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Guide to
Home Video Releases: September Release Calendar
DVD Releases
Movies are rated on a scale of one to five, with five
denoting a classic. For more information on how we rate, check out our
Rentability Index.
Back to
Calendar Index.
- September 3
-
Blade II
Blade (Wesley Snipes) is back, and he's out to kill
more vampires. If you thought that killing vampires in the original Blade was
tough, then listen up: It just got tougher. Blade, as you'll recall, is the
original Daywalker -- half-human, half vampire, able to live during daylight --
and his mission in life is to put an end to the Vampire Nation. But hold on --
it turns out that there's something worse out there than vampires -- Reapers,
vampires who have been supercharged by a virus to become supervamps. So the
Vampire Nation and Blade make a truce, and team up to go after the Reapers.
Naturally the gore and bloodshed -- which was pretty stupendous in Blade -- is
multiplied tenfold here . Fortunately for us, Blade II is directed by the
talented master of the macabre, Guillermo del Toro, whose "The Devil's
Backbone," released to video this June, is a spooky work of art, and Blade II
benefits from his deft hand behind the camera.
Director: Guillermo del Toro. Stars: Wesley Snipes, Kris Kristofferson, Norman
Reedus, Leonor Varela, Luke Goss, Ron Perlman, Matt Schulze. 2002, CC, MPAA
rating: R, 117 min., Horror, Box office gross: $81.645 million, New Line, $22.94
SRP.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
Mickey's House of Villains
Modeled on the Saturday morning
kids series "House of Mouse," this feature-length animated adventure brings
together all of Disney's greatest villains in an array of classic Disney
cartoons, shorts and songs. Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Pluto, Donald Duck and
Goofy come face-to-face with the villains everyone loves to hate when the wicked
Jafar teams up with Cruella, Hades, Ursula, Captain Hook, Maleficent and all the
other dastardly baddies in a wild attempt to turn the House of Mouse into the
House of Villains. There's 150 terrific Disney characters in all.
2002, CC, MPAA rating: G, 70 min., Animated, Disney, $22.99 SRP.
DVD: Day & Date.
- September 10
-
Changing Lanes
The ultimate revenge thriller for city dwellers.
Ben Affleck plays Wall Street lawyer Gavin and Samuel L. Jackson plays insurance
agent Doyle, both of whom get involved in a minor traffic accident in the
morning rush hour on the FDR Drive in New York. Gavin is on his way to a court
appearance as is Doyle, but for very different reasons: Gavin is arguing a case
and Doyle needs to make an appearance to face his estranged wife over child
custody. Gavin, so full of himself that the needs of others fall by the wayside,
leaves Doyle at the scene of the accident -- but he also leaves behind an
important file. Doyle misses his court appearance and loses custody; Gavin makes
his but can't proceed without the file. Now things get out of hand: Doyle won't
give up the file, Gavin has a friend hack Doyle's credit rating, Doyle loosens
the lugnuts on Gavin's car's tires, and on and on. Both men eventually have to
face the consequences of their actions -- and their shortcomings as human
beings. An adrenalin pumper.
Director: Roger Michell. Stars: Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Affleck, Kim Staunton,
Toni Collette, Sydney Pollack, Tina Sloan, Richard Jenkins. 2002, CC, MPAA
rating: R, 99 min., Thriller, Box office gross: $67.000 million, Paramount, No
SRP, Priced for rental.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
Count of Monte Cristo, The
Alexandre Dumas' classic comes to the
big screen again, with Jim Caviezel as the novel's hero, Dantes, betrayed by his
best friend, Mondego (Guy Pearce) and sentenced to the island prison of Chateau
D'If. There he meets up with Abbe Faria (Richard Harris), who helps him escape
and points him in the direction of a treasure. After 13 years in prison, Dantes
reinvents himself as the Count of Monte Cristo, joins up with the French
nobility, and plots his revenge. An adequate version of the epic.
Director: Kevin Reynolds. Stars: Jim Caviezel, Guy Pearce, Dagmara Dominczyk,
Richard Harris, Luis Guzman. 2002, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 131 min.,
Swashbuckler, Box office gross: $53.600 million, Buena Vista, No SRP, Priced for
rental.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
CQ
An at-times-spoof of late 1970s films and filmmaking, this
first effort by Roman Coppola, son of Francis, shows the sparks of a budding
filmmaker ready to make his mark on the film world. Unfortunately, the sparks
have yet to burst into a strong flame, and we're left with a smoldering attempt
-- all too self-conscious -- at auteurism. The film revolves around
American-in-Paris Paul Ballard (Jeremy Davies), the young film editor on
"Codename Dragonfly," a cheesy sci-fi extravaganza (along the lines of
"Barbarella") about a futuristic female super-spy sent to the moon to thwart a
revolution (one of the pleasures of "CQ" is in its accurate portrayal of the
sights and sounds of 1969-1970 pop culture and styles, with its sly references
to that era of anything goes filmmaking, with tips o' the hat to Dino De
Laurentiss, Roman Polanski, Francois Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard. The homage
extends to the casting of "Barbarella" male lead John Philip Law as one of
"Dragonfly's" stars). The film's director (Gerard Depardieu), who wants to make
a post-1968 revolutionary statement, is pulled from the film after he can't come
up with an ending, and Paul is conscripted to take over directing duties. In the
meantime, Paul is working on his very own b&w personal statement about the
images in his life, struggling to find meaning in his everyday existence with
his live-in French girlfriend ... without much success. As his distance from his
girlfriend grows, Paul's thoughts about the attractive lead of "Dragonfly" take
on their own existence and, at times, he merges into the film he's working on.
Though fraught with possibilities, "CQ" is dragged down by all-too-much self-
consciousness, slow-pacing, stilted situations and stereotypical acting. As
Depardieu's director says toward the end of the film, "film can change the
future, invent the future by making ideas concrete." Unfortunately, this outing
fails to meet up to those lofty ideals. Next time, Roman.
Director: Roman Coppola. Stars: Jeremy Davies, Angela Lindvall, Elodie Bouchez,
Giancarlo Giannini, Billy Zane, Gerard Depardieu, Dean Stockwell, Jason
Schwartzman. 2002, CC, MPAA rating: R, 88 min., Comedy-Drama, Box office
gross: $0.301 million, MGM, No SRP, Priced for rental.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
Salton Sea, The
Offbeat crime thriller has Val Kilmer starring
as a drug-induced ex-jazz musician haunted by the death of his wife at the hands
of a masked gunman, a crime he witnessed but couldn't prevent. He whiles away
his time doing crystal -- methamphetamine -- on the outskirts of Los Angeles --
the Salton Sea lies in the Imperial Valley -- and ensnaring drug dealers for a
pair of narcs. Kilmer is trying to trap the murderer -- who may or may not be
Pooh-Bear, a powerful drug lord (Vincent D'Onofrio) with a plastic nose who
re-enacts the JFK assassination with birds. There's plenty of other off-kilter
characters and situations (slightly reminiscent of "Pulp Fiction") in this
delightfully wicked film that fared poorly at the box-office but should do well
on video.
Director: D.J. Caruso. Stars: Val Kilmer, Vincent D'Onofrio, Peter Sarsgaard,
Anthony LaPaglia, Doug Hutchison, Deborah Kara Unger, Luis Guzman, B.D. Wong,
Meat Loaf. 2002, CC, MPAA rating: R, 104 min., Thriller, Box office gross:
$0.676 million, Warner, $22.98 SRP, Priced for rental.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
Kevin & Perry Go Large
Outrageous British teen comedy about a
pair of nerdy, hormonal teenage boys, Kevin and Perry (portrayed by Harry
Enfield and Kathy Burke), who have one thing on their minds -- ridding
themselves of their blasted virginity. It's the summer holidays and Kevin and
Perry are off to Ibiza, Spain, the party capital of Europe, to meet some women
and become DJ mix-masters. In Ibiza, they party with the girls of their dreams,
but have only one problem -- Kevin's mum and dad have decided to come along too.
Director: Ed Bye. Stars: Harry Enfield, Kathy Burke, Laura Fraser, Tabitha Wady,
James Fleet, Louisa Rix, Rhys Ifans. 2002, CC, MPAA rating: R, 83 min.,
Comedy, Paramount, No SRP, Priced for rental.
DVD: No.
-
Monday Night Mayhem
Telefilm look at the revolutionary sports
show Monday Night Football and the broadcasters behind it.
Stars: John Turturro, Kevin Anderson, Brad Beyer, John Heard, Eli Wallach,
Nicholas Turturro, Patti LuPone. 2002, CC, Biodrama, Warner, No SRP, Priced
for rental.
DVD: Day & Date.
- September 17
-
Monsters, Inc.
Fabulous Disney/Pixar production that takes
computer animation up to a new level as well as creating a world of adventure
that titillates and excites kids of all ages. Monsters, Inc., is the world's
largest scare factory -- a company town that derives its energy by nightly
sending monsters through the closet doors of kids' bedrooms to collect their
screams. The top scarer is Sully (voiced by John Goodman), a huge blue-green and
purple spotted hairball with horns. His sidekick is a one eyed green monster
named Mike (Billy Crystal). But one night, by accident, Sully admits Boo, a
young human girl into the monster world and -- because the monsters believe that
human children are toxic -- her presence threatens Sully's career and the
monster world's existence. So Sully and Mike must figure out a way to return Boo
to the human world, setting up all kinds of delightful mishaps and comic (and
animatingly "frightening") scenarios. Throw in a nasty rival and a monster
company conspiracy and you have a smash hit for both the big and small
screen.
Director: Pete Docter. Stars: Voices of Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Mary Gibbs,
Steve Buscemi, James Coburn, Jennifer Tilly, Bob Peterson, John Ratzenberger.
2001, CC, MPAA rating: G, 92 min., Animated, Box office gross: $253 million,
Buena Vista, $24.99 SRP.
DVD: Day & Date
-
Panic Room
A first-rate thriller from David ("Seven," "Fight
Club") Fincher stars Jodie Foster as a single mother home shopping in New York
who falls in love with a multi-story townhouse that has all the amenities one
could want -- plus more: a panic room that has its own electricity, security
cameras, and thick steel doors. Unfortunately for Foster and daughter (played by
Kristen Stewart) the original owner left behind a fortune in a secret safe and,
lo and behold on their first night there, the pair are forced into the panic
room by three invading bad guys. The chills and thrills escalate as the three
hoods can't get into the room and Jodie and Kristen are stuck inside, unable to
summon help. The first non-catalog (not a re-issue) release by Columbia TriStar
featuring their Superbit technology, which encodes DVDs at double the standard
bit rate for better picture and sound resolution, but lacks extras and frills.
Director: David Fincher. Stars: Jodie Foster, Kristen Stewart, Forest Whitaker,
Dwight Yoakam, Jared Leto, Patrick Bauchau, Ann Magnuson. 2002, CC, MPAA
rating: R, 112 min., Thriller, Box office gross: $95.328 million, Columbia
TriStar, No SRP, Priced for rental.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
Kissing Jessica Stein
A smart, funny, fresh look at sex and the
single girl finds a New York woman negotiating the complex world of dating in
the new millennium, with unexpected results. Jessica Stein is a sensitive and
neurotic single woman fed up with the rat race dating game. Though a success in
her workday life as a New York editor, she just can't seem to click with
the, admittedly, unusual men she's dating. Finally, in desperation, she turns to
the singles' classifieds and comes upon an intriguing ad -- in the "women
seeking women" section. On a whim, she answers the ad and meets funky downtown
hipster Helen Cooper and, to her surprise, they click instantly. Their evening
ends with a kiss that confounds and intrigues them. With conventional gender
roles absent, the two muddle through an earnest -- and at times funny --
courtship, making up the rules as they go on, blurring the lines between
friendship and romantic love. Wonderful outing for all concerned.
Director: Charles Herman-Wurmfeld. Stars: Jennifer Westfeldt, Heather
Juergensen, Scott Cohen, Jackie Hoffman, Michael Mastro, Carson Elrod, Tovah
Feldshuh. 2002, CC, MPAA rating: R, 97 min., Romantic Comedy, Box office
gross: $6.781 million, Fox, No SRP, Priced for rental.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
40 Days and 40 Nights
Typical teen sex comedy, here with hot
young star Josh Hartnett playing a sexual athlete dumped by his girlfriend for
a yuppie businessman. When other bedmates fail to mend his heart, he decides to
give up sex for 40 straight days for Lent. Well, faster than a T1 Internet
connection, Hartnett meets a sexy smart woman who tests his mettle, a Web site
springs up to take bets on his chastity, and his ex comes around. Will his
willpower hold out? Will we learn the truth about love and existence? Should we
wait for the TV reality game version? No.
Director: Michael Lehmann. Stars: Josh Hartnett, Shannyn Sossamon, Paulo
Costanzo, Adam Trese, Griffin Dunne, Monet Mazur, Emmanuelle Vaugier. 2002,
CC, MPAA rating: R, 95 min., Comedy, Box office gross: $37.621 million, Miramax,
No SRP, Priced for rental.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
Frailty
Set in present day Texas, "Frailty," opens with the entrance of a stranger who
walks into an FBI office looking for the detective investigating a serial killer
known as the "God's Hand Killer." Matthew McConaughey plays Fenton Meeks, the
young man who approaches the lead investigator (Powers Boothe) claiming he knows
the identity of the killer. The FBI agent is mildly intrigued but unimpressed
until Fenton reveals that the killer is his younger brother Adam. Fenton
continues by recounting -- in a series of flashbacks -- how he and his brother
grew up in a very loving family, raised by their widowed father (Bill Paxton) in
Thurman, Texas. But then one night, something happened: Dad woke his kids in the
middle of the night to inform them that he has had a vision ... that the Meeks
family must act as God's hands to purge the world of the demons among them. As
their father's visions become more frequent and disturbing, the paths of the
brothers begin to diverge as the younger, more impression-able Adam aligns
himself with their father and Fenton's questioning of God's will, as interpreted
by his father, throws the family off on a wrenching course that will test their
faith, challenge a son's courage and end a child's innocence.
Director: Bill Paxton. Stars: Bill Paxton, Matthew McConaughey, Powers Boothe,
Matthew O'Leary, Luke Askew, Jeremy Sumpter, Derk Cheetwood, Melissa Crider.
2002, CC, MPAA rating: R, 100 min., Thriller, Box office gross: $13.103
million, Lions Gate, No SRP, Priced for rental.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
Hollywood Ending
Latest Woody Allen outing has Allen starring as
a washed-up director reduced to filming deodorant commercials in Canada. Along
comes his ex-wife, a high-flying movie exec (Tea Leoni), who persuades him to
make a comeback with a remake of an old film-noir movie. Allen flies to New York
to get the job but, just before shooting is to begin, he develops hysterical
blindness and has to direct the movie blind, setting him up for all sorts of
physical gags. This is Allen's all-out assault on the quirks and foibles of
Hollywood and tinseltown's movers and shakers. And, as in most other Allen
film's, he pokes fun at himself (either intended or not) as he displays his
trademarked neuroses and penchant for much-younger women (here he's living with
Debra Messing). Oh Woody.
Director: Woody Allen. Stars: Woody Allen, Tea Leoni, Mark Rydell, George
Hamilton, Debra Messing, Tiffani Thiessen, Treat Williams. 2002, CC, MPAA
rating: PG-13, 112 min., Comedy, Box office gross: $4.839 million, DreamWorks,
No SRP, Priced for rental.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
Death to Smoochy
Misbegotten comedy about a disgraced kids show
host out for revenge against his replacement. Robin Williams plays Rainbow
Randolph, a kiddie show host involved with a variety of mob-related endeavors
who gets busted for taking payola from parents to get their children on his
show. He's replaced by goody-goody schmo Sheldon Mopes (Edward Norton), whose
righteous hot-pink costumed character Smoochy the Rhino goes on to rule the
airwaves. Rainbow goes insanely jealous and tries his best to destroy Smoochy.
Throw in a shady agent, a vicious gangster, a former kids show host-turned-hit
man, a former boxer and a crooked philanthropist and you have the makings of a
wild comedy -- which, unfortunately, "Smoochy" isn't. There's just too many
caricatures that never come to life and too many situations that never transcend
their vulgarity.
Director: Danny DeVito. Stars: Robin Williams, Edward Norton, Catherine Keener,
Jon Stewart, Danny DeVito, Harvey Fierstein, Pam Ferris, Michael Rispoli.
2002, CC, MPAA rating: R, 109 min., Comedy, Box office gross: $8.355
million, Warner, $22.98 VHS SRP.
DVD: Day & Date.
- September 24
-
Murder by Numbers
Sandra Bullock plays a role made just for her:
a smart, sassy, intense cop who doggedly fights for justice. And she's good
looking, to boot. Here she's Detective May weather, assigned to solve a murder
that's been planned as the perfect crime by two spoiled rich kids: an innocent
victim is murdered and the smart young men -- well-versed in police procedure
and forensics -- plant evidence and point clues toward a drug-dealing school
custodian (Chris Penn). While the cops run in circles, these two punks
congratulate each other. But Bullock's tough Mayweather isn't buying the
all-too-perfect evidence, and her investigation leads to the rich side of town.
Throw in a new cop partner (Ben Chaplin), a past incident that comes to haunt
Mayweather, and straight-ahead direction, and you have a first-rate evening of
entertainment.
Director: Barbet Schroeder. Stars: Sandra Bullock, Ben Chaplin, Ryan Gosling,
Michael Pitt, Agnes Bruckner, Chris Penn, R.D. Call. 2002, CC, MPAA rating:
R, 120 min., Police thriller, Box office gross: $31.798 million, Warner, $22.98
SRP.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
Big Fat Liar
Revenge flick for the Nick crowd. Frankie Muniz
plays 14-year-old compulsive fibber Jason whose latest fabrication gets him in
trouble with his teacher, who gives him just three hours to come up with an
overdue term paper. In a hurry to get the report -- which he has titled "Big Fat
Liar" -- to school, he has a run in with a limo carrying a sleazy Hollywood
producer (Paul Giamatti) and leaves the paper in the car. No one believes him,
of course and, later, when he sees a segment on "Access Hollywood" in which the
producer announces his next project -- "Big Fat Liar" -- Jason has cried wolf
one time too many. So it's off to Hollywood -- with friend Kaylee (Amanda Bynes)
-- to make, at all costs, the producer fess up. Which sets the stage for all
sorts of adolescent revenge pranks. It's an uninspired romp for the
short-attention span audience.
Director: Shawn Levy. Stars: Frankie Muniz, Paul Giamatti, Amanda Bynes, Amanda
Detmer, Donald Faison, Lee Majors, Sandra Oh, Jaleel White. 2002, CC, MPAA
rating: PG, 104 min., Kids Comedy, Box office gross: $47.811 million, Universal,
$22.98 VHS SRP.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
Hard Day's Night, A
Two-disc DVD set with the film and "Give Me
Everything" bonus disc. Extras: Three commentaries; "Things They Said Today"
original documentary; extra footage; the famous "Running, Jumping & Standing
Still" short; behind-the-scenes footage; "A Hard Day's Night Scrapbook";
interviews with cast, crew and friends; more. $29.99. The VHS will contain the
"Things They Said Today" documentary.
Director: Richard Lester. Stars: The Beatles. 1964, CC, MPAA rating: G, 87
min., Miramax, $14.99 SRP.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
Enigma
An exciting tale of love, espionage, patriotism and
betrayal set during World War II. Still reeling from the devastating
disappearance of his lover Claire (Saffron Burrows), brilliant code-breaker Tom
Jericho (Dougray Scott) is summoned to Britain's top-secret intelligence campus.
There he faces his toughest assignment -- crack the Nazis' infamous Enigma code.
With the help of Claire's roommate Hester (Kate Winslet), and with a ruthless
secret agent (Jeremy Northam) in hot pursuit, the two must piece together the
puzzle that links Claire's disappearance to U-boats closing in on Allied cargo
ships, and a mass grave in Poland.
Director: Michael Apted. Stars: Dougray Scott, Saffron Burrows, Kate Winslet,
Jeremy Northam. 2002, CC, MPAA rating: R, 119 min., War thriller, Box office
gross: $3.800 million, Columbia TriStar, No SRP, Priced for rental.x
DVD: Day & Date'.
-
Monsoon Wedding
Director Mira Nair's sweeping tale of the
participants of an arranged wedding in India: the stressed father, a bride-to-be
with a secret, a smitten event planner, and relatives from around the world who
gather together to dredge up past feelings and joys. English subtitles.
Director: Mira Nair. Stars: Naseeruddin Shah, Lillete Dubey, Shefali Shetty,
Vijay Raaz. 2002, CC, MPAA rating: R, 114 min., Drama, Box office gross:
$13.559 million, Universal, No SRP, Priced for rental.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
Festival in Cannes
Story of the actors, writers, directors,
producers, agents, managers and wannabes who are drawn together for two weeks
each May in the beautiful and ultra-romantic French Riviera; filmed on Cannes in
1998. Alice Palmer (Gretta Scacchi) is an American actress who is shopping
around a low-budget film concept she wants to direct. Alice offers the leading
role to aging film star Millie Marguand (Anouk Aimee) who must choose between
this role and taking a cameo part in the next big blockbuster from powerful
producer Rick Yorkin (Ron Silver). Complicating matters for Alice is her
producer, Kaz Naiman (Zack Norman), who deceives her about having lined up the
money needed for financing her film. Meanwhile Blue (Jenny Gabrielle) is a
young, naive American actress who turns heads with her film debut but must
resist the attention and manipulation that follows. Will the movie get made?
Will careers get boosted or busted? You can only find out in the wild world of
the Festival des Cannes.
Director: Henry Jaglom. Stars: Anouk Aimee, Maximilian Schell, Greta Scacchi,
Ron Silver, Zack Norman, Jenny Gabrielle, Alex Craig Mann. 2002, CC, MPAA
rating: PG-13, 99 min., Comedy, Box office gross: $ million, Paramount, No SRP,
Priced for rental.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
Rocking Horse Winner, The
Based on a short story by D.H.
Lawrence, a haunting tale of a boy driven to the limits of his own life by his
mother's wanton materialism. Plagued by his mother's obsession with money, a
young, introverted boy discovers that by riding his toy rocking horse he can
predict the outcome of horse races. With the aid of his uncle and the family
gardener, the boy finds an unlikely answer to the financial problems that are
turning his parents into strangers. But the more he wins, the more his mother
spends, and the stakes get higher and higher.
Director: Anthony Pelissier. Stars: John Howard Davies, Valerie Hobson.
1950, CC, MPAA rating: NR, 90 min., Drama, Home Vision Entertainment, Priced
for rental.
DVD: Only.
-
Criminal, The
Steven Mackintosh stars as J, a lonely musician
who believes his luck has finally changed when he meets Sarah in a bar. After
spending the evening at the beautiful woman's apartment, J's life is turned
upside down when he discovers she has been murdered in his bedroom and he
becomes the No. 1 suspect. His life is transformed into a dangerous
roller-coaster ride as he is immersed into a hellish underworld of espionage and
conspiracy, struggling desperately to clear his name and save his life.
Director: Julian Simpson. Stars: Steven Mackintosh, Eddie Izzard, Natasha
Little, Bernard Hill, Holly Aird. 2000, CC, MPAA rating: R, min., Thriller,
Palm Pictures, $19.99 SRP, Priced for rental.
DVD: Day & Date.
All DVDs are screened on a reference system consisting of a
Rotel RDV-1080 DVD Audio/Video Player, a
Rotel RSX-972 Surround Sound Receiver, and Phase Technology 1.1 (front), 33.1 (center),
and 50 (rear) speakers and Power 10 subwoofer.
January 2002 Releases
February 2002 Releases
March 2002 Releases
April 2002 Releases
May 2002 Releases
June 2002 Releases
July 2002 Releases
August 2002 Releases
October 2002 Releases
November 2002 Releases
December 2002 Releases
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September 1, 2002
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