DVD Monthly

DVDs to look out for in shops from December 1st…
(Hover your cursor over the packshots to get more info on the release from Amazon.co.uk, or click on the links below to see prices for all the releases from leading online stores)

Hancock

The Lowdown: Boozy, foul-mouthed and completely negligent, John Hancock is an unpopular superhero in dire need of sprucing up his public image. Help arrives when PR agent Ray sets about turning Hancock into a revered icon of Los Angeles – just as long as he’s not too distracted by Ray’s wife…

What We Say: “While the plot isn’t exactly groundbreaking, there’s some nice action and a few surprises in there to stop it from being anything close to an absolute washout. Of course it’s bolstered no end by the stellar cast who do a great job of breathing life into the proceedings. Will Smith is as magnetic as he inevitably would be while the lovely Charlize Theron continues to show that she’s more than just a pretty face as Ray’s scorching wife, Mary. It comes as little surprise though to see Jason Bateman continuously threatening to steal the show with his trademark style of deadpan delivery as Ray.”
CLICK HERE TO COMPARE PRICES ON THE HANCOCK DVD AND BLU-RAY AND OTHER RELEASES OUT DECEMBER 1ST

The Mummy: Tomb Of The Dragon Emperor

The Lowdown: Rick and Evie are called out of retirement when their son Alex accidentally awakens the ruthless Chinese emperor Han. As the feared mummy wreaks havoc, the O’Connell family head to Shangri-La in an effort to stop Han from becoming immortal and taking over the world with his terracotta army.

What We Say: “While it’s unquestionably disappointing, it’d still be pretty difficult to hate the film on account that it’s too daft and flashy to be offensive. With Rob Cohen having taken the reins from regular series director Stephen Sommers, the film has been crammed with all the silly action that we’ve come to expect from the Stealth helmer. Although it means that the film is pretty watchable, it also means that the potentially absorbing storyline is lost somewhere beneath a sea of CG crap.”
CLICK HERE TO COMPARE PRICES ON THE MUMMY 3 DVD AND BLU-RAY AND OTHER RELEASES OUT DECEMBER 1ST

24: Redemption

The Lowdown: As the US Presidential Inauguration takes place, Jack finds himself in the middle of a violent uprising in the small fictitious African nation of Sangala, where a ruthless dictator is drafting innocent children as soldiers into his army. Can Jack once again save the day?

What We Say: “Bridging the gap between Seasons 6 and 7, this one-off special instalment of 24 takes place four years after the events of Season 6 and sees a tormented and tortured Jack Bauer seeking solace on the African continent, working at his old friend’s orphanage and trying desperately to forget the past… The Redemption DVD features material you won’t have seen in the shorter Sky One broadcast, and the special features package is a fairly good one.
CLICK HERE TO COMPARE PRICES ON THE 24: REDEMPTION DVD AND OTHER RELEASES OUT DECEMBER 1ST 

Meet Dave

The Lowdown: When an intergalactic gadget that’ll siphon all the planet’s water falls into the hands of a child, a crew of miniature humanoid aliens come to Earth to reclaim it. In a craft disguised as a regular human, the visitors attempt navigating New York in the hope of finding their bounty.

What We Say: “Meet Dave does nothing to drag Eddie Murphy out of his rut. Rather than feature anything in the way of his trademark quip-delivery, the film relies on its star merely acting a bit odd and gazing quizzically at human expression. If that were the only problem then it wouldn’t be so bad, but the host of other hiccups (the hole-riddled plot, tacky effects, weak gags) are just too numerous to ignore.”
CLICK HERE TO COMPARE PRICES ON THE MEET DAVE DVD AND OTHER RELEASES OUT DECEMBER 1ST 

On Blu-ray:

The French Connection

The Lowdown: Based on true events, William Friedkin’s Oscar winning The French Connection tells the story of two New York City cops, Jimmy ‘Popeye’ Doyle and Buddy Russo, who attempt to intercept a major heroin shipment that is on its way from France.

What We Say: “According to the director on the film’s intro, this edition is “sharper, clearer and truer than any print ever was”. We’re not so convinced. It’s curious that such a dedicated makeover could result in such an inconsistent picture. Colours are a lot more striking and the occasional frame presents a picture that’s noticeably cleaner than its DVD counterpart, but there’s some seriously heavy grain throughout, especially during the odd nighttime shot.”
CLICK HERE TO COMPARE PRICES ON THE FRENCH CONNECTION/FRENCH CONNECTION 2 BLU-RAY AND OTHER RELEASES OUT DECEMBER 1ST 

Planet Of The Apes: 40 Year Evolution

The Lowdown: After a mission goes tits up, a group of astronauts crash land on a mysterious planet were humans are under the savage rule of highly intelligent, sentient apes. As the crew struggles to survive the brutal environment, they discover this alien world may not be quite so alien after all. 

What We Say: “Featuring all five films from the original classic series and about a year’s worth of extra features, it should come with a hazard warning, as Apes fans are likely to drown in their own drool… The picture on the Blu-ray is detailed enough to make out individual leaves in the background of many forest scenes as well as each fibre in the primates’ now-dated costumes.
CLICK HERE TO COMPARE PRICES ON THE PLANET OF THE APES BLU-RAY AND OTHER RELEASES OUT DECEMBER 1ST 

Take a look below for three superb comps featuring over 20 different titles that you could win!
(All competitions on this page close at 11.59pm on December 15th, 2008)

A Competition Classic!

36 films plus a selection of classic TV series could be yours!

Just look at the pic above (or the list below) to see what a stunning selection prizes we’re giving away in this comp! The first prize winner will get Blu-ray copies of the Thunderbirds and Shawshank Redemption, as well as DVD box sets of Lost In Austen and the classic Brideshead Revisited, along with 12 triple pack DVDs featuring a selection of classic movies, all courtesy of ITV DVD! That over £350 worth of digital discs! Plus, one runner up will get Lost In Austen and Brideshead Revisited on DVD, plus The Shawshank Redemption on Blu-ray.

YOU CAN WIN:
Thunderbirds (complete series on Blu-ray)
The Shawshank Redemption (Blu-ray)
Brideshead Revisited (DVD)
Lost In Austen (DVD)
The Shawshank Redemption, The Fabulous Baker Boys, Glengarry Glen Ross Triple Pack (DVD)
The Eagle Has Landed, The Boys From Brazil, Escape To Athena Triple Pack (DVD)
Prick Up Your Ears, Made In Britain, Meantime Triple Pack (DVD) 
Far From The Madding Crowd, Wuthering Height, Tess Of The Durbervilles Triple Pack (DVD)
Rebecca, Mansfield Park, Brief Encounter Triple Pack (DVD)
Fried Green Tomatoes…, Sophie’s Choice, On Golden Pond Triple Pack (DVD)
A Night To Remember, The Red Shoes, Caesar & Cleopatra Triple Pack (DVD)
A Tale Of Two Cities, Oliver Twist, Great Expectations Triple Pack (DVD)
A Matter Of Life And Death, The Life And Death Of Colonel Blimp, I Know Where I’m Going Triple Pack (DVD)
Stingray, Joe 90, Captain Scarlet Triple Pack (DVD)
The Battle Of The River Plate, In Which We Serve, We Dive At Dawn Triple Pack (DVD)
The Wrong Arm Of The Law, Never Let Go, Soft Beds Hard Battles Triple Pack (DVD)

If you fancy your chances of winning, click the link below and answer the question:

Mysterious Monkey Business!

Classic Monkey and Mysterious Cities Of Gold Box Sets up for grabs, including an original animation production cel!

Fabulous Films have lined up a superb competition available exclusively on the DVD Monthly website! We’ve got sets of the TV classics The Mysterious Cities Of Gold and Monkey for two lucky winners!

The Mysterious Cities Of Gold Set not only includes the classic 80s animated series, but also an almost ridiculous amount of extra, plus postcards, a booklet and even an original production cel from the series itself, which is something you need to own!

The Monkey box set includes every single episode of the 70s series, which held the nation spellbound when its dubbed goodness was first aired and has since maintained a loyal cult following. Indeed, the box set even includes episodes that weren’t dubbed originally, but which the English voice cast have since reunited to bring to DVD viewers!

If all this sounds good to you, then you could be one of two winners of both box sets if you click the link below and answer the question!

Winning The Detectives

A Touch Of Frost, Poirot and Marple box sets to be won! 

ITV DVD is offering a whole slew of detective box sets on DVD this Christmas, so we’ve teamed up with them to offer two lucky winners the latest releases from a trio of Britains best loved sleuth!

You could win A Touch Of Frost - Series 14 box set, Poirot - Collection 7 box set, and Marple - Complete Series 3 box set in this great comp. The two box sets featuring Agatha Christie creations have four fantastic mysteries apiece, while A Touch Of Frost - Series 14 includes the three latest feature-length outings from the BAFTA Award winning drama starring David Jason.

If you fancy trying to win one of these great sets, then click on the link and answer the question:

Loquax Competition
The Prize Finder - UK Competitions
UK Competitions

Competition listed at Competitions Today

DVDs to look out for in the shops from November 24th…
(Click on the DVD covers to see more info about the release at Amazon.co.uk)

Mamma Mia!

The Lowdown: Sophie Sheridan is about to marry the man of her dreams on an idyllic Greek island, on which she lives with her mother Donna (Meryl Streep). Knowing that her real father is one of three possible ex-boyfriends of Donna’s, Sophie invites all three potential fathers to her wedding in the hopes that her real dad can give her away.

What We Say: “Blindingly bright and cheerful, Mamma Mia! is a high-energy adaptation of the stage musical of the same name, in which a flimsy plot about a Greek island wedding provides Benny Andersson and co. with an excuse to showcase a greatest hits selection from Abba’s back catalogue… Mamma Mia! doesn’t have a pretentious bone in its body, and the film never tries to be anything other than light-hearted fare with a toe-tapping sense of fun. Indeed, the film will break you if you dare enter its bright and breezy world, and by the time the cast unleash a double whammy of show-stopping tunes as the credits roll, you’ll find that the film has burrowed under your skin like some kind of all-singing, all-dancing tick.”
ALSO ON BLU-RAY 
AND IN A DVD GIFT SET 

Wall-E

The Lowdown: With Earth no longer capable of sustaining life, humans now live aboard a spaceship orbiting the planet while a robot named WALL•E spends each day compacting litter into building blocks. When a new robot named EVE arrives, WALL•E is whisked away on an adventure that could see humanity thrive again.

What We Say: “In essence, WALL•E should be little more than a mushy, sentimental story, which thinly veils a message about the damage we’re doing to the planet. Thanks to some pristine animation, brilliantly kooky characters (the best of them being the titular droid himself) and some hilarious observational gags (such as the human’s laziness causing them to evolve with smaller skeletons that can’t support their own weight), the film stands out as one of Pixar’s best.”
ALSO ON BLU-RAY 
AND IN AN AMAZON EXCLUSIVE DVD EDITION WITH A WALL-E SLINKY 

The X-Files: I Want To Believe

The Lowdown: An FBI agent has gone missing and Special Agent Whitney has enlisted the help of a psychic priest to help crack the case. Scully, now working as a physician, has left her former life behind, though the FBI seeks her assistance in this increasingly strange case, and they also require the help of her former partner, the disgraced agent Mulder.

What We Say: “I Want To Believe was apparently conceived as a stand-alone thriller, and maybe the film would work best for complete newcomers; as a plodding but well-performed psychological thriller in the vein of say, The Silence Of The Lambs. However, for ‘X-Files’ fans, this feels like too little too late, and while it’s great to see Mulder and Scully back together, I Want To Believe comes across like an average and overlong episode from the TV series and, if anything, that iconic theme tune only made us crave those classic small screen instalments from ‘The X-Files’ golden age.”
ALSO ON BLU-RAY
AND IN A SINGLE DISC EDITION WITH A FREE POSTER 

Fred Claus

The Lowdown: Fred Claus has always resented his do-gooder little brother, who grew up to become the world famous Santa Claus. However, when adult Fred needs to be bailed out of jail, he must call upon his brother who offers him the bail money if Fred agrees to do a work stint at the North Pole.

What We Say: “A terrific cast are shoved out in the cold with very little to do as Vince Vaughn is left to hold the bag (or Christmas sack), and while the movie occasionally strikes gold (Vince getting chased down by an bunch of angry Santas and getting beaten up by bodyguard elves), the comic tone is generally way off. Failing to take full advantage of the potentially humorous sibling rivalry, the film all too often reaches predictable lows, with Vaughn teaching do-gooder elves how to party, get the girl etc.”
ALSO ON BLU-RAY 

Merlin - Volume 1

The Lowdown: Arriving in Camelot to work as the apprentice of the court physician, a young wizard named Merlin has to keep his magical abilities hidden from the tyrannical King, Uther Pendragon. Keeping his powers secret becomes exponentially difficult when he’s assigned as the servant of the King’s arrogant son, Arthur.

What We Say: “While the notion of following a legendary figure in his early years is by no means an original concept, production company Shine has delivered its new interpretation with impeccable set design and, for the most part, some superb special effects. With a plethora of well-known Brit stars lending their talents to these iconic characters as well as competent stints from newcomers Colin Morgan and Bradley James, it’s a well-crafted series that’s sure to amuse most of the family.”

The Sopranos - Deluxe Box Set

The Lowdown: Being a renowned and feared capo in the New Jersey mob as well as a loving husband and father, Tony Soprano leads two very different lives. As he struggles to keep one part separate from the other, Tony discovers that being the quintessential ‘family’ man isn’t going to be easy. 

What We Say: “Featuring all six seasons stuffed into a lavish package, The Sopranos – The Complete Series is likely to have established fans fuming at having already shelled out on the separate box sets. With another two discs rammed to the rafters with more bonus booty, the set even trumps the 28-disc ‘Complete Collection’ set that was released when the series finally bowed out last year. Exclusive loot bundled onto those two extra discs includes the two superb ‘Supper With The Sopranos’ features, in which we get to join the cast and crew for a pair of dinners as they all discuss the show while revealing some neat bits of trivia here and there.”

Seed

The Lowdown: American law states that if a prisoner sentenced to execution can survive three jolts, they can walk free. Unfortunately a malfunctioning chair means that notorious murderer Max Seed survives. Unprepared to let him walk, Seed’s unconscious body is buried anyway. It’s a sound plan, as long as he doesn’t escape.

What We Say: “Over the past few years Uwe Boll’s name has become synonymous with films so crap that they should be sealed in concrete and dumped in the North Sea. It’s not much of a surprise then that reactions to Seed have been less than positive. However, while the film is unmistakeably bad, it’s still far preferable than enduring most of his other movies and a darn sight better than a lot of what passes for horror nowadays. The fact that it’s spent some unwarranted time on the Bottom 100 list on IMDb can only really be attributed to the worldwide aversion to Boll based on his earlier “efforts”. Surprisingly though, Seed does have just enough moments to make it stick in your mind.”

If you enjoyed Star Wars: Robot Chicken, which is out on DVD now, take a look below for Parts 1 and 2 of the equally hilarious follow-up, Star Wars Robot Chicken Episode II - that’s over 20 minutes of the superb special right here. This selection of skits includes everything from ‘Stormtrooper Take Your Daughter To Work Day’ to The Emperor going to the hairdresser.

Part of Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim, Seth Green’s stop-motion animated toy series has become a global hit, and is well worth checking out either on DVD or TV! Take a look below to see some of the Star Wars hilarity for yourself!

Robot Chicken Star Wars 2 - Part 1

Robot Chicken Star Wars 2 - Part 2

That’s right, over the past week or so we’ve now added over 500 more DVD reviews to our online archive, including all the reviews from Issue 109 of DVD Monthly, along with hundreds more ranging from Jaws – 30th Anniversary Edition to Thunbsucker! So click on the ‘Reviews’ button above and see what’s new. And remember, if you add your own reviews under ours, you could win a stunning Onkyo sound system (click here for more details)!

Here are all the reviews from Issue 109 that are now online:

REGION 2
A Complete History Of My Sexual Failures
Assault On Precinct 13 – Special Edition
Best Man, The
Black Kiss
Bloodrayne 2 – Deliverance
Caligula – Imperial Edition
Cassandra’s Dream
Errol Flynn Westerns
Flight Of The Red Balloon
Gravedancers, The
Horton Hears A Who
I Dreamt Under The Water
Illegal Tender
Incredible Hulk, The
Iron Man
Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer
John Hughes Yearbook, The
Last Mistress, The
Léolo
Loaded
Next Avengers: Heroes Of Tomorrow
Pathology
Prom Night
Rashomon – Special Edition
Rottweiler
Ruins, The
Shotgun Stories
Smiley Face
Solstice
Starship Trooper 3: Marauder
Superhero Movie
Terror’s Advocate
Three And Out
Tracey Fragments, The
Who Saw Her Die?
Yo-Yo Girl Cop
Zodiac – Director’s Cut

TV
At Last Smith & Jones – Volume 1
Battlestar Galactica – Season 4
Big Love – Season 1
Black Lagoon – The Second Barrage – 001
Boston Legal – Season 4
Cashmere Mafia – Series 1
Criminal Justice
Entourage – Season 4
Gravitation – Volume 3
Hellsing Ultimate – Volumes 1 & 2
Holocaust
Katy Brand’s Big Ass Show – Series 1
Lunar Legend – Tsukihime – Complete Collection
My Name Is Earl – Season 3
Nature Boy Ric Flair – The Definitive Collection
Pokémon: The Rise Of Darkrai
Red Hand Gang, The – The Complete Series
Robot Chicken – Series 1
Saxondale – Series 2
Smallville – Season 6
Spiderman & His Amazing Friends – Season 1
Spiral – Series 1
Starship Operators – Volume 1
Summer Heights High
That Mitchell And Webb Look – Series 2
Two And A Half Men – Season 4
Ultimate Anime Horror Collection, The
X-Men – Season 1, Volume 1

MUSIC
David Gilmour – Live In Gdansk
Dream Theater – Chaos In Motion
Experience Hendrix
Glasvegas – Live In Glasgow
House Of The Rising Punk, The
Keane – Curate A Night For ‘War Child’
Led Zeppelin - Down The Tracks
London Conversations – The Best Of Saint Etienne
Lou Reed’s Berlin
Manu Chao – Babylonia En Guagua
Motorpsycho – Haircuts (Motorpsycho On Film)
Peace One Day Concert, The
Tori Amos – Live At Montreux 1991/1992
U2 – Live At Red Rocks
We Dreamed America
Wu-Tang Clan – Live At Montreux 2007

HD
Bruce Campbell Vs. Army Of Darkness
Day Of The Dead
Day Watch
District 13
Evil Dead II
Football Factory, The
Freedomland
Hannibal Rising
Jethro Tull – Live At Montreux 2003
Legends – Live At Montreux 1997
Made Of Honour
Maid In Manhattan
Mona Lisa Smile
My Best Friend’s Wedding
Never Back Down
Night Of The Living Dead
Night Watch
Prom Night
Rise Of The Footsoldier
Starship Troopers 3: Marauder
Street Kings
This Is England
Thunderbirds 

DVDs to look out for in the shops from November 17th…
(Click on the DVD covers to see more info about the release at Amazon.co.uk)

The Chronicles Of Narnia: Prince Caspian

The Lowdown: While it’s only been year for the Pevensies since they returned from Narnia, hundreds of years have passed in the magical realm. Narnia is now held in the grip of the evil Miraz, who wants to kill his nephew Caspian to secure the throne, as well as exterminating all the kingdom’s remaining magical creatures. Only Peter, Susan, Lucy and Edmund can help.

What We Say: “The movie version of The Lion… suffered from trying to be Lord Of The Rings and came up short. Prince Caspian on the other hand seems more ready to stand on its own feet, and actually benefits from the fact that the story is completely separate from the first film, other than the presence of the Pevensie children and Aslan (and the White Witch turning up for a pointless cameo). That’s not to say it’s a great film though. While an entertaining enough couple of hours, it still doesn’t rank amongst the best fantasy films out there.” 
Also on Blu-ray
Or as a double DVD pack with The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe

Kung Fu Panda - 2 Disc Edition

The Lowdown: Lazy panda Po may dream of being a kung fu master, but he’s just as surprised as anyone when he is designated as the warrior who must protect the Valley Of Peace from the evil snow leopard, Tai Fung. Can Po learn enough martial arts under the tutelage of Master Shifu to succeed in his mission?

What We Say: “While it certainly doesn’t match most of PIxar’s efforts, purely in the entertainment stakes it’s Dreamworks Animation’s most entertaining movie since the first Shrek. Animation seems a good place for Jack Black’s vocal talents, and while his turn as Po can occasionally go a little too far over the top, most of the time he’s entertaining for both children and adults. The rest of the starry voice list has less to do, but all of them work well in the wonderfully realised Chinese world the movie conjures.”
Also on Blu-ray
Or in a single disc DVD edition 

The Forbidden Kingdom

The Lowdown: Jason Tripitikas (Michael Angarano) is a martial arts obsessed teen who, after being bullied into ripping off his old Chinese pal’s shop, is magically transported back to ancient China where he finds himself joining up with a group of warriors (including Jackie Chan) who are on a quest to rescue the imprisoned Monkey King (Jet Li).

What We Say: “The Forbidden Kingdom is a disappointment and a waste of talent, which stems from the fact that instead of putting this potentially momentous event-movie in the hands of a martial arts legend like say, Tsui Hark, the man responsible for such genre classics as Zu: Warriors From The Magic Mountain (1983) and Once Upon A Time In China (1991), the Forbidden Kingdom reigns were handed over to Rob Minkoff, the man responsible for Stuart Little (1999).”

Bones - Season 3

The Lowdown: Forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan is called in to deal with yet more murders where the body are so disfigured there are only bones to work with. However things start to get close to home when her father goes on trial for murder, and a serial killer may have links to the team she works with.

What We Say: “Some series got hammered worse by the US Writer’s Strike than others. Sadly Bones’ normal 20-odd episodes got chopped down to 16, which is a real shame as it’s an immensely entertaining show and deserves as many episodes as it can get. It’s a particular annoyance with this season, as it’s obvious the makers were trying to have more of a story arc than in previous seasons… However these things end up feeling slightly truncated and thrown in, due to the fact the strike caused so much chaos… When it gets to the last episode there are major revelations that will cause massive changes to the show, but the surprise ending seemingly comes out of nowhere, presumably because there wasn’t time to set it up properly. Even so,there’s still little doubt Bones is amongst the most entertaining crime shows on TV and so still worth watching.”
Also available in a box set including Seasons 1, 2 and 3

For full reviews of comes of these titles and over 100 more, don’t forget to buy your copy of Issue 110 of DVD Monthly, available now from all good newsagents or by clicking here.

It’s fast become one of the most anticipated movies of the the past few years, and we’re now getting closer and closer to the release of Watchmen, and if you take a look below you can see the brand new trailer. Well, hopefully it’ll be released, anyway. As you may have heard, 20th Century Fox has taken Warner Bros. to court claiming that they still own certain rights to the comic book. There’s a full explanation of the who, what and why of the court case over at the New York Times site (click here for the article), but it basically involves a producer and whether or not rights were properly and fully transferred as the project was shunted around Hollywood for years. While it’s possible this could delay the movie, it’s more likely that Warner will give Fox some money or a percentage of the profits, in order to ensure the $100 million plus movie isn’t derailed or delayed. At the moment it seems it’s full steam ahead, with the trailer below debuting today in the States before Quantum Of Solace.

We also included the picture above, which is from a new set of character posters (we picked Ozymandias because the actor playing him, Matthew Goode, hails from Exeter, as does DVD Monthly).

DVDs to look out for in the shops from November 10th…
(Click on the DVD covers to see more info about the release at Amazon.co.uk)

Family Guy – Season 7

The Lowdown: The Griffins are back with 13 more episodes of madcap insanity. Episodes range from the family buying their own restaurant, only to end up being attacked by a robot made of disabled people, to Peter deciding he actually does like daughter, Meg. Plus, after eight years of trying, Stewie finally manages to kill Lois, or does he?

What We Say: “The five US Season 5 episodes are still very entertaining, including a couple of inspired moments, such as the Griffins coming under attack from a giant transforming robot made up of people in wheelchairs. It may not be PC, but it is funny. However something seems to go very wrong with the seven Season 6 episodes. While Family Guy has always been somewhat random, it got away with it by being funny and having an odd internal logic. However here the jokes fall flat and the logic evaporates, making many of the episodes frustrating rather than entertaining.”

Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull

The Lowdown: A young man called Mutt Williams brings a coded message to aging archaeologist/adventurer Indiana Jones. Although initially reluctant to get involved, Indy is thrust into the fray when it becomes clear the Soviets, led by Irina Spalko, are involved, leading him to South America and crystal skulls that hold immense power.

What We Say: “While maybe not as good as Raiders or The Last Crusade, Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull is still a fine blockbuster and a step ahead of Temple Of Doom. It may have moments that dip so far into silliness that it nearly throws you out of the 1950s fun, but for the most part it keeps the spirit established in the first three films. Likewise, for a guy in his mid 60s, Harrison Ford does extremely well. There are moments where he looks a little bit doddery, but he can still sell the character extremely well.”
ALSO ON BLU-RAY
OR AS PART OF A DVD COLLECTION WITH THE OTHER INDY MOVIES 

Gavin & Stacey - Series 2

The Lowdown: Gavin and Stacey return from their honeymoon only to discover that Nessa is pregnant with Smiffy’s child. As everybody rallies around the unprepared future parents, no one seems to notice that Stacey is having a little difficulty adapting to married life. Can the newlyweds survive the strain on their relationship?

What We Say: “With a brilliant first series that followed the misadventures of Barry born Stacey and Essex boy Gavin as they begin a relationship, the show has been deservedly praised for standout performances, sidesplitting dialogue and some fantastically eccentric characters. While some comedies go off the boil after that hit fledgling series, it’s safe to say that Gavin & Stacey - Series 2 manages to remain fresh with some hilarious new storylines and even more culture-clash nuttiness.”

Speed Racer

The Lowdown: Haunted by the death of his brother in a rally, Speed’s main goal in life is to win the cross-country championship, The Crucible. Realising his talent, a rival team makes Speed an offer, but after turning it down he realises some of the races are being fixed and that his rivals now want him out of the picture permanently.

What We Say: “Part of Speed Racer’s problem was that the trailers revealed nothing expect some very bright colours, leaving us with the selling point that it was by Matrix’s Wachowski Brothers. However knowing it was from the makers of The Matrix isn’t particularly useful info, as you’re bound to expect something very different from what Speed Racer is. It’s essentially a kid’s flick, with its main problem being that it’s so intently aimed as 6-12 year old boys that it’s a difficult sell for the studio, who need a far wider audience.”
ALSO ON BLU-RAY. 

The Mist

The Lowdown: A small town in Maine comes under attack from a strange mist. With no foreseeable means of escape, David Drayton and his son find themselves trapped in the local supermarket along with a large group of other townspeople, until that is, the mist unleashes the horrors from within!

What We Say: “The plot is pure Stephen King, throwing a small town into disarray thanks to some otherworldly atrocities. All of the clichéd townsfolk are present and accounted for, from the everyman husband/father to the religious nut, and Darabont manages to wring pretty bad performances out of most of them. However, the director knows how to build up tension and despite the film’s many flaws, The Mist delivers the chills and showcases the odd remarkable set piece.”
ALSO ON BLU-RAY. 

Donkey Punch

The Lowdown: Three fun-loving Northern girls are on holiday in Mallorca and find themselves being charmed by four British boys who invite them onboard their luxury yacht. Drink and drugs are the order of the day, but when a sex game gets out of hand, the debauchery spirals dangerously out of control…

What We Say: “Despite a compelling premise, the characters feel sketchy and the script sometimes seems positively threadbare. That said, Donkey Punch is undeniably effective, even if it does sometimes feel like an episode of ‘Hollyoaks’ on crack! Extras include an array of brisk press junket-style snippets with the likable cast and crew, and a few other behind-the-scenes offerings, but nothing wildly exciting.”
ALSO ON BLU-RAY. 

Prisoner Cell Block H - Volume 1

The Lowdown: Welcome to Australia’s Wentworth Detention Centre, home to the criminal ladies of Cell Block H. While the screws make the woman’s life hell, prison Top Dog Bea Smith looks after those she likes and threatens those she doesn’t. However Bea’s about to get paroled, which could dramatically alter life at Wentworth, assuming Bea can stay out of Wentworth…

What We Say: “While the like of ‘Bag Girls’ has tried, nothing has ever managed to beat Prisoner Cell Block H in the women in prison stakes. It is admittedly immensely silly, with cardboard sets, hammy dialogue and dodgy acting, plus it’s so camp that it even got turned into a musical starring Lily Savage, yet it is without a doubt incredibly entertaining… The only possible problem if that this is only the first 32 of 692 episodes, so if they all end up getting released, you may have to give up your job and family just to have time to watch them all.”

ON BLU-RAY:

Band Of Brothers

The Lowdown: Based on the book by Stephen Ambrose, Band Of Brothers tells the story of ‘Easy Company’, the 506th Regiment of the 101st Airborne division during WWII, and follows the troops from their first landing at Utah Beach to the final days of the war.

What We Say: “With a desaturated visual style (much like its big screen brother, Saving Private Ryan), the picture quality was never going to blind with its vibrancy, and sure enough, the colours don’t exactly pop and astound. Some of the grain has been cleaned up, though the sporadic grittiness results in a fairly inconsistent picture, and there’s not really a great deal of depth on offer either. Still, the picture provides a cleaner and sharper presentation than the standard DVD, and the DTS Master Audio beefs up the surround sound experience considerably.”

Baraka

The Lowdown: Ron Fricke’s non-narrative documentary explores and juxtaposes cultures and events from around the world. Shot in 152 locations in 24 countries, Baraka (a phrase from Sufi origin, meaning ‘blessing’) takes us on a journey from Argentina and Nepal to Cambodia and Tanzania.

What We Say: “This mesmerising and rhythmic masterpiece is definitely the kind of film that needs to be experienced in hi-def, and the picture more than does the film’s stunning photography justice. The detail is remarkable, from single strands of scraggly hair to water droplets on an animal’s fur. While the likes of the excellent Planet Earth Blu-ray revealed a heavy grain during interior shots, Baraka appears to be flawless throughout, easily surpassing its documentary cousin in terms of visuals. Indeed, picture-wise, this may be Blu-ray’s finest hour so far.”

For full reviews of many of these titles and over 100 more, don’t forget to buy your copy of Issue 110 of DVD Monthly, available now from all good newsagents or by clicking here.

With Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull set for release on DVD on November 10th, we take a close look at the history one of the most successful film franchises in history, from its genesis in the mid 1970s to its possible future. Click here to find out all about the making of the Indiana Jones Quartet…

(This feature first appeared in issue 109 of DVD Monthly) 

Page 1 of 5 – NEXT Raiders Of The Lost Ark

Family Guy - Season 7 is out on DVD next Monday (November 10th) and to celebrate that fact, we’ve got a clip from the show for you to enjoy.
(Click on the packshot to see more information about this release from amazon.co.uk)

We haven’t even got an election, but it seems everyone in Hollywood wants us to vote. As asking people to vote in the American election isn’t exactly a controversial issue, it seems it’s easy to get people to come out and make a PSA. And there is an impressive amount of star power in the video below, with Leonardo DiCaprio (whose production company, Appian Way, produced the video), Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz, Snoop Dogg, Harrison Ford, Julia Roberts, Ben Stiller, Will Smith, Steven Spielberg, Justin Timberlake, Borat, Zach Braff, Colin Farrell, Neil Patrick Harris, Scarlett Johansson, Shia LeBeouf, Tobey Maguire and more all trying to get Americans off their asses and into the polling booths next Tuesday. It may have nothing to do with us Brits (well, other than whoever becomes the US president sets the agenda for the entire planet, but there’s not much we can do about that), but it’s still worth watching for the star power alone!

DVDs to look out for in the shops from November 3rd…
(Click on the DVD covers to see more info about the release at Amazon.co.uk)

Futurama: Bender’s Game

The Lowdown: With the price of Dark Matter fuel rocketing, the Planet Express crew head off on a dangerous mission that could end Mom’s stranglehold on the market. However Bender has become deranged after playing Dungeons & Dragons, and the crew end up getting diverted into his strange fantasy world.

What We Say: “Although it was always going to be difficult for the new stand-alone straight-to-DVD Futurama films to compete with the TV series, it’s difficult not to have become increasingly disappointed as more of them have come our way. The first, Bender’s Big Score, was pretty fun; The Beast With A Billion Backs was okay but nothing special; while Bender’s Game just seems a little random and not necessarily in a good way. The credits reveal it was written as Part 1 to 4, rather than as a complete film, and that shows in its episodic nature, where for nearly an hour, a movie called Bender’s Game has very little to do with the game being played by Bender.”
Also On Blu-ray. 

The Colour Of Magic

The Lowdown: When inept wizard Rincewind (David Jason) is kicked out of Unseen University for failing to grasp basic magic, he is forced to get a job as a tour guide. His first punter is Twoflower (Sean Astin), a naïve insurance salesman, and wacky adventures ensue for the mismatched duo!

What We Say: “David Jason impressed Pratchett fans with his star stint in The Hogfather and, as a vocal admirer of Pratchett’s ‘The Colour Of Magic’ book, it seemed inevitable that he would be picked for the role of inept wizard Rincewind. In fairness, despite his advanced age he acquits himself very well, as does his new cohort Sean Astin. Meanwhile, an ensemble cast featuring Tim Curry, Jeremy Irons and Christopher Lee adds much-needed kudos to the production.”
Also On Blu-ray. 

Shine A Light

What We Say: “With a proliferation of impeccable Stones concert DVDs already swamping the market, few would have expected a director of Scorsese’s stature to have a crack at a straight-up no-frills concert film. This, however, is exactly what the aging New Yorker decided to do… The Stones themselves are really showing their age now, and although no one in their right mind would expect anything remotely edgy, the set sometimes feels like a mid-afternoon shindig down at the local recreation centre. Craggy Jagger struts across the stage wearing the kind of sequinned outfit that you would expect your Gran to wear, whilst his trusty sidekicks Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood perch either side of him like cadaverous gargoyles. Their collective talent is still there for all to see, but as a concert film about one of rock’s most incendiary groups, Shine A Light feels dangerously tame.
Also On Blu-ray.  

Extras: The Special

The Lowdown: Andy Millman (Gervais) has become a huge star thanks to his TV sitcom, ‘When The Whistle Blows’. However, despite a new hotshot agent and dinner at the fanciest restaurants, Andy’s hunger for fame threatens to completely destroy his life and his friendship with Maggie.

What We Say: “The finale to the two six-part series of the fantastic Extras isn’t so much a sitcom as it is a darkly comedic feature-length drama; a poignant, smart and, yes, touching farewell to Gervais’ London-based fame whore, Andy Millman. Though a scathing but witty indictment of fame and celebrity, Extras primarily ends up as a tale of friendship, proposing the wise dictum that a stupid joke shared with a friend is far more important than all the TV Guide magazine covers in the country.”
Also On Blu-ray.  

Robin Hood - Series 2

The Lowdown: Robin Hood and his band of men are still trying to ride Nottingham of poverty by battling the evil Sheriff Of Nottingham. However Robin’s got a lot of trouble, as along with all the usual swashbuckling he needs to do, there’s a traitor in his camp and events may take Marian away from him.

What We Say: “In many ways, Robin Hood has more in common with post-apocalyptic series and movies than it does with the venerable historical drama. Realism is a low priority, with the simple adventure factor revved up instead. It’s a formula that worked right through the first series and does so for most of the second, although as with ‘Doctor Who’, moments have crept in that are so far fetched they seem almost insulting to the audience.”

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre - Seriously Ultimate Edition

The Lowdown: Sally and her wheelchair bound brother, Franklin, travel with a small group of close friends to their grandfather’s potentially vandalised grave. However, an unscheduled stop at the old homestead leads to a nightmare run-in with a group of cannibalistic rednecks.

What We Say: “Since the arrival of Tobe Hooper’s masterpiece, three and a half decades of horror have delivered far darker and far more graphic genre offerings, though none can touch The Texas Chain Saw Massacre in terms of pure, undiluted onscreen lunacy… This ‘Seriously Ultimate Edition’ goes all out in order to live up to its audacious but dubious title, and with over four hours of special features and a restored and remastered version of the film itself, Second Sight’s three-disc set certainly means serious business.”

The Happening

The Lowdown: People are stopping in the streets and moments later finding any way they can to kill themselves. As the bizarre events spread from New York across the Northeast of the US, teacher Elliot Moore and his wife try to escape Philadelphia, but will they be safe out in the backwoods, especially when it starts to appear it may be nature itself that’s attacking?

What We Say: “For a start, Mark Wahlberg seems to be bidding here for the title of most gormless lead actor in history. To be honest it isn’t all his fault, as he’s given some of the most ludicrous dialogue imaginable, all based around a dodgy central premise that is so badly handled that I was trying to work out whether the whole film was meant to be a comedy or not. I don’t think it is, but even now I’m not entirely sure. While nature can be scary, just showing a shot of a tree, or having wind that magically knows when gusting would be a bad idea, doesn’t create tension on its own.”
Also On Blu-ray.  

ON BLU-RAY:

Kill Bill Volumes 1 & 2

The Lowdown: Quentin Tarantino’s two-part rip-roaring rampage of revenge focuses on ‘The Bride’ (Uma Thurman), a deadly ex-member of an assassination squad who sets out on a bloody path of vengeance across the globe, looking for those who killed her family and left her for dead.

What We Say: “The Blu-ray’s colour palette is tremendously rich, with one particular exterior shot of Vernita Green’s suburban home absolutely flooring us with its vibrancy. The colours provide standout visual moments throughout, from Elle Driver’s red umbrella to the interior of the ‘Pussy Wagon’, though compared to these bursts of brightness, the anime section from the first film comes across as rather dull. A little bit of grain is evident on occasion, though the flashback scenes in the second volume do deliver the grainy picture on purpose.”

Also available as a Blu-ray double pack.

For full reviews of many of these titles and over 100 more, don’t forget to buy your copy of Issue 110 of DVD Monthly, available now from all good newsagents or by clicking here.