Blu-ray

Ironclad is rather nicely summed up by its director as being ‘best described as a medieval Magnificent Seven or a medieval Seven Samurai'. A fictionalised retelling of the siege of Rochester Castle by King John’s forces in 1215, the film stars Paul Giamatti as the regal despot, with James Purefoy’s Templar knight and Baron Cox’s baron leading a rag-tag group of warriors holding the castle against him. It’s very silly stuff, but filmed with so much gusto and lashings of gore that it’s hard not to get caught up in the action.

Drive Angry is a very, very silly film. But it’s one that fully embraces its inherent stupidity and is probably the closest we’ve come to a modern version of grindhouse cinema. Indeed, it’s much more in keeping with actual examples of that specific film ghetto than anything Tarantino or Rodriguez for their 2007 double-feature.

Paul sees Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz co-stars Simon Pegg and Nick Frost making the trip across the Atlantic for an amiable sci-fi comedy about two geeky Brits on a road-trip around America’s UFO hotspots who bump into a real-life extra-terrestrial (voiced by Seth Rogen).

Once Upon a Time in the West isn’t just one of the greatest westerns – it’s one of the greatest films ever made. Working with the backing of a major American studio and scripted by two young Italian film critics who would eventually become respected filmmakers in their own right (Dario Argento and Bernardo Bertolucci), Leone’s film felt like the summation of the many themes he had begun exploring in his Dollars Trilogy. What initially appears to be a simple tale of revenge soon transforms into an operatic contemplation of the myth and legend of the Wild West with a cast to die for, spectacular images you could frame and hang in a gallery and Ennio Morricone’s greatest score. Cinema doesn’t get much better than this.

Taxi Driver remains the highpoint of Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro many cinematic collaborations. Which is quite something when you consider that this 1976 masterpiece had to beat out Raging Bull and Goodfellas for that particular honour.

The Mechanic isn’t a film about the trials and tribulations of a wannabe Kwik-Fit fitter. It’s actually a remake of the 1972 Charles Bronson movie of the same name, with HCC favourite Jason Statham taking over as the burly bloke who makes his living ‘fixing things’ (by killing people). With its undemanding student-teacher story and its predictable twists, the film doesn’t add anything to the genre that you won’t find in numerous straight-to-DVD flicks. But The Mechanic does offer up some great action and the chance to see Statham kicking ass again – which should keep fans happy for a couple of hours.

True Blood: The Complete Third Season continues the adventures of telepathic waitress Sookie Stackhouse as she goes hunting for her missing vampire lover Bill following the shocking finale to the last year’s 12-episode run.