New Releases

• Sherlock Holmes | Blu Ray | (07/05/2013) from £24.99   |  Saving you £-12.22 (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.77

  If you’ve got too many pre-conceptions of just how a Sherlock Holmes movie should pan out, then it’s probably best that you check them in before popping this latest version in your player. Starring Robert Downey Jr. in the title role and accompanied by Jude Law as Watson, this film dispenses with some of the conventions of Holmes, and instead starts turning him into something of a period action hero. Downey Jr. is more than up to the challenge too. Early scenes in Sherlock Holmes are more Fight Club than sleuth-influenced, with the hand of director Guy Ritchie behind the camera being very clear. But the film soon settles down and starts to have some fun, with the able assistance of Mark Strong and Rachel McAdams, among the supporting cast. Yet this is Downey Jr.’s show, and he doesn’t waste the opportunity. He’s an engaging leading man at the worst of times, and he’s clearly having a ball here. What’s more, it’s immensely satisfying when his Sherlock Holmes gets down to the business of solving crimes, even though there are some really quite impressive action sequences to work through first. There are problems, of course. There’s not enough flesh on the bones of some of the characters, and the early part of the film feels very different from the latter stages. But there’s solid groundwork here for the inevitable franchise, and watching Downey Jr. reprise the role of Sherlock Holmes over the next few years should be really quite good fun too. --Jon Foster

• Braveheart | Blu Ray | (07/05/2013) from £26.98   |  Saving you £-14.21 (-111.30%)   |  RRP £12.77

  A stupendous historical saga, Braveheart won five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director for star Mel Gibson. He plays William Wallace, a 13th-century Scottish commoner who unites the various clans against a cruel English King, Edward the Longshanks (Patrick McGoohan). The scenes of hand-to-hand combat are brutally violent, but they never glorify the bloodshed. There is such enormous scope to this story that it works on a smaller, more personal scale as well, essaying love and loss, patriotism and passion. Extremely moving, it reveals Gibson as a multitalented performer and remarkable director with an eye for detail and an understanding of human emotion. (His first directorial effort was 1993's Man Without a Face.) The film is nearly three hours long and includes several plot tangents, yet is never dull. This movie resonates long after you have seen it, both for its visual beauty and for its powerful story. --Rochelle O'Gorman

• Batman | Blu Ray | (07/05/2013) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  After a young boy witnesses his parents' murder on the streets of Gotham City, he grows up to become the Batman, a mysterious figure in the eyes of Gotham's citizens, who takes crime-fighting into his own hands. He first emerges out of the shadows when the Joker appears a horribly disfigured individual who is out for revenge on his former employer and generally likes to have a good time, but the identity of the 'bat' is unknown. Perhaps millionaire Bruce Wayne and photographer Vicki Vale have a good chance of finding out?

• Gardiner's World: The Alternative TV Show | DVD | (27/05/2013) from £13.32   |  Saving you £2.67 (20.05%)   |  RRP £15.99

  Welcome to Gardiner's World - the new alternative TV show where you'll find interviews with some of the most knowledgeable guests on earth discussing a wide range of subjects that include History, Religion, Ancient Mysteries and all things Esoteric and Occult. Filmed exclusively in the UK for Edge Media TV (Sky), this DVD includes 5 special interviews with top selling authors, Tim Wallace-Murphy, Crichton Miller, Robert Feather, Oddvar Olsen and Steve Mitchell. You'll learn about newly discovered, exciting facts from the experts. In this special DVD edition, you'll hear never before revealed information on the Knights Templar, newfound Secrets of the Ancients, Secret Societies, The Holy Grail, Sacred Treasure, the Essene at Qumran, and you will see an amazing demonstration of a 'working' Celtic cross that will change your mind on its true purpose and meaning. World renowned author and filmmaker, Philip Gardiner, delves deep into these fascinating subjects. Join us now on a unique journey into the heart of our ancient past.

• Batman Returns | Blu Ray | (07/05/2013) from £24.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Gotham City faces two monstrous criminal menaces: the bizarre, sinister Penguin (Danny DeVito) and the slinky, mysterious Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer). Can Batman (Michael Keaton) battle two formidable foes at once? Especially when one wants to be mayor and the other is romantically attracted to Gotham's hero? Like the 1989 groundbreaking original, Batman Returns is directed by the wizardly Tim Burton. And like the first blockbuster, it's a dazzling adventure that leaves you breathless.

• Deep Purple - In Their Own Words | DVD | (06/05/2013) from £2.75   |  Saving you £4.50 (302.01%)   |  RRP £5.99

  An astonishing documentary covering the Deep Purple legend in incredible detail, speaking to the band themselves, collaborators and contributors. See how the iconic band have sold more than 100,000 albums!

• Flip & Play: Beethoven / Beethoven's 2nd | DVD | (20/05/2013) from £5.95   |  Saving you £4.04 (67.90%)   |  RRP £9.99

  BeethovenPulitzer-prize winning biographer Edmund Morris interweaves the personal history of the world's most famous composer with an insightful exploration of the way Beethoven's life was reflected and embodied in his genius and his music.Beethovens 2nd (Flip and Play)

• Learn To Speak: Shapes And Colours | DVD | (27/05/2013) from £8.08   |  Saving you £1.91 (19.10%)   |  RRP £9.99

  Learn To Speak - Shapes And Colours

• Clash of the Titans | Blu Ray | (07/05/2013) from £26.98   |  Saving you £-14.21 (-111.30%)   |  RRP £12.77

  "Release the Kraken!" Ah, it could only be Clash of the Titans, the 2010 remake that retains the instruction to unleash the great beastie from the sea. The 1981 original boasted Ray Harryhausen's legendary stop-motion technique of animating various mythological creatures--it was his final feature project--and given the cornball approach of the movie in general, that was the main draw. The remake supplies new state-of-the-art special effects (released theatrically in 3-D) and a nicely muscular sense of momentum. Sam Worthington (the Avatar guy) plays Perseus, a demigod who doesn't know that Zeus (Liam Neeson) is his father. Perseus is selected to lead an expedition to find and slay the Medusa, lest Zeus's evil brother Hades (Ralph Fiennes, in fine slinking mode) rain down misery upon a seaport--and you just know that means the Kraken is coming. Ye gods, it's a mess, and we haven't even mentioned the witches and the harpies and the giant scorpions. But if we did, it would be clear that Clash of the Titans is a perfectly dandy popcorn epic, unpretentious and punchy. Director Louis Leterrier (Transporter 2) gets a fine rhythm going during Perseus's trek, and you can even forgive the hokey shafts-of-light-through-clouds look of Olympus. Leterrier also had the good sense to import the marvelous Danish star Mads Mikkelsen to provide mentoring duties to Perseus; Gemma Arterton and Alexa Davalos fulfill the eye-candy roles. It's up to individual viewers to choose which they prefer--Harryhausen's magically hand-wrought creations (his Medusa sequence is an absolute killer) or the 21st century's slick computer-generated variations. But nostalgia aside, it would be hard to deny that this is one case where the remake tops the original. --Robert Horton

• Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring | Blu Ray | (07/05/2013) from £26.98   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  In every aspect, the extended edition of Peter Jackson's epic fantasy The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is superior to the theatrical version. No-one who cares at all about the film should ever need to watch the original again. Well, maybe the impatient and the squeamish will still prefer it, because this extended edition makes a long film 30 minutes longer and there's a wee bit more violence. But the changes--sometimes whole scenes, sometimes merely a few seconds--make for a richer film. There's more of the spirit of JRR Tolkien, embodied in more songs and a longer opening focusing on Hobbiton. There's more character development, and more background into what is to come in the two subsequent films, such as Galadriel's gifts to the Fellowship and Aragorn's burden of lineage. Some additions make more sense to the plot while others are merely worth seeing, such as the wood elves leaving Middle-earth or the view of Caras Galadhon (but sorry, there's still no Tom Bombadil). On the DVDs: The Fellowship of the Ring--Extended Version comes in two distinct packages: choose either the four-disc set itself, handsomely presented in a hardback book-style fold-out, or the huge and more expensive Collector's Box Set, which has the same four-disc set accompanied by two chunky "polystone" sculpted Argonath bookends, both of which are solid enough to support either your DVD or Tolkien book collection. The discs themselves have extremely useful chapter menus that indicate which scenes are new or extended. The only drawback is that the film is now spread over two discs, with a somewhat abrupt break following the council at Rivendell, due to the storage capacity required for the longer running time, the added DTS ES 6.1 audio, and the commentary tracks. But that's a minor inconvenience. Of the four commentaries those with the greatest general appeal are the one by Jackson with cowriters Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, and the one by 10 cast members; but the more technically orientated commentaries by the creative and production staff are also worth hearing. The bonus features (encompassing two complete DVDs) are far superior to the largely promotional materials included on the theatrical release, delving into such matters as script development, casting, and visual effects. This extended edition DVD set is the Fellowship to rule them all. --David Horiuchi

• Green Lantern | Blu Ray | (07/05/2013) from £26.98   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  In a universe as vast as it is mysterious, an elite force of protectors for peace and justice has existed for centuries. They are the Green Lantern Corps. When a new enemy called Parallax threatens to destroy the Universe, their fate and the fate of Earth lie in the hands of the Corps' newest recruit, the first human ever selected: Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds). Bringing the popular superhero to the big screen for the first time, Green Lantern also stars Blake Lively (Gossip Girl), Peter Sarsgaard (Orphan), Mark Strong (Sherlock Holmes), Academy Award® nominee Angela Bassett and Academy Award® winner Tim Robbins.

• Learn To Speak: Out And About | DVD | (27/05/2013) from £10.78   |  Saving you £-0.79 (-7.90%)   |  RRP £9.99

  Learn To Speak - Out And About

• Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers | Blu Ray | (07/05/2013) from £26.98   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  The Fellowship has broken, but the quest to destroy the One Ring continues. Frodo and Sam must entrust their lives to Gollum if they are to find their way to Mordor. As Saruman's army approaches, the surviving members of the Fellowhip, along with people and creatures from Middle-earth, prepare for battle. The War of the Ring has begun. Nominated for six Academy Awards including Best Picture.

• Journey to the Center of the Earth | Blu Ray | (07/05/2013) from £26.98   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Brendan Fraser stars in this action-packed adventure based on the Jules Vern Classic that is sure to deliver fun for the whole family! On a hunch to find the center of the earth, Trevor Anderson (Fraser), his nephew and their tour guide make a breakthrough discovery that launches them on a thrilling journey into the unknown. On a scramble to find their way back, the group travels through a never-before-seen world encountering creatures and objects never imagined

• The Last Shaolin | DVD | (20/05/2013) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

• Century of Warfare: VE Day - 60th Anniversary Commemorative Edition | DVD | (20/05/2013) from £4.68   |  Saving you £15.31 (327.14%)   |  RRP £19.99

  As news of the German surrender spread 8th May was declared Victory in Europe or VE-Day. Crowds took to the streets but the celebrations did not have the same hysterical joy as had greeted the end of the First World War. The second had gone on for longer and caused far greater world-wide death and destruction. It was the culmination of six years of bloody warfare which had devastated the continent and killed tens of millions of people and witnessed the true horror of the Nazi's Final Solution. People were exhausted and only too aware that the conflict must continue until Japan was also defeated. Special Features: 10 Individual Graphic Sequences from the Acclaimed Series (The Century of Warfare)

• Heinkel-III | DVD | (23/05/2013) from £14.56   |  Saving you £-4.57 (-45.70%)   |  RRP £9.99

  Drawing on rare footage from the weekly newsreels this is the combat history of the He 111 on all fronts as witnessed by German cinema audiences during the Second World War. The Heinkel He 111 was the infamous Luftwaffe medium bomber which flew combat operations from 1939 through to 1944. Designed in secret in the early 1930s this aircraft was often described as the Wolf in sheep s clothing as it masqueraded as a transport aircraft in order to circumvent The Treaty Of Versailles. The He 111 i...

• Gorset & Friends - Popular Music in 18thC Norway | DVD | (27/05/2013) from £21.79   |  Saving you £5.20 (19.30%)   |  RRP £26.99

  NODEBOG presents musical pleasures and divertissements from 18th century Norway. These rediscovered treasures from the past can only be recreated through living performance today, here by flautist Hans Olav Gorset and his fellow musicians.

• Journey 2: The Mysterious Island | Blu Ray | (07/05/2013) from £26.98   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  At first glance, Journey 2: The Mysterious Island is a sequel with not much going for it. A follow-up to the Brendan Fraser-starring Journey To The Center of the Earth, it has precious few of the original ingredients in place, and it's also hampered by the fact that it's in 3D isn't the novelty it was first time around. When the first film came around, after all, Avatar was still some way away from release. However, count Journey 2: The Mysterious Island as a really fun surprise. The 3D still works, and the glistening Blu-ray transfer does the bright picture real justice. But it's the delivering of an action adventure that all the family can genuinely get something out of that's perhaps the real achievement here. The casting of The Rock, or Dwayne Johnson if you prefer, is the first of many smart moves here. Michael Caine is on board too, along with Vanessa Hudgens and Josh Hutcherson. And it's a broad company who have a lot of fun with the material. It's loosely based around the work of Jules Verne but generally, Journey 2: The Mysterious Island is mainly an excuse for special effects, action, humour, and The Rock popping his pecs. You'll fully understand once you've seen the film. It's a fun piece of matinee cinema, and a comfortable improvement on the first movie. --Jon Foster

• Crime: Sapphire/the Informers/Deadly Nightshade/High Treason/... | DVD | (06/05/2013) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A