith Gordon), who attempt to solve the murder while staying one step ahead (or so they think) of the crude detective (Dennis Franz) assigned to the case. Propelled by Pino Donaggio's lush and stimulating score, De Palma's visuals provide seductive counterpoint to his brashly candid dialogue, and the plot conceals its own implausibility with morbid thrills and intoxicating suspense. If you're not laughing at De Palma's shameless audacity, you're sure to be on the edge of your seat. —Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com

Owen Wilson, Troy Gentile, Steven Brill Like Owen Wilson himself, Drillbit Taylor has a loose, shaggy-dog appeal. Wilson plays a homeless ex-soldier who wants to emigrate illegally to Canada—and when three misfit high-school students hire him to protect them from bullies, he sets out to fleece them for the money he needs to get away. Naturally, this being a formulaic crowd-pleaser, he bonds with the kids and discovers that maybe his life isn't so worthless after all. Fortunately for moviegoers, the creators of Drillbit Taylor (including co-writer Seth Rogen, star of Knocked Up) have the wit to tweak the formula and give what could have been prefabricated and bland some grit, surprises, and genuine laughs (as well as an allusion to this movie's obvious inspiration, the 1980 teen-movie classic My Bodyguard). While nowhere near as funny (or as rude) as Rogen's previous co-writing effort, the dorkily sublime Superbad, Drillbit Taylor benefits from a similar grasp of the genuine cravings and frustrations of adolescence. Still, it's Wilson's movie, and his slacker-romantic rhythm gives the humour its swing. Also featuring Leslie Mann (The 40-Year-Old Virgin), who is woefully underutilised as Wilson's love interest. One sneaky bit of casting: The main bully is played by Alex Frost, who played an unhappy teen driven to shoot up his school in director Gus Van Sant's Elephant. —Bret Fetzer

Mark Dacascos, Kadeem Hardison, Steve Wang

Sylvester Stallone, Kip Pardue, Renny Harlin Motorsport movies have a lousy track record, so it's not surprising that Driven joins the ranks of previous race-car clunkers like Grand Prix, Le Mans, Bobby Deerfield and Days of Thunder. To varying degrees, all of these films offer spectacular racing footage (especially Le Mans), but what is surprising is that Driven was written by its star and co-producer Sylvester Stallone, who shows virtually no sign of the talent that created Rocky over a quarter-century earlier. Under the tepid direction of Renny Harlin, this superficial speedfest fulfils its primary obligation—the racing sequences are adequately exciting, despite the Cuisinart editing and a glaring lack of kinetic continuity. But whenever this adrenaline-pumped drama gets off the track, well... let's just say it's a hybrid of Top Gun and Days of Thunder, but makes those Tom Cruise vehicles look masterful by comparison.

Stallone's a retired Grand Prix champion, called back into action by his disabled crew chief (Burt Reynolds) to boost the career of a hotshot driver (Kip Pardue) who's trailing a German ace (charismatic Til Schweiger) in the current 20-race season. The female contingent consists of a reporter (Stacy Edwards, too talented for this tripe) who's writing about "male domination in sports"; Stallone's embittered, remarried ex-wife (Gina Gershon, parodying her bitchy persona); and the requisite kewpie doll (Estella Warren) who comes between Boy Wonder and the reigning champ. It's airhead melodrama all the way, so you'd better enjoy the breakneck racing scenes—including a ludicrous prototype-racer joyride through downtown Chicago—or you'll blow a piston on your sprint to the bad-movie finish line. —Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com

Phoebe Cates, Marsha Mason, Tim Matheson, Rik Mayall, Ate de Jong This not-quite-black comedy was probably a laugh riot on paper. The translation almost works, but the execution is flawed. Phoebe Cates is a recently separated young woman who suddenly begins to see her supposedly imagined childhood friend (the titular Drop Dead Fred) after moving back into her mother's home. Is he a manifestation of her secret desires to ditch the boorish spouse? Or was he real all along? Rik Mayall is a limber, carrot-topped comic with the lamentable assignment of trying to make us laugh with vulgar, sophomoric trickery. He is supposedly the repository of Cates's fastidious repression but is more annoying than cathartic. —Rochelle O'Gorman, Amazon.com

Liddy Oldroyd

Robert Duncan, Haydn Gwynne, Liddy Oldroyd

Drop the Dead Donkey

David Swift, Robert Duncan, Liddy Oldroyd

Susannah Doyle, Neil Pearson, Stephen Tompkinson, Victoria Wicks, Robert Duncan

Dude Where's My Car

Robert Downey Jr., Zach Galifianakis, Todd Phillips Todd Phillips directs this road trip comedy starring Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis. Businessman Peter Highman Downey Jr. is an anxiously expectant first-time father whose wifes due date is only five days away. As Peter rushes to catch a flight home to Los Angeles from Atlanta to be present at the birth, complications arise and he is forced to hitch a ride home with aspiring actor Ethan Tremblay Galifianakis. The two unlikely companions embark on a frenzied cross-country road trip that will change both of their lives forever. Jamie Foxx and Michelle Monaghan co-star.

The Dukes of Hazzard THE DUKES OF HAZARD

Kyle MacLachlan, Virginia Madsen, Antony Gibbs, David Lynch David Lynch's Dune is the brilliant but fatally flawed would-be epic feature film version of Frank Herbert's novel of the same name, the bestselling science fiction novel ever written. It is a complex but too heavily simplified version of a far more elaborate book, a darkly Gothic far future space opera revolving around an imperial, dynastic power struggle on the desert planet of Arrakis. With what was in 1984 an enormous $40 million budget, Lynch retained a surprising amount of the industrial/Victorian feel of his previous features, Eraserhead (1976) and The Elephant Man (1980), and was able to bring to the screen some of the most imaginative and awe-inspiring production designs, costumes and action then seen. Indeed, as a spectacularly atmospheric vision of the future Dune has as much to recommend it as the far more celebrated Blade Runner (1982), with which it even shares the female romantic lead, Sean Young—here just one star in a superb cast. The problem, which an unauthorised extended TV version failed to fix, is that Lynch's original vision of Dune was massively cut for length, and as such the final third is so rapidly paced as to undermine the superb first two thirds. A director's cut is sorely needed, the cinema version playing like a butchered masterpiece. Also available is an entirely unconnected four-and-a-half-hour mini-series, Frank Herbert's Dune (2000), which is less visionary but more coherent.

On the DVD: The 2.35:1 image suffers from not being anamorphically enhanced. There are minor flecks of dirt and scratches, but generally the print used is in good condition although there is a considerable amount of grain in some scenes and the image could be more detailed. The packaging claims the sound is Dolby Digital 5.1, but it is actually three-channel sound (stereo plus centre speaker), with the main stereo feed being duplicated in the rear channels. A full 5.1 remastering would improve matters considerably. Special features consist of the original trailer and a pointless gallery of seven badly cropped stills. There is a very basic animated and scored menu using the portentous main theme music from the film. —Gary S Dalkin

Justin Whalin, Jeremy Irons, Courtney Solomon Brand new DVD - we ship worldwide

Julia Roberts, Clive Owen, Tony Gilroy Julia Roberts and Clive Owen surprise and delight on multiple levels in Duplicity, a caper film that keeps the audience guessing if the tone is cheeky, seriously, or both in exactly the same scene. Owen smolders as the relaxed, craggy sexual beast he's become—effortlessly—and Roberts is surprisingly mature and tic-less. And their chemistry threatens to explode out of the beaker. On one level, Duplicity is a sparring romance, bringing to mind the no-holds-barred zingers between Cary Grant and Roz Russell in His Girl Friday. But the film has layers of action and suspense, as well as a neat spin on the spy business. Instead of hunting for, or protecting, confidential state nuclear secrets, as each character once did when they first met, now they are beholden to captains of industry and Madison Avenue—seeking secrets not of national security, but of formulas to the next great… moisturiser. Director Tony Gilroy, who wrote all the Bourne films and wrote and directed Michael Clayton is clearly carving out a snappy path for himself as a master of sleek, suspenseful, energetic films that nonetheless appeal to a mass audience. A special shoutout to the opening scene of a mano a mano fistfight on a tarmac between Armani-clad CEOs (one played by an especially memorable Paul Giamatti). "You on one side, me on the other," says Roberts' Claire at one point to Owen's Ray. "It's perfect." Perfect grownup entertainment. —A.T. Hurley

Dylan Moran's West End Tour: Tour runs from October 26th to December 5th, 2009 at the Apollo Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue.

Dylan Moran, Michael Matheson Acerbic, eternally world-weary comic in stand up routine. Dylan Moran holds forth on matters important to him such as smoking (pro rather than anti), drink, drugs, music, women and children.

Dylan Moran Irish stand-up comedian Dylan Moran, star of the hit TV sitcom 'Black Books', brings his unpredictable, bizarre - and yet strangely poetic - brand of humour to the stage in this live show, filmed in Dublin in April 2004.

Dylan Moran The eternally world-weary comic returns with a collection of his stand-up routines. Includes previous live performances 'Monster' and 'Like, Totally Live'.

Dee Wallace Stone, Henry Thomas, Steven Spielberg E.T. - THE EXTRA TERRESTRIAL A STEVEN SPIELBERG FILM SPECIAL 2 DISC EDITION starring HENRY THOMAS & DREW BARRYMORE with UNSEEN FOOTAGE /REMASTERED SOUNDTRACK/ENHANCED EFFECTS 5.1.DTS SOUND 16.9 WIDESCREEN

Sir Ian McKellan, Alan Cumming, Richard Bell

Shia LaBeouf, Michelle Monaghan, D.J. Caruso Eagle Eye reteams Shia LaBeouf with his Disturbia director D J Caruso, and the two of them prove once more that they know how to knock out a decent thriller. Kicking off with lots of serious faces, military advisors and a decision to make about whether to bomb a target or not, this quick, brutal introduction not only kick starts the plot developments, but it also brings in the advanced technology that underpins much of what Eagle Eye does. Not that it’s all that plausible, but it’s the kind of film that very much rewards turning your brain down a notch, and being willing to sit back to be entertained.

Should you do that, then Eagle Eye is a very enjoyable tech-thriller, that papers over its cracks by racing out of the traps at speed, and never really looking back. Fortunately, it remembers to keep you entertained as it does so, and Shia LaBeouf already eats roles like this up in his sleep. The plot of Eagle Eye finds LaBeouf’s character receiving a mobile phone call with strict instructions to do exactly what he’s told, else things are going to go very wrong, very quickly. Michelle Monaghan is in a similar position, and the pair of them find themselves caught up in a sinister plot that we won’t be spoiling for you here.

Now granted, you can drive trucks through some of the plot holes here, and likewise, there’s ground covered here that Cellular did perfectly well. Yet Eagle Eye is what it is: solid blockbuster entertainment, starring a man whose star is very much on the rise. It might be a hard film to love, but it’s equally hard not to enjoy it. —Jon Foster

Viggo Mortensen, Naomi Watts, David Cronenberg David Cronenberg's signature obsessions flower in Eastern Promises, a stunning look at violence, responsibility, and skin. Near Christmas time in London, a baby is born to a teenage junkie—an event that leads a midwife (Naomi Watts) into the world of the Russian mob. Central to this world is an ambitious enforcer (Viggo Mortensen) who's lately buddied up with the reckless son (Vincent Cassel) of a mob boss (Armin Mueller-Stahl, doing his benign-sinister thing). Screenwriter Steve Knight also wrote Dirty Pretty Things, and in some ways this is a companion piece to that film, though utterly different in style. The plot is classical to the point of being familiar, but Cronenberg doesn't allow anything to become sentimental; he and his peerless cinematographer Peter Suschitzky take a cool, controlled approach to this story. Because of that, when the movie erupts in its (relatively brief) violence, it's genuinely shocking. Cronenberg really puts the viewer through it, as though to shame the easy purveyors of pulp violence—nobody will cheer when the blood runs in this film. Still, Eastern Promises has a furtive humour, nicely conveyed in Viggo Mortensen's highly original performance. Covered in tattoos, his body a scroll depicting his personal history of violence, Mortensen conveys a subtle blend of resolve and lost-ness. He's a true, haunting mystery man. —Robert Horton, Amazon.com

Stills from Eastern Promises (click for larger image). Photos by Peter Mountain.

Vincent Cassel (left) and Viggo Mortensen (right).

Armin Mueller-Stahl.
Viggo Mortensen (left) and Naomi Watts (right)
Viggo Mortensen (left) and Naomi Watts (right).
Naomi Watts.
Armin Mueller-Stahl (left) and Naomi Watts (right).
Mina E. Mina (left), Vincent Cassel (center) and Viggo Mortensen (right).
Vincent Cassel.
Viggo Mortensen.

James Franco, Julia Roberts, Ryan Murphy DVD Columbia Pictures, 5035822922839, 2010 Region 2 PAL

James Franco, Julia Roberts, Ryan Murphy DVD Columbia Pictures, 5035822922839, 2010 Region 2 PAL

Johnny Depp, Martin Landau, Tim Burton The significance of Ed Wood, both man and movie, on the career of Tim Burton cannot be emphasised enough. Here Burton regurgitates and pays homage to the influences of his youth, just as he would continue to do with Mars Attacks! and Sleepy Hollow. Everything is just right, from the decision to shoot in black and white, the performances of Johnny Depp (as Ed) and Martin Landau (as Bela Lugosi), the re-creation of 1950s Hollywood and the evocative score by Howard (Lord of the Rings) Shore. The plot struck a poignant familiar chord with Burton, who saw the relationship between the Ed and Lugosi mirroring his own with Vincent Price. Most importantly Burton responded to the story of the struggling, misunderstood artist. For all Burton's big-budget blockbusters (Batman, Planet of the Apes), he still somehow retains the mantle of the kooky niche director. And in the mid-90s, this film actually represented the last vestiges of his independent film production. Fans can only hope he'll soon return to those roots soon.

On the DVD: Ed Wood on disc has a good group commentary in which Burton is interviewed rather than expected to hold forth on his own, making his insights alongside the screenwriters, Landau, and various production heads very worthwhile. Also worthy are the featurettes on Landau's Oscar-winning make-up, the FX and the Theremin instrument employed in the score. Best of all is an extremely exotic Music Video based on that score. This doesn't seem to be a new transfer of the film, but in black and white you're less likely to notice. —Paul Tonks

Eddie Izzard, Graham Hutchings, Ed Bye Surreal comedy from the man of the moment of 1996 Eddie Izzard. This live show was recorded during his sell-out epic run at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London's West End. His stream of consciousness style of monologue takes in the world of fresh food shopp

Eddie Izzard, Guy Morley, Tim Waddell, Declan Lowney Universal,, Region 2; 2003 97 mins

Eddie Murphy Hero Triple

Justin Timberlake, Kevin Spacey, Morgan Freeman, LL Cool J, David J. Burke

Matthew Broderick, Reese Witherspoon, Alexander Payne Matthew Broderick makes up for years of wet-noodle performances with his low-key but unsparing characterisation of Jim McAllister, a high-school teacher at George Washington Carver High School in Omaha, Nebraska. Driven by a strange mixture of loathing and lust for pathologically overachieving student Tracy Flick (Reese Witherspoon), McAllister encourages a dim but popular athlete, Paul (Chris Klein from American Pie), to run against her in the election for student-council president. Director/co-writer Alexander Payne (Citizen Ruth) turns this deceptively simple premise into a complex and scathing comedy of ambition, corruption and desire, all at its most naked and petty. Every scene contains some painfully funny nuance that will make you wince in a mixture of astonishment and empathy. Witherspoon flips effortlessly back and forth from adolescent vulnerability to steely-eyed strength; she is becoming a contemporary Carole Lombard. The movie itself feels like a magnificent throwback to the richly layered comedies of the 1930s, which drew their humour from sharply drawn characters and twisting plots instead of explosions of bodily fluids. With a wealth of smart, cutting details, Election rewards multiple viewing. —Bret Fetzer

Romcom Triple Elizabethtown

Elizabethtown has all of the elements of a great Cameron Crowe movie, but none of the Cameron Crowe vision that made Almost Famous work. It's mostly a series of sweet moments, each capped with the right song at the right time; in fact, the soundtrack is the real star of the movie, and the right song is all there is to piece together a film that is much less than the sum of its parts. From the start of Elizabethtown, big contrasts are evoked: death and life, success and failure are side by side, so we're told. When the movie starts, Drew Baylor (Orlando Bloom) is experiencing failure and death in spades: the shoe he spent eight years designing for Mercury (a thinly-veiled copy of Nike) has been recalled, costing his company $972 million. On the verge of a suicide attempt, he learns his father has died, and Drew flies to Kentucky to retrieve the body to Oregon for cremation. On the red-eye to Louisville he meets Claire Colburn (Kirsten Dunst), a perky flight att'ndant with a charming flair for cute lines ("I'm impossible to forget, but I'm hard to remember," she chirps). Once in Elizabethtown, Drew tries to plan a memorial while dealing with relatives who have their own agenda in addition to his manic family back in Oregon, all while facing the reality that in a few days he'll be known nationally as one of his industry's most legendary failures. Yet still he manages to connect with Claire on an all-night cell phone conversation—complete with the requisite watching of the sunrise—and to strike up a furtive romance.

So we now have death and life side by side. But despite these dramatic shifts, what sets up to be a roller coaster ride of a film flattens out to a milquetoast middle ground with no real life of its own. Drew Baylor has suffered two tragic personal losses in the course of one day, but you wouldn't know it from Bloom's lethargic performance. There's not much to Claire either. Her whole character is made up mostly of cutesy quotable lines and mysterious little smirks. In the end, Elizabethtown is a film that doesn't know what it wants to be, and unfortunately there's no payoff, other than a few memorable lines and a great soundtrack. —Dan Vancini

Just Like Heaven

Bad romantic comedies make you scoff at their absurdity; good ones make you wish your life was that absurd. Just Like Heaven is just smart and likable enough to trigger that wishing. David (Mark Ruffalo, Collateral, You Can Count On Me) finds an amazing apartment in San Francisco—only to discover it's haunted by the spirit of the previous tenant, an overachieving doctor named Elizabeth (Reese Witherspoon, Legally Blonde, Election). There's something not quite right about Elizabeth's afterlife; against his better judgement, David agrees to help her investigate her life...but finds himself digging into his own as well. The plot takes a twist that some viewers will see coming, but Just Like Heaven doesn't rely on the surprise alone; the revelation takes the story in a new and just as entertaining direction. Witherspoon and Ruffalo are two of the best romantic leads around, but the surprise is how well their contrasting flavors (perky and moody, respectively) mesh, creating a sparky, engaging chemistry. Also featuring Dina Waters (Freaky Friday), Donal Logue (The Tao of Steve), Ben Shenkman (Angels in America), and Jon Heder (Napoleon Dynamite). Crisply directed by Mark Waters (Mean Girls), who carefully keeps the supernatural from getting silly and the romance from getting gooey. —Bret Fetzer

How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days

Kate Hudson twinkles as the heroine of How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, a magazine writer assigned to date a guy, make all the mistakes girls make that drive guys away (being clingy, talking in baby-talk, etc.), and record the process like a sociological experiment. However, the guy she picks—rangy Matthew McConaughey—is an advertising executive who's just bet that he can make a woman fall in love with him in ten days; if he succeeds, he'll win a huge account that will make his career. The set-up is completely absurd, but the collision of their efforts to woo and repel creates some pretty funny scenes. McConaughey's easy charm and Hudson's lightweight impishness play well together and the plot, though strictly Hollywood formula, chugs along efficiently. At moments Hudson seems to channel her mother, Goldie Hawn, to slightly unnerving effect. —Bret Fetzer

Anne Hathaway, Hugh Dancy, Tommy O'Haver

Elton John

Cassandra Peterson, William Morgan Sheppard, James Signorelli

Elvis Presley, James Burton, Stephen McKeown, Steven Orland, Marty Pasetta I will ship by EMS or SAL items in stock in Japan. It is approximately 7-14days on delivery date. You wholeheartedly support customers as satisfactory. Thank you for you seeing it.

1977 CBS TV SPECIAL THAT HAS BEEN COMPLETELY REMASTERED USING FRAME BY FRAME TECHNOLOGY THIS HAS GOT TO BE THE BEST QUALITY SEEN TO DATE. THIS IS A BACK IN TIME VIDEO RELEASE WHICH NOT ONLY INCLUDES THE ORIGINAL TV VERSION BUT THE EXTENDED VERSION WHICH IS 15 MINS LONGER AND INCLUDES THE SONGS LOVE ME AND UNCHAINED MELODY. You have three choices in the fantastic DVD. - Original Version - Extended Version - Bonus Features BONUS FEATURES : - Featurette This explains in text and picture / film form how some of the remastering was done on this DVD. Impressive ! - Trailer

This is the legendary TV Special filmed on Elvis Presley?s last concert tour.DVD Audio in Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Digital or DTS.This new remastered edition is the best DVD version released so far.Two shows were filmed by CBS on what was to be Elvis? last concert tour. The June 19 appearance in Omaha, Nebraska and the June 21 in Rapid City, South Dakota. Only three songs were used from the Omaha performance in the final special, which was broadcast on October 3, 1977.Both complete concerts are also included in improved quality. Hear and see Elvis perform the following titles : Elvis Fans Comments / Getting Ready For The Show / Also Sprach Zarathustra (Theme from 2001: A Space Odyssey)/Opening Riff / See See Rider / That?s All Right / Are You Lonesome Tonight? / Teddy Bear, (Let Me Be Your)/Don't Be Cruel / Elvis Fans Comments / You Gave Me A Mountain / Jailhouse Rock / Elvis Fans Comments / How Great Thou Art / Elvis Fans Comments / I Really Don't Want To Know / Elvis Introduces His Father / Hurt / Hound Dog / My Way / Can't Help Falling In Love / Closing Riff/Interview With Elvis? Father / Special Message From Elvis Father Running time: 55 min. (actual TV Special), total running time appr. 3 hours.

Great video, 59 minutes running time approx, fast dispatch, UK SELLER

Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, Kevin Lima Enchanted - Artist: Amy Adams

Jude Law, Joseph Fiennes, Jean-Jacques Annaud Only English language is present, there is no German or Russian language track. Runtime is 125 minutes, not 131.

Will Smith, Gene Hackman, Tony Scott Robert Clayton Dean (Will Smith) is a lawyer with a wife and family whose happily normal life is turned upside down after a chance meeting with a college buddy (Jason Lee) at a lingerie shop. Unbeknownst to the lawyer, he's just been burdened with a videotape of a congressman's assassination. Hot on the tail of this tape is a ruthless group of National Security Agents commanded by a belligerently ambitious fed named Reynolds (Jon Voight). Using surveillance from satellites, bugs and other sophisticated snooping devices, the NSA infiltrates every facet of Dean's existence, tracing each physical and digital footprint he leaves. Driven by acute paranoia, Dean enlists the help of a clandestine former NSA operative named Brill (Gene Hackman) and Enemy of the State kicks into high-intensity hyperdrive. Teaming up once again with producer Jerry Bruckheimer, Top Gun director Tony Scott demonstrates his glossy style with clever cinematography and breakneck pacing. Will Smith proves that there's more to his success than a brash sense of humour, giving a versatile performance that plausibly illustrates a man cracking under the strain of paranoid turmoil. Hackman steals the show by essentially reprising his role from The Conversation—just imagine his memorable character Harry Caul some 20 years later. Most of all, the film's depiction of high-tech surveillance is highly convincing and dramatically compelling, making this a cautionary tale with more substance than you'd normally expect from a Scott-Bruckheimer action extravaganza. —Jeremy Storey

Dougray Scott, Kate Winslet, Michael Apted It is March 1943 and the staff at Britain's top secret intelligence headquarters, Bletchley Park, are struggling to break a new German naval code. Tom Jericho (Dougray Scott) is a mathematician newly assigned to the unit, and thanks to his brilliant insig

Sean Connery, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Jon Amiel Sean Connery plays a master thief thought to be long retired, while Catherine Zeta-Jones is his foil, a hotshot insurance investigator assigned to his case. They both have a little something to hold over each other's heads, until it turns out that Zeta-Jones is a professional art thief herself and is playing on both sides of the fence. At first they eye each other with mutual distrust until they team up for a job, which goes off without a hitch. Inevitably their prickly relationship begins to thaw somewhat, and the two become attracted to each other as they plan out the massive Y2K bank scam that is the movie's climax (complete with sequel-ready ending).

Entrapment plays somewhat like a 1970s caper movie revamped for the gadget-happy high-tech '90s. The plot takes a few too many laboured twists and turns, and the chemistry between the two leads is nearly non-existent, though both carry on gamely in their parts. On the other hand, there is some genuine suspense in many scenes as they go about their business, dripping with whiz-bang burglary devices. Zeta-Jones, of course, is drop-dead gorgeous, and Connery is as reliable as always in his role. The fairly flat editing and direction tends to drag the film down somewhat, but fans of caper movies, high-tech thrillers and the two leads should find plenty to like in this film. —Jerry Renshaw, Amazon.com

Martin Hancock, Michael Sheen, Mel Gibson, Ridley Scott, Kevin Reynolds

Christian Bale, Sean Bean, Kurt Wimmer A broad science fiction thriller in a classic vein, Equilibrium takes a respectable stab at a Fahrenheit 451-like cautionary fable. The story finds Earth's post-World War III humankind in a state of severe emotional repression; if no-one feels anything, no-one will be inspired by dark passions to attack their neighbours. Writer-director Kurt Wimmer's monochromatic, Metropolis-influenced cityscape provides an excellent backdrop to the heavy-handed mission of John Preston (Christian Bale), a top cop who busts "sense offenders" and crushes sentimental, sensual, and artistic relics from a bygone era. Predictably, Preston becomes intrigued by his victims and that which they die to cherish; he stops taking his mandatory, mood-flattening drug and is even aroused by a doomed prisoner (Emily Watson). Wimmer's wrongheaded martial arts/duelling guns motif is sheer silliness (a battle over a puppy doesn't help), but Equilibrium should be seen for Bale's moving performance as a man shocked back to human feeling. —Tom Keogh

Edward Speleers, Jeremy Irons Eragon (1 disc) [DVD] [2006]

Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, Michel Gondry Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind

Colin Ferguson, Salli Richardson-Whitfield

Colin Ferguson, Salli Richardson-Whitfield Plenty of new television series need a season or two to sort themselves out, and as the second season reveals, A Town Called Eureka is still a work in progress—which is not a bad thing, considering that it’s one of the more provocative and ambitious shows out there. For the uninitiated, here’s the basic premise: Sheriff Jack Carter (Colin Ferguson), accompanied by his teenage daughter Zoe (Jordan Hinson), is stationed in Eureka, a picturesque little burg somewhere in the Pacific Northwest. Eureka is hardly Anytown, USA; indeed, this is the place where "the world’s greatest thinkers" live and work, most of them at Global Dynamics, "the most advanced scientific facility in the world." It’s also a place where exceedingly strange things happen on a regular basis. In Season Two, those happenings include people spontaneously combusting, becoming invisible, turning into gold, or simply disappearing (and leaving nothing behind—not even a memory that they ever existed); a "personal force field" that’s growing so large and so fast that it will soon engulf the whole town, and maybe even the whole world; freaky weather that changes by the moment; and even an experiment to re-create the Big Bang inside a Global Dynamics lab, leading to some unexpected side effects.

These developments are all presented with enough cool special effects and scientific techno-babble to make A Town Called Eureka a perfectly viable and sometimes quite dramatic science fiction diversion. But there’s more—much more. Sometimes this is a show about relationships: Jack and Zoe (custody becomes an issue when Jack’s ex, played by Olivia D’Abo, shows up in the early episodes); Jack and Allison Blake (Salli Richardson), Global Dynamics’ new boss (their growing attraction is complicated by the continued presence of her ex, a genius scientist type); Jack and his pal Henry (Joe Morton), who blames Jack for his girlfriend’s death but gradually learns there’s more to it than that. Much of the time it’s a comedy, heavy on the quirks; and, in a change from the first year, it’s also a serial, with several story arcs continuing over the course of the season. All of that can make A Town Called Eureka a but convoluted and hard to get a handle on, but this show is a keeper.—Sam Graham

Scott Mechlowicz, Jacob Pitts, Jeff Schaffer

Kevin Smith, Jason Mewes, Michael Fallavollita, J.M. Kenny To know the origin of "Snoochie-Boochies," you must spend An Evening with Kevin Smith. The Jersey-bred auteur of low-budget comedy proves equally adept as an uncensored raconteur, regaling five college audiences—his most devoted demographic—in this two-disc compilation of lively Q&A. Sporting his trademark slacker garb, Smith occasionally bites the loyal, sometimes moronic hands that feed him (as a result, audience participation is drop-dead hilarious), but he's arguably the most publicly and personally honest film-maker to survive the insanity of Hollywood. His best stories lift the veil of show-biz decorum, describing absurd meetings with studio executives over his ill-fated screenplay Superman Lives; razzing the artsy pretensions of director Tim Burton; or exposing Prince (who hired him to direct a never-completed documentary) as a self-absorbed Jesus freak. These attacks aren't baseless; Smith's too smartly good-natured to provoke without purpose, and with an onstage visit by Jason Mewes ("Jay" to Smith's "Silent Bob"), this ribald, sharply assembled Evening compares favorably to Richard Pryor with its outrageous blend of comedy and candour. —Jeff Shannon

Bruce Campbell, Embeth Davidtz, Bob Murawski, Sam Raimi It's hard not to feel there's something wrong when Army of Darkness, the third entry in Sam Raimi's lively Evil Dead series, opens with a 15 certificate. And indeed, this is not quite the non-stop rollercoaster of splat we're entitled to expect.

Like Evil Dead II, it opens with a digest-cum-remake of the original movie, taking geeky Ash (Bruce Campbell) back out to that cabin in the woods where he is beset by demons who do away with his girlfriend (blink and you'll miss Bridget Fonda). Blasted back in time to 12th century England, Ash finds himself still battling the Deadites and his own ineptitude in a quest to save the day and get back home.

Though it starts zippily, with Campbell's grimly funny clod of a hero commanding the screen, a sort of monotony sets in as magical events pile up. Ash is attacked by Lilliputian versions of himself, one of whom incubates in his stomach and grows out of his shoulder to be his evil twin. After being dismembered and buried, Evil Ash rises from the dead to command a zombie army and at least half the film is a big battle scene in which rotted warriors (nine mouldy extras in masks for every one Harryhausen-style impressive animated skeleton) besiege a cardboard castle. There are lots of action jokes, MAD Magazine-like marginal doodles and a few funny lines, but it lacks the authentic scares of The Evil Dead and the authentic sick comedy of Evil Dead II.

On the DVD: Army of Darkness may be the least of the trilogy, but Anchor Bay's super two-disc set is worthy of shelving beside their outstanding editions of the earlier films. Disc 1 contains the 81-minute US theatrical version in widescreen or fullscreen, plus the original "Planet of the Apes" ending, the trailer and a making-of featurette. Disc 2 has the 96-minute director's cut, with extra slapstick and a lively, irreverent commentary track from Raimi, Campbell and co-writer Ivan Raimi, plus yet more deleted scenes and some storyboards. The fact that the film exists in so many versions suggests that none of them satisfied everybody, but fans will want every scrap of Army in this one package. —Kim Newman

Carrie Ng, Diana Pang, Barry Chu

Jack Black, Steve Zahn, Dennis Dugan

Zach Braff, Amanda Peet, Jesse Peretz Two of TV`s funniest and most popular comic actors, Zach Braff (Scrubs) and Jason Bateman (Arrested Development) take no prisoners as they fight it out for the love of Sofia (Amanda Peet). Tom Reilly (Braff) and his wife Sofia (Peet) have just had a baby and when Sofia, the breadwinner, decides to be a stay-at-home mum, it's all change. They move out of the city, back to Sofia's hometown where Tom is offered a job at the firm run by his father-in-law (The legendary Charles Grodin). Everything seems to be fitting nicely into place until Chip (Bateman), Sofia's ex-boyfriend, local hero and all-round wonder-boy is appointed as Tom's manager. Chip's flame for Sofia still burns brightly and he will stop at nothing to see Tom undermined, humiliated and made a fool of in order to win back his ex...

Jude Law, Jennifer Jason Leigh, David Cronenberg Director David Cronenberg's eXistenZ is a stew of corporate espionage, virtual reality gaming, and thriller elements, marinated in Cronenberg's favourite Crock-Pot juices of technology, physiology and sexual metaphor. Jennifer Jason Leigh is game designer Allegra Geller, responsible for the new state-of-the-art eXistenZ game system; along with PR newbie Ted Pikul (Jude Law), they take the beta version of the game for a test drive and are immersed in a dangerous alternate reality. The game isn't quite like PlayStation, though; it's a latexy pod made from the guts of mutant amphibians and plugs via an umbilical cord directly into the user's spinal column (through a BioPort). It powers up through the player's own nervous system and taps into the subconscious; with several players it networks their brains together.

Geller and Pikul's adventures in the game reality uncover more espionage and an antigaming, proreality insurrection. The game world makes it increasingly difficult to discern between reality and the game, either through the game's perspective or the human's. More accessible than Crash, eXistenZ is a complicated sci-fi opus, often confusing, and with an ending that leaves itself wide open for a sequel. Fans of Cronenberg's work will recognize his recurring themes and will eat this up. Others will find its shallow characterisations and near-incomprehensible plot twists a little tedious. —Jerry Renshaw, Amazon.com

Steven Seagal, Julianna Margulies, Andrzej Bartkowiak, John Flynn

Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Patrick Hughes In THE EXPENDABLES 3, Barney (Stallone), Christmas (Statham) and the rest of the team come face- to-face with Conrad Stonebanks (Gibson), who years ago co-founded The Expendables with Barney. Stonebanks subsequently became a ruthless arms trader and someone who Barney was forced to kill... or so he thought. Stonebanks, who eluded death once before, now is making it his mission to end The Expendables, but Barney has other plans. Barney decides that he has to fight old blood with new blood, and brings in a new era of Expendables team members, recruiting individuals who are younger, faster and more tech-savvy. The latest mission becomes a clash of classic old-school style versus high-tech expertise in the Expendables' most personal battle yet.  Starring the Ultimate Action Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture, Terry Crews, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Wesley Snipes, Antonio Banderas, Mel Gibson, Harrison Ford, Kellan Lutz, Kelsey Grammer, MMA star Ronda Rousey, welterweight boxing champion Victor Ortiz, and Glen Powell.

Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant The Christmas special of the BBC comedy from Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. In this series finale, even though his sitcom 'When the Whistle Blows' is a huge success, Andy (Gervais) has finally had enough of not receiving the artistic recognition he f

Ricky Gervais, Ashley Jensen, Stephen Merchant Extras,Ricky Gervais’ much-anticipated follow-up to The Office, is a quieter affair, and a little less accessible that its award-laden predecessor. But across the six episodes on this first season DVD set are several episodes that will richly reward repeated viewings.

Gervais plays Andy Millman, an actor whose roster of jobs seems to consistently consist of extras work. Each episode follows him on a different production, and also brings in a notable guest star. Lining up throughout the series are the likes of Samuel L Jackson, Kate Winslet and Ben Stiller. And while their presence undoubtedly adds something to each carefully crafted episode, it’s perhaps those with the lesser names that show the programme on top form—certainly the appearance of Les Dennis makes for an excellent half hour of comedy-drama.

At the core though is Gervais’ Millman—a far easier character to warm to than David Brent—and Ashley Jensen’s marvellous Maggie Jacobs. It’s these two who consistently provide the show’s highlights, and while the headlines have been generated by the all-star roster of names attracted to appear in Extras, it’s the two less showy characters who work the best.

Extras isn’t a show full of belly laughs, and its fanbase is likely to be smaller than that of The Office. But it’s still a quality creation, properly crafted, with an awful lot to it to enjoy and appreciated.—Simon Brew

Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant Attracting yet more star names, while wisely moving the narrative on, the second series of Extras really finds the show maturing nicely, and unsurprisingly, cleaned up more awards in the process.

That said, it remains a far more divisive programme than its forerunner, The Office. Written by, directed and featuring Stephen Merchant and Ricky Gervais, its appeal is more concentrated and less broad, following Andy Millman on his progression from background artist to his own TV show. At times, for a programme frequently billed as a comedy, there’s a melancholy tone, although that’s not to say it doesn’t deliver its fair share of laughs in the process.

Many of those laughs are oiled by the seemingly never-ending conveyor belt of big names who take part in the show. Extras’s first season attracted the likes of Kate Winslet and Samuel L Jackson, but this time, the likes of Daniel Radcliffe, Sir Ian McKellen and David Bowie are quick to join in. There’s, er, Barry from EastEnders, too, who adds to the fun.

And fun is, ultimately, what Extras serves up, albeit laced with a depth and occasional bout on introspectiveness. As with the first season, it’s Ashley Jensen who steals the show from underneath Extras’ cavalcade of star names, with a terrific portrayal of Maggie Jacobs.

Yet this second series feels and is superior to the first, and already, its creators have announced that they’re putting the brakes on the show, save for one final special to sign off with. And it’ll be sad when it all ends. For while Extras takes a little time to get to love, it’s likely to be held in similar regard to the aforementioned The Office in the years to come. —Jon Foster

Hugh Grant, Gene Hackman, Michael Apted

Robin Givens, James Wilder, Jack Bender

John Travolta, Nicolas Cage, John Woo At his best, director John Woo turns action movies into ballets of blood and bullets grounded in character drama. Face/Off marks Woo's first American film to reach the pitched level of his best Hong Kong work (Hard-Boiled). He takes a patently absurd premise—hero and villain exchange identities by literally swapping faces in science-fiction plastic surgery—and creates a double-barrelled revenge film driven by the split psyches of its newly redefined characters. FBI agent Sean Archer (John Travolta) must play the villain to move through the underworld while psychotic terrorist Castor Troy (Nicolas Cage) becomes a perversely paternal family man, while using every tool at his disposal to destroy his nemesis. Travolta vamps Cage's tics and flamboyant excess with the grace of a dancer after his transformation from cop to criminal, while Cage plays the sullen, bottled-up agent excruciatingly trapped behind the face of the man who killed his son. His attempts to live up to the terrorist's reputation become cathartic explosions of violence that both thrill and terrify him. This is merely icing on the cake for action fans, the dramatic backbone for some of the most visceral action thrills ever. Woo fills the screen with one show-stopping set-piece after another, bringing a poetic grace to the action freakout with sweeping camerawork and sophisticated editing. This marriage of melodrama and mayhem ups the ante from cops-and-robbers clichés to a conflict of near-mythic levels. —Sean Axmaker

Sienna Miller, Guy Pearce, George Hickenlooper Charting the story of Edie Sedgwick, the infamous muse of Andy Warhol, Factory Girl is a diverting biopic, not one without some sizeable flaws, but one with reasons to commend it.

As interesting for its portrayal of Warhol as well as Sedgwick, the film charts the latter’s involvement in the former’s life, following her descent into drug addiction and how her days took a downward turn.

Still, it’s hard to describe Factory Girl’s take on all of this as the most objective of biopics, and it’s frustrating in some ways, yet does continually retain your interest for the duration of your running time. Sienna Miller’s portrayal of Sedgwick is fine, and certainly a career best, although Guy Pearce as Andy Warhol is perhaps the most impressive among the talented cast (which also features American Beauty’s Mena Suvari and Star Wars’ Hayden Christensen).

The film around this cast is a little muddled, though, and does ask a fair amount of its audience in caring for characters who are put across with little compassion. But if you are willing to put some effort in, Factory Girl nonetheless does deliver a real glimpse into some very unconventional lives. It’ll be interesting now to see how Sienna Miller builds on the performance; she certainly helps lift this film into one that’s at least worth a viewing. —Jon Foster

Michael Moore To anyone who truly understands what it means to be an American, Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 should be seen as a triumph of patriotic freedom. Rarely has the First Amendment been exercised with such fervour and forthrightness of purpose. After subjecting himself to charges of factual errors in his gun-lobby exposé Bowling for Columbine, Moore armed himself with a platoon of reputable fact-checkers, an abundance of indisputable film and video footage, and his own ironically comedic sense of righteous indignation, with the singular intention of toppling the war-ravaged administration of President George W. Bush. It's the Bush presidency that Moore, with his provocative array of facts and figures, blames for corporate corruption, senseless death, unnecessary war, and political favouritism toward Osama Bin Laden's family and Saudi oil partners following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Moore's incendiary film earned Palme d'Or honours at Cannes and a predictable legion of detractors, but do yourself a favour: ignore those who condemn the film without seeing it, and let the facts speak for themselves. By honouring American soldiers and the victims of 9/11 while condemning Bush's rationale for war in Iraq, Fahrenheit 9/11 may actually succeed in turning the tides of history. —Jeff Shannon

Gillian Anderson, Jamie Dornan

Denzel Washington, John Goodman, Gregory Hoblit Although it received mixed reactions from critics and audiences alike when released in 1998, this supernatural thriller benefits from a sustained atmosphere of anticipation and dread, and its combination of detective mystery and demonic mischief is handled with ample style and intelligence. Under the direction of Gregory Hoblit (who fared better with Primal Fear), Denzel Washington plays detective John Hobbes, who witnesses the gas-chamber execution of a serial killer (Elias Koteas). But when another series of murders begins, Hobbes suspects that the killer's evil spirit has survived and is possessing the bodies of others to do its evil bidding. Even Hobbes's trusted partner (John Goodman) thinks the detective is losing his grip on reality, but the dire warnings of a noted linguist (Embeth Davidtz) confirm Hobbes's far-out theory, and his case intensifies toward a fateful showdown.

Although its idea is better than its execution, and the story's film noir ambitions are never fully accomplished, this slickly directed thriller has some genuinely effective moments in which evil forces are entwined into the fabric of everyday reality. Among the highlights is a memorable scene in which Detective Hobbes must track the killer as the evil spirit is transferred between many people via physical contact. Even if the film is ultimately less than the sum of its parts, it's an intriguing hybrid that resides in the same cinematic neighbourhood as Seven and The Silence of the Lambs with a cast that also includes Donald Sutherland and James Gandolfini. Included on the DVD is a full-length audio commentary by director Hoblit, screenwriter Nicholas Kazan and producer Charles Roven. —Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com

Eddie Barth, Irene Cara, Gerry Hambling, Alan Parker DVD Fame Warner Bros., 7321900651455, 1980, Region 2 PAL

Family Guy: Blue Harvest

Seth MacFarlane, Alex Borstein, Harold McKenzie, Karyn Finley Thompson Family Guy shouldn't work at all. Even by the witless standards of modern television, it is breathtakingly derivative: does an animated series about the travails of a boorish, suburban yob with a saintly wife, a hopeless son, a clever daughter and a baby sound familiar at all? Even the house in Family Guy looks like it was built by the same architects who sketched the residence of The Simpsons.

However, Family Guy does work, transcending its (occasionally annoyingly) obvious influences with reliably crisp writing and the glorious sight gags contained in the surreal flashbacks which punctuate the episodes. Most importantly, the show's brilliance comes from two absolutely superb characters: Stewie, the baby whose extravagant dreams of tyrannising the world are perpetually thwarted by the prosaic limitations of infanthood, and the urbane family dog Brian—Snoopy after attendance at an obedience class run by Frank Sinatra. Family Guy does not possess the cultural or satirical depth of The Simpsons—very little art in any field does. But it is a genuinely funny and clever programme. —Andrew Mueller

Seth MacFarlane, Alex Borstein The second series of Seth MacFarlane's animated sitcom Family Guy continues with its own brand of acerbic pop-culture satire mixed with gleefully tasteless comedy. Even though the chaotic Griffin household bears more than a passing resemblance to The Simpsons, and their neighbours are uncannily like those from King of the Hill, the show's combination of extended flashbacks, surreal fantasy sequences and delightful non sequiturs ("Math, my dear boy, is nothing more than the lesbian sister of biology") refreshes the familiar formula. And any show that features Adam "Batman" West guest starring as the demented Mayor of Quahog must score points for bizarre originality.

Highlights of the 15 episodes here include Peter discovering his feminine side ("I Am Peter, Here Me Roar"), Stewie and Brian on an eventful road trip ("Road to Rhode Island"), Peter annexing his neighbour's pool and inviting the world's dictators round for a barbeque ("E Peterbus Unum") and, as a bonus episode, the irreverent "When You Wish Upon a Weinstein", which was deemed "too offensive for TV". It may be lowbrow scatological farce, but unlike its big-screen live-action cousins (think Farrelly Brothers), Family Guy is always warm-hearted and never vicious.

On the DVD: Family Guy, Series 2 is spread across two discs that boast Dolby 5.1 sound but standard 4:3 picture. There's no "Play All" facility (something else this release has in common with The Simpsons on DVD) and there are no extras other than the "bonus" episode. —Mark Walker

Ioan Gruffud, Jessica Alba, Michael Chiklis, Chris Evans Offering a real improvement on its predecessor and successfully introducing one of the world of comics’ most popular characters in the process, Fantastic Four: Rise Of The Silver Surfer easily warrants some attention on DVD to go with its impressive box office take.

Picking up where the surprisingly tepid original left off, Fantastic Four: Rise Of The Silver Surfer finds the Marvel Comics Universe’s first family dealing with the celebrity that their powers have brought them, to the point where even a simple wedding can’t take place without interruption.

The film then takes a little while to re-establish its characters and re-introduce some of the issues that underpin them. But it’s not too long before the Silver Surfer arrives, and things really get into gear. For make no mistake: it’s the Surfer who ignites the film and provides some of the very best moments of Fantastic Four: Rise Of The Silver Surfer. Backed up by some superb special effects work, he’s a far more interesting draw that the returning Julian McMahon as Dr Doom.

While there are, inevitably, various problems that each of the characters in Fantastic Four: Rise Of The Silver Surfer must face, the film never opts to go knee-deep into them. Instead, it chooses a light, breezy tone, that’s suited well to family viewing yet not without some genuine blockbuster moments.

It’s no classic, but Fantastic Four: Rise Of The Silver Surfer is most certainly fun. And it’s equally certain that this isn’t the last we’ve seen of this quintet of heroes... —Jon Foster

Kate Mara, Miles Teller, Josh Trank Please note this is a region 2 DVD and will require a region 2 or region free DVD player in order to play. Transported to an alternate universe, four young outsiders gain superhuman powers as they alter their physical form in shocking ways. Reed Richards becomes Mr. Fantastic, able to stretch and twist his body at will, while pal Ben Grimm gains immense strength as the Thing. Johnny Storm becomes the Human Torch, able to control and project fire, while his sister Sue becomes the Invisible Woman. Together, the team must harness their new abilities to prevent Doctor Doom from destroying the Earth.

Anna Faris, Chris O'Dowd, Gareth Carrivick United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), English ( Subtitles ), ANAMORPHIC WIDESCREEN (1.85:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Anamorphic Widescreen, Interactive Menu, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: Three men walk into a bar; two geeks and a cynic.They are three ordinary blokes who all have dreams and hopes for an exciting and better future. They are stuck in boring jobs with no prospects. They are frustrated and life on the whole looks uneventful.They are about to sit down and have an average night out in their local pub, a few beers, a bit of banter and joking, and putting the world to rights. There is no reason to suspect anything unusual is going to happen.The first geek, Ray, has a well-known obsession with time travel, so when he is approached by Cassie, a woman who claims to be from the future, he naturally suspects a prank.The second geek, Toby, is obsessed with films, and upon hearing Ray's story of the woman from the future, naturally assumes that Ray is pitching him a film plot. And Pete, the cynic, naturally doesn't believe any of it, until he accidentally stumbles through a time leak into the future of the bar — which happens to be full of dead people, including himself.This triggers the start of a series of accidental trips back and forth through time, during which our heroes frantically try to avoid multiple earlier versions of themselves, to avoid creating a time paradox, in an attempt to unravel the mystery of just who is trying to kill them and why.When Ray and Cassie get together in the garden and the world spins back on its axis, everything is back to how it should be. Or is it? When Ray mentions the other woman he met in the bar, Millie, to Cassie all hell breaks loose... Serious questions are raised, such as; exactly what are the golden rules of time travel? What exact...Frequently Asked Questions About Time Travel ( FAQ About Time Travel )

Billy Bob Thornton, Martin Freeman Fargo - Season 1

Paul Walker|Vin Diesel|Michelle Rodriguez|Jordana Brewster, Rob Cohen A guilty pleasure with excess horsepower, The Fast and the Furious efficiently combines time-honoured male fantasies (hot cars, hot women, hot action) into a vacuous plot of crystalline purity. It's trash, but it's fun trash, in which a hotshot Los Angeles cop named Brian (Paul Walker) infiltrates a gang of street racers suspected of fencing stolen goods from hijacked trucks. The gang leader is Dom (Vin Diesel), ex-con and reigning king of the street racers, who lives for those 10 seconds of freedom when his high-performance "rice rocket" (a highly modified Asian import) hurtles toward another quarter-mile victory. Racing is street theater for a lawless youth subculture, and Dom is a star behind the wheel—charismatic, dangerous, and protective toward his sister Mia (Jordana Brewster), who's attracted to Brian as the newest member of Dom's car-crazy team. Director Rob Cohen treats this like Roman tragedy for MTV junkies, pushing every scene to adrenaline-pumping extremes; when his camera isn't caressing a spectrum of nitrous oxide-enhanced dream machines, it's ogling countless slim 'n' sexy race babes. The undercover-cop scenario cheaply borrows the split-loyalty theme perfected in Donnie Brasco; a rival Asian gang adds mystery and menace; and digital trickery is cleverly employed to explore the fuel-injected innards of the day-glo racecars. It's about as substantial as a perfume ad, but just as alluring, and for heavy-metal maniacs of any age, Diesel's superblown '69 Charger proves that Detroit muscle never goes out of style. —Jeff Shannon

Paul Walker|Eva Mendes|Cole Hauser, John Singleton Like the high-revving imports and American muscle cars that roar down the streets of its south Florida setting, 2 Fast 2 Furious is tricked out to the max. While Vin Diesel opted for his XXX franchise, this obligatory sequel to The Fast and the Furious benefits from Diesel's absence, allowing returning star Paul Walker to shine while forging a lively partnership with rising star Tyrese, who fulfills his sidekick duties with more vitality than Diesel could ever muster. The Miami/Dade locations are another bonus, lending colourful backdrop to the most dazzling street-racing sequences (both real and digitally composited) ever committed to film. The plot is disposable—former cop Walker and jailbird Tyrese are recruited by the FBI to dethrone a thuggish kingpin (Cole Hauser)—but director John Singleton keeps the adrenalin pumping, enlisting a rainbow coalition of costars (including rapper Ludacris and Chanel supermodel Devon Aoki) to combine a hip-hop vibe with full-blown action while showcasing hot babes, edgy humour, and some of the coolest cars that ever burned rubber. Heed the movie's warning, kids: Let the stuntmen do the driving. —Jeff Shannon

Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Justin Lin Brand New Not watched.

Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Justin Lin Fast & Furious 6 (DVD UV)

Kris Kristofferson, Patricia Arquette, Richard Linklater If you're still eating that fast-food burger after watching Super Size Me, you might not feel too hungry after watching Fast Food Nation, a fictionalised feature based on Eric Schlosser's bestselling nonfiction expose. Director Richard Linklater, who cowrote the screenplay with Schlosser, guides a topnotch ensemble cast through a peek behind the veil of how that Big Mac is born. Much of the film focuses on the illegal immigrants who work in the loosely regulated meat-packing industry, and actors including the luminous Catalina Sandino Moreno (Maria Full of Grace), who plays a desperate but outraged labourer. Greg Kinnear also delivers a spot-on performance as a fast-food chain marketing manager, trying frantically to discover the source of stomach-turning contamination in the company's meat. Stories are woven in unexpected ways, and cameos by the likes of Kris Kristofferson, Patricia Arquette, and especially Bruce Willis keep the narrative fresh. The film has a point of view, but thanks to Linklater's deft touch, is never didactic. As Willis's character slyly says, "Most people don't like to be told what's best for them." Agreed, yet Fast Food Nation likely will help the viewer be more conscious of what's on the end of that fork. —A.T. Hurley

Ewan McGregor, Valentino Rossi, Mark Neale

Michael Douglas, Glenn Close, Michael Kahn, Peter E. Berger, Adrian Lyne Fatal Attraction was the most controversial hit of 1987, a film nominated for six Oscars that launched a whole up-market psycho sub-genre. In an elaboration of Play Misty for Me (1971), Michael Douglas plays a married middle-class everyman who has an opportunistic weekend affair with New York publishing executive, Glenn Close. The twist is that Close's Alex is a borderline psychotic. She won't let go, and the film moves from a study of modern sexual mores to an increasingly tense thriller about neurotic obsession. The performances are exceptional and two set-pieces, one which gave us the term "Bunny Boiler" and another in a fairground, provide metaphorical and literal rollercoaster rides. Only a laughable sex scene—in a sink, anyone?—and a melodramatic finale shamelessly ripping-off the 1955 French classic Les Diaboliques and Psycho (1960) prevent a good thriller being a great one. Even so, Fatal Attraction is still a film worth seeing again, even if it's hard to wonder what all the fuss was about in 1987.

On the DVD: Fatal Attraction on disc has a new 28-minute documentary featuring the principal players explaining how wonderful each other are. More substantial is a 19-minute feature on creating the visual look, with sections on cinematography, costume and make-up design. A worthwhile 10-minute piece examines the social impact of the movie and the controversy it generated. Seven minutes of the three stars in rehearsal is intriguing, but more interesting is the opportunity to see the original, low-key ending, rejected after test screenings. Much of the best documentary material focuses on how the finally released ending came about, while Lyne's commentary is thoughtful and illuminating. The original trailer is included and there are 16 sets of subtitles, including English for the hard of hearing, as well as an alternative German dub. The sound has been remixed from stereo into a subtly involving Dolby Digital 5.1, and the 1.78:1 anamorphic transfer looks fine, though there is some very minor print damage. —Gary S Dalkin

Armand Assante, Sherilyn Fenn, Bud Molin, Stephen R. Myers, Carl Reiner

Steve Martin, Diane Keaton, Charles Shyer Father Of The Bride/Father Of The Bride 2 - Artist: Steve Martin

Dermot Morgan, Ardal O'Hanlon The entire 3 series of the cult favourite Channel 4 sitcom which centres on a house of three Catholic priests Fathers Ted, Dougal and Jack, situated on a remote Irish island. In Good Luck, Father Ted, Ted has a chance of appearing on television but is thwarted by Dougal, Jack and the arrival of the worst fair in the world. In Entertaining Father Stone, Ted decides that he has had enough of Father Stones visits to Craggy Island, but a bolt of lightning changes his mind. Whilst in The Passion of St Tibulus, Ted and Dougal demonstrate outside the local cinema that is showing a film banned by the Pope, but the film becomes more successful despite their protestations. The priests do their Three Stages of Elvis act in the All Priests Look-a-Like Competition in Competition Time, while in And God Created Woman, Ted finds his vows of celibacy tested by the arrival on Craggy Island of a steamy authoress. Whilst in Grant Unto Him Eternal Rest, Jack consumes too much floor polish and leaves Ted and Dougal half a million pounds in his will, but he may not stay dead long enough for them to collect. In Hell, the Fathers annual holiday looks to be heading for disaster with the arrival of a suspicious couple, an over-excitable youth group and plenty of rain. In Think Fast Father Ted, Ted damages the first prize a new car in the church raffle and must come up with a plan. In Tentacles of Doom, Ted is desperate to keep Dougal and Jack under control when the Bishop comes to Craggy Island to upgrade the Holy Stone of Clonrichert to a class II relic. You will enjoy it. Oh, you will, you will, you will... In The Old Grey Whistle Theft, a rebellious young priest arrives on the island and threatens to bring about the breakdown of law and order. In A Song For Europe, Ted decides to enter the Song For Europe borrowing an old unknown song for his entry. In The Plague, the Bishop who has an intense phobia of rabbits comes to visit just as Dougal gets a new pet. In the grand old sitcom traditio

John Cleese Starring: John Cleese, Prunella Scales, Connie Booth, Andrew Sachs. Directed by: John Howard-Davies. First broadcast in 1975, Fawlty Towers has remained a timeless example of comic writing, acting, and characterisation at its very best. This DVD features all six memorable episodes from the first series: A Touch of Class - Lord Melbury arrives and Basil is only too pleased to cash his Lordship's cheque... The Builders - The lobby is in need of a face-life, so when Sybil's back is turned, Basil goes for the lowest quote job. The Wedding Party - Basil is outraged by an outbreak of promiscuity at Fawlty Towers. The Hotel Inspectors - Basil hears that hotel inspectors are in the area, just after he has been exceptionally rude to a guest. Gourmet Night - The cream of Torquay society is present for a special gourmet night at Fawlty Towers. The Germans - While Sybil is in hospital Basil tells some German tourists the "truth" about their fatherland... DVD Extras: Director commentary. Digitally remastered.

The original cowriter and director of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas was Alex Cox, whose earlier film Sid and Nancy suggests that Cox could have been a perfect match in filming Hunter S. Thompson's psychotropic masterpiece of "gonzo" journalism. Unfortunately Cox departed due to the usual "creative differences," and this ill-fated adaptation was thrust upon Terry Gilliam, whose formidable gifts as a visionary filmmaker were squandered on the seemingly unfilmable elements of Thompson's ether-fogged narrative. The result is a one-joke movie without the joke—an endless series of repetitive scenes involving rampant substance abuse and the hallucinogenic fallout of a road trip that's run crazily out of control. Johnny Depp plays Thompson's alter ego, "gonzo" journalist Raoul Duke, and Benicio Del Toro is his sidekick and so-called lawyer Dr. Gonzo. During the course of a trip to Las Vegas to cover a motorcycle race, they ingest a veritable chemistry set of drugs, and Gilliam does his best to show us the hallucinatory state of their zonked-out minds. This allows for some dazzling imagery and the rampant humour of stumbling buffoons, and the mumbling performances of Depp and Del Toro wholeheartedly embrace the tripped-out, paranoid lunacy of Thompson's celebrated book. But over two hours of this insanity tends to grate on the nerves—like being the only sober guest at a party full of drunken idiots. So while Gilliam's film may achieve some modest cult status over the years, it's only because Fear and Loathing is best enjoyed by those who are just as stoned as the characters in the movie. —Jeff Shannon

Tom Berenger, Billy Dee Williams, Abel Ferrara

Sophie Marceau, Deborah Francois, Jean-Paul Salome

Matthew Broderick, Kristy Swanson, John Hughes

Colin Firth, Ruth Gemmel, David Evans This DVD Is Brand New BUT NOT Sealed - Another DVD Is Now Becoming Very Collectible & Sought After. This DVD Is In Stock And Will Be Posted From The UK

Colin Firth, Ruth Gemmell, Scott Thomas, David Evans In Fever Pitch rumpled, amiable Colin Firth plays a rumpled, amiable English teacher named Paul. He's also an obsessive football fan who's been avidly following Arsenal for 18 years. When he falls into a relationship with a new teacher named Sarah (Ruth Gemmel), his deep attachment to Arsenal proves an obstacle. This sounds like some cheap men-and-women-don't-understand-each-other setup, but instead Fever Pitch not only explores the origins of Paul's football fandom, it actually communicates an infectious sense of what that kind of sports enthusiasm can mean, how it can provide an almost tribal identity. Even better, the movie takes this devotion seriously without ever losing sight of how it can be completely ridiculous at the same time, resulting in some amazing, funny scenes. Gemmel is charming, and Firth is simply superb. He's a great actor who, despite his memorable turn as Mr Darcy in Pride and Prejudice, never quite fits into conventional leading man roles and so has tended to play oddballs and redeemable villains, as in Shakespeare in Love and The English Patient. He's a perfect fit for this script, written by Nick Hornby (author of High Fidelity and About a Boy) from his novel of the same name. The humour of Fever Pitch is all the more engaging because it's grounded in richly developed characters and emotions. —Bret Fetzer, Amazon.com

Topol, Norma Crane, Norman Jewison Based on Sholem Aleichem's stories of Tevye who, together with his daughters lives in a humble village. Tevye attempts to preserve the Jewish heritage against all odds. Ukrainian milkman Tevye clings desperately to the old Jewish traditions while all around him the world changes, day by day. His three daughters marry men he considers more and more unacceptable, and the ruling Russian government's anti-Semitism threatens to drive him from his home. Based on the enormously successful Broadway show with great performances and unforgettable songs. Academy Award Nominations: 8, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor—Topol. Academy Awards: 3, including Best (Adapted) Song Score.

Special Features
Featurette - 1. NORMAN JEWISON - FILMMAKER/ 2. NORMAN JEWISON LOOKS BACK/Original Theatrical Trailer/TEVYE'S DREAM - Norman Jewison introduction/ANY DAY NOW - deleted song/Trailers/Easter Egg/Storyboard to screen comparison/Original production notes/Excerpts from Sholom Alceichem's stories/Ann Weiss historical photographs and background

John Cleese, Jamie Lee Curtis, Fred Schepisi, Robert Young In an attempt to catch lightning in a bottle, John Cleese wrote Fierce Creatures with the purpose of reuniting the comedic cast of A Fish Called Wanda. Media mogul (Kevin Kline) owns a London zoo. He demands that the park raise more profit, so the new zoo director (Cleese) orders that only dangerous animals be displayed in order to maximize ticket sales. In a dual role, Kline also plays the mogul's son, who plans to run the zoo with the help of displaced employees (including Michael Palin) and zoo programmer Willa Weston (Jamie Lee Curtis). The situation lends itself to comedic confusion and split-second timing, and for a few good laughs the film is a pretty safe bet. It's not as hilarious as A Fish Called Wanda (that's a pretty tall order), but Cleese knows comedy, and his efforts are worth a look. —Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com

Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, David Fincher All films take a certain suspension of disbelief. Fight Club takes perhaps more than others, but if you're willing to let yourself get caught up in the anarchy, this film, based on the novel by Chuck Palahniuk, is a modern-day morality play warning of the decay of society. Edward Norton is the unnamed protagonist, a man going through life on cruise control, feeling nothing. To fill his hours, he begins attending support groups and 12-step meetings. True, he isn't actually afflicted with the problems, but he finds solace in the groups. This is destroyed, however, when he meets Marla (Helena Bonham Carter), also faking her way through groups. Spiralling back into insomnia, Norton finds his life is changed once again, by a chance encounter with Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt), whose forthright style and no-nonsense way of taking what he wants appeal to our narrator. Tyler and the protagonist find a new way to feel release: they fight. They fight each other, and then as others are attracted to their ways, they fight the men who come to join their newly formed Fight Club. Marla begins a destructive affair with Tyler, and things fly out of control, as Fight Club grows into a nationwide fascist group that escapes the protagonist's control. Fight Club, directed by David Fincher (Seven), is not for the faint of heart; the violence is no holds barred. But the film is captivating and beautifully shot, with some thought-provoking ideas. Pitt and Norton are an unbeatable duo, and the film has some surprisingly humorous moments. The film leaves you with a sense of profound discomfort and a desire to see it again, if for no other reason than to just to take it all in. —Jenny Brown

Richard Gere, Kim Basinger, Phil Joanou This film, which again pairs Richard Gere and Kim Basinger (who starred in 1986's No Mercy), offers up elements of classic noir: a hapless man becomes intimately involved with a beautiful blonde who may or may not be who or what she appears to be. Dedicated psychiatrist Isaac Barr (Gere) reluctantly, and then more obsessively, becomes involved with Heather Evans (Basinger), the sister of his patient, Diana Baylor (Uma Thurman). Evans is unhappily married to a gangster (appropriately played by a muscular and menacing Eric Roberts in a trademark role). Gere and Basinger make a credible, if dangerous couple, and Thurman delivers a subtle, understated performance and demonstrates her range and potential.

The thriller is appropriately shot in gorgeous San Francisco, where the literal and figurative curving and hilly roads wind throughout. Credit legendary art director Dean Tavoularis for some amazing sets and scenes, notably the elegantly cavernous restaurant where Evans and her husband have a fateful dinner.

This film is, in a way, glossy director Phil Joanou's Hitchcockian tribute—as a climactic lighthouse scene best demonstrates. Final Analysis doesn't offer an intimate look at its characters, but a beautifully stylized one, moody and gloomy. The intricate plot experiments with the device of "pathological intoxication," in which the subject completely loses control after drinking alcohol. And this doesn't mean a conventional ugly drunk; it means a frightening psychotic. Good and evil, hope and despair, beauty and repulsion are often juxtaposed in the film's complex world. —NF Mendoza

Devon Sawa, Ali Larter, James Wong Alex while on a flight has a premonition that it will crash.He tells everyone to get off the ill-fated craft.7 people including Alex are forced to disembark,and in the departure lounge they see the plane crash.Now each one of his friends are being stalked and killed by the Grim Reaper who is intent on collecting the souls of those who cheated him.Special features include deleted scenes,cast interviews and a feature on premonitions

A. J. Cook, Devon Sawa, James Wong While hardly a spiritual upgrade of the slasher film, this high-concept teen body-count thriller drops hints of The Sixth Sense into the smart-aleck sensibility of Scream. Helmed by X-Files veteran James Wong, who co-wrote the screenplay with long-time creative partner Glen Morgan, Final Destination is an often entertaining thriller marked by an unsettling sense of unease and scenes of eerie imagery. It suffers, however, from a schizophrenic tone and a frankly ludicrous premise. A high-school Cassandra, Alex Browning (Devon Sawa of Idle Hands), wakes from a pre-flight nightmare and panics when hes convinced the plane is doomed. His ruckus bumps seven passengers from the Paris-bound plane, which immediately explodes into a fireball on takeoff, but fate hasnt finished with these lucky few and, one by one, death claims them. Wong brings such a funereal tone to these early scenes of survivors guilt and inevitable doom that the already far-fetched film threatens to veer into unplanned absurdity. Thankfully, the tale loosens up with a playful morgue humour: one of the victims winds up the splattered punch-line to a grim joke and elaborate Rube Goldbergesque chains of cause and effect become inspired spectacles of destruction. Final Destination is a pretty silly thriller when it takes itself seriously, and the filmmakers play fast and loose with their own rules of fate, but once they stick their tongues firmly in cheek, the film takes off with a screwy interpretation of the domino effect of doom. —Sean Axmaker, Amazon.com

A.J. Cook, Ali Larter, David R. Ellis DVD Final Destination 2 EIV, EDR4011, PAL Region 2 SEALED

Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Ryan Merriman, James Wong Director Nick Love knows how to pick up a poisoned chalice. In choosing to tackle a modern day take on Alan Clarkes 1989 The Firm, he risks the wrath of upsetting those who regard the original so highly, while also being accused of jumping aboard the remake bandwagon. As it turns out, though, he gets away with it all. Loves version of The Firm wisely uses the early film as inspiration rather than a firm template. Thus, while the setting remains underground football violence, Love switches the attention to a different character, the youngster breaking into the crowd. This allows the narrative to focus on his becoming accepted by the group, and then his struggle to break free, which settles into a solid three-act story. Its very much aimed at an adult audience, but that doesnt mean that The Firm is a cheap piece of cinema. Far from it, as it happens. Loves film mixed in sharp violence with sparks of humour, and does so to very good effect. In the process, it sidesteps comparisons to the original by simply going off in a different direction, and works well because of it. Its a little more tempered than some of Nick Loves earlier work too, but perhaps as a consequence, its also his best film to date.

Sean Connery, Anna Paquin, Gus Van Sant Finding Forrester is a very accomplished example of the sentimental melodrama that Gus Von Sant has made his own—issues like integrity and snobbery are presented with just enough simplification to the set pieces that no-one feels challenged. Brilliant baseball player Jamal gets the chance to move from a sink school in the Bronx to a private academy where his real intellectual and artistic talent will be nurtured along with his sporting skills. This is an American film about class and race, but one that makes the real issue Jamal's unsuspecting need to defend himself against accusations of plagiarism. His artistic mentor is a reclusive novelist, whose whereabouts he keeps secret even when he stands to lose everything. Rob Brown is extraordinary as the boy, conveying the sensitivity, genius, obstinacy and physicality of a character written as a paragon; Sean Connery turns in a predictably fine performance as Forrester, using his authority to make the part credible; F Murray Abrahams is, as always, an effective villain—he brings an observed creepy snobbery to the film; Anna Paquin makes a good impression in the minor part of Jamal's white schoolfellow and supporter.

On the DVD: The disc includes two powerful deleted scenes of school choirs, a "making-of" documentary and a short film about the auditions process which found Rob Brown. It has fine sound—Dolby Digital 5.1—that brings out the film's jazz score perfectly. The anamorphic 2.35:1 aspect ratio, enhanced for 16:9 TVs, looks just fine. —Roz Kaveny

Sweetness that doesn't turn saccharine is hard to find these days; Finding Neverland hits the mark. Much credit is due to the actors: Johnny Depp applies his genius for sly whimsy in his portrayal of playwright J. M. Barrie, who finds inspiration for his greatest creation from four lively boys, the sons of widow Sylvia Llewelyn Davies (Kate Winslet, who miraculously fuses romantic yearning with common sense). Though the friendship threatens his already dwindling marriage, Barrie spends endless hours with the boys, pretending to be pirates or Indians—and gradually the elements of Peter Pan take shape in his mind. The relationship between Barrie and the Llewelyn Davies family sparks both an imagined world and a quiet rebellion against the stuffy forces of respectability, given physical form by Barrie's resentful wife (Radha Mitchell, High Art) and Sylvia's mother (Julie Christie, McCabe and Mrs. Miller). This gentle silliness could have turned to treacle, but Depp and Winslet—along with newcomer Freddie Highmore as one of the boys—keep their feet on the earth while their eyes gaze into their dreams. Also featuring a comically crusty turn from Dustin Hoffman (who appeared in another Peter Pan-themed movie, Hook) as a long-suffering theatre producer. —Bret Fetzer

Ryan Reynolds, Willem Dafoe, Dennis Lee Dennis Lee writes and directs this semi-autobiographical drama about a dysfunctional family struggling to find its way beyond a devastating and unforeseen tragedy. Julia Roberts stars as beleaguered family matriarch Lisa Waechter, who has long subordinated her needs and desires to those of her family, particularly her coldly domineering husband Charles (Willem Dafoe). A tragic event triggers a series of flashbacks revealing how the seeds of the family's current malaise were planted years previously. Ryan Reynolds, Emily Watson, Carrie-Anne Moss and Ioan Gruffudd co-star.

Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres Much praised and much missed after its premature cancellation, Firefly is the first SF TV series to be conceived by Joss Whedon, creator of Buffy and cocreator of Angel. Set five centuries in the future, it is a show where the mysterious personal pasts of the crew of the tramp spaceship Serenity continually surface. In fact, it's a Western in space where the losers in a Civil War are heading out to a barren frontier. Mal Reynolds is a man embittered by the war, yet whose love of his comrades perpetually dents his cynicism—even in the 14 episodes that exist we see him warm to the bubbly young mechanic Kaylee, the preacher Book, the idealistic doctor Simon, even to the often demented River, Simon's sister, the psychic result of malign experiments.

Firefly is also about adult emotional relationships, for example Kaylee's crush on Simon, the happy marriage of Mal's second officer Zoe and the pilot Wash, the disastrous erotic stalemate between Mal and the courtesan Inara. Individual episodes deal with capers going vaguely wrong, or threats narrowly circumvented; character and plot arcs were starting to emerge when the show was cancelled. Fortunately, the spin-off movie Serenity ties up some of the ends; and in the meantime, what there is of Firefly is a show to marvel at, both for its tight writing and ensemble acting, and the idiocy of the executives who cancelled it.

On the DVD: Firefly on DVD is presented in anamorphic 1.78:1 with Dolby Surround Sound. It includes commentaries on six episodes by various writers, directors, designers and cast members as well as featurettes on the conception of the show and the design of the spaceship Serenity, four deleted scenes, a gag reel, and Joss Whedon singing the show's theme tune, more or less. One of the things that emerges from all of this is how committed to the project everyone involved with it was, and is—unusually, you end up caring as much for the cast and crew as for the characters.

Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, Lisa Lassek, Joss Whedon Serenity is a film that, by rights, shouldn’t have been made. For starters, it’s spun out of the short-lived and quickly-cancelled TV series Firefly, which has only itself got the full recognition it deserves on DVD. It then marries up two seemingly incompatible genres, the western and science fiction, has no major stars to speak of, and pretty much has ‘hard sell’ written all over it.

Perhaps that explains its modest box office performance back in 2005. What it fails to reflect, however, is that this is one of the most energetic, downright enjoyable sci-fi flicks in some time. Not for nothing did many rate it higher than the Star Wars movie that appeared in the same year.

It follows renegade captain Mal Reynolds and his quirkily assembled crew, as they work on the outskirts of space, trying to keep out of the way of the governing Alliance. That plan quickly changes when they take on a couple of passengers who have attracted the attention of said Alliance, and thus the scene is set for an action-packed, cleverly written movie that deserves many of the plaudits that have rightly been thrust in its direction.

What’s more, Serenity works whether you’ve seen the TV series that precedes it or not. Clearly fans of the Firefly show will be in their element, but even the casual viewer will find an immense amount to enjoy.

The only real problem is that given the film’s box office returns, further adventures of Reynolds and his crew look unlikely. Unless Serenity turns into a major hit on DVD, that is. It’s well worth playing your part in making that happen.—Simon Brew

Clint Eastwood, Freddie Jones

Tom Cruise, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Sydney Pollack This first film adaptation of a John Grisham novel is a crackerjack popcorn movie that satisfies even though it radically changes the last half of the book. The novel's dynamic setup is intact: Mitch McDeere, a hot law graduate (a well-suited Tom Cruise), finds a dream job in a luxurious Memphis law firm. His superiors (Gene Hackman, Hal Holbrook) provide Mitch and his young wife, Abby (Jeanne Tripplehorn), with a house and plenty of money in exchange for lots of work, and maybe something more. Soon FBI agents (including a bald Ed Harris) encircle Mitch, telling him his firm has a sinister secret, forcing Mitch into a heck of a pickle. How Mitch deals with his situation is where the book and movie differ, yet by the time Mitch is running from bad guys with suitcase in hand, the movie delivers Grisham's goods. For Sydney Pollack's film, Mitch is more confrontational and heroic. Plot aside, the care Pollack put into this fair-weather thriller is unimpeachable, as is his cast. There is hardly a better all-star cast in any 1990s thriller, from Hackman and Harris in key roles to actors in smaller parts, sometimes with only a scene or two. Standouts include David Strathairn as Mitch's wayward brother, Wilford Brimley as the head of security, film producer Jerry Weintraub as an angry client, Gary Busey as a private investigator and Holly Hunter in a delicious, Oscar-nominated supporting role as Busey's most loyal of secretaries. The cast seems to have had as much fun making the film as we do watching it. It's slick Hollywood product, but first-rate all the way. —Doug Thomas

Sylvester Stallone, Richard Crenna, Andrew Laszlo It's easy to forget that this Spartan, violent film, which begat the Rambo series, was such a big hit in 1982 because it was a good movie. Green Beret vet John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) wanders into the wrong small town to find a fellow 'Nam buddy and gets the living heck kicked out of him by the local law enforcement (led by Brian Dennehy). The vet strikes back the only way he knows how, leading to a visceral, if unrealistic, flight and fight through the local mountains. Based on the 1972 novel by David Morrell, this film saved Stallone's then-foundering career and the Rambo character became the inspiration for countless political cartoons. But this film is Deliverance without the moral ambiguity. —Keith Simanton

The Rambo trilogy is also available on DVD as a complete set.

Sean Connery, Richard Gere, Jerry Zucker 1995 had already seen the box-office success of sword-wielding heroes in Rob Roy and Braveheart when along came this glossy revision of the Arthurian legend, in which Lady Guinevere (Julia Ormond) is torn between her love for the noble King Arthur (Sean Connery) and the passionate knight Sir Lancelot (Richard Gere). As the story of First Knight opens, Guinevere's lands are under attack by the evil knight Malagant (Ben Cross), and she must choose between marriage to Arthur and the security of Camelot, or encouraging the affections of Lancelot, who has heroically rescued her from a potentially lethal attack. Anyone looking for meticulous medieval authenticity won't find it here, but director Jerry Zucker (Ghost) keeps the action moving with exuberant spirit and glorious production values. Even if you don't completely believe Richard Gere as a somewhat too-contemporary Lancelot, the performances of Ormond and especially Connery are effortlessly appealing. —Jeff Shannon

Rangers FC

Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler, Hugh Wilson Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler and Diane Keaton prove revenge is a dish best served cold. Former college buddies, they reunite at the funeral of a dear friend who took a swan dive onto Fifth Avenue. All three discover they share the same unhappy history of husbands who dove into middle-age by dumping them for trophy wives. Forming a warring triumvirate, they decide to get even, and along the way remind themselves of long-forgotten capabilities. The action gets a little too "wacky" at times, but the gals are great. Portraying an ageing actress, Hawn is sometimes a little too flamboyant, but there is much fun to be had in her flashiness, especially when she pokes fun at Tinseltown and her persona. Instead of her usual brashness, Midler stretches herself and shows us a woman who is not just unhappy, but also deeply sorrowful. Not that she isn't quick with a wisecrack, but her expressive face alone tells the story of her marriage. As the repressed and guilt-ridden spouse of a self-involved ad executive, Keaton finds her anger, and her voice, when her psychiatrist (Marcia Gay Harden) oversteps ethical boundaries. Watching Keaton grow from an ineffectual homemaker into a powerful businessperson reminds us that it has been far too long since she has done a comedy. Director Hugh Wilson smartly chose supporting players who each brought something unique to the film. However, he does not maintain the first hour's effervescent humour throughout the film, as the ending is weakened by a softening of the wives' resolve. —Rochelle O'Gorman

Bruce Li, Lo Leith, Jimmy Shaw

Clint Eastwood, Marianne Koch, Sergio Leone A Fistful of Dollars launched the spaghetti Western and catapulted Clint Eastwood to stardom. Based on Akira Kurosawa's 1961 samurai picture Yojimbo, it scored a resounding success (in Italy in 1964 and the U.S. in 1967), as did its sequels, For a Few Dollars More and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. The advertising campaign promoted Eastwood's character—laconic, amoral, dangerous—as the Man with No Name (though in the film he's clearly referred to as Joe), and audiences loved the movie's refreshing new take on the Western genre. Gone are the pieties about making the streets safe for women and children. Instead it's every man for himself. Striking, too, was a new emphasis on violence, with stylized, almost balletic gunfights and baroque touches such as Eastwood's armoured breastplate. The Dollars films had a marked influence on the Hollywood Western—for example, Sam Peckinpah's The Wild Bunch—but their most enduring legacy is Clint Eastwood himself. —Edward Buscombe

Sam Jones III, Ornella Muti, Mike Hodges

Flashback 1975

Kevin Bacon, Lori Singer, Adrian Lyne, Herbert Ross, Howard Deutch The era of Molly Ringwald's profitable collaboration with writer-producer-director John Hughes (Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club) was at its peak with this 1986 film (directed by Howard Deutch but in every sense part of the developing Hughes empire). Ringwald plays a high-school girl on the budget side of the tracks, living with her warm and loving father (Harry Dean Stanton) and usually accompanied by her insecure best friend (Jon Cryer). When a wealthy but well-meaning boy (Andrew McCarthy) asks her out, her perspective is overturned and Cryer's character is threatened. As was the case in the mid-'80s, Hughes (who wrote the script and produced the film) brought his special feel for the cross-currents of adolescent life to this story. In its very commercial way, it is an honest, entertaining piece about growing pains. The attractive supporting cast (many of whom are much better known now) does a terrific job, and Ringwald and Cryer have excellent chemistry. —Tom Keogh

Enrico Colantoni, Hugh Dillon

Stewart Goddard, Marcello Del Giudice, John Sjogren A tragic accident paralyses professional motorcycle road racer Shaun Powell from the chest down, thus ending his promising racing career. Yet when he is inspired by the child safety wheels of a kids toy motorcycle, he realises that he may well ride again. When both his wife and his mechanic refuse to get involved in this 'madness' he turns to his (rather strange) neighbour for help. After he has completed this invention Shaun is determined to compete at the highest level.... Release Date: November 11, 2002 Starring: Stewart Goddard, Marcello Del Giudice Director: John Sjogren,

Kiefer Sutherland, Kevin Bacon, Joel Schumacher What if you could stop your heart to simulate a temporary death, and then be revived so you could describe your near-death experience to others? The mysteries of life—and the afterlife—compel five medical students (Julia Roberts, Kiefer Sutherland, Kevin Bacon, William Baldwin, Oliver Platt) to experiment with their own mortality, and what they discover has unsettling psychological implications. That's the intriguing premise of this neo-Gothic horror thriller, directed by Joel Schumacher (Batman & Robin) with his typical indulgence of vibrant colours and hyperactive, hallucinogenic style. The movie borders on silliness at times, and the near-death recollection of memories results in some repetitious scenes, but the dynamic young cast takes it all quite seriously, which is what keeps this gaudy thriller on the edge. The fascinating premise could have been made into a better film, but Schumacher's mainstream excess doesn't stop Flatliners from being slick, occasionally even provocative entertainment. —Jeff Shannon

Chevy Chase, Hal Holbrook, Michael Ritchie

Denzel Washington, John Goodman, Robert Zemeckis

Joey Cramer, Paul Reubens, Randal Kleiser

Jodie Foster, Peter Sarsgaard If you can forgive plot holes that you could drive the airliner of your choice through the middle of, then Flightplan is an effective, pacey Hollywood thriller, that somehow manages to hold everything together in spite of its challenging plausibility.

Credit for that must go to its lead actress. In the hands of a lesser talent, this is just the kind of movie that could descend into obscurity. But Jodie Foster, as always, injects her character with a believability and a drive that’s hard to resist, and here is no different.

The plot sees her flying her late husband’s body back home on a commercial flight. As her and her six year old daughter settle down, Foster soon falls asleep, awaking to find no sign of her child, and no one who can even remember her being on the flight. Has someone taken her? Is it all in Foster’s mind? These are the questions the film circles, and for a good hour of its running time, it’s compelling Hollywood-style entertainment.

The cracks soon appear when you examine the film more closely though, and it’s as if Flightplan is just as aware of that as everyone else. The decision therefore to keep the film moving at a good pace is a wise one, leaving the viewer free to switch their brain off and just enjoy the ride, without querying too much the glabrous script that rarely makes as good use of the premise as you’d hope.

Yet the film still works. It may, after the credits have rolled, have failed to live up to its potential, and there’s a good hour of dissection waiting to happen afterwards. Yet, crucially, there’s also the best part of a couple of hours of good, solid entertainment in it for you too.—Jon Foster

Chris O'Dowd, Kevin Bishop

Matthew McConaughey, Kate Hudson, Andy Tennant

Gillian Taylforth, Zoe Lucker Footballers' Wives plays rather like a dramatisation of the worst bits of Heat magazine, fuelling our obsession with worshipping at the celebrity altar. In essence it's Dynasty set in the world of premiership football, though you shouldn't be fooled by the title: this is definitely not a "game of two halves". For the first time in history, men may leave the room at the mention of football to let the women gorge themselves on a surfeit of bad fashion, affairs, drug habits, long-lost children and the gratuitous disposal of excessive wealth.

There are more than a few recognisable characters—the foreign manager, the glamour-model wife, the smouldering Italian mid-fielder—whose presence only adds to the (intended) impression that this just might be fact thinly disguised as fiction (though it's unlikely that any real footballer's wife would almost kill the chairman of the club in a fit of rage, as Tanya does in the first episode). Unsurprisingly Footballers' Wives was created by the same team that produced the trash-fest that was Bad Girls and despite never being a contender for best drama it offers a perfect opportunity to become a voyeur in a world with more glitz and leg action than most.

On the DVD: Footballers' Wives is presented with an ordinary TV transfer. The special features are nothing to get excited about, just standard interviews and photo galleries. —Nikki Disney

Richard Burke (II), Thomas Ho, Paul Duane, S.J. Clarkson, Mike Adams, David Holroyd, Craig Lines

Zoe Lucker, Laila Rouass, Jesse Birdsall, Maria Esteve, Eva Santolaria

Kenny Wormald, Julianne Hough, Craig Brewer

Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, Sergio Leone

Kevin Costner, Kelly Preston, Sam Raimi Billy Chapel (Kevin Costner) is having a bad day. His girlfriend Jane (Kelly Preston, stunning as ever) says she's leaving, and his boss (Brian Cox) says he's selling the business and ace employee Billy may be out of job. Sounds like business as usual for an old-fashioned veteran. However, the business is baseball and for Billy Chapel, the 40-year old former all-star for the Detroit Tigers, it means his career—and his life—is at a crossroads.

Although it is no Bull Durham, For Love of the Game finds a solid and very believable role for Costner. The film is based on Michael Shaara's (The Killer Angels) stream-of-consciousness novel (the rough manuscript was found after his death 1988). The entire film takes place on Billy's day on the mound against the Yankees, a meaningless late-season game for the Tigers, but everything for Billy. In flashbacks, he lingers over his long relationship with Jane and his baseball career (from World Series heroism to a career-threatening injury). His one viable link to the game at hand is his catcher, played winningly by John C. Reilly. Costner, like Chapel, is looking for one more great performance, but the film is too simplistic and loopy at times to resonate. The love story has an extra helping of cuteness, and legendary baseball announcer Vin Scully nearly takes on a leading role, waxing grandiloquent. It's no grand slam, but a solid double. —Doug Thomas, Amazon.com

Sandra Bullock, Ben Affleck, Bronwen Hughes Plane crashes, pickpockets, hurricanes—heaven and hell is moving to prevent our able hero Ben (Ben Affleck) from marrying his sweetie (Maura Tierney) in Savannah. At every turn he runs into someone else despairing about the woes of married life. And of course, temptation proves overwhelming in the face of travelling companion Sarah (Sandra Bullock), the wild woman whom he can't seem—or doesn't want—to lose. After a wayward bird flies into the engine of his aeroplane, Ben is forced to find another way to his wedding. He finds himself stuck with Sarah, whom he carried from the plane after she was whacked in the head by his laptop. The heat between them is unmistakable, and the drama in the film comes from the "will he or won't he", both in terms of sleeping with Sarah and meeting up with his bride. Forces of Nature is a fun and sentimental road-trip film, but Ben is so straight-laced, you can't help but want him to fall flat on his face just a little. Bullock is the life of this film, although her free-spirited ways get a bit tired (responsibility is not all bad). The highlight of this movie, though, is definitely the cinematography. The beautiful rain shots and the colours of the scenes lend to the unsettling mood. While the jokes are not rip-roaring, Forces of Nature is to be reckoned with for those times when a light-hearted film is what you need. —Jenny Brown, Amazon.com

Jason Segel, Kristen Bell, Nick Stoller Breaking up is hard to do—but that doesn't mean you can't have some belly laughs about it. Forgetting Sarah Marshall provides that rare treat: a romantic comedy about breakups, that is both romantic and funny. The laughs, especially from writer-star Jason Segel, are both heartfelt and raunchy, and the film is just unexpected enough that it keeps the viewer's attention till the end. The touches of producer Judd Apatow, who's famously retooled rom-coms to appeal to guys as much as women, are woven throughout the film, but Segel's script, reportedly based on many of his own experiences, is fresh and original. And adult. Forgetting Sarah Marshall features male genitalia laffs presented in unexpected and human ways (the nude breakup scene is played for giggles but also deep poignancy), and the language and sex scenes are strictly for grownups—and rightly so. Segel's script, and his performance as Peter, show that he understands the true nature of adult relationships, which provides the refreshing difference between this film and some of Apatow's other crude creations. The cast is sublime; Kristen Bell (Veronica Mars) plays title character Sarah, a self-absorbed actress, and Russell Brand is her new British honey who accompanies her to—what are the chances?—the exact same Hawaiian resort as Peter, who's nursing his broken heart. Mila Kunis plays Rachel, the resort employee who gives Peter a reason to hope, and Paul Rudd is the surfing instructor who gives him his own brand of heartfelt advice ("When life gives you lemons, just say 'F—- the lemons' and bail," he says cheerily). The pacing is screwball, and the absurdities fly (a "Dracula" musical puppet show, and a surprisingly lovely Hawaiian version of "Nothing Compares 2 U"). Nothing the viewer will forget any time soon.—A.T. Hurley

Reese Witherspoon, Vince Vaughn, Seth Gordon

Colin Firth, Stephen Fry, Mike Binder

Frank Skinner Live stand up performance by British writer, comedian and TV presenter Frank Skinner, recorded at the Leicester Square Theatre in London.

Frankie Boyle

Frankie Boyle Frankie Boyle - Live

Jamie Lee Curtis, Lindsay Lohan, Mark Waters THIS DVD IS EX-DISPLAY - Good to Very Good Condition - BECOMING VERY COLLECTABLE NOW DAYS - HARD TO FIND - J - Maybe A Few Very Fine Surface Marks Due To Cleaning - Tested - Plays Fine (The case may be slightly shop soiled but the disc has been kept in a plastic disc sleeve in a dry area). This dvd has been inspected & tested plays fine maybe a few fine surface marks.

Freddie Starr THE MOST FAMOUS OF ALL THE 'AUDIENCE WITH' SHOWS THE LEGENDARY FREDDIE STARR QUITE LITERALLY DRAGS OUT THE CELEBRITIES FROM THE AUDIENCE! INCLUDES UNSEEN FOOTAGE ONLY ON DVD.

Simon Bird, Tamsin Grieg United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2.4 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital Stereo ), English ( Subtitles ), ANAMORPHIC WIDESCREEN (1.78:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Anamorphic Widescreen, Cast/Crew Interview(s), Commentary, Documentary, Interactive Menu, Making Of, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: Eccentric relations, bizarre behaviour, cringing embarrassment...It's just a family tradition. Twenty-something brothers Adam and Jonny return to the family home each week for a Jewish Friday Night Dinner of soup, chicken and crumble - plus massive side-orders of wind-ups and bickering. With a Masterchef-obsessed Mum; Dad eating from the rubbish bin; Grandma wearing her new bikini around the house, and Jim the neighbour who's terrified of his own dog, it's a feat of endurance. And that's before the concerns about Jonny's 'made-up' girlfriend and Dad's non-stop requests for Adam to find a "female" on the Internet. Of course, every family has its foibles, its rituals and its eccentricities. It's just that the Goodmans have made something of an art form of theirs... SCREENED/AWARDED AT: BAFTA Awards, ...Friday Night Dinner

Jennifer Aniston, Frances McDormand, Nicole Holofcener Friends With Money [DVD] [2006]

David Schwimmer, Gary Halvorson, Kevin Bright, Michael Lembeck, Sam Simon

Michael J. Fox, Trini Alvarado, Peter Jackson Comedy horror from New Zealand director Peter Jackson. Frank Bannister (Michael J. Fox) is a psychic investigator in the town of Fairwater, aided by three friendly ghosts who create supernatural disturbances for him to 'solve'. However, when Frank begins

Michael Sheen, Frank Langella, Ron Howard It’s not always that a stage play translates particularly well to the medium of movies. But for anyone considering such a challenge in the future, Frost/Nixon is surely a fine template to follow. In the capable hands of director Ron Howard, the extraordinary story of how a then-fairly low profile television interviewer managed to bring the disgraced former President of the United States to account is, at best, absolutely riveting.

Much of the reason for this is the two leading performances, which are both absolutely exception. The awards attention for Frost/Nixon has been directed towards Frank Langella, and truly he’s an actor long overdue some recognition. Here, as ex-President Nixon, he’s flat-out brilliant: a complex, intriguing character portrayed with real measure and expertise. It’s unfair, though, that Michael Sheen has been overlooked by some. Fresh from portraying Tony Blair in The Queen, Sheen is once more brilliant here, injecting Frost with an erratic, on-the-edge fallibility that sets up the film’s final act extremely well.

Now you can argue, with some right, that Frost/Nixon flattens out some of the facts to its own liking, and certainly the portrayal of David Frost doesn’t seem to do the man too many favours. But when it gets to the interviews themselves, it’s electric, and proof that you don’t need a bunch of effects and flashy gimmicks to keep you on the edge of your seat. Ron Howard has done this to us before with a true story, in the shape of Apollo 13, and here again, even though we know the ending, the journey there is quite brilliant. You really can make compelling drama with just two people sat in a chair… —Simon Brew

Stills from Frost/Nixon

Michael Sheen stars as journalist David Frost
Kevin Bacon stars as Richard Nixon's aide Jack Brennan
Michael Sheen and Rebecca Hall
Frank Langella works with director Ron Howard
A scene in which David Frost visits Richard Nixon’s home The superb supporting cast including Sam Rockwell, Oliver Platt and Matthew Macfadyen

Lisa Hartman, Tony Denison, Gregory Prange, Noel Nosseck

Barbra Streisand, James Caan, Herbert Ross Funny Lady Barbra Streisand is back and she's better than ever as the exuberant Fanny Brice in Funny Lady, sequel to acclaimed Academy Award winner Funny Girl. This lively, lavish musical opens a new chapter in Fanny's career and love life. Now divorced from wealthy Nick Arnstein (Omar Sharif), she teams up with songwriter Billy Rose (James Caan), a brash and unkempt showman who is bursting with enthusiasm and theatrical ambitions. They make an unusual couple - the polished performer and the upstart producer - but a friendship blossoms into love. Funny Lady is the poignant story of their show business magic, their unbridled temperaments and their touching, bittersweet romance. Featuring dazzling production numbers, elegant costuming by Bob Mackie and an electric cast, Streisand is a Funny Lady you'll never forget!

Nicole Kidman, Robert Downey Jr., Ty Burrell, Jane Alexander, Myles Paige Modeled loosely on Patricia Bosworth's 1984 biography, Fur opens with an independent, working Diane Arbus (Nicole Kidman), free of the familial restraints that previously prevented her from making art. Flashing back three months, the viewer comes to learn that she has just left her husband and children to photographically investigate her fetishes through observing the extraordinary. When Lionel (Robert Downey Jr.), a wig-maker who suffers from hypertrichosis, or excessive hair growth, moves into Arbus's apartment building with his entourage and basement full of carnival props, Arbus is seduced by this opportunity to visually feast on freaks. The split with her conventional family becomes inevitable. Confusing love with her desire to make art, Arbus is overwhelmed when Lionel perishes, though its made clear to the viewer that this event provides Arbus necessary artistic impetus.

Early scenes establishing Arbus's distaste for society parties, such as the fur fashion show her parents host, her boredom during her husband's dull, ridiculous commercial photo shoots, and her initial fascination with Lionel and his bizarre friends are strange and funny, successfully separating Arbus from the 'average' people surrounding her. But as Lionel and Arbus fall in love, pretentious whispering replaces their regular conversations, and overacting spoils Lionel's death scene, in which they both float dramatically through the ocean, followed by Arbus crying in the surf like a weenie. Arbus desperately huffing air from a life raft Lionel inflated before he died is completely cheesy. The tortured artist myth has, once again, been pushed too far.

For a film that has such fine costuming, production design, and cinematography, it's a shame that Fur succumbs to that Hollywood convention of reducing the entire plot to a tragic love story. For a project with so much potential, and with so many Arbus fans eagerly awaiting this tribute to the great photographer, it's unfortunate that Fur falls flat, due mostly to injected sentimental melodrama in scenes where it has no place. If Arbus sought to expel saccharine emotionality from portrait photography, then it's odd that a biopic dedicated to her memory would be so unabashedly corny. —Trinie Dalton

Jr Bourne As Sythe; Dean Cain As Tremaine Ramzey; Valerie Chow As Jet Yuen; Emmanuelle Chriqui As Gonzales; Tara Frederick As Anarchy Columbia, TriStar, Region 2 1998 87 mins

Demi Moore, Scott Wilson, Ridley Scott

Dwayne Johnson, Bruce Willis, Jon M. Chu For everyone who rolled their eyes even as they were secretly digging 2009's G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra as a guilty pleasure (not to mention giving it big box-office clout), this rejiggered sequel will probably prove irresistible. Hasbro and Hollywood have successfully created a franchise based on toy action figures that were introduced almost 50 years ago, now featuring all the guns, glory, and apocalyptic politics of the modern age. Along with that come the heights of preposterous circumstances and childish fantasy that any $200-plus million action movie requires. The video game quality and action figure/comic book childishness notwithstanding, G.I. Joe: Retaliation is anything but childlike with its incalculable body count, physical carnage, and extreme fetishisation of violence and techno armaments. Feeling cocky from their vanquishing the evil Cobra organisation in the first movie, the Joes are all the more ready to save the world from itself, making clandestine forays into North Korea and Pakistan with deadly precision. (The dizzying assault on a Pakistani weapons base is genuinely spectacular.) What they don't know is that Cobra has been lying in wait, and that the free world's Commander in Chief (Jonathan Pryce, having a fine time) is being impersonated by the nefarious Cobra operative Zartan (Arnold Vosloo). In the guise of a benevolent leader seeking world nuclear disarmament, "President" Zartan discredits and wipes out all but three of the Joe force. Fortunately Dwayne Johnson is among them, and every moviegoer knows he's pretty much an army of one. The script is so whiz-bang fast and full of impossibly extravagant CGI-enhanced eye-poppery that any synopsis would be akin to, well, 10-year-olds smashing three-inch action figures into each other and making up a narrative to go along with their guttural sound effects. And isn't that a pretty good description of escapism? Mention must be made of an incredible sustained set piece staged on sheer Himalayan cliffs where sword-wielding ninjas soar on ropes in an elaborate choreography that is as inventive as it is thrilling. The finale explodes at historic Fort Sumter, of all places, where the faceless Cobra Commander showdowns with the revivified Joes during "The President's" bogus disarmament summit. The cast is adequate in portraying good or bad real-life action figures with funny names and unbreakable bodies. Bruce Willis seems very happy chomping in to a glorified cameo as the retired Joe commander. Though the Joes carry the day and glory can be claimed, it should be noted that a sequel is teed up perfectly, especially in light of the fact that Cobra pretty much succeeds in its world-domination plan by obliterating the whole of London and its eight million inhabitants. It is the most extreme of money shots, rendered with loving detail; but don't worry, kids, it's only a movie. —Ted Fry

Dwayne Johnson, Bruce Willis, Jon M. Chu For everyone who rolled their eyes even as they were secretly digging 2009's G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra as a guilty pleasure (not to mention giving it big box-office clout), this rejiggered sequel will probably prove irresistible. Hasbro and Hollywood have successfully created a franchise based on toy action figures that were introduced almost 50 years ago, now featuring all the guns, glory, and apocalyptic politics of the modern age. Along with that come the heights of preposterous circumstances and childish fantasy that any $200-plus million action movie requires. The video game quality and action figure/comic book childishness notwithstanding, G.I. Joe: Retaliation is anything but childlike with its incalculable body count, physical carnage, and extreme fetishisation of violence and techno armaments. Feeling cocky from their vanquishing the evil Cobra organisation in the first movie, the Joes are all the more ready to save the world from itself, making clandestine forays into North Korea and Pakistan with deadly precision. (The dizzying assault on a Pakistani weapons base is genuinely spectacular.) What they don't know is that Cobra has been lying in wait, and that the free world's Commander in Chief (Jonathan Pryce, having a fine time) is being impersonated by the nefarious Cobra operative Zartan (Arnold Vosloo). In the guise of a benevolent leader seeking world nuclear disarmament, "President" Zartan discredits and wipes out all but three of the Joe force. Fortunately Dwayne Johnson is among them, and every moviegoer knows he's pretty much an army of one. The script is so whiz-bang fast and full of impossibly extravagant CGI-enhanced eye-poppery that any synopsis would be akin to, well, 10-year-olds smashing three-inch action figures into each other and making up a narrative to go along with their guttural sound effects. And isn't that a pretty good description of escapism? Mention must be made of an incredible sustained set piece staged on sheer Himalayan cliffs where sword-wielding ninjas soar on ropes in an elaborate choreography that is as inventive as it is thrilling. The finale explodes at historic Fort Sumter, of all places, where the faceless Cobra Commander showdowns with the revivified Joes during "The President's" bogus disarmament summit. The cast is adequate in portraying good or bad real-life action figures with funny names and unbreakable bodies. Bruce Willis seems very happy chomping in to a glorified cameo as the retired Joe commander. Though the Joes carry the day and glory can be claimed, it should be noted that a sequel is teed up perfectly, especially in light of the fact that Cobra pretty much succeeds in its world-domination plan by obliterating the whole of London and its eight million inhabitants. It is the most extreme of money shots, rendered with loving detail; but don't worry, kids, it's only a movie. —Ted Fry

Dennis Quaid, Channing Tatum, Stephen Sommers Action thriller directed by Stephen Sommers and set ten years in the future. The story revolves around the exploits of a specialised military unit know as GI Joe (Global Integrated Joint Operating Entity). When unsavoury arms dealer Destro (Christopher Ec

Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Dean Parisot You don't have to be a Star Trek fan to enjoy Galaxy Quest, but it certainly helps. A knowingly affectionate tribute to Trek and any other science fiction TV series of the 1960s and beyond, this crowd-pleasing comedy offers in-jokes at warp speed, hitting the bull's-eye for anyone who knows that: (1) the starship captain always removes his shirt to display his manly physique; (2) any crew member not in the regular cast is dead meat; and (3) the heroes always stop the doomsday clock with one second to spare. So it is with Commander Taggart (Tim Allen) and the stalwart crew of the NSEA Protector, whose intergalactic exploits on TV have now been reduced to a dreary cycle of fan conventions and promotional appearances. That's when the Thermians arrive, begging to be saved from Sarris, the reptilian villain who threatens to destroy their home planet.

Can actors rise to the challenge and play their roles for real? The Thermians are counting on it, having studied the "historical documents" of the Galaxy Quest TV show, and their hero worship (not to mention their taste for Monte Cristo sandwiches) is ultimately proven worthy, with the help of some Galaxy geeks on planet Earth. And while Galaxy Quest serves up great special effects and impressive Stan Winston creatures, director Dean Parisot (Home Fries) is never condescending, lending warm acceptance to this gentle send-up of sci-fi TV and the phenomenon of fandom. Best of all is the splendid cast, including Sigourney Weaver as buxom blonde Gwen DeMarco; Alan Rickman as frustrated thespian Alexander Dane; Tony Shalhoub as dimwit Fred Kwan; Daryl Mitchell as former child-star Tommy Webber; and Enrico Colantoni as Thermian leader Mathesar, whose sing-song voice is a comedic coup de grâce. —Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com

Gerard Butler, Wes Bentley, David Anspaugh

Malcolm Mcdowell, Paul Bettany, David Thewlis, Saffron Burrows, John C. Reilly Gangster No. 1 is without doubt the most stylish British violent crime thriller from the many produced at the end of the 20th century. For all the pop-video glamour of Guy Ritchie's Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch, neither have anywhere near as much a sense of danger as is shown here. Paul Bettany ignites the screen with a fury that explodes far more than it smoulders beneath his tautly kept temper. The tale concerns his ascent to the titular position of primacy in 1960s London, told in flashback by his present-day self (an equally riveting Malcolm McDowell). A lust for power won't allow anything to stand in either incarnation's way, especially the foppish posturing of established crime boss Freddie Mays (David Thewlis). What distinguishes this from many other tales of greed is that the never-named Gangster actually wants to be Freddie, not simply replace him. Saffron Burrows plays the suffering trophy moll in the middle of this personality clash and provides about the only level head and gentle tongue in what is otherwise a super-violent and super-profane script. This is what The Krays should have been, and therefore not for the squeamish. —Paul Tonks

Braff/Portman/Sarsgaard ~ Garden State

Breckin Meyer, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Tim Hill

Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, Andrew Niccol Columbia, TriStar, Region 2 1997 106 mins

Ruth Jones, James Corden, Christine Gernon United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2.4 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital Stereo ), English ( Subtitles ), ANAMORPHIC WIDESCREEN (1.78:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Anamorphic Widescreen, Behind the scenes, Commentary, Deleted Scenes, Interactive Menu, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: Gavin's an ordinary boy from Essex. Stacey's an ordinary girl from Barry Island, South Wales. They've spoken on the phone every day at work for months but they've never actually met... Will the course of true love run smoothly for our lovebirds, or will their family, friends and general hangers-on bring everything crashing down? Gavin & Stacey is a brand new comedy series, written by and starring Ruth Jones (Nighty Night, Little Britain) and James Corden (Fat Friends, The History Boys). Gavin is played by Mathew Horne (The Catherine Tate Show, Roman's Empire) and Joanna Page (Gideon's Daughter, Love Actually) plays Stacey. A host of familiar faces also appear in the series, with Rob Brydon, Alison Steadman, Larry Lamb and Melanie Walters leading the regular cast. Keep an eye open for Little Britain's Matt Lucas and Nighty Night's Julia Davis making guest appearances, too... SCREENED/AWARDED AT: BAFTA Awards, ...Gavin & Stacey - Series One

Ruth Jones, James Corden All 13 episodes from the first two series of the critically-acclaimed BBC comedy, written by and starring Ruth Jones and James Corden. Gavin (Mathew Horne) from London and Stacey (Joanna Page) from Cardiff have been conducting their romance online and by telephone for the last 18 months. After they finally meet, they fall in love and get married, despite some last minute doubts. Meanwhile, their best friends Smithy (James Corden) and Nessa (Ruth Jones) also team up. When Gavin and Stacey return from their honeymoon, they soon have to get used to life in the real world, while Smithy learns, to his horror, that he's going to be a father.

Ruth Jones, James Corden All seven episodes from the second series of the BBC comedy, written by and starring Ruth Jones and James Corden. When Gavin and Stacey return from their honeymoon, they soon have to get used to life in the real world, which for Stacey (Joanna Page) means

John Travolta, Madeleine Stowe, Simon West When John Travolta first opens his mouth during the opening credits of The General's Daughter and speaks in a terrible Southern cracker drawl, one briefly hopes the movie will turn out to be just as hilariously bad. Unfortunately, the accent is soon revealed to be part of a disguise, and the movie is just as quickly unveiled as a clumsy, run-of-the-mill potboiler, too mediocre to be truly hysterical fun. A female officer is discovered strangled and tied to the ground; she's the title character, and because of the general's political ambitions, the mystery of who did it and why has to be wrapped up in 36 hours by Travolta and fellow CID officer Madeleine Stowe (Last of the Mohicans, 12 Monkeys). Sexual violence and lurid S&M have been thrown in to shore up the incomprehensible plot, but that only adds to the queasy atmosphere. The supporting actors—an impressive collection including James Woods (Salvador), Timothy Hutton (Ordinary People), and James Cromwell (Babe, L.A. Confidential)—don't embarrass themselves, but even they can't make sense of their blustering, macho dialogue. It's amazing that, screenwriter William Goldman (who wrote such great and genuinely thrilling films as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Marathon Man, All the President's Men and Misery) left his name attached to this script; there's no sign of his usual skill and intelligence. Madeleine Stowe, a graceful presence in any film, is equally wasted. It was directed with a lot of empty flash by Simon West (Con Air). —Bret Fetzer, Amazon.com

Jill Gascoine returns as Detective Inspector Maggie Forbes in the complete Second Series of ITV's hit crime drama The Gentle Touch.All 10 episodes from series 2

Sylvester Stallone, Rachael Leigh Cook, Stephen Kay jack carter vive e lavora a las vegas. qui viene a sapere che il fratello e' morto in un incidente stradale. carter ha tagliato i ponti con la sua famiglia da piu' di cinque anni, ma in questa occasione sente il bisogno di tornare a casa e capire cosa e' successo a suo fratello, vivendo questa possibilita' come l'occasione per un riscatto personale. ma quando arriva nella sua citta', la vedova, gloria, lo accoglie freddamente, e per la nipote doreen non e' altro che un estraneo. la morte del fratello e' avvolta da numerosi dubbi, figure sinistre del suo passato, come cyrus, un "pappa" nel giro della prostituzione, continuano ad attraversargli la strada e a fargli pensare che forse quello del fratello non e' stato un incidente. tutto questo portera' carter a cercare una vendetta personale.

Russell Brand, Jonah Hill, Nicholas Stoller British Rocker Aldous Snow (Brand) is a brilliant musician, but due to a bad break up and nose-diving career, has fallen off the wagon and is now a drunken disaster. Weary of "yes men" and scared he's entering the "greatest hits" moment in his career, Snow's in the midst of a nihilistic downward spiral. When he learns his true love, model/pop star Jackie Q (Rose Byrne), is in L.A., Aldous makes it his quest to win her back... right before kick-starting his world domination.

John Travolta, Gene Hackman, Barry Sonnenfeld John Travolta is the standout in this somewhat cartoonish adaptation of Elmore Leonard's novel about a smalltime Miami enforcer (Travolta) who decides to get into the movie business in LA. The cast sparkles—Gene Hackman as a failing cut-rate-movie producer, Rene Russo as a failed actress, Danny DeVito as a vain thespian, Delroy Lindo as a mobster who wants a cut of Travolta's film action—and the script is clever. But not clever enough: this isn't Robert Altman's The Player, as far as satires about Hollywood go. But director Barry Sonnenfeld (Men in Black) keeps Get Shorty cute and brisk and that makes for an enjoyable experience. Travolta is great as a vaguely dangerous, supremely self-confident man whose love of movies makes him almost cuddly. —Tom Keogh

Steve Carell, Anne Hathaway, Peter Segal

Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, Donald Petrie, Jerry Zucker, Peter Howitt

Scarlett Johansson, Thora Birch, Terry Zwigoff In an inspired opening, Ghost World begins with a montage from a 1960s Bollywood video and voyeuristic shots of the neighbours of the eponymous suburban town. This is teenage angst taken beyond the realms of the pure sexual frustration of American Pie, onto the level of displacement.

Just what lies in store for two girls after school has finished? Enid (Thora Birch) and Rebecca (Scarlett Johansson) mull over life, love and the weird and wonderful inhabitants of the small town of Ghost World. But while Rebecca attempts to "grow up" by getting a job and an apartment, Enid is forced into summer Art School and begins a friendship with the sad loner Seymour (Steve Buscemi), who has more of a relationship with his seven-inches than the human race. The girls' relationship begins to strain and as the story progresses Rebecca appears in both Enid’s life and the film, less and less.

Based on the comics by Daniel Clowes, which have themselves been acclaimed as a modern-day Catcher in the Rye, and directed by Terry (Crumb) Zwigoff, Ghost World is a beautiful exploration of the confusions and choices faced by young adults. Although criticised for being slow in places, the film's pace adds extra realism to its exposure of the constraints of small-town life. The poignant ending leaves us unsure about what’s next for Enid; though from what we’ve learnt through the course of the film, going it alone and making big decisions is the only way to reap the rewards in an uncertain life.

On the DVD: Ghost World on disc comes with a standard range of special features, including a photo gallery (mainly of Birch in her distinctive costumes), trailers and one subtitle option: English for the hard of hearing. In the section entitled "Daniel Clowes’ Ghost World" there's a tour of his old neighbourhood, the inspiration for the comic, in which the author states he never made anything up; a self portrait and Clowes talking about the process of turning his comic into a film—which is about as close as you will get on this disc to a commentary. —Nikki Disney

Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ivan Reitman Ghostbusters:

Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis wrote the script, but Bill Murray gets all the best lines and moments in this 1984 comedy directed by Ivan Reitman (Meatballs). The three comics, plus Ernie Hudson, play the New York City-based team that provides supernatural pest control, and Sigourney Weaver is the love interest possessed by an ancient demon. Reitman and company are full of original ideas about hobgoblins—who knew they could "slime" people with green plasma goo?—but hovering above the plot is Murray's patented ironic view of all the action. Still a lot of fun, and an obvious model for sci-fi comedies such as Men in Black.

Ghostbusters II:

Much less fun than its predecessor, this 1989 sequel starts off on a bleak note by telling us our heroes from Ghostbusters have been on the skids for five years and Bill Murray's lead character never did hook up with Sigourney Weaver's lovely symphony-musician character. What's more, she has a kid by somebody else. Everybody's on an uphill climb, and Ghostbusters II never soars the way the first film did, despite having the same director, Ivan Reitman (Dave, Kindergarten Cop). The lame plot finds the boys attempting to prevent a disaster on New York City caused by too many bad vibes in the Big Apple. Yikes! Fortunately, screenwriters Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis have penned enough good one-liners to keep Murray busy, and if the ghostly special effects no longer surprise as they did in Ghostbusters, they're at least inventive.—Tom Keogh, Amazon.com

Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner, Mark Waters

Bill Nighy, Kelly MacDonald, David Yates

Emile Hirsch, Nicholas Downs, Luke Greenfield Girl Next Door, The [2004] [DVD] [DVD] (2004) Emile Hirsch; Nicholas Downs

Noomi Rapace, Michael Nyqvist, Daniel Alfredson The Girl Who Played With Fire [DVD] [2010] [DVD] (2011) Noomi Rapace

Two films on one DVD.

Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Ridley Scott Ridley Scott's glossy historical epic Gladiator revitalised the classic sword 'n' sandal genre, bringing both a modern pop-culture sensibility and state-of-the-art computer-generated special effects to what had seemed like a worn-out formula. Essentially a remake of Anthony Mann's stodgy 1964 Fall of the Roman Empire, Gladiator also borrows heavily from Saving Private Ryan in its stunning opening sequence, and employs Ridley's brother Tony Scott's rapid-fire editing style for the remarkably staged Colosseum fights. The overall effect is a hugely impressive but emotionally empty spectacle complemented by Hans Zimmer's bestselling but derivative score.

Russell Crowe cements his star status with a brooding, muscular performance helped along by lots of pithily quotable mock-Shakespearean dialogue. But Crowe's Maximus, along with everyone else in the film, is a disappointing two-dimensional stereotype: there's also the ridiculously melodramatic villain (Joaquin Phoenix), the old flame who's still in love with her hero (Connie Nielsen) and the trusty companion (Djimon Hounsou—who seems stuck in these roles). Richard Harris lacks the gravitas to convince as the philosopher-king Marcus Aurelius, and only Oliver Reed, in his very last film, brings some depth to his world-weary ex-gladiator. Still, if Scott's film lacks the profundity of Ben-Hur, Spartacus or even Cleopatra, it remains a kinetic, exciting thrill ride that gives us some sense of what it must have been like to fight and die with a gladius in hand.

On the DVD: Gladiator's two-disc set quickly became a must-have on its first release and remains one of the absolute essential DVD purchases. It set the standard both for picture and sound quality (Dolby 5.1 or DTS) as well as providing a second disc fully loaded with excellent special features. Scott's audio commentary is on the first disc, and the second has documentaries about both the history and the film, deleted scenes, storyboards, hidden "Easter Eggs" and more. —Mark Walker

Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, James Foley Like moths to a flame, great actors gravitate to the singular genius of playwright-screenwriter David Mamet, who updated his Pulitzer Prize-winning play for this all-star screen adaptation. The material is not inherently cinematic, so the Glengarry Glen Ross's greatest asset is Mamet's peerless dialogue and the assembly of the once-in-a-lifetime cast led by Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, and Alec Baldwin (the last in a role Mamet created especially for the film). Often regarded as a critique of the Reagan administration's impact on the American economy, the play and film focus on a competitive group of real estate salesmen who've gone from feast to famine in a market gone cold. When an executive "motivator" (Alec Baldwin) demands a sales contest among the agents in the cramped office, the stakes are critically high: any agent who fails to meet his quota of sales "leads" (ie, potential buyers) will lose their job. This intense ultimatum is a boon for the office superstar (Pacino), but a once-successful salesman (Lemmon) now finds himself clinging nervously to faded glory. Political and personal rivalries erupt under pressure when the other agents (Alan Arkin, Ed Harris) suspect the office manager (Kevin Spacey) of foul play. This cauldron of anxiety, tension and sheer desperation provides fertile soil for Mamet's scathingly rich dialogue, which is like rocket fuel for some of the greatest actors of our time. Pacino won an Oscar nomination for his volatile performance, but it's Lemmon who's the standout, doing some of the best work of his distinguished career. Director James Foley shapes Mamet's play into a stylish, intensely focused film that will stand for decades as a testament to its brilliant writer and cast. —Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com

Steven Seagal, Keenen Ivory Wayans, Donn Cambern, John Gray Steven Seagal needed a new approach to his standard head-busting heroics, so he teamed up with Keenen Ivory Wayans for this routine 1996 action flick. This time stone-faced Steve plays Los Angeles homicide detective Jack Cole, newly transplanted from New York and teamed up with Jim Campbell (Wayans). They're assigned to track down "The Family Man," a serial killer who earned his nickname by crucifying entire families and leaving religious graffiti as his calling card. The case heats up when the latest victim turns out to be Cole's ex-wife, and Cole is considered a primary suspect. That makes Seagal get really mad—you don't want to get Seagal too upset, y'know—but he still has time to quote Buddhist wisdom and crack wise with Wayans, who plays it relatively straight as the practical half of this partnership. Glimmer Man is typical Seagal stuff all the way, with obligatory fight scenes every 10 minutes or so, but Seagal fans will enjoy it and Brian Cox makes a suitably hissable villain. —Jeff Shannon

Sarah Polley, Jay Mohr, Doug Liman Director Doug Liman's follow-up to the winning Swingers is a rollicking adventure that, while lacking in any substantial plot, speeds along with non-stop adrenaline and style to burn. Taking a cue from Pulp Fiction, Liman plays tricks with time and overlapping plots, all of which play out in L.A. and Las Vegas in a 24-hour period sometime between Christmas and New Year's. Slacker grocery-store clerk Ronna (Sarah Polley) is trying to score rent money by selling hits of Ecstasy at a rave party, but winds up inadvertently double-crossing a ruthless dealer (sexy and scary Timothy Olyphant). She's also invading the dealing turf of her coworker Simon (Desmond Askew), a Brit on his first trip to Vegas, which turns nightmarish after a jaunt with pal Marcus (Taye Diggs) to a "gentleman's club" turns violent. And then there's the two soap-opera actors (Jay Mohr and Scott Wolf) who cross paths with Ronna more than once in their attempts to divest themselves of a drug-related charge by participating in a sting. The way Liman and writer John August layer these stories owes a huge debt to Quentin Tarantino, but the comedy and action sequences rocket like a bat out of hell with energy, humour, and genuine surprise. In addition to some hilarious dialogue exchanges—including a classic scene between Ronna's stoned friend (Nathan Bexton) and a Zen cat—Liman works wonders with one the most winning ensembles in recent memory, a cast that includes both established actors and TV cuties. Mohr, Diggs, and especially Polley (doing a 180 from her turn in The Sweet Hereafter) are as excellent as you'd expect, but it's Wolf (of Party of Five) and Dawson's Creek's Katie Holmes (as Polley's best bud) who turn in revelatory work; Holmes especially seems poised to be a breakout star. An amazing cinematic ride—like a roller coaster, you'll want to go back again and again. —Mark Englehart

Yun-Fat Chow, Andy Lau, Jing Wong

David Suchet, Tamsin Greig, Jon Jones

Jennifer Grant, Mae Whitman, Henry Jaglom

Eddie Murphy, J.L. Reate

Matt Damon, Angelina Jolie, Robert De Niro A complicated movie about the Central Intelligence Agency and its agents, The Good Shepherd isn't your typical spy movie. Though it stars Matt Damon (The Bourne Identity films) and Angelina Jolie (Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Lara Croft franchise)—actors with considerable experience in the action-espionage genre—The Good Shepherd requires that they play more subdued and (much less interesting) characters here. The movie focuses on the career or Edward Wilson (Damon), a privileged Yale graduate who goes on to help found the CIA. He is a quiet, serious, and guarded man, even in the most intimate moments with his civilian wife (Jolie, in a role that wastes her talent). Set against a backdrop of real-life events such as the Bay of Pigs, The Good Shepherd is meticulous in creating a realistic timeframe. The film gets a jolt of excitement when Robert DeNiro (in his first directing role since 1993's A Bronx Tale) peppers the screen with appearances by Joe Pesci, Alec Baldwin, and William Hurt. But those moments are too infrequent. At 157 minutes long, the film is crammed with many factual details, but the characters are shortchanged when it comes to development. Viewers have to wonder why anyone, much less someone like Wilson who has everything going for him, would devote his life to a thankless job that brings so little happiness to himself and his family. The Good Shepherd is an ambitious but flawed film. The actors do a formidable job with a well-intentioned but meandering script. However, we meet so many characters and learn so little about each that it's difficult to drum up much empathy for any of them. —Jae-Ha Kim

Robin Williams, Matt Damon, Gus Van Sant Robin Williams won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, and actors Matt Damon and Ben Affleck nabbed one for Best Original Screenplay, but the feel-good hit Good Will Hunting triumphs because of its gifted director, Gus Van Sant. The unconventional director (My Own Private Idaho, Drugstore Cowboy) saves a script marred by vanity and clunky character development by yanking soulful, touching performances out of his entire cast (amazingly, even one by Williams that's relatively schtick-free). Van Sant pulls off the equivalent of what George Cukor accomplished for women's melodrama in the 1930s and 40s: He's crafted an intelligent, unabashedly emotional male weepie about men trying to find inner-wisdom.

Matt Damon stars as Will Hunting, a closet maths genius who ignores his gift in favour of nightly boozing and fighting with South Boston buddies (co-writer Ben Affleck among them). While working as a university janitor, he solves an impossible calculus problem scribbled on a hallway blackboard and reluctantly becomes the prodigy of an arrogant MIT professor (Stellan Skarsgård). Damon only avoids prison by agreeing to see psychiatrists, all of whom he mocks or psychologically destroys until he meets his match in the professor's former childhood friend, played by Williams. Both doctor and patient are haunted by the past and, as mutual respect develops, the healing process begins. The film's beauty lies not with grand climaxes, but with small, quiet moments. Scenes such as Affleck's clumsy pep talk to Damon while they drink beer after work, or any number of therapy session between Williams and Damon offer poignant looks at the awkward ways men show affection and feeling for one another. —Dave McCoy

Joseph Fiennes, Dennis Haysbert, Bille August United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), French ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), Spanish ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), English ( Subtitles ), French ( Subtitles ), Spanish ( Subtitles ), ANAMORPHIC WIDESCREEN (2.35:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Interactive Menu, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: White prison guard James Gregory's life is profoundly altered when he meets the prisoner Nelson Mandela, whom he ends up guarding for more than twenty years. ...Goodbye Bafana ( Il Colore della liberta' ) ( Detenuto 46664 )

Jeff Cohen, Corey Feldman, Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, Richard Donner, Steven Spielberg You may be surprised to discover that the director of the Lethal Weapon movies and scary horror flick The Omen, Richard Donner, also produced and directed this classic childrens adventure (which, by the way, was written by Donners screen-wizard friend Steven Spielberg). Then again you may not. The Goonies, like Donners other movies, is the same story of good versus evil. It has its share of bad guys (the Fratelli brothers and their villainous mother), reluctant-hero good guys (the Walsh bothers and their gang of friends), and lots of corny one-liners. Like in an old-fashioned Hardy Boys or Nancy Drew plot, the Goonies need to solve a problem: a corrupt corporate developer has bought out their neighbourhood and plans to flatten all their homes. Luckily, the beloved gang stumbles on a treasure map. In the hopes of finding the treasure to buy back their houses, the Goonies embark on their quest through underground passages, aboard pirate ships, and behind waterfalls. This swashbuckling and rollicking ride was also a great breeding ground for a couple of child actors who went on to enjoy numerous successes in adulthood: Sean Astin (Rudy, Encino Man) and Martha Plimpton (Pecker, 200 Cigarettes). —Samantha Allen Storey, Amazon.com

William Hurt, Lee Marvin, Michael Apted Martin Cruz Smith's bestselling mystery novel seemed ideal material for a movie version, but in Gorky Park director Michael Apted and the usually reliable writer Dennis Potter couldn't quite solve the problem of taking the story from page to screen. William Hurt plays Renko, a Cold War-era Moscow police detective who must cope with both crooks and Communist party protocol as he tries to solve a murder case in the middle of one of Moscow's public parks that leaves three faceless corpses. The strands of the mystery involve corruption, American money and the fur trade and, ultimately, take Renko to New York. But the tension is never all there, despite a deliciously menacing performance by Lee Marvin as the bad guy and Brian Dennehy as an American cop who becomes Renko's ally. —Marshall Fine

Kristen Scott Thomas, Stephen Fry, Robert Altman Gosford Park country estate, 1932. Various members of the English upper classes have arrived for a shooting party, along with film star Ivor Novello (Jeremy Northam), Hollywood producer Morris Weissman (Bob Balaban) and Weissman's valet Henry Denton (Ryan Phillippe). The servants are busily getting everything ready, and Elsie (Emily Watson), one of the resident staff, is helping visiting maid Mary Maceachran (Kelly MacDonald) find her way around the old house. As the weekend progresses a number of secrets and hidden relationships begin to come to light, and this situation is hastened further when Sir William McCordle (Michael Gambon), the owner of the estate, is discovered murdered, and various guests and staff come under suspicion.

James Marsden, Lena Headey, Davis Guggenheim Actors: James Marsden, Lena Headey, Norman Reedus, Kate Hudson, Eric Bogosian
Director: Davis Guggenheim
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video

Before he started losing his hair (which gave his baby face the maturity it needed for him to be taken seriously as a doctor on E.R.), Anthony Edwards was the quintessential juvenile lead, college division. That is what he plays here: a college kid who is campus champ at an assassination game called Gotcha (that uses fake guns). Then he goes on a summer vacation behind the Iron Curtain (before it came tumbling down) and falls for a female operative (Linda Fiorentino), who not only uses him as an unsuspecting courier for spy stuff but makes him a fall guy, as well. When he finally extricates himself from the trouble, the trouble follows him back to campus. Silly and far-fetched, though Edwards has that wounded-puppy look down perfectly. —Marshall Fine

Clint Eastwood, Christopher Carley Clint Eastwood Gran Torino

Ralph Fiennes, Tilda Swinton, Wes Anderson Grand Budapest Hotel

John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, Randal Kleiser Grease was a phenomenal hit with its target teenage audience when it was released in 1977. The songs dominated the pop charts and brought heady success for its lead actors, John Travolta (Danny) and Olivia Newton-John (Sandy) despite the fact that—as with their energetic co-stars—their own teenage years were some way behind them. As they seize the chance to relive their schooldays, their verve and enthusiasm explodes from the screen. The real class, though, comes from Stockard Channing as feisty Rizzo and, in a couple of cameos, wisecracking silver screen actresses from yesteryear Eve Arden and Joan Blondel.

Based on the 1972 stage show and adding several new numbers, Grease is at heart a rites-of-passage movie with plenty of feel-good moments and a euphoric buzz. "You're the One That I Want", "Hopelessly Devoted to You" and "Summer Nights" became the soundtrack for a generation of high-school students on the cusp of adulthood. Today, it looks like a pastiche of those 1950s Connie Francis rock & roll beach films. But the steady stream of double entendres and knowing body language render it more accessible to the less innocent late 1970s. It's overwhelming nostalgia for anyone in the vicinity of 40.

On the DVD: The 25th anniversary special edition of Grease rolls back the years: the 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen presentation transports you instantly back to fifth-form heaven in the local fleapit. The Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound ensures that the songs—ever the staple of MOR radio—complete the nostalgia trip with real zip. The main extra is a short series of fond reminiscences from the actors and director Randal Kleiser, actually filmed for the 20th anniversary. —Piers Ford

Maxwell Caulfield, Michelle Pfeiffer, Patricia Birch Trusted Seller

Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan, Baz Luhrmann Baz Luhrmann writes, directs and produces this adaptation of the F. Scott Fitzgerald novel starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire and Carey Mulligan. Set in the 1920s, the story follows aspiring writer Nick Carraway (Maguire) as he moves to New York and becomes intrigued by his neighbour Jay Gatsby (DiCaprio)'s lavish lifestyle and mysterious past. As Nick finds himself caught up in the world of the wealthy, he witnesses romantic entanglement and betrayal. Gatsby's true nature is slowly exposed and his involvement with old flame Daisy Buchanan (Mulligan) ultimately leads to tragedy. The soundtrack was overseen by Jay-Z and features music from, amongst others, Beyonce, Andre 3000, Will.i.am, Lana Del Rey and Florence and the Machine, as well as Jay-Z himself. UltraViolet Expiry Date: November 11, 2015 Extra Content Deleted Scenes

John Wayne, David Janssen, Otho Lovering, Mervyn LeRoy, Ray Kellogg John Wayne Green Berets

Gérard Depardieu, Andie MacDowell, Peter Weir In the delightful romantic comedy Green Card, Georges (Gérard Depardieu), a composer and one-time petty thief who grew up in poverty, attempts to escape his life in Paris and begin anew in America by illegally marrying Bronte (Andie MacDowell), a prim and repressed young lady from a privileged life in Connecticut. Bronte, who has agreed to the scheme for her own self-serving reasons, is exasperated when the Immigration & Naturalisation Service investigates their case, and she and Georges, whom she detests, must spend time together studying each other's lives to avoid disaster. The fallout is infinitely better handled than any run-of-the-mill Hollywood romantic comedy, and the very ending itself stops deliciously short of where Hollywood would feel compelled to drag the story. Fine performances are given by MacDowell, Depardieu—who is fiercely charming pounding the keyboard of a Steinway at an upper class Manhattan dinner party—and Bebe Neuwirth, who is perfect as an upper-class child turned artist who revels in her irresponsibility. —James McGrath, Amazon.com

Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Martin Campbell Please note this is a region 2 DVD and will require a region 2 or region free DVD player in order to play.

In brightest day, in blackest night, no evil shall escape my sight! Let those who worship evil's might beware my power... Green Lantern's light!

In a universe as vast as it is mysterious, a small but powerful force has existed for centuries. Protectors of peace and justice, they are called the Green Lantern Corps. A brotherhood of warriors sworn to keep intergalactic order, each Green Lantern wears a ring that grants him superpowers. But when a new enemy called Parallax threatens to destroy the balance of power in the Universe, their fate and the fate of Earth lie in the hands of their newest recruit, the first human ever selected: Hal Jordan.

Hal is a gifted and cocky test pilot, but the Green Lanterns have little respect for humans, who have never harnessed the infinite powers of the ring before. But Hal is clearly the missing piece to the puzzle, and along with his determination and willpower, he has one thing no member of the Corps has ever had: humanity. With the encouragement of fellow pilot and childhood sweetheart Carol Ferris (Blake Lively), if Hal can quickly master his new powers and find the courage to overcome his fears, he may prove to be not only the key to defeating Parallax...he will become the greatest Green Lantern of all. Preview of Green Lantern: The Animated SeriesPreview of the new comic series Justice League #1

 

  Actors    Ryan Reynolds, Mark Strong, Peter Sarsgaard, Blake Lively, Tim Robbins, Angela Bassett, Temuera Morrison, Taika Cohen & Jenna CraigDirector        Martin CampbellCertificate        12 year

Tom Hanks, Michael Clarke Duncan, Richard Francis-Bruce, Frank Darabont "The book was better" has been the complaint of many a reader since the invention of films. The Green Mile is Frank Darabont's second adaptation of a Stephen King prison drama The Shawshank Redemption was the first) and is a very faithful adaptation of King's serial novel. In the middle of the Depression, Paul Edgecomb (Tom Hanks) runs death row at Cold Mountain Penitentiary. Into this dreary world walks a mammoth prisoner, John Coffey (Michael Duncan) who, very slowly, reveals a special gift that will change the men working and dying (in the electric chair, masterfully and grippingly staged) on the mile.

As with King's book, Darabont takes plenty of time to show us Edgecomb's world before delving into John Coffey's mystery. With Darabont's superior storytelling abilities, his touch for perfect casting, and a leisurely 188-minute running time, his film brings to life nearly every character and scene from the novel. Darabont even improves the novel's two endings, creating a more emotionally satisfying experience. The running time may try patience, but those who want a story, as opposed to quick-fix entertainment, will be rewarded by this finely tailored tale. —Doug Thomas

Tamsin Greig, Mark Heap

Tamsin Greig, Stephen Mangan, Dominic Brigstocke, Tristram Shapeero

Green Wing

Matt Damon, Greg Kinnear, Paul Greengrass

Clive Owen, Helen Mirren, Justin Krish, Joel Hershman

Greg Davies

The British stand-up comedian and star of 'We are Klang' and 'The Inbetweeners' performs his debut show live in 2011.

Ellen Pompeo, Patrick Dempsey, Peter Horton Just when you wanted to say "Oh no, not another hospital drama," Grey's Anatomy turns into one of the most addicting series on television. With no big stars and no hype, the ABC series debuted as a mid-season replacement and became a bonafide smash in its nine-episode season. The series, a hybrid of House's medical detectives and Dawson's Creek's hormones and catchy pop-rock soundtrack, follows five competitive surgical interns at the fictional Seattle Grace Hospital. There's optimistic ex-model Izzie (Katherine Heigl), bumbling do-gooder George (T.R. Knight), competitive glacier Cristina (Sandra Oh), cocky womanizer Alex (Justin Chambers), and the show's namesake, Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo), whose medical career is complicated by her famous surgeon mother who now lives with Alzheimer's, and her frowned-upon relationship with another surgeon, Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey, enjoying the best career revival since Rob Lowe). The doctors juggle romance and foster friendships while trying not to stab each other in the back over surgeries. Grey's Anatomy's first season, while entertaining, went a little far trying to find its groove, overdosing on Meredith's overly simplistic voice-overs ("At the end of the day... faith is a funny thing"), and musical montages. It has the usual trappings of a hospital drama (unusual cases, such as the patient with the 70-pound tumor, and trysts in the on-call room), but with more warm fuzzies and light touches. Pompeo, who can sound just like Renee Zellweger if you close your eyes, is likeable but not strong enough of a presence compared to her co-stars. Luckily the quirky dialogue and stellar acting by the ethnically diverse cast, particularly by Chandra Wilson (Dr. Bailey, aka "the Nazi") and Oh, who won a Golden Globe for best supporting actress, more than make up for it. —Ellen A. Kim

Peter Horton

Ellen Pompeo, Isaiah Washington, Peter Horton In the third season of Grey's Anatomy, one medical intern will get married to a superior while another is left standing at the altar. Two interns will lose their parents. And one main character will try to commit suicide—or not fight very hard to save her own life. There will be multiple hook-ups, infidelity, and trust issues. In between the soap opera-style drama that attracts millions of viewers in the US each week, interns Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo), Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh), Izzie Stevens (Katherine Heigl), Alex Karev (Justin Chambers), and George O'Malley (T.R. Knight) will also perform some medical miracles. At the end of season 2, Izzie was distraught over the death of her fiancé, Denny. Now she finds that her very rich boyfriend has left her millions of dollars. Instead of putting the money into the bank and allowing it to accrue interest until she decides what she wants to do with it—as sensible Dr. Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson) suggests—Izzie mopes around the house in an irritating stupor. Actually, irritating is an apt description for several of the main characters. It takes a leap of faith to believe that sexy, spectacular, and rich orthopedic surgeon Callie Torres (Sara Ramirez) would be even vaguely interested in wishy-washy George. Previously, he'd convinced himself that he was in love with Meredith. Now he's pining for his other roommate, Izzie, even though he's already got Callie. And rather than welcoming her into their fold, Izzie and Meredith (and to a lesser extent Cristina) give Callie the mean-girls treatment. They may have rebuffed him at one point, but they don't want Callie to have him, either. There is something very needy about this group of interns who have no one to turn to but each other when a crisis occurs.

Viewers get some insight into "dark and twisty" Meredith's upbringing, as she spends more time with her cold and demanding mother, who is suffering from Alzheimer's, and her milquetoast father, who didn't fight very hard to have contact with her as a child after her mum kicked him out of their house. It's no wonder Meredith ended up emotionally damaged and unwilling to completely open up to Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey) ... a.k.a. McDreamy. Though the show's title implies that Meredith is the most important character, it's not true. The ensemble cast, which also includes James Pickens Jr. as Dr. Richard Webber (who had a long and complicated affair with Meredith's mother) and Kate Walsh as Derek's ex-wife Addison, is fantastic. And it's difficult to outshine Oh, who has some of this season's funniest and emotional moments as she navigates a relationship with Preston Burke (Isaiah Washington), who is far more romantic and traditional than she is. Though not as compelling as the show's debut season, this third year still packs a strong emotional punch. —Jae-Ha Kim

Ellen Pompeo, Sandra Oh Season four of the hit ABC medical drama was on shaky ground from the season premiere, which left Cristina (Sandra Oh) at the altar by Burke (Isaiah Washington, fired after the press-frenzied third season); Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) and Derek (Patrick Dempsey) downgraded to no-relationship-just-sex status; and George (T.R. Knight) pondering divorce from Callie (Sara Ramirez) to pursue love with his best friend, Izzie (Katherine Heigl). That last pairing made for one of the worst decisions in the series thus far; George and Izzie always worked so well as friends without the will-they-won't-they element, but suddenly throwing them into bed and watching them fumble their way to coupledom (an attempt that mercifully doesn't last) was painful to watch, in particular because Heigl, who had won an Emmy for the previous season, was reduced to a lot of whining and fretting. Meanwhile, Meredith's family issues come to a head when her half-sister Lexie (Chyler Leigh) begins her internship at Seattle Grace and instantly tries too hard to bond. And as she once again drives away Derek with her trust issues, Meredith finally gets smart and enters therapy (one of the redeeming elements of the season, with Amy Madigan as the hard-nosed counselor) to "get healed." The writers' strike became a welcome blessing for the show, which had seriously derailed before its hiatus; during the strike, creator Shonda Rimes has said she reexamined the direction of the show, making for an ultimately satisfying second half of the season. Standout episodes include "Forever Young," in which a high school bus crash leaves the staff pontificating their own adolescent cliques; "Lay Your Hands on Me," with a standout performance by Chandra Wilson as Bailey, whose crumbling marriage comes front and center when her toddler gets in an accident; and the season finale "Freedom," in which Meredith and Derek save two brain-tumor patients in love (Jurnee Smollett and Marshall Allman), leading to their own (lasting?) reunion, Bailey heads up an effort to rescue a guy who lay in concrete to impress a girl; and Callie finds herself attracted to the new cardiac surgeon, Erica Hahn (Brooke Smith). —Ellen A. Kim

Donald Crisp, Laurence Naismith, Don Chaffey bobby il cucciolo di edimburgo / greyfriars bobby (Dvd) Italian Import

Dwayne Johnson, Xzibit, Phil Joanou In Gridiron Gang, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson once again displays far more cinematic charisma than one could expect from a former professional wrestler. Sean Porter (Johnson, Be Cool), a football player turned juvenile detention counsellor, wrestles with a seemingly insolvable problem: The vast majority of young men who leave detention fall right back into crime. Seeking a way to give these not-yet-hardened kids a taste of self-esteem and discipline, Porter persuades his superiors to let him teach the kids football—and then take on high school teams. Though based on a true story (documentary footage over the closing credits reveals that some dialogue was lifted straight from the real Sean Porter's mouth), Gridiron Gang is pure underdogs-overcome-adversity formula. A formula is not necessarily a bad thing; when executed with skill and commitment, fulfilling a classic story mechanism can be perfectly satisfying, and Gridiron Gang qualifies. But it's Johnson who carries it through, demonstrating—in the most unlikely of roles—a surprisingly gentle touch. Johnson manages to be manly without overbearing machismo, earning not only respect but empathy. —Bret Fetzer

Adam Sandler, Salma Hayek, Dennis Dugan Adam Sandler and his frequent costars (Chris Rock, Kevin James, David Spade, and Rob Schneider) grope blindly for maturity in the genial comedy Grown Ups. Five childhood pals are drawn back together after the death of their former basketball coach; over the course of a Fourth of July weekend, they—along with their wildly attractive wives (played by Salma Hayek, Maria Bello, Maya Rudolph) and precocious children—loosen up, try to introduce their kids to the simple pleasures of nature, air some dirty laundry, and rediscover their friendship. In other words, it's a fairly formulaic comedy that veers awkwardly from gags (ranging from slapstick to mean-spiritedness) to sentiment (ranging from sappy to not entirely sappy). Its appeal will depend entirely on your feelings about Sandler and the rest of the gang—if you like this bunch of lugs (in all their prolonged adolescent glory), then you'll like this movie. If you don't, you won't. Everyone's in relaxed but good form; affable is more the comic goal than razor sharp. Expect gags about being fat, being old, prolonged breast-feeding, ogling hot chicks, flatulence, etc. There's some role reversal: it's the women, particularly Hayek as a type-A fashion designer, who need to learn the eternal cinematic lesson that family is more important than work. Featuring guest appearances from Tim Meadows, Colin Quinn, and Steve Buscemi. —Bret Fetzer

Helena Bonham Carter, James Corden, Jakob Schuh, Max Lang United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), English ( Dolby Digital Stereo ), ANAMORPHIC WIDESCREEN (1.78:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Anamorphic Widescreen, Interactive Menu, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: The protagonist of The Gruffalo is a mouse. The story of the mouse's walk through the woods unfolds in two phases; in both, the mouse uses cunning to evade danger. The mouse goes for a walk in the forest and on his way encounters several dangerous animals (a fox, an owl, and a snake). Each of these animals, clearly intent on eating the mouse, invites him back to their home for a meal. The cunning mouse declines each offer. To dissuade further advances, he tells each animal that he is going to dine with his friend, a gruffalo, whose favourite food happens to be the relevant animal. The mouse describes the outlandish features of the gruffalo's monstrous anatomy. Frightened that the gruffalo might eat them, each animal flees. The mouse gloats to himself; he knows the gruffalo is a fictional monster: Silly old fox/owl/snake, doesn't he know? there's no such thing as a gruffalo! After he has seen off the last animal, however, the mouse is shocked to encounter a real gruffalo, bearlike and hideous and with all the frightening features the mouse thought that he was inventing. True to his reputation, the gruffalo threatens to eat the mouse, but again the mouse is cunning. He tells the gruffalo that he, the mouse, is the scariest animal in the forest. Laughing, the gruffalo agrees to follow the mouse as he demonstrates how everyone is afraid of him. The two walk through the forest, encountering in turn the animals that had earlier menaced the mouse. Each is terrified by the sight of the pair and runs off, and each time the gruffalo becomes more impressed with the mouse's apparent toughness. Exploiting this, the mouse threatens to eat the gruffa...The Gruffalo (2009)

Julia Donaldson

Rik Mayall, Adrian Edmondson

Robert Downey Jr, Rosario Dawson, Shia La Beouf, Chazz Palminteri, Diane Wiest A film adaptation of Dito Montiel's memoir of the same name, A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints is a compelling, thoughtful movie based on Montiel's childhood growing up in 1980s Queens. A writer and director who understands his limitations, Montiel wisely left the acting to the pros. Shia LaBeouf (Holes) plays him during his adolescence, while Robert Downey Jr. (Good Night, and Good Luck, Wonder Boys) portrays the grown-up Dito. Never mind that there is absolutely no physical resemblance between the two actors; LaBeouf and Downey are so convincing in their roles it doesn't matter. Switching effortlessly from present day (where Dito is a successful author) to the past (where he is a tough little kid trying to figure out if there is life beyond New York), A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints tackles Dito's complicated relationship with his parents (Chazz Palminteri and Dianne Wiest), as well as the friends he left behind. Eric Roberts is magnificent in a small role as one of Dito's tough, childhood buddies. His powerful performance makes viewers remember there was a time when Roberts was better known for his acting skills than for being Julia's big brother. Montiel—a first-time filmmaker—won the Director's Award at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival for his autobiographical movie. Raw, gritty, and honest, Saints makes a strong impact and leaves the viewer curious as to how the rest of Montiel's life will work out. —Jae-Ha Kim

David Niven, Gregory Peck, Alexander Mackendrick, J. Lee Thompson This rousing, explosive 1961 World War II adventure, based on Alistair MacLean's thrilling novel, turns the war thriller into a deadly caper film. Gregory Peck heads a star-studded cast charged with a near impossible mission: destroy a pair of German guns nestled in a protective cave on the strategic Mediterranean island of Navarone, from where they can control a vital sea passage. As world-famous mountain climber turned British army Captain, Mallory (Peck) leads a guerrilla force composed of the humanitarian explosives expert, Miller (David Niven), the ruthless Greek patriot with a grudge, Stavros (Anthony Quinn), veteran special forces soldier Brown (Stanley Baker) and the cool, quiet young marksman Pappadimos (James Darren). This disparate collection of classic types must overcome internal conflicts, enemy attacks, betrayal and capture to complete their mission. Director J. Lee Thompson sets a driving pace for this exciting (if familiar) military operation, a succession of close calls, pitched battles and last-minute escapes as our heroes infiltrate the garrisoned town with the help of resistance leader Maria (Irene Papas) and plot their entry into the heavily guarded mountain fort. Carl Foreman's screenplay embraces MacLean's role call of clichés and delivers them with style, creating one of the liveliest mixes of espionage, combat and good old-fashioned military derring-do put on film, while Dimitri Tiomkin's score is as sturdy as the rock of Navarone itself. —Sean Axmaker

On the DVD: This special-edition DVD gives the modern-day viewer a taste of what movies were like in 1961. Four curious featurettes are included, produced as publicity for the film. James Darren narrates a little ditty at his honeymoon in Malta during filming; Irene Papas narrates a giddy, old-fashioned look at "Two Girls on the Town". There is even a filmed bit with producer-writer Carl Foreman that was shown once at the premiere. The 30-minute retrospective, "Memories of Navarone", made in 1999 has the expected reminiscences from Gregory Peck and Anthony Quinn. Director J. Lee Thompson's audio commentary is a bit frustrating; he's now in his 80s, and most of his recollections are slow in coming. A historian could have brought out the film's history (it was the most expensive movie ever made at time of release) and produced a more vital viewing. —Doug Thomas

Jimi Mistry, Heather Graham, Daisy Mayer

Iain Softley, Jonny Lee Miller As a depiction of the computer-hacker underground, this movie is bogus to the bone. As a thriller, it's cartoonish and conventional. The premise (computer-happy kids hack into the wrong system, and the Forces of Repression come after them) is recycled from John Badham's 1983 WarGames. And the corporate-creep bad guy, played by Fisher Stevens, steeples his fingers and growls mossy villainous clichés. ("By the time they realize the truth, we'll be long gone with all the money.") For all its postmodern trappings the movie is working with sub-prehistoric storytelling tools. But it does succeed on one level, as a movie about adolescent bonding and alienation. The director, Iain Softley, helmed the Beatles-in-Hamburg biopic Backbeat, and he seems to have an instinct for the emotions that pull kids together around common interests and the insecurities that drive them apart. The familiar crises of loyalty and betrayal have an ache of real loneliness. It doesn't hurt that the two stars, Jonny Lee Miller (Sick Boy in Trainspotting) and Angelina Jolie (Gia), are just about equally gorgeous and charismatic; their longing glances steam up the screen. —David Chute

Jamie Bell, Sophia Myles, Ciaran Hinds, Claire Forlani, Kareena Kapoor DVD Walt Disney, BUA0071901, PAL Region 2

Shinji Aramaki, Hideki Futamura, Toshiyuki Kanno, Tomoki Kyoda, Kôichi Mashimo Please note this is a region 2 DVD and will require a region 2 or region free DVD player in order to play.  Halo Legends is an unprecedented gathering of the finest talent in Japanese animation that have drawn together to explore the mystery and action of the Halo universe. Eight episodes and a stunning range of visual styles shed new light and epic perspective on Halo lore. A renowned set of storytellers from some of the world's leading anime studios take one of the most iconic franchises in science fiction and video games to an amazing new level. Actors Andy McAvin, Emily Neves, Christopher Ayres, Kalob Martinez, Andrew Love, Josh Grelle, Shelley Calene-Black, David Wald, John Gremillion, Justin Doran, Chris Hutchison, David Matranga & Melissa Davis Director Shinji Aramaki, Hideki Futamura, Toshiyuki Kanno, Tomoki Kyôda, Kôichi Mashimo, Yasushi Muraki, Daisuke Nishio, Koji Sawai & Hiroshi Yamazaki Certificate 12 years and over Year 2010 Screen Widescreen 1.78:1 Languages English - Dolby Digital (5.1) Additional Languages Castilian Spanish Subtitles English ; Danish ; Norwegian ; Swedish ; Finnish ; Castilian Spanish Duration 1 hour and 32 minutes (approx)

Clint Eastwood, Inger Stevens, Ted Post MGM/UA, Region, 2 1968 115 mins

Zach Galifianakis, Bradley Cooper, Todd Phillips The Hangover [DVD] [2009] [DVD] (2009) Zach Galifianakis; Bradley Cooper

Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Todd Phillips Please note this is a region 2 DVD and will require a region 2 or region free DVD player in order to play. The Hangover Part II is director Todd Phillips' follow-up to 2009's smash hit The Hangover.   In The Hangover Part II, Phil (Bradley Cooper), Stu (Ed Helms), Alan (Zach Galifianakis) and Doug (Justin Bartha) travel to exotic Thailand for Stu's wedding. After the unforgettable bachelor party in Las Vegas, Stu is taking no chances and has opted for a safe, subdued pre-wedding brunch. However, things don't always go as planned. What happens in Vegas may stay in Vegas, but what happens in Bangkok can't even be imagined.   Actors Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Justin Bartha, Ken Jeong, Paul Giamatti, Mike Tyson, Jeffrey Tambor, Mason Lee, Jamie Chung, Sasha Barrese, Gillian Vigman, Aroon Seeboonruang, Nirut Sirichanya, Yasmin Lee, Nick Cassavetes & Sondra Currie Director Todd Phillips Certificate 15 years and over Year 2011 Languages English

Saoirse Ronan, Cate Blanchett, Joe Wright

For anyone who thought the Oscar-winning documentary March of the Penguins was the most marvelous cinematic moment for these nomads of the south, you haven't seen nothing yet. Here's an animated wonder about a penguin named Mumble who can't sing, but can dance up a storm. George Miller, the driving force behind the Babe (and Mad Max) movies, takes another creative step in family entertainment with this big, beautiful, music-fueled film that will have kids and their parents dancing in the streets. From his first moment alive, Mumble (voiced by Elijah Woods) feels the beat and can't stop dancing. Unfortunatly, emperor penguins are all about finding their own heart song, and dancing youngster—as cute as he is—is a misfit. Luckily, he bumps into little blue penguins, a Spanish-infused group (led by Robin Williams) and begins a series of adventures. Miller has an exceptional variety of entertainment, Busby Berkley musical numbers, amusement park thrills, exciting chase sequences (seals and orca lovers might like think otherwise), and even an environmental message that doesn't weigh you down. Best of all, you don't know where the movie is going in the last act, a rare occurrence these days in family entertainment. A fusion of rock songs, mashed up and otherwise are featured; this movie is as much a musical as a comedy. Mumble's solo dance to a new version of Stevie Wonder's "I Wish" by Fantasia, Patti and Yolanda may be the most joyful moment on camera in 2006. —Doug Thomas

Sally Hawkins, Alexis Zegerman, Mike Leigh United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), WIDESCREEN (2.35:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Behind the scenes, Featurette, Interactive Menu, Making Of, Scene Access, Trailer(s), SYNOPSIS: If you know the British filmmaker Mike Leigh's work - early and later titles like "Bleak Moments," "Naked" and "Vera Drake" - you may find yourself watching his most recent movie, "Happy-Go-Lucky," with mounting unease, a tinge of dread. Despite the extraordinary human parade that has passed in front of his lens, laughing and raging, yearning for love and asking for cuddles, Mr. Leigh has never been an artist for whom happy (word or idea) has been an easy fit. Life is sweet, as the title of another of his films puts it with a heart-swelling yes, but it's also an eternal fight against doom and gloom, the soul-crushing no. The push and pull between yes and no animates all of his work, investing it with narrative tension and a sense of artistic purpose that is, whether overtly articulated or not, also insistently, vigorously left-leaning. The hard-working and often besieged characters who populate his stories live in worlds partly defined, if not wholly circumscribed, by ideology and the state. Nobody mounts a soapbox or whistles "The Internationale" in "Happy-Go-Lucky," but the film is so closely tuned to the pulse of communal life, to the rhythms of how people work, play and struggle together, it captures the larger picture along with the smaller. Like Poppy, the bright focus of this expansive, moving film, Mr. Leigh isn't one to go it alone. SCREENED/AWARDED AT: Berlin International Film Festival, British Independent Film Awards, European Film Awards, ...Happy-Go-Lucky ( Happy Go Lucky )

Tony Leung, Chow Yun-Fat, John Woo Masterful Hong Kong action director John Woo (The Killer, Face/Off) turns in this exciting and pyrotechnic tale of warring gangsters and shifting loyalties. Chow Yun-Fat (The Replacement Killers) plays a take-no-prisoners cop on the trail of the Triad, the Hong Kong Mafia, when his partner is killed during a gun battle. His guilt propels him into an all-out war against the gang, including an up-and-coming soldier in the mob (Tony Leung) who turns out to be an undercover cop. The two men must come to terms with their allegiance to the force and their loyalty to each other as they try to take down the gangsters. A stunning feast of hyperbolic action sequences (including a climactic sequence in an entire hospital taken hostage), Hard Boiled is a rare treat for fans of the action genre, with sequences as thrilling and intense as any ever committed to film. —Robert Lane

Balthazar Getty, Christian Slater, Peter Antonijevic Actors: Balthazar Getty, Christian Slater, Daryl Hannah, Val Kilmer, Verne Troyer
Director: Peter Antonijevic
Manufacturer: Boulevard

Jean-Claude Van Damme, Vivica A. Fox, Sheldon Lettich Actors: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Vivica A. Fox, Raz Adoti, Viv Leacock, Peter Bryant
Director: Sheldon Lettich
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Morgan Freeman|Christian Slater, Mikael Saloman It may not exactly be a disaster movie, but this terminally silly thriller is certainly disastrous, and would be pointless without the novelty of its setting in a flooding Midwestern town during a torrential rainfall. Physically impressive but idiotic in every other respect, the movie pits an armoured truck courier (Christian Slater) against a smart leader of thieves (Morgan Freeman) and a corruptible town sheriff (Randy Quaid) who are vying for possession of $3 million in cash. A waterlogged game of cat and mouse, the plot is so contrived that even the most impressive action sequences—such as a jet-ski chase through flooded high-school corridors—are robbed of their already tenuous credibility. Before long you'll be yawning as incompetent accomplices are systematically dispatched by their own stupidity, in the kind of movie where the use of power boats inevitably leads to at least one death by outboard motor. What's impressive here is the physical production itself—the effect of flooding was created by building a huge replica of downtown Huntington, Indiana, in a huge, watertight aircraft hangar in Palmdale, California! —Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com

Keanu Reeves, Michael B. Jordan, Brian Robbins

Eddie Murphy, Richard Pryor

Robert Wagner, Juliet Mills Robert Wagner, Juliet Mills, Lloyd Bochner, Stefanie Powers, Lionel Stander

Bruce Willis|Colin Farrell|Terrence Dashon Howard, Gregory Hoblit Hart's War is a serious, well-intentioned Second World War drama. It's finally unconvincing, but it will go down in the history books as marking future superstar Colin Farrell's first leading role in a major studio picture. It's late 1944 and Lieutenant Hart (Farrell) ends up in a POW camp where the senior American officer, Colonel McNamara (Bruce Willis), takes an instant dislike to him. When a black American officer, Lt Scott (Terrence Howard), is accused of murder, the commandant allows McNamara to conduct a politically motivated trial. Hart is made the defence attorney, but may be no more than a pawn to further McNamara's own agenda.

In a film that chooses the ironic setting of a Nazi prison camp to examine racism in the American military, none of the characters are black or white, and in the tradition of The Shawshank Redemption there is more going on beneath the surface than meets the eye. Unfortunately, while Hart's War is extremely well made, various small plot holes and contrivances mean that ultimately it fails to ring true—a problem exacerbated by an over-earnest tendency to preach in key scenes. Nevertheless, Willis gives one of his best, most understated performances and Farrell, who went straight from this to Minority Report, delivers a truly star-making turn.

On the DVD: Hart's War comes to DVD with a Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack that's fine for a dialogue-driven film, while the anamorphically enhanced 2.35:1 transfer is virtually flawless. Ten deleted scenes are presented with the same excellent picture quality and optional commentary by director Gregory Hoblit. There is a four-part photo gallery, the deceptive theatrical trailer and two commentaries. Producer David Foster offers some interesting information, but also a lot of generalities and silence. Bruce Willis contributes virtually nothing, but Hoblit and writer Billy Ray engage in a frank discussion of many of the flaws in the film and the problems they never solved. The wartime history they recount and the cuts they made suggest that a better film was sacrificed to tell a commercial story in two hours. —Gary S. Dalkin

Jack Palance, Annette Crosbie, Terence Marcel

Sascha Knopf, William H. Macy, Frank Cappello

Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Connelly, Ken Kwapis He's Just Not That Into You [DVD] [DVD] (2009) Jennifer Aniston; Morgan Lily

Monica Potter, Freddie Prinze Jr., Mark Waters Take Hollywood romantic comedy at its fluffiest, stir in a few Farrelly Brothers-style bodily-function jokes, season with pratfalls, add a soupcon of Hitchcock and you've got Head Over Heels, the perfect way to while away 85 minutes without putting the least strain on your brain cells. Our heroine, Amanda, is a shy retiring young lady with a dusty museum job and a non-existent love-life. (She's played by the dishy blonde Monica Potter, which gives you a fair idea of this movie's grip on reality). Having moved into a palatial Manhattan apartment (yeah, right) shared with four wannabe supermodels she meets—via a randy Great Dane—the handsome guy from across the courtyard. But it seems he has a deep, dark secret in his life.

Mark Waters' film gets a lot of mileage out of poking fun at the bubble-headed attitudes of the model girls, which might well provoke mutterings about pots and kettles in more censorious quarters. But the whole confection's so innocuous and eager to please that it's hard to stay as irritated with it as it deserves. Potter (or occasionally her body double) executes her pratfalls gamely, her flatmates pose elegantly, and Mr Maybe-Right Freddie Prinze Jr grins boyishly—even if his subsequent metamorphosis into an action hero takes a bit of swallowing. Waters' direction keeps things moving briskly enough to prevent us musing on the idiocy of the whole enterprise. The insert inside the box suggests that "if you enjoyed this title" you should try Taxi Driver or Being John Malkovich. Could someone at Columbia TriStar be having a little joke?

On the DVD: not much to mention. There's a trailer, brief cast and director biogs, production notes and a 12-minute shooting-of featurette in which, as usual, everybody was just wonderful and they all adored each other from the get-go. Anamorphic widescreen (2.35:1) and Dolby Digital 5.1 sound ensure a suitably glossy presentation. —Philip Kemp

Clint Eastwood, Marsha Mason, Joel Cox

Sigourney Weaver, Jennifer Love Hewitt, David Mirkin Heartbreakers wants to be a distaff variation of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, compensating for lack of intelligence with ample cleavage provided by Sigourney Weaver and Jennifer Love Hewitt. This alone should draw plenty of drooling guys who will enjoy the scenery and affirm the movie's depiction of men as lecherous idiots. And what scenery it is! Dressed up in trampy glamour, Weaver and Hewitt play mother-and-daughter grifters with a devious routine: Max (Weaver) lures wealthy cads into marriage, and then daughter Page (Hewitt) seduces them, so mom can discover the infidelity and fleece the chump in divorce court. They've just scammed the boss of a hot-car ring (Ray Liotta) and now it's on to Palm Beach, Florida, where they'll dupe a wheezing tobacco baron (Gene Hackman) and retire to the good life. Or so they think...

Armed with the same air headed humour he brought to Romy and Michele's High School Reunion, director David Mirkin relies on the clichéd notion that sex turns all men into morons—a conceit that would have worked if the dialogue and sitcom antics were more convincing. Additional plot twists—not to mention Hewitt's microskirts and Wonderbras—may hold your attention, but you may find yourself harking back to Steve Martin, Michael Caine, and those happier high jinks on the French Riviera. —Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com

Al Pacino, Jon Voight, Michael Mann

Sandra Bullock, Melissa McCarthy, Paul Feig

Christian Slater, Winona Ryder, Michael Lehmann The Heathers are a clique of bitchy classmates in this dark comedy from 1989. The film itself was a good showcase for Winona Ryder, the Queen of Teen in the late 1980s, playing a high-school girl forced into the social world of "the Heathers", and Christian Slater, doing his early Jack Nicholson thing. While Ryder's character muddles over the consequences of giving up one set of friends for another, her association with the new boy in school (Slater) turns out to have deadly consequences. Director Michael Lehmann turned this unusual film into something more than another teen-death flick. There is real wit and sharp satire afoot, and the fusion of horror and comedy is provocative in itself. Heathers remains a kind of benchmark in contemporary cinema for bringing surreal intelligence into Hollywood films. —Tom Keogh, Amazon.com

Morgan Freeman, Christopher Walken, Peter Hewitt It was a stroke of genius, but now the perfect crime is turning into a perfect disaster in the latest comedy adventure, The Heist. To everybody else, Charles (Morgan Freeman), Roger (Christopher Walken) and George (William H. Macy) are the very picture of honest security guards. But when they learn their favourite artworks are being sent to another museum in Europe, they devise a plan to switch the real masterpieces with fakes. All goes well until a mistake forces these amature thieves into a last-minute escapade. Get free UK delivery when you buy The Heist on DVD today.

The feverish Hellboy 2: The Golden Army is a very busy sequel that might have looked unhinged in the hands of a less visionary director than Guillermo del Toro. Ron Perlman returns as Hellboy, aka "Red," the Dark Horse Comics demon-hero with roots in the mythical world but personal ties in the human realm. Still working, as he was in Hellboy, for a secret department of the federal government that deals (as in "Men In Black") with forces of the fantastic, Red and his colleagues take on a royal elf (Luke Goss) determined to smash a longtime truce between mankind and the forces of magic. Meanwhile, Red's relationship with girlfriend Liz (Selma Blair), who can burst into flames at will, is going through a rocky stage observed by Red's fishy friend Abe (Doug Jones), himself struck by love in this film. Del Toro brilliantly integrates the ordinary and extraordinary, diving into an extended scene set in a troll market barely hidden behind the façade of typical city streets. He also unleashes a forest monster that devastates an urban neighborhood, but then—interestingly—brings a luminous beauty to the same area as the creature (an "elemental") succumbs to a terrible death. Del Toro's art direction proves masterful, too, in a climactic battle set in a clockworks-like stronghold tucked away in rugged Irish landscape. But it's really the juxtaposition of visual marvels with not-so-unusual relationship issues that gives Hellboy 2 a certain jaunty appeal hard to find in other superhero movies. —Tom Keogh

The feverish Hellboy 2: The Golden Army is a very busy sequel that might have looked unhinged in the hands of a less visionary director than Guillermo del Toro. Ron Perlman returns as Hellboy, aka "Red," the Dark Horse Comics demon-hero with roots in the mythical world but personal ties in the human realm. Still working, as he was in Hellboy, for a secret department of the federal government that deals (as in "Men In Black") with forces of the fantastic, Red and his colleagues take on a royal elf (Luke Goss) determined to smash a longtime truce between mankind and the forces of magic. Meanwhile, Red's relationship with girlfriend Liz (Selma Blair), who can burst into flames at will, is going through a rocky stage observed by Red's fishy friend Abe (Doug Jones), himself struck by love in this film. Del Toro brilliantly integrates the ordinary and extraordinary, diving into an extended scene set in a troll market barely hidden behind the façade of typical city streets. He also unleashes a forest monster that devastates an urban neighborhood, but then—interestingly—brings a luminous beauty to the same area as the creature (an "elemental") succumbs to a terrible death. Del Toro's art direction proves masterful, too, in a climactic battle set in a clockworks-like stronghold tucked away in rugged Irish landscape. But it's really the juxtaposition of visual marvels with not-so-unusual relationship issues that gives Hellboy 2 a certain jaunty appeal hard to find in other superhero movies. —Tom Keogh

Fans of Armageddon might see one or two resemblances between that 1998 box office hit and Hellfighters, a 1968 action film by Andrew V. McLaglen, one of John Wayne's favourite directors in his late career. (Their joint ventures included Chisum, Cahill: United States Marshal, and McLintock!) Wayne plays an oil well firefighter in the mold of Red Adair, turning up anywhere in the world where a geyser of fire is shooting up from a once-profitable gusher. His right-hand man (Jim Hutton) has questionable judgment about safety matters and is a scoundrel with the ladies—and neither fact is lost on Wayne when Hutton's character marries his long-lost daughter (Katharine Ross, a mere year after The Graduate). The film is an early entry in the disaster-meets-soap-opera genre that flourished in the '70s with such titles as The Towering Inferno and The Poseidon Adventure. McClaglen gets a lot of crackle out of his action scenes (many of the firefighting sequences are still startling in their intensity) and turns twin love stories (Hutton and Ross, Wayne and Vera Miles) into frothy studies of adult manners, with equal hints of Howard Hawks and Sidney Sheldon.—Tom Keogh

Kenneth Branagh, Judi Dench, Michael Bradsell Very few first-time film directors would have been capable of making such a triumphant adaptation of Henry V; but a still-youthful Kenneth Branagh's years of stage experience paid off handsomely and his 1989 version qualifies as a genuine masterpiece, the kind of film that comes along once in a decade. He eschews the theatricality of Laurence Olivier's stirring, fondly remembered 1945 adaptation to establish his own rules: Branagh plays it down and dirty, seeing the Bard's play through revisionist eyes, framing it as an anti-war story in contrast to Olivier's patriotic spectacle. Branagh gives us harsh close-ups of muddied, bloody men, and of himself as Henry, his hardened mouth and wilful eyes revealing much about the personal cost of war. Not that the director-star doesn't provide lighter moments: his scenes introducing the French Princess Katherine (Emma Thompson) trying to learn English quickly from her maid are delightful.

What may be the crowning glory of Branagh's adaptation comes when the dazed leader wanders across the battlefield, not even sure who has won. As King Hal carries a dead boy (a young Christian Bale) over the hacked bodies of both the English and French, a panorama of blood and mud and death greet the viewer as Branagh opens up the scene and Patrick Doyle's rousing hymn "Non nobis, Domine" provides marvellous counterpoint (like the director, the composer was another filmic first-timer). A more potent expression of the price of victory could scarcely be imagined. —Rochelle O'Gorman, Amazon.com

Hayden Panettiere, Leonard Roberts, Adam Kane, Greg Beeman, Donna Deitch, Allan Arkush Truncated to a slim 11 episodes as a result of the writers’ strike that was ongoing in America during its production, Heroes’ second season nonetheless packs enough in to keep the momentum rolling on one of the most exciting Stateside shows of the moment.

Heroes is, at heart, the comic book tale of a varied group of people, each with special powers that they struggle to come to terms with. With such powers, of course, come troubling foes and situations to face, and that proves to be the case here. So this time, we pick up four months after the events of the first series, and there’s the small matter of the Shanti virus to contend with. This provides the main thrust for the series’ story arc, and allows room for several interesting sub-plots to develop too.

Yet while, in the world of Heroes, you suspect that this second series will never rank with the best, there’s easily enough here to justify the asking price, and the show emerges easily with its reputation intact. Even when it’s not at the top of its game, Heroes is exciting, interesting and polished entertainment. —Jon Foster

Christina Cole, Jemima Rooper, Brian Grant Billed as UK TV's answer to Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Charmed, the supernatural drama Hex plays more like a coming-of-age story dressed in Gothic trappings. Christina Cole stars as Cassie Hughes, a young girl enrolled at Medenham Hall, a private school that once housed a coven of witches. Cassie, who struggles to fit in with her elitist and over-sexed classmates, discovers that she's even less like them than she thought when she develops telekinetic powers. The onset of these powers attracts the attention of Azazeal (Michael Fassbinder), leader of the Nephilim (the fallen angels of the Bible). What follows is a broad and frequently stylish soap opera that pits Cassie and her roommate Thelma (Jemima Rooper, who steals many scenes), who happens to be a ghost, against Azazeal as he attempts to control Cassie's body and soul—quite literally. His plan is to impregnate her in order to allow the other Nephilim to invade the corporeal world. Cutting dialogue a la Buffy and a hip soundtrack should hook viewers, as will a smattering of nudity and violence and surprisingly solid special effects. — Paul Gaita

Jemima Rooper, Jamie Davis, Belinda Cottrell

Viggo Mortensen, Omar Sharif, Joe Johnston

John Cusack, Iben Hjejle, Stephen Frears Transplanted from England to the not-so-mean streets of Chicago, the screen adaptation of Nick Hornby's cult-classic novel High Fidelity emerges unscathed from its Americanisation, idiosyncrasies intact, thanks to John Cusack's inimitable charm and a nimble, nifty screenplay (co-written by Cusack). Early-thirtysomething Rob Gordon (Cusack) is a slacker who owns a vintage record shop, a massive collection of LPs, and innumerable top-five lists in his head. At the opening of the film, Rob recounts directly to the audience his all-time top-five breakups— which doesn't include his recent falling out with his girlfriend Laura (Iben Hjejle), who has just moved out of their apartment. Thunderstruck and obsessed with Laura's desertion (but loath to admit it), Rob begins a quest to confront the women who instigated the aforementioned top-five breakups to find out just what he did wrong.

Low on plot and high on self-discovery, High Fidelity takes a good 30 minutes or so to find its groove (not unlike Cusack's Grosse Pointe Blank), but once it does, it settles into it comfortably and builds a surprisingly touching momentum. Rob is basically a grown-up version of Cusack's character in Say Anything (who was told "Don't be a guy—be a man!"), and if you like Cusack's brand of smart-alecky romanticism, you'll automatically be won over (if you can handle Cusack's almost non-stop talking to the camera). Still, it's hard not to be moved by Rob's plight. At the beginning of the film he and his coworkers at the record store (played hilariously by Jack Black and Todd Louiso) seem like overgrown boys in their secret clubhouse; by the end, they've grown up considerably, with a clear-eyed view of life. Ably directed by Stephen Frears (Dangerous Liaisons), High Fidelity features a notable supporting cast of the women in Rob's life, including the striking, Danish-born Hjejle, Lisa Bonet as a sultry singer/songwriter, and the triumphant triumvirate of Lili Taylor, Joelle Carter, and Catherine Zeta Jones as Rob's ex-girlfriends. With brief cameos by Tim Robbins as Laura's new, New Age boyfriend and Bruce Springsteen as himself. —Mark Englehart, Amazon.com

Clint Eastwood Clint Eastwood's second film as a director (and his first Western) is a variation on the "man with no name" theme, starring Eastwood as the drifter known only as "the Stranger". He rides into the desert town of Lagos and is quickly attacked by three gunmen. Recovering with the aid of a local dwarf (a memorable role for Billy Curtis), the Stranger is hired by the intimidated townsfolk to fend off a band of violent ex-convicts. After teaching the citizens self-defence and instructing them to paint the entire town red and rename it "Hell", the Stranger vanishes. He reappears when the marauding criminals arrive, and delivers justice and teaches the townsfolk a harsh lesson about moral obligation. Is he a figure from their past or a kind of supernatural avenger? Combining humour with action, High Plains Drifter is both a serious and tongue-in-cheek tribute to the Westerns that made Eastwood a household name. —Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com

The Disney Channel's High School Musical is a combination of backstage action and Grease without the unwholesome habits. Scoring record ratings at the time of its January 2006 broadcast, it's a smash hit with tween audiences (ages 6 to 10), but appealing for all ages. At a New Year's Eve party, Troy (Zac Efron) has a chance meeting with Gabriella (Vanessa Anne Hudgens) when they share a karaoke song. Lo and behold, when school resumes, they discover that Gabriella has just transferred to Troy's East High School, a campus divided into tight cliques of jocks, cheerleaders, brainiacs, and skater dudes. Eager to recapture the magic they'd discovered during karaoke, Troy and Gabriella consider auditioning for the school's upcoming musical, much to the dismay of the school's frost queen/theater goddess, Sharpay (Ashley Tisdale). Problem is, Troy is also the star of the basketball team and Gabrielle is being recruited to compete in the Scholastic Decathlon. Will they give up their cliques to start something new, or will they do as the show's first big anthem urges and "Stick to the Status Quo"? Well, this is a Disney movie, so maybe the sacrifices won't be that hard, and even the hints of romance are mild.

The bestselling soundtrack is catchy in that Disney-pop kind of way, mixing in a dash of hip-hop ("Getcha Head in the Game," punctuated by squeaky basketball shoes and other sound effects), salsa ("Bop to the Top"), and the endearingly hammy ("What I've Been Looking For" performed by Sharpay and her brother, Ryan, played by Lucas Gabreel). It's not hard to imagine High School Musical becoming a semi-staple for high school groups to perform themselves. DVD bonus features include sing-along subtitles; a 9-minute featurette discussing casting, recording sessions, and rehearsals; a multi-angle look at a rehearsal of "Bop to the Top"; and music videos for "We're All in This Together" and a song that didn't make it into the final film, "I Can't Take My Eyes Off of You," performed by Efron, Hudgens, Tisdale, and Gabreel. —David Horiuchi

Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Kenny Ortega Packed in with insanely addictive tunes, and playing very firmly to its fan base, it's hard not to conclude that High School Musical 2 is a success. What's more, there's immense respin potential to the disc, and given the raging success of the first movie, this one too is set to be enjoyed time and time again.
The plot this time sees Troy, Gabriella, Ryan, Chad, Taylor and Sharpay in the midst of organising a talent competition during their school holidays, which proves all the excuse the film needs to bring on the musical entertainment.
Not jumped on the High School Musical wagon yet? Here's a perfect place to start. is a fun family movie, and one that sits both as a worthy sequel, and a warm slice of entertainment in its own right.The sequel to the Disney Channel's original smash High School Musical, Troy, Gabriella, Sharpay, Ryan, Chad, and Taylor are organising a talent show at the local golf and country club to which Sharpay, Ryan, and their family belongs to and where Troy is a caddy as a summer job...
Special Features:
Exclusive Music Scene edited into DVD version of film
Bloopers
Sing Along Version
High School Karaoke Version
3 Music Videos
Rehearsal Cam including 'Bounce To The Movie
PLEASE NOTE: This is a Region 2 DVD playable in the UK, Europe, Middle East and Japan only, unless you have an All Region DVD player. Please check before ordering.

Anthony Hopkins, Helen Mirren, Sacha Gervasi

Simon Jones, David Dixon The original BBC radio adventures of Arthur Dent (an ape-descendant whose anger at the apparently inexplicable destruction of his home planet Earth, situated in an obscure corner of the outer spiral arm of the galaxy, is expressed in frequent irritation at friendly automatic doors and vending machines) and his travelling companions, Ford Prefect (an itinerant towel-carrying hitch-hiker originally from a small planet somewhere in the vicinity of Betelgeuse), Zaphod Beeblebrox (the notorious ex-Galactic President and patron of Eccentrica Galumbits, the triple-breasted whore of Eroticon Six) and Marvin the Paranoid Android (who's still suffering from that terrible pain in all the diodes down his left side) proved to be such a success for the BBC that its transition to TV was (almost) inevitable. In 1981 several key members of the radio cast made the move to the small screen. Simon Jones' bewildered Arthur Dent remains the central character, shambling around in his dressing gown (a fact easy to forget on radio); Mark Wing-Davey's Zaphod Beeblebrox is the same as his boastful radio persona, even if the second head utterly fails to convince. Unfortunately, newcomers David Dixon (as Ford Prefect) and the irritating Sandra Dickinson (as Trillian) are no match for their radio predecessors.

The problem here is not so much the low-budget look as the script itself, which is lovingly faithful to the radio series in a way that Douglas Adams' novels aren't. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy was a lucid, satirical, occasionally profound, utterly unique comic invention on radio. As such, it has nothing to gain from TV. The script needs no visual elaboration—that's best left to the listener's own imagination. Only the animated renditions of the Guide itself enhance Peter Jones' wonderfully dry narration; otherwise—paradoxically, perhaps—by supplying images the concept is oddly diminished here.

On the DVD: A suitably eclectic not to say eccentric collection of extra features makes this a wholly satisfying two-disc set, neatly packaged in a fold-out slipcase. On the second disc there's an hour-long "making of" documentary from 1992 featuring contributions from the cast and crew, including Douglas Adams; and then there's even more in a 20-minute section entitled "Don't Panic!". A fascinating behind-the-scenes peek at filming as the clock runs out on studio time and a look at the recording of the original radio series complete the first part. Then navigate to the "Outer Planets" to find outtakes, a deleted scene, Zaphod's animatronic second head on Tomorrow's World and Peter Jones's witty and shambolic introduction to the first episode, plus more besides. The series itself is presented in standard 4:3 ratio and Dolby stereo. —Mark Walker

Jet Li

Rupert Friend, Zachary Quinto, Aleksander Bach Rupert Friend stars in the eponymous role of this action thriller directed by Aleksander Bach. The International Contracts Agency (ICA), a top secret organisation that works independently of the U.S. government, has spent millions of dollars developing its own army of genetically engineered assassins. Known only by the last two digits of the barcode stamped on the back of his neck, Agent 47 is the best assassin in the business, boasting unrivalled intelligence, speed and strength. When 47's latest target, multi-national corporation owner John Smith (Zachary Quinto), gets wind of his impending fate, Smith tries to penetrate the ICA to find the secret to their success in creating invincible agents with a plan of improving on their skills to develop his own army.

Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Peter Jackson The last of three epic instalments in director Peter Jackson's prequel to 'The Lord of the Rings' trilogy. Set in Middle-Earth 60 years before events in 'The Lord of the Rings', the story follows the adventures of Hobbit Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), who, at the instigation of the wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen), suddenly finds himself co-opted into joining a company of 13 Dwarves led by Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) to help reclaim the lost kingdom of the Lonely Mountain from the clutches of Smaug the dragon (voice of Benedict Cumberbatch). In this film, Bilbo, Thorin and the other Dwarves have unintentionally released Smaug from the Lonely Mountain and endangered the residents of Lake-town. Bilbo has to make a difficult decision when Thorin puts his desire to find the royal jewel Arkenstone before his loyalty to his friends. Meanwhile, Gandalf discovers that the evil Sauron has returned, commanding a horde of Orcs to attack the Lonely Mountain. Bilbo and his friends must fight for their survival as five armies meet in battle. The rest of the cast includes Luke Evans, Cate Blanchett, Orlando Bloom, Evangeline Lilly and Christopher Lee. Extra Content

Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire, Mark Sandrich Holiday Inn is a perennial, Christmas-season favourite from 1942 teamed Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire as entertainers (and rival suitors of Marjorie Reynolds) running an inn that is only open on holidays. It's a great excuse for lots of singing and dancing, seamlessly wrapped in a catchy story, and Astaire's frequent director Mark Sandrich (Top Hat, Shall We Dance?) doesn't let us down. The Irving Berlin numbers (each one connected to a different holiday) are winners. Crosby's warm performance of "White Christmas" is a movie touchstone. —Tom Keogh

Harrison Ford, Josh Hartnett, Ron Shelton Actors: Harrison Ford, Josh Hartnett, Isaiah Washington, Lena Olin, Bruce Greenwood
Director: Ron Shelton
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Chris Columbus

Macaulay Culkin, Daniel Stern, Chris Columbus Please note this is a region 2 DVD and will require a region 2 or region free DVD player in order to play.   Eight-year-old Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) has become the man of the house, overnight! Accidentally left behind when his family rushes off on a Christmas vacation, Kevin gets busy decorating the house for the holidays. But he's not decking the halls with tinsel and holly. Two bumbling burglars are trying to break in, and Kevin's rigging a bewildering battery of booby traps to welcome them! Written and produced by John Hughes, this madcap slapstick adventure features an all-star supporting cast including Catherine O'Hara and John Heard as Kevin's parents, Joe Pesci and Daniel Stem as the burglars, and John Candy as the "Polka King of the Midwest."     Actors Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, John Heard, Roberts Blossom, Catherine O'Hara, Angela Goethals, Devin Ratray, Gerry Bamman, Terrie Snell, Kieran Culkin & John Candy Director Chris Columbus Certificate PG Year 1990 Languages English

James Caan, Nicolas Cage, Barry Malkin, Andrew Bergman Writer-director Andrew Bergman is capable of funny, funny stuff, but Honeymoon in Vegas runs out of jokes long before it runs out of comic ideas. The result is a series of comedy concepts that never get past the one-liner stage and are distinctly unsatisfying. Still, there is plenty to be amused by in this story of a reluctant bridegroom (Nicolas Cage) who finally agrees to marriage, only to lose his fiancée (Sarah Jessica Parker) in a crooked poker game to a professional gambler (James Caan). The rest of the movie deals with his frantic attempt to get his fiancée back, while coping with a Vegas in the throes of an Elvis-impersonator convention. That's the funniest thing about the whole movie (most notably the team of parachuting Elvises at the end), but even that is drawn out in ways that are more clever than laughter-inducing.—Marshall Fine, Amazon.com

Dustin Hoffman, Julia Roberts, Steven Spielberg Hook is Steven Spielberg's most spectacular film of the 90s. It is also seriously underrated, arguably the equal of ET, (1982) and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, (1977). An unofficial sequel to J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan, Hook adopts the startling premise of what happened after "the boy who never grew up", grew up. Robin Williams, in his career best performance, is the corporate suit forced to remember he once was "The Pan", returning to Neverland to battle nefarious Captain Hook (a splendid Dustin Hoffman), for his children's love.

This is a ravishingly beautiful, stunningly designed film, at once highly imaginative and with a genuinely magical atmosphere which ranges from exquisite, delicate fantasy to slapstick tomfoolery. There is fine support from Maggie Smith, Julia Roberts and Bob Hoskins, and John Williams' rapturously romantic score is yet another career high. Slated upon release, and dubbed a flop though it grossed $200 million, Hook reacted against the "greed is good" 80s by upholding family values and responsibility while evoking a genuine sense of wonder. Only the somewhat pantomime final showdown disappoints, but alongside Legend, (1985)and Labyrinth, (1986), Hook is ripe for reassessment as a fantasy classic. The DVD transfer is superb and the disc, though not packed with additional features, has some interesting extras. —Gary S. Dalkin

Robert Lindsay, Ioan Gruffudd, Andrew Grieve

Jason Bateman, Charlie Day Horrible Bosses [DVD] [DVD] (2011) Jason Bateman; Charlie Day; Jason Sudeikis

Jason Bateman, Charlie Day Horrible Bosses [DVD] [DVD] (2011) Jason Bateman; Charlie Day; Jason Sudeikis

Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Edgar Wright A major British hit, a lorryload of laughs and some sparkling action? We’ll have some of that. It’s fair to say that Hot Fuzz proves that Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright’s brilliant Shaun Of The Dead was no one-off, serving up a superbly crafted British homage to the Hollywood action movie.

Deliberately set in the midst of a sleepy, quaint English village of Sandford, Pegg’s Nicholas Angel is sent there because, bluntly, he’s too good at his job, and he’s making his city colleagues look bad. The proverbial fish out of water, Angel soon discovers that not everything in Sandford is quite as it seems, and joins forces with Nick Frost’s lumbering Danny Butterman to find out what’s what.

Hot Fuzz then proceeds to have a rollicking good time in both tipping its hat to the genre films that are clearly its loving inspiration, and coming up with a few tricks of its own. It does comedy better than action, with plenty of genuine laugh-out-loud moments, but it’s no slouch either when the tempo needs raising. One of the many strong cards it plays is its terrific cast, which includes former 007 Timothy Dalton, Bill Nighy, Bill Bailey, Paddy Considine, Edward Woodward and Jim Broadbent.

Hot Fuzz, ultimately, just falls short of Shaun Of The Dead, but more than does enough to warrant many, many repeat viewings. It’s terrific fun, and in the true hit action movie style, all-but-demands some form of sequel. That said, with Pegg and Wright now with two excellent, and suitably different, genres ticked off, it’ll be interesting to see what they do next. A period drama, perhaps…? —Simon Brew

John Cusack, Chevy Chase, Steve Pink Hot Tub Time Machine [DVD] [DVD] (2010) John Cusack; Chevy Chase; Lizzy Caplan

Max Beesley, Tamzin Outhwaite, Alrick Riley

Rumer Willis, Colin Hanks, Fred Wolf

Emmanuelle Vaugier, Sid Haig

Hugh Laurie, Omar Epps, Fred Gerber, Newton Thomas Sigel, Deran Sarafian, Frederick King, Paris Barclay He pops pills, watches soaps, and always, always says what's on his mind. He's Dr. Gregory House (Emmy nominee Hugh Laurie, Blackadder). Producers David Shore, Bryan Singer, Katie Jacobs, and Paul Attanasio haven't rewritten the hospital drama, but they've infused a moribund genre with new life and created one of TV's most compelling characters.

More than any previous medical procedural, it resembles Attanasio’s underrated Gideon's Crossing, but House is lighter on its feet. As fascinating as he is, the show wouldn't work as well if it were all House all the time (that would be like Sherlock Holmes without Watson or Moriarty). Fortunately, he's joined by an intriguing cast of characters, portrayed by a combination of experienced vets (Omar Epps, Lisa Edelstein, Tony winner Robert Sean Leonard) and new faces (Jennifer Morrison, Jesse Spencer). Aside from the complicated cases they tackle each week, the sparks really fly when House's brilliant, if naïve charges are put to the test—and as the head of a teaching hospital, it's his job to test them (although his tough love approach is constantly landing him in hot water with Edelstein's administrator).

From the first episode, House attracted a talented array of guests, including Robin Tunney ("Pilot"), Joe Morton ("Role Model"), and Patrick Bauchau ("Cursed") as Spencer’s father. In addition, Chi McBride and Sela Ward appear frequently (with Ward returning for the second season). Viewers who first watched these 22 episodes will be gratified to note that the music has survived the transition to disc, such as the Rolling Stones' "You Can't Always Get What You Want," as featured in both the pilot and season finale ("Honeymoon"). The only apparent omission is the credit theme (Massive Attack's "Teardrop") from the pilot. —Kathleen C. Fennessy

Hugh Laurie, Omar Epps, Jennifer Morrison, Jesse Spencer, Lisa Edelstein The overall strength of the second season of House, M.D. proves that its first-year success wasn't a fluke. This season starts with Dr. House (Golden Globe winner Hugh Laurie) pursuing his ex-wife Stacy (Sela Ward) and ending with a tragedy that could potentially be deadly for himself and two colleagues. The premise of each show follows a set routine - a patient is brought in with unusual symptoms; House challenges his trio of underlings to diagnose the problem; they treat the patient, usually incorrectly the first few tries; and then at the very last minute - through a revelation that often has little to do with the patient - House figures out what's wrong and saves the day. It would be easy for this set up to grow old fast. But because of the smart writing, nuanced acting, and believability of the characters (who're often dealing with unbelievable scenarios), the formula works on each of the 24 episodes that aired on Fox during the 2005-2006 season. Viewers have been conditioned by the Marcus Welbys of the TV world to think of doctors as saviors. Even on ER, the most narcissistic physician was selfless at heart. But House is a different breed. When he's at an off-track betting parlor and a woman collapses, he doesn't miss a beat. Still eying his race on television, he asks, "Is anybody here a doctor?" He'll mock a sick patient's complaints with a sarcastic, "Boo hoo!" And, if there happens to be a dead body around, he has no qualms about shooting it if he believes that could help diagnose another gun-shot victim.

Not that he's any more reasonable or compassionate to his boss Cuddy (Lisa Edelstein), his oncologist best friend Wilson (Tony winner Robert Sean Leonard), or his young charges Foreman (Omar Epps), Cameron (Jennifer Morrison), and Chase (Jesse Spencer). He instructs his doctors to break into patients' homes as if they're cat burglars. He does not know the meaning of the phrase 'politically correct.' But because he spits out insults (as if he has a mild case of Tourette's) equally to both his patients and colleagues, the latter never flinch at his constant stream of inappropriateness. When his three young doctors storm into his office to report the declining condition of a patient by blurting out, "We have rectal bleeding," House says, "What? All three of you?" To sensitive Wilson, who is trying to get some work done without being interrupted, House says, "I know you're in there. I can hear you caring." And when Foreman's father says, "My son says you're a manipulative bastard," House replies, "It's a pet name. I call him Dr. Bling." Of course House actually does care about his patients, but he views a good bedside manner as the luxury of a doctor who has a healthy patient. But dying patients with seemingly incurable diseases need something more. They need House. —Jae-Ha Kim

Hugh Laurie The award-winning House simply gets better and better, as its third season again delivers entertainment to a consistently high standard. Powered by Hugh Laurie in the title role—and his performance is worthy of every plaudit it’s attracted—this is a medical mix of drama and highly sarcastic comedy, that’s proven to be a considerable commercial and critical success.

The thinking behind the show is simple. Laurie’s Dr House is as reluctant, snide and miserable a medical practitioner as you’re likely to find, although he happens to be a genius at solving the unsolvable cases. Along with his small team of doctors, each episode generally sees House as a medical mystery, with said team scrabbling to find the answers to devilishly complicated illnesses and diseases.

But House’s skill is its characters as well as its at-times ingenious plotlines. Hugh Laurie aside, Omar Epps, Jesse Spencer and Jennifer Morrison are terrific as House’s long-suffering staff, while Robert Sean Leonard’s Dr Wilson and Lisa Edelstein’s Dr Cuddy are equally strong as his only friend and boss respectively.

The third season of House shakes things up quite a lot though. A good chunk of it, for instance, is concerned with Laurie’s Doctor coming under investigation from a detective who takes a dislike to House’s methods. Plus there’s also a superb episode set mid-flight, and plenty of character issues to deal with too. No plot spoilers here, though!

In short, House is, and remains a triumph, by turns funny, dramatic and moving. And Laurie, surely in the role of a lifetime, is simply brilliant. Series four can’t come quickly enough. —Simon Brew

Hugh Laurie, Mira Sorvino, Juan J. Campanella, Deran Sarafian How do you keep a medical show, entering its fourth series, fresh for another round of episodes? If you?re House, it?s easy: get rid of the main team, and have a new bunch come along and audition to be doctors. It?s a very House thing to do, and it makes the first half of season four an absolute blast.

Much of the reason for that of course is Hugh Laurie, in the title role. As House, he manages to turn himself into the medical Simon Cowell, chucking out outrageously sarcastic asides, while also giving space to the intriguing collection of supporting players. It?s a stunning performance. On top of that is the usual assortment of medical mysteries, including a brilliantly constructed remote diagnosis of a patient stuck in the South Pole.

Even when the audition phase is over, House has plenty to offer, not least a terrific concluding two-parter that continually pulls the proverbial rug. And the ingenuity of the scriptwriters shouldn?t go without praise, continually delivering a series of brilliant medical whodunits for Laurie and his team to solve.

If there?s a problem with House season four, it?s that it tries to cram too many characters in there, but it?s not a serious concern. For it?s a show that knuckles down and gets on with things quickly, continually managing to surprise and entertain. You may never want to be treated by Dr House, but it?s enormous fun watching him treat others? —Simon Brew

Hugh Laurie, Omar Epps Who wouldn’t want to see a doctor like House? Quite a lot of us, we’d wager, as Hugh Laurie’s ultra-sarcastic never-pleasant Dr House continues to chuck out wonderful, biting one-liners and insults to anyone who steps in his way. Season five has no shortage of them, but there are also signs here that an already impressive show is maturing extremely well.

This time, we get to find out quite a bit more about House himself, as season five digs into the sides of his character that we’ve rarely seen before. Around him, others aren’t having the best of times either, and with that in mind, the comedic elements that have been a trademark of the show since it began are gradually turned down here. As it happens, that’s no bad thing, as instead House’s fifth season adds depth and development to the set-up, all the while trying to solve seemingly-impossible medical cases.

The evolution of House himself also gives a platform for Hugh Laurie to demonstrate just why he’s one of the most in-demand television actors on the planet. He’s just brilliant here, utterly owning the role and showing a real range to his performance. His supporting cast are fine too, but this is very much Laurie’s show.

While the plot and character developments may isolate one or two who look for an easier 40-odd minutes from a House episode, season five wins its gamble to shake things up, leaving you tantalised on a major cliffhanger that pretty much guarantees you watching the first episode of season six. It’s a real achievement from one of the best shows on American television right now, and with season five, it’s just got that little better. —Jon Foster

Hugh Laurie, Lisa Edelstein Region 2 dvd , Will play on all uk dvd players

Alyson Hannigan, Neil Patrick Harris, Pamela Fryman

Josh Radnor, Jason Segel No other sitcom is as gleefully inventive as How I Met Your Mother. The basic setup is familiar stuff: Five charming, good-looking twentysomethings pal around New York City seeking love and happiness. But many episodes have a narrative trick. For example, when his friends try to persuade Ted (Josh Radnor) from going on a date with the doctor removing the butterfly tattoo he got while drunk, their justifications send the show careening back and forth among three interconnected flashbacks. Other episodes repeat scenes from different perspectives, or leap forward, or interrupt scenes to provide necessary exposition. None of this is groundbreaking, but it is consistently smart and clever—and when combined with crisp comic dialogue and zippy performances, it's pure sitcom delight. This is a show that manages to make a gang's in-jokes actually funny. Season Three is absolutely essential for any fan of the show, because this is the season we actually meet the title character; after two years of preamble, the mother to Ted's unnamed kids finally appears! But there are abundant other reasons to get this season, including Marshall (Jason Segel, Forgetting Sarah Marshall) and Lily (Alyson Hannigan, Buffy the Vampire Slayer) buying a crooked apartment, Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) getting the yips and getting slapped, and the return of Robin Sparkles, Canadian teenybopper alter-ego of Robin (Cobie Smulders). There's a wee bit of unfortunate stuntcasting (though she doesn't embarrass herself, Britney Spears still sticks out by dint of sheer inescapable celebrity), but it's a minor flaw in an all-around superb season. Add in an abundance of commentaries, featurettes, music videos, additional scenes, and How I Met Your Mother: Season Three is clearly a must-have for fans and a great introduction for newcomers. —Bret Fetzer

Kenneth Branagh, Robin Wright, Michael Kalesniko

Robert B. Weide How to Lose Friends and Alienate People may just be the first true British film—and a splendid one at that—to be set on American soil. The fearless actor Simon Pegg plays Sidney Young, a Fleet Street hatchet writer tapped to come to the States to join the literati, and glitterati, at a big, fat, glossy magazine—every resemblance of which to Vanity Fair is strictly intentional. Sidney is possibly the most annoying man in the Western world, tilting at nonexistent windmills. His character calls to mind many of the hapless charmers played by Hugh Grant—but Pegg, without Grant's raffish good looks, comes across as simply hapless. Which is perfect casting, since Sidney is supposed to be enormously aggravating, especially when he first lands in New York. In his first few days in the city, Sidney puts off the first magazine colleague he met (Kirsten Dunst, in a top-flight comic turn), wears a wildly inappropriate T-shirt on his first day of work, spritzes fast food onto the designer white suit of a relative of the publisher, and picks up a tranny hooker. And things go downhill from there. On his first magazine assignment, Sidney, checking captions for a photo page, calls a powerful publicist. "Is he the fat one?" Sidney asks the publicist about one of her clients. Silence. "Well, is he the one with the wonky eye, then?" Pegg is a scream as Sidney, playing quite a different role than his starring one in Shaun of the Dead. Dunst is delicate but steely, and her comedic timing, under the deft direction of Robert B. Weide (Curb Your Enthusiasm), is spot on. Great supporting work, too, by editor Jeff Bridges, whose enthrallment to the power elite, and silver mane, channel Graydon Carter; by Gillian Anderson, as a take-no-prisoners publicist; and by Megan Fox, a starlet cast as a bosom-heaving Mother Teresa. Sidney, and the film, will win you over, with a lot of laughter along the way.—A.T. Hurley

Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Dean DeBlois A winning mixture of adventure, slapstick comedy, and friendship, How to Train Your Dragon rivals Kung Fu Panda as the most engaging and satisfying film DreamWorks Animation has produced. Hiccup (voice by Jay Baruchel) is a failure as a Viking: skinny, inquisitive, and inventive, he asks questions and tries out unsuccessful contraptions when he's supposed to be fighting the dragons that attack his village. His father, chief Stoick the Vast (Gerard Butler), has pretty much given up on his teenage son and apprenticed him to blacksmith Gobber (Craig Ferguson). Worse, Hiccup knows the village loser hasn't a chance of impressing Astrid (America Ferrera), the girl of his dreams and a formidable dragon fighter in her own right. When one of Hiccup's inventions actually works, he hasn't the heart to kill the young dragon he's brought down. He names it Toothless and befriends it, although he's been taught to fear and loathe dragons. Co-directors and co-writers Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois, who made Disney's delightful Lilo and Stitch, provide plenty of action, including vertiginous flying sequences, but they balance the pyrotechnics with moments of genuine warmth that make the viewer root for Hiccup's success. Many DreamWorks films get laughs from sitcom one-liners and topical pop culture references; as the humour in Dragon comes from the characters' personalities, it feels less timely and more timeless. Toothless chases the spot of sunlight reflected off Hiccup's hammer like a giant cat with a laser pointer; Hiccup uses his newly found knowledge (and an icky smoked eel) to defeat two small dragons—and impress the other kids. How to Train Your Dragon will be just as enjoyable 10 or 20 years from now as it is today. —Charles Solomon

Bruce Willis, Danny Aiello, Michael Lehmann Bruce Willis's awful, 1991 vanity piece is an abuse of audience goodwill and a waste of a good cast and director (Michael Lehmann of Heathers). The story of Hudson Hawk, cowritten by Willis, concerns a cat burglar pressured into stealing precious art, including some from the Vatican. But the script is just a convenience upon which Willis piles his vaguely boorish brand of hip irony, assuming his audience will stay with him every step of the way. Certain, self-congratulatory scenes induce cringing—Willis and Danny Aiello, for instance, sing "Side by Side" (to brassy accompaniment on the soundtrack) every time they're working a job—but the overall effect is more irritating and baffling. Keep a good thought for Willis (an underrated actor better than the summer junk we usually see him in) by checking out his superior work in Pulp Fiction and his small but memorable role in Billy Bathgate. —Tom Keogh

Justin Kerrigan; Jan Anderson, John Simm, Justin Kerrigan Five best friends, 48 hours and a bucketload of ecstasy pills make for an enjoyably lightweight slice of pop-cultural ephemera from debut director Justin Kerrigan. Cardiff is the city, and hardcore partying, clubbing and pubbing is on the menu as Jip (John Simm) and his renegade band of McJobbers clock off and head out for a weekend of debauchery. Among Jip's hedonistic posse are the cheeky cockney drug-dealer Moff (Danny Dyer), the terminally jealous boyfriend Koop (Shaun Parkes) and the bad-boy magnet Lulu (Lorraine Pilkington).

And that's pretty much it. Our heroes meet in a pub, get drunk, take drugs, go to a club, then to a party, then home and then meet up in another pub, just in time for the closing credits. Along the way there's a shamefully lethargic attempt to establish character back-story: Jip is temporarily sexually impotent because his mother's a prostitute; Koop's father is institutionalised; Lulu has nasty boyfriends; and Moff has conservative parents. But generally Human Traffic is happier at the heart of the party, celebrating the intoxication of club culture—which it does in style. Kerrigan pulls out all the formal stops with an energetic melange of jump cuts, slo-mo, and speeded-up "smudge" motion camerawork. There's also direct addresses to camera, fantasy sequences and some self-conscious cameos from DJ Carl Cox and former-drug dealer Howard Marks, author of Mr Nice. Wall-to-wall music from the likes of Fatboy Slim, William Orbit and even Primal Scream help paste over the occasional cracks in the veneer, which include some particularly duff lines ("We're gonna get more spaced than Neil Armstrong ever did!") and a drawn analysis of drug references in Star Wars, a nod to the films of Kevin Smith, such as Clerks, Mallrats and Chasing Amy. And if the whole project already feels dated and empty, well that's because it perfectly captures an essentially 1990s moment, and one gloriously empty weekend. —Kevin Maher

Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Gary Ross NOTICE: Polish Release, cover may contain Polish text/markings. The disk has English subtitles. Katniss Everdeen voluntarily takes her younger sister's place in the Hunger Games, a televised fight to the death in which two teenagers from each of the ...

Jennifer Lawrence, Elizabeth Banks, Francis Lawrence Hunger Games - Catching Fire

Sean Connery, Alec Baldwin, John McTiernan Before Harrison Ford assumed the mantle of playing Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan hero in Patriot Games, Alec Baldwin took a swing at the character in this John McTiernan film and hit one to the fence. If less instantly sympathetic than Ford, Baldwin is in some respects more interesting and nuanced as Ryan, and drawing comparisons between both actors' performances can make for some interesting post-movie discussion. That aside, The Hunt for Red October stands alone as a uniquely exciting adventure with a fantastic co-star: Sean Connery as a Russian nuclear submarine captain attempting to defect to the West on his ship. Ryan must figure out his true motives for approaching the US. McTiernan (Predator, Die Hard) made an exceptionally handsome movie here with action sequences that really do take one's breath away. —Tom Keogh

Matthew Whiteman

Michelle Pfeiffer, Paul Rudd, Amy Heckerling

Billed as "an existential comedy," I Heart Huckabees is a flawed yet endearingly audacious screwball romp that dares to ponder life's biggest questions. Much of director David O. Russell's philosophical humor is dense, talky, and impenetrable, leading critic Roger Ebert to observe that "it leaves the viewer out of the loop," and suggesting that Russell's screenplay (written with his assistant, Jeff Baena) is admirably bold yet frustratingly undisciplined. Russell's ideas are big but his expression of them is frenetic, centering on the unlikely pairing of an environmentalist (Jason Schwartzman) and a firefighter (Mark Wahlberg) as they depend on existential detectives (Lily Tomlin, Dustin Hoffman) and a French nihilist (Isabelle Huppert) to make sense of their existential crises, brought on (respectively) by a two-faced chain-store executive (Jude Law) and his spokesmodel girlfriend (Naomi Watts), and the aftermath of 9/11's terrorism. No brief description can do justice to Russell's comedic conceit; you'll either be annoyed and mystified or elated and delighted by this wacky primer for coping with 21st century lunacy. Deserving of its mixed reviews, I Heart Huckabees is an audacious mess, like life itself, and accepting that is the key to enjoying both. —Jeff Shannon

Will Smith, Bridget Moynahan, Alex Proyas As paranoid cop Del Spooner, Will Smith displays both his trademark quips and some impressive pectoral muscles in I, Robot. Only Spooner suspects that the robots that provide the near future with menial labor are going to turn on mankind—he's just not sure how. When a leading roboticist dies suspiciously, Spooner pursues a trail that may prove his suspicions. Don't expect much of a connection to Isaac Asimov's classic science fiction stories; I, Robot, the action movie, isn't prepared for any ruminations on the significance of artificial intelligence. This likable, efficient movie won't break any new ground, but it does have an idea or two to accompany its jolts and thrills, which puts it ahead of most recent action flicks. Also featuring Bridget Moynahan, Bruce Greenwood, and James Cromwell. —Bret Fetzer

Will Smith, Bridget Moynahan, Alex Proyas DVD I, Robot 20th Century Fox, 5039036018807, 2004, Region 2 PAL Special Edition

Reece Dinsdale, Richard Graham, Philip Davis Intense, ferocious and deeply unsettling, I.D. is an excellent examination of Britain's unsavoury contribution to global culture: football hooliganism. Whereas Alan Clarke's The Firm showed the violence that lurked behind a seemingly normal façade, I.D. posits football hooliganism as a feral temptation. Dedicated, ambitious undercover policeman John (Reece Dinsdale) becomes seduced by the violence of an East London gang, ultimately becoming lost from his regular life with his wife (Clare Skinner). Dinsdale delivers a measured performance that sees him spiral from committed, right-minded policeman to shaven-headed, Nazi-saluting monster, revelling in the violent impulses he embraces with glee and, alarmingly, becoming a hero amongst those he is infiltrating. Warren Clarke is absolutely monstrous as the leader of the hooligan gang, a paragon of bigoted hatred and the embodiment of John's future. Often unnervingly realistic, director Phil Davis is adept at creating riotous mob scenes that chillingly accentuate the world into which John is drawn. It could be said that I.D.'s premise is too thin, and that hooliganism is not addressed in an effective manner, but it is without doubt a chilling character study of the temptation of violence and the horrific influences that lurk in the heart of society. —Danny Graydon

Denis Leary|Kirsten Johnson|Jack Black|Andrea Bowen, Chris Wedge It's 20,000 years ago and there's a bit of a nip in the air as the Ice Age kicks off. Manfred the well-meaning mammoth, Sid the fast-talking sloth and Diego the duplicitous sabre-tooth tiger form a reluctant and unlikely alliance when they come across a helpless human baby. As they try to return the tot to his migrating tribe, the trio must battle more than just the elements in this harsh world of predators and prey. There's plenty of light relief from the dramatic tension and superb action sequences, notably in the form of the brilliant comic invention Scrat, an apparently insane sabre-tooth squirrel who steals any scene in which he—and his acorn—appear (although a flock of keen but hapless dodos give him a close run for the film's comic laurels).

Featuring the voice talents of Ray Romano, Denis Leary and John Leguizamo, Ice Age is a thrilling, chilling comedy adventure that's undeniably cool.

On the DVD: Ice Age on DVD boasts a whole host of special features, including commentary by director Chris Wedge and co-director Carlos Saldhona, deleted scenes and trailers. The highlight of the bonus material is the exclusive short "Scrat's Missing Adventure" but for the real nitty-gritty go to "Under the Ice". This contains numerous featurettes of varying lengths, including "The Making of Ice Age", "Behind the Scenes", "Art of Effects" and "Sid's Voice Development". These tell you pretty well everything there is to know about the film and its creation. For additional humour check out the brief "Scrat Reveals" segment and Sid's commentary sequences. —Helen Baker

Carlos Saldanha Ice Age 2: The Meltdown [Region 2]

Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Carlos Saldanha Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs [DVD] [2009] [DVD] (2009) Ray Romano; Josh Peck

Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Carlos Saldanha Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs [DVD] [2009] [DVD] (2009) Ray Romano; Josh Peck

Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Carlos Saldanha, Chris Wedge, Mike Thurmeier Triple bill of CGI-animated prehistoric adventures. In 'Ice Age' (2002), a group of three animals embark upon an epic journey at the dawn of the great ice age. Sid the sloth (voiced by John Leguizamo), Manfred the woolly mammoth (Ray Romano), and Diego the sabre-toothed tiger (Denis Leary) team up to help return a human baby to its father, and must risk life and limb as they traverse boiling lava pits and travel through dangerous ice caves to complete their mission. Along the way they also meet Scrat, a squirrel-rat determined to plant an acorn in a glacier. In 'Ice Age 2: The Meltdown' (2006), Manny is ready to start a family, but nobody has seen another mammoth for a long time; in fact, Manny thinks he may be the last one. That is until he miraculously finds Ellie (Queen Latifah), the only female mammoth left in the world. The only problem is, they can't stand each other. Ellie comes with some excess baggage in the form of her two possum friends Crash (Seann William Scott) and Eddie (Josh Peck), a couple of daredevil pranksters and cocky, loud-mouthed troublemakers. When a huge glacial dam holding off oceans of water is about to break, threatening the entire valley, the only chance of survival lies at the other end of the valley. So our three heroes, along with Ellie, Crash and Eddie, form the most unlikely family as they embark on a mission across an ever-changing, increasingly dangerous landscape. In the third instalment, 'Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs' (2009), Scrat the squirrel (Chris Wedge) is still trying to get his paws on that ever-elusive nut, Manny and Ellie anxiously await the birth of their mini-mammoth, and Diego wonders if he's growing too laid-back living the life of a pampered house cat. Meanwhile, Sid the sloth gets into trouble when he creates his own makeshift family by hijacking some unusually large eggs, and inadvertently discovers a mysterious underground world where dinosaurs still roam.

John Cusack, Billy Bob Thornton, Connie Neilsen, Randy Quaid, Lauren Velez Holiday movies don’t get much darker, or more darkly humourous, than The Ice Harvest, an offbeat comedy that defies expectations. The involvement of director Harold Ramis might lead some to expect a straight-up comedy like Groundhog Day or Analyze This, but despite Ramis’s fine and atypically subdued work here, it’s the writers (Robert Benton and Richard Russo) who put a stronger stamp on their adaptation of the novel by Scott Phillips. Benton and Russo previously collaborated on Nobody’s Fool and Twilight (with Benton also directing), and those films are similar in tone and spirit to this quirky, modern-day film noir, set on a freezing Christmas Eve in Wichita, Kansas, where mob lawyer Charlie Arglist (John Cusack) has a lot on his mind. He’s just stolen $2 million from his boss (Randy Quaid), he can’t trust his partner Vic (Billy Bob Thornton), he’s secretly in love with the manager (Connie Nielsen) of the strip bar he owns, and his best friend (Oliver Platt, giving yet another terrific performance) is married to his ex-wife. Before the night’s over, several murders will complicate matters even further, and throughout it all, The Ice Harvest is anchored by Cusack’s good-natured presence in a bad-natured story that dares to combine double-crosses and bloodshed with elusive yuletide cheer. It’s a strange but oddly appealing combination, not for all tastes but refreshing for that very same reason. —Jeff Shannon

Michelle Trachtenberg, Joan Cusack, Tim Fywell

John Cusack, Ray Liotta, David Brenner, James Mangold John Cusack Identity

Ryan Gosling, George Clooney Please note this is a region 2 DVD and will require a region 2 or region free DVD player in order to play. Written and directed by Academy Award® winner George Clooney and starring Ryan Gosling, The Ides of March is an electrifying tale of ambition, betrayal and revenge. As up and coming press secretary Stephen Myers (Ryan Gosling) battles tirelessly for Governor Mike Morris (George Clooney) in a frantic election race he becomes distracted by sexy young intern Molly (Evan Rachel Wood). Whilst concealing their affair he agrees to meet the opposition s campaign manager (Paul Giamatti), who offers him a job on his staff. Stephen neglects to inform his boss of the meeting and as his silence is revealed he discovers a dirty personal secret that could sink Morris political career. Stephen must then decide whether to enact revenge or use it to his advantage. Boasting a stellar cast including George Clooney, Marisa Tomei, Jeffrey Wright, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti and Evan Rachel Wood, this seductive, award-winning thriller will leave audiences guessing until the very last moment.

Karl Pilkington, Ricky Gervais The first three series of the Sky 1 comedy travelogue in which Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant send Karl Pilkington, who doesn't like travelling, off around the globe to various destinations including New Zealand, China, Alaska, Africa, America and Jap

Edward Norton, Paul Giamatti, Neil Burger The Illusionist offers welcome proof that "arthouse" quality needn't be limited to the arthouses. Set in turn-of-the-century Vienna, this stately, elegant period film benefited from a crossover release in mainstream cinemas, and showed considerable box-office staying power—granted, teenage mallrats and lusty males may have been drawn to the allure of Seventh Heaven alumna Jessica Biel, who rises to the occasion with a fine performance. But there's equal appeal in the casting of Edward Norton and Paul Giamatti, who bring their formidable talents to bear on the intriguing tale of a celebrated magician named Eisenheim (Norton) whose stage performance offends the Crown Prince Leopold (Rufus Sewell), a vindictive lout who aims to marry Duchess Sophie (Biel), Eisenheim's childhood friend and now, 15 years later, his would-be lover. This romantic rivalry and Eisenheim's increasingly enigmatic craft of illusion are investigated by Chief Inspector Uhl (Giamatti), who's under Leopold's command and is therefore not to be trusted as Eisenheim and Sophie draw closer to their inevitable reunion. Cleverly adapted by director Neil Burger from Steven Millhauser's short story "Eisenheim the Illusionist," and boasting exquisite production values and a fine score by Philip Glass, The Illusionist is the kind of class act that fully deserved its unusually wide and appreciative audience. —Jeff Shannon

Eddie Murphy, Bobb'e J. Thompson, Karey Kirkpatrick Imaginary friends and security blankets are common childhood fixations that parents spend a lot of time worrying about, but how many parents become more obsessed with those imaginary worlds than their children? Evan Daniels, played by the ever-hysterical Eddie Murphy, is a part-time father, full-time financial executive who has little time for his daughter Olivia (Yara Shahidi) and even less time for her imaginary friends and security blanket. When Evan's absentminded attention to Olivia's far-fetched stories, combined with her ill-timed use of some important meeting notes as arts and crafts materials causes a huge blowup between father and daughter, it also reveals an uncanny window into the financial world. Suddenly, Evan becomes fixated on his daughter's imaginary playmates and will do anything, including singing and dancing in public, in exchange for the financial insight that yields him such great professional results.
While Olivia loves her new relationship with her father, her reliance on her imaginary friends deepens, causing her teachers and mother much concern, and she eventually begins to sense that her father may possibly care more for the information that he's receiving than for her. Meanwhile, Evan pits his unconventional reliance on what he dubs his "inner child" against his co-worker Whitefeather's (Thomas Haden Church) unorthodox reliance on Indian legends and the two men turn their financial firm upside down and end up competing for the coveted position of chairman of the board. In the end, Evan must make some tough choices about whether his job in the financial world is more important than his job as a father and Olivia will be forced to live with the consequences. The parenting dilemmas presented in this film are universal, and kids and parents alike will laugh uproariously at the crazy antics of Eddie Murphy and Yara Shahidi while simultaneously discovering that good parenting doesn't always look like one might expect. (Ages 6 and older with parental guidance due to mild language and brief questionable behaviour) —Tami Horiuchi

Henry Cavill, Mickey Rourke, Tarsem Singh

Kevin Kline, Joan Cusack, Daniel P. Hanley, Frank Oz When a Hollywood heart throb (Matt Dillon, playing a Brad Pitt look-alike) "outs" his small-town high-school drama teacher Howard Brackett (Kevin Kline) during the Oscar telecast, the entire (fictional) town of Greenleaf, Indiana, wonders if Howard's really gay. More to the point, Howard wonders, too—quite a dilemma considering his pending marriage to Emily (Joan Cusack), who's patiently tolerated a three-year engagement. While a TV reporter (Tom Selleck) covers the ensuing furore, screenwriter Paul Rudnick and director Frank Oz make good-natured humour their highest priority, turning the "crisis" of coming out into a laugh-out-loud spin on conventional romantic comedy. The result is a film that delivers constant laughs and a golden opportunity for its fine cast to show off their considerable comedic talents—especially Cusack, who deservedly earned an Oscar nomination for her hilarious performance as the bride who's almost as confused as her would-be husband. That Rudnick and Oz have made a great comedy that's both old-fashioned and relevant is no small feat, but In and Out has no hidden agenda apart from its triumphant desire to entertain. —Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com

Colin Farrell, Ralph Fiennes, Martin McDonagh The considerable pleasures of In Bruges begin with its title, which suggests a glumly self-important art film but actually fits a rattling-good tale of two Irish gangsters "keepin' a low profile" after a murder gone messily wrong. Bruges, the best-preserved medieval town in Belgium, is where the bearlike veteran Ken (Brendan Gleeson) and newbie triggerman Ray (Colin Farrell) have been ordered by their London boss to hole up for two weeks. As the sly narrative unfolds like a paper flower in water, "in Bruges" also becomes a state of mind, a suspended moment amid centuries-old towers and bridges and canals when even thuggish lives might experience a change in direction. And throughout, the viewer has ample opportunity to consider whose pronunciation of "Bruges" is more endearing, Gleeson's or Farrell's. The movie marks the feature writing-directing debut of playwright Martin McDonagh, whose droll meditation on sudden mortality, Six Shooter, copped the 2005 Oscar for best live-action short. Although McDonagh clearly relishes the musicality of his boyos' brogue and has written them plenty of entertaining dialogue, In Bruges is no stageplay disguised as a film. The script is deceptively casual, allowing for digressions on the newly united and briskly thriving Europe, and annexing passers-by as characters who have a way of circling back into the story with unanticipatable consequences. That includes a film crew—shooting a movie featuring, to Ray's fascination, "a midget" (Jordan Prentice)—and a fetching blond production assistant (Clémence Poésy) whose job description keeps evolving. There's one other key figure: Harry, the Cockney gang boss whose omnipotence remains unquestioned as long as he remains offscreen, back in England, as if floating in an early Harold Pinter play. Harry has reasons inextricably tender and perverse for selecting Bruges as his hirelings' destination, and eventually he emerges from the aether to express them—first as a garrulous telephone voice and then in the volatile form of Ralph Fiennes. By that point the charmed moment of suspension, already shaken by several eruptions of violence, is pretty well doomed. But In Bruges continues to surprise and satisfy right up to the end. —Richard T. Jameson

Cameron Diaz, Jackie Geary, Curtis Hanson In Her Shoes just gets better and better as it goes along. As adapted by Erin Brockovich screenwriter Susannah Grant, this is one of those rare movies that actually improves on its source material (Jennifer Weiner's "chick lit" bestseller), with thoughtful direction by Curtis Hanson, the L.A. Confidential Oscar-winner who approaches any chosen genre with Hawksian versatility.

At first it seems like Weiner's novel might yield a standard melodrama of sibling rivalry, but the polar opposition of smart, plain-looking Philadelphia lawyer Rose (the always-excellent Toni Collette) and her sexy, illiterate, irresponsible sister Maggie (Cameron Diaz) is just the starting point. In Her Shoes becomes a moving, richly developed character study that deals with painful loss, long-term guilt, negative self-image, and the discovery of a heretofore unknown grandmother named Ella (played with delicate nuance by Shirley MacLaine), whose re-entry into the sisters' lives sets the stage for the well-earned emotions of a satisfying reconciliation.

As Maggie takes stock of her dismal life while staying with Ella at a Florida "retirement home for active seniors," Hanson never condescends to these likable characters, and never goes for the easy laughs in a setting that could have devolved into Cocoon-like comedy. The movie's all the more endearing for treating its male characters (played by Mark Feuerstein, Ken Howard, and Richard Burgi) with equal depth and sympathy, further enhancing a classy tearjerker that viewers of both genders can thoroughly enjoy.— Jeff Shannon

Mary McCormack, Frederick Weller, Mark Piznarski

Warren Mitchell, Carmel McSharry 'Tis the season to be jolly?' Not for Alf Garnett. His daughter prefers the company of her Scouse husband, his mates all abandon the pub for their families and he's left with Marigold and a cheese sandwich. Happy Christmas! There's not much that gets Alf's goat more than Christmas - that is if you ignore immigrants, the unions, the Labour Party, Scousers or the price of beer - and every festive season finds him delivering some of his greatest rants. For a lonely OAP whose pension won't stretch much further than a pint of mild and some pipe tobacco, it's time to put on the waterworks, wring what he can out of friends, relations and do-gooders - and spend it down the pub. These Christmas specials, broadcast between 1985 and 1990, find Alf in great miserable form and include his last Christmas with Else; his short lived career as a store Santa; his Christmas in hospital for a hip replacement and a disastrous wedding day that leaves Mrs. Hollingbery in a less than festive mood...

Clint Eastwood, John Malkovich, Wolfgang Petersen This smart, tautly directed thriller from Wolfgang Petersen is about the cat-and-mouse games between a Secret Service agent named Horrigan (Clint Eastwood) and the brilliant, psychopathic assassin (John Malkovich) who's itching to get the President in his cross hairs. In the Line of Fire's back-story—Horrigan is haunted by his inability to prevent John Kennedy's assassination (Eastwood is computer-generated into archival footage)—is more than a little hokey, but the plotting itself is smartly, even ingeniously, constructed. Petersen manages a vice-like grip on the tension and Eastwood even gets to deliver an ever-more-timely lecture on the diminished nature of the office of President. Eastwood's as gruff and as infuriating to the by-the-book Powers That Be as ever and Malkovich oozes delightful menace. Rene Russo capably co-stars as a colleague with whom Horrigan gets friendly. —David Kronke

Leelee Sobieski, Jason Statham, Uwe Boll

Dexter Fletcher, Linda Hamilton, Gary Sinyor

Albert Brooks, Michael Douglas, Andrew Fleming

Al Gore, Davis Guggenheim It's not a horror film, but An Inconvenient Truth is certainly one of the scariest DVDs you could own. Presented in a straightforward format by former US Vice President Al Gore—think Royal British Institute lecture delivered with a Tennessee drawl—it sets out its compelling argument about climate change both methodically and entertainingly. Global warming is a real danger, argues Gore, and human civilisation is the root cause of it. A dizzying and shocking array of facts relating to carbon emissions, the population explosion and the disintegration of the polar icecaps all add weight to his thesis. Moreover, we're already witnessing some of the effects of global warming around the world, with an increasing amount of storms, droughts and other natural disasters, more in the past few years. But Gore doesn't present these facts merely to terrify the viewer. Instead, they're meant to shock us out of complacency and into action. Indeed, the film ends with some very simple ways we can all contribute to averting this impending global catastrophe. And that, argues Gore, is the point of An Inconvenient Truth. We have the ability to change our ways, what we lack is what Gore describes as "the political will." It is his hope that this film will begin to change all of that. —Ted Kord

Will Smith, Bill Pullman, Roland Emmerich In Independence Day, a scientist played by Jeff Goldblum once actually had a fistfight with a man (Bill Pullman) who is now president of the United States. That same president, late in the film, personally flies a jet fighter to deliver a payload of missiles against an attack by extraterrestrials. Independence Day is the kind of movie so giddy with its own outrageousness that one doesn't even blink at such howlers in the plot. Directed by Roland Emmerich, Independence Day is a pastiche of conventions from flying-saucer movies from the 1940s and 1950s, replete with icky monsters and bizarre coincidences that create convenient shortcuts in the story. (Such as the way the girlfriend of one of the film's heroes—played by Will Smith—just happens to run across the president's injured wife, who are then both rescued by Smith's character who somehow runs across them in alien-ravaged Los Angeles County.) The movie is just sheer fun, aided by a cast that knows how to balance the retro requirements of the genre with a more contemporary feel. —Tom Keogh

Harrison Ford, Shia LaBeouf, Steven Spielberg INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL [2 DISC TIN HOLDER EDITION]

Andy Lau, Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Alan Mak, Wai-keung Lau Infernal Affairs [2004] [DVD]

Omid Djalili, Richard Schiff, Josh Appignanesi United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), WIDESCREEN (1.78:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Commentary, Interactive Menu, Scene Access, Trailer(s), SYNOPSIS: Meet MAHMUD NASIR (Omid Djalili), loving husband, doting father and something of a relaxed Muslim.Does the F word occasionally pass his lips? Its hardly worth mentioning. Does he say his prayers five times a day? Of course! Well, usually Does he fast every day of Ramadan? Whos counting anyway?He may not be the most observant, but in his heart he is as Muslim as it gets. But after his mothers death a discovery turns Mahmuds world upside down. He finds his birth certificate which reveals that not only was he adopted at birth but he is Jewish, and his real name is Solly Shimshillewitz! As Mahmud tumbles headlong into a full scale identity crisis, the only person he can turn to is LENNY (Richard Schiff), a drunken Jewish cabbie who agrees to give him lessons in Jewishness, which start with how to dance like Topol. Oy vey. ...The Infidel ( The Reluctant Infidel )

Peter Hooten, Jackie Basehart, Enzo G. Castellari

Dennis Quaid, Martin Short, Joe Dante Innerspace is assured a place in the Hollywood history books as the movie which brought Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan together as one of cinema's most famous couples. The film itself belongs among a series of feelgood fantasies presented by Steven Spielberg in the 1980s, including Back to the Future (1984) and from the same director, Joe Dante, Gremlins (1983).

Innerspace offers Dante's usual mixture of comedy, exciting action and fantasy, the plot being a variation on Fantastic Voyage (1966). Test pilot Quaid is miniaturised and as a result of a bungled attempt to steal the new experimental technology, accidentally injected into the body of a deeply stressed and insecure Martin Short. Quaid is charismatic and commanding, Ryan gives an early demonstration of her patent romantic comedy persona, but it's Short's picture as he delivers a perfectly nuanced performance pitched between slapstick and paranoia. The Oscar-winning special effects enhance rather than dominate the story, which, though it gets a bit too silly in places, is generally inventive and sufficiently action packed to sustain the almost two-hour running time. Jerry Goldsmith's muscular score is a major asset, while in-joke spotters will have fun picking out everyone from Chuck Jones to William Schallert (the doctor in The Incredible Shrinking Man (1! 957)).

On the DVD: Innerspace on disc has a group commentary with director Joe Dante, producer Michael Finnell, visual effects supervisor Dennis Muren and actor Kevin McCarthy. This is engaging if far from riveting. The original trailer is anamorphically enhanced and there are two perfunctory pages listing cast, crew and the film's Oscar for special effects. The original Dolby Spectral soundtrack has been remixed into Dolby Digital 5.1 and is bold, clear and powerful. The picture is presented at 1.78:1 and is a virtually flawless transfer: colours are rich, detail levels are high and the only trace of grain is in a few particularly high contrast shots.—Gary S. Dalkin

Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, Spike Lee An intelligent thriller with a healthy few twists up its sleeve, The Inside Man marks strong, although hardly career-best, work from all concerned.

The plot is simple, and hardly fresh. On one side, you have a sophisticated team who walk into a bank, take everyone hostage and issue demands. On the other, you have a team of cops trying to apprehend those responsible and get the hostages out safely. In the middle, you have the owner of the bank, who's willing to bring in a bit of extra help to get the situation resolved. And yet what could have been a standard two-dimensional Hollywood blockbuster gets brains and substance thanks to those in front of and behind the camera.

The talent in front is led by a consummate Denzel Washington, as the cop leading the situation. Then there's the increasingly impressive Clive Owen and the always-excellent Jodie Foster, with sterling support from the likes of Christopher Plummer and Willem Dafoe.

Behind the camera, much has been made of the fact that this is the least Spike Lee-like film that Spike Lee has directed, yet that misses the point. The Inside Man sees a skilful, diligent and clever director utterly comfortable with what's going on, and wringing out plenty from the simple premise.

It's not a flawless film by any means: the last reel doesn't quite match up to what preceded it, and the script doesn't really get you near the skin of the characters (even if it does serve up some delicious, not entirely expected moments). Yet as heist movies go, this is one of the better examples of recent times, with plenty of reasons to recommend it. —Simon Brew

Triple H (The Game), Michael Rapaport, Michael Pavone

David Thewlis, Miranda Richardson, Aisling Walsh David Thewlis stars as the titular detective in this BBC adaptation of J.B. Priestley's play set in 1912. When a young girl commits suicide, Inspector Goole (Thewlis) is sent to investigate the prosperous Yorkshire household of the wealthy Birling family. It emerges that each member of the family has a guilty secret and that each one is at least partly responsible for the girl's death, revelations that threaten to destroy the family's reputation.

John Thaw, Kevin Whately, Adrian Shergold, Alastair Reid, Anthony Simmons, Antonia Bird, Brian Parker United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), English ( Dolby Digital Stereo ), English ( Subtitles ), SPECIAL FEATURES: Box Set, Interactive Menu, Multi-DVD Set, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: Super sleuth, Inspector Morse (John Thaw) has an ear for music, a taste for beer and a nose for crime. He sets out with Sergeant Lewis (Kevin Whately) to solve each intriguing case. Rediscover all 33 episodes, all digitally restored with full picture and sound restoration of this fantastic and class British TV series starring an amazing cast in each episode. Episodes include:The Dead Of Jericho The Silent World Of Nicholas Quinn Service Of All The Dead The Wolvercote Tongue Last Seen Wearing The Settling Of The Sun Last Bus To Woodstock The Ghost In The Machine The Last Enemy Deceived By Flight The Secret Of Bay 5B Infernal Serpent The Sins of the Father Driven To Distraction Masonic Mysteries Second Time Around Fat Chance Who Killed Harry Field? Greeks Bearing Gifts Promised Land Dead On Time Happy Families The Death Of The Self Absolute Conviction Cherubim And Seraphim Deadly Slumber The Day Of The Devil Twilight Of The Gods The Way Through The Woods The Daughters Of Cain Death Is Now My Neighbour The Wench Is Dead The Remorseful Day SCREENED/AWARDED AT: BAFTA Awards, Edgar Allan Poe Awards, ...Inspector Morse - Complete Series - 18-DVD Box Set

Robert De Niro, Anne Hathaway, Nancy Meyers Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway star in this comedy from film-maker Nancy Meyers. When Ben Whittaker (De Niro), a 70-year-old widower, becomes bored with retired life he decides to return to work, seeking an internship at an online fashion company, owned by Jules Ostin (Hathaway), that runs a senior intern programme. Ben gets the position and as he adjusts to his new surroundings he makes a good impression on his new boss with whom he forms an unlikely friendship.

Clive Owen, Naomi Watts, Tom Tykwer The International is actually two movies in one: A highbrow thriller about a sprawling bank that resorts to murder and arms sales to retain its power, and a sleek visual essay on how architecture and interior design shapes your perceptions. Interpol agent Louis Salinger (Clive Owen, still not quite a star despite Inside Man and Children of Men) has been on the brink of conclusive evidence against the villainous international bank, but his sources always end up dead. With the aid of a Manhattan district attorney (Naomi Watts in a woefully underwritten part), he stumbles on the trail of the bank's favorite hit man, who might provide the (literally) smoking gun Louis needs. The International starts out smooth and silky, with visual style to burn and Owen's intense fervor. The plot gradually bogs down in incoherent moralising, but along the way there are some taut sequences, including a bloody shootout in the Guggenheim Museum where alliances shift unexpectedly. But what makes The International worth seeing is director Tom Tykwer's astute eye for public space: Chic postmodern buildings, broad Italian plazas, Turkish rooftops like mountain paths—Tykwer orchestrates actors through these architectural shapes, his hypnotic visual sense creating far more tension and excitement than the plot. Also featuring Armin Mueller-Stahl (Eastern Promises) and Ulrich Thomsen (The Celebration) as malevolent Europeans. —Bret Fetzer

Stills from The International (click for larger image)

Nicole Kidman, Sean Penn, Sydney Pollack Universal, Studios, Region 2 2005 128 mins

Steve Buscemi, Sienna Miller Battle of the sexes as Steve Buscemi's political reporter locks horns with Sienna Miller's soap-queen. After incurring the wrath of his editor, steely political scribe Pierre Peders (Buscemi) is forced to accept an assignment to interview hot tabloid actress Katya (Miller). Meeting up in a swanky New York restaurant, things go from bad to worse when Pierre takes an instant dislike to the actress. On leaving the restaurant, he somehow manages to injure himself, but is rescued when Katya convinces him to go back to her apartment. After some obligatory drink and drugs, the pair embark on a psychological sparring match, uncovering each others weak spots, and generally enjoying the thrill of the chase.

George Clooney, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Ethan Coen, Joel Coen A sleek George Clooney and a seductive Catherine Zeta-Jones square off magnificently in the divorce comedy Intolerable Cruelty. The plot is simple: lawyer supreme Miles Massey (Clooney) skilfully outmanoeuvres gold-digger Marylin Rexroth (Zeta-Jones) when she divorces her wealthy husband—and she sets out to get revenge. But this movie comes from the creative minds of the Coen Brothers (Fargo, O Brother Where Art Thou?), and so Intolerable Cruelty includes a Scottish wedding chapel in Vegas, an asthmatic hit man, fluffy-dog-stroking European nobility, and a legendarily unbreakable pre-nuptial agreement. Still, it's pretty restrained for the Coens; smooth and consistent, it never stumbles as disappointingly as their movies can, but also never quite hits the operatic pitch of their best work. It's still damn funny, though, with top-notch performances from the leads as well as Geoffrey Rush, Cedric the Entertainer and Billy Bob Thornton. —Bret Fetzer

Ricky Gervais, Matthew Robinson Jennifer Garner Invention Of Lying

Louis Gossett Jr., Jason Gedrick, Sidney J. Furie Iron Eagles (short of Top Gun) is close to being the definitive boys' movie of the 1980s. An 18-year-old (Jason Gedrick) gets instruction from an old vet (Louis Gossett Jr) in how to fly an F-16 jet and kick butt in the Middle East, all while listening to his Walkman and—oh, yeah—saving his father from terrorist clutches. Gossett wears his tough-love face while the kids run rampant. Speaking of children, young guys must have like this comic-book movie, as its success spawned three sequels. But watch out for the Reagan-era jingoism and political reductiveness. —Tom Keogh, Amazon.com

Richard Lumsden, Imelda Staunton, Martin Dennis

Inspired by an actual incident, this unassuming, wonderfully good-natured romantic comedy tells the story of a New York City street cop named Charlie (Nicolas Cage) who makes a promise to a coffee-shop waitress named Yvonne (Bridget Fonda) that will change both their lives. One day after coffee, Charlie is embarrassed to discover he doesn't have money for a tip, so he tells Yvonne that he'll share half of his winnings if the lottery ticket he's holding comes up a winner. Sure enough, he wins the jackpot—a whopping US$4 million payoff—and Charlie's wife, Muriel (Rosie Perez), goes ballistic when he tells her about his deal with Yvonne. From this point, It Could Happen to You follows Charlie's dilemma as he is forced to decide the proper course of action, and director Andrew Bergman smoothly incorporates a gentle love story into this amusing crisis of conscience. Fonda and Cage have an easygoing chemistry that adds a pleasant touch to the movie's fairy-tale plot, and It Could Happen to You's kindhearted sentiment is never so thick that it becomes sticky-sweet or artificial. As feel-good comedies go, this one's a class act. —Jeff Shannon

Richard Ayoade, Christopher Morris

Chris O'Dowd, Richard Ayoade, Graham Linehan If you’ve not met Moss, Jen and Roy before, then here’s as good a place to start as any. As the IT Crowd of the show’s title, the trio find themselves relegated to the basement, only called upon when the company above them has a computer problem that needs solving. And as viewers of series one and two can testify, this provides a superb setting for one of the best comedy shows currently running.

Written (and directed too) by Graham Linehan, one of the geniuses behind Father Ted and Black Books, The IT Crowd this time lacks Noel Fielding, but has plenty to fill the gap he leaves. If there’s a particular favourite episode, it’s the one that rips apart the Facebook phenomenon by uncovering some information that it’s fair to say was best left covered up. And you’re unlikely to forget the box that apparently holds the entire Internet, too. Not for the first time in the show, a genius idea, superbly executed.

It’s a slightly uneven series, and one that saves its weakest episodes for first and last. But across the six episode run of The IT Crowd, there are plenty of laughs from a show that continues to deliver time and time again. Series four, fortunately, has already been commissioned, and off the back of what we get here, it’s got a high standard to aim for. —Jon Foster

James Stewart, Donna Reed, Frank Capra James Stewart (VERTIGO) stars as George; a noble man who takes the blame for a crime he did not commit. After attempting to kill himself, George is visited by a guardian angel and given a glimpse of a world without him in it, and the repercussions his absence has on his nearest and dearest. Director Frank Capra (MR. DEED'S GOES TO TOWN) created a poignant and feel-good film that has stood the test of time and is rightly considered to be the quintessential Christmas classic.

James Stewart, Donna Reed, Frank Capra Now perhaps the most beloved American film, It's a Wonderful Life was largely forgotten for years, due to a copyright quirk. Only in the late 1970s did it find its audience through repeated TV showings. Frank Capra's masterwork deserves its status as a feel-good communal event, but it is also one of the most fascinating films in the American cinema, a multilayered work of Dickensian density. George Bailey (played superbly by James Stewart) grows up in the small town of Bedford Falls, dreaming dreams of adventure and travel, but circumstances conspire to keep him enslaved to his home turf. Frustrated by his life, and haunted by an impending scandal, George prepares to commit suicide on Christmas Eve. A heavenly messenger (Henry Travers) arrives to show him a vision: what the world would have been like if George had never been born. The sequence is a vivid depiction of the American Dream gone bad, and probably the wildest thing Capra ever shot (the director's optimistic vision may have darkened during his experiences making military films in World War II). Capra's triumph is to acknowledge the difficulties and disappointments of life, while affirming—in the teary-eyed final reel—his cherished values of friendship and individual achievement. It's a Wonderful Life was not a big hit on its initial release, and it won no Oscars (Capra and Stewart were nominated); but it continues to weave a special magic. —Robert Horton

Paul Kaye, Beatriz Batarda, Michael Dowse

Michael Caine, Noel Coward, John Trumper, Peter Collinson The greatest Brit-flick crime caper comedy of all time, 1969's The Italian Job towers mightily above its latter-day mockney imitators. After Alfie but before Get Carter Michael Caine is the hippest ex-con around, bedding the birds (several at a time) and spouting immortal one-liners ("You're only supposed to blow the bloody doors off!"). The inheritor of a devious plan to steal gold bullion in the traffic-choked streets of Turin, Caine recruits a misfit team of genial underworld types—including a lecherous Benny Hill and three plummy public-schoolboy rally drivers—and uses the occasion of an England-Italy football match as cover for the heist.

In his final screen appearance, Noel Coward joyfully sends up his own patriotic persona, and there are small though priceless cameos from the likes of Irene Handl and John Le Mesurier. But The Italian Job's real stars are the three Mini Coopers—patriotically decorated red, white and blue—that run rings round every other vehicle in an immortal car-chase sequence, which preserves forever the British public's love affair with the little car. Quincy Jones provided the irreverent music, naturally, while the cliffhanger ending thumbs its nose at anything so un-hip as a resolution. It's all unashamedly jingoistic—ridiculously, gleefully, absurdly so—but the whole sums up the joie de vivre of the 1960s so perfectly that future historians need only look here to learn why the decade was swinging.

On the DVD: The Italian Job disc contains three all-new documentaries—"The Great Idea" (conception), "The Self-Preservation Society" (casting), and "Get a Bloomin' Move On" (stunts)—which dovetail into a good 68-minute "making of" featurette. Contributors include scriptwriter Troy Kennedy Martin and Producer Michael Deeley, who also crops up on the sporadically interesting commentary track with author of The Making of The Italian Job, Matthew Field. The deleted "Blue Danube" waltz scene is also included, with optional commentary. The print is a decent anamorphic transfer of the original 2.35:1 ratio, and the soundtrack has been remastered to Dolby 5.1. The animated Mini Cooper menus set the tone perfectly. —Mark Walker

Donald Sutherland, Mark Wahlberg, F. Gary Gray Though it bears little resemblance to the celebrated 1969 original starring Michael Caine, this 2003 remake of The Italian Job stands on its own as a caper comedy that's well above average. The title's a misnomer—this time it's actually a Los Angeles job—but the action's just as exciting as it propels a breezy tale of honour and dishonour among competing thieves. Inheriting Caine's role as ace heist-planner Charlie Croker, Mark Wahlberg plays straight-man to a well-cast team of accomplices, including Mos Def, Jason Statham and scene-stealer Seth Green in a variation of the role originally played by Noel Coward. As the daughter of Croker's ill-fated mentor (Donald Sutherland), Charlise Theron is recruited to double-cross a double-crosser (Edward Norton in oily villain mode), and once again, speedily versatile Mini Coopers (this time, the modern BMW versions) play a pivotal role in director F Gary Gray's exhilarating car-chase climax. It's perhaps the greatest product placement in movie history, and just as fun the second time around. —Jeff Shannon

Richard E. Grant, Samantha Mathis, Tim Sullivan The story of a father and baby daughter, 1995's Jack and Sarah is the best cinematic depiction of what came to be known as "the 90s man". No matter how bad things get we know Richard E Grant will eventually learn to get in touch with his feelings and express his emotions. Grant plays Jack, whose reaction to the loss of his wife during childbirth is initially complete rejection followed by an alcoholic binge. Jack's family coax fatherhood from him easily enough however and this is where the film's heart lies. Brushing away the bitter beginning, Grant's comedic performance in juggling life around newborn baby Sarah is often hilarious: the image of the child in a sock hat being carried in a padded envelope is priceless. Bouncing off Grant's acting are some terrific cameos from Judi Dench as his stuffy mum and Sir Ian McKellen as a convincingly inebriated butler. Samantha Mathis plays an American waitress who provides a twist to the tale. There's genuine chemistry between her and Grant, specifically when they are both around the outrageously cute baby Sarah. Written and directed by Tim Sullivan, this is clearly a very personal expression of the meaning of family. Although backed by lots of Simply Red songs, it hopefully won't be one that's too quickly outdated.

On the DVD: The ratio is confusingly stated as "Widescreen 4:3". Effectively it's an anamorphic 1:66:1 presentation giving a tad more edge than its video predecessor. Sound is in Dolby surround. The minimal extras are four repetitive TV spots and two theatrical trailers. —Paul Tonks

Harrison Ford, Willem Dafoe, Phillip Noyce The third instalment in the cinematic incarnation of Tom Clancy's CIA analyst Jack Ryan and the second starring Harrison Ford, this follow-up to Patriot Games is a more complex, rewarding and bolder film than its predecessor. Ford returns as Ryan, this time embroiled in a failed White House bid to wipe out a Colombian drug cartel and cover up the mess. The script, by Clancy and John Milius (Big Wednesday), has an air of true adventure about it as Ryan places himself in harm's way to extract covert soldiers abandoned in a Latin American jungle. There are a couple of remarkable set pieces expertly handled by Patriot Games director Phillip Noyce, especially a shocking scene involving an ambush on Ryan's car in an alley. The supporting cast is superb, including Willem Dafoe as the soldiers' leader, Henry Czerny as Ryan's enemy at the CIA, Joaquim de Almeida as a smooth-talking villain, Ann Magnuson as an unwitting confederate in international crime, and James Earl Jones as Ryan's dying boss. —Tom Keogh

Kenneth Branagh, Colm Feore Product Details Actors: Chris Pine, Kevin Costner, Kenneth Branagh, Keira Knightley, Peter Andersson Directors: Kenneth Branagh, Colm Feore Writers: Adam Cozad, David Koepp, Tom Clancy Producers: Mace Neufeld, Lorenzo di Bonaventura, David Barron, Mark Vahradian

Daniel Craig, Olga Kurylenko, Marc Forster Daniel Craig returns as James Bond in the 22nd instalment of the 007 franchise. After being betrayed by Vesper in Casino Royale, Bond (Craig) turns his sights on those who controlled her. Interrogating Mr White (Jesper Christensen), Bond discovers that the shadowy organisation responsible for blackmailing Vesper is a lot more powerful and dangerous than he ever imagined. Tracing a link to Hawaii, Bond soon crosses paths with Ukranian beauty Camille (Olga Kurylenko) who leads him to megalomaniacal businessman Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric), head of the organisation known simply as Quantum. Wishing to control one of the world's natural resources, Greene's organisation has a finger in every government agency worldwide, and it falls to Bond to keep one step ahead of his friends, and enemies, to stop Greene holding the world to ransom.

Sean Connery, Ursula Andress, Terence Young Released in 1962, this first James Bond movie remains one of the best and serves as an entertaining reminder that the Bond series began (in keeping with Ian Fleming's novels) with a surprising lack of gadgetry and big-budget fireworks. Sean Connery was just 32 years old when he won the role of Agent 007. In his first adventure James Bond is called to Jamaica where a colleague and secretary have been mysteriously killed. With an American CIA agent (Jack Lord, pre-Hawaii Five-O), they discover that the nefarious Dr. No (Joseph Wiseman) is scheming to blackmail the US government with a device capable of deflecting and destroying US rockets launched from Cape Canaveral. Of course, Bond takes time off from his exploits to enjoy the company of a few gorgeous women, including the bikini-clad Ursula Andress. She gloriously kicks off the long-standing tradition of Bond women who know how to please their favourite secret agent. A sexist anachronism? Maybe, but this is Bond at his purest, kicking off a series of movies that shows no sign of slowing down. —Jeff Shannon
Edition detailsInside Dr. No (PG)Terence Young: Bond VivantAudio commentary featuring director Terence Young and members of the cast and crew1963 Dr No "featurette"Dr. No gallery of picturesRadio advertisingTrailers for Dr. No, From Russia With Love and GoldfingerGoldfinger and Dr. No TV advertisingOn the DVD: "He was James Bond," remarks several interviewees of the late Terence Young, the suave, globetrotting, hard-living director who played a major role in defining the look, humour and tailoring of the Bond movies, making the extras on this DVD something of a cinematic festschrift to his talents. Since this was the first film in the franchise, the "making of" featurette goes into some detail about the Ian Fleming novels and how Sean Connery came to be cast, and made-over, by Young. The featurette also has excerpts from one Young's last interviews, spliced together with observations from his daughter, Ursula Andress (Honey Rider) and many of the other actors, production-designer Ken Adam, composer Monty Norman and host of other talents who took part in the making of the film. Many of their quotes are integrated into the commentary track. Also included is an amusing black and white doc from 1963 narrated by a podgy guy with specs who appears to be cousin of Harry Enfield's Mr. Cholmondley-Warner. —Leslie Felperin

Sean Connery, Robert Shaw, Terence Young Directed with consummate skill by Terence Young, the second James Bond spy thriller is considered by many fans to be the best of them all. Certainly Sean Connery was never better as the dashing Agent 007, whose latest mission takes him to Istanbul to retrieve a top-secret Russian decoding machine. His efforts are thwarted when he gets romantically distracted by a sexy Russian double agent (Daniela Bianchi), and is tracked by a lovely assassin (Lotte Lenya) with switchblade shoes, and by a crazed killer (Robert Shaw), who clashes with Bond during the film's dazzling climax aboard the Orient Express. From Russia with Love is classic James Bond, before the gadgets, pyrotechnics and Roger Moore steered the movies away from the more realistic tone of the books by Ian Fleming. —Jeff Shannon

Sean Connery, Gert Fröbe, Guy Hamilton Dry as ice, dripping with deadpan witticisms, only Sean Connery's Bond would dare to disparage the Beatles, that other 1964 phenomenon. No one but Connery can believably seduce women so effortlessly, kill with almost as much ease, and then pull another bottle of Dom Perignon 53 out of the fridge. Goldfinger contains many of the most memorable scenes in the Bond series: gorgeous Shirley Eaton (as Jill Masterson) coated in gold paint by evil Auric Goldfinger and deposited in Bond's bed; silent Oddjob, flipping a razor-sharp bowler like a Frisbee to sever heads; our hero spread-eagled on a table while a laser beam moves threateningly toward his crotch. Honor Blackman's Pussy Galore is the prototype for the series' rash of man-hating supermodels. And Desmond Llewelyn reprises his role as Q, giving Bond what is still his most impressive car, a snazzy little number that fires off smoke screens, punctures the tyres of vehicles on the chase, and boasts a handy ejector seat. Goldfinger's two climaxes, inside Fort Knox and aboard a private plane, have to be seen to be believed.—Raphael Shargel, Amazon.com—

On the DVD: Featuring interviews with Honor Blackman, Shirley Eaton, the late Desmond Llewelyn and most of the surviving core cast and crew members, great on-set footage (Blackman and Connery look like they clearly had the hots for each other even when the camera weren't rolling) and a strong argument about how this firmed up the gadget-orientated, thrills-and-spills formula for the franchise, John Cork's "making of" featurette for this DVD is one of the most rewarding in this series. The two commentary tracks have moderately interesting observations by director Guy Hamilton, the cast and crew (many of their comments recycled from the documentary), and on both Bond superfan-and-author Lee Pfeiffer filling in blanks and explaining in exhaustive detail the history of the Aston Martin DB5 that first appeared in this film. Also included is an open-ended 1964 interview with Sean Connery, designed so that American radio disc jockeys could pretend they had an exclusive interview with the star, in which he extols the series' "sadism for the family" among other things. —Leslie Felperin

Roger Moore, Christopher Lee, Guy Hamilton The British spy with a licence to kill takes on his dark underworld double, a classy assassin who kills with golden bullets at £1 million a hit. Roger Moore, in his second outing as James Bond, meets Christopher Lee's Scaramanga, one of the most magnetic villains in the entire series, in this entertaining but rather wan entry in the 007 sweepstakes. Bond's globetrotting search takes him to Hong Kong, Bangkok, and finally China, where Scaramanga turns his island retreat into a twisted theme park for a deadly game of wits between the gunmen, moderated by Scaramanga's diminutive man Friday Nick Nack (Fantasy Island's Hervé Villechaize). Britt Ekland does her best as an embarrassingly inept Bond girl, a clumsy, dim agent named Mary Goodnight who looks fetching in a bikini, while Maud Adams is Scaramanga's tough but haunted lover and assistant. Clifton James, the redneck sheriff from Live and Let Die, makes an ill-advised appearance as a racist tourist. He briefly teams up with 007 in what is otherwise the film's highlight, a high-energy chase through the crowded streets of Bangkok that climaxes with a breathtaking mid-air corkscrew jump. Bond and company are let down by a lazy script, but Moore balances the overplayed humour with a steely performance and Lee's charm and enthusiasm makes Scaramanga a cool, deadly, and thoroughly enchanting adversary. —Sean Axmaker, Amazon.com

Roger Moore, Barbara Bach, John Glen, Lewis Gilbert The best of the James Bond adventures starring Roger Moore as tuxedoed Agent 007, this globe-trotting thriller introduced the steel-toothed Jaws (played by seven-foot-two-inch-tall actor Richard Kiel) as one of the most memorable and indestructible Bond villains. Jaws is so tenacious, in fact, that Moore looks genuinely frightened, and that adds to the abundant fun. This time Bond teams up with yet another lovely Russian agent (Barbara Bach) to track a pair of nuclear submarines that the nefarious Stromberg (Curt Jürgens) plans to use in his plot to start World War III. Featuring lavish sets designed by the great Ken Adam (Dr. Strangelove), The Spy Who Loved Me is a galaxy away from the suave Sean Connery exploits of the 1960s, but the film works perfectly as grandiose entertainment. From cavernous undersea lairs to the vast horizons of Egypt, this Bond thriller keeps its tongue firmly in cheek with a plot tailor-made for daredevil escapism. —Jeff Shannon

Roger Moore, Lois Chiles, John Glen, Lewis Gilbert This was the first James Bond adventure produced after the success of Star Wars, so it jumped on the sci-fi bandwagon by combining the suave appeal of Agent 007 (once again played by Roger Moore) with enough high-tech hardware and special effects to make Luke Skywalker want to join Her Majesty's Secret Service. After the razzle-dazzle of The Spy Who Loved Me, this attempt to latch onto a trend proved to be a case of overkill, even though it brought back the steel-toothed villain Jaws (Richard Kiel) and scored a major hit at the box office. This time Bond is up against Drax (Michel Lonsdale), a criminal industrialist who wants to control the world from his orbiting space station. In keeping with his well-groomed style, Bond thwarts this maniacal Neo-Hitler's scheme with the help of a beautiful, sleek-figured scientist (played by Lois Chiles with all the vitality of a department store mannequin). There's a grand-scale climax involving space shuttles and ray guns, but despite the film's popular success, this is one Bond adventure that never quite gets off the launching pad. It's as if the caretakers of the James Bond franchise had forgotten that it's Bond-and not a barrage of gizmos and gadgets (including a land-worthy Venetian gondola)—that fuels the series' success. Despite Moore's passive performance (which Pauline Kael described as "like an office manager who is turning into dead wood but hanging on to collect his pension"), there are even a few renegade Bond-philes who consider it one of their favourites. —Jeff Shannon]

In the new "making of" featurette the enormous complexities of putting together a feature of this scope are talked about by all those involved, from genius production designer Ken Adam to special effects whiz and Thunderbirds alumnus Derek Meddings (Lois Chiles reveals that to this day she is delighted to have had the most obscene name of any Bond girl; the behind-the-scenes tale of the boat hanging over the waterfall is astonishing). Sensibly enough the supplementary documentary celebrates the work of the special effects men from John Stears to Derek Meddings and John Richardson. The audio commentary has executive producer Michael Wilson in conversation with director Lewis Gilbert, screenwriter Christopher Wood and associate producer William Cartlidge, who are all obviously having a good time watching the movie together again. Altogether, another handsome DVD presentation in this impeccable series. —Mark Walker

Roger Moore, Carole Bouquet, John Glen After the lavish, effects-heavy splash of Moonraker, the twelfth Bond film and the seventh with Roger Moore concentrates more on core car-chase-and-crumpet values, evoking an almost retro feel that harks back to the first pressings of the Bond vintage in the 1960s. Starting to look a little wrinkly around the edges by this point, Roger Moore toughens his usually smarmy act up here with a gratuitous bit of killing, casually kicking a baddie and his car over a precipice, reviving memories of the ruthless streak with which Sean Connery made his name. Good old-fashioned Cold War politics lie at the heart of the plot, concerning a weapons system hijacked in the Mediterranean Bond must rescue. He's assisted by the exquisite Carole Bouquet, the only actress in history who can claim to have been both a 'Bond girl' and the star of a Luis Buñuel movie (That Obscure Object of Desire). Sadly, this is the first film to lack Bernard Lee's spymaster M, the actor having died beforehand, although British comedienne Janet Brown is on hand for an amusing Margaret Thatcher impersonation. —Leslie Felperin

On the DVD: The first audio commentary here is another one of those edited selections of interviews with sundry cast and crew members, tied together by an over-earnest host. Producer Michael G Wilson and others provide a somewhat more illuminating second commentary track. Once again the best extra feature is the "making of" documentary, which gives an almost scene-by-scene breakdown of the movie. The animated storyboard sequences will appeal to filmmaking aficionados. Avoid, if at all possible, the Sheena Easton video of arguably the most forgettable Bond song of all time (both song and score were perpetrated by series newcomer Bill Conti, not the estimable John Barry). —Mark Walker

John Glen (II)|Roger Moore|Maud Adams|Louis Jourdan Roger Moore was nearing the end of his reign as James Bond when he made Octopussy, and he looks a little worn out. But the movie itself infuses some new blood into the old franchise, with a frisky pace and a pair of sturdy villains. Maud Adams—who'd also been in The Man with the Golden Gun—plays the improbably named Octopussy, while old smoothie Louis Jourdan is her crafty partner in crime. There's an island populated only by women, as well as a fantastic sequence with a hand-to-hand fight on a plane—and on top of a plane. The film even has an extra emotional punch, since this time 007 is not only following the orders of Her Majesty's Secret Service, but he is also exacting a personal revenge: a fellow double-0 agent has been killed. Two Bond films were actually released in 1983 within a few months of each other, as Octopussy was followed by Sean Connery's comeback in Never Say Never Again. The success of both pictures proved that there was still plenty of mileage left in the old licence to kill, though Moore had one more workout—A View to a Kill—before hanging it up. And that title? The franchise had already used up the titles to Ian Fleming's novels, so Octopussy was taken from a lesser-known Fleming short story. —Robert Horton, Amazon.com

On the DVD: The high standard of these 007 discs is maintained here, with another extra-packed selection. The "Inside Octopussy" documentary details the making of the movie, which faced competition from Sean Connery's Never Say Never Again, as well as being handicapped by a potentially risible title. The initial story was developed by George Macdonald Fraser, author of the "Flashman" books, whose knowledge of Indian history and locales proved invaluable. Roger Moore prevaricated about signing on as Bond, so American James Brolin was screen-tested instead. The movie also produced the worst accident of the series while filming the train sequence and the stuntman involved was hospitalised for six months. Director John Glen provides a solo commentary that reveals a wealth of technical detail and also that this is one of his favourite Bond movies. Rita Coolidge performs "All Time High", and there are also some storyboard sequences and trailers. —Mark Walker

Roger Moore, Christopher Walken, John Glen Roger Moore's last outing as James Bond is evidence enough that it was time to pass the torch to another actor. Beset by crummy action (an out-of-control fire engine?) and featuring a fading Moore still trying to prop up his mannered idea of style, the Film is largely interesting for Christopher Walken's quirky performance as a sort-of supervillain who wants to take out California's Silicon Valley. Grace Jones has a spookily interesting presence as a lethal associate of Walken's (in the best Bond tradition, she has sex with 007 before trying to kill him later) and Patrick Macnee (Steed!) has a warm if brief bit. Even directed by John Glen, who brought some crackle to the Moore years in the Bond franchise, A View to a Kill is a very slight effort. —Tom Keogh

Timothy Dalton, Maryam d'Abo, John Glen (II) The Living Daylights, new boy Timothy Dalton's first Bond outing, gets off to a rocking start with a pre-credits sequence on Gibraltar, and culminates in a witty final showdown with Joe Don Baker's arms dealer, set on a model battlefield full of toy soldiers. While the Aston Martin model whizzing through the car chase has been updated for the late 1980s—including lethal lasers and other deadly gizmos—the plot is pretty standard issue, maybe a little more cluttered and unfocused than usual, involving arms, drugs and diamond smuggling. Nevertheless, the action-formula firmly in place, this one rehearses the moves with ease and throws in some fine acting. Maryam d'Abo, playing a cellist-cum-spy, is the classy main squeeze for 007 (uncharacteristically chaste for once). Dalton, with his wolfish, intelligent features, was a perfectly serviceable secret agent, but never caught on with the viewers, perhaps because everyone was hoping for a presence as charismatic as Sean Connery's in the franchise's glory days.—Leslie Felperin

On the DVD: Casting the new Bond takes up much of the "making-of" documentary: first Sam Neill was in the running, but vetoed by Cubby Broccoli, who wanted Timothy Dalton and had considered him as far back as On Her Majesty's Secret Service (but Dalton felt he was just too young at the time). When Dalton proved unavailable, Pierce Brosnan was hired. Then, at the last minute, Brosnan's Remington Steele contract was renewed and he had to drop out. Dalton came back in, on the proviso that he could give Bond a harder, more realistic edge after the action-lite of the Roger Moore years. The second documentary attempts to profile the enigmatic Ian Fleming, who was apparently as mysterious and chameleon-like as his alter ego. The commentary is a miscellaneous selection of edited interviews from various members of the cast and crew. There's also Ah-Ha's "Living Daylights" video, and a "making-of" featurette about it. A brief deleted scene (comic relief—wisely dropped) and trailers complete another strong package. —Mark Walker

Timothy Dalton, Robert Davi, John Glen Timothy Dalton's second and last James Bond assignment in Licence to Kill is darker and harder-edged than anything from the Roger Moore years, dropping the sometimes excruciating in-jokes that had begun to dominate the series in favour of gritty, semi-realistic action. When CIA colleague and close friend Felix Leiter (David Hedison) gets married immediately after arresting villainous drug baron Franz Sanchez (with a little help from Bond), the crime lord's retribution is swift and terrible. Bond goes on a personal vendetta against Sanchez after his licence to kill is revoked. There are plenty of spectacular stunt scenes, of course, but the meaty story of revenge is this film's distinguishing feature. Dalton's portrayal of the iconic hero as tough but flawed was a brave decision that the producers subsequently retreated from after Licence to Kill's relatively poor box-office showing.

On the DVD: Timothy Dalton's insistence that Bond was a man not a superhero, and "a tarnished man" at that encouraged the producers to redefine Bond with a tougher edge more in keeping with Fleming's original conception of the character. Licence to Kill is Bond's darkest assignment. The production team experienced their usual difficulties in bringing it to the screen, the "making-of" documentary reveals, including a haunted road in Mexico and a mysterious flaming hand that appeared out of the fire during the climactic tanker explosion. There are two commentaries here, both montage selections of interviews from cast and crew. The first features director John Glen and many of the actors; the second has producer Michael G Wilson and the production team. Gladys Knight pops up in the first music video, Patte La Belle in the second ("If You Asked Me To"). There are the usual trailers, gallery of stills and a feature on the Kenworth trucks specially adapted for the movie's stunt work. —Mark Walker

Pierce Brosnan, Tcheky Karyo, Martin Campbell Pierce Brosnan assumed the role of James Bond for the first time in Goldeneye, the 17th entry in the series. Brosnan looks a little light on the big screen under any circumstances, and he does take some getting used to as 007. But this busy film keeps him hopping as freelance terrorists from the former Soviet Union get their hands on super-high-tech weapons. The film's challenge is to bring free-spirited Bond up to date in the age of AIDS and in the aftermath of the cold war: director Martin Campbell (The Mask of Zorro) succeeds on both counts with a cheeky hint of irony. The best moment in the film is a chase scene that finds Bond tearing up the streets of Moscow in a tank. But Brosnan's most interesting contributions are reminiscent of the dark streak that occasionally showed up in Sean Connery's Bond. —Tom Keogh

Pierce Brosnan, Jonathan Pryce, Dominique Fortin, Roger Spottiswoode Pierce Brosnan returns for his second stint as James Bond in Tomorrow Never Dies and he's doing it in high style with an invigorating cast of co-stars. It's only appropriate that a Bond film from 1997 would find Agent 007 pitted against a media mogul (Jonathan Pryce) who's going to start a global war—beginning with stolen nuclear missiles aimed at China—to create attention-grabbing headlines for his latest multimedia news channel. It's the information age run amok and Bond must team up with a lovely and lethal agent from the Chinese External Security Force (played by Hong Kong action star Michelle Yeoh) to foil the madman's plot of global domination. Luckily for Bond, the villain's wife (Teri Hatcher) is one of his former lovers and, at the behest of his superior "M" (Judi Dench), 007 finds ample opportunity to exploit the connection. Although it bears some nagging similarities to many formulaic action films from the 90s, Tomorrow Never Dies (with a title song performed by Sheryl Crow) boasts enough grand-scale action and sufficiently intelligent plotting to suggest the Bond series has plenty of potential to survive into the next millennium. Armed with the usual array of gadgets (including a remote-controlled BMW), Brosnan settles into his role with acceptable flair and the dynamic Yeoh provides a perfect balance to the sexism that once threatened to turn Bond into a politically incorrect anachronism. He's still Bond, to be sure but he's saving the world with a bit more sophisticated finesse. —Jeff Shannon —This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

On the DVD: Somewhat disappointingly there is no specific "making-of" documentary for Tomorrow Never Dies: instead we get a generic "Secrets of 007" made-for-US-television feature, a promotional piece that does however include footage from the set of TND. There is also a very brief special effects reel, which highlights the novel (for a Bond movie) use of CGI, as well as a breakdown of key sequences with their storyboards. Elsewhere, composer David Arnold enthuses about writing Bond music from a fan's perspective and Sheryl Crow's music video is included as are theatrical trailers and a text piece on some of the gadgets. There are two commentaries: the first from producer Michael Wilson and stunt coordinator Vic Armstrong; the second has director Roger Spottiswoode in conversation with "friend and colleague" Dan Petrie Jr. Only die-hard fans would have wanted both, the rest may find themselves switching between the two. The film, of course, looks and sounds stunning. —Mark Walker

Pierce Brosnan, Sophie Marceau, Michael Apted In his 19th screen outing The World is Not Enough, Ian Fleming's super-spy is once again caught in the crosshairs of a self-created dilemma: as the longest-running feature-film franchise, James Bond is an annuity his producers want to protect, yet the series' consciously formulaic approach frustrates any real element of surprise beyond the rote application of plot twists or jump cuts to shake up the audience. This time out, credit 007's caretakers for making some visible attempts to invest their principal characters with darker motives—and blame them for squandering The World is Not Enough's initial promise by the final reel. By now, Bond pictures are as elegantly formal as a Bach chorale, and this one opens on an unusually powerful note. A stunning pre-title sequence reaches beyond mere pyrotechnics to introduce key plot elements as the action leaps from Bilbao to London. Pierce Brosnan undercuts his usually suave persona with a darker, more brutal edge largely absent since Sean Connery departed. Equally tantalising are our initial glimpses of Bond's nemesis du jour, Renard (Robert Carlyle), and imminent love interest, Elektra King (Sophie Marceau), both atypically complex characters cast with seemingly shrewd choices and directed by the capable Michael Apted. The story's focus on post-Soviet geopolitics likewise starts off on a savvy note, before being overtaken by increasingly Byzantine plot twists, hidden motives and reversals of loyalty superheated by relentless (if intermittently perfunctory) action sequences.

Bond's grimmer demeanour, while preferable to the smirk that eventually swallowed Roger Moore whole, proves wearying, unrelieved by any true wit. The underlying psychoses that propel Renard and Elektra eventually unravel into unconvincing melodrama, while Bond is supplied with a secondary love object, Denise Richards, who is even more improbable as a nuclear physicist. Ultimately, this world is not enough despite its better intentions. —Sam Sutherland, Amazon.com

On the DVD: There are three different documentaries on this disc, as well as a "Secrets of 007" featurette that cuts between specific stunt sequences, behind-the-scenes footage and storyboards to reveal how it was all done, and a short video tribute to Desmond Llewelyn ("Q"), who died not long after this movie was released. The first "making of" piece is presented by an annoyingly chirpy American woman and is aimed squarely at the MTV market (most fascinating is watching her interview with Denise Richards in which the two orthodontically enhanced ladies attempt to out-smile each other). "Bond Cocktail" gamely distils all the essential ingredients that make up the classic Bond movie formula—gadgets, girls, exotic locations and lots of action. Most interesting of all is "Bond Down River", a lengthy dissection of the opening boat chase sequence. Director Michael Apted provides the first commentary, and talks about the challenges of delivering all the requisite ingredients. The second commentary is less satisfactory, since second unit director Vic Armstrong, production designer Peter Lamont and composer David Arnold have little in common. There's also the Garbage song video, and the booklet has yet more behind-the-scenes info. The anamorphic CinemaScope picture and Dolby digital sound are as spectacular as ever. —Mark Walker

Pierce Brosnan, Colin Salmon, Lee Tamahori The 20th "official" 007 outing released in the 40th anniversary year of the series, Die Another Day is big, loud, spectacular, slick, predictable and as partially satisfying as most Bond movies have been for the last 30 years. Pierce Brosnan gives his best Bond performance to date, forced to suffer torture by scorpion venom administered by a North Korean dominatrix during the Madonna-warbled credits song. He traipses from Cuba to London to Iceland while feuding with a smug insomniac millionaire (Toby Stephens), who admits that he's an evil parody of Bond's own personality. There are many nods to the past: Halle Berry recreates Ursula Andress's entrance from Dr No, the gadget-packed car (which can become invisible) is a Goldfinger-style Aston Martin (albeit a brand-new model), the baddie's line in smuggled "conflict gems" and super-weapons derives from Diamonds Are Forever and the jet-pack from Thunderball can be seen in Q's lab.

It's the longest of the franchise to date (two-and-a-quarter hours) and the first to augment stunts and physical effects with major CGI, though the best fight is traditional: a polite club fencing match between Brosnan and Stephens that gets out of hand and turns into a destructive hack-and-slash fest with multiple edged weapons. Berry may be the first Bond girl with an Oscar on her shelf, but she's still stuck with a bad hairdo as well as having to endure 007's worst chat-up lines. Amazingly, most of the old things here do still work, though it's a shame that director Lee Tamahori (Once Were Warriors) wasn't given a better script to play with.

On the DVD: Die Another Day arrives on disc in a transfer that makes some of the CGI look less dodgy than it did in cinemas. The first disc includes two separate commentaries: an interesting, enthusiastic technical one with Tamahori and producer Michael Wilson, and a blander drone from Brosnan with input from "bad girl" actress Rosamund Pike. On Disc Two the main extra is "Inside Die Another Day", a 75-minute making-of with the usual 007 DVD extra mix of boosterism and solid background how-the-hell-they-did-it info. The "Region 2 exclusive" turns out to be another making-of, a video diary effort that takes a more interesting, wry approach to the mix of enterprise and chaos that is the Bond production machine. —Kim Newman

Daniel Craig, Eva Green, Martin Campbell The most successful invigoration of a cinematic franchise since Batman Begins, Casino Royale offers a new Bond identity. Based on the Ian Fleming novel that introduced Agent 007 into a Cold War world, Casino Royale is the most brutal and viscerally exciting James Bond film since Sean Connery left Her Majesty's Secret Service. Meet the new Bond; not the same as the old Bond. Daniel Craig gives a galvanising performance as the freshly minted double-0 agent. Suave, yes, but also a "blunt instrument," reckless and possessed with an ego that compromises his judgment during his first mission to root out the mastermind behind an operation that funds international terrorists. In classic Bond film tradition, his global itinerary takes him to far-flung locales, including Uganda, Madagascar, the Bahamas (that's more like it) and Montenegro, where he is pitted against his nemesis in! a poker game, with hundreds of millions in the pot. The stakes get even higher when Bond lets down his armour by falling in love with Vesper (Eva Green), the ravishing banker's representative fronting him the money.

For longtime fans of the franchise, Casino Royale offers some retro kicks. Bond wins his iconic Aston Martin at the gaming table, and when a bartender asks if he wants his martini "shaken or stirred," he disdainfully replies, "Do I look like I give a damn?". There's no Moneypenny or "Q," but Dame Judi Dench is back as the exasperated M who, one senses, admires Bond's "bloody cheek." A Bond film is only as good as its villain, and Mads Mikkelsen as Le Chiffre, who weeps blood, is a sinister dandy. From its punishing violence and virtuoso action sequences to its romance, Casino Royale is a Bond film that, in the words of one character, 'makes you feel it', particularly during an excruciating torture sequence. Double-0s, Bond observes early on, "have a short life expectancy". But with Craig, there is new life in the old franchise yet, as well as genuine anticipation for the next one when, at last, the signature James Bond theme kicks in following the best last ! line ever in any Bond film. To quote Goldie Hawn in Private Benjamin, "now I know what I've been faking all these years". —Donald Liebenson

Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Sam Mendes

Teri Hatcher, Rob Lowe, Kevin Elders

Todd Armstrong, Maurice Rootes, Don Chaffey Arguably the most intelligently written film to feature the masterful stop-motion animation of Ray Harryhausen, Jason and the Argonauts is a colorful adventure that takes full advantage of Harryhausen's "Dynarama" process. Inspired by the Greek myth, the story begins when the fearless explorer Jason (Todd Armstrong) returns to the kingdom of Thessaly to make his rightful claim to the throne, but the gods proclaim that he must first find the magical Golden Fleece. Consulting Hera, the queen of gods, Jason recruits the brave Argonauts to crew his ship, and they embark on their eventful journey. Along the way they encounter a variety of mythic creatures, including the 100-foot bronze god Talos, the batlike Harpies, the seven-headed reptilian Hydra, and an army of skeletons wielding sword and shield. That last sequence remains one of the finest that Harryhausen ever created, and it's still as thrilling as anything from the age of digital special effects. Harryhausen was the true auteur of his fantasy films and his brilliant animation evokes a timeless sense of wonder. Jason and the Argonauts is a prime showcase for Harryhausen's talent—a wondrous product of pure imagination and filmmaking ingenuity. —Jeff Shannon

Rose McGowan, Rebecca Gayheart, Troy Takaki, Darren Stein A ferocious day-glo-coloured complement to Michael Lehmann's majestically spiteful late-80s teen black comedy Heathers, Jawbreaker invites us into the immaculately turned-out and deeply, deeply venal world of a quartet of high-school princesses led by one Courtney Shayne (Rose McGowan)—or "Satan in heels", as she's known to her peer group. The only thing is, Courtney's gang don't stay a quartet for long after the one vaguely likeable member of the group, Liz (Charlotte Ayanna) dies following a malicious birthday prank executed by her caring, sharing girlfriends. (All we can say is that it involves the titular hunk of candy.)

Triumphantly convincing the world Liz was, in fact, the victim of a serial killer, Courtney gets on with ruling school with a manicured iron fist—except she didn't bargain for the sudden discovery of a conscience by her lieutenant Julie (Rebecca Gayheart), or the rumbling of her plan by class geek Fern Mayo (Judy Greer). In truth, no matter how badly Jawbreaker wants to be Heathers, there's little of the sharp, acidic wit or satirical glee which Lehmann brought to the table in the earlier movie—just a sticky and a faintly unpleasant aftertaste. That said, there's a certain cartoonish vibrancy to the proceedings, however predictably they unfold, and if McGowan's Joan Crawford Jr shtick as the vampish queen-bitch Shayne hardly extends her range as an actress, it's an accomplished piece of type-casting. —Danny Leigh

Jason Mewes, Kevin Smith With sidesplitting dialogue and rampant profanity, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back reunites Kevin Smith's dynamic duo in supreme lowbrow style. It's the fifth comedy in Smith's celebrated New Jersey "trilogy". Here Quick-Stop potheads Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Smith) wreak vengeance on Hollywood, where Miramax is making a "Bluntman & Chronic" feature inspired by J and SB, but without their permission. En route from Jersey to La La Land, Jay and his "hetero lifemate" encounter sexy jewel thieves (including the delightful Shannon Elizabeth), a precocious orang-utan, a dimwit wildlife marshal (Will Ferrell), and a non-stop parade of in-jokes, harmless (yet controversial) gay jokes, and splendid celebrity cameos. While gently biting the Miramax hand that feeds him, and paying affectionate homage to the Star Wars saga, Smith sheds all inhibitions to give Jay and Silent Bob a stellar send off that's nasty, sassy and undeniably hilarious. —Jeff Shannon

Jean-Claude Van Damme, Francois Damiens, Mabrouk El Mechri

Jeff Wayne War of the Worlds

James Nesbitt, Michelle Ryan

Jethro

Michael Caine, Laurence Olivier, Terence Young The Jigsaw Man [1983] [DVD]

Jim Davidson

Jim Davidson

Jimmy Carr, James Mullinger, Steve Dix, Dominic Brigstocke Jimmy Carr—Live Stand Up 2 is yet another demonstration of just why its star is becoming one of Britain’s most popular live comics. Filmed at London’s Bloomsbury Theatre, it’s an act that’s not for the easily offended, but is bursting with laughs and some rapid-fire comeback lines.

Along the way, he delivers his sharp one-liners with admirable consistency, in his trademark deadpan style. Continuing to joke around subject matters that others would choose to leave well alone, he undoubtedly sails close to the wind, but succeeds through a combination of well-written material and superb delivery. His act holds the attention right from the off too, with an opening that sees him communicating with his audience via a giant screen. Trust us, it works.

And there’s an unexpected highlight on the DVD too, which almost eclipses the main event. The Comedy Idol programme sees Carr judging a stand-up talent content, which throws up genuine hilarity along with some of the strangest comedic acts you’re likely to have seen.

Mix in that, with the main act and generous dose of further bonus material, and Jimmy Carr—Live Stand Up 2 not only offers tremendous entertainment, it’s excellent value too. Heed that 18 certificate, though.—Jon Foster

Jimmy Carr

Jimmy Carr Deadpan British comedian Jimmy Carr returns for his sixth live stand-up release, containing all the jokes that were deemed too rude for television.

Jimmy Carr

John Bishop THE UV COPY Has Expired 11.11.2014 - This Dvd Is Brand New BUT NOT Sealed - 2011 - Another Dvd Is Now Becoming Very Collectable & Sought After. This Dvd Is In Stock And Will Be Posted From The UK - Region 2

Rowan Atkinson, Ben Miller, Peter Howitt Please note this is a region 2 DVD and will require a region 2 or region free DVD player in order to play. Johnny English, office worker at MI7 gets himself promoted after all the agents are blown up at a funeral. Johnny is assigned the task of protecting the Crown Jewels on the opening night of an exhibition. The gems are stolen from under his nose and now he must use all his resources to locate them and get them back...

Rowan Atkinson, Rosamund Pike Please note this is a region 2 DVD and will require a region 2 or region free DVD player in order to play.  When a team of ruthless assassins plot to kill the Chinese premier, the only person who can stop them from plunging the world into total chaos is bumbling secret agent Johnny English (Rowan Atkinson) in this sequel featuring Gillian Anderson, Dominic West, and Rosamund Pike. Somewhere deep in Asia, the veteran MI-7 spy has been training for years in anticipation of his next mission. Meanwhile, the most prominent heads of state in the world begin gathering for a conference that could have a major impact on the world of global politics. When MI-7 receives word that the Chinese premier has become the target of some high-powered killers, it falls on Johnny English to save the day. Armed with the latest high-tech weaponry and gadgets that would make even James Bond jealous, the once-disgraced agent uncovers evidence of a massive conspiracy involving some of the world's most powerful organizations, and vows to redeem his tarnished reputation by stopping the killers before they can strike.

Johnny Vegas United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2.4 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital Stereo ), WIDESCREEN (1.78:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Behind the scenes, Deleted Scenes, Interactive Menu, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: Kidnapped, Johnny Vegas is surrounded by a mad lifestyle manager, a megalomaniac sponsor and his obsessive comic flatmate who should've been sectioned years ago... He also performs a live stand up set at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. ...Johnny Vegas: Who's Ready for Ice Cream?

Jon Richardson Jon Richardson - Funny Magnet

Megan Fox, Josh Brolin, Jimmy Heyward

Alan Davies, Julia Sawalha

Derrick Borte The Joneses, a seemingly perfect family, are the envy of their posh, suburban neighborhood filled with all the trappings of the upper middle class. They are the ultimate trend setters with an endless supply of high-tech toys, designer clothes, fast cars and the latest gadgets. But as the neighbors try to keep up with the Joneses, none are prepared for the truth about this all too perfect family.

Donny Osmond, Maria Friedman, David Mallet Following the successful release of Cats comes another Andrew Lloyd Webber blockbuster musical, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and it's a savvy choice. It hasn't been represented on film before, it's short enough (78 minutes) to present without cuts and it has the star-power of former teen icon Donny Osmond, who played over 1,800 performances across North America. Rather than record a live performance, Cats director David Mallet conceived Joseph as a film, though one that is based strongly on co-director Steven Pimlott's 1991 London revival and relies more on camerawork than venturing beyond its stagelike sets.

Lloyd Webber's first project with lyricist Tim Rice was originally written in 1968 as a school cantata; accordingly, this film uses a framing sequence of a school recital, with an audience of clapping, singing kids and members of the faculty playing the roles. The Old Testament tale of Joseph and his coat of many colours gets a splashy, vigorous treatment with an energetic cast, Las Vegas-style glitz and catchy, eclectic songs, including "Any Dream Will Do", "Close Every Door", the peppy "Go, Go, Go Joseph" and various bits of country, calypso and Elvis. Osmond is perfect in the title role, with a strong voice and winning persona, while London stage veteran Maria Friedman performs well in the central role of the narrator. Richard Attenborough appears (and sings a little) as Jacob, and Joan Collins makes a brief, non-singing cameo.

PLEASE NOTE: This is a Region 2 DVD playable in the UK, Europe, Middle East and Japan only, unless you have an All Region DVD player. Please check before ordering.

Rachael Leigh Cook, Tara Reid, Deborah Kaplan, Harry Elfont Shrewdly concocted by codirectors Harry Elfont and Deborah Kaplan, Josie and the Pussycats is a wildly comedic update of the Archie comic book (and early 1970s cartoon show). "Oh my God, I'm a trend pimp!" cries rocker Josie McCoy (Rachel Leigh Cook) when she discovers that she and her best friends Melody (Tara Reid) and Val (Rosario Dawson)—collectively known as the Pussycats—have been recruited in a plot to brainwash America's youth into a frenzy of mindless consumerism. Unbeknown to the Pussycats, subliminal messages in their chart-topping hit "Pretend to Be Nice" are forcing kids to follow the latest prefab trends as if their lives depended on it. Josie's going to be the "Next Big Thing", and to her manager (Alan Cumming) and Megarecords mogul Fiona (Parker Posey), the other Pussycats are expendable baggage in their scheme to dictate the cool quotient of teenagers everywhere. Blatant product placements dominate virtually every colourful scene as Josie and the Pussycats gamely embraces the cultural blight it claims to criticise, but this isn't Hollywood hypocrisy. In this deliriously entertaining assault on pop-cultural flotsam, with its disposable boy-band (aptly named "Du Jour") and cross-product marketing ploys that perpetuate blind conformity among gullible teens, Elfont and Kaplan wilfully bite the hand that feeds them, and they're having loads of fun while advocating independent opinion. Cook and her pals are more honestly sexy than Britney Spears, and they make genuinely catchy music (although Cook's vocals were dubbed). It's pure fluff, but Josie and the Pussycats was conceived in such high spirits that it's hard to imagine how it could be improved. Even the obligatory end-credit outtakes are utterly irresistible. —Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com

On the DVD: Some nicely designed and colourful menus lead you to the extras. The obligatory "Behind the Scenes" is a lot more than just an extended promo with footage of the Pussycats learning their instruments and playing them live on stage. Strangely enough though, there's not one mention throughout of the characters' comic book and cartoon origins. There are a few pointless deleted scenes and the usual production notes plus the video for Josie and the Pussycats' single "Three Small Words" (good enough to play on MTV!) and two hilarious music videos from the movie's fictitious boy band DuJour. —Jon Weir

Rachel Bilson, Hayden Christensen, Samuel L. Jackson, Jamie Bell, Doug Liman Sci-fi action blockbuster with Hayden Christensen as a young man able to teleport himself to any place on earth. After discovering he has a genetic anomaly that allows him to teleport wherever he wants, teenager David Rice (Christensen) embarks on a hedon

Whoopi Goldberg, Stephen Collins, Penny Marshall

Ellen Page, Michael Cera, Jason Reitman Juno (DVD) Region 2.

Mila Kunis, Channing Tatum, Andy Wachowski, Lana Wachowski The Wachowskis helm this sci-fi action adventure starring Mila Kunis, Channing Tatum and Eddie Redmayne. In the future it is revealed that humans were not born on Earth but the planet was, in fact, seeded by the royal House of Abrasax, the most powerful alien dynasty, 100,000 years ago. After their mother dies, the Abrasax children and heirs to Earth - Balem (Redmayne), Kalique (Tuppence Middleton) and Titus (Douglas Booth) - compete for their inheritance. When Balem, who currently controls the planet, discovers that Earth-born cleaner Jupiter Jones (Kunis) is also an heir he arranges for her to be killed. With the help of interplanetary warrior Caine Wise (Tatum), Jupiter must face Balem as he plans to harvest the Earth. Can she rise to the challenge? The cast also features Sean Bean as Caine's comrade Stinger and Terry Gilliam in a small role.

Lindsay Lohan, Chris Pine, Donald Petrie

Nicolas Cage, Guy Pearce, Roger Donaldson DVD Justice Anchor Bay, 5060116726862, 2011, Region 2 PAL

James Belushi, Mel Harris, Rod Daniel

Harrison Ford|Liam Neeson, Kathryn Bigelow An intense dramatisation of a long-suppressed Cold War anecdote, K-19: The Widowmaker is the first big Hollywood film to view the conflict through a Soviet periscope, casting Harrison Ford and Liam Neeson (with slight accents) as patriotic Russians.

In 1961, as NATO deploys long-range nuclear attack submarines, the Kremlin forces the Russian Navy to follow suit, whether they're ready or not. Ford takes over from popular skipper Neeson in command of the eponymous submarine, riding the men hard through a missile test, and then coping with an escalating series of crises as a jerry-built reactor threatens to melt down (and perhaps start World War III).

Though the political specifics are fresh, this has all the expected elements of a sub movie, citing everything from Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea and Das Boot to Crimson Tide and The Caine Mutiny as sailors bristle mutinously under a marine martinet. This, along with inept engineering and ideological interference, prompts disaster.

Director Kathryn Bigelow, the most undervalued talent in Hollywood, is in her element with heroic men under pressure, and a terrific central stretch has comrades trying to fix the reactor even though they've been given the wrong protective gear and start coming down with radiation sickness as they work. Less successful is a superfluous epilogue that pulls the old Spielberg present-day-reunion-of-the-aged-survivors-at-a-gravesite gambit. —Kim Newman

Pat Morita, Ralph Macchio, John G. Avildsen The Karate Kid was a hugely popular 1984 drama by John G Avildsen who had also directed the original fighting classic Rocky. The new kid in town (Ralph Macchio), targeted by karate-kicking bullies, gets himself a mentor in the form of the Japanese handyman (Pat Morita) from his apartment building. The mentor teaches him self-confidence, fighting skills and the art of karate. The screen partnership of Macchio's motor-mouth character and Morita's reserved father figure works well and the script allows for the younger man to develop sympathy for the painful memories of his teacher. But the film's real engine is the fighting, and there's plenty of that. The film went on to breed many Karate Kid wannabes in the mid-80s.

Literally picking up about five minutes after the conclusion of the original, the 1986 sequel The Karate Kid 2 sends Ralph Macchio's and Pat Morita's characters to the latter's home turf in Japan, where the older man is confronted by an old rival, and Macchio's newly confident fighter gets a tougher challenge than the punks back home. Sillier than its predecessor, this follow-up at least has some distracting soap opera elements as Morita comes to terms with an old flame, while Macchio woos a lovely local girl. Ironically, it's the action that evokes laughter, particularly a climactic fight that gets over the top quickly. —Tom Keogh, Amazon.com

In a vain effort not to let a good thing die, director John G Avildsen attempted once more to revive the action and popularity of the original Karate Kid with the 1989 adventure, the third and final instalment. More silly and absurd than either of its predecessors Karate Kid 3 marked the final outing for the "Kid" Macchio (who was now 27) and his mentor, as the youth audience of the day moved away from the desire to be Karate Kids and toward the need to be Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles instead. —Nikki Disney

Rowan Atkinson, Kristin Scott Thomas, Niall Johnson DVD Entertainment In Video, 5017239193897, 2005 PAL Region 2

Steve Whitmire, Bill Barretta, David Gumpel Kermit's Swamp Years is the full-length version of a one-off American cable television feature that sets out to show us the formative years of the future host of The Muppet Show. Its focus is a childhood adventure involving Kermit and his two best friends: a somewhat delinquent frog called Croaker, and a tremulous toad named Goggles. Though the film was, obviously, made some years after the death of Kermit's creator, Jim Henson, the wit, spirit and joy that informed Sesame Street and The Muppet Show are all discernible here. Henson's resounding genius was to understand that children can tell when they are being treated like idiots, and that they don't much care for it, which is why The Muppet Show is still enjoyed by adults who grew up with the programme, and why none of those adults will object to sitting through Kermit's Swamp Years with their children.

On the DVD: Kermit's Swamp Years is presented anamorphically in 1.78:1 widescreen. Extras include behind-the-scenes footage, which reinforces the fact that the human magic necessary to animate the muppet characters is far more interesting and impressive than any amount of the computer wizardry now favoured by most similar films. There are also some quite well-done muppet pastiches of the common DVD special features, interviews with, and commentary from, the stars, and a collection of bloopers and out-takes. —Andrew Mueller

Harry Enfield, Kathy Burke, Ed Bye Actors: Harry Enfield, Kathy Burke, Rhys Ifans
Director: Ed Bye
Manufacturer: Icon Home Entertainment

Kevin Bridges Scottish stand-up comedian Kevin Bridges performs a live homecoming show at the SECC Arena in Glasgow in 2010.

Kevin Bridges Scottish stand-up comedian Kevin Bridges performs a live homecoming show at the SECC Arena in Glasgow in 2010.

Chloe Moretz, Nicholas Cage, Matthew Vaughn The cinematic equivalent of a half case of Red Bull chased with donuts, Kick-Ass is a giddy, violent experience—and not your average superhero movie. Based on the comic book by Mark Millar and John Romita Jr., it offers a set of heroes who are decidedly without superpowers: Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson) decides he'll be just like a comic-book character, and puts on a ridiculous green suit to fight crime as the mysterious Kick-Ass. Luckily, somebody else had the same idea and comes along to rescue the incompetent crusader: Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage) and his daughter Hit Girl (Chloe Moretz), who also happen to be running around town wearing masks and vanquishing evil. And here we have the movie's masterstroke: Hit Girl, a pint-sized preteen who slaughters bad guys and swears like a sailor on leave (and was the focus of a measure of controversy when the movie was released). The main target of our heroes is a gangster (Mark Strong, Sherlock Holmes), whose neglected son (Christopher Mintz-Plasse, McLovin from Superbad) figures he might just pull on a costume himself and become… Red Mist! (One of the many funny things about Kick-Ass is that the superhero names are hopelessly lame.) Director Matthew Vaughn is operating at the same glib level as his Layer Cake, with cutesy song cues galore and a freewheeling appetite for cartoon violence. This means the movie's high wears off quickly, but it does get high—a crazy, hilarious kick. All that, plus Nicolas Cage executes a deadly Adam West imitation when he pulls on his cape and cowl. That's entertainment. —Robert Horton

Jean-Claude Van Damme, Dennis Alexio, David Worth, Mark DiSalle

Tam Williams, Paul Bettany, Kristina Hetherington, Geoffrey Sax

Yun-Fat Chow, Danny Lee, Kung Wing Fan, John Woo John Woo's 1989 Hong Kong action classic, a stylish, bullet-riddled elegy to friendship under fire, firmly established him as the maestro of mayhem. Superstar Chow Yun-Fat, Asia's king of cool, plays the most charming hit man ever (and yes, he only takes contracts on those who deserve it), but when one of his killings leaves an innocent nightclub singer (Sally Yeh) blinded, he dedicates his life to giving her back her sight. Danny Lee is the cop on his tail, but the two adversaries become unlikely comrades when the mob decides to cancel its debt to Chow by taking him out, leading to a beautifully filmed and incredibly violent confrontation. Woo places the showdown in a church and punctuates the acrobatic gunfight with images of religious icons, flying doves, and burning candles. An ode to Jean-Pierre Melville's existential gangster classic Le Samouria, Woo's delirious mix of melodrama and stylized action recalls the balletic bloodletting of Sam Peckinpah, the elegant camerawork of Martin Scorsese, and the operatic, larger-than-life grandeur of Sergio Leone. Woo's love of American musicals (and his own background as a dance instructor) adds a touch of grace to the fluid choreography of the action scenes. In terms of sheer action, Woo topped himself a few years later with Hard-Boiled, his Hong Kong swan song, but most critics still rate The Killer as his masterpiece. —Sean Axmaker

Heather Graham, Joseph Fiennes, Kaige Chen Any film aiming to be Hitchcockian has a lot to live up to: with its blonde heroine, eerie atmosphere and sweeping score, Killing Me Softly sets itself up for a fall even before the plot kicks in. Stylishly filmed by Chen Kaige (the Chinese director's first English feature), this London-set thriller is based on Nicci French's novel about a young American woman, Alice (Heather Graham), and her passionate affair with the mysterious stranger Adam (Joseph Fiennes). Leaving her partner and surrendering herself to Adam's sexual experimentation, Alice only begins to suspect something's not quite right once she's married him and a series of ominous notes arrive through the post. Add to this Adam's mysterious first marriage, an intriguing locked cupboard and enigmatic sister (Natasha McElhone), and Alice begins to look for a way out, in fear of her life.

The fact that Alice sleeps with a stranger at the drop of a hat makes for a shaky premise, but what ensues can only be described as complete nonsense, with the plot twisting its way to a ludicrous climax. Smirking his way through the film, Fiennes is as miscast as Graham, who's clearly there for the soft porn love scenes and not the ones where she's a reporter replete with big spectacles. Graham in the buff is certainly going to attract a few viewers, but for the rest of us Killing Me Softly is just too plain daft to bother with.

On the DVD: Killing Me Softly offers a sparse set of extras, including a featurette that repeats most of the footage seen in the trailer, also included. Short interviews with cast members Graham, Fiennes and McElhone can be found here alongside comments from director Kaige and some footage of the shoot itself, all of which add little to the overall package. —Laura Bushell

Clive Owen, Stephen Dillane, Antoine Fuqua It's got a round table, some knights, and a noble warrior who rises to become King Arthur, but everything else about this revisionist legend is pure Hollywood. That's not such a bad thing if you enjoyed Rob Roy, Braveheart, Gladiator and Troy, and there's some intriguing potential in presenting the "real" Arthur (played by Clive Owen) as a 5th-century soldier of Rome, assigned to defend Roman-imperial England against a hoard of invading Saxons (led by Stellan Skarsgard in hairy villain mode). As revamped history and "archaeological findings" would have us believe, Guinevere (Keira Knightley) is a warrior babe in face-paint and Lancelot (Ioan Gruffudd) is a nonentity who fades into the woodwork. Never mind. Best to enjoy the harsh, gloomy atmosphere of Irish locations, the ruggedness of Owen and his hearty supporting cast, and the entertaining nonsense of a Jerry Bruckheimer production that strips battle-ready Guinevere down to leather-strap S&M gear while all the men sport full-body armor. Hail to the queen, indeed! —Jeff Shannon

Naomi Watts, Adrien Brody, Peter Jackson Movies don't come any bigger than Peter Jackson's King Kong, a three-hour remake of the 1933 classic that marries breathtaking visual prowess with a surprising emotional depth. Expanding on the original story of the blonde beauty and the beast who falls for her, Jackson creates a movie spectacle that matches his Lord of the Rings films and even at times evokes their fantasy world while celebrating the glory of '30s Hollywood. Naomi Watts stars as Ann Darrow, a vaudeville actress down on her luck in Depression-era New York until manic filmmaker Carl Denham (a game but miscast Jack Black) entices her with a lead role. Dazzled by the genius of screenwriter Jack Driscoll (Adrien Brody), Ann boards the tramp steamer S.S. Venture, which she—and most of the wary crew—believes is headed for Singapore. Denham, however, is in search of the mythic Skull Island, hoping to capture its wonders on film and make a fortune. What he didn't count on were some scary natives who find that the comely Darrow looks like prime sacrifice material for a mysterious giant creature....

There's no point in rehashing the entire plot, as every movie aficionado is more than familiar with the trajectory of King Kong; the challenge facing Jackson, his screenwriters, and the phenomenal visual-effects team was to breathe new life into an old, familiar story. To that degree, they achieve what could be best called a qualified success. Though they've assembled a crackerjack supporting cast, including Thomas Kretschmann as the Venture's hard-bitten captain and young Jamie Bell as a plucky crewman, the first third of the movie is rather labored, with too much minute detail given over to sumptuous re-creations of '30s New York and the unexciting initial leg of the Venture's sea voyage. However, once the film finds its way to Skull Island (which bears more than a passing resemblance to LOTR's Mordor), Kong turns into a dazzling movie triumph, by turns terrifying and awe-inspiring. The choreography and execution of the action set pieces—including one involving Kong and a trio of Tyrannosaurus Rexes, as well as another that could be charitably described as a bug-phobic's nightmare—is nothing short of landmark filmmaking, and a certain Mr. Spielberg should watch his back, as Kong trumps most anything that has come before it.

Despite the visual challenges of King Kong, the movie's most difficult hurdle is the budding romance between Ann and her simian soulmate. Happily, this is where Jackson unqualifiedly triumphs, as this unorthodox love story is tenderly and humorously drawn, by turns sympathetic and wondrous. Watts, whose accessibility balances out her almost otherworldly loveliness, works wonders with mere glances, and Andy Serkis, who digitally embodies Kong here much as he did Gollum in the LOTR films, breathes vibrant life into the giant star of the film without ever overplaying any emotions. The final, tragic act of the film, set mostly atop the Empire State Building, is where Kong earns its place in movie history as a work that celebrates both the technical and emotional heights that film can reach. —Mark Englehart, Amazon.com

King of the Hill

John Goodman, Peter O'Toole, David S. Ward

Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Tom Hooper The King's Speech is the tale of Elizabeth II's father and his remarkable friendship with maverick speech therapist Lionel Logue. Fascinating, moving and often humourous it charts the personal relationship that developed between England's reluctant King George VI, plagued by a nervous stammer, and his irreverent Australian speech therapist.

Orlando Bloom, Liam Neeson, Ridley Scott NOTICE: Polish Release, cover may contain Polish text/markings. The disk DOES NOT have English audio and subtitles. Balian of Ibelin travels to Jerusalem during the crusades of the 12th century, and there he finds himself as the defender of the city ...

Kings Of Leon concerto registrato alla o2 arena di londra. tracklist: notion; be somebody; taper jean girl; my party; molly's chambers; red morning light; fans; california waiting; milk; closer; crawl; four kicks; charmer; sex on fire; bucket; on call; cold desert; use somebody; slow night, so long; knocked up; manhattan; black thumbnail.

Robert Downey Jr, Michelle Monaghan, Shane Black With smart scribe Shane Black both penning the script and behind the camera, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang was never going to be ordinary. Yet it’s far better than you could have hoped for, marrying in comedy, action, a bit of a detective work and a constant, knowing wink to the audience.

Cruelly underperforming at the box office, the film finds Robert Downey Jr as a small time thief, who quite literally finds himself stumbling into the world of acting. With a potential role as a private detective in the offing, his agent arranges for him to spend his time with private investigator Val Kilmer. All is fairly light, until a dead body crosses their paths and a genuine mystery presents itself.

And that then sets the scene for a pacey, energetic film spearheaded by a trio of strong performances. The main plaudits should go to the interplay between Kilmer and Downey Jr, who both eat up their respective best roles in years. Meeting them head on though is Michelle Monaghan, who plays a wannabe actress with a talent for fast talking, and looks that Downey Jr’s Harry can’t help but resist.

Now it’s fair to argue that the setup itself doesn’t feel particularly fresh. Yet the execution most certainly is, with Black savvy enough to know when to avoid the genre clichés, and when to drive his script right through the middle of them with a great big grin on his face. Grounded by a splendidly witty narration from Downey Jr, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is, at the point this review is being written, an underappreciated gem. Hopefully time, and DVD, will see it right.—Simon Brew

Khalid Abdalla, Homayoun Ershadi, Marc Forster Director Marc Forster's adaptation of Khaled Hosseini's bestseller about one man's search for redemption from a childhood betrayal in his native Afghanistan. Childhood friends Amir (Zekeriah Ebrahimi) and Hassan (Ahmad Khan Mahmidzada) spend their days on

Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz, James Mangold Blockbuster action comedy starring Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz. When sweet-natured, unlucky-in-love June Diaz is set up on a seemingly normal blind date with Miller Cruise, she finds her life turned upside down as it emerges that Miller is a secret agent on a foolhardy mission to protect an infinitely-powerful new piece of technology. Forced to flee the country with him, June finds herself catapulted into a dizzyingly violent international adventure that takes the fugitive pair across the globe and into each others arms.

There's no rule against rock anthems from the 1970s in the soundtrack for a movie about a medieval jousting champion, but if you're going to attempt such jarring anachronisms, you'd better establish acceptable ground rules. Writer-director Brian Helgeland does precisely that in A Knight's Tale and pulls off this trick with such giddy aplomb that you can't help but play along (upon witnessing a crowd of peasants at a jousting match, singing and clapping to the beat of Queen's "We Will Rock You," you're either going to love this movie or dismiss it altogether). Other vintage rock hits will follow, but Helgeland—the Oscar®-winning co-writer of L.A. Confidential —handles this ploy with judicious goodwill, in what is an otherwise honest period piece about a peasant named William (Heath Ledger) who rises by grit and determination to the hallowed status of knighthood.

As if the soundtrack weren't audacious enough, Helgeland (recovering from the sour experience of his directorial debut, Payback) casts none other than Geoffrey Chaucer (wonderfully played by Paul Bettany) as William's cohort and match announcer, along with William's pals Roland (Mark Addy) and Wat (Alan Tudyk), and feisty blacksmith Kate (Laura Fraser). Of course there must be a fair maiden, and she is Jocelyn (newcomer Shannyn Sossamon), with whom William falls in love while battling the nefarious Count Adhemar (Rufus Sewell) on the European jousting circuit. Add to this an inspiring father-son reunion, Ledger's undeniable charisma, a perfect supporting cast and enough joyful energy to rejuvenate the film's formulaic plot and A Knight's Tale becomes that most pleasant of movie surprises—an unlikely winner that rises up, like its hero, to exceed all expectations. —Jeff Shannon

Heath Ledger, Rufus Sewell, Brian Helgeland There's no rule against rock anthems from the 1970s in the soundtrack for a movie about a medieval jousting champion, but if you're going to attempt such jarring anachronisms, you'd better establish acceptable ground rules. Writer-director Brian Helgeland does precisely that in A Knight's Tale and pulls off this trick with such giddy aplomb that you can't help but play along. Upon witnessing a crowd of peasants at a jousting match, singing and clapping to the beat of Queen's "We Will Rock You", you're either going to love this movie or dismiss it altogether. Other vintage rock hits will follow, but Helgeland—the Oscar-winning co-writer of LA Confidential—handles this ploy with judicious goodwill, in what is an otherwise honest period piece about a peasant named William (Heath Ledger) who rises by grit and determination to the hallowed status of knighthood. As if the soundtrack weren't audacious enough, Helgeland (recovering from the sour experience of his directorial debut, Payback) casts none other than Geoffrey Chaucer (wonderfully played by Paul Bettany) as William's cohort and match announcer, along with William's pals Roland (Mark Addy) and Wat (Alan Tudyk), and feisty blacksmith Kate (Laura Fraser). Of course there must be a fair maiden, and she is Jocelyn (newcomer Shannyn Sossamon), with whom William falls in love while battling the nefarious Count Adhemar (Rufus Sewell) on the European jousting circuit. Add to this an inspiring father-son reunion, Ledger's undeniable charisma, a perfect supporting cast, and enough joyful energy to rejuvenate the film's formulaic plot, and A Knight's Tale becomes that most pleasant of movie surprises—an unlikely winner that rises up, like its hero, to exceed all expectations. —Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com

On the DVD: From "The Rock Music Scene in 1370" to "You Never Know What You'll Find in a Czech Prop House", this disc doesn't scrimp on the special features. Offering a wealth of information regarding the making of this $41million film, from the jousting (which many of the actors actually performed) to justification for the rock soundtrack and Audrey Hepburn-esque dresses in Medieval Europe. Along with these mini-documentaries, (most lasting for only five minutes) there's a mini interview with the new heartthrob of Hollywood, Heath Ledger and a great selection of deleted scenes. The commentary—by director Brian Helgeland and Paul Bettany (who plays Chaucer in the film)—is a lively and enjoyable romp that makes it clear that the cast and crew bonded on set. The disc comes with a Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack to improve the "raucous rock" and an anamorphic 2.35:1 aspect ratio to bring the "modernised medieval mood" to life. —Nikki Disney

Albert J.J. Zúñiga

Dustin Hoffman, Meryl Streep, Gerald B. Greenberg, Robert Benton Winner of five Academy Awards including Best Picture, Actor, and Screenplay, Kramer vs. Kramer remains as powerfully moving today as it was when released in 1979, simply because its drama will remain relevant for couples of any generation. Adapted by director Robert Benton from the novel by Avery Corman, this is perhaps the finest, most evenly balanced film ever made about the failure of marriage and the tumultuous shift of parental roles. It begins when Joanna Kramer (Meryl Streep) bluntly informs her husband Ted (Dustin Hoffman) that she's leaving him, just as his advertising career is advancing and demanding most of his waking hours. Self-involvement is just one of the film's underlying themes, along with the search for identity that prompts Joanna to leave Ted with their first-grade son (Justin Henry), who now finds himself living with a workaholic parent he barely knows. Juggling his domestic challenge with professional deadlines, Ted is further pressured when his wife files for custody of their son. This legal battle forms the dramatic spine of the film, but its power is derived from Benton's flawlessly observant script and the superlative performances of his entire cast. Because Benton refuses to assign blame and deals fairly with both sides of a devastating dilemma, the film arrives at equal levels of pain, growth, and integrity under emotionally stressful circumstances. That gives virtually every scene the unmistakable ring of truth—a quality of dramatic honestly that makes Kramer vs. Kramer not merely a classic tearjerker, but one of the finest American dramas of its decade. —Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com

Stephen Chow, Wah Yuen Kung Fu Hustle [DVD]

Jack Black, Gary Oldman, Jennifer Yu Nelson Animated adventure sequel featuring the voice talents of Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Jackie Chan, Angelina Jolie, Lucy Liu, Seth Rogen, Gary Oldman and Jean-Claude Van Damme. Now a kung fu master, giant panda Po (Black) spends his days working alongside M

Kylie Minogue Kylie's back with Fever—Live in Manchester and both the budget and the bangles are bigger than 2001's Live in Sydney. This is very much a new-wave pop concert, combining the best in visual imaging, storytelling and costume design. We are offered a range of stunning Kylie-personas, from Metropolis Queen (an ingenious mechanical silver costume) for the opening "Come into My World", to Clockwork Orange-style aggression for "Spinning Around" and a hip hop-infused policewoman for "Confide in Me". Most impressive are "GBI", a stunning piece of avant-garde Japanese pop, and the electro-clash section for "Light Years". (Unfortunately there's little she can do with "Lucky", since the original is imprinted on our brains forever!)

Take note, all pop star wannabes: part of Kylie's success can be attributed to her refusal to mime, and her concerts are all the better for it. The other part can be seen in the canny way she has surrounded herself with the best in the business, from her stylist to her choreographer to her stage director. If that's not enough, her stage persona is a knockout too. She easily commands the audience's attention and, despite her diminutive size, dominates the hugely elaborate set that combines stairs and movable video projections. This is as much a piece of performance art as it is a big-budget pop concert. It appears that audiences are now ready for the grown-up Kylie she wanted to give the world nearly 10 years ago.

On the DVD: Kylie: Fever's special feature on the stage projections is a little dull out of context but hypnotic nonetheless: it's ideal for playing on a loop at a party! The digital programme presents the story behind each look and chapter of the concert and the documentary doesn't just focus on the lady herself, but diverts to look at the logistics and problems in creating such a visually stunning show. As you would expect from such a mixed-media production, the sound and visuals are pristine. —Nikki Disney

Kylie Minogue Kylie Minogue concludes her On a Night Like This tour with an unashamed pop extravaganza on home ground in Sydney, performing to a huge audience which these days consists of more adults than teenagers. Kylie has undoubtedly matured over the years, too, and—apart from a brief stint believing she could become a "serious" artist—appears perfectly happy in her role as the Princess of Pop. Kylie fulfils different roles for different groups within the audience: for females it's all about adulation—rediscovering her childlike appeal like a long-lost friend; the men are offered a fantasy figure—the camera drawn like a magnet to her derrière for 20 per cent of the concert; and she simultaneously manages to be a gay icon, without becoming overtly camp. The joy of Kylie is that she has become all things to all people, offered up in a perfectly petite package.

It's clear that the years of work as a performer have paid off, her vocals are much stronger now with a real sense of professionalism, and just to prove this she performs two old favourites as serious pieces, "I Should Be So Lucky" is offered as a ballad and "Better the Devil You Know" is transported to Shirley Bassey territory, allowing Kylie to prove her vocal range. In true show-stopping style we're offered a multitude of costume changes: from hot-pant mania to refined suits and rock-chick leather, Kylie inevitably appears looking great; although the same cannot be said for her backing dancers, whose outfits are often laughable, with all the style of a school play costume. Despite the many faces of Kylie on display here, pop stardom does not appear to have changed her girl-next-door image—Kylie remains in our hearts a true "neighbour".

On the DVD: This music disc is like Kylie, perfectly packaged in every way. The menu is beautifully laid out (even though the images offer an excess of cleavage) with a great range of easily accessible options. You can choose simply to play the concert straight in its pristine 16:9 anamorphic screen ratio or you can select your favourite songs from the track selection option; you can visit Kylie backstage or watch the great music video for "Spinning Around". The set-up has a choice of PCM Stereo, Dolby Digital or DTS 5.0 and a wide range of subtitles, along with the option to be pointed backstage at relevant points in the concert to get the full Kylie experience. —Nikki Disney

Kylie Minogue

Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, Curtis Hanson In a time when it seems that every other movie makes some claim to being a film noir, LA Confidential is the real thing—a gritty, sordid tale of sex, scandal, betrayal and corruption of all sorts (police, political, press—and, of course, very personal) in 1940s Hollywood. The Oscar-winning screenplay is actually based on several titles in James Ellroy's series of chronological thriller novels (including the title volume, The Big Nowhere and White Jazz)—a compelling blend of LA history and pulp fiction that has earned it comparisons to the greatest of all Technicolour noir films, Chinatown.

Kim Basinger richly deserved her Supporting Actress Oscar for her portrayal of a conflicted femme fatale; unfortunately, her male costars are so uniformly fine that they may have canceled each other out with the Academy voters: Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, Kevin Spacey and James Cromwell play LAPD officers of varying stripes. Pearce's character is a particularly intriguing study in Hollywood amorality and ambition, a strait-laced "hero" (and son of a departmental legend) whose career goals outweigh all other moral, ethical and legal considerations. If he's a good guy, it's only because he sees it as the quickest route to a promotion. —Jim Emerson

Scott Plank, Alex McArthur, Dov Hoenig, Michael Mann

David Bowie, Jennifer Connelly, Jim Henson There are only two human actors in Jim Henson's Labyrinth: a teenage Jennifer Connelly and glam-rocker David Bowie (who performs five of his songs). The rest of the cast are puppets, a wonderful array of Henson's imaginative masterpieces set within a film combining the highest standards of art, costume and set decoration. Henson gives credit to children's author and illustrator Maurice Sendak, and the creatures in the movie will remind Sendak fans of his drawings, while the castle of the Goblin King (Bowie) is a living MC Escher set that adults will enjoy. Like executive producer George Lucas's other fantasies, Labyrinth mixes adventure with lessons about growing up. —Lloyd Chesley

Joaquin Phoenix, John Travolta, Jay Russell In paying simple tribute to firefighters, Ladder 49 gets to the heart of those who risk their lives for a living. Director Jay Russell brought similar sincerity to his memorable family favorite My Dog Skip, and despite the banalities of an ultra-conventional screenplay by Lewis Colick, Ladder 49 generates so much goodwill toward its Baltimore firemen that you may find yourself unexpectedly overcome with emotional appreciation for guys like Jack (Joaquin Phoenix), a firefighter whose career, courtship, marriage, and fatherhood are viewed in flashback as he struggles to survive in the present-day framing scenes, cut off from his fellow firemen in the fiery guts of a collapsing 20-floor building. There are no surprises in the familiar scenes of male bonding, dangerous rescues, injury and death, and the supportive concern of Jack's wife (Jacinda Barrett), but by focusing on the simple integrity of Jack's personal and professional commitment, the movie gives Phoenix a showcase for unselfish virtue, while John Travolta provides dignified support as Jack's mentor and devoted firehouse captain. Ladder 49 is routine in most respects, but it's a much-deserved valentine to working-class heroes. —Jeff Shannon

Sandra Bullock, Keanu Reeves, Alejandro Agresti

Angelina Jolie, Jon Voight, Simon West Angelina Jolie is the first and best reason to watch Lara Croft Tomb Raider. She gives an extraordinarily committed, physically demanding performance, taking on the mantle of the video game heroine with real conviction and energy, and becoming the embodiment of every teenage boy's wish-fulfilment fantasy female. She's tough, sexy and tomboyish all at the same time, and even has a plummy English accent to give her a touch of class. It's a shame that the movie doesn't live up to Jolie's high standards. A soulless juggernaut of computer-generated effects and one-dimensional characters, the film falls into the same trap that has ensnared every other video game adaptation before it. The convoluted plot—which is concerned with a mysterious planetary alignment, a quasi-Masonic secret society known as the Illuminati and a mcguffin called the Triangle of Light—takes itself far too seriously. Oddly for a film with such a pedigree, the only humour is to be found in the endless repetition by Jolie of the word "bugger", which presumably is hilariously funny to American audiences. Director Simon West, an alumnus of the Brookheimer-Simpson school of filmmaking, choreographs the action sequences spectacularly enough, and their impact is boosted hugely by Jolie's ability to perform almost all the stunt work herself. But the end result is an empty experience that leaves the viewer with the feeling that this much-loved character and this dedicated actress could have been better served.

On the DVD: Eschewing the need for a second disc, this DVD still has plenty of additional material to keep fans happy. There's no single making-of documentary, but rather a series of shorter pieces on specific aspects of the production—the original game, the transition to the big screen, the special effects, the stunt work and the rigorous training endured by Jolie (apparently she got so good she could do the stunts better than any of the stunt doubles). There's also U2's "Elevation" video, some deleted scenes, DVD-ROM features and a chatty commentary from director Simon West. The widescreen picture and thumping surround soundtrack are impressive. —Mark Walker

Angelina Jolie, Gerard Butler, Jan de Bont DVD Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle Of Life Paramount Pictures, 5014437831538, 2003, Region 2 PAL Special Collector's Edition

Bill Murray, Matthew McConaughey, Howard Franklin

James Caan, Josh Duhamel, Michael Watkins, Kevin Hooks, Timothy Busfield, Guy Norman Bee, Greg Yaitanes Slick, stylish, and fast-paced, Las Vegas is a high-tech hybrid of 1970s' Vega$ and 1980s' Hotel. Set in the fictional Montecito Resort and Casino, the show revolves around surveillance expert and ex-Marine Danny McCoy (Josh Duhamel, Win a Date with Tad Hamilton). McCoy reports to the president of operations and ex-CIA operative "Big" Ed Deline (the inimitable James Caan). If Duhamel is the show's charisma, Caan is the gravitas. The attractive cast is rounded out by Vanessa Marcil as casino host Sam Marquez, Nikki Cox as event coordinator Mary Connell, James Lesure as valet Mike Cannon, Marsha Thomason as pit boss Nessa Holt, Cheryl Ladd as Deline's wife Jillian, and model Molly Sims as Deline's daughter Delinda.

From the start, Las Vegas has attracted a diverse array of guest stars, from musicians, like Little Richard ("New Orleans"), to movie stars, like Sean "Samwise" Astin ("You Can't Take It With You"). Even "Mr. Las Vegas" himself, Wayne Newton, puts in an appearance ("Pros and Cons"). Other notable guests include Elliot Gould ("Jokers and Fools"), Jean-Claude Van Damme ("Die Fast, Die Furious"), and Alec Baldwin ("Hellraisers and Heartbreakers"), hot off his Oscar-nominated turn in The Cooler.—Kathleen C. Fennessy

James Caan, Nikki Cox, Josh Duhamel, Lara Flynn Boyle, Sandrine Kiberlain Brand new factory sealed, series 2, 6 DVD's in a box-set, please see the alternative image for cover details, [ blue background] fast dispatch, UK SELLER

Josh Duhamel, Molly Sims Equal parts drama, slapstick comedy, and soap opera, this third season of Las Vegas is all fun. Welcome to the Montecito, a casino and hotel that's so desirable that the only thing more attractive than its clientele is its smoking-hot staff. Each episode contains some kind of crime—a victim whose kidney was stolen, a woman pretending to be a deceased man's fiancée, an employee who chops off his own finger and serves it up in a shrimp cocktail. That kind of thing. It's up to Ed (James Caan) and his surveillance experts Danny (Josh Duhamel) and Mike (James Lesure) to make sure everyone plays nice. Also included in every episode is a bit of Love Boat-style shenanigans. Everyone has slept with each other but is too cool to admit to the object of their affection how they really feel. And the season ends with the double cliffhanger of a wedding and, possibly, a funeral for two of the principal characters.

Caan is a joy to watch as he chews up the scenery. Interviewing a prospective new employee, he admonishes the recruit to never again refer to him as "Mr. Ed" if he wants to be seriously considered for the position. In a sly nod to his work in The Godfather films, Ed also says he has no idea who Sonny Corleone is. While Duhamel and Lesure exude charm and charisma, as does Vanessa Marcil as the Montecito's feisty casino hostess, some of the other actors don't fare as well. Supermodel Molly Sims, who portrays Ed's daughter Delinda, is a beauty but her acting is still a little stiff. The same goes for Nikki Cox, who plays good girl Mary, as well as Cheryl Ladd (who's saddled with a thankless role as Ed's somewhat annoying wife). Airing during the 2005-2006 television season, Las Vegas attracted its share of celebrity guest stars, including Dean Cain, Rachael Leigh Cook, and a charming Jerry O'Connell, who reprises his Crossing Jordan character here. But leave it to Lara Flynn Boyle to add some umph to the show. Her final episode is one of the series' most unrealistic ever—but also one of the funniest and most memorable. Let's just say she gives the Wicked Witch in The Wizard of Oz a run for her money. —Jae-Ha Kim

Bruce Willis, Damon Wayans, Tony Scott In giving 1991's The Last Boy Scout a three-star review, critic Roger Ebert was properly performing his duty as an objective reporter, praising the filmmakers' professional skill while observing that "the only consistent theme of the film is its hatred of women". For the purposes of this capsule review, there's no such obligation to level-headed fairness; the simple truth is, this ultraviolent, action-packed vehicle for Bruce Willis and Damon Wayans is disgustingly rotten to the core. Not only is it fuelled by a bitter and spiteful attitude toward women, it's also the kind of profanely vulgar movie that doesn't hesitate to put foul-mouthed children in the path of vicious thugs and potentially deadly situations. Willis plays an ex-secret service agent turned private detective who is hired to protect a stripper (Halle Berry) and then teams up with the stripper's boyfriend (Wayans), a disgraced NFL star who was kicked out of football for gambling. They catch on to a criminal plot leading all the way up to a corrupt football team owner who wants to legalise gambling on pro football. Willis and Wayans get in and out of all sorts of trouble along the way, and naturally there are plenty of explosions to go along with the brutal beatings, gunfire and constant cussing. Shane Black (of Lethal Weapon infamy) set a Hollywood record (since broken, several times) for the sale price of his slick but vile screenplay and Top Gun director Tony Scott handles the action with his trademark gloss and high-impact style. But, seriously, is this a movie that anyone could bear to watch twice? —Jeff Shannon

Robert Redford, James Gandolfini, Kevin Stitt, Michael Jablow, Rod Lurie

John Lone, Joan Chen, Bernardo Bertolucci Bernardo Bertolucci does the nearly impossible with this sweeping, grand epic that tells a very personal tale. The story is a dramatic history of Pu Yi, the last of the emperors of China. It follows his life from its elite beginnings in the Forbidden City, where he was crowned at age three and worshipped by half a billion people. He was later forced to abdicate and, unable to fend for himself in the outside world, became a dissolute and exploited shell of a man. He died in obscurity, living as a peasant in the People's Republic. We never really warm up to John Lone in the title role, but The Last Emperor focuses more on visuals than characterisation anyway. Filmed in the Forbidden City, it is spectacularly beautiful, filling the screen with saturated colours and exquisite detail. It won nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. —Rochelle O'Gorman

Gwyneth Paltrow Last Holiday

Queen Latifah demonstrates her loose, easy charm in Last Holiday, a remake of the 1950 comedy with Alec Guinness. Though at first glance it's hard to imagine anyone less like Alec Guinness than Queen Latifah, they both communicate a world of inner thought with nothing more than a sly sideways glance. Georgia Byrd (Latifah), a department store employee, leads a life of frustrated desires—particularly for a bashful salesman from the outdoor furnishings department (LL Cool J, Deep Blue Sea). But when she learns she only has a few weeks left to live, Georgia gathers her money, quits her job, and flies to a swank European resort she's always dreamed of visiting. Naturally, her new carelessness with money and fearless candor lead everyone around her—including her senator (Giancarlo Esposito, Do The Right Thing) and her former boss (Timothy Hutton, Ordinary People)—to think she's a mover and shaker. Last Holiday unfolds the way you expect it to (dozens of movies and TV shows have similar plots), but Latifah and the capable cast keep it alive. Also featuring Alicia Witt (The Upside of Anger), Jane Adams (Happiness), and the ever-dependable Gerard Depardieu (Cyrano de Bergerac) as a passionate chef. —Bret Fetzer

Sliding Doors

Nice concept, shaky execution—that about sums up the mixed blessings of British actor Peter Howitt's intelligent but forgivably flawed debut as a writer-director. It's got more emotional depth than most frothy romantic comedies, and its central idea—the parallel tracking of two possible destinies for a young London professional played by Gwyneth Paltrow—is full of involving possibilities. It's essentially a what-if scenario with Helen (Paltrow) at the centre of two slightly but significantly different romantic trajectories, one involving her two-timing boyfriend (John Lynch) and the other with an amiable chap (John Hannah) who represents a happier outcome. That's the film's basic problem, however: The two scenarios are so romantically imbalanced (one guy's a total cad, the other charmingly sincere) that Helen inadvertently comes off looking foolish and needlessly confused. Still, this remains a pleasant experiment, and Howitt's dialogue is witty enough to keep things entertaining. It's also a treat for Paltrow fans; not only does the svelte actress handle a British accent without embarrassing herself, but she gets to play two subtle variations of the same character, sporting different wardrobes and hairstyles in a role that plays into her glamourous off-screen persona. —Jeff Shannon

Failure to Launch

The plot of Failure to Launch is utterly implausible, yet the movie is thoroughly fun. Tripp (laid-back Matthew McConaughey, Sahara, Dazed and Confused) is a 35-year-old man who still lives with his parents (Kathy Bates, Misery, and ex-quarterback Terry Bradshaw)—and they aren't happy about it. Eager to get him out of the nest, they hire Paula (Sex and the City's Sarah Jessica Parker), a professional motivator who feigns relationships with boy-men so that their improved self-esteem will lead them to leave the nest. But Tripp's not the usual insecure shut-in Paula's used to, and as sparks fly, Paula finds herself losing her professional distance. This sort of set-up drove classic screwball comedies of the 1930s and 40s; once you embrace the absurdity, the movie zips along with a surprising balance of humour and bittersweet shadings. Failure to Launch gets a huge boost from the supporting performance of Zooey Deschanel (Elf) as Paula's housemate Kit—part sourpuss, part tomboy, and entirely sexy and winning. McConaughey and Parker have enjoyable chemistry and carry the movie well, but Deschanel is an oddball romantic-heroine-in-waiting. Also featuring Bradley Cooper (Alias) and Justin Bartha (National Treasure). —Bret Fetzer

James McAvoy, Forest Whitaker, Kevin Macdonald As the evil Ugandan dictator Idi Amin, Forest Whitaker gives an unforgettable performance in The Last King of Scotland. Powerfully illustrating the terrible truth that absolute power corrupts absolutely, this fictionalised chronicle of Amin's rise and fall is based on the acclaimed novel by Giles Foden, in which Amin's despotic reign of terror is viewed through the eyes of Nicholas Garrigan (James McAvoy), a Scottish doctor who arrives in Uganda in the early 1970s to serve as Amin's personal physician. His outsider's perspective causes him to be initially impressed by Amin's calculated rise to power, but as the story progresses—and as Whitaker's award-worthy performance grows increasingly monstrous—The Last King of Scotland turns into a pointed examination of how independent Uganda (a British colony until 1962) became a breeding ground for Amin's genocidal tyranny. As Whitaker plays him, Amin is both seductive and horribly destructive—sometimes in the same breath—and McAvoy effectively conveys the tragic cost of his character's naiveté, which grows increasingly prone to exploitation. As directed by Kevin Macdonald (who made the riveting semi-documentary Touching the Void), this potent cautionary tale my prompt some viewers to check out Barbet Schroeder's equally revealing documentary General Idi Amin Dada, an essential source for much of this film's authentic detail. —Jeff Shannon

Jacinda Barrett, Rachel Bilson, Tony Goldwyn Hankies at the ready: the young and pretty ensemble cast of The Last Kiss are about to find out, all too realistically, that grown-up relationships are hard work. Based on an Italian film, The Last Kiss follows a young couple, their friends and their family as they each struggle to come to terms with their lives and relationships-–a difficulty compounded by the realisation that they may already have enjoyed their final first kiss. Hence the title.

The excellent soundtrack, hand selected by star Zach Braff, complements the drama perfectly. It also evokes 2004’s Garden State, though fans looking for a recreation of that movie’s naïve charm may be disappointed: The Last Kiss is rather more downbeat. It’s also more adult; the sheen of youthful optimism has been rubbed off, replaced with a painful observation that sometimes, life just isn’t easy.

Zach Braff-completists should make sure their Scrubs collections are up to date before picking this up; his character in The Last Kiss isn’t as cute and cuddly as his previous incarnations. And be warned if you’re looking for a light and fluffy comedy: despite appearances, this is not the movie for you. It’s worth a look, but only once you’ve had a chance to stock up on tissues.—Sarah Dobbs

Bruce Willis, Bruce Dern, Walter Hill Best known for making movies about men and violence, director Walter Hill scored a misfire with this ambitious but ultimately dreary remake of Akira Kurosawa's samurai classic Yojimbo. The story's essentially the same but the setting has been switched to a dusty, almost ghostly Texas town in the 1930s, where two rival Chicago gangs are locked in an uneasy truce. Bruce Willis plays the lone drifter who allies himself with both gangs to his own advantage, working both sides against each other according to his own hidden agenda. The violence escalates to a bloody climax, of course, with Christopher Walken, David Patrick Kelly and Michael Imperioli as trigger-happy lieutenants in a lonely, desolate war. Fans of gangster movies will want to see this, and, if nothing else, Hill has brought his polished style to a vaguely mythic story. It's far from being a classic, however, and although its action is at times masterfully choreographed, the movie's humourless attitude is unexpectedly oppressive. —Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com

Tom Cruise, Ken Watanabe, Edward Zwick The Last Samurai gives epic sweep to an intimate story of cultures at a crossroads as Japan undergoes tumultuous transition to a more Westernised society in 1876-77. In America, tormented Civil War veteran Captain Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise) is coerced by a mercenary officer (Tony Goldwyn) to train the Japanese Emperor's troops in the use of modern weaponry. Opposing this "progress" is a rebellion of samurai warriors, holding fast to their traditions of honour despite strategic disadvantage. As a captive of the samurai leader (Ken Watanabe), Algren learns, appreciates, and adopts the Samurai code, switching sides for a climactic battle that will put everyone's honour to the ultimate test.

All of which makes director Edward Zwick's noble epic eminently worthwhile, even if its Hollywood trappings (including an all-too-conventional ending) prevent it from being the masterpiece that Zwick and screenwriter John Logan clearly wanted it to be. Instead, The Last Samurai is an elegant mainstream adventure, impressive in all aspects of its production. It may not engage the emotions as effectively as Logan's script for Gladiator, but like Cruise's character, it finds its own quality of honour. —Jeff Shannon

Joan Severance, Con O'Neill, Terence Marcel

Linda Fiorentino, Peter Berg, Eric L. Beason, John Dahl Linda Fiorentino is like a home-grown apocalyptic nightmare in The Last Seduction as the sizzling, sexy dame who thinks "sharing" is a dirty word. Fiorentino, a master of the double-cross, hooks up with naive Peter Berg, a nice guy desperate for a little adventure. There are endless twists to this cleverly vicious story, but the real draw is Fiorentino, whose performance is brilliant. She is the everywoman you never want to meet: cool as ice, passionate, tough, self-satisfied, smart, and amoral. Bill Pullman is a surprise as a Machiavellian doctor who is almost her match. Definitely not a date flick, as this represents one vicious battle in the sex wars. —Rochelle O'Gorman

Sean Connery|Stuart Townsend|Shane West, Stephen Norrington The heroes of 1899 are brought to life with the help of some expensive special effects in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. From the pages of Victorian literature come Captain Nemo, Dr Jekyll (and his alter ego Mr Hyde), Dorian Gray, Tom Sawyer, the Invisible Man, Mina Harker (from Dracula), and the hunter Allan Quatermain (Sean Connery), all assembled to combat an evil megalomaniac out to conquer the world.

It's hardly an original plot, but perhaps that's fitting for a movie sewn together like Frankenstein's monster. It rushes from one frenetic battle to another, replacing sense with spectacle—Nemo's submarine rising from the water, a warehouse full of zeppelins bursting into flame, Venice collapsing into its own canals. It's flashy, dumb, and completely incoherent. Fans of the original comic book will be disappointed. —Bret Fetzer

Amy Adams, Matthew Goode, Anand Tucker

Renee Zellweger, Jonathan Pryce, George Clooney Leatherheads is a sort of two-fisted homage, simultaneously celebrating the early, unstructured days of professional football and the screwball comedies of the 1930s and 40s. George Clooney stars as "Dodge" Connelly of the Duluth Bulldogs, a wily (if a bit long in the tooth) player whose team goes bankrupt. His solution is to lure a war hero and star of the college-football circuit, Carter "The Bullet" Rutherford (John Krasinski from the American version of The Office) to join the team and, through the sheer force of his celebrity, legitimise professional football. Little does Connelly know that Rutherford's war record is being scrutinised by reporter Lexie Littleton (Renee Zellweger) and what she uncovers may undermine the whole scheme. Leatherheads isn't seamless—at times the screwball flavour feels forced and Zellweger's performance is laboured—but those few awkward elements only emphasize how zippy and fun the rest of the movie is. Clooney also directed and demonstrates some real flair with editing and letting the fringes of the story be as vital as the main plot. Krasinski, with his goofy handsomeness and a streak of Jimmy Stewart charm, shows real promise as a movie star. Though Leatherheads has plenty of broad slapstick (and most of it is pretty funny), the movie's real comic richness comes out in offhand gestures and sly revelations of character. All in all, it isn't Preston Sturges (director of classic comedies like The Lady Eve and The Palm Beach Story), but it's in his neighbourhood, and that's a pretty wonderful neighbourhood to be in. —Bret Fetzer

Lee Mack

Reese Witherspoon|Luke Wilson|Selma Blair|Matthew Davis, Robert Luketic An extraordinary comic performance from Reese Witherspoon makes Legally Blonde a winner. Witherspoon’s Elle is a ditzy blonde forced by circumstances to metamorphose into a strong-minded and academic lawyer, without losing her strong sense of self in the process. After majoring in fashion sales, she applies to Harvard Law School to pursue the boy who jilted her, and discovers that she is smart as well as beautiful.

Much of this is standard fish-out-of-water fare, with drab "intellectuals" snubbing the colourful and well-meaning Elle. Yet feminists will be disconcerted to discover that, apparently, a life of manicures and accessorising will teach you as much about female solidarity as decades of consciousness-raising! Recruited to the defence team of a fitness guru, she takes the defendant’s innocence for granted rather than feeling superior to her. Gradually, she and her ex's new fiancée build a fragile friendship that matters to both of them; Selma Blair is excellent as the snobbish vulnerable Vivienne. It might be a predictable self-help fairytale, but it’s also well-observed, cute and funny.

On the DVD: the DVD is presented in 1.78:1 ratio with 5.1 Dolby digital sound as standard. The disc also comes with a wealth of features, including a documentary on the film's obsession with hairstyles—outlining the struggle to keep its heroine bleach blonde from day to day—and a bubbly commentary from Witherspoon and director Robert Luketic. There are also promos, a theatrical trailer and an optional trivia track. —Roz Kaveney

Will Smith, Matt Damon, Robert Redford Based on the bestselling novel by Steven Pressfield, The Legend of Bagger Vance is a beguiling addition to the tiny genre of feel-good mystical sports movies. In Georgia at the height of the Depression, Adele Invergordon (Charlise Theron) organises a golf tournament to publicise her inherited luxury hotel/golf course. Taking part are two genuine golf stars of the period, together with one-time Southern sporting hero, Rannulph Junuh (Matt Damon). Shattered by the Great War, Junuh has retreated into a bottle and it is up to a local boy, Hardy Greaves (an excellent J Michael Moncrief making his screen debut, and as an old man Jack Lemmon in his final film) and caddy Bagger Vance (Will Smith) to help him find his lost swing.

Though it is never made explicit, Vance is an angel and the film is really about redemption, the golf scenes being a not exactly subtle metaphor for life itself. Some may find it corny and unoriginal; the movie has much in common with director Robert Redford's own The Natural (1984) as well as Heaven Can Wait (1978) and Field of Dreams (1989). Yet after a clunky opening Bagger Vance finds its swing and proves a delightful light romantic drama, with gorgeous cinematography, fine performances and a wonderful score by Rachel Portman.

On the DVD: The Legend of Bagger Vance on disc has an anamorphic transfer of the original 1.85-1 image, and though a little dark is very sharp and filled with detail and vibrant colours. The Dolby Digital 5.1 sound does everything expected, being atmospheric and showcasing the score to good effect. Extras are a four-minute interview with Robert Redford and a three-minute "featurette" which is really an extended trailer to complement the teaser and conventional trailer also included. There are several pages of electronic press kit production notes, and biographies and filmographies of 18 of the film's stars and production personnel. As Redford believes commentaries and in-depth behind the scenes features ruin the magic of the movies this is as extensive a collection as is likely to appear. Finally there is a truly appalling trailer for the DVD of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. —Gary S Dalkin

Emilie de Ravin, Hugo Weaving, Zack Snyder Animated adaptation of the first three books of the Guardians of GaHoole series by Kathryn Lasky. Barn owl Soren voice of Jim Sturgess is abducted and taken to St. Aggies, a home for orphan owls. However, it is no ordinary orphanage - at St. Aggies young owls are programmed into becoming soldiers and are forced to join the organisations army. While there, Soren makes friends and together they manage to break out and travel to the island of GaHoole to help a group of owls battle against the evil leaders at St. Aggies. Geoffrey Rush and Helen Mirren also add their voice talents.

Antonio Banderas, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Martin Campbell The Zorro brand of hot-blooded derring-do returns with The Legend of Zorro, starring Antonio Banderas and Catherine Zeta-Jones in the roles that brought them stardom with The Mask of Zorro.

Now married for ten years and parents to young rascal Joaquim (charming Adrian Alonso, perhaps being set up for a future Son of Zorro), dashing swordsman Alejandro (Banderas, a Spaniard playing a Mexican) and sultry spitfire Elena De La Vega (Zeta-Jones, a Welshwoman playing a Spaniard) abruptly divorce, sending Alejandro on a drunken binge—which only gets worse when he learns Elena is being wooed by the mysterious Armand (Rufus Sewell, a Brit playing a Frenchman). Little does Alejandro know that Elena has ulterior motives, and that a worldwide conspiracy and a secret weapon will soon threaten the integrity of the U.S.

The Legend of Zorro has way too much plot, leaving room for only two genuinely preposterous donnybrooks and a handful of lacklustre brawls. Banderas and Zeta-Jones flash a bit of their considerable charisma, but by and large they (and the movie as a whole) are on autopilot. Not awful, but lacking any real spark.—Bret Fetzer

Jim Carrey, Jude Law, Brad Silberling If you spliced Charles Addams, Dr. Seuss, Charles Dickens, Edward Gorey, and Roald Dahl into a Tim Burtonesque landscape, you'd surely come up with something like Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events. Many critics (in mostly mixed reviews) wondered why Burton didn't direct this comically morbid adaptation of the first three books in the popular series by Daniel Handler (a.k.a. "Lemony Snicket," played here by Jude Law and seen only in silhouette) instead of TV and Casper veteran Brad Silberling, but there's still plenty to recommend the playfully bleak scenario, in which three resourceful orphans thwart their wicked, maliciously greedy relative Count Olaf (Jim Carrey), who subjects them to... well, a series of unfortunate events. Along the way they encounter a herpetologist uncle (Billy Connolly), an anxious aunt (Meryl Streep) who's afraid of everything, and a variety of fantastical hazards and mysterious clues, some of which remain unresolved. Given endless wonders of art direction, costume design, and cinematography, Silberling's direction is surprisingly uninspired (in other words, the books are better), but when you add a throwaway cameo by Dustin Hoffman, Law's amusing narration, and Carrey's over-the-top antics, the first Lemony movie suggests a promising franchise in the making. —Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com

Kåre Hedebrant, Lina Leandersson The enduring popularity of the vampire myth rests, in part, on sexual magnetism. In Let the Right One In, Tomas Alfredsons carefully controlled, yet sympathetic take on John Ajvide Lindqvists Swedish bestseller-turned-screenplay, the protagonists are pre-teens, unlike the fully-formed night crawlers of HBOs True Blood or Catherine Hardwickes Twilight (both also based on popular novels). Instead, 12-year-old Oskar (future heartbreaker KÃ¥re Hedebrant) and Eli (Lina Leandersson) enter into a deadly form of puppy love. The product of divorce, Oskar lives with his harried mother, while his new neighbor resides with a mystery man named HÃ¥kan (Per Ragnar), who takes care of her unique dietary needs. From the wintery moment in 1982 that the lonely, towheaded boy spots the strange, dark-haired girl skulking around their outer-Stockholm tenement, he senses a kindred spirit. They bond, innocently enough, over a Rubiks Cube, but little does Oskar realise that Eli has been 12 for a very long time. Meanwhile, at school, bullies torment the pale and morbid student mercilessly. Through his friendship with Eli, Oskar doesnt just learn how to defend himself, but to become a sort of predator himself, begging the question as to whether Eli really exists or whether she represents a manifestation of his pent-up anger and resentment. Naturally, the international success of Lindqvists fifth feature, like Norways chilling Insomnia before it, has inspired an American remake, which is sure to boast superior special effects, but cant possibly capture the delicate balance he strikes here between the tender and the terrible. —Kathleen C. Fennessy

At age 16, a naive and impressionable Amy Fisher was seduced by the mature and married Joey Buttafuoco. Her one chance at happiness seemed to be with Joey, but his wife stood in the way. So she attempted to kill Joey's wife. But in court, Joey denied being Amy's lover and having anything to do with his wife's injuries. Based on Amy's true story.

Mel Gibson, Patsy Kensit

Jim Carrey, Maura Tierney, Don Zimmerman, Tom Shadyac Jim Carrey is back in top form after his disastrous outing in The Cable Guy. As a lawyer who becomes physically unable to tell a lie for 24 hours after his son makes a magical birthday wish, Carrey learns a few brutal truths about the real meaning of life. There is very little plot, but Carrey's rubbery contortions and slapstick trickery provide just enough humour to keep you interested in this breezy bit of escapism. Not aided in Liar Liar by pets or animation, Carrey manages to do amazing and unique things with very simple props. He is also more in control of his acting than before. He is still over the top, but remains believable in some of the lower-energy scenes. An added plus is that the comedy is not as coarse as we've come to expect from him. —Rochelle O'Gorman