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V For Vendetta [HD DVD] [2006]

Childrens Toy Shop > DVD > Action and Adventure
starring: Hugo Weaving, Stephen Fry, John Hurt, Natalie Portman

November 20, 2006
I enjoy the sub-genre of apocalyptic, post-apocalyptic, or dystoptian future fiction, so seeing this V for Vendetta was a no-brainer for me.

Unfortunately, the things I found distasteful about this movie outweighed any of the positive aspects that other viewers have mentioned (e.g. cautionary tale, visuals, etc.).

The comparisons to Orwell's 1984 are appropriate, but Orwell's motives were far more interesting: a committed socialist who warns of a state in which even his own ideals are misused to abuse the population. The same book coming from a committed fascist would not have seemed so sincere.

Portman's Evey is tortured by someone who believes he is teaching her a lesson and seeks her submission and ... Read More:

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Judge Dredd [1995]

Childrens Toy Shop > DVD > Action and Adventure
starring: Sylvester Stallone, Diane Lane, Armand Assante, Rob Schneider, Jürgen Prochnow
directed by: Danny Cannon

December 06, 1999
I'm in a minority, I know, but I've never understood why this film was, frankly, raped upon its release and remains so to this day! I grew up reading 2000 A.D. (Delivered every Saturday to my house!) and all the elements are here. It riffs on many characters and stories from the magazine and adds a few necessary touches here and there. I was quite happy watching it back in 1995 and didn't have a problem with the variations on character or the overly comic book (read: simplistic) tone of the film. It really was how I imagined the film of Dredd to be. And considering that Danny Cannon was reading 2000 A.D. at around the same time (he sent in a picture of a Judge Dredd film!) I can fully appreciate what he's tried to do with the film. Everybody calm down. ... Read More:

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Constantine [HD DVD] [2005]

Childrens Toy Shop > DVD > Action and Adventure
starring: Rachel Weisz, Keanu Reeves

November 20, 2006
The story is simple; self-centered John Constantine: Hellblazer (Keanu Reeves) did a "no no" in his youth ensuring him a place in the underworld and to compound the problem he is to be short lived due to a smoking habit.

Mean time he, due to his accident he has the ability to see angles and demons. Even though he is conceited and knows where he will be going he still finds time to do some good for mankind and in the process send a few demons back where they came from.

Something has gone horribly wrong with the balance. And with the aid of his young sidekick and a medium that is well done by (Rachel Weisz) he intends to get to the nature of the problem.

The character of Constantine comes from the DC comic world and has been ... Read More:

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Primeval Series 2 [2008]

Childrens Toy Shop > DVD > Action and Adventure
starring: Douglas Henshall, James Murray, Andrew Lee Potts, Lucy Brown, Hannah Spearritt

March 17, 2008
ITV are to be congratulated on this sci-fi series.
I think it borders on 'going where no man has gone before' and has the potential to become a classic.
Time/space anomalies, ruptures in the space/time continuum, baddies trying to alter the natural timeline for their own advantage and an ideosyncratic bunch of heroes trying to save mankind.
As well as all that it has creatures from the past,creatures from the present and one of the least predicable story lines.
If you're a fan of sci-fi or fantasy this should fit the bill.
Roll on series 3.

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The Shield : Series 2

Childrens Toy Shop > DVD > Action and Adventure
starring: Michael Chiklis, C.C.H. Pounder, Catherine Dent, Walton Goggins

August 09, 2004
Anyone who read my review of Season 1 of The Shield is probably wondering why I subjected myself to this, the second season. My review for those who haven't read it (and why would you have) wasn't overly complimentary, in fact, it almost bordered on the negative. Well visiting the US on holiday earlier this year I caught an episode of Season 2 and for some reason felt a certain affection for the characters (particularly Dutch boy) and also realised that I quite missed a series with plot lines so bad they're funny. So to cut a long story the same length I purchased Season 2.

Now I'm not sure if with age my critical eye is becoming a little myopic or if I have developed a certain affection for The Shield like that for a really annoying friend who you have ... Read More:

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Pirates Of The Caribbean - The Curse Of The Black Pearl - 1 disc [2003]

Childrens Toy Shop > DVD > Action and Adventure
starring: Johnny Depp, Lee Arenberg, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Geoffrey Rush
directed by: Gore Verbinski

May 22, 2006
As countless people have remarked the success of Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (*phew*) came as somewhat of a surprise given its origins as a ride at one of the Disney theme parks. The threat was that it would be a "comedy adventure", and we all know those words side by side normally lead to dire scripts, slapstick violence, and poor acting. Somehow though the whole thing came together wonderfully thanks to a number of factors.

Firstly there's the script. Its a tight beast that maybe could have done with the tiniest bit of trimming but not so much as to be a flaw. Its difficult to imagine how the cast couldn't have had a whale of a time delivering the lines they've been given. The crosses, and double crosses that twist and turn the story ... Read More:

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Naruto Unleashed Complete Series 2 Box Set [2007]

Childrens Toy Shop > DVD > Action and Adventure
by: Naruto Unleashed

December 24, 2007
Naruto returns for a second series after the amazing first one. It carries on exactly where it left off. With the remaining candidates for the chunin exams, including the nine rookies of the leaf village, about to enter the forest of death.

The forest of death story arc takes up half of this series boxset. It sees the genin ninja using their skills to gather the earth and heaven scrolls and to get to the tower at the centre of the forest within 5 days. Each team starts off with either a heaven or an earth scroll, so the objective of the exam is to steal the required scroll from rival teams, while at the same time trying to protect their own scroll. This leads to an action packed story arc full of twists and turns in the plot. There is also some lovely characterisation ... Read More:

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The Time Machine [1960]

Childrens Toy Shop > DVD > Action and Adventure
starring: Rod Taylor, Alan Young, Yvette Mimieux, Sebastian Cabot, Tom Helmore
directed by: George Pal

May 27, 2002
"The Time Machine" remains a timeless film although the special effects in this 50 year old film are now somewhat dated. Rod Taylor plays the time traveller who travels forward in time by tens of thousands of years to find humanity divided into two; living on the Earth's surface are the Eloi, a passive,stupid but beautiful people who are preyed upon by the subterranean cannibalistic Morlocks.The hideous Morlocks do all the work while the Eloi live lives of idle leisure.Clearly the film is making inferences about the class system on Earth in the current age, perhaps taking things to extremes to make a point.When I was younger I found the scenes where Taylor fought the Morlocks in their cave terrifying , but the passage of time has dimmed their impact somewhat. However "The Time Machine" ... Read More:

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Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid [1969]

Childrens Toy Shop > DVD > Action and Adventure
starring: Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Katharine Ross, Strother Martin, Henry Jones
directed by: George Roy Hill

August 27, 2001
A fine DVD of the classic western famous for the witty by-play between Newman and Redford and the luminous photography by the distingushed Conrad Hall,this has some interesting extras,most of all a rarely-seen documentary of the film with fascinating behind the scenes footage, narrated by the director George Roy Hill.PARENTS BE WARNED!! though;Hill comes out with a few choice expletives during his commentary,so it should not be shown to young children.The DVD notes should've made this clearer,but barring this minor quibble it's an excellent all-round package of one of Hollywood's best remembered westerns.

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Independence Day [1996]

Childrens Toy Shop > DVD > Action and Adventure
starring: Will Smith, Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, Mary McDonnell, Judd Hirsch
directed by: Roland Emmerich

May 17, 2004
With a great story lined up and an A list cast all included, Independence Day broke records when released in 96, and now 12 years on it still hasn't lost any of its magic.

Will Smith (Fresh Prince of Bel Air) coming almost straight from being a rapper and starring on a network TV show got the role of a U.S pilot which put him firmly on the market as one of the hottest and youngest actors around.

Smith stars alongside Bill Pullman (While you were sleeping) and Jeff Goldblum (Jurassic Park) as the world comes under attack by alien spacecrafts and the stakes are raised by each of their love lives.

With its Oscar winning effects, Independence Day established itself in the Sci-Fi genre with the huge and very impressive spacecraft designs and justified it brilliantly, ... Read More: