Getting married should be the best experience of your life but for publisher Howard Steel it becomes a nightmare of gargantuan proportions. Everything that possibly could go wrong does and unfortunately for Howard most of this transpires because of his utmost attempts to do the right thing. From evading Cassie - an office colleague with whom he had a one night stand at the christmas party two years ago and who is now hell bent on ruining the big day - to the charming of his in-
Just when you think it can't get any worse... it does! Series One: The week before a wedding can be stressful at the best of times but as hapless publisher Howard Steel (Ben Miller) prepares to marry the lovely Mel (Sarah Alexander) it becomes a nightmare of gargantuan proportions. Everything that can go wrong... does. Howard's earnest attempts to do the right thing only seem to make matters worse and his situation isn't helped by his dad's new girlfriend a besotted old flame and a family funeral. Will Howard and Mel ever make it up the aisle? Series Two: Having finally made it down the aisle after the worst week of his life it seems as if everything is finally going well for Howard. He and Mel are about to move into a new home together and are expecting their first child; two life-defining events and for once everything is perfect. If only life was this simple! The Worst Christmas Of My Life: Howard and Mel are looking forward to their first Christmas as a family with their new baby daughter Emily. However with suicidal secretaries maniacal relatives homicidal boyfriends and belligerent Santas circumstances conspire to make this a Christmas to remember... for all the wrong reasons.
For the first time ever 'Smack the Pony' the acclaimed International Emmy award-winning all female comedy sketch show from Channel 4 comes to you on one hilarious DVD. Sexy sassy and at times surreal. 'Smack the Pony' consistently hits the mark with knowing comment a sense of satire as well as silliness and sharp observations of modern life.
In series two Howard and Mel, now married, have a baby on the way. Unsurprisingly things are far from smooth going and Howard manages to make the Cook family hate him even more!
Sarah Alexander stars as Gemma Jones - a divorced mother of 3 who leads a hectic life juggling working from home with looking after her twin girls and dealing with her child like ex-husband Jason and his demanding Swedish girlfriend Inca. When handsome dad Tom asks her out on a date, Gemma is the envy of all the other mums in the playground but then her grown up son Alfie returns home from travelling abroad with his charming 24 year old friend Billy and Gemma finds herself, for the first time ever, with more than one possible love interest.
There's Something About Mary recalls the days of the Zucker-Abraham-Zucker movies, in which (often tasteless) gags were piled on at a fierce rate. The difference is that cowriters and codirectors Bobby and Peter Farrelly have also crafted a credible story line and even tossed in some genuine emotional content. The Farrelly brothers' first two pictures, Dumb and Dumber and Kingpin, had some moments of uproarious laughter, but were uneven. With Mary, they've created a consistently hilarious romantic comedy, made all the funnier by the fact that you know that they know that some of their gags go way over the line. Cameron Diaz stars as Mary, every guy's ideal woman. Ben Stiller plays a high-school suitor still hung up on her years later; the obstacles standing between him and her include a number of psychotic suitors, a miserable little pooch and, oh yeah, a murder charge. The Farrellys' admittedly simplistic camera work, which adapts easily to a TV screen, and the fact that you're likely to laugh yourself so silly over certain scenes you'll want to replay them to see what you were missing while you were busy convulsing, make this a perfect film for home-viewing. --David Kronke
New Brit gangster pic about the irresistible rise of a Merseyside 'firm.'
Marley has a rare gift that comes with mixed blessings. She can talk to the dead, which sadly now includes both her husband Adam, her lover Michael as well as the local vicar. Awkward. So begins a bizarre ménage-a-quatre, with Adam, Michael and the vicar all moving in, albeit in ghostly form, to Marley's home.
IS IT A NIGHTMARE? OR IS IT THE SLAYER? One of the most sought-after titles for slasher fans everywhere, The Slayer finally rises from the ashes of obscurity in a brand new 4K transfer courtesy of Arrow Video. Two young couples set off to a secluded island for what promises to be a restful retreat. But the peace is short-lived: as a storm batters the island, troubled artist Kay begins to sense that a malevolent presence is here with them, stalking them at every turn. Is she losing her mind, or are her childhood nightmares of a demonic assailant coming to terrifying life? Previously only available on home video in truncated or full screen versions, The Slayer whose nightmares-seeping-into-reality theme predates a certain Wes Craven classic by several years comes lovingly restored from the original negative in a stunning transfer that will be a revelation to fans both old and new. SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS: Brand new restoration from a 4K scan of the original negative High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentations Original Uncompressed Mono Audio Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing Brand new interviews with cast and crew Original Theatrical Trailer Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Justin Osbourn FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film by Lee Gambin
Howard's Christmas isn't off to a festive start when events at the office party ripple out to affect the in-laws' holiday gathering party and his dignity.
James Nesbitt plays Detective Sergeant Tommy Murphy a maverick cop with a dark past. After failing a psychiatric assessment he is given one last chance by his boss and given a dangerous undercover assignment. Murphy is a loner with little to lose and deals with everything on his own terms... Episodes Comprise: 1. Jack's Back 2. Bent Moon On The Rise 3. Ringers 4. Go Ask Alice 5. Convent 6. The Group
Series 1: Getting married should be the best experience of your life but for publisher Howard Steel it becomes a nightmare of gargantuan proportions. Everything that possibly could go wrong does and unfortunately for Howard most of this transpires because of his utmost attempts to do the right thing. From evading Cassie - an office colleague with whom he had a one night stand at the christmas party two years ago and who is now hell bent on ruining the big day - to the charming of his in-laws (a High Court Judge and a society wife) Howard seems to fall from pit-fall to pit-fall. Through an unfortunate sequence of events Howard hospitalises Mel's granny accidentally gropes her mother loses the wedding ring (a family heirloom) and worst of all kills the family dog. Other disasters to plague Howard include his best man falling into a coma on the stag night (to be replaced by Howard's mate Dom) Cassie running over the vicar his wide-boy father taking his new girlfriend - a mouthy pole-dancer - to the wedding and getting arrested... Series 2: In series two Howard and Mel now married have a baby on the way. Unsurprisingly things are far from smooth going and Howard manages to make the Cook family hate him even more! Monday: Howard and mother-to-be Mel begin the week by moving into the cottage bequeathed to them in Granny's will but their upheaval coincides with the funeral. When one of the pallbearers is taken ill Dick finds it difficult to entrust the job to the new member of the family. Tuesday: Howard and Mel are staying with Mel's parents until the cottage is ready. Howard is also having a few problems at work and after giving Eve a lift home events spiral leaving Howard feeling the long arm of the law. Wednesday: Howard and Mel are staying with Mel's parents until the cottage is ready. Howard is also having a few problems at work and after giving Eve a lift home events spiral leaving Howard feeling the long arm of the law. Thursday: Davina is worried that her brother-in-law Roger is wanting to start an affair with her. It's only after the unexpected arrival of Roger's son Michael and the liberal use of a class C narcotic that the true nature of Roger's desires are revealed. Friday: Howard is busy doing his best to put a few things right but it is not easy. As progress is made on one thing yet another seems to be waiting to catch Howard out. After a tense meeting at work it seems that Mel's big day has arrived early! Is it time to meet Baby Steel? Saturday: It's the weekend at last and the day for Dick's celebration. Friends and relatives are arriving and Howard helps to get things ready. With the party in full swing and Dick's special gift finally secured the evening seems set for success but not before yet another interruption.
Filming a love story centred on two mentally challenged people is a touching idea, one that's been attempted in, for example, Benny and Joon. The Other Sister is another addition to the genre, a well-acted comedy-drama centring on the romance of Carla (Juliette Lewis) and Daniel (Giovani Ribisi) and throwing in some general family angst as a secondary story line. The acting is tremendous--Lewis and Ribisi both give convincing performances without condescending to their characters. Diane Keaton plays yet another charming scatterbrain, this time as Elizabeth Tate, the uptight, rich mother who wants a picture-perfect life. But good acting isn't enough here. These fine actors drown in a sea of mediocre writing, and we are left with a film with no real conflict or tension. Will Carla and Daniel make it work? Well, of course. Will mother Elizabeth loosen up about her "gay workaholic" daughter and let Carla live her own life? Do you really need to ask? There are a few cringe-worthy moments that have a sense of truthfulness, such as when Daniel stands up at Carla's sister's wedding to announce his feelings. But otherwise, these characters live in a pampered, fairy-tale world where the worst thing that happens to them is that the meanies at school put chewing gum in Daniel's bike helmet. Ultimately, this is a sweet, albeit occasionally saccharine, tale that will move those who are looking for cheerful fare. --Jenny Brown
Coupling is a witty, instantly addictive series that charts the tangled sex lives of a close-knit group comprising "exes and best friends": womaniser Jack, hapless nice guy Steve, "strange and disturbing" Jeff, uninhibited Susan, neurotic Sally and manipulative Jane. The obvious frame of reference is Friends (Steve and Susan are the Ross and Rachel equivalent), but this series also echoes Seinfeld in its coinage of catchphrases and plot lines (in episode one, Steve tries to dump Jane, who refuses to accept). But it's no mere British clone of US sitcoms: Coupling has its own fresh and provocative take on relationships. At one point, a furious Susan discovers that Patrick not only had a videotape of the former couple having sex, but that he also taped over her. --Donald Liebenson
Take the banal, the irrelevant and the downright silly, add a female perspective, pour in a hefty dose of comic timing, stir well, and what do you get? Two series of Smack the Pony, the highlights of which are found here. So many of the sketches are very short that watching this in one go might induce epilepsy, but regular doses, little and often, can only prove beneficial. The team of Sally Phillips, Doon MacKichan and Fiona Allen play on women's neuroses (snogging, pubic hair and size of boobs, not necessarily in that order), their preoccupations (finding a man, finding a man and finding a man), their weaknesses (Marks & Spencer, fashion and men) and their competitiveness (more covert than that of the male of the species, and therefore far more deadly). The spoof dating agency clips take in the full range of stereotypes and unfailingly hit the spot. And the prize for the most surreal sketch goes to the one which sets that most bourgeois of institutions--the wedding list--in a sex shop, with the coup de grace: "Two butt plugs ... with love from Kathy and Edward". Not a compilation to give your grannie for her birthday but to be enjoyed in the company of like-minded people (men included). On the DVD: The one failing here is that the DVD disappointingly adds nothing to the VHS format. Shame!--Harriet Smith
Spaced is a sitcom like no other. The premise is simple enough: Daisy (Jessica Stevenson) and Tim (Simon Pegg) are out of luck and love, so pretend to be a couple in order to rent a flat together. Downstairs neighbour and eccentric painter Brian suspects someone's fibbing, and almost blows their cover with their lecherous lush of a landlady, Marsha. Fortunately he soon falls for Daisy's health-freak friend Twist, while Daisy herself goes ga-ga for pet dog Colin. Tim remains happily platonic with lifemate Mike; a sweet-at-heart guns 'n' ammo obsessive. The series is chock-full of pop culture references. In fact, each episode is themed after at least one movie, with nods to The Shining and Close Encounters of the Third Kind proving especially hilarious. Hardly five minutes goes by without a Star Wars reference, and every second of screen time from Bill Bailey as owner of the comic shop where Tim works is comedic gold. The look of the series is its other outstanding element, with slam-zooms, dizzying montages, and inspired lighting effects (often paying homage to the Evil Dead movies). It's an affectionate fantasy on the life of the twenty-something that's uncomfortably close to the truth. The second series finds the gang at 23 Meteor Street a little older, but definitely none the wiser. Tim's career is hampered by severe hang-ups over The Phantom Menace. Daisy's career is just plain non-existent. There is still a spark of sexual tension between them, but it's overshadowed by Brian and Twist getting it on. Propelling the seven-episode series arc is the threat of Marsha discovering that none of the relationships are what they seem, Mike's increasing jealousy and a new love interest for Tim. That's the basis for a never-ending stream of in-jokes and references that easily match the quality of the first series. Tim has a Return of the Jedi flashback, then déjà vu in reliving the end of The Empire Strikes Back. There are spoofs of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Robocop, The Sixth Sense and comedy rival The Royle Family. There are guest spots from Bill Bailey, Peter (voice of Darth Maul) Serafinowicz and The League of Gentlemen's Mark Gatiss and Reece Shearsmith. Every episode is packed with highlights, but this series' guaranteed geek pant-wetting moments have to be the mock gun battles, slagging off Babylon 5 and learning that "The second rule of Robot Club is: no smoking." Jessica Stevenson won a British Comedy Award for this year. It deserved a whole lot more. --Paul Tonks On the DVD: Series 1 includes trailers, out-takes, deleted scenes with commentary, cast, crew, and character biographies and a full audio commentary by the director and cast. Series 2 features a chaotic but highly enthusiastic commentary from the director and cast, including of course Simon Pegg and Jessica Stevenson, who also talk about some deleted scenes and why they were removed. There's an outtakes blooper reel, as well as a selection of raw location footage and a self-explanatory clip, "Daisy Does Elvis". The most useful feature, though, is the subtitle "Homage-o-Meter" facility, which displays all the movie references throughout the series. --Paul Tonks/Mark Walker
The New Adventures of Pinocchio is the charming sequel to the 1996 live-action movie. With a largely brand-new cast, the most important returning actor is Martin Landau as Geppetto. His role is pared down, however, by a neat twist in the tale. Udo Kier is the other returning actor, this time in the new bad guy/girl role of Madame Flambeau, whose carnival sets itself up in Pinocchio's town and offers everyone a miracle elixir to change their lives. Pinocchio (now played as a real boy by Gabriel Thomson) hopes the elixir will make his papa feel better from a nasty cold, but it turns out Flambeau tricked him with puppet-making juice. So now it's Geppetto who's the wooden star of the show! Lots of surprises keep the story happily moving along, with secret identities waiting to spring from the likes of Warwick Davis as the ringleader Dwarf. The Jim Henson Studio puppets are first class as always, with some flawless computer graphics coming to the rescue every so often. There's a beautiful backdrop of Luxembourg countryside too for this pantomime where everyone looks as if they had great fun putting it together. --Paul Tonks
Cats And Dogs: Witness this epic ""tail"" of what happens when an eccentric professor (Jeff Goldblum) makes a discovery that could tip the age-old balance of pet power. Now an inexperienced young beagle pup named Lou (voiced by Tobey Maguire) is about to begin the ultimate mission im-paws-ible: to save humanity from a total cat-tastrophe! Scooby Doo - Live Action (2002): Two years on from going their separate ways after solving their last cryptic case Fred Velma Dap
The New Adventures of Pinocchio is the charming sequel to the 1996 live-action movie. With a largely brand-new cast, the most important returning actor is Martin Landau as Geppetto. His role is pared down, however, by a neat twist in the tale. Udo Kier is the other returning actor, this time in the new bad guy/girl role of Madame Flambeau, whose carnival sets itself up in Pinocchio's town and offers everyone a miracle elixir to change their lives. Pinocchio (now played as a real boy by Gabriel Thomson) hopes the elixir will make his papa feel better from a nasty cold, but it turns out Flambeau tricked him with puppet-making juice. So now it's Geppetto who's the wooden star of the show! Lots of surprises keep the story happily moving along, with secret identities waiting to spring from the likes of Warwick Davis as the ringleader Dwarf. The Jim Henson Studio puppets are first class as always, with some flawless computer graphics coming to the rescue every so often. There's a beautiful backdrop of Luxembourg countryside too for this pantomime where everyone looks as if they had great fun putting it together. --Paul Tonks
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