Average Rating:

.

The Green Mile [2000]

Childrens Toy Shop > DVD > Thrillers
starring: Tom Hanks, David Morse, Bonnie Hunt, Michael Clarke Duncan, James Cromwell
directed by: Frank Darabont

October 30, 2000
As you can tell from the other people's reviews this movie is brilliant!!
But what is not said (at least I don't think so! I didd'nt read all 100+ reviews!) is the picture quality! i'm using a Toshiba 47" 1080i LCD HDTV with a PlayStation3 with HDMI connection.

For a DVD it's got AMAZING detail! I'm surprised they managed to fit this 3 hour film with this quality onto a DVD!! I have a collection of around 500 DVDs & this must be in the top 5 of best picture quality in my selection!

Buy it! you won't regret it! (or wait for the Blu-ray)

Average Rating:

.

The Sixth Sense - 2 Disc Collector's Edition [1999]

Childrens Toy Shop > DVD > Thrillers
starring: Bruce Willis, Haley Joel Osment, Toni Collette, Olivia Williams, Glenn Fitzgerald
directed by: M. Night Shyamalan

October 14, 2002
This film fooled me into thinking that Bruce Willis was alive and then it tries to make out he was a ghost all along! So how come he didnt walk through a wall or fall through the floor? No, this is silly. If ghosts did exist they would not wear clothes or go around scaring people. For a more realistic film of ghosts - which don't exist - watch Ghostbusters or Ghost. Avoid this one at all costs.

Average Rating:

.

Day Of The Jackal [1973]

Childrens Toy Shop > DVD > Thrillers
starring: Edward Fox, Terence Alexander, Michel Auclair, Alan Badel, Tony Britton
directed by: Fred Zinnemann

August 11, 2003
At my English prep school in the mid-80s the Day of the Jackal was approved viewing for the boys, despite its adult themes, because it offered up a role model of how an English gentleman should behave. Edward Fox is perfect in the lead role: impossibly dapper and handsome, emotionally cold, well organised, hates the French and travels in style. The Day of the Jackal is a beautifully shot film, full of glossy mid-70s Europe, summer, good clothes, cigarettes and hotels. It tells of a cat and mouse game between an assassin and the French security services out to get that assassin, but with little information to go on. I have found this to be one of few films that reward repeated viewing. Enjoy.

Average Rating:

.

Memento [2000]

Childrens Toy Shop > DVD > Thrillers
starring: Guy Pearce, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano, Mark Boone Junior, Russ Fega
directed by: Christopher Nolan

January 14, 2002
This was the film that made me realise how much I love movies. But, I once saw a version of this movie in chronological order and it wrecked it. The brilliance is in the backwards storytelling.

Average Rating:

.

The Thomas Crown Affair [1999]

Childrens Toy Shop > DVD > Thrillers
starring: Pierce Brosnan, Rene Russo, Denis Leary, Ben Gazzara, Frankie Faison
directed by: John McTiernan

February 28, 2000
Lost count how many times I've watched this over the years but it remains a really entertaining film combining great cinematic scenery, characterisation and plot. It is a fine remake of a classic and Brosnan's performance is especially good. He plays Thomas Crown brilliantly and certainly keeps the determined Rene Russo on her toes!

What makes the film for me is the art and the detectives, who always seem to be second guessing Crown's next move. Even more brilliant is the unforgettable museum scene near the end. A fine film that can be revisited many times.

Average Rating:

.

The Usual Suspects (2 Disc Special Edition) [1995]

Childrens Toy Shop > DVD > Thrillers
starring: Stephen Baldwin, Gabriel Byrne, Benicio Del Toro, Kevin Pollak, Kevin Spacey
directed by: Bryan Singer

April 29, 2002
It is not a recent film, indeed. The Twin Towers are still standing. We are entering the profiling era and it was tempting for criminals to return the favor, though they have always done that. They here profile the police and their investigative methods. If you satisfy the police's way of thinking you will go through their net with no difficulty. You just have to convince the cop that a certain criminal does not exist, that this criminal projects you in some kind of legend or saga, is a boogeyman under the bed or in the closet. If the cops are convinced that this boogeyman is a pure collective invention, some folklore in another word, they will just shrug their shoulders and consider the one who is telling the story is, like all the others, haunted or possessed by a phantasm. ... Read More:

Average Rating:

.

The Pelican Brief [1994]

Childrens Toy Shop > DVD > Thrillers
starring: Julia Roberts, Denzel Washington, Sam Shepard, John Heard, Tony Goldwyn
directed by: Alan J. Pakula

September 25, 1998
I've always loved this film, I had it on tape for years. It's a great story, intelligent, with superb acting. Other reviews say it all

What did annoy me was that the DVD is two-sided. You have to watch half the film, then turn the DVD over to watch the other half. This isn't going to be enough to irritate everybody but it really irrited me, and I really wouldn't have bought it if I'd known about the format.

I'm the lazy type who likes to settle down, surrounded by food, and not get up again until the film is finished and there's no food left. Like I said, not going to bother everybody but still worth knowing.

Average Rating:

.

Essex Boys [2000]

Childrens Toy Shop > DVD > Thrillers
starring: craig fairbrass, Alex Kingston, Charlie Creed-Miles, Tom Wilkinson, Larry Lamb

July 02, 2001
I was hoping for a good British gangster movie but this isn't. A lot of people like Sean Bean but I always got the impression it was somebody acting. The driver was well played and, as usual, the film went up a couple of notches when Tom Wilkinson appeared. As well as the acting the poor script let the film down.

Average Rating:

.

24 : Complete Season 1

Childrens Toy Shop > DVD > Thrillers
starring: Kiefer Sutherland, Leslie Hope, Elisha Cuthbert, Sarah Clarke, Daniel Bess
directed by: Jon Cassar, Davis Guggenheim

October 14, 2002
I bought this box set as i had heard so many good things about this series. After reading rave reviews i finally went ahead and purchased it in the hope of discovering another gripping and lovable tv entertainment, but i was bitterly dissapointed. The overall concept is unique and good i'll give it that and the first ten or so episodes are promising for anything but a passable drama series. Then the plot takes a turn for the worse and becomes tedious, repetative, fustrating and annoying. The constant kidnappings and truamatising events become extremly far fetched and unbelievable. Not only that it feels that half the time your watching the same scenes over and over again. None of the characters are likable, but all are just extremley annoying and it's like everyone is a bad guy. There is absolutly ... Read More:

Average Rating:

.

North By Northwest [1959]

Childrens Toy Shop > DVD > Thrillers
starring: Cary Grant, James Mason, Eva Marie Saint, Leo G. Carroll, Martin Landau
directed by: Alfred Hitchcock

June 01, 2006
I could rave for hours about this film, but suffice to say it's the perfect thriller, the template for countless other films and everyone should have it. This edition (the Warner from 2006) is a simply stunning transfer with that true Technicolor feel and all for a fiver. Incredible.