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HARRY POTTER AND THE PHILOSOPHER’S STONE
Unsurprisingly, Harry Potter features a magnificent array of hidden features (some more complex to find than others). You won’t even need a wand to materialise them.
Cut Scenes
Insert disc two and select ‘Dragon Alley’ from the ‘Main Menu’; press ENTER; select the bricks in a clockwise direction; when you get to the last brick before the arrow press ENTER; highlight the ‘Gringotts’ sign; press the DOWN ARROW to highlight the key; press ENTER; select ‘Ollivanders’; press ENTER; choose the left-hand wand; leave the shop; from the ‘Main Menu’, select ‘Classrooms’; press ENTER; highlight ‘Transfiguration’; press the DOWN ARROW to highlight the owls; press the UP ARROW to highlight the H; press ENTER and you’ll reach an easy quiz, each correct answer will take you to a different cut scene (seven in total).
Tasting Beans
Enter Gringotts again; at the bottom of the left-hand lamp highlight the bag of beans; press ENTER, you can now select different beans from the photo and hear what they taste like by pressing ENTER.
Tour Secret (1)
Still on disc two, select ‘Tour’; press ENTER; in the Gryffindor common room, you will stop at a painting; when given the option to go right or left, press either to turn around; you will be given three options; press the DOWN ARROW to highlight something on the wall; press ENTER to see a painting of Quidditch.
Tour Secret (2)
In the library, when you’re close to the teacher’s table, press the DOWN ARROW; press ENTER to see the ‘House Cup Scoreboard’.
Hogwarts Letter
Insert disc one; at the ‘Main Menu’ highlight ‘Play Movie’; press the RIGHT ARROW to highlight Hedwig The Owl; press ENTER to read Harry’s letter of acceptance to Hogwarts.
INSOMNIA
Batman Begins’ helmer Christopher Nolan’s cop-chiller is creepy and atmospheric, despite the presence of Robin Williams.
Avalanche Footage
Select ‘Bonus Materials’ from the ‘Main Menu’; press ENTER; select ‘Production Diaries’; press ENTER; highlight ‘Bonus Materials’; press the LEFT ARROW; one of the pencils on the floor should be highlighted; press ENTER for footage shot by the director of photography of an avalanche, featuring Nolan and star Hilary Swank.
JERRY MAGUIRE
We’re going to resist “show me the money” jokes (possibly replacing money with Eggs) because we’re too good for it.
Commentary Footage
Insert disc two; select ‘Special Features’ from the ‘Main Menu’; press ENTER; select ‘Director And Cast Video Commentary’; press ENTER; highlight ‘Mission Statement’; press the RIGHT ARROW; press ENTER (if you’ve done it right, the music should pause); highlight ‘Mission Statement’ once more; press the RIGHT ARROW; press the UP ARROW; press ENTER for behind-the-scenes footage of the gang preparing to film their commentary.
LEMONY SNICKETT’S A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS
It was the best kids’ film of 2004 by some distance and it has a series of fortunate Easter Eggs to keep your sprogs happy.
Count Olaf’s Ghastly Ghost Story
On disc one, go to ‘Orphaned Scenes’ in ‘Special Features’; highlight ‘Special Features,’ press the LEFT ARROW to highlight a circular symbol near Olaf’s knee; press ENTER. You’ll see Jim Carrey improvise a five-minute piece where Count Olaf tells us an entertaining ghost story.
A Very Finicky Director
On disc two, go to ‘Sinister Special Effects’; highlight the ‘Return’ symbol at the bottom; press the RIGHT ARROW to highlight a curled symbol; Press ENTER to see a brief interview with Brad Silberling about an idea he had for an early teaser trailer.
Eyes Are Everywhere
On disc two, go to ‘Gruesome Galleries’; highlight ‘A Woeful World’; press the RIGHT ARROW to highlight the eye in Olaf’s silhouette in the mirror; hit ENTER to see a short featurette on the background of the recurring eye symbol that appears throughout the movie.
Portrait Of The Artist As A BAD Man
On disc two, go to ‘Gruesome Galleries’; highlight the ‘Return’ symbol at the bottom; PRESS RIGHT to highlight another curled symbol; Press ENTER to see a cool interview with set decorator Cheryl Carasik talking about using stills of a Russian opera singer, digitally edited with Jim Carrey’s face, to create the photographs that are dotted around Count Olaf’s house.
MAGNOLIA
There’s no in-between with this one: you’ll either love or hate Magnolia’s coincidence-heavy plot and ambitious performances. The Egg, though, isn’t so divisive.
Outtakes
Insert disc two; select ‘Colour Bars’ from the ‘Main Menu’; press ENTER; a colour-bar test will appear; wait for 20 seconds and you’ll be treated to a collection of funny outtakes.
NURSE BETTY
Morgan Freeman starred alongside Renée Zellwegger in this quirky comedy about a TV soap fan who takes her obsession too far.
Alternate Scene
From the ‘Main Menu’, go to the ‘Special Features’ section; press the RIGHT ARROW and the candle on the cupcake in Betty’s hand will be highlighted; press ENTER to see the short (but sweet) alternative scene.
Reason To Love Clip
Go back to ‘Special Features’; select the ‘Reason To Love’ soap opera; hit the RIGHT ARROW and the ‘A Reason To Love’ logo at the top of the page will be highlighted; press ENTER to watch a new clip from the silly soap.
