Secrets of the Phantom Caverns

Starring: Robert Powell, Timothy Bottons, Lisa Blount

Studio: Rank film distributors

Year of Release: 1984

Format: VHS pal colour

DVD: Not available

Genre: Cult horror

Certificate: 15

Language: English

Run time: 88mins

"Wolf" Wolfson and George Barwell meet unexpectedly in South America, escape from mercenaries and travel to Spain when Wolf has been hired to blow a hole in a mountainside so that part of the "Omega" transmitter system can be installed in an unexplored cave system.

The only obstacle is a group of anthropologists but they are quickly removed and Wolf blows the hole. Colonel Stevens sends men and equipment into the caves. That night, two soldiers guarding a sonic tester disappear after a scream was heard over the radio. Wolf needs professional help to explore the caves and uses the anthropologists.

Deep in the caves, they experience wonders they have never seen before -- glowworms, formations of breathtaking beauty, a cave filled with mist. But danger awaits them -- for what was watching the missing soldiers is now watching them, destroying their trail markers and waiting for the right moment to attack.

Saw ll

Starring Donnie Wahlberg, Dina Myer, Tobin Bell, Lyriq Bent, Tim Burd, John Fallon, Franky G, Erik Knudsen, Beverley Mitchell, Tony Nappo

Director Darren Lynn Bousman

Studio ENTERTAINMENT IN VIDEO

Run time 89 mins

Certificate 18

Genres Horror, Thriller

Language English

Released DVD: 27 Mar 2006

Production year: 2005

Jigsaw, the warped, disturbed deviant is back for another round of horrifying life-or-death games. When a new murder victim is discovered left with Jigsaw's trademark signs, Detective Eric Mathews (Donnie Wahlberg) begins a full investigation, finds and questions Jigsaw (who turns out to be an old man suffering with terminal cancer) with little success. But for Jigsaw, getting caught is just another part of his audacious plan. Eight more of his victims are already fighting for their lives - and now it's time for Mathews to join the game.. The dreaded ancient bathroom from the original Saw makes another appearance here.

Leon

Starring Gary Oldman, Jean Reno, Natalie Portman

Director Luc Besson

Studio BUENA VISTA HOME ENTERTAINMENT

Run time 109 mins

Certificate

Genres Action/Adventure, Thriller

Language English

Released DVD:

Production year: 1994

A murder on the streets of New York leads to a deadly game of cat and mouse while an orphaned twelve-year-old girl becomes caught in the middle. Professional hit man (Gary Oldman) reluctantly agrees to to take her in and she persuades him to show her how to shoot.- with blank bullets of course. This unlikely pairing makes this film unusual and compelling.

Summer Things

Starring Carole Bouquet, Charlotte Rampling, Lou Doillon, Karin Viard, Jacques Dutronc, Michel Blanc, Clotilde Courau

Director Michel Blanc

Studio 20TH CENTURY FOX HOME ENTERTAINMENT

Certificate 15

Genres Comedy, World Cinema

Language French, English subtitles

Released DVD: 17 May 2004

Production year: 2002

Summer Things is a hilarious mix of small town snobbery, lust and infidelity.

When Elizabeth's husband comes up with every excuse to stay in Paris with his mistress, Elizabeth invites friend Julie, with her baby in tow, on holiday instead. On the other side of town, hard up neighbours, Vero, Jerome and son Loic, have to make do at a nearby caravan park & hating every minute. Meanwhile enjoying life in Chicago Liz & Bertrand"s Nympho. daughter, Emilie is partying with boyfriend kevin, unaware that he's embezzled money from her father"s firm to pay for the trip. Based on the Joseph Connolly novel.

MAX

Starring John Cusack, Noah Taylor, Molly Parker, Leelee Sobieski

Director Menno Meyjes

Studio PATHE DISTRIBUTION

Run time 101 mins

Certificate 15

Genres Drama

Language English

Released DVD: 01 Mar 2004

Production year: 2002

MAX, directed by Menno Meyjes, stars John Cusack as the leading man, Max, a German-Jewish man who lost his right arm while fighting for his country during W W1. As a result, he cannot pursue his dream of becoming an artist. Instead, his love of art enables him to start a successful gallery that shows the work of many European modernist painters, At one of his gallery openings, Max meets a nervy young artist and fellow WWI soldier, named Adolf Hitler (Noah Taylor). Mainly out of a common bond, Max agrees to buy some of Hitler's work and encourages the frustrated painter to transfer his emotions onto canvas. However Hitler, disillusioned with his country"s ruined state begins flirting with politics and public speaking. As Max comes closer to selling his work, Hitler's interests take a turn that will change the course of world history.

Max, is very well portrayed by Cusack and In spite of his lost arm and his country's decline, he tries to remain optimistic and finds solace in his appreciation of art. A smart and unusual film that handles its sensitive subject matter well, MAX is an intriguing look at the lives of two men before they are irretrievably altered.

The Island

Starring Ewan McGregor, Scarlett Johansson, Djimon Hounsou, Sean Bean, Steve Buscemi, Michael Clarke Duncan

Director Michael Bay

Studio WARNER HOME VIDEO

Certificate

Genres Action/Adventure, Audio Descriptive, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Thriller

Language English, English Audio Description

Subtitles English, French, Spanish

Released DVD: 09 Jan 2006

Michael Bay director of (Pearl Harbour, Armageddon), brings us "The Island" survivors of a supposed global contamination live in sterile, self-contained bunkers where their every step is monitored. The rules are easy: be pleasant, don"t ask any difficult questions and don"t rock the boat. Everything they need is provided for them, from their white uniforms, to their pre-planned cafeteria-style meals. The survivors all eagerly await the big prize: winning the lottery and being sent to "The Island", the only remaining untainted land in the world... Or are they being sent there?

Spiderman 3

Starring Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Thomas Haden Church, Topher Grace, Bryce Dallas Howard, Rosemary Harris, J.K. Simmons
Director Sam Raimi
Studio SONY PICTURES
Run time 156 mins
Certificate 12
Genres Action/Adventure, Audio Descriptive, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Thriller
Language English

Released DVD: 15 Oct 2007

Peter Parker and his alias superman continue where the amazing SPIDERMAN 2 left off. battling new strange and evil forces. The sandman is one new especially dangerous adversary and proves a big threat to the city. The other is an ex work colleague who has been infected with an other worldly black slime which has transformed him into an evil spiderman like creature. He colludes with the sandman to try to kill spiderman. Can spiderman enlist the help of his former school friend who also has special powers to fight this new enermy?

News update: New Survivors series

The new BBC Survivors series is currently being filmed in Birmingham. Click here for details.