Features the complete episodes from the third series of the popular television drama which follows the post-war fortunes of Arthur Gilder and his family. In this series the village is under threat...and so are it's inhabitants. Phyllis (Maggie Steed) is shellshocked when her husband Harry (Bill Paterson) reappears after seven years missing - only to sell the pub from under her. Tom (Michael French) and Arthur's (James Bolam) relationship deteriorates when Tom gets a job offer f
Of all the "most anticipated" movies ever claiming that title, it's hard to imagine one that has caused so much speculation and breathless expectation as Christopher Nolan's final chapter to his magnificently brooding Batman trilogy, The Dark Knight Rises. Though it may not rise to the level of the mythic grandeur of its predecessor, The Dark Knight Rises is a truly magnificent work of cinematic brilliance that commandingly completes the cycle and is as heavy with literary resonance as it is of-the-moment insight into the political and social affairs unfolding on the world stage. That it is also a full-blown and fully realized epic crime drama packed with state-of-the-art action relying equally on immaculate CGI fakery and heart-stopping practical effects and stunt work makes its entrée into blockbuster history worthy of all the anticipation and more. It deserves all the accolades it will get for bringing an opulently baroque view of a comic book universe to life with sinister effectiveness. Set eight years after the events of The Dark Knight, TDK Rises finds Bruce Wayne broken in spirit and body from his moral and physical battle with the Joker. Gotham City is at peace primarily because Batman took the fall for Harvey Dent's murder, allowing the former district attorney's memory to remain as a crime-fighting hero rather than the lunatic destructor he became as Two-Face. But that meant Batman's cape and cowl wound up in cold storage--perhaps for good--with only police commissioner Jim Gordon in possession of the truth. The threat that faces Gotham now is by no means new; as deployed by the intricate script that weaves themes first explored in Batman Begins, fundamental conflicts that predate his own origins are at the heart of the ultimate struggle that will leave Batman and his city either triumphant or in ashes. It is one of the movie's greatest achievements that we really don't know which way it will end up until its final exhilarating moments. Intricate may be an understatement in the construction of the script by Nolan and his brother Jonathan. The multilayered story includes a battle for control of Wayne Industries and the decimation of Bruce Wayne's personal wealth; a destructive yet potentially earth-saving clean energy source; a desolate prison colony on the other side of the globe; terrorist attacks against people, property, and the world's economic foundation; the redistribution of wealth to the 99 percent; and a virtuoso jewel thief who is identified in every way except name as Catwoman. Played with saucy fun and sexy danger by Anne Hathaway, Selina Kyle is sort of the catalyst (!) for all the plot threads, especially when she whispers into Bruce's ear at a charity ball some prescient words about a coming storm that will tear Gotham asunder. As unpredictable as it is sometimes hard to follow, the winds of this storm blow in a raft of diverse and extremely compelling new characters (including Selina Kyle) who are all part of a dance that ends with the ballet of a cataclysmic denouement. Among the new faces are Marion Cotillard as a green-energy advocate and Wayne Industries board member and Joseph Gordon-Levitt as a devoted Gotham cop who may lead Nolan into a new comic book franchise. The hulking monster Bane, played by Tom Hardy with powerful confidence even under a clawlike mask, is so much more than a villain (and the toughest match yet for Batman's prowess). Though he ends up being less important to the movie's moral themes and can't really match Heath Ledger's maniacal turn as Joker, his mesmerizing swagger and presence as demonic force personified are an affecting counterpoint to the moral battle that rages within Batman himself. Christian Bale gives his most dynamic performance yet as the tortured hero, and Michael Caine (Alfred), Gary Oldman (Gordon), and Morgan Freeman (Lucius Fox) all return with more gravitas and emotional weight than ever before. Then there's the action. Punctuated by three or four magnificent set pieces, TDKR deftly mixes the cinematic process of providing information with punches of pow throughout (an airplane-to-airplane kidnap/rescue, an institutional terrorist assault and subsequent chase, and the choreographed crippling of an entire city are the above-mentioned highlights). The added impact of the movie's extensive Imax footage ups the wow factor, all of it kinetically controlled by Nolan and his top lieutenants Wally Pfister (cinematography), Hans Zimmer (composer), Lee Smith (editor), and Nathan Crowley and Kevin Kavanaugh (production designers). The best recommendation TDKR carries is that it does not leave one wanting for more. At 164 minutes, there's plenty of nonstop dramatic enthrallment for a single sitting. More important, there's a deep sense of satisfaction that The Dark Knight Rises leaves as the fulfilling conclusion to an absorbing saga that remains relevant, resonant, and above all thoroughly entertaining. --Ted Fry
By day the beautiful and sexy Samantha has a job as a Pr executive. Yet by night she indulges herself in erotic novels that spark lustful feelings beyond her wildest imagination...
'That ain't no kindergarten. That's a jungle. The swamps of Borneo with their lurking crocodiles and head-hunters have got nothing on that lot...' A 1960s forerunner to EastEnders, this highly engaging series captures all of the camaraderie and humour, rivalry and chicanery, graft and greed of a bustling Soho market where stalls may be inherited, bought, or 'acquired'. This set contains the complete first series from 1967 - all that remains of this well-remembered and high popular str...
The groundbreaking detective series that defined a decade returns to DVD with all 22 thrilling episodes of Miami Vice: Season Two! In this electrifying Emmy - nominated and Golden Globe -winning second season Vice cops Sonny Crockett (Don Johnson) and Rico Tubbs (Philip Michael Thomas) are back in their sleek Ferrari pursuing every ruthless criminal under the relentless Miami sun. With a sizzling soundtrack of all the original hit songs remixed in 5.1 Surround Sound including music by Phil Collins U2 The Who and more it's no mystery to see why Miami Vice was the supercharged action series that People magazine hailed as 'the first show to look really new and different since colour TV was invented'.
An international expeditionary force set off for the Himalayas in search of the legendary Yeti...
This British drama stars Sandy Dennis as Rosamund Stacey a graduate student who embarks on an affair with a television broadcaster George played by Ian McKellen. When she falls pregnant she decides to keep the baby and raise her child by herself much to the disapproval of her town.
In 'The Battle Begins (Part 1)' Ryan Kaitlan and JB are called to see Preofessor Hart. On their way they are attacked and when they reach his lab they receive their special powers and are sent to fight Grimlord's forces. Also features: 'The Battle Begins (Part 2)' 'Battle For The Books' 'Kaitlan's Little Helper' 'Lost Memories' 'Searching For Tyler Steele' 'The Dognapping' and 'Front Page'.
Face/Off (1997): Oscar-winning superstar Nicolas Cage and screen icon John Travolta battle head to head in 'Face/Off' the ultimate cat and mouse thriller directed by the world's most acclaimed action film director John Woo. To avenge the senseless murder of his son FBI agent Sean Archer undergoes a radical new surgery allowing him to switch faces with the comatose terrorist Castor Troy and assumes Sean's identity the real Sean is thrust into an unimaginable nightmare fig
Earth vs. The Spider can't really make up its mind whether it's an homage to the B-movie horror genre (the title, but nothing else, has been lifted from the 1958 drive-in "classic"), a too-ironic-for-its-own-good spoof, or an uncomplicated but genuine monster flick. It passes as any of the above, so take your pick. The plot is hardly demanding: nerd's pal is murdered, nerd vows revenge, nerd injects himself with bug juice which turns him into a spider-like monstrosity, offs some bad guys then gets shot dead. Despite its lack of content, the movie's merciful brevity (one hour 26 minutes, roughly what all movies used to be) means that the pace is fast and that there's no room for padding (or real sub-plots, for that matter). The special effects are good and used surprisingly sparingly, which is a nice touch, and the brief coda is sarcastically witty. There's also what seems at first to be a nod in the direction of Toho's multi-monster epics, but those two giant furry caterpillars are in fact Theresa Russell's eyebrows. On the DVD: Earth vs. The Spider on disc is presented in 1.77:1 ratio. Extras include filmographies and a very brief "making of". The preliminary sketches of the creature in the photo gallery are well worth seeing. --Roger Thomas
In Echo Park a neighbourhood of Los Angeles the friendships frustrations and love affairs of everyday life come to a head. Right now they're gym instructors pizza deliverers and strip-o-gram artists but someday they'll be stars in this charming low-key comedy about the lives and loves of these would-be entertainers.
Ambitious and beautiful New York journalist Erica (Keller) has the scoop of her career: a Japanese businessman suspected of selling American secrets to Japan. When private investigator Jack Blaylock (Griffith) is hired to help her he finds himself entangled in a web of violence and corruption with a deadline whose fatal consequences leave no margin for error...
In the air above Switzerland on the sheer rock-and-ice wall known as the Eiger an American climber is about to embark on the most perilous and meaningful ascent he has ever undertaken: an attempt to scale the legendary mountain that took his renowned fathers life. Against a backdrop of overwhelming natural beauty The Alps is a true-life story of extraordinary courage. It's the intensely personal journey of a man who has every reason not to climb the deadly Eiger North Face yet climb it he must. Featuring some of the most spectacular giant screen imagery yet seen the film celebrates the unsurpassed beauty of the Alps and the indomitable spirit of the people who live there.
A father and his two children struggle to escape certain death after an avalanche entombs their remote mountain cabin. A suspicious plane crash higher up in the mountains has caused the avalanche and swept the lone survivor a dangerous smuggler up against one of the buried cabin's windows. The unsuspecting family pull the stranger into the cabin and revive him. While the cabin slowly and dangerously buckles under the tremendous weight of the avalanche the smuggler forces his rescuers to abandon their escape plans and assist him in finding his stolen cache of diamonds. Time is running out all will surely die in this icy tomb if not from the collapsing cabin then from a bullet fired from the pistol of the cold-hearted stranger.
After being caught drawing an obscene comic book a group of Catholic school friends plan a prank to make them local legends...
After failing to get into the police academy Chris Potamitis (Liam Hemsworth The Hunger Games: Catching Fire) settles for a security guard job with the Empire State Armoured Truck Company. Chris makes the mistake of mentioning the company's lax security to his best friend Eddie (Michael Angarano Haywire) and is soon drawn into an elaborate scheme to rob the cash stored there - resulting in the largest cash heist in U.S. history. As the stakes continue to rise Chris and Eddie must outwit James Ransone (Dwayne Johnson Fast and Furious 6) the veteran NYPD Detective that is hot on their trail.
American bases in Israel are being bombed by rebel forces. The explosions just a diversion for a secret plot that may shake the free world.
Comedian Billy Crystal invested a life's worth of experience into his directorial debut, starring in and cowriting it as well. Mr. Saturday Night is a fascinating alternate biography of the career he never had. From the 1920s to the 90s, the movie uses flashbacks to follow a comedian's turbulent journey from making the family laugh, to stardom, to retirement. Buddy Young Jr (Crystal) and his brother Stan (David Paymer) show us the decidedly unfunny behind-the-scenes family events that can bolster or destroy an act. It's unfortunate that the flip side of Buddy's comic face is a viciously cruel streak. Distanced from his daughter and with Stan's need to move on, the contemporary segments are tinged with tragedy. They're assisted immeasurably by some impressive old-age make-up (which so often fails), transforming Crystal into an unrecognisable cantankerous creature. The gags come thick and fast; there are numerous cameos and the good-natured tone of the movie make it universally appealing. If only more acts from Saturday Night Live had been handled as well. On the DVD: Mr. Saturday Night is a standard transfer with no frills in 4:3 and stereo. The extras package offers a series of mini-interviews that are interesting in themselves, but inexplicably repeated in the accompanying five-minute featurette. --Paul Tonks
The Dark Knight arrives with tremendous hype (best superhero movie ever? posthumous Oscar for Heath Ledger?), and incredibly, it lives up to all of it. But calling it the best superhero movie ever seems like faint praise, since part of what makes the movie great--in addition to pitch-perfect casting, outstanding writing, and a compelling vision--is that it bypasses the normal fantasy element of the superhero genre and makes it all terrifyingly real. Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) is Gotham City's new district attorney, charged with cleaning up the crime rings that have paralysed the city. He enters an uneasy alliance with the young police lieutenant, Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman), and Batman (Christian Bale), the caped vigilante who seems to trust only Gordon--and whom only Gordon seems to trust. They make progress until a psychotic and deadly new player enters the game: the Joker (Heath Ledger), who offers the crime bosses a solution--kill the Batman. Further complicating matters is that Dent is now dating Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal, after Katie Holmes turned down the chance to reprise her role), the longtime love of Batman's alter ego, Bruce Wayne. In his last completed role before his tragic death, Ledger is fantastic as the Joker, a volcanic, truly frightening force of evil. And he sets the tone of the movie: the world is a dark, dangerous place where there are no easy choices. Eckhart and Oldman also shine, but as good as Bale is, his character turns out rather bland in comparison (not uncommon for heroes facing more colorful villains). Director/co-writer Christopher Nolan (Memento) follows his critically acclaimed Batman Begins with an even better sequel that sets itself apart from notable superhero movies like Spider-Man 2 and Iron Man because of its sheer emotional impact and striking sense of realism--there are no suspension-of-disbelief superpowers here. At 152 minutes, it's a shade too long, and it's much too intense for kids. But for most movie fans--and not just superhero fans--The Dark Knight is a film for the ages. --David Horiuchi
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