A drama about a pilot and a naval flight officer (Owen Wilson and Gabriel Macht) shot down behind enemy lines in Bosnia, and the clandestine mission their commanding officer (Gene Hackman) sets up to rescue them.
In 1943 the Germans opened Stalag Luft III a maximum-security prisoner-of-war camp designed to hold even the craftiest escape artists. In doing so however the Nazis unwittingly assembled the finest escape team in military history - brilliantly portrayed here by Steve McQueen James Garner Charles Bronson and James Coburn - who worked on what became the largest prison breakout ever attempted. One of the most ingenious and suspenseful adventure films of all time The Great Escape is a masterful collaboration between director John Sturges (The Magnificent Seven) screenwriters James Clavell (Shogun) and W.R. Burnett (Little Caesar) and composer Elmer Bernstein. Based on a true story The Great Escape is epic entertainment that captivates thrills and stirs (Variety).
Arthur Bishop (Charles Bronson) is a mob hit man who operates in a world of his own... an uncompromising world where conventional rules of morality don't apply and where one wrong move could cost him his life! He's always worked alone but as age catches up with him, Bishop takes on a competent and ruthless apprentice (Jan-Michael Vincent) the son of a previous victim. Against the advice of his superiors, Bishop teaches him everything he knows and together they become an unmatchable team of globe-trotting killers...until the pupils ruthlessness puts him on a collision course with his teacher.
The all time classic tale of a massive escape from a World War Two German Prisoner of War camp released as a two disc DVD set with a host of extra features.
The new story follows the heroic efforts of the crypto-zoological agency Monarch as its members face off against a battery of god-sized monsters, including the mighty Godzilla, who collides with Mothra, Rodan, and his ultimate nemesis, the three-headed King Ghidorah. When these ancient super-speciesthought to be mere mythsrise again, they all vie for supremacy, leaving humanity's very existence hanging in the balance.
The second series of Red Dwarf is, as Danny John-Jules says in the accompanying DVD commentary, "the one where it really went good". First broadcast in the autumn of 1988, these six episodes showcase Rob Grant and Doug Naylor's sardonic, sarcastic humour to perfection. The writing has matured, no longer focussing solely on SF in-jokes and gags about bodily functions, instead allowing the humour to develop from the characters and their sometimes surprisingly poignant interactions: Lister's timeless love for Kochanksi, for example, or Rimmer's brief memory-implanted love for one of Lister's ex-girlfriends. The cast had gelled, too, and there's even more colour this year as the drab sets are spiced up, a little more money has been assigned to models and special effects, and the crew even go on location once in a while. "Kryten" introduces us to the eponymous house robot (here played by David Ross), although after this first episode he was not to reappear until Series 3, when Robert Llewellyn made the role his own. Then in "Better Than Life" the show produced one of its all-time classic episodes, as the boys from the Dwarf take part in a virtual reality game that's ruined by Rimmer's tortured psyche. Other highlights include "Queeg", in which Holly is replaced by a domineering computer personality, the baffling time travel paradox of "Stasis Leak", the puzzling conundrum of "Thanks for the Memory", and the astonishingly feminine "Parallel Universe". On the DVD: Red Dwarf, Series 2 has another chaotic and undisciplined group commentary from the cast, all clearly enjoying the opportunity to reminisce. The second disc has a host of fun extras, including an "A-Z of Red Dwarf", outtakes, deleted scenes, a Doug Naylor interview, model shots, and the full, unexpurgated "Tongue Tied" music video. As with the first set, the animated menus are great fun and the "Play All" facility is the most useful little flashing button ever created. --Mark Walker
A train crossing the Rockies in 1873 is bringing relief to a diptheria-stricken fort when some unnatural deaths occur... Based on the book by Alistair MacLean.
Adapted from the novel by Sarah Waters. London 1862 a young orphan named Susan Trinder (Sally Hawkins) grows up amongst the petty thieves known as Fingersmiths under the guidance of Mrs Suckerby (Imelda Staunton). One evening Richard 'The Gentleman' Rivers (Rupert Evans) pays them a visit. Rivers has an elaborate plan to defraud the wealthy heiress Maud Lilly (Elaine Cassidy). Susan agrees to help for a cut of the money and is quickly installed as Maud's maid. Upon arriving sh
A stirring example of courage and the indomitable human spirit, for many John Sturges' The Great Escape is both the definitive World War II drama and the nonpareil prison escape movie. Featuring an unequalled ensemble cast in a rivetingly authentic true-life scenario set to Elmer Bernstein's admirable music (who writes contrapuntal march themes these days?), this picture is both a template for subsequent action-adventure movies and one of the last glories of Golden Age Hollywood. Reunited with the director who made him a star in The Magnificent Seven Steve McQueen presents a career-defining performance as the laconic Hilts, the baseball-loving, motorbike-riding "Cooler King". The rest of the all-male Anglo-American cast--Dickie Attenborough, Donald Pleasance, James Garner, Charles Bronson, David McCallum, James Coburn and Gordon Jackson--make the most of their meaty roles (though you have to forgive Coburn his Australian accent). Closely based on Paul Brickhill's book, the various escape attempts, scrounging, forging and ferreting activities are authentically realised thanks also to the presence of technical advisor Wally Flood on set, one of the original tunnel-digging POWs. Sturges orchestrates the climactic mass break-out with total conviction, giving us both high action and very poignant human drama. Without trivialising the grim reality, The Great Escape thrillingly celebrates the heroism of men who never gave up the fight. On the DVD: The Great Escape World Cup Special Edition includes all the features of the two-disc special edition, plus a full-size St George's Cross England flag, a feature on England footballers' World Cup memories and World Cup-themed packaging. --Mark Walker
The all time classic tale of a massive escape from a World War Two German Prisoner of War camp released as a two disc DVD set with a host of extra features.
Carry On Don't Lose Your Head parodies the adventures of the Scarlet Pimpernel, with crinkly cackling Sid James as master of disguise the Black Fingernail and Jim Dale as his assistant Lord Darcy. He must rescue preposterously effete aristocrat Charles Hawtrey from the clutches of Kenneth Williams' fiendish Citizen Camembert and his sidekick Citizen Bidet (Peter Butterworth). The Black Fingernail is assisted in his efforts to thwart the birth of the burgeoning republic by the almost supernatural stupidity of his opponents, who fail to recognise the frankly undisguisable Sid James even when dressed as a flirty young woman. What with an executioner who is tricked into beheading himself in order to prove the efficacy of his own guillotine, it's all a little too easy. As usual, no groan-worthy pun is left unturned, or unheralded by the soundtrack strains of a long whistle or wah-wah trumpet. This is pretty silly stuff even by Carry On standards, with most of the cast barely required to come out of first gear and an overlong climactic swordfight sequence hardly raising the dramatic stakes. Most of the humour here resides neither in the script nor the characterisation but in the endlessly watchable Williams' whooping, nasal delivery (occasionally lapsing into broad Cockney) and the jowl movements of the always-underrated Butterworth. --David Stubbs
At the heart of Henry VIII stands a towering performance by Ray Winstone, who literally grows into the role, impressively doubling in size and ageing 40 years over the course of two feature-length episodes. Focusing on Henry's relationships with his six wives, this lavish mini-series also makes a good job of explaining the complex court intrigues of the period, detailing Henry's split with Rome and the political crisis following the creation of the Church of England. Winstone initially seems to play the King as little more than a London gangster, but he gradually unfolds a complex, brutal, manipulative, romantic, dedicated and driven man with great skill. In a role which harks back to Lady Jane (1986), Helena Bonham Carter makes an intelligent and sardonic Anne Boleyn, her bold performance contrasting strongly with Geneviève Bujold in Anne of the Thousand Days (1969). Emily Blunt impresses as the sexpot Katherine Howard, and Emilia Fox is compelling as Henry's greatest love, Jane Seymour. There's fine support from an all-star cast, including Sean Bean, Charles Dance and David Suchet. The production is unflinching, with burnings, torture, marital violence and executions graphically portrayed. If there's a weakness it lies in too-modern dialogue and an uncertain visual style, with noticeable borrowings from John Boorman's Excalibur and Ridley Scott's Gladiator, as well as setting Shakespeare in Love-style elegance against the ugly colours and graininess of reality TV. Ultimately Henry VIII plays most like a prequel to Elizabeth (1999)--right down to using the same piece of Elgar to underscore the finale--and has most of the same faults and virtues as that Oscar-winning film. --Gary S Dalkin
All 22 episodes from the fifth season of the American TV drama that delves into the lives of the stars who live in the capital of country music. In this season, the news of Juliette (Hayden Panettiere)'s plane crash shocks everyone while Rayna (Connie Britton) receives a stunning offer after Highway 65 runs into financial problems. The episodes are: 'The Wayfaring Stranger', 'Back in Baby's Arms', 'Let's Put It Back Together Again', 'Leap of Faith', 'Love Hurts', 'A Little Bit Stronger', 'Hurricane', 'Stand Beside Me', 'If Tomorrow Never Comes', 'I'll Fly Away', 'Fire and Rain', 'Back in the Saddle Again', ''Til I Can Make It On My Own', '(Now and Then There's) a Fool Such As I', 'A Change Would Do You Good', 'Not Ready to Make Nice', 'Ghost in the House', 'The Night Before (Life Goes On)', 'You Can't Lose Me', 'Speed Trap Town', 'Farther On' and 'Reasons to Quit'.
While imprisioned in a labour camp in Czechoslovakia 1950 Ex-Czech pilot Franta recalls how he and his young protege fled to Britain in 1940, where they joined the RAF and flew against the Nazis.
The Wedding Planner While celebrating her newest and most lucrative account - the wedding of Internet tycoon Fran Donelly (Bridgette Wilson)- Mary is rescued from a near-fatal collision with a runaway dumpster by handsome pediatrician Steve Edison (Matthew McConaughey). After spending the most enchanting evening of their lives together Mary thinks she's finally found a reason to believe in love. What she doesn't know is that cupid and her career are about to collide head-on... Down With Love When best-selling feminist author Barbara Novak (Zellweger) becomes the target of dashing playboy Catcher Block (McGregor) the sparks they generate will fly you to the moon and back! Set in the early sixties every frame pops with 60's technicolour. One Fine Day Melanie Parker (Pfeiffer) is juggling single parenthood with a career as an architect. Jack Taylor (Clooney) is a commitment-shy newspaper columnist who only has his daughter every other weekend. When their kids miss a school field trip Melanie and Jack agree to take shifts babysitting for the day resulting in twelve hours of hilarious misadventures with one unexpected twist.
A 1991 comedy, Delirious stars John Candy as the head writer on a soap opera set in the fictional small town of Ashford Falls, whose naff power dressing and power wrangling is distinctly reminiscent of Dynasty. Candy has a crush on the somewhat imperious and Joan Collins-esque star of the show, played by Emma Samms, although waiting in the wings to be written into the show is the more wholesome and unaffected actress Mariel Hemingway. Delirious takes a turn when Candy is felled in an accident and awakes, supernaturally, to find himself in the very world of his own soap, with Ashford Falls a real town and its fictional characters, including Samms, now real people. Candy discovers, however, that in this world he has the power to "write" situations as they suit him--in this case, by casting himself as a dashing, wealthy and mysterious Wall Street hero, able to sweep Samms off her feet. The film is in some ways a precursor of Pleasantville (in which two teens are sucked into the world of a "Honey, I'm home" black and white 1950s sitcom). However, between them the star, writers and director (Tom Mankiewicz) make a ham fist of Delirious. The parody of soap mores is quite well done but quickly palls in its obviousness; Candy's performance is misjudged, as if trying too hard to make the best of a bad job; while overall, the film feels cheap, tacky and broad, once again raising the question why in the 1980s and 90s America produced such great sitcoms but such poor film comedies. On the DVD: Delirious is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. It's a decent enough edition but looks its age in places, in terms of colour definition in particular. The only extra is the original trailer. --David Stubbs
Arthur Bishop (Bronson) is a mob hit man who operates in a world of his own an uncompromising world where conventional rules of morality don't apply and where one wrong move could cost him his life! He's always worked alone but as age catches up with him Bishop takes on a competent and ruthless apprentice (Jan-Michael Vincent) and teaches him everything he knows. Together they become an unmatchable team of globetrotting killers until the pupil's ruthlessness puts him on a colli
Duel Academy, one of the most prestigious schools in Duel Monster's history. There students learn the fundamentals of becoming not just duelists, but large business owners. Yuki Judai is a new student with only one thing on his mind, to become the next King Of Games. Judai meets several friends, teachers, and even enemies at the large Dueling school. There he'll have to face off against several different Dorms to become number one duelist. Slifer Red, Ra Yellow, and Obelisk Blue are the three dorms. Will Judai be able to pass all of them? Based on Kazuki Takahashi's world famous anime and manga Yu-Gi-Oh!
An adaptation of the best-selling books by Jim Benton Dear Dumb Diary stars Emily Alyn Lind as Jamie the disgruntled diarist of Mackerel Middle School. When her school's art program is threatened with closure the district holds a Jump-a-thon fundraiser. Jamie sees it as her chance to save the day on behalf of the Average People while at the same time impressing her boy-crush Hudson by beating Angeline (one of the Perfect People). But in the end once Jaime stops judging people by appearance alone she discovers her own sparkling inner beauty which was there all along. Special Features: Behind the Scenes Featurette Interviews with Cast Crew and Writer Jim Benton Trailer Diary Collection
World War II aviation buffs may quibble with the details of Mosquito Squadron, but they'll love it just the same. It's an average war movie, capably directed by Boris Sagal, who thrived in television before he was tragically killed by a helicopter rotor in 1981. At the peak of his post-Man from UNCLE success, David McCallum plays a melancholy RAF ace, leading his squadron of De Havilland "Mosquito" bombers on low-altitude strikes over Nazi strongholds in Germany and France. His ground-based dilemma involves the grieving wife of his best friend, a fellow pilot presumed dead but later discovered alive with other POWs held at a French chalet where the Nazis are developing advanced V-class bombers. The RAF employs bouncing "highballs" capable of penetrating difficult targets, and the rousing climax doubles as a rescue mission and treacherous bombing run. Explosive action compensates for predictable melodrama, and Rocky Horror fans will enjoy seeing Charles ("the Criminologist") Gray as a stuffy RAF Commodore. --Jeff Shannon
Please wait. Loading...
This site uses cookies.
More details in our privacy policy