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Boogie (Cert. 15)

Dragos Bucur, Anamaria Marinca, dir. Radu Muntean, 2009, cert. 15

Bogdan is married with one kid and another on the way. On a family holiday a chance encounter with old school mates takes him down the memory lane of his wilder days. Director Radu Muntean tells of Boogie's struggle between wanting a last chance at feeling young and free, and life as a grown-up family man - simply and thoughtfully. The result is an intimate, moving film, set against the backdrop of a seaside resort that fell from grace with Ceausescu's regime.

Boogie comes with a bonus DVD featuring Muntean's The Paper Will Be Blue, a fictionalisation of the confusion that took Bucharest over after the dictatorship collapsed.

Boom! (Cert. U, out 30 November)

Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Noel Coward, dir. Joseph Losey, 1968, cert. U

Boom! centres around an eccentric dying woman (Taylor) who lives in a large mansion on a secluded island, the younger man who enters her life (Burton) and an angel of death kind of character, The Witch of Capri (Coward.) Pairing real life couple Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor usually results in sparks flying off the screen. While the performances are spot on, Burton and Taylor are not working off Williams' best material. Indeed the film failed to connect with audiences of the time of its theatrical release, which would explain why it is only just debuting on DVD. Liz Taylor had previously done wonders as a Tennessee Williams leading lady, her Cat On A Hot Tin Roof and Suddenly Last Summer performances having burnt indelible marks in movie lovers minds. Unfortunately this screen adaptation of Tennessee Williams' play The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore does not add up to its illustrious cast, though it is worth watching for the sheer campness of it all.

Brüno (Cert. 18)

Sacha Baron Cohen, 2009, cert. 18

Sacha Baron Cohen's third big screen outing, this time with his Austrian gay fashion journalist Brüno, is out on DVD. For those who do not remember Brüno was one of the main characters from the Ali G Show. What one has to wonder, however, is whether he would have been best confined to the TV series.
Yes, there are absolutely hilarious moments throughout, and much fun can also be derived from watching heterosexual men watch the film - as there is arguably quite a bit more on display than any self-respecting straight guy should ever wish to see. But could this have been done to better effect in a different format, say an hour long TV special? There is little doubt in our minds. Brüno is funny but doesn't really stack up as a feature film. Definitely worth watching if you've missed it at the cinema, but not worthy of the top spot on your Christmas list.

Jimmy Carr Telling Jokes (Cert. 18)

If you think that sarcasm is the lowest form of wit and like politically correct comedians, then stay well clear of Jimmy Carr's new DVD. His new show, Jimmy Carr Telling Jokes, contains plenty enough sarcasm and bad taste to delight his fans, and gain a few new ones. The title is rather self-explanatory, with Jimmy on stage at London's Bloomsbury Theatre tellling, well, jokes. There's plenty for everyone to be offended with: when the disc first arrived we thought the 18 rating was probably a marketing ploy to make it more appealing. Upon thorough inspection it's however the only logical certification this show could receive. As Jimmy explains: “It’s not for the faint-hearted (the faint-hearted should also avoid salt).” A hilarious new show from the master of deadpan delivery. Catch it on DVD now as it's unlikely to ever make it past the TV censors!

Gambit (Cert. U, out 30 November)

Michael Caine, Shirley MacLaine, Herbert Lom, John Abbot, dir. Ronald Neame, 1966, cert. U

Gambit was Michael Caine's very first American film. Coming to DVD in the UK for the first time on Monday 30 November, Gambit is a bit of a forgotten gem. The theatrical posters at the time claimed "Go ahead tell the end (it's too hilarious to keep secret!) but please don't tell the beginning!". Indeed the beginning of the film is a bit special - suffice to say that you will wait close to half an hour before Shirley MacLaine utters her first lines. That's all we're prepared to reveal at this stage: we can tell you its good and really should be seen. We won't tell you anything about the end either, but there are more than a few twists in store as the heist story unfolds. The film came out the same year as Alfie, and indeed Michael Caine was nominated for both performances at the 1966 Golden Globes. A very well crafted heist movie - a classic Michael Caine that begs to be rediscovered.

The Grinch (Cert. PG)

Jim Carrey, dir. Ron Howard, 2000, cert. PG

The Grinch makes its Blu-Ray debut as a 2-disc DVD and Blu-Ray set. We were only sent the Blu-Ray review disc, so couldn't compare the two formats - but from the disc we've seen it's looking good. Rick Baker, the Oscar-winning make-up effects behind The American Werewolf In London and Michael Jackson's Thriller video, takes credit for the unrecognisable Jim Carrey. The actor excels in this very theatrical role, playing Dr Seuss' much-loved anti-hero with just the right amount of camp. The works of Dr Seuss' are absolute kids classics in America, yet weren't that well-known over here until the film came out in 2000: Ron Howard has managed to deliver a very enjoyable film that will delight the whole family whether fans of the book or Seuss virgins.