Fall Of The Eagles is a stunning BBC dramatisation of the declining years and final collapse of three of the most powerful European dynasties - the Hapsburgs Romanovs and Hohanzollerns - between the mid 19th century and the end of the First World War. The series focuses on the tempestuous reigns of Emperor Franz Josef of Austria-Hungary Tsar Nicholas II of Russia and Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany...
After the confidence of the previous two years, the fifth season of Star Trek: The Next Generation too often disappointed by not seeing a good idea through to the end. Denise Crosby was swept back under the carpet in the Klingon soap opener ("Redemption Part II"). No one could make the prospect of Deep Space 9 attractive enough to Michelle Forbes, so her fantastic performance as "Ensign Ro" seems wasted in retrospect. And no one could re-schedule for Robin Williams to guest star, so we had Matt Frewer instead ("A Matter of Time"). Of all stories to use Leonard Nimoy in, "Unification" wallowed in Romulan politics instead of anything emotionally engaging. Gene Roddenberry wanted to introduce a gay character, but mere months after his death all we got was the trite "The Outcast". This was inarguably where the rot set in, without The Great Bird overseeing what was going on. Worst of all, his hard-as-nails bad guys The Borg were given a touchy-feely side ("I, Borg"). But scattered in-between were some of the very best of all 178 shows. "Darmok" had the feel of a Classic Trek episode, dealing with language as metaphor. "The First Duty" challenged Wesley Crusher's loyalties. Best of all was the painfully melancholy "The Inner Light", in which Picard experiences an alternate lifetime. There were great guest stars: Paul Winfield, Ashley Judd, Kelsey Grammar, Famke Janssen, and Jerry Hardin. As always there were contributions from Q, Lwaxana and Barclay too. Fans and critics now appreciate that behind-the-scenes focus had shifted from The Next Generation to the next spin-off, and it would never fully return. --Paul Tonks
Season 4 of Star Trek: The Next Generation seemed like the year of the family. After quickly resolving the breathtaking cliffhanger of "The Best of Both Worlds", the show took pains to show some of what the Federation was fighting for. We meet Picard's brother, Data's father, Tasha's sister and Worf's adoptive human parents, plus an old flame with a surprise son in tow. The Klingon heritage sub-plot that begins here and builds to the cliffhanger finale ("Redemption") would continue to the show's end and through into Worf' reappearance in Deep Space Nine. The year also explored the implications of Data, Lwaxana Troi, Geordi and Dr Crusher being in love, while Miles O'Brien (given a first name at last) married Keiko. There were old friends revisited: the ubiquitous Q in a hilarious Robin Hood romp ("Qpid"), perennial screw-up Reg Barclay ("Nth Degree") and even the mysterious Traveller from Season One's "Where No One Has Gone Before" (played by the actor who was nearly cast as Data). There were new races introduced who would have an important bearing on Trek's destiny: the Cardassians and the Trill. Most of all, though, there were the one-off stories that impressed: "Clues", with its memory-loss mystery; "Night Terrors", with some genuine frights; and "Identity Crisis", with possibly the only time Trek technology really helped Geordi solve a puzzle. Then right at the end, reinforcing the year's familial theme, Denise Crosby returned as her own half-Romulan daughter. --Paul Tonks
The seventh and final season of Star Trek: The Next Generation will always remain a curiosity in TV SF history. Despite the end being definite, despite Deep Space Nine taking over, despite knowing there'd be a movie six months after the series' end, and despite Babylon 5 starting that year with its pre-determined story arc, there is nothing here to suggest things were coming to a close. Wesley finally gets dispatched ("Journey's End"), but everyone was waiting for that anyway. Some continuity was attempted, such as a sequel to Season 1's "The Battle" ("Bloodlines"), Alexander following the Klingon soap saga through ("Firstborn"), the Maquis and the Cardassians being mentioned several times and final instalments being provided for Lwaxana Troi, Barclay, Lore, Guinan and Ro Laren. None of this brings any form of resolution, however. The one-off storylines seem to throw out ideas that beg for development. "Force of Nature" suggests frequent high-warp travel is damaging the very fabric of space-time. "Parallels" has Worf experiencing multiple realities including one where The Borg won at Wolf 359. "Lower Decks" finally introduces some secondary crew from the more than a thousand supposedly supporting Picard and co. There are even hints at some romance at long last between Dr Crusher and Picard as well as Worf and Troi. In the long run, even after terrific guest spots from Trek alumni Armin Shimerman and Robin Curtis, or from Paul Sorvino and Kirsten Dunst, there's one thing for which the final year is remembered: "All Good Things..." is a near-perfect denouement for the show. With terrific production values and FX, not to mention standout performances from all concerned, it was an amazing surprise to have Q suggest there'd been a story arc right from the get-go. If only this final script had been fully conceived earlier on, The Next Generation might not have been overshadowed by the glut of TV SF that followed in its wake. --Paul Tonks
X-Men: Born into a world filled with prejudice are children who possess extraordinary and dangerous powers - the result of unique genetic mutations. Cyclops unleashes bolts of energy from his eyes. Storm can manipulate the weather at will. Rogue absorbs the life force of anyone she touches. But under the tutelage of Professor Xavier (Patrick Stewart) these and other outcasts learn to harness their powers for the good of mankind. Now they must protect those who fear them as the nefarious Magneto (Ian McKellen) who believes humans and mutants can never co-exist unveils his sinister plan for the future... X-Men 2: The X-Men have to band together to find a mutant assassin who has made an attempt on the President's life while the Mutant Academy at Westchester is attacked by military forces prompting some uncomfortable home truths for Wolverine...
Surprisingly light-hearted and witty, Paul Rudnick's Jeffrey (based on his off-Broadway play) was one of the first films to tackle the AIDS crisis without patting itself on the back or offering everything up in a sobering movie-of-the-week scenario. The titular Jeffrey (Steven Weber) is a happy-go-lucky gay man who suddenly comes face to face with the fact that AIDS has turned sex into something "radioactive". Paranoid in the extreme, he vows to become celibate--at just about the same time that hunky Steve (The Pretender's Michael T. Weiss) saunters into his life, eyes twinkling and hormones raging. The only problem is that Steve, for all his muscles and charm, is HIV-positive, thus setting Jeffrey's deepest fears into motion. When it was written in 1995, Jeffrey struck a nerve in mining the fear that a number of gay men felt during the height of the AIDS crisis. Even just a few years later, though, Jeffrey's paranoia (what, he's never heard of condoms?) seems dated, and his behaviour more self-damaging than self-aware--basically, he needs a slap upside the head as opposed to therapy. Still, Rudnick (who went on to pen the more mainstream In and Out) is never one to pass up a witty one-liner or an opportunity to poke fun at anyone, and Jeffrey now stands as a hilarious, sometimes poignant portrait of gay single life and the perils of dating in a paranoid time. Weber's Jeffrey is simultaneously open to the possibilities of life and fearful to embrace them, and Weiss is, well... gorgeous and funny and sexy beyond belief. Still, it's Patrick Stewart, as Jeffrey's interior decorator best friend, who effortlessly steals the film with his cutting wit; in his mouth, Rudnick's lines are priceless gems. With a host of amazing cameos, including Sigourney Weaver as a conceited New Age maven, Kathy Najimy as her sad-sack follower, Christine Baranski as a high-society hostess for a roundup-themed charity dinner, and a top-form Nathan Lane as a gay priest who seems to have discovered the meaning of life--literally. --Mark Englehart, Amazon.com
Titles Comprise: Star Trek I: The Motion Picture: When an unidentified alien destroys three powerful Klingon cruisers Captain James T. Kirk returns to the newly transformed U.S.S. Enterprise to take command. Leonard Nimoy DeForest Kelley and the cast from the acclaimed original Star Trek televsion series mobilise at warp speed to stop the alien intruder from its relentless flight toward Earth. Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan: It is the 23rd century the Federation Starship U.S.S. Enterprise is on routine training manoeuvres and Khan is back! Aided by his exiled band of genetic supermen Khan - the brilliant renegade of 20th century Earth - is scheming to set a most deadly trap for his old enemy Kirk... with the threat of a universal Armageddon! Star Trek III: The Search For Spock: Admiral Kirk's defeat of Khan and the creation of the Genesis planet are empty victories. Spock is dead and McCoy is inexplicably being driven insane. Then a surprise visit from Sarek Spock's father provides a startling revelation: McCoy is harbouring Spock's living essence. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home: A mysterious alien power is threatening Earth by evaporating the oceans and destroying the atmosphere. In a frantic attempt to save mankind Kirk and his crew must time travel back to 1986 San Francisco where they find a world of punk pizza and exact-change buses that are as alien as anything they've ever encountered in the far reaches of the galaxy. Star Trek V: The Final Frontier: It's Stardate 8454.130 and a vacationing Captain Kirk faces two challenges: Climbing Yosemite's El Capitan and teaching campfire songs to Spock. But vacations are cut short when a renegade Vulcan hijacks the Enterprise and pilots it on a journey to uncover the universe's innermost secrets. Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country: After years at war the Federation and the Klingon empire prepare for a peace summit. But the prospect of intergalactic glasnost with sworn enemies is an alarming one to Admiral Kirk. When a Klingon ship is attacked and the Enterprise is held accountable the dogs of war are unleashed again as both worlds brace for what may be their final deadly encounter... Star Trek VII: Generations:: Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the crew of Enterprise-D rescue a physicist named Soran. Unbeknownst to Picard Soran harbors a deadly plan that includes the destruction of the Enterprise and millions of lives. Now Picard's only hope for a future rests within in the Nexus and a legendary captain from the past. Star Trek VIII: First Contact: They call themselves the Borg - a half-organic half machine collective with a sole purpose: to conquer and assimilate all races. Led by their seductive and sadistic queen the Borg are headed to Earth with a devious plan to alter history. Star Trek IX: Insurrection: From the beginning of the Federation the Prime Directive was clear: no Starfleet expedition may interfere with the natural development of other civilizations. But now Picard is confronted with orders that undermine that decree and must rebel against Starfleet to lead the insurrection to preserve Paradise. Star Trek X: Nemesis: Learning that the Romulans have undergone a political upheaval and their new Praetor Shinzon wants to discuss a peace treaty with the Federation Picard and his crew must investigate the situation and determine Shinzon's sincerity.
A homage to legendary star-ship Captain Jean Luc Picard - including a selection of his finest adventures with digitally re-mastered picture quality and Dolby digital sound. Allegiance: An alien replica of Picard puts the crew on a collision course with disaster! Captain's Holiday: Holiday Picard takes a break on pleasure world Risa but gets more than he bargained for... Darmok: The Enterprise meets with the Tamarians a race described as ""incomprehensib
The time has come for those who are different to stand united... The X-Men have to band together to find a mutant assassin who has made an attempt on the President's life, while the Mutant Academy at Westchester is attacked by military forces prompting some uncomfortable home truths for Wolverine...
The X-Men are back and this time it's war! Packed with explosive special features including deleted scenes stunt rehearsals and behind-the-scenes footage this Blu-ray edition is an in-depth powerful look at this epically entertaining X-Men adventure starring Hugh Jackman Halle Berry and Ian McKellen!
The evolutionary next step in explosive action spectaculars is here! Loaded with hours of special features including deleted/extended scenes, behind-the-scenes featurettes and more, this Blu-ray edition of the smart, sleek (Newsweek) and striking (Time Out London) first chapter in the X-Men saga has never been more powerful!
X-Men 2 picks up almost directly where X-Men left off: misguided super-villain Magneto (Ian McKellen) is still a prisoner of the US government, heroic bad-boy Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) is up in Canada investigating his mysterious origin, and the events at Liberty Island (which occurred at the conclusion of X-Men) have prompted a rethink in official policy towards mutants--the proposed Mutant Registration Act has been shelved by US Congress. Into this scenario pops wealthy former army commander William Stryker, a man with the President's ear and a personal vendetta against all mutant-kind in general, and the X-Men's leader Professor X (Patrick Stewart) in particular. Once he sets his plans in motion, the X-Men must team-up with their former enemies Magneto and Mystique (Rebecca Romjin-Stamos), as well as some new allies (including Alan Cumming's gregarious, blue-skinned German mutant, Nightcrawler). The phenomenal global success of X-Men meant that director Bryan Singer had even more money to spend on its sequel, and it shows. Not only is the script better (there's significantly less cheesy dialogue than the original), but the action and effects are also even more stupendous--from Nightcrawler's teleportation sequence through the White House to a thrilling aerial dogfight featuring mutants-vs-missiles to a military assault on the X-Men's school/headquarters to the final showdown at Stryker's sub-Arctic headquarters. Yet at no point do the effects overtake the film or the characters. Moreso than the original, this is an ensemble piece, allowing each character in its even-bigger cast at least one moment in the spotlight (in fact, the cast credits don't even run until the end of the film). And that, perhaps, is part of its problem (though it's a slight one): with so much going on, and nary a recap of what's come before, it's a film that could prove baffling to anyone who missed the first instalment. But that's just a minor quibble--X-Men 2 is that rare thing, a sequel that's actually superior to its predecessor. --Robert Burrow
With stunning action special effects this is an exhilarating retelling of the greatest sea-faring adventure classic of all time....
Standing out in the crowded field of screen adaptations of the classic Dickens novel A Christmas Carol is hard to do, but this version pulls it off. When a transparent Jacob Marley walks through Ebenezer Scrooge's apartment door, you know you're seeing something both timeless and contemporary. Other strategically placed special effects--a funnel cloud that transports Scrooge and the ghost of Christmas present, the hollow spectre of Christmas future--keep you riveted without slipping into anachronism. But, as good as the technology is, the performances are what really power this 93-minute television interpretation. Patrick Stewart brings a depth to Scrooge that allows the character to go beyond the cartoonish qualities that have made him a Christmas mainstay. That doesn't mean he's any less heartless with his hapless employee Bob Cratchit (Richard E. Grant) or any less dismissive of his well-meaning nephew. A frail-looking Joel Grey makes an excellent ghost of Christmas past, and a superb cast ably fill the remaining roles. Director David Jones, shooting on location in England and at Ealing Studios, has achieved a balance of science and sentiment that will help this version hold up for many years to come. --Kimberly Heinrichs
Joseph - King Of Dreams (Dir. Robert C. Ramirez 2000): This animated charmer is the biblical story of Joseph retold in fascinating bright colors and the magic of song. Joseph's amazing talent of foretelling the future as revealed to him in dreams lands him a job with the pharaoh of Egypt whom he protects from disaster. Soon however he is cast back into the presence of his jealous brothers who threw him out in the first place. Prince Of Egypt (Dirs. Brenda Chapman / Steve Hickner / Simon Wells 1999): An epic adventure and a milestone in cinematic achievement 'The Prince Of Egypt' has captivated movie audiences the world over becoming one of the top animated films of all time. Unparalleled artistry and powerful Academy Award - winning music bringing this beloved story to life as never before with unforgettable characters voiced by a roster of stars impressive as any ever assembled for a future film. This is the extraordinary tale of two brothers one born of royal blood one an orphan with a secret past. Growing up the best of friends they share a strong bond of free-spirited youth and good-natured rivalry. But the truth will ultimately set them at odds as one becomes the ruler of the most powerful empire on earth the other the chosen leader of his people. Their final confrontation will forever change their lives - and the world.
Whales lets you experience breathtaking close-up encounters with some of the largest mammals that ever lived. Follow Blue Whales Humpbacks Orcas Right Whales and even Dolphins for a stunning new perspective on these mysterious marine mammoths Whales resonates in an exploding panorama of colour and excitement. Acclaimed by critics as a can't miss film and a dazzling poetic experience.
The Snow Queen: The dark and complex tale of Hans Christian Andersen's The Snow Queen is brought to life in this stunning and magical mix of music and song animation and 'live' drama. The tale of how innocence and love in the shape of the heroine Gerda can overcome the evil power of their nemesis The Snow Queen takes us on a journey through the Enchanted Flower Garden on a flight through the Northern Lights and into the palace of the Snow Queen herself - a figure powerful enough to 'tie all the winds of the world together'. We meet talking flowers the helpful raven and reindeer the Finland woman and the Lapland woman a band of robbers and a whole royal family. And finally Gerda's tears bring the hero Kay back to warmth and life and Spring returns to the countryside. And all the while we are reminded that splinters of an ancient broken enchanted looking glass are in the air around us waiting to fly into an unsuspecting eye like Kay's and turn a good heart to a lump of ice - and a good person into a gift for the Snow Queen. The Lion The Witch And The Wardrobe: The first published and arguably best loved tale in C.S. Lewis' acclaimed ""Chronicles of Narnia"" 'The Lion The Witch And The Wardrobe' is the adventure-filled tale of two brothers and two sisters who cross through an enchanted wardrobe into the magical world of Narnia land of talking animals and mythical creatures. They discover that Narnia is under the evil power of the White Witch who brings eternal winter to the land. It is up to the children to join the noble lion Aslan and bring Springtime and happiness back to Narnia! The Box Of Delights: Based on the classic children's novel by John Masefield this tale follows the adventures of Kay Harker a young boy who finds himself lured into a world of fantasy and danger after a chance encounter with an old Punch and Judy man. A magical mix of animation and live-action this spectacular production is guaranteed to thrill the fantasies of children and adults alike. Seldom is a story so sophisticated as to draw its audience spellbound into a series of such enchanting adventures as those we share with young Kay Harker. As he travels home on the train for the Christmas holidays Kay Harker has the strangest feeling something very mysterious is about to happen... there is snow on the wind and wild dogs are roaming the countryside. Then a chance meeting with an old Punch and Judy man Cole Hawlins the guardian of the elixir of life and a shabby box of powers pulls Kay into an array of fantastic worlds where he encounters ancient heroes wolves Romans rats flashing rings and flying ponies. This memorable production was first shown just before Christmas 1984. The enchanting adventures and magical atmosphere hold fond memories for many and are sure to delight a new generation of children. Now available for the first time on DVD with a myriad of special features you can enjoy this very special production for years to come.
Travel to a time and place beyond your imagination with this definitive edition of David Lynch's epic sci-fi adventure Dune.Kyle Maclachlan heads an all-star cast (Sean Young, Patrick Stewart, Francesca Annis, Max Von Sydow, Sting) as Paul Atreides, an intergalactic warrior who leads his people into battle against the dreaded Harkonnens for control of the desert planet Arrakis, and it's most valuable asset: the spice Melange.
Star Trek 1 - The Motion Picture: Admiral James T. Kirk (William Shatner)is called upon to collect his old crewmates in order to save humanity from a giant hostile alien vessel steadily approaching Earth and destroying everything in its path. Star Trek 2 - The Wrath Of Khan: It is the 23rd century. The Federation Starship U.S.S. Enterprise is on routine training manoeuvres and Admiral James T. Kirk seems resigned to the fact that this inspection may well be the las
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