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This weekend there were two excellent DVDs in The Daily Telegraph Newspaper, Both Directed by Sir Richard Attenborough

Chaplin
From legendary director Richard Attenborough comes the epic story of a true cinematic icon, Robert Downey Jr, stars asCharlie Chaplin. In this award-winning masterpiece following Chaplin’s increasingly complicated life from a poverty stricken music hall entertainer in England to eventual triumph in America. But although Chaplin was able to reflect wondrous, magical humour in his work, his private life was afflicted with infamy, sadness and a growing sense of loss

Starring a stunning array of Hollywood talent. The cast includes unforgettable performances from Robert Downey Jr, Anthony Hopkins, Kevin Kline, Dan Aykroyd, Penelope Ann Miller, Marisa Tomei and Geraldine Chaplin as her own grandmother. The film also includes a soul-stirring film score from composer John Barry.

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A Chorus Line
Based on the hugely successful and award-winning Broadway musical of the same name, this film also directed by Sir Richard Attenborough, Stars Michael Douglas as the harsh and critical director of a new musical, who is auditioning a stream of hopefuls Under the stark white lights of an empty Broadway theatre

There is tension in the air as 16 are singled out for further auditioning. Then an unexpected latecomer named Cassie arrives- a beautiful and talented former star, who has returned to ask him for a job, tensions are not helped when it is revealed that they
used to be lovers. Passions run high, but he allows her to audition. Over the course of the day the dancers, all desperate for the job, reveal more and more about themselves to the ever watchful director, as he searches for his chosen chorus line.

This weekend there was a free DVD of the film The Machinist, with Saturday’s Independent Newspaper. It stars Christian Bale as a chap named Trevor Reznik, who has not slept for a year, and predictably he is ravaged by the effects of fatigue and his body is little more than skin and bones.

Wracked by exhaustion, his weary mind starts to hallucinate and play tricks on him, until one fateful day he is involved in an accident at the machine shop where he works, caused by his fatigue. Soon his guilt about the accident turns to paranoia when he starts finding cryptic notes in his apartment,, and finds himself haunted by a ghostly apparition seemingly out to exact revenge for the accident.

So in a desperate attempt to save his sanity, he sets out to find out the truth, unfortunately the more he learns, the more terrifying his sleepless nightmare becomes….

The Assassination of Richard Nixon

In addition, There was also a free DVD of The film “The Assassination of Richard Nixon“, with the Independent on Sunday. This poignant yet savage critique of the American Dream and modern consumerist society, Stars Sean Penn as a salesman named Samuel J. Bicke, whose idealistic mindset is at odds with the humdrum life that surrounds him. He desperately clings to his estranged wife (Played by Naomi Watts), has a job which undermines his basic belief in trust and has dreams of starting up his own business.

Sadly things do not go according to plan, and as his world begins to crumble into disarray he decides to go on a crusade for redemption which has shattering consequences….

Starting this Saturday there is a 13 Disc World War II in colour DVD collection in the Mail Newspaper. The discs can be obtained from either WHSmiths or Tesco each day (or Ebay if you are patient lol). Sounds interesting, Discs featured are:
Disc 1: The Gathering Storm
This film shows how the major powers ignored all the signs and allowed the likes of Mussolini and above all Hitler to begin the course that would lead the world into catastrophe.

Disc 2: Lightning War
This film focuses on Blitzkrieg, the terrifying military tactic developed by the Nazis which crushes Poland and conquers France within weeks but it also reveals the heroics of the French resistance and the role they played in Dunkirk.

Disc 3: Britain At Bay
In June 1940, Britain stood alone against the Nazis. This film shows how close Britain came to defeat, as it’s exhausted air force struggled to fight off the German Luftwaffe. However, due to errors made by the Germans, Britain was able to regroup

Disc 4: Hitler Strikes East
When Hitler expounded his intention to invade Russia his generals looked at him in horrified silence. However, Hitler himself was certain of victory. This film follows the battles of Stalingrad and Kursk, the biggest tank battle in all history.

Disc 5: Red Sun Rampant
On December 7, 1941, the Japanese launched a surprise attach on Pearl Harbour. As the sleeping giant awoke, the war that followed was characterised by major innovations, in particular the emergence of the aircraft carrier as the decisive weapon of the seas.

Disc 6: The Mediterranean And North Africa
This film tells the extraordinary story of the war in North Africa and features the heroics of the tiny island of Malta as it withstood wave after wave of Nazi assault. It ends with the Allies fighting their way up Italy with Germany in retreat.

Disc 7 Turning the Tide
This film follows the ’strategic bombing’ plans of Sir Arthur ‘Bomber’ Harris including the tragedy of Dresden where tens of thousands of ordinary German suffered and the Nazis attempts to cut American supply lines to Britain across the Atlantic.

Disc 8: The Soviet Steamroller
By July 1943, the Nazis were at the mercy of the mighty Soviet war machine. This film follows the Red Army as they slowly push the Germans back out of Russia up through the Ukraine, Poland and the Balkans – this was war on a monster scale.

Disc 9: Overlord
This film charts the careful planning of the D-Day campaign and the development of specialised equipment needed for the amphibious landings. It also reveals the deception plan that wrong-footed Hitler and how the Americans were very nearly driven off Omaha beach.

Disc 10: Closing The Ring
The year is 1944 and although the Allies are closing in around Germany, the outcome is still uncertain. This film explores the Allied disaster at Arnhem and the tragedy of the Waraw uprising, when Polish freedom fighters were abandoned to their fate by Stalin.
Disc 11: The Island War
This film looks at the war of the jungles including Burma where new specialist fighting units – like Ord Wingate’s Chindits – slowly pushed back the Japanese despite horrific conditions and savage hand to hand fighting.

Disc 12: Victory In Europe
This film follows the British and Americans as they cross the Rhine and the Russians as they push through Poland into Germany itself, covering the horrors of the liberation of Belsen and Buchenwald, the carving up of Germany by the allies and the Nuremburg trials.

Disc 13: Victory In The Pacific
Despite firebombing Tokyo and the loss of 200,000 lives, the Japanese refused to surrender. President Truman had no option but to go nuclear and the fates of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were sealed. The film ends with Japan subdued as their war crimes emerge.

This weekend there is also a DVD of the film Heaven’s Fall with the Mail on Sunday. Which Stars Anthony Mckie, and is a powerful story set in 1933 which follows the difficulties of a New York Attorney named Sam Leibowitz (Timothy Hutton) who finds himself in the Deep South defending nine young black men charged with rape.

What first starts out as a Taut courtroom drama eventually sets in motion a legal battle which ultimately changes the course of American Justice forever…

There are also two great films with The Daily Telegraph newspaper – Sleepy Hollow & What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?

The first: Sleepy Hollow (1999) stars Johnny Depp, Christina Ricci Miranda Richardson, Michael Gambon, Casper Van Dien, Jeffrey Jones, Richard Griffiths, Ian McDiarmid, Michael Gough, Christopher Walken, Christopher Lee

Set in 1799, Tim Burton’s Oscar Winning film is based on Washington Irving’s classic tale The Legend of Sleep Hollow. In it Depp stars as Ichabod Crane, a man who is sent to investigate a number of beheadings, said to be the work of the legendary Headless Horseman, of course being a man of science Ichabod thinks it’s all a load of superstitious codswallop, until the horseman gets his chopper out & starts chasing him…..

The film also stars Christina Ricci, and her rather impressive heaving bosom , as Katrina Van Tassel

The second film: What’s Eating Gilbert Grape? (1993) is a touching, humorous tale by Lasse Hallstrom, which stars Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio, Juliet Lewis, Mary Steenburgen Mary, Kate Schellhardt and John C. Reilly.

It takes place In the fictional town of Endora, where a young chap named Gilbert Grape (Depp) struggles with the responsibilities and frustrations of his small town life: his overweight mother, his autistic brother (DiCaprio), his married lover and the arrival of a new shopping mall that might make him unemployed. The film features an Oscar-nominated performance from Leonardo DiCaprio, who can currently be seen starring in Shutter Island

I was saddened to hear about the sudden death of actor Corey Haim on March 10th. One of his best known roles was in cult 80’s film The Lost Boys, So by way of a tribute here are some songs from the movie

People are Strange – Echo & the Bunnymen

I Still Believe – Tim Capello

Lost in the Shadows – Lou Gramm

Cry Little Sister – Gerard McMann

Who won how many Oscars at the 82nd annual Academy Award

The Hurt Locker
Won awards for
Best picture
Best director
Best sound editing
Best sound mixing
Best original screenplay
Best film editing

Avatar
Won awards for
Best visual effects
Best cinematography
Best art direction

Up
Won awards for
Best Score
Best Animated Feature

Crazy Heart
Won awards for
Best Actor
Best Song

Precious
Won awards for
Best Supporting Actress
Best Adapted Screen Play

Inglorious Basterds
Won the award for best Supporting Actor

The Blind Side
Won the award for Best Actress

The Cove
Won the award for Best Documentary

The Young Victoria
Won the award for Best Costume Design

Star Trek
Won the award for Best Makeup

The Secret in their Eyes
Won the award for Best Foreign Language Flim

Logorama
Won the award for Best Animated Short

Music By Prudence
Won the award for Best Documentary Short

The New Tenants
Won the award for Best live action short

Best film
Avatar, An Education, The Hurt Locker, Precious, Up In The Air

Leading actor
Jeff Bridges (Crazy Heart),
George Clooney (Up In The Air),
Colin Firth (A Single Man),
Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker),
Andy Serkis (Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll)

Leading actress
Carey Mulligan (An Education),
Saoirse Ronan (The Lovely Bones),
Gabourey Sidibe (Precious),
Meryl Streep (Julie & Julia),
Audrey Tautou (Coco Before Chanel)

Supporting actor
Alec Baldwin (It’s Complicated),
Christian McKay (Me And Orson Welles),
Alfred Molina (An Education),
Stanley Tucci (The Lovely Bones),
Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds),

Supporting actress
Anne-Marie Duff (Nowhere Boy),
Vera Farmiga (Up In The Air),
Anna Kendrick (Up In The Air),
Mo’Nique (Precious),
Kristin Scott Thomas (Nowhere Boy)

Outstanding British film
An Education,
Fish Tank,
In The Loop,
Moon,
Nowhere Boy
Outstanding debut by a British writer, director or producer
Lucy Bailey, Andrew Thompson, Elizabeth Morgan Hemlock,
David Pearson (directors, producers – Mugabe And The White African),
Eran Creevy (writer/director – Shifty),
Stuart Hazeldine (writer/director – Exam),
Duncan Jones (director – Moon),
Sam Taylor-Wood (director – Nowhere Boy)

Director
James Cameron (Avatar),
Neill Blomkamp (District 9),
Lone Scherfig (An Education),
Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker),
Quentin Tarantino (Inglourious Basterds)

Original screenplay
The Hangover (Jon Lucas, Scott Moore),
The Hurt Locker (Mark Boal),
Inglourious Basterds (Quentin Tarantino),
A Serious Man (Joel Coen, Ethan Coen),
Up (Bob Peterson, Pete Docter)

Adapted screenplay
District 9 (Neill Blomkamp, Terri Tatchell),
An Education (Nick Hornby),
In The Loop (Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche),
Precious (Geoffrey Fletcher),
Up In The Air (Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner)

I am a huge fan of all the Pixar animated films and when I found out that
Pixar’s latest hilarious film “UP” is out on DVD, to coincide with half-term, I bought it.

It features a old chap named Carl Fredricksen, who, faced with the prospect of losing his house & ending up in a retirement home, decides he wants some excitement in his life (I don‘t blame him Go for it!). So, Inspired by his childhood sweetheart & the daring exploits of his boyhood hero, he ties thousands of balloons to his house and sets off for a lost world of adventure.

Along the way Carl unwittingly manages to pick up an overeager eight year old Cub Scout named Russell who has never ventured beyond his backyard, and meets a talking dog named Dug and a rare flightless bird named Kevin.

As with all Pixar films, it features loads of hilarious in-jokes & references, which are all great fun & it will take repeated viewings to spot everything that’s going on, I really enjoyed it

Seeing as it’s St Valentine’s Day on Sunday 14th February, a DVD of Arthur Hiller’s Sentimental Romantic Tearjerker “Love Story” is being offered with this weekends Daily Mail Newspaper. It is the first in a series of seven DVDs being offered from
Saturday 13th to Friday 19th February, which can be redeemed from Tesco, WHSmith or Eason stores. DVDs in the series are

Love Story
Based upon Erich Segal’s best-selling short novel of the same name, it stars Ali McGraw & Ryan O’Neil, and is the story of a Harvard Law student named Oliver (O’Neil) and music student named Jennifer (McGraw) who, despite their opposite backgrounds, share a chemistry they cannot deny and a love they cannot ignore, so they decide to get married, much to the disgust of Oliver’s wealthy father, who threatens to disown him. Despite this initial setback Oliver & Jenny start building their life together in the belief that love can fix anything. But fate has other plans….

An Officer & A Gentleman
Recognised as one of Hollywood’s greatest romances, this film tells the story of a loner (Richard Gere) who enters Navy flight school to become a pilot and falls in love with one of the local girls, played by Debra Winger.

Shirley Valentine
In the role that won her Broadway’s acclaimed Tony Award, Pauline Collins is the hilariously endearing Shirley Valentine, a wisecracking, completely unpredictable English housewife who proves it’s never too late to recapture your dreams.

Terms of Endearment
Terms of Endearment dazzled critics and audiences alike with its believable, insightful story of two captivating people, mother and daughter, unforgettably played by Shirley MacLaine with Jack Nicholson as a boozy, womanizing former astronaut.

Frankie & Johnny
Al Pacino and Michelle Pfeiffer light up the screen in this captivating romantic comedy. After a series of hurtful relationships, the last thing Frankie is looking for is a new man…until Pacino’s outgoing ex-con comes looking for her.

Barefoot in the Park
Adapted from a hit Broadway play, it’s the story of a conservative young lawyer and his off-the-wall bride who dedicates her life to the pursuit of fun. As the honeymoon comes to an end, the marriage turns to comical discord.

Sliding Doors
Delightful romantic comedy, in which Gwyneth Paltrow plays a London publicist named Helen who slides between parallel storylines showing what happens if she does or does not catch a morning train back to her apartment