Let's begin! All films are alphabetically ordered.
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12 Monkeys (1995)
Directed by Terry Gilliam
129 Mins, Color
A lone time traveller from the year 2035 must solve a riddle that may save his people... but it may also take him to the brink of madness. Bruce Willis, Madeleine Stowe and Brad Pitt star in this brilliant sci-fi masterpiece from Terry Gilliam.
After the world's population is devastated by a killer virus, survivors must live in dank underground communities. Cole (Willis) 'volunteers' to travel into the past to obtain a pure virus sample, thereby helping scientists develop a cure. Along the way, he crosses paths with a beautiful psychiatrist (Stowe) and a one-card-short-of-a-full-deck mental patient (Pitt). But the race is on, as Cole searches for The Army of the 12 Monkeys, a radical group linked to the deadly disease.
With unforgettable performances and imaginative special effects, 12 Monkeys is a modern-day classic laced with Gilliam's trademark wit and dazzling visual style.
Special Features:
- Featurette: The Making of 12 Monkeys
- Feature commentary with director, Terry Gilliam and producer, Charles Roven
- Production notes
- Theatrical trailer
- Biographies cast and crew
Star Rating:
10/10 stars
Alice (2009)
Directed by Nick Willing
240 Mins, Color
From the creators of Tin Man comes a magical look through the looking glass at Alice's fantastical wonderland.
After her fiancé is kidnapped, judo instructor Alice Hamilton (Caterina Scorsese from TV's Missing) chases her abductors and tumbles into the fantastical Wonderland - where she discovers humans are drained of their valuable emotions.
With the Queen of Hearts (Kathy Bates from Misery) hot on her trail, Alice isn't certain which of the many characters of Wonderland she can trust to help her escape - and maintain a level head.
Special Features:
None
Star Rating:
7/10 stars
Annie (1982)
Directed by John Huston
127 Mins, Color
The movie of 'tomorrow'!
Broadway musical based on Little Orphan Annie comic strip. A young orphan girls adventures in finding a family that will take her.
Special Features:
None
Star Rating:
5/10 stars
A Scanner Darkly (2006)
Directed by Richard Linklater
100 Mins, Color
What does a scanner see? Into the head? Into the heart? From the novel by Philip K. Dick - the sci-fi legend whose works-to-film include Blade Runner, Total Recall and Minority Report - comes A Scanner Darkly, brought to screen by filmmaker Richard Linklater and with an edgy graphic-novel look.
The time: just beyond now. The place: suburbia. The story: a twisted, funny tale of people hooked on Substance D. And of a government that destroys their citizens - their rights, their relationships - in order to save them. Robert Downey Jr., Woody Harrelson, Winona Rider and Rory Cochrane play strung-out friends terrified of each other and of spies. Keanu Reeves plays a spy who's also one of the friends... until his two personalities begin to split. Enjoy the paranoia. Nobody's watching you. Really.
Special Features:
- Commentary by Screenwriter/Director Richard Linklater, Keanu Reeves, Isa Dick Hackett (daughter of Philip K. Dick), Producer Tommy Pallotta and Philip K. Dick historian Jonathan Lethem
- One Summer in Austin: The Story of Filming A Scanner Darkly
- The Weight of the Line: Animation Tales
- Theatrical Trailer
Star Rating:
8/10 Stars
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)
Directed by Andrew Dominik
160 Mins, Color
Everyone in 1880s America knows Jesse James. He's the nation's most notorious criminal, hunted by the law in 10 states. He's also the lands greatest hero, lauded as a Robin Hood by the public. Robert Ford, meanwhile, is a nobody. That, however, isn't something the ambitious 19-year-old will settle for. He'll befriend Jesse, join his gang and gain his confidence, and eventually become his downfall.
Friendship turns to rivalry and the quest for fame becomes obsession in this gripping epic produced by Ridley Scott, examining the last days of America's most famous outlaw, and featuring outstanding performances from Brad Pitt and Casey Affleck.
Special Features:
None
Star Rating:
10/10
The Aviator (2004)
Directed by Martin Scorsese
170 Mins, Color
Imagine a life without limits...
Martin Scorsese's Oscar-winning biopic about the life of film-maker and aviation pioneer Howard Hughes from 1927 to 1947, during which time he became a successful film producer and an aviation magnate while simultaneously growing more unstable due to severe obsessive-compulsive disorder.
After a scene from 1914, which may explain his later fear of dirt and disease, the film starts in 1927 during Hughes' filming of the World War I aviation film Hell's Angels. He's 22 years old, has inherited the family's fortune and tool company, but wants to spend his time making film instead. However, he soon finds himself just as involved in the aviation industry, buying an airline and developing new planes.
Special Features
- Commentary by Martin Scorsese
Star Rating:
As of 8 October, 2014, have not watched.
Back to the Future: The Complete Trilogy (1985-1990)
Director: Robert Zemeckis
111 Mins, Color/103 Mins, Color/113 Mins, Color
Presented by filmmaking legend Steven Spielberg, directed by Robert Zemeckis, and starring time-travellers Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd, the phenomenally popular Back to the Future films are back! Digitally re-mastered and packed with additional footage and features, you'll be able to relive the adventure time and time again.
Special Features:
Back to the Future Part I:
- The Making of Back to the Future
- Making the Trilogy Chapter 1 - A Retrospective Look featuring Cast and Crew
- Feature Commentary with Director/Writer Robert Zemeckis and Producer/Writer Bob Gale
- Hilarious Outtakes
- Deleted Scenes
- Original Make-Up Tests
- Did You Know That? Universal's Animated Anecdotes
- Production Archives
- Storyboards to Final Feature Comparisons
- Theatrical Trailer
Back to the Future Part II:
- Back to the Future Part II Featurette: A Rare Behind the Scenes Look
- Making the Trilogy Chapter 2 - A Retrospective Look featuring Cast and Crew
- Hilarious Outtakes
- Deleted Scenes
- Hover Board Test On Location
- Production Archives
- Storyboards to Final Feature Comparisons
- Theatrical Trailer
Back to the Future Part III:
- Making the Trilogy Chapter III - A Retrospective Look featuring Cast and Crew
- Hilarious Outtakes
- Deleted Scenes
- ZZ Top Music Video Doubleback
- Production Archives
- Storyboards to Final Feature Comparisons
- Theatrical Trailer
Star Rating:
8.5/10 stars
Batman (1989)
Directed by Tim Burton
126 Mins, Color
The Dark Knight of Gotham City begins his war on crime with his first major enemy being the clownishly homicidal Joker, who has seized control of Gotham's underworld.
Special Features:
None
Star Rating:
As of October 8, 2014 has not been viewed
Batman Returns (1992)
Directed by Tim Burton
126 Mins, Color
Having defeated the Joker, Batman now faces the Penguin - a warped and deformed individual who is intent on being accepted into Gotham society. Crooked businessman Max Schreck is coerced into helping him become mayor of Gotham and they both attempt to expose Batman in a different light. Selina Kyle, Max's secretary, is thrown from the top of a building and is transformed into Catwoman - a mysterious figure who has the same personality disorder as Batman.
Batman must attempt to clear his name, all the time deciding what must be done with the Catwoman.
Special Features:
None
Star Rating:
As of October 8, 2014, have not viewed
Batman Begins (2005)
Directed by Christopher Nolan
134 Mins, Color
In Batman Begins, acclaimed director Christopher Nolan explores the origins of the legendary Dark Knight. In the wake of his parents' murders, disillusioned heir Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) travels the world seeking the means to fight injustice and turn fear against those who prey on the fearful. With the help of his trusted butler Alfred (Michael Caine), detective Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) and his ally Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman), Wayne returns to Gotham City and unleashes his alter ego: Batman, a masked crusader who uses strength, intellect and an array of high-tech weaponry to fight the sinister forces that threaten the city.
Special Features:
- Inner Demons Comic
- Batman - The Journey Begins
- Shaping Mind and Body: Christian Bale's transformation into Batman
- Batman - The Tumblr: Reinvention of the Batmobile
- Gotham City Rises
- Saving Gotham City
- Genesis of the Bat
- Confidential Files
Star Rating:
8.5/10 Stars
The Dark Knight (2008)
Directed by Christopher Nolan
145 Mins, Color
The follow-up to Batman Begins, The Dark Knight reunites director Christopher Nolan and star Christian Bale, who reprises the role of Batman/Bruce Wayne in his continuing war on crime. With the help of Lt. Jim Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent, Batman sets out to destroy organised crime in Gotham for good. The triumvirate proves effective. But soon the three find themselves prey to a rising criminal mastermind known as The Joker, who thrusts Gotham into anarchy and forces Batman closer to crossing the fine line between hero and vigilante.
Heath Ledger stars as arch villain The Joker, and Aaron Eckhart plays Dent. Maggie Gyllenhaal joins the cast as Rachel Dawes. Returning from Batman Begins are Gary Oldman as Gordon, Michael Caine as Alfred and Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox.
Special Features:
- Gotham Uncovered: Creation of a Scene
- The Dark Knight IMAX Sequences
- Gotham Tonight: 6 Episodes of Gotham's Premier News Programme
- The Galleries
Star Rating:
9.5/10 Stars
The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
Directed by Christopher Nolan
160 Mins, Color
Eight years ago, after assuming the blame for DA Harvey Dent's death, a disgraced Batman (Christian Bale) mysteriously vanished. But everything changes with the disappearance of a cunning cat burglar (Anne Hathaway) and the arrival of Bane (Tom Hardy), a ruthless madman. Bane's reign of terror forces Bruce out of his self-imposed exile and into the ultimate battle for Gotham City's survival... and his own.
Special Features:
None
Star Rating:
9/10 Stars
Battle: Los Angeles (2011)
Directed by Jonathan Liebesman
111 Mins, Color
Witness the end of civilisation unfold as hostile alien invaders attack the planet. As people everywhere watch the world's great cities fall, Los Angeles becomes the last stand for mankind in a battle no one expected. Now it's up to a Marine staff sergeant (Aaron Eckhart) and his platoon to draw a line in the sand as they take on an enemy unlike any they've ever encountered, in this epic sci-fi action film.
Special Features:
- Behind the Battle
- Aliens in LA
- Preparing for Battle
- Creating LA
Star Rating:
3.5/10 stars
Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
Directed by Arthur Penn
111 Mins, Color
They're young. They're in love. And they kill people.
Bonnie and Clyde is based on the true stories of Bonnie Parker and Clyde Parker who in the 1930's began robbing banks in all the main US cities until they were killed. The film takes on the aesthetically movement of New Hollywood.
Special Features:
- Unspecified, although whole second disc specifically for them
Star Rating:
As of October 8, 2014, have not viewed
Braindead (1992)
Directed by Peter Jackson
81 Mins, Color
From the writer of the original Twilight Zone comes the most terrifying film ever!
In a showdown of man vs. machine, Martin plunges into a chaotic nightmare trying to save his mind from the megalomaniacal corporation!
Special Features:
None
Star Rating:
As of October 8, 2014, have not viewed
Cat's Eye (1985)
Directed by Lewis Teague
94 Mins, Color
From the macabre imagination of Stephen King comes this twisted trio of terrifying tales. Three intertwined tales of horror, linked by a mysterious stray cat who is searching for a small girl he has been sent to protect. The cat encounters a sinister New York doctor who will go to any lengths to find success and an enraged millionaire seeking vengeance for his wife's adultery, before finding the child he is looking for.
Special Features:
None
Star Rating:
5.5/10 Stars
Cloud Atlas (2012)
Directed by Lana Wachowski, Andy Wachowski, Tom Tykwer
172 Mins, Color
Six stories spanning centuries. One soul. Tom Hanks and Halle Berry lead an all star cast featuring Jim Broadbent, Hugo Weaving, Jim Sturgess, Doona Bae, Ben Whishaw, James D'Arcy, Zhou Xun, Keith David, David Gyasi, Susan Sarandon and Hugh Grant in interwoven tales as time shifts between past, present and future,
As characters reunite from one life to the next, their actions generate consequences: A killer evolves into a hero. An act of kindness inspires a revolution. Cloud Atlas combines science-fiction, drama, mystery, action and romance into a film that's "utterly, wonderfully epic"
Special Features:
- Featurette: A Film Like No Other
Star Rating:
10/10 Stars
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
Directed by David Fincher
159 Mins, Color
Directed by David Fincher (Zodiac, Fight Club) and starring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett as time-crossed soul mates Benjamin and Daisy, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a time-traveler's epic adventure into the joys of life, the sadness of death and a love that endures beyond time.
Special Features:
- Commentary by David Fincher
Star Rating:
As of October 8, 2014, have not viewed
The Da Vinci Code (2006)
Directed by Ron Howard
168 Mins, Color
When The Da Vinci Code exploded onto cinema screens around the world, fans of Dan Brown's best-selling thriller saw the quest to solve history's greatest mystery come to life. But now, you can experience The Da Vinci Code movie like never before, with this all new extended edition available only on DVD.
Over twenty five minutes of thrilling new footage edited back into the film takes you deeper into the excitement, the intrigue and the controversy of the story that became a global phenomenon.
Special Features:
- The Filmmakers Journey: 2-part documentary takes a revealing look at the making of the movie
- A discussion with author Dan Brown
- Magical Places: Feature looks at the films spectacular settings and filming locations
- 7 additional featurettes include a look at the first day on the set, the cast, the soundtrack and descriptions of the film's codes and symbols
Star Rating:
5/10 Stars
Déjà Vu (2006)
Directed by Tony Scott
121 Mins, Color
Academy Award winner Denzel Washington (best actor, Training Day) joins forces with blockbuster producer Jerry Bruckheimer and mega-hit director Tony Scott for Déja Vu - the powerful, fast-paced action thriller with a spectacular, mind-bending twist.
Called in to recover evidence in the aftermath of a horrific explosion on a New Orleans ferry, federal agent Doug Carlin (Washington) gets pulled away from the scene and taken to a top-secret government lab that uses a time shifting surveillance device to help prevent crime. But can it help Carlin change the past? Hold on to your seat for an explosive and intriguing thrill ride you'll want to experience again and again
Special Features:
- Surveillance Window
- Extended Scene
Star Rating:
6/10 Stars
Disturbia (2007)
Directed by DJ Caruso
100 Mins, Color
Even on this quiet, tree-lined street, no one is safe... especially from the savage killer next door. Welcome to Disturbia.
Living under three months' house arrest, Kale Brecht (Shia LeBeouf, Transformers) passes his days spying on the neighbours. It's all fun and games until things take a horrifying turn for the worse. Kale is convinced his neighbour next door is a serial killer - but he can't prove anything, can't convince anyone and can't leave his house without triggering an alarm. Enlisting the help of his friends, Kale is determined to expose the truth - but have they all taken on more than they bargained for with a cold-blooded murderer on the loose?
With nowhere to run and nowhere to hide, Kale and his friends are in a race for their lives in this electrifying thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Special Features:
- Commentary with DJ Caruso, Shia LaBeouf and Sarah Roemer
- The Making of Disturbia
- Deleted Scenes
- Serial Pursuit Trivia Pop-Up Quiz
- Outtakes
- Music Video: Don't Make Me Wait
- Photo Gallery
- Theatrical Trailer
Star Rating:
As of October 8, 2014, have not viewed
Donnie Darko (2001)
Directed by Richard Kelly
111 Mins, Color
October 1988 and small town USA is about to witness the end of the world. It's home to Donnie Darko, a brilliant but troubled teenager, plagued by terrifying visions which he alone knows the meaning of.
With his class mate and soul mate Gretchen and a mysterious ex-teacher, nicknamed Grandma Death, he must unravel the strange occurrences affecting his school, his home and his life before a horrifying spectre known only as "Frank" leads Donnie to the edge.
Special Features:
None
Star Rating:
9/10 stars
The Extra Man (2010)
Directed by Robert Pulcini, Shari Springer Berman
103 Mins, Color
Louis Ives (Paul Dano, There Will Be Blood) fancies himself a young gentleman fashioned after his heroes in the books of F. Scott Fitzgerald. He dresses the part - favouring neckties, blue blazers and sport coats. But he also has a penchant for women's clothing, a weakness that leads to him losing his job at a Princeton day school. He heads for New York City where he rents a room in the madly discombobulated apartment of Henry Harrison (Kevin Kline, Definitely, Maybe), a failed but brilliant playwright, who performs with great style the duties of a "walker" - an escort for the rich widows of the Upper East Side.
The two men, separated in age by more than 40 years, develop a relationship as irascible mentor and eager apprentice, which leads to a series of urban adventures - encountering everything from a leaping lion to a wildly jealous hirsute neighbour to drunken nonagenarians and an entrancing green-obsessed young journalist (Katie Holmes, Thank You For Smoking).
Special Features:
None
Star Rating:
7.5/10 Stars
La Habitación De Fermat [Fermat's Room] (2006)
Directed by Luis Piedrahita, Rodrigo Sopena
88 Mins, Color
Pi meets Cube!
Four mathematicians who do not know each other are invited by a mysterious host to spend a weekend trying to solve a great enigma. They are given the names of some of the most important mathematicians in history, and the only thing they know about their host is his pseudonym: Fermat. The meeting point is an abandoned house; and the place that has been arranged for them turns out to be a shrinking room that will crush them if they do not discover what connects them all and why someone might wish to murder them.
Special Features:
- Theatrical Trailer
- Image Gallery
Star Rating:
9/10 Stars
Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)
Directed by John Hughes
99 Mins, Color
Sorry, not here! Instead, high-schooler Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick), his girlfriend Sloane (Mia Sara), and his best bud Cameron (Alan Ruck) are off on the spontaneous romp through Chicago known as Ferris Bueller's Day Off.
Special Features:
- Getting the Class Together
- The Making of Ferris Bueller's Day Off
- Who is Ferris Bueller?
- The World According to Ben Stein
- Vintage Ferris Bueller: The Lost Tapes
- Class Album
Star Rating:
8/10 Stars
Flightplan (2005)
Directed by Robert Schwenke
94 Mins, Color
Filled with heart-pounding suspense, this Hitchcock-like psychological thriller stars two-time academy award winner Jodie Foster and features an outstanding supporting cast featuring Sean Bean.
Flying at 37, 000 feet in a state-of-the-art aircraft, Kyle Pratt's (Foster) six-year old daughter Julia vanishes without a trace. Or did she? No one on the plane believes Julia was ever onboard. And now Kyle, desperate and alone and fighting for her sanity, can only count on her own wits to unravel the mystery and save her daughter.
Special Features:
- The In-Flight Movie: Making of Flightplan
- Cabin Pressure: Designing the Aalto E-474
Star Rating:
5.5/10 Stars
The Fountain (2006)
Directed by Darren Aronofsky
92 Mins, Color
What if you could love forever?
Incredible cinematography and powerful acting from Hugh Jackman and Academy Award winner Rachel Weisz, director Darren Aronofsky (Requiem For a Dream, Pi), weaves a tale about one man's quest for the "Tree of Life" which will give eternal life and save his wife who is dying of cancer in the 21st century.
For one thousand years Tom Creo (Jackman) has lead three parallel lives, 16th century conquistador Tomas, 21st century Dr. Tom Creo and 26th century astronaut Tommy Creo, all with the same goal to save the woman he loves. This is a story about a love that never dies. While living these lives, Tom gains an understanding of love, life, humanity and his own mortality. This is the love affair that transcends time.
Special Features:
- Life on Ship
- Spain in the 16th Century
- The Future
- Death and Rebirth
- The 21st Century
- New Spain
- The Interview
- Inside the Fountain
- The Endless Field
Star Rating:
10/10 stars. A stunning film.
The General (1926)
Directed by Buster Keaton
75 Mins, Black and White
Based on events from America's civil war.
Special Features:
None
Star Rating:
10/10 Stars
Broadway producer Max Bialystock and his accountant Leo Bloom plan to make money by charming little old ladies to invest in a production many times over what it will actually cost, and then put on a sure-fire flop, so nobody will ever ask for their money back - and what can be a more certain flop than a tasteless musical celebrating Hitler…?
Special Features:
None
Star Rating:
As of October 8, 2014, have not viewed
The Godfather Part II (1974)
Directed by Francis Ford Coppola
192 Mins, Color
This brilliant companion piece to the original The Godfather continues the saga of two generations of successive power within the Corleone family. Director Francis Ford Coppola tells two stories in Part II: the roots and rise of a young Don Vito, played with uncanny ability by Robert De Niro, and the ascension of Michael (Al Pacino) as the new Don. Reassembling many of the talents who helped make The Godfather, Coppola has produced a movie of staggering magnitude and vision, and undeniably the best sequel ever made. Robert De Niro won an Oscar, the film received six Academy Awards, including Best Picture of 1974.
Special Features:
None
Star Rating:
As of October 8, 2014, have not viewed
The Godfather Part III (1990)
Directed by Francis Ford Coppola
163 Mins, Color
One of the greatest sagas in movie history continues. In this third film in the epic Corleone trilogy, Al Pacino reprises the role of powerful family leader Michael Corleone. Now in his 60s, Michael is dominated by two passions: freeing his family from crime and finding a suitable successor. That successor could fiery Vincent (Andy Garcia)... but he may also be the spark that turns Michael's hopes of business legitimacy into an inferno of mob violence.
Francis Ford Coppola directs Pacino, Garcia, Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, Eli Wallach, Sofia Coppola, Joe Mantegna and others in this exciting, long-awaited film that masterfully explores the themes of power, tradition, revenge and love. Seven Academy Award nominations for 1990 were the result, including Best Picture.
Special Features:
None
Star Rating:
As of October 8, 2014, have not viewed
The Guard (2011)
Directed by John Michael McDonagh
97 Mins, Color
On the west coast of Ireland, Sergeant Gerry Boyle (Brendan Gleeson, In Bruges, Gangs of New York, Braveheart) is a small-town cop with a confrontational personality, a subversive sense of humour, a dying mother, a fondness for prostitutes and absolutely no interest whatsoever in the international cocaine-smuggling ring that has brought FBI agent Wendell Everett (Don Cheadle, Ocean's Eleven, Crash, Iron Man 2) to his door.
Although he seems more interested in mocking and undermining Everett than in actively working to solve the case, Boyle finds that circumstances keep pulling him back into the thick of it. He soon realises that he needs to take matters into his own hands and the only person he can trust is Everett... and so the scene is set for an explosive finale.
Special Features:
- "Behind the Scenes" Featurette
- Deleted and Extended Scenes
- Outtakes
- Short Film - The Second Death
Star Rating:
8/10 Stars
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
Directed by David Yates
147 Mins, Color
To know the future, you must return to the past.
As Lord Voldemort tightens his grip on both the Muggle and wizarding worlds. Hogwarts is no longer a safe haven. Harry suspects perils may even lie within the castle, but Dumbledore is more intent upon preparing him for the final battle fast approaching. Together they work to find the key to unlock Voldemort's defenses and to this end, Dumbledore recruits his old friend and colleague Horace Slughorn, whom he believes holds crucial information. Even as the decisive showdown looms, romance blossoms for Harry, Ron, Hermione and their classmates. Love is in the air, but danger lies ahead and Hogwarts may never be the same again.
Special Features:
None
Star Rating:
8/10 Stars
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 (2011)
Directed by David Yates
125 Mins, Color
In the epic finale, the battle between the good and evil forces of the wizarding world escalates into an all-out war. The stakes have never been higher and no one is safe. But it is Harry who may be called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice as he draws closer to the climactic showdown with Lord Voldemort. It all ends here.
Special Features:
- Focus Points
- When Harry Left Hogwarts
- The Goblins of Gringotts
- The Women of Harry Potter
- Warner Bros. Studio Tour London
- Pottermore Preview
- Additional Scenes
Star Rating:
7/10 Stars
The Hunger Games (2012)
Directed by Gary Ross
137 Mins, Color
Every year in the ruins of what was once North America, the Capitol of the nation of Panem forces each of its twelve districts to send a teenage boy and girl to compete in the Hunger Games. Sixteen year-old Katniss Everdeen volunteers in her younger sister's place and must rely upon her sharp instincts when she's pitted against highly trained Tributes who have prepared their entire lives. If she's ever to return home to District 12, Katniss must make impossible choices in the arena that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.
Special Features:
- Game Maker: Suzanne Collins and The Hunger Games phenomenon
- The World is Watching: Making The Hunger Games
- Letters from the Rose Garden
- Controlling the Games
- A conversation with Gary Ross and Elvis Mitchell
- Propaganda Film
- Marketing Archive
Star Rating:
7.5/10 Stars
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009)
Directed by Terry Gilliam
118 Mins, Color
Directed by visionary genius Terry Gilliam, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus features Heath Ledger in his last role, plus a stellar cast including Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell. Dr Parnassus (Christopher Plummer) is an immortal who leads a travelling theatre troupe. Their props include the 'Imaginarium' - a mirror doubling as a magic doorway into a world that makes your wildest dreams a reality.
Parnassus's immortality has come at a price however - he will lose his daughter Valentina (Lily Cole) to the Devil himself (Tom Waits) unless he persuades five more souls to lose themselves in the Imaginarium...
Special Features:
- Feature Introduction by Terry Gilliam
- Heath Ledger & Friends
- Heath Ledger Interview
- Heath Ledger Wardrobe Test with optional Commentary by Terry Gilliam
- Director's Commentary
- Deleted Scene with Optional Commentary by Terry Gilliam
- Building the Monastery
- Behind the Mirror
- UK Premiere Featurette
Star Rating:
9.5/10 Stars
Inception (2010)
Directed by Christopher Nolan
142 Mins, Color
Acclaimed filmmaker Christopher Nolan directs an international cast in this sci-fi actioner that travels around the globe and into the world of dreams. Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) is the best there is at extraction: stealing valuable secrets inside the subconscious during the minds vulnerable dream state. His skill has made him a coveted player in industrial espionage but has also made him a fugitive and cost him dearly. Now he may get a second chance if he can do the impossible: inception, planting an idea rather than stealing one. If they succeed, Cobb and his team could pull off the perfect crime. But no planning or expertise can prepare them for a dangerous enemy who seems to predict their every move. An enemy only Cobb could have seen coming.
Special Features:
- The Inception of Inception
- The Japanese Castle: The Dream is Collapsing
- Constructing Paradoxical Architecture
- The Freight Train
Star Rating:
8.5/10 Stars
The Incredible Hulk (2008)
Directed by Louis Leterrier
108 Mins, Color
This explosive, action packed adventure in one of the all-time most popular super hero sagas unfolds with a cure-in-reach for the world's most primal force of fury: The Incredible Hulk.
Scientist Bruce Banner (Edward Norton) is living in the shadows, scouring the planet for an antidote. But the warmongers who dream of abusing his powers won't leave him alone - nor will his need to be with the only woman he has ever loved, Betty Ross (Liv Tyler).
Our brilliant doctor is ruthlessly pursued by The Abomination, a nightmarish beast of pure adrenaline and aggression whose powers match the Hulk's own, and a fight of comic-book proportions ensues, threatening New York City with total destruction!
Special Features:
- Feature Commentary with Director Louis Leterrier & Tim Roth
- Deleted Scenes
- Alternate Opening
- The Making of Incredible Hulk
- Becoming the Hulk
- Becoming the Abomination
- From Comic Book to Screen
Star Rating:
6.5/10 Stars
Into the Wild (2007)
Directed by Sean Penn
142 Mins, Color
Into the Wild is inspired by the true story of Christopher McCandless (Emile Hirsch), a young man who abandons his life of comfort to pursue the freedom of life on the road, a quest that leads him to the Alaskan wilderness and the ultimate challenge of his life. Screenplay and directed by Sean Penn and featuring an all-star cast including William Hurt, Marcia Gay Harden, Vince Vaughn, Catherine Keener and Hal Halbrook, Into the Wild is "one of the best movies of the season"
Special Features:
None
Star Rating:
10/10 Stars
It (1990)
Directed by Tommy Lee Wallace
181 Mins, Color
In 1960, seven outcast kids known as 'The Loser Club' fight an evil demon who poses as a child-killing clown. 30 years later, they are called back to fight the same clown again.
Special Features:
- Commentary with Dennis Christopher, Tim Reid, John Ritter, Richard Thomas and director Tommy Lee Wallace
Star Rating:
As of October 8, 2014, have not viewed
Jaws (1975)
Directed by Steven Spielberg
124 Mins, Color
When a gigantic Great White Shark starts to menace the small island town of Amity, a marine scientist and grizzled fisherman set out to stop it.
Special Features:
- A Look inside Jaws
- Storyboard Comparison
- Deleted Scenes
- On the Set: 1974
- Outtakes
- Shark Facts
- Gallery
Juno (2007)
Directed by Jason Reitman
96 Mins, Color
Faced with an unplanned pregnancy, an offbeat young woman makes an unusual decision regarding her unborn child.
Special Features:
- Commentary with director Jason Reitman and writer Diablo Cody
- Deleted Scenes
- Gag Reel
- Gag Take
- Cast & Crew Jam
- Screen Tests
- Four Featurettes
Star Rating:
7.5/10 Stars
La Vita È Bella [Life is Beautiful] (1997)
Directed by Roberto Benigni
116 Mins, Color
A Jewish man has a wonderful romance with the help of his humour, but must use that same quality to protect his son in a nazi death camp.
Special Features:
None
Star Rating
9.5/10 Stars
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
Directed by Peter Jackson
171 Mins, Color
A meek hobbit of the Shire and eight companions set out on a journey to Mount Doom to destroy the One Ring and dark lord Sauron.
Special Features:
- Unspecified, but on a whole separate disc
Star Rating:
7.5/10 Stars
Mao's Last Dancer (2009)
Directed by Bruce Beresford
117 Mins, Color
Mao's Last Dancer captures the intoxicating effects of first love and celebrity, the pain of exile, and ultimately the triumph of individual endeavour over ideology. Filmed in China, the US and Australia and with a brilliant performance from Chi Cao as Li Cunxin, Mao's Last Dancer is an exhilarating exploration of what it means to be free.
Special Features:
- Behind the Scenes Making Of
- Photo Gallery
- Deleted Scenes
- Theatrical Trailer
Star Rating:
7.5/10 Stars
The Matrix (1999)
Directed by Lana Wachowski, Andy Wachowski
131 Mins, Color
PERCEPTION: The everyday world is real.
REALITY: That world is a hoax.
Special Features:
- HBO First Look Special
- Follow the White Rabbit
- Take the Red Pills
- Filmographies
Star Rating:
8.5/10 Stars
The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
Directed by Lana Wachowski, Andy Wachowski
132 Mins, Color
72 Hours until 250, 000 probes destroy Zion and it's inhabitants.
The countdown is on.
Special Features:
- Preload
- The Matrix Unfolds
- The Freeway Chase
- Get Me an Exit
- Enter the Matrix
- What is the Animatrix?
Star Rating:
7/10 Stars
My Sister's Keeper (2009)
Directed by Nick Cassavettes
109 Mins, Color
Anna Fitzgerald looks to earn medical emancipation from her parents who until now have relied on their youngest child to help their leukaemia-stricken daughter Kate remain alive.
Special Features:
- Deleted Scenes
- Theatrical Trailer
Star Rating:
7/10 Stars
The Mystery of Edwin Drood (2012)
Directed by Diarmuid Lawrence
179 Mins, Color
It is 1842 and local choirmaster John Jasper hides a dark secret that plagues his dreams. Jasper is obsessed with the beautiful Rosa, who is engaged to his beloved orphan nephew Edwin Drood. At night, under the influence of opium, Jasper dreams of murdering Edwin so Rosa can be his.
The arrival of twins Helena and Neville Landless marks a turning point in all of their lives. Smitten by Rosa and instantly disliking Edwin, the hot-tempered Neville struggles to hide his feelings and the pair quarrel. In a drug-fuelled moment, Jasper sees an opportunity to make his dreams reality. He can murder Edwin, blame Neville and claim Rosa for himself. The next morning Edwin is missing and Neville is under suspicion. Did Jasper go through with his plan?
Special Features:
- None
Star Rating:
5/10 Stars
Oliver! (1968)
Directed by Carol Reed
153 Mins, Color
Musical adaptation about an orphan who runs away from an orphanage and picks up a group of boys trained to be pickpockets by an elderly mentor
Special Features:
None
Star Rating:
7/10 Stars
The Producers (1957)
Directed by Mel Brooks
85 Mins, ColorBroadway producer Max Bialystock and his accountant Leo Bloom plan to make money by charming little old ladies to invest in a production many times over what it will actually cost, and then put on a sure-fire flop, so nobody will ever ask for their money back - and what can be a more certain flop than a tasteless musical celebrating Hitler…?
Special Features:
None
Star Rating:
As of October 8, 2014, have not viewed
School of Rock (2003)
Directed by Richard Linklater
105 Mins, Color
He just landed the gig of his life: 5th grade.
Fired from his band and hard-up for cash, guitarist and vocalist Dewey Finn finagles his way into a job as a fourth-grade substitute teacher at a private school, where he secretly begins teaching students the finer points of rock 'n' roll. The school's hard nosed principal is rightly suspicious of Finn's activities, but Finn's roommate remains in the dark about what he's doing.
Special Features:
- Commentary by actor Jack Black and director Richard Linklater
- Kid's Commentary
- Lessons Learned in School of Rock
- Jack Black's pitch to Led Zeppelin
- Kid's Video Diary: Toronto Film Festival
- MTV's diary of Jack Black
- Theatrical Trailer
Star Rating:
7.5/10 Stars
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (2010)
Directed by Edgar Wright
108 Mins, Color
Meet charming and jobless Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera). A bass guitarist for garage band Sex Bob-omg, the 22-year-old has just met the girl of his dreams - literally. But, there's one catch to winning Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead)… he has to meet and defeat her seven evil exes!
From genre-smashing filmmaker Edgar Wright (Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead) comes the amazing story of one romantic slacker's fight to POWER-UP.
Special Features:
- Deleted Scenes
- Scott Pilgrim vs. The Outtakes
- Feature Commentary
- Technical Commentary
- Cast Commentary
- Galleries
Star Rating:
8.5/10 Stars
The Sixth Sense (1999)
Directed by M. Night Shyamalan
107 Mins, Color
A boy who communicates with spirits who don't know they're dead seeks the help of a disheartened child psychologist.
Special Features:
- Featurettes
- Deleted Scenes
Star Rating:
8/10 Stars
The Social Network (2010)
Directed by David Fincher
115 Mins, Color
David Fincher's The Social Network is the stunning tale of a new breed of cultural insurgent: a punk genius who sparked a revolution and changed the face of human interaction for a generation, and perhaps forever. Shot through with emotional brutality and unexpected humor, this superbly crafted film chronicles the formation of Facebook and the battles over ownership that followed upon the website's unfathomable success. With a complex, incisive screenplay by Aaron Sorkin and a brilliant cast including Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield and Justin Timberlake, The Social Network bears witness to the birth of an idea that rewove the fabric of society even as it unravelled the friendship of it's creators.
Special Features:
- Audio Commentary with David Fincher
- Audio Commentary with Aaron Sorkin and cast
- How Did They Ever Make a Movie of Facebook? - A feature-length documentary in four parts
- David Fincher and Jeff Cronenweth on the Visuals
- Angus Wall, Kirk Baxter and Ren Klyce on Post
- Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross and David Fincher on the Score
- Ruby Skye VIP Room: Multi-Angle Scene Breakdown
- In the Hall of the Mountain King: Reznor's first draft
- Swarmatron
Star Rating:
9/10 Stars
Solaris (2002)
Directed by Steven Soderbergh
95 Mins, Color
George Clooney turns in a stellar performance in this remake of Andrei Tarkovsky's 70s classic Solaris directed by modern film legend Steven Soderbergh.
Aboard a lonely space station, orbiting a mysterious planet, terrified crew members are experiencing a host of strange phenomena, including resurrected phantoms from their pasts. And when psychologist Chris Kelvin (Clooney) arrives to investigate, he confronts a power beyond imagining that could hold the key to humanity's deepest dreams… or darkest nightmares.
Special Features:
- Audio Commentary by Steven Soderbergh and James Cameron
- Two Featurettes
- Script
Star Rating:
8.5/10 Stars
Stand By Me (1986)
Directed by Rob Reiner
85 Mins, Color
As four young boys set out on an adventure to find a dead body, their trek becomes an odyssey of self discovery.
Special Features:
- Isolated track of Songs and Score
- Commentary with director Rob Reiner
- Walking the Tracks: The Summer of Stand By Me
- Stand By Me Music Video
- Talent Profiles
Star Rating:
9/10 Stars
Sucker Punch (2011)
Directed by Zack Snyder
105 Mins, Color
From filmmaker Zack Snyder (300, Watchmen), action fantasy launches from the vivid imagination of a young woman whose dream world provides the ultimate escape from her darker reality. Locked away against her will, Babydoll (Emily Browning) has not lost her will to survive. Determined to fight for her freedom, she urges four fellow captives - reluctant Sweet Pea (Abbie Cornish), outspoken Rocket (Jena Malone), street-smart Blondie (Vanessa Hudgens) and fiercely loyal Amber (Jamie Chung) - to band together and try to escape their terrible fate at the hands of their captors.
Special Features:
- Sucker Punch Animated Shorts
- Sucker Punch: Behind the Soundtrack
Star Rating:
7/10 Stars
Terri (2011)
Directed by Azazel Jacobs
101 Mins, Color
Starring John C. Reilly (Talladega Nights, Step Brothers) in a stand-out performance, Terri is a tender-hearted comedy about what it means to be a teenager.
Sensitive, overweight and awkward, Terri is painfully aware that he is definitively outside the inner circle of high school life. Resigned to his status, Terri is surprised when his tough-talking high school vice principal, Mr. Fitzgerald (Reilly), takes an interest in him. Under Mr. Fitzgerald's tutelage, Terri befriends a pair of fellow misfits: Chad, an edgy loner whose rebellion masks his own insecurities; and Heather, a sexually precocious girl whose beauty proves to be a trap of it's own.
Although the three teenagers are vastly different on the surface, their status as outcasts in the rigid high school hierarchy helps them find an unexpected imperfect bond.
Special Features:
None
Star Rating:
8.5/10 Stars
------------------------------------------
To sum up, all of the above movies (except maybe Battle: Los Angeles, Déja Vu and Flightplan) are worth checking out. Particular highlights of the collection are The Fountain, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, The Dark Knight Trilogy, Stand By Me, Into the Wild, Donnie Darko and 12 Monkeys.
I'll see you tomorrow with a review of Andrei Tarkovsky's Sacrifice
- Josiah Morgan
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