"Actor: Doug"

• Gangster No. 1 | DVD | (10/06/2002) from £4.99   |  Saving you £5.00 (100.20%)   |  RRP £9.99

  Gangster No. 1 is without doubt the most stylish British violent crime thriller from the many produced at the end of the 20th century. For all the pop-video glamour of Guy Ritchie's Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch, neither have anywhere near as much a sense of danger as is shown here. Paul Bettany ignites the screen with a fury that explodes far more than it smoulders beneath his tautly kept temper. The tale concerns his ascent to the titular position of primacy in 1960s London, told in flashback by his present-day self (an equally riveting Malcolm McDowell). A lust for power won't allow anything to stand in either incarnation's way, especially the foppish posturing of established crime boss Freddie Mays (David Thewlis). What distinguishes this from many other tales of greed is that the never-named Gangster actually wants to be Freddie, not simply replace him. Saffron Burrows plays the suffering trophy moll in the middle of this personality clash and provides about the only level head and gentle tongue in what is otherwise a super-violent and super-profane script. This is what The Krays should have been, and therefore not for the squeamish. --Paul Tonks

• The Punisher/The Punisher: War Zone | Blu Ray | (04/09/2017) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £6.95

  THE PUNISHER Special agent Frank Castle (Tom Jane) lives the good life with a devoted family and a job he loves. But his world falls apart when his last assignment pits him against ruthless businessman Howard Saint (John Travolta). Seeking the revenge of his murdered family, Castle becomes a merciless vigilante hell bent on destroying Saint and his band of underworld assassins on his mission of redemption: vindicating the common man with a brand of justice the law cannot provide. PUNISHER: WAR ZONE Waging his one-man war on the world of organised crime, ruthless vigilante-hero Frank Castle sets his sights on over-eager mob boss Billy Russoti. After Russoti is left horribly disfigured by Castle, he sets out for vengeance under his new alias: Jigsaw. With the Punisher Task Force hot on his trail and the FBI unable to take Jigsaw in, Frank must stand up to the formidable army that Jigsaw has recruited before more of his evil deeds go unpunished. BONUS FEATURES: THE PUNISHER Audio Commentary by Director Jonathan Hensleigh Alternate Opening Sequence War Journal Behind-the-Scenes featurette on the Making of the Movie Drawing Blood Bradstreet Style featurette Deleted Scenes with Optional Commentary Step Up Music Video performed by Drowning Pool PUNISHER: WAR ZONE The Making of Punisher: War Zone featurette Training for the Punisher featurette Weapons of the Punisher featurette Meet Jigsaw featurette Creating the Look of the Punisher featurette Audio Commentary with Director Lexi Alexander and Cinematographer Steve Gainer

• Clint Eastwood Westerns Collection (3 Discs) | Blu Ray | (17/04/2019) from £16.15   |  Saving you £23.84 (147.62%)   |  RRP £39.99

  Classic westerns collection of 3 Blu-ray discs starring Clint Eastwood in 1080p High Definition.

• Hellraiser 5 | DVD | (16/05/2011) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  A shady L.A. detective (Sheffer) finds himself lost in a darkly nightmarish world of evil when he solves the mysterious puzzle box that releases the diabolical demon Pinhead! As those around him begin to meet tragic fates he sets out to conquer the horrifying Pinhead and escape eternal hell!

• Star Trek: Discovery Seasons 1-3 | DVD | (15/11/2021) from £49.97   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Season One Welcome to Star Trek: Discovery Season One, an odyssey that unfolds a decade before the era of Star Trek: The Original Series . Sonequa Martin-Green stars as Michael Burnham formerly one of Starfleet's most respected first officers and now its first mutineer. A human raised as a Vulcan, Burnham learned early that all life is born from chaos. Her defiance of a direct order resulted in an all-out war with the Klingon Empire and she was sentenced to life in prison until Captain Gabriel Lorca (Jason Isaacs) recruits her aboard the U.S.S. Discovery . Joining her on this dramatic, epic journey are First Officer Saru (Doug Jones), Chief of Security Ash Tyler (Shazad Latif), Chief Engineer Paul Stamets (Anthony Rapp) and Cadet Sylvia Tilly (Mary Wiseman). Together, their powers of logic, science and compassion will meld on their quest for victory, survival and ultimately, peace in the universe. Season Two After answering a distress signal from the U.S.S. Enterprise, the U.S.S. Discovery welcomes aboard Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) and begins a new mission to investigate the meaning behind seven mysterious red signals. Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) grapples with her past growing up on Vulcan with her foster parents and brother Spock (Ethan Peck). Season Three Season 3: After following Commander Michael Burnham into a wormhole, the U.S.S. Discovery lands in an unrecognizable world 1,000 years in the future. With Starfleet and the Federation on the brink of collapse due to a catastrophic event known as The Burn, the Discovery crew, with the help of new and mysterious allies Book (David Ajala) and Adira (Blu del Barrio), must uncover what caused The Burn and restore hope to the galaxy.

• Red Dwarf - Series 1 | DVD | (04/11/2002) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Notoriously, and entirely appropriately, the original outline for Doug Naylor and Rob Grant's comedy SF series Red Dwarf was sketched on the back of a beer mat. When it finally appeared on our television screens in 1988 the show had clearly stayed true to its roots, mixing jokes about excessive curry consumption with affectionate parodies of classic SF. Indeed, one of the show's most endearing and enduring features is its obvious respect for the conventions of SF, even as it gleefully subverts them. The scenario owes something to Douglas Adams's satirical Hitch-Hiker's Guide, something to The Odd Couple and a lot more to the slacker SF of John Carpenter's Dark Star. Behind the crew's constant bickering there lurks an impending sense that life, the universe and everything are all someone's idea of a terrible joke. Later series broadened the show's horizons until at last its premise was so diluted as to be unrecognisable, but in the six episodes of the first series the comedy is witty and intimate, focusing on characters and not special effects. Slob Dave Lister (Craig Charles) is the last human alive after a radiation leak wipes out the crew of the vast mining vessel Red Dwarf (episode 1, "The End"). He bums around the spaceship with the perpetually uptight and annoyed hologram of his dead bunkmate, Arnold Rimmer (Chris Barrie, the show's greatest comedy asset) and a creature evolved from a cat (dapper Danny John Jules). They are guided rather haphazardly by Holly, the worryingly thick ship's computer (lugubrious Norman Lovett). On the DVD: Red Dwarf I arrives in a two-disc set, with all six episodes on the first disc accompanied by an excellent group commentary from Craig Charles, Chris Barrie, Danny John Jules and Norman Lovett. (There's also a bonus commentary on "The End" with the two writers and director Ed Bye.) The 4:3 picture is unimpressive, but sound is decent stereo. The second disc has an entertaining 25-minute documentary on the genesis of the series with contributions from the cast, writer Doug Naylor and producer Paul Jackson. Navigate the animated menus to find a gallery of extra features, including isolated music cues, deleted scenes, outtakes ("Smeg Ups"), a fun "Drunk" music montage, model effects shots, Web links, audiobook clips, the original BBC trailer and even the entire first episode in Japanese. --Mark Walker

• The Punisher/The Punisher: War Zone | DVD | (04/09/2017) from £8.95   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  THE PUNISHER Special agent Frank Castle (Tom Jane) lives the good life with a devoted family and a job he loves. But his world falls apart when his last assignment pits him against ruthless businessman Howard Saint (John Travolta). Seeking the revenge of his murdered family, Castle becomes a merciless vigilante hell bent on destroying Saint and his band of underworld assassins on his mission of redemption: vindicating the common man with a brand of justice the law cannot provide. PUNISHER: WAR ZONE Waging his one-man war on the world of organised crime, ruthless vigilante-hero Frank Castle sets his sights on over-eager mob boss Billy Russoti. After Russoti is left horribly disfigured by Castle, he sets out for vengeance under his new alias: Jigsaw. With the Punisher Task Force hot on his trail and the FBI unable to take Jigsaw in, Frank must stand up to the formidable army that Jigsaw has recruited before more of his evil deeds go unpunished. BONUS FEATURES: THE PUNISHER Audio Commentary by Director Jonathan Hensleigh Alternate Opening Sequence War Journal Behind-the-Scenes featurette on the Making of the Movie Drawing Blood Bradstreet Style featurette Deleted Scenes with Optional Commentary Step Up Music Video performed by Drowning Pool PUNISHER: WAR ZONE The Making of Punisher: War Zone featurette Training for the Punisher featurette Weapons of the Punisher featurette Meet Jigsaw featurette Creating the Look of the Punisher featurette Audio Commentary with Director Lexi Alexander and Cinematographer Steve Gainer

• Hellboy 2: The Golden Army | Blu Ray | (08/12/2008) from £14.98   |  Saving you £10.01 (66.82%)   |  RRP £24.99

  The mythical world starts a rebellion against the human realm in order to rule the Earth, so Hellboy and his team must save the world from the myriad creatures.

• Hellbound - Hellraiser 2 | DVD | (10/09/2001) from £17.98   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £14.99

• Escape From Planet Earth | DVD | (14/07/2014) from £4.95   |  Saving you £15.04 (303.84%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Astronaut Scorch Supernova finds himself caught in a trap when he responds to an SOS from a notoriously dangerous alien planet.

• Star Trek: Discovery Complete Series | Blu Ray | (19/08/2024) from £112.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  STAR TREK: DISCOVERY follows the voyages of Starfleet on their missions to discover new world and new life forms and one Starfleet officer who must learn that to truly understand all things alien, you must first understand yourself. The series features a new ship and new characters while embracing the same ideology and hope for the future that inspired a generation of dreamers and doers.

• Hellraiser Quartet Of Torment Limited Edition 4K UHD | Blu Ray | (23/10/2023) from £24.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  We Have Such Sights To Show You In the 1980s, Clive Barker changed the face of horror fiction, throwing out the rules to expose new vistas of terror and beauty, expanding the horizons for every genre writer who followed him. With Hellraiser, his first feature film, he did the same for cinema. Hedonist Frank Cotton (Sean Chapman) thinks he has reached the limits of earthly pleasure. But a mysterious puzzle box will take him further than he can possibly imagine, opening the doors to a dominion where pain and pleasure are indivisible and summoning the Cenobites, whose experiments in the higher reaches of experience will tear his soul apart. When he manages to escape, Frank returns to the world skinless and in need of help. Now his former lover Julia (Clare Higgins) must kill to make him whole again. But the Cenobites want Frank back, and there'll be hell to pay when they find him. Hellbound: Hellraiser Ii expands on Barker's original vision as screenwriter Peter Atkins takes Julia Cotton, her step daughter Kirsty (Ashley Laurence) and the sinister Dr. Channard (Kenneth Cranham) into the dominion of the Cenobites themselves. Hellraiser Iii: Hell on Earth sees Pinhead set loose on the sinful streets of New York City to create chaos with a fresh cadre of Cenobitic kin. Then, Hellraiser: Bloodline sinks its hooks into past, present and future with the story of Phillip LeMarchand, the 18th-century toymaker who made the lament configuration puzzle box, his descendent John Merchant - a 20th-century architect whose most recent building bears a striking resemblance to the lament configuration - and Dr. Paul Merchant, a 22nd-century engineer and designer of The Minos, a space station which is a great deal more than it seems. Experience the sublime agony of this quartet of torment like you never have before in all-new 4k restorations from the original camera negatives. Hell has never looked better! Product Features Brand new 4k restorations of all four films from the original camera negatives by Arrow Films Ultra High Definition (2160p) presentations of all four films in Dolby Vision (hdr10 compatible) Original lossless stereo and Dts-hd Ma 5.1 surround audio for all four films Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing Ages of Desire, an exclusive 200-page hardback book with new writing from Clive Barker archivists Phil and Sarah Stokes Limited edition layered packaging featuring brand new Pinhead artwork Disc 1 Hellraiser Brand new audio commentary featuring genre historian (and unit publicist of Hellraiser) Stephen Jones with author and film critic Kim Newman Archival audio commentary with writer/director Clive Barker and actor Ashley Laurence, moderated by Peter Atkins Archival audio commentary with writer/director Clive Barker Power of Imagination - brand new 60-minute discussion about Hellraiser and the work of Clive Barker by film scholars Sorcha Ní Fhlainn (editor of Clive Barker: Dark Imaginer) and Karmel Kniprath Unboxing Hellraiser - brand new visual essay celebrating the Lament Configuration by genre author Alexandra Benedict (The Beauty of Murder) The Pursuit of Possibilities - brand new 60-minute discussion between acclaimed horror authors Paula D. Ashe (We Are Here To Hurt Each Other) and Eric LaRocca (Everything the Dark Eats) celebrating the queerness of Hellraiser and the importance of Clive Barker as a queer writer Flesh is a Trap - brand new visual essay exploring body horror and transcendence in the work of Clive Barker by genre author Guy Adams (The World House) Newly uncovered extended Epk interviews with Clive Barker and stars Andrew Robinson, Clare Higgins, Ashley Laurence, and effects artist Bob Keen, shot during the making of Hellraiser, with a new introduction by Stephen Jones and Kim Newman Original 1987 Electronic Press Kit Being Frank: Sean Chapman on Hellraiser - archival interview with the actor Under the Skin: Doug Bradley on Hellraiser - archival interview with the iconic actor about his first appearance as ˜Pinhead' Soundtrack Hell: The Story of the Abandoned Coil Score - archival interview with Coil member Stephen Thrower Trailers and Tv spots Image gallery Draft screenplays Disc 2 Hellbound: Hellraiser II Brand new audio commentary featuring Stephen Jones and Kim Newman Archival audio commentary with director Tony Randel, writer Peter Atkins and actor Ashley Laurence Audio commentary with director Tony Randel and writer Peter Atkins Hell Was What They Wanted! - brand new 80-minute appreciation of Hellbound, the Hellraiser mythos and the work of Clive Barker by horror authors George Daniel Lea (Born in Blood) and Kit Power (The Finite) That Rat-Slice Sound - brand new appreciation of composer Christopher Young's scores for Hellraiser and Hellbound: Hellraiser Ii by Guy Adams Archival on-set interview with Clive Barker Archival on-set interview with cast and crew Behind the scenes footage Being Frank: Sean Chapman on Hellbound - archival interview about the actor's return to the role of Frank Cotton Under the Skin: Doug Bradley on Hellbound - archival interview with the iconic actor about his second appearance as ˜Pinhead' Lost in the Labyrinth - archival featurette featuring interviews with Barker, Randel, Keen, Atkins and others Trailers and Tv spots Image gallery Disc 3 Hellraiser III: Hell On Earth Alternative Unrated version (contains standard definition inserts) Brand new audio commentary featuring Stephen Jones and Kim Newman Archival audio commentary with screenwriter Peter Atkins (Theatrical Cut only) Archival audio commentary with director Anthony Hickox and actor Doug Bradley (Unrated Version only) Previously unseen extended Epk featuring interviews with Clive Barker and Doug Bradley Fx dailies Time with Terri - archival interview with actor Paula Marshall Raising Hell on Earth - archival interview with director Anthony Hickox Under the Skin: Doug Bradley on Hellraiser Iii - archival interview with the iconic actor about his third appearance as ˜Pinhead' Theatrical trailer Image gallery Disc 4 Hellraiser: Bloodline Brand new audio commentary featuring screenwriter Peter Atkins, with Stephen Jones and Kim Newman The Beauty of Suffering - brand new featurette exploring the Cenobites' connection to goth, fetish cultures and Bdsm Newly uncovered workprint version of the film, providing a fascinating insight into how it changed during post production Hellraiser Evolutions - archival documentary on the evolution of the franchise and its enduring legacy, featuring interviews with Scott Derrickson (director, Hellraiser: Inferno), Rick Bota (director, Hellraiser: Hellseeker, Deader and Hellworld), Stuart Gordon (director, Re-Animator, From Beyond) and others Books of Blood and Beyond: The Literary Works of Clive Barker - archival appreciation by horror author David Gatwalk of Barker's written work, from The Books of Blood to The Scarlet Gospels Theatrical trailer Image gallery Easter egg

• Ouija: Origin of Evil (DVD + Digital Download) | DVD | (27/02/2017) from £4.49   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  A group of unsuspecting friends must confront their most terrifying fears when they unleash an evil from the other side that only they can send back.

• Neil Diamond - Greatest Hits - Live | DVD | (13/06/2005) from £14.53   |  Saving you £-4.54 (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  Neil Diamond's self-revealing style has established him as one of the most popular singer/songwriters in pop music. His legendary status as a live performer is fully confirmed with the 18 songs on this collection. Recorded at the Aquarius Theater in Los Angeles Greatest Hits Live captures Neil and his band at their peak performing the best of Neil's hit-filled catalog. Tracklist: 1. America 2. September Morn 3. I'm Alive 4. Cherry Cherry 5. Sweet Caroline 6. I Am...I Said 7

• Hellraiser | Blu Ray | (03/07/2017) from £10.75   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Having made his reputation as one of the most prolific and gifted horror writers of his generation (prompting Stephen King to call him "the future of horror"), Clive Barker made a natural transition to movies with this audacious directorial debut from 1987. Not only did Barker serve up a chilling tale of devilish originality, he also introduced new icons of horror that since have become as popular among genre connoisseurs as Frankenstein's monster and the Wolfman. Foremost among these frightful, Hellraiser visions is the sadomasochistic demon affectionately named Pinhead (so named because his pale, bald head is a geometric pincushion and a symbol of eternal pain). Pinhead is the leader of the Cenobites, agents of evil who appear only when someone successfully "solves" the exotic puzzle box called the Lamont Configuration--a mysterious device that opens the door to Hell. The puzzle's latest victim is Frank (Sean Chapman), who now lives in a gelatinous skeletal state in an upstairs room of the British home just purchased by his newlywed half-brother (Andrew Robinson, best known as the villain from Dirty Harry), who has married one of Frank's former lovers (Claire Higgins). The latter is recruited to supply the cannibalistic Frank with fresh victims, enabling him to reconstitute his own flesh--but will Frank succeed in restoring himself completely? Will Pinhead continue to demonstrate the flesh-ripping pleasures of absolute agony? Your reaction to this description should tell you if you've got the stomach for Barker's film, which has since spawned a number of interesting but inferior sequels. It's definitely not for everyone, but there's no denying that it's become a semiclassic of modern horror. --Jeff Shannon

• Star Trek: Discovery Seasons 1-3 | Blu Ray | (15/11/2021) from £57.59   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Season One Welcome to Star Trek: Discovery Season One, an odyssey that unfolds a decade before the era of Star Trek: The Original Series . Sonequa Martin-Green stars as Michael Burnham formerly one of Starfleet's most respected first officers and now its first mutineer. A human raised as a Vulcan, Burnham learned early that all life is born from chaos. Her defiance of a direct order resulted in an all-out war with the Klingon Empire and she was sentenced to life in prison until Captain Gabriel Lorca (Jason Isaacs) recruits her aboard the U.S.S. Discovery . Joining her on this dramatic, epic journey are First Officer Saru (Doug Jones), Chief of Security Ash Tyler (Shazad Latif), Chief Engineer Paul Stamets (Anthony Rapp) and Cadet Sylvia Tilly (Mary Wiseman). Together, their powers of logic, science and compassion will meld on their quest for victory, survival and ultimately, peace in the universe. Season Two After answering a distress signal from the U.S.S. Enterprise, the U.S.S. Discovery welcomes aboard Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) and begins a new mission to investigate the meaning behind seven mysterious red signals. Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) grapples with her past growing up on Vulcan with her foster parents and brother Spock (Ethan Peck). Season Three Season 3: After following Commander Michael Burnham into a wormhole, the U.S.S. Discovery lands in an unrecognizable world 1,000 years in the future. With Starfleet and the Federation on the brink of collapse due to a catastrophic event known as The Burn, the Discovery crew, with the help of new and mysterious allies Book (David Ajala) and Adira (Blu del Barrio), must uncover what caused The Burn and restore hope to the galaxy.

• The Punisher 2: War Zone | DVD | (08/06/2009) from £11.04   |  Saving you £4.95 (44.84%)   |  RRP £15.99

  Ruthless vigilante Frank Castle returns. After Castle hideously disfigures Mob boss Billy Russoti the gangster sets out for vengeance under a new alias: Jigsaw. Castle is forced to fight for his life and stand up to the army that Jigsaw is sending in his direction...

• Reign Of Fire | DVD | (09/06/2003) from £7.71   |  Saving you £10.28 (133.33%)   |  RRP £17.99

  By 2024 highly evolved dragons are the dominant species on earth and only a few humans remain. A team of Englishmen lead by Christian Bale team up with American dragon slayer Matthew McConaughey and plan a dangerous crusade to post apocalyptic London.

• Classic Films Triple - On Golden Pond/Fried Green Tomatoes/Sophie's Choice | DVD | (06/10/2008) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  Fried Green Tomatoes At The Whistle Stop Cafe Evelyn Couch (Kathy Bates) an overweight middle aged woman is in a rut. Her husband Ed ignores her and even his bedridden aunt throws blunt objects at her! But a chance encounter with a spry octogenarian Ninny Threadgoode (Jessica Tandy) leads to an unexpected friendship. Ninny tells Evelyn an absorbing story of two very different women who lived half a century ago in the town of Whistle Stop Alabama: the irrepressibly dare devilish tomboy Idgie (Mary Stuart Masterson) and the demure and good-hearted Ruth (Mary-Louise Parker). Together they ran the Whistle Stop Caf'' a railside eatery serving good old southern food as well as a good helping of friendship and laughter and even an occasional murder. The events of the past inspire Evelyn to make changes in her own dowdy life - the results are often hilarious in this endearing tale of friendship and courage. Sophie's Choice Meryl Streep plays Sophie Zawistowska in this penetrating drama set in 1947 post-World War II Brooklyn. Kevin Kline plays her all consuming lover Nathan. The story revolves around Sophie's struggle as a Polish-Catholic immigrant in the United States who had survived a Nazi concentration camp. The lovers' drama unfolds through the observations of a friend and would-be writer Stingo (Peter MacNicol). As the trio grows closer Stingo discovers the hidden truths that they each harbour resulting in a narrative that is both captivating and moving... On Golden Pond Family tensions explode for a loving couple Ethel and Norman Thayer (Katharine Hepburn and Henry Fonda in Academy Award winning performance) at their New England summer cabin on Golden Pond. Their daughter Chelsea (Jane Fonda) has come to visit with her new lover Bill (Dabney Coleman) and his tough young son Billy (Doug McKeon). The three generations collide. But what begins as a stubborn battle of wills between Norman and Billy slowly turns into a relationship that Chelsea always wanted with her father and Norman discovers how much he has missed by denying his daughter's love.

• Hellboy 1 & 2 Steelbook | DVD | (08/12/2008) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £29.99

  HellboyIn the ongoing deluge of comic-book adaptations, Hellboy ranks well above average. Having turned down an offer to helm Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban in favour of bringing Hellboy's origin story to the big screen, the gifted Mexican director Guillermo del Toro compensates for the excesses of Blade II with a moodily effective, consistently entertaining action-packed fantasy, beginning in 1944 when the mad monk Rasputin--in cahoots with occult-buff Hitler and his Nazi thugs--opens a transdimensional portal through which a baby demon emerges, capable of destroying the world with his powers. Instead, the aptly named Hellboy is raised by the benevolent Prof. Bloom, founder of the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense, whose allied forces enlist the adult Hellboy (Ron Perlman, perfectly cast) to battle evil at every turn. While nursing a melancholy love for the comely firestarter Liz (Selma Blair), Hellboy files his demonic horns ("to fit in," says Bloom) and wreaks havoc on the bad guys. The action is occasionally routine (the movie suffers when compared to the similar X-Men blockbusters), but del Toro and Perlman have honored Mike Mignola's original Dark Horse comics with a lavish and loyal interpretation, retaining the amusing and sympathetic quirks of character that made the comic-book Hellboy a pop-culture original. He's red as a lobster, puffs stogies like Groucho Marx, and fights the good fight with a kind but troubled heart. What's not to like? --Jeff ShannonHellboy 2: The Golden ArmyThe feverish Hellboy 2: The Golden Army is a very busy sequel that might have looked unhinged in the hands of a less visionary director than Guillermo del Toro. Ron Perlman returns as Hellboy, aka "Red," the Dark Horse Comics demon-hero with roots in the mythical world but personal ties in the human realm. Still working, as he was in Hellboy, for a secret department of the federal government that deals (as in "Men In Black") with forces of the fantastic, Red and his colleagues take on a royal elf (Luke Goss) determined to smash a longtime truce between mankind and the forces of magic. Meanwhile, Red's relationship with girlfriend Liz (Selma Blair), who can burst into flames at will, is going through a rocky stage observed by Red's fishy friend Abe (Doug Jones), himself struck by love in this film. Del Toro brilliantly integrates the ordinary and extraordinary, diving into an extended scene set in a troll market barely hidden behind the façade of typical city streets. He also unleashes a forest monster that devastates an urban neighborhood, but then--interestingly--brings a luminous beauty to the same area as the creature (an "elemental") succumbs to a terrible death. Del Toro's art direction proves masterful, too, in a climactic battle set in a clockworks-like stronghold tucked away in rugged Irish landscape. But it's really the juxtaposition of visual marvels with not-so-unusual relationship issues that gives Hellboy 2 a certain jaunty appeal hard to find in other superhero movies. --Tom Keogh