"Actor: Darrell Larson"

• Stepmom | DVD | (31/01/2011) from £9.98   |  Saving you £-3.99 (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  Although Stepmom was dismissed as a contender in the 1998 Oscar race, it's worth giving a second chance to this rather cogent, sharp-tongued look at second chances. Susan Sarandon's performance as a mum about to be replaced by her ex-husband's new girlfriend (played by Julia Roberts) has a lot of bite, and it's a shame the script opted to trivialise her plight in its final reel. Initially, the rancour that passes between divorced mum Jackie (Sarandon) and trendy fashion photographer Isabel (Roberts) rings true, aided by the sincerity of Jackie's ex-husband Luke (Ed Harris) and the emotional plight of their children, who have the most to lose in their parents' divorce. As the drama makes clear, the children are the real victims in the agony that ensues between old and new love. Director Chris Columbus, who is adept at showing familial chaos (he directed Mrs. Doubtfire and Home Alone) with a sanitised minimum of lingering emotional damage, actually manages to dig a trifle deeper than usual in exploring the jealousy and hurt that occur when the baton is passed between a birth mum and the younger wife who steps into her shoes. Stepmom fortunately manages to touch on that chord--showing how an ambitious woman might feel hampered by the responsibility of children just because she's fallen in love with their dad--as well as the haunting grief that it causes their birth mum. It's an issue that haunts millions of second wives everywhere, and while Roberts conveys the confusion of being taken for granted in the melee that follows, it's Sarandon who walks off with the film. She's relentless in her fury, and everyone else in the film--the generally excellent Harris included--is sideswiped. It's just a shame that Hollywood once again wimps out in the end, solving the problem by giving Sarandon a terminal illness. Instead of allowing Jackie and Isabel's relationship to unfold on something less than a high note, the movie has to quell its best thing with a false payoff because it doesn't know what to do with real life. --Paula Nechak, Amazon.com

• Erin Brockovich / Stepmom / Steel Magnolias | DVD | (03/10/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Erin Brockovich (Dir. Steven Soderbergh 2000): Erin Brockovich was never trained or indeed meant to work in a lawyers office. Circumstances take this down-on-her-luck twice-divorced mother of three into a legal practice. Here she discovers some legal files that don't add up... On investigation she discovers an injustice and decides against the odds to take on the bad guys on behalf of a poor and very ill community. Stepmom (Dir. Chris Columbus 1998): Jackie (Susan Sarandon) is a divorced mother of two. Isabel (Julia Roberts) is the career minded girlfriend of Jackie's ex-husband Luke (Ed Harris) forced into the role of unwelcome stepmother to their children. It is the universal dilemma of the 'non-traditional family' they all love the children but the complex interplay between parents step-parents step-children ex-spouses and significant others is decidedly tricky. But when Jackie discovers she is ill both women realise they must put aside their differences to find a common ground and celebrate life to the fullest while they have the chance. Steel Magnolias (Dir. Herbert Ross 1989): A beautiful bittersweet comedy set in deep south Louisiana Steel Magnolias unites talents of America's finest actresses as six very special friends bonded together by mutual triumphs and tragedies. Despite their differences beautiful Shelby (Julia Roberts) her strong-willed mother M'Lynn (Sally Field) beauty parlour owner Truvy (Dolly Parton) elegant wealthy widow Clairee (Olympia Dukakis) sharp tongued Ouiser (Shirley MacLaine) and mousey newcomer Anelle (Daryl Hannah) enjoy a friendship that spans the boundaries of age and status. Sharing each other's strength and loyalty they face their greatest fears and highest hopes with dry wit and a self-deprecating style...

• Eye For An Eye | DVD | (02/09/2002) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  Karen McCann's orderly life is shattered when a stranger breaks into her home and murders her 17-year-old daughter. But shock and grief turn into rage and disbelief when the killer is released on a legal technicality. When he commits another murder and is set free once again Karen is determined to make him pay for his crimes.

• Danielle Steel's Fine Things | DVD | (24/02/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  Devoted to his work but emotionally unfulfilled Bernie achieves his romantic dream when he meets and eventually marries beautiful divorcee Liz. Their new life together with her young daughter Jane is blissfully happy until Liz is fatally stricken with cancer soon after the birth of their son. Heartbroken Bernie and eight-year old Jane struggle to come to terms with their tragic loss. Suddenly out of the blue arrives Jane's natural father an ex-convict. He demands money in exchange for giving up custody of Jane and eventually kidnaps her and flees to Mexico. Angry and desperate Bernie tracks him down and brings the traumatised girl home where they must both try and rediscover the 'Fine Things' in life.

• Danielle Steel - Daddy / Fine Things / Message From Nam | DVD | (13/03/2006) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £14.99

  Danielle Steel is one of the best-selling authors of all-time and now you can enjoy this box set featuring three movie adaptations of some of her best known novels. Daddy (Dir. Michael Miller 1991): Patrick Duffy and Linda Carter star in this highly emotional story of love loss and rediscovered happiness. Oliver is a top advertising executive who seems to have it all - a beautiful wife three great children and a lovely home. But one fateful day his wife announces she i

• Kotch | DVD | (08/04/2002) from £22.98   |  Saving you £-16.99 (-283.60%)   |  RRP £5.99

  Kotch is a gentle comedy that reunites Walter Matthau with Jack Lemmon (this time behind the camera) in a wry look at the alienation of the elderly. Matthau's character of the title is a retired man who lives with his son and increasingly stressed daughter-in-law, as well as the grandson he dotes on. Finding himself pushed more and more into the sidelines, Kotch sets off on a journey that brings him into contact with pregnant teenager Erica (Deborah Winters), a relationship that re-introduces purpose into his life. Matthau is perfect as the eccentric Kotch, stealing every scene with his rambling monologues, although Winters brings out the caring, paternal side perfectly. It is a little schmaltzy in parts (the opening credits are particularly off putting), but Koch is ultimately an effective work that makes you wonder just why Lemmon never took the director's chair again. On the DVD: Given the wealth of potential material, the half-hearted effort at providing some extra insight is pretty woeful. There are no visual images, just a few production and biographical notes--a huge opportunity missed. --Phil Udell

• Shadrach | DVD | (11/08/2003) from £5.12   |  Saving you £-1.13 (N/A%)   |  RRP £3.99

  A former slave now approaching 100 years old turns up on the doorstep of the now penniless Dabney family farm claiming to be an ancestor and requesting that he be buried near his ancestral home...

• Futureworld | DVD | (12/04/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  Sequel to Westworld where the robots have rebuilt the theme park. Not content with the simple aims of capitalism the robots led by the indomitable Duffy (Hill) are bent on complete global domination. When powerful leaders are invited to the park they uncover a sinister cloning plan to carry out the mission.

• Android | DVD | (26/01/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £16.99

  The year is 2036 and aboard the space station ULC53 the enigmatic Dr. Daniels (Kinski) is conducting illegal experiments in robotics aiming to develop the perfect android in the form of the beautiful Cassandra (Kendra Kirchner). Assisting the doctor is Max 404 (Opper) an early-model android who is threatened with obsolescence by Cassandra. In his spare time Max studies the history of the 20th Century through old records and films and dreams of visiting Earth where an android rev

• Shadrach | DVD | (11/09/2006) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £2.99

  A former slave now approaching 100 years old turns up on the doorstep of the now penniless Dabney family farm claiming to be an ancestor and requesting that he be buried near his ancestral home...