V FOR VENDETTA (DVD Review) - 31/7/06

Having not seen this film I wanted to purchase it as soon as it was available as I was a fan of the original "Warrior" comic-strip and eventually purchased the complete graphic novel when it was put out in one large volume. Suffice to say this has all the emotional punch of watching something like "The Diary Of Anne Frank" because it parallels the perils of the real world all too much against fighting back a totalitarian regime. Whilst policemen shoot dead unarmed Brazilians in Tube stations and try and cover it up we have the other side of the coin when extremists pack bags with explosives and blow up London Buses - Not so quite clear cut now is it? This poignant film stays in the memory long after the credits roll and really excellent performances from a strong cast only enhance it further. Stephen Rea as the weary cop who finds out that truth isn't to his liking and Stephen Fry in an all to near-the-knuckle straight role finds out the hard way you can't fight a fascist dictatorship. A dark, bleak picture which is reminiscent of Orwell's "1984" in many ways also has the talents of John Hurt on show as the slavering Chancellor of the regime.
This Region 1 (USA) 2-Disc DVD Set is Rated R for Restricted and I presume that is for the very liberal spray's of blood (literally!) and the language - Amazing how nasty Cunt can sound if said properly. With Hugo Weaving as V we get a portrayal of a man in a mask - None of that Hollywood crap where halfway through the handsome actor emerges and preens for the camera - this is played correctly. A film that will be destined to become another generation's "Omega Man" or "Soylent Green" this film fields the ranges of intolerance and bigotry and in a couple of points it's hard to keep the tears back at the injustice dealt out to the victims of the piece. This one will be added to my DVD shelf for further viewing - It's just a pity Alan Moore couldn't or wouldn't add anything to the part - His role in the story is paramount!
SPECIAL FEATURES: The first disc in this set has the film on it and a very nice little making of titled - "Freedom Forever: The Making Of V For Vendetta". The second disc has the featurettes "Designing The Near Future" and a real-life retrospective of the actual gunpowder plot plus a featurette on the new wave in comics from the 1980's onwards. We also get a song to soundtrack montage and the Theatrical Trailer.
Languages: English and French (Dubbed in Quebec). Subtitles: English, French & Spanish (Feature Film only). Widescreen Version in Letterbox Format Enhanced. Colour. Runtime: 132 Mins. Sound: Dolby 5.1. English & French. Bonus Material Not Rated or Close Captioned. Warner Brothers Pictures 2006. 82379/ISBN #1419838830.

LA FEMME NIKITA {4th. Season} (DVD Review) - 30/7/06

Probably the most ridiculous piece of fluff to be seen on the box since "Star Trek" hit our screens. Although not sci-fi this spin off from the original "Nikita" film using it's characters is pure and utter tosh of the most enjoyable kind in a "Alias" without the Rambaldi kind of way. In a totally mind churning stretch we switch from cross, to double-cross, then triple-cross and then back via bluff, double-bluff and triple-bluff. Amongst all that we have characters doing things that make no sense, events spiralling out of control without any reasoning and massive great plot holes with no explanation, as plot points are conveniently forgotten and the story put aside as people stab each other in the back and betray everyone around them and these people are friends? Whole sections of the storyline don't match and continuity is totally ridden over rough shod! If you can get your head round 22 episodes of this it's a bit like James Bond going on a mission and failing and getting shot when he gets back - You don't train people for years then eliminate them because they fail - You wouldn't have any key staff left? "La Femme Nikita" is so far removed from reality it makes "Alias" seem real - You wouldn't be able to work in Section One without suffering some sort of mental burn out - You can't trust anyone, no one is your friend, everything you say and do is watched, every move you make is guessed or double-guessed, you wouldn't be able to function in that reality. Entertaining candy but strictly a one chew wonder.
This Region 1 (USA) DVD Boxset comprises 6 discs with a booklet covering the 22 episodes of Season 4. SPECIAL FEATURES: Commentaries on 2 Key Episodes. Cancelled Scenes with Optional Commentaries and a Gag Reel. Subtitles: (Episodes Only) English, Spanish & French. Rating: Not Rated. Bonus Material Not Rated or Close-Captioned. Colour. Runtime: 975 Mins. Sound: Dolby Stereo. Warner Brothers Television 2006. 73341/ISBN # 1419816861.

DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER (DVD Review) - 24/7/06

With George Lazenby leaving the role of Bond it was back to casting the role again - But on the off-chance that Sean Connery could be enticed back they offered it to him again; with a whacking jump in pay, a slice of the profits this time around and a 2-film option backing deal on any films Connery wanted to make - strangely enough he jumped and took the role one last time. Until of course he returned in Never Say Never Again an admirable re-make of Thunderball with a different set of Producers and another film company that would see it play up against the "official" Bond in Roger Moore's Octopussy. Diamonds Are Forever gave us another classic Bassey theme song and Blofeld puts in another appearance this time in Las Vegas in a caper involving diamond smuggling. SPECIAL FEATURES: Sean Connery 1971: The BBC Interview, Lesson # 007: Close Quarter Combat, Deleted Footage/Scenes, Satellite/Explosion Test Reels & Audio Commentary. More filler to AVOID in: 007 Mission Control. Inside Diamonds Are Forever, Cubby Broccoli - The Man Behind Bond. Original Trailer, TV/Radio Spots & Photo Gallery. Sound: DTS/Dolby 5.1. Colour PAL. Subtitles: English (Film Only) & European. Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen 16x9. Runtime: 1 Hr. 55 Mins. Approx. Playstation 2 Compatible. Rating: PG Region 2 (UK) 2-Disc Ultimate Edition. SONY PICTURES Home Entertainment/United Artists/MGM. D1-55169-UK-S/MDR 55169 UE/ISBN # 5035822516991>

ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE (DVD Review) - 24/7/06

With Sean Connery announcing that You Only Live Twice was his last time as Bond a replacement needed to be found quickly for the lead of the next Bond film On Her Majesty's Secret Service. This role went eventually to George Lazenby and did a lot of filming in the Alps and Switzerland in general for what was an interesting take on the Bond Mythos - Unfortunately during filming a number of problems arose between certain actors and crew which is pretty much detailed amongst the Special Features for this DVD and derailed Lazenby who only had one shot at the Bond crown. Some fantastic Aerial filming takes in vast vistas of bad guys chasing Bond across ski slopes at high speed in a pretty awesome chase sequence. Once more with this current Ultimate Edition release we get another wonderful revamp on this film's Sound & Image bringing it back to the way it should be seen and heard. Of particular interest in these Special Features are the original 1969 Featurette's with fascinating Background Footage and insight into OHMSS. SPECIAL FEATURES: Casting OHMSS, Press Day Portugal, George Lazenby: In His Own Words, Shot On Ice - Original 1969 Ford Promo Film, Swiss Movement - Original 1969 Featurette & Audio Commentary. 007 Mission Control - Filler - AVOID. Inside OHMSS, Inside Q's Lab, Above It All - Original 1969 Featurette. Original Trailer, TV/Radio Spots & Photo Gallery. Sound: DTS/Dolby 5.1. Colour PAL. Subtitles: English (Film Only) & European. Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen 16x9. Runtime: 2 Hrs. 16 Mins. Approx. Playstation 2 Compatible. Rating: PG Region 2 (UK) 2-Disc Ultimate Edition. SONY PICTURES Home Entertainment/United Artists/MGM. D1-53661-UK-S/MDR 53661 UE/ISBN # 5035822399198>

YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE (DVD Review) - 23/7/06

This time round Bond end's up in Japan and everything is on a massive scale from the huge Volcano Setting to the Aerial Helicopter fight with Q's Gyrocopter and pursuers. Blofeld actually gets a face this time round and a lapful of cat that I thought was a puppet but was a real cat flailing and rearing around in Donald Pleasance's lap as he held onto it for grim death obviously frightening the life out of the cat as explosions roared all around them. Bond gets disguised as a simple Japanese fisherman to blend in (absolutely hilarious) and not only still doesn't look Japanese in the slightest but ends up looking more like a Vulcan from Star Trek - Mr. Spock come on down! Again with the current Sound/Image Restoration being done this Ultimate Edition is fresh as a daisy on both fronts now: The Sound is once again totally clear and audible and the lustrous textures to the images on screen have a brand new sheen now. SPECIAL FEATURES: Welcome to Japan, Mr. Bond, Whicker's World - Highlights From the 1967 BBC Documentary, On Location With Ken Adam & Audio Commentary. 007 Mission Control - Filler - AVOID. Inside You Only Live Twice, Silhouettes: The James Bond Titles, The Plane Crash Animated Storyboard. Original Trailers, TV/Radio Spots, Photo Gallery. Sound: DTS/Dolby 5.1. Colour PAL. Subtitles: English (Film Only) & European. Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen 16x9. Runtime: 1 Hr. 52 Mins. Approx. Playstation 2 Compatible. Rating: PG Region 2 (UK) 2-Disc Ultimate Edition. SONY PICTURES Home Entertainment/United Artists/MGM. D1-53039-UK-S/MDR 53039 UE/ISBN # 5035822303997>

GOLDFINGER (DVD Review) - 23/7/06

Notoriously spoofed as "Goldmember" in the Austin Powers Universe the Bond train continued to push barriers with it's third film in the series with Goldfinger. Shirley Bassey's memorable rendition of the theme song really makes it stand out and the villain's henchman (this time Oddjob) adds another facet to the Bond elements. We get Q introducing the Aston Martin converted to deadly use with it's array of weapons and a bevy of girls in particular a certain gold-all-over beauty. Again picture and sound degradation is completely wiped away with the revamp of Sound & Image once again on this Ultimate Edition Set. SPECIAL FEATURES: Sean Connery from the set of Goldfinger, Screen Tests, On Tour with the Aston Martin DB-5, Honor Blackman Open-Ended Interview and 2 Audio Commentaries. 007 Mission Control - Filler - AVOID. The Making Of Goldfinger, The Goldfinger Phenomenon, Original Publicity Featurette. Original Trailer, TV/Radio Spots & Photo Gallery. Sound: DTS/Dolby 5.1. Colour PAL. Subtitles: English (Film Only) & European. Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen 16x9. Runtime: 1 Hr. 45 Mins. Approx. Playstation 2 Compatible. Rating: PG Region 2 (UK) 2-Disc Ultimate Edition Set. SONY PICTURES Home Entertainment/United Artists/MGM. D1-54724-UK-S/MDR 54724 UE/ISBN # 5035822472495>

FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE (DVD Review) - 23/7/06

With Dr. No out of the way Producer's Saltzman & Broccoli looked for the next Bond project to film and settled on From Russia With Love. Another worldwide success this had really started to establish this film series as something to be reckoned with. Again for a film over 40 years old subsequent deterioration in picture quality and sound degradation has taken it's toll over the years - with the Ultimate Edition revamp to sound & picture quality you would think this film had been shot yesterday it's so icy and crisp in detail and effect. Certain Bond elements feature here for the first time - the pre-credits title sequence and the Bond theme with guest star (in this case Matt Munro) singing the title track. SPECIAL FEATURES: A fairly extensive package for this 2-Disc Set starting with - Ian Fleming: The CBC Interview, Ian Fleming & Raymond Chandler Featurette, Ian Fleming on Desert Island Discs plus an Animated Storyboard Sequence of the Boat Chase. 007 Mission Control - Filler - AVOID. Audio Commentary, Inside From Russia With Love & Harry Saltzman: Showman. Original Trailers, TV/Radio Spots and Photo Montage. Sound: DTS/5.1. Colour PAL. Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen 16x9. Subtitles: English (Feature only) & European. Runtime: 1 Hr. 50 Mins. Playstation 2 Compatible. Rating: PG Region 2 (UK) 2-Disc Ultimate Edition Set. SONY PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT. United Artists. MGM. D1-53672-UK-S/MDR 53672 UE/ISBN # 5035822367296>

DR.NO (DVD Review) - 22/7/06

It really was about time they got around to doing this and we now get the new release of the "James Bond Ultimate Edition". Each film (particularly the early ones; and in the case of Dr. No which is now over 40 years old, a brand new clean up) has been frame-by-frame digitally restored and revamped with either option of DTS or Dolby 5.1. Sound. Not only were the films from Dr. No to Live & Let Die all in very bad mono sound they were all in pretty bad condition - Not any more! Dr. No is absolutely crystal clear and pristine - It looks fantastically fresh and crisp and the colour quality is top notch. With the re-done soundtrack in 5.1. we get a totally sharp and precise selection of sounds that match the picture quality and I only wish they had done this a few year's back. Of course you also get a new 8-page booklet with this set and a new re-design of the covers - Early editions have an outer cardboard sleeve which is a match to the cover. The excellent sound and picture now matches the quality of the extras which were produced for the original single-disc DVD release a while ago and the best bit of these are the Patrick Macnee "Making Ofs.." which I was really hoping for and these are now part of the Ultimate Editions 2-Disc DVD Sets. SPECIAL FEATURES: 007: License To Restore - Featurette Detailing the Bond U.E. Film Restoration Process. Original featurettes - The Guns Of James Bond/Premiere Bond. 007 Mission Control - Filler - AVOID. Audio Commentary. Inside Dr. No. Terence Young: Bond Vivant. Dr. No 1963 Featurette. Original Trailers, TV/Radio Spots and Photo Gallery. Rating: PG Region 2 (UK) DVD. 2-Disc Ultimate Edition. Sound: DTS/Dolby 5.1. Subtitles: English (Feature Only) and European. Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen 16x9. Colour PAL. Runtime: 1 Hour 45 Mins. Approx. SONY PICTURES Home Entertainment. United Artists. MGM. D1-54038-UK-S/MDR 54038 UE/ISBN # 5035822403895>

STORMBREAKER Film Review - 21/7/06

Not being able to see the real Bond until November I made do with Mini-Me; sorry, Mini-Bond and it was actually half-way decent. It has a fairly extensive cast starting with Ewan McGregor and Bill Nighy (In "M" mode) followed up with Mickey Rourke wearing some extensive and badly applied make-up that I really hope was part of his character because he really hammed it up with Missi Pyle and Andy Serkis as the other villains of the piece. Rourke had a thick coating of brown slap on with his eyes done up like a bad drag queen with greasy long hair, followed by Missi Pyle tottering around on absolutely ridiculous stiletto heels in a tight all in one dress with a bad Teutonic accent and a 30's style blonde kiss curl wig while muttering and gibbering to himself Andy Serkis had a fake facial scar, white Michael Jackson gloves and a Dracula cape to top it off - I don't know who was more embarrassed? Alicia Silverstone also popped up with further cameos from Robbie Coltrane (Lose some weight mate: If I can go from 16 stone to 13 - you can as well. Remember what happened to Divine? We don't want to lose you just yet Robbie!) and Stephen Fry (In "Q" mode this time!)
It actually does run like a junior Bond with no plot sense or explanation from one hair-raising scene to the next and no reason or the need to suspend disbelief and we even get a couple of good stunts with an ending left wide open for further sequels. As to the lead Alex Pettyfer I read in another article he's the kind of boy that other boys at school would hate - He's good looking, a hit with the teachers and girls and does all those great things that you didn't do whilst on holiday - In fact a complete git - And they would be right! Whether it'll drag in the teenage or older male market we will wait to see - But I'm sure it will attract droves of smitten girls.

REAR WINDOW - TV Film Review 21/7/06

No - Not the original Hitchcock Classic but a TV Movie remake. Which oddly enough has a number of strengths of it's own with the casting of real-life paraplegic Christopher Reeve who was also Executive Producer on this as well. It's rather voyeuristic watching a man who has had a life-changing accident but then I suppose a lot of Reeve is in this film one way or another and the subject matter is voyeurism - So probably spot on! With a cast featuring Daryl Hannah and the ever reliable Robert Forster we get Reeve's character basically viewing his next door neighbour's lives through his rear window and that goes along fine until he see's someone get killed and no one believes him. Then things start to get out of hand and Ritchie Coster as the maddened sculptor plays an all too believable bad guy - When he gets up close and personal with Reeve later on in his automated apartment it turns quite nasty. A scene earlier on also stands out when Allison Mackie's Ilene character is viewed in a dark room (to the side, in a corner) as she light's a cigarette in darkness the match flares illuminating her face and she shakes her head slowly from side to side and blows out the match into darkness again - Creepy.
Unfortunately only available on a Region 2 (French) DVD Version which has now been deleted (as below) and also on NTSC Video (as above) also deleted. So if you really want to see it you'll probably have to settle for a second-hand copy. I'm told there are still new copies available for both but they cost a small fortune and I've also been led to believe that this film is going to be re-released as a Region 1 (USA) DVD Version at some point in the future - So I'd wait for that!

DISTRICT 13 Film Review - 21/7/06

Strangely enough this film was made in 2004 and is only now getting a limited cinema release here in the UK in 2006 - Presumably because it's a Foreign film with subtitles. Unfortunately the version I saw had some excruciating dubbing which I initially thought was a piss take until I realised they were being serious. The guy who played the character of The Yeti even had his Gallic tones dubbed with "UUURRRRGGGHHHH!" "EEEuuuurrggghhh" in some sort of strangled grunt and the leads got voiced by what sounded like a chav off the local estate for the copper and the other as a Scotsman, we also got some awful Mexican accents and a few American ones - Again presumably to sound sort of cosmopolitan and unusual; but actually in reality more of a farce and a tears-streaming-down-the-face kind of laugh. I would have preferred subtitles - I've never found that they detract from a film and the original language spoken is much better; hence the undubbed "Nikita" over the awful dubbed version.
From that quibble aside this is a pretty good film. It's original title being "Banlieue 13" and then variations of; such as "District B13" and so on. From the opening of the film we are introduced to the discipline of Parkour or badly translated into English as Free-running and although I had heard of this a few years ago I had never seen it in action and boy in practice it's absolutely jaw dropping. One of the founders star's in the film as Leito (David Belle) and we get a fantastic chase sequence with this guy and others literally bouncing off walls, staircases, corridors, head height and low down, dropping from balconies, floors, roofs and buildings, shooting across metal bars, concrete, you name it they do it - literally stunning.
We get a government plot, stolen weapons, close quarter martial arts, parkour, gunplay, explosions, action, double crosses, revenge - In fact a little of everything in the mix! A relatively better way of spending a couple of hours that puts a lot of Hollywood movies to shame - Just get rid of that awful dubbed soundtrack!

SUPERMAN RETURNS Film Review - 15/7/06

This palid offering was so death-defyingly boring I was actually sat fidgeting in my seat for the first hour and a half and then just as though it looks like it might suddenly pick up it ditches into the sea with the Kryptonite. Dull Dull Dull - What little action is fairly insipid, the whole story drags S L O W L Y and goes absolutely nowhere. A fine cast with actors like Kevin Spacey and Frank Langella churn out a turgid mess for over 2 hours - Bryan Singer where did it all go wrong?? Nothing to recommend about this movie - So glad I hadn't shelled out £17 buying the DVD a few months down the line when it's released....AVOID.

DEAD MAN'S SHOES (DVD Review) - 10/7/06

I have been toying with the idea of watching this for a while and have just now got around to it and sat down and watched it. This bitterly sad but violent exploration of revenge and guilt is the fourth low-budget film from Director Shane Meadows and feature's close friend Paddy Considine (who comes across as very self-effacing in the additional behind the scenes material) in the lead role of an ex-soldier meting out his kind of justice. One of the most amazing performances comes from first-timer Toby Kebbell as Anthony (Richard's simple younger brother) who puts in some sterling work in this violent saga of drug dealers and petty thugs in a tale of really being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Not only does this have a visceral feeling of reality it also seems to be very much true to life in it's sprawling council estate's and people down at the bottom of the pile in society on the lowest rung of the ladder. It's been Rated 18 for very strong language, strong revenge violence and hard drug use - So it really doesn't flinch on really grinding you into the core of things. The use of home movies and grainy black & white footage also brings home to you the sadness of the situation and what most likely the fallout from that is going to be.
SPECIAL FEATURES: We get a Commentary on the film, Deleted Scenes & Extended Takes with an Alternate Ending. The "In Shane's Shoes" Behind The Scenes/Making Of Featurette, "Northern Soul" another short film by Shane Meadows. Scenes from the Graphic Novel, Music Video, Trailers and an Easter Egg of Audio Commentary Out-Takes.
FilmFour/Optimum Home Entertainment. Runtime: 86 Mins Approx. PAL Colour. Aspect Ratio: Anamorphic 1.85:1. Dolby 5.1. English. Region 2 (UK) & Europe. Rated: 18. 2005. OPTDO135/ISBN # 5060034571667.

VALIANT (DVD Review) - 10/7/06

I've heard a lot of negative reviews about this film and can quite happily say that they are wrong! According to the Making Of Featurette on this Region 2 (UK) DVD this was the first full-length CGI film to be made in England - Produced by Vanguard Animation at Ealing Studios we get a Second World War story about Homing Pigeons; vaguely based on true facts, as the serious part of this tale concerns the Awards of The Dickin Medal awarded for bravery to animals. An underdog story we have a beautifully rendered and lush textured palette displayed on screen across all levels from the plot & background, to the wonderfully defined character's brought to life by people like Ricky Gervais and Tim Curry and a whole host of great British talent including John Cleese, Hugh Laurie and the list goes on. The colours and animation are superb and it is all very reminiscent of "Wallace & Gromit" in the Soundtrack and in the attention to detail. I enjoyed this film and suggest that even if you don't wish to buy it - It is certainly worth checking out at least once on Rental! SPECIAL FEATURES: These comprise a nice "Making Of " Featurette, Scene Progressions & Rendering, Recording Sessions with the Voice Artists, Animated Bloopers (In the "Toy Story" style) plus the World Premiere & Trailer and a nice little 3-part "Valiant Training Challenge Game". Ratio Aspect: 1.85:1 Anamorphic Widescreen 16x9. Dolby 5.1. PAL Colour. English Subtitles & Descriptive Audio. Runtime: 73 Mins Approx. Rating: U. Entertainment In Video. UK Film Council National Lottery Funded. EDV9307/ISBN # 5017239193071>

TEAM AMERICA: WORLD POLICE (DVD Review) - 10/7/06

This is the Region 2 (UK) DVD Version of "Team America: World Police" by Trey Parker & Matt Stone the Creator's of "South Park". Now having watched only a couple of episodes of that series I really didn't know what to expect with their "Thunderbirds" type experiment and I don't think they did either. So in their case they seem to have picked up the ball and run with it and stayed the course of what technically looks like quite an achievement, as to the subject matter I think that is something else quite entirely. I can only presume they picked as many targets as they could in an attempt to piss off as many people as possible with any and every means at their disposal using whatever methods of lewd, crude and generally over the top ways they could. I think they probably succeeded - It's not my cup of tea and I did have a couple of chuckles on the way but it really felt like I was being beaten over the head with a hammer incessantly when I prefer more subtle humour that isn't so much in your face. The attention to detail and the scale of the sets, dressing and the whole scope of this production is astounding. People who liked "South Park" will probably lap this up; but for me although they played the film straight and it looks like it was a gruelling marathon to put together, it just didn't click.
SPECIAL FEATURES: This disc has a whole plethora of background info on the film starting with "Team America" An Introduction followed by six Featurettes that cover the whole process in various ways. We then get Dressing Room & Puppet Tests, with Deleted/Extended Scenes, Animated Storyboards and two Theatrical Trailers.
Language: English. Dolby 5.1. PAL Colour. Feature Subtitles: English & 14 other European Subtitles plus Arabic (Considering the subject I'm sure they will be only too pleased to watch this) Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Anamorphic Widescreen. Running Time: Approx 94 Mins. Rating: 15. Paramount. 2005. EU110557/PHE8647/ISBN # 5014437864734>

FIREFLY {1st. Season} (DVD Review) - 9/7/06

Heard a lot of talk about this first and only season of Joss Whedon's "Firefly" so saw it was cheap on Region 2 (UK) DVD as a 4-disc boxset of all 14 episodes and decided to check it out. Having sat through all approx 625 Minutes of it I can say I'm decidedly unimpressed. Not only is there not one single episode that actually stands out it was on the whole boring. I'm wondering if that's more down to damn Studio interference than anything else as Execs & Suits really don't have a clue as CASH£$ is their main goal? (Hence Whedon's "Buffy" & "Angel" and even that got the Studio chop!) That's not to say that it couldn't of got better though - The SFX were all excellent, the acting fine and there were enough plot threads that could have made it pull together in a second season if it had been given a chance but obviously some Exec at Fox wasn't going to give them that go ahead. I'd rather they had spent the cash on another season of "Angel" than waste it on this. SPECIAL FEATURES: On this set we get selected Commentaries on six episodes. Three Behind The Scenes Featurettes plus four Deleted Scenes. Gag Reel, Audition Tape and more - including a hidden Easter Egg on Disc 4.
Language: English 2.0. Surround. Main Feature Subtitles: English For The Hearing Impaired. Rating: 12. PAL Colour. Widescreen Version 16:9. Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1. 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment.F1-SGB/25498DVD/ISBN # 5039036016025>

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST Film Review - 7/7/06

The only two problems with this film were: 1. It is much darker, bleaker and graphic in tone compared to the first film and some of the character's aren't as pleasant as they were the first time round. 2. The producers have gone down the path of the film "Back To The Future" when they made parts 2 & 3 back-to-back (like they have done with the Pirates sequels) and left a ruddy great cliffhanger with a twist; leaving you on the edge of your seat for another year, before part 3 comes out in theatres - Truly pathetic! Apart from those gripes it's packed with action, comedy, marvellous Special Effects and fabulous locations - In fact it's just as good as the first just more black literally! Good performances from all the returning actors and Bill Nighy is a great Davy Jones. Roll on part three . . . . I can't wait for the finish if it's another 2 hours of rollicking fun like this! (Some of the SFX sequences with Davy Jone's crew have to be seen to be believed) and I look forward to trailing another Medium Size Popcorn all along the local Odeon fleapit's carpet as I sit down in one of their tatty seats to see this in all it's glory on the big screen once again in 2007.

RETRO FLASHBACK "Hot Shots! Part Deux" 7/7/06

Was never that taken with the original "Hot Shots!" movie but thought the follow-up sequel "Hot Shots! Part Deux" was hilarious. Can't believe that this "Rambo" parody is around fifteen years old now and has a whole host of piss-takes from various films of the period like "Basic Instinct" and "Terminator 2". This the Region 1 (USA) DVD even has some Special Features on it - Unlike the crappy vanilla UK Region 2 release. Suffice to say it has the whole comedy routine well laid out along the lines of "Airplane" and "Top Secret" onto the "Naked Gun" series and modern stuff like "Scary Movie" which also stars Charlie Sheen in parts 3 & 4. We even get Richard Crenna from the "Rambo" series taking a role and even Rowan Atkinson crop's up in a cameo. On the Special Features we get two Featurette's of the time "An Adventure In Filmmaking" and "Early Awareness" a background piece. Plus a selection of Trailer's for other Fox films and the Original "Hot Shots! Part Deux" Theatrical Trailer (Well worth watching!) Rating: (USA) PG-13/(Canada) PG. Close Captioned. Subtitles: English/Spanish. Audio: English, French, Spanish - Stereo. Anamorphic Widescreen (Aspect Ratio 1.85:1) Bonus Features Not Rated or Close Captioned. Colour NTSC. 1993/20th Century Fox/Cat No. 2004696/ISBN # 024543046967.

THE DEAD ZONE {4th. Season} (DVD Review) - 6/7/06

This quality show is making the mistake that so many other genre shows make in stringing it's audience along with a background plot to keep viewer's watching in desperation (i.e. The Armageddon Thread) it's getting irritating now after four seasons and it's unnecessary; as I'd keep watching this enthralling show anyway and see no point in this diversion - Just tie up the future version of Johnny and Future Guy Wey and get on with it! Losing the cane prop seems to have lost the plot and while I don't mind unreasonable actions in an improbable scenario I don't think Reverend Purdy would get away with a suicide note forgery and then that plot point getting totally disregarded - It doesn't make sense! Much like the disappearance of Dana Bright and then this season bringing in another female character - Who Hey! - Just happens to be psychic as well? At least this season we didn't get a crappy cliffhanger after 12 episodes. Again some excellent stand alone episodes which really tug at the heart; especially memorable being "Heroes & Demons" which comes over like a tale of old in picture form. Another cracking episode is "Grains Of Sand" which covers ground in people trafficking. Unfortunately real life intrudes into this season with the irreplaceable loss of Executive Producer, Writer and co-series founder of "The Dead Zone" Michael Piller who died after a brave battle against cancer. How this will affect the show is anyone's guess? But Series 5 is playing in the USA at the moment - So I look forward to catching it on DVD in about a year's time when it's released.
Special Features as in previous seasons are spread across the 3-disc boxset and we get a small fitting tribute to Michael Piller here. We also get a featurette "The Production Design Of THE DEAD ZONE" and Audio Commentaries on selected episodes. Plus a short selection of Deleted Scenes. This edition is the Canadian Region 1 (USA) Version and is Rated PG. Special Features Not Rated. English. Sci-Fi/Drama (sic) 2005/2006. Runtime: Approx 504 Mins. Distributed in Canada by Maple Pictures.

Lionsgate Home Entertainment. 16x9 Widescreen 1.78:1 DVD Screen Format. Close Captioned. 5.1 Dolby Digital. NTSC Colour. ISBN # 057373171202.

THE DEAD ZONE {3rd. Season} (DVD Review) - 5/7/06

I can't believe it took me so long to actually sit down and watch this excellent TV show! Annoying that the Dana Bright character seems to totally disappear from this Season 3 with absolutely no rhyme or reason - in fact no mention of her is made at all? So what gives? Also really getting annoyed with a massive lead up to a whopping great cliffhanger (Episode "Tipping Point") and we are then left in the air until the next season - Cliffhangers who needs them! But before we get to that point we are treated to another heart rending season with emotional highs and lows and a good few tears; especially in the crushing episode "Cold Hard Truth" and also another fine point made in the episode "Cycle Of Violence" about viewpoints and how people see things. This quality show just builds on the strengths of the first 2 seasons and just gets better. All the episodes in Season 3 have a solid reasoning behind them and every body's weaknesses get preyed upon good and bad.

I can't understand the fact that we're back to the standard 12 episodes for this season but there you go! Again as to Special Features we get a spread across the 3-disc set with Audio Commentaries from Cast, Crew, Production Staff and Guest Actors once again. We get 3 Featurettes covering "Making The Leap To HD" a cost-cutting exercise by the Exec's to save money by switching from 35mm film to HD Camera Tech, "Cooking Verite" a literal puff-piece filler on the Catering Truck (For god's sake!) and Actor Chris Bruno warming up in a gym in "Quiet Confidence" these last three I have to say are all pretty dire. A Gag Reel, Deleted Scenes, ( Of particular interest the Alternate Ending to the Episode "Cycle Of Violence") "Five Minutes 'Til Mitch" a short film by Actor John L. Adams (More filler!) Interactive Menus (Oh Dear!) and 5.1. Dolby Digital Audio.
Region 1 (USA) DVD 3-Disc Boxset. NTSC Colour. Close Captioned Subtitles. Not Rated. Lionsgate Home Entertainment. ISBN # 03139816758700.