"Actor: Re Lee"

  • Bulworth [1999]Bulworth | DVD | (30/06/2003) from £8.22   |  Saving you £-2.23 (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

    Jay Bulworth is your typical senator going through a nervous breakdown. The empty speeches, lies, money and pressure have led him to plan his own assassination on a weekend trip home to California just before the election. However, a cord snaps in him and like Jim Carrey's rambling lawyer in Liar, Liar, Bulworth can only tell the truth. This new freedom turns Bulworth on and he spews the ugly truth about politics: he tells mass media they are as corrupt as insurance companies; lambastes a black church for not having leaders; and riles the Jewish power elite of Hollywood. He enters South Central running away from advisors (including a bemused Oliver Platt) and mixing it up with a potential new girlfriend (Halle Berry) and a local boss (Don Cheadle). He offends across the board, even developing an inherent knack to rap his speeches. And the public loves it. The weekend becomes a clarifying point for Bulworth: he finds a reason to live.Beatty's rude and relevant comedy is a one-joke movie but the joke is pretty good. It's a courageous film that is always sharp even though it loses narrative focus. Beatty's hilarious raps are so inspired they deserve repeated viewings. As usual, Beatty surrounds himself with a great crew, Ennio Morricone's music and Vittorio Storaro's cinematography being especially noteworthy. Beatty and Storaro even have the audacity to imitate two very famous photographs in the film's final seconds. The script by Beatty and Jeremy Pikser won the LA Film Critics award and was nominated for an Oscar. --Doug Thomas

  • Graham Green CollectionGraham Green Collection | DVD | (25/09/2006) from £24.28   |  Saving you £5.71 (23.52%)   |  RRP £29.99

    The Third Man (Dir. Carol Reed 1949): This classic noir mystery from the team of Carol Reed and Graham Greene is regarded to be the best filmwork of both of these extreme talents. 'The Third Man' features Joseph Cotten as Holly Martins a pulp novelist who has come to post-WWII Vienna with the promise of work from his friend Harry Lime (Orson Welles). When he finds that Lime has just been killed in a questionable car accident he decides to remain in the city to investigate his friend's mysterious death. 'The Third Man' is a masterpiece of melancholia featuring extraordinary writing acting and directing as well as a classic zither score by Anton Karas. Brighton Rock (Dir. John Boulting 1947): The elegant and respectable facade of Brighton hides a sinister underworld ruled by intimidation and terror. Richard Attenborough stars as Pinkie a ruthless and sadistic young criminal whose trail of killings and double crossings lead to his eventual downfall when savage justice is finally meted out in a thrilling and memorable climax... Fallen Idol (Dir. Carol Reed 1948): A lonely young boy is caught up in a sinister and intriguing murder-mystery in this classic British film based on a short story by Graham Greene and directed with great style by Carol Reed both of who received Academy Award nominations. It was the first film on which Greene and Reed collaborated and remains both a moving portrayal of lost innocence and a genuine classic of British cinema. Heart Of The Matter (Dir. George More O'Ferrall 1953): Adapted from Graham Greene's novel Trevor Howard stars as Harry Scobie an assistant police commisioner working in Sierra Leone during WWII. Harry finds himself drawn to Helen a survivor of a U-boat attack and whilst the cat is away he decides that he can no longer stay married. However his catholic union threatens the outcome of both relationships. Harry soon convinces himself that desperate measures need to be taken...

  • Gentleman's Agreement / Twelve O'Clock High / The Bravados / The Gunfighter [1947]Gentleman's Agreement / Twelve O'Clock High / The Bravados / The Gunfighter | DVD | (31/05/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £34.99

    Four classic Gregory Peck films are featured on this fantastic box set. Gentleman's Agreement: Director Elia Kazan and producer Darryl F. Zanuck caused a sensation with ""the most spellbinding story ever put on celluloid"" (Hollywood Reporter) recipient of three Academy Awards including Best Picture. One of the first films to directly tackle racial prejudice this acclaimed adaptation of Laura Z. Hobson's bestseller stars Gregory Peck as a journalist assigned to write a series

  • Heroes Season 3 [Blu-ray] [2008]Heroes Season 3 | Blu Ray | (12/10/2009) from £8.25   |  Saving you £51.74 (627.15%)   |  RRP £59.99

    Heroes is an action-packed US drama following the lives of ordinary people who discover they have extraordinary abilities. Their only destiny is to save the world. Experience all the explosive action and shocking twists as Heroes Season 3 comes to Blu-Ray! Re-discover the phenomenon in this 6-disc set that includes all 25 suspenseful episodes from the series-redefining third season's volumes Villains and Fugitives. Plus go behind the scenes with the show's writers stars and artists as you explore hours of exclusive and revealing bonus features. Follow your favourite heroes with the interactive Hero Connections. With just one click access interactive cast and crew interviews and behind-the-scenes footage using the Picture in Picture feature while you watch the episode. Access the BD-Live Centre online and download even more bonus content: the newest trailers on-set interviews exclusive events and much more!

  • James Bond Blu-Ray Collection Vol.1 [Blu-ray]James Bond Blu-Ray Collection Vol.1 | Blu Ray | (20/10/2008) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £89.99

    Titles Comprise: Dr. No (1962): Bond's mission takes him to the steamy island of Jamaica where mysterious energy waves are interfering with U.S. missile launches. As he unravels the astonishing truth Bond must fight deadly assassins sexy femme's fatales and even a poisonous tarantula. With the help of crack CIA agents Felix Lieter (Jack Lord) and the beautiful Honey Ryder (Ursula Andress) he searches for the headquarters of Dr. No who is implementing an evil plan of world domination. Only Bond with his combination of wit charm and skill can confront the madman and save the human race from a horrible fate. With breathtaking chases amazing stunts and a bold nerve-shattering climax this outrageously entertaining adventure pushes the envelope for non-stop thrills and magnificently sets the standard for the most popular movie series in film history. For Your Eyes Only (1981): When a British ship sinks in foreign waters the world's superpowers begin a feverish race to find its cargo: a nuclear submarine control system. And 007 (Roger Moore) is thrust into one of his most riveting adventures as he rushes to join the search...and prevent global devastation! From Russia With Love (1963): The evil organization SPECTRE has hatched a plan to steal a decoder that will access Russian state secrets and irrevocably unbalance the world order. It is up to James Bond to seize the device first but he must confront enemies that include Red Grant and the ruthless Rosa Klebb a former KGB agent with poison-tipped shoes. Even as Bond romances a stunning Soviet defector he realizes he is being lured into a deadly trap and he will need all of his courage abilities and cutting-edge technology to triumph over the forces that seek to destroy him. Die Another Day (2002): James Bond's mission begins with a spectacular high-speed hovercraft chase through a minefield in the demilitarized zone separating North and South Korea - and the action doesn't let up until the credits roll. From Hong Kong to Cuba to London Bond circles the world in his quest to unmask a traitor and prevent a war of catastrophic proportions. On his way he crosses paths with Jinx (Oscar '-winner Halle Berry) and Miranda Frost (Rosamund Pike) who will play vital roles in his latest adventure. Hot on the trail of deadly megalomaniac Gustav Graves (Toby Stephens) and his ruthless right-hand man Zao (Rick Yune) Bond travels to Iceland into the villain's lair: a palace built entirely of ice. There he experiences firsthand the power of a new hi-tech weapon. Ultimately it all leads to an explosive confrontation - and an unforgettable conclusion - back in Korea where it all started. Live And Let Die (1973): In Roger Moore's first outing as 007 he investigates the murders of three fellow agents he soon finds himself a target evading vicious assassins as he closes in on the powerful Kananga (Yaphet Kotto). Known on the streets as Mr Big Kananga is co-ordinating a globally threatening scheme using tons of self-produced heroin. As Bond tries to unravel the mastermind's plan he meets Solitaire (Jane Seymour) the beautiful Tarot card reader whose magical gifts are crucial to the crime lord. Bond of course works his own magic on her and the stage is set for a series of pulse-pounding action sequences involving voodoo hungry crocodiles and turbo-charged speedboats. Thunderball (1965): The thrills never stop as Agent 007 (Sean Connery) goes above the call of duty - and to the bottom of the ocean - to track down a villainous criminal who's holding millions hostage and threatening to plunge the world into a nuclear holocaust!

  • Once Upon A Time S1-S6 [Blu-ray] [Region Free]Once Upon A Time S1-S6 | Blu Ray | (16/10/2017) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

    Brace yourself for tests of faith, twists of fate and tantalising fantasy in ABC Studios' Once Upon a Time, Seasons 1-6. Welcome to Storybrooke: a mysterious town frozen in time and trapped in lost memories by an Evil Queen's terrible curse - until Saviour Emma Swan arrives to shatter the spell and vanquish the darkness. Prepare to meet the fairytale heroes and villains you thought you knew, only to discover flaws, fears, obsessions and passions that make them all too human. From Oz to Never Land, from Camelot to Agrabah; whether they thirst for absolute power or hunger for true love, their stories play out against a thrilling backdrop of action, suspense and powerful magic that's as real as life and death itself and always comes at a price. Immerse yourself in all six, riveting seasons - plus fascinating bonsu features - as you expereince the ultimate high-stakes saga of revenge and redemption that is Once Upon a Time. Features: Behind The Scenes Bloopers Audio Commentary Deleted Scenes

  • Anzio/Cockleshell Heroes/Night of the GeneralsAnzio/Cockleshell Heroes/Night of the Generals | DVD | (04/07/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £14.99

    Anzio (1968): Robert Mitchum Peter Falk and Arthur Kennedy star in the rivetting war drama Anzio a vivid portrait of one of the bloodiest WWII battles ever fought. After landing with Allied troops at Anzio Italy in 1944 war correspondent Dick Ennis (Mitchum) and buddy Corporal Rabinoff (Falk) tell Anzio commander General Lesley (Kennedy) that the road to Rome is wide open. But instead of heading to Rome Lesley attempts to build a coastal stronghold only to discover that the Germans have outflanked them by enclosing the Anzio beachhead. Four months and over 30 000 casualties later the Allied forces smash through the German lines and victoriously march to Rome. Directed by Edward Dmytryk Anzio is a powerful film and a symbol of heroic tenacity. Cockleshell Heroes (1955): In World War II Royal Marine Major Stringer (Jose Ferrer) and Captain Thompson (Trevor Howard) chose volunteers for an unknown job. They trained the volunteers intensively in top secrecy for more than a year and then embarked with them on the most dangerous mission of the war - the canoe invasion of an enemy-held French port for the purpose of blowing up the giant battleships. The ten ""canoe commandoes"" were carried to their jump-off point by submarine despite a depth-charge attack. Facing fantastic hazards they paddled 70 miles through enemy waters to complete their mission. But only two survivors would return... Night Of The Generals (1967): Five years after their triumphant teaming in Lawrence of Arabia Peter O'Toole and Omar Sharif reunited for this powerful World War II thriller about a Nazi General who becomes a serial killer. When a Polish prostitute is brutally murdered in Nazi-occupied Warsaw her killer is identified as a German General. The investigator Major Grau (Sharif) narrows the suspects to three Generals in the German high command: the heroic Tanz (O'Toole) the cynical Kahlenberge (Donald Pleasence) and the weak Von Seidlitz-Gabler (Charles Gray). For years the crime remains unsolved until the killer strikes again bringing this mesmerising mystery to its unforgettable finish. Also starring Christopher Plummer Tom Courtney Philippe Noiret and Joanna Pettet The Night Of The Generals is an all-star thriller from a master of the form.

  • You've Got Mail / Addicted To Love [1998]You've Got Mail / Addicted To Love | DVD | (21/03/2006) from £9.01   |  Saving you £1.98 (18.00%)   |  RRP £10.99

    You've Got Mail: A modern to modem romance in which a superstore book chain magnate (Hanks) and a cozy children's bookshop owner (Ryan) are anonymous e-mail cyberpals who fall head-over-laptops in love unaware they are combative business rivals! (Dir. Nora Ephron 1998 Cert. PG) Addicted To Love: What would you do if that special someone dumped you? After seeing the delightful 'Addicted to Love' the better question is what wouldn't you do? Meg Ryan and Matthew Brode

  • James Bond Ultimate Golden Triple Pack - Goldfinger/The Man With The Golden Gun/GoldeneyeJames Bond Ultimate Golden Triple Pack - Goldfinger/The Man With The Golden Gun/Goldeneye | DVD | (27/11/2006) from £9.98   |  Saving you £10.01 (100.30%)   |  RRP £19.99

    Goldfinger (Dir. Guy Hamilton 1964): Heralded as the best Bond movie thus far Goldfinger features some of the most iconic moments in the series to-date. Who could forget Oddjob and his killer hat; Shirley Eaton doused in gold; Or one of the greatest comeback lines in history? Special Agent 007 (Sean Connery) has just come face to face with one of the most notorious villains of all time. And now he'll have to outwit and outgun this powerful tycoon to prevent him form cashing in on a devious scheme to raid Fort Knox - and obliterate the world economy! The Man With The Golden Gun (Dir. Guy Hamilton 1974): James Bond (Roger Moore) may have met his match in Francisco Scaramanga (Christopher Lee) a world-renowned assassin whose weapon of choice is a distinctive gold pistol. When Scaramanga seizes the priceless Solex Agitator energy converter Agent 007 must recover the device and confront the trained killer in a heart-stopping duel to the death! Goldeneye (Dir. Martin Campbell 1995): James Bond is back in an adventure which is bigger better and more explosive than ever before. It's packed with incredible stunts glamorous locations beautiful women and fast cars! Bond has a dangerous new enemy to face in his deadly mission. Aided by the Russian underworld his treacherous foe has stolen a top-secret helicopter and the lethal Soviet space weapon ""GoldenEye"" with which he plans to obliterate the Western world.

  • Mystery Train [1989]Mystery Train | DVD | (28/04/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

    ""One of the year's strongest and most memorable features."" - Boxoffice After the critical triumphs of 'Stranger Than Paradise' and 'Down By Law' director Jim Jarmusch was called ""the most arresting filmmaker to surface in the American cinema"" by The New York Times. Mystery Train is a ""smart and curiously affecting"" (The Nation) comedy that is ""funny and thoroughly satisfying"" (The New York Times)! Named after an Elvis Presley hit Mystery Train interweaves three engrossing sto

  • Frankie Drake Mysteries Season 3 Blu-RayFrankie Drake Mysteries Season 3 Blu-Ray | Blu Ray | (06/04/2020) from £20.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

    The women of Frankie Drake Mysteries jump back in action for 10 more episodes of Season 3. Frankie Drake Mysteries stars Lauren Lee Smith (The Shape of Water, The Listener) as the private eye with a mysterious past, Frankie Drake; Chantel Riley (Wynonna Earp, Pearson) as Frankie's fearless and clever partner, Trudy Clarke; Rebecca Liddiard (Departure, Alias Grace) as keen police morality officer, Mary Shaw; and Sharron Matthews (Mean Girls, Odd Squad) as spirited morgue attendant, Flo Chakowitz. Returning guest stars include Wendy Crewson (The Detail, Slasher, Saving Hope) as Frankie's occasional-con-woman mother, Nora; and Grace Lynn Kung (Mary Kills People, The Carmilla Movie, Star Trek: Discovery) as café and speakeasy owner, Wendy Quon; new guest stars this season include Honeysuckle Weeks (Foyle's War, The Five) as Agatha Christie. Set in 1920s Toronto, Frankie Drake Mysteries follows the city's only female private detectives, Frankie Drake (Smith) and her partner Trudy Clarke (Riley) as they fight crime with the help of keen police morality officer Mary Shaw (Liddiard) and spirited morgue attendant Flo Chakowitz (Matthews). In a time of change and hopefulness, their gender is their biggest advantage as they defy expectations and rebel against convention. The Drake Private Detectives take on cases that explore every cross-section of Toronto, from gospel church choirs, bathing beauties and the early cinema scene, to the homes and private parties of the city's elite. Frankie and Trudy's fearless sense of adventure gets them into all kinds of trouble, but they always manage to find a way out. They are new detectives for a new world but is the world ready for them?

  • Angel and the Badman [1947]Angel and the Badman | DVD | (03/09/2001) from £6.54   |  Saving you £-3.55 (-118.70%)   |  RRP £2.99

    A womanising cowboy and former deputy sheriff is taken in by a Quaker family after being wounded in a fight...

  • Devil's Advocate / Jeepers Creepers / DreamcatcherDevil's Advocate / Jeepers Creepers / Dreamcatcher | DVD | (27/09/2004) from £29.99   |  Saving you £-14.00 (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

    The Devil's Advocate In this modern gothic fable Keanu Reeves plays eager Lomax and Al Pacino is the charismatic firm founder who knows there are cases to be won and souls to be lost. Lomax's life wife (Charlize Theron) and soul are on the line. He's landed a job that's Heaven on Earth...which can lead him straight to hell! Murder By Numbers Sandra Bullock ""redefines the female detective genre"" as Cassie Mayweather a homicide investigator who puts her career in jeo

  • Sophia LorenSophia Loren | DVD | (17/10/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £49.99

    A bumper box set of classic films featuring the voluptuous sex-siren Sophia Loren! Pride And The Passion (Dir. Stanley Kramer 1957): Napoleonic forces are sweeping across Europe and Spain is on the brink of falling to the mighty invasion. Standing alone against the onslaught is one brave fighter and his ragtag band of guerillas. Seizing a gigantic cannon Spanish fighter Miguel (Sinatra) plans to attack Napoleon's army by battering the walls of French-occupied Avila. But because he's untrained in complex weaponry he must rely on the expertise of Captain Trumbell (Grant) a British naval officer. Allies on the battlefield Trumbell and Miguel soon find themselves in a bitter struggle over Miguel's mistress (Loren) a sultry beauty drawn to the captain's refined ways even as they race toward the most harrowing battle of their lives... El Cid (Dir. Anthony Mann 1961): El Cid is an epic movie masterpiece a tribute to one of history's greatest legends. This dazzling spectacle with a cast of thousands fills the screen with action and romance - from knights in armour jousting on horseback to massive battles on sea and land where columns of warriors stretch across the horizon. At the centre of this powerful motion picture is Charlton Heston in the role he was born to play... the immortal El Cid. Heston is the Spanish warrior battling to drive the Moors from Spain with the vision to be just and the courage to be merciful whose love and devotion to the radiant Chimene (Sophia Loren) knows no bounds... Anthony Mann's epic was nominated for three Oscars but surprisingly returned home empty-handed. The Fall Of The Roman Empire (Dir. Anthony Mann 1964): This classic film re-enacts the spectacular collapse of perhaps the greatest dominion the world has ever known. Pestilence greed and corruption bring a once-proud empire to its knees. Now restored with stunning scenes and a cast of thousands - in battles gladiatorial and otherwise; martyrs burning at the stake; chariot races in the midst of which is the romance between two people.... White Sister (Dir. Alberto Lattuada 1972): The Key (Dir. Carol Reed 1958): In wartime England circa 1941 poorly-armed tugs are sent into U-Boat Alley to rescue damaged Allied ships. An American named David Ross arrives to captain one of these tugs. He's given a key by a fellow tugboat-man -- a key to an apartment and its pretty female resident. Should something happen to the friend Ross can use the key. Countess From Hong Kong (Dir. Charlie Chaplin 1966): Charlie Chaplin's final film is a delightful romantic comedy filled with the clever touches for which he's famous. Written directed and composed by Chaplin it revolves around Russian ''migr'' countess Natascha (Sophia Loren) forced into prostitution in Hong Kong who stows away in wealthy American Ogden's (Marlon Brando's) stateroom to blackmail her way to the States. Since Ogden has a mind of his own and can even resist Natascha's charms what follows is one of the funniest tugs of war ever devised! A wealth of talent supports these stars. There's Chaplin's son Sydney as Brando's cruise companion Tippi Hedren as his icy wife Patrick Cargill as the ultimate gentleman's gentleman and Margaret Rutherford as a dotty old dame. Chaplin himself tops it off with a cameo as the ship's steward! The gags are pure Charlie and his actors make the most of them sailing in and out of slamming doors and outrageous situations with ease!

  • 3 Classic Westerns Of The Silver Screen - Vol. 4 - Angel And The Badman / Cowboy And The Senorita3 Classic Westerns Of The Silver Screen - Vol. 4 - Angel And The Badman / Cowboy And The Senorita | DVD | (07/03/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £4.99

    Angel And The Badman: Quirt Evens an all round bad guy is nursed back to health and sought after by Penelope Worth a quaker girl. He eventually finds himself having to choose from his world or the world from which Penelope lives by. The Cowboy And The Senorita: Craig Allen (Hubbard) gambler and town boss attempts to take a gold-mine inherited by 17 year old Chip Williams (Lee). Roy suspects that the mine may be more valuable than it appears and investigates a clue le

  • 80s Classic Box Set80s Classic Box Set | DVD | (18/09/2006) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £17.99

    Goonies: A thrill-a-minute adventure film produced by Steven Spielberg! When brothers Mikey and Brand learn that greedy developers are forcing their family to move they and their friends decide to have one last precious adventure together. With the help of a treasure map they've found in the attic the group known as the Goonies go in search of buried gold hoping against hope that if they find it Mikey and Brand will succeed in keeping their home... (Dir. Richard Donner 1985) Police Academy: The call went out. The recruits came in. No longer would police cadets have to meet standards of height weight or other requirements. Brains were optional too. Can't spell IQ? Don't know the number 911? No matter. Police Academy grads are ready to uphold law and disorder! (Dir. Hugh Wilson 1984) Gremlins: Don't ever get it wet. Keep it away from bright light. And no matter how much it cries no matter how much it begs--never ever feed it after midnight. With these three instructions young Billy Peltzer takes possession of his cuddly new pet. Billy will get a whole lot more than he bargained for... (Dir. Joe Dante 1984)

  • Frankie Drake Mysteries Season 2 [Blu-ray]Frankie Drake Mysteries Season 2 | Blu Ray | (08/04/2019) from £6.79   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

    Set in 1920s Toronto, Frankie Drake Mysteries follows the city's only female private detectives as they take on the cases the police don't want to touch. In a time of change and hopefulness, their gender is their biggest advantage as they defy expectations and rebel against convention. Their cases take them through every cross-section of Toronto, meeting people of all backgrounds and means, as well as historical characters, along the way. Frankie and Trudy's fearless sense of adventure gets them into all kinds of trouble, but they always manage to find a way out. They are new detectives for a new world but is the world ready for them? Includes subtitles for the Hard Of Hearing

  • Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk (2 DISC 4K ULTRA HD & BLU-RAY) [2017]Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk (2 DISC 4K ULTRA HD & BLU-RAY) | 4K UHD | (12/06/2017) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

    Based on the widely-acclaimed, bestselling novel by Ben Fountain , the film is told from the point of view of 19-year-old private Billy Lynn (newcomer Joe Alwyn) who, along with his fellow soldiers in Bravo Squad, becomes a hero after a harrowing Iraq battle and is brought home temporarily for a victory tour. Through flashbacks, culminating at the spectacular halftime show of the Thanksgiving Day football game, the film reveals what really happened to the squad contrasting the realities of the war with America's perceptions. Click Images to Enlarge

  • Loves Kitchen [DVD]Loves Kitchen | DVD | (11/07/2011) from £12.56   |  Saving you £6.42 (67.08%)   |  RRP £15.99

    British romantic comedy starring Dougray Scott and Claire Forlani. Rob Haley (Scott) is an up-and-coming London chef and restaurateur who is devastated when he loses his wife in a tragic accident. His friend TV chef Gordon Ramsay (appearing as himself) persuades him to reinvent his life by taking on a dilapidated country pub and transforming it into a gourmet restaurant. There he is visited by beautiful American food critic Kate Templeton (Claire Forlani) - but are either of them ready to find an appetite for love?

  • Kingpin, Complete Series 1 - The Producer's CutKingpin, Complete Series 1 - The Producer's Cut | DVD | (22/03/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £34.99

    Pitched as a gritty, hard-hitting crime drama series about a mob family, Kingpin invites inevitable comparisons with The Sopranos--the pilot episode is even directed by Sopranos alumnus Allen Coulter--but the basic premise is more a south-of-the-border Godfather, with Miguel Cadena (Yancey Arias) as the conflicted Michael Corleone-type character who finds himself inexorably but somewhat reluctantly taking charge of his family's Mexican drug cartel. Written and produced by David Mills, a graduate of NYPD Blue and Homicide: Life on the Street, the show has all the right credentials for a successful TV drama, combining a colourful ensemble cast and evocative locations on either side of the Rio Grande, but somehow it failed to find enough of an audience in the US to get beyond one season (a similar fate befell the equally praiseworthy Boomtown). Unlike Tony Soprano, Miguel's (American) wife Marlene (Sheryl Lee, still best known as Laura Palmer from Twin Peaks) supports her husband's position with Machiavellian schemes of her own, though both parents strive to shelter their eight-year-old son from involvement in the messier side of the family business. After a bloody coup in the pilot episode, Miguel and his ruthless brother Chato (Bobby Cannavale) cement their hold over the business while struggling with the twin threats of family infighting and law enforcement pressure. As in Steven Soderbergh's Traffic, the DEA agents--principally go-getting Delia Flores (Angela Alvarado Rosa)--are significant characters in their own right. Also north of the border is cowardly plastic surgeon Dr Heywood Klein (Brian Benben), who enjoys the lifestyle too much to break his illicit connection with the Cadena family. It's all gripping, bloody, amoral stuff that makes for compelling viewing. Unfortunately, Kingpin never quite attains the effortlessly sublime levels of its northern predecessor and thus never quite breaks free from the long shadow of The Sopranos. --Mark Walker

Please wait. Loading...