"Actor: Michael B"

• Being Human: Complete Series 5 | DVD | (08/04/2013) from £20.17   |  Saving you £-0.18 (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Hal, Tom and Alex are three housemates with some serious issues on their hands, and they're not all about the washing up rota. Hal (Damien Molony) is a 500 year-old vampire, Tom (Michael Socha) is a hardened werewolf and Alex (Kate Bracken) has recently had the misfortune of becoming a ghost. But threat lurks around every corner. There is the volatile and deluded Crumb (Colin Hoult) - a newly recruited vampire, and the sinister Mr Rook (Steven Robertson) - head of a secret government department. With bills to be paid, our heroes take jobs in Barry's kitschest hotel, but alongside the flock wallpaper and the cocktail umbrellas dwells an evil greater than anything faced before. On the face of it, Captain Hatch (Phil Davis) is just another foul-mouthed decrepit old man but he hides a dark secret that threatens not only our heroes' friendships but the entire world.

• The Rolling Stones - Four Flicks | DVD | (17/11/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £49.99

  The juggernaut four-disc set that is the Rolling Stones Four Flicks is taken from their unique three-in-one 2001 tour when they combined a stadium tour, an arena tour and a theatre tour into one 54-truck peregrination. It's the kind of epic endeavour that brings to mind William Burroughs' remark on Laurie Anderson's Home of the Brave: "Y'know, I prefer to watch this kind of thing on TV. Tones it down." Of the four discs, there's one devoted to each of the three sets plus another of documentary footage which is every bit as entertaining as the concerts, with the chaps coming across as the bunch of lovable old monkeys they resemble these days. The track listings speak for itself, but there are quite a few nice insights into the way in which the band operates musically. Jagger's voice is nowhere near as strong as it was, yet, like Miles Davis did when his chops began to desert him, he simply knits any shortcomings into his style of delivery. One side-effect of this, though, is that the more recent material, presumably written with this in mind, is much more effective here than the classics; "Brown Sugar", for example, its lyrics now neutered to avoid giving offence, finds him resorting to all sorts of shortcuts. No matter, though, the Stones still put on an incomparable show. Keith "the Human Riff" Richards is in fact playing better now than he ever has. It's well worth getting yer ya-yas out for. On the DVD: Four Flicks presents its material in such an integrated way that it's hard to say where the main event ends and the extras begin. As well as the concerts, you get to see the band working with AC/DC, Sheryl Crow and various other associates, there's a fun feature which allows you to zoom in on any individual member on a few tracks (revealing the secret of Charlie Watts's propulsive drumming to the percussion-minded observer) plus a great deal more. --Roger Thomas

• The Message | DVD | (24/02/2003) from £19.94   |  Saving you £-2.95 (N/A%)   |  RRP £16.99

  It is the 7th Century and in Mecca powerful leaders are in conflict with Mohammed who attacks the many injustices their way of life produces - slavery drunkenness and cruelty. Mohammed claims to have seen a vision of the Angel Gabriel and calls to the people of Mecca to worship one God only. After a revelation from God Mohammed agrees to take arms against Mecca and at the Wells of Bedr the inexperienced Moslem troops are victorious. However at the Battle of Uhud they are beate

• Sharpe - The Complete Series (14 Disc Box Set) | DVD | (28/10/2002) from £39.99   |  Saving you £60.00 (150.04%)   |  RRP £99.99

  This Sharpe box set contains all 14 of the full-length television films based on the novels by Bernard Cornwell. Originally broadcast between 1993 and 97, they follow the adventures of the titular soldier during the later years of the Napoleonic Wars, through Wellington's Peninsular campaign up to and including Waterloo. The programmes represent an outstanding achievement for the small screen, dominated by Sean Bean's central performance as the heroic, troubled outsider who turns out to be a resourceful and loyal leader. Bolstered by a strong supporting cast, particularly Daragh O'Malley as Harper and (in later episodes) Abigail Cruttenden as Jane, Sharpe is often visually striking, the action tense and gripping. Consistency is maintained by all episodes being directed by Tom Clegg. On the DVD: Sharpe the complete series is a 14-disc set of all 14 episodes. The sound is full-bodied stereo while the very "sharp" picture has been transferred slightly letterboxed at 14:9. Though looking much better than the original TV transmissions the occasionally cropped framing makes it apparent the films were shot in 16:9 widescreen, so it is regrettable they have not been transferred to DVD in that format. Otherwise these are first-rate releases. --Gary S Dalkin

• The Road To Wellville | DVD | (28/06/2004) from £49.99   |  Saving you £-35.00 (N/A%)   |  RRP £14.99

  This wrong-headed adaptation of the very funny (and scatological) novel by T. Coraghessan Boyle was written and directed by Alan Parker, who doesn't seem to have much of a clue. It's not a botch, just a movie that hammers its efforts at humour too hard. The focus is split between three storylines: the life of cereal tycoon John Kellogg (Anthony Hopkins with buck teeth), who has created a health spa for the wealthy that focuses on regular cleansing of the digestive tract (as well as applications of electricity); the troubles of an unhappy young couple (Matthew Broderick and Bridget Fonda), who come to the spa hoping to cure their marital ills (Broderick gets the worst of the deal); and the efforts of a young hustler (John Cusack), who is trying to break into the breakfast-cereal business but gets taken by an even bigger hustler (Michael Lerner). There are subplots about Kellogg's children but they add little. For all the excrement and enema jokes, the joys of this movie are distinctly scattered. --Marshall Fine

• The Terminator | Blu Ray | (01/10/2012) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  The Terminator was the film that cemented Arnold Schwarzenegger's place in the action-brawn firmament, and both his and the movie's subsequent iconic status are well deserved. He's chilling as the futuristic cyborg that kills without fear, without love, without mercy. James Cameron's story and direction are pared to the bone and are all the more chillingly effective for it. But don't overlook the contribution of Linda Hamilton, who more than holds her own as the Terminator's would-be victim, Sarah Connor, thus creating--along with Sigourney Weaver in Alien--a new generation of rugged, clear-thinking female action stars. The film's minimalist, malevolent violence is actually scarier than that of its far more expensive, more effects-laden sequel. --Anne Hurley, Amazon.com On the DVD: Rejoice, The Terminator is back, better looking and louder than ever. After years of inferior VHS versions, the cleaned-up print of this DVD is a revelation, as is the digitally remastered Dolby 5.1 soundtrack: from the opening MGM lion's roar to the crunch of Arnie's boots and the pounding of Brad Fiedel's techno-industrial score, both picture and sound are of a quality that belie the movie's age. The first disc has the movie plus a DVD-ROM feature containing three different versions of the screenplay, which can be read scene-by-scene along with the film. On the second disc there are seven deleted scenes, including a fascinating foreshadowing of Sarah Connor's mission in T2, as well as trailers and TV spots. There are also two "making of" featurettes, one being an 18-minute piece from 1992 based around a friendly at-home chat with Cameron and Schwarzenegger ("We did the first Terminator for the cost of your motor home on the second film", jokes director to actor). The hour-long "Other Voices" featurette is an in-depth montage of cast and crew reminiscences covering all aspects of the production from its initial genesis as a fevered nightmare to the "guerrilla" filmmaking of getting the final shots. Script collaborator Bill Wisher neatly sums up the movie as "It's a Wonderful Life, with guns". The second disc also contains a stills archive of production photographs, James Cameron's amazing original conceptual artwork, plus his first story treatment. If you own a player, how can you resist? After all, the Terminator movies are what DVD was invented for. --Mark Walker

• Sharpe's Company / Sharpe's Enemy | DVD | (13/05/2002) from £4.45   |  Saving you £10.54 (236.85%)   |  RRP £14.99

  Based on the novels by Bernard Cornwell, Sharpe (1993-7) ran to 14 full-length television films that follow the adventures of the titular soldier through the later years of the Napoleonic Wars. The programmes are an outstanding achievement for the small screen, dominated by Sean Bean's central performance as the heroic, troubled outsider who turns out to be a resourceful and loyal leader. Bolstered by a strong supporting cast, particularly Daragh O'Malley as Harper and (in later episodes) Abigail Cruttenden as Jane, Sharpe is often visually striking, the action tense and gripping. Consistency is maintained by all 14 episodes being directed by Tom Clegg. On the DVD: Sharpe on DVD contains a photo gallery and several screens of background text. The sound is full-bodied stereo while the very "sharp" picture has been transferred slightly letterboxed at 14:9. Though looking much better than the original TV transmissions the occasionally cropped framing makes it apparent the films were shot in 16:9 widescreen, so it is regrettable they have not been transferred to DVD in that format. Otherwise these are first-rate releases. --Gary S Dalkin

• Wings of The Dove | DVD | (02/05/2011) from £22.94   |  Saving you £-2.95 (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  When Kate (Helena Bonham-Carter) falls in love with a penniless journalist named Merton (Linus Roache) she faces an impossible choice: marry him and live in poverty or give him up to receive her inheritance. Of course there is one unthinkable option. Kate could have Merton seduce the beautiful American heiress Millie Theale (Alison Elliott) who's dying and has no one to leave her fortune to! But in doing so Kate risks losing what she values most Merton's own heart. See for yourself how far these lovers will go to have it all - money love and passion and the ultimate price they must pay in the film that has everyone talking!

• Police Academy 5 (DVD) | DVD | (30/04/2007) from £6.26   |  Saving you £1.73 (27.64%)   |  RRP £7.99

  Sun fun and babes in shades. Where else but Miami Beach? Buffoons blockheads and party-hearty animals. Who else but the Police Academy gang? Put them all together for Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach the caper that takes our klutzy cops on the road. Our badge-carrying bunglers are in Miami for a convention honoring Cmdt. Lassard. But crime doesn't take a vacation even if our heroes do. Lassard is kidnapped. And not even the lure of limbo beach parties will stop the intrepid troopers' uproarious rescue attempts. So join your armed and hilarious favorites. If there's a Most Wanted List for laughter these loony coppers have just gotta be on it.

• The Onedin Line - Series 2 | DVD | (17/04/2019) from £13.05   |  Saving you £26.94 (206.44%)   |  RRP £39.99

  From 1971 to 1980 millions followed the drama and spectacle of this lavishly-filmed television series following the trials and triumphs loves and betrayals adventures and disasters of James his family and others in the Onedin Line fleet and boardroom. Series Two heralds the end of the American Civil War and new opportunities for the shipping trade but James faces troubles in his business and personal life. As struggling seamen prepare to strike Anne is torn between her principles and loyalty to her husband and Yellow Fever is putting the whole city in peril. Meanwhile Albert and Elizabeth's marriage has reached breaking point and the rivalry between James and Daniel Fogarty intensifies...

• Kingdom of Heaven (2 Discs) | DVD | (03/10/2005) from £14.26   |  Saving you £10.73 (75.25%)   |  RRP £24.99

  Orlando Bloom stars as a stranger in a strange land in this epic Crusades adventure.

• The Dead Pool | DVD | (21/01/2002) from £10.04   |  Saving you £3.95 (39.34%)   |  RRP £13.99

  After the drudgery of Sudden Impact, the third and worst sequel to Dirty Harry, no one could have expected the fourth to have any signs of life. But The Dead Pool is fairly inspired, even playful--check out a "chase" scene between Clint Eastwood's Harry Callahan character and a remote-controlled toy car wielding a bomb--and it ended the long-running series on an unexpectedly positive note. This time, Callahan investigates a series of murders that appears to be on a "death list," while becoming romantically involved with a television reporter (Patricia Clarkson). Jim Carrey has a small but memorable part as a doped-up rock star, and Liam Neeson is on board, too. IT is directed by Eastwood-surrogate Buddy Van Horn (Any Which Way You Can). --Tom Keogh

• Shaft: The TV Movie Collection | DVD | (10/11/2011) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

• Barbara Taylor Bradford's A Secret Affair | DVD | (30/06/2003) from £6.32   |  Saving you £-0.33 (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  Vanessa Stewart is an American who meets war correspondent Bill Fitzgerald in Venice. The attraction is immediate and an intense relationship ensues but Vanessa already has a fiance back in the States and when she returns forbids Bill ever to contact her again. It's not long however before Vanessa enters one of the world's most dangerous war zones to find the man she loves more than life itself...

• Bright Lights, Big City | DVD | (23/06/2003) from £9.43   |  Saving you £3.56 (37.75%)   |  RRP £12.99

  A young wannabe writer haunted by his mother's death his wife's desertion and his boring research job on a magazine succumbs to booze cocaine and the late-night New York club scene...

• Timeless: Season 1 | DVD | (01/01/2018) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  From Eric Kripke (Revolution, Supernatural), Shawn Ryan (The Shield) and the producers of The Blacklist comes this thrilling action-adventure series in which a mysterious criminal, Flynn (Goran Visnjic), steals a secret state-of-the-art time machine, intent on destroying America as we know it by changing the past. Our only hope is an unexpected team: Lucy (Abigail Spencer), a history professor; Wyatt (Matt Lanter), a soldier; and Rufus (Malcolm Barrett), a scientist, who must use the machine's prototype to travel back in time to critical events. While they must make every effort not to affect the past themselves, they must also stay one step ahead of this dangerous fugitive. But can this handpicked team uncover the mystery behind it all and end his destruction before it's too late?

• Miss Sloane | Blu Ray | (18/09/2017) from £17.65   |  Saving you £-2.75 (N/A%)   |  RRP £14.90

  In the high-stakes world of political power-brokers, Elizabeth Sloane (Jessica Chastain) is the most sought-after and formidable lobbyist in D.C. Known equally for her cunning and her track record of success, she has always done whatever is required to win. But when she takes on the most powerful opponent of her career, she finds that winning may come at too high a price.

• Up Pompeii / Up The Chastity Belt | DVD | (04/08/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £13.99

  Up Pompeii: A funny thing happens to Lurcio (Frankie Howerd) on the way to the rent-a-vestal-virgin market stall. A mysterious scroll falls into his hands listing the names of all the conspirators plotting to murder Emperor Nero. And when the upstart slave is elected to infiltrate the ringleader's den the comical ups-and-downs lead to total uproar. Up The Chastity Belt: A funny thing happened to Lurkalot serf to Sir Coward de Custard on the way to Custard Castle. Lurkalot sells lusty love potions and rusty chastity belts in the market place but on this day Sir Graggart de Bombast arrives to sack the castle and to get the lovely Lobelia Custard in the sack! Lurkalot must help Custard cream the knight in pining armour...

• The Knack And How To Get It | DVD | (02/08/2004) from £19.50   |  Saving you £-3.51 (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  Cool and sophisticated Tolen has a monopoly on womanising - with a long line of conquests to prove it - while the naive and awkward Colin desperately wants a piece of it. But when Colin falls for an innocent country girl it's not long before the self assured Tolen moves in for the kill. Is all fair in love and war or can Colin get the knack and beat Tolen at his own game?

• Silver Bears | DVD | (25/06/2007) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  They were after silver and they struck gold. Financial wizard ""Doc"" Fletcher (Michael Caine) is sent by crime boss Joe Fiore (Martin Balsam) to buy a bank in Switzerland in order to more easily launder their profits. When he arrives Fletcher finds that the bank acquired by his associate Prince di Siracusa (Louis Jourdan) consists of some shabby offices above a restaurant.