<IMG SRC="/images/archivesart/reddwarf.jpg" WIDTH=200 BORDER=0 ALIGN=RIGHT>The popular British cult comedy returns when the crew is hurled through a portal and makes the shocking discovery that they're nothing more than characters in a TV series. Knowing they will eventually die in the final episode, they track down their creators to find out how long they have left to live.
Looking to find a calmer environment for his pregnant wife, constable Shane Cooper (Ryan Kwanten) transfers to the small town of Red Hill to work at the police department. On his first day, a convicted murderer escapes from prison and heads back to Red Hill to hunt down the men who put him there.
After a terrific buildup in the first act, this film quickly falls apart once the villain finally makes an appearance. I felt like I was watching Friday the 13th or Halloween instead of what was dubbed as a modern western from Australia. Most of the characters are unbelievably stupid, especially when the escaped prisoner is hunting them down, and the entire premise falls apart with the less than shocking twist at the end.
Black Hawk Down (Sony). Finally, it all comes together on one high-def disc: incredibly detailed 1080p images and stunningly clear, uncompressed PCM 5.1-channel surround sound. A sea of fine lines in Sam Shepard's face adds authenticity to his portrayal of the commander of the mission, and his skin tones look utterly natural.
(Paramount) Clint Eastwood's cinematic debunking of wartime heroism makes for a terrific home theater experience. The clear, crisp, and bright DVD picture has depth and detail to burn, even in the many nighttime scenes. Although the combat images are tinted like old photographs, bursts of orange flames cut through the sea of green and brown when the big guns blast.