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Reviews
Awake RRP £19.99 Stockist: Amazon
We LOVED the idea behind this film. As anyone who's had an operation knows, there is always that minimal risk that you can wake up during anaesthesia. When this happens to Clayton Beresford, he overhears plans for his murder. Hayden Christensen and Jessica Alba make this very chilling stuff and we can't recommend this highly enough.
Wire in The Blood: The Complete Series Five RRP £19.99 Stockist: 'Play.com'
So here we are at series 5, and the new relationship between Dr Tony Hill (Robson Green) and D. I. Alex Fielding (Simone Lahbib) is established in the mind of the viewer and that shows very well throughout the whole of series five. We love the fact that this programme has never been frightened to show realism. so be prepared for a touch of 'gruesome'. However, it is these touches that make this crime series one of the best.
Unearthed RRP £15.99 Stockist: Amazon
If you liked the pop band Bros, here's Luke Goss in another role that suits his structured jaw. This is a horror movie - ok, don't expect this to be the best ever, but the unusual storyline draws you in making it well worth your viewing time. It reminds us almost of a late 70's early 80's horror - run down mysterious town, power failure and blocked toad - all classics that work well in our book. If a formula works, don't break it.
RRP £15.99 Stockist: Amazon
If, like us, you remember this on TV, you will be delighted to know it's available on DVD. This well made drama caught the imagination of a nation with its tale of leaving the UK for a seemingly idyllic life in France. When aired, this was unmissable stuff - well acted, well written, comic undertones, superb scenery - it had it all. This is one that stands out for us as must see again TV.
In The Name Of The King: A Dungeon Siege Tale RRP £15.99 Stockist: Amazon
Here's another fantasy epic, this time based on 'Dungeon Siege', the Microsoft video game. With a multi million pound budget, expect fantastic special effects. It is good, and worth a watch, but we struggled to adjust to Jason Statham in a different era of role. That's in no way down to the acting, and the movie is bound to get an avid fantasy audience anyways. If that's your bag, you'll love it.
Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares Revisited: Momma Cherri's Soul Food Shack and More... RRP £19.99 Stockist: Amazon
For those of you who haven’t watched the TV series, Kitchen Nightmares sees Gordon Ramsay visiting troubled restaurants in an effort to turn their failing fortunes around. This isn’t Ramsay’s usual TV fare, and any swearing is understandable given what he is faced with – if you had one of out most successful chefs offering to help would you question his opinion? Amazingly, people do, making it great TV, but the star of the show is Ramsay’s overwhelming talent at what he does best. Quite simply, if he can’t help, nobody can.
Steve Miller Band Live From Chicago Coming Home Media RRP £19.99 Stockist: Amazon
This 2 DVD and 1 CD set is incredibly well presented, making it already worth the cover price. It also makes it a Steve Miller Band fan’s must have. If you were to want just one item to sum up the Steve Miller Band, then this is it as it has everything. From the DVD recorded live, to the bonus DVD with documentary, to the CD, this is a history in one. Very well executed, it seems like a band’s tribute to its fans.
Alien Vs Predator 2 : Requiem RRP £19.99 Stockist: Amazon
So here’s the sequel at last - any good? Where AVP1 took a bit of getting used to, Requiem is far more instant in appeal and the whole idea sits a lot better for us. Backed by a classy musical score and awesome sound effects, the film is slick and high on action. OK, the acting is a bit lacking at times, but who cares. Sequel’s can often bomb, and after AVP1, this could have been doomed to failure, but it holds its own well. We liked the broken spaceship landing in a small town, giving that 1980’s cult sci-fi film tension. If you didn’t like AVP1, don’t pass this one by as a result – you may well be pleasantly surprised.
Frasier - Season 9 'Paramount Home Entertainment' RRP £34.99 Stockist: Amazon
Here’s another 4 discs of perhaps the most consistent comedy ever. Whilst series 9 is starting to plod slightly, a gem of an episode such as "Bla-Z-Boy," where Frasier does the unthinkable and accidentally destroys his Dad's favourite chair, mean you are soon right back on top. This box set includes the 200th episode, which the writers cleverly coincided with Frasier’s radio show’s 2000th episode, where he encounters the ultimate super fan. Die hard Frasier fans will flock to add this season to their collection, and in our opinion, rightly so.
Foyle’s War Series Five RRP £24.99 Stockist: Amazon
TV series set around World War Two are generally dominated by war related storylines, but where Foyle’s War is different is that the main story is that of crime investigation. The era gives it a certain charm that attracts loyal viewers, and the fifth series has lost none of it. We know people for whom Foyle’s War is unmissable viewing, so the DVD is sure to delight an eager fanbase.
Youth without Youth RRP £19.99 Stockist: Amazon
Give us Tim Roth in a film, and we already suspect it will be a film full of interest and class acting. We are unsure whether this film proves this point – with a run time of 121 minutes, this isn’t an easy watch, and the story is hard to keep track of. However, we are easily impressed by World War films, and and this did have more to it than we first envisaged. Set in Romania, we see Tim Roth’s 70 year old character struck by lightning. This leads to him miraculously becoming younger, and it is that which is hard to swallow. As it is directed by Francis Ford Coppola, you bear with it, but beyond that, we are struggling to either recommend or discourage.
Rescue Dawn RRP £19.99 Stockist: Amazon
With our favourite film being ‘The Deer Hunter’, we were ultra keen to get our paws on this. Set in the Vietnam War, we find Dieter Dengler being shot down and placed in a Prisoner of War camp. He amazingly escapes, leaving him lost and vulnerable in the jungle. Christian Bale is a very worthy lead, bringing intense emotion and inner strength to the character, and we quickly became absorbed by his presence. The whole film is a compelling watch and if, like us, war films, especially Vietnam, are your bag, this is simply unmissable.
The Darjeeling Limited RRP £19.99 Stockist: Amazon
Three brothers set off on a trip to India, in an effort to rediscover their self worth and spirituality and more importantly, their estranged mother. This is classic American comedy that can often miss the mark with a UK audience, but is pleasant all the same. The relationship between the three goes beyond just comedy, and that along with a beautiful backdrop, hold this together nicely.
Rides series one RRP £34.99 Stockist: 'Play.com'
We’ve found Jason Priestley!! The hunk of Beverley Hills 90210 is a self confessed car freak and showing us vehicles beyond what you dream is possible. Along with other US celeb petrol heads, watch these vehicles conception, birth and growing up until they become fully fledged bad boys. Even if cars ain’t your bag, this is v.watchable real life documentary, and cars may well be your obsession after.
London Ink Series One RRP £19.99 Stockist: 'Play.com'
Hot on the heels of its US forerunners, London Ink sees David Beckham’s ‘guardian angel’ tattooist taking on more ‘celebrities’. This is rougher round the edges than in the US, but the home grown element keeps the interest, as well as Max Beesley’s narration of course. Be warned of swearing and innuendos, which suits the DVD as a whole, but means you may want to cover little ‘uns ears.
La Notte RRP £19.99 Stockist: Amazon
In our time reviewing world cinema titles, Italian films always have an irresistible appeal. This is no exception. As you would imagine, the Italians do passion to perfection, but with the darkness that films of the sixties greatly captured. The film looks at a whole array of emotions, and is as classy as the world the film examines.
Frasier - Season 8 'Paramount Home Entertainment' RRP £34.99 Stockist: Amazon
I actually did Frasier in reverse, getting into it into the later series, becoming quickly addicted, and then revisting previous series. What this demonstrates is that the quality eight seasons in was just as pleasing as at the beginning. The characters are so well formed that you believe in them totally. The comedy is not forced but as good as it gets. We especially like Frasier and Niles in "Motor Skills", being mischievous but thoroughly warm at the same time.
Miami Ink Series 3 RRP £34.99 Stockist: 'Play.com'
This Discovery Real Time show is into its third series, meaning we are fascinated by these tattoists in action. This is a skill that you watch in awe, mesmorised by the skill, and also marvel at the designs chosen. We could just watch this for ages, believing that if we could take the pain, we would be that daring too!
Goodnight Sweetheart series 1 RRP £15.99 Stockist: 'Play.com'
This mix of the past and present proved a winning formula for winning comedy writers Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran. Nicholas Lyndhurst is Gary Sparrow, a man who flits between two lives, one as a TV repairman and then back to the war years. In both, he has relationships, and it is the balancing of these, as well as the comparisons between the time difference, that make this highly enjoyable.
Dirty Sanchez: Series 1 - Front End RRP £14.99 Stockist: 'Play.com'
For those of you who don’t know, ‘Dirty Sanchez’ is MTV’s Jackass but set in Wales. The instigators throw caution to the wind, with stunts that will make you wince. Pain and suffering for entertainment is a winning format, and the 18+ is appropriate for the content. Good, clean fun – not!
Chop Shop London Garage - Series One RRP £34.99 Stockist: 'Play.com'
This is highly addictive reality TV! Broadcast on the Discovery Channel, this is ‘Pimp my Ride’ UK style but with a twist. Taking a car off the scrap heap, Bernie takes to transforming it with the help of Bangladeshi’s Leepu’s design skill. The individual characters of both add to the enjoyment and be prepared to be amazed at the end results!
Beverley Hills 90210 Series 1 'Paramount Home Entertainment' RRP £49.99 Stockist: Amazon
At last!! This is a very welcome addition to DVD, if not only for Jason Priestley, but for those of you who don’t know, this programme focuses on the lives of teens with serious money. Originally broadcast in the days when teens could still be entertaining without bad language, this is fantastic stuff. Relive all the moments you daren’t miss all those years ago.
To the Manor Born '2entertain' RRP £15.99 Stockist: Amazon
Wild at Heart series 2 RRP £24.99 each Stockist: Amazon
Sunday night is the new Saturday night in the TV world, and if you get a second series, your popularity is proven. What makes this a winner is the African backdrop, with beautiful scenery and elegant animals that we rarely see in a TV drama. The family are believable and in this series, we see them strengthen, and continue to encounter very different situations. With droplets of humour and plenty of warm heartedness, this is spot on easy going Sunday night entertainment.
Dr Quinn Medicine Woman Series 6 RRP £29.99 Stockist: 'Play.com'
This is the last series that was made, and whilst the story lines hadn’t much further to go (six is a lot of series to sustain), the quality and enjoyment factor is unaltered. Andrew is now a young man with all the trials and tribulations of young love and this series does focus more on relationships than medical drama. There is diphtheria for Dr Mike to deal with though, and the programme finishes its run on a credit worthy note.
Rin Tin Tin volume 4 RRP £15.99 Stockist: 'Play.com'
This is the final volume of the classic TV series and brings moments of humour not always evident before. The warmth of the stories sees Rusty feeling like he’s not being taken seriously, and it is great to see the child/grown up struggle played out. Of course if you are a fan, you will no doubt want to complete the set, and the price makes it very easy to do so.
'OverHaulin’ - The Complete Series One RRP £34.99 Stockist: 'Play.com'
Take Jeremy Beadle and Pimp my Ride, mix together, and what do you get? OverHaulin! This TV series has been a hit on Discovery Real Time and really is a must see. Watch as cars are taken without the owner’s knowledge and transformed. With an impressively detailed mechanical insight and great reactions from the owners, this is spot on entertainment!
'The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin : Volume 3' RRP £19.99 Stockist: 'Play.com'
Here's another 16 classic episodes from the classic TV series. We found this volume slicker and with more exciting story lines, so don't think it's popularity was beginning to flag at this stage. Old fashioned drama full of nostalgia.
Wainwright Walks series 2 RRP £16.99 Stockist: Amazon
The undoubted beauty of the Lake District is shown here in vivid glory as Julia Bradbury retraces the walks of Alfred Wainwright. The scenery is the star and many a nature lover will be delighted to watch this again and again – the beauty of DVD is that they can!
'2entertain' RRP £24.99 Stockist: Amazon
This BBC hit from the early 80’s took Wendy Craig’s popularity as a comedy actress and showed her talent as a serious actress too. As a divorcee at a time when this was looked down on, the story is about a woman wanting to fulfil her dream and show her worth. This was peak time TV and many will be delighted to relive its success.
Sean
Hughes RRP £19.99 Stockist: Amazon
This is funny stuff with a good slice of offensive mixed in. We are not talking total cringe but the perfect amount of what makes live comedy so addictive. The jokes are up to date, relevant and perceptive, with Sean Hughes still having that cheekiness that makes him very likeable. The DVD makes you feel as though you are part of the audience, with the added advantage you can watch it again and again.
Afro Samurai DDS Media RRP £22.99 Stockist: Amazon
We have never made a secret of our love for Anime, and with quality like this, you can’t help but admire. The 18 certificate is there for a reason, with killing and blood, although beautifully filmed – the anime here is exceptional. Add the golden touch of Samuel L Jackson, both in voiceover and co-production, and a blastin’ sound track, and you have everything you need. Supreme stuff!
The IT Crowd Series 2 '2entertain' RRP £19.99 Stockist: Amazon
Channel 4 on a Friday evening is all about comedy and you know it’s good if it’s in the after nine o’clock slot. The cast is comedy gold, including Chris Morris and Noel Fielding and the series is based around the IT department of a large company. Out of this seemingly dull scenario comes a comedy which although not laugh a minute, is better for it. The comedy can be hilariously ‘silly’, a style that never goes out of fashion.
The Chase – Series 2 RRP £24.99 Stockist: Amazon
With a cast as strong as this, and written by Kay Mellor, do we really need to tell you what quality to expect? ‘The Chase’ is based around a family of Yorkshire vets, but don’t expect ‘All Creatures Great and Small’. The popular BBC drama deals with hard hitting story lines, written in that classic Kay Mellor style whose sense of humour never fails. As we always say, if it wasn’t great, they’d have never commissioned a second series, so that makes it top TV in our book.
The Tick – Complete Season 2 RRP £19.99 Stockist: Amazon
‘The Tick’ is oh, so much more than your run of the mill superhero. This DVD has a grown up Spongebob Squarepants quality that makes it as funny as it gets. The animation mimics the comic book strip perfectly, and you feel you are watching the story unfold page by page. The humour comes thick and fast and with characters like ‘El Seed’, the pun factor is high but extremely effective. This is the ideal chill out, do nothing but split your sides DVD and great entertainment.
Creepshow 2 disc special edition Universal RRP £19.99 Stockist: Amazon
The 1980’s was the era of great horror, in some part due to the video player spawning many a teenage get together with a good horror film and a bottle of strong cider. ‘Creepshow’ was the creation of Stephen King and George A Romero, both masters of their craft. The classic storyline is built around a ghoulish comic strip coming to life in thrilling, hide the settee style. If it wasn’t an absolute treasure, it wouldn’t be re released for its 25 year anniversary, and if you’ve never experienced horror films, start with one of the best.
Liverpool Football Club: The Official History ITV DVD RRP £17.99 Stockist: Amazon
Liverpool are the best football team ever – ok, that’s a personal opinion but fan or no fan, you can’t doubt that they have had enough success to make such a DVD great viewing. Starting from the club’s beginning, the DVD takes you through all the greatest and memorable moments, and is so slap bang up to date it even includes the signing of Fernando Torres. With a stadium move imminent, this is the perfect time to preserve the team’s history.
Homicide: Life on the Street – Series 3 'Fremantle Home Entertainment' RRP £39.99 Stockist: Amazon
If you didn’t see this series when it was first aired on Channel 4 in the 1990’s, get it now! This is the fore runner to must have TV today like CSI and was very different in its prime – gritty storylines that didn’t mind shocking, along with documentary, fly on the wall style filming made it addictive viewing. It still looks as fresh now and if you currently love the current crop of US cop dramas, you’ll love this too.
Moliere RRP £19.99 Stockist: Amazon
If the thought of a foreign film with subtitles puts you off, don’t let it. ‘Moliere’ is a joyous romp of a film, rightly compared to ‘Shakespeare in Love’, but in our opinion, a lot better! The story deals with a time when the great writer disappeared without trace, and the film attempts to fill in the gaps. Full of warmth, wit and wonderful acting, there is romance, intrigue and deception, but all wrapped up in a light hearted period drama type way. In fact, we loved the film so much, the subtitles almost disappeared.
Ramones – It’s Alive 1974 – 1996 Warner Music Entertainment/Rhino RRP £24.99 Stockist: Amazon
If you want to know how punk began, buy this DVD. The Ramones were way ahead of the rest and are absolute legends of the scene. This double DVD had the support of Tommy Ramone and has an unbelievable four hours of live footage with over 100 songs featured. The Ramones still have a huge cult following and the respect of a new generation, making this DVD an essential part of music history.
Grow your Own RRP £17.99 Stockist: Amazon
We are great fans of the writer of this film, Frank Cottrell Boyce through his children’s literature, so are lovers of this film before watching it! Luckily, this is one of those special films that only us Brits can do this good. The acting is superb and crammed full of recognisable talent and there is the humour that is there in our day to day lives. Our multi cultural society creates great story lines of communities coming together, in this case, when a mobile phone company threaten to put a mast on an allotment plot. Brilliant!
Friday Night Lights – The First Series RRP £34.99 Stockist: Amazon
We hadn’t seen this before the review, but we are really glad we’ve come across it! This is one of those US dramas that they do so well – flawless acting and fly on the wall filming make you feel like an onlooker to a real conversation. The story itself looks at life in Dillon, where they live for Friday night. Friday night is Texas Football night and everybody lives and breathes the results of the high school team. Very watchable stuff!
Stiff Little Fingers - Still Burning 'Fremantle Home Entertainment' RRP £15.99 Stockist: Amazon
Ok, I’m biased – I loved Stiff Little Fingers when they were at their height so this is fan’s dream come to true. Along with concert footage, we delve right back to the beginning both in pictures and documentary. There are band interviews and so much more in this generous 90 minute exploration. This is their 30th anniversary present and as they are still performing today, there’s plenty more anniversary DVDs to come. Total respect!
New Street Law – Series 2 RRP £19.99 Stockist: Amazon
Following another successful TV run, series 2 has now come straight to DVD. In our opinion, better than the first, this series sees the Manchester legal firms still rivals, one modern, one more traditional. With main stars John Hannah, John Thomson and Lisa Faulkner back for more, we also see many visiting guest stars eager to get in on the action. This only confirms that this is top notch, unmissable legal drama
Sunshine RRP £19.99 Stockist: Amazon
Danny Boyle’s a busy man and the quality of his films continues to astound. This sci-fi bounder is set in 2057 with the threat of humans becoming extinct a real possibility as the sun is dying. The film is based around a group of people whose mission it is to bring the sun back to life. The special effects will leave you stunned and as you would expect, the filming and plot are bang up to date. Time will fly when watching it as you will be absolutely lost in the storyline. Superb stuff!
Bonkers RRP £19.99 Stockist: Amazon
Recently shown on ITV, ‘Bonkers’ describes this series very well. With the comedic talent of Liza Tarbuck and Mark Addy starring, you already get a good idea of the quality. The story is a mish mash of relationship traumas, dreams and aspirations of life in suburbia. For those of you who remember the brilliant ‘At Home with the Braithwaites’, ‘Bonkers’ is by the same writer – recommendation indeed!
The Brittas Empire - Complete Series 1 to 7 RRP £49.99 Stockist: Amazon
A good box set is one that you never tire of watching, and we would certainly never get bored of watching this classic BBC comedy. Gordon Brittas (Chris Barrie) is the manager of Whitbury New Town Leisure Centre and dedicated to his job. Unfortunately, Brittas is a 1990’s Frank Spencer with hilarious consequences. The mixture of innocent calamity and ultimate warmth makes this a true success. If you like to laugh, you’ll like this!
Yoga to the Rescue RRP £14.99 Stockist: Amazon
As we here know from personal experience, Yoga is something that people can avoid due to their lack of inflexibility or because they are in pain. This DVD is designed to bring Yoga to these people or anybody who has had a reason to avoid it before. The emphasis is very much on holding the body in the correct position and subtle but beneficial movement. The DVD is very calming in itself and being relaxed helps with pain too.
Two Fat Ladies RRP £29.99 Stockist: Amazon
When the era of the celebrity chefs exploded onto our screens in the 90’s, Clarissa Dickson Wright and Jennifer Paterson were the first that didn’t fit the stereotype – they weren’t interested in calorie counting or clean cut cooking, just tasty, wholesome food. As this was a breath of fresh air, they become hugely popular, almost iconic figures. Now many have trodden the same route, revisit where it all began. Their quirky relationship makes pleasant viewing and it is still great to see people cooking without a calorie counter.
Bellissima RRP £19.99 Stockist: Amazon
This is our first experience of Italian cinema and it was addictive stuff. This black and white film from the early 1950’s tells the story of a mother who dreams of her daughter becoming a film star when a casting director visits her town. However, the movie world is not as flower filled as she expected and a darker side is explored. This is a film full of passion, accentuated by the Italian language perfectly.
Last of the Mohicans RRP £19.99 each Stockist: Amazon
Originally broadcast on TV in the early 1970’s, this DVD takes us back to the mid 18th century. Britain are fighting France in the North American wars and the Mohicans are caught up in at all. These obviously leads to stories of bravery, loyalty and all things that make good drama as much now as back then. If you loved the film, you will find this better more accurate viewing.
The Kung Fu Kickboxing Workout RRP £14.99 Stockist: Amazon
You can tell just by knowing anything about kickboxing, that this is one exercise regime that is bound to have results. Energetic, toning and yes, fun, this is a full body workout. The DVD has 3 separate workouts, known as ‘The Basics’, ‘The Kicker’, and ‘The Killer’, all pretty self explanatory. Designed for all levels of fitness, this is one type of exercise people would love to do but can’t always access, so will be a very welcome addition to the home workout market.
Conversation[s] with other women RRP £15.99 Stockist: Amazon
This is a different film from the norm in many ways. Being filmed in split screen gives it a different visual perspective, a bit like watching a narrator as he talks over a documentary, and then there is the story, pretty much based on a conversation between a man and a woman. Of course, the simplicity is far cleverer than that and we have a film exploring the meeting between two apparent strangers in depth and with perception. Helena Bonham Carter and Aaron Eckhart star as the flirtatious twosome which is a very good reason to buy this alone.
Edvard Munch RRP £19.99 Stockist: Amazon
Gandahar RRP £17.99 Stockist: Amazon
Gandahar, in our opinion, is animation with a 1960’s vibe and storyline. From and spoken in French, this is geared towards an adult audience (look out for the naked lady!) and has a sci-fi storyline. With mutating animals, the emphasis seems to be in highlighting what we can do to nature if we don’t take care. The subject naturally leads to great animation and fans of the genre won’t be disappointed.
Silence RRP £17.99 Stockist: Amazon
We always though foreign language films were for pseudo intellectuals. But have recently come to realise that we were wrong. This Japanese offering from the seventies is concerned with religion with two priests attempting to bring their religion back from the underground into the open. Darkly filmed, what is dominant is the storyline, easy to follow in subtitles without interfering with the plot.
Les Maitres Du Temps RRP £17.99 Stockist: Amazon
If you love animation, you’ll love this. The early anime(ish) type of animation and cult sci-fi storyline make a magical mix. This DVD comes in the original French language along with English subtitles and viewing it like this only adds to the whole feel and speed of the story. With the story itself a race across space, you can see how the urgency of the language sits perfectly. Sheer cult brilliance!
Dance of the Kama Sutra with Hemalayaa RRP £12.99 Stockist: Amazon
Don’t be fooled by the title – this is not about the act itself, but a yoga style DVD designed very much to help you realise yourself as a sensual being in control of their own body and mind. The whole DVD is very calming yet uplifting at the same time. The movements are easy to follow and achievable and of benefit as a singleton or part of a couple.
Female Prisoner #701 Scorpion: Beast Stable RRP £15.99 *adult content* Stockist: Amazon
This is apparently the film that inspired the wonderful “Kill Bill” by Quentin Tarantino but this is far less made for the commercial market. It’s over the top mix of adult content and violence, are what the 70’s film buff craved but years later, others are too frightened to make. This Japanese film with English subtitles turns the idea of dominant, arrogant male truly on its head.
Baraka/Chronos boxset RRP £29.99 Stockist: Amazon
This box set contains two films that will leave you in total awe. Both films need nothing other than the beauty of our world, the skill of a photographer who knows how to transform what first appears ordinary into exceptional, and soundtracks that set this all off perfectly. Both have the same director but are film triumphs in their own right. This would make both a perfect gift or a personal treat.
Dear Ladies – Hinge & Bracket RRP £16.99 each Stockist: Amazon
Dr Evadne Hinge and Dame Hilda Bracket were hugely popular in the 70s and 80s. Played by men, the two elderly women’s humour came from inuendos, a supposed innocence and the unlikely friendship between the two seemingly different characters. ‘Dear Ladies’ is very much like early ‘The League of Gentlemen’ but of its time. Set in Stackton Tressel, this is idyllic village life but with a twist.
Reno 911 Paramount Home Entertainment RRP £15.99 Stockist: Amazon
This is the film based on the hugely successful US comedy Reno 911. The police spoof is filmed in a documentary, sort of fly on the wall style that takes it a step further than previous cop spoofs. It’s fantastically OTT without going too far with a nice splash of naughtiness mixed in. The film follows the Reno police as they go to an annual convention in Miami and is reminiscent of ‘Police Academy’ but with contemporary styling. It’s top notch fun that you can’t fail to laugh out loud at.
'David Beckham Life of an Icon' RRP £15.99 Stockist: Amazon
As the title says, David Beckham is the modern day icon, turning everything he touches to gold. As half of a worldwide famous celebrity couple, his whole life is subject to the public gaze and the interest in him is massive. Therefore, this DVD is bound to be popular. Following his life as far as joining LA Galaxy, the documentary has a firm focus on the footballer with a touch of celebrity mixed in, and so will appeal to football fans and celebrity spotters alike.
28 Weeks Later RRP £19.99 Stockist: Amazon
This is a modern day thriller that will have you gripped and questioning the world we live in. When a virus wipes out Britain, London becomes the first place to bring people back to. However, can a virus truly be eradicated? What made it supreme for us is the fact that the enemy is something not easily controlled in this film – add to that Robert Carlyle in the cast and Danny Boyle as an executive producer and its calibre is obvious.
Stella Street Series 2 RRP £15.99 Stockist: Amazon
If you’re looking for genius impressionists, Phil Cornwell is right up there with the best. Stella Street paved the way for future comedies containing celebrity cameos and also stared John Sessions and Ronni Ancona. Add to that the fact that it was written by Peter Richardson of ‘Comic Strip’ fame, the high calibre of talent ensured success. This is one of those cult BBC2 comedies that are destined to be released on DVD and treasured by fans and those who missed out first time round. The story is basically about ‘Stella Street’, where famous celebrities such as Michael Caine and Dustin Hoffman come to escape their pressurised lifestyles, and mix with ‘ordinary folk’. Series 2 is slightly more sophisticated in its content than Series 1, but with none of the comedy lost in any of the 15 minute ‘sketches’.
Jekyll 'Contender Home Entertainment' RRP £29.99 Stockist: Amazon
It is always great when TV series are brought out on DVD straight after the TV run. So if you’ve missed an episode, got into it late or heard on thr grapevine it’s unmissable, you can grab a piece of the action straight away. ‘Jekyll’ sums this thinking off perfectly – James Nesbitt’s portrayal of having the ultimate split personality totally suits his acting skills. Being backed by a high calibre cast makes it supreme stuff. The slap bangis up to date story is even better on DVD, especially with access to behind the scene footage. We would recommend this with or without its TV history.
'The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin : Volume 2' RRP £15.99 Stockist: 'Play.com'
If you’ve got Volume 1, you’ll already be eager for the release of volume 2 and vice versa. Enjoy TV from when quality had to exist over quantity and shoes only existed if huge amounts were glued to their box. The innocence of retro is back in fashion and watching the heroic dog Rin Tin Tin save the day has an irresistible charm.
'Inside The Smiths' RRP £16.99 each Stockist: Amazon
Without giving my age away, the first ‘proper’ present I had off a ‘proper’ boyfriend was The Smiths debut album. The content was so distinctive I now have it on CD and MP3. The music of The Smiths never leaves you and has inspired many. It was and still is different, and fans old and new will be thrilled with this DVD release. Their story is told by Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce so accuracy is guaranteed and it is shot with honesty and grit, perfect for the subject matter. All we can say is thank you for making this DVD happen.
'Sherlock Holmes:And The Leading Lady/Incident at Victoria Falls' RRP £15.99 each Stockist: 'Play.com'
Murder mystery will always have a huge following and as we all know, Sherlock Holmes has too! Here we have Christopher Lee as Mr Holmes and Patrick Macnee as Dr Watson so it’s a high quality cast. In ‘And the Leading Lady’. Morgan Fairchild stars as Sherlock’s romantic interest, an opera singer. A journey across Europe has all the expected suspense and drama you need. In ‘Incident at Victoria Falls’, a journey on the ‘Orient Express’ is no rest for our detective and sidekick. Even famous faces could be suspects when there’s a murder!
'Sir Patrick Moore’s Journey to the Stars' RRP £9.99 Stockist: 'Play.com'
In the eyes of the nation, Sir Patrick Moore and astronomy go together like bread and butter. This DVD sees Patrick sharing his knowledge and helping us to understand the planets and stars that are always somewhere above us. On the same DVD, we also learn about the Apollo programme as man attempts to reach the moon, and then the story of Apollo 13 and what went wrong. If your head is way above the clouds quite literally, there is plenty of informative stuff in one DVD.
'Tibet:Cry of the Snow Lion' RRP £19.99 Stockist: 'Play.com'
Martin Sheen may narrate this documentary but the scenery is truly the star. The filming is so crisp you feel you are really there – when the snow capped mountains came into view I wanted to shiver. The documentary shows a part of the world it is hard for us to imagine in many ways and looks at the political regimes that have led to years of conflict. You see both the beauty and the darker side of Tibet in one film that was ten years in the making. Utterly compelling.
Talk to me 'ITV DVD' RRP £19.99 Stockist: Amazon
A cast inclusive of Max Beesley is must have watching in our opinion but there is loads more to this DVD which has come out literally as the TV series finishes. Mitch Moore is a DJ with a late night phone in show and his best friend and show producer is about to marry Claire. She finds herself almost obsessively attracted to Mitch and his commitment free attitude and so the love triangle begins. This is no happy ever after and very much looks at the down side of temptation. There are sub plots with other characters which add to its depth. This is one of the best ITV mini series we have seen.
The Great Bookie Robbery RRP £15.99 Stockist: Amazon
In Britain we had The Great Train Robbery, in Australia they had The Great Bookie Robbery, when in 1976 gunmen held up club members and got away with over several million dollars (Australian that is!). This mini series came out in Oz in 1986 and stars many familiar faces, including Ray Meagher (Alf in Home and Away) and John Bach (Lord of the Rings). It is gritty and gutsy and those Australian accents add to the drama of it all. It is refreshing to experience something different and the true life aspect makes it better still. Well worth the purchase.
Orangutan Diary '2entertain' RRP £9.99 Stockist: Amazon
Nature documentaries of this class attract a huge audience and this one has even more appeal than most. The Orang-utan is facing extinction but there are people desperately trying to ensure that never happens. The orang-utan is immensely cute and will totally draw you in to the emotion of their plight.
Riviera Cocktail 'Soda Pictures' RRP £15.99 Stockist: Amazon
The 1950’s was a time of sumptuous glamour for those who mixed in the right circles, be it film stars, artists or society darlings. Edward Quinn was an Irish photographer who captured its essence on the French Riviera. This DVD is a mix of those photos, archive footage of Quinn, documentary from his wife and a jazz soundtrack that is in complete fitting with the overall atmosphere. There are many lovers of all things 50’s, all things celebrity and all things historical and this will be of great interest to them, as well as an interesting watch for lovers of glamour.
Lord of the Flies RRP £19.99 Stockist: Amazon
The book and film have ‘classic’ written all over it. This 1963 version is all the more dramatic due to its age and will have you stuck to watching the screen. The story follows a group of four boys who survive a plane crash. Alone on a deserted island, the survival instinct has to kick in but taking on specific roles leads to unbelievable situations. This is dark drama but compelling drama which we are lucky to have on DVD.
The 1900’s House/The 1940’s House RRP £19.99 each Stockist: Amazon
Looking back at these videos of what were immensely popular Channel 4 documetaries, where real life families are transported back in time to live the lives of those from eras gone, it makes you wonder why no more were made. The human interest and historical elements make it not only invaluable viewing, but also massively interesting and highly addictive. Every home needs a copy as does every school, as you truly see how people lived not so long ago and just how far things have come. Now all we need are the missing decades – we volunteer for the eighties!
Soundtrack to War RRP £15.99 Stockist: Amazon
Words can truly not describe how poignant and moving this is. Australian filmmaker took his camera into Baghdad and recorded American soldiers talking not just about war, but about the music they prefer, both on duty and off. The realism will strike you dumb – this is the stuff TV news can’t portray where the soldiers are shown not only as fighters, but real people who love their music of choice and are just doing a job like everybody else, albeit in unbelievably grim circumstances. We only hope this DVD makes it into history – a true record of war.
Miss Marie Lloyd – 'Queen of the Music Hall' RRP £16.99 Stockist: Amazon
Originally shown on BBC Four as part of their Edwardian season, it is incredible this has never reached mainstream TV to date. Luckily, Acorn Media have saved the day with their quick release of the drama onto DVD. It is classic period drama with lush costumes and entrancing music, but with a raucous edge. Jessie Wallace is perfectly cast as Marie Lloyd, a latter day superstar, as famous off stage for her ‘un-ladylike’ antics as for her extremely popular on stage performances. It is quite simply truly unmissable – a TV treasure that you have to watch!
Lynyrd Skynyrd - 'Freebird…The Movie and The Tribute Tour' 'Fremantle Home Entertainment' RRP £9.99 Stockist: Amazon
Iconic bands retain their followers forever – there is never a time when a DVD crammed full of both vintage and reunion footage, interviews and backstage shoots, will not |
