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Fifth Element

Director: Luc Besson
Asin: 0800195175
Label: Sony Pictures
UserComment: Ancient curses, all-powerful monsters, shape-changing assassins, scantily-clad stewardesses, laser battles, huge explosions, a perfect woman, a malcontent hero–what more can you ask of a big-budget science fiction movie? Luc Besson’s high-octane film incorporates presidents, rock stars, and cab drivers into its peculiar plot, traversing worlds and encountering some pretty wild aliens. Bruce Willis stars as a down-and-out cabbie who must win the love of Leeloo (Milla Jovovich) to save Earth from destruction by Jean-Baptiste Emmanuel Zorg (Gary Oldman) and a dark, unearthly force that makes Darth Vader look like an Ewok. –Geoff Riley

Matrix

Director: Andy Wachowski
Asin: B00000K19E
Label: Warner Home Video
UserComment: Set in the 22nd century, The Matrix tells of a computer hacker (Reeves) who joins a group of underground insurgents fighting the vast and powerful computers who now rule the earth. The computers are powered by human beings…

DVD Features:
Audio Commentary:Commentary by C. Moss, J. Gaeta, & Z. Staenberg
Featurette:“Bullet Time” Featurette (6:01) “What is the Concept” Featurette (10:50)
Music Clips:2.0 Music only with commentary
Other:HBO 1st Look Special: Making the Matrix (25:48) “White Rabbit” Clips (22:22) [4x3]

Serenity (Widescreen Edition)

Director: Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Asin: B000BW7QWW
Label: Universal Studios Home Entertainment
UserComment: A passenger with a deadly secret. Six rebels on the run. An assassin in pursuit. When the renegade crew of Serenity agrees to hide a fugitive on their ship, they find themselves in an action-packed battle between the relentless military might of a totalitarian regime who will destroy anything - or anyone - to get the girl back and the bloodthirsty creatures who roam the uncharted areas of space. But, the greatest danger of all may be on their ship. From the mind of Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel) comes a new edge-of-your-seat adventure loaded with explosive battles, gripping special effects and fantastic new worlds.

Motorcycle Diaries (Widescreen Edition)

Director: Walter Salles
Asin: B00005JNCZ
Label: Universal Studios
UserComment: The beauty of the South American landscape and of Gael Garcia Bernal (Y Tu Mama Tambien, Bad Education) gives The Motorcycle Diaries a charisma that is decidedly apolitical. But this portrait of the young Che Guevara (later to become a militant revolutionary) is half buddy-movie, half social commentary–and while that may seem an unholy hybrid, under the guidance of Brazillian director Walter Salles (Central Station) the movie is quietly passionate. Guevara and his friend Alberto Granado (Rodrigo de la Serna, a lusty and engaging actor) set off from Buenos Aires, hoping to circumnavigate the continent on a leaky motorcycle. They end up travelling more by foot, hitchhiking, and raft, but their experience of the land and the people affects them profoundly. No movie could affect an audience the same way, but The Motorcycle Diaries gives a soulful glimpse of an awakening social conscience, and that’s worth experiencing. –Bret Fetzer

Shakespeare in Love

Director: John Madden
Asin: B00000JGOH
Label: Walt Disney Video
UserComment: One of the most winning and intelligent romantic comedies of the ’90s, Shakespeare in Love is filled with such good will, sunny romance, snappy one-liners, and devilish cleverness that it’s absolutely irresistible. At the 1999 Academy Awards, this dark-horse costume comedy sneaked off with seven Oscars, besting the highly favored Saving Private Ryan for Best Picture. With tongue placed firmly in cheek, at its outset the film tracks young Will Shakespeare’s overwrought battle with writer’s block and the efforts of theater owner Philip Henslowe (Geoffrey Rush, in rare form) to stage Will’s latest comedy, Romeo and Ethel, the Pirate’s Daughter. Most of the jokes in the first one-third of the film are along these lines: Will’s anachronistic therapist session, a mug inscribed “A Souvenir from Stratford-Upon-Avon,” Henslowe’s battles to pay off his debts, and the backstage high jinks of pre-production. However, once Will sets his eyes on the beautiful Viola De Lesseps (Gwyneth Paltrow), joking takes a backseat to ravishing romance. Well, almost–turns out Viola wants to break into the world of male-only theater, and disguises herself as a young man to wangle herself an audition. She wins the part of Romeo and, after much misunderstanding, the playwright’s heart. Soon enough, Will’s pirate comedy becomes a beautiful, tragic romance, and Ethel is shoved aside for a woman named Juliet. Will and Viola’s romance, however, is equal parts comedy and tragedy–he’s married, and she’s betrothed to the slimy Lord Wessex (Colin Firth), and it doesn’t take an English major to figure out that it’s not all’s well that ends well.

Like Shakespeare’s work itself, the film is instantly accessible to everyone, from the raucous groundlings looking for low comedy to the aesthetes hankering for some intellectual bite behind their entertainment. The way that Oscar-winning screenwriters Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard enfold their story within the parameters of Romeo and Juliet (and even Twelfth Night) is nothing short of brilliant–it would take a Shakespearean scholar to dissect the innumerable parallels, oft-quoted lines, plot developments, and thematic borrowings. And most amazingly, Norman and Stoppard haven’t forgotten to entertain their audience in addition to riding a Shakespearean roller coaster. Director John Madden (Mrs. Brown) reigns in his huge ensemble with a rollicking energy that keeps the film’s momentum going at top speed for its entire two hours. Along the way there are small gems to be found: Ben Affleck’s riotous egotistical actor, Imelda Staunton’s nimble nurse, and of course Judi Dench’s eight-minute, Oscar-winning turn as a truly regal Queen Elizabeth. However, the key element of Shakespeare in Love’s success rests on the milky-white shoulders of its two stars. Fiennes, inexplicably overlooked at Oscar time, is a dashing Will as we might expect him at the early stage of his career, bundled full of comedy and tragedy but unsure of how to harness his talent. And as for Best Actress winner Paltrow… well, nothing she’d done before could have prepared viewers for how amazing she is here. Breathtakingly beautiful, fiercely intelligent, strong-willed, and lovestruck–it’s a performance worthy of Shakespeare in more ways than one. By the film’s end, you’ll be thoroughly won over–and brushing up your Shakespeare with newfound ardor. –Mark Englehart

End of the Spear

Director: Jim Hanon
Asin: B000EXDS4I
Label: 20th Century Fox
UserComment: “End of the Spear” is the remarkable journey of a savage Amazon tribesman who becomes family to the son of a North American man he kills. Mincayani (Louie Leonardo) is a Waodani warrior who leads the raid that kills Steve Saint’s father and four other missionaries. Through a suspenseful series of events Steve Saint (Chase Ellison) is able to visit Mincayani’s tribe. Steve tries to learn which warriors killed his father, but has to leave with his question unanswered. Steve returns to the Waodani as an adult (Chad Allen). Together Mincayani and Steve confront the true meaning of the life and death of Steve’s father, and the other men who were killed.

Napoleon Dynamite

Director: Jared Hess
Asin: B00005JNBQ
Label:
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Wedding Singer

Director: Frank Coraci
Asin: 0780622588
Label:
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My Blue Heaven

Director: Herbert Ross
Asin: 0790742071
Label:
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Monty Python’s Life of Brian (Criterion Collection Spine #61)

Director: Criterion
Asin: 1559409010
Label: Criterion
UserComment: After slaying the Arthurian legend in their now classic Holy Grail, the Pythons set their sights on the Greatest Story Ever Told. Blind faith, virgin birth, crucifixion-nothing is sacred in this epic send-up of ancient times, which draws on the cornball biblical blockbusters of the 1950s to lampoon celebrity culture in any era. Criterion has gathered the guilty parties-including John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin-for two commentary tracks as provocative and hilarious as the film itself. Available for the first time in a 16:9 enhanced transfer, Monty Python’s Life of Brian can finally be viewed in all its - ahem - glory.

French Kiss

Director: Lawrence Kasdan
Asin: B000035Z1Z
Label: 20th Century Fox
UserComment: Meg Ryan (”Sleepless in Seattle”) and Kevin Kline (”Dave”) star in this bouncy romantic comedy about life, love and larceny. When her fiancé is smitten by a beautiful Frenchwoman, Kate (Ryan) flies to Paris determined to win him back. However, nothing prepares her for Luc (Kline), a cunning sexy Frenchman with a gift for gab and a fondness for thievery. A self-proclaimed expert on affairs of the heart, Luc promises to help Kate win back her man. But one star-crossed misadventure after another sweeps them across France, ultimately changing them in ways they never dreamed possible.

Groundhog Day (Special Edition)

Director: Sony Pictures
Asin: B00005U8EM
Label: Sony Pictures
UserComment: Bill Murray at his wry, wisecracking best in this riotous romantic comedy about a weatherman caught in a personal time warp on the worst day of his life.

Teamed with a relentlessly cheerful producer (Andie MacDowell) and a smart-aleck cameraman (Chris Elliott), TV weatherman Phil Connors (Bill Murray) is sent to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to cover the annual Groundhog Day festivities. After a surprise blizzard traps him in small-town hell, things get even worse; Phil wakes the next morning to find it’s Groundhog Day all over again… and again… and again.

System Requirements:
Starring: Bill Murray, Chris Elliott, and Andie MacDowell.
Directed By: Harold Ramis.
Running Time: 101 Min., Color.
This film is presented in “Widescreen” format.
Copyright 2002 Columbia TriStar.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Finding Neverland (Widescreen Edition)

Director: Miramax
Asin: B0007CNXUK
Label: Miramax
UserComment: Award winners Johnny Depp (PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL), Kate Winslet (ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND), Dustin Hoffman, and Julie Christie (TROY, HAMLET) star in this magical tale about one of the world’s greatest storytellers and the people who inspired his masterwork “Peter Pan.” Well-known playwright James M. Barrie (Depp) finds his career at a crossroads when his latest play flops and doubters question his future. Then by chance he meets a widow (Winslet) and her four adventurous boys. Together they form a friendship that ignites the imagination needed to produce Barrie’s greatest work! An enchanting big-screen treat with an acclaimed cast of stars, FINDING NEVERLAND has been hailed as one of the year’s best motion pictures!

Fifth Element (Ultimate Edition)

Director: Luc Besson
Asin: B0006GVJE4
Label:
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Shrek 2 (Widescreen Edition)

Director: Andrew Adamson
Asin: B00005JMQZ
Label: Dreamworks Animated
UserComment: The lovably ugly green ogre returns with his green bride and furry, hooved friend in Shrek 2. The newlywed Shrek and Princess Fiona are invited to Fiona’s former kingdom, Far Far Away, to have the marriage blessed by Fiona’s parents–which Shrek thinks is a bad, bad idea, and he’s proved right: The parents are horrified by their daughter’s transformation into an ogress, a fairy godmother wants her son Prince Charming to win Fiona, and a feline assassin is hired to get Shrek out of the way. The computer animation is more detailed than ever, but it’s the acting that make the comedy work–in addition to the return of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, and Cameron Diaz, Shrek 2 features the flexible voices of Julie Andrews (Mary Poppins), John Cleese (Monty Python’s Flying Circus), Antonio Banderas (Desperado), and Jennifer Saunders (Absolutely Fabulous) as the gleefully wicked fairy godmother. –Bret Fetzer

Princess Bride (Special Edition)

Director: Rob Reiner
Asin: B00005LOKQ
Label: MGM (Video & DVD)
UserComment: From celebrated director Rob Reiner (When Harry Met Sally) and Oscar *-winning screenwriter William Goldman (Chaplin) comes an enchanting fantasy (Time) filled with adventure, romance and plenty of good-hearted fun (Roger Ebert)! Featuring a spectacular cast that includes Robin Wright (Forrest Gump), Cary Elwes (Liar, Liar), Mandy Patinkin (Dick Tracy) and Billy Crystal (City Slickers), this wonderful fairy tale about a princess named Buttercup and her beloved is a real dream of a movie (People)!

Special Features:

• Bran-New As You Wish Documentary Featuring All-New Interviews With Cary Elwes, Robin Wright Penn, Billy Crystal, Mandy Patinkin And More!
• New Audio Commentary By Director Rob Reiner
• New Audio Commentary By Author William Goldman
• Exclusive Footage Shot By Cary Elwes During The Making Of The Movie
• 2 Original Featurettes And More!

  System Requirements:

• Running Time 98 Min

  Format: DVD MOVIE
  
  
  

  

  Phantom of the Opera (Widescreen Edition)

  
  Director: Joel Schumacher
  Asin: B0007TKNII
  Label: Warner Home Video
  UserComment: Musical Drama based on Andrew Lloyd Webber’s celebrated musical phenomenon. The Phantom of the Opera tells the story of a disfigured musical genius (Gerard Butler) who haunts the catacombs beneath the Paris Opera, waging a reign of terror over its occupants. When he falls fatally in love with the lovely Christine (Emmy Rossum), the Phantom devotes himself to creating a new star for the Opera, exerting a strange sense of control over the young soprano as he nurtures her extraordinary talents.
  
  
  

  

  Tron (20th Anniversary Collector’s Edition)

  
  Director: Robert Meyer Burnett
  Asin: B00005OCMR
  Label: Walt Disney Video
  UserComment: A masterpiece of breakthrough CGI ingenuity, Disney celebrates the 20th anniversary of TRON, a dazzling film at the flashpoint of a continuing revolution in its genre. This special collector’s edition showcases an epic adventure inside a brave new world where the action is measureed in microseconds. When Flynn (Jeff Bridges) hacks the mainframe of his ex-employer to prove his work was stolen by another executive, he finds himself on a much bigger adventure. Beamed inside by a power-hungry master control program, he joins computer gladiators on a deadly game grid, complete with high-velocity “light cycles” and Tron (Bruce Boxleitner), a specialized security program. Together, they fight the ultimate battle with the MCP to decide the fate of both the electronic world and the real world!
  
  
  

  

  Monty Python’s the Meaning of Life

  
  Director: Universal Studios Home Entertainment
  Asin: B000A2UBNE
  Label: Universal Studios Home Entertainment
  UserComment: Perhaps only the collective brilliant minds of the Monty Python film and television troupe are up to the task of tackling a subject as weighty as the Meaning of Life. Sure, Kierkegaard, Wittgenstein, and their ilk have tried their hands at this puzzler, but only Python has attempted to do so within the commercial motion picture medium. Happily for us all, Monty Python’s the Meaning of Life truly explains everything one conceivably needs to know about the perplexities of human existence, from the mysteries of Catholic doctrine to the miracle of reproduction to why one should avoid the salmon mousse to the critical importance of the machine that goes ping! Using fish as a linking device (and what marvelous links those aquatic creatures make), The Meaning of Life is presented as a series of sketches: a musical production number about why seed is sacred; a look at dining in the afterlife; the quest for a missing fish (there they are again); a visit from Mr. Death; the cautionary tale of Mr. Creosote and his rather gluttonous appetite; an unflinching examination of the harsh realities of organ donation, and so on. Sadly, this was the last original Python film, but it’s a beaut. You’ll laugh. You’ll cry (probably because you’re laughing so hard). You may even learn something about the Meaning of Life. Or at least about how fish fit into the grand scheme of things. –Jim Emerson
  
  
  

  

  Star Wars - Episode I, The Phantom Menace (Widescreen Edition)

  
  Director: 20th Century Fox
  Asin: B00003CX5P
  Label: 20th Century Fox
  UserComment: Feature-Length Audio Commentary
  The creators of Episode I give you insight into the film like no one else can. Hear from: writer/director George Lucas, Producer Rick McCallum, sound designer and film co-editor Ben Burtt, ILM animation director Rob Coleman and ILM visual effects supervisors John Knoll, Dennis Muren and Scott Squires.

  “The Beginning”
  Making Episode I Documentary Film
  Culled from over 600 hours of behind-the-scenes footage, this all-new hour-long documentary film takes you inside Lucasfilm and Industrial Light & Magic during the making of The Phantom Menace. Sit in on the film’s production process including: pre-production, casting, principal photography, editing, rough-cut reviews, visual effects meetings and other events that few people have had access to before.

  Exclusive Deleted Scenes and Documentary
  All-new documentary featuring George Lucas, Rick McCallum and guests discussing the painstaking process every director must go through in determining what scenes make the final cut. View seven exclusive deleted sequences that were created specifically for this DVD and learn why they were eliminated from the final version of the film.

  Multi-Angle Animatics
  Discover the amazing techniques used to create two memorable sequences (Submarine and Podrace Lap 1) from storyboards to animatics to final composites.

  Featurettes
  Five mini-documentaries give you an insider’s look at The Phantom Menace’s Storyline, Design, Costumes, Visual Effects and Fight sequences through behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with the cast and filmmakers.

  Web Documentaries
  Originally released on starwars.com during the production of Episode I, this award-winning twelve-part web documentary series gives you a fly-on-the-wall perspective into the making of the film as it was happening.

  Exclusive Production Photo Gallery
  Scroll through a never-before-seen gallery of candid cast and crew shots, each with captions.

  “Duel of the Fates” Music Video
  One of the most popular music videos during its release in May 1999, the “Duel of the Fates” video intertwines live footage of John Williams conducting the London Symphony Orchestra with behind-the-scenes clips and dramatic footage featured in Episode I.

  Posters and Print Campaign
  Examine the Episode I theatrical posters (Teaser and Launch) and the International Outdoor advertising used to support the release of Episode I around the world.

  Trailers and TV Spots
  Watch the theatrical teaser and launch trailers, plus seven TV spots (including the five original “Tone Poems” along with “The Saga Begins” and “All Over Again”).

  “Star Wars: Starfighter-The Making of a Game” from LucasArts
  This featurette offers insight into the making of the popular flight action combat game along with information on other Star Wars games from LucasArts.

  Exclusive DVD-ROM Content
  Your Episode I DVD is a key that unlocks exclusive Star Wars content only available through a special DVD-ROM website.
  
  
  

  

  Where the Heart Is

  
  Director: Matt Williams (II)
  Asin: B00004WI5F
  Label: 20th Century Fox
  UserComment: Ashley Judd and Natalie Portman shine in this offbeat, delicious slice of life about a down-on-her-luck Southern teen. After gaining 15 minutes of fame for giving birth to “The Wal-Mart Baby”, Novalee Nation (Portman) begins to put her life together with the help of the kind, quirky strangers who become her surrogate family. It’s an inspiring celebration of love, friendship and self-worth that delivers “quality, emotionally satisfying entertainment” (ReelViews).
  
  
  

  

  E.T. - The Extra-Terrestrial (Widescreen Collector’s Edition)

  
  Director: Steven Spielberg
  Asin: B00003CX9Q
  Label: Universal Studios
  UserComment: Steven Spielberg’s 1982 hit about a stranded alien and his loving relationship with a fatherless boy (Henry Thomas) struck a chord with audiences everywhere, and it furthered Spielberg’s reputation as a director of equally strong commercial sensibilities and classical leanings. Henry Thomas gives a strong, emotional performance as E.T.’s young friend, Robert MacNaughton and Drew Barrymore make a solid impression as his siblings, and Dee Wallace is lively as the kids’ mother. The special effects almost look a bit quaint now with all the computer advancements that have occurred since, but they also have more heart behind them than a lot of what we see today. –Tom Keogh
  
  
  

  

  Goonies

  
  Director: Warner Home Video
  Asin: B000P0J09W
  Label: Warner Home Video
  UserComment: Following a mysterious treasure map into a spectacular underground realm of twisting passages, outrageous booby-traps and a long-lost pirate ship full of golden dubloons, the kids race to stay one step ahead of a family of bumbling bad guys… and a mild-mannered monster with a face only a mother could love.
  
  
  

  

  Starsky & Hutch (Widescreen Edition)

  
  Director: Todd Phillips
  Asin: B00024JC4E
  Label: Warner Home Video
  UserComment: In Starsky & Hutch, the origins of the charismatic crime-fighting duo David Starsky and Ken “Hutch” Hutchinson are explored when these undercover Bay City detectives are partnered for their very first assignment. Ben Stiller plays the tightly wound Detective David Starsky who is thrown together with Owen Wilson’s easygoing Detective Ken Hutchinson on a high-stakes case. Platinum-selling rapper and actor Snoop Dogg plays their savvy street informant Huggy Bear. Vince Vaughn also joins the cast as Reese Feldman, a smooth-talking entrepreneur with an eye towards the future.

  DVD Features:
  Audio Commentary:Commentary with Director Todd Phillips
  Deleted Scenes
  Easter Eggs:Vince’s Bit for the Kids — Easter Egg (Vince discusses his thoughts on DVD special features)
  Featurette:Last Look Special - Documentary Spoof (A spoof on behind-the-scenes documentaries)
  Other:Fashion Fa Shizzle Wit Huggy Bizzle (Fashion insights with Snoop Dogg)
  Outtakes
  Theatrical Trailer

  
  
  

  

  Freshman

  
  Director: Andrew Bergman
  Asin: 0767810848
  Label:
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  Star Wars Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983 & 2004 versions, 2-Disc Widescreen Edition)

  
  Director: Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
  Asin: B000FQVX78
  Label: Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
  UserComment: For the first time ever and for a limited time only, the enhanced versions of the Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi will be available individually on DVD. Plus, these 2-Disc DVD’s will feature a bonus disc that includes, for the first time ever on DVD, the original films as seen in theaters in 1977, 1980 and 1983.
  
  
  

  

  Truth About Cats & Dogs

  
  Director: Michael Lehmann
  Asin: B000059HAP
  Label: 20th Century Fox
  UserComment: Charming and bittersweet, this modern-day romantic comedy starring Uma Thurman, Janeane Garofalo and Ben Chaplin, explores the beguiling perils of mistaken identity.

  Abby (Garofalo), a savvy, witty veterinarian who hosts her own radio talk show, is anything but confident when it comes to love. A petite brunette, she describes herself as tall and blonde when Brian (Chaplin), a caller who is smitten with her radio persona, asks her on a date. She then talks her tall, blonde neighbor Noelle (Thurman) into assuming her identity, setting off an escalating series of hilarious and romantic crises.
  
  
  

  

  Kill Bill, Volume 1

  
  Director: Quentin Tarantino
  Asin: B00005JMEW
  Label:
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  Dark Crystal (25th Anniversary Edition)

  
  Director: Sony Pictures
  Asin: B000R8YC1I
  Label: Sony Pictures
  UserComment: Enjoy incredible footage from the Henson archives in this 2-disc 25th Anniversary Edition of The Dark Crystal. Travel back in time to the faraway planet of Thra. Cheer on the Mystics as they fight to overthrow the evil Skeksis and take back control of their planet! When Jen, a member of the Gelfling tribe, sets out to find the crystal’s missing shard, his dangerous journey brings him face to face with monsters at every turn. Determined to restore peace to their planet, Jen will not back down! From the brilliant imagination of Jim Henson, this masterpiece of animation recounts the timeless tale of good vs. evil and has become a cult favorite of children and grown-ups alike!
  
  
  

  

  Dragonslayer

  
  Director: Matthew Robbins
  Asin: B0000AUHOM
  Label: Paramount
  UserComment: Despite its box-office failure in 1981, Dragonslayer was gradually recognized as one of the finest fantasies to emerge from the post-Star Wars boom in special effects. It’s still one of the best adventures of its kind, featuring one of the most fearsome fire-breathing serpents in movie history. Ominously named Vermithrax Pejorative, this ill-tempered monster terrorizes the peasantry of sixth-century England, feeding on maidens sacrificed by a duplicitous king until a sorcerer’s apprentice named Galen (Peter MacNicol, long before Ally McBeal) is recruited as a reluctant hero. Aided by a tenacious beauty (Caitlin Clarke) and his resurrected mentor (Ralph Richardson), Galen confronts the soaring beast in a breathtaking climax. Employing a then-innovative technique called Go-Motion to animate the dragon, the special effects are still dazzling, and stunning locations in Scotland and Wales allow director Matthew Robbins (cowriter of Steven Spielberg’s feature debut, The Sugarland Express) to maintain a vivid atmosphere for the wealth of movie magic. –Jeff Shannon
  
  
  

  

  Sylvia

  
  Director: Christine Jeffs
  Asin: B00005JMJD
  Label: Universal Studios
  UserComment: The biting poetry and sad life of poet Sylvia Plath form the story of Sylvia, starring Gwyneth Paltrow. This subtle but fascinating movie centers around Plath’s relationship with poet Ted Hughes (Daniel Craig, Love Is the Devil), with whom she fell aggressively in love while a student at Cambridge. Their relationship proved passionate but rocky; many of Plath’s fans blame the depression that eventually led her to suicide on Hughes’s infidelity. Sylvia doesn’t let Hughes off the hook, but it doesn’t paint Plath as a helpless victim either. Paltrow’s superb performance captures the poet’s fierce jealousy and artistic ambition as much as her debilitating sorrow. The movie makes no big statements about Plath’s poetry, letting the troubling details of her life tell their own compelling story. Also featuring Jared Harris, Blythe Danner, and Michael Gambon; the acting is outstanding all around. –Bret Fetzer
  
  
  

  

  Lady in the Water (Widescreen Edition)

  
  Director: Warner Home Video
  Asin: B000JLTR8Q
  Label: Warner Home Video
  UserComment: Apartment building superintendent Cleveland Heep (Giamatti) rescues what he thinks is a young woman from the pool he maintains. When he discovers that she is actually a character from a bedtime story who is trying to make the journey back to her home, he works with his tenants to protect his new friend from the creatures that are determined to keep her in our world.
  
  
  

  

  Mystic Pizza

  
  Director: Donald Petrie
  Asin: B000053VB4
  Label: MGM (Video & DVD)
  UserComment: A sweet and sassy comedy about the bonds of sisterhood, Mystic Pizza offers the opportunity to see some solid young actors early in their careers. Three sisters of blue-collar Portuguese descent work in a pizzeria in the coastal town of Mystic, Connecticut. Each has her own unique romantic entanglements. One is the fast girl in town (Julia Roberts), who falls for a rich kid but wonders if she’ll ever be accepted; one is the lifelong local girl (Lili Taylor) in love with her fisherman boyfriend (Vincent D’Onofrio) but scared of what marriage will do to their sex lives; and the youngest sister (Annabeth Gish) dreams of going to Yale but during a summer of baby-sitting has an affair with a married man. Through it all each sister depends on the others regardless of the complications. It’s the alluring charm of the three disparate leads that makes Mystic Pizza the delightful experience it is. –Robert Lane
  
  
  

  

  Legally Blonde 2 - Red, White & Blonde (Special Edition)

  
  Director: Charles Herman-Wurmfeld
  Asin: B00005JM55
  Label: MGM (Video & DVD)
  UserComment: The winning comic finesse of Reese Witherspoon drives Legally Blonde 2: Red White and Blonde. It’s astonishing that the sequel could possibly be daffier than the first movie, but Legally Blonde 2 leaves reality behind like an unflattering outfit. Unemployed lawyer Elle Woods (Witherspoon) sets off to our nation’s capitol to ban cosmetics testing on animals, after discovering that her beloved chihuahua’s own mother is being used as a test subject. Washington, D.C., becomes a testing ground for Elle’s mettle, as she grapples with callous committees, backstabbing representatives, and devious aides to get her bill considered by Congress, with some help from her sorority sisters and her hairdresser friend Paulette (Jennifer Coolidge, Best in Show, A Mighty Wind). Witherspoon bursts with charisma and dazzles with sheer performing skill; she’s the comic heir to screwball comedienne Carole Lombard–which is high praise. Also featuring Bob Newhart and Sally Field. –Bret Fetzer
  
  
  

  

  O Brother, Where Art Thou?

  
  Director: Joel Coen
  Asin: B00003CXRM
  Label:
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  My Cousin Vinny

  
  Director: Jonathan Lynn
  Asin: 630592970X
  Label: 20th Century Fox
  UserComment: Two carefree pals (Ralph Macchio and Mitchell Whitfield) traveling through Alabama are mistakenly arrested, and charged with murder. Fortunately, one of them has a cousin who’s a lawyer - Vincent Gambini (Joe Pesci, Lethal Weapon 3, Home Alone), a former auto mechanic from Brooklyn who just passed his bar exam after his sixth try. Vinny’s never been in court - or in Alabama - and when he arrives with his leather-clad girlfriend (Marisa Tomei in her Oscar® winning Supporting Actress performance), to try his first case, it’s a real shock - for him and the Deep South!
  
  
  

  

  Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (Widescreen Special Collector’s Edition)

  
  Director: Kerry Conran
  Asin: B0006IIPIK
  Label: Paramount
  UserComment: While setting a milestone in the progress of digital filmmaking, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow resurrects a nostalgic fantasy world derived from a wide variety of vintage inspirations. It’s a dazzling dream for anyone who appreciates the look and feel of golden-age sci-fi pulp magazines, drawing its unique, all-digital design from such diverse sources as Howard Hawks adventures, Fritz Lang’s Metropolis, Buck Rogers, Blackhawk comics, The Third Man, cliffhanger serials, and the action-packed Indiana Jones franchise. Writer-director Kerry Conran’s feature debut is also guaranteed to inspire digital dreamers everywhere, suggesting a paradigm shift in the way CGI-dominated movies are made. It’s a giddy adventure for the young and young-at-heart, in which ace pilot “Sky Captain” Joe Sullivan (Jude Law) and intrepid reporter Polly Perkins (Gwyneth Paltrow) must save the world from a mad scientist whose vision of the future has tragic implications for all humankind. Angelina Jolie drops in for a glorified cameo, but it’s the ultra-fortunate neophyte Conran who’s the star here. His clever riff on The Wizard of Oz is a marvel to behold, and the method of its creation is nothing less than revolutionary. –Jeff Shannon
  
  
  

  

  Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (Widescreen Edition)

  
  Director: Michel Gondry
  Asin: B00005JMJG
  Label: Universal Studios
  UserComment: Screenwriters rarely develop a distinctive voice that can be recognized from movie to movie, but the ornate imagination of Charlie Kaufman (Being John Malkovich, Adaptation) has made him a unique and much-needed cinematic presence. In Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, a guy decides to have the memories of his ex-girlfriend erased after she’s had him erased from her own memory–but midway through the procedure, he changes his mind and struggles to hang on to their experiences together. In other hands, the premise of memory-erasing would become a trashy science-fiction thriller; Kaufman, along with director Michel Gondry, spins this idea into a funny, sad, structurally complex, and simply enthralling love story that juggles morality, identity, and heartbreak with confident skill. The entire cast–Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, Kirsten Dunst, Elijah Wood, Mark Ruffalo, Tom Wilkinson, and more–give superb performances, carefully pitched so that cleverness never trumps feeling. A great movie. –Bret Fetzer
  
  
  

  

  Excalibur

  
  Director: John Boorman
  Asin: 6305558167
  Label: Warner Home Video
  UserComment: This lush retelling of the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table is a dark and engrossing tale. Director John Boorman (Deliverance) masterfully handles the tale of the mythical sword Excalibur, and its passing from the wizard Merlin to the future king of England. Arthur pulls the famed sword from a stone and is destined to be crowned king. As the king embarks on a passionate love affair with Guenevere, an illegitimate son, and Merlin’s designs on power, threaten Arthur’s reign. The film is visually stunning and unflinching in its scenes of combat and black magic. Featuring an impressive supporting cast, including early work from the likes of Liam Neeson and Gabriel Byrne, Excalibur is an adaptation of the legend both faithful and bold. –Robert Lane
  
  
  

  

  Monsters, Inc. (Two-Disc Collector’s Edition)

  
  Director: Unkrich, Lee
  Asin: B00005JKDR
  Label: Disney/Pixar
  UserComment: From the Academy Award(R)-winning creators of TOY STORY comes the computer-animated film that captured the hearts of fans and critics everywhere. MONSTERS, INC., is “visually dazzling, action-packed, and hilarious” (Boston Herald), featuring groundbreaking animation, imaginative storytelling, and unforgettable voice talent. John Goodman stars as the lovable James P. Sullivan (Sulley) and Billy Crystal as his wisecracking best friend, Mike Wazowski. Top scarer Sulley and his enthusiastic Scare Assistant Mike work at Monsters, Inc., the largest scream-processing factory in Monstropolis. The main power source of the monster world is the collected screams of human children. Monsters believe children are dangerous and toxic, however, and they are scared silly when a little girl wanders into their world. Sulley and Mike do their best to return the girl home, but they face monstrous intrigue and some hilarious misadventures along the way. MONSTERS, INC., is “supremely clever — fun for kids and adults alike” (CBS-TV). Treat yourself to the most entertaining movie of the year with all-new exclusive bonus features and animation for monster laughs and monster fun.
  
  
  

  

  Incredibles (Two-Disc Collector’s Edition)

  
  Director: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
  Asin: B00005JN4W
  Label: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
  UserComment: After creating the last great traditionally animated film of the 20th century, The Iron Giant, filmmaker Brad Bird joined top-drawer studio Pixar to create this exciting, completely entertaining computer-animated film. Bird gives us a family of “supers,” a brood of five with special powers desperately trying to fit in with the 9-to-5 suburban lifestyle. Of course, in a more innocent world, Bob and Helen Parr were superheroes, Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl. But blasted lawsuits and public disapproval forced them and other supers to go incognito, making it even tougher for their school-age kids, the shy Violet and the aptly named Dash. When a stranger named Mirage (voiced by Elizabeth Pena) secretly recruits Bob for a potential mission, the old glory days spin in his head, even if his body is a bit too plump for his old super suit.

  Bird has his cake and eats it, too. He and the Pixar wizards send up superhero and James Bond movies while delivering a thrilling, supercool action movie that rivals Spider-Man 2 for 2004’s best onscreen thrills. While it’s just as funny as the previous Pixar films, The Incredibles has a far wider-ranging emotional palette (it’s Pixar’s first PG film). Bird takes several jabs, including some juicy commentary on domestic life (”It’s not graduation, he’s moving from the fourth to fifth grade!”).

  The animated Parrs look and act a bit like the actors portraying them, Craig T. Nelson and Holly Hunter. Samuel L. Jackson and Jason Lee also have a grand old time as, respectively, superhero Frozone and bad guy Syndrome. Nearly stealing the show is Bird himself, voicing the eccentric designer of superhero outfits (”No capes!”), Edna Mode.

  Nominated for four Oscars, The Incredibles won for Best Animated Film and, in an unprecedented win for non-live-action films, Sound Editing.

  The Presentation
  This two-disc set is (shall we say it?), incredible. The digital-to-digital transfer pops off the screen and the 5.1 Dolby sound will knock the socks off most systems. But like any superhero, it has an Achilles heel. This marks the first Pixar release that doesn’t include both the widescreen and full-screen versions in the same DVD set, which was a great bargaining chip for those cinephiles who still want a full-frame presentation for other family members. With a 2.39:1 widescreen ratio (that’s big black bars, folks, à la Dr. Zhivago), a few more viewers may decide to go with the full-frame presentation. Fortunately, Pixar reformats their full-frame presentation so the action remains in frame.

  The Extras
  The most-repeated segments will be the two animated shorts. Newly created for this DVD is the hilarious “Jack-Jack Attack,” filling the gap in the film during which the Parr baby is left with the talkative babysitter, Kari. “Boundin’,” which played in front of the film theatrically, was created by Pixar character designer Bud Luckey. This easygoing take on a dancing sheep gets better with multiple viewings (be sure to watch the featurette on the short).

  Brad Bird still sounds like a bit of an outsider in his commentary track, recorded before the movie opened. Pixar captain John Lasseter brought him in to shake things up, to make sure the wildly successful studio would not get complacent. And while Bird is certainly likable, he does not exude Lasseter’s teddy-bear persona. As one animator states, “He’s like strong coffee; I happen to like strong coffee.” Besides a resilient stance to be the best, Bird threw in an amazing number of challenges, most of which go unnoticed unless you delve into the 70 minutes of making-of features plus two commentary tracks (Bird with producer John Walker, the other from a dozen animators). We hear about the numerous sets, why you go to “the Spaniards” if you’re dealing with animation physics, costume problems (there’s a reason why previous Pixar films dealt with single- or uncostumed characters), and horror stories about all that animated hair. Bird’s commentary throws out too many names of the animators even after he warns himself not to do so, but it’s a lively enough time. The animator commentary is of greatest interest to those interested in the occupation.

  There is a 30-minute segment on deleted scenes with temporary vocals and crude drawings, including a new opening (thankfully dropped). The “secret files” contain a “lost” animated short from the superheroes’ glory days. This fake cartoon (Frozone and Mr. Incredible are teamed with a pink bunny) wears thin, but play it with the commentary track by the two superheroes and it’s another sharp comedy sketch. There are also NSA “files” on the other superheroes alluded to in the film with dossiers and curiously fun sound bits. “Vowellet” is the only footage about the well-known cast (there aren’t even any obligatory shots of the cast recording their lines). Author/cast member Sarah Vowell (NPR’s This American Life) talks about her first foray into movie voice-overs–daughter Violet–and the unlikelihood of her being a superhero. The feature is unlike anything we’ve seen on a Disney or Pixar DVD extra, but who else would consider Abe Lincoln an action figure? –Doug Thomas

  More Incredibles at Amazon.com
  

  The Incredibles Toy Store	CD Soundtrack	The Art of The Incredibles Book
  Game Boy Advance	On VHS	The Essential Guide Book

  The Pixar Feature Films

  Toy Story, 1995 A Bug’s Life, 1998 Toy Story 2, 1999

  Monsters, Inc., 2001 Finding Nemo, 2003 The Incredibles, 2004

  More Animation DVDs
  

  Favorite Animated Performances	Previous Animated Oscar Nominees	If You Like The Incredibles…
  Our Disney DVD Store	Looney Tunes Golden Collection	Walt Disney Treasures

  More Superheroes on DVD

  Batman Blade The Hulk

  Justice League Robocop Space Ghost

  Spider-Man Superman Teen Titans

  Wonder Woman X-Men Also see our Comics & Graphic Novels Store

  Also from Filmmaker Brad Bird

  The Iron Giant (Writer/Director)	“Family Dog” on Amazing Stories (Writer/Director)	Batteries Not Included (Cowriter)
  The Simpsons (Director/Consultant)	King of the Hill (Consultant)	The Critic (Consultant)

  
  
  

  

  Mean Girls (Special Collector’s Edition)

  
  Director: Mark Waters (VIII)
  Asin: B0002IQJ8W
  Label: Paramount
  UserComment: Raised in the African bush country by her zoologist parents Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan) thinks she knows about “survival of the fittest.” But the law of the jungle takes on a whole new meaning when the home-schooled 15-year-old enters public high school for the first time and falls prey to the psychological warfare and unwritten social rules that teenage girls face today.DVD Features:Commentary: by director Mark Waters Screenplay Writer & Actress Tina Fey and Producer Lorne MichaelsFeaturette: 3 FeaturettesAdditional Scenes: 9 Deleted ScenesBloopers: Blooper ReelSystem Requirements:Runnign Time 96 MinFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY Rating: PG-13 UPC: 097363416043 Manufacturer No: 341604
  
  
  

  

  Memento

  
  Director: Christopher Nolan
  Asin: B00003CXZ4
  Label:
  UserComment:
  
  
  

  

  Shrek (Two-Disc Special Edition)

  
  Director: Vicky Jenson
  Asin: B00003CXXJ
  Label: Dreamworks Animated
  UserComment: Dreamworks Shrek - DVD
  You’ve never met a hero quite like Shrek, the endearing ogre who sparked a motion picture phenomenon and captured the world’s imagination with the Greatest Fairy Tale Ever Told!
  Short Description:
  Relive every moment of Shrek’s(Mike Myers) daring quest to rescue feisty Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) with the help of his lovable loudmouthed Donkey (Eddie Murphy) and win back the deed to his beloved swamp from scheming Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow). Enchantingly irreverent and “monstrously clever” (Leah Rozen, People Magazine), Shrek is ogre-sized adventure you’ll want to see again and again.
  Features:
  Disc 1-
  Record your voice over your favorite character’s lines and star in one of 12 entire scenes!
  Behind the scenes featurette
  Hidden fun facts
  Game Swamp: over 15 interactive games and activities including Shrek Pinball, Rescue the Princess and Soup Slam
  Shrek’s music room - videos from Smash Mouth, Baha Men and more
  Favorite scenes selection
  Disc 2-
  Filmmakers commentary
  “The Tech of Shrek”
  Storyboard pitch of outrageous deleted scenes
  Technical goofs
  International dubbing featurette
  Character design progression reel
  Hints for Shrek X-Box video game only available on this DVD
  Starring: Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, John Lithgow and Eddie Murphy
  Directedby: Andrew Adamson and Vicki
  Running time: 93 minutes
  Color
  This film is presented in “Widescreen” and “Standard” formats
  Copyright 2001 Universal Home Video
  Rated PG
  
  
  

  

  Hitch (Widescreen Edition)

  
  Director: Andy Tennant
  Asin: B000957O82
  Label: Sony Pictures
  UserComment:
  
  
  

  

  Elf (Infinifilm Edition)

  
  Director: New Line Home Entertainment
  Asin: B0002F6BRE
  Label: New Line Home Entertainment
  UserComment: This hilarious Christmas film tells the tale of a young orphan child who mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts on Christmas Eve and is transported back to the North Pole and raised as an elf. Years later Buddy learns he is not really an elf and goes on a journey to New York City to find his true identity.

  DVD Features:
  Audio Commentary:2 commentaries with Will Ferrell & Director
  DVD ROM Features
  Deleted Scenes
  Featurette:Film school for kids Tag along with Will Ferrell How they made the North Pole Kids on Christmas and more!
  Other:2-Disc Infinifilm DVD Widescreen version on Disc 1 and Fullscreen version on Disc 2 Spanish Language Track Elf Karaoke Read-Along Infinifilm Fact Tack Buddy’s Adventure Game Elf Decoder Card and more!

  
  
  

  

  300 (Widescreen Edition)

  
  Director: Zack Snyder
  Asin: B000QXDED6
  Label: Warner Home Video
  UserComment: The epic graphic novel by Frank Miller (Sin City) assaults the screen with the blood, thunder and awe of its ferocious visual style faithfully recreated in an intense blend of live-action and CGI animation. Retelling the ancient Battle of Thermopylae, it depicts the titanic clash in which King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) and 300 Spartans fought to the death against Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) and his massive Persian army. Experience history at swordpoint. And moviemaking with a cutting edge.
  
  
  

  

  Chicken Run

  
  Director: Nick Park
  Asin: B00003CXJ4
  Label:
  UserComment: There were a lot of disappointments in the 2000 summer movie season, but Chicken Run wasn’t one of them. Made by Aardman Animations, which produced the Oscar-winning Wallace & Gromit shorts, this is a dazzling stop-motion animation film that is both deftly funny and surprisingly touching. The concept is simple: The Great Escape–with chickens. But directors Peter Lord and Nick Park take it much further than that (and remember: there’s a whole generation out there that has no idea who Steve McQueen is). Julia Sawalha voices Ginger, a plucky English hen who has been trying to escape from Tweedy’s chicken farm, where the vicious Mrs. Tweedy (Miranda Richardson) fries up any chicken who doesn’t produce enough eggs. When egg profits slump, Mrs. Tweedy decides to turn her farm into a chicken-pie factory, giving new urgency to Ginger’s plan. Enter Rocky the Flying Rooster (Mel Gibson), a brash American who has escaped from a circus and promises to teach the chickens to fly to safety. The film is filled with innumerable visual touches and the animation has a tactile quality that makes you want to reach out and touch these funny fowl. Above all, it’s played with intelligence, wit, and heart–a rare combination in any film. While Chicken Run is being marketed to a youth audience, it truly is a family film that operates on both a child and an adult level. It would be a shame if grownups skipped it because they thought it was strictly for kids. –Marshall Fine
  
  
  

  

  Corpse Bride (Widescreen Edition)

  
  Director: Warner Home Video
  Asin: B000C3L27U
  Label: Warner Home Video
  UserComment: Who else but Tim Burton could make Corpse Bride, a necrophiliac’s delight that’s fun for the whole family? Returning to the richly imaginative realm of stop-motion animation (after previous successes with The Nightmare Before Christmas and James and the Giant Peach), Burton, with codirector Mike Johnson, invites us to visit the dour, ashen, and drearily Victorian mansions of the living, where young Victor Van Dort (voiced by Johnny Depp) is bequeathed to wed the lovely Victoria (Emily Watson). But the wedding rehearsal goes sour and, in the kind of Goth-eerie forest that only exists in Burton-land, Victor suddenly finds himself accidentally married to the Corpse Bride (Helena Bonham Carter), a blue-tinted, half-skeletal beauty (how pleasantly full-bosomed she remains!) with a loquacious maggot installed behind one prone-to-popping eyeball. This being a Burton creation, the underworld of the dead is a lively and colorful place indeed, and Danny Elfman’s songs and score make it even livelier, presenting Victor with quite a dilemma: Should he return above-ground to Victoria, or remain devoted to his corpse bride? At a brisk 76 minutes, Burton’s graveyard whimsy (loosely based on a 19th century Russian folktale) never wears out its welcome, and the voice casting (which includes Tracey Ullman and Albert Finney) is superbly matched the film’s gloriously amusing character design, guaranteed to yield a wealth of gruesome toys and action figures for many Halloweens to come. –Jeff Shannon
  
  
  

  

  In Good Company (Widescreen Edition)

  
  Director: Paul Weitz
  Asin: B0007VZ9D0
  Label: Universal Studios
  UserComment: Dan Foreman (Dennis Quaid) is a loving husband, caring father and star ad executive. But now, life is putting him through the ultimate test. Carter Duryea (Topher Grace), a young hotshot half his age, has just become his boss. And to complicate matters, Dan discovers Carter is dating his daughter (Scarlett Johansson).

  It s filled with genuine laughs and you re in good company when you watch this entertaining comedy that Rolling Stone calls hilarious.

  BONUS MATERIALS:
  Stars
  Youth
  Getting Older
  Real Life
  New York Locations
  Editing
  Story
  Deleted Scenes with Commentary by Director Paul Weitz
  Feature Commentary with Director Paul Weitz and Star Topher Grace
  Cast and Filmmakers

  System Requirements:

• Running Time 110 Min

  Format: DVD MOVIE
  
  
  

  

  Pump up the Volume

  
  Director: Allan Moyle
  Asin: B000031EG0
  Label: New Line Home Video
  UserComment: A shy teen turns on the high school crowd when he broadcasts outrageous nightly monologues on a pirate radio station. Starring Christian Slater and Samantha Mathis.
  
  
  

  

  Garden State

  
  Director: 20th Century Fox
  Asin: B00005JNC2
  Label: 20th Century Fox
  UserComment: Zach Braff (from the TV show Scrubs) stars in his writing/directing debut, Garden State–normally a doomed act of hubris, but Braff pulls it off with unassuming charm. An emotionally numb actor in L.A., Andrew (Braff) comes back to New Jersey after nine years away for his mother’s funeral. Andrew avoids his bitter father (Ian Holm, The Sweet Hereafter) and joins old friends (including the superb Peter Sarsgaard, Boys Don’t Cry) in a round of parties. Along the way he meets a girl (Natalie Portman, Beautiful Girls) with demons of her own; bit by bit the two offer each other a little healing. Plotwise, Garden State is familiar stuff, a cross between The Graduate and a Meg Ryan movie, but Braff has an eye for goofy but resonant visual images, an ear for lively dialogue, and a great cast. The result is surprisingly fresh and funny. –Bret Fetzer
  
  
  

  

  Kung Fu Hustle (Widescreen Edition)

  
  Director: Sony Pictures
  Asin: B0009S4IHY
  Label: Sony Pictures
  UserComment: Stephen Chow (director and star of Shaolin Soccer) is at it again with his newest action-packed and comedic martial-arts adventure, KUNG FU HUSTLE. From wildly imaginative kung fu showdowns to dance sequences featuring tuxedoed mobsters, you’ve never seen action this outrageous and characters this zany! With jaw-dropping fight sequences by Yuen Wo Ping (famed action choreographer of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and The Matrix), KUNG FU HUSTLE will blow you away! In a town ruled by the Axe Gang, Sing (Stephen Chow) desperately wants to become a member. He stumbles into a slum ruled by eccentric landlords who turn out to be kung fu masters in disguise. Sing’s actions eventually cause the Axe Gang and the slumlords to engage in an explosive kung fu battle. Only one side will win and only one hero will emerge as the greatest kung fu master of all.
  
  
  

  

  Raising Arizona/Fargo

  
  Director: Joel Coen
  Asin: B000M7XRAG
  Label: 20th Century Fox
  UserComment: Disc 1: Raising Arizona WS Disc 2: Fargo WP
  
  
  

  

  Holiday, The

  
  Director: Nancy Meyers
  Asin: B000MQC9H4
  Label: Sony Pictures
  UserComment: As a pleasant dose of holiday cheer, The Holiday is a lovable love story with all the Christmas trimmings. In the capable hands of writer-director Nancy Meyers (making her first romantic comedy since Something’s Gotta Give), it all begins when two successful yet unhappy women connect through a home-swapping website, and decide to trade houses for the Christmas holiday in a mutual effort to forget their man troubles. Iris (Kate Winslet) is a London-based journalist who lives in a picture-postcard cottage in Surrey, and Amanda (Cameron Diaz) owns a movie-trailer production company (leading her to cutely imagine most of her life as a “coming attraction”) and lives in a posh mansion in Beverly Hills. Iris is heartbroken from unrequited love with a cad of a colleague (Rufus Sewell), and Amanda has just broken up with her cheating boyfriend (Edward Burns), so their home-swapping offers mutual downtime to reassess their love lives. This being a Nancy Meyers movie (where everything is fabulously decorated and romantic wish-fulfillment is virtually guaranteed), Amanda hooks up with Iris’s charming brother Graham (Jude Law), and Iris is unexpectedly smitten with Miles (Jack Black), a super-nice film composer on the downside of a failing relationship. –Jeff Shannon

  Extras from The Holiday
  
  

  First Look Featurette high bandwidth

  Film Clip: “Sushi for Two” high bandwidth

  Film Clip: “Oh Brother” high bandwidth

  Stills from The Holiday (click for larger image)
  

  Beyond The Holiday on Amazon.com
  

  On Blu-ray

  CD Soundtrack

  The Films of Nancy Meyers

  
  
  

  

  Pirates of the Caribbean - The Curse of the Black Pearl (Two-Disc Collector’s Edition)

  
  Director: Gore Verbinski
  Asin: B00005JM5E
  Label: Walt Disney Video
  UserComment: You won’t need a bottle of rum to enjoy Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, especially if you’ve experienced the Disneyland theme-park ride that inspired it. There’s a galleon’s worth of fun in watching Johnny Depp’s androgynous performance as Captain Jack Sparrow, a roguish pirate who could pass for the illegitimate spawn of rockers Keith Richards and Chrissie Hynde. Depp gets all the good lines and steals the show, recruiting Orlando Bloom (a blacksmith and expert swordsman) and Keira Knightley (a lovely governor’s daughter) on an adventurous quest to recapture the notorious Black Pearl, a ghost ship commandeered by Jack’s nemesis Capt. Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush), a mutineer desperate to reverse the curse that left him and his (literally) skeleton crew in a state of eternal, undead damnation. Director Gore Verbinski (The Ring) repeats the redundant mayhem that marred his debut film Mouse Hunt, but with the writers of Shrek he’s made Pirates into a special-effects thrill-ride that plays like a Halloween party on the open seas. Aye, matey, we’ve come a long way since Jason and the Argonauts! –Jeff Shannon
  
  
  

  

  Star Wars Episode IV - A New Hope (1977 & 2004 Versions, 2-Disc Widescreen Edition)

  
  Director: George Lucas
  Asin: B000FQJAIW
  Label: Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
  UserComment: For the first time ever and for a limited time only, the enhanced versions of the Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi will be available individually on DVD. Plus, these 2-Disc DVD’s will feature a bonus disc that includes, for the first time ever on DVD, the original films as seen in theaters in 1977, 1980 and 1983.
  
  
  

  

  Stargate (Ultimate Edition)

  
  Director: Roland Emmerich
  Asin: B0000844I8
  Label: Lions Gate
  UserComment: 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
  
  
  

  

  I, Robot (Widescreen Edition)

  
  Director: Alex Proyas
  Asin: B00005JN0T
  Label: 20th Century Fox
  UserComment: In the year 2035, technology and robots are a trusted part of everyday life. But that trust is broken when a scientist is found dead and a skeptical detective (Smith) believes that a robot is responsible. Bridget Moynahan co-stars in this high-tech action thriller that questions whether technology will ultimately lead to mankind’s salvation . . . or annihilation.
  
  
  

  

  How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (Widescreen Edition)

  
  Director: Donald Petrie
  Asin: B000094J7Z
  Label: Paramount
  UserComment: Kate Hudson twinkles as the heroine of How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, a magazine writer assigned to date a guy, make all the mistakes girls make that drive guys away (being clingy, talking in baby-talk, etc.), and record the process like a sociological experiment. However, the guy she picks–rangy Matthew McConaughey–is an advertising executive who’s just bet that he can make a woman fall in love with him in ten days; if he succeeds, he’ll win a huge account that will make his career. The set-up is completely absurd, but the collision of their efforts to woo and repel creates some pretty funny scenes. McConaughey’s easy charm and Hudson’s lightweight impishness play well together and the plot, though strictly Hollywood formula, chugs along efficiently. At moments Hudson seems to channel her mother, Goldie Hawn, to slightly unnerving effect. –Bret Fetzer
  
  
  

  

  Never Been Kissed

  
  Director: Raja Gosnell
  Asin: B00006ZXSL
  Label: 20th Century Fox
  UserComment: In this hilarious, heartwarming comedy, Drew Barrymore shines as a budding journalist who’s determined to go from ‘geek’ to ‘chic’ when she is sent back to high school on her first undercover assignment to lern about today’s teens. At first, Josie is thrilled with the opportunity until she remembers her nickname from years ago: “Josie Grossie!” Can a former clueless nerd navigate the hallways of high school without trippin over her own feet?
  
  
  

  

  Clerks (Collector’s Series)

  
  Director: Miramax
  Asin: B00000IQC8
  Label: Miramax
  UserComment: If you’re in the market for wildly funny entertainment, CLERKS delivers with wholesale hilarity! It’s one wacky day in the life of a pair of overworked counter jockeys whose razor-sharp wit and on-the-job antics give a whole new meaning to customer service! Even while bracing a nonstop parade of unpredictable shoppers, the clerks manage to play hockey on the roof, visit a funeral home, and straighten out their offbeat love lives! The boss is nowhere in sight, so you can bet anything can — and will — happen when these guys are left to run the store.
  
  
  

  

  Joe Versus the Volcano

  
  Director: John Patrick Shanley
  Asin: B00005Y71F
  Label:
  UserComment:
  
  
  

  

  Mickey Blue Eyes

  
  Director: Kelly Makin
  Asin: 0780625277
  Label: Turner Home Ent
  UserComment: Mickey Blue Eyes was crafted as a vehicle for the stammering British charm of Hugh Grant (star of Four Weddings and a Funeral and Nine Months), so whether or not you like the movie will depend heavily on your affection for Grant. He plays an art auctioneer who falls in love with schoolteacher Jeanne Tripplehorn (Basic Instinct, Very Bad Things), who just happens to be the daughter of mobster James Caan (The Godfather, Misery). To protect Grant, Tripplehorn tries to fend off his proposal of marriage, but some miscommunications lead to Grant being embraced by the “family.” After the mob decides to launder money through Grant’s auction house, an accidental killing results in Grant pretending to be Mickey Blue Eyes out of Kansas City (the sight and sound of Grant trying to say “fuggedaboudit” was undoubtedly what sold the movie in the first place). The plot isn’t as well executed as it could be, but the leads are all well cast and there are some excellent supporting performances, particularly Burt Young (Rocky) as a myopic mob boss and Scott Thompson (from the comedy troupe The Kids in the Hall) as a sprightly FBI agent. –Bret Fetzer
  
  
  

  

  Devil Wears Prada (Widescreen Edition)

  
  Director: David Frankel
  Asin: B000J103PC
  Label: 20th Century Fox
  UserComment: Based on the hilarious best-selling novel, this sinfully funny movie starring Academy Award(r) winner Meryl Streep* and Anne Hathaway is “sensationally entertaining in every way” (maxim). As assistant to impossibly demanding New York fashion magazine editor Miranda Priestly (Streep), young Andy Sachs (Hathaway) has landed a job that “a million girls would die for.” Unfortunately, her heaven-sent appointment as Miranda’s personal whipping girl just might be the death of her!
  
  
  

  

  Pulp Fiction (Two-Disc Collector’s Edition)

  
  Director: Miramax Entertainment
  Asin: B000068DBC
  Label: Miramax Entertainment
  UserComment: Critics and audiences worldwide hailed PULP FICTION as the star-studded picture that redefined cinema in the 20th Century! Writer/director Quentin Tarantino (Academy Award(R) Winner — Best Original Screenplay, 1994) delivers an unforgettable cast of characters — including a pair of low-rent hit men (John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson), their boss’s sexy wife (Uma Thurman), and a desperate prizefighter (Bruce Willis) — in a wildly entertaining and exhilarating motion picture adventure that both thrills and amuses!
  
  
  

  

  Wallace & Gromit - The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (Widescreen Edition)

  
  Director: Nick Park
  Asin: B000CZ0PT4
  Label: Dreamworks Animated
  UserComment: A decade after their last hilarious short, the Oscar-winning A Close Shave, Claymation wonders Wallace and Gromit return for a full-length adventure. Daffy scientist Wallace (voiced by Peter Sallis) and his heroic dog Gromit are doing well with their business, Anti-Pesto, a varmint-hunting outfit designed to keep their English town safe from rabbits chomping on prized vegetables. Wallace meets Lady Tottington (Helena Bonham Carter), who appreciates Wallace’s humane way of dealing with rabbits (courtesy of the Bun-Vac 6000), and sets up a rivalry with the gun-toting Victor Quartermaine (Ralph Fiennes, enjoying himself more than ever). Creator Nick Park, with co-director/writer Steve Box, delivers a story worthy of the 85-minute running time, although it stretches the act a bit; the formula plays better shorter, but the literally hand-crafted film is a joy to watch. Taking a chapter from classic horror films, a giant were-rabbit is soon on the prowl, and the town is up in arms, what with the annual vegetable contest close at hand. (Anyone who’s seen the previous three shorts knows who saves the day.) Never content to do something simply when the extravagant will do, W&G’s lives are filled with whimsical Rude Goldberg-style devices, and the opening number showcasing their alarm system is pure Aardman Animation at its finest. Even though there’s a new twist here–a few mild sight gags aimed at adults–this G-rated film will delight young and old alike as Park, like team Pixar, seems incapable of making anything but an outstanding film. –Doug Thomas

  See more clay animation and Wallace & Gromit titles…
  

  Director Nick Park on DVD

  Stop-Motion & Clay Animation Titles

  Wallace & Gromit Stuff Galore

  
  
  

  

  Scrooged

  
  Director: Richard Donner
  Asin: 6305609764
  Label:
  UserComment:
  
  
  

  

  Sliding Doors

  
  Director: Peter Howitt (II)
  Asin: 6305210411
  Label:
  UserComment:
  
  
  

  

  Shawshank Redemption

  
  Director: Frank Darabont
  Asin: B0000399WI
  Label: Castle Rock
  UserComment: A prominent banker unjustly convicted of murder spends many years in the Shawshank prison. He is befriended by a convict who knows the ropes and helps him to cope with the frightning realities of prison life.
  
  
  

  

  Arrested Development - Season Two

  
  Director: 20th Century Fox
  Asin: B000A9QKRI
  Label: 20th Century Fox
  UserComment: In this 5 time Emmy®-winning comedy’s hilarious second season, Michael Bluth, once again determined to be free of his dysfunctional family, packs up the car and his son George-Michael and heads for Arizona. But he’s soon pulled over by the police who tell him that his father, George Sr., has broken out of prison. Due to the company’s shady business deal with Iraq, Michael could face prison time, so he returns home to clear his name even as George Sr. secretly flees to Mexico, Tobias decides to be an understudy for the Blue Man Group, and Lucille begins a torrid affair with her husband’s twin brother, Oscar. Arrested Development Season 3 will begin airing this fall on FOX.
  
  
  

  

  Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (Superbit Collection)

  
  Director: Ang Lee
  Asin: B00005NRND
  Label: Sony Pictures
  UserComment: The Superbit titles utilize a special high bit rate digital encoding process which optimizes video quality while offering a choice of both DTS and Dolby Digital 5.1 audio. These titles have been produced by a team of Sony Pictures Digital Studios video, sound and mastering engineers and comes housed in a special package complete with a 4 page booklet that contains technical information on the Superbit process. By reallocating space on the disc normally used for value-added content, Superbit DVDs can be encoded at double their normal bit rate while maintaining full compatibility with the DVD video format.
  
  
  

  

  Sixth Sense (Collector’s Edition Series)

  
  Director: Walt Disney Video
  Asin: B00004BZIY
  Label: Walt Disney Video
  UserComment: Hollywood superstar Bruce Willis (ARMAGEDDON, THE SIEGE) brings a powerful presence to an edge-of-your-seat thriller from writer-director M. Night Shyamalan (Oscar(R)-nominee for Best Original Screenplay and Best Director) that critics are calling one of the greatest ghost stories ever filmed. When Dr. Malcolm Crowe (Willis), a distinguished child psychologist, meets Cole Sear (Oscar(R)-nominee Haley Joel Osment, Best Supporting Actor), a frightened, confused, eight-year-old, Dr. Crowe is completely unprepared to face the truth of what haunts Cole. With a riveting intensity you’ll find thoroughly chilling, the discovery of Cole’s incredible sixth sense leads them to mysterious places with unforgettable consequences!
  
  
  

  

  Cars (Widescreen Edition)

  
  Director: John Lasseter
  Asin: B00005JNS0
  Label: Walt Disney Video
  UserComment: From the acclaimed creators of TOY STORY, THE INCREDIBLES, and FINDING NEMO comes a high-octane adventure comedy that shows life is about the journey, not the finish line. Hotshot rookie race car Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) is living life in the fast lane until he hits a detour on his way to the most important race of his life. Stranded in Radiator Springs, a forgotten town on the old Route 66, he meets Sally, Mater, Doc Hudson (Paul Newman), and a variety of quirky characters who help him discover that there’s more to life than trophies and fame. Revved up with a sensational soundtrack, featuring Rascal Flatts, Sheryl Crow, John Mayer, James Taylor, and others, plus exciting bonus features, including the exclusive short movie “Mater And The Ghostlight,” CARS is full of freewheeling fun for everyone.
  
  
  

  

  Music and Lyrics (Widescreen Edition)

  
  Director: Marc Lawrence (II)
  Asin: B00005JPE3
  Label: Warner Home Video
  UserComment: First you’re hot, then you’re not…and then you’re Alex Fletcher (HUGH GRANT). So when the sizzlingest tween-queen on the charts asks the has-been ’80s pop sensation to write her a song, he grabs for another chance at stardom. Problem: Alex can say it with music, but he sure can’t say it with words. Enter Sophie Fisher (DREW BARRYMORE), his beguiling if quirky plant lady, who has a green thumb for lyrics. Together, they go after songwriting success — and discover that if you want to write the perfect love song, it helps to fall in love. With Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore at the keyboard and Marc Lawrence (Two Weeks Notice) directing, Music and Lyrics is a witty, wacky romantic comedy that faces the music…and laughs!
  
  
  

  

  Dogma (Special Edition)

  
  Director: Sony Pictures
  Asin: B000053VAF
  Label: Sony Pictures
  UserComment: Kevin Smith is a conundrum of a filmmaker: he’s a writer with brilliant, clever ideas who can’t set up a simple shot to save his life. It was fine back when Smith was making low-budget films like Clerks and Chasing Amy, both of which had an amiable, grungy feel to them, but now that he’s a rising director who’s attracting top talent and tackling bigger themes, it might behoove him to polish his filmmaking. That’s the main problem with Dogma–it’s an ambitious, funny, aggressively intelligent film about modern-day religion, but while Smith’s writing has matured significantly (anyone who thinks he’s not topnotch should take a look at Chasing Amy), his direction hasn’t. It’s too bad, because Dogma is ripe for near-classic status in its theological satire, which is hardly as blasphemous as the protests that greeted the movie would lead you to believe.

  Two banished angels (Ben Affleck and Matt Damon) have discovered a loophole that would allow them back into heaven; problem is,