DVDpedia : Library : Title : S

Theatrical: 1981

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 122

Summary: It's been years since Blake Edwards made a funny film, and this 1981 effort may have been one of his last consistent laugh producers. Richard Mulligan plays a Hollywood producer who realizes that his career may be over when the public sees his latest film: a big-budget musical that lands on test audiences with a thud. In a moment of madness, he hits upon the idea of reediting it to include soft-porn reshoots--including a shot of his movie-star wife (Julie Andrews), who has a squeaky clean public image, baring her breasts (which the squeaky clean Andrews actually does). Scathing in its satire of Hollywood numbskullery, the film features terrific performances by Mulligan, Robert Preston, and William Holden (in his last film). "--Marshall Fine"

Theatrical: 2003

Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)

Genre: Drama

Duration: 99

Summary: Only the mind of Guy Maddin could conjure up "The Saddest Music in the World", in which a double-amputee beer baroness invites musicians of all nations to compete in a grand music competition... in Winnipeg. The only thing zanier than the plot is Maddin's style, which makes the film look like a lost artifact from the "Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" era, a jumble of Expressionist compositions and gauzy focus. It helps if you're already a fan of the director of "Careful" and "Dracula: Pages from a Virgin's Diary", for this is not Maddin's most cohesive picture. "Kids in the Hall" stalwart Mark McKinney is a little too arch as a sharpie returning to Manitoba, but Isabella Rossellini is delicious as the "Beer Queen of the Prairie." By the time she straps on a pair of hollow glass legs filled with bubbly lager, you're either delighted by this movie or you've given up. "--Robert Horton"

Theatrical: 2003

Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 92

Summary: Classic teen comedy mixes with cunning satire in "Saved!". Fervent Christian Mary (Jena Malone, "Donnie Darko") believes God wants her to save her gay boyfriend by sleeping with him. But he gets sent to an anti-gay indoctrination camp while she ends up pregnant--which starts to drive a wedge between Mary and her snotty best friend Hilary Faye (Mandy Moore, "How to Deal"). Meanwhile, they're both interested in the son (Patrick Fugit, "Almost Famous") of their Christian school principal (Martin Donovan, "Trust"). "Saved!" respects faith but gleefully mocks the excesses and absurdities of contemporary organized religion, particularly its suburban, let's-speak-the-language-of-the-kids manifestations. The actors, including Macaulay Culkin (yes, from "Home Alone") and Mary Louise Parker ("Fried Green Tomatoes"), play their parts with sincerity, which makes the fusion of humor and heart succeed. A delightful movie. "--Bret Fetzer"

Theatrical: 2004

Studio: Lionsgate

Genre: Horror

Duration: 102

Summary: With a dead body laying between them, two men (Whannell and Elwes) wake up in the secure lair of a serial killer who's been nicknamed "Jigsaw" by the police because of his unusual calling card.

Theatrical: 2006

Studio: Lions Gate

Genre: Horror

Duration: 113

Summary: The first "Saw" picture actually had an idea behind it, to say nothing of the ingenuity of its low-budget production; making a silk purse out of a bloody, maggot-ridden human ear, as it were. With "Saw III", the franchise pretty much settles into gore for gore's sake, as it explores newer and better ways to traumatize the body--and the audience. Events from "Saw II" are sewn up at the beginning of the film, and a detective on the trail of mad killer Jigsaw is quickly trussed up and subjected to one of the villain's sadistic games (this one has escape possible only by means of a key sitting in the bottom of a beaker of acid). Then we catch up with Jigsaw (Tobin Bell) himself, as he awaits death from his debilitating illness; once again he's tended by helper Shawnee Smith. The movie follows parallel plots: Jigsaw blackmails a doctor (Bahar Soomekh) into keeping him alive, and tortures a vengeful soul (Angus Macfayden) into recognizing the futility of revenge. Original "Saw" creators James Wan and Leigh Whannell worked on the script of this one, and it fully buys into the series mythology, referring backwards to previous events and, for all we know, preparing us for future installments. But if future installments are as pointlessly repugnant as this one, there's not much to look forward to. "--Robert Horton"

Theatrical: 2003

Studio: Paramount Home Video

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 108

Summary: Turbo-charged comic Jack Black shakes School of Rock to its foundations, wailing with born-again metalhead passion as Dewey Finn, a guitarist who gets kicked out of a band because he grandstands too much--or, to put it another way, enjoys himself. Through an intercepted phone call, Finn gets a job as a substitute teacher for a fifth grade class at a private grade school. Neither students nor teacher quite know what to do with each other until Finn discovers that some of his young charges can play instruments; at once he starts turning them into a blistering rock & roll troupe that can crush his former band at an upcoming competition. School of Rock is silly and formulaic, but director Richard Linklater (Dazed and Confused), writer Mike White (The Good Girl), and especially Black and co-star Joan Cusack invest the formulas with such glee that the movie is irresistibly fun. --Bret Fetzer

Theatrical: 2001

Studio: Sundance Channel Home Entertainment

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 104

Summary: Think of Scotland, PA. as truck-stop Shakespeare, Macbeth given a drive-through makeover as the deadliest of deadpan comedies. Writer-director Billy Morrissette got this wacky idea from an early job at Dairy Queen. He makes the most of that bad memory by casting his own wife (ER's Maura Tierney) and indie stalwart James LeGros as Pat and Mac McBeth, a married pair of Pennsylvanian schemers, circa 1973, who plot to escape their thankless jobs at Duncan's burger joint. They dispatch Duncan in a sizzling accident (you want fries with that corpse?) and inherit the diner from Duncan's stoner son (who's also a suspect), hoping to prove to Detective McDuff (Christopher Walken, at his funniest) that their newfound happiness is entirely legal. Like The Big Lebowski, this movie's hilarious if you're in on the joke, and familiarity with Shakespeare is optional when you've got a "rock block" of Bad Company hits to keep the grisly comedy on track. --Jeff Shannon

Theatrical:

Studio:

Genre: Drama

Summary:

Theatrical: 1981

Studio: Shout Factory

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 780

Summary: At long last, "SCTV" is on the air... or at least on DVD! While it never reached the ratings heights or pop culture cachet of "Saturday Night Live", "SCTV" did garner critical buzz and a devoted cult following. As with the Python boys, the ensemble members, and the characters they created to populate the fictional Melonville TV network, are revered in hipper comedy circles. In this respect, "SCTV" is Letterman to "SNL"'s Leno. This essential five-disc set collects the first nine episodes of the series' "Network 90" incarnation, which brightened NBC's Friday late-night lineup in 1981. While original cast member Harold Ramis had since left the show, and Martin Short would join the following year, John Candy, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, Rick Moranis, Catherine O'Hara, and Dave Thomas were "SCTV"'s definitive ensemble ("SNL"-bound Robin Duke and Tony Rosato, we hardly knew ye). These inaugural episodes are comprised mostly of "the golden classics" (so dubbed by Flahrety's wheelchair-bound station manager Guy Caballero) linked by some new material. Included are such series benchmarks as "The Great White North" segments, featuring Moranis and Thomas as the stereotypically Canadian, parka-wearing, beer-swilling McKenzie brothers; "Play It Again, Bob," starring Moranis as Woody Allen and Thomas as Bob Hope; the ill-fated made-for-SCTV "Polynesiantown" starring Candy's Johnny LaRue; "The Sammy Maudlin Show," starring Joe Flahrety as the most sincerely insincere talk show host, with O'Hara as Lola "I want to bear your children" Heatherton, and "Indira," with Andrea Martin in her signature "Evita" spoof.
And that's just on disc 1! "SCTV" could parody "Leave It to Beaver" and "Fantasy Island" with the best of them, but anticipating the future "Ben Stiller Show", its genius lay in its show business savvy to subvert television and movie convention. When Levy's comedian Bobby Bittman arrives on a talk show, he brings "bloopers" from his congressional testimony. And you don't need to have seen "The Oscar" to appreciate "The Nobel", but it certainly helps. The price is steep, but don't be a hoser. This is the comedy release of the year. And it blows up real good. "--Donald Liebenson"

Theatrical: 2006

Studio: Sony Pictures

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 112

Summary: A great-looking, well-acted Western in the old-school tradition, "Seraphim Falls" is definitely worth a look for fans of the genre. There's nothing really new here (which explains why it played only briefly in theaters), and more than a few critics noted its obvious similarities to Clint Eastwood's classic "The Outlaw Josey Wales". Still, you have to admire director and cowriter David Von Ancken (a 10-year TV veteran making his feature debut) for delivering an engrossing post-Civil War revenge story (cowritten with Abby Everett Jacques) that isn't hobbled by its overly familiar plotting. Blessed by the exquisite cinematography of John Toll (whose credits include "The Thin Red Line", "Almost Famous" and "The Last Samurai") and bolstered by a lush but unobtrusive score by Harry Gregson-Williams, this prestigious production begins very well indeed, with a wintry manhunt in the Ruby Mountains of Nevada, circa 1868. Former Union captain Gideon (Pierce Brosnan) is being tracked by a seemingly brutal pursuer named Carver (Liam Neeson) whose four-man posse (including veteran character actors Ed Lauter and Michael Wincott) is soon reduced to two.
As the manhunt continues, Brosnan and Neeson make the most of minimal dialogue, and flashbacks give us hints about the tragic event that set this plot in motion. It's a simple, elemental tale of justice in the wilderness, with occasional quirks like a snake-oil vendor (Anjelica Huston) who appears literally out of nowhere, and a top-hatted Indian (Wes Studi) who gives the film a slight, mystical air of mystery. And while a more daring director might have opted for a more powerful visual style, there's something to be said for Von Ancken's straightforward approach, perfectly matched by Toll's breathtaking landscapes, shot on location in Oregon and New Mexico and ranging from raging rivers to sun-baked desert flats. None of this makes "Seraphim Falls" a particularly exceptional movie, but with a fine cast that also includes such familiar faces as Angie Harmon, Tom Noonan, Xander Berkeley, and Kevin J. O'Connor, there's ample reward in a film that doesn't pretend to be anything more than a respectable entry in its genre. "--Jeff Shannon"

Theatrical: 2005

Studio: Universal Studios Home Entertainment

Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy

Duration: 119

Summary: "Serenity" offers perfect proof that "Firefly" deserved a better fate than premature TV cancellation. Joss Whedon's acclaimed sci-fi Western hybrid series was ideally suited (in Browncoats, of course) for a big-screen conversion, and this action-packed adventure allows Whedon to fill in the "Firefly" backstory, especially the history and mystery of the spaceship Serenity's volatile and traumatized stowaway, River Tam (Summer Glau). Her lethal skills as a programmed "weapon" makes her a coveted prize for the power-hungry planetary Alliance, represented here by an Operative (Chiwetel Ejiofor) who'll stop at nothing to retrieve River from Serenity's protective crew. We still get all the quip-filled dialogue and ass-kicking action that we've come to expect from the creator of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", but Whedon goes a talented step further here, blessing his established ensemble cast with a more fully-developed dynamic of endearing relationships. "Serenity"'s cast is led with well-balanced depth and humor by Nathan Fillion as Captain Mal Reynolds, whose maverick spirit is matched by his devotion to crewmates Wash (Alan Tudyk), Zoe (Gina Torres), fun-loving fighter Jayne (Adam Baldwin), engineer Kaylee (Jewel Staite), doctor Simon (Sean Maher), and Mal's former flame Inara (Morena Baccarin), who plays a pivotal role in Whedon's briskly-paced plot. As many critics agreed, "Serenity" offered all the fun and breezy excitement that was missing from George Lucas's latter-day "Star Wars" epics, and Whedon leaves an opening for a continuing franchise that never feels cheap or commercially opportunistic. With the mega-corporate mysteries of Blue Sun yet to be explored, it's a safe bet we haven't seen the last of the good ship Serenity. "--Jeff Shannon"

Theatrical: 1995

Studio: New Line Home Video

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 127

Summary: A retiring cop and his replacement track a psychotic killer who's using the seven deadly sins as a guide. Starring Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman and Gwyneth Paltrow.

Theatrical: 1992

Studio: Columbia Tri-Star

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 87

Summary: I love DVD movies and for the longest time, the only reason I kept my laserdisc player was because I was afraid that "Shakes the Clown" would never come out on DVD. Let's face it; "Shakes the Clown" was an absolute flop in the theaters, and Bobcat Golthwait gambled his career on the movie, which never quite recovered. But since on video, "Shakes the Clown" has gained a strong cult following as one of the funniest, irreverent, misunderstood comedies of all time.There are 2 kinds of people in this world; People who like "Shakes the Clown" and people who don't. Here's a quiz to find out which camp you fall into: If you like Liam Neeson movies, thought Julia Roberts was at her perkiest in the Runaway Bride, eat a lot of low-fat food and don't understand most Adam Sandler jokes, this isn't your movie. However, if you like South Park, if the Cable Guy was your favorite Jim Carrey film, and can appreciate the brilliance of well-constructed potty-humor, "Shakes the Clown" is right up your alley.Bobcat is Shakes the Clown; an alcoholic party clown that doesn't know how to turn his life around. He hangs out in a dumpy clown-bar ("The Twisted Balloon"), and vainly wishes he could be a television clown. All he needs is one big break, but he's generally too drunk to do what's best for himself, like practice his juggling and regular pie-throwing target practice.Binky the clown is his arch nemesis; Binky is the suburban party-clown that is used to things going his way. Binky is also busy pushing dope he buys from the more rowdy Rodeo Clowns. Shakes ends up in the wrong place during a bad drug deal and gets framed for killing a leader of the clown community with a juggling pin.That's the basic plot and you know by now whether you will enjoy the movie or not. In my opinion it's absolutely brilliant and, even though crude at times, makes for an interesting look at the different factions within society and how we behave towards people from different backgrounds. It's not a cutesy morale-building movie, but it's message is thinly cloaked with hilarious dialogue and humor. Now I can finally sell my laserdisc player.....

Theatrical: 2004

Studio: Universal Studios Ho

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 99

Summary: British horror/comedy "Shaun of the Dead" is a scream in all senses of the word. Brain-hungry zombies shamble through the streets of London, but all unambitious electronics salesman Shaun (Simon Pegg) cares about is his girlfriend Liz (Kate Ashfield), who just dumped him. With the help of his slacker roommate Ed (Nick Frost), Shaun fights his way across town to rescue Liz, but the petty concerns of life keep getting in the way: When they're trying to use vinyl records to decapitate a pair of zombies, Shaun and Ed bicker about which bands deserve preservation--New Order they keep, but Sade becomes a lethal frisbee. Many zombie movies are comedies by accident, but "Shaun of the Dead" is deliberately and brilliantly funny, while still delivering a few delicious jolts of fear. Also featuring the stealthy comic presence of Bill Nighy ("Love Actually") and some familar faces from "The Office". "--Bret Fetzer"

Theatrical: 1994

Studio: Castle Rock

Genre: Drama

Duration: 142

Summary: When this popular prison drama was released in 1994, some critics complained that the movie was too long (142 minutes) to sustain its story. Those complaints miss the point, because the passage of time is crucial to this story about patience, the squeaky wheels of justice, and the growth of a life-long friendship. Only when the film reaches its final, emotionally satisfying scene do you fully understand why writer-director Frank Darabont (adapting a novella by Stephen King) allows the story to unfold at its necessary pace, and the effect is dramatically rewarding. Tim Robbins plays a banker named Andy who's sent to Shawshank Prison on a murder charge, but as he gets to know a life-term prisoner named Red (Morgan Freeman), we realize there's reason to believe the banker's crime was justifiable. We also realize that Andy's calm, quiet exterior hides a great reserve of patience and fortitude, and Red comes to admire this mild-mannered man who first struck him as weak and unfit for prison life. So it is that "The Shawshank Redemption" builds considerable impact as a prison drama that defies the conventions of the genre (violence, brutality, riots) to illustrate its theme of faith, friendship, and survival. Nominated for seven Academy Awards including Best Picture, Actor, and Screenplay, it's a remarkable film that signaled the arrival of a promising new filmmaker--a film that many movie lovers count among their all-time favorites. "--Jeff Shannon"

Theatrical: 2005

Studio: Touchstone / Disney

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 104

Summary: Any fan of Steve Martin's 2000 novella will enjoy this pitch-perfect adaptation, which glowingly captures the bittersweet tones of a May-September romance. Martin wrote the screenplay and stars as Ray Porter, a button-down 50-something executive who reaches out to a much younger woman as a Los Angeles playmate. The book and movie, though, are both primarily about Mirabelle (Claire Danes), a 20-something with a pile of promises, debt, and depression, as she fades away into a slow corner of Saks selling unneeded formal gloves. She's a wisp of a person, with a cat who doesn’t love her, and when she finds a suitor, it's Jeremy (Jason Schwartzman), a scruffy artist who babbles on about speakers. When the gentlemanly Porter calls, his appearance in her life begins to make her whole. It also immediately sets her up for sadness--Ray thinks of Mirabella as a precious outlet for sex, while Mirabelle, very mistakenly, sees Ray as a potential lifelong mate. Martin deftly turns the novella's prose into dialogue, allowing the movie to feel full-bodied, and the film also works as a comedy, as we witness Jeremy's growth on the road with a rock band. Schwartzman would walk away with film if not for the perfectly cast leads: Martin does another smart turn away from his wild-and-crazy moniker, Danes has never been better in an Oscar-worthy performance, and Bridgette Wilson-Sampras aces her role as a hot-to-trot co-worker of Mirabelle's. Whoever's decision to have Martin be the omnipresent narrator, though, should be penalized, as it’s confusing to have him in two roles, and the information is pretty useless, even robbing the film of a final grace note. "--Doug Thomas"

Theatrical: 1999

Studio: Warner Studios

Genre: Comedy

Summary: There's a dark underpinning of meanness and a lack of humanity contained within several of the short films in Short 6: Insanity. The animated "Bad Plant" and "Billy's Balloon" are both misanthropic contributions, and only "Franky Goes to Hollywood," which documents a day in the life and career of the dog who starred in Armageddon, and the Sound Bit featurette, "Beyond the Rhythm," really transcend the uncompassionate discord on display in lesser doses in the remaining seven films. "Blue City," a tinted look at the lives of four people on a collision course in the inner city, received several awards at a variety of film festivals, and "Midnight Dance," a clever Irish cartoon from John McCloskey, is on par with Tim Burton's and Edward Gorey's twisted visions. --Paula Nechak

Theatrical: 1986

Studio: Image Entertainment

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 99

Summary: John Badham's family-oriented adventure comedy, though obviously hatched in the wake of "E.T." and "Star Wars", manages to create its own identity through a sweet tone and an affectionate sense of fun. Military robot Number 5, a well-armed killing machine, is zapped by lightning during a test and emerges with a consciousness, curiosity, a wacky sense of humor, and a new peace-loving philosophy. Ally Sheedy (who debuted in Badham's hit "WarGames") is the animal lover whose home is sanctuary for a zoo-full of strays and who adopts the adolescent robot. Steve Guttenberg is the goofy but reclusive robotics designer who goes off in search of his creation to save him from the gun-happy army. The mix of gentle slapstick and innocent romance makes for a harmless family comedy. It veers toward the terminally cute, what with 5's hyperactive antics and E.T.-ish voice, and the mangled grammar of Guttenberg's East Indian sidekick (Fisher Stevens) threatens to become offensive, but Badham's breezy direction keeps the film on track. Sheedy and Guttenberg deliver spirited and engaging performances, but most importantly the robot emerges as a real person. Give credit to designer Syd Mead, an army of puppeteers and robotics operators, and the cartoony voice of Tim Blaney: Number 5 is alive. "--Sean Axmaker"

Theatrical: 2005

Studio: Fox Home Entertainme

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 123

Summary: I saw Sideways after it had been hyped by family, friends, critics, etc... Going into the movie, I had very high expectations; those expectations were met - but in a very different way than I had supposed they would be.



The acting in Sideways is special - really fine, genuine performances that remind me in many ways of American Beauty - the portrayal of disturbed indidivuals looking for solidity in their lives. Paul Giamati is a favorite of mine - from American Splendor to Private Parts - and he does a great job here. His sidekick - Ned of Ned & Stacey - is hilarious and I have missed him since the ill-fated days of that NBC sitcom.



Why didn't I give Sideways 5 stars? Where it falls short, in my opinion, is the screen writing. The dialouge and scenary are very cliche and contrived - sometimes painfully. It can, at times, feel like reading a book where the author has simply tried to hard - forcing similes and themes down your throat.



All in all, an enjoyable - and often very funny - movie that will be remembered for its acting, not the writing.

Theatrical: 1972

Studio: Umvd

Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy

Duration: 89

Summary: I first saw this film with my Dad in its initial release, and, I admit, I was too young to fully understand what it was trying to say. Now that I have reached some small degree of age and experience, I can view SILENT RUNNING with a fresh eye. It still sends out its very strong message about treasuring what is good and beautiful in this world, as it too easily slips away. The little drones do indeed steal the show, and are still my Dad's favorite characters. But I now can appreciate the performance of Bruce Dern, who up until that time had spent his career playing heavies and psychopaths. Granted, there is more than a bit of the fanatic about the Freeman character; otherwise, he would not have been so motivated to save at any cost what remained of the Earth's forests. What I now appreciate more is the gentle touch of the character: I believe it is no accident that when we first encounter him, he is wearing a white, Christ-like robe. He establishes his rapport with all the beasts in his care in a very fatherly way. The way the film opens is very important to the viewer's understanding of what this movie wants to say, and it's underscored by one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever designed for film. It's notable that this is the only score ever written by Peter Schickele, nee P.D.Q. Bach. His opening theme, vocalised later in the first reel by Joan Baez, is heartbreaking.



I still believe that SILENT RUNNING is an important little movie, hiding inside a big Hollywood science fiction epic. Don't view this expecting space battles and alien invaders: this film is about what may happen if we ignore all that is most important around us in favor of everyday trivia.



Bruce, it's one of your very best. Be proud.

Theatrical: 1985

Studio: Columbia Tristar Hom

Genre: Western

Duration: 127

Summary: An attempt to pay homage to the old westerns of days past, this film is not meant, somehow, to entirely be taken "seriously". It has a sense of humor about itself, that plays throughout much of the film. Still it's mostly finely acted and pulls you in. I enjoy the interplay of the characters and in some ways even more the interplay of the actors -- many of the best actors of their generation. Worth seeing just for the great Brian Dennehy and his interactions with Kevin Kline. (And it didn't really die at the box office, it did okay at the time) You will recognize the fabulous theme music as it's been used everywhere for everything, but it started right here.

Theatrical: 2004

Studio: Paramount Home Video

Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy

Duration: 106

Summary: Another classic case of "what it could've been". This film will easily wow you in its opening 10 minutes only to dissapoint you as it progresses. This is ultimately how it will be remembered.



"Sky Captain..." is based on 30s-40s aesthetics and 50s sci-fi films and it aims to cash in on the nostalgia factor for the old classics. On a visual level it does extremely well. On an intellectual level it does poorly.

A plot that borders infantile conception cant possibly be compensated by the awe-inspiring visuals, CGIs, and great cinematography in general. The average western viewer has outgrown that.

The old and cliched storyline of an abstract bad guy threatening the world for abstract reasons doesnt wash any more. Not when the good guys are as mindless and simpletonic as the ones portrayed in this film, to the point where a choice as to whom to identify with could be decided through a coin toss.



On top of that, a plot with seriously insulting holes as the one here, only makes for further damage on the film's effectivity, especially when these inconsistencies are eye-poking at best and cant be ignored unless you're someone who could ignore stomping elephants in your living room.



And as for acting...Well...You cant possibly ask for acting when the actors barely have time to utter some trivial line in-between explosions and air-chases. A very competent actor like Jude Law goes pointlessly wasted in this flick. They could've hired anybody for such a low-expectations job and the the dent on people's reputation participating here would be avoided.



But among all this mess, there's the positives that i started of with:

the director has done a truly outstanding job capturing the feeling of 50s sci-fi. The fact that he's done it in a hollow manner is the other side of the coin. But he did do great in that sector. It's not only the clever usage of colour that achieved this, but also the carefully depicted "primitive" technology (seeing the hilarious giant robots will convince you of this. This doubled with some well inspired ideas realised by the CGI makes it an optical feast.

I'd go as far as say that if you watched this with the voice off you'll be alot more rewarded than otherwise. And less cerebrally insulted.

A definitely good try but certainly not worth the cigar.

Theatrical: 1977

Studio: Universal Studios

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 123

Summary: Paul Newman and his "Butch Cassidy" director, George Roy Hill, made a very original comedy in this 1977 story of an over-the-hill player/coach (Newman) for a lousy hockey team who gets results when he teaches his players to get dirty. One of the most hilariously profane movies ever to come out of Hollywood, this is the kind of film that makes its own rules as it goes along. Newman is very good, and while Hill goes for the gusto in terms of capturing the violence of this world, his instinct for comedy has never been sharper. Great support from Strother Martin, Paul Dooley, and the rest. "--Tom Keogh"

Theatrical: 1973

Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 89

Summary: If "Interiors" was Woody Allen's Bergman movie, and "Stardust Memories" was his Fellini movie, then you could say that "Sleeper" is his Buster Keaton movie. Relying more on visual/conceptual/slapstick gags than his trademark verbal wit, "Sleeper" is probably the funniest of what would become known as Allen's "early, funny films" and a milestone in his development as a director. Allen plays Miles Monroe, cryogenically frozen in 1973 (he went into the hospital for an ulcer operation) and unthawed 200 years later. Society has become a sterile, Big Brother-controlled dystopia, and Miles joins the underground resistance--joined by a pampered rich woman (Diane Keaton at her bubbliest). Among the most famous gags are Miles's attempt to impersonate a domestic-servant robot; the Orgasmatron, a futuristic home appliance that provides instant pleasure; a McDonald's sign boasting how-many-trillions served; and an inflatable suit that provides the means for a quick getaway. The kooky unthawing scenes were later blatantly (and admittedly) ripped off by Mike Myers in "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery". "--Jim Emerson"

Theatrical: 1998

Studio: Paramount Studio

Genre: Drama

Duration: 99

Summary: Nice concept, shaky execution--that about sums up the mixed blessings of British actor Peter Howitt's intelligent but forgivably flawed debut as a writer-director. It's got more emotional depth than most frothy romantic comedies, and its central idea--the parallel tracking of two possible destinies for a young London professional played by Gwyneth Paltrow--is full of involving possibilities. It's essentially a what-if scenario with Helen (Paltrow) at the center of two slightly but significantly different romantic trajectories, one involving her two-timing boyfriend (John Lynch) and the other with an amiable chap (John Hannah) who represents a happier outcome. That's the film's basic problem, however: The two scenarios are so romantically imbalanced (one guy's a total cad, the other charmingly sincere) that Helen inadvertently comes off looking foolish and needlessly confused. Still, this remains a pleasant experiment, and Howitt's dialogue is witty enough to keep things entertaining. It's also a treat for Paltrow fans; not only does the svelte actress handle a British accent without embarrassing herself, but she gets to play two subtle variations of the same character, sporting different wardrobes and hairstyles in a role that plays into her glamorous off-screen persona. --Jeff Shannon

Theatrical: 1998

Studio: Miramax Home Entertainment

Genre: Drama

Duration: 88

Summary: Based on a couple of short stories (from The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven) by Sherman Alexie, Smoke Signals is a lean and assured feature that speaks well of its lengthy, rich evolution, including a development stint at Sundance. The first feature made by a Native American crew and creative team, the film concerns two young Idaho men with radically different memories of one Arnold Joseph (Gary Farmer), a former resident of the reservation who split years before and has just died in Phoenix. Arnold's strapping, popular son, Victor (Adam Beach), remembers him best as an alcoholic, occasionally abusive father who drove off one day and never came back. By contrast, Thomas Builds-the-Fire (Evan Adams), whom Arnold had saved from certain death years earlier, has chosen to exaggerate the man's life and deeds in a mythmaking fashion that drives Victor crazy. Circumstances bring the two together, however, in a bus ride to retrieve Arnold's ashes. There, in Phoenix, a confrontation with the reality of the dead man's fullest legacy has a profound effect on both characters. Alexie, who wrote the script and was personally involved in all aspects of the production, and first-time director Chris Eyre are so polished in their approach that you can barely feel the cinematic engine at work here. This is the kind of movie in which the characters seem to be driving everything forward, a captivating and pleasant experience that gets a little too tidy at the end (can we call a moratorium on scenes of human ashes lovingly disposed to the winds?), but which is undeniably moving. The cast, including Irene Bedard (the voice of and physical inspiration for Disney's Pocahontas) is outstanding. --Tom Keogh

Theatrical: 1983

Studio: Umvd

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 85

Summary: Big and Little Enos hire Cletus to help promote their new seafood restaurant. Trigger is brought out of mothballs and the new Bandit goes on another cross-country run.

Theatrical: 2007

Studio: Universal Studios

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 109

Summary: In these interlocking tales of high stakes and low lifes, Mob boss Primo Sparazza has taken out a hefty contract on Buddy "Aces" Israel (Piven)--a sleazy magician who has agreed to turn state's evidence against the Vegas mob. The FBI, sensing a chance to use this small-time con to bring down big-target Sparazza, places Aces into protective custody-under the supervision of two agents (Reynolds and Liotta) dispatched to Aces' Lake Tahoe hideout. When word of the price on Aces' head spreads into the community of ex-cons and cons-to-be, it entices bounty hunters, thugs-for-hire, smokin' hot vixens and double-crossing mobsters to join in the hunt. With all eyes on Tahoe, this rogues' gallery collides in a comic race to hit the jackpot and rub out Aces. Written by CartmanKun@aol.com

Theatrical: 2001

Studio: Sony Pictures

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 103

Summary: Usually it might seem a tad unfair to begin a review by referring to the director's missis. But then the missis in question wouldn't usually be Madonna--a woman whose ability to reinvent herself several times before breakfast seems in marked contrast to that of hubby Guy Ritchie. Certainly, this follow-up to the filmmaker's breakthrough film--the high-energy, expletive-strewn cockney-gangster movie "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels"--hardly breaks new ground being, well, "another" high-energy, expletive-strewn cockney-gangster movie. OK, so there are some differences. This time around our low-rent hoodlums are battling over dodgy fights and stolen diamonds rather than dodgy card games and stolen drugs. There has been some minor reshuffling of the cast too, with Sting and Dexter Fletcher making way for the more bankable Benicio Del Toro and Brad Pitt, the latter pretty much stealing the whole shebang as an incomprehensible Irish gypsy. And, sure, people who really, really liked "Lock, Stock"--or have the memory of a goldfish--will really, really like this. The suspicion lingers, however, that if the director doesn't do something very different next time around then his career may prove to be considerably shorter than that of his missis. "--Clark Collis"

Theatrical: 2001

Studio: Fox Home Entertainme

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 97

Summary: Despite its foregone conclusion, Someone Like You is an agreeable romantic comedy about how people construct elaborate defenses to cope with emotional anguish. Based on Laura Zigman's novel Animal Husbandry, the movie is purely formulaic, with a heroine's best friend (played here by Marisa Tomei) and other supporting roles that come straight from central casting. Even the lovelorn heroine is standard-issue for the genre, but as emotionally devastated talk-show booker Jane Goodale, Ashley Judd brings intelligent charm to a role that could have been maudlin and pathetic. For a while, Jane is pathetic: after being dumped by her seemingly devoted boyfriend Ray (Greg Kinnear), she turns heartbreak into a hobby, creating self-assuring theories about male behavior based on the mating habits of cows. She comforts herself with the certainty that all men are scum, when really she just can't accept rejection. Cast adrift, Jane accepts a roommate offer from her womanizing colleague Eddie (X-Men's Hugh Jackman), who's been nursing his own heartbreak with lots of casual sex. You can see where this is going, and actor-director Tony Goldwyn (following his underrated drama Walk on the Moon) doesn't offer any surprises. But Goldwyn is alert to the comedy of human foibles, and the movie peaks when Jane's defenses are down and Judd's appeal shines at full intensity. At her best, Judd makes an average script better than it has a right to be, and while Kinnear perfects his smarmy routine, Jackman matches them both with star-making sincerity. Someone Like You won't win any awards for originality, but it's universal in its comedic sympathy for the brokenhearted. --Jeff Shannon

Theatrical: 1999

Studio: HBO Home Video

Genre: Television

Summary: "The Sopranos", writer-producer-director David Chase's extraordinary television series, is nominally an urban gangster drama, but its true impact strikes closer to home, chronicling a dysfunctional, suburban American family in bold relief. And for protagonist Tony Soprano, there's the added complexity posed by heading twin families, his collegial mob clan and his own, nouveau riche brood. The series' brilliant first season is built around what Tony learns when, whipsawed between those two worlds, he finds himself plunged into depression and seeks psychotherapy--a gesture at odds with his midlevel capo's machismo, yet instantly recognizable as a modern emotional test. With analysis built into the very spine of the show's elaborate episodic structure, creator Chase and his formidable corps of directors, writers, and actors weave an unpredictable series of parallel and intersecting plot arcs that twist from tragedy to farce to social realism. While creating for a smaller screen, they enjoy a far larger canvas than a single movie would afford, and the results, like the very best episodic television, attain a richness and scope far closer to a novel than movies normally get.

Alternately seductive, exasperated, fearful, and murderous, James Gandolfini's Tony is utterly convincing even when executing brutal shifts between domestic comedy and dramatic violence. The first season's other life force is Livia Soprano, Tony's monstrous, meddlesome mother. As Livia, the late Nancy Marchand eclipses her long career of patrician performances to create an indelibly earthy, calculating matriarch who shakes up both families; Livia also serves as foil and rival to Tony's loyal, usually level-headed wife, Carmela (Edie Falco). Lorraine Bracco makes Tony's therapist, Dr. Melfi, a convincing confidante, by turns "professional," perceptive, and sexy; the duo's therapeutic relationship is also depicted with uncommon accuracy. Such grace notes only enrich what's not merely an aesthetic high point for commercial television, but an absorbing film masterwork that deepens with subsequent screenings.

In its second season, "The Sopranos" repeatedly defies formula to let the narrative turn as a direct consequence of the characters' behavior, letting everyone in this rogue's gallery of Mafiosi, friends, and family evolve and deepen. That gamble is most apparent in the rupture of the relationship that formed the spine of the first season, the tangled ties between Tony and Livia, whose betrayal makes Tony's estrangement a logical response. Filling that vacuum, however, is prodigal sister Janice (Aida Turturro), whose New Age flakiness never successfully conceals her underlying calculation and opportunism. Soprano's relationship with therapist Melfi also frays during early episodes, as she struggles with escalating doubts about her mobbed-up patient. At home, Tony contends with wife Carmela's ruthless ambitions on behalf of college-bound Meadow (Jamie Lynn Sigler), as well as son Anthony Jr.'s (Robert Iler) sullen adolescent flirtation with existentialism--the sort of touch that the show handles with a smart mix of sympathy and amusement.

In the brutal and controversial third season, "The Sopranos" justified its 11-month hiatus with some of its best, and most hotly debated, episodes. It continued to upend convention and defy audience expectations with a deliberately paced, calm-before-the-storm season opener that revolves around the FBI's attempts to bug the Soprano household, and a season finale that (for some) frustratingly leaves several plot lines unresolved. "Employee of the Month," in which Dr. Melfi is raped and considers whether to exact revenge by telling Tony of her attack, earned Emmys for its writers, and is perhaps Emmy nominee Lorraine Bracco's finest hour. Other story arcs concern the rise of the seriously unstable Ralph Cifaretto (Joe Pantoliano) and Tony's affair with "full-blown loop-de-loo" Gloria (Emmy nominee Annabella Sciorra). Plus, there is Tony's estrangement from daughter Meadow, his wayward delinquent son Anthony, Jr., Carmela's crisis of conscience, bad seed Jackie Jr., and the FBI--which, as the season ends, assigns an undercover agent to befriend an unwitting figure in the Soprano family's orbit.
Though for some the widely debated fourth season contained too much yakking instead of whacking, and an emphasis on domestic family over business Family, in most respects "The Sopranos" remains television's gold standard. The season garnered 13 Emmy nominations, and subsequent best actor and actress wins for James Gandolfini and Edie Falco as Tony and Carmela, whose estrangement provides the season with its most powerful drama, as well as a win for Joe Pantoliano's psychopath Ralph. Other narrative threads include Christopher's (Emmy nominee Michael Imperioli) descent into heroin addiction, Uncle Junior's (Dominic Chianese) trial, an unrequited and potentially fatal attraction between Carmela and Tony's driver Furio, and a rude joke about Johnny Sack's wife that has potentially fatal implications. Other indelible moments include Christopher's girlfriend Adriana's projectile reaction to discovering that her new best friend is an undercover FBI agent in the episode "No Show," Janice giving Ralph a shove out of their relationship in "Christopher," and the classic "Quasimodo/Nostradamus" exchange in the season-opener, which garnered HBO's highest ratings to date. Freed from the understandably high expectations for the fourth season, heightened by the 16-month hiatus, these episodes can be better appreciated on their own considerable merits. They are pivotal chapters in television's most novel saga.
From the moment a wayward bear lumbers into the Sopranos' yard in the fifth-season opener, it is clear that "The Sopranos" is in anything but a "stagmire." The series benefits from an infusion of new blood, the so-called "Class of 2004," imprisoned "family" members freshly released from jail. Most notable among these is Tony's cousin, Tony Blundetto (Steve Buscemi, who directed the pivotal season 3 episode "Pine Barrens"), who initially wants to go straight, but proves himself to be something of a "free agent," setting up a climactic stand-off between Tony and New York boss Johnny Sack. These 13 mostly riveting episodes unfold with a page-turning intensity with many rich subplots. Estranged couple Tony and Carmella (the incomparable James Gandolfini and Edie Falco) work toward a reconciliation (greased by Tony's purchase of a $600,000 piece of property for Carmela to develop). The Feds lean harder on an increasingly stressed-out and distraught Adriana to "snitch" with inevitable results. This season's hot-button episode is "The Test Dream," in which Tony is visited by some of the series' dear, and not-so-dearly, departed in a harrowing nightmare.

Theatrical: 2004

Studio: Paramount

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 97

Summary: Where else but on "South Park" will you find irreverent comedy as scathingly hilarious as "The Passion of the Jew"? Premiering just one month after "The Passion of the Christ" was released in theaters, this typically outrageous episode tore into Mel Gibson's film with characteristic glee, ruthlessly condemning Gibson's courtship of controversy and depicting Gibson as a raving, greedy, egotistical lunatic (recalling the classic first season episode "Mecha-Streisand") while promoting a fair-minded appreciation of Christ's teachings over the relentless violence of Gibson's film. Perfectly playing off established character conflicts, the episode pits Mel-worshipping Cartman (who embraces Gibson's alleged anti-Semitism to justify his own homespun Nazi revival) against Kyle, who is traumatized by Gibson's film into feeling guilty about his own Jewish heritage. Never ones to flinch from taboo topics or political correctness, series creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone outdid themselves with this amazingly rapid response to Gibson's film, and it's destined to rank as an all-time "South Park" classic. Likewise, the bonus episodes "Christian Rock Hard" (from 2003) and "Red Hot Catholic Love" (from 2002) tackle the commercialism of Christian music (as deviously exploited by Cartman) and the news-making controversy of sexual misconduct among Catholic priests, which somehow manages to incorporate a scatological sub-plot about the marvels of "interorectogestion," answering the age-old question of... well, you'll just have to watch to find out. Suggested for mature viewers only--this is "South Park", after all! "--Jeff Shannon"

Theatrical: 2002

Studio: Sony Pictures

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 121

Summary: For devoted fans and nonfans alike, "Spider-Man" offers nothing less--and nothing more--than what you'd expect from a superhero blockbuster. Having proven his comic-book savvy with the original "Darkman", director Sam Raimi brings ample energy and enthusiasm to Spidey's origin story, nicely establishing high-school nebbish Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) as a brainy outcast who reacts with appropriate euphoria--and well-tempered maturity--when a "super-spider" bite transforms him into the amazingly agile, web-shooting Spider-Man. That's all well and good, and so is Kirsten Dunst as Parker's girl-next-door sweetheart. Where "Spider-Man" falls short is in its hyperactive CGI action sequences, which play like a video game instead of the gravity-defying exploits of a flesh-and-blood superhero. Willem Dafoe is perfectly cast as Spidey's schizoid nemesis, the Green Goblin, and the movie's a lot of fun overall. It's no match for "Superman" and "Batman" in bringing a beloved character to the screen, but it places a respectable third. "--Jeff Shannon"

Theatrical: 2004

Studio: Columbia Tri-Star

Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy

Duration: 127

Summary: More than a few critics hailed Spider-Man 2 as "the best superhero movie ever," and there's no compelling reason to argue--thanks to a bigger budget, better special effects, and a dynamic, character-driven plot, it's a notch above Spider-Man in terms of emotional depth and rich comic-book sensibility. Ordinary People Oscar®-winner Alvin Sargent received screenplay credit, and celebrated author and comic-book expert Michael Chabon worked on the story, but it's director Sam Raimi's affinity for the material that brings Spidey 2 to vivid life. When a fusion experiment goes terribly wrong, a brilliant physicist (Alfred Molina) is turned into Spidey's newest nemesis, the deranged, mechanically tentacled "Doctor Octopus," obsessed with completing his experiment and killing Spider-Man (Tobey Maguire) in the process. Even more compelling is Peter Parker's urgent dilemma: continue his burdensome, lonely life of crime-fighting as Spider-Man, or pursue love and happiness with Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst)? Molina's outstanding as a tragic villain controlled by his own invention, and the action sequences are nothing less than breathtaking, but the real success of Spider-Man 2 is its sense of priorities. With all of Hollywood's biggest and best toys at his disposal, Raimi and his writers stay true to the Marvel mythology, honoring Spider-Man creators Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, and setting the bar impressively high for the challenge of Spider-Man 3. --Jeff Shannon

Theatrical: 1986

Studio:

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 88

Summary: A sleeper hit when released in 1986, "Stand by Me" is based on Stephen King's novella "The Body" (from the book "Different Seasons"); but it's more about the joys and pains of boyhood friendship than a morbid fascination with corpses. It's about four boys ages 12 and 13 (Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, Jerry O'Connell) who take an overnight hike through the woods near their Oregon town to find the body of a boy who's been missing for days. Their journey includes a variety of scary adventures (including a ferocious junkyard dog, a swamp full of leeches, and a treacherous leap from a train trestle), but it's also a time for personal revelations, quiet interludes, and the raucous comradeship of best friends. Set in the 1950s, the movie indulges an overabundance of anachronistic profanity and a kind of idealistic, golden-toned nostalgia (it's told in flashback as a story written by Wheaton's character as an adult, played by Richard Dreyfuss). But it's delightfully entertaining from start to finish, thanks to the rapport among its young cast members and the timeless, universal themes of friendship, family, and the building of character and self-esteem. Kiefer Sutherland makes a memorable teenage villain, and look closely for John Cusack in a flashback scene as Wheaton's now-deceased and dearly missed brother. A genuine crowd-pleaser, this heartfelt movie led director Rob Reiner to even greater success with his next film, "The Princess Bride". "--Jeff Shannon"

Theatrical: 1986

Studio: Columbia/Tristar Studios

Genre: Drama

Duration: 89

Summary: A sleeper hit when released in 1986, Stand by Me is based on Stephen King's novella "The Body" (from the book Different Seasons); but it's more about the joys and pains of boyhood friendship than a morbid fascination with corpses. It's about four boys ages 12 and 13 (Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, Jerry O'Connell) who take an overnight hike through the woods near their Oregon town to find the body of a boy who's been missing for days. Their journey includes a variety of scary adventures (including a ferocious junkyard dog, a swamp full of leeches, and a treacherous leap from a train trestle), but it's also a time for personal revelations, quiet interludes, and the raucous comradeship of best friends. Set in the 1950s, the movie indulges an overabundance of anachronistic profanity and a kind of idealistic, golden-toned nostalgia (it's told in flashback as a story written by Wheaton's character as an adult, played by Richard Dreyfuss). But it's delightfully entertaining from start to finish, thanks to the rapport among its young cast members and the timeless, universal themes of friendship, family, and the building of character and self-esteem. Kiefer Sutherland makes a memorable teenage villain, and look closely for John Cusack in a flashback scene as Wheaton's now-deceased and dearly missed brother. A genuine crowd-pleaser, this heartfelt movie led director Rob Reiner to even greater success with his next film, The Princess Bride. --Jeff Shannon

Theatrical: 1982

Studio: Paramount Studio

Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy

Duration: 113

Summary: Although Star Trek: The Motion Picture had been a box-office hit, it was by no means a unanimous success with Star Trek fans, who responded much more favorably to the "classic Trek" scenario of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Inspired by the "Space Seed" episode of the original TV series, the film reunites newly promoted Admiral Kirk with his nemesis from the earlier episode--the genetically superior Khan (Ricardo Montalban)--who is now seeking revenge upon Kirk for having been imprisoned on a desolated planet. Their battle ensues over control of the Genesis device, a top-secret Starfleet project enabling entire planets to be transformed into life-supporting worlds, pioneered by the mother (Bibi Besch) of Kirk's estranged and now-adult son. While Mr. Spock mentors the young Vulcan Lt. Saavik (then-newcomer Kirstie Alley), Kirk must battle Khan to the bitter end, through a climactic starship chase and an unexpected crisis that will cost the life of Kirk's closest friend. This was the kind of character-based Trek that fans were waiting for, boosted by spectacular special effects, a great villain (thanks to Montalban's splendidly melodramatic performance), and a deft combination of humor, excitement, and wondrous imagination. Director Nicholas Meyer (who would play a substantial role in the success of future Trek features) handles the film as a combination of Moby Dick, Shakespearean tragedy, World War II submarine thriller, and dazzling science fiction, setting the successful tone for the Trek films that followed. --Jeff Shannon

Theatrical: 1989

Studio: Paramount

Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy

Summary: Movie critic Roger Ebert summed it up very succinctly: "Of all of the "Star Trek" movies, this is the worst." Subsequent films in the popular series have done nothing to disprove this opinion; we can be grateful that they've all been significantly better since this film was released in 1989. After Leonard Nimoy scored hits with "Star Trek III" and "IV", William Shatner used his contractual clout (and bruised ego) to assume directorial duties on this mission, in which a rebellious Vulcan (Laurence Luckinbill) kidnaps Federation officials in his overzealous quest for the supreme source of creation. That's right, you heard it correctly: "Star Trek V" is about a crazy Vulcan's search for God. By the time Kirk, Spock, and their Federation cohorts are taken to the Great Barrier of the galaxy, this journey to "the final future" has gone from an embarrassing prologue to an absurd conclusion, with a lot of creaky plotting in between. Of course, die-hard Trekkies will still allow this movie into their video collections; but they'll only watch it when nobody else is looking. After this humbling experience, Shatner wisely relinquished the director's chair to "Star Trek II"'s Nicholas Meyer. "--Jeff Shannon"

Theatrical:

Studio:

Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy

Duration: 917

Summary: Available for the first time on DVD is a collection featuring the bizarre and strange of episodes of Star Trek! See your favorite characters behaving contrary to type in familiar but odd circumstances in Star Trek: Alternate Realities, a 5-disc fan-collective that includes 20 episodes selected from all five Star Trek television series plus exclusive special features.

Theatrical: 1994

Studio: Artisan Entertainment

Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy

Duration: 121

Summary: Before they unleashed the idiotic mayhem of Independence Day and Godzilla, the idea-stealing team of director Roland Emmerich and producer-screenwriter Dean Devlin concocted this hokey hit about the discovery of an ancient portal capable of zipping travelers to "the other side of the known universe." James Spader plays the Egyptologist who successfully translates the Stargate's hieroglyphic code, and then joins a hawkish military unit (led by Kurt Russell) on a reconnaissance mission to see what's on the other side. They arrive on a desert world with cultural (and apparently supernatural) ties to Earth's ancient Egypt, where the sun god Ra (played by Jaye Davidson from The Crying Game) rules a population of slaves with armored minions and startlingly advanced technology. After being warmly welcomed into the slave camp, the earthlings encourage and support a rebellion, and while Russell threatens to blow up the Stargate to prevent its use by enemy forces, the movie collapses into a senseless series of action scenes and grandiose explosions. It's all pretty ridiculous, but Stargate found a large and appreciative audience, spawned a cable-TV series, and continues to attract science fiction fans who are more than willing to forgive its considerable faults. --Jeff Shannon

Theatrical: 1984

Studio: Columbia/Tristar Studios

Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy

Duration: 115

Summary: While most movie buffs are likely to call "Halloween" the best movie from John Carpenter, others--die-hard romantics and anyone who cried while watching "E.T."--might vote in favor of the director's 1984 hit "Starman". It's easily Carpenter's warmest and most beguiling film, and the only one that ever earned an Oscar nomination. That honor went specifically to Best Actor nominee Jeff Bridges for his performance as an alien visitor to Earth who is knocked off course and must take an interstate road trip to rendezvous with a mothership from his home planet. To complete this journey he assumes the physical form of the dead husband of a Wisconsin widow (Karen Allen) who responds first with fear, then sympathy, and finally love. Carpenter's graceful strategy is to switch the focus of this "E.T."-like film from science fiction to a gentle road-movie love story, made believable by the memorable performances of Bridges and Allen. It's a bit heavy-handed with tenacious government agents who view the Starman as an alien threat (don't they always?), but Carpenter handles the action with intelligent flair, sensitivity, and lighthearted humor. If you're not choked up during the final scene, well, you just might not be human. "--Jeff Shannon"

Theatrical: 1994

Studio: Republic Studios

Genre: Horror

Duration: 366

Summary: After a government-spawned "superflu" wipes out more than 90 percent of the earth's population, the devastated survivors must decide whether to support or resist the advances of a mysterious stranger from way down South (heh-heh) who wishes to claim this new world order for himself. Although the six-hour length makes it nigh-impossible to digest in one sitting, this well-paced adaptation of Stephen King's apocalyptic magnum opus ranks among the best adaptations of the author's work, with strong performances from Gary Sinise, Miguel Ferrer, and especially Jamey Sheridan as a good-old-boy version of Old Scratch. The opening scene, set to the strains of Blue Oyster Cult's "Don't Fear the Reaper," is one of the most chilling things ever shot for television. Director Mick Garris is no stranger to King's world, having also helmed Sleepwalkers, the recent television remake of The Shining, and the upcoming Desperation. --Andrew Wright

Theatrical: 2006

Studio: Image Entertainment

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 78

Summary: Dry, wry and hilariously deadpan, Steven Wright unleashes a torrent of ironic and hysterical thought-provoking one-liners in the quirky stand-up style that has become his trademark. From Toronto's historic Elgin Theater, this Oscar-winning comedian -- #23 on Comedy Central's list of the 100 greatest stand-up performers of all time -- keeps an adoring audience in stitches with random observations on everything from baby monitors as a form of wiretapping to his addiction to placebos. The party continues with a Boston Comedy Club performance from the comic's early career, and Steven explores the meaning of life in his short film One Soldier, which he also wrote and directed.

Theatrical: 1991

Studio: Sony/Columbia

Genre: Music

Summary: In 1990, Texas bluesman Stevie Ray Vaughan was just emerging from a long period in which drugs had taken their toll: the previous year's In Step album was the first he had made drug free, and the results were a marvel. But then, after sharing a stage with Buddy Guy, Robert Cray, and Eric Clapton, he boarded a helicopter to Chicago. It crashed, and the career of one of the great blues guitarists was ended. Rewind to 1983 and here is Stevie Ray at the beginning of his fame, his first album with his backing band Double Trouble, Texas Flood, having just been released to critical and popular acclaim. The venue is the El Mocambo club in Toronto, a dark, smoky joint with a laid-back but appreciative clientele. Vaughan, drummer Chris Layton, and bassist Tommy Shannon share the tiny stage. The guitarist, bedecked in trademark hat and alligator-skin boots, is pale of complexion, sweating from the heat and physical exertion, and physically much smaller than Shannon, who towers over him. But Vaughan dominates, as much by the magnetism of his flamboyant personality as his guitar playing. And what playing: by turns fiery, funky, then limpid and surprisingly graceful. Here is an authentic blues artist captured in the throes of living through his music. At this early stage in his career he was still very much in thrall to Jimi Hendrix (the flower-power shirt gives it away), as covers of "Voodoo Chile" and "Third Stone from the Sun" (the latter a Hendrix-inspired guitar-abuse session) indicate. The highlight of the show, however, is his rendition of "Texas Flood," which turns out to be an amazing essay on the art of blues guitar. This is a raw, intimate, and spontaneous record of a one-time event. All fans of the blues will be grateful to those who had the foresight to capture it on film. --Mark Walker

Theatrical: 1973

Studio: Mca Home Video

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 129

Summary: Winner of seven Academy Awards including Best Picture, Director, and Screenplay, this critical and box-office hit from 1973 provided a perfect reunion for director George Roy Hill and stars Paul Newman and Robert Redford, who previously delighted audiences with "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid". Set in 1936, the movie's about a pair of Chicago con artists (Newman and Redford) who find themselves in a high-stakes game against the master of all cheating mobsters (Robert Shaw) when they set out to avenge the murder of a mutual friend and partner. Using a bogus bookie joint as a front for their con of all cons, the two feel the heat from the Chicago Mob on one side and encroaching police on the other. But in a plot that contains more twists than a treacherous mountain road, the ultimate scam is pulled off with consummate style and panache. It's an added bonus that Newman and Redford were box-office kings at the top of their game, and while Shaw broods intensely as the Runyonesque villain, "The Sting" is further blessed by a host of great supporting players including Dana Elcar, Eileen Brennan, Ray Walston, Charles Durning, and Harold Gould. Thanks to the flavorful music score by Marvin Hamlisch, this was also the movie that sparked a nationwide revival of Scott Joplin's ragtime jazz, which is featured prominently on the soundtrack. One of the most entertaining movies of the early 1970s, "The Sting" is a welcome throwback to Hollywood's golden age of the '30s that hasn't lost any of its popular charm. "--Jeff Shannon"

Theatrical: 1987

Studio: Anchor Bay

Genre: Art House & International

Duration: 86

Summary: Step 1} Make a wonderfully surreal movie (Repo Man)

Step 2} Make a critically acclaimed film about a rock/punk icon and his dead girlfriend (Sid & Nancy)

Step 3} Get a bunch of punk/new wave musicians, buddies, characer actors, etc together, and tell the studio you're going to go to Spain and make a wonderfully critically acclaimed surreal movie.

It doesn't matter if you're telling the truth in Step 3, because after you've spent the studio's money and delivered the resulting cans of celluloid worms, they only have two choices (if your contract was cleverly-written enough, anyway):

Choice 1} Release it.

Choice 2} Sit on it.

They released it.

My first wife and i watched it.

We loved it.

The more you know about/appreciate spaghetti westerns, the more you'll probably like this film.

And the music is wonderful -- not surprising, considering it includes in the cast the Pogues, members of the Circle Jerks, Joe Strummer and so on.

All i can say is that, if you can enjoy sloppy self-indulgent silliness made by a talented cast having fun, you might want to look at this film.

(There is a re-issue of the soundtrack album, but it's missing some of the better music -- particularly the Pogues' version of "The Good the Bad and the Ugly", but does retain Zander Schloss's "Salsa y Ketchup" and the Pogues' alternate [and better] version of "If I SHould Fall from Grace with God")

Theatrical: 2002

Studio: Paramount Home Video

Genre: Drama

Duration: 124

Summary: It's not easy replacing Harrison Ford as a beloved screen hero, but Ben Affleck brings fresh vitality to The Sum of All Fears, reviving Paramount's Tom Clancy franchise in the role Ford made famous. As CIA agent Jack Ryan, Affleck is a rookie in the covert ranks, unraveling a plot that lures Russian and American superpowers into a nuclear standoff, while a neofascist faction turns most of Baltimore into an atomic wasteland and holds the world in the grip of a terrorist nightmare. Affleck combines sharp intelligence with a new-guy's perspective, while a senior agent (Morgan Freeman) passes the torch of back-channel authority. The result is one of the best Clancy films to date, ably helmed by Phil Alden Robinson (whose comic thriller Sneakers was sorely underrated) with a stellar supporting cast, and adapted with abundant humor, humanity, and thrills by Donnie Brasco screenwriter Paul Attanasio and cowriter Daniel Pyne. Even the typically reticent Clancy would approve. --Jeff Shannon

Theatrical: 2001

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 103

Summary: Captain O'Hagen (Brian Cox) tries in vain to control the imaginations and hormones of his bumbling team of five Vermont Highway Patrolmen. But when the opportunity to solve a real crime rolls their way, the formerly inept Super Troopers pounce into action to become highway heroes.

System Requirements:
Starring Jay Chandrasekhar, Erik Stolhanske, Steve Lemme, Kevin Heffernan, Paul Soter, Brian Lox, Daniel Von Bergen, Marisa Coughlan Directed by Jay Chandrasekhar Running time: 103 minutes Copyright Twentieth Century Fox 2003

Format: DVD MOVIE

Theatrical: 2007

Studio: Dreamworks Video

Genre: Musicals & Performing Arts

Duration: 116

Summary: After years of rumors, it turns out that Tim Burton was the perfect visionary to film "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street", Stephen Sondheim's Broadway masterpiece, and the result is a macabre and moving musical movie as enthralling as anything Burton has ever done. The show's mix of gothic horror, Grand Guignol, "very" dark humor, and witty and beautiful music never was the stuff of traditional musical comedy, but it's a powerful work, and perhaps the richest of the late 20th century. In the movie, Burton's frequent collaborator, Johnny Depp, plays Todd, a wronged man whose lust for revenge drives him to murder (an 19th-century legend who has been traced to a real-life barber). Helena Bonham Carter, another Burton mainstay, is Mrs. Lovett, the barber's partner-in-unspeakable-crime. It's no surprise that Depp is an excellent choice to convey Todd's brooding intensity and volcanic rage, but he can also sing a score that is so challenging it has often played in opera houses (though not with the same style as the Broadway original, Len Cariou, and he occasionally lapses into pop style). Bonham Carter is small of voice and lacks the humor of the original Broadway Lovett, Angela Lansbury, but she sings on pitch, in rhythm, and in character at the same time, which is no small feat for a Sondheim show. Aficionados will regret the loss of certain musical passages--"The Ballad of Sweeney Todd" is just an instrumental overture and the chorus is gone altogether, among others--but the reassuring presence of orchestrator Jonathan Tunick and conductor Paul Gemignani ensures that the music feels right and sounds great. And the film's depiction of a Victorian London hellhole--with cinematography by Dariusz Wolski and costumes by Colleen Atwood--also looks and feels right.
The excellent cast is filled out by Alan Rickman as the villainous Judge Turpin, Timothy Spall as his seedy Beadle, Sacha Baron Cohen ("Borat") as a rival barber, Jamie Campbell Bower as the young lover Anthony, Jayne Wisener as his object of affection, and Ed Sanders as the young Toby. For fans of Tim Burton and Johnny Depp who don't think they like musicals, "Sweeney Todd" should be a revelation (though not for the squeamish, as the gore is intense and completely appropriate). For fans of Broadway and Sondheim, it's hard to imagine getting a better adaptation than this. The fact that there's no newly composed Oscar-bait song sung by a Josh Groban-type over the end credits only makes it better. "--David Horiuchi"

Theatrical: 1996

Studio: Miramax

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 96

Summary: For anyone who wants to catch a glimpse of the Los Angeles "lounge" scene that was in vogue during the early and mid-1990s, here's the movie that virtually defined that brief but colorful nightlife milieu. As an added bonus, it just happens to be a very funny, observant story about love, loss, and male bonding among a group of friends who struggle to find decent jobs by day, and lurk through Hollywood's hottest nightclubs by night. A sort of latter-day Rat Pack, they include Mike (writer-actor Jon Favreau) and his closest buddy, Trent (Vince Vaughn), who are waiting for the big show-biz break that seems to be eluding them. Mike's twisted up about the girlfriend he left back East to pursue his going-nowhere standup comedy career, and Trent uses the word "money" as an adjective ("Man, we look totally money tonight") with such frequency that you may find yourself slipping into lounge-lizard mode after watching the movie. One of the most noteworthy indie-film success stories of the '90s, this time-capsule comedy seized its moment in the spotlight, launched several promising careers, and continues to maintain its lasting appeal. --Jeff Shannon