RICK STEIN’S SPAIN

Release Date – 18 April 2012
Genre – Special Interest/Cooking
Running Time – 236 minutes
Rating – G

Using his friends old campervan, Rick Stein climbs aboard to travel the length and breadth of Spain in search of a culinary duende a flamenco term, implying a sense of soul, expression and authenticity.From Galicia, the Basque country and Catalonia to Castilla-La Mancha and Andalusia, Rick samples his way through the specialities and hidden treats of each region, including the famous Asturian fabada, a hearty bean stew; pintxos, delicious Basque tapas; the sweet and succulent prawns of Palam s in Catalonia and food influenced by the New World in the Antigua Abaceria of Seville.Along the way Rick savours the delights and atmosphere of the cider festival at Gijon, the snail festival in Lleida and a spectacular paella festival in Valencia, as well as observing the skills on display at vineyards, beach parties, garlic farms, secret Cabrales cheese caves and much more

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REVIEW

Was so excited when this arrived, I am a total foodie and this did not let me down.
Loads of yummy interesting tasty looking dishes, some that I don’t think I will be trying like Pig heads, but still plenty of yummy bits to have a go at making like Paella and loads of complex looking, but are really actually very easy to make, things like tapas which I am dying to have a go at.
Love that Rick Stein takes us with him on the Journey and I kinda felt like I was there having a look around the gorgeous breathtaking scenery.

Two DVD’s full of plenty of Rick Steins little quirky stories that he shares from his journeys.”When the rice has had a big drink, he needs to sleep in the oven & only then should he come out to the table”!! Overall, loved this DVD and would def recommend it to others that love food like me! So happy I got the chance to review this, thanks

PRIMEVAL – The Complete Series One

Release Date – 16 August 2007
Genre – Science Fiction
Running Time – 275 minutes
Rating – M

From the Bafta and Emmy award-winning producers of Walking With Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Park comes Primeval.

When evolutionary zoologist Nick Cutter discovers prehistoric creatures alive and well in the present day the natural world is turned on its head and humanity faces a threat to its very existence.

Unexplained anomalies are ripping holes in the fabric of time, allowing creatures from the past, and the future, to roam the modern world. Cutter and his team struggle to keep the looming disaster secret while dealing with savage monsters, giant insects, prehistoric parasites and other deadly foes. Cutter also has to deal with a deeply personal dilemma – he discovers that his wife, Helen, missing believed dead for eight years, has actually been travelling in time; now she is back with possible answers to the riddle of the anomalies, but is it an answer she is willing to share?s of stars

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REVIEW

When this originally aired on TV, I unfortunately missed the first few episodes but found that once I did discover the program, I was totally hooked. Anomalies are appearing, offering doorways into our prehistoric past where creatures that are unheard of for years are able to come into ‘our’ world. Not being an expert on all things prehistoric I can’t comment on the correctness of the creatures but I definately did find it fascinating and found myself waiting excitedly for the next episode.
There was a hint of comedy, a little drama, but most of all there were just big (or sometimes little) scary creatures that needed to be returned to their own world, time and place.
I loved most of the characters, and I think Nick Cutter was my favourite although I have to admit to being a little surprised to see an ex ‘S-Club 7’ member in the cast, but I found myself liking her character as well so I guess it can’t have been all bad.
Anyhow basically I loved the series so just HAD to go buy the DVD series so I could watch it again……but this time from the very start

PRIMEVAL – The Complete Series 2

Release Date – 17 September 2009
Genre – Science Fiction
Running Time – 276 minutes
Rating – M

As series one of Primeval reached its devastating conclusion Professor Nick Cutter was having a rather bad day. And he still is. His estranged wife Helen has deceived him; tricking him into going through the anomalies one last time. But something has gone terribly wrong. Upon his return to the present, the world as he knows it has changed, and he and Helen are the only ones who know. When Series Two opens, Claudia Brown has never existed and the others have no idea who she was. Can Nick convince his team that their actions have inadvertently altered the course of nature? But he has absolutely no idea what went wrong or how he can fix it…

Along the way Nick and his team encounter some beastly opponents that find their way through the anomalies. From a family of raptors going wild in the aisles of a local shopping mall, a sabre-tooth at an amusement park, to a Woolly Mammoth holding up the traffic on the M25, the creatures just keep on coming

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REVIEW

Season 2 of my favourite series set out to confuse me from the start, but it didn’t take long for me to work out what was going on
Cutter returns after being tricked by his ex wife into entering an anomaly, to find out that things are no longer quite the same. The new love of his life Claudia Brown is no longer but yet the actress who played her character remains, she’s just someone else ? Hmm that seemed a wee bit strange.
Anyhow once we got into the series everything seemed to fall back into place and there we were, rescuing the world from our prehistoric friends yet again.
I did find that this series seemed to be a bit more technical in it’s delivery and although I didn’t mind, you had to concentrate a bit more on what you were watching.
Once again though, I felt the need to go out and purchase the DVD’s

PRIMEVAL – The Complete Series Three

Release Date – 14 January 2010
Genre – Science Fiction
Running Time – 483 minutes
Rating – G

The Primeval team are back and Nick Cutter is fighting to re-focus his embattled team who are still reeling from Stephen’s death and the scale of Helen’s betrayal. Cutter’s crew are joined by some new recruits in the form of maverick policeman Danny Quinn, sparky Egyptologist Sarah Page, and the new leader of the ARC’s security forces Captain Becker. But as the anomalies continue to present an unrelenting series of threats, the task in hand seems almost impossible.

With events getting even wilder, creatures steeped in ancient folklore begin to make an appearance and it becomes clear that the origins of myths and legends are linked with the mysterious anomalies. But it’s not just deadly creatures the team has to contend with; the cloak of secrecy behind which they have been working is beginning to slip and questions are being asked as the conspiracy spreads its net wide. And as deadlier creatures continue to rampage through the anomalies – the team faces a threat to the future of not just the ARC but of mankind itself.

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REVIEW

Review to Come

PRIMEVAL – The Complete Series Four

Release Date – 4 April 2012
Genre – Science Fiction
Running Time – 349 minutes
Rating – M

The ARC has been shaken by the disappearance of Abby, Connor & Danny. The government has appointed entrepreneurial-scientist Philip Burton to take charge of the operation, with a brand new building & new team. Ex-soldier and zoologist Matt, the highly efficient if unconventional Jess, mysterious Gideon & anomaly-travelling Ethan all join the team, but are they ready for the challenges ahead? Danny continues to fight his way through a Pliocene age Rift Valley, desperate to return to the team with a vital secret that will change their whole outlook. With a new team and new creature threats, the ARC team are facing their toughest challenges yet

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REVIEW

Review to Come.

The Titanic 100th Anniversary Collection

Release Date – 18 April 2012
Genre – Documentary
Running Time – 233 minutes
Rating – PG

Includes Inside the Titanic and Titanic and Me.

Inside the Titanic
For the first time, this dramatised documentary shows what happened from the point of view of the killer itself: the water. Sometimes it crept unseen, at other times it roared. One minute it was hidden, the next it was
everywhere. Stories are told through action-led reconstruction of eyewitness reports, drama interviews based on transcripts, and the highest quality effects, including the sounds those on board would have heard as the sea surged through the ship. By following the water, this compelling film reveals exactly how the Titanic sank.

Titanic and Me
A unique account of one of the most famous disasters in history, bringing together for the first time the individual stories of those who built, operated or were passengers on the Titanic. These stories of loss and love, triumph and tragedy, live on in their descendants and are recreated in this very special documentary

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Poh’s Kitchen – Series 1 Collection

POH’S KITCHEN – SERIES ONE COLLECTION

Release Date – 16 November 2011
Genre – Special Interest/Cooking
Running Time – 1040 minutes
Rating – G

MasterChef Australia runner-up Poh Ling Yeow stars in her own brand new cooking show Poh’s Kitchen. Featuring mouth-watering Malaysian Cuisine and plenty of expert Guest Chefs, this show features something for everyone.

Some people find cooking quite stressful and a chore to be avoided at all costs Poh Ling Yeow is not one of those people. She loves to cook and in the debut series of Poh’s Kitchen, she invites a variety of acclaimed chefs into her kitchen, to help her refine her unique cooking style. Poh take viewers on to Malaysia where she learns more about the cooking in the country of her birth

Series One Collection includes the following Poh’s Kitchen releases

Poh’s Passion
Poh’s Next Steps
Poh Spreads her wings
Cooking with friends

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REVIEW

We have got some way through this 4 DVD set and its all been good so far. I dont watch a lot of cooking shows and this is a little different from others I have seen. In the shows we are have seen so far, Poh is more of a host to other chefs than being the chef herself. She does cook, and cook some yummy looking dishes, but so far its been more about her learning from others. Each episode has started with an intro to the guest chef and the type of food they cook or about the type of food they will be cooking with. EG, we have been round markets looking at fresh coconuts, to an almond orchard learning about the different types of almonds, to a show/demonstration by one of Pohs favourite chefs. and then we have gone into the kitchen to make some culinary feast. In most of the other shows I’ve seen, the star has been the ‘presenter’ and there isnt always guests other than their friends coming round to eat. Mainly I guess I’ve seen Nigella Lawson and Jamie Oliver, and while Poh is certainly attractive, there is none of the glamour of Nigella Lawson. She is a down to earth, girl next door type, and this makes for a really refreshing watch.

I think our only negative so far has been that Poh and her guest chef dont give you any details on how to reproduce what they are making as part of the show. There are no weights or measures, not a lot in the way of cooking times or temps. There is a link to a website at the end of each episode which we are assuming takes you to the recipes, but we havent checked it out yet. I guess an upside to this is that we are watching the show rather than trying to scribble down details.

All in all, this is a great DVD set for those who enjoy either cooking themselves and want to try more, or who enjoy cooking shows. Its very light-hearted and fun but Poh and her guests are serious about the food they are preparing. They manage to make everything seem so easy, that even people like us (we arent the most skilled cooks) can have a go and succeed. Personally we could only watch one or two episodes at a time (hence the reason its taken us so long to review) but we can see how easily you can become addicted to Poh and her style of cooking / presenting and watch her for hours.

Verdict: if you are serious about your cooking, not just Malaysian fusion, and are into having fun in the kitchen, then this is the show for you. If your kitchen is a very serious, fun-free place, watch something else

The Way Back

Release Date – 1 October 2011
Genre – Adventure/Drama
Running Time – 127 minutes
Rating – M

A remarkable fact-based adventure story chronicling the escape of a small group of multi-national prisoners from a Siberian Gulag in 1940. Seven courageous multi-national prisoners discover the true meaning of friendship as their epic journey takes them across thousands of miles of hostile terrain enroute to India and their freedom

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REVIEW

This movie was really good! My husband watched it with me. we split it over two nights as it was quiet long.
All the actors in this movie did a great job of helping to tell this amazing story, it really felt like we were along for the “ride” so to speak.
The characters have to go through snow storms, starvation, losing friends, walking through an endless desert and conquering the himalayas. It really makes you wonder how anyone could survive through the things they do!
It was interesting in the end when the main character Janusz (Jim Sturgess) leaves his comrades in India and carries on walking and the have events that happen over the time period he is away until he can go back home to his wife.

I give this movie a 7/10

Rabbit Hole

Release Date – 1 October 2011
Genre – Drama
Running Time – 87 minutes
Rating – M

A drama based on the stage play by David Lindsay-Abaire, starring Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart as a pair of grieving parents coming to terms with the death of their young son
Eight months ago, Becca and Howie Corbett (Kidman and Eckhart) were a happy suburban family with everything they wanted. Now, their existence lies in the wake of a shocking, sudden loss. Becca hesitantly opens up to her opinionated, loving mother (veteran Dianne Wiest, Hannah and Her Sisters) and secretly reaches out to the teenager involved in the accident that changed everything; while Howie lashes out and imagines solace with another woman (Sandra Oh, Grey’s Anatomy).

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REVIEW

Rabbit Hole is about as husband and wife Howie and Becca Corbett that have recently lost their 4 year old son, who was tragically hit and killed by a car, when he ran out onto the street after his dog. It shows how life is after the loss of their son. Becca and Howie attend a self help group, Becca doesn’t really like the other members of the group so doesn’t continue attending, however Howie continues going to the group and starts an affair with another member Gabby. While Howie is out at the group Becca starts meeting up with the young teen driver Jason (that killed her son) they start off a weird sort of friendship. Jason has started writing a comic book called “The Rabbit Hole” it is about parallel universes, which he gives to Becca to read and she really likes it.
Howie finds out that Becca has been meeting up with Jason and Isn’t pleased about it.
Becca and Howie decided to have a dinner party at the house and invite their friends around. And the movie ends with them sitting in the back yard (when all of their guests have gone) holding hands.

I must say I really tried to get into the story but i just wasn’t for me. I thought that with such a great cast i would have enjoyed it more then i did.

I give it a 4/10

Why did I get married too

Release Date – 17 January 2011
Genre – Comedy/Romance
Running Time – 116 minutes
Rating – M

Popular filmmaker Tyler Perry leads an outstanding ensemble cast in this story of four vacationing couples who use their time away from home to try and understand love marriage and other mysteries of life. When Terry Bob (Perry) and his wife agree to meet three other couples for a tropical getaway they have no clue how much emotional baggage is joining them. In no time there’s lots of trouble in paradise. To boot a bitter ex-husband unexpectedly shows up and the friends realize they’ll definitely need a vacation after this trip!

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REVIEW

What started off as a couples holiday retreat quickly turned ugly with loud mouth ‘Angela’ harassing husband ‘Marcus’. After a week away tensions were certainly rising to breaking point and even the three happy couples discovered they had problems. There were many genuinely funny parts to this movie as well as some violent scenes. Things sorted themselves out towards the end, but at a huge cost to one of the husbands. A bit slow at times, but enjoyable. We would rate this a 6/10