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Virgin Interactive In the world of The 7th Guest, consider yourself an active and mysterious entity known only as Ego. Your role, identity and purpose is experienced as a seamless, integral part of the total environment that is the Stauf Mansion

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

Jackie Chan, Min Kim, Teddy Chan

Kelly McGillis, Jodie Foster, Gerald B. Greenberg, O. Nicholas Brown, Jonathan Kaplan Jodie Foster won her first Oscar for her role in The Accused (1988), based on an actual incident. While out for a night of fun at a poolroom, before her character knows what's happening she finds that the men she's been flirting with have pinned her down for a gang rape. The story centres on the efforts of a district attorney (Kelly McGillis) to press her case, in spite of a wall of silence by the participants—and then to take the unusual step of going after the witnesses as accomplices. Foster is outstanding as a tough, blue-collar woman who persists in what seems like an unwinnable case, despite the prospect of character assassination for standing up for herself. —Marshall Fine

Anjelica Huston, Raul Julia, Arthur Schmidt, Barry Sonnenfeld Anjelica Huston Addams Family Values

Ethan Hawke, Vincent Spano, Michael Kahn, Frank Marshall Alive [DVD] [1993]

Sarah Brightman, Cliff Richard

Martin Sheen, Marlon Brando, Francis Ford Coppola In the tradition of such obsessively driven directors as Erich von Stroheim and Werner Herzog, Francis Ford Coppola approached the production of Apocalypse Now as if it was his own epic mission into the heart of darkness. On location in the storm-ravaged Philippines, he quite literally went mad as the project threatened to devour him in a vortex of creative despair but from this insanity came one of the greatest films ever made. It began as a John Milius screenplay, transposing Joseph Conrad's classic story "Heart of Darkness" into the horrors of the Vietnam War, following a battle-weary Captain Willard (Martin Sheen) on a secret upriver mission to find and execute the renegade Colonel Kurtz(Marlon Brando), who has reverted to a state of murderous and mystical insanity. The journey is fraught with danger involving war-time action on epic and intimate scales. One measure of the film's awesome visceral impact is the number of sequences, images and lines of dialogue that have literally burned themselves into our cinematic consciousness, from the Wagnerian strike of helicopter gunships on a Vietnamese village to the brutal murder of stowaways and the unflinching fearlessness of the surfing warrior Lieutenant Colonel Kilgore (Robert Duvall), who speaks lovingly of "the smell of napalm in the morning." Like Herzog's Aguirre: The Wrath of God, this film is the product of genius cast into a pit of hell and emerging, phoenix-like, in triumph. Coppola's obsession (effectively detailed in the riveting documentary Hearts of Darkness, directed by Coppola's wife, Eleanor) informs every scene and every frame, and the result is a film for the ages. —Jeff Shannon

Johnny Depp, Mary Stuart Masterson, Jeremiah S. Chechik Longing for a romantic Hollywood film that will make your heart leap but not have you reaching for the sick bucket? Try Benny & Joon. Few mainstream US films manage to walk the thin line between emotion and schmaltz, but here is one film that pulls it off admirably. In the wrong hands the concept of marrying love and mental illness could have been a disaster but, as with the low-budget British film Some Voices, Benny & Joon manages to extract genuine humour and warmth from the subject. As the brother and sister of the title, the relationship between Aidan Quinn and Mary Stuart Masterson is central to the story, Benny desperately trying to keep home and job together while looking after the sick Joon. Their lives take an unexpected turn with the arrival of Sam, a brilliantly comic turn by Johnny Depp, as gradually the characters learn that the happiness that all thought beyond them is within their grasp. Depp adds yet another character to his liturgy of slightly odd outsiders but plays it with such panache, this time drawing heavily on Buster Keaton, that you cannot help but fall for him. Indeed, there is not a single character here that you would not wish well.

On the DVD: The usual scene selection and a very clear audio track, given the film's musical moments a huge boost. Few will probably be able to resist The Proclaimers' "(I'm Gonna Be) 500 Miles" which opens the film. Excellent picture quality too. —Phil Udell

Eddie Murphy, Judge Reinhold, Martin Brest While its sequels were formulaic and safe, the first Beverly Hills Cop set out to explore some uncharted territory and succeeded. A blend of violent action picture and sharp comedy, the film has an excellent director, Martin Brest (Scent of a Woman), who finds some original perspectives on stock scenes (highway chases, police rousts) and hits a gleeful note with Murphy while skewering LA culture. Good support from Judge Reinhold and John Ashton as local cops not used to doing things the Detroit way (Murphy's character hails from the Motor City). Paul Reiser has a funny, brief moment at the beginning and Bronson Pinchot makes an hilarious impression in a great, never-to-be-duplicated scene with the star. —Tom Keogh

Eddie Murphy, Chris Rock, Tony Scott

Eddie Murphy, Judge Reinhold, John Landis Eddie Murphy Beverly Hills Cop 3

David Jason, Amanda Root, Brian Cosgrove

Michael Douglas, Andy Garcia, Ridley Scott A guilty pleasure if ever there was one, Black Rain is a ridiculously entertaining thriller by Ridley Scott (Alien), starring Michael Douglas as a tough New York cop who—along with his partner (Andy Garcia)—goes to Japan to deliver a local mobster. When the latter escapes, Douglas's brand of gonzo crime fighting rubs his Japanese hosts the wrong way. Slick, mechanistic, and absurd, the film is all surface action and attitude (not to mention Scott's incredibly busy, trademark art direction); and one can get lost in the sheer indulgence of it. However, if you can buy Douglas as an iconoclastic lawman, you can buy anything else here, including the notion of Kate Capshaw as a blonde escort highly desired by Japanese businessmen. — Tom Keogh, Amazon.com

Kelly Reno, Mickey Rooney, Carroll Ballard Adapted from the beloved novel by Walter Farley, The Black Stallion is a 1979 family classic that was hailed by no less than hard-to-please critic Pauline Kael as "may be the greatest children's movie ever made". A visual feast from start to finish, the timeless tale plays out on almost mythic terms. A young boy survives a shipwreck and is stranded on a deserted island with a graceful black stallion, with whom the boy develops an almost empathic friendship. After being rescued and returning home, the two make a winning team as jockey and lightning-fast racehorse under the tutelage of a passionate trainer, played by Mickey Rooney in an Oscar-nominated role. From its serenely hypnotic island sequence to the breathtaking race scenes, this delightful film is guaranteed to enthral any viewer, regardless of age. The Black Stallion is a genuine masterpiece of family entertainment.—Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com

Bob Marley

Bugs Bunny

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Celine Dion

Celine Dion

Céline Dion, Peabo Bryson, Mark Keys, Tony Greco Filmed in Quebec in 1995, this concert souvenir captures Celine Dion as she turned the corner from pop contender to platinum princess. Long a star in Canada, and a major draw throughout the Francophone world, the Québecois vocalist was still a relatively new, if increasingly successful, commodity stateside. A clutch of single hits, augmented by two big soundtrack themes, hadn't entirely erased the suspicion that Dion's career was being bolted together on an assembly line not far from Mariah Carey's—apart from frequent overlaps in production support, both singers relied on similar mixtures of sweeping ballads and crisp, uptempo dance workouts, and both were notorious for their vocal gymnastics.

The Colour of My Love works hard, as does Dion, to convince us she's already a major diva, and the approving crowd of hometown fans obviously agrees. Dion, her hair cropped in a shorter, curly "do", is equally chic in black suit or blue gown, a troupe of dancers invades for strategic uptempo pieces, and her studio duet partners for both "When I Fall in Love"(Clive Griffin) and "Beauty and the Beast" (Peabo Bryson) pop up to repeat their roles. The star attacks each song with laser-like focus, and she radiates a sense of theatrical drama.

Technically, however, the special suffers from the kind of direction that mistakes swooping camera movement, sudden zoom shots, tilted frames and other concert video clichés for real drama. More problematic is abundant evidence of considerable post-production sweetening in the star's vocals—like other post-rock divas with arena-sized ambitions, Dion (or perhaps her producer) is apparently determined to reproduce the surreal sonic precision and scale of the records. It's a slippery slope that tempts perfectionists to leave less and less of the actual performance on the soundtrack, even though Dion's huge voice would still be impressive (and possibly more exciting) if rendered without such editorial tweaks. —Sam Sutherland, Amazon.com

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Dick Van Dyke, Sally Ann Howes, Ken Hughes This re-mastered, pan-and-scan 30th-anniversary edition of that kiddie-car caper is flawed but solid family fare. It retains a quaint charm while some of the songs—including the title tune—are quite hummable. A huge plus is Dick Van Dyke, who is extremely appealing as an eccentric inventor around the turn of the century. With nimble fingers and a unique way of looking at the world, he invents for his children a magic car that floats and flies. Or does he? The special effects are tame by today's standards, and the film is about 20 minutes too long—but its enthusiasm charms. The script was cowritten by Roald Dahl and based on the novel by Ian Fleming, best known for his James Bond adventures. —Rochelle O'Gorman

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Avanquest Software

Hasbro

Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, John Landis Eddie Murphy's 1988 vehicle Coming to America was probably the point at which his status as a mainstream big-screen comedian finally gelled, following the highly successful 48 Hours pairing with Nick Nolte. Never mind the hackneyed storyline: under John Landis's tight direction, he turns in a star performance (and several brilliant cameos) that is disciplined and extremely funny.

Murphy plays an African prince who comes to New York officially to sow his wild oats. Privately, he is seeking a bride he can marry for love rather than one chosen by his parents. With his companion (Arsenio Hall, who pushes Murphy all the way in the comedy stakes), he settles in the borough of Queens and takes a job in a hamburger joint. A succession of hilarious satire-barbed adventures ensue, plus the required romantic conclusion. The script is crammed with ripe one-liners , but "Freeze, you diseased rhinoceros pizzle" has to be the most devastating hold-up line of all time. Film buffs will appreciate a brief appearance by Don Ameche as a down-and-out, but this is Murphy's film and he generates warmth enough to convert the most ambivalent viewer.

On the DVD: The only—rather pointless—extra on offer is the original theatrical trailer which adds nothing apart from a rapid recap of the story. But the 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen presentation (the picture quality is diamond sharp) and Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack recreate the original authentic cinematic experience. The choreography of 1980s pop diva Paula Abdul in the lavish wedding scenes and Nile Rodgers' pounding musical score are the main beneficiaries. —Piers Ford

Softkey

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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.

Forest Whitaker, Miranda Richardson The Crying Game offers a rare and precious movie experience. The film is an unclassifiable original that surprises, intrigues, confounds, and delights you with its freshness, humor, and honesty from beginning to end. It starts as a psychological thriller, as IRA foot soldier Fergus (the incomparable Stephen Rea) kidnaps a British soldier (Forest Whitaker) and waits for the news that will determine whether he executes his victim or sets him free. As the night wears on, a peculiar bond begins to form between the two men. Later, the movie shifts tone and morphs into something of a romantic comedy as Fergus unexpectedly becomes involved with the soldier's girlfriend Dil (Jaye Davidson) and discovers more about himself, and human nature in general, than he ever dreamed possible. Like Spielberg's E.T. , The Crying Game was supposed to be director Neil Jordan's "little, personal movie," the one he just had to make, even though no studio was willing to give him money because the story was so unusual. Instead, it became a surprise popular sensation, thanks in part to Miramax's cleverly provocative campaign playing up the hush-hush nature of the movie's big secret. The performances (including Miranda Richardson as one of Fergus's IRA colleagues) are subtly shaded, and the writing and direction are tantalizingly rich and suggestive; you're always trying to figure out the characters' true motives and feelings—even when they themselves are fully aware of their own motives and feelings. The Crying Game is a wise, witty, wondrous treasure of a movie. Director Jordan's credits include Mona Lisa, Interview with the Vampire, Michael Collins, and The Butcher Boy. —Jim Emerson

Daffy Duck

Philips Superb retro gaming with this platform game on CD-i. The game opens with a distant vista of the titular castle with storm clouds in the distance. The opening notes of Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor play and are followed by thunderclaps. The title along with the programming and development credits are shown on this screen. Movement within Dark Castle is typical for most platform games. Duncan can run, jump and duck, and can throw a limited supply of rocks at his enemies. More rocks can be found in little bags along the way, as well as bottles of an elixir that provide a one-time antidote to bites of the numerous rats and bats found around the castle. To defeat the Black Knight, Duncan needs to pull several levers which topple him from his throne. To aid Duncan, a magic shield and the power to hurl fireballs can, fortunately, be found within the Dark Castle. The game begins in the Great Hall, where the player can choose from four doors. The large center door leads to the Black Knight. One other is marked with the shield, and the remaining two mysteriously alternate between the fireball course and a more troubling path. The game can be played at three different skill levels, the hardest "Advanced" level containing more enemies and a few extra surprises.

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David Bowie

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Yun-Fat Chow, Sally Yeh, David Wu, Yuen Chor

Jean-Claude Donda, Max André, Tony Barnes (II)

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Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker

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Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Stanley Kubrick Visually beautiful, Stanley Kubrick's last completed film Eyes Wide Shut blends the sinister, the sensual and the clinical in a combination that is rather too personal and idiosyncratic to be entirely successful as the final statement about gender and sexuality he intended it to be. Adapted by Frederick Raphael from the Dream Story of Freud's friend Schnitzler, it shows a young successful couple confront the dangers that lurk beyond monogamy; Nicole Kidman's Alice does little more than fantasise, flirt and dream, but even this causes guilt and pain. Doctor Bill (Tom Cruise) does rather more—he visits a whore, crashes an orgy and continues to ask questions when warned off; if no disaster ensues, and it is possible that two people die as a result, it is only luck that averts it.

Much of the best of what is here is to be found in occasional moments of stillness—Cruise walking through a morgue—or wild comedy—Cruise's attempt to hire a costume in the middle of the night interrupts major shenanigans at the fancy-dress shop. Cruise and Kidman do what they can with material that never means as much as it aspires to, and the standout performance is Sydney Pollack's, as a worldly wise client.

On the DVD: Eyes Wide Shut on DVD is presented in lavish Dolby Sound that makes the most of the obsessive Ligeti piano piece and Shostakovich waltz that dominate the score, and in the 1.33:1 ratio that was Kubrick's considered choice. It has subtitles in English, Arabic, Bulgarian and Rumanian, two TV spots and informative interviews with Kidman and Cruise, as well as with Steven Spielberg, to whom Kubrick had talked at length about his artistic intentions. —Roz Kaveney

Andrew Sachs

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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

Stephen Chow, Man Tat Ng, Gordon Chan

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

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Jennifer Beals, Michael Nouri, Adrian Lyne Flashdance was the aspirational feel-good movie of 1983, with its thudding Giorgio Moroder soundtrack, Fame-meets-An Officer and a Gentleman storyline and a doe-eyed but iron-willed heroine played by the promising Jennifer Beals. By day Alex (Beals) is a Pittsburgh welder. By night she dances self-choreographed pieces for beer swillers in a seedy nightclub. Then she goes home and dreams of entering the city's ballet school and a professional career.

Adrian Lyne's film is full of compromises. It never really gets to grips with Alex's misfit status in a male-dominated world. And in the end, she is given the leg-up she needs by her boss (Michael Nouri) who won't take "no" for an answer. That's called stalking these days. But Flashdance also has some fascinating surreal moments. The infernal qualities of life on an industrial site are well described by good lighting and the dances take on a bizarre life of their own within the film. Beals is often in shadowy long shot for these scenes and, in fact, most of the actual dancing was done by a more qualified stand-in.

On the DVD: Flashdance is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen with a Dolby Digital 5.1 surround soundtrack. On disc the film still pulsates with that 1980s anything-is-possible energy. Apart from standard subtitle options and scene selections, there are no extras. —Piers Ford

Having joined Red Flower Society, Fong Sai-Yuk is assigned by the chief Chen Chia-lu to steal a brocade case. But he loses as he tries to save a girl who actually is the daughter of General Sun. She falls for Fong but he loves his fiancés. Nevertheless, she helps Fong to escape with the case. Fong discovers a great secret in the case which leads to rebellion of the Society......

Tom Hanks, Sally Field, Robert Zemeckis If you read the label on a box of chocolates you'll know exactly what you're gonna get. Life isn't like that in Forrest Gump, however, which is one of the reasons why this movie divided appreciative audiences from hard-hearted critics like few others before it. Audiences responded to the Frank Capra-style sentimentality of this warm-hearted tale of a good ol' American boy making his way in the world without ever losing his pure and simple innocence. Critics, however, were made uneasy by the apparently reactionary subtext to the parallel lives of Forrest and his girlfriend Jenny. Her fate, contrasted with his, suggests a triumph for plain ol' American values over dangerous freethinking hippies and liberals. Whether the movie is just unadulterated sentiment or right-wing propaganda, one thing at least was acknowledged by all: that Forrest Gump displays all the craftsmanship of one of Hollywood's most inventive directors and features a central performance from an actor renowned for his total commitment to every role. Thanks to Robert Zemeckis and Tom Hanks, even the most cynical critic will find it hard not to shed at least one tear by the end of this undeniably engrossing movie. The soundtrack is great, too.

Hugh Grant, Andie MacDowell, Jon Gregory, Mike Newell When it was released in 1994 Four Weddings and a Funeral quickly became a huge international success, pulling in the kind of audiences most British films only dream of. It's proof that sometimes the simplest ideas are the best. In terms of plot, the title pretty much says it all. Revolving around… well, four weddings and a funeral (though not in that order), the film follows Hugh Grant's confirmed bachelor Charles as he falls for visiting American Carrie (Andy McDowell), whom he keeps bumping into at various functions.

But with this most basic of premises, screenwriter Richard Curtis has crafted a moving and thoughtful comedy about the perils of singledom and that ever-elusive search for true love. In the wrong hands, it could have been a horribly schmaltzy affair, but Curtis' script—crammed with great one-liners and beautifully judged characterisations—keeps things sharp and snappy, harking back to the sparkling Hollywood romantic comedies of the 1930s and 1940s. The supporting cast, including Kristin Scott Thomas, Simon Callow and Rowan Atkinson (who starred in the Curtis-scripted television show Blackadder) is first rate, at times almost too good—John Hannah's rendition of WH Auden's poem "Funeral Blues" over the coffin of his lover is so moving you think the film will struggle to re-establish its ineffably buoyant mood. But it does, thanks in no small part to Hugh Grant as the bumbling Charles (whose star-making performance compensates for a less-than-dazzling Andie MacDowell). Though it's hardly the fault of Curtis and his team, the success of the Four Weddings did have its downside, triggering a rash of inferior British romantic comedies. In fact, we had to wait until 1999's Notting Hill for another UK film to match its winning charm (scripted, again, by Curtis and also starring Grant). —Edward Lawrenson

Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, Walter Murch, Jerry Zucker The biggest hit of 1990, Ghost is part comedy, part romance, part supernatural thriller. Patrick Swayze, previously best known for Dirty Dancing, stars as Sam, the banker who is killed following a mugging. Caught in a limbo between here and the afterlife, he uses Whoopi Goldberg's fake psychic as an intermediary to warn wife Molly (Demi Moore) that his death was no accident but a murder and that she is in danger too.

Ghost's original popularity and notoriety originally arose not from its dealings with the supernatural but the scene involving Moore fondly astride her potter's wheel fashioning a somewhat phallic-shaped vase, with Swayze fondly astride her. So infamous did this scene become that it's now more likely to raise a chuckle than a sultry sigh. As for the rest of the movie, it still somehow manages to engage despite the awkward juxtaposition of lachrymose melodrama and zaniness. Demi Moore, whose massive Hollywood success was always a mystery to some, is a little flat as the tomboy-coiffed Molly, her tears occasionally seeming onion-induced. Swayze, however, delivers as Sam while Whoopi Goldberg turns in the best performance of her career, delivering the requisite zip and sass to what otherwise might have been a morose movie.

On the DVD: Though well restored, DVD enhancement has only served to emphasise the slightly quaint feel of the special effects here—Ghost was made just prior to the digital era. Otherwise, this is a good package and an essential purchase for fans. There's a 22-minute featurette, "Remembering the Magic", in which scriptwriter Bruce Joel Rubin explains that the film was inspired by the scene in Hamlet in which the Prince meets his Father, and how initially appalled he was that his masterpiece of the supernatural was to be directed by Jerry Zucker, previously responsible for Airplane!. They also reveal that Tina Turner was originally cast for the Goldberg role. Zucker and Rubin team up for a funny commentary track. —David Stubbs

Angus Deayton|Ian Hislop|Paul Merton

Philips Fantasy Factory

Tim Robbins, Meg Ryan, Fred Schepisi

Robert Redford, Demi Moore, Adrian Lyne

Dice

Richard Gere, Sharon Stone, Mark Rydell

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

Harrison Ford, Sean Bean, Phillip Noyce Let's see—he has been Han Solo in three films and Indiana Jones in three more. So why shouldn't Harrison Ford take on a new continuing character in Tom Clancy's CIA analyst Jack Ryan? In this film, directed by Phillip Noyce, Ford picked up the baton when Alec Baldwin, who played Ryan in The Hunt for Red October, opted for a Broadway role instead. In this film, Ryan and his family are on vacation when Ryan saves a member of the British royal family from attack by Irish terrorists. The next thing he knows, the Ryan clan has been targeted by the same terrorists, who invade his Maryland home. The film can't shed all of Clancy's lumbering prose, or his techno-dweeb fascination with spy satellites and the like. But no one is better than Ford at righteous heroism—and Sean Bean makes a suitably snakey villain. —Marshall Fine

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

Roger Moore, Yaphet Kotto, Guy Hamilton

Roger Moore, Michael Lonsdale, Lewis Gilbert

Roger Moore, Carole Bouquet, John Glen

Jimi Hendrix, Pat Hartley, Chuck Wein

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Kate Bush, Jeremy Irons, Brian Wiseman, David Garfath, Julian Doyle, Paul Henry

Richie Sambora, David Bryan, Joel Gallen

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Psygnosis

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Philips POV Entertainment Group

CRYO You begin the game as Adam, Prince of Mo. You've grown up in a world of humans, a place where the outside is kept out. You have been confined to Mo for good reason, however. Your mother and sister were killed not one day's march from the Citadel of Mo by the awful forces of the Tyrann, led by Moorkus Rex. Your father is king, a defeated man who has lost all hope for the world since this tragedy. You, as Adam, are the heir to a long and proud family lineage. Your great-grandfather is remembered as the Architect, who built gigantic fortresses, great citadels across the land. The secret of their construction died with him. His son, your grandfather, is known as the Enslaver. He hated the dinosaurs, and most humans, too. He tore down all the citadels except the one at Mo. He drove the humans and dinosaurs apart, creating mutual distrust and, in places, sheer hatred. At some point, Moorkus Rex came into the world. A strange, crimson, armor-plated reptile, his savagery knew no limits. He soon became the leader of the Tyrannosaurus armies, known as the Tyrann, and unleashed chaos. He would not stop until the world was turned to "blood and ashes" at his feet. Now, one of the only remaining places of safety from the Tyrann is the Citadel of Mo. If only someone could discover the secret of the Architect, perhaps the humans and dinosaurs could defend themselves....

Michael Barrymore, Nicholas Lyndhurst

Codemasters / Phillips INTERACTIVE CD-I

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Monty Python

ABBA

PHILIPS.ANIMATION MAGIC

Psygnosis

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Leslie Nielsen, Priscilla Presley, David Zucker It's more of Leslie Nielsen's Lt Frank Drebin, the bumbling cop from the old Police Squad! television series. This time, Drebin uncovers a plot—led by supervillain Robert Goulet!—to sabotage America's energy policy. The jokes don't stick as well as those of the first film (Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!), but there are some very funny slapstick moments, including several involving former First Lady Barbara Bush (played by an actress, of course). —Tom Keogh

Leslie Nielsen, Priscilla Presley, Peter Segal

Rik Mayall, Marsha Fitzalan, Graeme Harper

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John Malkovich, Gary Sinise, Robert L. Sinise

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Goldie Hawn, Kurt Russell, Dov Hoenig, Garry Marshall Real-life couple Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn star in this enjoyable 1987 comedy by Garry Marshall (Pretty Woman) about an imperious heiress (Hawn) who loses her memory after a boating accident and is identified as the wife of a handyman (Russell). Russell's character brings her "home" to his messy house and unruly kids and the laughs follow as the aristocratic Hawn tries fitting in. Marshall delivers the comic goods, the leads are entertaining (Russell needs to do more comedy) and the supporting cast is made up of happily familiar faces, including Roddy McDowall, Edward Herrmann, and Marshall favourite Hector Elizondo in an unbilled bit part. —Tom Keogh

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Pink Floyd

Compact Disc Interactivo

Steve Martin, John Candy, Paul Hirsch, John Hughes Given the presence of both Steve Martin and John Candy, one would expect this John Hughes comedy to be much, much funnier than it is. Certainly it's not for lack of effort on the part of its stars. Martin is an uptight businessman trying to get home from New York for the holidays. But one thing after another gets in his way—most of it having to do with Candy, a boorish but well-meaning boob who takes a liking to him. Together they travel all over the map; no matter how hard Martin tries to shake him, he can't. But Hughes's writing is never as sharp as it should be and this film winds up being only intermittently humorous. —Marshall Fine

The Police

The Police

Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, Rob Reiner Director Rob Reiner's The Princess Bride is a gently amusing, affectionate pastiche of a medieval fairytale adventure, offering a similar blend of warm, literate humour as his Stand By Me (1985) and When Harry Met Sally (1989). Adapted from his own novel, William Goldman's script plays with the conventions of such 1980s fantasies as Ladyhawke and Legend (both 1985), and with the budget never allowing for spectacle, sensibly concentrates on creating a gallery of memorable characters. Robin Wright makes a delightful Princess Buttercup, Cary Elwes is splendid as Westley and "Dread Pirate Roberts", while Mandy Patinkin makes fine Spanish avenger. With winning support from Mel Smith, Peter Cook, Billy Crystal and Carol Kane there is sometimes a Terry Gilliam/Monty Python feel to the proceedings, and the whole film is beautifully shot, with a memorably romantic main theme by Mark Knopfler. Occasionally interrupted by Peter Falk as a grandfather reading the story to his grandson, The Princess Bride is an elegant post-modern family fable about storytelling itself; a theme found in other 1980s films The Neverending Story (1984) and The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988). A modest, small-scale work that manages to be both cynically modern and genuinely romantic all at once. As charming as you wish.

On the DVD: The 1.77:1 anamorphic transfer is strong, if not quite as detailed as it might be. Colours lack just a little solidity and some scenes evidence a fair amount of grain. Released theatrically in Dolby stereo, the Dolby Digital 5.1 remix spreads the sound effectively across the front speakers but makes very little use of the rear channels indeed. Extras are limited to filmographies of five of the leading actors, and a 4:3 presentation of the theatrical trailer, which gives far too many of the film's surprises away.—Gary S Dalkin

Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung Kam-Bo For people who've discovered Jackie Chan through his American hit Rush Hour and want to learn what his Hong Kong movies are like, Project A is an excellent place to start. Chan plays a sailor in 19th-century Hong Kong; pirates have been terrorizing the seas for months and all efforts to combat them have been sabotaged by the corrupt chief of police and a criminal gang, who are in cahoots with the pirates. But the plot is hardly the point—a Jackie Chan movie is about astonishingly acrobatic action sequences and breathtaking stunts, and Project A has plenty. Of particular interest is a bicycle chase that is more suspenseful than any car chase you've ever seen. Chan is joined by Sammo Hung (star of the US TV series Martial Law) as a shifty con man who comes through when the chips are down. Project A also features Yuen Biao, a frequent co-star in Chan's movies, who's yet another astounding martial artist. But what separates Jackie Chan movies from other kung fu flicks is his sense of humour; every fight scene is punctuated by something—a clever use of a prop or sudden reversal of your expectations—that will make you bark with laughter. Sometimes it's just so exquisitely choreographed that the entire movie seems to float on a cloud of giddy delight. Jackie Chan is often compared to the classic silent comedians for his grace and timing—he lives up to it. —Bret Fetzer

John Deacon, Brian May

Queen

Tom Selleck, Laura San Giacomo, Peter Burgess, Simon Wincer

Dustin Hoffman, Tom Cruise, Barry Levinson Rain Man is the kind of touching drama that Oscars are made for—and, sure enough, the film took Academy honours for best picture, director, screenplay and actor (Dustin Hoffman) in 1988. Hoffman plays Raymond, an autistic savant whose late father has left him $3 million in a trust. This gets the attention of his materialistic younger brother, a hot-shot LA car dealer named Charlie (Tom Cruise) who wasn't even aware of Raymond's existence until he read his estranged father's will. Charlie picks up Raymond and takes him on a cross-country journey that becomes a voyage of discovery for Charlie, and, perhaps, for Raymond too. Rain Man will either captivate or irritate you (Raymond's sputtering of repetitious phrases is enough to drive anyone crazy), but it is obviously a labour of love for those involved. Hoffman had been attached to the film for many years, as various directors and writers came and went, but his persistence eventually paid off—kind of like Raymond in Las Vegas. Look for director Barry Levinson in a cameo as a psychiatrist near the end of the film. —Jim Emerson, Amazon.com

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Patrick Swayze, Kelly Lynch, Frank J. Urioste, Rowdy Herrington Road House is one of those movies that helped usher out the era of action films that had feasible plot lines (and also helped reverse the direction of Patrick Swayze's career arc). Swayze stars as Dalton: a handsome, existential bouncer who owns both a degree in philosophy and a Mercedes and that's perhaps the most believable aspect of the whole movie. Dalton runs afoul of Wesley (Ben Gazzara), the meanest SOB round these parts, by taking up with his former girlfriend, Doc (Kelly Lynch)—the only woman in town with an IQ approaching double digits, even if she had unfathomably hooked up with such a lowlife. Swayze had complained about being typecast as beefcake when this was made, but that didn't stop him from revealing as much skin as possible. It's so insulting to its audience that it's nice to be able to turn the tables and laugh at the filmmakers.—David Kronke, Amazon.com

Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Richard Halsey, Scott Conrad, John G. Avildsen The 1976 Oscar winner for Best Picture, John G Avildsen's Rocky is the story of a down-and-out club fighter who gets his million-to-one shot at a world championship title. In the title role, Sylvester Stallone (who also penned the screenplay) draws a carefully etched portrait of a loser who, in Brando-esque fashion, "coulda been a contender". Rocky then becomes one thanks to a publicity stunt engineered by current champ Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers), while finding love courtesy of timid wallflower Adrienne (Talia Shire) along the way. Burgess Meredith revives the spirit of 1940's genre pictures through his scenery-chewing performance as Rocky's trainer. An enormous entertainment, Rocky is irresistible in its depiction of an underachiever who has the courage to start all over again—a description that could have been applied to Stallone's own life at the time. —Kevin Mulhall

Roy 'Chubby' Brown

Andy Lau, Lau Ching Wan, Johnny To

Philips

Bill Murray, John Forsythe, Richard Donner

Sharon Stone, Tom Berenger, Phillip Noyce A guilty pleasure but nothing more, Sliver is a tame thriller, made at the height of Sharon Stone’s fame as she rode high off the back of Basic Instinct. Where Sliver goes wrong though is in effectively trying to transpose the elements that made Stone’s name into the film (right down to getting Basic Instinct scribe Joe Ezterhas to pen the script) It doesn’t work, but you can’t deny that the mess it all ends up as isn’t strangely entertaining.

The plot follows Stone’s character as she rents a room in an elegant block of flats. So far so good. But then there’s the small matter that someone is using an extensive surveillance system to watch Stone and the other inhabitants of the flats. Could it be Alec Baldwin? Could it be Tom Berenger? As the two of them fight for Stone’s affections—replete with obligatory sex scenes—there's a high chance you won’t actually be that bothered, as the film desperately tries to grasp what made Basic Instinct a major hit, yet fairly brutally fails.

But still, there’s fun to be had. The acting is evenly under par, and Phillip Noyce’s direction is far from his best, yet thanks to a series of unintentional giggles and a fairly snappy pace, Sliver does has its moments. Just not that many of them…—Simon Brew

Mel Smith, Griff Rhys Jones, Chris Bould, Dominic Brigstocke, Graham C. Williams, Robin Carr

Digital Jesters

Digital Jesters

Sonny Chiba, Anthony Wong, Mak Chi-Sin, Pang Fat, Andrew Lau The Stormriders transplants Macbeth into a medieval China in director Andy Lau's reinvention of classical tragedy as CGI-laden blockbuster. Officially the source material is a best-selling Manga, and the flying heroes with magical powers and the wild camera angles do indeed have a real graphic-novel flair. As the warlord Sonny Chiba is a commanding presence, while Ekin Cheng as Wind and Aaron Kwok as Cloud are perfect contrasting comic-book warriors. Kristy Yeung is a suitably lovely heroine, while Shi Qi provides irritating comic relief. There is style to burn, with beautiful imagery bearing the influence of Ridley Scott and, in the "blur-motion" duel in a bamboo forest, Wong Kar-Wai; indeed, Lau has served as Kar-Wai's cinematographer. Spectacular yet laden with symbolism The Stormriders is a film to bridge the appeal of Ashes of Time (1994) and The Bride with White Hair (1993) with the Superman (1978) and Mummy (1999) movies. The fights and a romantic flying sequence pay homage to the former, the computer effects update the groundbreaking Zu: Warriors of the Magic Mountain (1983) with the technology of the latter. Sometimes overly ambitious or just plain bizarre The Stormriders is an emotionally charged darkly romantic adventure which outclasses any comic-book adaptation Hollywood has made in years.

On the DVD: The first disc presents the 127-minute director's cut in its original 2.35:1 ratio with Dolby Digital 5.1 sound. While the sound is clean, dynamic and makes great use of all the channels the picture is presented non-anamorphically, so that while well-focused, with strong colours and little sign of artefacting, it is not as solid or detailed as it could be. The main special features are two documentaries, a general "making-of" running 22 minutes, and a 20-minute "featurette" on the special effects. Both are promotional pieces made at the time of the film's release.

The second disc features the US trailer and an object lesson in how to ruin a film, i.e. the "international" version ofThe Stormriders. Cut by 38 minutes, horribly panned and scanned and dubbed, this is a travesty that destroys all the beauty and atmosphere and renders the story incomprehensible. Why anyone would watch it when they have the complete film on the first disc is a mystery. The sound is again Dolby Digital 5.1 and the 4:3 image is fair. —Gary S Dalkin

Sting

Josep Carreras, Plácido Domingo, Matthew Hutchinson, Brian Large

Philips

Cynthia Rothrock, Nick Dibley, Kelly Makin

Philips

Tina Turner

Tom Cruise, Kelly McGillis, Tony Scott Jingoism, beefcake, military hardware, and a Giorgio Moroder rock score reign supreme over taste and logic in this Tony Scott film about a maverick trainee pilot (Tom Cruise) who can't follow the rules at a Navy aviation training facility. The dogfight sequences between American and Libyan jets at the end are absolutely mechanical, though audiences loved it at the time. The love story between Cruise's character and that of Kelly McGillis is like flipping through pages of advertising in a glossy magazine. This designer action movie from 1986 is made more palatable by the canny casting of good actors in dumb parts. Standouts include Anthony Edwards—who makes a nice impression as Cruise's average-Joe pal—and the relatively unknown Meg Ryan in a small but memorable appearance. —Tom Keogh

Philips

Amy Irving, Gary Cole

Bono, The Edge, Phil Joanou Rattle and Hum is not a film for anyone looking for an introduction to Irish band U2's career in the 1980s, but it is a vibrant portrait of an established group making its musical pilgrimage through the America it has always imagined, from blues and gospel to early rock 'n' roll. Filmmaker Phil Joanou (Heaven's Prisoners), a veteran music-video director and maker of the distractingly kinetic Three O'Clock High, finds a suitable outlet for his high energy in this juggernaut of a journey, which finds U2 collaborating with a black gospel choir and BB King, recording inside the legendary Sun Records studio, dropping by Graceland, and in a moment of fearlessness, performing the Beatles' "Helter Skelter" to exorcise Charles Manson's sick claim on the song. —Tom Keogh, Amazon.com

Kevin Costner, Sean Connery, Bill Pankow, Brian De Palma THIS DVD IS NEW & FACTORY SEALED - (H) 2001 - BECOMING VERY COLLECTABLE NOW DAYS - RARE TO FIND IN THIS CONDITION

Christian Slater, Cameron Diaz, Peter Berg Peter Berg's dark comedy about a bachelor party gone horribly awry is highly ambitious in its attempts to satirise suburbia, male bonding, and self-help philosophy, and for the most part it does succeed in hitting its targets with a malicious, misanthropic glee. When five buddies arrive in Las Vegas for some pre-wedding shenanigans, things quickly spiral out of control when the requisite prostitute falls victim to a grisly accident, igniting a spark in an already unstable powder keg of personalities. Following the lead of real estate agent and self-help guy Robert (Christian Slater), the men warily agree on a cover-up and covert desert burial. A couple hours and another corpse later, however, they're already at each other's throats, and their escalating breakdowns threaten to disrupt the highly prized wedding of hard-as-nails bride Laura (a stunning Cameron Diaz). Berg, like most actor-turned-directors (this is The Last Seduction star's filmmaking debut) helms the film with a wildly sliding tone and tends to weigh its strengths heavily on its performers. Slater's psycho turn is by far his most inventive yet (he's more in control than ever before), Diaz effectively mixes sunshine with poison, and Jon Favreau is effective and understated as the hapless bridegroom; the rest of the cast, however, tends to play up the histrionics. Be warned, though: Those expecting a sunny-style There's Something About Mary gross-out comedy will probably be shocked by Berg's take-no-prisoners agenda; this is comedy at its absolute blackest, and no one is spared. —Mark Englehart

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Philips

Mike Myers, Dana Carvey, Penelope Spheeris Thanks to Mike Myers' wonderfully rude, lowbrow humour and his full-bodied understanding of who his character is, Wayne's World proved to be that rare thing: a successful transition of a Saturday Night Live sketch to the big screen. Wayne Campbell (Myers) and his nerdy pal Garth (Dana Carvey) are teens who live at home and have their own low-rent cable-access show in Aurora, Illinios, in which they celebrate their favourite female film stars and heavy-metal bands. When a Chicago TV station smells a potential youth-audience ratings hit, the station's weasely executive (Rob Lowe) tries to co-opt the show—and steal Wayne's new rock 'n' roll girlfriend (Tia Carrere) at the same time. Like Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure before it (and the later Detroit Rock City), this is a film that affectionately parodies and celebrates slacker teenage culture. It's also filled with all kinds of knowing spoofs of film conventions, from Wayne talking to the camera (while forbidding other characters to do so) and hilariously self-conscious product placements, to labelling a moment a "Gratuitous Sex Scene". Dumb yet clever—and very funny. —Marshall Fine, Amazon.com

Mike Myers, Dana Carvey, Stephen Surjik Wayne's World 2 was a successful follow-up for Wayne and Garth's Adventures, full of the same madcap humour from their TV characters and previous film. Somewhere in the world, there are probably people who don't understand why Mike Myers' eponymous Wayne's World character is funny—feel sorry for them. Granted, the laughs are often cheap and silly, but there's no one who can embody a comic character and riff within that character the way Myers does. Wayne and his pal Garth (Dana Carvey) were fixtures on Saturday Night Live before the unexpected success of Wayne' s World, a movie about what happened when they tried to take their local cable-access citywide. This time, they want to stage Waynestock, a mammoth rock festival in their little Chicago suburb, even as Wayne copes with girlfriend Tia Carrere's interest in record-company exec Christopher Walken. For extra fun, Garth gets involved with the babelicious Kim Basinger. Yes, the humour is scattershot and the plot is lame—but you'll find yourself laughing none the less. —Marshall Fine, Amazon.com

Wet Wet Wet

Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, Rob Reiner Highly influential, When Harry Met Sally revitalised (in 1988) the moribund romantic comedy genre, made a superstar of Meg Ryan, and in two minutes of heavy breathing gave cinema one of its most memorable scenes. Set over 12 years in New York, young professionals Harry (Billy Crystal) and Sally (Ryan) go from meeting to becoming friends to, well—this is a romantic comedy. Benefiting from an observant and witty script by Nora Ephron, it also offers insight into the differences between men and women. More importantly it's very funny, though the most hilarious scene is also the least believable: Sally is really too conventional to do that in a crowded restaurant. Knowingly modern, the picture's snappy one liners, neurotic honesty and straight-to-camera interludes are in the tradition of Woody Allen's New York Jewish humour, a prime example being Annie Hall (1976), while the inspired use of standards not only made a star of Harry Connick Jnr. but started a trend developed in Everyone Says I Love You (1996) and Love's Labour's Lost (2000). Perfectly played, with excellent support from Carrie Fisher, When Harry Met Sally is the archetypal modern romantic comedy.

On the DVD: There's an excellent 33-minute documentary made in 2000 which interviews all the key players talking candidly not so much about how the film was made but why, and revealing just how much of it is actually based upon director Rob Reiner and star Billy Crystal's own experiences and personalities (the story about Reiner acting out the fake orgasm scene for Meg Ryan is priceless). There are seven short deleted scenes (easy to see why they didn't make the final cut) and a commentary track by Reiner, which contains a lot of space and does little more than repeat the information in the documentary. The anamorphically enhanced 1.77: 1 picture though a touch grainy in dark scenes is generally rich and detailed with excellent colour. Audio is stereo, and only blossoms when there is a song on the soundtrack. There are 14 subtitle options including English for Hard of Hearing.—Gary S Dalkin

Freddie Prinze Jr., Matthew Lillard, Chris Roberts

WWF

Emilio Estevez, Lou Diamond Phillips, Christopher Cain Part of what was touted as a late-1980s revival of Westerns (and you can see how long that lasted), this good-looking, empty-brained film was like a spurs-and-chaps version of a Joel Schumacher movie, filled with pretty faces, prettier imagery, and absolutely no new ideas. Young Guns sees an idiotically grinning Emilio Estevez cast as Billy the Kid, who slowly accumulates a gang of Brat Pack buddies (Lou Diamond Phillips, Kiefer Sutherland, Dermot Mulroney) and fashions them into a group of male models with six-guns. The action is confused and the script is trite, though Terence Stamp is intriguing as the old reprobate who helps the gang get its act together. This is followed by an even worse sequel. —Marshall Fine