BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN (2005)

Directed by Ang Lee

In the Summer of 1963 Wyoming, two young men, Ennis Del Mar (Heath Ledger) a ranch hand and Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal) an aspiring rodeo bull rider, are sent to work together herding sheep on Brokeback Mountain, and what had otherwise been anticipated to be a rather uneventful venture, will soon turn into an affair of love, of lust, and complications that will spand through 19 years of their lives. Through marriage, through children, and through the mighty grip of societal confines and the expectations of what it is to be a man.

The most talked about film of 2005

Nominated for 8 Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography and Best Original Score

Won 3, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Original Score

In what would always be a stain on the credibility of the Academy, Brokeback Mountain was denied the highest prize of the night despite winning 23 other major best picture awards.

DVD Special Features:

On being a Cowboy: Actors discuss their preparation for their roles

Directing from the Heart: Ang Lee

From Script to Screen: Interviews with Larry McMurty and Diana Ossana

Sharing The Story: The Making of Brokeback Mountain

ALL ABOUT EVE (1950)

WINNER OF THE ACADEMY AWARD FOR BEST PICTURE

Joseph L. Mankiewicz

The ambitious Eve Harrington (Anne Baxter) gets close to the great and temperamental stage artist Margo Channing (Bette Davis) and her friends Karen Richards (Celeste Holm) and her husband, the play-writer Lloyd Richards (Hugh Marlowe); her boyfriend and director Bill Sampson (Gary Marrow); and the producer Max Fabian (Gregory Ratoff). Everybody, except the cynical critic Addison DeWitt (George Sanders), believe that Eve is only a naive, humble and simple obsessed fan of Margo and they try to help her. However, Eve is indeed a cynical and manipulative snake that uses the lives of Margo and her friends to reach her objectives in the theater business.

Nominated for 14 Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress x 2, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress x 2, Best Writing (Screenplay), Best Cinematography (Black and White), Best Art/Set Decoration (Black and White), Best Film Editing, Best Score, Best Costume Design (Black and White) and Best Sound Recording

Won 6, Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor, Best Writing (Screenplay), Best Sound Recording and Best Costume Design (Black and White)

Ranks as the Most Academy Award Nominated Film with 14 nominations, set a record which has been tied only by Titanic (1997)

Anne Baxter successfully pressured the powers that be to get her nominated for an Oscar in the Best Actress category rather than Best Supporting Actress. This is thought to have split the vote between herself and Davis. The winner for the 1950 Best Actress was Judy Holliday for BORN YESTERDAY(1950)

DVD Special Features:

Audio commentary by Celeste Holm, Christopher Mankiewicz and Kenneth Geist

Audio commentary by Sam Staggs

AMC Backstory episode: All about Eve

Original interviews

THE FALLEN IDOL (1948)

Directed by Carol Reed

Philippe, a diplomat's son (Bobby Henry) and good friend of Baines the butler (Ralph Richardson), is confused by the complexities and evasions of adult life. He tries to keep secrets but ends up telling them. He lies to protect his friends, even though he knows he should tell the truth. He resolves not to listen to adults' stories any more when Baines is suspected of murdering his wife and no-one will listen to Philippe's vital information.

Nominated for 2 Academy Awards, Best Director and Best Writing, Screenplay

DVD Special Features:

None

THE PRIVATE LIVES OF ELIZABETH AND ESSEX (1939)

Directed by Michael Curtiz

Period drama framing the tumultuous affair between Queen Elizabeth I (Bette Davis) and the man who would be King of England, Robert Devereux (Errol Flynn), the Earl of Essex. Ever the victor on the battlefield, Devereux returns to London after defeating Spanish forces at Cadiz. Middle-aged Elizabeth, so attracted to the younger Devereux but fearful of his influence and popularity, sends him on a new mission: a doomed campaign to Ireland. When he and his troops return in defeat, Devereux demands to share the throne with the heirless queen, and Elizabeth, at first, intends to marry. Ultimately sensing the marriage would prove disastrous for England, Elizabeth sets in motion a merciless plan to protect her people and preserve her throne.

Nominated for 5 Academy Awards, Best Cinematography (Colour), Best Art Direction, Best Special Effects, Best Music Score and Best Sound Recording

DVD Special Features:

Brief Documentary on making the movie

Warner Bros at the Movies including Newsreels and Shorts

THE LETTER (1940)

Directed by William Wyler

In Singapore, Leslie Crosbie (Bette Davis), the wife of the administrator of a plantation field of a rubber company, shoots Geoffrey Hammond and pleads self-defense to her husband Robert Crosbie (Herbert Marshall) and her lawyer, friend of the family Howard Joyce (James Stephenson). The case seems to be easy and simple, but a letter written by Leslie to Geoffrey and in the hand of the Hammond´s widow (Gale Sondergaard) may sentence Leslie to death by hanging. When the widow decides to sell the letter for US$10,000.00, Howard faces a dilemma between his friendship and his career.

Nominated for 7 Academy Awards, Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Cinematography (Black and White), Best Film Editing and Best Music (Original Score)

DVD Special Features:

Recently discovered Alternate Ending Sequence

2 Audio Bonuses, 1941 and 1944 LUX Theater Radio adaptations starring Davis, Marshall and Stephenson

BLACK NARCISSUS (1947)

Directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger

Five young British nuns are invited to move to a windy "palace", former house of the concubines of an old general, in the top of a mountain in Mopu, Himalaya, to raise the convent of Saint Faith Order, a school for children and girls, and an infirmary for the local dwellers. Sister Clodagh (Deborah Kerr) is assigned as the superior sister, and her liaison with civilization is the rude government agent Mr. Dean (David Farrar). The lonely and exotic place and the presence of Mr Dean awake the innermost desires in the flesh of the sisters, and Sister Ruth (Kathleen Byron) becomes mad with the temptation.

Winner of 2 Academy Awards, Best Art Direction-Set Decoration (Colour) and Best Cinematography (Colour)

DVD Special Features:

Audio Commentary with Martin Scorsese and the late director, Michael Powell

PAINTING WITH LIGHT, a documentary on Jack cardiff and BLACK NARCISSUS by Craig McCall

A MAN OF ALL SEASONS (1966)

WINNER OF THE ACADEMY AWARD FOR BEST PICTURE

Directed by Fred Zinnemann

The story of Henry VIII (Robert Shaw) wants to divorce his wife, and seeks the approval of the aristocracy. Sir Thomas More(Paul Scofield) is a man of principle and reason, and is thus placed in a difficult position: should he stand up for his principles, risking the wrath of a corrupt King fond of executing people for treason? Or should he bow to the seemingly unstoppable corruption of Henry VIII, who has no qualms about bending the law to suit his own needs

Nominated for 8 Acdamy Awards including Best Picture and Director. Others were for, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, best Supporting Actress, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography (Colour) and Best Costume Design (Colour)

Won 6, Best Picture, Directorl, Actor, Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography and Costume Design

DVD Special Features:

None

THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI (1957)

WINNER OF THE ACADEMY AWARD FOR BEST PICTURE

Directed by David Lean

British WW II prisoners of war are given the task, by their Japanese captors, of building a railway bridge in a harsh Asian jungle. Led by Col Nicholson (Alec Guinness), a stereotypical British officer, the prisoners score a moral victory over the Japanese in the person of the Commandant (Sessue Hayakawa) by not only building the bridge, but running the whole show. Unknown to Nicholson, an allied demolition team are planning a spectacular opening for the bridge.

Nominated for 8 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor. The other nominations were for Best Supporting Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing and Best Music Score

Won 7, Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing and Best Music Score

DVD Special Features:

Exclusive documentary: "The Making of the Bridge on the River Kwai"

Original featurette: "The Rise and Fall of a Jungle Giant"

USC short film narrated by 'William Holden'

An appreciation and discussion by filmmaker John Milius

MRS SKEFFINGTON (1944)

Directed by Vincent Sherman

Job Skeffington (Claude Raines) informs Fanny Trellis (Bette Davis) that her brother Trippy has embezzled from the Skeffington bank. She marries Job to save Trippy who, angry with her, goes to World War I and is killed. She divorces Job and sends her daughter to live with him in Europe. She now takes up with host of lovers. As World War II rolls around her daughter rejoins her. After a bout of diphtheria she loses her fabulous beauty and her daughter runs off with Fanny's most recent lover. Job is returning to America, penniless and fortunately also blind.

Nominated for 2 Academy Awards, Best Actress and Best Supporting Actor

DVD Special Features:

Audio commentary by Vincent Sherman
Mr. Skeffington: The Big Picture of Strength" featurette

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE (2005)

Directed by Joe Wright

Based on Jane Austen's beloved novel, the classic tale of love and values unfolds in the class-conscious England of the late 18th century. The five Bennet sisters - including strong-willed Elizabeth (Keira Knightley) and young Lydia (Jena Malone) - have all been raised by their mother (Brenda Blethyn) with one purpose in life: finding a husband. When a wealthy bachelor takes up residence in a nearby mansion, the Bennets are abuzz. Amongst the man's sophisticated circle of friends, surely there will be no shortage of suitors for the Bennet sisters. But when Elizabeth meets up with the handsome and - it would seem - snobbish Mr. Darcy (Matthew Macfadyen), the battle of the sexes is joined.

Nominated for 4 Academy Awards including Best Actress, Best Original Score, Best Costume Design and Best Art Direction

DVD Special Features:

Short Documentaries - The Politics of Dating

The Life and Times of Jane Austen

The Stately Homes of Pride and Prejudice

The Bennets

THE PIANIST (2002)

Directed by Roman Polanski

The true story of Wladyslaw Szpilman(Adrien Brody) who, in the 1930s, was known as the most accomplished piano player in all of Poland, if not Europe. At the outbreak of the Second World War, however, Szpilman becomes subject to the anti-Jewish laws imposed by the conquering Germans. By the start of the 1940s, Szpilman has seen his world go from piano concert halls to the Jewish Ghetto of Warsaw and then must suffer the tragedy of his family deported to a death camp, while Szpilman is conscripted into a forced German Labor Compound. At last deciding to escape, Szpilman goes into hiding as a Jewish refugee where he is witness to the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising in 1943 and the Warsaw City Revolt in August/October 1944.

Nominated for 7 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Editing, Best Cinematography and Best Costume Design

Won 3, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Adapted Screenplay

In Oscar's milestone 75th Year, THE PIANIST was the surprise winner in three of the major categories and almost toppled the seasonal frontrunner, CHICAGO

Adrien Brody won the Best Actor Oscar over favourites, Jack Nicholson (ABOUT SCHMIDT) and Daniel Day Lewis (GANGS OF NEW YORK)

DVD Special Features:

Insight into the Making of the film and its authenticity

Roman Polanski's own story of survival during WWII

Behind the scenes interviews with Roman Polanski, Adrien Brody and Ronald Harwood

CITIZEN KANE (1941)

Directed by Orson Welles

Multi-millionaire newspaper tycoon Charles Foster Kane(Orson Welles) dies alone in his extravagant mansion, Xanadu, speaking a single word: "Rosebud". In an attempt to figure out the meaning of this word, a reporter tracks down the people who worked and lived with Kane; they tell their stories in a series of flashbacks that reveal much about Kane's life but not enough to unlock the riddle of his dying breath.

Nominated for 9 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Original Screenplay, Best Art/Set Decoration(Black and White), Best Cinematography (Black and White), Film Editing, Best Dramatic Score and Best Sound Recording

Won 1, Best Original Screenplay

Most of the actors were from Welle's New York Mercury theater and were first time film actors

Citizen Kane has attained classic status as the Best American Film of all time

DVD Special Features:

The Battle Over Citizen kane (1995 Acadamy Award best documentary nominee) - A complete historical account of the making and attempted killing of the film - Orson Welles vs Press baron, William R Hearst

Interviews and newsreels by the major players involved in the project 60 years ago

Two Feature Length Commentaries by Director, Peter Bogdanovich and Critic, Roger Ebert illuminating the ground breaking film making style of using scratched newsreel indicating age/realistic look.

The innovative use of experimental cinematography, long shots, lights, handheld camera work, special use of light for the clear focus of fore and back ground shots during the entire film

Citizen Kane was one of the first film's to use innovative special effects which was very ground breaking and very far advanced for it's time

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD(1962)

Directed by Robert Mulligan

The place: a small town in the south of the United States in the early 20th century. A black man is accused of raping a woman, and an idealistic lawyer, Atticus Finch (Gregory Peck), gets to defend him. We start watching the reasons that make his defense far from easy; and that's mostly because nobody in this town seems determined to believe in the guiltlessness of an accused negro
Juxtaposed against the story of the trial is the childrens' hit and run relationship with Boo Radley (Robert Duvall), a shut-in who the children and neighbours suspect of insanity and who no one has seen in recent history.But fear keeps them at a distance until one night, in streetlight and shadows, the children confront an evil born of ignorance and blind hatred and must somehow find their way home.


Nominated for 8 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography (Black and White), Best Art/Set Decoration(Black and White) and Best Score

Won 3, Best Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Art/Set Direction (Black and White)

DVD Special features:

Fearful Symmetry (The Making of To Kill A MockingBird)

Feature Length Commentary by Director, Robert Mulligan and Producer, Alan J. Pakula

A PLACE IN THE SUN (1951)

Directed by George Stevens

A tragic family drama based on the novel by Theodore Dreiser : An American Tragedy which was itself based on the celebrated 1900 murder case of a man named Gillette, a poor relative of a rich family of the same name was convicted of drowning his pregnant working class girlfriend

It starred Montgomery Clift, Elizabeth Taylor and Shelley Winters amongst others

Nominated for 9 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Cinematography (Black and White), Best Costume, Best Film Editing, Best Screenplay and Best Original Score

Won 6, Best Director, Best Cinematography (Black and White), Best Costume, Best Film Editing, Best Screenplay and Best Original Score

DVD Special features:

A documentary on the legendry director, George Stevens: His Place in the Sun
with contributions from his son, George Stevens Jr, Elizabeth Taylor and Shelly Winters

Interviews on the work of George Stevens with contributions from film makers such as
Robert Wise, Alan J Pakula, Warren Beatty, Fred Zinnemann and others

Feature Length Commentary by George Stevens Jr and Ivan Moffat

CRASH (2004)

WINNER OF THE ACADEMY AWARD FOR BEST PICTURE

Directed by Paul Haggis

Several stories interweave during two days in Los Angeles involving a collection of inter-related characters, a black police detective with a drugged out mother and a thieving younger brother, two car thieves who are constantly theorizing on society and race, the distracted district attorney and his irritated and pampered wife, a racist veteran cop (caring for a sick father at home) who disgusts his more idealistic younger partner, a successful black Hollywood director and his wife who must deal with racist cop, a Persian-immigrant father who buys a gun to protect his shop, a Hispanic locksmith and his young daughter who is afraid of bullets, and more.

The film attempts to explore and challenges your ability to judge books by their covers.

Nominated for 6 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor, Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing and Best Original Song

Won 3, Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay and Best Editing

In what was considered one of the biggest shocks of the Academy's history, CRASH beat the favourite BROKE BACK MOUNTAIN to the years top prize


DVD Special Features:

Feature Length Commentary by Director/ Co Writer, Paul Haggis, Don Cheadle and Bobby Moresco

"Crash Behind The Scenes" - featurette

CHICAGO (2002)

WINNER OF THE ACADEMY AWARD FOR BEST PICTURE

Directed by Rob Marshall

Roxie Hart (Renee Zellweger) is a married chorus girl with hopes of being a headliner in Vaudeville. Velma Kelly (Caterine Zeta Jones) is a former headliner. What do these two have in common? They are both murderesses. Roxie killed her lover when he walked out on her, and Velma killed her husband and sister, who were having an affair. Chicago's newspapers love the nitty-gritty and Velma is at the top of the headlines. But then Roxie comes along and Velma is old news. They find themselves competing for not only the press' attention, but also the focus of their shared lawyer, the suave Billy Flynn (Richard Gere). Add to the mix a sob sister, Roxie's hapless husband Amos (John C Reilly), and a warm prison matron who watches out for her girls (if there's something in it for her), and you have Chicago.

Nominated for 13 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Supporting Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Art/Set Decoration, Best Costume Design, Best Editing, Best Sound, Best Cinematography and Best Music/Original Song

Won 6, Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress, Best Art/Set Decoration, Best Sound, Best Costume Design and Best Editing

DVD Special Features:

Behind the Scene Special

Deleted Musical number "Class"

Audio Commentary with Director and Screenwriter

THE ROARING TWENTIES (1939)

Directed by Raoul Walsh

After the WWI Armistice, Lloyd Hart(Jeffrey Lynn) goes back to practice law, former saloon keeper George Hally (Humphrey Bogart) turns to bootlegging, and out-of-work Eddie Bartlett (James Cagney) becomes a cab driver. Eddie builds a fleet of cabs through delivery of bootleg liquor and hires Lloyd as his lawyer. George becomes Eddie's partner and the rackets flourish until love and rivalry interfere.

Considered one of the best gangster films ever made

No Academy Award Nominations

DVD Special Features:

Documentary, The Roaring Twenties: The World Moves On

Audio Length Commentary by Lincoln Hurst

HABLA CON ELLA (2002)
TALK TO HER

Directed by Pedro Almodóvar

After a chance encounter at a theater, two men, Benigno (Javier Cámara) and Marco (Darío Grandinetti), meet at a private clinic where Benigno works. Lydia (Rosario Flores), Marco's girlfriend and a bullfighter by profession, has been gored and is in a coma. It so happens that Benigno is looking after another woman in a coma, Alicia (Leonor Watling), a young ballet student. The lives of the four characters will flow in all directions, past, present and future, dragging all of them towards an unsuspected destiny.

Nominated for 2 Academy Awards, Best Original Screenplay and Best Director

Won 1, Best Original Screenplay

DVD Special Features:

None

í ÁTAME! (1990)
TIE ME UP, TIE ME DOWN

Directed by Pedro Almodóvar

Ricky (Antonio Banderas) is released from a mental hospital, and knows exactly what he wants to do. He hunts down Marina (Victoria Abril), a porn film star he once had sex with, and tries to convince here to be his wife. She is a bit reluctant, so he ties her up... Will this approach endear him to her?

No Academy Award Nominations

DVD Special Features:

Pedro Almodóvar interviews Antonio Banderas

Madrid Premiere party

CARNE TRÉMULA (1997)
LIVE FLESH

Directed by Pedro Almodóvar

Pizza delivery man Victor(Liberto Rabal) is having an argument with Elena(Francesca Neri), whom he met a few days ago, but she was on heroin then and doesn't want to hear about him. Reacting to the noise, two cops, young David (Javier Bardem) and older Sancho (José Sancho), arrive at the scene, the gun accidentally goes off.. Four years later David is a wheelchair basketball star, he's married to Elena, Victor is released out of prison and their destinies begin to cross again.

No Academy Award Nominations

DVD Special Features:

None