Drop Dead Diva (out 28 June 10, Cert. 12)

Brooke Elliott, Margaret Cho, Jackson Hurst, Ben Feldman, April Bowlby, Kate Levering, Josh Stamberg, created by Josh Berman, originally aired in the US between July and October 2009, cert. 12


Monkey Score: 88%


A vapid aspiring model killed in a car crash gets brought back to life as an intelligent, overweight lawyer, hoping to find the meaning of inner beauty.

Episodes list: Pilot, The "F" Word, Do Over, The Chinese Wall, Lost And Found, Second Chances, The Magic Bullet, Crazy, The Dress, Make Me A Match, What If?, Dead Model Walking, Grayson's Anatomy

Whilst the concept of coming back to earth in a new body after death is nothing new, and gives writers a perfect setting for 'fish-out-of-water' comedy, Drop Dead Diva feels like a breath of fresh air. Brooke Elliott pumps life into Jane Bingum with both flair and nuance, revealing her as a very gifted talent. Shame, really, that Hollywood is as prejudiced towards curvy women as the defendant in episode 1.2, The "F" Word. We'd love to see a lot more of her! Elliott's co-stars in the show are excellent, too, from stand-up comedian turned actress Margaret Cho to April Bowlby (Kandi, from hit comedy Two And A Half Men.) Series one is addictive, funny and very, very clever - and we can't wait for season 2 to hit the UK. If, like us, you've missed the obscure cable TV showings this boxset is a perfect way to catch up.  Drop Dead Diva is a comedy gem that begs to be discovered. The natural offspring of Legally Blonde and Heaven Can Wait, brought right up to date for today's celebrity and weight obsessed audiences.
 

 


Sammy Going South (out 28 June 10, Cert. PG)

Fergus McClelland, Constance Cummings, Edward G. Robinson, Zena Walker, directed by Alexander MacKendrick, 1963, cert. PG


MonkeyScore: 85%


SAMMY GOING SOUTH is a rugged youngster's-eye-view adventure set in Africa. 10-year-old orphan Sammy (Fergus McClelland), who resides in Port Said, tries to locate his only relative, who lives 5000 miles away, at the other end of the continent. On his way to South Africa., Sammy's first guide dies and Sammy is rescued by a rich tourist (Constance Cummings). Not anxious to return to Port Said, Sammy escapes his benefactress and links up with a crafty old hunter/diamond smuggler (Edward G. Robinson), whose life is saved by the boy. When the police search for Sammy, they arrest the old man, who has been a fugitive for years. When Sammy is finally united with his Aunt (Zena Walker), he learns that the old smuggler has willed him his fortune.


Shot in 1963 with some of Ealing's greatest talent, Sammy Going South finally gets a well deserved outing on DVD. The boy's journey through colonial Africa doesn't quite remain as rosy-cheeked as one would have expected, with the very talented Fergus McClelland becoming more and more tuned into the continent and its dangers the further south he gets. While the film is refreshingly told from the youngster's perspective, the adults he encounters along the way bring a wealth of experience and talent to the picture - most notably the late screen legend Edward G. Robinson in the role of diamond smuggler Cocky Wainwright. A cracking film to rediscover on DVD, now that it has been beautifully restored.


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Lennon Naked (out 28 June 10, Cert. 15)

Christopher Eccleston, Naoku Mori, Rory Kinnear, Claudie Blakley, Andrew Scott, Jack Morgan, Dave Legeno, directed by Edmund Coulthard, 2010, cert. 15


Monkey Score: 70%

Thirty years after John Lennon's death, Christopher Eccleston stars as the enigmatic musician in a defining period of his life. Lennon Naked covers a period of wildly fluctuating fortunes from 1964 to 1971, a time of worldwide adulation at one extreme, a combination of frustration and despair at the other. From the death of father-figure and manager Brian Epstein, his break-up with first wife Cynthia, his fascinating love affair with Yoko Ono through to his spiralling drug use and decision to leave England for New York, this is the story of one of the 20th century’s most influential artists destroying everything to find himself…


Produced for the BBC and broadcast on BBC4 over the weekend, this look at John Lennon's life is a fascinating piece of television, weaving in archive footage that give it a nice period feel. There may be no shortage of 'unauthorised biographies' out there, but as a dramatisation of Lennon's life Lennon Naked stands out in a different league. The camera gets so close that at times it feels uncomfortable, yet it proves very difficult to stop watching. It covers key dramatic events in John's life, from the disintegration of his first marriage and The Beatles, his incredible love story with Yoko Ono and his traumatic childhood. Eccleston gets the intensity, look and accent to a T, but it is hard to fall for Lennon Naked's version of Paul McCartney, played by Andrew Scott, as he comes across as a less than likeable character. In the end Lennon Naked attempts to answer the million dollar question, the main reason why The Beatles had to implode, sooner or later. It is not Yoko's interference, as suggested by the McCartney camp, but the sheer size of the egos involved. A must for anyone interested in the relationship between music, celebrity and the media - and all Lennon / Beatles fans.

 




Warehouse 13 (out 28 June 10, Cert. 12)

Genelle Williams, Eddie McClintock, Joanne Kelly, Saul Rubinek, CCH Pounder, created by Jane Espenson and D. Brent Mote, originally aired in the US between July and September 2009, cert. 12


MonkeyScore: 82%


After saving the life of the President, two top Secret Service agents find themselves abruptly transferred to Warehouse 13 — a massive, top-secret storage facility in the Badlands of South Dakota that houses every strange artifact, mysterious relic, fantastical object and supernatural souvenir ever collected by the U.S. government. Now the pair — off-the-cuff Agent Pete Lattimer (McClintock) and by-the-book Agent Myka Bering (Kelly) — must chase down reports of supernatural and paranormal activity in search of new objects for their eccentric new boss, Artie Nielsen (Rubinek), to safeguard at the Warehouse.

Episodes list: Pilot, Resonance, Magnetism, Claudia, Elements, Burnout, Implosion, Duped, Regrets, Breakdown, Nevermore, MacPherson


If you like your mysteries quirky, funny and unexpected, then Warehouse 13 is your kind of show. With hisTardis like warehouse, Saul Rubinek's Artie is at the helm of a super-secret government team. The two agent he gets sent to replenish the troops are at polar opposites, and initially rather unhappy to have landed in South Dakota - a great combination if the actors gel, which fortunately they do. There are plenty of thrills, and downright weird moments throughout this first series - and enough of a thread between episodes to make it well worth watching in sequence. Hailed as the series to fill the void left by The X-Files, there are definite similarities at least in theme. Whether it pleases the die-hard fanatics we wouldn't want to bet - what we're quite happy to put our money on, however, is the fact that Warehouse 13 has legs. At times it feels closer to Indiana Jones than Mulder&Scully: it goes beyond the confines of pure sci-fi, which should help it find an audience. The result is one tasty piece of television - and a boxset well worth acquiring if only to while away the wait for season 2, which is about to start in the US.




My Name Is Khan (out 28 June 10, Cert. 12)

Shahrukh Khan, Kajol, directed by Karan Johar, 2010, cert. 12

MonkeyScore: TBC%


Rizwan Khan, originally from Mumbai, marries a Hindu single mother, Mandira, in San Francisco. In post 9/11 America, Rizwan Khan's Asperger Syndrome is interpreted as 'suspicious' behaviour and he is detained by the authorities at LAX. Following his arrest, he meets Radha, a therapist who helps him deal with his situation and his affliction. Rizwan then embarks on a journey to meet President Obama to clear his name.



REVIEW COMING SOON

 

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