The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 delivers strongly for the rabid fan base who have catapulted the young adult novel series and subsequent movie adaptations to the worldwide phenomenon that it's become, but it alienates a broader audience with a lack of any real action. Similar to the tone of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, the first film of the two-part Twilight conclusion is heavy on romance, love, and turmoil but light on fight scenes and gruesome battles. The movie doesn't waste any time getting to the goods and opens with Bella and Edward's much-hyped wedding scene. It works--the vows are efficient and first-time franchise director Bill Condon (Dreamgirls) moves the party along quickly and amusingly with a well-edited toast scene and some surprisingly moving moments between Bella and her father, cast standout Billy Burke. The honeymoon plays as a slightly awkward soft-focus made-for-TV movie, with a lot of long moments spent staring in the mirror and some love scenes that feel at once overly intimate and completely passionless. It's a relief when Bella retches on a bite of chicken she's cooked herself and quickly concludes she's pregnant with a potentially demonic baby. From bliss to horror, the Cullens return to Forks, where Bella spends the second half of the movie wasting away and Edward and Jacob are aligned in their anger and frustration over her decision. Throw in some over-the-top scenes with Jacob and his pack--including a strange showdown where the wolves communicate in their canine form by having a passionate nonverbal fight in their minds (a plot point that works much better in print, it's portrayed in the film via aggressive voice-over)--and the film overshoots intensity and goes straight to silly. The birth scene is horrific, but not as gruesome as in the book, and by the end, Bella has of course survived, though is much altered. The final scene features a delightfully campy Michael Sheen as Volturi leader Aro and makes it clear that the action and fun in Breaking Dawn, Part 1 is ready to start. Fans will just have to wait until Part 2 to get it. --Kira Canny
This Al Pacino Box Set features the following films: Scarface: Al Pacino gives an unforgettable performance as Tony Montana one of the most ruthless gangsters ever depicted on film in this gripping crime epic inspired by the 1932 classic of the same title. Scarface follows the violent career of a small-time Cuban refugee hoodlum who guns his way to the top of Miami's cocaine empire... Carlito's Way: Al Pacino is an ex-druglord fighting to escape his violent treacherous past in his crime-action tour de force from acclaimed director Brian DePalma. Sprung from prison on a legal technicality by his cocaine-addled attorney (Sean Penn) former drug kingpin Carlito Brigante (Pacino) stuns the local underworld when he vows to go straight. Taking a job managing a glitzy low-life nightclub he tracks down his onetime girlfriend (Penelope Ann Miller) and rekindles their romance promising he's changed for good. But Carlito's dream of going legitimate is undermined at every turn by murderous former cronies and even deadlier young thugs out to make a name for themselves. Ultimately however his most dangerous enemy is himself. Despite good intentions Carlito's misguided loyalties and an outmoded code of honour will plunge him into a savage life-or-death battle against the relentless forces that refuse to let him go. Sea of Love: Two detectives one from New York the other from Long Island join forces to track down a bizarre serial killer. Convinced of a beautiful suspect's innocence the New York detective starts an affair with her despite hard evidence linking her to the murders. Scent of a Woman: Al Pacino won his first Best Actor Oscar for his brilliant portrayal of an overbearing blind retired Lieutenant Colonel who hires a young guardian (Chris O'Donnell) to assist him. It's a heart-wrenching and heartwarming tale of opposites attracting when they embark on a wild weekend trip that will change the lives of both men forever. Two for the Money: Academy Award winner Al Pacino and Matthew McConaughey star in this adrenaline-charged thriller about the sexy high-stakes world of sports betting where fortunes can be made and lost with a flip of a coin. When Brandon Lang (McConaughey) becomes the prot''g'' of sports gambling's power player Walter Abrams (Pacino) he swiftly becomes the golden boy of the high-rolling world for consistently picking football winners. Now with millions on the line he finds himself in a deadly game of con-versus-con with his new mentor. And Justice for All: In a criminal justice system where criminals go free lawyers and judges make deals as a matter of routine and the innocent sometimes go unprotected young lawyer Arthur Kirkland begins to wonder where the justice has gone. Arthur (Al Pacino in a brilliant Oscar-nominated role is an honest idealistic lawyer who is suddenly under pressure to defend a distinguished judge (John Forsythe) accused of raping and battering a young girl - and whom Arthur knows is guilty. Jack Warden co-stars as an eccentric cheerfully suicidal judge who thinks Arthur should play the game. When it comes down to the trial Arthur must choose between the security of his career and his personal integrity. The final explosive courtroom scene is unforgettable!
After a series of Broadway flops, songwriter Bert Hanley goes to work at a musical camp for young performers. Inspired by the kids, he finds an opportunity to regain success by staging an altogether new production.
Now you can own the entire adventures of The X-Files in this bumper DVD box set. every episode from all 9 seasons of this multi-award award-winning show are available for the first time in this exclusive Collector's Edition. Don't miss the opportunity to see how the phenomenon all began back in 1993 and how it came to a close 9 years later!
A classic of shock cinema, Wes Craven's tale follows a family vacation which turns into a holiday from hell.
Bridget Mordaunt a young woman in 1880s Britain inherits a factory from her father and wins respect from the workforce as she turns it into a solid business yet all the while a dark cloud looms on the horizon...
Who Do You Think You Are? follows the journeys of eight well known personalities as they explore their family trees uncover their family history and discover fascinating and poignant facts about their ancestors that have been until now hidden in the annals of time. Barbara Windsor discovers that art runs in the family; Robert Lindsay uncovers tales of military survival; Colin Jackson finds a history that stretches from the island of Jamaica to the valleys of Wales; David Dickinson voyages to Istanbul in search of a lost Armenian past; Nigella Lawson finds herself in a tale of rags to riches; Julia Sawalha digs deep into Huguenot and Bedouin cultures; David Tennant goes back in time to explore his Celtic roots; and Jeremy Irons researches a family legend of one ancestor who came to Westminster on a donkey.
Ian Carmichael stars as the aristocratic detective Lord Peter Wimsey in this classic BBC adaptation of the novel by Dorothy L. Sayers. When Lord Peter goes on holiday to Scotland he is hoping to do nothing more strenuous than catch some trout. Even Wimsey's loyal servant Bunter is looking forward to taking some time off to go painting. However when Bunter notices an easel in the distance but no sign of the artist Lord Peter is called into action. The easel belongs to an unpopular local artist Campbell whose body is discovered lying on the rocks below the popular vantage point. Was it an accidental fall? Wimsey suspects not and with six possible suspects he must use all of his detective skills to determine the five red herrings and expose the murderer.
The secret agent kids are back in another adventure that finds Carmen caught in a virtual reality game designed by the Toymaker (Sly Stallone), so it's up to Juni to save his sister and ultimately the world.
The man with gunsight eyes comes to kill! Get ready for fast-paced explosive action as Lee Van Cleef stars as 'Sabata' the mysterious steely-eyed gunslinger who after he discovers Daugherty's elite are the masterminds behind an elaborate bank heist imposes his bullet-laced brand of justice on the town. Bribes bullets and even his turncoat best friend can't stop Sabata as he guns and gallops to a final spectacular shoot-out that's one of the biggest gunfights ever seen i
Welcome to Burnistoun Box Set Heaven! All three series in one handy package. It's all here! Watch every home video from Jolly Boy John ('Get real!'), witness the complete tour of duty of quality polis McGregor and Toshan, and see Biscuity Boyle's last stand - before his troosers fall down. Take the Burnistoun tourist trail from the Dekebone Roundabout to the voice activated lift. Don't forget your 2 litre bottle of ginger and salty and vinegary crisps from Paul and Walter's ice cream van. This is everything you need - just get it bought and get up eh road!
Fifty years on from its first UK broadcast, The Prisoner remains as fresh and dynamic as when it was first unleashed upon an unsuspecting world in 1967. This set presents the complete series, stunningly restored, together with a wealth of new special features.
Director Martin Scorsese reunites with members of his GoodFellas gang (writer Nicholas Pileggi; actors Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Frank Vincent) for a three-hour epic about the rise and fall of mobster Sam "Ace" Rothstein (De Niro), a character based on real-life gangster Frank "Lefty" Rosenthal. (It's modeled after on Wiseguy and GoodFellas and Pileggi's true crime book Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas.) Through Rothstein, the picture tells the story of how the Mafia seized, and finally lost control of, Las Vegas gambling. The first hour plays like a fascinating documentary, intricately detailing the inner workings of Vegas casinos. Sharon Stone is the stand out among the actors; she nabbed an Oscar nomination for her role as the voracious Ginger, the glitzy call girl who becomes Rothstein's wife. The film is not as fast paced or gripping as Scorsese's earlier gangster pictures (Mean Streets and GoodFellas), but it's still absorbing. And, hey--it's Scorsese! --Jim Emerson
At the height of World War II, Terry (John Mills) and his younger brother Matt (Dirk Bogarde) are undercover IRA foot-soldiers working in London. But While Matt is fully committed to the cause, Terry is now beginning to question their violent methods. When two fellow IRA members are arrested Terry and Matt are asked to break them out. Will Terry follow his orders or will his misgivings put the two in harm's way?ExtrasA closer look At The Gentle Gunman With Film Writers Matthew Sweet And Phuong LeBehind The Scenes Stills Gallery
With its clearcut "play within a play" narrative and simple contrasts between the human and spirit worlds, A Midsummer Night's Dream has long been a popular introduction to Shakespeare, and Adrian Noble's 1994 RSC production reinforces why. It's a colourful and physical presentation (the latter explains the PG rating), portraying character confrontations with often reckless abandon. The ploy of giving the whole play the appearance of a child's dream is a neat touch that doesn't quite work, as the child himself, Osheen Jones, can have only a minimal amount to do on stage. Casting the main actors in dual roles works well. Alex Jennings is secure as Theseus and Oberon, but Lindsay Duncan all but steals the show as Hippolyta and Titania; her amorous encounter with Bottom, given with gusto by Desmond Barrit, has a lewd quality that Elizabethan audiences might have appreciated. Despite his dreadful 1980s hairdo, Barry Lynch is animated as Puck, while Emily Raymond's plaintive Helena is the pick of the lovers. Howard Blake turns in a sensitive and atmospheric score. On the DVD: The 16:9 anamorphic picture reproduces excellently in the widescreen format, Dolby Surround sound vividly conveying the spatial realism of Noble's staging. No subtitles, which could be a drawback, but the 12 access points divide the 99-minute production into educational-sized chunks. Sensibly edited, and imaginatively directed, this production ought to have wide appeal. --Richard Whitehouse
Clint Tollinger (Robert Mitchum Cape Fear The Night of the Hunter) has a gun for hire. Any western town with an excess of untamable rough and tough bad guys can rely on him to quiet things down. Tollinger who watched his unarmed father die because he couldn't defend himself is ruthless and effective in his unusual profession. But Tollinger's wife Nelly (Jan Sterling The High and The Mighty Ace in the Hole) disapproves of his cold-blooded way of enforcing law and order. Nelly leaves her husband and sets herself up as director of a troupe of dancing girls in a small town saloon. Tollinger determined that Nelly will return to him follows her to Sheridan City. He is hired by Marshal Sims (Henry Hull) to protect the town from no-good rancher Dade Holman and his hired heavies.
Clockwise is a light-hearted farce that works because John Cleese is so effective as the tightly wound, punctilious headmaster whose well-organised life unravels in a series of disasters on his journey to a conference. Cleese is a master of fussy, fastidious characters in exasperating situations, bottling up his frustration under good manners and sardonic comments until he finally blows, but hes also startlingly vulnerable as he systematically loses all sense of himself. Dressed in monks robes and stranded on a lonely country road, he looks down at his naked wrist and sighs, "Ive even lost the time". Michael Fryan (the playwright of Noises Off) doesnt really have much of a story behind the situations, but he provides plenty of complications, and Cleese holds the film together with his brittle manner, single-minded drive, and hilarious headmasters condescending haughtiness. While it will seem slight to many, Cleese fans will love it.--Sean Axmaker, Amazon.com
THE UNFORGETTABLE STORY OF THE LEGENDARY BRUCE LEE Based on true events, Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story is the incredible journey of the life, love and unconquerable spirit of the martial arts legend. From a childhood of rigorous martial arts training, Lee realizes his dream of opening his own kung-fu school in America. Before long, he is discovered by a Hollywood producer (Robert Wagner) and begins a meteoric rise to fame and an all too short reign as one of the most charismatic action heroes in motion picture history. Hailed as an immeasurably entertaining movie by CBS-TV, Dragon: Te Bruce Lee Story is ablaze with comedy, touching romance and spectacular martial arts sequences.
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