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This was the first of the FOCA reviews, and it shows. Running for a little under 90 minutes, it is unfortunate that almost a third of that time is used up on a very repetitive introduction that really involves little more than close up shots of the likes of Piquet, Jones et al, none of whom could exactly be classed as pin-ups.
However, once the action gets under way, it is all good, focussing on a very exciting and close season with 5 drivers chasing the title almost to the wire. The racing itself is excellent, although the commentary is rather lacking in sparkle.

I watch this film even when the kids aren't around, its a superb film from beginning to end if you're aged 4 or 94. Its a little frightening in places but not too bad for small children. The make-up is fantastic and Anjelica Huston plays the best witch on screen since the Wizard Of Oz....really powerful and evil. I won't spoil the ending but its clever funny and they all get their just desserts 'so to speak'. One of Rowan Atkinsons better parts, Jane Horrocks' cameo role is delightful. You get the feel that this is exactly how Roald Dahl would have wanted the film to be like - full marks !!!

I recently saw two films directed by Norah Ephron. This one and Sleepless in Seattle (1993). Both have held up remarkably well. Curious to know the background (if any) to You've Got Mail, I did a little research. Its basic plot can be traced back to Nikolaus Laszlo's play The Shop Around the Corner which was adapted in a film of the same name directed by Ernest Lubitsch in 1940, co-starring Margaret Sullavan and James Stewart. Then in 1949, it was recycled as a musical (re-named In the Good Old Summertime) co-starring Judy Garland and Van Johnson. What we have here is the latest version of Laszlo's original story, brought to the screen again with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan in the lead roles. In fact, Hanks and Ryan had appeared previously (but together only briefly) in Sleepless in Seattle.

Here's the basic situation. Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan) owns a small bookstore in Manhattan which is slowly being driven out of business by a major chain, Foxbooks, headed by Joe Fox (Hanks). The two have frequent encounters at a distance, over a period of time, and obviously begin to feel a mutual attraction without ever formally meeting. Meanwhile, they begin a daily e-mail correspondence during which they share personal information. It is important to keep in mind that they know each other only as NY152 and Shopgirl. Also that Joe is involved with Patricia Eden (Parker Posey) and Kathleen with Frank Navaskey (Greg Kinnear). Eventually, she must close the doors of her "Shop Around the Corner" and then....

When observing Hanks's performance again recently, I was fascinated even more because he combines some of the edge of his portrayal of Michael O'Sullivan in Road to Perdition (2002) with the innocence of Allen Bauer in Flash (1984) and as Forrest Gump (1994). Hanks is among the most talented and versatile of film actors. As for Ryan, she portrays Kathleen Kelly with precisely the right balance of spunk, decency, vulnerability, and wit. She is clearly the most sympathetic character in this film as she struggles to save her bookstore while searching for personal fulfillment as a woman. Ephron's supporting cast is first-rate, notably two of my favorite character actors, Dabney Coleman (Nelson Fox) and John Randolph (Schuyler Fox), as well as Posey, Kinnear, and Jean Stapleton (as Birdie). That said, Hanks dominates each scene in which he appears. There is never any doubt (at least in my mind) that Joe and Kathleen will overcome all the barriers and complications and find in each other what their respective lives have previously lacked. Yes, this is a "feel good movie" but that is true of all of the best romantic comedies. My guess (only a guess) is that Ernst Lubitsch would have enjoyed it as much as I did.

It is also worth noting that Ephron skillfully coordinates the plot developments with a soundtrack available on a CD which continues to sell very well. The selections include Puppy Song (Harry Nilsson), Dreams (The Cranberries), Splish Splash (Bobby Darin), Dummy Song (Louis Armstrong), Remember (Harry Nilsson), Dream (Roy Orbison), Rockin' Robin (Bobby Day), Lonely at the Top (Randy Newman), Signed,Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours (Stevie Wonder), I Guess the Lord Must Be in New York City (Sinéad O'Connor), Over the Rainbow (Harry Nilsson), Anyone At All (Carol King), I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself a Letter (Billy Williams), The "You've Got Mail" Suite (George Fenton), and You Made Me Love You (Jimmy Durante).

Those roly-poly creatures playfully romp with their beloved toys in this video outing for the Teletubbies, Favourite Things. Tinky Winky has his bag, Dipsy his splotched hat, Laa-Laa her ball and, of course, littlest Po her scooter. The opening of the video has each Teletubby in turn lose his or her favourite item, and then go off in search of it. Each Tubby is then featured in a segment: Laa-Laa chasing her ball, Tinky Winky singing into his bag, Dipsy dancing with his hat and Po riding in circles on her scooter. Two videos--one of playing in a kiddie pool and the other of fixing up a bike for a ride--and a short animation are also included. Of all the Teletubbies' videos, this is most likely to be a child's favourite--and the most likely to grate on a grownup's nerves. The constant repetition of chasing games will have children hopping about, but parents will find little of the charm of Here Come the Teletubbies or Nursery Rhymes. Yet, as slow as some of the moments may be, the Tubbies are as adorable as ever and still worthy of a "big hug!" --Jenny Brown

What more can i say?.
Again im not disapointed with the royels and the 3rd series of their family saga.
Jim is bloody great in his attitude on life and the way anthony makes the tea and makes the whole family bacon sandwiches has me roaring with laughter ..
The royels are definatley my class of people i recomend this series specialy cos granada and BBC have included the christmas special which many series on DVD have removed and put them on seperate discs.
Classic and very real life something i will watch over and over again .
My friends at Amazon UK have once again provided the best service to the USA which is why i keep ordering and ordering.
So i give Amazon 10 stars out of five for their promt and fantastic service.
I will be hunting around for the royels 1st series which seems to have been deleted also im soon going to be ordering the last trilogy of only fools and horses of coarse from Amazon.

Tombstone is an immensely enjoyable western. And this version - the Vista series / Director's Cut - is the best one to get. I ordered it from the USA and it came in immaculate condition in an amazingly short time; but what's on it?

There are 3 bite sized featurettes (about 10 mins each): An Ensemble Cast; Making An Authentic Western; The Gunfight at the OK Corral. There is an Interactive Timeline of the actual events as they took place, Director's Storyboards, an Actual Newspaper Account (which you navigate around to read in your own time), a DVD-Rom featuring the game of Faro (the game Wyatt Earp runs in the film), also a fold out map of the actual layout of Tombstone including the OK Corral, an Insert booklet and not least - a director's commentary by Goerge P Cosmatos.

These extra features are well worth it, and the director's commentary fills you in on a lot of details about the filming of the piece and the problems inherent in making such a film. It is not the best commentary I've heard, but it is good for fans to listen to (but watch the film without the commentary first). The featurettes are a bit fluffy and TV filler-ish but fun none-the-less. The real detail of the Map, The Original Newspaper story and the Timeline are the real quality extras here. I can't comment on the DVD-Rom because I haven't tried it.

The Director's Cut - This is just 14 minutes longer than the original theatrical cut (and from the commentary it sounds like some nice things were actually lost so couldn't go back in). Fans of the movie will notice the new scenes and these do fit right into the film and never really feel like padding, but are extra character and plot points which add to the whole piece. There is a more lyrical quality to the picture now with more atmospheric scenic shots (Cosmatos calls "candy-floss shots"), now not hampered by a push to shorten the picture or a pressing release date. But the flaw of the original film is still there.

Tombstone's authenticity is not in question. The costumes and fashions are all realistic and it is never less than beautifully shot. But with the director's cut I expected a more protracted ending to the picture. The montage, unfortunately, is still in there exactly the same as the theatrical cut. This is obviously a script matter, where we are given a montage instead of showing vignettes of Earp et al bumping off The Cowboys one by one as we did in the Kevin Costener/Lawrence Kasdan epic, Wyatt Earp. And so, as opposed to Kasdan's revenge seething amoral Earp, we have the Disney version (literally, this was made by Disney) in which we are told in dialogue that Earp doesn't want revenge but "the reckoning" as Doc Holliday calls it, namely - justice. So for all of the director's labouring the point of the film's realism it does fall away from the unsightly side of any part of the Earp story. This is also true of his "wife" Maddy, whom in Kasdan's Wyatt Earp was his common-law wife by virtue of the fact that he just didn't try too hard to be rid of her. Her addiction to opium is also glossed over somewhat. It does feature, but is never really ugly. The Director's Cut of Tombstone does however feature a few more revealing insights into Wyatt's character in relation to this than the theatrical cut. But Kurt Russell's Wyatt is not the rock solid son-of-a-bitch that Costner plays, he is altogether more vulnerable and unsure of himself and so his legendary status as a lawman is slightly stretched here.

This is a Great Western by anyone's standard! It isn't a revisionist western however, so know what you are buying. Kurt Russell is amazingly watchable as a western lead, easily as watchable as The Duke. And Val Kilmer's pantomime version of Doc Holliday just chews up the scenery and spits it at you with a nudge and a wink. He is superb. Let's not forget the supporting cast, which is equally to thank for this superb picture: Sam Elliott is the best actor to play an old west cowboy for decades, I only wish he had more to do in this film; Bill Paxton is fine in the supporting role here; with Powers Booth and Michael Beihn also in full riotous pantomime mode as the villainous Cowboys. Notable mentions also for Michael Rooker, Jason Priestley and the hammed-up and glammed-up Billy Zane as a travelling actor. Also making cameos are Charlton Heston and Robert Mitchum (voice over - although he was due to be in the film he was unable to due to health issues.)

Highly recommended old fashioned Goodies Vs Baddies Western!

The film is presented here in the original 2.35:1 panavision widescreen ratio (enahnced for 16x9 TV's) with DTS, THX, Dolby Digital surround sound. There are also Frensh and Spanish subtitles. A small note about the commentary - for some reason you cannot toggle between the film sound and the commentary as you can with most DVD's, you have to return to the Menu and put it on/off as needed. When you press Play again you will return to where you left the film though.

this mini seris was one off the best series i ever watched ,how maggie fell for a priest and was not allowed too have him , because he loved god more .i also found it capavating as more than maggie wanted him he was left a fortune when old mother clerey died,he went from a priest to a cardinal in the space of a few months . i just love this realy good .