Crime & Thrillers

• A Bronx Tale | DVD | (02/10/2006) from £5.19  |  Saving you £7.70 (59.30%)  |  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.

• Shadow Dancer | DVD | (14/01/2013) from £6.50  |  Saving you £9.49 (59.30%)  |  RRP £15.99

  Single mother Collette McVeigh is a Republican living in Belfast with her mother and hardliner IRA brothers. When she is arrested for her part in an aborted IRA bomb plot in London, an MI5 officer (Mac) offers her a choice: lose everything and go to prison for 25 years or return to Belfast to spy on her own family. With her son’s life in her hands, Collette chooses to place her trust in Mac and return home, but when her brothers’ secret operation is ambushed, suspicions of an informant are raised and Collette finds both herself and her family in grave danger. Special Features: The World of Shadow Dancer Theatrical Trailer Commentary by Director James Marsh and Writer Tom Bradby

• Those Who Kill | DVD | (02/04/2012) from £11.58  |  Saving you £18.41 (61.40%)  |  RRP £29.99

  Criminal commissioner Katrina Ries Jensen and legal psychiatrist Thomas Schaeffer are part of a unique police unit investigating a series of gruesome serial killings.. In each case they face dangerous threats in the race to uncover the bizarre motives and patterns of the killer. Only once they have an understanding of the victims and of the killer's psychology can they hope to catch him.Based on an original idea by best-selling Danish crime novelist Elsebeth Egholm, Those Who Kill is a gripping crime thriller that will keep you guessing.

• Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps | Blu Ray | (31/01/2011) from £6.95  |  Saving you £18.04 (72.20%)  |  RRP £24.99

  Following a lengthy prison term Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas) finds himself on the outside looking in at a world he once commanded. Hoping to repair his relationship with his daughter Winnie(Carey Mulligan) Gekko forges an alliance with her fianc Jake (Shia LaBeouf). But Winnie and Jake learn the hard way that Gekko is still a master manipulator who will stop at nothing to achieve his goals.

• The Wire: Complete HBO Season 5 | DVD | (22/09/2008) from £11.98  |  Saving you £28.01 (70.00%)  |  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-

• White Mischief (1987) | DVD | (26/09/2011) from £3.95  |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)  |  RRP £N/A

  BRAND NEW FROM COLUMBIA CLASSICS UK (not available in shops) WHITE MISCHIEF DVD IN STOCK AND READY TO SHIP

• The Usual Suspects -- Two-Disc Special Edition | DVD | (29/04/2002) from £3.89  |  Saving you £19.10 (83.10%)  |  RRP £22.99

  Bryan Singer's film noir The Usual Suspects casts a mesmerising spell, with the plot luring the viewer into ever-deeper and darker places. According to director, Singer, the premise for the film evolved from a magazine article. What does the phrase "usual suspects" actually mean, who are they and what happens when you probe their identity? Here, they are five expert criminals and a crippled con man in a line-up. The story, told via flashbacks, interrogation scenes and explosive sequences of a heist gone wrong, is a labyrinth of sub-plots and red herrings. Kevin Spacey won a best supporting actor Oscar for his intriguing, blank-eyed turn as the crippled "Verbal" Kint. But Gabriel Byrne, Kevin Pollak, Stephen Baldwin and Benicio del Toro are equally fascinating as the mismatched misfits, creating hinterlands for their characters in a single gesture. Chazz Palminteri as the special agent is our main ally in solving the puzzle, but it's really a case of the blind leading the blind. Pete Postlethwaite's bizarre accent, as the sinister legal agent Kobayashi, adds its own layer of mystery to a film that earns cult status entirely on its own merits. On the DVD: this is a dazzling two-disc set which will both please Usual Suspects aficionados and entice the uninitiated. The film itself is presented in widescreen format. The Dolby Digital surround sound quality throbs with tension so that you sense the dialogue and John Ottman's excellent, suspenseful music with your nerve endings rather than just experiencing them aurally. The original cinematic experience comes forcefully into your living room. Numerous extras include a fascinating director/screenwriter commentary (if you haven't seen the film yet, make sure this is turned off or it will wreck the suspense) and endless featurettes, each adding a layer of understanding to the film through observations from the actors, director and writer. A package that sucks you in, blows you out in pieces and still has you coming back for more, this is what special edition DVDs are all about. --Piers Ford

• Man on a Ledge | DVD | (11/06/2012) from £5.00  |  Saving you £14.99 (75.00%)  |  RRP £19.99

  A well-cast thriller with style to burn, Man on a Ledge can't quite decide if it wants to be a hairpin Hitchcockian exercise in suspense, or a more linear action movie. The script by Pablo F. Fenjves promisingly wastes little time in getting the two nouns of the title together, with the opening scene depicting a mysterious man (Sam Worthington) checking into a swank New York hotel, ordering an expensive meal, and then stepping out of his window for a stroll. But why the choice of this building, in particular? Or his specific request for a boozily disgraced negotiator (Elizabeth Banks) to talk him back inside? And what's with the clumsy couple attempting to break into the office across the street? All will be revealed, rather unusually quickly. To his credit, director Asger Leth (a former documentarian) does manage to capture some of the city-as-an-organic-entity vibe that powered such seminal NY films as Dog Day Afternoon and The Taking of Pelham 123. Unfortunately, his gritty sense of style ultimately can't do much with the increasingly straightforward plot, which telegraphs its curves way in advance. Still, if the narrative shortcomings keep the film from being top-notch escapism, the actors compensate for a lot, beginning with the palpable chemistry between Worthington and Banks and continuing with a wonder of a supporting cast, including Ed Burns as a disgruntled cop, The Hurt Locker's exceptional Anthony Mackie as an investigating officer with ties to the main character, and especially Ed Harris, as a gazillionaire real estate tycoon who takes visible joy in crushing the spirits of his underlings. If you've ever wondered what Scrooge McDuck would look like in human form, here you go. --Andrew Wright

• Lewis Series 1-4 - The Collection | DVD | (16/08/2010) from £11.41  |  Saving you £73.58 (86.60%)  |  RRP £84.99

  Lewis Series 1-4 The Collection Box Set (17 Discs)

• Piggy | DVD | (21/05/2012) from £3.48  |  Saving you £12.51 (78.20%)  |  RRP £15.99

  Tough, shocking and utterly compelling, Piggy is a dark and brutal tale of revenge and retribution on the mean streets of London.When his brother is murdered Joe finds solace in Piggy, an old family friend. Piggy helps Joe to cope with his grief, intent on saving him and helping him get justice for his brother's killing. But as their friendship grows Joe finds himself in an increasingly dangerous world of violence and revenge. Soon Joe's life begins to collapse around him as he starts to question who Piggy really is, culminating in a brutal, disastrous climax that will stay with you forever.

• Vertigo | DVD | (24/04/2000) from £5.00  |  Saving you £4.99 (49.90%)  |  RRP £9.99

  Dreamlike and nightmarishly surreal, Vertigo is Hitchcock's most personal film because it confronts many of the convoluted psychological issues that haunted and fascinated the director. The psychological complexity and the stark truthfulness of their rampant emotions keeps these strangely obsessive characters alive on screen, and Hitchcock understood better than most their barely repressed sexual compulsions, their fascination with death and their almost overwhelming desire for transcendent love. James Stewart finds profound and disturbing new depths in his psyche as Scotty, the tortured acrophobic detective on the trail of a suicidal woman apparently possessed by the ghost of someone long dead. Kim Novak is the classical Hitchcockian blonde whose icy exterior conceals a churning, volcanic emotional core. The agonised romance of Bernard Herrmann's score accompanies the two actors as a third and vitally important character, moving the film along to its culmination in an ecstasy of Wagnerian tragedy. Of course Hitch lavished especial care on every aspect of the production, from designer Edith Head's costumes (he, like Scotty, was most insistent on the grey dress), to the specific colour scheme of each location, to the famous reverse zoom "Vertigo" effect (much imitated, never bettered). The result is Hitch's greatest work and an undisputed landmark of cinema history. On the DVD: This disc presents the superb restored print of this film in a wonderful widescreen (1.85:1) anamorphic transfer, with remastered Dolby digital soundtrack. There's a half-hour documentary made in 1996 about the painstaking two-year restoration process, plus an informative commentary from the restorers Robert Harris and James Katz, who are joined by original producer Herbert Coleman. There are also text features on the production, cast and crew, plus a trailer for the theatrical release of the restoration. This is an undeniably essential requirement for every DVD collection. --Mark Walker

• Spy Who Came In From The Cold | DVD | (06/11/2006) from £3.25  |  Saving you £6.74 (67.50%)  |  RRP £9.99

  Oscar nominee Richard Burton is a burnt-out British agent who refuses to ""come in from the cold"" to take a desk job-but instead launches into the most dangerous assignment of his career stalking East German agent Oskar Werner. John Le Carre's best-selling novel provides the basis for this breathtaking thriller of espionage intrigue crosses and double crosses. First-rate performances from the entire cast are matched by a tension-packed and brilliantly plotted screenplay with masterful direction from Martin Ritt.

• Public Enemies | DVD | (02/11/2009) from £2.99  |  Saving you £16.99 (85.00%)  |  RRP £19.99

• Body Of Lies | DVD | (30/03/2009) from £2.99  |  Saving you £16.51 (82.60%)  |  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.

• Usual Suspects | DVD | (04/06/2007) from £5.06  |  Saving you £10.60 (66.30%)  |  RRP £15.99

• Sleeping With The Enemy | DVD | (16/09/2002) from £3.49  |  Saving you £9.50 (73.10%)  |  RRP £12.99

  When Laura married Martin she had no way of knowing the depth of his passion for her. On the outside they are the ideal couple. The beautiful and perfect housewife. The handsome successful and seductive husband. But things are not as they appear to be. Inside is a woman living a terrifying secret. And to escape from her nightmare she will risk everything - even her life. Julia Roberts and Patrick Bergin star in the passionate and dangerous thriller - Sleeping With The Enemy.

• The Killing - Series 1-3 | Blu Ray | (17/12/2012) from £68.34  |  Saving you £31.65 (31.70%)  |  RRP £99.99

• The Butterfly Effect | DVD | (23/04/2007) from £2.69  |  Saving you £7.30 (73.10%)  |  RRP £9.99

  Change One Thing. Change Everything. A young man struggling to get over disturbing memories from his childhood discovers that he is able to travel back in time and alter events in the past. However every change he makes transforms his life and that to those around him often to unexpected and disastrous consequences.

• Broken City | Blu Ray | (24/06/2013) from £12.97  |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)  |  RRP £N/A

• The Hand That Rocks The Cradle | DVD | (05/02/2001) from £4.23  |  Saving you £10.60 (70.70%)  |  RRP £14.99

  A potboiler featuring a demented caretaker and a seemingly hapless suburban family, this is The Nanny of the 1990s. However, it is much more predictable than that 1965 Bette Davis psychodrama, and more graphic. It works only because Rebecca De Mornay makes us intensely uncomfortable as the disturbed au pair who wants to take care of much more than her employer's well-being. Annabella Sciorra plays the perfect mother of a flawless family. Her obstetrician, however, is less than wonderful, having enjoyed her examination much more than he should have. When she files sexual harassment charges against the repugnant doctor, he loses face--literally--after shooting himself in the head. Several months later, an ideal nanny shows up at her home. You guessed it--she's the doc's widow. The movie follows a tried and trusted formula, with the audience in on everything. However, the story does surprise us in intense and intimate ways. The visit to the obstetrician is one of the creepiest moments in the film. You definitely hear the voice of writer Amanda Silver in a plot concerned with the vulnerabilities of a family, a newborn, a marriage. Since we know so much up front, there is an overall lack of inventiveness in the plot machinations. It may not jolt us, but De Mornay does. It's unsettling to watch someone who appears so attractive and who behaves so kindly suddenly reveal hideous psychopathic tendencies. Restraining herself from going over the top, she instead oozes such malevolence you'll want to shudder. --Rochelle O'Gorman