Based on an improbable but true story, Cool Runnings concerns the Jamaican bobsled team that competed in the 1988 Winter Olympics. Director Jon Turteltaub (Phenomenon) does a fine job with both the absurdity of the situation (the athletes had never even seen snow) and the passion behind it (their desire to compete and win). John Candy, in one of his last roles, is touching as a disgraced coach who seizes the opportunity to work with the Jamaicans as a chance for redemption. The bobsled scenes look good and the races are exciting. The climax, which is entirely unexpected, takes the film to a wholly different level, even if events in the story don't quite match the facts. --Tom Keogh
Murder Ahoy (1964): Miss Marple investigates the murder of one of her fellow trustees of a fund which rehabilitates young criminals... Murder At The Gallop (1963): The old and wealthy Mr. Enderby dies of a heart attack but the ever suspicious Miss Marple has her doubts... Murder Most Foul (1964): Miss Marple is the only member of a jury who believes that an accused is innocently charged with murder and sets out to uncover the real killer... Murder She Said (1961): While on board one train Jane Marple witnesses a murder on another train. Can she expose the murderer before all the passengers disembark?
This zany, eye-popping, knee-slapping landmark in combining animation with live-action ingeniously makes that uneasy combination itself (and the history of Hollywood) its subject. Who Framed Roger Rabbit is based on classic Los Angeles private-eye movies (and, specifically, Chinatown), with detective Eddie Valiant (Bob Hoskins) investigating a case involving adultery, blackmail, murder, and a fiendish plot to replace LA's once-famous Red Car public transportation system with the automobiles and freeways that would later make it the nation's smog capital. Of course, his sleuthing takes him back to the place he dreads: Toontown, the ghetto for cartoons that abuts Hollywood and that was the site of a tragic incident in Eddie's past. In addition to intermingling cartoon characters with live actors and locations, Roger Rabbit also brings together the greatest array of cartoon stars in the history of motion pictures, from a variety of studios (Disney, Warner Bros, MGM, Fleischer, Universal, and elsewhere): Betty Boop, Bugs Bunny, Mickey Mouse, Woody Woodpecker, Droopy Dog, and more! And, of course, there's Maroon Cartoon's greatest star, Roger Rabbit (voice by Charles Fleischer), who suspects his ultra-curvaceous wife, Jessica Rabbit (voice by Kathleen Turner: "I'm not bad; I'm just drawn that way"), of infidelity. Directed by Robert Zemeckis (Back to the Future, Forrest Gump, Contact), not since the early Looney Tunes' "You Oughtta Be in Pictures" has there been anything like Roger Rabbit. --Jim Emerson
You wouldn't know it by watching the Batman movies they collaborated on, but this smart adaptation of John Grisham's novel proves that director Joel Schumacher and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman have some talent when the right project comes along. Schumacher had previously directed Grisham's The Client, and brought equal craft and intelligence to this story about a young Southern attorney (Matthew McConaughey, in his breakthrough role) who defends a black father (Samuel L Jackson) after he kills two men who raped his young daughter. Sandra Bullock plays the passionate law student who serves as McConaughey's legal aide and voice of conscience in the racially charged drama. Added to the star power of the lead roles is a fine supporting cast, including Kevin Spacey, Ashley Judd and Oliver Platt. --Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com
Although at first glance it looks like a movie dreamed up by a marketing committee (and in some respects it probably was), Space Jam actually defies the odds against it to become a dazzling display of family entertainment. There's a kind of demented genius to the idea of casting NBA superstar Michael Jordan in a live-action and animated movie co-starring the beloved characters from Warner Bros' Looney Tunes cartoons. They play off each other like seasoned veterans of vaudeville, and Jordan never falls into the kind of awkward, amateurish showmanship that you might expect from a sports idol. He's comfortable in the cartoon land of his co-stars, who include Bugs Bunny and sexy newcomer Lola Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Elmer Fudd, Sylvester & Tweety, Speedy Gonzalez, the Tazmanian Devil, Foghorn Leghorn, and Yosemite Sam. They've all been hijacked to an outer-space amusement park run by the Nerdlucks, who strike a Faustian bargain with the Warners' heroes: if Bugs and Co. can defeat the Nerdluck "Monstars" in a basketball game, they'll win back their freedom; if they lose, they'll be doomed to stay there forever as enslaved entertainers. So they kidnap Jordan as their coach and "secret weapon" while the nefarious Nerdlucks suck out the basketball skills from such stellar victims as Charles Barkley and Patrick Ewing. It all leads to reckless abandon on the basketball court, and Bill Murray pops in for some hilarious support. Combining traditional animation and computer-generated Nerdlucks with its live-action cast, Space Jam was made in the anarchic spirit of the original cartoons, where anything goes as long as it's funny and off-the-wall (or the ceiling, or the door, or the floor...). Technically astounding, it's also witty enough to entertain adults and kids alike. --Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com
This not-quite-black comedy was probably a laugh riot on paper. The translation almost works, but the execution is flawed. Phoebe Cates is a recently separated young woman who suddenly begins to see her supposedly imagined childhood friend (the titular Drop Dead Fred) after moving back into her mother's home. Is he a manifestation of her secret desires to ditch the boorish spouse? Or was he real all along? Rik Mayall is a limber, carrot-topped comic with the lamentable assignment of trying to make us laugh with vulgar, sophomoric trickery. He is supposedly the repository of Cates's fastidious repression but is more annoying than cathartic. --Rochelle O'Gorman, Amazon.com
A heart-warming story of mistaken identity and idealism, director Ivan Reitman (Ghostbusters) takes on the political establishment in this fresh, funny comedy. Kevin Kline (Sophie's Choice, A Fish Called Wanda) plays Dave Kovic, a sweet man with a big heart running an employment agency. Dave happens to be a dead ringer for the current president of the United States and he hires himself out as an impersonator for parties and mall openings. When the real president has a stroke while in bed with an aide, his ambitious chief of staff (Frank Langella) decides to hold onto the White House by appealing to Dave's sense of patriotism and having him pose as the president. Soon, however, Dave is running the country in a way contrary to what the chief of staff would like, even as he finds himself falling in love with the unsuspecting first lady (Sigourney Weaver). The movie's unbridled optimism is its best asset and it makes this a pleasant comedy worth seeing. --Robert Lane
Action comedy tale of two legendary bank robbers who are released on parole after their thirty year imprisonment. Together they face the 1980's as they plan a daring train heist eagerly pursued by a stubborn old cop and a myopic hitman...
In 1943 the Germans opened Stalag Luft III a maximum-security prisoner-of-war camp designed to hold even the craftiest escape artists. In doing so however the Nazis unwittingly assembled the finest escape team in military history - brilliantly portrayed here by Steve McQueen James Garner Charles Bronson and James Coburn - who worked on what became the largest prison breakout ever attempted. One of the most ingenious and suspenseful adventure films of all time The Great Escape is a masterful collaboration between director John Sturges (The Magnificent Seven) screenwriters James Clavell (Shogun) and W.R. Burnett (Little Caesar) and composer Elmer Bernstein. Based on a true story The Great Escape is epic entertainment that captivates thrills and stirs (Variety).
The all time classic tale of a massive escape from a World War Two German Prisoner of War camp released as a two disc DVD set with a host of extra features.
This drama follows the political rivalries and romance of Queen Elizabeth II's reign and the events that shaped the second half of the 20th century. The fourth season covers the time period between 1979 and 1990, is set during Margaret Thatcher's premiership, and introduces Lady Diana Spencer. Episode 01 Gold Stick As Elizabeth welcomes Britain's first woman prime minister and Charles meets a young Diana Spencer, an IRA attack brings tragedy to the royal family. Episode 02 The Balmoral Test Margaret Thatcher visits Balmoral but has trouble fitting in with the royal family, while Charles finds himself torn between his heart and family duty. Episode 03 Fairy-tale After Charles proposes, Diana moves into Buckingham Palace and finds her life filled with princess training, loneliness, and Camilla Parker Bowles. Episode 04 Favourites While Margaret Thatcher struggles with the disappearance of her favourite child, Elizabeth re-examines her relationships with her four children. Episode 05 Fagan As Thatcher's policies create rising unemployment, a desperate man breaks into the palace, where he finds Elizabeth's bedroom and awakens her for a talk. Episode 06 Terra Nullius On a tour of Australia, Diana struggles to balance motherhood with her royal duties while both she and Charles cope with their marriage difficulties. Episode 07 The Hereditary Principle Grappling with mental health issues, Margaret seeks help and discovers an appalling secret about estranged relatives of the royal family. Episode 08 48:1 As many nations condemn apartheid in South Africa, tensions mount between Thatcher and Elizabeth about their clashing opinions on applying sanctions. Episode 09 Avalanche Charles is caught in a deadly avalanche, prompting both him and Diana to re-evaluate their commitment to their troubled marriage. Episode 10 War Amid a growing challenge to her power, Thatcher fights for her position. Charles grows more determined to separate from Diana as their marriage unravels.
Created by Norman Hudis, who scripted the earliest Carry On films, this popular sitcom reunited him with some of the films' most charismatic and best-loved stars, including Hattie Jacques, Charles Hawtrey, Joan Sims, and Norman Rossington.Enjoying a highly popular run in the early 1960s, Our House centres on the comic interactions between the contrasting characters who share a large house together. They include a librarian who transforms into a foghorn outside the hushed confines of her workplace (Hattie Jacques); an easy-going oddball employed by the local rates office (Charles Hawtrey); a woman with a slightly alarming employment record (Joan Sims); and a law student (Norman Rossington) in thrall to his overbearing father. Deryck Guyler (Please Sir!) and Roy Hudd guest-star.Of the 39 original episodes, only three survive in the archive. Unseen for over fifty years, what remains of Our House are essential viewing for all Carry On aficionados and lovers of vintage British comedy.
A family of power-hungry thousand year old vampires look to take back the city that they built and dominate all those who have done them wrong.
Debts will be paid. The Lannisters' control over the Iron Throne remains intact, but can they survive with the ongoing threats around them? While an unshaken Stannis continues to rebuild his army, a more immediate danger comes from the South as Oberyn Martell, the Lannister-loathing Red Viper of Dorne, arrives at King's Landing. At the Wall, the Night's Watch seems overmatched against Mance Rayder's army of wildlings. Daenerys, accompanied by her fierce trio of dragons, is poised to liberate Meereen, which could provide her with an imposing force to execute her plan of reclaiming the Iron Throne. Special Features Includes over 2 hours of bonus features
Earth is on the verge of complete annihilation. Threatened by an intergalactic superpower known as Gamilas, humankinds last hope for survival depends upon the generous assistance of another alien civilization - Iscandar. The Space Battleship Yamato - manned by a skilled, motivated crew and with advanced tech at its core - has only one year to seek out this planet and recover a device that could revitalize Earth. But Gamilan interference, dangerous cosmic phenomena, and conflict among the officers will test the whole of humanity's resolve. Special Features: The Newest Frontier Star Blazers Space Battleship Yamato 2199 Episode 9 Commentary Promo Videos Trailers
Neverland reveals the never-before-told story of how Peter Pan became the Boy Who Never Grew Up. It's an enthralling fantasy adventure for all of the family, starring Rhys Ifans, Anna Friel, Charles Dance, Bob Hoskins, with Charlie Rowe as Peter and Keira Knightley as the voice of Tinker Bell. It's 1906 and young ragamuffin Peter (Rowe) and his gang of pickpockets earn their keep by committing robberies for crooked fencing instructor Jimmy (Ifans). Hired by the enigmatic Richard Fludd (Dance) to steal a mysterious orb from an antiques shop, Jimmy involves Peter and his friends, little knowing that the sphere acts as a gateway to another world. When the orb is accidentally activated during the robbery, Peter looks on as Jimmy and the boys are transported to the magical realm of Neverland. Confronting Fludd, Peter finds his own way to Neverland, but discovers that Jimmy and the boys have already been captured by pirates, led by the beautiful but ruthless Captain Elizabeth Bonny (Friel). Meanwhile, Peter is saved from a swarm of angry 'Tree Spirits' by a group of Kaw Indians who reveal that they've been in Neverland for hundreds of years and have never aged a day. Onboard the pirate ship Jolly Roger, Jimmy finds himself drawn to Bonny and her maniacal plans for ruling Neverland. Desperate to get her hands on the powerful 'mineral dust' that gives the Tree Spirits their power, Bonny plots against the Kaws who protect the magical creatures from harm. Peter sets out to save his friends and find a way back to London, but discovers that his beloved mentor Jimmy has been much changed by Bonny's malign influence. As Bonny's cruel methods cut a swathe of destruction through Neverland, Peter finds his loyalty to the increasingly unhinged Jimmy tested as a remarkable series of events set him on the path to becoming the Boy Who Never Grew Up. This two-part Peter Pan prequel features thrilling action and a superb A-list cast. Directed by Willing, the visionary film-maker behind miniseries Alice and Tin Man, Neverland explores the origins of classic characters like Peter Pan and Captain Hook and the very nature of the world created by author JM Barrie. Also featuring Knightley as the voice of Tinkerbell and Hoskins as Smee, a character he first played in Steven Spielberg's Hook, Neverland is a star-studded family spectacular brought to the screen with imagination and verve.
LONG SHOT (BFI Flipside 034) (DVD + Blu-ray) A film by Maurice Hatton THE FLIPSIDE: rescuing weird and wonderful British films from obscurity and presenting them in new high-quality editions. Rarely seen in the last 40 years our latest Flipside marks the release of this important and funny slice of Scottish cinema. A budding Scottish film producer tries to get his ambitious Aberdeen-set western financed, and while he attracts some major stars and directors to the film, he finds that with their support come more and more script changes... Filmed around the 1977 Edinburgh Film Festival, Long Shot is a deadpan satire about the trials and tribulations of British independent filmmaking, with terrific cameos from Charles Gormley, Wim Wenders, Susannah York, Stephen Frears, Alan Bennett and John Boorman. Extras: Scene Nun, Take One (Maurice Hatton, 1964, 26 mins): short film starring Susannah York and directed by Maurice Hatton Sean Connery's Edinburgh (1982, 28 mins): short film starring the iconic actor. The film was sponsored by the City of Edinburgh District Council and aimed at increasing tourist trade Hooray for Holyrood (Ross Wilson, 1986, 50 mins): Scottish Television short presented by Robbie Coltrane celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Edinburgh Film Festival Booklet with new writing from Bill Forsyth, Vic Pratt and Dylan Cave, plus full film credits
This gentle comedy almost seems like something out of Hollywood's Golden Age, a movie that might have been made by a talented contract director, perhaps featuring Don Ameche and Claudette Colbert. But in fact One Fine Day stars George Clooney as an investigative columnist for a New York newspaper and Michelle Pfeiffer as an architect. Both single parents, the two meet and bicker and develop a relationship over the course of a day while their young children play together. Michael Hoffman (Restoration) directs with a good sense of what's funny about harried caretakers and kids who do whatever they want to do. The story stretches out of shape a bit when Clooney's character has to rally to prove some point of corruption at City Hall; nobody involved seems quite up to making that subplot believable, but all that really matters about this very nice movie is the winning love story. --Tom Keogh
All 13 episodes from the fourth season of the American fantasy TV show. This spin-off from 'The Vampire Diaries' follows the Mikaelson vampire siblings, Klaus (Joseph Morgan), Elijah (Daniel Gillies) and Rebekah (Claire Holt), as they battle to retake control of New Orleans, the city they helped to build. In this season, five years on from the Mikaelson's worst defeat, Marcel (Charles Michael Davis) has become the sole vampire king of the city and holds Klaus captive, while his siblings remain in a state of slumber. When they are revived by Hayley (Phoebe Tonkin), the Mikaelsons race to rescue Klaus but find they also have other ancient threats to face. The episodes are: 'Gather Up the Killers', 'No Quarter', 'Haunter of Ruins', 'Keepers of the House', 'I Hear You Knocking', 'Bag of Cobras', 'High Water and a Devil's Daughter', 'Voodoo in My Blood', 'Queen Death', 'Phantomesque', 'A Spirit Here That Won't Be Broken', 'Voodoo Child' and 'The Feast of All Sinners'.
IT'S 1947 HOLLYWOOD, and detective Eddie Valiant is hired to find proof that mogul Marvin Acme is playing hanky-panky with femme fatale Jessica Rabbit, wife of cartoon superstar, Roger Rabbit. But when Acme is found murdered...all fingers point to Roger. This edition of the hilarious Oscar®-winning cult classic combining live action with spectacular animation comes in eye-popping 4K Ultra HDâ¢, with a bunch of Blu-ray⢠bonus extras. Special Features Digitally Restored The 3 Roger Rabbit Shorts Who Made Roger Rabbit Mini-documentary Audio Commentary With Filmmakers Deleted Scene With Filmmaker Commentary Before And After Split-screen comparison With And Without Animation Behind The Ears: The True Story Of Roger Rabbit Behind-The-Scenes Documentary Toon Stand-Ins Featurette On Set! Benny The Cab
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