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Dante's Cove: The Complete First Season
William Gregory Lee, Gregory Michael, Charlie David
I'm laughing at myself giving this 5 stars because basically it's total nonsense with dodgy acting and a ludicrous plot. BUT (and this is a very big but) it is totally engrossing entertainment if you're totally starved for good gay viewing. I've watched pretty much every gay movie ever made and this series has renewed my faith that you can have beautiful men in utterly romantic situations with happy endings. The men in this series are amazingly beautiful. They love each other and the romance is spine-tingling. Add to that they get their kit off at every available opportunity (it's filmed in the Caribbean, so they're pretty much semi-naked the whole time) and make love... on the beach, by candlelight, in romantic hotel rooms. Are you getting why I give it 5 stars now?
Some of the casting must have been done whilst drunk (or high). I've never seen a 53 year old play an 18 year old before (Tracy Soggins) and believe me, it DOES NOT WORK.
Not all the cast are gay, apparently, but straight or gay, they throw themselves into the gorgeous kisses and wonderful love-making.
With the supernatural theme, this is pretty much Buffy or Angel slashed. If I could give it 10 stars, therefore, I would. S2 isn't out on DVD yet, but I'll be signing up for it as soon as I can....

Dark City
Crime, Thrillers & Mystery Rufus Sewell, William Hurt, Kiefer Sutherland, Jennifer Connelly, Richard O'Brien Alex Proyas
If you're a fan of brooding comic-book anti-heroes, got a nihilistic jolt from "The Crow" (1994) and share director Alex Proyas's highly developed preoccupation for style over substance, you might be tempted to call "Dark City" an instant classic of visual imagination. It's one of those films that exists in a world purely of its own making, setting its own rules and playing by them fairly, so that even its derivative elements (and there are quite a few) acquire their own specific uniqueness. Before long, however, the film becomes interesting only as a triumph of production design. And while that's certainly enough to grab your attention ("Blade Runner" is considered a classic, after all), it's painfully clear that "Dark City" has precious little heart and soul. One-dimensional characters are no match for the film's abundance of retro-futuristic style, so it's best to admire the latter on its own splendidly cinematic terms. Trivia buffs will be interested to know that the film's 50-plussets (partially inspired by German expressionism) were built at the Fox Film Studios in Sydney, Australia, home base of director Alex Proyas and producer Andrew Mason. The underground world depicted in the film required the largest indoor set ever built in Australia. "--Jeff Shannon"

Das Experiment
Drama Moritz Bleibtreu, Christian Berkel, Oliver Stokowski, Wotan Wilke Möhring, Stephan Szasz, Polat Dal, Danny Richter, Ralf Müller (XI), Markus Rudolf, Peter Fieseler, Thorsten Dersch, Sven Grefer, Justus von Dohnanyi, Nicki von Tempelhoff, Timo Dierkes Oliver Hirschbiegel
Inspired by a famous 1971 psychological experiment, Oliver Hirschbiegel's German-language movie "Das Experiment" finds a group of 20 volunteers randomly divided into 12 prisoners and eight guards and asked to play out their roles for a fortnight while scientists study their reactions. A conflict arises between undercover reporter Fahd (Moritz Bleibtreu), a con with a hidden agenda and the apparently mild-mannered Berus (Justus von Dohnanyi), a guard with a megalomaniac streak. The film begins as a psychological drama as ordinary people settle into the game, with joking displays of resistance by the "prisoners" greeted with increasing brutality from the "guards", but detours into suspense and horror as Fahd, who needs the experiment to get out of hand in order to make his story more saleable, deliberately ratchets up the tension between the factions only to see the situation spiral nightmarishly out of control as various test subjects in both camps edge closer to snapping.
With a terrific display of ensemble acting and unforced use of the currently popular claustrophobic semi-documentary look, Hirschbiegel's movie takes its time to get underway, with apparently irrelevant cutaways to Fahd's outside girlfriend (Maren Eggert), but works up to a powerful second half that delivers a sustained symphony of psychological and physical anguish.
On the DVD: "Das Experiment" on disc has an excellent-looking anamorphic widescreen transfer with English subtitles. The only extra feature is the trailer. --"Kim Newman"

The Day Today
Comedy Christopher Morris, Patrick Marber, Michael Alexander St John, Rebecca Front, Doon Mackichan, Steve Coogan, David Schneider (IV)
Fact me till I fart, it's "The Day Today", the most outrageously satirical show ever to feature a man called Chris Morris--until "Brass Eye", that is. Both savage and surreal, "The Day Today" heaps great steaming mounds of abuse and scorn upon our self-appointed moral guardians, upon pompous pundits, puerile newspaper headline-writers and vacuous, self-important TV presenters. And they all richly deserve it.
First broadcast in 1994, the show's format is "Newsnight"-meets-"Crimewatch" in Hell. A ridiculously protracted title sequence and melodramatic headline announcements introduce Morris' demented, Jeremy Paxman-a-like anchorman, who simpers to the viewers while castigating on-air his useless reporter Peter O'Hanraha'hanrahan. The vacant Collatallie Sisters turns financial news into a Dadaist nightmare of meaningless statistics, graphically illustrated by the currency cat or the finance arse; while American journo Barbara Wintergreen's reports from Death Row are just scary and absurd enough to be completely believable. Also making his TV debut here is Steve Coogan's legendary sports caster Alan Partridge, with his appalling sports reporting, his cringe-inducing misunderstandings and his sheer blunt-headed stupidity (many of the same team, sans Morris, would reunite the following year for "Knowing Me, Knowing You"). Sketches such as the spoof soap "The Bureau" and the spoof docu-soap "The Pool" also betray the writing skills of Graham Linehan and Arthur Matthews, creators of "Father Ted".
On the DVD: "The Day Today" arrives as a two-disc set with all six episodes on the first disc. The second disc has a handful of fairly brief but still enjoyable extras: here you will find "Mini News" features in full and the complete versions of "The Pool" and "The Office" documentaries--the latter now looking like a brilliant premonition of the more famous Ricky Gervais vehicle. There's a rather dull Open University programme about the craft of TV journalism which uses extracts from "The Day Today" and is truthfully entitled "Po-Faced Analysis". Best of all is the complete original Pilot episode, plus a marvellous post-programme update in which Morris telephones a befuddled American McDonald's employee as if he was a crewmember of a sunken US submarine. Picture and sound quality are standard for a BBC show from the early 1990s. In summary: dispassionate. --"Mark Walker"

Dead Like Me - Series 1
Comedy Ellen Muth, Mandy Patinkin, Britt McKillip, Laura Harris, Jasmine Guy
I bought this because after looking at the TV guide last week, I realised there wasn't going to be anything good on TV until the new series' begin in the new year. I'm only up to episode 5 so far, but already I can tell this show is a winner.
I wasn't expecting quite so much bad language, there are plenty of F words in it, which I thought was a bit unusual for this type of show. Even Mandy Patinkin has a potty mouth! Speaking of which, he really is a fine actor. He was the best thing in Chicago Hope (the excellent first two seasons that is) and he's good in Criminal Minds. He has an affable nature that brings charm to all his roles.
Ellen Muth is the star though and she has just the right amount of 'whatever' for the character. It actually has a fine supporting cast.
I think the thing I like about it best though is the fact that everyone is likeable in it. I am sick of shows where no one is likeable and you really couldn't care less about any of them (24 is a prime example). I like my TV shows to be light hearted and to take me away from the anxieties of life, not add to them. This show does that, it is light relief. Another show that does it too is Las Vegas - no one is mean, no one is violent, it's not all tense and you can relax while watching the thoroughly likeable characters.
In Dead Like Me the writing is quirky and makes you laugh out loud when you are not expecting it. Recommended.

Dead Poets Society
Robin Williams, Robert Sean Leonard, Ethan Hawke, Josh Charles, Gale Hansen, Dylan Kussman, Allelon Ruggiero, James Waterston, Norman Lloyd, Kurtwood Smith, Carla Belver, Leon Pownall, George Martin (II), Joe Aufiery, Matt Carey Peter Weir
Robin Williams stars as an English teacher who doesn't fit into the conservative prep school where he teaches but his charisma and love of poetry inspires several boys to revive a secret society with a bohemian bent. The script is well-meaning but a little trite, though director Peter Weir ("The Truman Show") adds layers of emotional depth in scenes of conflict between the kids and adults. (A subplot involving one father's terrible pressure on his son--played by Robert Sean Leonard--to drop his interest in the theatre reaches heartbreaking proportions). Williams is given plenty of latitude to work in his brand of improvisational humour, though it is all well-woven into his character's style of instruction. "--Tom Keogh"

Dogma
Comedy Ben Affleck, Jeff Anderson, George Carlin, Bud Cort, Janeane Garofalo, Brian O'Halloran, Alanis Morissette, Guinevere Turner, Matt Damon, Linda Fiorentino, Salma Hayek, Jason Lee, Jason Mewes, Alan Rickman Kevin Smith
Bored of being eternally banished to earth, two errant angels hatch a plan to sneak back into heaven. Unfortunately, if they use the required loophole in religious "Dogma", they'll prove God fallible and undo the very fabric of the universe, ending all existence. Bummer. Enter the distant grand niece of Jesus Christ and an army of angels, beautiful mythical figures, saintly apostles and all entities good and holy. And Jay and Silent Bob.
The phrase "it's a religious comedy" must have caused Hollywood to have a sacred cow. And, as Smith's first attempt to move away from the early lo-fi, character-centred, relationship-based comedies ("Clerks", "Mallrats" and "Chasing Amy") toward the narrative-led big-budget spectacular, "Dogma" is not without problems. Proving controversial on release, stones were cast by churchgoers and Smith devotees alike. Frothing-mouthed extremists levelled charges of blasphemy at the more colourful elements (a Malcolm X-style 13th apostle, the crucifix being binned as uncool and God not being a white-bearded patriarch), leaving the devoutly Catholic Smith, who's intentions were to celebrate the mystery and beauty of religion, completely bemused. Equally, the Luddite "Clerks" obsessives who wrote it off as "Smith-gone-Hollywood" should have recognised that the script was written way before he gave us his black-and-white debut.
More ambitious than his previous mates-roped-in cheapies, the apocryphal and apocalyptic "Dogma" is still blessed with water-into-wine performances, pop culture gags, postmodern self-referencing and stoopid shagging jokes. Though it may not be wholly miraculous, this is still a righteous movie; and, in comparison with the average big-buck formulaic Hollywood evil, it's practically saintly.
On the DVD: "Dogma"'s budget outstripped the early Smith films by miles, and the 2.35:1 Anamorphic Widescreen transfer does it justice, with divine colour and heavenly sound. The picture quality of the extras--including trailers, TV spots and cast and crew interviews--is not so good and pixilation occurs throughout. The interviews are provocative enough, though, giving huge insight into the film. And it's quite something to see Smith looking all "Clark Kent" in his civvies. --"Paul Eisinger"

Donnie Darko
Science Fiction & Fantasy Jake Gyllenhaal, Holmes Osborne, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Daveigh Chase, Mary McDonnell, James Duval, Arthur Taxier, Patrick Swayze, Mark Hoffman, David St. James, Tom Tangen, Jazzie Mahannah, Jolene Purdy, Stuart Stone, Gary Lundy Richard Kelly (II)
"Donnie Darko" is a thought-provoking, touching and distinctive offering from relative newcomer, Richard Kelly (II). It's 1988 in small-town America and Donnie, a disturbed teenager on medication and undergoing psychoanalysis for his blackouts and personality disorders, is being visited by a being in a rabbit suit whom he calls Frank. It's this anti-Harvey that saves Donnie from being crushed to death when an airplane engine falls from the sky onto his house. This is the beginning of their escalating relationship which, as Donnie follows Frank's instructions, becomes increasingly violent and destructive. Added to this is Frank's warning of the impending apocalypse and Donnie's realisation that he can manipulate time, leading to a startling denouement where nearly everything becomes clear.
"Nearly everything", because "Donnie Darko" is a darkly comic, surreal journey in which themes of space, time and morality are interwoven with a classic coming-of-age story of a teenage boy's struggle to understand the world around him. The film leaves the viewer with more questions that it answers, but then that's part of its charm. Performances are superb: Jake Gyllenhaal underplays the "mixed-up kid" role superbly and Donnie's episodes of angst positively erupt out of the screen. There are also some starry cameos from Mary McDonnell as Donnie's long-suffering mother, Patrick Swayze as Jim Cunningham, the personal development guru with a terrible secret, and Noah Wyle and Drew Barrymore as Donnie's progressive teachers. Undoubtedly too obtuse for some tastes, "Donnie Darko"'s balance of outstanding performances with intelligent dialogue and a highly inventive story will reward those looking for something more highbrow than the average teenage romp.--"Kristen Bowditch"
On the DVD: "Donnie Darko" is presented in pristine widescreen and surround sound, which is only fitting for such a bizarre and beautiful film. The special features include the standard deleted scenes with commentary, trailers and the like, but the disc also has a wealth of interesting and well-thought-out features: there's a UK graffiti artist gallery with pictures based on the film, a look inside the book "The Philosophy of Time Travel" and two different commentaries that will help both the understanding and appreciation of the film. The best feature is a bizarre directorial commentary on the "Cunning Vision" film, which is set up not only to ridicule this style of self-help video, but also the trend for director's commentaries on feature films. --"Nikki Disney"

Donnie Darko - Director's Cut
Science Fiction & Fantasy Jake Gyllenhaal, Holmes Osborne, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Daveigh Chase, Mary McDonnell, James Duval, Arthur Taxier, Patrick Swayze, Mark Hoffman, David St. James, Tom Tangen, Jazzie Mahannah, Jolene Purdy, Stuart Stone, Gary Lundy, Alex Greenwald, Beth Grant, Jena Malone, Seth Rogen, David Moreland Richard Kelly (II)
"Donnie Darko" is a thought-provoking, touching and distinctive offering from relative newcomer, Richard Kelly (II). It's 1988 in small-town America and Donnie, a disturbed teenager on medication and undergoing psychoanalysis for his blackouts and personality disorders, is being visited by a being in a rabbit suit whom he calls Frank. It's this anti-Harvey that saves Donnie from being crushed to death when an airplane engine falls from the sky onto his house. This is the beginning of their escalating relationship, which, as Donnie follows Frank's instructions, becomes increasingly violent and destructive. Added to this is Frank's warning of the impending apocalypse and Donnie's realisation that he can manipulate time, leading to a startling denouement where nearly everything becomes clear.
"Nearly everything", because "Donnie Darko" is a darkly comic, surreal journey in which themes of space, time and morality are interwoven with a classic coming-of-age story of a teenage boy's struggle to understand the world around him. The film leaves the viewer with more questions than it answers, but then that's part of its charm. Performances are superb: Jake Gyllenhaal underplays the mixed-up kid role superbly and Donnie's episodes of angst positively erupt out of the screen. There are also some starry cameos from Mary McDonnell as Donnie's long-suffering mother, Patrick Swayze as Jim Cunningham, the personal-development guru with a terrible secret, and Noah Wyle and Drew Barrymore as Donnie's progressive teachers. Undoubtedly too abstruse for some tastes, "Donnie Darko"'s balance of outstanding performances with intelligent dialogue and a highly inventive story will reward those looking for something more highbrow than the average teenage romp. --"Kristen Bowditch"

The Doom Generation
James Duval, Rose McGowan, Johnathon Schaech, Cress Williams, Nivek Ogre Gregg Araki
Made for a fraction of the cost of Oliver Stone's similarly themed "Natural Born Killers", Gregg Araki's "The Doom Generation" is more persuasively outrageous in its cultural satire, scarier in its violence and more profound in its vision of a hate-fuelled, media-drunk America seemingly determined to eat its young and dwell stupidly on their vengeance. Rose McGowan ("Scream"), James Duval ("Nowhere") and Johnathon Schaech ("That Thing You Do!") star as a trio of friends (Schaech's character actually being a complete stranger who steps into their car and into their lives one club-hopping night) who end up on a sex-and-crime spree that draws the fixed stare of television coverage. Araki makes a case for their continuing innocence in a society whose anti-outsider malevolence is barely disguised in the media but is quite naked out in the heartland, where a punishing level of bigotry is not unknown. Araki's jokes and techniques are crude yet forceful, and his anger is absolutely clear where Stone's was obscured and overreaching. The climax is among the most shattering and enraged scenes of 90s cinema. The DVD includes cast information, a theatrical trailer, and French and Spanish subtitles. "--Tom Keogh"

The Dreamers
Drama Michael Pitt, Louis Garrel, Eva Green, Robin Renucci, Anna Chancellor, Jean-Pierre Leaud Bernardo Bertolucci
A love letter to movies (and the French new wave of the 1960s in particular), Bernardo Bertolucci's "The Dreamers" starts with a 1968 riot outside of a Parisian movie palace then burrows into an insular love triangle. Matthew (Michael Pitt, "Hedwig and the Angry Inch"), an expatriate American student, bonds with a twin brother and sister, Isabelle (Eva Green) and Theo (Louis Garrel), over their mutual love of film--they not only quote lines of dialogue, they act out small bits and challenge each other to name the cinematic source. Matthew suspects the twins of incest, but that doesn't stop him from falling into his own intimacies with Isabelle. As the threesome becomes threatened, Paris succumbs to student riots. "The Dreamers" aspires to be kinky, but the results are more decorative than decadent; nonetheless, the movie's lively energy recalls the careless and vital exuberance of Godard and Truffaut. --"Bret Fetzer"

Drop The Dead Donkey - Complete Season 1
Comedy Robert Duncan, Neil Pearson, Jeff Rawle, David Swift, Victoria Wicks, Ingrid Lacey, Haydn Gwynne, Stephen Tompkinson
"Drop the Dead Donkey" was a situation, satirical comedy, set in the offices of "Globelink News", a fictional TV news company in the style of CNN, ITN, Sky News, etc. Globelink has been acquired by a multi-millionaire tycoon who prefers a more sensationalist stance to the news. The characters were created to exaggerate the perceived ideas of office/media stereotypes and each programme was recorded close to transmission, allowing script changes to incorporate maximum topicality in particularly of a political nature. The last scene, or voiceover for the ending credits was filmed either the day before or even on the day of broadcast to coincide with relative news stories. First aired in 1990, "Drop the Dead Donkey" was an innovative comedy that launched the careers of several successful comic actors.

Drop The Dead Donkey - Series 5
Comedy David Swift, Robert Duncan, Neil Pearson, Ingrid Lacey, Stephen Tompkinson, Jeff Rawle, Victoria Wicks, Susannah Doyle

Drop The Dead Donkey - The Complete Fourth Series
Comedy
this series is one of the best political satires that has ever been transmitted. It gives an unbiased opinion of the sleaze and scandal of the last conservative government and makes it funny.
as this was usually filmed on the day of transmisson the up to date 'news' items gave this an edge over other shows. on hearing that they were to be re-issued on dvd the only trepidation was that it would appear dated, after watching the first 3 series this dvd was eagerly waited for, if not for the humour then to remind you that political people
take themselves too seriously and comedians are there to remind them that they are human and are often stupid.

Drop The Dead Donkey - The Complete Second Series
Comedy Robert Duncan, Haydn Gwynne, Neil Pearson, Jeff Rawle, David Swift, Stephen Tompkinson, Victoria Wicks David Giles
...Henry's accident involving Sally's dog, Dido? How about Sally getting dunked in a gunk tank on children's TV? And, of course this is the season when Sally brings her dead mothers ashes into work with her, then finding religion later.
Also this season; Gay rights protesters run amok in the studio, just before the show goes live on air. Poor George's marriage hits the rocks. Gus considers job cuts. Who will be the unlucky ones? Dave has to deliver a video tape to Sir Royston, but it is stolen.
The Gulf Report
The Trevorman Cometh
Henry and Dido
Baseball
Drunk Minister
Alex and the Interpreter
Hoax
Don't Mention the Arabs
Damian Down and Out
The Evangelist
George's Daughter
Dave's Day
The Christmas Party

Drop The Dead Donkey - The Writer's Choice
Comedy Victoria Wicks, Haydn Gwynne, Stephen Tompkinson, Robert Duncan (II), David Swift, Ingrid Lacey, Susannah Doyle, Neil Pearson, Jeff Rawle, Sara Stewart Liddy Oldroyd
It is not uncommon for writers to disagree with their public about what is their best work, and this seems to have been the case here. This "Writers' Choice" is not what I (and other fans I have spoken to) would have picked for what is essentially meant as a "best of" set. How could it be, when The Christmas Party and The Awards Ceremony - probably the two best episodes ever - have been left out?
"Drop the Dead Donkey" was hysterically funny when first shown on TV although not all episodes have worn well with time. It was also a programme which - as is so often the case - came to life with the second season. That is where those coming to the series should start. They won't be disappointed; the probably will be hooked.

Drop the Dead Donkey 3
Comedy Robert Duncan, Ingrid Lacey, Neil Pearson, Jeff Rawle, David Swift, Stephen Tompkinson, Victoria Wicks, Susannah Doyle Liddy Oldroyd
As Alex has left Globelink News, her replacement is found. But as always, it's Sally and Henry that steal every scene they're in. This season Sally's accountant steals Henry's money. Later she sues a newspaper for the money. A new newsreader joins Globelink News, but a jealous Henry & Sally combine forces to try and get her the sack. A superb duo indeed.
Another scene stealer is the unfortunately named Joy. This season she dates a married man, and is chief suspect when he is stabbed. Then in the season's last episode she and Sally turn up to an awards ceremony in the same dress.
Also worth mentioning is when Sir Royston's wife seduces a clueless Gus in 'Lady Merchant'.
In Place Of Alex
Sally's Accountant
Henry's Lost Love
Helen'll Fix It
Sally's Libel
Lady Merchant
The New Newsreader
Joy
Paintball
George And His Daughter
Awards

Dune
Science Fiction & Fantasy Francesca Annis, Kenneth McMillan, Sting, Kyle MacLachlan, Sian Phillips, Max Von Sydow, Jurgen Prochnow, Jose Ferrer, Dean Stockwell, Sean Young, Everett McGill David Lynch
David Lynch's "Dune" is the brilliant but fatally flawed would-be epic feature film version of Frank Herbert's novel of the same name, the bestselling science fiction novel ever written. It is a complex but too heavily simplified version of a far more elaborate book, a darkly Gothic far future space opera revolving around an imperial, dynastic power struggle on the desert planet of Arrakis. With what was in 1984 an enormous $40 million budget, Lynch retained a surprising amount of the industrial/Victorian feel of his previous features, "Eraserhead" (1976) and "The Elephant Man" (1980), and was able to bring to the screen some of the most imaginative and awe-inspiring production designs, costumes and action then seen. Indeed, as a spectacularly atmospheric vision of the future "Dune" has as much to recommend it as the far more celebrated "Blade Runner" (1982), with which it even shares the female romantic lead, Sean Young--here just one star in a superb cast. The problem, which an unauthorised extended TV version failed to fix, is that Lynch's original vision of "Dune" was massively cut for length, and as such the final third is so rapidly paced as to undermine the superb first two thirds. A director's cut is sorely needed, the cinema version playing like a butchered masterpiece. Also available is an entirely unconnected four-and-a-half-hour mini-series, "Frank Herbert's Dune" (2000), which is less visionary but more coherent.
On the DVD: The 2.35:1 image suffers from not being anamorphically enhanced. There are minor flecks of dirt and scratches, but generally the print used is in good condition although there is a considerable amount of grain in some scenes and the image could be more detailed. The packaging claims the sound is Dolby Digital 5.1, but it is actually three-channel sound (stereo plus centre speaker), with the main stereo feed being duplicated in the rear channels. A full 5.1 remastering would improve matters considerably. Special features consist of the original trailer and a pointless gallery of seven badly cropped stills. There is a very basic animated and scored menu using the portentous main theme music from the film. --Gary S Dalkin"

Dylan Moran - Monster - Live
Comedy Dylan Moran
As much as I hate to use the word genius there are no other descriptives that can be applied to this genuinely, well ... genius, stand up performance.

Covering everything from Midget Drunks to beating up Kids, most people think that Moran is just some drunk Irish bloke off the telly, but this performance sets him strides apart from any of his contemparies and is a DVD you will find yourself returning to time and time again.

BUY IT NOW.

"People who complain about smoking remind me of the people I used to live with who left notes. 'Please can somebody put the bin out in the area marked bins, Tina'. I used to leave a few notes for Tina myself - 'Dear Tina, everybody hates you. Even people you haven't met yet. Your Mum called just to say she's glad you haven't been in touch'."



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