"Actor: Murphy"

• Doctor Dolittle / Doctor Dolittle 2 | DVD | (21/03/2005) from £9.43   |  Saving you £6.56 (69.57%)   |  RRP £15.99

  Doctor Dolittle Betty Thomas directs and Eddie Murphy stars in Doctor Dolittle, the 1998 hit film which, while ostensibly aimed at children, has a high quotient of hip and even mildly gross humour. Murphy stars as John Dolittle, whom we see as a child talking to a neighbourhood dog who explains that the reason mutts sniff each others' butts is to assess their characters when first meeting them. Little John promptly tries this out on being introduced to his school principal. Warned off such social eccentricity, Dolittle stops talking to animals and as an adult becomes a respectable doctor running his own medical practice--until a bump on the head revives his capacity to understand animals, whereupon mayhem, mortification and a menagerie of needy and freeloading creatures are heaped upon his ordered existence. Murphy plays it relatively straight. It's the animals, some of them vividly enhanced by Jim Henson's animating team, who provide the real laughs here, and a thoroughly worldly, wisecracking bunch of characters they prove to be. There's a couple of hard-boiled, squabbling rats, a pigeon who complains of impotence, Rocky the guinea pig (voiced by Chris Rock) with a neat line in hip backchat, while Albert Brooks voices the gruff, melancholy tiger whose life Dolittle must try to save. A sweet but by no means saccharine comedy. --David Stubbs Dr Dolittle 2It's only a marginal improvement, but Dr Dolittle 2 defies the odds by rising above its popular 1998 predecessor (and once again, let's not confuse these movies with the earlier Rex Harrison musical). Eddie Murphy plays the title role with ease and with the confident professionalism of a comedian who knows when to share the spotlight--especially when he's being upstaged by a bunch of animals who steal all the punch lines. And once again the film is aimed at a pre-teen audience: so many of those punch lines involve flatulence, bodily functions and frequent use of the word "butt". The difference this time is that Dr Dolittle has settled into his talk-to-the-animals routine; his 16-year-old daughter (Raven-Symone) is getting to be a feisty handful (it turns out she's coping with a hereditary gift); and his lawyer wife (Kristen Wilson) is representing him in a trial against corporate villains who want to clear-cut a local forest. Naturally, the local critter mafia (their Don is a beaver... fuggeddaboudit!) want Dolittle to fight for their cause, and this involves the successful mating of an endangered bear and a domesticated circus bear who's forgotten all the bear necessities of life in the wild. The bears are voiced by Lisa Kudrow and Steve Zahn and they almost steal the show, but the whole menagerie (with digitally animated "talking") is equally amusing. Adults might wish that the filmmakers had tried harder to make a truly memorable sequel, but this is a movie for kids, and they're going to love it without quibbling. --Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com

• Eddie Murphy Box Set - Trading Places / Coming To America | DVD | (20/10/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Eddie Murphy's 1988 vehicle Coming to America was probably the point at which his status as a mainstream big-screen comedian finally gelled, following the highly successful 48 Hours pairing with Nick Nolte. Never mind the hackneyed storyline: under John Landis's tight direction, he turns in a star performance (and several brilliant cameos) that is disciplined and extremely funny. Murphy plays an African prince who comes to New York officially to sow his wild oats. Privately, he is seeking a bride he can marry for love rather than one chosen by his parents. With his companion (Arsenio Hall, who pushes Murphy all the way in the comedy stakes), he settles in the borough of Queens and takes a job in a hamburger joint. A succession of hilarious satire-barbed adventures ensue, plus the required romantic conclusion. The script is crammed with ripe one-liners , but "Freeze, you diseased rhinoceros pizzle" has to be the most devastating hold-up line of all time. Film buffs will appreciate a brief appearance by Don Ameche as a down-and-out, but this is Murphy's film and he generates warmth enough to convert the most ambivalent viewer. On the DVD: The only--rather pointless--extra on offer is the original theatrical trailer which adds nothing apart from a rapid recap of the story. But the 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen presentation (the picture quality is diamond sharp) and Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack recreate the original authentic cinematic experience. The choreography of 1980s pop diva Paula Abdul in the lavish wedding scenes and Nile Rodgers' pounding musical score are the main beneficiaries. --Piers Ford

• Anna UHD BD | Blu Ray | (04/11/2019) from £15.00   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  An assassin caught between the KGB and the CIA plays the two against each other in an attempt to reclaim her life in ANNA; a sophisticated and satisfying action-thriller written and directed by Luc Besson.ANNA POLIATOVA (Sasha Luss) is discovered by a modeling scout while selling tchotchkes at a craft market and is whisked off to Paris where she becomes an instant sensation in the fashion world. But behind her exquisite exterior, Anna has a deadly secret - she is a KGB-trained assassin. Recruited after her abusive, thieving boyfriend is killed by agent ALEXEI TCHENKOV (Luke Evans), she was given a choice: spend five years as a Soviet operative or join her late lover.Using her striking looks to gain access to her targets, Anna becomes a top asset for her handler, OLGA (Helen Mirren), but as the end of her five-year agreement comes closer, she learns the KGB has no intention of honoring it. When CIA agent LENNY MILLER (Cillian Murphy) tries to force her to work as a double agent, Anna hatches a plan that could free her from both - or get her killed. Knowing that each of her contacts is prepared to betray her, setting the two against each other will require every bit of her brains, her sex appeal and her assassin's skills to succeed.Startling plot twists, breath-taking action and unexpected double crosses propel a smart, stylish espionage thriller set in the glittering world of high fashion.

• Philomena | Blu Ray | (24/03/2014) from £14.83   |  Saving you £10.16 (68.51%)   |  RRP £24.99

  Falling pregnant as a teenager in Ireland in 1952 Philomena (Judi Dench) was sent to the convent of Roscrea to be looked after as a fallen woman. When her baby was only a toddler he was taken away by the nuns for adoption in America. Philomena spent the next fifty years searching for him but with no success.Then she met Martin Sixsmith (Steve Coogan) a world-weary political journalist who happened to be intrigued by her story. Together they set off to America on a journey that would not only reveal the extraordinary story of Philomena’s son but also create an unexpectedly close bond between Philomena and Martin.The film is a compelling narrative of human love and loss that ultimately celebrates life showing that there is laughter even in the darkest places.

• Dreamgirls Collector's Edition | DVD | (28/05/2007) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £22.99

  Based on the Broadway musical, a trio of black female soul singers cross over to the pop charts in the early 1960's.

• Holy Man | DVD | (22/01/2001) from £9.99   |  Saving you £5.00 (50.05%)   |  RRP £14.99

  Holy Man could have been a stellar satire in the tradition of Frank Capra, George Stevens, or Preston Sturges. Instead, this well-meaning romantic comedy was bluntly written by Tom Schulman (Dead Poets Society) and broadly directed by Stephen Herek, who fared better with his 1995 drama Mr. Holland's Opus. Their good intentions shine through, however, and while it's easy to appreciate Eddie Murphy's attempt to shift his career in a more substantial direction, Holy Man delivers some pointed criticism of commercialism and its deadening effect on spiritual well-being. Murphy plays an enlightened eccentric named "G" (for "guru" or "God"?) who rises to national celebrity when he's enlisted to host a TV shopping network. Jeff Goldblum and Kelly Preston play the show's producer and marketer, respectively, and their formulaic romance provides the movie's lackluster subplot. With skyrocketing ratings and a flurry of cameos by celebrity hucksters (Morgan Fairchild, Florence Henderson, Dan Marino, and even James Brown), G delivers preachy platitudes urging America to stop buying and embrace the finer values of life and love (a hollow message coming from Disney, the most conspicuously commercial of all major Hollywood studios). To its credit, Holy Man occasionally achieves a delicate balance of comedy and commentary, and receptive viewers will be grateful, at a time when crude comedies rule the box office, that someone bothered to try. For that reason, this flawed movie deserves to be seen. --Jeff Shannon

• Inception | Blu Ray | (07/12/2020) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Acclaimed filmmaker Christopher Nolan directs an international cast in this sci-fi actioner that travels around the globe and into the world of dreams. Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) is the best there is at extraction: stealing valuable secrets inside the subconscious during the mind's vulnerable dream state. His skill has made him a coveted player in industrial espionage but also has made him a fugitive and cost him dearly. Now he may get a second chance if he can do the impossible: inception, planting an idea rather than stealing one. If they succeed, Cobb and his team could pull off the perfect crime. But no planning or expertise can prepare them for a dangerous enemy that seems to predict their every move. An enemy only Cobb could have seen coming. SPECIAL FEATURES EXTRACTION MODE Infiltrate the Movie's Imaginative Landscape to Learn How Christopher Nolan, Leonardo DiCaprio and the Cast and Crew Designed and Achieved the Film's Signature Moments DREAMS: CINEMA OF THE SUBCONSCIOUS Can the Dream World Be a Fully Functional Parallel Reality? Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Leading Scientists Take You to the Cutting Edge of Dream Research INCEPTION: THE COBOL JOB Comic Prologue in Full Animation and Motion: See the Events That Led to the Beginning of the Movie 5.1 Soundtrack Selections From Hans Zimmer's Versatile Score

• Column South | DVD | (19/05/2007) from £10.35   |  Saving you £-0.36 (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  With America slipping inexorably towards civil war Captain Whitlock (Robert Sterling) has assumed command of a New Mexico army post situated near to a tribe on Navajo Indians. His second in charge Lieut. Sayre (Audie Murphy) is a childhood friend of Navajo Chief Menguito and has maintained peaceful relations in the area...until now. Duped by warmongering Confederate sympathisers intent on provoking the Navajos Lieut. Sayre now finds himself fighting his once close friend. He must uncover the truth and expose those responsible for the charade before Meguito's braves collide with the U.S. Cavalry in all-out war.

• Shrek Forever After - Double Play (Blu-ray + DVD) | Blu Ray | (06/12/2010) from £8.88   |  Saving you £16.11 (181.42%)   |  RRP £24.99

  Shrek Forever After delivers laughs, life lessons, and a striking picture of the realities of parenthood in this surprisingly good, fourth Shrek film. Like the original film, this fractured fairytale works because of the humour--it pokes fun at the whole fairytale genre on a multitude of intellectual levels while simultaneously offering visual humour that's appealing to all ages. After a frantic flip through a tongue-in-cheek fairytale book of the first three Shrek films, the scene opens on a beaming Shrek and Fiona as they awaken to a chorus of their noisy children standing at the foot of the bed, and it follows them through a typically hectic day of feeding, diapering, and caring for their children until they collapse into a satisfied heap at the end of the day. One of the funniest bits in the film, at least for adults, is how this scene repeats, faster and faster and in smaller and smaller excerpts, until Shrek's look of bliss slowly turns into a pained, midlife-crisis expression that screams "Help me, I'm trapped in this domestic purgatory and there's no escape in sight." As in any good fairytale, the protagonist's chance for escape comes in the form of a deal with the devil, in this case Rumpelstiltskin. Following in the footsteps of the classic film It's a Wonderful Life, Shrek is granted the opportunity to spend a day in an alternate reality in which he is the independent, terrifying ogre he once was. Of course, the deal carries some very serious, unintended consequences, and Shrek's day of freedom may just cost him Fiona, the children, and even his very existence. Mike Meyers and Cameron Diaz are once again stellar as the voices of Shrek and Fiona; Antonio Banderas is still all swagger despite Puss-in-Boots' now-portly figure and thoroughly domesticated ways; Eddie Murphy remains just as hilarious as in the first film as Donkey, who in this story doesn't recognize Shrek and can't fathom the possibility of a donkey and an ogre becoming friends; and Walt Dohrn is an extremely effective newcomer as the voice of Rumpelstiltskin. Other key players are the Pied Piper, with his new, tricked-out flute; a mob of broom-riding, jack-o'-lantern-throwing witches; an overgrown white goose; and a whole resistance movement of ogres under the command of a most unexpected leader. The battles are fierce and the lesson powerful: learn to appreciate what you've got. While 3-D digital is always nice, most viewers will completely forget that the film is in 3-D after the initial scene, and it will view just as well in the traditional format. --Tami Horiuchi

• A Time for Dying (UK Limited Edition) | Blu Ray | (21/03/2022) from £15.00   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  The final western from one of the genre's greatest directors, Budd Boetticher (Ride Lonesome), and the last screen appearance of war hero-turned-movie star Audie Murphy (To Hell and Back), A Time for Dying is an offbeat, elegiac look at the Old West, prefiguring Don Siegel's classic western, and John Wayne's final picture, The Shootist. Richard Lapp stars as a young man with fine shooting skills who crosses paths with real-life figures, such as Jesse James (played by Murphy) and Judge Roy Bean (Victor Jory), and discovers the true violence of the West. Beset by post-production and distribution problems, A Time for Dying is overdue the recognition it deserves. This world Blu-ray debut, featuring an all-new restoration and a host of insightful extras, will finally enable the film to find its rightful audience. Extras New restoration from a 2K scan of the original negative by Powerhouse Films Original mono audio Audio commentary with western experts C Courtney Joyner and Henry Parke (2022) Appreciation by filmmaker and author Christopher Petit (2022) Just Like Jesse James (2022): Kim Newman, author of Wild West Movies, discusses the many film portrayals of the famed outlaw New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing Limited edition exclusive booklet with a new essay by Paul Duane, archival interviews with Budd Boetticher and Audie Murphy, and film credits World premiere on Blu-ray Limited edition of 2,000 copies for the US All extras subject to change

• Metro | DVD | (22/01/2001) from £7.48   |  Saving you £7.51 (100.40%)   |  RRP £14.99

  Another Eddie Murphy action vehicle that pales in comparison to hits like Beverly Hills Cop, this standard cop-movie fare still manages to be engaging on the strength of Murphy's ease in front of a camera. Murphy plays an unorthodox hostage negotiator for the San Francisco Police Department on the trail of the criminal who killed his partner. Paired up with a bright new trainee played by Michael Rapaport (Beautiful Girls, Mighty Aphrodite), Murphy uses both his skills and his anger to hunt down the killer. A competent action movie, there are some standout moments such as a car chase culminating in a cable car shoot-out on the streets of San Francisco, and Michael Wincott's (The Crow) frightening performance as the villain. Metro offers up a standard action vehicle for Murphy to showcase his charm, as well as a moderate entertainment with some memorable moments. --Robert Lane

• Drive | DVD | (02/06/2003) from £8.67   |  Saving you £-2.68 (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  Drive takes the standard American mismatched-buddies action comedy formula and turbo-charges it with furious Hong Kong wirework and martial arts. The result is a three-and-a-half million dollar "B" picture which looks like it cost 10 times more. The perfunctory story crosses Universal Solider (1992) with Rush Hour (1997) as a biologically enhanced Mark Dacascos flees a small army of Hong Kong assassins through California, teaming up with comedian Kadeem Hardison and delivering an almost unbelievable amount of bang per buck. Director Steve Wang stages the action with flair and clarity, the stunts, wirework and fights being exceptionally well-choreographed and shot. With Hardison's patter, two offbeat redneck assassins and a TV show about a frog with Einstein's brain there's abundant surprisingly genial humour, aided by Brittany Murphy's ditzy performance as a Twin Peaks-like teenager with hormones in overdrive. The cyborg aspect simply justifies the superhuman combat, but nevertheless a huge showdown in a retro-space age club is clearly styled after the "Tech Noir" bar sequence in The Terminator (1984), adding motorcycle killersstraight out of Rollerball (1975). Drive captures the rush of Hong Kong action movies yet almost has the feel of a musical, the mayhem replacing song and dance and offering more popcorn entertainment than many a bloated summer blockbuster.On the DVD: For such a low budget movie the 2.35:1 anamorphically enhanced image puts many far bigger features to shame, being pin-sharp throughout, with strong and accurate colours and minimal grain. The Dolby Digital 5.1 sound is equally strong, with sound-effects and music both having considerable impact, explosions ripping thorough the room like the latest Arnie shoot 'em up. There is a 47-minute retrospective documentary which is particularly interesting on the way the film was cut and restored for American release--this DVD presenting the director's cut which runs over 16 minutes longer than the US version. Six deleted/extended scenes are presented in a variety of formats, and it's easy to see why they were deleted. Also included are the original theatrical trailer, three photo galleries, cast and crew biographies and interview galleries with director Steve Wang and four of the main stars totalling about 20 minutes of material. The informative commentary track has Wang, Dacascos, Hardison and stunt co-ordinator Koichi Sakamoto revelling in their sheer enthusiasm for the movie and for Hong Kong action in general. --Gary S Dalkin

• Alias Smith And Jones - Series 1 - Complete | DVD | (11/06/2007) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £29.99

  Two troublesome bandits Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry are offered amnesty in return for their good behaviour but instead don the disguises of Smith and Jones in an attempt to continue their non-violent crimes and keep one step ahead of the law. Episodes Comprise: 1. Alias Smith & Jones 2. The McCreedy Bust 3. Exit from Wickenburg 4. Wrong Train to Brimstone 5. The Girl in Boxcar #3 6. The Great Shell Game 7. Return to Devil's Hole 8. A Fistful of Diamonds 9. Stagecoach Seven 10. The Man Who Murdered Himself 11. The Fifth Victim 12. The Root of It All 13. Journey from San Juan 14. Never Trust an Honest Man 15. The Legacy of Charlie O'Rourke

• Disco Pigs | DVD | (25/02/2002) from £6.59   |  Saving you £13.40 (203.34%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Pig and Runt were born moments apart in the same hospital and except for blood are twins. They grow up together and have equal appetites for recklessness and destruction. Just before their seventeenth birthdays Pig's behaviour threatens the private world they have spent a lifetime building. Their special relationship is stretched to breaking point and the survival of one of them depends upon which one can break free.

• Wagner: Parsifal | DVD | (14/10/2002) from £18.65   |  Saving you £3.34 (17.91%)   |  RRP £21.99

  A performance of Wagner's opera 'Parsifal' featuring the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus. Conducted by James Levine. The action takes place in the Middle Ages. At the castle of Monsalvat cut off from the rest of the world the brotherhood of Grail Knights guards the chalice in which the blood of the crucified Saviour had once been caught. In an effort to seize possession of the Grail Klingsor a powerful magician has established his realm at the foot of the mountain peop

• Jade | DVD | (06/11/2000) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  Money sex power. They're all part of this crisp stylish suspense thriller from the director of The French Connection and the screenwriter of Basic Instinct. David Caruso plays Corelli a D.A. up to his neck in a case that may lead where he doesn't want to go. Chazz Palminteri portrays Matt a prominent attorney local power broker and Corelli's longtime pal. Linda Fiorentino is Matt's wife Trina a clinical psychologist who's bold uninhibited and capable of anything - maybe even m

• Joe Butterfly | DVD | (06/06/2016) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  In this war-era comedy, a ragtag band of journalists working for a military magazine have three days to put together an issue and, faced with too few stories and too little time, the gang turns to a shady character for help. At the end of the Second World War, the editor of the famed army weekly Yank magazine (Golden Globe-winner George Nader, Four Guns to the Border) flies across the Pacific with his staff to document life in post-war Japan. Handed an impossibly tight deadline, they head to Tokyo's black market to search for story ideas, where they stumble upon underworld con-artist Joe Butterfly (Oscar-nominee Burgess Meredith, Rocky). Butterfly offers the Yank staff an alternative to their run-down offices, setting them up in a plush, private mansion but the new headquarters, frequented by a few local ladies, are seriously against regulations. As the Yank staffers one played by war hero and Hollywood legend Audie Murphy (To Hell and Back), among others scramble to put together an issue, the sticky situation they find themselves in grows increasingly absurd, and laughs abound.

• Broken | DVD | (08/07/2013) from £6.00   |  Saving you £11.99 (199.83%)   |  RRP £17.99

  From acclaimed director Rufus Norris comes BROKEN, a powerful, captivating and heartbreaking exploration of love in all its many forms: idealised, unrequited, and, ultimately, unconditional.

• You'll Like My Mother | Blu Ray | (24/07/2023) from £13.00   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Oscar® winner* Patty Duke stars in the tense and claustrophobic psychological thriller, You'll Like My Mother. When her husband is killed in Vietnam, Francesca Kinsolving (Duke) finds herself alone...and pregnant. She makes her way to Minnesota in order to meet her late husband's mother, certain that she'll be greeted with open arms. But Francesca soon discovers that there may be more to the Kinsolving family than she ever imagined...and that this simple family reunion is only the beginning of a waking nightmare. Rosemary Murphy (To Kill A Mockingbird), Richard Thomas (The Waltons), and Sian Barbara Allen (who was nominated for a Golden Globe® for her performance) also star in this intriguing, tautly directed thriller [that delivers] a high level of terror and tension (TV Guide)!

• The Danny Boyle Collection | Blu Ray | (06/06/2011) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £44.99

  127 Hours 127 hours tells the incredibly inspiring true story of Aron Ralston (James Franco), a thrill seeking adventurist who, on a spontaneous hike to Blue John Canyon in Utah became trapped in a canyon after a boulder became dislodged and crushed his arm against the wall. Now trapped in a canyon with no phone, a minimal amount of water and no one else around, Aron had to come to terms with the fact that he would probably die alone in the canyon. As Aron became delusional from the lack of water and food he started to examine his life and soon started to realise that his only way out would be to amputate his own arm, but could he do it?Academy Award winner Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire, Trainspotting) brings this dramatic tale of one man’s desperate fight for survival in a situation he never saw possible to escape from. Sunshine It is the year 2057, the sun is dying and mankind faces extinction. Earth's last hope rests with a courageous crew of eight men and women on a mission to ignite the fading star with a massive nuclear weapon. Deep into their voyage, out of radio contact with Earth, their mission begins to unravel and they find themselves fighting not only for their lives, but for the future of us all. Slumdog Millionaire Today is the biggest day in Jamal Malik's life. A Penniless, eighteen year-old orphan from the slums of Mumbai, he's one question away from winning a staggering 20 million rupees on India's Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? But when the show breaks for the night, suddenly, he is arrested on suspicion of cheating. After all, how could an uneducated street kid possibly know so much?Determined to get to the bottom of Jamal's story, the jaded Police Inspector spends the night probing Jamal's incredible past, from his riveting tales of the slums where he and his brother Salim survived by their wits to his hair-raising encounters with local gangs to his heartbreak over Latika, the unforgettable girl he loved and lost. Each chapter of Jamal's increasingly layered story reveals where he learned the answers to the show's seemingly impossible quizzes. But one question remains a mystery: what is this young man with no apparent desire for riches really doing on the game show?When the new day dawns and Jamal returns to answer the final question, the Inspector and sixty million viewers are about to find out... The result is the sweeping, stylish, intoxicatingly human experience of Slumdog Milliomaire, the new film from acclaimed director Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, Shallow Grave, Millions, 28 Days Later, Sunshine). Part exhilarating love story, part eye-catching journey into the underbelly of the so-called maximum city of Mumbai, part stirring tale of an Everyman's triumph against a harsh, cynical world, Slumdog Millionaire is a visceral, action-packed Dickensian epic for the 21st Century. At the heart of its exhuberant storytelling lies the the intriguing question of how anyone comes to know the things they know about life and love. 28 Days Later A powerful virus is unleashed on the British public following a raid on a primate research facility by animal rights activists. Transmitted in a drop of blood and devastating within seconds, the virus locks those infected into a permanent murderous rage. Within 28 days the country is overwhelmed and a handful of survivors begin their attempt to salvage a future: little realising that the deadly virus is not the only thing that threatens them.