Library

Languages: English, French, Spanish

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Sound: Dolby

Comments: At last, a comedy that bites!

Summary: A no-brainer that has become a low-brow classic, this 1980 comedy makes anarchy the rule of the day, unleashing the antics of Bill Murray, Rodney Dangerfield, Ted Knight, and Chevy Chase. "Caddyshack" is about the scheme of a vulgar land developer (Dangerfield) who wants to build condominiums on the site of a ritzy country club. Director Harold Ramis (who later reunited with Murray to make "Groundhog Day") is content to let the comedy follow a variety of wacky detours, most notably Murray's maniacal war with a gopher that has been digging up the golf course. Dangerfield ultimately steals the show, firing off a battery of one-liners, insults, and tasteless gags. "Caddyshack" is the kind of movie some people have been known to watch several times a year, reciting every line of dialogue like the followers of a bizarre comedic ritual. "--Jeff Shannon"

Languages: English

Subtitles: Spanish

Sound: Dolby

Comments: They dropped everything for a good cause.

Summary: In the sensible yet elegant hands of actresses Helen Mirren and Julie Walters, "Calendar Girls" walks a fine line between sappiness and snickering and ends up both wonderfully funny and gently touching. When her best friend Annie (Walters, "Billy Elliot") loses her husband, Chris (Mirren, "Prime Suspect", "Gosford Park") cooks up a scheme to memorialize him: They and their friends--all fiftysomething women--will make a nude calendar to raise money for the hospital where he died. The calendar becomes hugely popular, but the success may drive a wedge between the two women's friendship. Based on an actual event, "Calendar Girls" carefully balances the stories of several women as it follows the calendar's media explosion, becoming a surprisingly moving fable of loss, determination, and the perils of fame. And let's face it--Helen Mirren is one of the wittiest and sexiest women alive, clothes on or not. "--Bret Fetzer"

Languages: English, French

Subtitles: English

Sound: AC-3

Comments: There is nothing in the dark that isn't there in the light. Except fear.

Summary: Martin Scorsese's 1991 remake of J. Lee Thompson's 1962 thriller dabbles a bit in some fascinating psychological crosscurrents between its characters, but it finally trades in all that rich material for extensive and gratuitous violence. Robert De Niro plays a serial rapist released from prison after 14 years. Angry because his appalled attorney (Nick Nolte) made it easy for him to be convicted, this monster is out to hurt Nolte's character through his wife (Jessica Lange) and daughter (Juliette Lewis). The themes of interlocking guilt and anger between these people suggests a smart film in the making. But the final act, set on a boat with De Niro's vengeful pervert attacking Nolte and the two women, takes a more unfortunate direction. Stick with the original (which starred Robert Mitchum and Gregory Peck, each of whom make a cameo appearance in this film). "--Tom Keogh"

Languages: English, French

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

Sound: AC-3

Summary: Bolstered by an Oscar®-caliber performance by Philip Seymour Hoffman in the title role, "Capote" ranked highly among the best films of 2005. Written by actor/screenwriter Dan Futterman and based on selected chapters from the biography by Gerald Clarke, this mercilessly perceptive drama shows how Truman Capote brought about his own self-destruction in the course of writing "In Cold Blood", the "nonfiction novel" that was immediately acclaimed as a literary milestone. After learning of brutal killings in rural Holcomb, Kansas, in November 1959, Capote gained the confidence of captured killers Perry Smith (Clifton Collins, Jr.) and Dick Hickock (Mark Pellegrino) in an effort to tell their story, but he ultimately sacrificed his soul in the process of writing his greatest book. Hoffman transcends mere mimicry to create an utterly authentic, psychologically tormented portrait of an insincere artist who was not above lying and manipulation to get what he needed. Bennett Miller's intimate direction focuses on the consequences of Capote's literary ambition, tempered by an equally fine performance by Catherine Keener as Harper Lee, Capote's friend and the author of "To Kill a Mockingbird", who served as Capote's quiet voice of conscience. Spanning the seven-year period between the Kansas murders and the publication of "In Cold Blood" in 1966, "Capote" reveals the many faces of a writer who grew too close to his subjects, losing his moral compass as they were fitted with a hangman's noose. "--Jeff Shannon"

Languages: English

Sound: Dolby

Comments: Martin just wanted a nice, quiet family vacation. Instead, he got...

Summary: A stressed out executive decides to get away from it all and take a cruise on his family's sail boat. Unfortunately the boat barely floats and comes equipped with one wild captain that takes them on a cruise they'll never forget.

Languages: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish

Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono

Summary: The Care Bears were a line of multicolored teddy bears that racked up more than $200 million in retail sales in 1984. "The Care Bears Movie" was essentially a 75-minute commercial to introduce the new Care Bear Cousins, disguised as a smarmy story about sharing feelings. The film earned $23 million theatrically and ushered in a spate of cheap animated films created to sell merchandise to children. The plot interweaves the stories of Kim and Jason, two lonely orphans who have given up caring, and of Nicholas, a friendless magician's assistant who's seduced by an evil spirit. The Care Bears resolve everyone's problems. Years later, the Care Bears' popularity has waned and the film stands as a reminder of one of the less admirable uses of animation. The stars, hearts, rainbows, and saccharine songs can't disguise the barefaced commercialism behind the threadbare story. "--Charles Solomon"

Languages: English, Spanish, French

Subtitles: French, Spanish

Sound: Dolby

Summary: Al Pacino cuts a noble figure in this very enjoyable drama by director Brian De Palma ("Scarface"), based on a pair of books by Edwin Torres. Pacino plays a Puerto Rican ex-con trying hard to go straight, but his loyalty to his lowlife attorney (a virtually unrecognizable Sean Penn) and enemies on the street make that choice difficult. Penelope Ann Miller plays, somewhat unlikely, a stripper who has a romance with Pacino's character. The film finds De Palma tempering his more outlandish moves (think of "Body Double" or "Snake Eyes") just as he did with the popular "Untouchables" and "Mission: Impossible". But while "Carlito's Way" was not commercially successful and never rises to the level of greatness, it is a genuinely compelling movie graced with a fine performance by Pacino and a surprising one from Penn. "--Tom Keogh"

Languages: English, French, Russian, Spanish

Subtitles: English, Spanish, French

Sound: Dolby

Summary: "Carnivàle" doesn't waste any time making its--wildly ambitious--aims clear. As carnival manager Samson (Michael J. Anderson, "Twin Peaks"' diminutive backwards-talker) notes in pilot episode "Milfay," directed by Rodrigo García (son of Gabriel García Marquez), "To each generation [is] born a creature of light and a creature of darkness." With that the story begins. The year is 1934, the setting the Oklahoma dustbowl. In short order, Ben Hawkins ("In the Bedroom"'s Nick Stahl) loses his mother and his home. He's poor, he's alone--he needs a job. So he joins Samson's carnival, en route to the West. Hawkins, naturally, is the good guy. Waiting for him in California is the not so good Brother Justin Crowe (Clancy Brown, "The Shawshank Redemption"), a fire and brimstone preacher with supernatural powers and a fiercely loyal sister (Amy Madigan). Hawkins, as it turns out, has similar powers....
Created by Daniel Knauf ("Wolf Lake"), "Carnivàle" feels like David Lynch (weird, slow, occasionally kinky), plays like "American Gothic" (Shaun Cassidy's cult series about a good kid and an evil sheriff), and looks like John Ford's "Grapes of Wrath". It features one of television's most colorful casts of characters. They include Sophie (Clea DuVall), who reads fortunes--with her comatose mother's assistance, the vaguely sinister Lodz (Patrick Bauchau), blind absinthe-drinker and mentalist (he can see both the future and the past), and Ruthie (Adrienne Barbeau), snake charmer, strongman's mother, and all-around maternal figure. By the final episode of the season ("The Day That Was the Day"), also directed by García, one of these characters will be dead. "Carnivàle" won five richly deserved technical Emmys for its first year, including awards for cinematography and art direction. Like HBO's edgy "Deadwood", it's period drama for people who don't normally like period drama. "--Kathleen C. Fennessy"

Languages: English, French, Russian, Spanish

Subtitles: English, Spanish, French

Sound: Dolby

Summary: The second season of HBO's Depression-era gothic--John Steinbeck by way of Tod Browning--picks up where the first left off. Professor Lodz (Patrick Bauchau) is dead. Ben (Nick Stahl), the show's protagonist, appears to be the culprit. Samson (Michael J. Anderson) helps him dispose of the body. Later he tells the other carnival workers that Lodz "took a powder." Lila (Debra Christofferson) doesn't buy it. Meanwhile, Sophie (Clea DuVall), who lost her mother to fire the previous year, feels unmoored without her guidance. A few states away, Brother Justin (Clancy Brown) harbors ever greater delusions of grandeur--and inappropriate thoughts about his sister, Iris (Amy Madigan). In "Alamagordo, NM," he decides to establish a temple, which he dubs Jonestown, er, Jericho. At the same time, life amongst the carnies, who are heading towards Justin's California, is becoming increasingly tense. Ruthie (Adrienne Barbeau), for instance, is starting to see dead people--like Lodz--and Stumpy (Toby Huss) is no longer able to keep his gambling in check. As with the first season, the action continues to alternate between the carnival and the congregation. What binds the two is a man named Scudder (John Savage), who has connections to Ben and Justin. Although writer/creator Dan Knauf had planned to tie things up between seasons three and six, HBO did not renew "Carnivàle" a second time. Nonetheless, a surprising number of questions are answered, like the identity of "Management" (voiced by an un-credited Linda Hunt) and whether Ben and Justin will have a final showdown. The answer to the latter question is: Yes, they will--and there’ll be casualties. "--Kathleen C. Fennessy"

Languages: English, French, Spanish

Subtitles: Spanish, French

Sound: Dolby

Comments: You were warned never to push Carrie to the limits. Now you must face the evil consequences.

Summary: This terrifying adaptation of Stephen King's bestselling horror novel was directed by shock maestro Brian De Palma for maximum, no-holds-barred effect. Sissy Spacek stars as Carrie White, the beleaguered daughter of a religious kook (Piper Laurie) and a social outcast tormented by her cruel, insensitive classmates. When her rage turns into telekinetic powers, however, school's out in every sense of the word. De Palma's horrific climax in a school gym lingers forever in the memory, though the film is also built upon Spacek's remarkable performance and Piper Laurie's outlandishly creepy one. John Travolta has a small part as a thug, De Palma's future wife, Nancy Allen, is his girlfriend, and Amy Irving makes her screen debut as one of the girls giving Carrie a hard time. "--Tom Keogh"

Languages: English

Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround

Summary: There's an extra coat of hot wax on Pixar's vibrant, NASCAR-influenced comedy about a world populated entirely by cars. Lightning McQueen (voiced by Owen Wilson) is the slick rookie taking the Piston Cup series by storm when the last race of the season (the film's high-octane opening) ends in a three-way tie. On the way to the tie-breaker race in California, Lightning loses his way off Route 66 in the Southwest desert and is taught to stop and smell the roses by the forgotten citizens of Radiator Springs. It's odd to have such a slim story from the whizzes of Pixar, and the film pales a bit from their other films (though can that be a fair comparison?). Nonetheless, "Cars" is another gleaming ride with Pixar founder John Lasseter, who's directing for the first time since "Toy Story 2". There's the usual spectrum of excellent characters teamed with appropriate voice talent, loads of smooth humor for kids and parents alike, knockout visuals, and a colorful array of sidekicks, including a scene-stealing baby blue forklift named Guido. Lightning's plight is changed with the help of former big-city lawyer Sally Carrera (Pixar veteran Bonnie Hunt), the town's patriarch Doc Hudson (Paul Newman), and kooky tow truck Mater (Larry the Cable Guy). "The Incredibles" was the first Pixar film to break the 100-minute barrier, but had enough story not to suffer; "Cars", at 116 minutes (including some must-see end credit footage), is not as fortunate, plus it never pierces the heart. Trivia fans should have bonanza with the frame-by-frame DVD function; the movie is stuffed with in-jokes, some appearing only for an instant. Ages 5 and up. "--Doug Thomas"

Languages: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish, French

Sound: Dolby

Comments: Ahhh... it's got that new movie smell.

Summary: There's an extra coat of hot wax on Pixar's vibrant, NASCAR-influenced comedy about a world populated entirely by cars. Lightning McQueen (voiced by Owen Wilson) is the slick rookie taking the Piston Cup series by storm when the last race of the season (the film's high-octane opening) ends in a three-way tie. On the way to the tie-breaker race in California, Lightning loses his way off Route 66 in the Southwest desert and is taught to stop and smell the roses by the forgotten citizens of Radiator Springs. It's odd to have such a slim story from the whizzes of Pixar, and the film pales a bit from their other films (though can that be a fair comparison?). Nonetheless, "Cars" is another gleaming ride with Pixar founder John Lasseter, who's directing for the first time since "Toy Story 2". There's the usual spectrum of excellent characters teamed with appropriate voice talent, loads of smooth humor for kids and parents alike, knockout visuals, and a colorful array of sidekicks, including a scene-stealing baby blue forklift named Guido. Lightning's plight is changed with the help of former big-city lawyer Sally Carrera (Pixar veteran Bonnie Hunt), the town's patriarch Doc Hudson (Paul Newman), and kooky tow truck Mater (Larry the Cable Guy). "The Incredibles" was the first Pixar film to break the 100-minute barrier, but had enough story not to suffer; "Cars", at 116 minutes (including some must-see end credit footage), is not as fortunate, plus it never pierces the heart. Trivia fans should have bonanza with the frame-by-frame DVD function; the movie is stuffed with in-jokes, some appearing only for an instant. Ages 5 and up. "--Doug Thomas"

Languages: English, French, Spanish

Subtitles: English, French

Sound: AC-3

Summary: Rev up your engines for this unforgettable collection of Cars Toons starring Mater, the lovable and hilarious tow truck from the hit movie Cars. From the creative minds of Disney/Pixar come nine highly entertaining "Tall Tales" involving bullfights, drag races, rock concerts, monster truck showdowns and even UFOs - plus, check out the new, exclusive, never-before-seen Cars Toons Mater Private Eye and Moon Mater.

Join Mater, the heart and soul of Radiator Springs, and all your favorite characters from the world of Cars as they take you on a fun-filled ride that will have your family roaring with laughter!

Languages: English

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Sound: Dolby Digital 1.0

Summary: A truly perfect movie, the 1942 "Casablanca" still wowsviewers today, and for good reason. Its unique story of a love triangle set against terribly high stakes in the war against a monster is sophisticated instead of outlandish, intriguing instead of garish. Humphrey Bogart plays the allegedly apolitical club owner in unoccupied French territory that is nevertheless crawling with Nazis; Ingrid Bergman is the lover who mysteriously deserted him in Paris; and Paul Heinreid is her heroic, slightly bewildered husband. Claude Rains, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, and Conrad Veidt are among what may be the best supporting cast in the history of Hollywood films. This is certainly among the most spirited and ennobling movies ever made. "--Tom Keogh"

Languages: English, French

Subtitles: English, Spanish, French

Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono

Comments: They had a date with fate in Casablanca!

Summary: A truly perfect movie, the 1942 "Casablanca" still wowsviewers today, and for good reason. Its unique story of a love triangle set against terribly high stakes in the war against a monster is sophisticated instead of outlandish, intriguing instead of garish. Humphrey Bogart plays the allegedly apolitical club owner in unoccupied French territory that is nevertheless crawling with Nazis; Ingrid Bergman is the lover who mysteriously deserted him in Paris; and Paul Heinreid is her heroic, slightly bewildered husband. Claude Rains, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, and Conrad Veidt are among what may be the best supporting cast in the history of Hollywood films. This is certainly among the most spirited and ennobling movies ever made. "--Tom Keogh"

Languages: English, French, Spanish

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Sound: AC-3

Comments: You don't stay at the top forever

Summary: Director Martin Scorsese reunites with members of his "GoodFellas" gang (writer Nicholas Pileggi; actors Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Frank Vincent) for a three-hour epic about the rise and fall of mobster Sam "Ace" Rothstein (De Niro), a character based on real-life gangster Frank "Lefty" Rosenthal. (It's modeled after on "Wiseguy" and "GoodFellas" and Pileggi's true crime book "Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas".) Through Rothstein, the picture tells the story of how the Mafia seized, and finally lost control of, Las Vegas gambling. The first hour plays like a fascinating documentary, intricately detailing the inner workings of Vegas casinos. Sharon Stone is the stand out among the actors; she nabbed an Oscar nomination for her role as the voracious Ginger, the glitzy call girl who becomes Rothstein's wife. The film is not as fast paced or gripping as Scorsese's earlier gangster pictures ("Mean Streets" and "GoodFellas"), but it's still absorbing. And, hey--it's Scorsese! "--Jim Emerson"

Languages: English, French, Spanish

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Sound: Dolby

Comments: Everyone has a past. Every legend has a beginning. On November 17th, discover how James...became Bond.

Summary: The most successful invigoration of a cinematic franchise since "Batman Begins, Casino Royale" offers a new Bond identity. Based on the Ian Fleming novel that introduced Agent 007 into a Cold War world, "Casino Royale" is the most brutal and viscerally exciting James Bond film since Sean Connery left Her Majesty's Secret Service. Meet the new Bond; not the same as the old Bond. Daniel Craig gives a galvanizing performance as the freshly minted double-0 agent. Suave, yes, but also a "blunt instrument," reckless, and possessed with an ego that compromises his judgment during his first mission to root out the mastermind behind an operation that funds international terrorists. In classic Bond film tradition, his global itinerary takes him to far-flung locales, including Uganda, Madagascar, the Bahamas (that's more like it), and Montenegro, where he is pitted against his nemesis in a poker game, with hundreds of millions in the pot. The stakes get even higher when Bond lets down his "armor" and falls in love with Vesper (Eva Green), the ravishing banker's representative fronting him the money.






























For longtime fans of the franchise, "Casino Royale" offers some retro kicks. Bond wins his iconic Astin-Martin at the gaming table, and when a bartender asks if he wants his martini "shaken or stirred," he disdainfully replies, "Do I look like I give a damn?" There's no Moneypenny or "Q," but Dame Judi Dench is back as the exasperated M, who one senses, admires Bond's "bloody cheek." A Bond film is only as good as its villain, and Mads Mikkelsen as Le Chiffre, who weeps blood, is a sinister dandy. From its punishing violence and virtuoso action sequences to its romance, "Casino Royale" is a Bond film that, in the words of one character, makes you feel it, particularly during an excruciating torture sequence. Double-0s, Bond observes early on, "have a short life expectancy." But with Craig, there is new life in the old franchise yet, as well as genuine anticipation for the next one when, at last, the signature James Bond theme kicks in following the best last line ever in any Bond film. To quote Goldie Hawn in "Private Benjamin", now I know what I've been faking all these years. "--Donald Liebenson "













Stills from " Casino Royale" (click for larger image)




























































Beyond "Casino Royale" on Amazon.com










On Blu-ray





CD Soundtrack








Why We Love Daniel Craig
















The Amazon.com James Bond Store








"Where Have I Seen Daniel Craig?"








"Bond on Set: Filming Casino Royale " Book

Languages: English, French

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Sound: AC-3

Comments: Everyone has a past. Every legend has a beginning. On November 17th, discover how James...became Bond.

Summary: The most successful invigoration of a cinematic franchise since "Batman Begins", "Casino Royale" offers a new Bond identity. Based on the Ian Fleming novel that introduced Agent 007 into a Cold War world, "Casino Royale" is the most brutal and viscerally exciting James Bond film since Sean Connery left Her Majesty's Secret Service. Meet the new Bond; not the same as the old Bond. Daniel Craig gives a galvanizing performance as the freshly minted double-0 agent. Suave, yes, but also a "blunt instrument," reckless, and possessed with an ego that compromises his judgment during his first mission to root out the mastermind behind an operation that funds international terrorists. In classic Bond film tradition, his global itinerary takes him to far-flung locales, including Uganda, Madagascar, the Bahamas (that's more like it), and Montenegro, where he is pitted against his nemesis in a poker game, with hundreds of millions in the pot. The stakes get even higher when Bond lets down his "armor" and falls in love with Vesper (Eva Green), the ravishing banker's representative fronting him the money.
For longtime fans of the franchise, "Casino Royale" offers some retro kicks. Bond wins his iconic Astin-Martin at the gaming table, and when a bartender asks if he wants his martini "shaken or stirred," he disdainfully replies, "Do I look like I give a damn?" There's no Moneypenny or "Q," but Dame Judi Dench is back as the exasperated M, who one senses, admires Bond's "bloody cheek." A Bond film is only as good as its villain, and Mads Mikkelsen as Le Chiffre, who weeps blood, is a sinister dandy. From its punishing violence and virtuoso action sequences to its romance, "Casino Royale" is a Bond film that, in the words of one character, makes you feel it, particularly during an excruciating torture sequence. Double-0s, Bond observes early on, "have a short life expectancy." But with Craig, there is new life in the old franchise yet, as well as genuine anticipation for the next one when, at last, the signature James Bond theme kicks in following the best last line ever in any Bond film. To quote Goldie Hawn in "Private Benjamin", now I know what I've been faking all these years. "--Donald Liebenson"

Languages: English, Spanish, French

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Sound: Dolby

Comments: At the edge of the world, his journey begins.

Summary: "Cast Away" is a good movie that wants to be much better. While director Robert Zemeckis's earlier film "Contact" achieved a kind of mainstream spiritual significance, "Cast Away" falls just short of that goal. That may explain why the film's most emotionally powerful scene involves the loss of an inanimate object, even as it presents a heart-rending dilemma in its very human final act.
It's three movies in one, beginning when punctuality-obsessed Federal Express systems engineer Chuck Noland (Tom Hanks) departs on Christmas Eve to escort an ill-fated flight of FedEx packages. Following a mid-Pacific plane crash, movie number two chronicles Chuck's four-year survival on a remote island, totally alone save for a Wilson volleyball (aptly named "Wilson") that becomes Chuck's closest "friend." Movie number three leads up to Chuck's rescue and an awkward encounter with his ex-girlfriend Kelly (Helen Hunt, in a thankless role), for whom Chuck has seemingly risen from the grave.
It's fascinating to witness Chuck's emerging survival skills, and Hanks's remarkable physical transformation is matched by his finely tuned performance. With slow, rhythmic camera moves and brilliant use of sound, Zemeckis wisely avoids the postcard prettiness of "The Black Stallion" and "The Blue Lagoon" to emphasize the harshness of Chuck's ascetic solitude, and this stylistic restraint allows "Cast Away" to resonate more than one might expect. Even the final scene--which feels like a crowd-pleasing compromise--offers hope without shoving it down our throats. You may not feel the emotional rush that you're meant to feel, but "Cast Away" remains a respectable effort. "--Jeff Shannon"

Languages: English

Sound: Dolby

Summary: "Cast Away" is a good movie that wants to be much better. While director Robert Zemeckis's earlier film "Contact" achieved a kind of mainstream spiritual significance, "Cast Away" falls just short of that goal. That may explain why the film's most emotionally powerful scene involves the loss of an inanimate object, even as it presents a heart-rending dilemma in its very human final act.
It's three movies in one, beginning when punctuality-obsessed Federal Express systems engineer Chuck Noland (Tom Hanks) departs on Christmas Eve to escort an ill-fated flight of FedEx packages. Following a mid-Pacific plane crash, movie number two chronicles Chuck's four-year survival on a remote island, totally alone save for a Wilson volleyball (aptly named "Wilson") that becomes Chuck's closest "friend." Movie number three leads up to Chuck's rescue and an awkward encounter with his ex-girlfriend Kelly (Helen Hunt, in a thankless role), for whom Chuck has seemingly risen from the grave.
It's fascinating to witness Chuck's emerging survival skills, and Hanks's remarkable physical transformation is matched by his finely tuned performance. With slow, rhythmic camera moves and brilliant use of sound, Zemeckis wisely avoids the postcard prettiness of "The Black Stallion" and "The Blue Lagoon" to emphasize the harshness of Chuck's ascetic solitude, and this stylistic restraint allows "Cast Away" to resonate more than one might expect. Even the final scene--which feels like a crowd-pleasing compromise--offers hope without shoving it down our throats. You may not feel the emotional rush that you're meant to feel, but "Cast Away" remains a respectable effort. "--Jeff Shannon"

Languages: English, French, Portuguese, Spanish

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

Sound: Dolby

Comments: Even in war... murder is murder.

Summary: Based on a true story, this Brian De Palma film casts Michael J. Fox as a soldier in Vietnam in a squad led by Sean Penn. While on patrol, in the wake of an ambush that has left friends dead, they kidnap and rape a Vietnamese woman--then murder her. But Fox, one of the soldiers who refused to participate in the rape, is so appalled by the killing that he reports it--and finds himself being treated as the villain. Penn is scarily tough as the vindictive soldier and De Palma does a solid job of re-creating the crime, making it a thing of horror. Yet this film never quite connects, despite a strong performance by Fox and a supporting cast that includes John C. Reilly and John Leguizamo. "--Marshall Fine"

Languages: English, French

Subtitles: English, Spanish, French

Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1

Summary: How can you hate a movie that features ninja Siamese cats wreaking havoc with their kung fu prowess? That's one of the highlights in "Cats & Dogs", an effects-laden family film that mystifies cat fanciers by casting dogs as the undisputed heroes in all-out warfare with nefarious felines. Hidden headquarters and high-tech gadgets are featured on both sides of this age-old battle. On the feline side, the longhaired Persian Mr. Tinkles (voice of Sean Hayes) plots to sabotage the efforts of Professor Brody (Jeff Goldblum) to discover a cure for human allergies to dogs. On the canine side, stalwart shepherd Butch (voice of Alec Baldwin) trains the mistakenly recruited beagle puppy Lou (voice of Tobey Maguire) to foil Mr. Tinkles's scheme--a mission that begins when Mrs. Brody (Elizabeth Perkins) adopts Lou for her son Scott (Alexander Pollock).
Using combinations of live animals, animatronic puppets, and digital wizardry, "Cats & Dogs" has just enough imagination to match its effects, climaxing with a feline global-domination scheme involving mice sprayed with chemicals that will make all humans allergic to dogs. Goldblum and Perkins gamely play second fiddles to this menagerie of mayhem, and as madcap "realism" gives way to cartoonish fantasy, the movie escalates into utter chaos, burdened by lame jokes but highlighted by a furry supporting cast including a Saluki hound (voice of Susan Sarandon), a shaggy sheepdog (voice of Michael Clarke Duncan), and a Chinese hairless techno-geek named Peek (voice of Joe Pantoliano). Though never as charming as the "Babe" movies, "Cats & Dogs" is harmless fun--especially for dog lovers. "--Jeff Shannon"

Languages: English

Subtitles: English

Sound: Dolby

Comments: This Summer... Enter The Mind Of A Killer

Summary: Schizoid serial killer Carl Stargher (Vincent D'Onofrio) has been captured at last, but a neurological seizure has rendered him comatose, and FBI agent Peter Novak (Vince Vaughan) has no way to determine the location of Stargher's latest and still-living victim. To probe the secrets contained in Stargher's traumatized psyche, the FBI recruits psychologist Catherine Deane (Jennifer Lopez), who has mastered a new technology that allows her to enter the mind of another person. What she finds in Stargher's head is a theater of the grotesque, which, as envisioned by first-time director Tarsem Singh, is a smorgasbord of the surreal that borrows liberally from the Brothers Quay, Czech animator Jan Svankmajer, Hieronymous Bosch, Salvador Dali, and a surplus of other cannibalized sources.
This provides one of the wildest, weirdest visual feasts ever committed to film, and "The Cell" earns a place among such movie mind-trips as "2001: A Space Odyssey", "Altered States", "What Dreams May Come", and "Un Chien Andalou". Is this a good thing? Sure, if all you want is freakazoid eye-candy. If you're looking for emotional depth, substantial plot, and artistic coherence, "The Cell" is sure to disappoint. The pop-psychology pablum of Mark Protosevich's screenplay would be laughable if it weren't given such somber significance, and Singh's exploitative use of sadomasochistic imagery is repugnant (this movie makes "Seven" look tame), so you're better off marveling at the nightmare visions that are realized with astonishing potency. "The Cell" is too shallow to stay in your head for long, but while it's there, it's one hell of a show. "--Jeff Shannon"

Languages: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish

Sound: AC-3

Summary: Just when you think it's getting silly, "Cellular" serves up another tantalizing twist. In the time-honored tradition of "Sorry, Wrong Number" and "Wait Until Dark", Kim Basinger is well-cast as a resourceful damsel-in-distress who thwarts her kidnappers by connecting with a n'er-do-well cell-phone user (Chris Evans, later seen in "The Fantastic Four") who races against time to rescue her from afar. One good cop (William H. Macy) assembles clues to uncover conspiracy, while first-time writer Chris Morgan and pulp-movie master Larry Cohen (who conceived the plot, similar to his own "Phone Booth" screenplay) serve up a consistently satisfying string of high-tension surprises. Jason Statham continues to prove his rising-star status as the film's tenacious villain, and director David Ellis ("Final Destination 2") takes advantage of his experience as a veteran stunt coordinator and second-unit director, making good use of locations in his native Santa Monica, and wringing credible suspense from a deliriously far-fetched premise. "--Jeff Shannon"

Languages: English

Comments: The truth behind the lies of Fahrenheit 9/11

Summary: It provides an excellent retort to some of the reckless propaganda in Moore's movie. It's intereseting to note that Captain Video provides the only negative review so far. However, his entire commentary is based on associations that the movie has and not the content of the movie. I looked at his other reviews. Pretty predictable stuff: 1 star if it has a conservative slant and 5 stars if it has a liberal slant. He decries this movie for having a conservative bias yet his review of Moore's film doesn't admit to any liberal bias! What an intellectual fraud.

Languages: English

Sound: Stereo

Comments: If you can't beat 'em... steal him!

Summary: Crowd-pleasing Hollywood stars score big-time laughs in this outrageous comedy about team spirit gone way out-of-bounds! Lewis Scott (Damon Wayans -- MAJOR PAYNE, TV's MY WIFE AND KIDS) is a stuck-up superstar who's about to lead his team to the NBA Championship. Jimmy (Dan Aykroyd -- EVOLUTION, GROSSE POINTE BLANK) and his buddy Mike (Daniel Stern -- HOME ALONE, CITY SLICKERS) are a pair of die-hard basketball fans who'd do anything to help their team win ... even if it means kidnapping Scott before the final game! But when Scott ends up being a tough competitor off the court, too, he hilariously turns the tables on his dim-witted captors and sends the fast-breaking fun into overtime!

Languages: English, French, Spanish

Subtitles: Spanish, French

Sound: Dolby

Comments: Reaction Time 8-4-96

Summary: Anyone want to venture a guess that Keanu Reeves was sorry he passed up "Speed 2" to make this turkey? Both a ridiculous suspense piece about a renegade intelligence community and an ill-considered hunk of do-gooder agitprop about alternative energy technology, "Chain Reaction" makes Reeves and almost everyone else involved look about as dumb as dumb can be. Hollywood's own Little Buddha plays a streetwise lab technician who survives an organized assault on his hydrogen-power project. The FBI assumes he's really a spy working for some foreign power, but the truth is that a CIA offshoot is behind the project's funding. Morgan Freeman plays the ramrod-straight company man who sabotages Keanu's excellent experiment, and Rachel Weisz portrays a physicist who goes on the run with the alleged saboteur. Directed by Andrew Davis ("The Fugitive"), who seems more interested in seeing how many absurd places he can mount a chase scene than offering a solid clue as to who these characters are and why we should care about them. "--Tom Keogh"

Languages: English, Spanish, French

Subtitles: English, Spanish

Sound: Dolby

Comments: "Dobby Has Come To Warn You Sir."

Summary: A top cast consisting of veteran aces Gene Hackman and Faye Dunaway can't rescue this way-too-long, dreadfully earnest version of John Grisham's equally gimpy novel. There are several problems in this story of an intertwined Southern family who must disentangle themselves from the past and the dark shadow of a 1967 bombing. That terrorist attack led to the deaths of two Jewish children and was pinned on the black-sheep patriarch of the family, a racist, card-carrying Klansman named Sam Cayhall (Hackman), who is now serving time on death row for the hate crime. Years later, the savior grandson cometh. Young-buck lawyer Adam Hall--played with righteous determination and limited range by Chris O'Donnell--pulls out all the stops to save his client from the Mississippi gas chamber. As is usual in Grisham country, the poor lawyer becomes embroiled in a plan more diabolical, corrupt, and layered than he could guess and the truth spirals out of control, endangering lives, and opening old wounds. "The Chamber" attempts to twist and turn through its plodding story, but there is no gray area in which to force the viewer to weigh his or her conscience against the skewed facts. Everything that occurs in "The Chamber" is black or white, good or bad, and there is no crisis of conflict to make us question the morality and stance of the two sides in play. The bad guys are awful, the politicians are bought off, the cops are either corrupt or apathetic, and only one puny guy is left to bring down a house of cards that's been standing solidly for decades. O'Donnell is quickly put to shame by Hackman, who even manages to suffer through a sadistically long, melodramatic stroll down death row with his dignity intact. "--Paula Nechak"

Languages: English, French

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Sound: AC-3

Summary: Clint Eastwood’s mastery as a director, established over the past decade and a half with Unforgiven, Million Dollar Baby, Letters from Iwo Jima, and others, continues with Changeling, a 2008 offering based on a shocking but all-too-true story about child abduction and police corruption in 1920s Los Angeles. Single mother Christine Collins (Angelina Jolie, excellent in a role with somewhat limited parameters) finds her 9-year-old son, Walter, missing when she returns home from work one day. She files a report with the Los Angeles Police Department, an outfit that was wildly unpopular at the time (in his regular radio broadcast, a crusading pastor played by John Malkovich decries the force as "violent and corrupt," adding that "our protectors are our brutalizers"). When a child roughly matching Walter’s description turns up in Illinois five months later, the LAPD, intent on salvaging its tattered reputation, is only too eager to claim that he is Collins’ missing child. Little matters that he’s three inches shorter, is circumcised (Walter wasn’t), and fails to pass muster with Walter’s dentist, schoolteacher, and others; the cops, in particular the odious Captain J.J. Jones (Jeffrey Donovan), insist that the mistake is Christine’s, not theirs. What follows is almost too nightmarish to believe--except that it actually happened. Exasperated by Collins’ continued claim that "Walter" is a fraud, they trot out a doctor to reinforce the bogus ID, declare her unfit as a mother, and finally have her committed to a local psychopathic ward. Through it all, Collins, bolstered by the pastor and thousands of outraged Angelenos, refuses to sign a document that would exonerate the police for their egregious error. As for Walter, it’s only when the LAPD’s seemingly only honest detective (Michael Kelly) takes matters into his own hands that the grisly mystery of the child’s fate begins to be solved. That would have been a good place for the film to conclude, too. Unfortunately, it goes on for more than another half hour, with innumerable false endings that add nothing to the story and could just as easily have been summarized with a few sentences before the final credits. That flaw aside (and it’s a major one), Changeling is a powerful film, with a realistic period feel, a wonderfully muted vibe and color palette, and an understated score by Eastwood himself. --Sam Graham


Stills from Changeling (Click for larger image)

Languages: English, French

Subtitles: English

Sound: Dolby

Comments: An ambitious lawyer, a desperate father, they had no reason to meet, until today,

Summary: Impeccably crafted and smarter than your average thriller, "Changing Lanes" proves that revenge is a dish best served cold. A high-powered attorney (Ben Affleck) learns that lesson the hard way after he flees the scene of an accident involving an insurance salesman (Samuel L. Jackson) who holds a powerful advantage in his retaliatory strike against the lawyer's arrogant behavior. Affleck has everything to gain if he can retrieve a lost document from Jackson, who has everything to lose (wife, family, savings) when threatened with financial sabotage. To his versatile credit, "Notting Hill" director Roger Michell never plays the race card in this escalating battle of wills, focusing instead on the percolating resentments of men at opposite ends of the economic scale. As he did in "Eyes Wide Shut", actor-director Sydney Pollack chillingly embodies the venal elite in a pivotal supporting role, and "Changing Lanes" potently illustrates the wisdom of heeding a guilty conscience. "--Jeff Shannon"

Languages: English

Sound: Unknown

Comments: A new brand of comedy.

Summary: The 2003 debut of "Chappelle's Show" on Comedy Central marked a high point for the cable channel, and now the entire, wildly creative first season can be seen, with hundreds of bleeps removed. That's not to say "Chappelle's Show" is perfect entertainment: there are too many moments among the 12 episodes here that descend into pointless scatology and booty fever. But for the most part, Chappelle, a talented comic slowly growing into greatness, is trying to push the sketch-humor envelope and succeeds at surprising us with original concepts and merciless execution.
The merely clever material includes "National Geography's Third World Girls Gone Wild," basically an update on those topless-native-women gags of yore, and Chappelle's "Educated Guess Line," in which the sage comic eschews psychic powers to logically deduce racial insights from his callers' questions. Far more wicked is an in-your-face satire on such autobiographical film fare as "Antwone Fisher" and "8 Mile", in which Chappelle plays himself ascending from street hustler to rapper-comedian to bona fide savior of America. The best thing here, however, is a parallel-universe version of "The Real World", in which the usual racial proportions on MTV's workhorse series are reversed, thrusting a token white guy into a Hoboken houseful of crazy African Americans. There are also laughs in "Ask a Gay Guy with Mario Cantoned," as well as a sketch about an "inner-thoughts cam" and a nasty piece about Chappelle's Make-a-Wish visit to a dying child, which decays into a cruel video game competition. Overlooking the series' weaker material, this is outstanding television comedy. "--Tom Keogh"

Languages: English

Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo

Comments: A new brand of comedy.

Summary: Dave Chappelle's shrewd parodies, stinging satires, and boldly imaginative fantasias simply pour from the second season of his Comedy Central show, in every respect as funny as his well-received debut year. The structure is the same: a relaxed Chappelle introduces each sketch to an enthusiastic, studio audience (some of these introductions amount to stand-up routines), and then the madness begins. Among the many highlights from the 13 episodes on this boxed set's three discs is a mock ad for Samuel L. Jackson beer, featuring Chappelle's hilarious impression of Jackson's stern, overbearing persona from "Pulp Fiction", and a dozen other features. Chappelle, considering a career in politics, floats a couple of trial campaign commercials, including one that promises to solve America's health care crisis by giving every citizen a fake Canadian I.D. Chappelle also suggests an effective program for teaching sexual abstinence to high school students: Forcing them to watch their principals have sex with the oldest female teachers on staff.
There's a good bit, too, about black soothsayer Negrodamus, whose ability to foresee events is limited to the fortunes of celebrities. Coming under fire (amusingly) are those McDonald's commercials suggesting that burger-flipping employment for African Americans can overhaul inner city communities. But, as with season 1, there are several masterpieces in this collection as well, such as Chappelle's vision of what the Internet would look like if it was a place you could actually, physically visit (with the equivalents of pop-up ads, porn sites, etc.). Equally inspired is a sketch in which a freeloading Chappelle, having impregnated the ultra-rich Oprah Winfrey, indulges his every whim. Best of all is Chappelle's take on what President Bush's administration would look like if the Chief Executive were, in fact, a black man. "--Tom Keogh"

Languages: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish, French

Sound: DTS-ES

Comments: Oompa-Loompas are crazy for Coco-Beans

Summary: Who better to bring Roald Dahl's adored children's story to life than the mastermind behind inventive films like EDWARD SCISSORHANDS and BEETLEJUICE? From Tim Burton's opening shot--against Danny Elfman's eerie score--this CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY is recognizably darker than the Mel Stuart-directed 1971 version starring Gene Wilder. Though the mysterious chocolate factory has been closed for 15 years, it continues to produce and ship candy all over the world. When a contest promises a tour of the plant to the lucky finders of five golden tickets hidden inside wrappers, no one is more excited than Charlie Bucket (Freddie Highmore), an impoverished boy whose family lives mere steps from the factory. Though he can barely afford even one candy bar, fate intervenes, and Charlie finds the last golden ticket.



Joined at the gates by a group of despicable brats named Veruca Salt, Violet Beauregarde, Augustus Gloop, and Mike Teavee, Charlie and his Grandfather (David Kelly) venture inside proprietor Willy Wonka's (Johnny Depp) delightful factory for a wild adventure. Each room is a feast for the eyes, and more importantly the taste buds--a sugarcoated dreamland where everything is edible. One by one, however, the children meet unfortunate fates, until only Charlie remains in the company of Wonka and his curiously small workers, the Oompa Loompas (all played by Deep Roy, whose image is multiplied with CG). Sporting a severe bob, and talking in a high-pitched voice, Depp makes his Wonka even weirder than Wilder's. While Burton adds some amusing contemporary touches (like the musical Oompa Loompa routines), and an elaborate back story, he also preserves the charm of the original book. Overall, Burton's visual innovation succeeds in capturing the vividness of a child's imagination--but whether this version trumps the beloved '71 film is for viewers to decide.
"Those Oompa-Loompas are the beat, and soul, of Burton's finest movie since ED WOOD: a madhouse kiddie musical with a sweet-and-sour heart."

- Owen, Gleiberman (Entertainment Weekly Critic), Entertainment Weekly, 07/22/2005
"Wondrous....[The film] moves, like Dahl's original, in a straight line from one inspired set piece to the next..."

- A. O., Scott (New York Times Critic), New York Times, 07/15/2005
"Tim Burton surrounds Depp with miraculous visuals of spun sugar and creeping menace. Their missionary lunacy is a treat for twisted children of all ages."

- Peter, Travers (Rolling Stone Critic), Rolling Stone, 07/28/2005
"[I]t's very much Burton's vision: the modern fairy tale town, kitsch musical number and 'gothic' Edward Gorey-inspired design."

- Uncut Staff (Uncut Film Critic), Uncut, 09/01/2005
"Depp's Wonka is both flamboyant and reserved....He can be plaintive...or hilarious..."

- Ryan, Gilbey (Sight & Sound Critic), Sight and Sound, 09/01/2005
"Depp deserves kudos for fashioning an original and outlandish if occasionally menacing character in CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY....[The film is] a marvel of rich, colorful design and flair." - Claudia, Puig (USA TODAY CRITIC), USA Today, 07/15/2005
Included in Entertainment Weekly's Top Ten Films Of The Year -- "[A] delectable sweet-and-sour madhouse kiddie musical..."

- Owen, Gleiberman (Entertainment Weekly Critic), Entertainment Weekly, 12/30/2005
Ranked #8 in Rolling Stone's "Top 25 DVDs Of 2005' -- "The colors on the two-disc DVD are tempting and toxic. Dahl would approve."

- Peter, Travers (Rolling Stone Critic), Rolling Stone, 12/01/2005
"[I]t's movie candy: an optical endorphin rush."

- Total Film Staff (Total Film Critic), Total Film, 07/01/2006
4 stars out of 5 -- "This is a dazzling confection for the senses..." - Richard, Houldsworth (Ultimate DVD Critic), Ultimate DVD, 08/01/2007

Languages: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish

Sound: Dolby Digital 1.0

Comments: Fall in love with Peanuts! (2008 DVD re-release)

Summary: "Peanuts" creator Charles Schulz retired from the cartoonist's life early in 2000, and indeed left a few loose strings hanging among his chronically dissatisfied characters. He never did, for instance, cut Charlie Brown much slack in the romance department (or let him kick Lucy's football, for that matter). Sympathetic readers might have taken note of a story in the press just before Schulz said farewell, in which the inspiration for Charlie Brown's unrequited love interest--the never-seen, too-distant, "little red-haired girl"--was identified as a woman who turned down a marriage proposal from Schultz a half-century ago. That bit of biographical detail now adds poignancy to "Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown", a 1975 television special built upon years of Valentine's Day "Peanuts" strips. This half-hour show finds Charlie Brown suffering, typically, the ignominy of receiving no hearts-and-flowers greetings while the rest of the gang, including Snoopy, spend their day sorting through piles of love notes. Worse, Schulz's famous sad sack can't get up the nerve to approach his unapproachable angel, though there may be--just "may be"--a glimmer of hope this time around. It may be Valentine's Day, but not much else is different in the "Peanuts" neighborhood. "--Tom Keogh"
On the DVD
The 2008 remastered DVD has the two additional specials that were on the previous DVD, "You're in Love, Charlie Brown" (1967), in which our hero tries to meet the little red-haired girl, and "It's Your First Kiss, Charlie Brown" (1977), a vastly more complex production that has two focuses for CB: win the big football even though Lucy keeps pulling the ball away, and escort--and "kiss"--the little red-haired girl to the homecoming ball. New for 2008 is a 15-minute featurette on the theme of unrequited love in the "Peanuts" world, with interviews of the Schulz family, Lee Mendelson, and others. "--David Horiuchi"

Languages: English

Subtitles: English

Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono

Comments: That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown! (2008 DVD re-release)

Summary: This half-hour Christmas show is one of the truly lovable animated specials in TV history, a status proved by its annual network telecast since 1965. "A Charlie Brown Christmas" was the first, and best, of a series of programs based on the Charles M. Schulz cartoon strip "Peanuts." Hapless hero Charlie Brown finds himself depressed at Christmastime, searching for the true meaning of the holiday amidst the glitz and commercialism of the modern age. Appointed director of the school holiday pageant, Charlie Brown ventures out with Linus to buy "a great, big, shiny aluminum Christmas tree." Instead they bring back a miserable tree--a real one. "A Charlie Brown Christmas" shows off the "Peanuts" gang doing what they do best: Lucy is bossy, Snoopy is crazy, Linus is sweet, and Pig Pen is, well, filthy. Instead of using adult actors trying to sound like kids, the production features real children providing the voices, an endearing effect. The jazz music score, composed by Vince Guaraldi, has become a classic in its own right; like so much about this program, it's an unexpected but perfectly right choice. "--Robert Horton"

Languages: English

Subtitles: English

Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono

Comments: Spend Thanksgiving with Good Ol' Charlie Brown. (2008 DVD re-release)

Summary: This sweet, heartwarming 1973 offering from the Peanuts gang (and Charles Schulz) once again shows Charlie Brown in a pickle, as his erstwhile friends impose upon the hapless would-be-host to provide a memorable and traditional Thanksgiving feast. And as much as Charlie Brown would rather forget the whole thing, he just can't help but try for fear of being labeled a failure. Ultimately it's up to Snoopy and Woodstock to save Charlie from certain embarrassment, and it falls to Linus to impart to all assembled the true meaning of Thanksgiving. This very special Emmy Award-winning cartoon features the usual sweet unassuming humor that only the Peanuts can provide, along with the melodic Vince Guaraldi score, and is one of those childhood classics meant to be enjoyed again and again. "--Robert Lane"

Languages: Arabic, English, Russian, French, Spanish

Subtitles: English, Spanish, French

Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1

Comments: Based on a true story. You think we could make all this up?

Summary: Political movies about backroom negotiations need not be dry or heavy-handed, as "Charlie Wilson's War " delightfully proves. Based on the true story of playboy congressman Wilson's efforts to fund Afghanistan's defense against the Soviet invasion of the 1980s, the film is borne along on breezy attitude and a peppery script by "West Wing" scribe Aaron Sorkin. Wilson, played by Tom Hanks (who also produced), is the perfect hero for this kind of tale, because there's nothing perfect or heroic about him: He's a highball-swilling, fanny-pinching gadabout who becomes radicalized on the issue of helping the Afghans against their mighty aggressor. He has help in the form of a right-wing Texas anti-Communist (Julia Roberts) with a genius for raising money, and a sardonic CIA operative (Philip Seymour Hoffman, stealing the show) who lacks all the social skills Wilson has in abundance. Sorkin's syncopated speech is just the ticket for director Mike Nichols, who understands exactly how to keep this kind of political comedy popping (the complicated story comes in at a hair over 90 minutes, amazingly). Some scoundrels are on the right side of the angels, and the movie's Charlie Wilson is one of them. --"Robert Horton"


Beyond "Charlie Wilson's War" on DVD
More Tom Hanks
Films by Mike Nichols
More Julia Roberts


Stills from "Charlie Wilson's War" (Click for larger image)

Languages: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish, French, Georgian, Chinese, Thai

Sound: Dolby

Comments: Get Some Action

Summary: For every TV-into-movie success like "The Fugitive", there are dozens of uninspired films like "The Mod Squad". Happily--and surprisingly--this breezy update of the seminal '70s jiggle show falls into the first category, with Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore (who also produced), and Lucy Liu starring as the hair-tossing, fashion-setting, kung fu-fighting trio employed by the mysterious Charlie (voiced by the original Charlie, John Forsythe). When a high-tech programmer (Sam Rockwell) is kidnapped, the angels seek out the suspects, with the daffy Bosley (Bill Murray in a casting coup) in tow. A happy, cornball popcorn flick, "Charlie's Angels" is played for laughs with plenty of ribbing references to the old TV show as well as modern caper films like "Mission: Impossible". McG, a music video director making his feature film debut (usually a death warrant for a movie's integrity), infuses the film with plenty of "Matrix"-style combat pyrotechnics, and the result is the first successful all-American Hong Kong-style action flick. Plenty of movies boast a New Age feminism that has their stars touting their sexuality while being their own women, but unlike something as obnoxious as "Coyote Ugly", "Angels" succeeds with a positive spin on Girl Power for the new millennium (Diaz especially sizzles in her role of crack super agent/airhead blonde). From the send-up of the TV show's credit sequence to the outtakes over the end credits, "Charlie's Angels" is a delight. "--Doug Thomas"

Languages: English, French

Subtitles: English

Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround

Comments: Pig Tales

Summary: This animated feature based on the popular E.B. White book for children--about the special relationships between Wilbur the pig, Charlotte the spider, and Templeton the rat--is a straight adaptation from the page, with songs added. Endearing, heartbreaking, and ultimately wise, it may not please all of those with a strong attachment to the book, but it works all the same. "--Tom Keogh"

Languages: English

Subtitles: English

Sound: Dolby

Summary: Writer-director Kevin Smith ("Clerks") makes a huge leap in sophistication with this strong story about a comic-book artist (Ben Affleck) who falls in love with a lesbian (Joey Lauren Adams) and actually gets his wish that she love him, too. Their relationship is attacked, however, by his business partner (Jason Lee), who pulls a very unsubtle Iago act to cast doubt over the whole affair. The film has the same sense of insiderness as "Clerks"--this time, Smith takes us within the arcane, funny world of comic-book cultism--but the themes of jealousy, deceit, and the high price of growing up enough to truly care for someone make this a very satisfying movie. "--Tom Keogh"

Languages: English, French, Spanish

Subtitles: English, Spanish

Sound: AC-3

Summary: Steve Martin and Bonnie Hunt corral a wild herd of rampaging children in "Cheaper by the Dozen", an enjoyable family flick. When Kate Baker (Hunt, "Jerry Maguire") gets a book deal for her chronicle of their abundant family life, she also gets drawn into a book tour--leaving Tom (Martin, "Bringing Down the House", "The Jerk") to run the house and cope with his new, high-pressure job as a football coach. Naturally, chaos erupts, bringing the family to the brink of meltdown. "Cheaper by the Dozen" is not a great movie or an important movie or even a surprising movie, but it "is" a warm-hearted crowd-pleaser. The Bakers' family life is a bit idealized and antiseptic, but anyone looking for an escape from their own less-ideal family lives won't mind. Also featuring Tom Welling, Hilary Duff, Piper Perabo, and an uncredited Ashton Kutcher. "--Bret Fetzer"

Languages: English

Summary: Bob Fosse's sexy cynicism still shines in "Chicago", a faithful movie adaptation of the choreographer-director's 1975 Broadway musical. Of course the story, all about merry murderesses and tabloid fame, is set in the Roaring '20s, but "Chicago" reeks of '70s disenchantment--this isn't just Fosse's material, it's his attitude, too. That's probably why the movie's breathless observations on fleeting fame and fickle public taste already seem dated. However, Renée Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones are beautifully matched as Jazz Age vixens, and Richard Gere gleefully sheds his customary cool to belt out a showstopper. (Yes, they all do their own singing and dancing.) Whatever qualms musical purists may have about director Rob Marshall's cut-cut-cut style, the film's sheer exuberance is intoxicating. Given the scarcity of big-screen musicals in the last 25 years, that's a cause for singing, dancing, cheering. And all that jazz. "--Robert Horton"

Languages: English, Hungarian

Subtitles: English

Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1

Comments: With the right song and dance, you can get away with murder.

Summary: Bob Fosse's sexy cynicism still shines in "Chicago", a faithful movie adaptation of the choreographer-director's 1975 Broadway musical. Of course the story, all about merry murderesses and tabloid fame, is set in the Roaring '20s, but "Chicago" reeks of '70s disenchantment--this isn't just Fosse's material, it's his attitude, too. That's probably why the movie's breathless observations on fleeting fame and fickle public taste already seem dated. However, Renée Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones are beautifully matched as Jazz Age vixens, and Richard Gere gleefully sheds his customary cool to belt out a showstopper. (Yes, they all do their own singing and dancing.) Whatever qualms musical purists may have about director Rob Marshall's cut-cut-cut style, the film's sheer exuberance is intoxicating. Given the scarcity of big-screen musicals in the last 25 years, that's a cause for singing, dancing, cheering. And all that jazz. "--Robert Horton"

Languages: English, Hungarian

Subtitles: Spanish

Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1

Comments: With the right song and dance, you can get away with murder.

Summary: Bob Fosse's sexy cynicism still shines in "Chicago", a faithful movie adaptation of the choreographer-director's 1975 Broadway musical. Of course the story, all about merry murderesses and tabloid fame, is set in the Roaring '20s, but "Chicago" reeks of '70s disenchantment--this isn't just Fosse's material, it's his attitude, too. That's probably why the movie's breathless observations on fleeting fame and fickle public taste already seem dated. However, Renée Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones are beautifully matched as Jazz Age vixens, and Richard Gere gleefully sheds his customary cool to belt out a showstopper. (Yes, they all do their own singing and dancing.) Whatever qualms musical purists may have about director Rob Marshall's cut-cut-cut style, the film's sheer exuberance is intoxicating. Given the scarcity of big-screen musicals in the last 25 years, that's a cause for singing, dancing, cheering. And all that jazz. "--Robert Horton"

Languages: English, French, Spanish

Subtitles: English

Sound: Dolby

Comments: Panic

Summary: A classic fable gets fused with "War of the Worlds" in Disney's "Chicken Little". In the small town of Oakey Oaks, young Chicken Little (voiced by Zach Braff, "Garden State") struggles to live down the embarrassment of having once thought the sky was falling. But when he gets struck again by a hexagonal, sky-camouflaged, hi-tech doohickey, he and his friends Ugly Duckling (Joan Cusack, "School of Rock"), Runt of the Litter (Steve Zahn, "Sahara"), and Fish Out of Water discover that aliens are preparing to invade Earth--but since no one believed Chicken Little the first time, why would they believe him now? Though kids will enjoy the bright whizz-bang action sequences of "Chicken Little", discerning parents will find the movie tedious. Technically, it has the computer animation quality of Pixar--but with none of their intelligence, heart, or simple storytelling skill. The basic idea of connecting the fable to aliens is amusing, but the script routinely bogs down in clumsy father-son issues that seem like material edited out of "Finding Nemo". The jokes rarely have anything to do with the characters, but are mostly pop-culture references that are sadly out of date. The action sequences were obviously created with the inevitable video game in mind, for which the movie is little more than an advertisement. "Chicken Little" falls flat. "--Bret Fetzer"

Languages: English, Spanish, French

Sound: AC-3

Comments: Panic

Summary: A classic fable gets fused with "War of the Worlds" in Disney's "Chicken Little". In the small town of Oakey Oaks, young Chicken Little (voiced by Zach Braff, "Garden State") struggles to live down the embarrassment of having once thought the sky was falling. But when he gets struck again by a hexagonal, sky-camouflaged, hi-tech doohickey, he and his friends Ugly Duckling (Joan Cusack, "School of Rock"), Runt of the Litter (Steve Zahn, "Sahara"), and Fish Out of Water discover that aliens are preparing to invade Earth--but since no one believed Chicken Little the first time, why would they believe him now? Though kids will enjoy the bright whizz-bang action sequences of "Chicken Little", discerning parents will find the movie tedious. Technically, it has the computer animation quality of Pixar--but with none of their intelligence, heart, or simple storytelling skill. The basic idea of connecting the fable to aliens is amusing, but the script routinely bogs down in clumsy father-son issues that seem like material edited out of "Finding Nemo". The jokes rarely have anything to do with the characters, but are mostly pop-culture references that are sadly out of date. The action sequences were obviously created with the inevitable video game in mind, for which the movie is little more than an advertisement. "Chicken Little" falls flat. "--Bret Fetzer"

Languages: English

Subtitles: English

Sound: Dolby

Comments: This Ain't No Chick Flick!

Summary: There were a lot of disappointments in the 2000 summer movie season, but "Chicken Run" wasn't one of them. Made by Aardman Animations, which produced the Oscar-winning Wallace & Gromit shorts, this is a dazzling stop-motion animation film that is both deftly funny and surprisingly touching. The concept is simple: "The Great Escape"--with chickens. But directors Peter Lord and Nick Park take it much further than that (and remember: there's a whole generation out there that has no idea who Steve McQueen is). Julia Sawalha voices Ginger, a plucky English hen who has been trying to escape from Tweedy's chicken farm, where the vicious Mrs. Tweedy (Miranda Richardson) fries up any chicken who doesn't produce enough eggs. When egg profits slump, Mrs. Tweedy decides to turn her farm into a chicken-pie factory, giving new urgency to Ginger's plan. Enter Rocky the Flying Rooster (Mel Gibson), a brash American who has escaped from a circus and promises to teach the chickens to fly to safety. The film is filled with innumerable visual touches and the animation has a tactile quality that makes you want to reach out and touch these funny fowl. Above all, it's played with intelligence, wit, and heart--a rare combination in any film. While "Chicken Run" is being marketed to a youth audience, it truly is a family film that operates on both a child and an adult level. It would be a shame if grownups skipped it because they thought it was strictly for kids. "--Marshall Fine"

Languages: English, French

Subtitles: English, French

Sound: Dolby

Comments: No children. No future. No hope.

Summary: Presenting a bleak, harrowing, and yet ultimately hopeful vision of humankind's not-too-distant future, "Children of Men" is a riveting cautionary tale of potential things to come. Set in the crisis-ravaged future of 2027, and based on the atypical 1993 novel by British mystery writer P.D. James, the anxiety-inducing, action-packed story is set in a dystopian England where humanity has become infertile (the last baby was born in 2009), immigration is a crime, refugees (or "fugees") are caged like animals, and the world has been torn apart by nuclear fallout, rampant terrorism, and political rebellion. In this seemingly hopeless landscape of hardscrabble survival, a jaded bureaucrat named Theo (Clive Owen) is drawn into a desperate struggle to deliver Kee (Clare-Hope Ashitey), the world's only pregnant woman, to a secret group called the Human Project that hopes to discover a cure for global infertility. As they carefully navigate between the battling forces of military police and a pro-immigration insurgency, Theo, Kee, and their secretive allies endure a death-defying ordeal of urban warfare, and director Alfonso Cuaron (with cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki) capture the action with you-are-there intensity. There's just enough humor to balance the film's darker content (much of it coming from Michael Caine, as Theo's aging hippie cohort), and although "Children of Men" glosses over many of the specifics about its sociopolitical worst-case scenario (which includes Julianne Moore in a brief but pivotal role), it's still an immensely satisfying, pulse-pounding vision of a future that represents a frightening extrapolation of early 21st-century history. "--Jeff Shannon"

Languages: English

Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono

Summary: "Chip 'n' Dale Rescue Rangers" (1989) was the Disney Studio's second weekday afternoon syndicated-cartoon show. Like its predecessor, "Ducktales" (1987), the series began with a two-hour movie. "Chip 'n' Dale Rescue Rangers to the Rescue" was recut into the first episodes, which are not included in this set. Chip and Dale were originally pantomime characters who bedeviled Donald Duck and Pluto in two dozen short cartoons. "Rescue Rangers" recasts them as adventurers who solve mysteries and right wrongs. In addition to a voice, Chip gets a leather jacket and Indiana Jones-style fedora; Dale talks and sports a Hawaiian shirt. They're joined in their escapades by Monterey Jack, a large mouse with a prognathous jaw and a bad "Crocodile Dundee" accent; Gadget Hackwrench, the inevitable spunky girl/mouse; and Zipper, a housefly.
The Rangers' adventures play like a mixture of Disney's "The Rescuers" and "The Great Mouse Detective", with elements of Hanna-Barbera's "Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?" stirred in. Chip, Dale, and the other Rangers outwit criminal cats, mad scientists, and crooked mice. All of the farfetched stories seem to feature the same slapstick chases, Rube Goldberg contraptions, and villains getting their rear ends chomped. Disney purists objected to turning the classic characters of Chip an' Dale into something they'd never been, but Gen-Y kids liked "Rescue Rangers", which ran for 65 episodes. (Unrated, suitable for age 7 and older: cartoon violence) "--Charles Solomon"

Languages: English

Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono

Summary: Crime fighting is important business, but sometimes there's just not enough manpower to investigate every little case. That's where the "Rescue Rangers" come into play--they specialize in solving the cases that regular detectives don't have time for. The five-part pilot episode "Rescue Rangers to the Rescue" finds human Detective Drake and his canine partner Plato on the brink of retirement and locked away after being framed for stealing a valuable ruby. Meanwhile, the true thief Aldrin Klordane is on the loose and has teamed up with Professor Nimnul and Fat Cat in a scheme to rule the world. Plato's chipmunk friends Chip and Dale are aspiring detectives who may just be the retiring team's last hope for justice. With a little instruction from Plato and the help of a cheese-crazed mouse Monterey Jack, housefly Zipper, and an inventor mouse named Gadget, Chip and Dale are well on their way to solving their first case. Dubbed the "Rescue Rangers" by Plato, the crime-fighting group quickly finds itself with a full docket of crimes that range from stolen school science projects and missing sea shells to disappearing cacao trees and a thief who disguises himself as an orphaned baby. Teamwork and a blending of unique perspectives prove key to making the "Rescue Rangers" one strong weapon against crime. (Ages 7 and older) "--Tami Horiuchi"

Languages: English, French, Portuguese, Spanish

Subtitles: English, Spanish, French, Portuguese

Sound: AC-3

Comments: The most fantasmagorical musical entertainment in the history of everything!

Summary: This 1968 kiddie-car caper is flawed but solid family fare. It retains a quaint charm while some of the songs--including the title tune--are quite hummable. A huge plus is Dick Van Dyke, who is extremely appealing as an eccentric inventor around the turn of the century. With nimble fingers and a unique way of looking at the world, he invents for his children a magic car that floats and flies. Or does he? The special effects are tame by today's standards, and the film is about 20 minutes too long--but its enthusiasm charms. The script was cowritten by Roald Dahl and based on the novel by Ian Fleming, best known for his James Bond adventures. "--Rochelle O'Gorman"

Languages: English, French, Portuguese, Spanish

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

Sound: Dolby

Comments: She'll possess you. Then destroy you. She's death on wheels. She's...

Summary: She can't (and won't) drive 55.... Stephen King's novel about the twisted love affair between a boy and his car gets transferred to the screen, courtesy of suspense master John Carpenter. Although lacking some of the more outré supernatural elements of the source material, this high-octane cinematic tune-up more than delivers the goods, horror-wise (Christine's midnight rampages will never be forgotten)--as well as being a sly exposé of the random cruelties within the high-school pecking order. Keith Gordon (who has gone on to become a stellar director in his own right, with films such as "A Midnight Clear" and "Mother Night" to his credit) gives a wonderfully controlled central performance. Carpenter's atmospheric original score is backed up by a well-chosen collection of rock classics, including George Thorogood's "Bad to the Bone" (the titular character's all-too-apt theme song). "--Andrew Wright"

Languages: English, French

Subtitles: English, Spanish, French

Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono

Comments: A Tribute to the Original, Traditional, One-Hundred-Percent, Red-Blooded, Two-Fisted, All-American Christmas...

Summary: This delightfully funny holiday gem tells the story of Ralphie Parker (Peter Billingsly) a 1940's nine-year-old who pulls out all the stops to obtain the ultimate Christmas present.

Languages: English, Spanish, French

Subtitles: English, French, Thai, Korean

Sound: AC-3

Comments: Their Christmas will turn the town upside down!

Summary: Slapstick humor gets a full-body workout in "Christmas with the Kranks". Critics were unanimous in their derision, and John Grisham must have gnashed his teeth over what studio-boss-turned-director Joe Roth did to his bestselling novel "Skipping Christmas", to which this broad-stroked comedy bears little or no resemblance. The title characters are played by Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis, who decide to skip Christmas because their daughter's in Peru with the Peace Corps. Thus begins a rabid program of enforced conformity when their neighbors (led by Dan Aykroyd) coerce the Kranks into changing their holiday attitude--a change that comes easily when the daughter announces she'll be home for Christmas after all. Imagine if a suburban lynch mob said "Have a Merry Christmas or we'll kill you," and you'll get some idea of what spending "Christmas with the Kranks" is really like. And if you laughed at the frozen cat, you're probably on Santa's "naughty" list. "--Jeff Shannon"

Languages: English, German, French, Spanish

Subtitles: English, Spanish, French

Sound: AC-3

Comments: Some journeys take us far from home. Some adventures lead us to our destiny.

Summary: C.S. Lewis's classic novel The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe makes an ambitious and long-awaited leap to the screen in this modern adaptation. It's a CGI-created world laden with all the special effects and visual wizardry modern filmmaking technology can conjure, which is fine so long as the film stays true to the story that Lewis wrote. And while this film is not a literal translation--it really wants to be so much more than just a kids' movie--for the most part it is faithful enough to the story, and whatever faults it has are happily faults of overreaching, and not of holding back. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe tells the story of the four Pevensie children, Lucy, Peter, Edmund, and Susan, and their adventures in the mystical world of Narnia. Sent to the British countryside for their own safety during the blitz of World War II, they discover an entryway into a mystical world through an old wardrobe. Narnia is inhabited by mythical, anthropomorphic creatures suffering under the hundred-year rule of the cruel White Witch (Tilda Swinton, in a standout role). The arrival of the children gives the creatures of Narnia hope for liberation, and all are dragged into the inevitable conflict between evil (the Witch) and good (Aslan the Lion, the Messiah figure, regally voiced by Liam Neeson).
Director (and co-screenwriter) Andrew Adamson, a veteran of the Shrek franchise, knows his way around a fantasy-based adventure story, and he wisely keeps the story moving when it could easily become bogged down and tiresome. Narnia is, of course, a Christian allegory and the symbology is definitely there (as it should be, otherwise it wouldn't be the story Lewis wrote), but audiences aren’t knocked over the head with it, and in the hands of another director it could easily have become pedantic. The focus is squarely on the children and their adventures. The four young actors are respectable in their roles, especially considering the size of the project put on their shoulders, but it's the young Georgie Henley as the curious Lucy who stands out. This isn't a film that wildly succeeds, and in the long run it won't have the same impact as the Harry Potter franchise, but it is well done, and kids will get swept up in the adventure. Note: Narnia does contain battle scenes that some parents may consider too violent for younger children. --Dan Vancini




Stills from The Chronicles of Narnia:  The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (Click for larger image)

Languages: English, French, Spanish

Sound: Dolby

Comments: A New Age Has Begun.

Summary: More exciting than The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian continues the movie franchise based on C.S. Lewis' classic fantasy books. The movie picks up where the first left off... sort of. It's been a year since the Pevensie children--Peter (William Moseley), Susan (Anna Popplewell), Edmund (Skandar Keynes), and Lucy (Georgie Henley)--returned to England from Narnia, and they've just about resigned themselves to living their ordinary lives. But just like that, they're once again transported to a fantastical land, but one with a long-abandoned castle. It turns out that they are in Narnia again--and they themselves lived in that castle, but hundreds of years ago in Narnia time. They've been summoned back to help Prince Caspian (Stardust's Ben Barnes, resembling a young, cultured Keanu Reeves), the rightful heir to the throne who's become the target of his power-hungry uncle, King Mraz (Sergio Castellitto). And he's not the only one threatened: Mraz's people, the Telmarines, have pushed all the Narnians--the talking animals, the centaurs and other beasts, the walking trees--to the brink of extinction. Despite some alpha-male bickering, Peter and Caspian agree to fight Mraz alongside the remaining Narnians, including the dwarf Trumpkin (Peter Dinklage) and the swashbuckling mouse Reepicheep (voiced by Eddie Izzard). (Also appearing is Warwick Davis, who was in Willow and the 1989 BBC Prince Caspian.) But of course they most of all miss the noble lion, Aslan, who would have never let this happen to Narnia if he hadn't disappeared. Prince Caspian is epic, evoking memories of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings films. (Some of the battle elements may seem too familiar, but they were in Lewis's book.) And it's appropriate for kids (Reepicheep could have come out of a Shrek movie), though the tone is dark and there is a lot of death, albeit bloodless. After two successful films, Disney and Walden Media's franchise has proved successful enough that many of the characters are scheduled to return in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. --David Horiuchi




Stills from The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (Click for larger image)

Languages: English, French, Spanish

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Sound: AC-3

Summary: The third film based on C.S. Lewis's fantasy books, "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" opens three years after the Pevensie children return from battling to restore peace to Narnia in "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian". Edmund (Skandar Keynes) and Lucy (Georgie Henley) are still staying with Eustace (Will Poulter), while Peter and Susan have gotten older and moved on to school and America, respectively. Still as surly and unbelieving as ever, Eustace continues to mock his cousins for their Narnian fantasies. But when water begins spilling into their room from a painting hanging on the wall, all three young people are swept onto the decks of the sailing ship known as the Dawn Treader, which is afloat in the waters of Narnia. This time, there are no wars to be fought in Narnia. But it soon becomes evident that the trio is destined to help King Caspian (Ben Barnes) solve the mystery of the disappearance of the seven lords of Telmar, and prevent the ongoing sacrifices of large groups of Narnian people to the evil green mist. So begins a quest through uncharted waters that will require each of the children to resist temptations like beauty and power, and to conquer the darkness within themselves in order to defeat the threat to Narnia's people. The battle promises to yield unexpected heroes, and through their journey, Edmund, Lucy, Eustace, and even King Caspian and Reepicheep (voiced by Simon Pegg) each grow and mature. Eventually, Aslan (voiced by Liam Neeson) will ask each adventurer to make an important choice that will forever influence his or her future. "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" features plenty of high adventure, sword-fighting action, and personal peril, and while it fails to fully capitalize on the characters' motivations or to earn viewers' full emotional investment, it is still a solid addition to the "Narnia" film series. (Ages 7 and older) "--Tami Horiuchi"

Languages: English, French, Spanish

Subtitles: Spanish, French

Sound: AC-3

Comments: All the power in the universe can't change destiny

Summary: Bigger isn't always better, but for anyone who enjoyed "Pitch Black", a nominal sequel like "The Chronicles of Riddick" should prove adequately entertaining. Writer-director David Twohy returns with expansive sets, detailed costumes, an army of CGI effects artists, and the star he helped launch--Vin Diesel--bearing his franchise burden quite nicely as he reprises his title role. The Furian renegade Riddick has another bounty on his head, but when he escapes from his mercenary captors, he's plunged into an epic-scale war waged by the Necromongers. A fascist master race led by Lord Marshal (Colm Feore), they're determined to conquer all enemies in their quest for the Underverse, the appeal of which is largely unexplained (since Twohy is presumably reserving details for subsequent "chronicles"). With tissue-thin plotting, scant character development, and skimpy roles that waste the talents of Thandie Newton (as a Necromonger conspirator) and Judi Dench (as a wispy "Elemental" priestess), Twohy's back in the B-movie territory he started in (with "The Arrival"), brought to vivid life on a vast digital landscape with the conceptual allure of a lavish graphic novel. But does Riddick have leadership skills on his resumé? To get an answer to that question, sci-fi fans will welcome another sequel. "--Jeff Shannon"

Languages: English, French, Spanish

Subtitles: Spanish, French

Sound: AC-3

Summary: Owing a major debt to "Alien" and its cinematic spawn, "Pitch Black" is a guilty pleasure that surpasses expectations. As he did with "The Arrival", director David Twohy revitalizes a derivative story, allowing you to forgive its flaws and submit to its visceral thrills. Under casual scrutiny, the plot's logic crumbles like a stale cookie, but it's definitely fun while it lasts.
A spaceship crashes on a desert planet scorched under three suns. The mostly doomed survivors include a resourceful captain (Radha Mitchell), a drug-addled cop (Cole Hauser), and a deadly prisoner (Vin Diesel) who quickly escapes. These clashing personalities discover that the planet is plunging into the darkness of an extended eclipse, and it's populated by hordes of ravenous, razor-fanged beasties that only come out at night. The body count rises, and "Pitch Black" settles into familiar sci-fi territory.
What sets the movie apart is Twohy's developing visual style, suggesting that this veteran of B-movie schlock may advance to the big leagues. Like the makers of "The Blair Witch Project", Twohy understands the frightening power of suggestion; his hungry monsters are better heard than seen (although once seen, they're chillingly effective), and "Pitch Black" gets full value from moments of genuine panic. Best of all, Twohy's got a well-matched cast, with Mitchell (so memorable with Ally Sheedy in "High Art") and Diesel (Pvt. Caparzo from "Saving Private Ryan") being the standouts. The latter makes the most of his muscle-man role, and his character's development is one more reason this movie works better than it should. "--Jeff Shannon"

Languages: English

Sound: Dolby

Comments: Deciding to be an hero is the easy part...

Summary: When it was briefly shown in theaters with "Men in Black II", the delightful animated cartoon "The Chubb Chubbs" had the awkward distinction of being funnier and more inventive than "MIIB". The six-minute film won the 2003 Oscar for best animated short. "--Jeff Shannon"

Languages: English

Subtitles: English

Sound: Dolby

Comments: Desire. Defy. Escape.

Summary: Worry not, Disney fans--this special edition DVD of the beloved "Cinderella" won't turn into a pumpkin at the strike of midnight. One of the most enduring animated films of all time, the Disney-fied adaptation of the gory Brothers Grimm fairy tale became a classic in its own right, thanks to some memorable tunes (including "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes," "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo," and the title song) and some endearingly cute comic relief.
The famous slipper (click for larger image) We all know the story--the wicked stepmother and stepsisters simply won't have it, this uppity Cinderella thinking she's going to a ball designed to find the handsome prince an appropriate sweetheart, but perseverance, animal buddies, and a well-timed entrance by a fairy godmother make sure things turn out all right. There are a few striking sequences of pure animation--for example, Cinderella is reflected in bubbles drifting through the air--and the design is rich and evocative throughout. It's a simple story padded here agreeably with comic business, particularly Cinderella's rodent pals (dressed up conspicuously like the dwarf sidekicks of another famous Disney heroine) and their misadventures with a wretched cat named Lucifer. There's also much harrumphing and exposition spouting by the King and the Grand Duke. It's a much simpler and more graceful work than the more frenetically paced animated films of today, which makes it simultaneously quaint and highly gratifying. "--David Kronke"
DVD Features
For another of its classic films, Disney delivers another dazzling DVD with a gorgeous, razor-sharp picture and 5.1 sound. (Note: the 1949 film is properly presented in full-screen format, 1.33 aspect ratio, because widescreen films weren't made until the '50s.) The best part of the supplemental features is the archival material, the absolute highlight of which is two unused songs, "Cinderella's Work Song" (in which Cinderella imagines multiplying herself à la the Sorcerer's Apprentice) and "Dancing on a Cloud."
Bippity-boppity-boo! (click for larger image) Because these numbers were never animated, they're accompanied by stylish illustrations from the Disney artists, and they're simply marvelous to look at. The artist of much of that material, Mary Blair, gets her due in a 15-minute featurette, while the better known "Nine Old Men" are the subject of a round-table discussion among some of today's top animators. In addition, a 38-minute documentary covers their contributions to specific characters of "Cinderella" as well as the film in general and the vocal cast. Also on the historical side is "The "Cinderella" That Almost Was," tracking the development of the project through decades of original Disney concepts, characters, and songs, including the 1922 silent "Laugh-o-Gram," which is also included in its entirety.
The pumpkin transformed (click for larger image)
Additional musical material includes three radio programs and a short promo of the movie by Perry Como, in which he summarizes the plot amid some songs by the Fontaine Sisters, star Ilene Woods, and the host himself. Seven other unused songs (17 minutes total) are available in audio-only. The material for kids is on the sparse side, consisting of two music videos, Disney Channel personality Sally (from "Mike's Super Short Show") learning how to become a princess with the help of the "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" crew and others, a minor dancing-princess feature, and a DVD-ROM design studio. Oddest extra: ESPN's "top Cinderella stories," including the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team and Joe Namath's New York Jets, although stories on Mia Hamm and tennis's Williams sisters should appeal to the film's primary target audience of young girls. "--David Horiuchi"
"Cinderella" Throughout the Years
"Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella" (1957 Television Production)
"Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella" (1965)
"The Slipper and the Rose" (1976)
"Faerie Tale Theatre - Cinderella "(1982)
"Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella" (1997)
"Ever After - A Cinderella Story"(1998)

Languages: English, French, Spanish

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Sound: AC-3

Comments: One man's extraordinary fight to save the family he loved.

Summary: Cinderella Man is a wholesome slice of old-fashioned Americana, offering welcomed relief from the shallowness of many summer blockbusters. In dramatizing the legendary Depression-era comeback of impoverished boxer Jim Braddock, director Ron Howard benefits from another superb collaboration with his A Beautiful Mind star Russell Crowe, whose portrayal of Braddock is simultaneously warm, noble, and tenacious without resorting to even the slightest hint of sentimental melodrama. The desperate struggle of the Depression is more keenly felt here than it was in Seabiscuit, and Howard shows its economic impact in ways that strengthen the bonds between Braddock, his supportive wife (Renée Zellweger) and three young children, and his loyal manager (Paul Giamatti); all are forced to make sacrifices leading up to Braddock's title bout against heavyweight champion Max Baer (Craig Bierko) in one of greatest boxing matches in the history of the sport. Boasting the finest production design, cinematography and editing that Hollywood can offer, this is a feel-good film that never begs for your affection; it's just good, classical American filmmaking, brimming with qualities of decency and fortitude that have grown all too rare in the big-studio mainstream. --Jeff Shannon

Languages: English

Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo

Comments: 365 days in the making - and every minute of it an exciting NEW thrill for you !

Summary: James Woods seems to find his most adventurous roles in television movies, particularly this made-for-HBO biography of the late lawyer and powerbroker Roy Cohn. A hallucinatory, impressionistic look at his career and life, the film is comprised of flashbacks by Cohn, who is seen dying of AIDS in 1988 in his New York hospital bed. Woods sinks his teeth deeply into the role of the shark-like Cohn, capturing his arrogance and his insecurity, both at his own Jewishness and his deeply closeted homosexuality, even as he rides Sen. Joe McCarthy's anti-Communism campaign for all it's worth. Woods even manages to make the deeply detestable Cohn vulnerable, if not sympathetic. A strong supporting cast includes Joe Don Baker as an amused and calculating McCarthy, but the film lives and breathes in Woods's flamboyantly nuanced embodiment of the whiny, manipulative Cohn. "--Marshall Fine"

Languages: English

Subtitles: English, French, Portuguese, Spanish

Sound: Dolby

Comments: 365 days in the making - and every minute of it an exciting NEW thrill for you !

Summary: Arguably the greatest of American films, Orson Welles's 1941 masterpiece, made when he was only 26, still unfurls like a dream and carries the viewer along the mysterious currents of time and memory to reach a mature (if ambiguous) conclusion: people are the sum of their contradictions, and can't be known easily. Welles plays newspaper magnate Charles Foster Kane, taken from his mother as a boy and made the ward of a rich industrialist. The result is that every well-meaning or tyrannical or self-destructive move he makes for the rest of his life appears in some way to be a reaction to that deeply wounding event. Written by Welles and Herman J. Mankiewicz, and photographed by Gregg Toland, the film is the sum of Welles's awesome ambitions as an artist in Hollywood. He pushes the limits of then-available technology to create a true magic show, a visual and aural feast that almost seems to be rising up from a viewer's subconsciousness. As Kane, Welles even ushers in the influence of Bertolt Brecht on film acting. This is truly a one-of-a-kind work, and in many ways is still the most modern of modern films from the 20th century. "--Tom Keogh"

Languages: English, French

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Sound: Dolby

Comments: When you're searching for a killer... the last suspect you want to see is your son.

Summary: A welcome throwback to the cop dramas of the '70s, "City by the Sea" is an average film improved by its cast. Robert De Niro stars as veteran New Jersey detective Vincent LaMarca, lamenting the once glorious Asbury Park boardwalk, now dilapidated from the decay of changing times. A good cop but a regrettable father, LaMarca must confront past mistakes and repressed memories when his estranged son (James Franco) becomes the prime suspect in the killing of LaMarca's partner (George Dzundza). There's a nagging inevitability to Ken Hixon's otherwise intelligent screenplay, but De Niro and Frances McDormand--as LaMarca's compassionate neighbor and part-time girlfriend--turn this simmering drama into something deeper than it is. McDormand's role would be thin without the depth and humanity she brings to it, and both De Niro and Franco mine gold from their troubling father-son legacy. Based on a true story, "City by the Sea" has that kernel of authenticity that good actors thrive on. "--Jeff Shannon"

Languages: English, French

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

Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround

Comments: An Epic Entertainment Spectacular!

Summary: You have a classic tale full of drama, passion, and adventure. A tale of universal archetypes that speak to everyone. A tale that has remained unfailingly popular for thousands of years. Why not spice it up with a wacky mechanical owl? Such was the thinking behind "Clash of the Titans". Maggie Smith, Laurence Olivier, and Harry Hamlin (one of these things is not like the others...) star in a toga-ripper about a valiant hero, capricious immortals, and lots and lots of giant stop-action monsters. Perseus (Hamlin) is the favored son of the god Zeus (Olivier), but he has unwittingly ticked off the sea goddess Thetis (Smith). Just to make things worse, Perseus falls in love with the lovely Princess Andromeda, who used to be engaged to Thetis's son. Soon Perseus is off on one quest after another, with Zeus helping, Thetis hindering, and lots of innocent bystanders getting stabbed, drowned, and squished. Of course, the whole thing is just an excuse to show as much of Ray Harryhausen's stop-motion animation as possible, and good thing too. It's an old technique, but it still looks pretty darn cool, and it means the cast can just relax and do a bunch of reaction shots. Don't use this one to study for that big classical mythology exam, but if you just turn your brain off and enjoy the Kraken, it's pretty good fun. "--Ali Davis"

Languages: English

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Sound: DTS Surround Sound

Summary: You have a classic tale full of drama, passion, and adventure. A tale of universal archetypes that speak to everyone. A tale that has remained unfailingly popular for thousands of years. Why not spice it up with a wacky mechanical owl? Such was the thinking behind "Clash of the Titans". Maggie Smith, Laurence Olivier, and Harry Hamlin (one of these things is not like the others...) star in a toga-ripper about a valiant hero, capricious immortals, and lots and lots of giant stop-action monsters. Perseus (Hamlin) is the favored son of the god Zeus (Olivier), but he has unwittingly ticked off the sea goddess Thetis (Smith). Just to make things worse, Perseus falls in love with the lovely Princess Andromeda, who used to be engaged to Thetis's son. Soon Perseus is off on one quest after another, with Zeus helping, Thetis hindering, and lots of innocent bystanders getting stabbed, drowned, and squished. Of course, the whole thing is just an excuse to show as much of Ray Harryhausen's stop-motion animation as possible, and good thing too. It's an old technique, but it still looks pretty darn cool, and it means the cast can just relax and do a bunch of reaction shots. Don't use this one to study for that big classical mythology exam, but if you just turn your brain off and enjoy the Kraken, it's pretty good fun. "--Ali Davis"

Languages: English

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Sound: AC-3

Summary: "Release the Kraken!" Ah, it could only be "Clash of the Titans", the 2010 remake that retains the instruction to unleash the great beastie from the sea. The 1981 original boasted Ray Harryhausen's legendary stop-motion technique of animating various mythological creatures--it was his final feature project--and given the cornball approach of the movie in general, that was the main draw. The remake supplies new state-of-the-art special effects (released in 3-D) and a nicely muscular sense of momentum. Sam Worthington (the "Avatar" guy) plays Perseus, a demigod who doesn't know that Zeus (Liam Neeson) is his father. Perseus is selected to lead an expedition to find and slay the Medusa, lest Zeus's evil brother Hades (Ralph Fiennes, in fine slinking mode) rain down misery upon a seaport--and you just know that means the Kraken is coming. Ye gods, it's a mess, and we haven't even mentioned the witches and the harpies and the giant scorpions. But if we did, it would be clear that "Clash of the Titans" is a perfectly dandy popcorn epic, unpretentious and punchy. Director Louis Leterrier ("Transporter 2") gets a fine rhythm going during Perseus's trek, and you can even forgive the hokey shafts-of-light-through-clouds look of Olympus. Leterrier also had the good sense to import the marvelous Danish star Mads Mikkelsen to provide mentoring duties to Perseus; Gemma Arterton and Alexa Davalos fulfill the eye-candy roles. It's up to individual viewers to choose which they prefer--Harryhausen's magically hand-wrought creations (his Medusa sequence is an absolute killer) or the 21st century's slick computer-generated variations. But nostalgia aside, it would be hard to deny that this is one case where the remake tops the original. "--Robert Horton"

Languages: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish, French

Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1

Comments: All She Wanted Was To Make A Living. Instead She Made History.

Summary: Taut and emotionally powerful, Michael Apted's compelling showdown courtroom drama is driven by characters as intriguing as its predicament. The only thing Jedediah Tucker Ward and his daughter have in common is law. Equally brilliant, equally driven, t

Languages: English

Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround

Comments: Just Because They Serve You... Doesn't Mean They Like You.

Summary: Before Kevin Smith became a Hollywood darling with "Chasing Amy", a film he wrote and directed, he made this $27,000 comedy about real-life experiences working for chump change at a New Jersey convenience store. A rude, foul-mouthed collection of anecdotes about the responsibilities that go with being on the wrong side of the till, the film is also a relationship story that takes some hilarious turns once the lovers start revealing their sexual histories to one another. In the best tradition of first-time, ultra-low budget independent films, Smith uses "Clerks" as an audition piece, demonstrating that he not only can handle two-character comedy but also has an eye for action--as proven in a smoothly handled rooftop hockey scene. Smith himself appears as a silent figure who hangs out on the fringes of the store's property. "--Tom Keogh"

Languages: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish

Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1

Comments: No Experience Necessary

Summary: Lo and behold, "Clerks II" defies the odds as a sequel that even the most ardent "Clerks" fans can be happy about. Twelve years after Kevin Smith turned the independent film world upside-down with his $27,000 black-and-white comedy, perpetual slackers Dante (Brian O'Halloran) and Randal (Jeff Anderson) return for another raucous romp in suburbia, but this time there's no beloved Quick Stop mini-mart to ensure their low-level employment. Now they're aimless 33-year-olds flippin' burgers at Mooby's, a fast-food joint with a cow theme that's "udderly delicious." Dante's engaged to his long-time girlfriend but has unexpectedly fallen in love with Mooby's manager Becky (and since she's played by Rosario Dawson, can you blame him?), and Randal's still holding out for life, liberty, and the pursuit of low ambition. The responsibilities of adulthood are rearing their ugly head, and with Jay and Silent Bob (Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith) still dealing weed and generally being obnoxious, well... something's gotta give, right? The way Smith has written this long-awaited follow-up, the dilemmas of Dante, Randal, and their ongoing friendship are something that anyone can relate to, and with Dawson lighting up the screen (in a role demanded by producer Harvey Weinstein to boost box-office appeal), the movie's romantic chemistry is surprisingly delightful. Rest assured, also, that Smith (shooting mostly in color this time, on a $5 million budget) hasn't forgotten where he came from: "Clerks II" is jam-packed with the same lewd, crude humor that made "Clerks" an indie-film phenomenon, and Smith's good-natured sincerity is still on full display, ensuring that only the most prudish viewers could possibly be offended. For everyone else, this is as enjoyable as any sequel could ever hope to be, with amusing cameos by Smith-movie veterans Ben Affleck and Jason Lee, among others. "--Jeff Shannon"

Languages: English, French

Subtitles: English, French

Sound: AC-3

Comments: What If You Had A Universal Remote... That Controlled Your Universe?

Summary: A harried workaholic, Michael Newman (Adam Sandler) doesn't have time for his wife (Kate Beckinsale) and children, not if he's to impress his ungrateful boss and earn a well-deserved promotion. So when he meets Morty (Christopher Walken), a loopy sales clerk, he gets the answer to his prayers: a magical remote that allows him to bypass life's little distractions with increasingly hysterical results. But as Michael gleefully mutes, skips and scans past his family and his friends, the remote gradually takes over his life and begins to program him, in this fast, funny and out-of-control comedy adventure.

Languages: English, French, Spanish

Subtitles: English, Spanish, French

Sound: Dolby

Comments: A District Attorney Out For A Conviction. A New Lawyer Out Of Her League. A Young Boy Who Knew Too Much.

Summary: The exceptionally fine cast--Susan Sarandon, Tommy Lee Jones, J.T. Walsh, Mary-Louise Parker, Anthony Edwards, William H. Macy, Anthony LaPaglia, Ossie Davis, and Brad Renfro--goes a long way toward making "The Client" one of the more solidly enjoyable screen adaptations of a John Grisham southern gothic legal thriller. Teen-hearthrob Renfro is a natural, playing a kid whose life is in jeopardy after he witnesses the death of a Mob lawyer. Susan Sarandon is the attorney who decides to look after the boy; nobody can match her when it comes to playing strong and protective maternal figures ("Thelma and Louise", "Lorenzo's Oil", "Dead Man Walking"). Sarandon won her fourth Oscar nomination as best actress for this role, before finally winning the following year for "Dead Man Walking". Author Grisham was so impressed with former window dresser/fashion designer/screenwriter-turned-director Joel Schumacher's work on this movie that he later asked him to direct "A Time to Kill". "--Jim Emerson"

Languages: English

Sound: Dolby

Comments: Let The Magic Begin.

Summary: Who should a kid's hero be? In this underrated adventure-comedy, that's the central issue. Henry Thomas, fresh from "E.T.", plays a San Antonio kid whose father (Dabney Coleman) doesn't spend nearly enough time with him. So the boy loses himself in video games--and even has an imaginary friend (also played by Coleman), a super-resourceful secret agent. When he accidentally comes into possession of a spy group's secret plans, and winds up on the run from them, he must learn to rely on himself (and his imaginary pal) to save his skin. But, in the end, Dad proves to be his real hero in this engaging and solid family film. "--Marshall Fine"

Languages: English, Spanish, French

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

Sound: Dolby

Comments: Close Encounter of the First Kind - Sighting of a UFO. Close Encounter of the Second Kind - Physical Evidence. Close Encounter of the Third Kind - Contact. WE ARE NOT ALONE

Summary: Anybody who has written him off because of his string of stinkers--or anybody who's too young to remember "The Goodbye Girl"--may be shocked at the accomplishment and nuance of Richard Dreyfuss's performance in "Close Encounters of the Third Kind". Here, he plays a man possessed; contacted by aliens, he (along with other members of the "chosen") is drawn toward the site of the incipient landing: Devil's Tower, in rural Wyoming. As in many Spielberg films, there are no personalized enemies; the struggle is between those who have been called and a scientific establishment that seeks to protect them by keeping them away from the arriving spacecraft. The ship, and the special effects in general, are every bit as jaw-dropping on the small screen as they were in the theater (well, almost). Released in 1977 as a cerebral alternative to the swashbuckling science fiction epics then in vogue, "Close Encounters" now seems almost wholesome in its representation of alien contact and interested less in philosophizing about extraterrestrials than it is in examining the nature of the inner "call." Ultimately a motion picture about the obsession of the driven artist or determined visionary, "Close Encounters" comes complete with the stock Spielberg wives and girlfriends who seek to tether the dreamy, possessed protagonists to the more mundane concerns of the everyday. So a spectacular, seminal motion picture indeed, but one with gender politics that are all too terrestrial. "--Miles Bethany"

Languages: English, French, Portuguese, Spanish

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

Sound: Dolby

Comments: Close Encounter of the First Kind - Sighting of a UFO. Close Encounter of the Second Kind - Physical Evidence. Close Encounter of the Third Kind - Contact. WE ARE NOT ALONE

Summary: Anybody who has written him off because of his string of stinkers--or anybody who's too young to remember "The Goodbye Girl"--may be shocked at the accomplishment and nuance of Richard Dreyfuss's performance in "Close Encounters of the Third Kind". Here, he plays a man possessed; contacted by aliens, he (along with other members of the "chosen") is drawn toward the site of the incipient landing: Devil's Tower, in rural Wyoming. As in many Spielberg films, there are no personalized enemies; the struggle is between those who have been called and a scientific establishment that seeks to protect them by keeping them away from the arriving spacecraft. The ship, and the special effects in general, are every bit as jaw-dropping on the small screen as they were in the theater (well, almost). Released in 1977 as a cerebral alternative to the swashbuckling science fiction epics then in vogue, "Close Encounters" now seems almost wholesome in its representation of alien contact and interested less in philosophizing about extraterrestrials than it is in examining the nature of the inner "call." Ultimately a motion picture about the obsession of the driven artist or determined visionary, "Close Encounters" comes complete with the stock Spielberg wives and girlfriends who seek to tether the dreamy, possessed protagonists to the more mundane concerns of the everyday. So a spectacular, seminal motion picture indeed, but one with gender politics that are all too terrestrial. "--Miles Bethany"

Languages: English, French, Spanish

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Sound: AC-3

Summary: Judi and Ron Barrett's "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" is a much-loved, whimsical book about a tiny island where food falls from the sky like rain. The book serves as a jumping-off point for Sony's animated, digital 3-D " Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" which is not so much a retelling of the book as an exploration of what makes food rain from the sky on a small island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Flint (Bill Hader), a clever young inventor with a reputation for creations gone awry, has recently completed a machine that he claims will turn water into food. Like his past failed inventions, Flint's new food-converting machine doesn't work as planned, and on its initial test run it ends up getting launched into the sky where clouds form and begin to rain cheeseburgers. The falling burgers destroy the Swallow Falls community's latest attempt to bolster its failing, sardine-dependent economy, but the Mayor's (Bruce Campbell) initial fury quickly turns to greedy anticipation as he begins to realize that food falling from the sky could serve as an innovative tourist draw. As the entire town is caught up re-defining itself as "Chew and Swallow," only Flint's father (James Caan) remains skeptical of his son's invention. Greed leads to some very strange weather events like spaghetti twisters and extra-giant food which, while providing a huge career opportunity for brainy weather intern Sam Sparks (Anna Faris) who's masquerading as an air-headed television personality, also threaten to destroy the town and its inhabitants. In the end, only the collaborative efforts of Flint, his father, and Sam can save the town of Chew and Swallow from certain destruction by the out of control invention. " Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" is a funny, imaginative film that's well-animated and immensely entertaining for kids and adults. Rated PG for brief mild language, but appropriate for most ages 5 and older. "--Tami Horiuchi"




Stills from "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" (Click for larger image)

Languages: English, French, Spanish

Subtitles: English, French, Portuguese, Spanish

Sound: AC-3

Comments: Some Thing Has Found Us

Summary: One of the first things a viewer notices about "Cloverfield" is that it doesn't play by ordinary storytelling rules, making this intriguing horror film as much a novelty as an event. Told from the vertiginous point-of-view of a camcorder-wielding group of friends, "Cloverfield" begins like a primetime television soap opera about young Manhattanites coping with changes in their personal lives. Rob (Michael Stahl-David) is leaving New York to take an executive job at a company in Japan. At his goodbye party in a crowded loft, Rob’s brother Jason (Mike Vogel) hands a camcorder to best friend Hud (T.J. Miller), who proceeds to tape the proceedings over old footage of Rob’s ex-girlfriend, Beth (Odette Yustman)--images shot during happy times in that now-defunct relationship. Naturally, Beth shows up at the party with a new beau, bumming Rob out completely. Just before one's eyes glaze over from all this heartbreaking stuff (captured by Hud, who's something of a doofus, in laughably shaky camerawork), the unexpected happens: New York is suddenly under attack from a Godzilla-like monster stomping through midtown and destroying everything and everybody in sight. Rob and company hit the streets, but rather than run with other evacuees, they head toward the center of the storm so that Rob can rescue an injured Beth. There are casualties along the way, but the journey into fear is fascinating and immediate if emotionally remote--a consequence of seeing these proceedings through the singular, subjective perspective of a camcorder and of a story that intentionally leaves major questions unanswered: Who or what is this monster? Where did it come from? The lack of a backstory, and spare views of the marauding creature, are clever ways by producer J.J. Abrams and director Matt Reeves to keep an audience focused exclusively on what’s on the screen. But it also makes "Cloverfield" curiously uninvolving. Ultimately, "Cloverfield", with its spectacular effects brilliantly woven into a home-video look, is a celebration of infinite possibilities in this age of accessible, digital media. "--Tom Keogh"

Languages: English, French

Subtitles: English

Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono

Summary: Undoubtedly the first movie in history to have played in theaters with three different endings (depending on which theater you attended), "Clue" is a silly whodunit based on the familiar board game featuring Colonel Mustard, Mrs. Peacock, and all the other usual suspects. A broadly comic cast play the sundry suspects gathered in a mansion to solve a murder, knowing that one of their numbers is the culprit. Michael McKean, Eileen Brennan, and Tim Curry are the best of the bunch, and the film is as lightweight an experience as a round of the game itself. Directed by Jonathan Lynn ("My Cousin Vinny"). The video release contains all three endings. "--Tom Keogh"

Languages: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish

Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround

Comments: Sex. Clothes. Popularity. Is there a problem here?

Summary: Alicia Silverstone won everyone over with her portrayal of a Beverly Hills teen, Cher, whose penchant for helping others with their relationships and self-esteem is a cover for her own loneliness. Director Amy Heckerling ("Fast Times at Ridgemont High") made a smart, funny variation on Jane Austen's novel "Emma", sweetly romantic and gently satirical of "90210" social manners. The cast is unbeatable: Dan Hedaya as Cher's rock-solid dad, Wallace Shawn as a geeky teacher, Paul Rudd as the boy who has always been Cher's surrogate brother--and the true holder of her most secret wishes. "--Tom Keogh"