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Welcome back to This Week, our weekly editorial that brings together everything that's worth a look this week at Blockbuster.co.uk.
After a quite a light but impressive week last week, we have a packed line-up of blockbusters this week along with brand new features, competitions and an interview with Sir Michael Caine.
DVD Highlights
Lust, Caution - Movie of the Week
A startling erotic espionage thriller set in Second World War-torn Shanghai, Lust, Caution is based on the short story by revered Chinese author Eileen Chang, and stars Asian cinema icon Tony Leung opposite screen newcomer Tang Wei. A young woman is recruited by the Chinese resistance to spy on a powerful politician; she finds herself torn between her duty to her country and her own feelings.
Directed by Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain), this turned out to be one of the most controversial films of the year in China. While it's subtitled so it won't be for everyone, it's a fantastic movie.
The Golden Compass
An exhilarating fantasy adventure set in an alternate world with powerful ties to our own, The Golden Compass is based on the best-selling and award-winning first novel in Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy, Northern Lights.
Set in a parallel world, this is the epic tale of a young girl's journey to the far North to save her best friend and other kidnapped children from terrible experiments by a mysterious organization, the film stars Nicole Kidman, Sam Elliot, Daniel Craig and newcomer Dakota Blue Richards.
Although this didn't perform very well at the Cinema, and is unlikely to be followed by sequels; this is still well worth a watch.
Also available on Blu-ray here
Sleuth
Cinema legend Sir Michael Caine returns to star in a remake of one of his greatest films - Sleuth but for the noughties. While admittedly, many of the other recent remakes of Michael Caine classics have been pretty dire, I'm pleased to say that Kenneth Branagh's Sleuth is at least enjoyable as long as you don't constantly compare this to the first movie.
This time around, Caine stars as the betrayed husband in the role first played by Lawrence Olivier while Jude Law plays the rogue who steals his wife away. It's an interesting film, worth a watch.
Waitress
An unexpectedly funny film, one of the best romantic comedies since Sleepless in Seattle; Waitress stars Serenity's Nathan Fillion and August Rush's Keri Russell. While aimed more at the 'chick flick' audience, this is a film that actually manages to be watchable by both men and women.
Living in the deep south, Jenna is a pregnant waitress, skilled at making pies. Unhappily married with an abusive spouse, Jenna finds her life unfulfilled and lonely. That is until she meets the town's new doctor and falls madly in love. If you liked Little Miss Sunshine, you should definitely enjoy this.
Stargate SG-1: The Ark of Truth
Earth is on the verge of being invaded by a fleet of Ori warships, religious fanatics who have engaged on a religious crusade to 'convert' or kill every human in the Milky Way galaxy, to the religion of 'Origin'. Basically a space age version of the Crusades.. But with lasers and shields.
SG-1 learn the location of an ancient device, built thousands of years ago by an advanced resistance group fighting the Ori, capable of stopping their destructive rampage throughout the galaxy. SG-1 must travel behind enemy lines to find the device and stop the Ori once and for all.
Best described as an extended double episode with better music and special fx, this is the release that Stargate fans have long been waiting for and you really need to see Seasons 9 and 10 of Stargate SG-1 in order to get the most out of this.
The Best of the rest:
Here are some other titles that might take your fancy:
The Slater-nator, i.e. Christian Slater springs back into action in Love Lies Bleeding where he plays a corrupt DEA agent, chasing a young couple who run away a stash of money. Colin Hanks stars in the impressive thriller Alone With Her, playing a peeping Tom who grows obsessed with one of the women he has been stalking. Quite gripping stuff. Finally this week, it's time to don your whip and hat for another set of adventures with young Indie in preparation for the release of Indiana Jones 4. Check out the Adventures of Young Indiana Jones Vol 3.
For a full list of everything that's released this week and every week for the past twelve weeks and next twelve weeks, check out our new releases section.
Extras! Highlights
We've got some terrific Extras! for you to enjoy this week.
One of Britain's most popular stars and a screen legend to boot, Sir Michael Caine took time out of his busy schedule to talk about shooting Sleuth, working with Heath Ledger on The Dark Knight and reveals what he really thinks about some of the remakes of his films.
To celebrate the release of period epic Lust, Caution, Blockbuster.co.uk's Marshall Julius looks at the life and career of jack of all genres and master of all, director Ang Lee, most famous as the Oscar winning director of Brokeback Mountain.
It's time to level up. The great Edward Woodward stars as Robert McCall, a private detective who pulls no punches in protecting the innocent and punishing the bad guys. It's a cracking show from the eighties and our friends at Universal Playback have given us some copies of the Series 1 boxset to give away.
Also...
We have Will Smith, who came on site to talk about I Am Legend and his plans for the future; Elsewhere on site, we have James Marsden talking about his role in Enchanted and legendary physicist Stephen Hawking discusses his new DVD - all new to Blockbuster.co.uk this month.
For more behind the scenes editorials, interviews and features, check out our Extras! Section.
More Ideas
Have you seen Eragon - the exciting dragon flick? It's another 'first of a trilogy' that will unlikely be followed by additional movies but well worth a watch. Check it out here.
Have you seen The Cider House Rules? Michael Caine won an Oscar for his performance. Check it out here.
GTA 4 One of the biggest games of the year is now available in all Blockbuster stores. Have you seen our Games to Movies editorial? Covering how movies inspired by games have turned out. well, yes. Click here for the feature.
Until next week!
Mal Simons
Blockbuster Online Team
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