Don't even think about going down the video shop without reading it first!
DVD Zone provides the difinitive word on all the latest movie and game releases. Helen Carey's lively style and harsh but fair ratings system will help you stock up for the ultimate weekend in.
Also filed with hi-res images of the latest movie releases.
Sample DVD Zone column
NEW RELEASES
Cheri is a beautifully shot romantic comedy of manners set in turn of the 19th century France. Michelle Pfeiffer plays a maturing Parisian courtesan, about to retire from the seduction business when she meets the 19-year-old playboy son of an old rival (Kathy Bates).Can the scandalous love story that ensues survive Bates’ wrath?
The spirit and colour of Belle Epoque Paris is captured marvellously and while the script sags at times, Pfeiffer’s glamour and Bates’ humour keep things on track. But the stunning cinematography is the real star. A visual treat.
Rating: ***
In Bring It On – Fight To The Finish, a fast-talking cheerleader from the poorer end of town has her life turned upside down when her mother marries rich and she has to join a posh L.A. school.
Stand by for every fish-out-of-water high school movie cliché in the book, rolled out between a welter of dashed-off dance routines. Will our nimble heroine thwart the bullies and shake up her new school’s cheer squad? You decide if you care.
Rating: *
For those that don’t know him, John Cena is better known as a WWE heavyweight wrestler, famed for his “You Can’t See Me” catchphrase.
If only that were the case in 12 Rounds, an action tale of a New Orleans police detective whose girlfriend is kidnapped by a revenge-seeking thief.
If he wants to see the good lady again, Cena must run and jump and speed his way through the solutions to 12 fiendish puzzles.
In truth, Cena’s not the worst thing about this one. Director Renny Harlin and writer Daniel Kunka can wrestle for that accolade.
Rating: *
There are more high-speed thrills in Fast & Furious, incredibly the fourth outing in this ever-popular franchise.
Vin Diesel and Paul Walker are back behind the wheel, forging an unsteady alliance as they hunt a common foe after a crime brings them back to L.A.
The chase crosses international lines amid an astounding range of motorised stunts that largely paper over a threadbare plot. Throw in a crashing, subtle-as-a-sledgehammer soundtrack, witless dialogue and non-existent characterisation and you have something of a minor miracle – a movie with nothing to recommend it that somehow turns out reasonably entertaining.
Rating: **
GAME ZONE
Halo 3: ODST, Xbox 360
Long-term fans won’t be disappointed – this is a fine new addition to the hugely-popular series. All the hallmarks of the previous games are present along with new features such as Firefight mode, an intense co-operative battle with a seemingly unending swarm of soldiers. Beautifully paced with a typically excellent multiplayer mode.
Rating: ****
NHL 2K10, PS3
Fun, arcade ice hockey title that makes up for a lack of realism and graphical detail with its sheer playability. Easy for the uninitiated to pick up and play, the only quibble is this edition doesn’t really build on its predecessors. Still a fun introduction to big league hockey.
Rating: ***
Marvel vs. Capcom 2
Engaging combat feast with expansive selection of characters including Spider-Man, the X-Men, Street Fighter and the Avengers. Excellent online support, good visuals but no HD.
Rating: ***