Although it's enjoyable as a brainless diversion, National Security is one of those forgettable entertainments that denies its own considerable potential. It's a police action comedy in the mould of Beverly Hills Cop, tailored to the buddy-flick formula and laced with racial tensions of the post-Rodney King era. It's set in Los Angeles, where dedicated cop Hank (Steve Zahn) does jail time for allegedly beating Earl (Martin Lawrence), whose only real assailant was an overzealous bumblebee. As fate and lazy screenwriting would have it, the two adversaries reunite as security guards, teaming up to crack a team of violent smugglers led by bleached-blond Eric Roberts (further proof that this movie's got nothing new to offer). Routine stunts distract from the comedy's mostly untapped resource: Lawrence pointedly riffs on racial profiling, and his prolific ad-libs play well against Zahn's by-the-book straight man. If their partnership had been allowed to develop more believably, National Security might have been more than a blip on the box-office radar. --Jeff Shannon
The fourth series of Deep Space Nine can be summed up in one word: Klingons! The show's producers apparently felt beset from all sides. Babylon 5 was a huge hit, as was Star Trek: Voyager, the flagship of new channel UPN. Stepping up DS9's action quotient seemed to be the answer. Time would tell, however, whether doing so via Trek's tried-and-tested former bad guys was the best solution. Opening with a special two-hour extravaganza, the new year was immediately unfamiliar. Dennis McCarthy's original theme--despite winning an Emmy--was deemed too subdued. As its upbeat new rendition kicked off, the station was seen in battle and swarming with activity. Moments later, we met old/new crewmember Worf, whose sudden appearance was the result of a brewing invasive strategy by the Klingons. This initiated the first of many loyalty shifts, as the Cardassians became the victims. With plenty of re-appearances by Gowron, Kor and Kurn, it was clear that an ongoing space opera was being crafted. Dukat revealed a tragedy-ridden daughter; Odo's relationship with his people (and Kira) became increasingly melancholy; and even the Jem'Hadar foot soldiers were given a sympathetic angle by their drug addiction. Adding to the layers of ambiguity about Earth's (read: the Producers') position over being at war, was the "outing" of Eddington and Sisko's girlfriend as rebel activists. Lest we forget the homely/spiritual side of the Captain, time was spent with a future version of Jake, with his father (Brock Peters), and on the nature of his role as "The Emissary". Avery Brooks worked behind the camera a couple of times, but this year the surprise was LeVar Burton directing five shows. There was still time for comedy: the Ferengi warped back to Roswell in 1947 and Bashir played at James Bond. But the year will be recalled predominately for its violence. One of the episodes Burton directed had its fight scenes drastically cut, while the series as a whole won an Emmy for its space battle effects. On the DVD: Deep Space Nine, Series 4 contains more than two hours of extra features. Although they might all have been better compiled into one long documentary, the sections devoted to Aliens, Production Design and Artwork are, nevertheless, nicely contained. "Charting New Territory" is a 20-minute featurette on all the big changes attempted this year: Worf's introduction, arming the station and being daring with stand-alone episodes. There's also a terrific and candid dossier on Michael Dorn (Worf), ten mini-cameo cast tales, four seasons' worth of episode introductions, and a well-stocked Photo Gallery. All this can be found on the set's seventh disc; there's also the fourth CD-ROM disc, which allows you to build your own station at home. --Paul Tonks END
It Took A Farmer's Hands To Shape A Nation. A Simple Man. A Legendary President. He was a common man - a failed farmer shopkeeper and county politician - who became one of America's greatest presidents. A leader of men and a man whose decisions would change the world: Harry S. Truman. Gary Sinise is Give 'Em Hell Harry Truman a simple man of the people who led America and guided the world through the most troubled period in history. It was an era of tremendous unrest and a tough time to be President. Truman led a nation through the end of World War II the beginning of the Cold War the struggle for civil rights and the creation of the United Nations. But whatever decisions he shared with the world one decision had to be his alone. The buck stopped with Truman when America dropped the first atomic bomb ending the war with Japan. Through it all Harry Truman lived true to his aim to serve the people - not to control them. This is his remarkable story.
The Borgias is the sordid saga of one of the most remarkable and legendary families in history. Set in 15th Century Italy at the height of the Renaissance, this acclaimed series chronicles the corrupt rise of patriarch Rodrigo Borgia (Academy Award winner Jeremy Irons) to the papacy, where he proceeds to commit every sin in the book to amass and retain power, influence and enormous wealth for himself and his family. But with absolute power comes even more powerful enemies who will stop at nothing to see him toppled. Don't miss a minute of the lavish, sexy, scandalous drama from the creative mind of Academy Award winner Neil Jordan. Special Features: Eye of the Cinematographer Building Medieval Rome Costume Creations Casting Cesare The Borgias Feast: A Feast Inspired by The Borgias Cast Q&A Outtakes Cast Biographies Photo Gallery Get Connected The World of The Borgias The Borgia Poison The Art of Fencing Instruments of Torture
From the creator of 'Jaws' comes this new story... 30 years after a strange shark hybrid escapes out to sea from an island naval research station Simon Chase a marine biologist his ex-wife Amanda and their teenage son Max are working in that same facility. They then experience shark-like attacks against their boat and on the island but the only one who'll believe their story is an unbalanced drunk called werewolf. Together they explore the old naval buildings and discover a hidden cavern where they encounter a shark-like creature that stands on two legs! Barely managing to escape its deadly jaws Amanda and Simon dig up the old research notes and make a horrifying discovery: the creature is made from human DNA and werewolf is directly implicated!
Rome, Blood and Sand is set in Rome, 44 B.C. Conqueror Julius Caesar returns from his triumph in Spain to a neglected and corrupt Republic. As the Ides of March draw near, his blood will be spilled, and the fate of the Roman Empire will fall upon the shoulders of one young man. Witness the epic true story of Caesar’s nephew Octavius, who successfully battled General Marc Antony for the throne and revolutionized the Roman Empire. This epic film depicts the gritty reality of life in the Roman Empire.
Werner Ernst is an overworked intern who only wants what is best for his elderly comatose patient--until he falls for the ailing man's beautiful daughter Felicia. The seductive Felicia has ten million reasons to let her father ""die with dignity "" while her deeply religious sister has her own motives for keeping him alive. Caught between passion and duty Werner descends into a moral mine field where the physician's god-like powers of life and death depend on knowing right from wrong-
London's East End, 1969: Our heroes Kenny (Ray Winstone) and Danny (Jack Huston) come into possession of a mysterious box which turns out to contain a large lump of weapons grade Uranium - a true Hot Potato!Initially unaware of The Hot Potato's true value they very quickly realise the danger they've been exposed to. Ably assisted by Danny's girlfriend, the beautiful Carole (Lois Winstone) and shadowed at every turn by the unshakeable criminal Harry (Colm Meadey), Kenny and Danny reluctantly embark on a quest to offload the potato to the highest bidder. Taking them on an epic journey that criss-crosses Europe, and into the company of an ever increasing assortment of shady and bizarre characters, Hot Potato is an 'Italian Job' tinged crime caper that you won't forget!
Deep Space Nine's third series begins eventfully, with Sisko promoted to captain and being gifted a prototype warship equipped with a cloaking device, while Odo learns where he came from. In the two-part opening tale, this clever gambit is played to hook viewers into the idea of DS9 becoming an ongoing mystery/conflict show. Why the sudden intense format tweaking? Mostly this was to ensure the show continued to thrive when a really rather greedy production hierarchy fast-tracked Voyager onto the air mid-season (cue unnecessary crossover episode with Tuvok). Of greater concern was ratings thief Babylon 5, which played its counter-Trek cards at precisely the right time. Fortunately the result (initially at least) was a genuine boost for DS9. Cast members seemed to have hit their stride and played off one another more assuredly than before. For example, Odo's character took several additional interesting twists, especially in his relationship with Kira. Rene Auberjonois had a very good year, directing two episodes to boot. Avery Brooks had begun this trend with the previous year's penultimate show. The real surprise was seeing Jonathan Frakes's name working behind the camera on three occasions, because he also appeared on screen in his alternate rogue Riker role, when Thomas dramatically steals the Defiant. Other welcome cameos that aided the feeling of casual camaraderie included the return of Lwaxana Troi, as well as first appearances by Quark's Mum, the spooky Founder Leader, the lovely Leeta and the sneaky Eddington. Clint Howard--a cult Trek figure--was briefly welcomed back, and with the many faces of Jeffrey Combs another was born. Stories progressed the complicated Bajoran/Cardassian healing process, while simultaneously brewing potential conflicts far worse than the behind-the-scenes ratings war. --Paul Tonks
Titles Comprise: Layer Cake: Matthew Vaughn, the producer of 'Lock Stock And Two Smoking Barrels' and 'Snatch', steps into the director's chair for the first time with 'Layer Cake'. Based upon JJ Connelly's London crime novel, 'Layer Cake' is about a successful cocaine dealer (Daniel Craig) who has earned a respected place among England's Mafia elite and plans an early retirement from the business. However, big boss Jimmy Price (Cranham) hands down a tough assignment: find Charlotte Ryder, the missing rich princess daughter of Jimmy's old pal Edward (Gambon), a powerful construction business player and gossip papers socialite. Complicating matters are two million pounds' worth of Grade A ecstasy, a brutal neo-Nazi sect and a whole series of double crossings...The title 'Layer Cake' refers to the layers or levels the dealer has to go through as he painstakingly plots his own escape. What is revealed is a modern underworld where the rules have changed. There are no 'codes' or 'families' and respect lasts as long as a line. Not knowing who he can trust, he has to use all his 'savvy', 'telling' and skills which make him one of the best, to escape his own. The ultimate last job, a love interest called Tammy and an international drugs ring, threaten to draw him back into the 'cake mix'. But, time is running out and the penalty will endure a lifetime.. Snatch: Guy Ritchie, writer/director of 'Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels' delivers another awe-inspiring directorial masterpiece. 'Snatch' is an edgy and hilarious film about a diamond heist gone wrong, a colourful Irish gypsy turned prizefighter, and a very temperamental dog. In the heart of gangland, two novice unlicensed boxing promoters, Turkish (Jason Statham) and Tommy (Stephen Graham) get roped into organising a bare-knuckled fight with local kingpin villain and fellow boxing promoter Brick Top (Alan Ford). But it all goes wrong when Brick Top's fighter, who is rigged to win, is suddenly knocked out by the boys' wildcard Irish gypsy boxer, One Punch Mickey O'Neil (Brad Pitt). Unfortunately things go from bad to worse as Mickey starts playing by his own rules and the duo find they are heading for a whole lot of trouble. Meanwhile en route to New York to deliver a stolen 84-carat diamond to head honcho Avi (Dennis Farina), Franky Four Fingers (Benicio Del Toro) is robbed of the stone. Forced to jump on the next plane to London, Avi is by no means pleased. He hires local legend Bullet Tooth Tony (Vinnie Jones) to find Franky and the diamond. The hunt for the missing stone launches everyone into a spiral of double-crossing vendettas as different parties pursue personal agendas, some of them farcical, most of them illegal and all of them destined to spin completely out of control...
For 1000 survivors of the Holocaust Ruth Gruber was their only hope. During WW2 in Nazi occupied Europe Ruth risked her life to help the Jewish victims escape to the United States. Based on a true story.
Something very strange happened in the small village of New Bethlehem, a devout community kept under the tight reins of the town's vigilant Elders. Six girls born on the same day to different mothers. Perhaps a coincidence or as most believe a chilling omen of something yet to come. Now, on the eve of their 18th birthday, the young women are mysteriously disappearing one by one and feared dead. Terror has overtaken this quiet community. Could this be the work of a serial killer, one of the village elders or a horrific prophecy come true, born of the supernatural, The Occult?
Pitch Black: The daylight can burn you but the darkness will kill you! Experience the psychological terror when a group of marooned passengers must face a pack of terrifying creatures whose only weakness is the light. With little power and dwindling numbers the doomed passengers turn to a vicious convict (Vin Diesel) with an appetite for destruction and eerie eyes that can guide them through the darkness... The Chronicles Of Riddick: The wanted criminal Riddick arrives in Helion Prime and finds himself against the invading Necromongers an army that plans to convert or kill all humans...
Deep Space Nine's sixth series began ambitiously with a six-part story arc devoted to the Dominion War. This was a brave move in many ways, but a sensible one too. Whereas other SF shows wouldn't commit to showing the impact of war (Babylon 5), here there were numerous visible sacrifices. Characters were frequently kidnapped and held prisoner, allowing screen time for other members of the ever-growing cast (at its peak there were as many as 18 individuals with speaking roles per episode). This year also introduced the idea of Starfleet Intelligence and its sinister Section 31; alliances were built only to crumble almost immediately; Sisko led a suicide mission and at long last his destiny as the Emissary took a serious turn. Amid all this sturm und drang the writers felt it necessary to inject some levity. In fact, there was so much comedic sidetracking this year it actually seemed sometimes as if they were afraid of the seriesÂ’ dark tone. Witness: Quark undergoing a temporary sex change, leading a Magnificent Seven-style band of Ferengi (with a cameo from Iggy Pop), Morn's non-speaking character being sorely missed, the blend of Troi and Guinan into 60's crooner Vic Fontaine and, in one fan favourite episode ("Far Beyond the Stars"), Sisko having visions of himself and the crew as 1950s staff writers on pulp magazine Incredible Tales. There were also cute reconciliations amongst Worf's extended family (leading to Trek's first cast wedding), and even the revelation of Bashir's genetically enhanced origins quickly became a subject for easy jokes. Any of these events would have been satisfactorily cute if the war had ended and the show had moved on. But confusing the viewer, every so often the battle would be rejoined mid-episode. The clinching proof that no grand design was really at work was in the sudden and brutal dispatch of Dax. Actress Terry Farrell gave sufficient forewarning of having had enough of the show, but specifically asked not to be killed off. Despite all the jarring humour scattered about after the strong opening, the show seemed unable to avoid reverting to shock tactics for its finale. All of which hardly made the promised final year seem a particularly enticing prospect. --Paul Tonks
She's called 'Tir na nOg' because she came from a land under the sea. A magical white horse. Why she came was a mystery to all except Ossie and Tito two small boys who living day to day in a soulless slum with their dejected father Papa Reilly knew Tir na nOg had come for a special reason. When the horse is taken by the police and sold to a cruel farmer Hartnet the boys decide to steal Tir na nOg and escape to the west. But Ossie and Tito hadn't bargained for an agitated police force and a menacing posse of Hartnet's men. Only Papa Reilly can save his sons from ill fortune... but then maybe that was Tir na nOg's intention all along.
A polar bear of many words, Norm's greatest gripe is simple: there is no room for tourists in the Arctic. But when a maniacal developer threatens to build luxury condos in his own backyard, Norm does what all normal polar bears would do he heads to New York City to stop it. With a cast of ragtag lemmings at his side, Norm takes on the big apple, big business and a big identity crisis to save the day.
The dominant themes of director Sidney Lumet's distinguished career are in full force in Night Falls on Manhattan, a moral melodrama involving a young district attorney (Andy Garcia) who takes on a career-making case only to uncover his father's possible involvement in pervasive police corruption. Balancing personal ethics and political compromise in a high-wire act of power and its abuse, Lumet relies on dialogue and superb performances (including those by Ron Leibman, Richard Dreyfuss and Lena Olin) to achieve a devastating impact. The script (based on the novel Tainted Evidence by Robert Daley) is too smart and Lumet's direction too sure-footed to fall back on the black-and-white exploits of conventional criminals and their crimes. The movie's moral framework (like that of Lumet's earlier film Q&A) is more realistic, dealing in the grey areas between right and wrong where misdeeds can arise from the best intentions. At the centre of Garcia's dilemma is his father, a seasoned New York cop played so convincingly by Ian Holm that you'd never guess the actor was British. Although it received mixed reviews when released in 1997, Night Falls on Manhattan ranks among Lumet's finest films. --Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com
From the Producers of the International Emmy Award winning MOONE BOY - Starring Colm Meaney, Deirdre O'Kane and Art Malik. A fish out of water story about a loveable outsider, who must decide to embrace or defy his culture in the name of fitting in. Halal Daddy follows the exploits of Raghdan Aziz, a young British-Indian Muslim who flees the prospects of an arranged marriage in Bradford in favour of an easy life in the west of Ireland. Hanging with his mates and girlfriend Maeve, it's the perfect getaway from his controlling father. Until Raghdan's 21st birthday when his father Amir arrives unexpectedly from the UK with the gift of a run-down meat factory in the town. How will Raghdan cope with this poisoned chalice without ruining his relationship with his father forever? Or is it possible to turn recent events to his advantage and still manage to have a bit of fun? As Raghdan soon discovers, anything is possible with a little help from your friends
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