"Actor: Robert Pa"

• Tiger Heart | DVD | (20/08/2001) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £2.99

  Soon after Eric meets gorgeous Stephanie he discovers she and her uncle are being forced out of their store by unscrupulous property developers. Martial arts devotee Eric and his high-kicking friend Brad prepare to take on the bad guys.

• Butt-Ugly Martians - The Martians Have Landed | DVD | (12/03/2001) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  The Martians Have Landed! is a stuffed-to-the-antennae (although, come to think of it, they don't have any) introduction to the Butt-Ugly Martians, that trio of CGI extraterrestrials who are sent to this world to conquer it but who decide Earth is so cool (mainly due to our endless supplies of junk food, video games and other essentials) that they decide to stay here and defend it instead, notably against their own leader, Emperor Bog. This results in some quite funny scenarios, with the BUMs faking scenes of conquest for transmission home by using painted backdrops. They're aided and abetted by a pair of teenagers and a robotic dog (called Dog) and hunted by the superbly named Stoat Muldoon, who makes it his business to hunt aliens. There are four episodes of the TV series here: "Playback/Payback", "Jax the Conqueror", "Meet Gorgon" and "You Bet Your Planet". Despite the fact that the CGI is mostly of sub-PlayStation standard--although the scenes set in outer space are pretty effective--they're perfect post-school, pre-teatime wind-down fodder. The 4:3 DVD scores heavily in the extras department, with behind-the-scenes interviews with the production staff and voiceover actors (which include the veteran Robert "Untouchables" Stack), a quiz, a gallery, a trivia section, Web links and more.--Roger Thomas

• Inside the Actors Studio - Leading Men - DeNiro/Crowe/Pacino/Penn | DVD | (14/02/2011) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Inside the Actors Studio: Leading Men Boxset (De Niro Crowe Pacino Penn)

• To Heal A Nation | DVD | (02/08/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £3.99

  When Jan Scruggs returns from the Vietnam War he feels alienated from the world he left only two short years ago. Jan only feels comfortable when he is in the company of someone with whom he shares a common bond - another Vietnam veteran. Jan forms an idea to heal the wounds of a nation split apart by war and at a veterans' meeting he suggests a memorial to those who fought in vietnam. Jan's idea is met with angry disapproval and so he takes on the memorial as his personal goal determined to honour those who served.

• Hornblower - Retribution | DVD | (03/02/2003) from £7.98   |  Saving you £2.01 (20.10%)   |  RRP £9.99

  Based freely on the classic novels by C. Forester, Hornblower is a series of TV films following the progress of a young officer through the ranks of the British navy during the Napoleonic Wars. The series greatest asset is the handsome and charismatic Ioan Gruffudd in the lead role, surely a major star in the making. For television films the production values are very good, though as Titanic, Waterworld and The Perfect Storm demonstrated, filming an aquatic adventure is a very expensive business, and it is clear that the Hornblower dramas simply make the best of comparatively small budgets. No more faithful to Forester's books than the 1951 Gregory Peck classic Captain Horatio Hornblower, the real inspiration seems to have come from the success of Sharpe, starring Sean Bean, which likewise featured a British hero in the Napoleonic Wars. Nevertheless, while rather more easy going than the real British navy of the time, the Hornblower saga delivers an entertaining adventure, greatly enhanced by the presence of such guest stars as Denis Lawson, Cheri Lunghi, Ronald Pickup and Anthony Sher.--Gary S Dalkin

• CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - Complete Seasons 1-3 (Amazon.co.uk Exclusive) | DVD | (23/08/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £159.99

  Murder, and its tale-telling aftermath, is the compelling subject of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Since its inauguration in late 2000 CSI has been a ratings triumph, spawned two spinoffs (CSI: Miami and CSI: New York and positioning itself for long-term success. Creator Anthony Zuiker's foolproof formula was established early on, bolstered by a fine ensemble cast and requiring minimal tweaking as the seasons progressed; its Las Vegas-based "criminalists" eventually became "CSIs" steeped in the scientific minutiae of forensic investigation, but the series arrived essentially intact, with an irresistible (and seemingly inexhaustible) supply of corpses and the mysteries that surround them. Influenced by the graphic precedent of movies like Seven and Kiss the Girls, CSI matches morbidity with dispassionate methodology; viewers are so fascinated by the investigative process that they're unfazed by intimate autopsies and internal (i.e., digitally animated) views of traumatized flesh, bone, and sinew. While keeping abreast of cutting-edge technologies, CSI combines the ingenuity (and fallibility) of villains with the appealing humanity of its heroes. CSI director and entomologist Gil Grissom (played by series co-producer William Petersen) is introverted but ethically intense; he's both mentor and moral compass for his night-shift team, including a former stripper-turned-CSI (Marg Helgenberger); a recovering gambler (Gary Dourdan); an eager ace (George Eads) with room for improvement; a workaholic (Jorja Fox) who can't always remain emotionally detached from her cases; and a chief detective (Paul Guilfoyle) who's a necessary link to police procedure. Like The X-Files, CSI supports its characters with feature-film production values, employing a Rashomon structure that turns murder into a progressively accurate study of cause and effect. Script quality is consistently high ("Blood Drops" and "Unfriendly Skies" are exceptional), direction is slick and sophisticated, and the mysteries are complex enough to invite multiple viewings. Despite a regrettable shortage of DVD features, CSI remains addictively worthy of its lofty reputation. --Jeff Shannon

• Hornblower - The Duchess And The Devil | DVD | (03/02/2003) from £6.95   |  Saving you £3.04 (30.40%)   |  RRP £9.99

  Based freely on the classic novels by C.S. Forester, Hornblower is a series of TV films following the progress of a young officer through the ranks of the British navy during the Napoleonic Wars. The series greatest asset is the handsome and charismatic Ioan Gruffudd in the lead role, surely a major star in the making. For television films the production values are very good, though as Titanic, Waterworld and The Perfect Storm demonstrated, filming an aquatic adventure is a very expensive business, and it is clear that the Hornblower dramas simply make the best of comparatively small budgets. No more faithful to Forester's books than the 1951 Gregory Peck classic Captain Horatio Hornblower, the real inspiration seems to have come from the success of Sharpe, starring Sean Bean, which likewise featured a British hero in the Napoleonic Wars. Nevertheless, while rather more easy going than the real British navy of the time, the Hornblower saga delivers an entertaining adventure, greatly enhanced by the presence of such guest stars as Denis Lawson, Cheri Lunghi, Ronald Pickup and Anthony Sher. "The Duchess and the Devil" has Hornblower and his men taken prisoners of war.--Gary S Dalkin

• Curse Of The Puppet Master | DVD | (07/06/2004) from £12.98   |  Saving you £-6.99 (-116.70%)   |  RRP £5.99

  Andre Toulon's living puppets are back in Curse of the Puppet Master, this time in the possession of Dr. Magrew (George Peck), who runs a house of marvels and is experimenting to create the perfect being, without all the inner conflict and torment of humans. To do so, he recruits a talented young woodcarver named Tank (Josh Green). But Magrew's plans get complicated when his daughter (appealingly played by Emily Harrison) falls for the young man. Fans of the Puppet Master series will probably enjoy this sixth instalment. The three leads are well cast, the production design shows some imagination, and the script works--until the abrupt and nonsensical ending. The puppets also seem less animated than in previous films; nevertheless, they still manage to get their whacks in. Trivia factoid: director "Victoria Sloane" is one of several stage names used by David DeCoteau, who also directed instalments numbers three and seven in the series.--Geoff Miller, Amazon.com

• Fern Gully - The Last Rainforest | DVD | (21/05/2007) from £12.61   |  Saving you £-4.62 (N/A%)   |  RRP £7.99

  Come join in a spectacular rainforest adventure - where the radar-impaired Batty and his magical friends Crysta Pips and the Beetle Boys try to save their special world from mankind's carelessness and the evil Hexxus.

• God's Gun | DVD | (24/05/2004) from £5.79   |  Saving you £-0.80 (N/A%)   |  RRP £4.99

  Violence begins when a wild bunch of outlaws hit the town. No mortal man can stop them - but what about the man of God?

• Antwone Fisher / Men Of Honour | DVD | (29/09/2003) from £13.93   |  Saving you £6.06 (43.50%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Autobiographical movies rarely get more truthfully moving than Antwone Fisher. The title is also the name of this fine drama's first-time screenwriter, a former Navy seaman who was working as a film-studio security guard when his life-inspired script was developed as Denzel Washington's directorial debut. This Hollywood dream gets better: unbeknown to the filmmakers, Derek Luke--a newcomer who won the title role over a throng of famous contenders--was also a friend of Fisher's, and the whole film seems blessed by this fortunate coincidence. Washington's sharp instincts as an actor serve him well, as both a subtle-handed director and Luke's costar playing Jerome Davenport, a Navy psychologist assigned to assess Fisher's chronic violent temper. Their therapy sessions prove mutually beneficial, as this touching true story addresses painful memories, broken desires, and heartfelt reunions without resorting to a contrived happy ending. Fisher's good life is worth celebrating, and Washington brings a delicate touch to the party. --Jeff Shannon Originally, Men of Honour was simply called Navy Diver and no doubt all involved held high hopes that it would be an award-winning biopic. Unfortunately, Carl Brashear's life as the first African-American Master Diver went through that vaguely distasteful contemporary Hollywood Marketing makeover and the result is not quite so worthy of its subject and intentions. The film's hopelessly clichéd tagline reads, "History is made by those who break the rules"; the direction is shot through with sunsets 'n' slow-mo; and the script is peppered with foreshadowing dialogue ("don't end up like me, son"). The plot devices follow a predictable arc: family poverty, a swiftly sweet romance, a shock accident, court hearing and, naturally, a grisly antagonist. It's with the last of these that the movie comes to life. We may have seen DeNiro spit nails countless times before, but his saltily intractable Master Chief is a terrific screen creation. Next to him, Cuba Gooding Jr really does shine as the endlessly persecuted Brashear. All-too brief cameos from Charlise Theron and Michael Rapaport lend sparkle too. But the film's message about how social attitudes toward race have changed is lost in a murky haze of Hollywoodisation. As one character declares, "some things just don't mix". --Paul Tonks

• Chase | DVD | (25/07/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  When beloved mentor Judge Pettitt (Richard Farnsworth) is murdered lawyer Sandy Albright (O'Neill) is faced with the agonising task of having to defend his alleged killer. But even before the suspect a migrant worker who may or may not be guilty can be brought to trial Sandy finds herself in a life or death battle with a vigilante posse and a corrupt police deputy who will stop at nothing including cold-blooded murder to ensure that neither she nor her client survive to see their

• Jess Franco Double Bill - Vol. 1 - Dracula Vs Frankenstein / Curse Of Frankenstein | DVD | (24/07/2006) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Dracula Prisoner Of Frankenstein (1972): Yesterday they were cold and dead. Today they're hot and bothered! When Dracula despatches another innocent victim Dr. Seward decides it's time to eradicate the evil count once and for all. However when Dr Frankenstein reanimates the lifeless Count in an attempt to create the perfect master race it's a three way battle between the man the vampire and the monster. Plus a werewolf thrown in for good measure! Curse Of Frankenstein

• There's Something About Mary / Rat Race / Austin Powers / Nine Months / Dude, Where's My Car? | DVD | (16/08/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £39.99

  There's Something About Mary Still suffering from a High School crush on Mary (Cameron Diaz) the nerdy angst-driven Ted (Ben Stiller) tracks her down thirteen years later with the help of a sleazy private investigator (Matt Dillon) who also falls for her. Unfortunately both men discover that virtually every man who sets his eyes on the dazzling Mary finds himself head over heels in love and determined to win her hand. Rat Race Donald Sinclair owns the biggest snazzi

• Pool Girl | DVD | (27/01/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Meet Hugo Dugay (Alyssa Milano) a lonely disenfranchised female pool cleaner. She has 44 pools to clean today her mother Minerva (Cathy Moriarty) is a chronic gambler and her father Henry (Malcolm McDowell) is a lost soul trying to kick a menu of addictions. These are the least of her problems as today's clients range from a film director who shot and killed a movie extra for over acting (Robert Downey JR) to a bully who flouts the law to have his pool filled by 6:30pm. Through all this she picks up a mysterious hitchhiker (Sean Penn) and a new customer suffering from ALS (Lou Gaehrig's Disease) which keeps him trapped in a wheelchair.Through Hugo's day begins with threats from a menacing customer confrontations with her dysfunctional parents and the promise of too much hard work this magical person who comes into her life makes all that wrong turn right.

• Even Angels Eat Beans | DVD | (25/04/2005) from £8.08   |  Saving you £-2.09 (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  Zany comedy with slapstick humour set in mafia America during the 30's. Two men a wrestler and an ice cream seller are mistaken for killers by the mafia sorriso. The mafia want Gemma to get Spencer to agree to throw a wrestling match. Spencer doesn't waste time in making them realise their big mistake....

• Strange Hearts | DVD | (13/05/2002) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Jack Waters (Robert Forster) is a gambler. Once a child star his luck has been on a downward slope since his show finished. Now middle aged he carries on trying to win a cash payout from national television game shows yet his lucky streak eludes him. But with the arrival of the naive Henry Fields (Kip Pardue) a change of fortune may occur. Jack takes him under his wing and introduces him to the world of game shows and the winnings that might be made. Jack also introduces Henry to his friend Moira (Rose McGowan) an exotic dancer who beguiles Henry. Moira is also Jack's neighbour and has a dream of winning at any cost in common with him. As Henry's lucky streak takes him to the most popular game show on TV Jack's luck is fading. He has a plan though and sees that Henry could be his way of making a fortune but as Henry falls for Moira will she get to him before Jack? Or will the manipulating game show producer ruin everyone's plans?

• Avengers - Endgame | DVD | (05/09/2019) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

• A Soldier's Story | DVD | (17/08/2009) from £9.95   |  Saving you £-3.96 (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  Charles Fuller adapted his Pulitzer Prize-winning A Soldier's Play for the big screen in 1984. The film version, A Soldier's Story is essentially a murder mystery, played out against a background of inter and intra-racial conflict at a Second World War training camp. To the consternation of his white opposite number at the camp, a black captain (Howard W Rollins) arrives to investigate the death of a black sergeant (Adolph Caesar). Suspicion immediately falls on a pair of bigoted white officers but as the tale unfolds in a series of flashbacks, it soon becomes clear that a different kind of prejudice is also at work. Assisted by some excellent performances, director Norman Jewison opens the story out from its stage roots. There's a wonderful baseball scene (filmed on location at Little Rock) in which the double standards of Dennis Lipscomb's fidgety white captain are exposed with neat irony; he'll cheer his successful black team all the way home in the name of sport. His gradual, forced liberalisation provides the film with an important comic element. A Soldier's Story wears its heart on its sleeve without being superficial in any way. It's a compelling tale, well told and often highly entertaining, in which nobody gets off lightly, least of all the good guy. On the DVD: The widescreen presentation helps give an epic feel to what could, in other hands, have been a claustrophobic production. The picture quality is fine. But the monaural sound track is often rather muffled, leaving you straining to catch some of the dialogue. This is also a shame because the blues music--an inspired job by Herbie Hancock, assisted by Patti Labelle singing her lungs out as bar owner Big Mary--is an important element of the film's underlying theme and deserves to be better heard. The extras are valuable. Norman Jewison's commentary is detailed and sensitive. As he says, the film deals with "ideas in racism never seen on screen before", and he acknowledges the strength of his actors in getting those ideas across. "March to Freedom" is an excellent short documentary which features the moving testimonies of black servicemen on the insufferable prejudices they encountered while attempting to defend their country during the Second World War; A Soldier's Story is thus put sharply into context. --Piers Ford

• The Zone | DVD | (23/09/2002) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  Former Gulf War hero Rowdy Welles (Davi) is framed for murder by unscrupulous CIA boss Dick Althorp (Gazzara). As the price of his freedom Welles is ordered to undertake a deadly mission to destroy a nuclear processing plant in a foreign nation owned by dangerous tyrant Lothar Krasna (Godunov)...