Science Fiction

• Mythica The Dragon Slayer | DVD | (22/05/2017) from £9.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  As the Lich King's zombie legions ravage the world, Marek, a cursed young sorceress, embarks on a quest to obtain a weapon from the gods, with her friend Dagen, a self-serving half-elf rogue. But when she joins her sworn enemy in a desperate attempt to save the world, she must recover the good in herself before her friends are all dead, and defeat the Lich King before the gods are destroyed and the world forever enslaved.

• Final Recall | DVD | (21/08/2017) from £4.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  A group of friends are spending the weekend at a cabin while, unbeknownst to them, aliens have begun to attack planet Earth. A number of them are abducted by the alien spaceship hovering over the forest. Annie and Charlie survive the mass-abduction and must rely on an eccentric and dangerous hunter who seems to have special knowledge of the attack. The Hunter goes on explaining that this day has been prophesized for years and extra-terrestrials have been guiding Earth s evolution in preparation for their ultimate takeover. FINAL RECALL is a thrillingly unpredictable sci- thriller starring action legend Wesley Snipes (Blade Trilogy, The Expendables 3) as a no-nonsense survivalist trying to stop aliens from taking over planet Earth and RJ Mitte (Breaking Bad) as one of the young being preyed on by aliens. Extras: LOCATIONS AND SETS SPECIAL EFFECTS MAKE-UP FINAL RECALL INCEPTION

• Alien Nation | DVD | (03/06/2002) from £24.05   |  Saving you £-11.06 (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  Alien Nation is a routine cop thriller with a comedic sci-fi twist. They get drunk on sour milk. They have two hearts and bald, spotted heads. They're highly intelligent, but if you drop them in seawater they'll melt into a puddle of goop. They're "Newcomers", and they arrived as refugees in a massive alien slave-ship, quarantined for three years and then reluctantly accepted as citizens of Earth. To some humans--including seasoned Los Angeles cop Matt Sykes (James Caan)--the Newcomers are unwelcomed "slags". Sykes' own virulent "speciesism" intensifies when Newcomer thugs kill his partner, but he sees logic in teaming up with Sam Francisco (Mandy Patinkin), the first Newcomer detective in the LAPD. Francisco's Newcomer knowledge is vital to their investigation of an alien drug ring, and a friendship grows from life-or-death circumstances.Alien Nation has two things working in its favour: Caan and Patinkin form a memorable duo, and the basic premise--as conceived by Rockne S O'Bannon (who later developed the film as a TV series)--intelligently accounts for the sociological impact of an alien population. The subtle point is made that humans are extraordinary beings who squander their potential, and the evil of drugs--as dealt by a social-climbing Newcomer played by Terence Stamp--leads to a crisis that threatens to generate global intolerance. These points are well presented in a context of overly familiar plotting and standard-issue sarcasm. It's entertaining for a brisk 90 minutes, but in its attempt to be widely appealing, Alien Nation glosses over issues that might have made it more uniquely provocative. --Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com

• Roswell: Complete Season 3 | DVD | (11/10/2004) from £19.70   |  Saving you £20.29 (50.70%)   |  RRP £39.99

  The complete third season of the cult sci-fi fan favorite that blends youthful drama sci-fi and humour with mysterious government plots. Episodes comprise: 1. Busted 2. Michael The Guys And The Great Snapple Caper 3. Significant Others 4. Secrets and Lies 5. Control 6. To Have And To Hold 7. Interruptus 8. Behind The Music 9. Samuel Rising 10. A Tale Of Two Parties 11. I Married An Alien 12. Ch-Ch-Changes 13. Panacea 14. Chant Down Babylon 15. Who Die

• Doctor Who - The Ark In Space | DVD | (08/04/2002) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Tom Baker's second outing as the renegade Time Lord is a solid entry in the Doctor Who saga. Fan favourite Robert Holmes penned "The Ark in Space", which places the Doctor and his companions Sarah (Elisabeth Sladen) and Harry (Ian Marter) on a seemingly deserted space station many years in the future. Station Nerva is not as empty as it appears, though, since on board are the cryogenically preserved survivors of Earth's destruction, as well as an insect-like alien race, the Wirrin, determined to use the humans--and the Doctor--as hosts to grow their monstrous larvae. Holmes' well-paced script (which, like Alien, bears a resemblance to the AE van Vogt story "Black Destroyer") allows Baker to flesh out his well-loved take on the Doctor, as well as considerable suspense. On the DVD: "The Ark in Space" DVD's obvious highlight is an audio commentary track featuring Tom Baker, Elisabeth Sladen, and producer Phillip Hinchcliffe. Though Baker's contributions to the track are sporadic, his participation is valuable nonetheless, considering that his involvement with the series since his 1981 departure has been infrequent at best. The full-frame mono presentation also includes two interviews, one with Baker on the set of another episode in 1975 and the other with designer Roger Murray Leach, who discusses his long involvement with the series. Also included is the episode's BBC1 trailer, an unused title sequence, new CGI special effects produced by the BBC's visual effects department and an optional information track, which provides running background information and trivia that should prove valuable for series completists. A trio of Easter eggs reveal Baker's typically eclectic promotions for the Doctor Who exhibition in Blackpool. --Paul Gaita, Amazon.com

• Attack Of The Crab Monsters | DVD | (03/05/2010) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £4.99

  Attack Of The Crab Monsters

• One Million Years BC | DVD | (29/07/2002) from £14.98   |  Saving you £-0.99 (N/A%)   |  RRP £13.99

  One Million Years B.C. might be about as palaeontologically accurate as The Flintstones, but it's still a lasting kitsch masterpiece, as much for Raquel Welch’s Amazonian presence in an abbreviated fur bikini as for Ray Harryhausen’s wonderful stop-motion dinosaurs. A rare big-budget venture from Hammer Films, this 1966 version of the 1940 Victor Mature classic One Million B.C. is set in a fantasised prehistory where Caucasian cavemen coexist with dinosaurs. Loana (Welch) of the Shell People teaches Tumak (John Richardson) of the Rock Tribe that harmonious cooperation on the beach is a better way of life than rule-of-the-mightiest savagery in caves. Every quarter of an hour, the gibberish-spouting ("Akita akita"), skin-wearing, remarkably clean cave folk are inconvenienced by special effects: a giant sea turtle, a hungry Allosaur, a Triceratops/Iguanodon battle, a Pterodactyl that wants to feed Raquel to its chicks, a major volcanic upheaval. Poster icon Welch gets stiff competition from a lithe Martine Beswick in a cat fight, and the camp goings-on are given real screen presence by gorgeous, primitive Canary Isles locations and an epic score from Mario Nascimbene. On the DVD: One Million Years B.C. arrives on DVD with minimal extras: a wonderfully ballyhoo-intensive trailer, plus nice little retrospective chats with Welch and Harryhausen. The picture is an anamorphic print of the original 1.85:1 ratio, and sound is Dolby mono.--Kim Newman

• Grindhouse 3 - Slave Girls From Beyond Infinity | DVD | (14/01/2013) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  In the distant future, two beautiful young slaves are serving life on a prison galley. It's a no win situation. With no hopes and no map, they escape, convinced that any fate will be an improvement. But what do slave girls know? Crash-landed on a strange planet, they meet Zed, the greatest hunter in the cosmos. His gracious hospitality fools them at first, but even these girls notice that Zed's other guests are disappearing one by one. What is the deadly secret locked behind the doors of Zed's trophy room? Sherlock Holmes never wore outfits like the Slave Girls from Beyond Infinity. Special Features: All Region Codes Numbered Spine Famous and T&A (1982) Original Trailer Animated Stills Gallery Full Moon Trailer Park Reversible Sleeve Incorporating Original Artwork Red Case

• The Animatrix | DVD | (02/06/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £13.99

  Collection of nine short animated films telling the backstory of the Matrix.

• Man - Special Edition | Blu Ray | (04/04/2011) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  An alien (David Bowie) arrives on Earth in search of water to save his own dying planet. Assuming the name Thomas Jerome Newton he forms a lucrative partnership with patent attorney Farnsworth (Buck Henry). While they build a financial empire Thomas plans to build a ship that will return him to his home world. However he begins to fall prey to earthly pleasures and failings.

• Loch Ness Terror | DVD | (14/04/2008) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  An entertaining action-packed thrill-ride about a cryptozoologist on the hunt for the infamous man-eating Loch Ness monster! From deep uncharted waters and through cavernous subterranean tunnels an unknown and menacing species emerges into Lake Superior. The gruesome bloodshed to follow doesn't stop at Nessie; she's brought her vicious offspring to help terrorize the innocent townspeople living around the lake. No man on land or water has a chance against this forty-foot bloodthirsty reptile and her spawn! No man except the only one who has ever survived Nessie's wrath. Driven by a deep-seeded vengeance James Murphy (Brian Krause) hunts down this terrible species with skillful force. Will Murphy save the locals of Lake Superior or end up as one of Nessie's countless casualties? Also starring Don S. Davis.

• Excel Saga - Vol. 5 - And | DVD | (19/01/2004) from £9.98   |  Saving you £10.01 (100.30%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Just when you thought it couldn't get any stranger Excel and her associates encounter the most horrifying of all devices...a sub-plot! You won't believe who's been plotting against whom as the writers double cross the author the director takes a new direction and the supporting cast comes back with a vengeance but absolutely no clue whatsoever! There's total Pedro-monium with Menchi-mania and Pedro-philia galore as everybody involved takes the fifth in Excel Saga volume 5!

• Dune--Special TV Edition | DVD | (23/10/2000) from £15.05   |  Saving you £4.94 (32.82%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Dune: Special TV Edition is an extended US network television version prepared in 1988 from David Lynch's 1984 film of Frank Herbert's classic science fiction novel, Dune. The original cinema release of this complex tale of interplanetary intrigue was heavily shortened and this 176-minute TV edition should not to be confused with Lynch's still unreleased three-hour-plus "Director's Cut". In fact Lynch disowned this TV version, replacing his director's credit with the infamous pseudonym Alan Smithee and his screenplay credit with the name Judas Booth (a combination of two notorious traitors). What the network did was add 35 minutes, about 15 minutes in the first two thirds, which in the cinema cut is in any case superbly paced, and around 20 into the final 40. This latter material does help balance the frenetic rush of the cinema cut, restoring important scenes such as Paul Atreides' fight with Jamis, a Fremen funeral and Jessica Atreides' taking the "Water of Life". What primarily alienated Lynch was the imposition of a folksy, sometimes laughable narration, as well as the replacement of the original prologue with a far longer sequence explaining the Dune universe via pre-production paintings. This TV edit is a travesty of what, in the "Director's Cut" at least, is probably a great film, and is really only worth seeing to get a glimpse of the material Lynch was forced to remove. The unconnected mini-series, Frank Herbert's Dune (2000) does a far better job of telling a more complete version of the story. On the DVD: There is a fold-out colour booklet which contains a wealth of stills, a reproduction of the original cinema poster and a worthwhile essay on the original film that avoids any discussion of the TV version it accompanies. On the disc there is only the original theatrical trailer. The superb cinematography is ruined by the panned and scanned 4:3 image, which is grainy and has poor colour fidelity. It is also soft, lacking detail and washed-out, probably a result of being converted from American NTSC TV format video rather than coming directly from an original film print. Certainly the DVD of the cinema version looks far better. The audio is thin mono, completely failing to do justice to how fantastic a post-Star Wars 40-million-dollar science fiction epic should sound. --Gary S Dalkin

• Tron Legacy (Blu-ray 3D + 2D Blu-ray + Digital Copy) | Blu Ray | (18/04/2011) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £29.99

  Disney presents a high-tech motion picture unlike anything you've ever seen. Immerse yourself in the digital world of Tron as celebrated actor Jeff Bridges stars in a revolutionary visual effects adventure beyond imagination. When Flynn the world's greatest video game creator sends out a secret signal from an amazing digital realm his son discovers the clue and embarks on a personal journey to save his long-lost father. With the help of the fearless female warrior Quorra father and son venture through an incredible cyber universe and wage the ultimate battle of good versus evil. Bring home an unrivaled entertainment experience with Tron: Legacy - complete with never-before-seen bonus features that take you even deeper into the phenomenal world of Tron.

• Fantastic Four | UMD | (02/12/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £24.99

  Fantastic Four is a light-hearted and funny take on Marvel Comics' first family of superheroes. It begins when down-on-his-luck genius Reed Richards (Ioan Gruffudd) has to enlist the financial and intellectual help of former schoolmate and rival Victor Von Doom (Julian McMahon) in order to pursue outer-space research involving human DNA. Also on the trip are Reed's best friend, Ben Grimm (Michael Chiklis); his former lover, Sue Storm (Jessica Alba), who's now Doom's employee and love interest; and her hotshot-pilot brother, Johnny Storm (Chris Evans). Things don't go as planned, of course, and the quartet becomes blessed--or is it cursed--with superhuman powers: flexibility, brute strength, invisibility and projecting force fields, and bursting into flame. Meanwhile, Doom himself is undergoing a transformation. Among the many entries in the comic-book-movie frenzy, Fantastic Four is refreshing because it doesn't take itself too seriously. Characterisation isn't too deep, and the action is a bit sparse until the final reel (like most "first" superhero movies, it has to go through the "how did we get these powers and what we will do with them?" churn). But it's a good-looking cast, and original comic-book co-creator Stan Lee makes his most significant Marvel-movie cameo yet, in a speaking role as the FF's steadfast postal carrier, Willie Lumpkin. Newcomers to superhero movies might find the idea of a family with flexibility, strength, invisibility, and force fields a retread of The Incredibles, but Pixar's animated film was very much a tribute to the FF and other heroes of the last 40 years. The irony is that while Fantastic Four is an enjoyable B-grade movie, it's the tribute, The Incredibles, that turned out to be a film for the ages. --David Horiuchi

• Operation Avalanche | DVD | (20/03/2017) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  1967: the height of the Cold War. The CIA suspects there is a Russian mole inside of NASA, sabotaging the Apollo program. They send two young agents on a mission to go undercover, posing as documentary filmmakers, there to capture NASA's race to the moon. The real mission - use their access and technology to hunt down the leak. But what they discover is far more shocking than soviet spies... Their government may be hiding a secret about Apollo that could define the decade, and the White House will stop at nothing to silence anyone who learns it.

• The Green Knight | Blu Ray | (09/12/2021) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

• Surrogates | Blu Ray | (01/02/2010) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £23.99

  A pair of FBI agents (Bruce Willis and Radha Mitchell) investigate a murder linked to a high-tech surrogate phenomenon that allows people to experience life vicariously through idealized robotic versions of themselves.

• Solaris | DVD | (21/01/2002) from £27.99   |  Saving you £-4.00 (N/A%)   |  RRP £23.99

  Released in 1972, Solaris is Andrei Tarkovsky's third feature and his most far-reaching examination of human perceptions and failings. It's often compared to Kubrick's 2001, but although both bring a metaphysical dimension to bear on space exploration, Solaris has a claustrophobic intensity which grips the attention over spans of typically Tarkovskian stasis. Donatas Banionis is sympathetic as the cosmonaut sent to investigate disappearances on the space station orbiting the planet Solaris, only to be confronted by his past in the guise of his dead wife, magnetically portrayed by Natalya Bondarchuk. The ending is either a revelation or a conceit, depending on your viewpoint. On the DVD: Solaris reproduces impressively on DVD in widescreen--which is really essential here--and Eduard Artemiev's ambient score comes over with pristine clarity. There are over-dubs in English and French, plus subtitles in 12 languages. An extensive stills gallery, detailed filmographies for cast and crew, and comprehensive biographies of Tarkovsky and author Stanislaw Lem are valuable extras, as are the interviews with Bondarchuk and Tarkovsky's sister and an amusing 1970s promo-film for Banionis. It would have been better had the film been presented complete on one disc, instead of stretched over two. Even so, the overall package does justice to a powerful and disturbing masterpiece. --Richard Whitehouse

• Taken | DVD | (15/10/2020) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A