It reignites the fun of pirate flicks and still manages to feel fresh and invigorating. The package comes stuffed with many interesting and informative supplements. It's one of the year’s most fun movies and best DVDs to date.

It is both gruesome and unsettling, but also entertaining and unavoidably draws the viewer’s attention and has a final twist that is enough, at the very least, to have you checking your locks.

Barry Humphries, Barry Crocker, Spike Milligan and Peter Cook star in this groundbreaking film and it finally comes in a two-disc package, completely uncensored and in widescreen for the first time in thirty-five years.

If you are were to choose one science program to watch then go no further than Cosmos. It is fun as well as brainy.

“The James Bond Story” documents the impact and legacy of the remarkable series of films, with film clips and interviews from the first film in 1962 , “Dr. No”, until “The World Is Not Enough” in 2000.

The least known of Pier Paolo Pasolini's features also happens to be one of his best. It stars Anna Magnani at her most volcanic, hyperbolic, and magnificent as a Roman prostitute.

The follow-up to the original box-office smash. This enormous box office smash garnered worldwide critical reviews…

This documentary takes a look back at the Tropfest years 1993-2000, and focuses on the judging process. It's quite humorous and tells things candidly.

This is one of the best animated features ever made.

Emanuele Crialese's “The Golden Door,” the story of an Italian family emigrating to America circa 1900, contains long, contemplative silences and immerses us in the images and sounds of its world: the arduous and the tedious testing that immigrants undergo before being granted even temporary citizenship.

”Lion King 3” is more of an alternate angle to the original film. The story follows the events of the original, mixed in with jokes, events and characters that we didn’t get to see before.

The young ones will be suitably impressed but, for older viewers, who wish to rekindle the love for the original, they should probably just stick to that.

There has been a great deal of time that has gone into the releases. The original episodes are shown - uncut and beautifully re-mastered. It's a release no fan of Maxwell Smart can miss!

Lionel Rose goes down in Australian history as the first Aboriginal boxer to win a World Title. This documentary is a thorough and absorbing feature into the eventful life…

With a serial killer he helped convict awaiting execution and a copycat killer on the loose, Jack Gramm has 88 minutes to solve the biggest murder of his career: his own.

The new version of Fame has been tweaked to suit a fresher audience. Instead of 80s style music and dance, we are presented with hip-hop, rap and modern dance.

‘From Paris with Love’ mostly delivers on the action front. This is high testosterone stuff. It is one of those films where our heroes manage to avoid death from dozens of men wielding automatic machine guns.

Cold Souls is very Kaufman-esque in its philosophical questions and in the existence and acceptance of a ludicrous situation by the key players of the film.

Nella Last discovered her own innate strengths and abilities as she tried to keep some kind of home life going for the benefit of her husband and sons… and herself. This DVD presents a moving and well written story into the life of the women of the home front.

The Motown sound started in Detroit during the 1950s and the foundation came from a group of musicians known as The Funk Brothers.

…the visual sight of this world in computer animation is very good, making the film a real delight. This is a film that grabs the viewer with its imaginative world,…

It's an amazing chronicle of mankind’s relationship to the extraterrestrial in our midst and shows Spielberg's vision in bringing a treat for sci-fi fans.

“The Chatterley Affair” is a very smart BBC drama that takes us back to 1960's landmark trial regarding D.H. Lawrence's “Lady Chatterley's Lover.”

There is a vast amount of extra content not seen at the cinematic release and young ones will have a ball with all the extras. Watch for the two-hour documentary “A Diamond In The Rough” which gives a good perspective into the making of the film. There is something for everyone to enjoy, however, and the games and trailers are well recommended.

In 1970s America, a detective works to bring down the drug empire of Frank Lucas, a heroin kingpin from Manhattan, who is smuggling the drug into the country in the coffins of soldiers returning from the Vietnam War.

As the biggest animated feature of all time and highest grossing animated film ever released in Australia, the Disney/Pixar film Finding Nemo is now released on DVD and video.

This is the first instalment of a worthy tribute to Australian screenplay legend David Williamson and the films released from his masterful pen

Another gorgeous Disney release comes to life on DVD. Disney's animators bring the classic Alice In Wonderland to DVD fruition with magical brilliance.

Unexplained deaths and eerie sounds makes Furnace your classic 21st century horror with over-the-top acting, gory effects and good old fashioned scares.

The DVD package bursts with fantasy, adventure, and memorable characters amd wil all-new digital restoration.

’Boy Meets Girl’ sometimes looks and feels like a documentary, that is as frightening as it is shocking. It creates a very dark tapestry of images of abuse.

An interesting film, but one that may leave you a little ‘dazed and confused.’

A fireball documentary about the 1970s, when filmmakers were stoked by sex, drugs, rock, and social conscience.

The “Great Aussie Icons: Barry Humphries” DVD collection contains two quintessential Australian films starring the well known and loved comedian, satirist, and character actor Barry Humphries.

His work depicts real people in real situations, something that most Italian families, in particular, will recognise easily.

‘Not Quite Hollywood’ is the debut documentary from writer/director Mark Hartley and explores the hidden world of Australian Ozploitation films that have a cult following among horror fans and were also a huge influence on Quentin Tarantino’s career.

The film lacks some oomph and it's surprising that the writers couldn't come up with a better-developed story and fully realised characters. The film does have a fan base, however, and those who are Disney devotees should enjoy this DVD edition, which provides satisfactory audio/video presentation and very good additional features.

“Ginga: The Soul of Brazilian Football”, is a documentary which explores this rich influence from the roots of seven real young boys, trying to make it in the world of football, most of them wanting to reach far beyond the restraints of their poverty-stricken neighbourhoods.

The overall package is fabulous because you won't be able to pick a set of three better Italian films that give that “essential” quality.

A beautiful film of twists and turns, many you don’t expect. The simplicity of the script, yet the impeccable acting and the blunt and imposing texture of the filming, together create an atmosphere of unshakeable emotion.

“The Adventures of Antoine Doinel” is a collection of movies written and directed by legendary French filmmaker Francois Truffaut, a former film critic who helped usher in the New Wave of French Cinema which inspired the likes of Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, and many others.

The production is excellent, and the acting is extremely good. Once you become familiar with the casting arrangements, it comes across as a worthy adaptation, and is well recommended.

…the headline on the DVD cover – BUSH vs HUSSEIN. It sets up a tantalising prospect in this first volume of the titillating series of the Naked Women’s Wrestling League.

However, in this movie the problems are noticeable, to the contrived and inexcusably ordinary script. Hoblit's direction saves the film from being one of total lowlights.

In true Jim Jarmusch style this film has plenty of clever moments that will make you smile. It's also devastatingly stylish, and offers a serious criticism to the historical treatment of native Americans.

One of the great visionaries of Italian cinema was Federico Fellini. He became a worldly figure through such classics as La Dolce Vita, I Vitelloni, 8 ½, and many other films.

Ang Lee is a director who concentrates on forbidden love and the consequences of stifling our passion or swallowing emotions. This is a story about a beautiful spy who seduces and falls for her target in the lush espionage tale Lust, Caution. Like most Lee movies it is a beautifully photographed and one that earned an R rating.

Suspense suggests that the viewer anxiously awaits what will happen next. Disturbia does something more. It manages to engross the audience with a rarely reached level of attentive responsiveness.

I Spy was one of the most entertaining programs of the genre, thanks to the combination of Robert Culp and Bill Cosby.

At the time “I Spy” was celebrated for its groundbreaking casting and for its lush locations.

Romero needs to be congratulated for breaking free from the standard B-Grade zombie flick and making this a film with a conscience. There is an age old debate whether a war journalist should capture the horrors of war or put the camera down and help people and it is brilliantly explored in ‘Diary Of The Dead’.

The movie will only appeal to a certain age group, and it's definitely not in the class of High School Musical so don't expect similar success.

…Restraint works fairly well, offering a number of tense scenes and a resolution that's satisfying despite being a bit ambiguous.

The greatest thing about this film is the costuming and set design. It is very often a beautiful film to watch, and your senses are sometimes overcome with a silly romantic longing to be eighteenth century Peru.

La Notte is one of the great films made by Italian director Michaelangelo Antonioni. It is a stand-out in the new wave genre of the early 1960s.

Made in 1943 Saludos Amigos was the first of the so-called “anthology films”. This is a mixture of musical, comical animation and a cultural documentary of South America.

Wolverine is a worthy follow-up to the X-Men movie trilogy. It’s a prequel of sorts, spanning 150 years, and follows mutant Wolverine. Hugh Jackman reprises his role as the main character in an action-packed, over-the-top movie, befitting its comic book roots.

The main thrust is the Cuban revolution as Guevara and Fidel Castro land on the island intent on toppling the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista. Then there was Che's later visit to the United States, during which he addressed the United Nations. The latter segment is actually well shot in a doco-style.

One thing still. Che's character shows intelligence, cruelty and intolerance. Yet Soderbergh keeps dodging the human side of Che. It's a very brave effort to not delve into the psyche in a long film.

Che Part Two offers some frustration but is generally fascinating.

This is a honest and heartfelt account of the trails and tribulations of what it is to be a modern family.

Directed and written by Kyle Rankin, Infestation will only entertain those who enjoy watching a scripted film filled with fictitious creatures and their attempt to take over the world.

Ozon offers impressive tapas here, with concise, impeccably structured short films. Plot twists are reminiscent of Roald Dahl, while the sensual undercurrents approach Anais Nin’s erotica, without being nearly as explicit.

The story can be seen as one where you look into the life of someone that society would like to see put away forever. It’s an unnerving portrait of hard-won redemption.

Each film expands the chilling fragments into a dark thriller told in retrospective flashbacks, and together they chart the evolution of film noir.

Bambi is one of Walt Disney's greatest triumphs and one of the all-time most requested Disney classics. It is widely believed that Bambi has had the greatest impact on viewers of any Disney film. Originally theatrically released in 1942, it has been re-released many times since for millions of fans.

Released in Britain to mark the 200th anniversary of the bill by William Wilberforce that outlawed slavery in Britain, “Amazing Grace” tells the story of this fight to end the slave trade through the central character of William Wilberforce (Ioan Gruffudd), the great English social reformer who fought it for twenty years.

This film could easily have been its own film. Axis of Evil is surprisingly suspenseful and somewhat of a guilty pleasure. Great credit should go to the filmmakers when it has the ability to “get you in” from the start.

These sort of absurdities often run the risk of going terribly wrong if not handled properly, but director Frank Oz benefits from a solid cast that sells the material well.

It is Coltrane himself, as a tour guide, that is captivating - he is wildly enthusiastic, self-deprecating about his own celebrity, and simply great company.

It's a bleak film, shot in the Manitoba winter, but there's enough dark Canadian-style black humour to keep the movie fresh and alive.

It‘s the Shaw Brothers’ spin on the King Kong theme and might be thought of as cheapening the past classic with cliches and shameless antics. But the film is inviting to watch because of its oddball charm.

The Godfather is, in my opinion, the best film ever made. This is epic filmmaking at its best.

…this is another award-winning masterpiece from De Sica and is considered one of the watershed films of the Italian cinema renaissance.

In her debut effort, director/co-writer Elissa Down draws on her personal experiences with frank honesty to lift the Black Balloon up from being just another heart-warming movie about a family living with a special-needs child.

Although stylish, this film wasn't as horrifying as I was hoping for. The ghosts weren't threatening and the scares weren't long enough.

The writing team of Anthony Hayes and Brendan Cowell have constructed an effective and compelling family drama that simmers along slowly, carefully revealing its secrets.

Two-Lane Blacktop was largely ignored in its day.

Two-Lane Blacktop remains mysterious and compelling, thanks to its sparse dialogue and enigmatic characters.

The Body Beneath is a cult flick that is, despite its age, bone chilling and extremely violent and is bound to move even the most frequent horror viewers.

The film features a number of in-jokes and cameos from the original series, and the homoerotica that underlies so many cop shows and action movies is played very effectively for laughs.

Writer Stephen Geller has done an excellent job in adapting Vonnegut Jr.’s story, and director George Roy Hill succeeds in bringing to life what I am sure was deemed by many to be an un-filmable novel.

Creature Comforts is a very funny claymation series about the lives of animals as told by the animals themselves. Unscripted and unashamedly funny, the British public once again speaks through the mouths of their plasticine counterparts.

“The Quiet American” takes place in Vietnam during 1951-52. The central character is aging British journalist Thomas Fowler, who is covering the French Indo-China War (1946-54) for a London newspaper.

Only a short way into The Machinist, styles, imagery, themes and characters from a collection of films and director’s work, begin to percolate through the viewer’s mind.

This is a highly regarded British series with some excellent acting performances. It came to Australia with great expectations in the early 1990s and it didn't let anyone down as a quality drama.

It's terribly predictable but bizarre, outrageous, entertaining and requires absolutely no concentration.

The Spider-Man legend contimues with an epic battle against one of Spiderman’s greatest foes. When an alien element falls into the wrong hands, a lethal new criminal is unleashed.

…the filming is handled with such integrity that we view the protagonists through the filter of their passion for each other, rather than through, smutty, external voyeurism. That said, it’s gorgeously decadent and very, very sexy.

Director Sydney Pollack demonstrates his cleverness and gifted filmmaking ability. He creates important messages behind the action.

But in a time where politicians are riding on a wave of nationalism and xenophobia with the aid of an implicit media, the voice of the loan maverick John Pilger is not only welcome but a necessity.

Danny Bhoy is a Scottish comedian who has endeared himself to Australian audiences through various comedy festivals around Australia over the past few years.

This is a fascinating and honest look at the rise and fall of British pop music through the mid-1990s.

With the new hit series, ‘It’s Me or The Dog’, enjoy a barrel of laughs and shake your head at the outlandish lengths some owners will go to in order to spoil their pets.

Overall, the Get Smart DVD collection of Seasons 1 to 5 is undeniably one of the finest television releases I've ever seen. The shows look and sound as they should and included with them are many hours of extras.

The film isn’t a patch on the original film. The production values are lesser, the performers aren’t as entrancing, and the storyline’s not really there. But, as a direct to video effort, it’s rather good.

With a brilliant film structure and exciting acting and cinematography, The Godfather Part 2 ranks, in my opinion, alongside The Godfather, as in the best two films ever made.

There isn’t the force and dynamics of the previous two films, but it is still worthy. The opera scenes are superb and Al Pacino’s performance towards the end of the film, particularly his display of emotions, is brilliant.

Director Fernando León de Aranoa's account of Spanish prostitution is almost all surface, concentrating so heavily on the personal and professional ordeals of its characters that it barely exhibits any bigger interest in the external forces that conspire to place women in such circumstances.

Italian filmmaker Ermanno Olmi won the Palme D'Or at the 1978 Cannes International Film Festival for this lengthy, detailed and quietly profound portrayal of daily life among a group of Lombardy peasants at the turn of the last century.

The film Sunshine is available to rent on DVD in Australia. It is directed by the acclaimed director of films such as Trainspotting and 28 Days Later, Danny Boyle, and is a visually stunning film with state of the art special effects.

The remarkable Joan Chen creates a complex character in Rose, who manipulates the sympathies and frustrations of her audience through a performance that is simply electric in its transformation.

It has been the winner of many international prizes, including Grand Prize of the Jury at the Cannes Film Festival in 1982 and five David di Donatello Awards, including Best Film and Best Director. The Night of the Shooting Stars is undoubtedly one of Paolo and Vittorio Taviani's most accomplished works.

B-Girl is nothing new in the dance movie syndrome - along the lines of ‘Fame’ and the ‘Step-Up’ series. The movie certainly please if you're looking for some great moves and will satisfy strongly. But as a movie proper, it doesn't really excite.

If you have come to see a classic remake of the original Alice in Wonderland, you may be in for a disappointment. It also may a bit too dark and Burton-esque for children.

But what is so charming about this show is that the absurdity of Adam and Wilfred’s relationship, set in suburban Australia, is enough to keep this comedy highly addictive.

An interesting documentary, “Making Venus” tells the story of Jason and Julian, two friends who want to be the new ‘superstars of the film world’. Documentary maker Gary Doust was on set to chronicle this dynamic duo producing “The Venus Factory”, a low budget Australian film about an actor with high hopes who is drawn into the world of porn.

The Cat Returns is not just a story for children, but a film that can inspire and delight people of all ages. The issues of fate and the necessity to believe in oneself in life are conveyed throughout the film, causing any viewer to reflect on their own life.

Dark Days is a documentary from the US released in 2000, but shot over a number of years before that, by first time filmmaker and British expatriate Marc Singer. It chronicles the daily lives of a community of homeless people who have made their home in the subway tunnels beneath Penn station in New York.

An excellent and diverse collection of British films comprise the latest in the Essential World Cinema DVD sets.

Bombón El Perro is a wonderful story of hope out of despair.

This film was made in 1948. It’s a collection of 7 shorts and is considered the last of the anthology features of little-known features produced during World War II.

Writer/director Hayao Miyazaki has made a very good film. The story is compelling and the characters interesting. The animation is beautiful, the music is superb, and the visuals are spectacular. What is really impressive, however, is the intelligence and empathy behind the story.

The team of director Gillies Mackinnon and screenwriter Adrian Hodges accomplish a solid piece of British drama in bringing this adaptation to television.

…there is an real elegance to the film, especially the action sequences. It's the type of film that Quentin Tarantino often refers to as an inspiration behind the Kill Bill films.

It offers not only some excellent performances, but an interesting set of stories that illustrate life’s pursuit of happiness…

It’s a unique film and worthy viewing for those who appreciate uncompromising drama with high production values.

To think it is thirty years and the film still stands tall in dialogue, performances and the general production. It is been fully remastered and restored with great sharpness and colour.

Based on Peter Benchley’s book, this was a ground-breaking and brilliantly made in its day. It brought Steven Spielberg to prominence.

Japanese Anime is outstanding in that it can transcend western animation and adapt storylines to suit an adult audience. The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is no exception, with the story of Makoto both enchanting and poignant.

It is a timeless story that is just as good and relevant now as it was many years ago when it was created. Disney has made something that will be around forever…

There is a disc packed with extras, including deleted scenes, lots of music, documentaries, galleries and more.

From the beginning Demon Lover appears to be an unlikely take on the subject it portrays - illegal animated porn. Shot in luminescent light, the first third contains genuine character interaction and appears to be more than just a superficial take on skin flicks.

There are some wonderful moments in “Chasing Amy”, both from the performances by Adams, Affleck and Jason Lee, as well as the dialogue from Smith, which is both very funny and very honest.

Tarantino fills Kill Bill with fantastic moments. There are scenes and shots in this movie which are outstanding, with a fantastic and distinct style…

This is one of Jean-Luc Godard's most accessible and most enjoyable films. It is spirited early 60's New Wave in how he contravenes movie convention, and not so abstract like he became a few years later.

The glitz of a Broadway musical is well transferred to the screen in this colourful story that follows the rise of girl group “The Dreamettes” and the struggles they encounter as they try to make their way to the top of the charts.

‘Butterfly Kiss’ is a tender yet disturbing story of a relationship formed between two women, and takes the viewer deep into the psyche of a murderesses mind.

While the film's overall effort is not as sensational as the original, it offers solid family entertainment, healthy female role models, and a handful of catchy songs.

As a welcome dose of old-fashioned animation for parents and a delightful, easy-to-follow experience for kids, this is a nostalgic cartoon feature for fans of the Pooh series.

A hauntingly beautiful film that helped put Australian films on the map in the mid-1970s.

Interesting to observe the little dialogue and visual manners by the protagonsists and how the slow piecing together of what is going on is a key factor in this controversial and somewhat disturbing film.

It is a pretty good action/adventure treasure hunting film for the family and, while not bad for a sequel, but it's not as deep or mysterious as one might have imagined.

This 1953 Italian movie won Federico Fellini the first of his four Best Foreign Picture Academy Awards. It was well deserved - this is a wonderful piece of filmmaking. La Strada is brilliant and compelling viewing.

Being a leader in the animation game, Pixar would be ecstatic in its success over the past ten years. Now, The Incredibles sits high up amongst the pack. This film is extremely humorous in its look at family values and the quest for peace.

The lovely young ladies allow us into their unique daily lives as they laugh, love, play, and party hard, giving rise to why theirs is a prestigious position. One can only wonder how many other young women are in the queue behind them waiting to get into the inner sanctum.

It is Disney’s 9th full-length animated film and is the last time that Walt Disney was the voice of Mickey Mouse.

Strange Planet follows the lives of two groups of 20-somethings in Australia over the course of a year of their lives. They bounce from relationship to relationship and one emotional crisis after another, all the while searching for love and meaning.

This is a very special DVD for fight fans as it covers the careers of three legendary heavyweight fighters of the 20th century – Rocky Marciano, Jack Dempsey, and Joe Louis.

At times this movie was slow-moving, but the battle scenes were spirited and the snobbishness of the social scene was deftly portrayed. Overall though, The Far Pavillions shows India as it has never been seen before on film.

It's not a stand-alone piece and lacks the charisma of a lasting anime. The plot is cliched but could have worked well if the film weren't so clearly engineered to maximise bloodshed and sexual titillation.

The film encounters the social and cultural changes in Russia - greater expression of politics and art and sex.

Like most other great martial arts film, the story isn’t as important as the action you see on screen. Tony Jaa and his physical abilities provide the impact that makes good viewing.

This is director Allen Coulter’s debut film, and it takes a unique look at the famous Superman through the tragic life of one of the many actors who donned the cape.

This is classic Wes Craven-style horror: the pervasive eeriness, the cat-and-mouse murder scenes, the predictable twists.

Love & Rage is meant to be a story of obsessive love, but it never builds up sufficient momentum to generate suspense.

The sets are beautiful: 1980s New York, re-created in Vancouver, is seedy and sophisticated

…Looking For Eric has a lot of heart, and the performances are very good. Cantona's thick French accent gets by adequately. It isn't a bad watch, even for those of a non-football type.

From the hilarious humour of Timon And Pumbaa to the magnificent, adventure world of the Serengeti, an all-new story is created.

It's a swashbuckling ride of devilish humour. Admittedly, the plot is a thin one, but who really cares when a movie is this much fun to watch.

Visually, this is a very enjoyable and compelling film. It has solid action credentials with director Tony Scott at the helm and Jerry Bruckheimer in the producer's chair.

It's a French documentary and the filmmakers take viewers on a bird's journey.

It complements the excellent “Travelling Birds” documentary from the same filmmakers.

This is another of those quirky films made by Italian director Nanni Moretti. It's very warm and idiosyncratic,…

It’s an interesting premise that is handled with absolutely no subtlety by director Tony Giglio, who seems much more at home directing scenes of sweaty panic than anything containing real emotional resonance.

Set in French Indochina in the 1930’s it tackles numerous social and political issues of the time.

It is the night of the Australian election, 1969, and Don Henderson (John Hargreaves) throws a party and watches the results come in with all his friends.

His friends are a disparate bunch, with sex and politics being a big sticking point for some.

A Mighty Heart is a genuine and heartfelt account of tragedy. The excellent performances reflect a true sense of the frustration and suffering of all those involved.

…it is an imaginative independent film for people who like movies that walk on the weird side.

Universal Pictures releases three martial arts films under its Hong Kong Legends banner. More accurately, the films are re-releases, utilising the digital format to freshen up what traditionally well-worn prints. But despite their crisp looking transfer, the films have lost none of their B-movie appeal, evoking a time before the multiplex, when a trip to a rundown theatre to catch a chop-socky double feature was a guilty pleasure.

King of Beggars is a fast-paced and entertaining action-comedy film. Its depiction of imperial China is delightfully vibrant and colourful, …

Aside from the politics, the empathy of the filmmaking and the clean direction is a great showcase of filmmakers in Australia.

The Walker is a story of a high society male escort who unsuspectingly becomes involved in a murder case.

Watch for the stunning sets, lush locations, dexterous camera work, and sexy cast. It makes you forget about cinematic workings.

This is a documentary about Rodney Bingenheimer, a Los Angeles radio DJ who has been a dedicated mover and shaker since the 1960s. To millions of Americans he was the voice of KROQ Radio. Propelled by a hit-packed soundtrack, the film offers a lively, funny look at the status of celebrity.

The fate of the Twin Towers is never touched on, instead we are presented with a beautiful documentary that shows us the tenacity of the human spirit, how fragile yet courageous we can be. And it represents the Twin Towers as they originally were – as structural works of art.

This is an inspirational story from Australia’s recent past and is about bigotry, social injustice, and a real-life murder trial that was headline news in the late 1950s.

The first series of Oz deals with controversial subjects and gives viewers a close eye into the taboo and unknown of prison with all its gory glory.

This new special extended edition of ‘Gladiator,’ personally overseen by Scott, delivers an additional seventeen minutes of action packed drama to the audience. The new scenes are not ground breaking or story altering; however they add a little more context and drama to the storyline for fans of the original.

This movie has underlying issues as well, ones that are not quite so confronting. Globalisation, war, politics and lack of parenting love, are all things that contribute to the eventual demise and destruction of Guediguian’s characters. It is these subtler messages that make his movie so intriguing and unpredictable.

Overall, “Eurotrip” is entertaining and had some very funny moments. There is a little more nudity and swearing in the DVD version.

Holland has taken a touching subject, aligned a magnificent cast and has successfully processed a movie that captures the realities of war.

It's amazing how a lecture becomes such compelling viewing. An Inconvenient Truth is little more than a series of graphs and charts,…

The documentary works well due to Gore's passion and thorough research…

The Little Mermaid is an important film in animation and has an entertainment value that supersedes age or gender.

This is a funny film along with being an intriguing inside look of the billion-dollar world of magazine and celebrity control.

The sequel to the highly successful “Hostel”, writer/director Eli Roth returns with another shocking and brutal foray into the lives of three Americans…

World Trade Centre is one of the most inspiring true stories made to film.

It remains one of the most compelling fights in the history of the sport and it was said that both men were never the same again, emotionally and physically.

The Wrong Man is a comic thriller that twists and turns its way through an underworld of crime and revenge where nothing is as it seems.

SBS Head of Sport, Les Murray, has been the mainstay since the broadcaster entered Australian households in 1980 and has been a champion for football throughout the years.

As the “face of football” Les has devised his World Football Challenge, an interactive trivia game where you can test your knowledge on world football in a multiple-choice competition.

The script is reasonably tight, the actors have been aptly cast (especially the wonderful Tilda Swinton as the evil Queen of Narnia), while the music is strong and the cinematography is delightful.

The tunnel is both a political thriller and historical drama with an authentic documentary feel. Apart from some questionable sub-titles, the film is packaged well on DVD.

“Treasure Planet” may not be one of Disney's finest efforts in the past several years, but it's a brisk feature that offers some worthwhile visuals.

There are a few nods to Smith’s past films here and there, and as usual, there are some familiar faces from his previous work. Smith’s recent experience of becoming a father obviously informed the film.

“Kill Bill Vol. 1 isn't entirely successful as one film. It needs its second half.”
It’s clear from the start that Tarantino is going for a different tone in Vol. 2. The pace is more languid, and the dialogue is drawn out for effect.

The rest of the movie however, is just plain ordinary. The plot is silly. The writing is poor, creating situations with no realism whatsoever, not to mention the transparent characters.

Nick Broomfield has been making documentary films for over thirty years now, and this DVD set is a very interesting compilation marking his development over that time.

Cavett was able to make each guest feel at ease. This, in turn, makes them feel comfortable enough to talk about their lives and careers.

The film celebrates the unbreakable bond between father and son.

There are probably too many cliched characters and wasted ideas for Dan In Real Life to fly high as a totally enjoyable viewing experience.

A thought-provoking, and ultimately very satisfying, exploration of communication and yearning, Breaking and Entering is a quietly affecting movie, one that sneaks up on you and makes you care deeply about its players without knowing or expecting it.

…the elaborate sets, well-crafted story and exotic characters work wonderfully together to move the film forward. When the action moves up a notch, it's done with a vengeance.

For a man who preaches the need for evidence, it is surprising to find that Dawkins has none to back his claims, only pseudo-science presented by a man with a respectable title, preaching religious hatred in the guise of free speech.

Like most other Disney direct-to-video sequels, Tarzan & Jane isn’t up to the usual Disney standard. Unfortunately, it isn’t well animated and it lacks the spark to be seen as a great DVD package.

A very good set of French films, especially worthwhile for the acting performances, which are exquisite.

Although the story is nothing particularly new, the film makes you genuinely care what happens to its characters, particularly Tarek. You desperately want him to overcome the odds. Overall, Cedar Boys is a worthy film, being a tough-as-nails crime story.

He tackles a subject which has been on the minds of many observers. Consequently, he gathered thoughts from several key players. Scarano compiles an impressive cross-section of views from exhibitors, distributors, actors, writers, directors and other industry folk keen to put in their two bob's worth.

The film opens with a wild dance along the streets – showing this to be a film that emphasises style over substance. The focus of this cult musical lies on teenagers’ growing influence on music, fashion, etc. in 1950s London…

The characters in this film all co-exist in a state of collective panic, mass ignorance and delusional self-importance, which ensures that the film never wanes in its dialogue heavy plot, but captures the skittish and slippery attempts to make the government appear as if they are actually qualified to run the country.

The women's championship[ is on the line with the amazing Twin Peaks in combat aginst Wicca St.James for the title.

…blonde beauty Sara Jean Underwood graduated to cover girl, centrefold (Miss July 2006), and then achieved the honour of becoming the Playboy Playmate of the Year 2007.

This is an erotic thriller directed by Dominique Deruddere and set in the French Riviera. It tells of two men; Chris, an arrogant, good-looking young man, and Glover, a wealthy man confined to a wheelchair, sitting it out in a comfortable hotel.

The gratifying thing is that Dr Smith doesn't paint the bleakest picture. It's a more balanced view covering the best and worst case scenarios.

Diary of a Mad Black Woman may be considered a little too ambitious and tonally schizophrenic for its own good, but it does demonstrate Perry's promise,…

Bynes puts in an A effort, yet only receives C results. She's the reason the film gets the small handful of chuckles it can muster, and she's the feeble spark of electricity in the romantic comedy department.

A great kids flick with valuable lessons and great interactive features too.

This is a very strange film, but also an interesting mix of genres and an original attempt at a vampire style film.

Based on the Comedy Channel's television series, it is difficult to translate into a full length feature film, but fans of the show will no doubt appreciate it.

Joyeux Noël is a heart-warming story about courage and dignity. Anchored by an excellent international cast this deeply moving and uplifting film features scenes of great bravery, simple decency and extraordinary humour.

In City Of Women, great Italian director Federico Fellini makes no secret of his obsession with women.

This is the first of many allusions marking City Of Women as another great work from the master director

The overall set of films is good but perhaps one could be mislead into thinking that if these are indicative of the standard of “essential” German cinema, then it falls short compared with other nations.

This is Joan Rivers at her ultimate best. She doesn’t give an inch as she sets out to ridicule, indulge, and berate whoever needs the treatment. She does it in a terrific stand up routine - a high quality show.

This is a rollicking tale full of action and exciting, well orchestrated battles. Director Antoine Fuqua retains the essence of the legend.

There are six episodes and most of the interviewees claimed that they knew nothing of what was going on around them, until the overwhelming evidence of the genocide came to a devastating light.

Beautiful Boxer is the antithesis of any Rocky movie. It substitutes Stallone’s brawn for self development, in one of the most gracefully done and touching foreign films of recent years.

If you’re a fan of b-grade horror films, and have yet to see ‘Killer Klowns From Outer Space’, then now is the perfect time to acquaint yourself with this undisputed classic cult masterpiece. In other words, this deluxe re-release really is a must have.

Although a simplistic story, ‘The Shadow Whip’ boasts numerous kick-ass fighting scenes with more whip lashing than you’re likely to see anywhere else.

A double DVD Special Edition celebrating life of one of Britain’s greatest motorcycle champions. It comes twelve months after the tragic death of a much-loved sporting personality.

The story line is a bit messy but if you love Futurama it works just like a supersized episode. Definitely one for the fans.

STARGATE SG-1 fans can now rejoice in having the opportunity to purchase the final Season 10 of the long running series on DVD.

Stemming from a long line of Japanese pop culture that revels in extremes; sex and violence are unashamedly given full frontal treatment and as such it would be a mistake to take Fudoh too seriously. It’s by no means artful filmmaking, with bad writing, cliched moments, stilted acting and some cheesy ideas posing as adroit.

Popular characters from the ABC hit series The Aunty Jack Show are marked for recognition in this DVD. These are four stand-alone features from the team that brought Aunty Jack.

Combining extreme brutality with dramatic tension that impacts upon the audience even more than the violence, Scorsese has made an art form of this type of film.
Casino is one of Scorsese's greatest films.

From her forbidden pleasures at an all-girl school in the countryside to wanton hungers in the exotic underground of Hong Kong, the budding Felicity finds herself delighted by her deflowering and obviously excited in the sheer ecstasy of encountering the sexual pleasure.

There’s nothing to really dislike about Charlie & Boots but there’s not much to embrace either. The humour is inoffensive and mostly well meaning but it generates the occasional chuckle rather than laughter.

Goya's Ghosts is a sweeping historical epic, told through the eyes of celebrated Spanish painter Francisco Goya…

A fun-filled movie treat featuring several good acting performances, notably Joan Cusack, John Corbett, and Helen Mirren (Calendar Girls). Generally speaking though, the story is a good entertaining adventure filled with warmth, romance and laughter.

This is the definitive account of the life and times of one of the UK’s best loved sporting icons.

…Nora’ is very much a period piece and provides an accurate representation of the era in which it is set, and comments significantly on the religious, cultural and moralistic issues of the time.

2008 Video Playmate Calendar follows a similar formula to the previous ventures, showing a short clip of the ladies in scantily clad lingerie and bouncing around happily…

Staple M. Night Shyamalan with the almost too obvious Hitchcock homage, gets there (wherever the hell that is) in his own sweet time. However The Village isn’t so much about the final destination, which is a tad drawn out (yes, yes, we get that you’re clever), but more enjoyable is the journey and beautiful rich imagery and characters along the way.

Bettie Page was America's pin-up queen and Varietease shows how she ignited the world and gained cult popularity.

This is Bernardo Bertolucci’s marvellous adaptation of the best-selling Paul Bowles novel…

The beautiful photography and haunting soundtrack are clear standouts to what is a sometimes confusing and overly ambitious story. One of the only clues lies within the shift from black and white to color.

Lucio Fulci is the Italian director of this film. City of the Living Dead is a gory film that is designed to shock a multitude of fans and many people's stomachs.
He excelled at depicting gore and violence.

Dave invites you to sit back and enjoy his internationally acclaimed show - STRASSMAN LIVE – on this excellent DVD. It is live from the Opera House in Wellington.

Based on the novel written by acclaimed New Zealand writer Witi Ihimaera and written and directed by Niki Caro, Whale Rider is a powerful and poignant film that explores the themes of family and culture in a small coastal tribal village in New Zealand.

The DVD package is highly recommended for either renting or buying because the film itself is worth watching, and the extras provided on the DVD will enrich the experience.

It’s quite a watchable film, with increased production values allowing a coherent storyline and comes across as something that those, who feast themselves on gore and horror, would appreciate even more.

A reasonable collection of X-Men episodes, on a well packaged DVD.
Although the animated series didn’t reveal much of Wolverine’s history, this collection of episodes show Wolverine as the main character as he battles a number of enemies.

…sees students celebrate the end of exams by running through the college campus in nothing but their birthday suit.

The fast-cutting brutal footage, mixed with the slow-paced emotional scenes, makes the controversial film a fascinating account of hooliganism. The different stories about their experiences and lives is told to try and make viewers partially understand the frighteningly real reason behind their actions.

The whole movie explores constant splits between loyalty and avenging, family and work, moral and evil and of these, the latter is intertwined the most. This is a theme that has been heavily explored in Hollywood crime movies. Yet, this version, a classy French offering on it, is free of generic characteristics of American crime films.

Volume 16 contains three episodes never before seen on Australian television, and provides the viewer with a healthy serving of Monkey at its best.

This is an enjoyable first season for JAG, a show that developed a very solid audience foundation and kept making solid episodes for their broad niche audience for 10 years. That should be classified as a success.

‘School’s Out’ is jam packed with issues of teenage sex, teenage pregnancy, abortions, drink driving, young marriage, monogamy and virginity.

This film definitely has fast and furious action (and superb sequences of it as well). It is a drama, one that switches in tone twice before ending in a basic revenge tale.

There is little doubt that “The Nest” is a terrific action picture. There's no real characterisation to find, but that's no big mystery,

The drama is a charming and glamorous depiction of the middle and upper classes of the 1930s, through the elegant costumes, settings and locations.

The Game emerges as a relatively positive person who is interested in charity and growing through life's hardships.

The DVD quality is superb and the surround channels which deserve the most praise. The effects are just right and whenever Peter is on court there's plenty of effects in all of the channels…

While Bangkok Dangerous has its moments, little flashes of technical verve that speak to the imagination, they're not enough to make you want to keep watching. There's no denying that the Pangs can engage the mind's eye, but here it's only for a few seconds at a time. If you're feeling adventurous, the original sounds like a much safer bet.

As The Box moves forward, you can almost sense the pieces of the puzzle slowly-but-surely landing softly into their positions, and with each scene, more seems to make sense. Writer/director Richard Kelly weaves a web of intrigue and suspense,…

This celebrates Mickey Mouse’s career in colour cartoons with 26 original shorts released between 1935 and 1938. Therefore, fans will relish this priceless collection that chronicles Mickey’s first steps out of the world of black and white, ushering in a new era of animation.

This is one of the more beautiful films Italy had produced in the 1970s. It also marked Luchino Visconti's final film and showcased terrific acting performances. L'Innocente presents the grandeur of 18th century Italian aristocracy, with class structure and sexual double standards.

The direction is very average and the movie, as a whole, looks a mess… and so is Morgan. There is one scene when we get a close shot of her teeth… and they're black with decay.

The greatest TV show in history has this overdue release. It is the only Get Smart title available on DVD at present…

Raining Stones is a film about the slow, grinding horror of poverty, the million petty humiliations and indignities of being poor.

Set in a small country town of Dimboola, in Victoria, locals prepare for the weedding of Morrie (Bruce Spence) and Maureen (Natalie Bate).

Contrary to the famous Marriage Italian Style, this is Marriage Australian Style, in its very unique, country-spirited way

It's somewhat of a rags-to-riches story, yet it isn't overly endowed with 50 Cent's music. But it tells of the blossoming of the character; the rapper that grew to what he is today.

Well, if you liked the first Van Wilder with crazy personalities and laughs, then I suggest you watch Van Wilder “ The Rise of Taj”.

This over-long 1992 documentary is quite a slog, but it is definitely of interest. It is essentially a biography of the famous US linguist-cum-dissident Noam Chomsky, with a focus on his activism and ideas on social control, the media, militarism, and related issues.

It is hard to say whether it is the catchy theme tune, cockney humour or brilliant acting abilities and hilarious shenanigans of Dennis Waterman and George Cole that make the classic British television show Minder one of the most successful shows ever.

The movie's director and co-writer, Jared Hess, has done a fantastic job of giving this film a serious tone while webbing hilarious skits together with bizarre characters.

It was a gripping and exciting time back in July 1969 when three American astronauts, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins made history on the Apollo 11 mission.

Double Agent 73 is pretty bad filmmaking and worth watching just to see how bad it is.

These are two classic boxing bouts by two of the greatest boxers in history.

The Iraqi people themselves are not well represented in this film, it almost exclusively deals with the US forces in Iraq. There are only a couple of segments dealing with Iraqi musicians, and the odd shot of traumatised civilians. It would have been good to see a bit more of the Iraqi reaction to these foreign troops who have invaded and occupied their country, and whose tanks, humvees and roadblocks are the most obvious signs of the fact Iraq is not a sovereign nation.

There are some pieces to this movie that might be difficult to understand or digest. You probably need to think like a child. It was at least a story and didn’t just lead-up to a Pokémon grudge match in an arena.

It doesn’t try to investigate the culture of street racing in any serious way, focusing instead on short-lived snippets of car after car crashing and smoking like a drunken bookie.

Bettie Page was the top pin-up Queen of the 50's, with her image now even more popular than ever. She was known for her distinctive hair style and figure when she became the most photographed pin up of her generation.
Teaserama was considered as the holy grail of girlie flicks.

The Battle Of Algiers is a remarkable and powerful movie. It was filmed in 1965 and described the tumultuous events of only a few years earlier which led to the French quitting their colony of Algeria.

It tells the story of everyday Australians, in the 1960’s, looking for more in life and they break out from their constrictions by heading to London to find their place in the big wide world.

It is part of the Blood trilogy of films from director Herschell Gordon Lewis. It set the scene for many others to follow in these bloody footsteps.

So Live, recorded in 2006 at the Sydney Opera House, is an amusing and eccentric showcase of Minchin’s wares.

Those with a liking for Disney and a fondness for musicals, in particular, will enjoy this DVD.

Hosted by the annoyingly sarcastic and lacklustre Brian Unger, Bushisms presents itself as a children’s program complete with translators, dictionary meanings, theatre pieces, animations and music segments. Derived from a series of novels, at barely sixty minutes, it becomes apparent that there is a shortage of content…

As one of the longest longing and most-successful police shows ever made, it is not hard to see why this is so. It was unique and ground-breaking in its approach to crime drama.

There is a lot of tasteless humour here. It's okay in moderation but in this case it's so repetitive that it starts to lose its effect.

This historic musical animation series compiles 31 uncensored cartoons released between 1929 and 1939, including 6 Academy Award winners.
Each boasts a unique cast of characters, these musical shorts served as Walt Disney’s testing ground for the growing use of this technology.

Friedman is well-known in the field of exploitation cinema and this movie is a perfect example of his skills, as Space-Thing contains all the elements we expect from such a style.

It was great to turn on the DVD and see some Monkey Magic for the first time in about 15 years. The great theme song! The stone egg! The lightning! Monkey bursts out! Sandy! Pigsy! Tripitaka! Monkey whistling up his magic cloud! It had been far too long.

The 400 Blows explores the mind of this young man through personal introspection amid the harsh realities of the real world.