Library

Languages: English, French

Subtitles: English, French

Sound: Dolby

Summary: Tailors are the secret-keepers of the power elite; customize fine apparel for the rich and powerful, and you'll hear things only whispered in the halls of government. Such is the sly conceit of "The Tailor of Panama", coadapted by John le Carré from his own novel, and directed by John Boorman with a delicious spin on the traditions of the spy genre. As British MI-6 agent Andy Osnard, Pierce Brosnan qualifies as James Bond's black-sheep sibling, viewing women only in terms of sexual conquest and conducting spy business by his own flexible set of rules. Banished to Panama to pay for recent indiscretions, Andy connects with Harry Pendel (Geoffrey Rush), a British ex-convict who's built a lucrative cover as tailor to Panama's highest officials. With the coveted Panama canal now under local control, Andy's arrived to see what Harry knows about the canal's pending multinational sale.
As Andy observes, Panama is ""Casablanca" without heroes," and that's precisely how Boorman depicts it: a melting pot of greed, ambition, and backroom maneuvering, where Andy can bed an embassy official (Catherine McCormack) while squeezing information from Harry, who concocts a phony "silent opposition" that puts British and American forces on full alert. Harry's wife (Jamie Lee Curtis) is pulled into the scenario by Andy's ruthless scheming, and "The Tailor of Panama" reveals how a simple fabrication can provoke trigger-happy forces around the globe. Part comedy and part political horror thriller--with a tragic supporting role for Brendan Gleason, from Boorman's "The General"--this is old-fashioned spy stuff made new by le Carré's inventive plotting and keen ear for the dialogue of rogues. "--Jeff Shannon"

Languages: English, Spanish, French

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Sound: AC-3

Summary: What could be a skillful but ordinary action flick gets a surprising emotional heft from the presence of Liam Neeson as the hero. Bryan Mills (Neeson) has given up his career as a spy to form a relationship with his estranged teenage daughter--but when, on a trip to Paris, she's kidnapped by slavers, Mills uses all his connections and skills to turn the city of lights upside down and rescue her. Like most of the movies that writer/producer Luc Besson has a hand in (such as La Femme Nikita, The Transporter, Unleashed, and many other French action movies), Taken drips with lurid violence (a bit toned-down to get a PG-13 rating, but there's still plenty of it), deranged sentimentality, and stereotypes of all kinds. But this doesn't stop his movies from being effective thrill-rides, and Taken is no exception. Taken pays just enough attention to the illusion of procedure--making it seem like Mills knows all the right steps to track down his daughter--that the movie cheerfully seduces your suspension of disbelief, despite many plot holes and scenes where Mills doesn't get scratched despite bullets flying in all directions or pretends to be a French policeman despite not speaking French or even adopting a French accent. What holds it all together is Neeson; his gravitas and emotional availability make his character--the usual action fantasy of impossible competence and righteous fury--somehow seem real and relatable. --Bret Fetzer

Stills from Taken (Click for larger image)

Languages: English

Sound: ENGLISH: Dolby Digital 5.1 [CC]

Comments: Jimmy Dworski Finally Got A Life... Somebody Else's!

Summary: James Belushi (K-9) is Jimmy Dworski, a happy-go-lucky convict who breaks out of prison and finally gets a life ... somebody else's! When Dworski finds the daily planner book that literally runs the life of ultra-organized executive Spencer Barnes (Charles Grodin, MIDNIGHT RUN), all hell breaks loose! With newfound cash, credit cards, and the keys to a Malibu mansion, the imposter Dworski embarks on an all-expense-paid trip to "Easy Street" while posing as the high-powered Barnes. Meanwhile, Spencer's life is turned upside down as he hunts through the jungles of Los Angeles for his beloved book! When these oddball opposites finally meet, it's a comedic collision you won't soon forget!

Languages: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish, French

Sound: AC-3

Summary: While it doesn't rank with such grim classics as "The Silence of the Lambs" and "Seven", D.J. Caruso's "Taking Lives" offers similarly heavy atmosphere, beginning well before fizzling into absurdity. Freely adapted from the novel by Michael Pye, and set in Montreal (although it was filmed in Quebec City), the plot trades in several familiar tropes of the serial-killer genre, beginning with the FBI agent (Angelina Jolie) who brings her unique skills (and brooding, low-key demeanor) to the vexing case of a killer who, out of apparent self-loathing, steals the identities of his victims and lives their lives until it's time for the next gruesome murder. Ethan Hawke plays the killer's alleged next victim, and in a film filled with twists that grow increasingly unconvincing, Keifer Sutherland is menacingly cast as a shifty suspect. Caruso's previous film was the creepy drug thriller "The Salton Sea", so he's well-qualified to infuse "Taking Lives" with a darkly stylish sense of dread and at least one good shock to keep your adrenaline flowing. The second half essentially betrays the promise of the first, but there's enough going on to hold your interest to the end. "--Jeff Shannon"

Languages: English, French, Spanish, Catalan

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish, Portuguese

Sound: AC-3

Summary: John Godey's 1973 novel "The Taking of Pelham One Two Three" boasts a suspense situation so surefire that even the directorial bad habits of Tony Scott can't ruin this latest movie version. Four armed men seize a New York City subway train, isolate one car, and threaten to start killing passengers if a ransom isn't paid within the hour. The ransom was a million dollars in the book and also in Joseph Sargent's solid 1974 movie, in which Robert Shaw played the mercenary leading the hostage takers and Walter Matthau was the growling transit cop trying to outsmart him. In 2009, the title has gone digital--"The Taking of Pelham 123"--and inflation has jumped the asking price to $10 million. Where Shaw's menace was steely, John Travolta opts for manic, and shamelessly has a blast in the master villain role. His adversary, cagily underplayed by Denzel Washington, has been upgraded in civil-service rank but also demoted on suspicion of taking a bribe. This colors the dynamics of the dialogue between Washington at his control-center console and Travolta on the motorman's microphone aboard the stalled train.

So far, so reasonably good. But the director's trademark tactics keep getting between, well, everything. From the get-go, the visuals are subjected to pointless and irritating stutter effects, speeding-up/slowing-down, gratuitous camera movement, and the interposition of dirt- or light-smeared panes of glass between the camera and people we'd appreciate a clear look at. The 1974 movie settled for one police car being wrecked as the ransom is rushed uptown; Scott requires multiple collisions, each the occasion for police cruisers taking Lethal Weapon-style flight. The hostages in the earlier film were wittily individuated, a multicultural group portrait of the city at that mid-'70s moment; the ones on Scott's train--and also Travolta's fellow perpetrators, including that wonderful character actor Luis Guzmán--barely register. On the upside, John Turturro and James Gandolfini shine as two guys who (like the actors themselves) are very good at their jobs—respectively playing a hostage negotiator and His Honor, the mayor. The screenplay by Brian Helgeland ("L.A. Confidential", "Mystic River") strives intelligently, if formulaically, to add new dimensions to the main characters and to offer its own gloss on the current economic meltdown. "--Richard T. Jameson"




Stills from "The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3" (Click for larger image)

Languages: English, Spanish, French

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Sound: AC-3

Summary: The Tale of Despereaux looks a little like Shrek. The storytelling and animation draw on everything from Ratatouille and classic fairytales to Shakespeare, Jonathan Swift, Indiana Jones, and, in its action sequences, even Bourne and Bond. But this movie stands on its own; too dark and violent for very young children, perhaps, but for the most part it’s exciting and funny, and it delivers a message about bravery and forgiveness that is relevant to us all. Voiced by Matthew Broderick, the title character is a little guy, even by mouse standards, with enormous ears and an imagination to match; much to the dismay of his elders, he "never cowers, won’t scurry, and refuses to be taught to be scared" (he’d much rather read a book than eat it, a pursuit that fills his head with visions of valiant knights, damsels in distress, and a life defined by "courage, honor, and decency"). That leads to his being banished from Mouseworld to the realm of the rats, where, it is presumed, he will be eaten. But no. Ratworld--a dark, chaotic, genuinely scary place--happens to be the current residence of one Roscuro (Dustin Hoffman), a peaceful sort whose shenanigans in the human world have accidentally led to the death of the Queen, the imprisonment of the Princess (Emma Watson), and, worst of all, the banning of Soup Day (no small deal) and the end of soup itself! Roscuro and Despereaux join forces, inadvertently helped out by a homely but soft-hearted farm girl named Miggery Sow (Tracey Ullman), and, well, you can imagine how it all turns out. Directors Sam Fell and Robert Stevenhagen and scriptwriter Gary Ross (adapting Kate DiCamillo’s book) have concocted some vivid and interesting worlds for their film; the look is unusual, often washed out, muted, and bathed in hazy light; and the voice acting is excellent (others include William H. Macy, Kevin Kline, Stanley Tucci, and Frank Langella). All in all, despite a conclusion that’s confusing even while it’s predictable, The Tale of Despereaux is a worthy addition to the crowded animation field. --Sam Graham

Printable Coloring Page, Map & Despereaux ears from The Tale of Despereaux (Click for full size)
Coloring Page
Maze
Despereaux Ears


Stills from The Tale of Despereaux (Click for larger image)

Languages: English, French

Subtitles: English

Sound: Dolby

Summary: "I feel like I've been handed a new life," says Tom Ripley at a crucial turning point of this well-cast, stylishly crafted psychological thriller. And indeed he has, because the devious, impoverished Ripley (played with subtle depth by Matt Damon) has just traded his own identity for that of Dickie Greenleaf (Jude Law), the playboy heir to a shipping fortune who has become Ripley's model for a life worth living. Having been sent by Dickie's father to retrieve the errant son from Italy, Ripley has smoothly ingratiated himself with Dickey and his lovely, unsuspecting fiancée, Marge (Gwyneth Paltrow). In due course, the sheer evil of Ripley's amoral scheme will be revealed.
Superbly adapted from the acclaimed novel by Patricia Highsmith (also the basis of the acclaimed French version, "Purple Noon"), "The Talented Mr. Ripley" is writer-director Anthony Minghella's impressive follow-up to his Oscar-winning triumph "The English Patient". Re-creating late-1950s Italy in exacting detail, the film captures the sensuousness of "la dolce vita" while suspensefully developing the fracturing of Ripley's mind as his crimes grow increasingly desperate. And where Hitchcock was necessarily discreet with the homosexual subtext of Highsmith's "Strangers on a Train", Minghella brings it out of the closet, increasing the dramatic tension and complexity of Ripley's psychological breakdown. Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Cate Blanchett are excellent in pivotal supporting roles, and the film's final image is utterly effective: Ripley's talents have gone too far, and this study of class distinction, obsession, and deadly desire reaches a disturbing yet richly appropriate conclusion. "--Jeff Shannon"

Languages: English

Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo

Summary: The ever-swinging Baloo from "Disney's Jungle Book" has taken up flying and is now the proud pilot of his very own bush plane--problem is, Baloo's laid-back, "work only when you want to" attitude is definitely not conducive to running a thriving business. Add in a young orphan bear named Kit Cloudkicker who's befriended Baloo and stolen a valuable treasure from a band of pirates led by the evil Don Karnage and a newly graduated business major Rebecca Cunningham who's recently purchased the deeds to Baloo's plane and cabin, and you've got an animated series that simply explodes with adventure and conflict. This three-disc, animated DVD set includes the 1990 four-part television pilot and 23 additional one and two-part episodes. The plots encompass everything from piracy and circus performing, to childrearing, oil shortages, and the unexpected importance of good spelling, but what always remains constant is Baloo's willingness to stand up and fight for his friends and what is right, even in the face of the toughest enemy. Throughout his adventures, Baloo also encounters many old acquaintances from the jungle including the corporate maverick Shere Kahn and the ever-cool nightclub operator Louie. (Ages 3 to 10) "--Tami Horiuchi"

Languages: English

Subtitles: French

Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo

Summary: High adventure in the skies and on the ground are a daily occurrence for "Jungle Book's" Baloo in this second volume of 27 Disney "Talespin" episodes. Baloo, his sidekick Kit Cloudkicker, boss Rebecca Cunningham, and mechanic Wildcat operate a fledgling airplane charter service "Higher for Hire" that's continually on the brink of bankruptcy and is seemingly destined to land one complicated job after another. From archeological digs sabotaged by evil villains to treasure hunts-gone-wrong, half-baked money-making business schemes, Baloo's return to school, and some crazy schemes to preserve the idealism of childhood for Kit and Rebecca's young daughter Molly, Baloo and the gang can consistently be counted upon to become entangled in one sticky situation after another. Friend Louie the swinging nightclub operator is an integral part of several episodes as is the evil Don Carnage and the formidable Shere Khan. A host of new characters include old-time flyer Joe McGee, woman archeologist Katie Dodd, the dastardly Thaddeus Klang, and the Queen of Walla Walla Bing Bang. Baloo's comical bumbling and uncompromising resolve to stand up for his friends make this is a fun adventure series with a nice message about friendship. (Ages 3 - 10) "--Tami Horiuchi"

Languages: English, French

Subtitles: Chinese, English, French, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish

Sound: Dolby

Summary: Sweet baby Jesus, we thank you for blessing Will Ferrell and Adam McKay with the talent to create a NASCAR comedy as hilarious as "Talladega Nights". The so-called ""Ballad of Ricky Bobby"" is hardly flawless in fact it's not always firing on all cylinders but with comedy star Ferrell and director McKay still hot from the success of their previous comedy hit "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy", most of this 108-minute spoof of oval-track racing is so knee-slappin' funny that you can't help but surrender to the stupidity.



































Obviously, Ferrell's the shining star, and his portrayal of lead-footed pit-crew-member-turned-#1 NASCAR champion Ricky "I Wanna Go Fast" Bobby (how can you not love that name?) is spot-on perfect, righteously spoofing the entirety of NASCAR culture without insulting its oft-ridiculed roots in redneck bootlegging of a bygone era. You could even argue that Talladega Nights is truer to NASCAR than Tom Cruise's "Days of Thunder", and it's certainly more entertaining, especially when you add John C. Reilly as Ricky's life-long pal, teammate, and eventual rival Cal Naughton, Jr. (together they're nicknamed "Shake 'n Bake"), and Sacha Baron Cohen (from "Da Ali G Show" and "Borat") as gay French "Formula Un" driver-turned NASCAR rival Jean Girrard, to a stellar cast including Molly Shannon, Greg Germann, Amy Adams and Michael Clarke Duncan.













Sure, it's mostly a showcase for Ferrell's loud, over-the-top antics and nonsensical non sequiturs (like cameo appearances by Elvis Costello and Mos Def), but with Ferrell behind the wheel, "Talladega Nights" rolls into victory lane with fuel to spare, and there's one final bit of comedy (with a tip of the hat to William Faulkner) for those who sit through the credits. --"Jeff Shannon"














Stills from "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby"(click for larger image)

















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More Films by Will Ferrell

Summary: Taming, Training & Tricks Volume 1 Dvd! Chet & David Womach. From the back: Millions of people worldwide struggle with their parrots' behavioral problems. And from this day forward there are no longer any excuses to have problems with your parrots. Chet & Dave Womach walk you through step by step as they take untamed, and untrained birds, and show you in real time the exact steps they used to tame and train their parrots into little star performers.

Languages: English, Spanish, French

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Sound: AC-3

Summary: Disney's 50th full-length animated feature film, "Tangled" is a visually appealing, music-filled adventure full of romance and humor. The movie focuses on Rapunzel, a girl with long magical hair who's lived her entire life imprisoned in a tower by her greedy mother. Naturally optimistic and acquiescent, Rapunzel (Mandy Moore) rarely complains about her circumstances, but for her 18th birthday she longs to leave the tower to see the floating lights that appear every year on her birthday. Her mother (Donna Murphy) refuses her request, but when thief Flynn Ryder (Zachary Levi) climbs the tower to escape his pursuers, Rapunzel (once she's conked him on the head with a skillet multiple times) impulsively decides to trust the young man and convinces him to help her escape to see the floating lights. Thus begins a journey that alternates quite schizophrenically between optimistic excitement and guilty remorse that will ultimately change Rapunzel's and Flynn's lives forever. "Tangled" is a masterful blend of humor, adventure, passion, and drama combined with a great musical score and top-notch animation. The Real 3-D effects add to the experience but probably won't really be missed in other formats. Best of all, Disney presents a princess who matures from a meek and compliant girl into a spunky young woman who's not afraid to pursue her dreams and risk it all for love--now that's a Disney princess worth emulating. (Ages 6 and older) "--Tami Horiuchi"

Languages: English, French, Spanish

Subtitles: Spanish

Sound: Dolby

Summary: After viewing "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs", Edgar Rice Burroughs wrote to Walt Disney about adapting his novel of an ape-man into a feature animated cartoon. Sixtysome years later, the tale is finally told with brilliant design work that looks unlike any previous animated film. The story is a natural for Disney since the themes of misunderstood central figures have been at the heart of its recent hits. Disney's "Tarzan" doesn't wander far from the familiar story of a shipwrecked baby who is brought up by apes in Africa. What gives the film its zing is its clever use of music (the songs are sung by Phil Collins himself rather than onscreen characters) and the remarkable animation. Deep Canvas, a 3-D technology, was developed for the film, creating a jungle that comes alive as Tarzan swings through the trees, often looking like a modern skateboarder racing down giant tree limbs. The usual foray of sidekicks, including a rambunctious ape voiced by Rosie O'Donnell, should keep the little ones aptly entertained. The two lead voices, Tony Goldwyn as Tarzan and Minnie Driver as Jane, are inspired choices. Their chemistry helps the story through the weakest points (the last third) and makes Tarzan's initial connection with all things human (including Jane) delicious entertainment. Disney still is not taking risks in its animated films, but as cookie-cutter entertainment, "Tarzan" makes a pretty good treat. (Ages 5 and up) "--Doug Thomas"

Languages: English, French

Subtitles: English, Spanish, French

Sound: AC-3

Summary: "Taxi Driver" is the definitive cinematic portrait of loneliness and alienation manifested as violence. It is as if director Martin Scorsese and screenwriter Paul Schrader had tapped into precisely the same source of psychological inspiration ("I just knew I had to make this film," Scorsese would later say), combined with a perfectly timed post-Watergate expression of personal, political, and societal anxiety. Robert De Niro, as the tortured, ex-Marine cab driver Travis Bickle, made movie history with his chilling performance as one of the most memorably intense and vividly realized characters ever committed to film. Bickle is a self-appointed vigilante who views his urban beat as an intolerable cesspool of blighted humanity. He plays guardian angel for a young prostitute (Jodie Foster), but not without violently devastating consequences. This masterpiece, which is not for all tastes, is sure to horrify some viewers, but few could deny the film's lasting power and importance. "--Jeff Shannon"

Languages: English, French

Subtitles: Chinese, English, French, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish

Sound: Dolby

Summary: While it offers nothing new to the military action genre, "Tears of the Sun" distinguishes itself with fine acting, expert craftsmanship, and seriousness of purpose. Its familiar "extraction mission" plot is essentially similar to that of "Black Hawk Down", involving a crack team of U.S. Special Ops commandos struggling to rescue innocent missionaries amidst the bloody horror of Nigerian ethnic cleansing. With Bruce Willis as their grizzled, no-nonsense commander, the skillful team enters a hot zone that gets even hotter when their "package"--an American national (Monica Bellucci) who runs the isolated mission--demands that 70 Nigerian villagers be included in the rescue. Willis's uneasy conscience leads him to defy orders and expand his mission, and in an ambitious follow up to "Training Day", director Antoine Fuqua escalates tension and strike-force with considerable emotional impact. Originally considered as a potential entry in Willis's "Die Hard" series, and released on the eve of America's war with Iraq, "Tears of the Sun" admirably avoids jingoism with its rousing story of personal good vs. political evil. "--Jeff Shannon"

Languages: English, French

Subtitles: English, French

Sound: Dolby

Summary: While it offers nothing new to the military action genre, "Tears of the Sun" distinguishes itself with fine acting, expert craftsmanship, and seriousness of purpose. Its familiar "extraction mission" plot is essentially similar to that of "Black Hawk Down", involving a crack team of U.S. Special Ops commandos struggling to rescue innocent missionaries amidst the bloody horror of Nigerian ethnic cleansing. With Bruce Willis as their grizzled, no-nonsense commander, the skillful team enters a hot zone that gets even hotter when their "package"--an American national (Monica Bellucci) who runs the isolated mission--demands that 70 Nigerian villagers be included in the rescue. Willis's uneasy conscience leads him to defy orders and expand his mission, and in an ambitious follow up to "Training Day", director Antoine Fuqua escalates tension and strike-force with considerable emotional impact. Originally considered as a potential entry in Willis's "Die Hard" series, and released on the eve of America's war with Iraq, "Tears of the Sun" admirably avoids jingoism with its rousing story of personal good vs. political evil. "--Jeff Shannon"

Languages: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish, French

Sound: Dolby

Summary: Romance is the most powerful spell of all or so one teenager learns in this fun teen fantasy starring Robyn Lively ("Chicago Hope"), Zelda Rubinstein (the Poltergeist trilogy), Dan Gauthier ("Beverly Hills, 90210") and Dick Sargent ("Bewitched"). Filled with sweet-natured comedy and supernatural appeal, Teen Witch will work its magic on you! Louise (Lively) is a shy misfit with a huge crush onand no chance of datingBrad (Gauthier), the hunky star of the high school football team. And when Louise discovers on her 16th birthday that she's descended from Salem witches, she uses her newfound powers to become the most popular girl on campus! But when sparks fly between her and Brad, how can she be sure it's true love and that he's not simply spellbound?

Languages: English, Spanish

Subtitles: English, Spanish, French

Sound: Dolby

Summary: "Teen Wolf" is a flip-flop of the horrorific "I Was a Teenage Werewolf" story: this time, lycanthropy makes the afflicted high-schooler a big man on campus. An otherwise routine teen comedy, this one works because of the customary bounce of Michael J. Fox, in one of his first leading roles (it was shot before "Back to the Future" but released in that blockbuster's wake, and cashed in nicely). Although his werewolf makeup makes him look more like Bigfoot than Lon Chaney, Jr., Fox manages to convey his peppy personality even under all that hair. "Teen Wolf Too", however, is not even bearable. Here Fox is replaced by Jason Bateman, who finds that his wolfish inclination helps him become the big dog on the college boxing team. The sole bright spot is veteran actor Paul Sand as the boxing coach. The rest is howlingly unfunny. "- -Robert Horton"

Languages: English, French

Subtitles: English, Spanish, French

Sound: Dolby

Summary: You can chalk it up to good timing and a heavy dose of video-game synergy, but this 1990 hit remains the box-office champ of independent films, with a total gross of $135 million. Of course the Turtles, who hatched as comic book characters, are also the stars of a phenomenally successful Nintendo video game, so it was a given that the movie would be a hit with its target audience of rabid young video addicts. This is what comic books fans call "the origin story," in which we learn how a foursome of small turtles were mutated by a green radioactive goo and turned into human-sized turtle crime fighters. Their large rodent mentor, Splinter, teaches them to master the martial arts. They're also gifted pop musicians, by the way (think of them as amphibious Spice Guys), so they can rock the house while they're cracking a crime wave with the help of their cute friend and television reporter April O'Neil (Judith Hoag). The script is terrible, of course, but countless millions of children don't seem to care, as long as the Turtles keep ordering pizza and dispensing their wisecracking brand of justice. "--Jeff Shannon"

Languages: English

Sound: Unknown

Summary: The 1987 debut season of the wildly popular Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' first animated TV series finally arrives in its entirety on this single disc. And while it's a pleasure to have these long-unavailable episodes in DVD format, the set's lackluster presentation and paltry extras also make it a disappointment for those hoping for a more expansive release. "Volume One" contains the five-episode "miniseries" that comprised the debut season and explained the Turtles' origins; the episodes are presented with opening and closing credits, though offered as single chapters on the disc. The "bonus" material is four episodes from the series' tenth and final season, which were largely unseen in the U.S. (though some U.K. viewers may have caught them). While interesting from a completist perspective, their inclusion clashes somewhat with the first-season episodes, as the series' look and tone had changed considerably by this point. And when combined with the disc's overall lack of quality picture and sound (video masters appear to have been used), "Volume One" represents something of a missed opportunity for TMNT fans; however, having the first season on a single disc may be an acceptable trade. "--Paul Gaita"

Languages: English

Sound: Dolby

Summary: TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: SEASON TWO (DVD MOVIE)

Languages: English

Summary: 12 episodes from Season 3 of the Original TV Series: Beneath These Streets, Turtles on Trial, Attack of the 50 Foot Irma, Maltese Hamster, Sky Turtles, Old Switcheroo, Burne's Blues, Fifth Turtle, Enter the Rat King, Turtles At the Earth's Core, April's Fool, and Attack of Big MACC

Languages: English

Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo

Summary: Includes 12 episodes from Season 3 of the Original TV Series

Languages: English

Summary: Dishing up Season 5 in 3 hot DVDs! Dudes! Your order for hot and fresh kung-fu adventures is ready. In 18 wicked episodes from the original series, Leonardo, Michaelangelo, Raphael, and Donatello deliver totally radical mutant action right to your door - and all the tasty extras you want are included. Cowabunga! Any way you slice it, their way of saving the day is gnarly.

Languages: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish, French

Sound: English Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo

Comments: Heroes in a half shell!

Summary: The Turtles are back with 12 action-packed episodes from the original TV series!! Episdoes include: The Turtle Terminator, The Great Boldini, The Missing Map, The Gang's All Here, The Grybyx, Mr. Ogg Goes to Town, Shredderville, Bye, Bye Fly, The Big Rip-Off, The Big Break-In, The Big Blow Out amd Plan 6 from Outer Space.

Languages: English

Sound: Dolby

Summary: Break out of your shell with the Complete Season 8 in these ninja-powered adventures. The Green Machine is back with heart-pounding , pizza-munching, right-outta-the-sewer ninja action! The gang’s all here – Michelangelo™, Leonardo™, Raphael™, and Donatello™, and their wise sensei, Splinter – as they battle enemies from our time, and beyond, to protect the citizens of the city they call home, even banishing archenemies, Shredder™ and Krang™, to Dimension X™. Discover the intriguing, darker atmosphere and new theme song that defined this groundbreaking season. These eight dynamic adventures will get your pulse pumping with mutant power! Cowabunga, dudes! Eight radical episodes include: "Get Shredder!" "Wrath of the Rat King," "State of Shock," "Cry H.A.V.O.C.!" "H.A.V.O.C. in the Streets," "Enter: Krakus," "Cyber-Turtles," and "Turtle Trek."

Languages: English

Subtitles: English

Sound: Dolby

Summary: The evil Shredder believes he's found what gives the turtles their power and proceeds to create dangerous mutants. Armed with Professor Perry's anti-mutant antidote, it's up to the crime fighting turtles and a pizza delivery boy to conquer these mutants.

Languages: English

Subtitles: English

Sound: Dolby

Summary: Everybody's favorite giant turtles travel through time and space to feudal Japan to rescue their plucky sidekick April, when a golden sword accidentally causes her to switch places with a rebellious samurai.

Languages: English, French

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Summary: Cowabunga, Dudes! Blu-ray Collection Includes All 4 Films with Radical Extras and Collectibles! Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Turtles in Time, and TMNT.

Languages: English, French, Japanese

Subtitles: English, Spanish

Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1

Summary: The best part of the video game "Tekken" has always been an animated prelude that sets the stage before you start drop-kicking your opponent's head. So it seemed natural to extend it into a movie, brought to life with artful anime illustration and an alt-rock soundtrack. All of your favorite "Tekken" characters are here as they battle their way through each other to win the Iron Fist tournament, where fighters of unequaled strength from around the world gather to test their strength in the gladitorial arena. Of course, intrigue and danger abound, with professional assassins, champions of justice, and those whose prowess earns them fear and respect facing off. Also, many opponents have deadly hidden agendas. Watching this film is perhaps not as visceral as actually executing a flying face-smash on your own, but an anime thrill nonetheless. "--Tod Nelson"

Languages: English

Subtitles: English

Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround

Summary: Legendary silent film director Cecil B. DeMille didn't much alter the way he made movies after sound came in, and this 1956 biblical drama is proof of that. While graced with such 1950s niceties as VistaVision and Technicolor, "The Ten Commandments" (DeMille had already filmed an earlier version in 1923) has an anachronistic, impassioned style that finds lead actors Charlton Heston and Yul Brynner expressively posing while hundreds of extras writhe either in the presence of God's power or from orgiastic heat. DeMille, as always, plays both sides of the fence as far as sin goes, surrounding Heston's Moses with worshipful music and heavenly special effects while also making the sexy action around the cult of the Golden Calf look like fun. You have to see "The Ten Commandments" to understand its peculiar resonance as an old-new movie, complete with several still-impressive effects such as the parting of the Red Sea. "--Tom Keogh"

Languages: Bulgarian, English, French, Russian

Subtitles: English, Spanish, French

Sound: AC-3

Summary: Like an airport running at peak efficiency, "The Terminal" glides on the consummate skills of its director and star. Having refined their collaborative chemistry on "Saving Private Ryan" and "Catch Me if You Can", Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks mesh like the precision gears of a Rolex, turning a delicate, not-very-plausible scenario into a lovely modern-age fable (partly based on fact) that's both technically impressive and subtly moving. It's Spielberg in Capra mode, spinning the featherweight tale of Victor Navorski (Hanks, giving a finely tuned performance), an Eastern European who arrives at New York's Kennedy Airport just as his (fictional) homeland has fallen to a coup, forcing him, with no valid citizenship, to take indefinite residence in the airport's expansive International Arrivals Terminal (an astonishing full-scale set that inspires Spielberg's most elegant visual strategies). Spielberg said he made this film in part to alleviate the anguish of wartime America, and his master's touch works wonders on the occasionally mushy material; even Stanley Tucci's officious terminal director and Catherine Zeta-Jones's mixed-up flight attendant come off (respectively) as forgivable and effortlessly charming. With this much talent involved, "The Terminal" transcends its minor shortcomings to achieve a rare degree of cinematic grace. "--Jeff Shannon"

Languages: English, Spanish, French

Subtitles: Chinese, English, French, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish

Sound: AC-3

Summary: This is the film that cemented Schwarzenegger's spot in the action-brawn firmament, and it was well deserved. He's chilling as the futuristic cyborg who kills without fear, without love, without mercy. James Cameron's story and direction are pared to the bone and all the more creepy. But don't overlook the contributions of Linda Hamilton, who more than holds her own as the Terminator's would-be victim, Sarah Connor--thus creating, along with Sigourney Weaver in "Alien", a new generation of rugged, clear-thinking female action stars. It's surprising how well this film holds up, and how its minimalist, malevolent violence is actually way scarier than that of its far more expensive, more effects-laden sequel. "--Anne Hurley"

Languages: English, French, Spanish

Subtitles: English, Spanish, French

Sound: Dolby

Summary: This is the film that cemented Schwarzenegger's spot in the action-brawn firmament, and it was well deserved. He's chilling as the futuristic cyborg who kills without fear, without love, without mercy. James Cameron's story and direction are pared to the bone and all the more creepy. But don't overlook the contributions of Linda Hamilton, who more than holds her own as the Terminator's would-be victim, Sarah Connor--thus creating, along with Sigourney Weaver in "Alien", a new generation of rugged, clear-thinking female action stars. It's surprising how well this film holds up, and how its minimalist, malevolent violence is actually way scarier than that of its far more expensive, more effects-laden sequel. "--Anne Hurley"

Languages: English

Subtitles: English

Sound: Dolby

Summary: After he pushed the envelope of computer-generated special effects in "The Abyss", director James Cameron turned this hotly anticipated sequel to "Terminator" into a well-written, action-packed showcase for advanced special effects and for one of the most invincible villains ever imagined. "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" is a legitimate sequel: there's more story to tell about a hulking, leather-clad android (Arnold Schwarzenegger) who arrives from the future to protect a rebellious teenager and future leader (Edward Furlong) from being killed by the tenacious T-1000 robot (Robert Patrick), whose liquid-metal construction makes him seemingly unstoppable. The fate of the future lies in the balance, with Linda Hamilton (who would later marry her director) reprising her role as the rugged woman whose son will change the course of history. "--Jeff Shannon"

Languages: English

Subtitles: Spanish

Sound: Dolby

Summary: After he pushed the envelope of computer-generated special effects in "The Abyss", director James Cameron turned this hotly anticipated sequel to "Terminator" into a well-written, action-packed showcase for advanced special effects and for one of the most invincible villains ever imagined. "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" is a legitimate sequel: there's more story to tell about a hulking, leather-clad android (Arnold Schwarzenegger) who arrives from the future to protect a rebellious teenager and future leader (Edward Furlong) from being killed by the tenacious T-1000 robot (Robert Patrick), whose liquid-metal construction makes him seemingly unstoppable. The fate of the future lies in the balance, with Linda Hamilton (who would later marry her director) reprising her role as the rugged woman whose son will change the course of history. "--Jeff Shannon"

Languages: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish

Sound: Dolby

Summary: After he pushed the envelope of computer-generated special effects in "The Abyss", director James Cameron turned this hotly anticipated sequel to "Terminator" into a well-written, action-packed showcase for advanced special effects and for one of the most invincible villains ever imagined. "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" is a legitimate sequel: there's more story to tell about a hulking, leather-clad android (Arnold Schwarzenegger) who arrives from the future to protect a rebellious teenager and future leader (Edward Furlong) from being killed by the tenacious T-1000 robot (Robert Patrick), whose liquid-metal construction makes him seemingly unstoppable. The fate of the future lies in the balance, with Linda Hamilton (who would later marry her director) reprising her role as the rugged woman whose son will change the course of history. "--Jeff Shannon"

Languages: English, French

Subtitles: English, Spanish, French

Sound: AC-3

Summary: With a reported budget of $172 million, "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines" starts in high gear and never slows down. The apocalyptic "Judgment Day" of "T2" was never prevented, only postponed: John Connor (Nick Stahl, replacing "T2"'s Edward Furlong), now 22 and disconnected from society, is being pursued yet again, this time by the advanced T-X, a sleek "Terminatrix" (coldly expressionless Kristanna Loken) programmed to stop Connor from becoming the savior of humankind. Originally programmed as an assassin, a disadvantaged T-101 cyborg (Arnold Schwarzenegger, bidding fond farewell to his signature role) arrives from the future to join Connor and his old acquaintance Kate (Claire Danes) in thwarting the T-X's relentless pursuit. The plot presents a logical fulfillment of "T2" prophesy, disposing of Connor's mother (Linda Hamilton is sorely missed) while computer-driven machines assume control, launching a nuclear nightmare that Connor must survive. With "Breakdown" and "U-571" serving as worthy rehearsals for this cautionary epic of mass destruction, director Jonathan Mostow wisely avoids any stylistic connection to James Cameron's "Terminator" classics; instead he's crafted a fun, exciting popcorn thriller, humorous and yet still effectively nihilistic, and comparable to "Jurassic Park III" in returning the "Terminator" franchise to its potent B-movie roots. "--Jeff Shannon"

Languages: English

Sound: Dolby

Summary: With a reported budget of $172 million, "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines" starts in high gear and never slows down. The apocalyptic "Judgment Day" of "T2" was never prevented, only postponed: John Connor (Nick Stahl, replacing "T2"'s Edward Furlong), now 22 and disconnected from society, is being pursued yet again, this time by the advanced T-X, a sleek "Terminatrix" (coldly expressionless Kristanna Loken) programmed to stop Connor from becoming the savior of humankind. Originally programmed as an assassin, a disadvantaged T-101 cyborg (Arnold Schwarzenegger, bidding fond farewell to his signature role) arrives from the future to join Connor and his old acquaintance Kate (Claire Danes) in thwarting the T-X's relentless pursuit. The plot presents a logical fulfillment of "T2" prophesy, disposing of Connor's mother (Linda Hamilton is sorely missed) while computer-driven machines assume control, launching a nuclear nightmare that Connor must survive. With "Breakdown" and "U-571" serving as worthy rehearsals for this cautionary epic of mass destruction, director Jonathan Mostow wisely avoids any stylistic connection to James Cameron's "Terminator" classics; instead he's crafted a fun, exciting popcorn thriller, humorous and yet still effectively nihilistic, and comparable to "Jurassic Park III" in returning the "Terminator" franchise to its potent B-movie roots. "--Jeff Shannon"

Languages: English, French, Spanish

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Sound: DTS-HD High Res Audio

Summary: Terminator Salvation restores some of the balance of huge freakin' explosions and emotionally compelling plot to the Terminator series. Set entirely after the nuclear assault that left the computer system Skynet in control of the world, Terminator Salvation follows John Connor (Christian Bale) as he grapples with both murderous robots and his superiors in the resistance, who aren’t sure they believe the prophecies that Connor is destined to save humanity. Into the midst of this struggle tumbles Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington, who would later star in James Cameron’s Avatar); the last thing he remembers was being executed in prison decades before. Baffled, he falls into company with Kyle Reese (Anton Yelchin, Star Trek) and a mute little girl, who soon get captured--but Wright then meets and bonds with Blair Williams (Moon Bloodgood, Eight Below), a resistance fighter who remains loyal to the confused Wright even though Connor suspects he’s not what he seems--or what he believes himself to be. Terminator Salvation isn’t the astonishing synthesis of action and feeling that either The Terminator or T2 were; the plot threads are poorly woven and fray completely in the last third of the movie. Despite this, Terminator Salvation has at least two skillfully orchestrated action sequences that will get your heart racing, and Worthington’s beguiling mixture of toughness and vulnerability gives his relationship with Bloodgood a genuine pulse. It’s imperfect, but compared with the hollow carcasses that most action movies (including Terminator 3) turn out to be, it’s worth seeing. --Bret Fetzer

Languages: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish

Sound: AC-3

Summary: The 2003 version of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" adheres to the pure and simple slasher movie formula: Introduce a gaggle of sexy young people, make vague gestures to distinguish them--Jessica Biel ("Summer Catch") wants to get married and doesn't like pot, so she's our moral compass--then start hacking them to pieces one by one. The visual palette includes grimy crucified dolls, fly-specked pig carcasses, body parts floating in murky jars, a tobacco-chewing redneck sheriff, and many slender beams of sunlight cutting through dank, dusty interiors. The camera lovingly photographs Biel's tank-topped bosom and sculpted abs as she's running in terror from a bloated, chainsaw-wielding, human-skin-wearing maniac. This remake lacks the macabre comedy of the original; it's all about the nauseating sensation of waiting for something to jump out of the dark. Also featuring Eric Balfour ("Six Feet Under") and R. Lee Ermey ("Full Metal Jacket", "Mail Call"). "--Bret Fetzer"

Languages: English

Summary: This sensational, extremely influential, 1974 low-budget horror movie directed by Tobe Hooper ("Poltergeist", "Lifeforce", "Salem's Lot"), may be notorious for its title, but it's also a damn fine piece of moviemaking. And it's blood-curdling scary, too. Loosely based on the true crimes of Ed Gein (also a partial inspiration for "Psycho"), the original Jeffrey Dahmer, "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" follows a group of teenagers who pick up a hitchhiker and wind up in a backwoods horror chamber where they're held captive, tortured, chopped up, and impaled on meat hooks by a demented cannibalistic family, including a character known as Leatherface who maniacally wields one helluva chainsaw. The movie's powerful sense of dread is heightened by its grainy, semi-documentary style--but it also has a wicked sense of humor (and not that camp, self-referential variety that became so tiresome in subsequent horror films of the '70s, '80s, and '90s). OK, in case you couldn't tell, it's "not for everyone." But as a landmark in the development of the horror/slasher genre, it ranks with "Psycho", "Halloween", and "A Nightmare on Elm Street". "--Jim Emerson"

Languages: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish

Sound: AC-3

Summary: "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning" is a prequel to the recent remake of Tobe Hooper's classic 1974 splatter film, with an emphasis on the vogue for torture and bottomless depravity that characterize contemporary horror. As one might expect, "The Beginning" is just that, an origins tale about the Hewitt family of backwoods Texas. Step by step, we discover the source of their taste for human flesh, penchant for snaring young people passing through, and, most of all, how young Leatherface (Andrew Bryniarski) came to choose his favorite power tool and wear a mask made of someone else’s flesh. R. Lee Ermey is very effective in his perverse authority figure mode as Hoyt, the lawman who earned his badge through unorthodox means and now supplies specialized food to the Lone Star cannibals. Much less interesting than Hooper's two "Massacre" films, "The Beginning" (on which Hooper has a production credit) is not so much a tribute to the films he directed but a more sadistic continuation of the franchise. "--Tom Keogh"

Languages: English, Spanish

Subtitles: English, Spanish, French

Sound: AC-3

Summary: As the saying goes, Aaron Eckhart was born to play Nick Naylor, the 30-something "voice of Big Tobacco" in this brazen satire of corporate profits and what lobbyists will do to protect them. Right from the opening, Eckhart is in spin mode, turning the tables on a popular talk show when he states health officials want a young teen stricken by cancer to die more than big tobacco does, since the boy would be a martyr to them, but only a single lost customer to the industry. Audiences gasp, panelists guffaw, and the kid happily shakes Nick's hand. The Academy of Tobacco Studies has a colorful array of folks surrounding Nick, including his cantankerous boss (J.K. Simmons) and the Colonel (Robert Duvall), tobacco's undisputed leader. His closet friends are lobbyists for guns (David Koechner) and alcohol (Maria Bello) who discuss their odd businesses over regular lunches, but when a cutie-pie reporter (Katie Holmes) swings into Nick's life, things begin to unravel. Based on Christopher Buckley's even more outlandish novel, "Thank You for Smoking" is a bright light for the filmgoer tired of gutless films formulated by committee, and first-time filmmaker Jason Reitman has expertly cast the film, which includes deft turns by William H. Macy and Sam Elliot. Nick's son, a throwaway in the novel, becomes a major influence here in Nick's development and a key student of Naylorisms such as, "If you argue correctly, then you're never wrong," though a father and son trip to Hollywood to visit an uber agent (Rob Lowe at his most suave) demonstrates how the inclusion of the son both helps and hurts the film. Book fans will miss the wicked plot turn, but the final result is a sharp and smart comedy deserving of a long, savory drag. "--Doug Thomas"

Languages: English, French

Subtitles: English, Spanish

Sound: Dolby

Summary: Tom Hanks's debut as a writer and director is a lively, affectionate account of the shooting-star career of a forgotten (fictional) '60s pop-rock band called The Wonders--as in "one-hit wonders." Hanks plays the manager of the group, which includes drummer Guy "Sticks" Patterson (Tom Everett Scott) who works the floor at his parents' appliance store in Erie, Pennsylvania; Jimmy (Johnathon Schaech), the talented and temperamental lead singer and songwriter; Lenny (Steve Zahn), the goofy guitarist; and Ethan Embry as a geeky little fellow identified in the cast list only as "The Bass Player." The movie traces their meteoric rise and fall, from cutting their first record, to going on tour with a Phil Spector/Motown-type revue, to the internal tensions that lead to the band's disintegration, which comes when they fail to follow up their smash hit single, "That Thing You Do!" And that song, by the way, is so catchy it would definitely have been a hit in 1964--and deserves to be one today. This delightful movie would make a great double-bill with Allison Anders's wonderful "Grace of My Heart". "--Jim Emerson"

Languages: English, French, Spanish

Subtitles: English, Spanish, French, Portuguese

Sound: Dolby

Summary: "Thelma & Louise" is a feminist manifesto writ large on the big screen, a smart and funny gender reversal of the standard Hollywood buddy formula, a road movie extraordinaire, with characters who became instant cultural icons. No matter how you define it, Ridley Scott's 1991 box-office hit pinched a nerve and made the cover of national news magazines for tweaking gender politics like no movie before or since. Callie Khouri's screenplay overhauls the buddy formula with its story about two best friends (Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis) who embark on a liberating adventure that turns into an interstate police chase after a traumatic incident makes both women into fugitives; they are en route to a destiny they could never have imagined. The perfect casting of Sarandon and Davis makes "Thelma & Louise" a movie for the ages, and Brad Pitt became an overnight star after his appearance as the con-artist cowboy who gives Davis a memorable (but costly) night in a roadside motel. "--Jeff Shannon"

Languages: English, French, Spanish

Subtitles: English, Spanish, French

Sound: Dolby

Summary: Unmistakably a shot at greatness, Paul Thomas Anderson's "There Will Be Blood" succeeds in wild, explosive ways. The film digs into nothing less than the sources of peculiarly American kinds of ambition, corruption, and industry--and makes exhilarating cinema from it all. Although inspired by Upton Sinclair's 1927 novel "Oil!", Anderson has crafted his own take on the material, focusing on a black-eyed, self-made oilman named Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis), whose voracious appetite for oil turns him into a California tycoon in the early years of the 20th century. The early reels are a mesmerizing look at the getting of oil from the ground, an intensely physical process that later broadens into Plainview's equally indomitable urge to control land and power. Curious, diverting episodes accumulate during Plainview's rise: a mighty derrick fire (a bravura opportunity that Anderson, with the aid of cinematographer Robert Elswit, does not fail to meet), a visit from a long-lost brother (Kevin J. O'Connor), the ongoing involvement of Plainview's poker-faced adoptive son (Dillon Freasier). As the film progresses, it gravitates toward Plainview's rivalry with the local representative of God, a preacher named Eli Sunday (brimstone-spitting Paul Dano); religion and capitalism are thus presented not so much as opposing forces but as two sides of the same coin. And the worm in the apple here is less man's greed than his vanity. Anderson's offbeat take on all this--exemplified by the astonishing musical score by Jonny Greenwood--occasionally threatens to break the film apart, but even when it founders, it excites. As for Daniel Day-Lewis, his performance is Olivier-like in its grand scope and its attention to details of behavior; Plainview speaks in the rum-rich voice of John Huston, and squints with the wariness of Walter Huston. It's a fearsome performance, and the engine behind the film's relentless power. "--Robert Horton"

Languages: English, Spanish, French

Subtitles: English, Spanish

Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1

Summary: "There's Something About Mary" is one of the funniest movies in years, recalling the days of the Zucker-Abraham-Zucker movies, in which (often tasteless) gags were piled on at a fierce rate. The difference is that cowriters and codirectors Bobby and Peter Farrelly have also crafted a credible story line and even tossed in some genuine emotional content. The Farrelly brothers' first two movies, "Dumb and Dumber" and "Kingpin", had some moments of uproarious raunch, but were uneven. With "Mary", they've created a consistently hilarious romantic comedy, made all the funnier by the fact that you know that they know that some of their gags go way over the line.
Cameron Diaz stars as Mary, every guy's ideal. Ben Stiller plays a high-school suitor still hung up on Mary years later; the obstacles standing between him and her include a number of psychotic suitors, a miserable little pooch, and, oh yeah, a murder charge. The Farrellys' admittedly simplistic camera work, which adapts easily to a TV screen, and the fact that you'll likely laugh yourself so silly over certain scenes you'll want to replay them to see what you were missing while you were busy convulsing, make this a perfect video movie. "--David Kronke"

Languages: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish

Sound: Dolby

Summary: One of the cinema's great disappearing acts came to a close with the release of "The Thin Red Line" in late 1998. Terrence Malick, the cryptic recluse who withdrew from Hollywood visibility after the release of his visually enthralling masterpiece "Days of Heaven" (1978), returned to the director's chair after a 20-year coffee break. Malick's comeback vehicle is a fascinating choice: a wide-ranging adaptation of a World War II novel (filmed once before, in 1964) by James Jones. The battle for Guadalcanal Island gives Malick an opportunity to explore nothing less than the nature of life, death, God, and courage. Let that be a warning to anyone expecting a conventional war flick; Malick proves himself quite capable of mounting an exciting action sequence, but he's just as likely to meander into pure philosophical noodling--or simply let the camera contemplate the first steps of a newly birthed tropical bird, the sinister skulk of a crocodile. This is not especially an actors' movie--some faces go by so quickly they barely register--but the standouts are bold: Nick Nolte as a career-minded colonel, Elias Koteas as a deeply spiritual captain who tries to protect his men, Ben Chaplin as a G.I. haunted by lyrical memories of his wife. The backbone of the film is the ongoing discussion between a wry sergeant (Sean Penn) and an ethereal, almost holy private (newcomer Jim Caviezel). The picture's sprawl may be a result of Malick's method of "finding" a film during shooting and editing, and in some ways "The Thin Red Line" seems vaguely, intriguingly incomplete. Yet it casts a spell like almost nothing else of its time, and Malick's visionary images are a challenge and a signpost to the rest of his filmmaking generation. "--Robert Horton"

Languages: English

Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1

Summary: After a foolproof scam turns sour, Jimmy the Saint (a soulful but miscast Andy Garcia, who mainly acts with his hair) and his hard-bitten crew must put their various sordid affairs in order before facing their final bloody curtain call. It's not nearly as clever as it thinks it is, but this terminally wise-ass (and extremely violent) caper flick is still one of the better post-Tarantino crime opuses, with some sharp dialogue, a scenery-chewing Christopher Walken (as a paraplegic archcriminal), and unhinged performances by Treat Williams and the obsequious Steve Buscemi that must be seen to be (dis)believed. Neophyte scripter Scott Rosenberg would later pen hipper-than-thou scripts for "Beautiful Girls", "Con Air", and "Armageddon", while director Gary Fleder moved on to the somewhat more reputable "Kiss the Girls". The tongue-twisting title is from a Warren Zevon song. "--Andrew Wright"

Languages: English

Sound: Dolby

Summary: When released in December 2000, "Thirteen Days" was pummeled for taking liberties with the facts of the Cuban missile crisis and smothering its compelling drama with phony Boston accents by its primary stars. More tolerant critics hailed it as one of the year's best films, and that's the opinion to believe for anyone who enjoys taut, intelligent political thrillers. For those too young to relate directly to the timeless urgency of the crisis that played out over 13 days in October 1962, "Thirteen Days" joins the classic TV treatment "The Missiles of October" (1973) as an intense and thought-provoking study of leadership under pressure.
The film (and costar-coproducer Kevin Costner) drew criticism for fictionally enhancing the White House role of presidential aide Kenneth O'Donnell, but while Costner's Boston accent may be grating, his fine performance as O'Donnell offers expert witness to the crisis, its nerve-wracking escalation, and the efforts of John F. Kennedy (Bruce Greenwood) and Robert F. Kennedy (Steven Culp) to negotiate a peaceful settlement with Russia. While Soviet missiles approach operational status in Cuba, director Roger Donaldson (who directed Costner in "No Way Out") cuts to exciting U.S. Navy flights over the missile site, ramping up the tension that history itself provided. Donaldson's occasional use of black and white is self-consciously distracting, and he's further guilty of allowing a shrillness (along with repetitive, ominous shots of nuclear explosions) to invade the urgency of David Self's screenplay. Still, as Hollywood history lessons go, "Thirteen Days" is riveting stuff. You may find yourself wondering what might happen if reality presented a repeat scenario under less intelligent leadership. "--Jeff Shannon"

Languages: English, French

Subtitles: English, Spanish, French

Sound: Dolby

Summary: Cool sets, gory make-up, and frantic energy are given high priority in this glossy remake of William Castle's 1960 haunted-house chiller. The original boasted its "Illusion-O" ghost-viewing gimmick, so this remake's producers--as they did with 1999's "The House on Haunted Hill"--up the ante on Castle's showmanship by spilling ample amounts of blood, guts, and ghoulish glory. The plot's essentially the same: An impoverished family inherits a luxurious haunted mansion, only this time it's an elaborate, maze-like mechanism of glass, gears, and Latin incantations--"designed by the devil and powered by the dead"--with a cellar full of tormented, undead souls. As the family (including Tony Shalhoub and "American Pie"'s Shannon Elizabeth) enlists the aid of a psychic ("Scream" alumnus Matthew Lillard) and a ghostbusting paranormal (Embeth Davidtz), this updated "13 Ghosts" grows loud and ludicrous, trading shocks for yuks and nuance for nonsense. It's fun, to a point, after which it's just exhausting. "--Jeff Shannon"

Languages: English, French

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Sound: Dolby

Summary: Robert De Niro gets top billing, but young Leonardo DiCaprio is the revelation of "This Boy's Life", an astute, often painful drama of growing up in the 1950s Pacific Northwest, based on the autobiographical novel by Tobias Woolf. DiCaprio plays Tobias, a good kid with a bad boy streak but an unwavering love for his divorced mother (Ellen Barkin). "I want to be a better boy," he promises from under a greasy pompadour, and tries to prove it when she marries single father Dwight (DeNiro), a bully who parents through intimidation and humiliation. DiCaprio is magnetic in his first starring role, full of anger, hope, and confusion as he drifts back to juvenile delinquency, and his intensity gives the true story of survival and triumph its charge. DeNiro is frightening and pathetic as Dwight, and Dwight's youngest daughter is played by future star and vampire slayer Eliza Dushku. "--Sean Axmaker"

Languages: English

Sound: Dolby

Summary: As it turns out, Kirby Dick's eye-opening documentary isn't rated. When he submitted it to the Motion Picture Association of America, they slapped it with an NC-17 (though he had always intended to release it unrated). This is fitting since he sheds much-needed light on the inner workings of a secretive organization that wields great power over the movies the public gets to see (since most mainstream media won't touch the dreaded NC-17). It's just as well since "This Film Is Not Yet Rated" focuses on the more controversial films of the past three decades. Aside from the stories of filmmakers who have tussled with the MPAA, Dick hires a private investigator to determine who sits on the board, since this information isn’t in the public domain. With her assistance, he solves the mystery. Directors include Darren Aronofsky ("Requiem for a Dream"), Mary Harron ("American Psycho"), and Kimberly Peirce ("Boys Don't Cry"). Though frequently humorous, "This Film Is Not Yet Rated" should be required viewing for serious film fans, because the MPAA doesn't just affect what gets seen--but what gets made. If it has a flaw, it's this: In his attempt to generate transparency, Dick ("Twist of Faith") arguably crosses the line. It's one thing to identify the board members; it's another to divulge their vital statistics. Whether or not these "guardians of morality" are working for the common good, they're still entitled to a little privacy. That said, this is vital stuff for anyone concerned about First Amendment issues. "--Kathleen C. Fennessy"

Languages: English, Spanish

Subtitles: English, Spanish

Sound: AC-3

Summary: Before he ever lifted his might hammer…Fantastic journeys beckon from the mysterious nine realms. Places of dark mists and fiery voids. Of winged creatures and giants in the ice. And of the most alluring quest of all – the search for the legendary Lost Sword of Surtur. Hungry for adventure, Thor secretly embarks on the journey of a lifetime, joined by his loyal brother Loki, whose budding sorcery equips him with just enough magic to conjure up trouble, along with the Warriors Three – a band of boastful travelers reluctant to set sail on any adventure that might actually be dangerous. But what starts out as a harmless treasure hunt quickly turns deadly, and Thor must now prove himself worthy of the destiny he covets by saving Asgard itself.

Languages: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish, French

Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo

Summary: Three Western stars (Martin Short, Steve Martin, Chevy Chase) from Hollywood silent films go to Mexico for what they assume will be a publicity appearance, and find they've actually been summoned to fight a local bandit. John Landis directed this 1986 comedy with self-conscious artifice, and it's hard to get into his self-congratulatory joke. Even the three main stars, brilliant comics all, can't sustain anything funny in it. "--Tom Keogh"

Languages: English, French, Spanish

Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono

Summary: As a Disney oddity, they don't get much odder than "Three Caballeros". Donald Duck receives a birthday package from South America, and the film proceeds to unravel like some peyote-induced hallucination. It starts out reminiscent of other Disney films, where shorts are cobbled together, such as "Make Mine Music" or "Fun and Fancy Free." The film has vignettes such as "The Cold-Blooded Penguin" and "The Flying Guachito." After them it careens straight into part-travelogue, part-stream-of-consciousness animation. Not helping out much are Donald's "friends," Joe Carioca (a parrot) and Panchito (a rooster). They spend most of the rest of the film watching Donald chase skirt. That's right, Donald Duck is a wolf in this movie, and he chases every live-action señorita who bustles across the screen. Although some will say otherwise, "Caballeros" is for die-hard Disney, Donald, or psychedelia fans only. "--Keith Simanton"

Languages: English

Sound: AC-3

Summary: A confident hybrid of "M*A*S*H", "Treasure of the Sierra Madre", and "Dr. Strangelove", "Three Kings" is one of the most seriously funny war movies ever made. Improving the premise of "Kelly's Heroes" with scathing intelligence, it explores the odd connection between war and consumerism in the age of Humvees and cellular phones. Writer-director David O. Russell's third film (after "Spanking the Monkey" and "Flirting with Disaster"), it's a no-holds-barred portrait of personal conscience in the volatile arena of politics, played out by one of the most gifted filmmakers to emerge in the 1990s.
George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, Ice Cube, and Spike Jonze (director of "Being John Malkovich") play a quartet of U.S. soldiers who, disillusioned by Operation Desert Storm, decide to steal $23 million in gold hijacked from Kuwait by Saddam Hussein's army. Getting the bullion out of an Iraqi stronghold is easy; keeping it is a potentially lethal proposition. By the end of their mercenary mission, the Americans can no longer ignore wartime atrocities (and neither can we--the film is boldly unflinching), and conscience demands their aid to Iraqi rebels abandoned by President George Bush's fickle wartime policy. This is serious stuff indeed, but Russell infuses "Three Kings" with a keen sense of the absurd, and the entire film is an exercise in breathtaking visual ingenuity. Despite a conventional ending that's mildly disappointing for such a brashly original film, "Three Kings" conveys the brutal madness of war while making you laugh out loud at the insanity. "--Jeff Shannon"

Languages: English, French, Spanish

Sound: AC-3

Summary: The unlikeliest heroes in any queen's court would have to be janitors Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy, who dream of adventure in Disney's animated feature "The Three Musketeers" and get their wish under dubious circumstances. Though the trio aspires to perform brave deeds on behalf of their monarch, Minnie Mouse (who pines for a fantasy beau that looks a lot like Mickey), they are held back as servants by the head Musketeer, Pete. What they don't know is that Pete secretly schemes to get rid of the queen but has, thus far, failed in his efforts. Desperate, he appoints Mickey and his bumbling friends guardians to Minnie--on the assumption she'll be all the more vulnerable--but underestimates their determined, if slapstick, resourcefulness. Good, classic Disney comedy meets storybook romance in this short (68 minutes) animated feature, which features songs and familiar melodies by Tchaikovsky, Strauss, and Beethoven. "--Tom Keogh"

Languages: English, French

Subtitles: English, French

Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1

Summary: James Bond's fourth adventure takes him to the Bahamas, where a NATO warplane with a nuclear payload has disappeared into the sea. Bond (Sean Connery) travels from a tony health spa (where he tangles with a mechanized masseuse run amuck) to the casinos of Nassau and soon picks up the trail of SPECTRE's number-two man, Emilio Largo (Adolfo Celi), and his beautiful mistress, Domino (Claudine Auger), whom Bond soon seduces to his side. Equipped with more gadgets than ever, courtesy of the resourceful "Q" (Desmond Llewelyn), agent 007 escapes an ambush with a personal-size jet pack and takes to the water as he searches for the undersea plane, battles Largo's pet sharks, and finally leads the battle against Largo's scuba-equipped henchmen in a spectacular underwater climax. This thrilling Bond entry became Connery's most successful outing in the series and was remade in 1983 as "Never Say Never Again", with Connery returning to the role after a 12-year hiatus. Tom Jones belts out the bold theme song to another classic Maurice Binder title sequence. "--Sean Axmaker"

Languages: English

Summary: In a distant galaxy, the world of Thundera is in crisis. The planet's structure has become unstable and is near collapse. With their destruction imminent, Thundera's denizens--known as the Thundercats--escape in a spaceship and plot a course for a new home. While in transit, the Thundercats are attacked by evil mutants and their craft is irreparably damaged. Jaga, the eldest Thundercat, sacrifices himself in order to pilot the ship safely to its destination: Third Earth.

Languages: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish, French

Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono

Summary: Did "Thundercats" producers Rankin/Bass ever consider that their '80s animated adventure series would become such a pop-culture touchstone decades later, with hip-hop artists dropping references to the show in the songs and comedians using Lion-O as a punchline? Probably not, but it certainly accounts for this massive second volume of episodes culled from the series' first season. Where volume 1's episodes focused on the Thundercats' escape from home planet Thundera, arrival on Third Earth, and struggle against Mumm-Ra and his mutant army with the help of the Sword of Omens, volume 2's 32 episodes focus on a series of challenges Lion-O must face in order to become the Lord of the Thundercats. Said trials pit the leader-in-training against his own compatriots: Lion-O must best Panthro in a strength challenge ("Trial of Strength"), outrace Cheetara ("The Trial of Speed"), make his way through a maze devised by WilyKit and WilyKat ("Trial of Cunning"), outwit Tygra in a battle of illusions ("The Trial of Mind Power"), and, finally, take on his deadliest foe, Mumm-Ra ("The Trial of Evil"). Of course, there are plenty of other colorful villains on hand to give Lion-O and his companions pause throughout the season, including appearances by hunter Safari Joe ("Fond Memories"), mutant robot the Driller ("Mechanical Plague"), and newcomers the Ice King ("Secret of the Ice King"), and the tiny terrors the Micrits ("The Micrits"), among numerous others. The episodes are spread over six discs, and are rounded out by a featurette on Thundercats' long-lasting appeal, which includes an interview with executive producer Arthur Rankin Jr. "--Paul Gaita"

Languages: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish, French

Sound: Dolby Digital 1.0

Summary: The epic "Thundercats" saga comes to a close with volume 1 of the top-rated Rankin-Bass animated series' second and final season. As with the premier season, the storylines in season 2 are nothing short of epic and filled with momentous changes, most immediate and notable being the decision to deliver the season in several multi-part episodes. First up is the five-parter "Thundercats Ho!" which brings aboard three new Thunderians who also survived the destruction of the T-cats' home planet and landed on Third Earth; Lion-O and the others battle the evil Mumm-Ra to save their companions, and the struggle ends with what appears to be the destruction of Mumm-Ra. But of course, the villain persists, and with the help of his henchman Ma-Mutt, revives for a second five-parter (titled, appropriately enough, "Mumm-Ra Lives!"), and unleashes a new horde of sinister monsters--the Luna-tacks--who prove more formidable than any of Mumm-ra's previous mutant armies (so powerful, in fact, that one damages the Sword of Omens). "Mumm-Ra Lives!" also serves as an introduction to another new face in the Thundercats family: Snarfer, nephew to longtime comic relief Snarf. Fifteen stand-alone adventures follow before the last of the multi-parters for the set, "Thundercubs," in which several of the heroes are turned into youthful versions of themselves.
Four more individual episodes round out the set, but an additional 30 were produced before the series came to a close in 1986. Quality-wise, the episodes are full-frame and presented in Dolby Digital mono, but lack the remastering that some fans may have hoped for. Extras are somewhat more irreverent this time around: there's a nine-minute featurette on the series' composer, Bernie Hoffner, who is interviewed along with several producers, as well as the pop band the Rembrandts (best known for performing the theme for "Friends"), who are also seen banging out a power-pop version of the "Thundercats" theme. Hoffner also gets his own "video," in which he provides a solo take on the song. "--Paul Gaita"

Languages: English

Summary: Thundera is a world in crisis in a distant galaxy. The plant has become unstable and will collapse soon. The people of Thundera, known as Thundercats, flee the dying planet in their spaceship. During the flight their ship is damaged when they are attacked by evil mutants. The eldest aboard, Jaga, sacrifieces himself to ensure that the ship lands safely to it's destination: Third Earth. The remaining Thundercats (Panthro, Cheetara, Tygra, WilyKat, WilyKit, Snarf and Lion-O with the use the magic of the Sword of Omens) form a headquarters at a place they name Cat's Lair. From there, they fight the evil mutants with the goal of saving themselves and restoring peace to Third Earth. Meanwhile, the mutants have found a powerful new leader, Mumm-Ra, the Ever-Living. This will not be an easy fight. Featuring new friends, new foes and new battlefields, Season 2 of this awesome animated favorite roars with more than 12 hours of rousing adventures across this six disc set of Season Two/Vol. Two!

Languages: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish

Sound: Dolby

Summary: Shot in the rough, 16-millimeter style of a low-budget documentary, "Tigerland" marked director Joel Schumacher's welcomed return to simplicity after a slew of bloated blockbusters like "Batman & Robin". In revitalizing Schumacher's directorial talent, "Tigerland"--partially inspired by the Danish Dogme 95 movement of no-frills filmmaking--suggested that one solution to Hollywood's moribund "product" was to abandon excess, focus on essentials, and assemble a fine cast of unknown actors to make it all worthwhile. To that end, "Tigerland" also marked the deserving arrival of Irish actor Colin Farrell as Hollywood's hottest new discovery.
Its story never leaves U.S. soil, so "Tigerland" differs from such in-country Vietnam films as "Platoon" and "Full Metal Jacket". Instead, it's about the anxieties and moral dilemmas that arise from the "anticipation" of death and killing. These roiling emotions are focused on the character of Private Bozz (Farrell), whose insubordination betrays a singular knack for leadership during infantry training at Fort Polk, Louisiana, in 1971. Part R.P. McMurphy and part Cool Hand Luke, Bozz is a defiant maverick, barely tolerated by his superiors, challenged or revered by his fellow grunts, and ultimately honed into a soldier of remarkable promise. An intense final week in the live-ammo training ground nicknamed "Tigerland" galvanizes the platoon and Bozz's place in it, and although the film (partially based on cowriter Ross Klavan's own experience) lacks the emotional impact of "Platoon", it deals quite potently with the internal conflicts that must be waged before external warfare can be endured. "--Jeff Shannon"

Languages: English, French, Spanish

Subtitles: English, Spanish, French

Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1

Summary: Who else but Tim Burton could make "Corpse Bride", a necrophiliac's delight that's fun for the whole family? Returning to the richly imaginative realm of stop-motion animation (after previous successes with "The Nightmare Before Christmas" and "James and the Giant Peach"), Burton, with codirector Mike Johnson, invites us to visit the dour, ashen, and drearily Victorian mansions of the living, where young Victor Van Dort (voiced by Johnny Depp) is bequeathed to wed the lovely Victoria (Emily Watson). But the wedding rehearsal goes sour and, in the kind of Goth-eerie forest that only exists in Burton-land, Victor suddenly finds himself accidentally married to the Corpse Bride (Helena Bonham Carter), a blue-tinted, half-skeletal beauty (how pleasantly full-bosomed she remains!) with a loquacious maggot installed behind one prone-to-popping eyeball. This being a Burton creation, the underworld of the dead is a lively and colorful place indeed, and Danny Elfman's songs and score make it even livelier, presenting Victor with quite a dilemma: Should he return above-ground to Victoria, or remain devoted to his corpse bride? At a brisk 76 minutes, Burton's graveyard whimsy (loosely based on a 19th century Russian folktale) never wears out its welcome, and the voice casting (which includes Tracey Ullman and Albert Finney) is superbly matched the film's gloriously amusing character design, guaranteed to yield a wealth of gruesome toys and action figures for many Halloweens to come. "--Jeff Shannon"

Languages: English

Summary: While the 1960 version of "The Time Machine" remains a science fiction classic, this adaptation of the H.G. Wells novel benefits from a dazzling CGI facelift. Digital wizardry shows us the awesome splendor of eons passing in an eye blink, while Wells's heroic time traveler--played with appealing conviction by "Memento"'s Guy Pearce--is given a stronger motivation for piloting his time machine 800,000 years into the future. Long after New York City has crumbled and the moon shattered by a nuclear accident, Pearce finds a new home with the peacefully primitive Eloi, after confronting the subterranean Morlocks (courtesy of Stan Winson's monster shop) and their evil overlord (Jeremy Irons in wicked, pigmentless makeup). Trading Wells's social commentary for pure adventure, director Simon Wells (the author's great-grandson) maintains the story's legacy of wonder, despite a few hokey embellishments. Catering to a younger audience, this "Time Machine" is fun without being particularly distinguished--a treat for the eyes, if not the brain. "--Jeff Shannon"

Languages: English, French

Subtitles: English, Spanish, French

Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1

Summary: You wouldn't know it by watching the "Batman" movies they collaborated on, but this smart adaptation of John Grisham's novel proves that director Joel Schumacher and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman have some talent when the right project comes along. Schumacher had previously directed Grisham's "The Client", and brought equal craft and intelligence to this story about a young Southern attorney (Matthew McConaughey, in his breakthrough role) who defends a black father (Samuel L. Jackson) after he kills two men who raped his young daughter. Sandra Bullock plays the passionate law student who serves as McConaughey's legal aide and voice of conscience in the racially charged drama. Added to the star power of the lead roles is a fine supporting cast, including Kevin Spacey, Ashley Judd, and Oliver Platt. "--Jeff Shannon"

Languages: English

Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround

Summary: Disney has immortalized some of the world's most famous fairy tales in its animated productions. Between the mid-1930's and the mid-1950's, Disney embraced and mastered a new sound technology that allowed the synchronization of music and animated action and produced a vast array of music-driven productions that included the "Silly Symphony" cartoon shorts. This collection is comprised of six animated tales, both musical and non-musical, produced in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s that range from 7-1/2 minutes to 21-minutes in length and explore themes like cooperation, overconfidence, and greed. The Academy Award nominated 1953 short "Casey at the Bat" is a musical recitation of the tale of a baseball player whose overconfidence proves his downfall. The short "Morris the Midget Moose" (1950) shows how even the smallest of creatures can do great things when they collaborate with others. Oscar-nominated "Ben and Me" (1953) is the longest production at 21-minutes and tells the fanciful tale of a small country mouse who claims to be the inspirational force behind many of Ben Franklin's greatest inventions. The final three programs are Silly Symphony cartoon shorts that exhibit Disney's masterful intertwining of music and action. "The Golden Touch" (1953) spins a tale of the great King Midas felled by greed, "The Wise Little Hen" (1934) espouses the value of cooperation, and "Little Hiawatha" (1937) follows a young hunter whose compassion for animals curtails his hunting successes, but eventually saves his own life. Each of these timeless tales features rich animation, preserves an important piece of American folklore, and represents a historical stage of animation. (Ages 2 to 10) "--Tami Horiuchi"

Languages: English, French

Subtitles: English

Sound: Dolby

Summary: Just enough of Michael Crichton's novel survives in "Timeline" to make it a passable popcorn thriller. It's likely that Crichton fans will lament the shallowness of director Richard Donner's film, and its gee-whiz style of acting lays waste to any scientific credibility that Crichton's scenario might have retained. Still, the Crichton formula is a sturdy one, following the model of "Westworld" and "Jurassic Park" by involving a small band of adventurers in a fantastical realm of danger and death. In this case, a group of archaeologists and combat experts (led by Paul Walker and Frances O'Connor) use a "3-D fax machine" (so much for technobabble!) to time-travel back to France in 1357, in hopes of retrieving Walker's father (Billy Connolly) and returning safely to the present. No such luck! Fending for themselves against marauding hordes of medieval French warriors at war with the invading British, these semi-intrepid travelers find their body count rising, and the deadline for their return home is rapidly approaching. All well and good, so far, and the castles-and-crossbows action reaches a fever pitch, but it's obvious that Donner's too lazy to make the much better film that this could and should have been. Despite its enjoyable highlights, "Timeline" is perfunctory entertainment. "--Jeff Shannon"

Languages: English

Summary: A tent-pole miniseries release from RHI Entertainment and SCI FI Channel, Tin Man is a modern science fiction update of L. Frank Baum’s timeless "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz." When a sorceress named Azkadellia scorches the once-beautiful land of OZ into a desolate wasteland, the only hope lies in an "outsider" named DG, a young Midwestern woman, whose troubling dreams have summoned her to the doomed paradise. D.G. embarks on a journey to find the great mystic man to save the O.Z. and on her way she befriends a scarecrow named Glitch, a tin cop named Cain, and gentle manimal named Raw. Journey beyond the yellow brick road withTin Man, now on DVD for the first time in this 2-Disc Collector's Edition with amazing bonus features and collectible packaging.

Languages: English

Summary: "Tin Men", the second in Barry Levinson's ongoing film series about his native Baltimore in the 1950s and '60s, focuses on a pair of competing aluminum-siding salesman at a point when the industry was loaded with scam artists. Richard Dreyfuss and Danny DeVito play rivals who get involved in a fender-bender that quickly escalates from a minor argument into an all-out war, as they begin pulling practical jokes on each other. Dreyfuss takes it too far, however, when he sets out to seduce DeVito's unhappy wife (Barbara Hershey) and winds up falling in love with her. Much of the humor here comes from Levinson's keen ear as writer and director for the way these people talk--and what they talk about (like the discussion of why four men are living together without women on the Ponderosa in "Bonanza"). Beside the leads, the cast includes a great host of character actors, including Jackie Gayle, Bruno Kirby, John Mahoney, and J.T. Walsh. Others in Levinson's body of Baltimore films are "Diner", "Avalon", and the most recent, "Liberty Heights". "--Marshall Fine"

Languages: English, French, German, Italian, Russian, Swedish

Subtitles: English

Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1 EX

Summary: When the theatrical release of James Cameron's "Titanic" was delayed from July to December of 1997, media pundits speculated that Cameron's $200-million disaster epic would cause the director's downfall, signal the end of the blockbuster era, and sink Paramount Pictures as quickly as the ill-fated luxury liner had sunk on that fateful night of April 14, 1912. "Titanic" would surpass the $1-billion mark in global box-office receipts, win 11 Academy Awards including Best Picture and Director, launch the best-selling movie soundtrack of all time, and make a global superstar of Leonardo DiCaprio. A bona fide pop-cultural phenomenon, the film has all the ingredients of a blockbuster (romance, passion, luxury, grand scale, a snidely villain, and an epic, life-threatening crisis), but Cameron's alchemy of these ingredients proved more popular than anyone could have predicted. His stroke of genius was to combine absolute authenticity with a pair of fictional lovers whose tragic fate would draw viewers into the heart-wrenching reality of the "Titanic" disaster. As starving artist Jack Dawson and soon-to-be-married socialite Rose DeWitt Bukater, DiCaprio and Kate Winslet won the hearts of viewers around the world, and their brief, but never forgotten, love affair provides the humanity that Cameron needed to turn "Titanic" into a moving emotional experience. Although some of the computer-generated visual effects look artificial, others--such as the climactic splitting of the ship's sinking hull--are state-of-the-art marvels of cinematic ingenuity. It's an event film and a monument to Cameron's risk-taking audacity, blending the tragic irony of the "Titanic" disaster with just enough narrative invention to give the historical event its fullest and most timeless dramatic impact. "--Jeff Shannon"
DVD features
Perhaps James Cameron wasn't ready to dish in 1999 when his mega-hit debuted on DVD with nary an extra (no, we don't count the trailer). Now in 2005, Cameron and his magicians dish on the cutting-edge effects and the craft of the movie. The heart of the extras are over 45 minutes of deleted scenes fans will fawn over, including some dealing with historical backstory (including a scene on the nearby ship "California"), a great kiss between Jack and Rose, and an extended suspense scene (listen to Cameron's commentary on that one). Happily, the alternate ending was not used (no, Jack doesn't live). The sound has been upgraded (including a DTS 6.1 ES track), the color palate is richer (the interiors glow more), and the picture is anamorphically enhanced for widescreen televisions, although the film is now split onto two discs.
The three-disc set has an abundance of materials; the galleries, for example, contain 628 on-set photos, 447 personal photos from the cinematographer, 532 storyboard sketches, 148 technical drawings, and even a 72-page bibliography. The features on the sets and effects offer some great tidbits, many dealing how everything had to be made versus rented since most items were going to be destroyed on camera.
Cameron is pictured on the box art and his stamp is all over the DVD set. He narrates the deep dive footage, you can read his original "scriptment" (if you want to read though 492 page clicks; some of these extras would have been better on a CD-ROM), and his commentary track is so complete, he covers most of the items the historical experts offer on their own track (they get too caught up in the film to muster more interesting facts). He offers only one apology for a factual "guess" and clears up that "king of the world" riff at the Oscars. The third commentary with most of the key members of the cast and crew is worth a listen but, alas, Leonardo DiCaprio does not contribute to this or any other new feature. Other must-sees: a time-lapse short on the creation of the boat set, and the first-half of a salute to the staff that works as a blooper reel. One caveat: there's a four-disc Region 2 version available in Europe with parodies and other extras, but no one is offering an official reason why it's not offered in the States. "--Doug Thomas"

Languages: English, French, Spanish

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Sound: AC-3

Summary: From a visual standpoint, this CG feature starring the venerable '80s and '90s superheroes the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is nothing short of slam-bang; the computer animation has a scope and look that transcends both the original comics and animated series and the three live-action features that preceded it. Writer/director Kevin Munroe creates a striking animated world for the four heroes in a half-shell to live, play, and fight in, and the action sequences are occasionally breathtaking in their speed and complexity. But where "TMNT" stumbles is its bland plot, which picks up after the last of the live-action features with all four teen turtles in disarray, and abandons longtime villain Shredder in favor of an industrialist (well voiced by Patrick Stewart) who recruits the Foot Clan (including Karai, played by Zhang Ziyi) to revive thirteen ancient monsters to aid in his world domination scheme. It's a simple and fun story for kids, but longtime Turtles fans will miss the wry humor and smart sense of irony of the original comics (created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, who gets an executive producer credit here) in this storyline. Still, for most adolescent audience members, such concerns won't matter a whit in the face of the abundant action. "--Paul Gaita"

Languages: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish

Sound: AC-3

Summary: A Japanese P.O.W. camp during World War II becomes the battleground for the souls as well as the lives of its Scottish and British prisoners. Based on a true story, "To End All Wars" centers around Ernest Gordon (Ciaran McMenamin), a young soldier who wants to teach philosophy. When Gordon recovers from seeming death by illness, the other prisoners agree to become Grodon's pupils, studying Plato, Shakespeare, and the Bible. Gordon's superior officer, Ian Campbell (Robert Carlyle, "Trainspotting", "The Full Monty"), scoffs at the increasingly pacificist bent of Gordon's teachings. Jim Reardon (Kiefer Sutherland, "24", "Freeway"), a lone American running a black market, is equally skeptical. But under the relentless brutality of the camp, the only way for the soldiers to survive is to find what gives their lives meaning. The strong performances of "To End All Wars" makes this moral conflict as vivid as any gun battle. "--Bret Fetzer"

Languages: English, Spanish

Subtitles: Spanish, French, English

Sound: Dolby

Summary: "Todd McFarlane's Spawn"
Adult, stylish, and more than a little mean, this full-length animated tale has one very strong thing going for it--it knows how to milk "cool." The animation is superior to anything recently devoted to a superhero...or super-antihero, in this case. Al Simmons was a government assassin before he was burned to death and sent to hell (plot summary's starting out nicely, isn't it?). After making a particularly bad deal with the devil--to lead Satan's dark armies in exchange for seeing his wife again--Spawn is let loose upon the world. He immediately whacks three mob hit men, making his presence known and getting himself into all sorts of trouble. Spawn is also visited by the Clown, an obese, disgusting Beatrice, guiding our third-degree-burned Dante through this hellish, topside world. There are other nasty characters, but in this first segment a very gratuitous inclusion of a child murderer goes too far for even this mature fare. Spawn isn't fun; there's very little joy in any of this. But the point isn't fun--it's brutal, adult-comic style. And there's plenty of it. "--Keith Simanton"
"Todd McFarlane's Spawn 2"
From the mind of comic-book maestro Todd McFarlane comes the second season of episodes of the animated "Spawn". Highly stylized animation and provocative story lines make "Spawn" a sophisticated cartoon sometimes more appropriate for older audiences. Murder victim Al Simmons has returned from hell to earth as a "hellspawn," a soldier for the army of darkness sent to collect more souls for hell. In these episodes, Spawn meets the man who assassinated him and becomes suspicious of the organization that ordered him killed. Jason Wynn, the leader of the group, plans to sell weapons of mass destruction stolen from the military. Spawn's former wife, Wanda, has since remarried Terry Fitzgerald, with whom Spawn must reconcile. Terry is hot on the trail of the missing arms, and Wynn and his assassins, including the highly trained Merrick, set out to kill Terry, Wanda, and their daughter, Cyan. Spawn foils the plot while realizing the hard truth that Wanda has a new life. "--Shannon Gee"
"Spawn 3: The Ultimate Battle"
The third chapter of this compelling HBO miniseries answers a number of questions--namely, who is the omnipotent old man who hides in the shadows and why is the mysterious Asian reporter (Jade) investigating the alley murders? Spawn has reached a crossroads, and he must choose between the forces of darkness and light. But it's not clear-cut: Al (Spawn) must deliberate over the seemingly minor differences that separate heaven and hell in his world. As a former assassin for the NSA, he "opened the eyes of hell" with his iniquitous deeds of depravity; therefore, his journey to hell was preordained. But this particular section of the series intriguingly asks, What if you had no choice, and killing was not just the only way out of a squeeze but was also your fate? Intellectual stuff, indeed. But as with the rest of the series, a profound metaphysical puzzle is brought to the fore without justifying it with an answer. It's frustrating, but also keeps you firmly planted in your chair, pondering conundrum after conundrum. "--Jeremy Storey"

Languages: English, Spanish

Subtitles: English, Spanish, French

Sound: AC-3

Summary: Evil begets evil. Hell begets hellspawn. Exploding from the comic book page onto the screen, Spawn is a deadly tornado of untapped, unwrapped merciless power. He was once a man...now he's a hellspawn, battling the forces of evil on earth...and in himself. Gradually discovering the terrifying power he possesses, Spawn fights to uncover the truth about his identity and fulfill his destiny.
DVD Features:
Audio Commentary
Documentaries
Featurette
Interactive Menus
Interviews
Production Sketches
Storyboards

Languages: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish, French

Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono

Summary: "Tom and Jerry", the animation franchise, lasted six decades and saw several geniuses of the form--Chuck Jones, Tex Avery, and Friz Freleng--have a hand in updating and refreshing the series in later years. But "Tom and Jerry: The Spotlight Collection, Premiere Volume" celebrates the original mastery of producer-directors William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, who took the familiar cat-chases-mouse concept and slowly turned it into witty, unpredictable, and sometimes ironic entertainment. "The Spotlight Collection" offers 40 restored, remastered shorts beginning with 1943's handsome, Oscar-nominated "Yankee Doodle Mouse" and ending with the fantastic, widescreen 1956 "Blue Cat Blues," very similar to the exaggerated look and feel of former cartoonist-gagman Frank Tashlin's live-action comedies ("Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?") from the same period.
What strikes one about every episode on these discs is the lavish care Hanna-Barbera paid to "Tom and Jerry", not only drumming up new, sometimes exotic settings (such as the swashbuckling "The Two Mousketeers," or for the Old West adventure "Texas Tom") but also consistently turning out gorgeous and wildly creative backgrounds, where straight lines rarely exist and the palette of a night sky includes multiple, dreamy shades of blue and green. Technicolor and novel visual ideas (e.g., shooting a scene through the tunnel-like view of a hollowed-out bread loaf) are sometimes more pleasing than the combative relationship between the two leads. But their rivalry is often renewed in very interesting ways, such as the wonderful "Tom and Jerry in the Hollywood Bowl," in which the pair play competing conductors against a lovely backdrop of L.A. landmarks. Special features include the "Anchors Aweigh" dance sequence featuring Jerry and Gene Kelly, and a featurette, "How Bill and Joe Met Tom and Jerry." "--Tom Keogh"

Languages: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish, French

Sound: Dolby Digital 1.0

Summary: The second "Spotlight Collection" features both the first "Tom and Jerry" short and some of the last films in the series. In 1940, the cartoon unit of MGM was under pressure to produce more, so story man Bill Hanna and animator Joe Barbera were allowed to direct a cartoon. "Puss Gets the Boot" received an Oscar nomination, and introduced the duo that would become Tom and Jerry. (Tom was originally "Jasper.") The series ran for 15 years and won seven Oscars. Many of the cartoons follow the pattern set in "Puss Gets the Boot": Mammy Two-Shoes (Lilian Randolph) warns Tom that if he makes a mess or lets in any mice, he's out on his ear ("O-W-T, out!"). Jerry overhears the threat and makes trouble. The look of the characters changed more noticeably over the years than the storylines: their rounded designs didn't really suit the widescreen format, so they were drawn flatter and more angular.
It's interesting to see how some of these cartoons prefigure the later work of Hanna and Barbera: the underwater antics in "The Cat and the Mermouse" anticipate Tom and Jerry's frolic with Esther Williams in "Dangerous When Wet" (1953); Yakky Doodle on "The Yogi Bear Show" (1961) was copied from Little Quacker. In several cartoons, Mammy Two-Shoes' voice has been redubbed, and the subtitles offer cleaned-up versions of her dialogue. In "Old Rockin' Chair Tom," she declares, "If you is a mouser, I is Lana Turner, which I ain't!" The subtitles read, "If you're a mouser…I'm Lana Turner, which I'm not." Whoopi Goldberg discusses the use of stereotypes in the introduction, and these later reworkings falsify history. (Unrated, suitable for ages 7 and older: cartoon violence, ethnic stereotypes) "--Charles Solomon"

Languages: English

Subtitles: English

Summary: Tom may catch Jerry on occasion but no one really believes the adorable little mouse will come to harm. After all, it would have also meant the end to the most popular and beloved cat and mouse act in show business. This is the third and final Spotlight Collection Volume from the Hanna-Barbera era of theatrical shorts. It showcases 35 classic cartoons - 15 newly re-mastered in their original CinemaScope widescreen format. On any screen large or small, Tom and Jerry remain the friskiest animated adversaries of all time. Catch them if you can.
DVD Features:
Documentary
Featurette

Languages: English

Summary: Studio: Warner Home Video Release Date: 06/23/2009 Run time: 216 minutes Rating: Nr

Languages: English

Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo

Summary: Classic cartoon fans will delight in the bevy of classic "Tom and Jerry" animated shorts, each of which ends in the proclamation "Made in Hollywood, U.S.A.," and most of which are from the '40s. Fifteen episodes (totaling more than an hour) are featured. Included are: "The Cat Concerto," "Johann Mouse," "The Little Orphan," "Yankee Doodle Mouse," "Salt Water Tabby," "Tee for Two," "Solid Serenade," "Zoot Cat," "Johann Mouse," "Dr. Jekyll" and Mr. Mouse," "Mouse in Manhattan," "Kitty Foiled," "The Little Orphan," and "Jerry's Diary." It might surprise more mature viewers, with fond recollections of the adventures of the gray cat and the little mouse, how relentlessly violent (albeit cartoon violence) the 'toons are. This video, a collection of "chase"-centric films, is notably chock full of head bangin', body bashing, poisoning, and all-around disorder.
The absolute highlight are two shorts low on smashin' and high on entertainment: "The Cat Concerto" and "Mouse in Manhattan," the first with Tom as the focus and the second with Jerry. They both involve forays into entertainment, a great soundtrack, and a fun story. The DVD edition adds "The Worry Song" from "Anchors Aweigh", the classic showcase of the amazing (and oft-copied) duet of animation and live action, as Jerry dances with the wonderful Gene Kelly. Contrasted with the PC content of today's 'toons, "Tom and Jerry" is a literal blast from the past--a must for collectors, and for parents comfortable with explaining that Tom isn't really burned to ashes, and Jerry hasn't been beheaded. "--N.F. Mendoza"

Languages: English

Subtitles: Spanish, French

Sound: Dolby

Summary: This Western has become a modest cult favorite since its release in 1993, when the film was met with mixed reviews but the performances of Kurt Russell (as Wyatt Earp) and especially Val Kilmer, for his memorably eccentric performance as the dying gunslinger Doc Holliday, garnered high praise. The movie opens with Wyatt Earp trying to put his violent past behind him, living happily in Tombstone with his brothers and the woman (Dana Delany) who puts his soul at ease. But a murderous gang called the Cowboys has burst on the scene, and Earp can't keep his gun belt off any longer. The plot sounds routine, and in many ways it is, but Western buffs won't mind a bit thanks to a fine cast and some well-handled action on the part of "Rambo" director George P. Cosmatos, who has yet to make a better film than this. "--Jeff Shannon"

Languages: English

Subtitles: English

Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround

Summary: Before his death, comedian Chris Farley made a pair of surprisingly successful comedies that teamed him with "Saturday Night Live" colleague David Spade. Their relationship in each film was pretty much the same, but then so was Abbott and Costello's or Laurel and Hardy's (not that Farley and Spade are in their league). In "Tommy Boy", Farley plays the ne'er-do-well son of a successful auto parts manufacturer (Brian Dennehy). When Dad drops dead just after marrying a young new wife, it's up to Tommy (aided by sarcastic bean-counter Spade) to rescue the company by taking over for his father. "Black Sheep" features a slightly different plot: This time, Spade is hired by Farley's brother (Tim Matheson), a candidate for governor, to keep Farley (an accident-prone buffoon) out of sight until after the election. Farley has a likable quality that is exploited by continuous slapstick centered on his clumsiness, both physically and socially. "--Marshall Fine"

Languages: English, French

Subtitles: English, Spanish, French

Sound: Dolby

Summary: Pierce Brosnan returns for his second stint as James Bond (after "GoldenEye"), and he's doing it in high style with an invigorating cast of costars. It's only appropriate that a Bond film from 1997 would find Agent 007 pitted against a media mogul (Jonathan Pryce) who's going to start a global war (beginning with stolen nuclear missiles aimed at China) to create attention-grabbing headlines for his latest multimedia news channel. It's the information age run amok, and Bond must team up with a lovely and lethal agent from the Chinese External Security Force (played by Honk Kong action star Michelle Yeoh) to foil the madman's plot of global domination. Luckily for Bond, the villain's wife (Teri Hatcher) is one of his former lovers, and at the behest of his superior M (Judi Dench), 007 finds ample opportunity to exploit the connection. Although it bears some nagging similarities to many formulaic action films from the '90s, "Tomorrow Never Dies" (with a title song performed by Sheryl Crow) boasts enough grand-scale action and sufficiently intelligent plotting to suggest the Bond series has plenty of potential to survive into the next millennium. Armed with the usual array of gadgets (including a remote-controlled BMW), Brosnan settles into his role with acceptable flair, and the dynamic Yeoh provides a perfect balance to the sexism that once threatened to turn Bond into a politically incorrect anachronism. He's still Bond, to be sure, but he's saving the world with a bit more sophisticated finesse. In addition to theatrical trailers, this special edition DVD comes with a feature-length audio commentary by director Roger Spottiswoode, more commentary by stunt director Vic Armstrong and producer Michael G. Wilson, a storyboard overlay that compares action-sequence concepts with final footage, a 45-minute "Secrets of 007" featurette covering the evolution of the Bond character, and an isolated music-only track with an interview of composer David Arnold. Bond would be proud."--Jeff Shannon"

Languages: English, French, Spanish

Subtitles: English, Spanish, French

Summary: Studio: Hanna Barbera Release Date: 12/07/2004 Run time: 547 minutes

Languages: English, French, Spanish

Subtitles: English, French, Portuguese, Spanish

Sound: AC-3

Summary: Jingoism, beefcake, military hardware, and a Giorgio Moroder rock score reign supreme over taste and logic in this Tony Scott film about a maverick trainee pilot (Tom Cruise) who can't follow the rules at a Navy aviation training facility. The dogfight sequences between American and Soviet jets at the end are absolutely mechanical, though audiences loved it at the time. The love story between Cruise's character and that of Kelly McGillis is like flipping through pages of advertising in a glossy magazine. This designer action movie from 1986 would be all the more appalling were it not for the canny casting of good actors in dumb parts. Standouts include Anthony Edwards--who makes a nice impression as Cruise's average-Joe pal--and the relatively unknown Meg Ryan in a small but memorable appearance. "--Tom Keogh"

Languages: English

Sound: Dolby

Summary: Jingoism, beefcake, military hardware, and a Giorgio Moroder rock score reign supreme over taste and logic in this Tony Scott film about a maverick trainee pilot (Tom Cruise) who can't follow the rules at a Navy aviation training facility. The dogfight sequences between American and Soviet jets at the end are absolutely mechanical, though audiences loved it at the time. The love story between Cruise's character and that of Kelly McGillis is like flipping through pages of advertising in a glossy magazine. This designer action movie from 1986 would be all the more appalling were it not for the canny casting of good actors in dumb parts. Standouts include Anthony Edwards--who makes a nice impression as Cruise's average-Joe pal--and the relatively unknown Meg Ryan in a small but memorable appearance. "--Tom Keogh"

Languages: English, French

Subtitles: English, Spanish, French

Sound: Dolby

Summary: A lot has changed in the biker-movie genre since "Hell's Angels on Wheels", and "Torque" may be the new benchmark of feverish chopper action. Martin Henderson plays Cary, a speed king and relatively civilized outlaw with a knack for annoying everyone, including drug smugglers, the FBI, an ex-girlfriend, and, worst of all, biker gang leader Trey (Ice Cube), who thinks Cary killed his brother. On the run from everyone, Cary survives by playing all sides against one another. But the story is less important than the frantic, over-the-top, tongue-in-cheek action surrounding it. "The Fast and the Furious" producer Neal H. Moritz is responsible for this crazy, violent, yet appealingly sardonic cowboys-on-wheels piece. "--Tom Keogh"

Languages: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish

Sound: Dolby

Summary: This science fiction blockbuster from 1990 began its production life as a very different movie than the one that was released. An adaptation of the Philip K. Dick short story "We Can Remember It for You Wholesale," "Total Recall" was originally conceived of with Richard Dreyfuss starring as a Walter Mitty-like character who experiences a variety of artificially induced fantasies. The movie we know is a mega-budget action epic set on Mars. Arnold Schwarzenegger plays a normal working man who discovers that his entire reality has been invented to conceal a plot of planetary domination. Oscar-winning special effects and violent action propel the twisting plot, in which Arnold manipulates his manipulators in a world of dazzling high technology. Director Paul Verhoeven ("Robocop") indulges his usual penchant for gratuitous bloodshed, but the movie has enough cleverness to rise above its excesses. "--Jeff Shannon"

Languages: English, French

Subtitles: Chinese, English, French, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish

Summary: This well-packaged 1983 remake of the French comedy "Le Jouet" features two legendary actors in an unlikely pairing. Richard Pryor ("Live on the Sunset Strip", "Stir Crazy") plays a down on his luck writer who is talked into taking a job as a plaything for the spoiled rich kid of billionaire Jackie Gleason ("The Hustler"), who just can't communicate with his own son. Amidst a constant stream of abuse and slapstick adventures, Pryor manages to bring out the heart in both father and son and bring them closer together, as he fights to retain his own dignity. Director Richard Donner ("Superman", "Lethal Weapon") concentrates on the outlandish set pieces and wisely leaves the comic timing up to the two old pros, making "The Toy" an entertaining diversion. "--Robert Lane"

Languages: English

Subtitles: French, Spanish

Sound: AC-3

Summary: There is greatness in film that can be discussed, dissected, and talked about late into the night. Then there is genius that is right in front of our faces--we smile at the spell it puts us into and are refreshed, and nary a word needs to be spoken. This kind of entertainment is what they used to call "movie magic," and there is loads of it in this irresistible computer animation feature. Just a picture of these bright toys reawaken the kid in us. Filmmaker John Lasseter thinks of himself as a storyteller first and an animator second, much like another film innovator, Walt Disney.

Lasseter's story is universal and magical: what do toys do when they're not played with? Cowboy Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks), Andy's favorite bedroom toy, tries to calm the other toys (some original, some classic) during a wrenching time of year--the birthday party, when newer toys may replace them. Sure enough, Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) is the new toy that takes over the throne. Buzz has a crucial flaw, though--he believes he's the real Buzz Lightyear, not a toy. Lasseter further scores with perfect voice casting, including Don Rickles as Mr. Potato Head and Wallace Shawn as a meek dinosaur. The director-animator won a special Oscar for "the development and inspired application of techniques that have made possible the first feature-length computer-animated film." In other words, the movie is great. --Doug Thomas

Languages: English, French, Spanish

Sound: AC-3

Summary: There is greatness in film that can be discussed, dissected, and talked about late into the night. Then there is genius that is right in front of our faces--we smile at the spell it puts us into and are refreshed, and nary a word needs to be spoken. This kind of entertainment is what they used to call "movie magic," and there is loads of it in this irresistible computer animation feature. Just a picture of these bright toys reawaken the kid in us. Filmmaker John Lasseter thinks of himself as a storyteller first and an animator second, much like another film innovator, Walt Disney.
The 10th anniversary edition of the landmark film repackages most of the extras found in the original "Ultimate Toy Box" set plus a few more. Two keen retrospectives are new, one with an assortment of talents including Roy Disney and Peter Jackson chiming in on the film's impact. The other is a roundtable with Lasseter and three of the creators simply talking about the experiences without--thankfully--any cutaways to noisy film clips. There's a load of other extras since the "Ultimate Toy Box" was one of the first and best DVD sets. Missing (besides the second film, which will be released separately) is the effects- and music-only tracks. Added is a whopping DTS soundtrack along with a remixed Dolby 5.1 track. The DVD has a higher transfer bit rate for a better picture, but only high-end enthusiasts will notice it. Since the film is a digital-to-digital transfer, both versions are eye-popping. A must-have set unless you have the "Ultimate Toy Box".
Lasseter's story is universal and magical: what do toys do when they're not played with? Cowboy Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks), Andy's favorite bedroom toy, tries to calm the other toys (some original, some classic) during a wrenching time of year--the birthday party, when newer toys may replace them. Sure enough, Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) is the new toy that takes over the throne. Buzz has a crucial flaw, though--he believes he's the real Buzz Lightyear, not a toy. Lasseter further scores with perfect voice casting, including Don Rickles as Mr. Potato Head and Wallace Shawn as a meek dinosaur. The director-animator won a special Oscar for "the development and inspired application of techniques that have made possible the first feature-length computer-animated film." In other words, the movie is great. "--Doug Thomas"
The Pixar Feature Films

"Toy Story", 1995"A Bug's Life", 1998"Toy Story 2", 1999

"Monsters, Inc.", 2001"Finding Nemo", 2003"The Incredibles", 2004

Languages: English, French

Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1 EX

Summary: "Toy Story"
There is greatness in film that can be discussed, dissected, and talked about late into the night. Then there is genius that is right in front of our faces--we smile at the spell it puts us into and are refreshed, and nary a word needs to be spoken. This kind of entertainment is what they used to call "movie magic," and there is loads of it in this irresistible computer animation feature. Just a picture of these bright toys on the cover of "Toy Story" looks intriguing, reawakening the kid in us. Filmmaker John Lasseter's shorts (namely "Knickknack" and "Tin Toy", which can be found on the Pixar video "Tiny Toy Stories") illustrate not only a technical brilliance but also a great sense of humor--one in which the pun is always intended. Lasseter thinks of himself as a storyteller first and an animator second, much like another film innovator, Walt Disney.
Lasseter's story is universal and magical: what do toys do when they're not played with? Cowboy Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks), Andy's favorite bedroom toy, tries to calm the other toys (some original, some classic) during a wrenching time of year--the birthday party, when newer toys may replace them. Sure enough, Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) is the new toy that takes over the throne. Buzz has a crucial flaw, though--he believes he's the real Buzz Lightyear, not a toy. Bright and cheerful, "Toy Story" is much more than a 90-minute commercial for the inevitable bonanza of Woody and Buzz toys. Lasseter further scores with perfect voice casting, including Don Rickles as Mr. Potato Head and Wallace Shawn as a meek dinosaur. The director-animator won a special Oscar for "the development and inspired application of techniques that have made possible the first feature-length computer-animated film." In other words, the movie is great. "--Doug Thomas"
"Toy Story 2"
John Lasseter and his gang of high-tech creators at Pixar create another entertainment for the ages. Like the few great movie sequels, "Toy Story 2" comments on why the first one was so wonderful while finding a fresh angle worthy of a new film. The craze of toy collecting becomes the focus here, as we find out Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks) is not only a beloved toy to Andy but also a rare doll from a popular '60s children's show. When a greedy collector takes Woody, Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) launches a rescue mission with Andy's other toys. To say more would be a crime because this is one of the most creative and smile-inducing films since, well, the first "Toy Story".
Although the toys look the same as in the 1994 feature, Pixar shows how much technology has advanced: the human characters look more human, backgrounds are superior, and two action sequences that book-end the film are dazzling. And it's a hoot for kids and adults. The film is packed with spoofs, easily accessible in-jokes, and inspired voice casting (with newcomer Joan Cusack especially a delight as Cowgirl Jessie). But as the Pixar canon of films illustrates, the filmmakers are storytellers first. Woody's heart-tugging predicament can easily be translated into the eternal debate of living a good life versus living forever. "Toy Story 2" also achieved something in the U.S. two other outstanding 1999 animated features ("The Iron Giant", "Princess Mononoke") could not: it became a huge box-office hit. "--Doug Thomas"

Languages: English

Subtitles: French, Spanish

Sound: AC-3

Summary: Andy heads off to cowboy camp leaving his toys to their own devices. Things shift into high gear when an obsessive toy collector named Al McWhiggin (owner of Al's Toy Barn) kidnaps Woody. At Al's apartment, Woody discovers that he is a highly valued collectible from a 1950s TV show called Woody's Roundup, and he meets the other prized toys from that show, Jessie the Cowgirl, Bullseye the Horse, and Stinky Pete the Prospector. Back at the scene of the crime, Buzz Lightyear and the other toys from Andy's room, Mr. Potato Head, Slinky Dog, Rex and Hamm spring into action to rescue their pal from winding up as a museum piece. The toys get into one predicament after another in their daring race to get Woody before Andy returns.

Bonus Features include: BE Live, Director commentary, Toy Story 3 Sneak Peek: The Characters, Buzz Lightyear Mission Logs: International Space Station, Paths to Pixar: Technical Artists, Studio Stories: Toy Story 2 Sleep Deprivation Lab, Pinocchio, The Movie Vanishes, Pixar's Zoetrop, Celebrating our Friend Joe Ranft

Languages: English

Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1

Summary: A Golden Globe Award winner for Best Picture, TOY STORY 2 has become a favorite all across the world, garnering praise from fans and critics everywhere. It's "an instant classic," raves New York Magazine. Now, in a 2-disc collector's edition with a sparkling theater mix, this groundbreaking animated adventure is even better! While Andy is away at summer camp, Woody is toynapped by Al, a greedy collector who needs Andy's favorite toy to complete his Roundup Gang collection. Together with Jessie, Bullseye, and the Prospector, Woody is on his way to a museum where he'll spend the rest of his life behind glass. It's up to Buzz, Mr. Potato Head, Hamm, Rex, and Slinky Dog to rescue their friend and remind him what being a toy is all about. Bursting with exclusive bonus features, including deleted scenes, outtakes, a new game, and much more, this hilarious comedy classic raises the bar on family entertainment to infinity and beyond. TOY STORY 2 © Disney/Pixar Original Toy Story Elements © Disney

Languages: English, French, Spanish

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Sound: AC-3

Summary: What made the original "Toy Story" so great, besides its significant achievement as the first-ever feature-length computer animated film, was its ability to instantly transport viewers into a magical world where it seemed completely plausible that toys were living, thinking beings who sprang to life the minute they were alone and wanted nothing more than to be loved and played with by their children. "Toy Story 3" absolutely succeeds in the very same thing--adults and children alike, whether they've seen the original film or not, find themselves immediately immersed in a world in which Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), Jessie (Joan Cusack), Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head (Don Rickles and Estelle Harris), Ham (John Ratzenberger), Rex (Wallace Shawn), the aliens, and the rest of Andy's toys remain completely devoted to Andy (John Morris) even as he's getting ready to pack up and leave for college. Woody scoffs at the other toys' worries that they'll end up in the garbage, assuring them that they've earned a spot of honor in the attic, but when the toys are mistakenly donated to Sunnyside Daycare, Woody is the only toy whose devotion to Andy outweighs the promise of getting played with each and every day. Woody sets off toward home alone while the other toys settle in for some daycare fun, but things don't turn out quite as expected at the daycare thanks to the scheming, strawberry-scented old-timer bear Lots-o'-Huggin' (Ned Beatty). Eventually, Woody rejoins his friends and they all attempt a daring escape from the daycare, which could destroy them all. The pacing of the film is impeccable at this point, although the sense of peril may prove almost too intense for a few young viewers. Pixar's 3-D computer animation is top-notch as always and the voice talent in this film is tremendous, but in the end, it's Pixar's uncanny ability to combine drama, action, and humor in a way that irresistibly draws viewers into the world of the film that makes "Toy Story 3" such great family entertainment. (Ages 7 and older) "--Tami Horiuchi"

Languages: English, French, Spanish

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Sound: AC-3

Summary: In this crowd-pleasing 1983 comedy of high finance about a homeless con artist who becomes a Wall Street robber baron, Eddie Murphy consolidated the success of his startling debut in the previous year's "48 Hours" and polished his slick-winner persona. The turnabout begins with an argument between super-rich siblings, played by Ralph Bellamy and Don Ameche: Are captains of industry, they wonder, born or made? To settle the issue, the meanies construct a cruel experiment in social Darwinism. Preppie commodities trader Dan Aykroyd (perfectly cast) is stripped of all his worldly goods and expelled from the firm, and Murphy's smelly derelict is appointed to take his place, graduating to tailored suits and a world-class harem in record time. Eventually the two men team up to teach the nasty old manipulators a lesson, cornering the market in frozen orange juice futures in the process. Director John Landis ("The Blues Brothers") doesn't have the world's lightest touch, but he hits most of the jokes hard and quite a few of them pay off. "Trading Places" is also a landmark film for fans of Jamie Lee Curtis. "--David Chute"

Languages: English, French

Subtitles: English

Sound: Dolby

Summary: In this crowd-pleasing 1983 comedy of high finance about a homeless con artist who becomes a Wall Street robber baron, Eddie Murphy consolidated the success of his startling debut in the previous year's "48 Hours" and polished his slick-winner persona. The turnabout begins with an argument between super-rich siblings, played by Ralph Bellamy and Don Ameche: Are captains of industry, they wonder, born or made? To settle the issue, the meanies construct a cruel experiment in social Darwinism. Preppie commodities trader Dan Aykroyd (perfectly cast) is stripped of all his worldly goods and expelled from the firm, and Murphy's smelly derelict is appointed to take his place, graduating to tailored suits and a world-class harem in record time. Eventually the two men team up to teach the nasty old manipulators a lesson, cornering the market in frozen orange juice futures in the process. Director John Landis ("The Blues Brothers") doesn't have the world's lightest touch, but he hits most of the jokes hard and quite a few of them pay off. "Trading Places" is also a landmark film for fans of Jamie Lee Curtis. "--David Chute"

Languages: English

Subtitles: Spanish

Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1

Summary: Featuring a huge cast of characters, the ambitious and breathtaking "Traffic" is a tapestry of three separate stories woven together by a common theme: the war on drugs. In Ohio, there's the newly appointed government drug czar (Michael Douglas) who realizes after he's accepted the job that he may have gotten into a no-win situation. Not only that, his teenage daughter (Erika Christensen) is herself quietly developing a nasty addiction problem. In San Diego, a drug kingpin (Steven Bauer) is arrested on information provided by an informant (Miguel Ferrer) who was nabbed by two undercover detectives (Don Cheadle and Luis Guzmán). The kingpin's wife (Catherine Zeta-Jones), heretofore ignorant of where her husband's wealth comes from, gets a crash course in the drug business and its nasty side effects. And south of the border, a Mexican cop (Benicio Del Toro) finds himself caught between both his home country and the U.S., as corrupt government officials duke it out with the drug cartel for control of trafficking various drugs back and forth across the border.
Bold in scope, "Traffic" showcases Steven Soderbergh at the top of his game, directing a peerless ensemble cast in a gritty, multifaceted tale that will captivate you from beginning to end. Utilizing the no-frills techniques of the Dogme 95 school, Soderbergh enhances his hand-held filming with imaginative editing and film-stock manipulation that eerily captures the atmosphere of each location: a washed-out, grainy Mexico; a blue and chilly Ohio; and a sleek, sun-dappled San Diego. But "Traffic" is more than a film-school exercise. Soderbergh and screenwriter Stephen Gaghan (adapting the British TV miniseries "Traffik" to the U.S.) seamlessly weave the threads of each separate plotline into one solid tale, with the actions of one plot having quiet repercussions on the other two. And if you needed more proof that Soderbergh takes unparalleled care with his actors, practically all the members of this cast turn in their best work ever, the standout being an Oscar-worthy Del Toro as the conflicted moral conscience of the film. While no story is fully resolved in the film, you'll be haunted by these characters days after you've seen the film. By far one of the best movies of 2000. "--Mark Englehart"

Languages: English, Spanish, French

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Sound: AC-3

Summary: A powerhouse performance by Denzel Washington fuels this brutal urban police drama, in which a rookie narcotics cop learns the hard way that even good cops can go very, very bad. Washington plays veteran detective Alonzo Harris, a self-proclaimed "wolf among wolves," eager to teach his rookie partner Jake (Ethan Hawke) that normal rules don't apply on the mean streets of Los Angeles. Caught in a web of deception, Jake watches with escalating horror as Alonzo uses his badge (and the support of his superiors) to justify a self-righteous policy of corruption. In stark contrast to most of his previous work, Denzel unleashes his dark side with fearlessness and fury, and the result is excellence without compromise. Director Antoine Fuqua ("The Replacement Killers") won't score any points for subtlety, but gritty details (including actual L.A. gang members as extras) and Hawke's finely tuned performance are perfectly matched to Washington's frightening volatility. "--Jeff Shannon"