Crime & Thrillers

• Shutter Island | DVD | (02/08/2010) from £9.49  |  Saving you £10.00 (50.00%)  |  RRP £19.99

  Academy Award winning director Martin Scorsese (The Departed) once again teams up with Leonardo DiCaprio (Blood Diamond) in this spine-chilling thriller that critics say sizzles with so much suspense that it's hot to the touch. When U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels (DiCaprio) arrives at the asylum for the criminally insane on Shutter Island what starts as a routine investigation quickly takes a sinister turn. As the investigation unfolds and Teddy uncovers more shocking and terrifying truths about the island he learns there are some places that never let you go.

• Angels and Demons | DVD | (14/09/2009) from £3.24  |  Saving you £16.19 (81.00%)  |  RRP £19.99

  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.comStills from Angels & Demons (click for larger image)

• The Wire: Complete HBO Season 5 | DVD | (22/09/2008) from £12.22  |  Saving you £27.04 (67.60%)  |  RRP £39.99

  In chronicling a multi-generational family business dealing illegal drugs and the efforts of the Baltimore police to curb their trade this series draws parallels between these organizations and the men and women on either side of the battle. Drawing similarities between those people who society champion as respectable and law-abiding and those dismissed as thugs this series sets out to change this viewpoint by showing how criminogenic and unrespectable the articulate political and respected can be especially in American political-economic life and how innocent and decent those from poor poverty-wracked slums can be. The distinctions between the corporate world and organised crime are shown to have very little relevance. Episodes Comprise: 1. More With Less 2. Unconfirmed Reports 3. Not For Attribution 4. Transitions 5. Reaction Quotes 6. The Dickensian Aspect 7. Took 8. Clarifications 9. Late Editions 10. -30-

• Glorious 39 | DVD | (29/03/2010) from £5.84  |  Saving you £11.56 (64.30%)  |  RRP £17.99

  This tense psychological thriller is set betweet present day London and the idyllic British countryside around the outbreak of the Second World War. Anne a budding young actress stumbles across secret recordings of a sinister Nazi appeasement plot that will stop at nothing to achieve its aims. As close friends die in suspicious circumstances she finds herself in extreme danger and finds out how badly she has been betrayed.

• Law Abiding Citizen | DVD | (12/04/2010) from £5.63  |  Saving you £14.00 (70.00%)  |  RRP £19.99

  When a home invasion robbery turns deadly the lone survivor will stop at nothing to avenge his lost loved ones in Law Abiding Citizen an explosive examination of blind justice from the director of The Italian Job.

• Memento | DVD | (14/01/2002) from £3.34  |  Saving you £13.62 (75.70%)  |  RRP £17.99

  An absolute stunner of a movie, Memento combines a bold, mind-bending script with compelling action and virtuoso performances. Guy Pearce plays Leonard Shelby, hunting down the man who raped and murdered his wife. The problem is that "the incident" that robbed Leonard of his wife also stole his ability to make new memories. Unable to retain a location, a face, or a new clue on his own, Leonard continues his search with the help of notes, Polaroids, and even homemade tattoos for vital information. Because of his condition, Leonard essentially lives his life in short, present-tense segments, with no clear idea of what's just happened to him. That's where Memento gets really interesting; the story begins at the end, and the movie jumps backward in 10-minute segments. The suspense of the movie lies not in discovering what happens, but in finding out why it happened. Amazingly, the movie achieves edge-of-your-seat excitement even as it moves backward in time! , and it keeps the mind hopping as cause and effect are pieced together. Pearce captures Leonard perfectly, conveying both the tragic romance of his quest and his wry humour in dealing with his condition. He is bolstered by several excellent supporting players including Carrie-Anne Moss, and the movie is all but stolen by Moss' fellow Matrix co-star Joe Pantoliano, who delivers an amazing performance as Teddy, the guy who may or may not be on his side. Memento has an intriguing structure and even meditations on the nature of perception and meaning of life if you go looking for them, but it also functions just as well as a completely absorbing thriller. It's rare to find a movie this exciting with so much intelligence behind it. --Ali Davis, Amazon.com On the DVD: this amazing movie looks crisp and clean in a good anamorphic widescreen (2.35:1) picture accompanied by Dolby 5.1 sound. The menu is almost as baffling as the movie itself, but once you master the navigation you'll find interviews, biographies, a tattoo picture gallery and the shooting script among other extras. Most mind-boggling of all, however, is the "Memento Mori" option in the special features menu, which allows you to play a specially re-edited version of the movie in chronological order, beginning with the end credits running backwards! --Mark Walker

• Jaws | DVD | (29/08/2005) from £4.47  |  Saving you £15.52 (77.60%)  |  RRP £19.99

  Don't go in the water! Celebrate the 30th anniversary of this classic film with this fantastic 2-disc special edition. The peaceful resort town of Amity Massachusetts has always depended upon its thriving summer tourist trade to get it through the lean winter months ahead. But when a swimmer is killed by a great white shark Sheriff Brody faces great opposition when he proposes to close the beaches right before the 4th of July holiday weekend... Based on the novel by Peter

• Harry Brown | DVD | (22/03/2010) from £6.93  |  Saving you £13.06 (65.30%)  |  RRP £19.99

  Set in modern-day Britain Harry Brown follows one man's (Sir Michael Caine) journey through a chaotic world where drugs are the currency of the day and guns run the streets. A modest law-abiding citizen Harry Brown is a retired Marine and a widower who lives alone on a depressed housing estate. His only company is his best friend Leonard (David Bradley). When Leonard is murdered by a gang of thugs Harry feels compelled to act and is forced to dispense his own brand of justice. As he bids to clean up the run-down estate where he lives his actions bring him into conflict with the police led by investigating officer DCI Frampton (Emily Mortimer) and Sergeant Hikcock (Charlie Creed-Miles).

• Taken | DVD | (09/02/2009) from £3.00  |  Saving you £16.99 (85.00%)  |  RRP £19.99

  In Taken Liam Neeson stars as Bryan an ex-soldier who is forced to embark on a frantic quest to rescue his daughter (Maggie Grace) after she is abducted by slave traders.

• Inspector Morse - The Complete Collection | DVD | (01/09/2008) from £41.23  |  Saving you £157.00 (78.50%)  |  RRP £199.99

  Adapted from Colin Dexter's best-selling novels Inspector Morse took to our screens in 1987 with John Thaw in the lead role as the talented but cynical and lonely Inspector and Kevin Whately as his partner Detective Robert Lewis. Throughout its thirteen year run Morse repeatedly solved difficult murder cases with his old-fashioned methods and Lewis's help. A touching and emotional drama that touched the hearts of its audience.

• Body Of Lies | DVD | (30/03/2009) from £2.66  |  Saving you £17.00 (85.00%)  |  RRP £19.99

  Based on the novel by David Ignatius Body Of Lies stars Russell Crowe Loenardo DiCaprio and Carice Van Houten and is directed by Ridley Scott! Body of Lies follows CIA operative Roger Ferris (Leonardo DiCaprio) as he uncovers a lead on a major terrorist leader suspected to be operating out of Jordan. When Ferris devises a plan to infiltrate his network he must first win the backing of cunning CIA veteran Ed Hoffman (Russell Crowe) and the collegial but perhaps suspect head of Jordanian intelligence. Although ostensibly his allies Ferris questions how far he can really trust these men without putting his entire operation - and his life - on the line.

• The Ghost | DVD | (20/09/2010) from £9.99  |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)  |  RRP £N/A

  Based on Robert Harris' acclaimed novel The Ghost is the story of a ghostwriter hired to take over writing the memoirs of one former British Prime Minister (Pierce Brosnan - James Bond The Thomas Crown Affair) after the ex-Prime Minister's first co-writer dies in an accident. Soon after the Ghost accepts the assignment a high-ranking British official accuses Lang of illegally seizing suspected terrorists and handing them over for torture by CIA a war crime. The controversy brings reporters and protesters swarming to the Martha's Vineyard mansion where Lang is staying with his wife Ruth (Olivia Williams) and his media-handler turned mistress Amelia (Kim Cattrall - Sex And The City My Boy Jack). As The Ghost works he begins uncover to clues revealing the previous writer may have pieced together a dark secret linking Lang to the CIA and that somehow this information is hidden in the manuscript he left behind. From acclaimed director Roman Polanski (Oliver Twist The Pianist Chinatown) and resonating with topical themes this atmospheric and intriguing political thriller charts one man's determination to discover the truth and to tell it if necessary from beyond the grave.

• The Miss Marple Collection - Starring Joan Hickson | DVD | (20/06/2005) from £24.14  |  Saving you £64.99 (65.00%)  |  RRP £99.99

  Classic murder mysteries by the Queen of Crime Agatha Christie filmed entirely on location and oozing period atmosphere. Joan Hickson's gentle portrayal is the most popular Miss Marple ever winning her loyal fans around the world and a Best Actress award from the Royal Television Society. This box set contains all twelve of the Joan Hickson-starring Miss Marple mysteries: 1. The Body in the Library (Dir. Silvio Narizzano 1984) 2. The Moving Finger (Dir. Roy Boulting 1985) 3. A

• Spooks: Season 1 | DVD | (16/06/2003) from £10.85  |  Saving you £19.14 (63.80%)  |  RRP £29.99

  John Le Carre for the internet generation, Spooks is a smart combination of TV cop show and George Smiley-esque espionage shenanigans that pulls no punches in its depiction of an MI5 team fighting a covert war on the streets of London. This is adult, post-watershed drama clearly inspired by the hard-hitting reality style of US shows such as 24 and The Sopranos. The strong ensemble cast is led by charismatic Matthew MacFadyen as Tom Quinn, star spy of "Section B", the counter-terrorism branch headed by Harry Pearce (Peter Firth). Keeley Hawes, David Oyelowo and tough-cookie Jenny Agutter make up the team. And as with its British predecessors, Cracker and Prime Suspect, Spooks also delves fearlessly into the characters' turbulent personal lives, here given an added twist by their constant need to deceive even those they love. The six episodes of the BAFTA Award-winning Series 1 tackle a variety of tough issues, including religious fanaticism, racism, governmental cover-ups and, naturally enough, the lingering shadow of Irish terrorism. Throughout, the show strikes a fine balance between a James Bondian techno-obsession with spy gadgets and more character-based action, with crisp writing and pacey direction that ratchets up the tension a notch further with every episode. The final cliffhanger is an unforgettable TV moment, and one that leaves viewers agog for Series 2. On the DVD: Spooks, Series 1 is cleverly presented in a three-disc set with specially filmed "cut scenes" instead of a standard menu: interact with the mysterious office intruder to select the different options: interviews, behind-the-scenes documentaries, deleted scenes, character profiles, audio commentaries and more. It's a neat idea, though one that may outstay its welcome after repeated viewings; fortunately it's possible to skip the opening sequence using the chapter forward button and move directly to the main "desk menu". --Mark Walker

• 24: Series 1 | DVD | (14/10/2002) from £14.50  |  Saving you £27.04 (60.10%)  |  RRP £44.99

  Such a simple idea--yet so fiendishly complex in the execution. 24, as surely everyone knows by now, is a thriller that takes place over 24 hours, midnight to midnight, in 24 one-hour episodes (well, 45-minute episodes if you extract the ad breaks). Everything to take place in real time--on-screen and off-screen time the same--which means no flash-backs, no flash-forwards, no nice handy time-dissolves. Every strand of the plot has to be dovetailed and interlocked to make sure that things happen just when they should, in the right amount of time. Not that easy. Creator Robert Cochran and his team of writers and directors have done a pretty impressive job in putting the jigsaw together and keeping the tension ratcheted up high, as Federal Agent Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) hares around LA trying to stall an assassination attempt on a black Presidential candidate and rescue his wife and daughter from the clutches of the Balkan baddies. Twists, turns, revelations and cliffhangers are tossed at us with satisfying regularity. It’s not perfect: we get some hokey plot devices (instant amnesia, anybody?) and the final twist, once you start thinking back, makes no sense whatsoever. There are altogether too many huggy family moments ("I love you, Dad." "I love you, son"); and as for überbaddie Dennis Hopper’s "Serbian" accent… Even so, this is undeniably mould-breaking TV. Sutherland, rescuing his career from the doldrums in one heroic leap, fully deserves his Golden Globe. Sets and locations are artfully deployed--we gain a real sense of LA’s splayed-out geography--and Sean Callery’s score is a powerful, brooding presence. Like Murder One and The Sopranos, 24 is one of those series future TV thrillers will have to measure themselves against. On the DVDs: 24 is released in a six-disc box set. On discs 1- 5 there are no extras, but disc 6 includes the "alternative" ending and a preview of Series 2, presented by an urbane Kiefer Sutherland, that tells us precisely nothing. The transfer, in 16x9 widescreen and 2.0 Dolby Digital sound, does the high production values of the original every justice.--Philip Kemp

• The Green Mile | DVD | (30/10/2000) from £3.00  |  Saving you £15.14 (79.70%)  |  RRP £18.99

• The Da Vinci Code (1 Disc Edition) | DVD | (15/01/2007) from £2.70  |  Saving you £16.99 (85.00%)  |  RRP £19.99

  Uncover The Secret. Dan Brown's international bestseller comes alive in the film The Da Vinci Code

• A Bronx Tale | DVD | (02/10/2006) from £2.99  |  Saving you £10.00 (77.00%)  |  RRP £12.99

  In his directorial debut two-time Academy Award-Winner Robert De Niro stars as Lorenzo Anello a hard-working bus driver who must stand up to the local mob boss if he is to keep his son from falling into a life of crime. The streets of the Bronx are a tough place for a kid to grow up you learn fast or lose everything. Lorenzo's son Calogero learns about the virtues of hard honest work from his father who owns nothing but his integrity; but he learns about easy money and life on the streets from the man who owns them a mobster called Sonny (Chazz Palminteri). Now Calogero must choose between earning respect like his father or commanding it like Sonny. Always one step away from a broken bottle a pistol whipping or a shotgun blast one young man torn between two worlds just a city block apart is about to learn that the streets run two ways. For every cent of easy money there's a tough and sometimes deadly lesson to be learned.

• Poirot - Complete Collection | DVD | (30/03/2009) from £53.47  |  Saving you £106.52 (66.60%)  |  RRP £159.99

  Poirot: Complete Box Set

• Leon | DVD | (14/09/2009) from £4.00  |  Saving you £8.99 (69.20%)  |  RRP £12.99