The 3D action-thriller Sanctum, from executive producer James Cameron, follows a team of underwater cave divers on a treacherous expedition to the largest, most beautiful and least accessible cave system on Earth.
Timothy Dalton makes his debut as secret agent 007 in this action-packed Cold War thriller.James Bond is given an assignment to guard the life of a high-ranking Russian defector. The trouble is, the defection is nothing but a scam to enable the pesky Russkie to perpetrate a perfidious arms deal. Along the way Bond hooks up with the delectable cellist Kara Malovy (Maryam D'Abo), who is not all that she seems to be...
The 3D action-thriller Sanctum, from executive producer James Cameron, follows a team of underwater cave divers on a treacherous expedition to the largest, most beautiful and least accessible cave system on Earth.
If there's an undersea adventure with high-tech equipment, macho posturing, and lots of underwater photography, you know James Cameron must be swimming around the vicinity. Add the fact that Sanctum was released to theaters in 3-D, and it's clinched. Cameron served as executive producer to this crazy tale of a cave-diving expedition forced to improvise when a typhoon inundates their New Guinea location. (The film, shot in Australia, is allegedly based on a true event by co-screenwriter Andrew Wight, but it might be safe to conclude that the original incident was a jumping-off point for the high melodrama on display here.) A globetrotting billionaire (Ioan Gruffudd, of Fantastic Four) is underwriting this exploration of a hidden cave maze, which explains why he gets to bring his girlfriend (Alice Parkinson) along. As a measure of their thrill-seeking habits, we are told they met on an Everest climb. The cave-diving boss is a crusty old pro (Richard Roxburgh), who is rough on his underlings and even rougher on his teenage son (Rhys Wakefield); naturally, the cataclysm that follows will be an occasion for some extreme father-son fence mending. As cornball as these elements are, and as generally toneless as director Alister Grierson's ear is with the dialogue scenes, Sanctum does work up some bona fide thrills: the sheer power of water is unleashed at a few memorable spots, as is the panic of losing an oxygen tank at a crucial moment. It's also pretty brutal, with a steep body count and a few grotesque bits of bodily injury. It ought to be easy to dismiss Sanctum as a silly piece of boy's adventure, but--curse you, Cameron!--one must admit that the thing is awfully effective. --Robert Horton
In this delightful period farce set in Russia in the 1800's Danny Kaye plays and illiterate buffoon who is mistaken by the villagers for their feared Inspector General. Hilarious situations ensue as Danny is caught up in court intrigue without having a clue of what is going on.
The Living Daylights, new boy Timothy Dalton's first Bond outing, gets off to a rocking start with a pre-credits sequence on Gibraltar, and culminates in a witty final showdown with Joe Don Baker's arms dealer, set on a model battlefield full of toy soldiers. While the Aston Martin model whizzing through the car chase has been updated for the late 1980s--including lethal lasers and other deadly gizmos--the plot is pretty standard issue, maybe a little more cluttered and unfocused than usual, involving arms, drugs and diamond smuggling. Nevertheless, the action-formula firmly in place, this one rehearses the moves with ease and throws in some fine acting. Maryam d'Abo, playing a cellist-cum-spy, is the classy main squeeze for 007 (uncharacteristically chaste for once). Dalton, with his wolfish, intelligent features, was a perfectly serviceable secret agent, but never caught on with the viewers, perhaps because everyone was hoping for a presence as charismatic as Sean Connery's in the franchise's glory days.--Leslie Felperin On the DVD: Casting the new Bond takes up much of the "making-of" documentary: first Sam Neill was in the running, but vetoed by Cubby Broccoli, who wanted Timothy Dalton and had considered him as far back as On Her Majesty's Secret Service (but Dalton felt he was just too young at the time). When Dalton proved unavailable, Pierce Brosnan was hired. Then, at the last minute, Brosnan's Remington Steele contract was renewed and he had to drop out. Dalton came back in, on the proviso that he could give Bond a harder, more realistic edge after the action-lite of the Roger Moore years. The second documentary attempts to profile the enigmatic Ian Fleming, who was apparently as mysterious and chameleon-like as his alter ego. The commentary is a miscellaneous selection of edited interviews from various members of the cast and crew. There's also Ah-Ha's "Living Daylights" video, and a "making-of" featurette about it. A brief deleted scene (comic relief--wisely dropped) and trailers complete another strong package. --Mark Walker
From executive producer James Cameron (Avatar) comes a thrilling underwater adventure based on true events. Master cave diver Frank McGuire and his team have been exploring the least accessible, uncharted and dangerous underwater labyrinth on Earth. When a tropical storm cuts off their only escape route, they must find an exit to make it out alive. In Earth's inner sanctum, make just one mistake and no one will know you were ever there. Special Features: Deleted Scenes Feature Commentary Sanctum: The Real Story Nullarbor Dreaming
The 3D action-thriller Sanctum, from executive producer James Cameron, follows a team of underwater cave divers on a treacherous expedition to the largest, most beautiful and least accessible cave system on Earth.
Based on Bruce Chatwin's award-winning novel, On the Black Hill is an evocative depiction of the life of a rural farming family, set in the beautiful Welsh border country. Starring Bob Peck (Jurassic Park, Edge of Darkness) and Gemma Jones (Bridget Jones Diary, Radiator) as an embittered married couple, the film charts their efforts to raise identical twin brothers in the turbulent early years of the 20th century. Sharing a unique bond, the brothers journey through eight decades of life, death and hardship together, all the while tied to the land on which they were raised. Featuring stunning photography and steeped in authentic rural imagery, On the Black Hill has been described as one of the best British films of the 1980s. Extras/Episodes: Newly filmed interview with director Andrew Grieve Fully illustrated booklet Cast and Crew: Director: Andrew Grieve (Poirot, Horatio Hornblower, Wire in the Blood) Cast: Bob Peck, Gemma Jones, Mike Gwilym, Robert Gwilym Awards and Reviews: Winner of the Golden Seashell for Best Film at the 1988 San Sebastian International Film Festival A film of integrity, insight and beauty' (Observer) Oddly neglected since its release, this spare, sensitive adaptation of Bruce Chatwin's novel is one of the best British films of its decade' (Sight & Sound) Our countryside hasn't looked this ravishingly lovely since Far From the Madding Crowd' Time Out
Please wait. Loading...
This site uses cookies.
More details in our privacy policy