DVD
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Guide to
Home Video
Releases: April 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.
- April 6
-
Matrix Revolutions, The
In the final chapter of the Matrix
trilogy, Neo (Keanu Reeves) takes another step forward in the quest for truth
that began with his journey into the real world at the outset of "The Matrix" --
but that transformation has left him drained of his power, adrift in a no-man's
land between the Matrix and the Machine World. While Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss)
holds vigil over Neo's comatose body, Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) grapples
with the revelation that the One in which he has invested a life's worth of
faith is merely another system of control invented by the architects of the
Matrix. During the stunning conclusion, the rebel's long quest for freedom
culminates in an explosive battle. As the Machine Army wages devastation on
Zion, its citizens mount an aggressive defense -- hoping to stave off the
relentless swarm of Sentinels long enough for Neo to harness the full extent of
his powers and end the war. A weak ending for a series that began so
stupendously in "The Matrix" and wavered slightly in "The Matrix Reloaded." The
special effects that were so spectacular on the first two outings are by now old
hat and -- since the story line is fairly weak -- can't carry the film. A
disappointment.
Director: The Wachowski brothers. Stars: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne,
Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, Jada Pinkett Smith. 2003, CC, MPAA rating:
R, 129 min., Science Fiction, Box office gross: $138.000 million, Warner, No VHS
SRP, Priced for rental.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
Cheaper by the Dozen
Loose remake of the 1950 Clifton Webb-Myrna
Loy classic comedy. In modern America, where the average family has 1.87
children, Tom Baker (Steve Martin) and wife Kate (Bonnie Hunt) have decided that
life is better -- if not cheaper -- by the dozen. The Bakers live in a small
Illinois town where Tom coaches the local college football team. The family's
day-to-day life is marked by equal parts love and chaos. When Tom is offered his
dream job -- coaching a squad at a large university -- he and Kate uproot the
family, much to the displeasure of all 12 children. At the same time, Kate
learns that her memoirs are about to be published. Her agent whisks her away to
New York to promote the book, leaving Tom home alone to handle the increasingly
unhappy and hectic household, as well as his demanding new job. With all hell
breaking loose at home, Kate on the road, and Tom's job on the line, the Baker
family ultimately chooses not to have it all, but to love what they do have.
Director: Shawn Levy. Stars: Steve Martin, Bonnie Hunt, Tom Welling, Hilary
Duff, Piper Perabo, Ashton Kutcher, Wayne Knight, Shane and Brent Kinsman.
2003, CC, MPAA rating: PG, 106 min., Comedy, Box office gross: $130.000
million, Fox, $22.98 VHS SRP.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
Sherman's March
Award-winning documentary has director Ross
McElwee hitting the road when his girlfriend leaves him. His planned trip:
follow the original route taken by General William Sherman as he marched through
the South during the Civil War. But rather than cut a swath of destruction
designed to force the Confederate states into submission, McElwee searches for
love, camera in hand, aiming it at every woman he sees.
Director: Ross McElwee. 1986, CC, MPAA rating: NR, 155 min., Documentary,
First Run Features, No VHS SRP, Priced for rental.
DVD: Only.
-
Kristin Lavransdatter
This epic love story set in 14th-century
Norway is Liv Ullmann's remarkable adaptation of Sigrid Undset's 1928 Nobel
Prize-winning novel. Kristin Lavransdatter follows one woman's decision to break
with tradition to marry the man she loves rather than the man her father has
chosen for her. Torn between her longing for love and her sense of family
loyalty, she ventures into a life filled with passion and pain, joy and sorrow.
The star of many Ingmar Bergman films, director Ullmann collaborates here with
cinematographer Sven Nykvist to create a film as visually entrancing as
Bergman's finest. Her insightful exploration of medieval society captures the
essence of life throughout the ages. Complete director's cut. In Norwegian with
English subtitles. Director: Liv Ullmann. Stars: Sverre Anker Ousdal, Henny
Moan, Rut Tellefsen, Erland Josephson. 1995, CC, MPAA rating: NR, 180 min.,
Romantic drama, Home Vision Entertainment.
DVD: Only.
-
Passionada
Worlds collide in the tender and light-hearted story
of three generations of Portuguese women finding love in the fishing community
of New Bedford, MA (the same town that inspired Herman Melville to write "Moby
Dick"). Young and beautiful Celia Amonte (Sophia Milos), still mourning the loss
of her deceased husband, has resigned herself to working in the textile mill,
caring for her elderly mother, and worrying about her rebellious teenage
daughter, Vicky (Emmy Rossum). Along comes Charlie Beck (Jason Isaacs), a
handsome British charmer and professional gambler, who arrives in town and is
entranced by Celia when he hears her singing traditional Portuguese folk songs
at a local restaurant. Vicky helps Charlie get a date with her romance-shy
mother, but only at a price -- Charlie has to tutor Vicky in the art of card
counting, since she hopes gambling will be her ticket out of this provincial
town. Since Celia would have nothing to do with this aimless gambler, Charlie
reinvents himself as a rich fishing entrepreneur and sweeps her off her feet. As
stronger romantic feelings develop between the two, Charlie has himself tangled
in a web of lies so badly that he's not sure how much longer he can keep up the
charade.
Director: Dan Ireland. Stars: Jason Isaacs, Sophia Milos, Seymour Cassell,
Theresa Russell, Emmy Rossum. 2003, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 108 min., Drama,
Box office gross: $0.536 million, Columbia TriStar, No VHS SRP, Priced for
rental.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
Hope Springs
Romantic comedy about Colin Ware (Colin Firth), an
artist who seeks refuge in a Vermont hotel after his beautiful girlfriend Vera
(Minnie Driver) breaks off their engagement. When the hotel's owner fixes Colin
up with the stunning Mandy (Heather Graham), sparks fly. Naturally, Vera comes
back into the picture, wanting to start over again, and Colin finds himself in a
romantic tangle.
Director: Mark Herman. Stars: Colin Firth, Minnie Driver, Mary Steenburgen,
Heather Graham, Oliver Platt. 2003, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 92 min.,
Romantic comedy, Buena Vista, No VHS SRP, Priced for rental.
DVD: Day & Date.
- April 13
-
Kill Bill -- Vol. 1
The fourth movie by Quentin Tarantino is an
epic tale of one woman's quest for justice presented in two installments. Ultra-
violent, ultra-slick, and ultra-hip, this outing -- though not as sophisticated
as Tarantino's "Pulp Fiction" but never-the-less awash in visceral thrills --
leaves no stone unturned in its washing of the screen with blood. But the
bloodshed and bodily dismemberments are so cartoonish that viewers soon realize
that this is just a movie, after all. Kids, don't try this at home!
In "Kill Bill -- Vol. 1" the title character,
played by David Carradine, is a mostly unseen sinister figure looming over the
story who has organized an elite group called the Deadly Viper Assassination
Squad (or DiVAS). All of the vipers are code-named after poisonous serpents and
the deadliest of them all is Black Mamba (Uma Thurman), who is also Bill's
former lover. Early in "Vol. 1" (though the film is told in a Tarantino-non-
linear storyline) a Texas Ranger surveys a grisly scene: an entire wedding party
slaughtered during a dress rehearsal in a rural chapel. The pregnant woman in
the blood-splattered wedding dress is Black Mamba, better known as The Bride.
Bill and The Vipers left The Bride for dead, but unluckily for them she was
merely comatose. Four years later, The Bride suddenly awakens and realizes what
has been done to her. She disposes of the hospital orderly who has been
auctioning off her (immobile) sexual favors, confiscates his garish truck, and
sets off on a ferociously focused mission.
Her first target among the wedding massacre
participants is the Viper known as Cottonmouth, O-Ren Ishii (Lucy Liu) -- the
boss-of-all-bosses of the Japanese yakuza underworld. In Okinawa, The Bride
acquires a legendary bladed weapon from the last of the world's great samurai
sword-smiths, the legendary ninjitsu master Hattori Honzo (Sonny Chiba). In
Tokyo, O-Ren Ishii is surrounded by her lethal henchmen and holds court in a
massive nightclub/restaurant complex, the House of Blue Leaves. The Bride's
assault upon this stronghold is a pitched martial arts battle with hundreds of
black clad soldiers of O-Ren's personal shock squad, The Crazy 88s. The assault
also includes personal showdowns with two of O-Ren's top aides, her personal
assistant, Sophie Fatale (Julie Dreyfus), and her private bodyguard Go Go
Yubari (Chiaki Kuriyama). The assault culminates in a classic, tragic snowy
standoff between these two formidable warriors, O-Ren Ishii and The Bride. A few
days later, in Pasadena, California, The Bride has moved on to her second
knockdown-drag-out battle with a Viper target, Copperhead, a.k.a. Vernita Green
(Vivica A. Fox).
In "Kill Bill -- Vol. 2" the emotional momentum
that builds throughout "Vol. 1" will achieve its cathartic resolution, as The
Bride goes through the remaining Vipers (including Michael Madsen's Sidewinder)
to reach Bill and make a deeply poignant discovery.
Tarantino throws in hordes of popular culture,
comic book and martial arts allusions, and one we're extra fond of is the
Japanese all-girl pop band the "5-6-7-8s". Gotta love this guy.
Director: Quentin Tarantino. Stars: Uma Thurman, Lucy Liu, Daryl Hannah, Vivica
A. Fox, Michael Parks, Sonny Chiba, Chiaki Kuriyama, Julie Dreyfus, Gordon Liu,
Michael Madsen, David Carradine. 2003, CC, MPAA rating: R, 112 min., Martial
arts thriller,
Box office gross: $70.000 million, Miramax, No VHS SRP, Priced for rental.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
Casa de los Babys
Director John Sayles' latest captures six
American women at one of the most emotionally charged moments in their lives --
each one on the verge of adopting a baby. Trapped together in an exotic South
American motel run by the colorful Senora Munoz (Rita Moreno), they anxiously
wait for the local bureaucracy to process their adoption of newborns from the
nearby orphanage. Over the weeks, they share hope and desperation surrounding
their overwhelming desires to have a child. A poignant, sharp, insightful look
at clashing cultures, modern maternity and the mystery of fate.
Director: John Sayles. Stars: Maggie Gyllenhaal, Daryl Hannah, Marcia Gay
Harden, Susan Lynch, Mary Steenburgen, Lili Taylor, Rita Moreno. 2003, CC,
MPAA rating: R, 95 min., Drama, Box office gross: $0.475 million, MGM, No VHS
SRP, Priced for rental.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
Tokyo Godfathers
From the highly acclaimed anime director
Satoshi Kon ("Perfect Blue," "Millennium Actress") comes the visually and
emotionally stunning urban fable about human decency among the down-and-out, a
meticulously drawn, Capraesque tale of adventure, love and redemption. It's
Christmas Eve in Tokyo. Three homeless people -- alcoholic Gin, drag queen Hana,
and teenage runaway Miyuki -- discover an abandoned baby in a pile of garbage.
Rather than turn the infant over to the police, the trio decide instead to find
the baby's parents themselves. Following the only clue they have -- a locker key
-- the three "godfathers" embark on a surprising journey of danger, humor and
excitement. And in the process, they revisit their own haunted pasts and learn
to face their future. Produced by the world-renowned animation studio Mad House
("X," "Vampire Hunter D," "Ninja Scroll"). In Japanese with English subtitles.
Director: Satoshi Kon. Stars: . 2003, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 91 min.,
Animated, Box office gross: $0.066 million, Columbia TriStar, No VHS SRP, Priced
for rental.
DVD: Day & Date.
- April 20
-
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the
World
Based on author
Patrick O'Brian's series of Aubrey/Maturin novels, the movie is set during the
Napoleonic Wars. Crowe is Captain "Lucky" Jack Aubrey, renowned as a fighting
captain in the British Navy, and Paul Bettany is ship's doctor Stephen Maturin.
Their ship, the H.M.S. Surprise, is suddenly attacked by a superior enemy. With
the Surprise badly damaged and much of his crew injured, Aubrey is torn between
duty and friendship as he pursues a high-stakes chase across two oceans, to
intercept and capture his foe. It's a mission that can make his reputation -- or
destroy Lucky Jack and his crew. In the course of the epic journey, the movie
travels the world -- from the coast of Brazil to the storm-tossed waters of Cape
Horn, south through ice and snow, to the far side of the world. A well-crafted
-- and exciting -- swashbuckler that cares as much for its characters as it does
its action.
Director: Peter Weir. Stars: Russell Crowe, Paul Bettany, James D'Arcy, Edward
Woodall, Chris Larkin. 2003, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 138 min., Action
adventure, Box office gross: $86.000 million, Fox, No VHS SRP, Priced for
rental.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
Haunted Mansion, The
Eddie Murphy stars as hapless real estate
agent Jim Evers, who gets a call late one night from mansion owner Edward Gracey
(Nathanial Parker). Gracey is looking to sell his property and Jim, smelling the
biggest deal of his career, takes his wife Sara (Marsha Thomason) and their two
children to the mansion, located on a remote bayou. A torrential thunderstorm of
mysterious origin strands the Evers family in the old mansion with the brooding,
eccentric Gracey, his mysterious butler Ramsley (Terence Stamp), and a variety
of residents both seen and unseen. At first, Jim scoffs at Gracey's stories
about ghosts and haunting, until he unearths the mystery of the mansion and
finds that his wife Sara has unexpected connections to its haunted past.
Shrouded in fog and mystery, the mansion was once a stately antebellum palace
that hosted New Orleans' wealthiest. Now it's the creepy and crumbling home to a
love struck 19th century gentleman, 999 ghosts, and a hilarious and hair-raising
battle for "home rule." Based on the famous Disneyland attraction.
Director: Rob Minkoff. Stars: Eddie Murphy, Wallace Shawn, Marsha Thomason,
Nathanial Parker, Jennifer Tilly, Dina Walters, Marc John Jeffries, Aree Davis.
2003, CC, MPAA rating: PG, 88 min., Comedy, Box office gross: $72.824
million, Buena Vista, $24.99 VHS SRP.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
Flower of Evil, The (La Fleur du
Mal)
Set in the Bordeaux region
of France, "Flower of Evil" tells the story of the Charpin-Vasseurs, one of the
most well-respected upper middle class families in the region. The family's
picture-perfect image is shattered when murder occurs. In his typical elegant
and ironic style, Chabrol's film retraces the family members' actions in the two
weeks leading up to the crime, revealing both their true characters and all of
the skeletons in their closets. In French with English subtitles.
Director: Claude Chabrol. Stars: Benoit Magimel, Nathalie Baye, Melanie Doutey,
Suzanne Flon, Bernard Le Coq, Thomas Chabrol. 2003, CC, MPAA rating: R, 104
min., Thriller, Box office gross: $0.181 million, Palm Pictures.
DVD: Only.
-
Bonhoeffer
Documentary tells the dramatic story of one of the
greatest theologians of the 20th century, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, his life and his
resistance to Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party. While the German church
establishment embraced National Socialism, Bonhoeffer challenged his church to
stand with the Jews in their time of need. Learning of the death camps,
Bonhoeffer's religious convictions led him to the seemingly paradoxical
conclusion that the only ethical solution was to conspire to assassinate Hitler.
Director: Martin Doblmeier. 2003, CC, MPAA rating: NR, 91 min.,
Documentary, Box office gross: $0.300 million, First Run Features, $24.95 VHS
SRP.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
3 Women
In a dusty, under-populated California resort town,
Pinky Rose (Sissy Spacek), a naive and impressionable Southern waif, begins her
life as a nursing home attendant. There, Pinky finds her role model in fellow
nurse "Thoroughly Modern" Millie Lammoreaux (Shelley Duvall), a misguided
would-be sophisticate and hopeless devotee of Cosmopolitan and Woman's Day
magazines. When Millie accepts Pinky into her home at the Purple Sage singles
complex, Pinky's hero-worship evolves into something far stranger and more
sinister than either could have anticipated. Featuring brilliant performances
from Spacek and Duvall, Robert Altman's dreamlike masterpiece careens from the
humorous to the chilling to the surreal, resulting in one of the most unusual
and compelling films of the 1970s.
Director: Robert Altman. Stars: Sissy Spacek, Shelley Duvall, Janice Rule.
1977, CC, MPAA rating: NR, 124 min., Drama, The
Criterion Collection.
DVD: Only.
-
A Story of Floating Weeds/Floating
Weeds
Two-disc set. In 1959, Yasujiro Ozu remade his 1934 silent classic "A Story of
Floating Weeds" in color with the celebrated cinematographer Kazuo Miyagawa
("Rashomon," "Ugetsu"). Setting his later version in a seaside location, Ozu
otherwise preserves the details of his elegantly simple plot wherein an aging
actor returns to a small town with his troupe and reunites with his former lover
and illegitimate son, a scenario that enrages his current mistress and results
in heartbreak for all. Together, the films offer a unique glimpse into the
evolution of one of cinema's greatest directors. "A Story of Floating Weeds"
reveals Ozu in the midst of developing his mode of expression; "Floating Weeds"
reveals his distinct style at its pinnacle. In each, the director captures the
joy and sadness in everyday life.
"A Story of Floating Weeds": Director: Yasujiro Osu. Stars:
Tomio Aoki, Chouko Iida, Hideo Mitsui, Takeshi Sakamoto. 1934, CC, MPAA
rating: NR, 86 min., Drama, Silent with optional score, Japanese intertitles
with English subtitles, The Criterion Collection. DVD:
Only.
"Floating Weeds": Director: Yasujiro Osu. Stars: Ganjiro
Nakamura, Machiko Kyo, Ayako Wakao, Hiroshi Kawaguchi. 1959, CC, MPAA
rating: NR, 119 min., Drama, Japanese with English subtitles, The Criterion
Collection. DVD: Only.
-
Win a Date With Tad Hamilton!
Shallow comedy that went after
teen female audience and succeeded mildly. Rosalee Futch (Kate Bosworth) is a
grocery clerk living in rural West Virginia. But even a small-town girl can have
big dreams, and Rosalee's is to someday -- somehow -- meet her big-screen idol,
Tad Hamilton (Josh Duhamel). The "somehow" arrives in the form of a contest --
the grand prize: a date with Tad Hamilton -- and the "someday" is now. Rosalee
wins, much to the chagrin of her best friend and co-worker Pete (Topher Grace),
who is deeply, hopelessly -- and secretly -- in love with Rosalee. The "Win a
Date" contest was cooked up by Tad's agent, Richard Levy (Nathan Lane), and his
manager, also named Richard Levy (Sean Hayes), to clean up Tad's bad-boy image.
Rosalee jets off to Los Angeles, where her adoration of Tad further blinds her
to how shallow he truly is. When Tad meets Rosalee and gets a taste of what he's
been missing in the "real world," he decides he wants more and moves to West
Virginia, turning Rosalee's "dream-come-true" into a nightmare for Richard Levy,
Richard Levy and, most of all, Pete, creating a romantic triangle played for
minor laughs.
Director: Robert Luketic. Stars: Kate Bosworth, Topher Grace, Josh Duhamel,
Nathan Lane, Sean Hayes, Gary Cole. 2004, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 96 min.,
Comedy, Box office gross: $16.964 million, DreamWorks, No VHS SRP, Priced for
rental.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
Step Into Liquid
Exciting look at surfing told through the
images and voices of legends, pros and everyday surfers. By the daughter of the
famous surf chronicler, Bruce Brown.
Director: Dana Brown. 2003, CC, MPAA rating: PG, 87 min., Documentary, Box
office gross: $3.672 million, Artisan, No VHS SRP, Priced for rental.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
Taking Sides
After Hitler took power in 1933, many Jewish
artists were forced to leave Germany. Wilhelm Furtwengler (Stellan Skarsgard)
chose to stay, serving as one of the Nazi's foremost cultural assets. Though
never a member of the Party, Furtwengler was the recipient of government honors
and appointments associated with party members. However, the conductor often
used his position and contacts to save hundreds of Jewish musicians from the
concentration camps. After the war, Major Steve Arnold (Harvey Keitel) is given
the task of carrying out pre-trial investigations against Furtwengler, his aim
is to prove that the conductor's artistic genius contributed to the Nazi
propaganda machine and their destructive ideology. Conversely, Furtwengler
insists he chose to stay to bring comfort to the German people with his music.
Like a master conductor, director Istvan Szabo orchestrates the debate from
cat-and-mouse intensity. "Taking Sides" is that rare film that demands the
audience to take a position on an issue: in this case, the complicity or
innocence of Wilhelm Furtwengler.
Director: Istvan Szabo. Stars: Harvey Keitel, Stellan Skarsgard, Moritz
Bleibtreu, Birgit Minichmayr. 2003, CC, MPAA rating: NR, 105 min., Drama,
Box office gross: $0.175 million, New Yorker, $24.95 VHS SRP.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
Third Wheel, The
Dating comedy has Stanley (Luke Wilson) finally
getting his chance for a dream date with the beautiful Diana (Denise Richards),
taking her out for a night on the town. But just as things begin to heat up.
Stanley accidentally runs over a stranger named Phil and has to take him to the
hospital. The perfect date then gets worse as Phil, given a clean bill of
health, insists on helping Stanley on his date, sticking with the pair as a
comical third wheel.
Director: Jordan Brady. Stars: Luke Wilson, Denise Richards, Jay Lacopo.
2002, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 83 min., Comedy, Miramax, No VHS SRP, Priced
for rental.
DVD: Day & Date.
- April 27
-
Big Fish
In the heartwarming film "Big Fish," director Tim
Burton brings his inimitable imagination on a journey that delves deep into a
fabled relationship between a father and his son. Edward Bloom (Albert Finney)
has always been a teller of tall-tales about his oversized life as a young man
(played by Ewan McGregor), when his wanderlust led him on an unlikely journey
from a small-town in Alabama, around the world, and back again. His mythic
exploits dart from the delightful to the delirious as he weaves epic tales about
giants, blizzards, a witch and conjoined-twin lounge singers. Bloom's fabled
stories charm everyone he encounters except his son Will (Billy Crudup), who has
also left home but in this case to get out from under his father's considerable
shadow. When Edward becomes ill and his wife, Sandra (Jessica Lange), tries to
reconcile them, Will embarks on his own personal journey trying to separate the
myth from the reality of his father's life. Will must learn how to separate fact
from fiction as he comes to terms with his father's great feats and great
failings. The other travelers on this wondrous and moving voyage include Helena
Bonham Carter as a woman who appears in different forms -- including an
enchanted witch. Alison Lohman portrays the young Sandra, the one true love of
Edward's life, and newcomer Marion Cotillard plays Will's wife, Josephine. Steve
Buscemi is the rueful poet turned bank robber turned Wall Street baron Norther
Winslow and Danny DeVito plays Amos Calloway, the bamboozling owner and
ringmaster of a traveling circus. The tales are wonderful, whimsical takes on
life, and the relationship between Bloom and his son will tug at your heart. An
incredible departure -- and enormous success -- for Burton, who's last outing
was "Planet of the Apes."
Director: Tim Burton. Stars: Ewan McGregor, Albert Finney, Billy Crudup, Jessica
Lange, Alison Lohman, Helena Bonham Carter, Robert Guillaume, Danny DeVito,
Steve Buscemi.
2003, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 125 min., Fantasy drama, Box office gross:
$60.000 million, Columbia TriStar, No VHS SRP, Priced for rental.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
Cooler, The
Bernie Lootz (William H. Macy) is the unluckiest man
in Las Vegas. From a failed marriage to an estranged son to a lost cat,
everything Bernie touches turns bad ... he's so unlucky, it's contagious. Deep
in debt to the mob, Bernie works for the Shangri-La Hotel and Casino (one of the
last mob-run casinos in town and a dinosaur in the shadow of the new Strip and
its theme-park attractions) and its director of operations Shelly Kaplow (Alec
Baldwin), to knock out high rollers. He's a "cooler" -- all it takes is Bernie's
mere presence at a hot table to kill a winning streak. Bernie is just days away
from fulfilling his debt to Shelly when he meets Natalie (Maria Bello), a new
cocktail waitress at the Shangri-La. Natalie sweeps Bernie off his feet, and
after a night of much-needed raucous sex, Bernie is in love. When Natalie starts
to love him back, Bernie's luck starts to change. Feeling good for the first
time in years, Bernie can't wait to leave Las Vegas, with the woman of his
dreams and move on with his life. Unfortunately for Bernie, Shelly can't afford
to lose him, especially since the mob partners of the Shangri-La have sent in
Larry Sokolov (Ron Livingston) to shake up the place. Just itching to take over,
Sokolov sees the hidden potential in the Shangri-La. He envisions a new, slick
palace with three floors of gaming, an entertainment center and a roller coaster
-- everything Shelly's beloved "old school" casino is not. Under increasing
pressure from Sokolov and fearful that his beloved hotel and his old ways are
about to be history, Shelly becomes very desperate, willing to do anything to
hang on to Bernie and his cooling abilities, which have recently become shaky,
ever since Natalie opened her heart to him. Due to Bernie's new change of
luck, the Shangri-La loses close to a million dollars in one night. Everything
comes to a head when Bernie's estranged son, Mikey, comes to town, borrows money
from Bernie, and proceeds to hit the dice tables. A perennial loser like his
dad, Mickey cheats at the tables -- and is caught by Shelly. With Mikey in his
grip, Shelly knows he has Bernie right back where he wants him, under his
control. With the stakes raised to life or death odds, Bernie and Natalie find
themselves in an impossible dilemma, one that can only be solved with love,
commitment and a little bit of luck. A critically acclaimed (and rightly so)
romantic thriller, with great performances by Macy, Bello and Baldwin.
Director: Wayne Kramer. Stars: William H. Macy, Alec Baldwin, Maria Bello, Shawn
Hatosy, Ron Livingston, Paul Sorvino, Estella Warren, Joey Fatone. 2003, CC,
MPAA rating: R, 101 min., Romantic thriller, Box office gross: $8.000 million,
Lions Gate, No VHS SRP, Priced for rental. DVD: Day &
Date.
-
Love Actually
Set in contemporary London in the weeks before
Christmas, this light-hearted comedy weaves together 10 love stories --
sometimes romantic, sometimes sad, sometimes stupid. Everywhere you look, love
is causing chaos. From the new bachelor Prime Minister who falls in love with a
young tea girl 30 seconds after entering Downing Street to a loser sandwich
delivery man who doesn't have a hope with the girls in the U.K. so heads for
Wisconsin; from a jilted writer who escapes to the south of France to nurse his
broken heart to an aging rock star trying to make a comeback at any price; from
a bride having problems with her husband's best man to a married woman having
trouble with her husband; from a schoolboy with a crush on the prettiest girl in
the school to his architect step-father with a crush on Claudia Schiffer. These
London lives and loves collide, mingle and finally climax on Christmas Eve --
with romantic and pat endings for all.
Director: Richard Curtis. Stars: Hugh Grant, Bill Nighy, Emma Thompson, Colin
Firth, Liam Neeson, Gregor Fisher, Rory MacGregor, Sienna Guillory. 2003,
CC, MPAA rating: R, 135 min., Romantic comedy, Box office gross: $59.000
million, Universal, No VHS SRP, Priced for rental.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
Osama
The first film made in Afghanistan since the fall of the
Taliban regime. The film takes place during the height of the Taliban's powers.
After the regime bans women from working and forbids them to leave their homes
without a male escort, a 12-year-old girl and her mother find themselves on the
brink of starvation. With no where left to turn, the mother disguises her
daughter as a boy. Now called Osama, the young girl embarks on a terrifying and
confusing journey as she tries to keep the Taliban from discovering her true
identity. Winner of the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Film and three Festival de
Cannes awards.
Director: Siddiq Barmak. Stars: Marina Golbahari, Arif Herati, Zubaida Sahar.
2003, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 83 min., Drama, Box office gross: $0.139
million, MGM, No VHS SRP, Priced for rental.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
Statement, The
Inspired by actual events, director Norman
Jewison has crafted a tightly-wound thriller about vital political and moral
issues. Michael Caine plays Pierre Brossard who, as a young French officer
during World War II, ordered the execution of seven Jews. Over the course of
more than 40 years, Brossard has never been brought to trial and has lived a
peaceful and anonymous life sheltered by right-wing elements of the French
government and the Catholic Church. A new investigation into his crimes
is launched by an ambitious judge (Tilda Swinton) and a scrupulous army officer
(Jeremy Northam). Even though Brossard manages to outwit the state
investigation, he is simultaneously tracked by mysterious hit men. With two
hunters on his heels, this wily old fox must try to stay alive and find out who
is after him.
Director: Norman Jewison. Stars: Michael Caine, Tilda Swinton, Jeremy Northam,
Charlotte Rampling, Alan Bates, Ciaran Hinds, John Neville, Matt Craven.
2003, CC, MPAA rating: R, 120 min., Thriller, Box office gross: $0.662
million, Columbia TriStar, No VHS SRP, Priced for rental.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
Timeline
A team of students and their professor diligently work
to uncover the ruins of a 14th century castle, the site of a famous battle
between the French and the English. For Professor Johnston (Billy Connelly), the
project is the culmination of a lifelong dream. Suspicious of the dig's
benefactor, International Technology Corporation and the man who runs it,
Professor Johnston heads to the ITC headquarters in New Mexico for some answers.
Meanwhile, his students discover a chamber that has been sealed for more than
600 years, along with a handwritten plea for help ... from Professor Johnston,
dated April 2, 1357. Determined to solve the mystery, the students head for the
ITC headquarters, where they are stunned to learn of a new invention -- a
machine that can actually transmit three-dimensional objects through space.
Professor Johnston, who had insisted on experiencing the discovery himself, is
now trapped in the bloody war between the French and the English. ITC and the
students quickly form a rescue team and travel back in time in the hopes of
rescuing the professor -- but they can last only six hours in the past. Based on
the novel by Michael Crichton, this adept actioner may be full of (worm)holes in
the script and lapses in logic but is nevertheless enjoyable to watch.
Director: Richard Donner. Stars: Paul Walker, Gerard Butler, Billy Connolly,
Frances O'Connor, David Thewlis, Anna Friel, Neal McDonough, Matt Craven, Ethan
Embry. 2003, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 115 min., Science Fiction, Box office
gross: $19.469 million, Paramount, No VHS SRP, Priced for rental.x
DVD: Day & Date.
-
Stuck on You
Another dumb comedy from the Farrelly brothers. Bob
(Matt Damon) and Walt (Greg Kinnear) Tenor are conjoined "Siamese" twins who are
winners at everything -- from flipping burgers at the diner they own to
performing miraculous feats on ice for their local hockey team. They never leave
each other's side ... and wouldn't have it any other way. That is, until Walt
decides he wants to follow his dreams of making it as an actor, and persuades
his reluctant sibling to go along for the ride. So they head west for the bright
lights of Hollywood, where they meet and become fast friends with sexy neighbor
Eva Mendes, who helps Walt find an agent (Seymour Cassel). But the agent's idea
of a prime gig is a porn film -- until the brothers meet Cher. The diva is
looking to sabotage a new TV show she really wants no part of, and she casts
Walt as her co-star. But instead of dooming the show, Walt propels it to the top
of the ratings, and the brothers become instant celebrities. When Bob finds
romance with a longtime cyber pal, a new perspective on their inseparable bond
opens up, and they must make a decision that will change their lives.
Director: Bobby and Peter Farrelly. Stars: Matt Damon, Greg Kinnear, Eva Mendes,
Cher, Seymour Cassel. 2003, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 118 min., Comedy, Box
office gross: $33.500 million, Fox, No VHS SRP, Priced for rental.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
Jericho Mansions
James Caan plays Leonard Grey, the agoraphobic
superintendent of the Jericho Mansions apartment complex, who hasn't left the
building for 30 years. He's learned to enjoy his life -- until the landlady one
day accuses him of stealing. Then some of the quirky tenants begin to voice
their discontent with Grey. Are they conspiring to kick him out? When one of the
tenants is murdered, Grey is convinced that there is a connection and decides to
get to the bottom of the mystery. He begins to suspect everyone -- even himself.
Director: Alberto Sciamma. Stars: James Caan, Genevieve Bujold, Jennifer Tilly.
2003, CC, MPAA rating: R, 98 min., Thriller, Monarch Home Video, No VHS SRP,
Priced for rental.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
All Things Fair
From Bo Widerberg ("Elvira Madigan") comes the
Academy Award-nominated "All Things Fair," a sensual and controversial
coming-of-age story in which a young man, Stig (Johan Widerberg), falls madly in
love with his teacher, Viola (Marika Lagercrantz). The intense relationship that
develops spins rapidly out of control, setting the stage for a final
confrontation between Stig and Viola in which "all is fair in love and war." In
Swedish with English subtitles.
Director: Bo Widerberg. Stars: Johan Widerberg, Marika Lagercrantz. 1995,
CC, MPAA rating: NR, 125 min., Drama, Home Vision Entertainment.
DVD: Only.
-
Twist and Shout
Bille August's "Twist and Shout" is a gripping,
sexy coming-of-age story in which four teenagers find love and heartbreak during
the height of Beatlemania in 1960s Sweden. As their sexual passions explode, the
teenagers find themselves caught up in a tangle of conflicting emotions, and
learn first-hand the hypocrisy of the "adult" world. Both exuberantly joyful and
heart-wrenching, "Twist and Shout" is August's smart, stylish, and deeply moving
follow-up to "Zappa," which is also included in this two-disc set. In Danish
with English subtitles.
Director: Bille August. 1984, CC, MPAA rating: NR, 108 min., Drama, Home
Vision Entertainment.
DVD: Only.
-
Love Don't Cost a Thing
Romantic teen comedy is an update of the
1987 teen comedy "Can't Buy Me Love." High-school senior Alvin Johnson (Nick
Cannon) is a brilliant, likable outcast who has come to regret the years of
intellectual endeavors that prevented him and his un-hip friends from
socializing, getting girlfriends and hanging out with the super-cool "Elite"
kids. When queen of the Elites, Paris Morgan (Christina Milian) wrecks her
mother's car, Alvin steps in and mortgages his future to help her out. The
catch: In exchange for $1,500 in car parts and Alvin's automotive expertise,
Paris agrees to "fake a front" with him to convince the school that they're
dating. The question is: Can Alvin rein in his newfound ego before he loses his
true friends, his chance for a scholarship and a shot at a real relationship
with Paris?
Director: Troy Beyer. Stars: Kenan Thompson, Kevin Christy, Al Thompson, Kal
Penn, Melissa Schuman, Reagen Gomez-Preston, Christina Milian, Nichole Robinson,
Nick Cannon, Steve Harvey, Vanessa Bell Calloway. 2003, CC, MPAA rating:
PG-13, 101 min., Comedy, Box office gross: $21.534 million, Warner, No VHS 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.
December 2003 Releases
January 20034 Releases
February 2004 Releases
March 2004 Releases
May 2004 Releases
June 2004 Releases
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March 25, 2004
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