DVD
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Guide to
Home Video
Releases: August 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.
- August 6
-
Lord of the Rings, The: The Fellowship of the
Ring
"The Lord of the Rings" collectively tells the story of Frodo Baggins, a Hobbit
who battles against the Dark Lord Sauron to save his world, Middle-earth, from
the grip of evil. In the trilogy of films, "The Fellowship of the Ring," "The
Two Towers" and "The Return of the King" (shot concurrently by director Peter
Jackson entirely on location in New Zealand), Frodo and his Fellowship of
friends and allies embark on a desperate journey to rid the earth of the source
of Sauron's greatest strength, the One Ring -- a ring that has the power to
enslave the inhabitants of Middle-earth. The trilogy chronicles extraordinary
adventures across the treacherous landscape of Middle-earth and reveals how the
power of friendship, love and courage can hold the forces of darkness at bay.
An epic vision of good versus evil, "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of
the Ring" recounts the heroic quest of Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood), a peaceful
Hobbit entrusted with a terrible responsibility. Placed in possession of the
omnipotent One Ring --- lost for centuries and containing the Dark Lord Sauron's
"cruelty, his malice, and his will to dominate all life" --- Frodo must travel
through Middle-earth to the land of Mordor in order to destroy the ring in the
fires of Mount Doom where it was forged. Frodo is accompanied on his journey by
a nine-member assemblage, the Fellowship of the Ring. The Fellowship is aided in
their quest by Elf Princess Arwen (Liv Tyler), Elf Queen Galadriel (Cate
Blanchett), and Lord Elrond (Hugo Weaving), whose knowledge of the
One Ring brings to light the true danger and importance of the Fellowship's
collective journey. Relentlessly pursued by Lord Sauron's dark riders,
marauding Orcs, cave trolls, and goblins summoned by evil wizard Saruman the
White (Christopher Lee), the Fellowship must resist the ring's limitless powers
of corruption.
Impeccably cast, written and directed, the 178-minute film is a monumental and
delicious achievement.
The second film, "The Two Towers,"heads to theaters December 18th, 2002. The
third, "The Return of the King," will be in theaters December 2003.
Director: Peter Jackson. Stars: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Sean
Astin, Christopher Lee, Sean Bean, Ian Holm, Liv Tyler, Cate Blanchett, Orlando
Bloom, John Rhys-Davies, Hugo Weaving, Dominic Monaghan, Billy Boyd. 2001,
CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 178 min., Fantasy, Box office gross: $310 million,
New Line, $22.94 VHS SRP. A Special Extended Edition two-VHS set, with more than
30 minutes of additional footage, will be available November 12 for $24.99.
DVD: Day & Date.
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Dogtown and Z-Boys
Documentary takes a wild and wonderful look
at the rise of skateboarding as a pop culture phenomenon by looking at its roots
in Southern California. In the early-mid 1970s, in the rundown Dogtown section
of Venice, a group of teenagers nicknamed the Z-Boys hung out at the Jeff Ho &
Zephyr Production Surf Shop as a home away from home. In between bouts with
waves, they took up skateboarding as a way to "surf" on the street, where they
modeled their actions on surf board moves, something unheard of. At the time
skateboarding was considered a passe fad (from the 1960s), something "for the
kids," but the Z-boys brought skateboarding into the realm of popular culture
sport. They began doing stuff never done before -- like touching the ground with
a trailing hand while making a turn. Always looking for a new frontier, the Z-
Boys began practicing their skateboarding moves in empty swimming pools, whose
swooping sides emulated the sweep of waves. Their free-form, assertive
skateboarding style set new precedents, and word of their feats spread. The
public unveiling of their unique brand of athletics -- as the Zephyr Skating
Team -- took place at the Bahne-Cadillac Skateboard Championship in 1975. As the
aggressive Dogtown style (and pugnacious attitude that went with it) began
taking hold, the young masters of this new style of sport became international
superstars. Fabulous clips from the era as well as a raucous heavy metal
soundtrack.
Director: Stacy Peralta. Stars: Narrated by Sean Penn. 2002, CC, MPAA
rating: PG-13, 91 min., Documentary, Box office gross: $0.618 million, Columbia
TriStar, $19.96 SRP.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
Super Troopers
Put together by the Broken Lizard comedy troupe,
this wacky comedy follows the antics of five over-enthusiastic Vermont State
Troopers who, because there's no crime in their town of Spurbury, while away
their time playing jokes on unsuspecting speeders and assorted townspeople.
They also have a rivalry with the city police and, when a dead body turns up in
a Winnebago, the troopers and cops pull out the stops to see who can solve the
crime first. But the troopers have trouble focusing -- they're more interested
in stand-up comedy bits and practical jokes. Good taste falls by the wayside --
and gets ticketed for littering. Worth a look.
Director: Jay Chandrasekhar. Stars: Jay Chandrasekhar, Kevin Heffernan, Steve
Lemme, Paul Soter, Erik Stolhanske, Brian Cox, Daniel Von Bargen, Marisa
Coughlan, Lynda Carter. 2001, CC, MPAA rating: R, 103 min., Comedy, Box
office gross: $18.488 million, Fox, No SRP, Priced for rental.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
Deuces Wild
Youth gang actioner set in a sweltering Brooklyn
summer circa 1958. The Deuces find their turf threatened when the leader of a
rival gang, the Vipers, is released from prison. Leon (Stephen Dorff), the
Deuces' leader, tries to guide his boys through bloody brawls to keep the Vipers
out. But when his brother (Brad Renfro) falls into a sultry and dangerous
relationship with Annie (Fairuza Balk), the sister of a Viper, and his own
girlfriend is brutally attacked, Leon and his gang are plunged into an all-out
war to save their neighborhood. A genre whose time has long been past.
Director: Scott Kalvert. Stars: Stephen Dorff, Brad Renfro, Fairuza Balk,
Vincent Pastore, Frankie Muniz, Balthazar Getty, Norman Reedus, Matt Dillon,
Deborah Harry, James Franco. 2002, CC, MPAA rating: R, 96 min., Action, Box
office gross: $6.000 million, MGM, No SRP, Priced for rental.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
Business of Strangers, The
First title to debut as part of MGM
Home Entertainment's distribution agreement with the Independent Film Channel.
Julie (Stockard Channing) and Paula (Julia Stiles) are two women on different
rungs of the same corporate ladder. When they meet on a business trip and begin
swapping stories and wry pranks, they gain each other's trust and admiration.
But when Paula enlists Julie's help in a scheme that turns criminal, Julie
begins to wonder if she knows the whole story behind Paula's malice -- and who
her real target might be. A thriller of dangerous mind games.
Director: Patrick Stettner. Stars: Stockard Channing, Julia Stiles, Frederick
Weller. 2001, CC, MPAA rating: R, 85 min., Drama, Box office gross: $1.000
million, MGM, No SRP, Priced for rental.x
DVD: Day & Date.
-
Legend of 1900, The
From the writer-director of the Academy
Award-winning "Cinema Paradiso" comes this fable of an unusual man with an
equally unusual name: 1900. Abandoned as an infant aboard a transatlantic luxury
liner and named for the year of his birth, 1900 (Tim Roth) becomes a
world-class pianist who could have anything he wished for if he could only
muster the courage to set foot on dry land.
Director: Guiseppe Tornatore. Stars: Tim Roth, Clarence Williams III, Bill Nunn.
1998, CC, MPAA rating: NR, 123 min., Drama, New Line, $19.98 SRP.
DVD: No.
-
Man of the Century
A young man lives life as if he lived in the
1920s while in fact he is occupying modern day New York. While encountering all
the problems of the contemporary world -- independent women and shady criminals
just being the start -- Johnny Twennies is an ambitious reporter who also needs
to seek out the "scoop of the century" to save his newspaper.
Director: Adam Abraham. Stars: Cara Buono, Brian Davies, Susan Egan. 1999,
CC, MPAA rating: NR, 80 min., Fantasy-Comedy, New Line, $19.98 SRP.
DVD: No.
-
Chelsea Walls
The Chelsea Hotel used to be the place to
live for New York artists. Mark Twain, Thomas Wolfe, Tennessee Williams, Arthur
Miller, Bob Dylan, Jim Hendrix; they all passed through the hotel's halls. To
this day, even though the iron facade has become rusty, new dreamers come every
day, hoping to ne inspired by the ghosts of the past. "Chelsea Walls" tells five
stories set in a single day at the Chelsea, involving an ensemble cast of some
30 characters.
Director: Ethan Hawke. Stars: Rosario Dawson, Vincent D'Onofrio, Kris
Kristofferson, Robert Sean Leonard, Natasha Richardson, Uma Thurman, Mark
Webber, Steve Zahn. 2002, CC, MPAA rating: R, 109 min., Drama, Box office
gross: $0.039 million, Lions Gate, No SRP, Priced for rental.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
Women in Film
Three sordid tales of women in Hollywood. Sara is
a casting agent dealing with a blind infant. Gina is a wannabe movie star
masseuse who steals "energy" from her famous clients. Phyllis is a film producer
who mothers her films as much as she mothers her children. The inside dish on
tantalizing tinseltown.
Director: Bruce Wagner. Stars: Beverly D'Angelo, Portia De Rossi, Marianne
Jean-Baptiste. 2001, CC, MPAA rating: R, 88 min., Drama, Lions Gate, SRP,
Priced for rental.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
Repli-Kate
A young geneticist creates the world's first cloning
machine but is a moron with women. So when he accidentally clones a smart and
beautiful journalism student name Kate, he takes the opportunity to train her in
the finer things of life: pizza, sports, beer and sex. But when the original
Kate gets a story assignment that takes her to the cloning lab, a series of
close calls, near misses and mistaken identities threatens the scientist's
project.
Director: Frank Longo. Stars: Ali Landry, Desmond Askew, Eugene Levy, James
Roday. 2002, CC, MPAA rating: R, 95 min., Comedy, Spartan Home
Entertainment, No SRP, Priced for rental.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
Adventures of Tom Thumb & Thumbelina,
The
The meeting of two
fairy tale characters: Tom Thumb and Thumbelina, both tiny people who long for
acceptance but whose paths have never crossed -- until now. Teenager Tom meets
teenager Thumbelina and the pair embark on wonderful adventures together --
including a joust with the villainous Mole King.
Stars: Voices of Elijah Wood, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Peter Gallagher,
Bebe Neuwirth, Rachel Griffiths, Robert Guillaume, Esai Morales, Jane Leeves,
Jon Stewart. 2002, CC, MPAA rating: G, 75 min., Animated, Disney, $19.99
SRP.
DVD: Day & Date.
- August 13
-
In the Bedroom
A resonant drama of loss and regeneration with
deep emotions that are forced to the surface by extraordinary circumstances
happening to seemingly ordinary people. Set in a quiet New England fishing
village, the film revolves around the Fowler family: Matt and Ruth (Tom
Wilkinson and Sissy Spacek) and their straight-arrow college-bound son Frank
(Nick Stahl). But Frank has more than books on his mind -- he ends up having an
affair with a local single-mother (Marisa Tomei) who's violent ex is lurking in
the wings. When the estranged husband shows up, Frank gets in the way of a
jealous rage and is senselessly killed. Now the Fowlers are devastated and must
find a way to heal their wounds -- one that may involve taking justice into
their own hands. But not after a lot of soul searching and soul baring by Matt
and Ruth, and revelations about their deepest emotional turmoils.
Director: Todd Field. Stars: Tom Wilkinson, Sissy Spacek, Nick Stahl, Marisa
Tomei, William Mapother, Celia Weston, Karen Allen, Frank T. Wells, V. Clapham
Murray. 2001, CC, MPAA rating: R, 130 min., Drama, Box office gross: $36.000
million, Miramax, No SRP, Priced for rental.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
Clockstoppers
A sci-fi outing for the Nick bunch. Jesse Bradford
plays a Southern California teen whose main goals in life are to buy a neat car
and catch the eye of an attractive transfer student from South America (Paula
Garces). Naturally she'll have nothing to do with him -- until one day he puts
on a watch sent to his research scientist dad by a former pupil (French
Stewart). Seems the watch speeds up the molecules of whomever comes in contact
with it, effectively making the world appear as if it has slowed down. This
makes for all kinds of fun and nifty special effects as Jesse and Paula move
through the city, playing practical jokes on people. But there's something
sinister afoot -- a bad guy techie wants the watch for his own nefarious ends
and goes so far as to kidnap Jesse's dad in the hopes of perfecting the device.
Now the teens have to give up their stop-motion fun for a little espionage.
Innocuous fun that zips along fairly quickly. The kids will love it -- and mom
and dad can get some kicks too.
Director: Jonathan Frakes. Stars: Jesse Bradford, Paula Garces, French Stewart,
Michael Biehn, Robin Thomas, Gatikayi Mutambirwa, Julia Sweeney. 2002, CC,
MPAA rating: PG, 94 min., Kids Science Fiction, Box office gross: $36.225
million, Paramount, No SRP, Priced for rental.
DVD: Day & Date
-
Showtime
Two of moviedom's most charismatic stars, Robert De
Niro and Eddie Murphy, team up for a cop comedy -- about a pair of L.A.P.D.
detectives who become fodder for a TV reality show -- with a less than stellar
result. De Niro and Murphy are the cops in question, who agree to let a network
producer (Rene Russo) follow them around and film their activities. The gimmick
is that Murphy's character really wants to be an actor, so he spends as much
time preening for the camera as he does fighting crime. There's plenty of gags
added on to the typical cop fare of car crashes, chases and gunfights, as well
as a subplot involving a drug dealer who uses a super gun capable of launching
rockets. It's totally unbelievable but, hey, it's a comedy, and it stars De
Niro and Murphy, who are always worth watching, and Russo, who's doubly worth
watching.
Director: Tom Dey. Stars: Robert De Niro, Eddie Murphy, Rene Russo, Frankie R.
Faison, William Shatner, Drena De Niro, Pedro Damian. 2002, CC, MPAA rating:
PG-13, 95 min., Comedy, Box office gross: $37.948 million, Warner, $22.98 SRP.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
Last Orders
Wonderful "small" film by the always powerful Fred
Schepisi, about the odyssey of three drinking buddies who put to rest the ashes
of a fourth friend who has just died. Using flashbacks, Schepisi explores the
quiet lives of the four men (and widow) through decades of successes, failures,
love, lust and just plain living.
Director: Fred Schepisi. Stars: Michael Caine, Tom Courtenay, David Hemmings,
Bob Hoskins, Helen Mirren, Ray Winstone. 2001, CC, MPAA rating: R, 109 min.,
Drama, Box office gross: $2.197 million, Columbia TriStar, No SRP, Priced for
rental.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
New Guy, The
Lame comedy about a gangly high school student (DJ
Qualls) who's a weak-geek-loser. With the help of an inmate (Eddie Griffin) he
befriends, the loser remakes himself into a cool guy who takes over a new high
school and wins the eye of a cheerleader.
Director: Ed Decter. Stars: DJ Qualls, Eliza Dushku, Zooey Deschanel, Lyle
Lovett, Eddie Griffin, Jerod Mixon, Illeana Douglas. 2002, CC, MPAA rating:
PG-13, 100 min., Comedy, Box office gross: $26.818 million, Columbia TriStar, No
SRP, Priced for rental.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
Birthday Girl
Ben Chaplin plays John Buckingham, a bank teller
who has grown increasingly bored with his straight-laced lifestyle and
desperately wants to meet the "right girl." Through a Russian mail-order bride
service he meets Nadia (Nicole Kidman), an attractive but quiet woman who
barely speaks English. Soon, however, John finds it impossible not to be enticed
by Nadia's charms. When some unexpected visitors from Russia show up on John's
doorstep, it becomes obvious that his new bride is much more than she appears
to be.
Director: Jez Butterworth. Stars: Nicole Kidman, Ben Chaplin. 2001, CC, MPAA
rating: R, 93 min., Thriller, Box office gross: $5.000 million, Miramax, No SRP,
Priced for rental.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
Pauline and Paulette
A trio of sisters must contend with taking
care of their simple-minded sister in this Belgian fable that won the audience
award at the 2001 Festival de Cannes.
Director: Lieven Debrauwer. Stars: Dora van der Groen, Ann Petersen, Rosemarie
Bergmans, Julienne DeBruyn. 2000, CC, MPAA rating: PG, 78 min., Drama, Box
office gross: $0.129 million, Columbia TriStar, No SRP, Priced for rental.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
Race to Space
Based on the true story of the first chimpanzee in
space. James Woods stars as Wilhelm Von Huber, a NASA scientist who transfers to
Florida with his son Billy. Billy dreams of becoming a hero like the astronaut
Alan Shepard. Wilhelm dreams of Billy becoming a scientist like him. When Billy
is hired by Dr. Donni McGuiness to help train the chimps for the NASA space
mission, he develops a close bond with Mac, one of the chimps. But when Mac is
chosen to become the first chimp sent into space Billy worries that
something could go terribly wrong on the mission. Father and son put aside their
differences and work together to bring Mac home safely.
Director: Sean McNamara. Stars: James Woods, Alex Linz, Annabeth Gish, William
Atherton, Mark Moses'. 2000, CC, MPAA rating: PG, 104 min., Family, Lions
Gate, No SRP, Priced for rental.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
Accidental Spy, The
Jackie Chan stars as Buck Yuen, an average
salesman who gets caught up in a bank robbery. When he foils the robbery, he
becomes a hero, and noticed by a mysterious man who reveals to Buck that he's a
descendent of some of the most notorious spies in the world. Soon Buck sets out
on a covert mission, where it takes more than just heredity to get through his
crazy adventures.
Director: Teddy Chan. Stars: Jackie Chan, Eric Tsang. 2001, CC, MPAA rating:
PG-13, 87 min., Action, Dimension, No SRP, Priced for rental.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
Rolie Polie Olie: The Great Defender of
Fun
Pre-school fab Rolie
Polie Olie makes his feature-film debut in this direct-to-video release. It's
Olie's sister Zowie's birthday party, and everyone is preparing for the big
event -- until the evil Gloomius Maximus arrives. The villain threatens to bring
doom and gloom to the planet. Will Olie be able to protect the party from
being "un-funerated"?
2002, CC, MPAA rating: G, 75 min., Animated, Disney, $19.99 SRP.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
Shiner
Michael Caine stars as Billy "Shiner" Simpson, a gritty
boxing promoter in London's harsh East Side. Too many years as a hustler and a
dozen unsuccessful scams force Shiner to bet all he has on an illegal boxing
match that results in the death of his son, an up-and-coming boxing hopeful.
Fueled by grief and the desire to avenge his son's wrongful death, Shiner sets
out to find the man responsible, all the while trying to stay outside the reach
of the law.
Director: John Irvin. Stars: Martin Landau, Michael Caine. 2000, CC, MPAA
rating: R, 99 min., Thriller, Miramax, No SRP, Priced for rental.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
Carmen: A Hip Hopera
Way updated version of Bizet's opera
"Carmen," making it into a modernized hip-hop musical that weaves dialogue and
songs into the narrative. Originally premiered on MTV.
Director: Robert Townsend. Stars: Beyonce Knowles, Mekhi Phifer, Mos Def, Rah
Digga, Da Brat, Jermaine Dupri, Lil Bow Wow, Wyclef Jean, Troy Winbush, Casey
Lee, Fred Williamson. 2001, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 88 min., Musical, New
Line, No SRP, Priced for rental.
DVD: Day & Date.
- August 20
-
Joe Somebody
Weak-kneed get-even comedy has Tim Allen starring
as Joe everyman, a nondescript video specialist at a marketing company whose
life is incredibly dull and plain. Divorced and unattached to anyone except his
precocious daughter, Joe is so bland and out-of-touch that he can't even pursue
the possible romantic interest embodied by the company's "wellness coordinator"
(Julie Bowen). But all that changes when Joe gets into an argument with the
company bully over a parking space in the company's parking lot and is decked in
front of his daughter. Demanding a rematch, he enlists the aid of a martial arts
instructor (Jim Belushi imitating Steven Seagal) and begins to engender the
admiration of his co-workers as they support him in his venture. Unfortunately,
there's no where for this predictable schoolyard fantasy to go -- despite Joe's
eventual growing awareness of what it really means to be a man -- and the film
falls apart and pulls its punches as it approaches its climax.
Director: John Pasquin. Stars: Tim Allen, James Belushi, Julie Bowen, Patrick
Warburton, Greg Germann, Kelly Lynch. 2001, CC, MPAA rating: PG, 98 min.,
Comedy, Box office gross: $22.700 million, Fox, No SRP, Priced for rental.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
Return to Never Land
Fanciful and well-wrought sequel to
Disney's 1953 classic, "Return to Never Land" takes you back to the enchanted
place where kids never grow up and where Peter Pan, Tinker Bell and the Lost
Boys still taunt the villainous Captain Hook. Set in WWII London years after she
left Never Land, Wendy is now grown up with children of her own. She tries to
comfort her young ones with stories of Peter and Hook but practical 12-year-old
Jane has no time for make-believe -- until she's kidnapped by Captain Hook, who
mistakes Jane for Wendy and hopes to use the girl as bait to capture Peter. But
his plan is foiled and Peter and the boys rescue Wendy, who promptly wants to
get back to the real world. Not believing in pixie dust and flying, she makes a
deal with Hook and Peter is captured. As things progress, Jane realizes the
errors of her ways, and learns that growing up means tempering reality with a
bit of youthful imagination and play, and she join s the gang in foiling Hook
once again. The film deftly merges the original's animated style with some
stunning CGI effects (in particular the opening sequences of war-torn London and
the arrival of Hook's ship) and the story line is solid enough to not betray its
roots. Though not an "instant" classic like "The Lion King," this Disney outing
is a keeper for the little ones.
Director: Robin Budd. Voices of Harriet Owen, Blayne Weaver, Corey Burton, Jeff
Bennett, Kath Soucie. 2002, CC, MPAA rating: G, 72 min., Animated, Box
office gross: $48.000 million, Disney, $24.99 VHS SRP.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
We Were Soldiers
Based upon the best selling book "We Were
Soldiers Once ... and Young," by Lieutenant-General Harold G. Moore and
journalist Joseph L. Galloway, this top-notch war drama follows Moore (played by
Mel Gibson) as he leads his troops into one of the first major battles of the
Vietnam War (in late 1965). In a place soon to be known as the Valley of Death,
400 American soldiers found themselves surrounded by 2,000 North Vietnamese
troops. The fighting is realistic (as is the won't with war films these days)
enough to make you squint away from the screen, and the sentimentality is piled
on (as the women at home find out about their lovers and husbands' deaths), but
the film is admirable in its depiction of the war-is-hell ethos. And, it
actually paints the enemy as being human.
Director: Randall Wallace. Stars: Mel Gibson, Madeleine Stowe, Greg Kinnear, Sam
Elliott, Chris Klein, Keri Russell, Barry Pepper, Don Doung. 2002, CC, MPAA
rating: R, 138 min., War action, Box office gross: $77.977 million, Paramount,
No SRP, Priced for rental.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
Sweetest Thing, The
A trio of hot babes (Cameron Diaz, Christina
Applegate, Selma Blair) ply their romantic trade in San Francisco, on the look
out for the right guy but tumbling in and out of sex faster than a runaway cable
car. The plot -- such as it is -- involves Christina (Diaz) meeting -- but not
connecting with -- a guy (Thomas Jane) at a club and regretting it the next day,
when she decides to spend the rest of the movie tracking him down. Lots of crude
bathroom jokes and sex (it's kind of a female version of all those raunchy
Farrelly brother movies).
Director: Roger Kumble. Stars: Cameron Diaz, Christina Applegate, Thomas Jane,
Selma Blair, Jason Bateman, Parker Posey. 2002, CC, MPAA rating: R, 84 min.,
Comedy, Box office gross: $24.430 million, Columbia TriStar, No SRP, Priced for
rental.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
Iris
Wonderful story about the famed novelist Iris Murdoch,
keying in on love: the mysteries of love, the love of literature, the love of
the mind. This is the true story of Murdoch, the acclaimed English novelist and
philosopher and her life with novelist John Bayley. The story is based on two of
Bayley's novels, "Elegy for Iris" and "Iris and Her Friends," about their life
together, and focuses on Iris' lust for life and words. In their older years it
becomes clear that Iris is suffering from Alzheimer's Disease. But Iris' spirit
knows no bounds, and her story is told thoughtfully and provocatively through
her husband's eyes. Kate Winslet and Hugh Bonneville play the younger couple,
while Judi Dench and Jim Broadbent (who won an Academy Award for his role) play
the mature novelists.
Director: Richard Eyre. Stars: Kate Winslet, Hugh Bonneville, Judi Dench, Jim
Broadbent, Penelope Wilton, Samuel West. 2001, CC, MPAA rating: R, 90 min.,
Bio-Drama, Box office gross: $5.000 million, Miramax, No SRP, Priced for rental.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
National Lampoon's Van Wilder
College comedy of the scatological
kind, with typical sick jokes, plenty of naked coeds, and parties parties
parties. The hero of this affair is Van Wilder (Ryan Reynolds) who, after seven
years of higher learning, finds that his father no longer wants to foot the
bill. Cut loose, he resorts to the one thing he does well: partyplanning, which
helps him pay the bills. This gives us plenty of opportunities to see Van Wilder
being obnoxious and rebuking authority. In the meantime, a school newspaper
reporter (Tara Reid) decides to do an investigative article on Van Wilder,
setting up the pair for your typical war of the sexes repartee. Guess who gets
together at the end of the film?
Director: Walt Becker. Stars: Ryan Reynolds, Tara Reid, Tim Matheson, Kal Penn.
2002, CC, MPAA rating: R, 95 min., Comedy, Box office gross: $21.005
million, Artisan, No SRP, Priced for rental.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
All About the Benjamins
Passable urban comedy has Ice Cube
playing Bucum Jackson, a maverick bounty hunter who dreams of opening his own
private investigation agency. He's currently trying to track down Reggie Wright
(Michael Epps), a con artist who has slipped from Bucum's grip several times
before. This time the cat and mouse game puts both men in the middle of a
multi-million dollar heist, with Reggie unexpectedly finding himself in the back
of a getaway van driven by cold-hearted jewel thieves. He escapes the van and
finds out that a lottery ticket he bought turns out to be the winner of a $60
million jackpot. But, whoops, the winning ticket is in Reggie's wallet, which is
in the back of the getaway van. Reggie persuades Bucum to track down the
thieves: Reggie will get his lottery wins, and Bucum will have a big arrest
under his belt, paving the way for his own agency. And now the fun really
begins.
Director: Kevin Bray. Stars: Ice Cube, Michael Epps, Tommy Flanagan, Carmen
Chaplin, Eva Mendes, Valerie Rae Miller, Anthony Michael Hall. 2002, CC,
MPAA rating: R, 98 min., Comedy, Box office gross: $25.482 million, New Line,
$22.98 SRP.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
Cat's Meow, The
Dramatization of a fateful excursion of "fun and
frolic" aboard William Randolph Hearst's private yacht in 1924. The fateful
cruise brought together some of the century's best-known personalities and
resulted in a still-unsolved, hushed-up killing. Innocently enough, Hearst sets
sail with his lover, actress Marion Davies, from San Pedro Harbor early one
Saturday morning, hosting a small group of celebrities and intellectuals
including the brilliant but self-absorbed Charlie Chaplin, financially troubled
film pioneer Thomas Ince, ambitious gossip columnist Louella Parsons, and
eccentric British novelist Elinor Glyn. But while witty repartee is the order of
the day, it quickly becomes evident that deceit and deception are also on the
menu. As well as death.
Director: Peter Bogdanovich. Stars: Kirsten Dunst, Eddie Izzard, Carey Elwes,
Joanna Lumley, Jennifer Tilly, Edward Herrmann. 2002, CC, MPAA rating:
PG-13, 112 min., Drama, Box office gross: $2.875 million, Lions Gate, No SRP,
Priced for rental.
DVD: Day & Date.
- August 27
-
Queen of the Damned
Adapted from Anne ("Interview With the
Vampire") Rice's series "The Vampire Chronicles," this hot-blooded rock-infused
vampire tale focuses on Rice's vampire Lestat who becomes a pop star and plays
up his vampireness (violating the unspoken code of vampirehood that states that
vampires should keep away from the limelight). Throw in a paranormal
investigator and the centuries old queen of the vampires (Aaliyah) who picks
this time to wake up, and the rivers of blood flow from New Orleans to Death
Valley, where a climactic rock concert takes place. Cutting edge vamp flick
keeps your attention and, in particular, shows off Aaliyah and what she might
have become on screen if she hadn't died.
Director: Michael Rymer. Stars: Stuart Townsend, Marguerite Moreau, Aaliyah,
Vincent Perez, Lena Olin, Paul McGann. 2002, CC, MPAA rating: R, 101 min.,
Horror, Box office gross: $30.307 million, Warner, $22.98 SRP, Priced for
rental.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
High Crimes
Run-of-the-mill thriller has Ashley Judd playing a
high-powered San Francisco attorney who risks her career to defend her husband
when he's arrested by the FBI and charged with the massacre of eight civilians
during a 1988 Marine raid on a small village in El Salvador. He claims he's
innocent and says he's being framed; Judd takes on the Court Martial case and
enlists the help of ex-military attorney and ex-alcoholic Morgan Freeman.
Together with the court-appointed lawyer and Judd's sexy sister (Amanda Peet)
they uncover an elaborate coverup, missing and dead witnesses, destroyed
documents and, what's worse, find themselves wiretapped, stalked and beaten by
mysterious men. As Judd and Morgan unravel it all and come closer to the truth,
they come closer to losing their lives. This is one of those films where you
can't quite believe what's happening onscreen but you're impelled to sit it out
to the bitter -- and in this case, twist -- ending.
Director: Carl Franklin. Stars: Ashley Judd, Morgan Freeman, Jim Caviezel, Adam
Scott, Bruce Davison, Tom Bower, Juan Carlos Hernandez. 2002, CC, MPAA
rating: PG-13, 115 min., Thriller, Box office gross: $41.131 million, Fox, No
SRP, Priced for rental.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
Rookie, The
Stirring story of courage and determination, based
on the real-life story of baseball player Jim Morris whose promising career
ended when he threw out his shoulder. Now a chemistry teacher and baseball coach
in a small Texas town, Morris makes a bet with his losing team: If they win
their district title, he'll try out again for the majors. Incredibly, the boys
win and Morris has to fulfill his end of the bargain. And, amazingly, he tries
out for the expansion Tampa Bay Devil Rays -- with a 98 MPH fastball. In three
months he's in the majors -- winning games with his amazing Arm. It's a dream of
a story -- a great inspiration for kids and adults alike.
Director: John Lee Hancock. Stars: Dennis Quaid, Rachel Griffiths, Jay
Hernandez, Beth Grant, Angus T, Jones, Brian Cox, Rick Gonzalez. 2002, CC,
MPAA rating: G, 127 min., Drama, Box office gross: $76.000 million, Buena Vista,
$22.99 SRP.
DVD: Day & Date.
-
Wrestling With Alligators
Set in 1959 during a blissful summer
of innocence, "Alligators" is the coming of age story of a teenage girl who has
her first romance with a carnival worker. Meanwhile, her widowed roommate is
pregnant by a garage worker she doesn't love or want to be with. Both women
struggle with choices of pregnancy, abortion, career and loyalty in times that
perhaps weren't as simple or innocent as memory recalls.
Director: Laurie Weltz. Stars: Aleksa Palladino, Joley Richardson, Claire Bloom,
Jay Sanders. 1998, CC, MPAA rating: NR, 95 min., Drama, Vanguard, No 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
September 2002 Releases
October 2002 Releases
November 2002 Releases
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July 15, 2002
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