"Actor: Annette"

• Calendar Girls | DVD | (09/02/2004) from £4.96   |  Saving you £13.03 (262.70%)   |  RRP £17.99

  The real-life story of the North Yorksire lasses of Rylstone Women's Institute who decided to show a little WI skin to sell a calendar in aid of cancer.

• The American President | DVD | (01/03/2010) from £7.96   |  Saving you £11.02 (221.73%)   |  RRP £15.99

  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

• A Quiet Passion | DVD | (17/07/2017) from £5.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  The story of 19th century American poet Emily Dickinson is brought to vivid life, in a remarkably sensitive biopic by director Terence Davies, exploring her early days as a young schoolgirl through to her later years as a recluse. Now recognised as a genius that penned some of the most important verses in American literature, the poet was virtually unknown in her lifetime, leaving behind a legacy of stunning, astute work that still resonates deeply today. Featuring a curated selection of her poems in voiceover, A Quiet Passion details every facet of Dickinson's character: her wit, her humour and the intimate, close-knit relationship she had with her family. Cynthia Nixon commands a superb performance in the title role, while Davies' elegant direction allows the audience to connect with the hopes, dreams and disappointments of one of the greatest poets of all time.

• One Foot In The Grave: Complete Series 1-6 | DVD | (29/10/2012) from £19.79   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  In Victor Meldrew, One Foot in the Grave brought us one of the greatest characters in the history of British situation comedy. David Renwick's multi-award winning creation spawned a catch phrase--"I don't believe it"--that vocalised the sentiments of the perennially disgruntled, the irritated or the plain bewildered. Victor is a superannuated security guard struggling to fill his premature retirement usefully, but he is frustrated at every turn. Coincidences, external forces and events and other people conspire against him. Somehow or other, he always gets the blame, leaving a trail of walking wounded in his wake, usually led by his long-suffering wife Margaret. This first series, originally transmitted in 1990, contains countless comic moments, many of them truly surreal. But Victor is never a one-dimensional target for our laughter. Indeed, as with the best comedy, we mock him at our peril. None of us get through life without our share of Meldrew moments. Thanks to Richard Wilson's performance--which rightly made him a major television star--he is a rounded human being who genuinely can't understand why he is constantly at odds with the world around him, despite his best efforts. And in Annette Crosbie as the increasingly enraged Margaret, he has the perfect screen partner. --Piers Ford

• Mars Attacks! | Blu Ray | (20/09/2010) from £8.75   |  Saving you £9.24 (105.60%)   |  RRP £17.99

  Stars that shine across the galaxy. Jack Nicholson (in a dual role) Glenn Close Annette Bening Pierce Brosnan Danny DeVito and a dozen more. And mean green invaders from the angry red planet! Armed with insta-fry ray guns endowed with slimy humungous brains - and enlivened with out-of-this-world but state-of-the-art special effects. As the U.S. legislature is overwhelmed. (Don't fear we still have 2 out of 3 branches of the government working for us and that ain't bad!). As Earth fights back with an unexpected weapon. Take that Martians!

• Jabberwocky | Blu Ray | (20/11/2017) from £17.44   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Welcome to the kingdom of Terry Gilliam: his solo-directing debut, a gonzo medieval comedy Amid the filth and muck of England in the Dark Ages, a fearsome dragon stalks the land, casting a shadow of terror upon the kingdom of Bruno the Questionable. Who should emerge as the town's only possible saviour but Dennis Cooper (Life of Brian's MICHAEL PALIN), an endearingly witless bumpkin who stumbles onto the scene and is flung into the role of brave knight? The first outing as a solo director by TERRY GILLIAM (Brazil)inspired by Lewis Carroll's poem Jabberwocky and made on the heels of Gilliam's success as a member of the iconic comedy troupe Monty Pytho - showcases his delight in comic nonsense, with a cast chock-full of beloved British character actors. A giddy romp through blood and excrement, this fantasy remains one of the filmmaker's most uproarious visions of society run amok. BONUS FEATURES DIRECTOR-APPROVED SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES New 4K digital transfer from a restoration by the BFI National Archive and The Film Foundation, approved by director Terry Gilliam 5.1 surround mix, supervised by Gilliam and presented in DTS-HD Master Audio Audio commentary from 2001 featuring Gilliam and actor Michael Palin New documentary on the making of the film, featuring Gilliam, producer Sandy Lieberson, Palin and actor Annette Badland New interview with Valerie Charlton, designer of the Jabberwock, featuring her collection of rare behind-the-scenes photographs Selection of Gilliam's storyboards and sketches PLUS: An essay by critic Scott Tobias

• Cutting It: Complete Series 2 | DVD | (19/04/2004) from £5.99   |  Saving you £19.00 (317.20%)   |  RRP £24.99

  The complete second series of the salon-set drama. After making her choice of Finn over her husband Gavin Allie returns to Manchester to find that Gavin is making the most of his newfound single life. As she has been pushed out of Henshall Ferraday Finn buys a new health and beauty spa for her to run but Allie realises that her talents are better suited to running her own hairdressing salon. To complicate matters Finn's ex wife Mia sets out to win him back at all costs and Gavin e

• Captain Marvel | Blu Ray | (15/07/2019) from £4.46   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Set in the 1990s, Marvel Studios' Captain Marvel is an all-new adventure from a previously unseen period in the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe that follows the journey of Carol Danvers as she becomes one of the universe's most powerful heroes. While a galactic war between two alien races reaches Earth, Danvers finds herself and a small cadre of allies at the center of the maelstrom.

• Jabberwocky | DVD | (17/02/2003) from £6.91   |  Saving you £6.08 (87.99%)   |  RRP £12.99

  A medieval comedy-adventure starring Michael Palin and directed by Terry Gilliam, Jabberwocky is an episodic adaptation of Lewis Carrolls surreal poem. Having previously directed Monty Python and The Holy Grail (1975) with Terry Jones, Jabberwocky marked Gilliams solo directorial debut--is it coincidental that Jones is killed by the titular monster in the opening scene? Palin plays the naive Dennis Cooper, a man seeking his fortune just as the Jabberwocky is laying waste to the country. Its much the same world as Holy Grail, with all the trappings of the romantic Hollywood epic being liberally coated with literal and metaphorical muck. Palins character causes unwitting mayhem wherever he goes--one stand-out scene involves the destruction of a maintenance shop for damaged knights-in-armour--though as much humour comes from exposing the foibles of the people he meets. And those people constitute a roll call of contemporary British comedy: Harry H Corbett as a sex-mad squire, Warren Mitchells Mr Fishfinger, plus Annette Badland, Max Wall, John Le Mesurier, Rodney Bewes, John Bird, Neil Innes and John Gorman. Jabberwocky lacks the hilarity of Holy Grail, but is a consistently amusing, exceptionally atmospheric, gleefully gory yarn which points the way to Gilliams Time Bandits (1981) and The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988). On the DVD Jabberwocky is distinguished by an engaging and enthusiastic commentary from Gilliam and Palin, in which they delight in the amazing cast and ponder how such a handsome film was made. Otherwise the extras are a short sketch-to-screen comparison, three posters and three trailers (only one for Jabberwocky). Transferred anamorphically enhanced at 1.77:1, the picture is variable, with many beautifully lit indoor scenes looking fine, while other exterior, daylight shots appear washed out. There is some minor print damage. The sound is a revelation for a low-budget 1970s film originally released in mono. Given a full Dolby Digital 5.1 remix the tremendously detailed, rich and involving soundscape really brings Gilliams world alive and puts many much more recent and expensive titles to shame. --Gary S Dalkin

• Double Trouble | DVD | (19/06/2006) from £9.32   |  Saving you £4.67 (50.11%)   |  RRP £13.99

  A case of mistaken identity has Elvis and a beautiful girl enmeshed in a smuggler's plot and an attempted murder in Europe.

• No Country for Old Men/a Beautiful Mind/American Beauty | DVD | (07/01/2013) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  No Country For Old Men: Winner Of 4 Oscars including Best Picture and Best Director. Acclaimed filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen deliver this sizzling and supercharged action-thriller. When a man stumbles on a bloody crime scene, a pickup truck loaded with heroin, and two million dollars in irresistible cash, his decision to take the money sets off an unstoppable chain reaction of violence. Not even West Texas law can contain it. Based on the novel by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Corma...

• TwentyFourSeven | Blu Ray | (23/06/2025) from £16.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  In a 1990s Midlands town, youth from local housing estates are struggling to find purpose. Recently returned to his town, Alan Darcy (Bob Hoskins) interrupts their lives by reviving the local boxing club of his youth.Directed by cult favourite Shane Meadows (This is England), TwentyFourSeven charts the story of working-class youth finding friendship, self-respect and meaning in post-industrial Midlands. Shot in black and white and scored with classical music, this alternatingly heartwarming and confronting story is threaded through with a sense of undeniable hope.ExtrasNewly remastered by the BFI and presented in High DefinitionExtras tbc

• Life Itself (DVD) | DVD | (29/04/2019) from £7.00   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  As a young New York couple goes from college romance to marriage and the birth of their first child, the unexpected twists of their journey create reverberations that echo over continents and through lifetimes in Life Itself. Director and writer Dan Fogelman (This Is Us, Crazy, Stupid, Love) examines the perils and rewards of everyday life in a multigenerational saga featuring an international ensemble including Oscar Isaac, Olivia Wilde, Antonio Banderas, Annette Bening, Olivia Cooke, Sergio Peris-Mencheta, Laia Costa, Alex Monner and Mandy Patinkin. Set in New York City and Carmona, Spain, Life Itself celebrates the human condition and all of its complications with humour, poignancy and love. Bonus Feature: Interview with Dan Fogelman and Olivia Cooke

• A Quiet Passion | Blu Ray | (17/07/2017) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  The story of 19th century American poet Emily Dickinson is brought to vivid life, in a remarkably sensitive biopic by director Terence Davies, exploring her early days as a young schoolgirl through to her later years as a recluse. Now recognised as a genius that penned some of the most important verses in American literature, the poet was virtually unknown in her lifetime, leaving behind a legacy of stunning, astute work that still resonates deeply today. Featuring a curated selection of her poems in voiceover, A Quiet Passion details every facet of Dickinson's character: her wit, her humour and the intimate, close-knit relationship she had with her family. Cynthia Nixon commands a superb performance in the title role, while Davies' elegant direction allows the audience to connect with the hopes, dreams and disappointments of one of the greatest poets of all time.

• Sky West and Crooked | Blu Ray | (12/09/2022) from £13.16   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Hayley Mills gives a captivating performance as a girl traumatised by the death of a friend in this poignant, romantic drama - directed by her father, John Mills, from a script by her mother, Mary Hayley Bell. Co-starring Ian McShane as a free-spirited gypsy alongside Laurence Naismith, Annette Crosbie and Geoffrey Bayldon, and featuring a haunting score from Oscar-winning composer Malcolm Arnold, Sky West and Crooked is featured here as a brand-new High Definition remaster from original film elements in its original theatrical aspect ratio. Emotionally damaged by a childhood trauma of which she has no memory but for which she is blamed by the local community, Brydie White finds companionship among a group of younger children whose activities cause consternation in the West Country village in which they live. Product Features Brand-new interviews with actors Irene Bradshaw, Stephen Salt and Lola Payne, 1st assistant director David Tringham and 2nd assistant director Hugh Harlow Theatrical trailer US titles Image gallery Limited edition booklet written by Neil Sinyard

• Mother and Child | DVD | (09/04/2012) from £6.10   |  Saving you £9.89 (162.13%)   |  RRP £15.99

  A drama centered around three women: A 50-year-old woman, the daughter she gave up for adoption 35 years ago, and an African American woman looking to adopt a child of her own.

• Hope Springs | DVD | (27/07/2009) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £24.99

  A brand new vibrant thrilling and funny eight part drama set in Scotland. Focusing on four ex-cons Ellie Hannah Josie and Shoo as they try to go straight. We follow them as they embark on the final leg of their long-held plan to live out the rest of their lives on a beach in Barbados courtesy of ''3 million stolen from Ellie's violent gangster husband.

• Smallville - Season 10 | DVD | (31/10/2011) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £49.99

  Emerging from his darkest hour only to find the path to his destiny blocked by ghosts from the past Clark finds himself tempted toward darkness at every turn by shadows in the present. Despite insurmountable odds will Clark be powerful enough to step into the light and claim his rightful place as Earth's mightiest protector? Taking flight in its tenth and final season this modern retelling of a hero's legendary origins continues to blend realism action heart and humor as Clark Kent (series star Tom Welling) soars toward claiming his birthright.

• Blonde Animal (Blu ray + DVD) | Blu Ray | (16/12/2024) from £14.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

• Mars Attacks | DVD | (17/04/2019) from £6.23   |  Saving you £7.76 (124.56%)   |  RRP £13.99

  It's enlightening to view Tim Burton's Mars Attacks! as his twisted satire of the blockbuster film Independence Day, which was released earlier the same year, although the movies were in production simultaneously. Burton's eye-popping, schlock tribute to 1950s UFO movies actually plays better on video than it did in cinemas. The idea of invading aliens ray-gunning the big-name movie stars in the cast is a cleverly subversive one, and the bulb-headed, funny-sounding animated Martians are pretty nifty, but it all seemed to be spread thin on the big screen. On video, however, the movie's kooky humour seems a bit more concentrated. The Earth actors (most of whom get zapped or kidnapped for alien science experiments) include Jack Nicholson, Glenn Close, Annette Bening, Pierce Brosnan, Danny DeVito, Martin Short, Sarah Jessica Parker, Rod Steiger, Michael J Fox, Lukas Haas, Jim Brown, Tom Jones and Pam Grier. --Jim Emerson