"Actor: Bill Smith"

• Twister | DVD | (17/04/2019) from £5.14   |  Saving you £6.85 (133.27%)   |  RRP £11.99

  Twister was a mega-million-dollar blockbuster--helmed by a director (Dutchman Jan de Bont) hot off another scorcher hit (Speed)--that flaunted state-of-the-art digital effects and featured a popular leading actress (Helen Hunt) who would win an Academy Award for her next film (As Good As It Gets). But ask anybody who's seen it and they'll tell you who the real star of Twister is: the cow. Not to give anything away, but the cow is one of those inspired little touches (like, say, Bronson Pinchot's career-making cameo in Beverly Hills Cop) that adds a touch of personality to a gigantic Hollywood production. The story is blown out the window after an impressive prologue in which Hunt's character, as a little girl, witnesses her daddy being sucked into a tornado. Basically, Hunt and Bill Paxton are thrill-seeking meteorologists chasing twisters in order to study them (and help warn people of them, of course) with a new technology they've developed. If you thought the Kansas tornado in The Wizard of Oz was every bit as scary as the Wicked Witch of the West, then this may be the movie for you. --Jim Emerson

• Princess Mononoke | Blu Ray | (19/05/2014) from £19.78   |  Saving you £5.21 (26.34%)   |  RRP £24.99

  The first of Miyazaki's films to gain mainstream attention in the West Princess Mononoke depicts the clash between the natural world and it's old gods and the rise of humans and the beginnings of modern civilisation. It shows three elements of the Japanese psyche warring for supremacy in an epic ecological fable of stirring mythic power. Featuring an English-language script by Neil Gaiman author of Anansi Boys and American Gods and vocal performances from Claire Danes Minnie Driver Billy Crudup and Gillian Anderson Princess Mononoke is a must-see epic animated adventure. Special Features: Complete Feature Length Storyboards (Alternative Angle) Princess Mononoke in the U.S. Original Trailers and TV spots

• The Princess Bride 30th Anniversary Edition | Blu Ray | (23/10/2017) from £7.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Screenwriter William Goldman's novel The Princess Bride earned its own loyal audience on the strength of its narrative voice and its gently satirical, hyperbolic spin on swashbuckled adventure that seemed almost purely literary. For all its derring-do and vivid over-the-top characters, the book's joy was dictated as much by the deadpan tone of its narrator and a winking acknowledgement of the clichés being sent up. Miraculously, director Rob Reiner and Goldman himself managed to visualize this romantic fable while keeping that external voice largely intact: using a storytelling framework, avuncular Grandpa (Peter Falk) gradually seduces his sceptical grandson (Fred Savage) into the absurd, irresistible melodrama of the title story. And what a story: a lowly stable boy, Westley (Cary Elwes), pledges his love to the beautiful Buttercup (Robin Wright), only to be abducted and reportedly killed by pirates while Buttercup is betrothed to the evil Prince Humperdinck. Even as Buttercup herself is kidnapped by a giant, a scheming criminal mastermind, and a master Spanish swordsman, a mysterious masked pirate (could it be Westley?) follows in pursuit. As they sail toward the Cliffs of Insanity... The wild and woolly arcs of the story, the sudden twists of fate, and, above all, the cartoon-scaled characters all work because of Goldman's very funny script, Reiner's confident direction, and a terrific cast. Elwes and Wright, both sporting their best English accents, juggle romantic fervor and physical slapstick effortlessly, while supporting roles boast Mandy Patinkin (the swordsman Inigo Montoya), Wallace Shawn (the incredulous schemer Vizzini), and Christopher Guest (evil Count Rugen) with brief but funny cameos from Billy Crystal, Carol Kane, and Peter Cook. --Sam Sutherland

• Papillon | DVD | (04/12/2000) from £5.39   |  Saving you £7.60 (141.00%)   |  RRP £12.99

  Franklin J Schaffner's Papillon is quite possibly the definitive prison escape drama. Not as thrilling as The Great Escape, nor as emotionally cathartic as The Shawshank Redemption, its unflinching emphasis on the barbarism of "civilised" societies is nevertheless unparalleled. Significantly, the only characters to display any real kindness in this film are the social outcasts: the lepers and native Indians; everyone else has been corrupted and debased by the true villain, the penal system itself. Based on Henri Charrière' s heavily fictionalised "autobiography", the film's timeless themes of man's insatiable desire for freedom and the indomitability of the human spirit are thankfully not dependent for their impact on the source material's veracity. Dalton Trumbo's liberal-minded screenplay echoes the themes of his earlier script for Spartacus, and Schaffner's innate gift for epic cinema (this was made just two years after his great war biography Patton) is fully equal to the task of realising it on screen. The director's painterly eye for widescreen composition and his careful pacing impart a gravitas to proceedings even during the film's most squalid depictions of brutality, of which there are many emphasising the cheapness of human life among the convicts and their equally criminal prison guards in the penal colony of French Guiana. Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman form a remarkable screen pairing, with Hoffman outstanding as the pusillanimous Dega. McQueen magnificently overcomes his tough-guy persona in the extraordinary solitary confinement sequences as he is gradually reduced to a shambling, cockroach-eating wreck. Longtime collaborator Jerry Goldsmith, who had previously scored Schaffner's Planet of the Apes and Patton, attained yet another career high with his music. On the DVD: The anamorphic widescreen print of the original Panavision 2. 35:1 ratio looks fine without being as stunning as some more modern prints; the Dolby 5.1 audio does however do great service to Jerry Goldsmith's score, which can also be selected separately from the Audio Setup menu as an isolated track (note that there's no music at all in the first 20 minutes of the film). The 12-minute "Magnificent Rebel" featurette was made at the time of the film's release , and includes some fascinating footage of Henri Charrière touring the prison se t, reminiscing about his experiences and pontificating ("Society does not want free men, society wants conditioned men"). --Mark Walker

• The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel + The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel | DVD | (29/06/2015) from £4.93   |  Saving you £18.06 (366.33%)   |  RRP £22.99

  The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel While preparing for his imminent marriage to the love of his life Sunaina (Tina Desai). Sonny (Dev Patel) has his eye on a promising property now that his first venture The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel for the Elderly and Beautiful has only a single remaining vacancy – posing a rooming predicament for fresh arrivals Guy (Richard Gere) and Lavinia (Tamsin Greig). Evelyn and Douglas (Judi Dench and Bill Nighy) have now joined the Jaipur workforce while Norman and Carol (Ronald Pickup and Diana Hardcastle) are negotiating the tricky waters of an exclusive relationship as Madge (Celia Imrie) juggles two eligible and very wealthy suitors. And newly installed co-manager of the hotel Muriel (Maggie Smith) knows everyone's secrets. As the demands of a traditional Indian wedding threaten to engulf them all an unexpected way forward presents itself.

• The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel | DVD | (17/09/2012) from £3.93   |  Saving you £16.06 (408.65%)   |  RRP £19.99

  A group of British retirees travel to India to take up residence in what they believe is a newly restored hotel. Less luxurious than its advertisements, they are forever transformed by their shared experiences, discovering that life and love can begin again when you begin to let go of the past. From the Director of Shakespeare In Love and featuring an all-star British cast, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is a charming, life affirming comedy drama about life, love and new beginnings...

• Hannah Montana the Movie | DVD | (07/09/2009) from £6.11   |  Saving you £11.88 (194.44%)   |  RRP £17.99

  Teen superstar Miley Cyrus takes her hugely popular Disney Channel alter ego back to her roots when Hannah Montana The Movie comes to Disney Blu-ray Hi-Def and DVD on 7th September 2009.

• The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel/The Second Best Exotic Marigold... | Blu Ray | (29/06/2015) from £20.00   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Double bill of British comedies directed by John Madden and starring Judi Dench Bill Nighy Dev Patel and Maggie Smith. 'The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel' (2011) follows the experiences of a group of elderly Brits who arrive to take up residence in a newly-opened retirement home in Bangalore India. Despite its glossy publicity campaign the Marigold turns out to be rather different from the refurbished luxury hotel advertised in the brochures. However the move soon begins to pay off as the hotel - and the residents - reveal some unexpected charms. Following on from their exploits 'The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel' (2015) sees Muriel (Smith) as the now fully-fledged manager of the hotel owned by Sonny Kapoor (Patel) with Evelyn (Dench) and new-found companion Douglas (Nighy) helping to run the day-to-day business. When Sonny realises that he has only one room left in his ever-popular hotel he decides to dream bigger than ever and open the Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. The cast also includes Richard Gere Tamsin Greig and Celia Imrie.

• The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel | Blu Ray | (17/09/2012) from £20.00   |  Saving you £4.99 (24.95%)   |  RRP £24.99

  A group of British retirees travel to India to take up residence in what they believe is a newly restored hotel. Less luxurious than its advertisements, they are forever transformed by their shared experiences, discovering that life and love can begin again when you begin to let go of the past. From the Director of Shakespeare In Love and featuring an all-star British cast, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is a charming, life affirming comedy drama about life, love and new beginnings...

• Jack | DVD | (12/02/2001) from £3.99   |  Saving you £11.00 (275.69%)   |  RRP £14.99

  Jack is Francis Coppola at his most pointless noodling, looking for the film he wants to make instead of just making it. Robin Williams stars as 10-year-old Jack, a boy with an inexplicable disease that ages him at four times the normal human rate. Kept at home like a contemporary Boo Radley, Jack becomes a neighbourhood legend until his parents relent and send him to school. In time, the other kids befriend him and stay loyal as his hyperdevelopment puts a strain on his body and emotions. The idea is sound, but the execution is a bore. The best the script and Coppola can come up with are painfully long scenes in which Williams's character proves himself on the playground and in gross-out contests in a tree house. Coppola fishes around for signs of life and spontaneity in these scenes, but the film is actually best when Jack has to cope with certain feelings in his mature body (such as his attraction to a character played by Fran Drescher) that he isn't prepared for emotionally. Jack would have been a lot better if Coppola had embraced a plan from beginning to end and stuck to it. --Tom Keogh, Amazon.com

• The Incredible Hulk Movie Collection | DVD | (13/08/2018) from £22.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  For the first time ever, all 3 Incredible Hulk TV movies in one collectors edition box set. See Lou Ferrigno and Bill Bixby back in action in The Incredible Hulk Returns, The Trial of the Incredible Hulk and The Death of the Incredible Hulk. Filmed in 1988,1989 and 1990, the films were directed by David Banner himself a.k.a Bill Bixby

• The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (DVD + Digital Copy) | DVD | (25/06/2012) from £4.99   |  Saving you £15.00 (300.60%)   |  RRP £19.99

  A group of British retirees travel to India to take up residence in what they believe is a newly restored hotel. Less luxurious than its advertisements, they are forever transformed by their shared experiences, discovering that life and love can begin again when you begin to let go of the past. From the Director of Shakespeare In Love and featuring an all-star British cast, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is a charming, life affirming comedy drama about life, love and new beginnings... Special Features: Behind the Story: Lights, Colours and Smiles

• The Dish | DVD | (12/11/2001) from £10.18   |  Saving you £3.81 (37.43%)   |  RRP £13.99

  This offbeat Australian comedy is based on the real life events of 1969, when a huge satellite dish in the middle of a sheep paddock in Australia was used to pick up the TV signals from the first moon landing!

• Just Daft The Comic Genius of Chic Murray | DVD | (12/10/2009) from £3.33   |  Saving you £15.66 (470.27%)   |  RRP £18.99

• The Princess Bride 30th Anniversary Edition | DVD | (23/10/2017) from £5.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Screenwriter William Goldman's novel The Princess Bride earned its own loyal audience on the strength of its narrative voice and its gently satirical, hyperbolic spin on swashbuckled adventure that seemed almost purely literary. For all its derring-do and vivid over-the-top characters, the book's joy was dictated as much by the deadpan tone of its narrator and a winking acknowledgement of the clichés being sent up. Miraculously, director Rob Reiner and Goldman himself managed to visualize this romantic fable while keeping that external voice largely intact: using a storytelling framework, avuncular Grandpa (Peter Falk) gradually seduces his sceptical grandson (Fred Savage) into the absurd, irresistible melodrama of the title story. And what a story: a lowly stable boy, Westley (Cary Elwes), pledges his love to the beautiful Buttercup (Robin Wright), only to be abducted and reportedly killed by pirates while Buttercup is betrothed to the evil Prince Humperdinck. Even as Buttercup herself is kidnapped by a giant, a scheming criminal mastermind, and a master Spanish swordsman, a mysterious masked pirate (could it be Westley?) follows in pursuit. As they sail toward the Cliffs of Insanity... The wild and woolly arcs of the story, the sudden twists of fate, and, above all, the cartoon-scaled characters all work because of Goldman's very funny script, Reiner's confident direction, and a terrific cast. Elwes and Wright, both sporting their best English accents, juggle romantic fervor and physical slapstick effortlessly, while supporting roles boast Mandy Patinkin (the swordsman Inigo Montoya), Wallace Shawn (the incredulous schemer Vizzini), and Christopher Guest (evil Count Rugen) with brief but funny cameos from Billy Crystal, Carol Kane, and Peter Cook. --Sam Sutherland

• Five Easy Pieces | DVD | (08/03/2004) from £16.36   |  Saving you £-10.37 (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  This subtle, existential character study of an emotionally distant outcast (Nicholson) forced to confront his past failures remains an intimate cornerstone of American cinema of the 1970s. Written and directed with remarkable restraint by Bob Rafelson, the film is the result of a short-lived partnership between the filmmaker and Nicholson--the first was the zany formalist exercise, Head, while the equally impressive King of Marvin Gardens followed Five Easy Pieces. Quiet and full of long, controlled takes, this film draws its strength from the acutely detailed, non-judgemental observations of its complex protagonist, Robert Dupea--an extremely crass and frustrated oil worker and failed child pianist hiding from his past in Texas. Dupea spends his life drinking beer and sleeping with (and cheating on) his annoying but adoring Tammy Wynette-wannabe girlfriend, but when he learns that his father is dying in Washington State, he leaves. After the film transforms into a spirited road movie, and arrives at the eccentric upper-class Dupea family mansion, it becomes apparent that leaving is what Dupea does best--from his problems, fears and those who love him. Nicholson gives a difficult yet masterful performance in an unlikeable role, one that's full of ambiguity and requires violent shifts in acting style. Several sequences--such as his stopping traffic to play piano, or his famous verbal duels with a cranky waitress over a chicken-salad sandwich--are Nicholson landmarks. Yet, it's the quieter moments, when Dupea tries miserably to communicate and reconcile with his dying father, where the actor shows his real talent--and by extension, shows us the wounded little boy that lurks in the shell of the man Dupea has become. --Dave McCoy, Amazon.com

• Santa's Slay | DVD | (10/11/2008) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  Santa Claus is actually a demon who lost a bet with an Angel so he becomes the giver of toys and happiness. But when the bet is off he returns to his evil ways.

• TALES FROM THE CRYPT PRESENTS: DEMON KNIGHT | Blu Ray | (20/10/2015) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

• A Goofy Movie | DVD | (05/02/2001) from £5.98   |  Saving you £10.01 (167.39%)   |  RRP £15.99

  Even as Disney has revelled in the success of its high-end animated features, it occasionally sneaks a lesser effort into cinemas, based on one of the many TV shows with which it dominates daytime TV. This one is based on perennial Disney favourite Goofy's adventures in domesticated bliss. Goofy is now a single dad; when son Max gets blamed for a prank gone wrong at school, Goofy blames himself and decides that, for his vacation, he's going to get away with Max alone. Of course, this is no treat for Max, who has just met the girl of his dreams and harbours no wish to spend the summer touring America with his square dad. The vacation is one disaster after another, though they aren't particularly funny disasters; the culmination involves Goofy's efforts to get Max backstage at a big rock concert. --Marshall Fine

• Ring Of Bright Water | DVD | (08/04/2002) from £13.99   |  Saving you £-8.00 (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  Coincidence throws Mij the otter and Graham Merrill (Bill Travers) the computer worker together on a busy London street in Ring of Bright Water. What transpires from this chance meeting is an epiphany that leads to the complete upheaval of Graham's life. Evicted from his city flat thanks to the antics of his newly acquired, mischievous otter, Graham embarks on a train journey to the Scottish Highlands. Suffice it to say that trying to smuggle Mij onboard as a "diving terrier" is not successful. When the pair finally arrives in Scotland, they fall in love with the countryside and a dilapidated cottage by the sea. Fate introduces Graham to the town's animal-loving doctor (Virginia McKenna), and an enduring friendship and romance are forged. The photography of both the Scottish Highlands and the antics of Mij the otter in this 1969 movie are truly wonderful--it might just make you reconsider your current digs and friendships. The story (based on Gavin Maxwell's book of the same name) is somewhat formulaic and dated by its romanticism, but enjoyable nonetheless. Slip into an ideal world of simple happiness and celebrate the cyclical nature of life, if only for 106 minutes. --Tami Horiuchi, Amazon.com