Bird, Antonia

MI-5, Vol. 5 (5 Discs)

Volume 5 kicks off with an explosive two part special which sees Britain on the verge of anarchy. A series of sinister terror strikes combined with severe fuel shortages has plunged Britain into crisis. As a chronically weakened prime minister fights to hold onto power the public mood turns increasingly anarchic. MI-5 supremo Harry Pearce(Peter Firth) and team leader Adam Carter (Rupert Penry-Jones) begin to face the horrifying possibility that the country is under attack from sinister forces right at the heart of the establishment. so begins a dangerous game of bluff and counter-bluff.System Requirements:Running Time: 584 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/BBC Rating: NR UPC: 883929017317 Manufacturer No: 1000038363

MI-5, Volume 1

John Le Carre for the Internet generation, the BBC's MI-5 is a smart combination of TV cop show and George Smiley-esque espionage shenanigans that pulls no punches in its depiction of an MI-5 (the British CIA) team fighting a covert war on the streets of London. This is adult, post-watershed drama clearly inspired by the hard-hitting style of shows as 24 and The Sopranos. The strong ensemble cast is led by charismatic Matthew MacFadyen as Tom Quinn, star spy of "Section B," the counterterrorism branch headed by Harry Pearce (Peter Firth). Keeley Hawes, David Oyelowo, and tough-cookie Jenny Agutter make up the team. And as with its British predecessors, Cracker and Prime Suspect, MI-5 (titled Spooks originally) also delves fearlessly into the characters' turbulent personal lives, here given an added twist by their constant need to deceive even those they love. The six episodes of the BAFTA Award-winning first season tackle a variety of tough issues, including religious fanaticism, racism, governmental cover-ups, and, naturally enough, the lingering shadow of Irish terrorism. Throughout, the show strikes a fine balance between a James Bond-ian techno-obsession with spy gadgets and more character-based action, with crisp writing and direction that ratchets up the tension a notch further with every episode. The final cliffhanger is an unforgettable TV moment, and one that leaves viewers agog for next season. --Mark Walker

Defending their country deceiving their friends MI-5 takes us into the secret world of the clandestine UK security servi and the people who make up the elite team. This exciting fast paced drama full of split screens and technical wizardry explores the passion jeopardy and intrigue of people who have to lie for a living and deceive their loved ones about what they do.Running Time: 360 min.System Requirements:Running Time: 360 MinutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/SERIES & SEQUELS Rating: NR UPC: 794051187222 Manufacturer No: E1872

Ravenous

When was the last time you saw a new movie set during the 1840s? The era is the first oddball thing about Ravenous, though by no means the last. This provocatively weird movie is essentially a vampire film crossed with the Donner party, that unfortunate band of hungry pioneers who got stuck in the wilderness with only themselves to eat. The setting here is Fort Spencer, a dismal collection of shacks huddled in the snows of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Mid-winter, a nearly dead Scotsman (Robert Carlyle, from The Full Monty) staggers into camp with a story of desperate cannibalism. The skeleton crew (so to speak) manning the fort sets out to investigate, when... ah, but the twists and turns of this dark yarn should remain shocking. Be assured, however, that the cannibalism has just begun; this movie has cannibalism like Titanic had an iceberg. Director Antonia Bird (Mad Love, Priest) blends some humor into this scenario, especially in the final reels, but otherwise this is a fairly serious gore picture; a confused Twentieth Century Fox tried to market it as a black comedy, and the movie flopped anyway. It deserves a better fate--at the very least, it's not quite like anything else out there. The music, a brilliant collaboration between Michael Nyman (The Piano) and Blur's Damon Albarn, is an offbeat blend of period twang and modern drone. Carlyle and Guy Pearce (of L.A. Confidential) are fascinating in the lead roles--their sunken faces would look at home in Civil War photographs--and the eccentric supporting cast, including Jeremy Davies and David Arquette, adds flavor to the dish. --Robert Horton

It's a recipe for nonstop action and excitement when the inhabitants of an isolated military outpost go up against a marauding band of cannibals in a deadly struggle for survival.

MI-5, Volume 4

British intelligence unit MI-5 has survived terrorists, assassins, political intrigue, and American interference, but can it withstand the loss of some of its main characters? In fact it can! Rupert Penry-Jones, as wily agent Adam Carter (intoduced last season), comfortably takes the lead while some fresh faces (like Anna Chancellor, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy) fill out the solid continuing supporting cast. The show's strengths are uninterrupted: Zippy exposition that crams a season's worth of plot into a single episode; cunningly intertwined plot threads and compelling twists; clever use of gadgetry and surveillance devices; and sterling guest stars, including Martine McCutcheon (Love Actually), Rupert Graves (Different for Girls), and Douglas Hodge (The Way We Live Now).

All ten episodes of the fourth series of MI-5 (known as Spooks in the U.K.) mix high-tension plots with thorny political debate--is torture justifiable to save lives? Can dirty tricks be used for democratic ends? Naturally, since our heroes are the agency, the show comes down on their side...but enough shades of gray exist to give the show some intelligent bite. When it turns out an innocent man has been imprisoned for two years, has his imprisonment turned him into the terrorist he didn't used to be? Combine this with crisp dialogue, tense performances, and moments of inspired direction (like the gripping gunfight lit almost exclusively by muzzle flashes) and you've got a top-notch spy series. The extras are few but include interviews with actors, directors, and producers. --Bret Fetzer

As the fourth season of MI-5 begins the stories are more relevant than ever before. The series has always been fast-paced a hard-hitting but now the battleground of national security provides an even more dramatic backdrop to the challenges facing the team from MI-5. The group were left reeling after the shocking death of Danny at the hands of hostage-takers as the last season concluded. Now Adam Harry Ruth Fiona and rising star Zafar set out to become even stronger in their battle to safeguard the nation.Running Time: 500 min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/SERIES & SEQUELS UPC: 794051277725 Manufacturer No: E2777

Priest

Despite its title, forget about finding this controversial drama on the Vatican's screening list. The film explores a provocative checklist of religious taboos--celibacy, incest, sexual abuse, homosexuality, the debatable secrecy of the confessional--as director Antonia Bird delivers a bold condemnation of what she views as the outdated politics and harmful nature of Catholic doctrine. The story concerns the ideologically strained relationship between two clergymen, the misleading conservative Father Greg (Linus Roache) and his older and more practical colleague, Father Matthew (Tom Wilkinson). Upon arriving at his new Liverpool parish, Greg is shocked to learn that Matthew ignores celibacy and openly sleeps with his black housekeeper. Greg chooses to satisfy his earthly desires in a more secretive way. Sometimes, he likes to lose the cloth, grab a leather jacket, and pick up guys at the local gay pub. He's got other problems as well. While torturing himself with his own moral dilemma, he's hit with another, as during confession a young girl confides that her father is sexually abusing her at home. While this drags out the old "bound by secrecy" cliché of many religious melodramas, Bird uses it to bolster her theme of unwarranted secrecy in the face of faith and social scorn. Ultimately, both the priest and the girl are victims of their own fear, and must find courage to destroy it. Thankfully, Bird's wicked sense of humor keeps the film's tone from slipping into saccharine sentimentality, while Roache's intense performance and a honest, shattering finale rescue the film from swerving too far into shallow TV movie-of-the-week sensationalism. --Dave McCoy

Critics everywhere declared PRIEST to be one of the best films of the year! The deeply held religious convictions of an idealistic young priest are challenged when he must face extraordinary events within his own congregation. Soon, he is forced to make the impossible choice between keeping the faith and exposing the truth! A gripping and powerful story -- see this unforgettable big-screen hit for yourself!

Mad Love

Chris O'Donnell (BATMAN FOREVER, THE BACHELOR) and the seductive Drew Barrymore (CHARLIE'S ANGELS, BOYS ON THE SIDE) fall hard in MAD LOVE -- the wild and sexy story of two passionate young people who take to the road for the incredible adventure of their lives! Straitlaced Matt (O'DONNELL) is immediately captivated by Casey (BARRYMORE), the beautiful and unpredictably rebellious new girl in town who refuses to play by the rules! But when they're faced with permanent separation, they decide to leave everything behind and run away together ... and run head-on into the kind of passion, fun, and excitement you won't soon forget!

MI-5, Volumes 1 and 2

DVD Features:Available Audio Tracks: English (Dolby Digital 5.1)English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo)16 full-length episodes on 8 discsCast and crew commentariesBehind-the scenes segments including exclusive information and spoiler alertsFeaturettes including cast & crew profiles and interviews the look of the series terminology origins deleted scenes and moreExclusive featurettes: Creating Season 2 Controversy Scoring MI-5Photo galleriesDeleted scenesCharacter biosFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/SERIES & SEQUELS Rating: NR UPC: 794051218421 Manufacturer No: E2184

Ravenous

When was the last time you saw a new movie set during the 1840s? The era is the first oddball thing about Ravenous, though by no means the last. This provocatively weird movie is essentially a vampire film crossed with the Donner party, that unfortunate band of hungry pioneers who got stuck in the wilderness with only themselves to eat. The setting here is Fort Spencer, a dismal collection of shacks huddled in the snows of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Mid-winter, a nearly dead Scotsman (Robert Carlyle, from The Full Monty) staggers into camp with a story of desperate cannibalism. The skeleton crew (so to speak) manning the fort sets out to investigate, when... ah, but the twists and turns of this dark yarn should remain shocking. Be assured, however, that the cannibalism has just begun; this movie has cannibalism like Titanic had an iceberg. Director Antonia Bird (Mad Love, Priest) blends some humor into this scenario, especially in the final reels, but otherwise this is a fairly serious gore picture; a confused Twentieth Century Fox tried to market it as a black comedy, and the movie flopped anyway. It deserves a better fate--at the very least, it's not quite like anything else out there. The music, a brilliant collaboration between Michael Nyman (The Piano) and Blur's Damon Albarn, is an offbeat blend of period twang and modern drone. Carlyle and Guy Pearce (of L.A. Confidential) are fascinating in the lead roles--their sunken faces would look at home in Civil War photographs--and the eccentric supporting cast, including Jeremy Davies and David Arquette, adds flavor to the dish. --Robert Horton

The Hamburg Cell

The Hamburg Cell, a low-key British film full of unknown actors, may be one of the best movies about the World Trade Center attacks. The movie follows Ziad Jarrah (Karim Saleh), a mild middle-class Arab student in Germany, who is drawn into a radical form of Islam by the heated atmosphere of anger and frustration sparked by the violence in the Arab world and what the clerics and students see as corrupt decadence all around them in the West. Gradually, despite a deep relationship with a liberal-minded Turkish woman (Agni Scott), Jarrah sheds his doubts about his cause; he undergoes military training in Afghanistan and goes to a flight school in Florida, finally ending up on one of the doomed flights of 9/11. Director Antonia Bird, director of the controversial Priest, guides her actors to quiet but natural and compelling performances. For American citizens, it may feel like the movie doesn't present a compelling reason why a seemingly mild and thoughtful student would transform into a committed terrorist; but in other parts of the world, where America--rightly or wrongly--is seen as a bully and a profiteer, the leap from bystander to killer may be all too easy to grasp. A quiet, mesmerizing, and valuable film. --Bret Fetzer

"If there is a more important, more urgent story to be told than this, I can't think of it." —The Guardian (U.K.)

In this daring dramatization of events leading up to 9/11, director Antonia Bird (Face, Priest) casts her bold, unblinking lens on the roots of extremism. You meet a small band of middle-class students who commit themselves to the unconscionable: Ziad Jarrah (Karim Saleh), the confused and ultimately duplicitous lover and husband; Mohamed Atta (Kamel), the stern, puritanical enforcer, seething with hate; and Ramzi bin al Shibh (Omar Berdouni), the fanatic recruiter for violent martyrdom.

Based on exhaustive research, including personal interviews, unpublished correspondence, and the official 9/11 Commission Report, the film offers a coldly detached yet unnervingly intimate study of young men who turned themselves into monsters. What's more, it reveals the many instances when they might have been stopped.

Face / Buddy Boy / Let Him Have It (Triple Feature)

Triple the spine-tingling chills! Robert Carlyle (28 Weeks Later, The Full Monty) stars as a hardened criminal who leads a big-money heist in Face, but when the money disappears, greed and the desire for revenge soon turn the thieves against each other as they seek out the traitor. In the stylish and disturbing thriller Buddy Boy, Aidan Gillen (TV's The Wire, Queer as Folk) is a sheltered young man whose life changes forever when a provocative neighbor (Bitter Moon's Emmanuelle Seigner) with a horrific secret moves next door. Then Christopher Eccleston (28 Days Later, TV's Heroes) stars as an amiable teenager who finds himself facing a death sentence for a murder he didn't commit in the critically-acclaimed Let Him Have It.