May 28th :

May 28th :The Doctor is back in Wales for the first of a two-part story in Doctor Who…

But it’s not really one of the best episodes around as it’s mostly set-up for the second part. I hope it can cometogether, but the Siluarians don’t look at all scary.

Find out what DVDfever.co.uk reviewer, Dan Owen made of this episode in this new review,which premiered on Dan’s Media Digest.

A review ofDoctor Who: The Hungry Earthis online and the next episode is on BBC1 on Saturday at 7pm.

New films at this cinema this weekend…

Stuck for something to do this weekend? The list of films showing atManchester Showcase Cinema can be found on this page, and won’t differmuch from what’s on in the rest of the country.

The new films out include: Sex & The City 2, The Losers, Space Chimps 2, Bad Lieutenant and Tooth Fairy.

May 27th :Meredith Reed re-enters the frame as the 8th Season continues…

Yes, there’s a video file that needs leaking to the press, and who better than the journo who had an affair with themurdered President Hassan?

Find out what DVDfever.co.uk reviewer, Dan Owen made of this episode in this new review,which premiered on Dan’s Media Digest.

A review of24 Season 8: Episode 21is online and the next episode is on Sky 1 on Sunday at 9pm.

May 25h :CHARTS: Roll Deep vs BOB – Who got the new No.1…?

Check out themusic chart analysis pagewhich is online now.

The release dates for singles and albums go up until early July 2010.

May 24th :Sherlock Holmes reinvented for the 21st Century on Blu-ray and DVD…

Out now :

It’s a tale that’s been told many times before, but in this version Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law take on the roles ofHolmes and Watson, respectively, doing battle with the evil Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong) and wooing the charms ofIrene Adler (Rachel McAdams), but in the hands of Guy Ritchie, will it soon all start going wrong?

No shit, Sherlock? No, it’s a… yes, you’re ahead of me.

Sherlock Holmesis online and out on Blu-ray and DVD now.

Modern bohemian gypsies: Moriarty on CD…

Following, sort-of, the Sherlock Holmes theme,critically acclaimed French-American folk roots five-pack Moriarty have gradually been building a cult following in the UK supporting Son Of Dave, Jane Birkin and The Do, tellsDVDfever.co.uk reviewer Elly Roberts,and it comes highly recommended.

Moriarty: Gee Whiz But This Is A Lonesome Townis online now.

Youtube highlight: Tomasz Schafernaker says Eyjafjallajökull twice in his 5-day weather forecast…

It’s something to do with Iceland…

CHARTS: Roll Deep vs BOB – Who got the new No.1…?

Check back shortly for the latest charts on themusic chart analysis page.

New DVD highlights out this week…

Once again, we look at a few titles in more detail.

The titles of note are the following, but read on for further details about the highlights:

• Anesthetize (13.99 DVD, KSCOPE)
• Did You Hear About The Morgans? (24.99 Blu-ray, 19.99 DVD, Sony)
• Grateful Dead At the Hollywood festival North west England 1970 DVD + CD (22.99, Ozit)
• Heartless (21.99 Blu-ray, 15.99 DVD, Lions Gate)
• People Like Us Series 2 (19.99 DVD, BBC)
• Precious (19.99 Blu-ray, 19.99 DVD, Icon)
• Prisoner Cell Block H Vol.4 (34.99 DVD, Fremantle)
• Sharman: The Complete Series (24.99 DVD, Network)
• Something Special: Out and About (12.99 DVD, BBC)
• St. Trinians 2: The Legend Of Fritton’s Gold (24.99 Blu-ray, 19.99 DVD, EIV)
• Up In The Air (26.99 Blu-ray, 19.99 DVD, Paramount)
• Waterloo Road Series 3 (49.99 DVD, Acorn)
• Wizards (17.99 Blu-ray, 15.99 DVD, Eureka)

St. Trinians 2: The Legend Of Fritton’s Gold

ST. TRINIANS 2: THE LEGEND OF FRITTON’S GOLD sees the girls return for a new term at the eponymous academy, with all the usual hi-jinks and mayhem with which that entails. This being a school where anything seems to happen and usually does, on a regular basis, the students soon find themselves thrown into an action-packed treasure hunt that will see them fighting off fierce competition for the coveted Fritton’s Gold from establishment rivals and the mischievous Pomfrey (David Tennant – TV’s DOCTOR WHO) and his assortment of woman-hating sidekicks.

St. Trinians 2: The Legend Of Fritton’s Gold is out now on Blu-ray (£14.91) andDVD (£9.91).

Up In The Air

Up in the Air transforms some painful subjects into smart, sly comedy–with just enough of the pain underneath to give it some weight. Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) spends most of his days traveling around the country and firing people; he’s hired by bosses who don’t have the nerve to do their layoffs themselves. His life of constant flight suits him–he wants no attachments. But two things suddenly threaten his vacuum-sealed world: his company decides to do layoffs via video conference so they don’t have to pay for travel, and Bingham meets a woman named Alex (Vera Farmiga, The Departed), who seems to be the female version of him… and of course, he starts to fall in love.

Writer-director Jason Reitman is building a career from funny but thoughtful movies about compromised people–a pregnant teen in Juno, a cigarette-company executive in Thank You for Smoking. George Clooney has a gift for playing smart men who aren’t quite as smart as they think they are (Michael Clayton, Out of Sight). The combination is perfect: Bingham is charming and sympathetic but clearly missing something, and Up in the Air captures that absence with clarity and compassion. The outstanding supporting cast includes Anna Kendrick (Rocket Science), Jason Bateman (Arrested Development), Danny McBride (Pineapple Express), Melanie Lynskey (Away We Go), and others, each small part pitched exactly right.

Up In The Air is out now on Blu-ray (£15.71) andDVD (£12.71).

Did You Hear About The Morgans?

Hugh Grant and Sarah Jessica Parker play an estranged husband and wife, both die-hard New Yorkers; while trying to patch things up, they witness a murder and have to go into witness protection in backwater Wyoming. Encounters with bears, bingo, and rodeo clowns ensue. The fish-out-of-water formula is not particularly inspired, but Grant and Parker are well matched; they’re both pros who establish an immediate rapport and comfort with each other, making them persuasive as a married couple who haven’t fallen out of love.

On top of that, the supporting cast is top-notch: Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men) as Parker’s snippy assistant, Sam Elliott (Thank You for Smoking) as the Wyoming marshal assigned to protect the neurotic couple, and Mary Steenburgen (Melvin and Howard) as the marshal’s tough-as-nails wife are only the most recognizable of the solid ensemble playing the quirky characters surrounding the feuding romantic leads. Writer-director Marc Lawrence previously directed Grant to stronger effect in Music & Lyrics and, in particular, Two Weeks Notice, in which Grant and Sandra Bullock proved surprisingly sparky.

Did You Hear About The Morgans? is out now on Blu-ray (£14.91) andDVD (£12.71).

Precious

MONSTER’S BALL producer Lee Daniels follows up his 2005 directorial debut, SHADOWBOXER, with this adaptation of author Sapphire’s best-selling novel about an overweight, illiterate African-American teen from Harlem who discovers an alternate path in life after she begins attending a new school. Clareece ‘Precious’ Jones is only a teenager, yet she’s about to give birth to her second child. Unable to read or write, Clareece shows little prospect for the future until discovering that she has been accepted into an alternative school.

There, with a little help from a sympathetic teacher (Paula Patton) and a kindly nurse (Lenny Kravitiz), the young girl receives something that most teens never get — a chance to start over. Mo’nique co-stars in an inspirational drama featuring the debut performance of screen newcomer Gabourey Sidibe.

Precious is out now on Blu-ray (£10.99) andDVD (£10.99).

May 20th :Jack goes after Dana as 24’s 8th Season continues…

In these two latest episodes, while I thought the first one was very much padding and scene-setting, everything cametogether much better in the next one, as events with Jack and Dana came to a head as she claimed to have importantinformation he wanted and he’d do anything to get it, chasing her across town.

Find out what DVDfever.co.uk reviewer, Dan Owen made of this episode in this new review,which premiered on Dan’s Media Digest.

Reviews of24 Season 8: Episode 19 and24 Season 8: Episode 20is online and the next episode is on Sky 1 on Sunday at 9pm.

May 19th :Who will decide The Doctor’s fate? It’s Amy’s Choice…

And that was the latest episode, as shown on Saturday, but it wasn’t one I thought a great deal of as it just didn’twork for me and I can’t stand Rory. However, I did prefer the previous episode, The Vampires of Venice and bothreviews are featured here.

Find out what DVDfever.co.uk reviewer, Dan Owen made of this episode in this new review,which premiered on Dan’s Media Digest.

Reviews ofDoctor Who: The Vampires of Venice andDoctor Who: Amy’s Choiceare online and the next episode is on BBC1 on Saturday at 6.15pm.

May 18th :CHARTS: Roll Deep vs Glee Cast – Who got the new No.1…?

Check out themusic chart analysis pagewhich is online now.

The release dates for singles and albums go up until early July 2010.

New DVD highlights out this week…

Once again, we look at a few titles in more detail.

The titles of note are the following, but read on for further details about the highlights:

• All About Steve (15.99 DVD, Fox)
• Facejacker (19.99 DVD, 29.99 Face/Fonejacker, 4DVD)
• Minority Report (22.99 Blu-ray, 28.99 Blu-ray Limited Edition Steelbook with Artcards, Fox)
• Ninja Assassin (26.99 Blu-ray, 19.99 DVD, Warner)
• The Road (19.99 Blu-ray, 19.99 DVD, Icon)
• Sex And Drugs And Rock And Roll (24.99 Blu-ray, 19.99 DVD, EIV)
• Shameless Series 7 (34.99 DVD, 99.99 Complete DVD, 4DVD)
• Sherlock Holmes (26.99 Blu-ray, 19.99 DVD, Warner)
• True Blood Season 2 (49.99 Blu-ray, 39.99 DVD, 79.99 Season 1 & 2 Blu-ray, Warner)
• Valhalla Rising (17.99 Blu-ray, Momentum)

Sherlock Holmes (2009)

On a quest to solve a string of mysterious and brutal murders, Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) and his trusted ally Watson (Jude Law) plunge into a world of dark arts and startling new technologies, where logic, and a good right hook, are the best crime fighting weapons. Explosive action, baffling mystery and astonishing intrigue follow the two in a race to uncover and foil a terrifying plot that threatens to destroy the country. Director Guy Ritchie helms the all-action adventure reintroducing the great detective to the world. Robert Downey Jr. is the new Sherlock Holmes.

Sherlock Holmes (2009) is out now on Blu-ray (£15.85) andDVD (£9.99).

True Blood Season 2

The biggest TV phenomenon of last year is back with a bite.

Welcome back to Bon Temps, home to mystery, Southern sensuality and dark secrets. For Sookie Stackhouse, life is more dangerous than ever after she and Bill become more deeply involved. Meanwhile, Tara finds herself under a lover’s spell. Sam puts his trust in an unlikely ally. Jason becomes involved with an anti-vampire sect. Eric becomes interested in Sookie after he recruits her to investigate the disappearance of his 2,000-year-old maker. And Maryann is revealed to possess a power that can control almost everyone in town. Then, after making a shocking discovery, Sookie, Bill and Sam must form the last line of defense against a diabolical plan that raises this award-winning series to bloody new heights.

Clothes fall to the floor almost as often as blood spatters the walls in this show that blends supernatural horror, sex, and mystery, with just a little bit of social commentary thrown in for good measure.

True Blood Season 2 is out now on Blu-ray (£34.99),DVD (£26.99) andComplte Blu-ray (£52.99).

The Road

After the Oscar-winning success of the adaptation of the Cormac McCarthy novel NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, another of the author’s works arrives on screen. Viggo Mortensen stars in THE ROAD, a thriller that is set in a bare, post-apocalyptic America, where a father and son struggle to survive. Director John Hillcoat previously teamed with star Guy Pearce on the critically acclaimed Western THE PROPOSITION.

The Road is out now on Blu-ray (£12.71) andDVD (£11.99).

Shameless Series 7

Frank Gallagher finds a new love this series with the arrival of local Librarian Libby. Libby’s passion for romantic literature wakes in Frank something that has been dormant for so long…. and then he meets her mum Patty who might just put a spanner in the works.

Eight months on from the tragic loss of Mandy, the Maguire family are preparing to welcome a new addition to the clan, a baby son for Karen and Jamie Maguire. And baby Connor’s arrival doesn’t mean Joe Pritchard will loosen his hold on Karen, who soon discovers that motherhood brings on some unwanted Jackson family traits. The Jockey’s got a new landlady – Mimi Maguire so Patrick has to come to terms with their separate living arrangements. While Kelly takes her new godparent duties to the extreme, boyfriend Shane Maguire gets involved with wedding scams – and then thinks about a wedding of his own.

Micky Maguire and Ian Gallagher now share a bungalow together, as the perfect odd couple. While over at the Gallagher’s, Liam hits senior school and develops his first crush. Carl and girlfriend Maxine get adventurous in the bedroom. Welcome back to the inimitable world of Shameless.

Shameless Series 7 is out now on Blu-ray (£23.99) andDVD (£65.91).

May 17th :A 40-year-old classic: The Railway Children on Blu-ray and DVD…

Out now :

Dinah Sheridan, Bernard Cribbins, Jenny Agutter and Sally Thomsett starred in what was thought at the time to be justanother children’s film, but it ended up being a timeless classic as the family Waterbury were beset by tragedy andforced to downside and move to Yorkshire, but how did things turn out for them?

This new version also sees the restored print released on Blu-ray for the first time.

The Railway Childrenis online and out on Blu-ray and DVD now.

Richard Walters is an artist who deserves wider attention on CD…

So says DVDfever.co.uk reviewer Elly Roberts,who tells us this artist wrote The Animal over a three year period, sparked by falling in love with an American girl andmoving to Paris, which he described as “the catalyst”. Find out why his music’s a draw in this review.

Richard Walters: The Animalis online now.

Youtube highlight: Kathy Lette talks about an orgy on BBC News…

Well, she’s talking about whether men can multitask or not, but… 😉

CHARTS: Roll Deep vs Glee Cast – Who got the new No.1…?

Check back shortly for the latest charts on themusic chart analysis page.

May 14th :CHARTS: Roll Deep vs Pendulum – Who got the new No.1…?

Check out themusic chart analysis pagewhich is online now.

The release dates for singles and albums go up until early July 2010.

May 7th :Ian Curtis/Joy Division and Martin Hannett Exhibition at Fac251 Manchester…

Thanks to DVDfever.co.uk reviewer Elly Roberts for the info on this exhibition.

The Factory, 112–118 Princess Street, Manchester, M1 7EN
Sunday 16th May to Wednesday 19th May 12 Noon to 6pm Daily
FREE ADMISSION

An exhibition showcasing Joy Divison memorabilia collated by Peter Hook and Chris Hewitt . Over the years as much musical and recording equipment and instruments associated with Joy Divison have been collated by Chris and Hooky and as an avid collector, Hooky will also be showing many paper artefacts and other related objects to Joy Division publicly for the first time.

The Ian Curtis/Joy Division exhibition at The Factory’s top floor boardroom will contain at least six display cases full of Peter Hook’s collection of Joy Division artefacts. There will be a scene of the Joy Division rehearsal room wih instruments and amplification that the band used on gigs and in rehearsals whilst the Joy Division recording session scene will recreate an Ian Curtis vocal take including the actual studio screens he recorded his vocals behind as well as a collection of producer Martin Hannett’s original equipment including the microphone configuration that Martin Hannett used, Martin Hannett’s legendary collection of outboard delay equipment that defined the Joy Division Sound, Hannett’s own tape recorder and several of his early echo units.

This will be a unique insight into the artefacts, instruments, amplification and recording equipment of one of Manchester’s seminal bands.

Thanks to Salford Museum and Rochdale Arts and Heritage service for loan of display cases.

Also, you can see Elly’s on the Americymru website here!

Note that if you don’t see much in the way of updates next week, it’s because we’re taking a week off. It’ll be ourfirst holiday since Xmas so it’s about time 🙂

New films at this cinema this weekend…

Stuck for something to do this weekend? The list of films showing atManchester Showcase Cinema can be found on this page, and won’t differmuch from what’s on in the rest of the country.

The new films out include: Hot Tub Time Machine, A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010), The Back Up Plan and Furry Vengeance.

May 6th :CHARTS: Diana Vickers vs Roll Deep – Who got the new No.1…?

Check out themusic chart analysis pagewhich is online now.

The release dates for singles and albums go up until early July 2010.

May 5th :Jack wants answers in avenging Renee’s death as the 8th Season continues…

It’s a more dialogue-heavy episode but that still makes for an exciting episode as Kiefer gets to chew scenery withJürgen Prochnow, and Gregory Itzin kicks major ass in all his scenes.

Find out what DVDfever.co.uk reviewer, Dan Owen made of this episode in this new review,which premiered on Dan’s Media Digest.

A review of24 Season 8: Episode 18is online and the next episode is on Sky 1 on Sunday at 9pm.

Can The Doctor defeat the Angels in Doctor Who…

As one of the best ever enemies, The Weeping Angels, come together with the return of River Song just enjoyhow it all ties together with a wonderful plot that mixes in with this season’s story arc.

Find out what DVDfever.co.uk reviewer, Dan Owen made of this episode in this new review,which premiered on Dan’s Media Digest.

A review ofDoctor Who: Flesh And Stoneis online and the next episode is on BBC1 on Saturday at 6pm.

May 3rd :John Lennon starts a band in Nowhere Boy on Blu-ray and DVD…

Released next Monday :

Back in the mid-to-late fifties, a young lad called John Lennon had a dream about starting a rock-n-roll band withsome mates and called themselves The Quarrymen. Before too long they became The Beatles and legends were born… butbehind all that was some turbulent emotions in many a twisting tale in his family…

Nowhere Boyis online and out on Blu-ray and DVD from next Monday.

Electro Retro from Paul Haig on CD…

Paul Haig is a man who’s solo career has never quite taken off, butDVDfever.co.uk reviewer Elly Robertsreckons that he’s moved towards a popier niche sounding like compatriot Billy Idol with retro sounding punk elementswhich pack a really punch.

Paul Haig: Reliveis online now.

Youtube highlight: John Higgins accused of match-fixing…

As the final was about to begin, the news broke that John Higgins had been accused of throwing matches for huge sumsof money, and yesterday afternoon, Snooker chairman Barry Hearns talked on BBC2 about the potential consequences.

CHARTS: Diana Vickers vs Roll Deep – Who got the new No.1…?

Check back shortly for the latest charts on themusic chart analysis page.

New DVD highlights out this week…

Once again, we look at a few titles in more detail.

The titles of note are the following, but read on for further details about the highlights:

• The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day (19.99 DVD, Sony)
• City Of War: The Story Of John Rabe (19.99 Blu-ray, Metrodome)
• Cuffy: The Complete Series (14.99 DVD, Network)
• Doctor Who: Creature from the Pit (19.99 DVD, BBC)
• Little House on the Prairie Season 6 (29.99 DVD, Universal)
• Michael Bolton Live At The Royal Albert Hall (21.99 Blu-ray, 15.99 DVD, Eagle Vision)
• Morecambe And Wise Series 7 (19.99 DVD, BBC)
• One Night Only: Barbra Streisand & Quartet (17.99 Blu-ray, 15.99 DVD, Columbia)
• The Prisoner (2010) (29.99 Blu-ray, 24.99 DVD, ITV)
• The Railway Children (19.99 Blu-ray, Optimum)
• Richard Hammond’s Invisible Worlds (19.99 Blu-ray, 15.99 DVD, BBC)
• Waking the Dead Series 7 (24.99 DVD, BBC)
• WWE Royal Rumble 2010 (19.99 Blu-ray, 17.99 DVD, Silver Vision)

The Prisoner (2010)

Internationally acclaimed actors Ian McKellen (Lord of the Rings) and Jim Caviezel (Passion of the Christ) star in the reinvention of the 1960’s classic cult thriller. The six thrilling episodes tell the story of a man who finds himself trapped in a mysterious and surreal place known as The Village, with no memory of how he arrived there. As he frantically explores his environment, he discovers that its inhabitants are identified by number instead of by name and have no memory of a prior existence or outside civilization. Not knowing who to trust, Number Six is driven by the desperate need to discover the truth behind The Village and, more importantly, how he can survive and escape to his previous life.

The Village is controlled by one man: the sinister and charismatic Number Two (Ian McKellen). In each new episode, Six (Jim Caviezel) and Two are locked in a battle of wits, as Six challenges the oppressive nature of The Village and battles against his captors.

McKellen and Caviezel are joined by an all-star supporting cast including Hayley Atwell (Brideshead Revisited), Jamie Campbell-Bower (New Moon, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows), Ruth Wilson (Jane Eyre, Small Island), Lennie James (Outlaw) and Rachael Blake (Clapham Junction).

In the 1960s, The Prisoner helped permanently alter the scope of the fantasy genre. Through the work of Patrick McGoohan, who created, produced, wrote and directed the series, and starred in the lead role of Number Six , The Prisoner is widely viewed as one of the most well regarded and intriguing cult TV series ever created. While the original series, which debuted in 1967, was a riff on Cold War politics, the Prisoner in 2010 reflects 21st century concerns and anxieties, such as liberty, security and surveillance, yet also showcase the same key elements of paranoia, tense action and socio-political commentary seen in McGoohan’s enigmatic original.

Special Features:

• Deleted scenes
• The Making of The Prisoner
• Character profiles
• The Prisoner read-through
• Jamie Campbell-Bower interviewing Ian McKellen
• Comic Con 2009: The Prisoner panel
• Inside The Prisoner

The Prisoner (2010) is out now on Blu-ray (£17.91) andDVD (£14.91).

Doctor Who: Creature from the Pit

Making a forced materialisation on Chloris, the Doctor, Romana and K9 become embroiled in the political machinations of its ruler, the Lady Adrasta. The lush vegetation of the planet’s surface hides a ragtag group of bandits, a giant eggshell, man-eating Wolfweeds and, within the depths of an old mining pit, something very large has a terrible secret which threatens the destruction of Chloris itself…

Special Features:

• Commentary by Lalla Ward (Romana), Myra Frances (Lady Adrasta), Director Christopher Barry and Visual Effects Designer Mat Irvine
• Christopher Barry: Director Veteran Doctor Who director Christopher Barry, on location in the Wiltshire village of Aldbourne, talks about his career
• Team Erato The BBC Visual Effects crew talk about the problems they faced building and operating Erato, with Mat Irvine, Steve Bowman, Steve Lucas and Morag McLean
• Animal Magic The Fourth Doctor tells viewers about the creatures he has met on his travels
• Radio Times Billings (PDF DVD-ROM – PC/Mac)
• Production Information Subtitles
• Photo Gallery
• Extended Scene
• Coming Soon Trailer
• Digitally remastered picture and sound quality

Doctor Who: Creature from the Pit is out now on DVD (£12.91).

Richard Hammond’s Invisible Worlds

Using state-of-the-art imaging technologies, Richard discovers that t’s as much the things we cannot see as those we can that shape our lives. From spectacular natural phenomena such as vast, superfast lightning clusters, to one of the wonders of the living world and our own technological achievements such as the awe inspiring aerial workconducted on high-voltage power lines, Richard explores the hidden secrets of three distinct invisible realms that lie beyond the limits ofhuman vision, helping us to unravel some of the mysteries of our world.

Richard Hammond’s Invisible Worlds is out now on Blu-ray (£12.93) andDVD (£10.93).

One Night Only: Barbra Streisand & Quartet

One Night Only was the once-in-a-lifetime event at the historic Village Vanguard to an audience of 100 of her luckiest fans from around the world. The free concert was attended by notables including former President Bill Clinton, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Nicole Kidman and Sarah Jessica Parker among others. Barbra performed tracks from UK Love Is The Answer along with classics, including “The Way We Were” and “Evergreen” at one of the most renowned, intimate venues in the world.

Introductions / Here’s To Life / In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning / Gentle Rain / Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most / If You Go Away (Ne Me Quitte Pas) / Where Do You Start? / Nobody’s Heart (Belongs To Me) / Make Someone Happy / My Funny Valentine / Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered / Evergreen (Love Theme From A Star Is Born) / Some Other Time / The Way We Were

One Night Only: Barbra Streisand & Quartet is out now on Blu-ray (£12.59) andDVD (£12.69).

News Archive: April 1999 to last month

Latest Announcements
Announcements Archive: January 2004 to last month

Back to top of page