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May 11 2011

Why films on TV in their original widescreen ratio is good for you

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February 29th : Gregory's got 2 Girls on the go on DVD... John Gordon Sinclair follows up the original Gregory's Girl with Bill Forsyth's new tale in the life of Gregory Underwood, now as a teacher at his old school, as he divides his attention between colleague Bel (Maria Doyle Kennedy) and 16-year-old student Frances (Carly McKinnon) in Gregory's 2 Girls, which is online and out now on DVD.

First Look: Fabulous Baker Boys and Riff Raff on DVD... Thanks to Deborah Carey on behalf of Carlton and Film Four for the two DVDs I received yesterday. Reviews shall follow in due course but for now, the details are : Fabulous Baker Boys: 16:9 anamorphic widescreen ratio, Dolby Surround Sound, with a trailer, featurette and interviews to complete the package for this film that stars Michelle Pfeiffer and brothers Jeff & Beau Bridges. Riff Raff: Ken Loach's gritty drama with Robert Carlyle, Ricky Tomlinson and Emer McCourt. By contrast, this title comes in a fullscreen 4:3 ratio with no extras and mono sound. Neither have any subtitles but both are released on March 20th for a penny under a tenner at £9.99 and at that price you can't complain too much.

Updated cinema listings... Stuck for something to do this weekend? Live in the Manchester area? The list of the films showing at Manchester Showcase Cinema can be found on this page. This week's new films are : The Green Mile, Agnes Browne and Three Kings and a review of The Green Mile is online too.

Twilight Zone spooks its way onto DVD... Thanks to The R2 Project for the following info : Direct Video Distribution have announced the first 4 "Twilight Zone" disks. These contain episodes from the original Black and White series. The first two disks are under the title "Treasure of the Twilight Zone" and contain some very rare and little seen eipsodes. The second two disks continue to release some of the best stories from across the series. The exact date is still to be determined (as is the price) but expect these titles around the end of May. The disks and episodes are as follows (errors are due to OCR !): Treasures of the Twilight Zone: The Start 1: Where is Evervbody? (1959. ED 1) In this, the premiere episode of the series, Mike Ferris (Holliman) finds himself in a town strangely devoid of people. But despite the emptiness, he has the odd feeling that he's being watched. This was the only episode shot at Universal Studios, all others were filmed at MGM. Earl Holliman later became known as Angie Dickenson's sidekick in Policewoman. 2: The Encounter (1964. ED 151) (with George Takei) Fenton, a WWII veteran (Brand), proudly shows his captured samurai sword to Arthur Takamuri, a young JapaneselAmerican gardener (Takei) -- who picks it up and instantly knows he must kill his host! This rare and much sought-after episode was deemed so controversial that it was never broadcast again and was left out of the syndication package. It is a tight, two-character, one-set drama so racially charged and disturbing that it's clear why controversy-averse programmers of the 1960s decided not to show it again. The performances, particularly Takei's, do justice to one of the best Zone scripts ever produced. This is a real lost gem, and shows just how perfectly the series could blend entertainment and social commentary. 3: An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge (1964. ED 142) A Confederate spy is spared death when the rope meant to hang him miraculously breaks. Or does it? This French short subject, aired once on "The Twilight Zone," was the 1963 Academy Award winner for Best Short Film. Based on a classic tale by Ambrose Bierce, Serling loved this moody, strange, often surrealistic so much, he decided to air it as an episode. The entire film is largely "silent" with no dialog: only music and sound effects. Interestingly, An Occurrence on Owl Creek Bridge also later served as an inspiration for the supernatural film Jacob's Ladder. Extras: "Rare footage of creator Rod Serling interviewed in 1959 by Mike Wallace" Inside the Twilight Zone, including info on Rod Serling, a history of the series, reviews of each episode cast info and a season-by-season commentary. More Treasures of the Twilight Zone 1: The Masks (1964. ED 145) A grisly tale that benefits from William Tuttle's make-up. A dying millionaire summons his greedy heirs to his mansion for a bizarre Mardi Gras ritual, forcing them into wearing grotesque masks that match their inner selves. Alan Sues, a few years before his LAUGH-IN success, has a minor role as the man's sadistic nephew. 2: Eye of the Beholder (1960. ED 42) This outstanding episode is often voted the most popular by fans. Plastic surgeons in some unknown society make one final attempt to improve a young woman's face so that she can live among "normal people." As she awaits the results of her last-chance surgery, she ponders the consequences of failure. William Tuttle's make-ups are some of the most horrifying ever conceived for television. This is definitely in the super-classic category, one of the most amazing pieces of camer a work ever done for television, beautifully conceived and executed. 3: The Howling Man (1960. ED 41) This is a stylish and classic episode about a man named Ellington (Wynant) taking a walking trip of central Europe following WWII. He takes refuge in a monastery during a thunderstorm, and is told by the bearded, saintly Brother Jerome (Carradine) that the prisoner locked in a cell is no ordinary human being--he is the Devil himself! Atmospheric music (by Bernard Herrmann) and a terrific transformation sequence add to the tale's effectiveness. Extras: "Rare footage of creator Rod Serling interviewed in 1959 by Mike Wallace" Inside the Twilight Zone, including info on Rod Serling, a history of the series, reviews of each episode cast info and a season-by-season commentary. The Twilight Zone Vol.1 DVD 1: The Invaders (1961. ED 51) In this classic (considered a masterpiece by many die-hard fans), an old woman in an isolated farm house must battle a horde of extraterrestrial invaders. In the end, Moorehead takes an axe to their starship and demolishes, in reality, the famous space cruiser from the movie Forbidden Planetl No actual dialog until the final sequence. 2: Night of the Meek (1960. ED 47) Art Carney puts forth a first rate performance in this sensitive, well-acted drama. He plays a department store Santa who ends up being the real thing. Originally done on video tape. 3: Nothing in the Dark (1962. ED 81) A frightened old woman (Gladys Cooper) has sealed herself off from the world to avoid confronting death. However, she admits a wounded policeman (Redford, in a rare television appearance) and soon learns she may have made a big mistake. Extras: "Inside the Twilight Zone" section written by the author of "The Twilight lone Companion" reviews of each episode cast info and a season-by-season commentary. The Twilight Zone Vol.2 DVD 1: Time Enough at Last (1959. ED 8 In his first of several Twilight Zone episodes, Burgess Meredith plays a nearsighted bank teller who becomes the only survivor of an H-bomb attack. He is now able to pursue his only real interest in life: reading. At least, he THINKS he will be able to pursue it... 2: The Monsters are Due on Maple Street (1960. ED 22) In this chilling look behind placid suburbia, hysteria grips a small community as residents suspect a power failure has been caused by invaders from outer space disguised as Earthmen. 3: Nightmare at 20.000 Feet (1963. ED 123) (with William Shatner) A newly-recovered mental patient (Shatner) on an airplane flying home peers out the window and sees a bestial creature on the wing, tampering with one of the engines. Naturally, nobody believes his story. The tale is enhanced by the marvellous William Tuttle monster make-up, especially in one shocking close-up. 4: The Odyssey of Flight 33 (1961. Ep 54) A commercial airliner becomes unstuck in time and the passengers find themselves traveling a billion years back in time. The prehistoric sequence, courtesy of Jack Harris, was unused footage from the movie Dinosaurs. Extras: "Inside the Twilight Zone" section written by the author of "The Twilight Zone Companion" reviews of each episode, cast info and a season-by-season commentary. Direct Video Distribution have a web site here. Columbia TriStar's April line-up for DVD... Thanks to The R2 Project for the following info and I presume my copy of the PR schedule is delayed in the post : The official announcement for Columbia's April titles has arrived along with a preview of the May titles As ever with Columbia titles all are £19.99 and although the press release doesn't state picture or sound ratios expect all of them to be widescreen and anamorphic were possible.  The key releases are as follows: VAMPIRES - DAY & DATE RENTAL VIDEO AND DVD 10th April 2000 Special Features: Behind The Scenes Featurette, Interview with Director – John Carpenter, James Woods, Sheryl Lee and Daniel Baldwin, Director’s commentary, Filmographies and theatrical trailer RUN LOLA RUN – DAY & DATE RENTAL VIDEO AND DVD  17th April 2000 Special Features: Filmographies, Directors & Franka Potente commentary, theatrical trailer, Franka Potente’s ‘Believe’ music video WINSLOW BOY – DAY & DATE RENTAL VIDEO & DVD 17th April 2000 Special Features: Filmographies, Director’s & Cast Commentary, Theatrical Trailer, Behind The Scenes Interviews with Director and Cast The rest of the line up has some pretty good back catalogue titles: HOOK 3rd April Special Features: Set-Top Game – ‘The Lost Treasure’ played by DVD remote, Personality Featurette (interviews with Robin Williams, Dustin Hoffman and Julia Roberts), Alternative Advertising Campaigns Photo Gallery (10 Original theatrical art campaigns), Production Design Photo Gallery, Costume Design Photo Gallery, Trailers for Stuart Little, Muppets From Space, Bicentennial Man, Cast Filmographies Quoting the PR "The DVD of Hook includes an amazing array of extra features including a unique extra feature unavailable on any other DVD previously - the first set-top game: 'The Lost Treasure.' This is an exciting 3-D interactive treasure hunt through a mysterious pirate island in search of The Pirate Captain's Treasure. By navigating with the DVD remote control (direction button), players must collect themed items on Pirate Island to find the hidden treasure and unlock the chest. Winners of the game receive the magic of Peter Pan - FLIGHT" "Hook" also features a newly animated menu with an opening video splash and transitions featuring video clips from the film. 7th VOYAGE OF SINBAD 3rd April Special Features: 57min Documentary: ’The Ray Harryhausen Chronicles’ including career highlights, Two 11 minute featurettes with Ray Harryhausen discussing 7th Voyage Of Sinbad, and Jason & The Argonauts and a featurette in which Ray Harryhausen reveals the secrets of stop-motion animation – ‘This Is Dynamation.’ Also theatrical trailers for 7th Voyage Of Sinbad, Golden Voyage Of Sinbad, and Jason & The Argonauts, Filmographies CRASH 10th April Special Features: Theatrical trailer, Filmographies of JamesSpader and Rosanna Arquette WATERLOO 10th April Special Features: Theatrical trailer, Filmographies of Rod Steiger, Orson Welles, and Christopher Plummer HENRY & JUNE 10th April Special Features: Cast & Filmaker’s Biographies, Productions Notes, Web Link, Trailer BIRDY 17th April Special Features: Theatrical Trailer, Filmographies of Mathew Modine, Nicholas Cage and Alan Parker DEATH BECOMES HER 17th April Special Features: Behind The Scenes Featurette, Production Notes, Cast & Filmakers’s Notes, Trailer VERTIGO 24th April Special Features: Obsessed with Vertigo Feature (30mins), Feature Commentary, Cast & Filmaker’s biographies, Production Notes, Trailer BOWFINGER  24th April Special Features: Deleted Scenes Interactive DVD Rom Feature, Director Frank Oz’s commentary, Cast & Filmaker’s biographies, Production notes, Theatrical Trailer, Deleted Scenes, Production notes, Outtakes, Scene Location Featurettes Key releases  for May are: RANDOM HEARTS 15th May Special Features: 3 Trailers, Featurette on the making of the film with interviews with Kristen Scott Thomas, Harrison Ford and Sydney Pollack. Deleted scenes, Feature Commentary by Sydney Pollack, Filmographies, Animated menus, Isolated music score IDLE HANDS 22nd May Special Features: Trailer, Filmographies, Behind the scenes Featurette, Deleted Scenes, Storyboard comparison of two scenes – ‘Cuff Me’ and ‘Sawblade.’ ED TV 22nd May Special Features: Theatrical trailer selection, Cast Filmographies ALSO OUT IN MAY… PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT 8th May KALIFORNIA 8th May THE LAWNMOWER MAN 8th May (Original version, not Director's Cut) DEVIL IN A BLUE DRESS 15th May THE STING 15th May SIMON SEZ 22nd May SNEAKERS 22nd May HAVANA 29th May SAVIOR 29th May Hideous Kinky, but good-looking DVD...? Thanks to The R2 Project for the following info (my copy of the PR sheet must've got lost!) : VCI Have officially announced "Hideous Kinky" with Kate Winslet. Available on the 13th of March and priced at £19.99 this disk will be available in anamorphic widescreen and will contain the theatrical trailer, cast interviews and behind the scenes footage. For a change for VCI news the actual picture ratio isn't stated and although the sound is mentioned as Dolby digital, there is no mention of the number of channels. Xena: Warrior Princess - To DVD or not to DVD...? Thanks to DVD Times for the following info : Contrary to what has been reported on a few sites, Universal haven't yet officially announced Xena: Warrior Princess. However, other than the non-officiality of the story the actual details are pretty accurate. We can expect the first disc to contain two episodes from the second season - "Orphan of War" and "Remember Nothing". We can also expect to see around 30 minutes of outtakes to up the "value for money" quotient. Early reports suggest a release on 17 April for £19.99.

February 28th : Tom Hanks treads The Green Mile at the cinema... Tom Hanks and Michael Clarke Duncan lead a great cast in a prison drama that has gained four Oscar nominations and serves as director Frank Darabont's follow-up to The Shawshank Redemption. The Green Mile, is released nationwide on Friday March 3rd but may already be on show in certain corners of the country. Are All Saints pure enough for another week at the top of the chart...? To find out the answer to that - and to see last week's chart which I've just been able to catch up with - visit my music chart analysis page New DVDs and widescreen videos out this week The new DVDs out this week include : Aguirre Wrath of God (18.99, Stonevision) The Boys From Brazil (9.99, Carlton) Capricorn One (9.99, Carlton) Dancehall Queen (15.99, Palm Pictures) Ghost in the Shell (19.99, Manga) Les Miserables (9.99, Carlton) The Medusa Touch (9.99, Carlton) Mocean Worker: Detonator/Diagnosis (15.99, Palm Pictures) On Golden Pond (9.99, Carlton) Porridge (9.99, Carlton) Saturn 3 (9.99, Carlton) Shogun Warrior (18.99, Stonevision) Sly and Robbie: Superthruster (15.99, Palm Pictures) Sophie's Choice (9.99, Carlton) Talking Heads: Stop Making Sense (15.99, Palm Pictures) The Tamarind Seed (9.99, Carlton) The Thomas Crown Affair (1999) (19.99, MGM) Tight Sexy Girls / Busty Girls (19.99, Fantasy Blue) To Sir With Love (19.99, Columbia) Universal Soldier: The Return (19.99, Columbia) The new widescreen videos out this week are : Affliction (14.99, Artificial Eye) Bedrooms and Hallways (14.99, Fox)

February 27th : Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness DVDs set to educate and fascinate... The revolutionary book series Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness has sold in excess of 30 million copies and dominates the children's factual publishing market. Recognised for making educational topics fascinating and fun with outstanding photography and clear and concise information, the brand is as loved by parents as it is by children. March 27th sees the release of six DVD titles which will cost £14.99 apiece : Monster Arctic and Antarctic Natural Disasters The Bodyzone Dinosaur Planets I've received the first three for review already and shall place reviews online in due course, but the special features will include : moving menus Unique menu loops Search engine-based referencing Varied and detailed chapters Unique 'hot spots' which contain bonus 'surprise' footage featuring extra info on the topic you've just been watching "How Did They Do That?" behind-the-scenes SFX features Interactive quiz for each subject Access to related websites. Will An Ideal Husband make an ideal DVD...? Making a day-and-date release with the retail video, April 10th, sees the release of this romantic comedy starring Rupert Everett, Minnie Driver, Julianne Moore and Cate Blanchett. No details are given for picture and sound format, but let's hope for an anamorphic widescreen picture is on the cards. Cost: £19.99 for the DVD which contains a trailer, featurette and "additional footage", but only £9.99 for the featureless video. Young and Dangerous 2: Attitude is everything... Hong Kong Classics scored a hit with the original film on DVD a few months back, and now they're set to release the sequel on March 13th. Young and Dangerous 2 goes on sale for £19.99 in its original widescreen ratio (not declared here) and language with English subtitles, Dolby Digital sound and trailer for both this and its prequel. The film stars Jordan Chan, Ekin Cheng, Gigi Lai and the delectable Chingmy Yau, a picture of whom can be found in my review of Return of the God of Gamblers. Hong Kong Legends kick forth on DVD... Medusa Pictures have a new film label on which to release DVDs and videos: Hong Kong Legends, which is set to feature a top-quality range of collectable titles from the hi-energy world of Hong Kong cinema featuring international star favourites such as Jackie Chan, Jet Li and dynamic directors like Yeun Woo Ping, the action-co-ordinator for The Matrix. Titles planned for release this Monday (Feb 28th) are : Snake in the Eagle's Shadow (DVD: £19.99) - a Jackie Chan action classic that has gone a painstaking lengthy remastering process, far to detailed to summarise here. New Dragon Gate Inn (VHS: £13.99) - stars Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung and was directed by Tsui Hark. Released March 27th : Drunken Master (DVD: £19.99) - another Jackie Chan film, with another remastered picture and extras for the trailer, biography, photo gallery, music promo and deleted footage. The Blacksheep Affair (VHS: £13.99) - stars Chiu Man Chuk and is a long-lost martial arts film. Released April 17th : Drive VHS (£13.99) and DVD (£19.99) - an action-scifi-comedy starring Mark Dacascos, Kadeem Hardison and directed by Steve Wang. Released May 15th : The Blacksheep Affair (DVD: £19.99) - see above. The Hitman VHS (£13.99) and DVD (£19.99) - Jet Li's action-comedy, the DVD itself being digitally remastered and carrying plenty of extras, not yet known. stars Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung and was directed by Tsui Hark. All of the above are cert.18, and shall be followed later in the year by Legend of a Fighter and Body Weapon. This DVD will succeed "With or Without You"... March 20th sees VCI releasing the romantic comedy With or Without You, starring Dervla Kirwan (Ballykissangel), Christopher Eccleston (eXistenZ, Cracker, Jude) and was directed by Michael Winterbottom (Jude, Welcome To Sarajevo). Coming on a DVD5 format disc, it will be anamorphic with Dolby Digital 5.1 sound and contains subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing, cast interviews, a 'making of' featurette and the trailer. The Buena Vista Social Club strikes up on DVD... No, nothing to do with the film company, but on March 27th, VCI are releasing Buena Vista Social Club, a loving portrait of the Cuban music legends that composer/musician Ry Cooder reassembled some years back for the album of the same name. The disc will feature an anamorphic widescreen picture, Dolby Digital 5.1 sound and extras including cast interviews, deleted scenes, trailer and a director's commentary. Hell freezes over for The Eagles and Sheryl Crow rocks the globe on DVD... Another two DVD releases for March 27th from VCI : Eagles: Hell Freezes Over - This 18-track concert lasts 99 minutes, includes Hotel California, Take it Easy and New York Minute and is the first UK disc to feature a DTS soundtrack. Everyone else can listen to it in stereo, although DTS-amp owners will be able to access the 18th track, a DTS-only song entitled, Seven Bridges Road. Sheryl Crow: Rockin' the Globe Live - Another first for DVD in the UK: This one contains both DTS and Dolby Digital 5.1 audio, in 15 tracks of live music over 83 minutes, including hits like A Change Would Do You Good, Every Day is a Winding Road and culminating with the sombre Home. Urban Chaos reigns and Lara due on Dreamcast soon... Released on Playstation on March 24th for £39.99, Eidos' Urban Chaos stars tough female cop D'arcie Stern and ex-soldier Roper McIntyre and recreates the dark and menacing atmosphere of the inner city. Set at the end of 1999, in a fictitious metropolis called Union City the game combines a beat-em-up and shoot-em-up and platform gameplay in a 3D environment. March also sees the release for Lara's debut on the Dreamcast, Tomb Raider 4: The Last Revelation, although no further details are yet known. Eidos re-release three old favourites on their PC budget label, Premier Collection on March 10th : Tomb Raider 3: The Lost Artefact (£14.99): The complete game plus five brand new levels and Lara has to find a fifth artefact rumoured to be none other than the 'Hand of Rathmore'. From the lofty towers of a Scottish castle, to a desolate sea-ravaged coast of France, Lara has no time to lose, as somebody else shares the secret and has joined the hunt. NB.: The standard version is also added to the Playstation's Platinum range from the same date. Commands: Behind Enemy Lines (£12.99): A real-time tactics game set in World War 2, with 26 different missions and an AI system that controls over 40 different enemy troops and vehicles. Warzone 2100 (£12.99): The year is 2100 and a nuclear war, initiated by an evil super-computer, has all but eliminate mankind, with the few survivors having to fight for the scarce resources that remain. 4 Fox DVDs and No.3 for Resident Evil... Thanks to Liz on behalf of Fox for the four DVDs I've received for review recently: Unlawful Entry, Chain Reaction, Volcano and Broken Arrow. All are released in anamorphic widescreen and contain a trailer, bar Chain Reaction which swaps the trailer for a 'making of' featurette. Also, thanks to Gigi at Eidos for the copy of Resident Evil 3 for the Playstation, and reviews of all of these shall follow in due course. A final DVD round-up for now... Some more DVDs due for release soon : February 28th: The Corrs: Unplugged (£19.99) : A 72-minute concert from the band filmed at the Ardmore Studios in Dublin in Dolby Digital 5.0 sound and featuring many hits including "Radio" and a cover of REM's "Everybody Hurts". March 6th: Stargate SG-1 (£19.99 each) : Two DVDs are released from this sci-fi TV series. Volume 1: Four selected episodes from Series 1 including the opener, "Children of the Gods" which follows on from the 1995 hit film. This forms a "Best of Series 1" Volume 2: The first four episodes: "The Serpent's Lair, In the Line of Duty, Prisoners" and "The Gamekeeper", with more to be released. The series stars Richard Dean Anderson, Michael Shanks, Amanda Tipping and Christopher Judge. Simply Red: Live at the Lyceum (£19.99) : A 2-hour concert with Dolby Digital 5.0 sound filmed at London's Lyceum Theatre in September 1998 on a dual-layer disc. Tracks include: "Air That I Breathe", "Never Never Love", "Night Nurse" and their first hit, "Money's Too Tight To Mention". March 20th: The Final Cut (£19.99) : An independent British film starring Jude Law, Ray Winstone and Sadie Frost, in which a group of friends gather together after the death of Jude (Jude Law), who was a film-maker and he leaves his final piece of work for everyone to watch at his wake, with the shocking and outrageous revelation that he was playing Candid Camera with his so-called "friends". MGM's DVD will contain a commentary track, additional footage of more improvised scenes interviews and a trailer. Candyman 3: Day of the Dead (£15.99) : Third in the series, starring Tony Todd and Baywatch babe, Donna D'Errico. No details given for picture and sound format, so except fullscreen and Dolby surround sound. I only ever watched the first film and that wasn't much cop. March 27th: Red Hot Chili Peppers: Funky Monks (£19.99) : A 60-minute sit-in with the band in a house in Southern Hollywood, California as they record their 1991 album, BloodSugarSexMagik. Released by Warner Music Vision. Gods and Monsters (£19.99) : Sir Ian McKellen stars as legendary Hollywood director James Whale, not the excellent radio DJ who's just had a cancer tumour operation, in a drama also starring Brendan Fraser and Lynn Redgrave. MGM's DVD also contains a 'making of' and director's commentary. South Park The Movie and TV Series Vols 4-7 (£19.99 each) : Kenny, Cartman, Stan and Kyle are back on the digital format with the feature length film, Bigger, Longer and Uncut, plus Series 2 on four separate DVDs with four or five episodes apiece to flesh out the 18-part series.

February 26th : Drop Dead Gorgeous and Analyse This on DVD in March... It's taken me the last week to get my site fully completed, so let's get things back to normal. I have quite a few PR bits and bobs to put up online but half of it will have to wait until tomorrow. Firstly, thanks to Sarah Seddon at Ketchum Life for the press releases I received for two upcoming Warner titles released day-and-date on DVD and video : Drop Dead Gorgeous: Bond beauty Denise Richards (right) stars in one of the most wickedly outrageous teen comedies of the year. With some of the hottest young female talents in Hollywood, rave reviews and a box office revenue of £1.4m, Drop Dead Gorgeous is set to beat all contestants when it is released, out to rent on VHS and to buy on DVD, from 13 March 2000. Sexy Denise Richards is one of the hottest female stars at the moment. She shot to fame in Paul Verhoeven's box-office hit Starship Troopers before starring alongside Neve Campbell in the thriller Wild Things. She has recently hit star status starring alongside Pierce Brosnan as the stunning new Bond Girl, Christmas Jones, in the box office smash The World Is Not Enough. Kirsten Dunst is another fast-rising star of the new Millennium. Dunst is best known for two equally acclaimed roles in Little Women and Interview With A Vampire, co-starring Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt. She is next set to star in The Virgin Suicides alongside Danny DeVito, Kathleen Turner and James Woods. Comedy favourite Kirstie Alley plays the role of Denise Richards' mother, Gladys Leeman. Alley has a string of film successes under her belt including box office hit Look Who's Talking with John Travolta and Woody Allen's critically acclaimed Deconstructing Harry. Alley first shot to fame in the long-running television comedy Cheers and currently produces and stars in the hit show Veronica's Closet on Sky. Ellen Barkin is one of America's best character actresses, with critically-acclaimed performances in Diner and the highly praised thriller Sea of Love, starring alongside film legend Al Pacino. Drop Dead Gorgeous will be released on DVD with VHS rental on 13 March 2000, continuing the startling progress which has seen DVD sell six times faster than either VHS and CD at similar stages of their development. Over 1.5 million units of UK software were sold in December alone with The Matrix setting a new benchmark of 205,000 units in 5 weeks. The rise of the new format is set to continue with big releases such as Wild Wild West and Analyse This in February and March. Owners of PC DVD ROM have now rocketed to an estimated 2 million base in the UK. With a large percentage of female users, Drop Dead Gorgeous headed by an impressive female cast will attract a wider audience than most titles. Drop Dead Gorgeous has sensational picture quality and 5.1 Dolby surround sound, making it a must for any DVD player owner. With the pulling power of Denise Richards and the popularity of teen movies, Drop Dead Gorgeous is a title that is set to continue the remarkable rise of DVD. Content: Double sided feature presentation: Side A: 4 x 3 full frame Side B: 16 x 9 wide-screen Fully chaptered scene access Dolby Digital 5.1 sound Subtitles: English for the hearing impaired Ellen Barkin, who plays the trailer-trash, beer-swilling mother of Amber (Kirsten Dunst) and the homicidally ambitious mother (Kirstie Alley) of spoilt rich bitch Becky (Denise Richards) will stop at nothing to ensure their daughters win the Mount Rose teen beauty pageant. Underneath the fresh-faced All-American fa‡ade of Mount Rose's contest to find the best, brightest and most beautiful, lie two roads to greatness: high hopes and homicide. In this game there can only be one survivor and it's all out war. A wickedly funny black comedy, set in small-town America, where you win anyway you can or you DIE trying. RENTAL VHS/DVD PRODUCT INFORMATION Release date: 13 March 2000 Credit: Warner Home Video Genre: Comedy Certificate: 15 Running Time: 94 minutes Stars: Denise Richards (Starship Troopers, Wild Things, The World Is Not Enough) Kirstie Alley (Look Who's Talking, Deconstructing Harry) Ellen Barkin (Diner, Sea of Love, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas) Kirsten Dunst (Little Women, Interview With A Vampire, Small Soldiers) Analyse This: Here is a remedy that will help clear away any post millennium blues, as Robert De Niro will have you in fits of laughter in the side splitting comedy, Analyse This. One of the funniest comedies of the last century, Analyse This was a massive hit both sides of the Atlantic and will have movie fans hooked from start to finish when it is released out to rent on VHS and to buy on DVD, from 20 March 2000. DE NIRO -THE DON : Robert De Niro is one of the leading actors of his generation and a two time Academy Award winner for performances in The Godfather Part II and Raging Bull. Robert De Niro's has worked with the greatest array of movie making talent with acting roles in Sergio Leone's Once Upon a Time in America, Martin Scorsese's King of Comedy, Brian De Palma's The Untouchables, Ron Howard's Backdraft and Quentin Tarantino's Jackie Brown. Robert De Niro's recent films have a proven track record. Cape Fear, Goodfellas, Casino, Ronin and Heat all reached Number 1# in the UK Rental Charts. FUNNY ALL-STAR CAST Opposite Robert De Niro is the highly versatile entertainer and extremely funny Billy Crystal. Since initial performances on Saturday Night Live he has brought audiences to tears with memorable performances in When Harry Met Sally, Deconstructing Harry and City Slickers 1 & 2. Lisa Kudrow is best known for her Emmy Award winning role as Phoebe in Friends, the best selling video franchise in the UK ever. She gives a fine and humorous performance as Laura, fianc‚e to Billy Crystal proving a more than capable support to the two major stars. AS GOOD AS IT GETS DIRECTOR Harold Ramis' (Director/Screenwriter) talents span writing, directing, producing and acting. He has worked on many of the most successful screen comedies ever made that include Academy Award winning As Good As It Gets, Ghostbusters, Ghostbusters 2, National Lampoon and Groundhog Day. Analyse This will be released on DVD day & date with VHS rental on 20 March 2000, continuing the successful strategy that has seen week one sales of simultaneous releases up 42% since February 1999. Content: Double sided feature presentation: Side A: 4 x 3 full frame Side B: 16 x 9 wide-screen Audio commentary by Billy Crystal and Robert De Niro 7 minute out-takes and gag reel Fully chaptered scene access Dolby Digital 5.1 sound Subtitles: English/English SDH/Arabic/Romanian/Bulgarian Paul Vitti (Robert De Niro) is one of New York's most powerful gangsters. When Vitti assumes the role of the leader of his crime family he suddenly starts having trouble breathing; he can't sleep; he's distant and pre-occupied; he's lost interest in his mistress and his worried henchman wonder at his suddenly anxious demeanour. Vitti immediately seeks out the only psychiatrist he's ever heard of - Ben Sobol (Billy Crystal) - a suburban New York psychiatrist with fianc‚e (Lisa Kudrow) he's about to marry - and demands that Ben cures his panic attacks - Immediately. RENTAL VHS PRODUCT INFORMATION Release date: 20 March 2000 Credit: Warner Home Video Genre: Comedy Certificate: 15 Running Time: 99 mins Stars: Robert de Niro (Casino, Goodfellas, Heat). Billy Crystal (When Harry Met Sally, City Slickers, Mr Saturday Night). Lisa Kudrow (Friends 1-6, The Opposite of Sex, Romy and Michelles High School Reunion). The BBC go walking with Dinosaurs in Gormenghast... Three more DVDs are on their way from the BBC in the coming months. Firstly, Walking With Dinosaurs, their flagship SFX show from last year is released on April 3rd for £24.99 (cert.PG) as a double-DVD set. It's already sold 250,000 copies on video since its release in October and contains all six episodes from the series, plus the 50-minute extra, The Making of Walking With Dinosaurs. Gormenghast, the controversial and colourful adaptation of Mervyn Peake's fantasy epic, is released on April 25th for £29.99 (cert.12) as a double-DVD set. It has just been released on video and the DVD will contains a number of extras including The Making of Gormenghast, a costume design gallery, design drawings, storyboard gallery and a selection of cast biographies. Tweenies: I don't have a definite date for this yet, but the good money is on late March. For those not in the know, it's a colourful BBC kids show that's fast overtaking Teletubbies in the merchandising stakes as has just reached the 100th-episode mark. No details are yet known for DVD content or extras. Tartan go down the aisle with The Bride With White Hair on video... Tartan offer up a couple of Chinese horror classics on April 17th for £12.99 apiece in widescreen format (ratio not known). The Bride With White Hair 1 & 2 star Brigitte Lin and Leslie Cheung. I've not seen these before, but the first film is described here as a "dark, erotic drama loaded with fast, furious action and stunning visuals resulting in a powerful mix that will not disappoint." Cinema Club branch out into budget DVD... One of the video format's mainstays in budget form is Cinema Club, who are releasing a number of quality films cheaply on March 20th, a number of them in widescreen too and quite a few are VCI re-releases so if you didn't get them beforehand, snap them up for the bargain price of £9.99. Thanks to The R2 Project for the following table which summarises the info very easily. TTTLES ASPECT RATIO SOUND Cert Fever Pitch 16:9AW Dolby Surround 15 Jeffrey 4:3 Stereo 15 Career Girls 16:9AW Dolby Surround 15 True Blue 16:9AW Dolby Surround 15 Raining Stones 16:9AW Dolby Surround 15 Riff Raff 4:3 Mono 15 Life Is Sweet 1.66:1 W Dolby Surround 15 ecrets & lies 16:9 AW Dolby Surround 15 A Midsummer Night's Dream 16:9 AW Dolby Surround PG Wish You Were Here 4:3 Mono 15 The Winter Guest 16:9 AW Dolby Surround 15 Carry On At Your Convenience 4:3 Mono PG Carry On Again Doctor 4:3 Mono PG Carry On Dick 4:3 Mono PG Carry On Girls 4:3 Mono PG Fried Green Tomatoes 16:9 AW Dolby Surround PG Tarka The Otter 4:3 Mono PG Bugsy Malone 16:9 AW Mono U The Lady Vanishes 4:3 Mono U Whistle Down The Wind 4:3 Mono PG Fabulous Baker Boys 16:9 AW Dolby Surround 15 This Happy Breed 4:3 Mono U The Way To The Stars 4:3 Mono U The Battle Of The River Plate 4:3 Mono U Best Men 2.35:1 W Dolby Surround 15 Lawn Dogs 16:9W Dolby Surround 15 8 Heads In a Duffel Bag 16:9 W Dotty Surround 15 Glengarry Glen Ross 4:3 Dolby Surround 15 Weekend At Bernie’s 4:3 Stereo 15 Gregory’s Girl 4:3 Mono 12 Cybersex downloads onto DVD... M.I.A. are set to release Cybersex on March 13th for £19.99 which features America's hottest porn starlet (it says here), Crystal Gold, in a high-tech humdinger which will have every guy reaching for his...mouse and launching himself online. Expect a fullscreen transfer, but will the BBFC have got to it first? Make sure you have enough RAM to give when Cybersex boots up on March 13th. (This last paragraph actually contained my own jokes.... I'll get me coat!)

February 25th : Updated cinema listings... Stuck for something to do this weekend? Live in the Manchester area? The list of the films showing at Manchester Showcase Cinema can be found on this page. This week's new films are : The Talented Mr. Ripley & The Wood.

February 21st : Who will be No.1 this week...? You'll have to wait a little while as I get the new site together. New DVDs and widescreen videos out this week The new DVDs out this week include : Dead Calm (15.99, Warner) The Deep End of the Ocean (15.99, Entertainment in Video) Eric Clapton and Friends in Concert: A Benefit for the Crossroads Centre in Antigua (19.99, WMV) Gregory's 2 Girls (19.99, VCI) Led Zepplin: Song Remains (15.99, Warner) Mister Jones (19.99, Columbia) The Moody Blues: The Other Side of Red Rocks (17.99, Quantum Leap Group) Mortal Kombat (cut) (19.99, Columbia) Never Talk To Strangers (19.99, Columbia) Phantasm IV: Oblivion (15.99, Mosaic) Police Academy (15.99, Warner) Rushmore (15.99, Buena Vista) Scent of a Woman (19.99, Columbia) This Year's Love (19.99, Entertainment in Video) Wild Wild West (12, 15.99, Warner) The new widescreen videos out this week are : The Thin Red Line (15, 15.99, Fox) Pleasantville (12, 15.99, Entertainment in Video)

February 18th : The Ghostbusters cruise into town on DVD again... There's a river of ooze beneath the city of New York and an evil madman trying to get out of an elaborate painting and to rid the place of the spirits, who ya gonna call? Bill Murray, Harold Ramis and Dan Aykroyd return in Ghostbusters 2, which is online and out now.

The Encyclopaedia Britannica 2000 arrives on DVD... Thanks very much to Edward Baker at IJack Communications for the DVD-ROM version that I've received. A full review shall follow in due course, but for now please read the attached press release : "How would you like to see a close-up of the surface of the moon, view a dinosaur in 3-D or take a flight of fancy with the century's early aviators - in your own home? All this and more is possible with the latest DVD and CD editions of Encyclopaedia Britannica. With the click of a mouse button, wonders of the world are brought to life with hours of video and unforgettable special effects as well as all the amazing facts contained in the printed set of Britannica. Britannica 2000 transforms 32 volumes of fantastic information into a visual journey held on DVD-ROM or CD-ROM. Imagine being able to answer your family's most obscure questions not just through text, but also with sound and vision. Britannica 2000 combines sheer entertainment with an unrivalled depth of knowledge contained in its 80,000 articles. For families, Britannica 2000 DVD or CD-ROM provides a modern treasure-trove of information and is an invaluable resource for home-based study. It's also an exciting and easy way to discover new things. The new Research Assistant feature helps gather together the most interesting facts, articles and opinions on any given subject, through easy navigation. Pictures can be viewed in 360 degrees providing a 3-D effect and more than five hours of video illustrate key articles with action-packed footage. Britannica CD/DVD 2000 includes a number of special features: New to the CD 2000 editions is the addition of the New Dictionary of English from Oxford University Press. As one of the best dictionaries in the world, the New Dictionary of English is an ideal reference partner for Britannica. Questions on the location of any major town or city around the world can be solved using the Analyst feature. It offers an intuitive map allowing you to zoom in, scan and solve those tricky geographical queries. Relevant statistics such as population, key industries or climate can be found with a click of a mouse as you hover over any destination from Alaska to Zanzibar. Sticklers for accurate dates will enjoy the Timelines feature which allows the comparison of important milestones across 14 subjects from architecture to ecology and literature to science. The DVD and CD-ROM also provide a selection of "Spotlights" and "Topic Tours" which vividly bring information to life through animated imagery. New Spotlights include the Millennium and roller coasters while further image-rich "Topic Tours" highlight some of the century's greatest achievements in aviation and moon exploration. The Encyclopaedia Britannica CD 2000 is available in Standard, Deluxe and DVD formats. The Deluxe and DVD formats offer enhanced visual imagery. Prices are £29.99 for Standard, £49.99 for Deluxe and £69.99 for DVD." For further press information or visuals please contact Edward Barker at iJack on 0171 691 4444. Visit their website at: www.ijack.com and the Britannica website at: www.britannica.co.uk

February 17th : The Ghostbusters cruise into town on DVD... Bill Murray, Harold Ramis and Dan Aykroyd get booted out of college and set up a business to trap the spooks invading New York City in Ghostbusters, which is online and out now. Updated cinema listings... Stuck for something to do this weekend? Live in the Manchester area? The list of the films showing at Manchester Showcase Cinema can be found on this page. This week's new film is : The Bachelor.

February 16th : Van Damme returns for another cyborg clash in Universal Soldier: The Return on DVD... Jean-Claude Van Damme is now a technical expert at the UniSol facility and Michael Jai White returns as a decidedly-upgraded soldier ready to wage war in Universal Soldier: The Return, which is online but isn't released until February 28th.

First Look: Two more Columbia titles... Thanks to Julian Sheldon from Columbia TriStar for the titles I've received for review including the above, plus the following : Far and Away: 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen ratio, filmographies, trailer, production notes Go!: 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen ratio, trailer, animated and scored menus, featurette, deleted scenes, director's commentary, filmographies, 3 music videos.

Oscars 2000 nominee round-up... This year Billy Crystal will be hosting again (he's much better than "Whoopi Cushion") and a full list of the nominees can be found at my Oscars 2000 Nominees Page.

February 15th : Sarah Michelle Gellar discovers Cruel Intentions on DVD... Sarah Michelle Gellar and Ryan Phillippe are stepsiblings who are up to something in this remake of Dangerous Liaisons, brat-pack style. Cruel Intentions, is online and out on DVD now. Will Oasis go let it out at the top of the chart...? To find out the answer to that visit my music chart analysis page

February 14th : There's some Disturbing Behaviour afoot on DVD... Released today, this DVD finds Katie Holmes and James Marsden in a new town that experiences nothing but Disturbing Behaviour, which is online and out on DVD now. Charlie Brown creator dies at 77... Peanuts creator, Charles M. Schulz, died on Saturday at the age of 77 from colon cancer. The cartoon strip which followed the fortunes of Charlie Brown, his dog Snoopy and their family and friends began life on October 2nd, 1950. The final cartoon, printed yesterday in the US, shows Snoopy at his typewriter on top of his kennel, writing to thank his millions of fans. Schulz was born in St. Paul, Minnesota on November 26th, 1922 and had drawn the character for nearly 50 years, but retired from the cartoon world in December last year due to his condition. No more strips could ever be drawn as it was stipulated in his contract that he would draw every single frame. Peanuts made Schulz one of the best-paid entertainers but he said he had never much liked its name. Charles M. Schulz, 1922-2000. R.I.P. Who will be No.1 this week...? You'll have to wait until tomorrow as I wasn't "mad fer it" today. New DVDs out this week Air: Eating, Sleeping, Waiting, Playing (19.99, Virgin) Darkman (19.99, Columbia) Deep Purple: Live at the Royal Albert Hall (19.99, Total Home Entertainment) Demon House (15.99, Total Home Entertainment) Disturbing Behaviour (19.99, Columbia) Far And Away (19.99, Columbia) Friday (15.99, Entertainment in Video) For Hire (15.99, Total Home Entertainment) Hemoglobin (15.99, Total Home Entertainment) Memory Run (15.99, Total Home Entertainment) Menace II Society (cut) (18, Columbia) The Possession: Witchboard 3 (15.99, Total Home Entertainment) Rickie Lee Jones: Live at the Wiltern Theatre (15.99, Total Home Entertainment)

February 12th : James Taylor: Live on DVD... James Taylor's seen fire and he's seen rain, but has he ever seen himself on DVD? He has now. James Taylor: Live at the Beacon Theatre is online and out on DVD now.

Channel M: The new channel for Manchester... A new channel is coming to the Manchester area from this Monday, February 14th. Details of the content aren't yet known, but they have been broadcasting test transmissions, the next one heading for today from 10am to 1pm. Just tune your TV into UHF 39 and visit their site at : www.channelm.co.uk Queer As Folk 2: Back with a Bang... Courtesy of the Queer As Folk mailing list at channel4.com, I've just received this newsletter about the programme's return next week. "First, unless you've been tied up in some dungeon for the last few months, then you'll know that Vince, Nathan and Stuart are back, in two all-new episodes of Queer as Folk. If you're in the UK, the sequel goes out on Channel 4 on Tuesday 15th and 22nd February at 10pm. Just to remind you where the story left off. At the end of series one, Vince's love for Stuart was still unrequited after 16 years of friendship. Now the sexual buzz between them in becoming irresistible. Will they finally get together, or will Vince be too scared to perform and Stuart too afraid to commit? The only way you'll know is to watch and find out! And after watching the new episodes, you'll be able to watch them over and over (without adverts!), because we're releasing Queer as Folk 2 on video on 13th March. The video includes an exclusive never-seen-on-TV-before 20-minute documentary What the Folk, with star interviews and behind the scenes footage. Then when you've worn out the video, don't worry because we're releasing the DVD on 10th April with a special 40-minute version of the documentary. Could life get any better? Well, yes, because those nice people at Channel 4 music have produced a new double album, Queer as Folk 2, to accompany the new episodes. A selection of top pop tunes from and inspired by the show, with a dash of disco and a little kitsch on the side to keep you bopping well into the night. Take That (featuring Lulu): Relight My Fire, Jimmy Somerville: Can't take my Eyes Off Of You, Abbacadabra: Dancing Queen, and even Divine: Walk Like a Man on album one, with a non-stop mix on album 2. The album is out on 14th February - just in time for the man (or woman) in your life."

February 11th : Shake Your Bon-Bon! It's Ricky Martin on DVD... Latino star Ricky Martin makes his UK DVD debut with The Ricky Martin Video Collection, which is online and out on DVD now.

February 10th : Ray Winstone weeds out the Scum on DVD... Ray Winstone and his Quadrophenia co-star Phil Daniels, star in the late Alan Clarke's Scum, which is online and out on DVD now. DVD First look: Austin Powers 2, Gregory's 2 Girls and more... Thanks to Michelle from Media Communications for 4 titles I've received recently : Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me: Yeah, baby! It looks like it'll be one of Entertainment in Video's best DVDs to date, with an anamorphic 2.35:1 picture, Dolby Digital 5.1 sound, and extras galore including deleted scenes, audio commentary, trailers, biogs and filmogs and wacky animated menus. The Corruptor: Actioner starring Chow Yun-Fat & Mark Wahlberg featuring 2.35:1 anamorphic picture, director's commentary, a 44-minute featurette of interviews, deleted scene and stills gallery, trailer, biogs & filmogs and pop video. Gregory's 2 Girls: Sequel to the excellent Gregory's Girl, but sadly without Clare Grogan. It features a trailer and an anamorphic picture, but the sound is Dolby Surround only. Leaving Las Vegas: One of my favourite films after seeing it last year for the first time, Nicolas Cage sells up and moves to Vegas where he meets up with hooker Elisabeth Shue and plans to, literally, drink himself to death. Cage won an Oscar, but EiV will win none for this release as it's non-anamorphic (1.85:1), with only a trailer and short featurette for company. All of the above are out now apart from Gregory's 2 Girls, which is released on February 21st. Thanks to Richard from The Associates for these 2 titles I've received recently : Cinema of Vengeance: A 90-minute compliation of the "best introduction to the 'chop sockey' genre ever released" featuring footage of Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Chow Yun-Fat. Death By Misadventure: 91 minutes of what happens "When Martial Arts Go Wrong" including the story behind Bruce & Brandon Lee.

February 9th : Ug! Ug! It's California Man on DVD... Brendan Fraser is unearthed from the past and resurrected in the future by Pauly Shore and Sean Astin in California Man, which is online and out on DVD now.

February 8th : Harrison Ford is the Blade Runner on DVD... Harrison Ford, Sean Young, Daryl Hannah and Rutger Hauer star in Ridley Scott's director's cut of his futuristic 21st Century LA adventure, Blade Runner: Director's Cut, which is online and out on DVD now. Will Sash slash Gabrielle's top-slot chances...? To find out the answer to that visit my music chart analysis page Updated cinema listings... Stuck for something to do this weekend? Live in the Manchester area? The list of the films showing at Manchester Showcase Cinema can be found on this page. This week's new films are : The Beach, Toy Story 2 and The End of the Affair.

February 7th : Scream out loud! Pink Floyd: The Wall is here on DVD... Thanks to Sue Foster for this DVD which I've received that is released today. Bob Geldof stars as burnt-out rock-n-roll star Pink Floyd in one of the most bizarre films ever made. Alan Parker's Pink Floyd: The Wall is online and out on DVD now. Forthcoming DVD releases from Sony, in which release dates are always subject to change, include: Ricky Martin: One Night Only (Feb 28), Mariah Carey: #1's (March 13th), Jennifer Lopez - TBA (April 10th), G3 - Live in Concert (April 24th), Cypress Hill: Video Compilation (May 1st) and Rage Against The Machine: Live in Mexico (May 8th). The Will Smith DVD release appears to have been dropped. Sony Music clearly didn't "get jiggy with it" for him. Who will be No.1 this week...? You'll have to wait until tomorrow as I didn't get chance to do my music chart analysis today. New DVDs and widescreen videos out this week The new DVDs out this week include : 976 Evil (15.99, Digital Entertainment) 976 Evil II (15.99, Digital Entertainment) Body Double (19.99, Columbia) Cabo Bianco (12.99, BMG) Chino (12.99, BMG) Cinema of Vengeance (19.99, MIA) Death By Misadventure (19.99, MIA) Divorcing Jack (15.99, Mosaic) Ever After (19.99, Fox) Finding North (19.99, VCI) A Fistful of Dollars (19.99, MGM) For A Few Dollars More (19.99, MGM) From Dusk Till Dawn 2 (15.99, Buena Vista) The Good The Bad and the Ugly (19.99, MGM) The Lost Son (19.99, VCI) Mary Reilly (15, Columbia) The Mike Tyson Story (15.99, VCI) Never Talk To Strangers (18, Columbia) P.O. Box Tinto Brass (17.99, VCI) Ricky Martin: One Night Only (19.99, Sony Music Video) Romeo and Juliet (19.99, Fox) Sarah Young's Erotic Dreams (19.99, MIA) Stephen King's The Night Flier (15.99, Mosaic) The Voyeur (17.99, VCI) The Wraith (15.99, Digital Entertainment) The new widescreen videos out this week are : Practical Magic (12, 15.99, Warner) You've Got Mail (PG, 15.99, Warner) DVDs and widescreen videos lists updated... The new DVDs in the list are : Already available : Antony and Cleopatra (19.99, Parallax) Blood Relatives (9.99, Carlton) Chain Reaction (24.99, VCI) Daag (sub) (17.99, Yash Raj Films) Dead Ringers (9.99, Carlton) Dealers (9.99, Carlton) Desertion DC (24.99, VCI) Doosra Aadmi (sub) (17.99, Yash Raj Films) Eurythmics: Sweet Dreams Are Made of This (15.99, Total Home Entertainment) Gleaming the Cube (9.99, Carlton) King Lear (19.99, Parallax) King of New York (9.99, Carlton) King Richard II (19.99, Parallax) Macbeth (19.99, Parallax) The Merry Wives of Windsor (19.99, Parallax) Naya Daur (sub) (17.99, Yash Raj Films) Nikkaah (sub) (17.99, Yash Raj Films) Othello (19.99, Parallax) Playboy: Girls in Uniform (15.99, Medusa) Romeo and Juliet (19.99, Parallax) Short Time (9.99, Carlton) The Taming of the Shrew (19.99, Parallax) The Tempest (19.99, Parallax) Tomorrow Never Comes (9.99, Carlton) Welcome Home (9.99, Carlton) Wishmaster 2: Evil Never Dies (15.99, Mosaic) February 7th : 976 Evil (15.99, Digital Entertainment) 976 Evil II (15.99, Digital Entertainment) Body Double (19.99, Columbia) Cabo Bianco (12.99, BMG) Chino (12.99, BMG) Cinema of Vengeance (19.99, MIA) Death By Misadventure (19.99, MIA) Divorcing Jack (15.99, Mosaic) Ever After (19.99, Fox) Finding North (19.99, VCI) A Fistful of Dollars (19.99, MGM) For A Few Dollars More (19.99, MGM) From Dusk Till Dawn 2 (15.99, Buena Vista) The Good The Bad and the Ugly (19.99, MGM) The Lost Son (19.99, VCI) Mary Reilly (15, Columbia) The Mike Tyson Story (15.99, VCI) Never Talk To Strangers (18, Columbia) P.O. Box Tinto Brass (17.99, VCI) Ricky Martin: One Night Only (19.99, Sony Music Video) Romeo and Juliet (19.99, Fox) Sarah Young's Erotic Dreams (19.99, MIA) Stephen King's The Night Flier (15.99, Mosaic) The Voyeur (17.99, VCI) The Wraith (15.99, Digital Entertainment) February 14th : Air: Eating, Sleeping, Waiting, Playing (19.99, Virgin) Darkman (19.99, Columbia) Deep Purple: Live at the Royal Albert Hall (19.99, Total Home Entertainment) Demon House (15.99, Total Home Entertainment) Disturbing Behaviour (19.99, Columbia) Far And Away (19.99, Columbia) Friday (15.99, Entertainment in Video) For Hire (15.99, Total Home Entertainment) Hemoglobin (15.99, Total Home Entertainment) Memory Run (15.99, Total Home Entertainment) Menace II Society (cut) (18, Columbia) The Possession: Witchboard 3 (15.99, Total Home Entertainment) Rickie Lee Jones: Live at the Wiltern Theatre (15.99, Total Home Entertainment) February 21st : Dead Calm (15.99, Warner) The Deep End of the Ocean (15.99, Entertainment in Video) Eric Clapton and Friends in Concert: A Benefit for the Crossroads Centre in Antigua (19.99, WMV) Gregory's 2 Girls (19.99, VCI) Led Zepplin: Song Remains (15.99, Warner) Mister Jones (19.99, Columbia) The Moody Blues: The Other Side of Red Rocks (17.99, Quantum Leap Group) Mortal Kombat (cut) (19.99, Columbia) Never Talk To Strangers (19.99, Columbia) Phantasm IV: Oblivion (15.99, Mosaic) Police Academy (15.99, Warner) Rushmore (15.99, Buena Vista) Scent of a Woman (19.99, Columbia) This Year's Love (19.99, Entertainment in Video) Wild Wild West (12, 15.99, Warner) February 28th : Aguirre Wrath of God (18.99, Stonevision) The Boys From Brazil (9.99, Carlton) Capricorn One (9.99, Carlton) Dancehall Queen (15.99, Palm Pictures) Ghost in the Shell (19.99, Manga) Les Miserables (9.99, Carlton) The Medusa Touch (9.99, Carlton) Mocean Worker: Detonator/Diagnosis (15.99, Palm Pictures) On Golden Pond (9.99, Carlton) Porridge (9.99, Carlton) Saturn 3 (9.99, Carlton) Shogun Warrior (18.99, Stonevision) Sly and Robbie: Superthruster (15.99, Palm Pictures) Sophie's Choice (9.99, Carlton) Talking Heads: Stop Making Sense (15.99, Palm Pictures) The Tamarind Seed (9.99, Carlton) The Thomas Crown Affair (1999) (19.99, MGM) Tight Sexy Girls / Busty Girls (19.99, Fantasy Blue) To Sir With Love (19.99, Columbia) Universal Soldier: The Return (19.99, Columbia) March 6th : Dark Beginnings of Sherlock Holmes (15.99, Mosaic) Go (19.99, Columbia) Life (19.99, Columbia) March 13th : The 13th Warrior (15.99, Buena Vista) Carmen (19.99, Columbia) Casablanca (15.99, Warner) Drop Dead Gorgeous (15.99, Warner) Dumb and Dumber (19.99, Columbia) Instinct (15.99, Buena Vista) The Last Yellow (19.99, VCI) A League of Their Own (19.99, Columbia) Pocahontas 2: Journey To A New World (15.99, Buena Vista) The Westlife Story (15.99, BMG) The Who: The Kids Are Alright (15.99, BMG) March 20th : Analyse This (19.99, Warner) Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story (cut) (15, 19.99, Columbia) Groundhog Day (19.99, Columbia) Hard Target (19.99, Columbia) In Love and War (15.99, Entertainment in Video) Orgazmo (19.99, Columbia) March 27th : Absence of the Good (19.99, Columbia) Big Daddy (12, 19.99, Columbia) Island of Dr Moreau (15.99, Entertainment in Video) Monkey Trouble (15.99, Entertainment in Video) One Night Stand (15.99, Entertainment in Video) South Park: Bigger Longer and Uncut (19.99, Warner) Too Young To Die? (19.99, Columbia) April 17th : Dobermann (15, 19.99, Tartan) Hard Boiled (18, 19.99, Tartan) Sometime afterwards : Society (18, 19.99, Tartan) The new widescreen videos in the list are : Already out : The Mummy (12, 16.99, Columbia TriStar) Knockabout (15, Made in Hong Kong) Mulan (17.99, Disney) Nightwish (12.99, Tartan) The Siege (15, 15.99, Fox) February 7th : Practical Magic (12, 15.99, Warner) You've Got Mail (PG, 15.99, Warner) February 21st : The Thin Red Line (15, 15.99, Fox) Pleasantville (12, 15.99, Entertainment in Video) February 28th : Affliction (14.99, Artificial Eye) Bedrooms and Hallways (14.99, Fox) March 6th : Indiana Jones Trilogy (34.99, Paramount) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (12.99, Paramount) Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (12.99, Paramount) Once Upon a Time in China III (18, Made in Hong Kong) Raiders of the Lost Ark (12.99, Paramount) March 13th : Babycart to Hades (14.99, Warrior) Babycart to Hades (rental, Warrior) March 20th : Austin Powers 2: The Spy Who Shagged Me (12, 16.99, Entertainment in Video) Blast from the Past (12, 15.99, Entertainment in Video) May 15th : The Corruptor (18, 15.99, Entertainment in Video) Happiness (18, 16.99, Entertainment in Video) June 19th : Gloria (15, 15.99, Entertainment in Video)

February 6th : Maurice comes out of the closet on DVD... James Wilby and Hugh Grant star in this gay drama from the Merchant Ivory stable, in a film also featuring Rupert Graves, Simon Callow and Denholm Elliott. Maurice is online and out on DVD now. The Mummy - less extras than I thought... Thanks to Julian K who pointed out that Jerry Goldsmith's isolated music score is missing from this disc, in comparison with the Region 1 DVD. Read the updated online review Brits out for the lads... As stated on Wednesday, The Brits 2000 award winners are divulged on March 3rd, but while Jamie Theakston wasn't allowed to present them, thanks to his BBC contract, the honours have sadly gone to braindead bimbo, Davina McCall.

February 5th : Anthony Hopkins goes up the old Howard's End on DVD... Anthony Hopkins, Emma Thompson, Helena Bonham Carter and Vanessa Redgrave star in another Merchant Ivory production, Howard's End, which is online and out on DVD now. FourText test transmissions at ONdigital... Watching via the Winter Hill transmitter I have now experience the test transmissions of FourText. More info can be found in my ONdigital review. The Mummy UNCUT - exclusive to DVD...? It certainly seems so. As you can see, the picture sleeve states a "Full Uncut Version", which it is, but I presumed the video was also complete. It now transpires the video is a censored 12-cert version. The BBFC stopped giving out dual certificates for the same film with Die Hard 2 on P&S (15-cert) and WS (18-cert) video, hence the reason why the subsequent Terminator 2: T1000 Edition was still censored despite purporting to be the full special edition. The video box for The Mummy (P&S version) I saw in Asda had a 12-cert and just a pic of the Mummy's "face" on its own. I wasn't sure if either the BBFC had changed their minds (since the 15-cert version isn't any sort of official "director's cut" - which would mean they would treat it as a separate film) or Asda just had a few standard promo boxes on display. However, thanks goes to Paul Ellis on the DVD-UK mailing list for confirming the BBFC's change of heart. The review can be found HERE

February 3rd : Julie Christie experiences the Heat and Dust of India on DVD... Julie Christie, Greta Scacci and Christopher Cazenove tell a family tale set where curries are King, in Heat and Dust, which is online and out on DVD now.

February 2nd : Channel changes at ONdigital... As of yesterday, anyone who performed a "Store Channels" will have noted some changes in the line-up, even though most of the new channels aren't yet operational. A full summary of the new channels, the new multiplex arrangements and what exactly the changes are, can be found in my ONdigital review. Updated cinema listings... Stuck for something to do this weekend? Live in the Manchester area? The list of the films showing at Manchester Showcase Cinema can be found on this page. This week's new films are : American Beauty and House on Haunted Hill. Brits 2000 - who's in the running...? The programme is due for broadcast on March 3rd when we shall learn of the winners, but for now content yourself with who's in the running for the gongs : Best British Group: Blur; Gomez; Stereophonics; Texas; Travis. Best British Album: Remedy - Basement Jaxx; Surrender - The Chemical Brothers; Liquid Skin - Gomez; Performance And Cocktails - Stereophonics; The Man Who - Travis. Best British Newcomer: Adam Rickitt; Ann Lee; Charlotte Church; Martine McCutcheon; S Club 7; Groove Armada; Phats & Small; Shanks & Bigfoot; Spacedust; Wamdue Project; Fierce; Glamma Kid; Honeyz; Kele Le Roc; Jamelia; Beta Band; Death In Vegas; Gay Dad; UNKLE; Wiseguys. Best British Dance Act: Basement Jaxx; The Chemical Brothers; Fatboy Slim; Jamiroquai; Leftfield. Best Soundtrack/Cast Recording: Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me; Notting Hill; Star Wars - Episode 1: The Phantom Menace; Fight Club; The Matrix. Best International Group: Beastie Boys; The Cardigans; Mercury Rev; Red Hot Chili Peppers; TLC. Best International Newcomer: Britney Spears; Eminem; Jennifer Lopez; Macy Gray; Semisonic. Best International Male Solo Artist: Beck; Eminem; Moby; Ricky Martin; Will Smith. Best British Male Solo Artist: Tom Jones; David Bowie; Ian Brown; Sting; Van Morrison. Best International Female Solo Artist: Britney Spears; Jennifer Lopez; Macy Gray; Mary J Blige; Whitney Houston. Best British Female Solo Artist: Beth Orton; Beverley Knight; Gabrielle; Geri Halliwell; Melanie C. Best British Single: Red Alert - Basement Jaxx; Moving - Supergrass; Sing It Back - Moloko; Tender - Blur; She's The One - Robbie Williams; Why Does It Always Rain On Me? - Travis; Praise You - Fatboy Slim; You Stole The Sun From My Heart - Manic Street Preachers; Hey Boy, Hey Girl - The Chemical Brothers; Sweet Like Chocolate - Shanks & Bigfoot. Best British Video: Windowlicker - Aphex Twin; Praise You - Fatboy Slim; She's The One - Robbie Williams; Let Forever Be - The Chemical Brothers; Pumping On Your Stereo - Supergrass. Best Pop Act: Keep On Movin' - Five; Mi Chico Latino - Geri Halliwell; 2 Times - Ann Lee; Perfect Moment - Martine McCutcheon; Bring It All Back - S Club 7; Heartbreak/Tragedy - Steps.

February 1st : Will Britney's Bristols be at No.1 or will Gabrielle 'rise' to the top...? To find out the answer to that visit my music chart analysis page

As of April 2009, Blu-rays and DVDs reviewed by the editor are watched on a Panasonic TH-37PX80B 37" Plasma TV with a Sony BDP-1500 Blu-ray player and played through a Yamaha DSP-AX820 amplifier.

PC games reviewed by the editor are on: