DVDpedia : Library : Title : L

Theatrical: 1997

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 138

Summary: In a time when it seems that every other movie makes some claim to being a film noir, "L.A. Confidential" is the real thing--a gritty, sordid tale of sex, scandal, betrayal, and corruption of all sorts (police, political, press--and, of course, very personal) in 1940s Hollywood. The Oscar-winning screenplay is actually based on several titles in James Ellroy's series of chronological thriller novels (including the title volume, "The Big Nowhere", and "White Jazz")--a compelling blend of L.A. history and pulp fiction that has earned it comparisons to the greatest of all Technicolor noir films, "Chinatown". Kim Basinger richly deserved her Supporting Actress Oscar for her portrayal of a conflicted femme fatale; unfortunately, her male costars are so uniformly fine that they may have canceled each other out with the Academy voters: Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, Kevin Spacey, and James Cromwell play LAPD officers of varying stripes. Pearce's character is a particularly intriguing study in Hollywood amorality and ambition, a strait-laced "hero" (and son of a departmental legend) whose career goals outweigh all other moral, ethical, and legal considerations. If he's a good guy, it's only because he sees it as the quickest route to a promotion. "--Jim Emerson"

Theatrical: 1991

Studio: Live / Artisan

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 95

Summary: Steve Martin wrote this film as a meditation on both love and Los Angeles (and then-wife Victoria Tennant). He plays a L.A. TV weatherman who finds himself conflicted about what to do with his life, both professionally and personally. As he works his way through a couple of relationships (including a very funny one with a frisky Sarah Jessica Parker, who talks him into colonic therapy), he discovers a L.A. freeway sign that gives him romantic advice. It helps him realize what he knows intuitively: that the British woman he is attracted to (Tennant) is the one he should pursue. A big cast (and lots of cameos) have fun with this witty (if slight) material and director Mick Jackson adds visual pizzazz. "--Marshall Fine"

Theatrical: 2004

Studio: Walt Disney Video

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 104

Summary: If you've never enjoyed Alec Guinness in the classic 1955 British comedy that inspired it, the Coen brothers' remake of "The Ladykillers" may well prove hilarious. For starters, it's got Tom Hanks in a variation of the Guinness role, eccentrically channeling Colonel Sanders, Tennessee Williams, and Edgar Allan Poe in his southern-fried performance as Prof. Goldthwait Higgins Dorr, Ph.D. (named after an actual arts institute curator from the Coens' native Minnesota), a deliciously verbose con man who needs a secret headquarters for his five-man plot to rob a riverboat casino moored on the Mississippi. In the film's funniest and least-caricatured role (and even she can't elude the Coens' comedic stereotyping), Irma P. Hall plays the churchgoing widow who rents a room to Dorr, whose crew of "musicians" (in keeping with the original's plot) use the lady's root cellar to tunnel to the casino's cash-rich counting room. Rampant mishaps ensue, the body count rises among Dorr's band of idiots (including Marlon Wayans, spouting nonstop profanities), and the Coens put their uniquely stylish stamp on everything. It's a funny movie, allowing for some nagging flatness to the material, but if you've seen the original (and other vintage comedies from the heyday of Britain's low-budget Ealing Studios), you'll eventually wonder, "what were they thinking"? Accounting for all the qualities that grace any Coen movie (this being the first time the brothers have officially shared directorial credit), this revamped "Ladykillers" is a mixed blessing, both entertaining and superfluous. "--Jeff Shannon"

Theatrical: 2006

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Drama

Duration: 99

Summary: Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock pair up again in what could be described as the anti-"Speed": "The Lake House", a sweet, relaxed-paced, whimsical romance. When Alex Wyler (Reeves, "The Matrix") moves into an unusual glass house on stilts over a lake, he discovers a note from the previous tenant in the mailbox--but no one's lived in the house for years. He replies and soon discovers that he's corresponding with a doctor named Kate Forster (Bullock, "Miss Congeniality") who's writing from two years in the future. Their correspondence turns romantic and their paths cross in unexpected ways, but when they try to truly connect, danger looms. Though the plot of "The Lake House" sounds potentially static, the movie is skillfully structured and, despite some truly awful dialogue, will exert an emotional pull on anyone willing to embrace the device of the time-travelling mailbox. What the movie really demonstrates, though, is the genuine rapport between Bullock and Reeves; Reeves, though handsome, has a wooden presence--but in his few scenes with Bullock, his stiffness transforms into a palpable yearning. On-screen chemistry is slippery and hard to define, but these two have it. "--Bret Fetzer"

Theatrical: 2005

Studio: Universal Studios

Genre: Art House & International

Duration: 93

Summary: Bolstered by the success of "28 Days Later, Shaun of the Dead", the "Resident Evil" movies and the hit remake of his own "Dawn of the Dead", George A. Romero returns to the horror subgenre he invented with "Land of the Dead". The fourth installment in Romero's zombie cycle (and the first since 1985's "Day of the Dead") presents a logical progression of events since 1968's horror classic "Night of the Living Dead: Zombies" (also known as "stenches" for their rotting odor) are the dominant population, and they've begun to show signs of undead intelligence and gathering power. The wealthiest survivors live comfortably in a luxury high-rise within a barricaded safe zone, ignoring the horrors of the outside world while armed scavengers stage raids in the zombie-zone to gather much-needed food and supplies. Simon Baker and John Leguizamo play mercenaries-for-hire; Dennis Hopper is their nefarious boss; and horror favorite Asia Argento (daughter of "Suspiria director Dario Argento) plays a former hooker recruited into Baker's scavenger squad. While none of this seems particularly fresh or inspired, "Land of the Dead" benefits from hints of the social satire that made Romero's earlier zombie films so memorable. Not so much funny as gruesomely peculiar, Romero's plot isn't as inventive as it could've been, but as a big-scale B-movie, "Land of the Dead" delivers a handful of shocks and horror-celebrity cameos (including gore-masters Tom Savini and Greg Nicotero) that should keep horror buffs happy until the next zombie opus comes along. "--Jeff Shannon"

Theatrical: 1993

Studio: Sony Pictures

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 130

Summary: Jack Slater is an action-film hero played by Arnold Schwarzenegger. An old projectionist (Robert Prosky) hands a magic movie ticket to Jack's biggest preteen fan (Austin O'Brien), and the kid steps right inside the latest Jack Slater film, becoming the actor star's sidekick in gunfights and car chases. But when Jack's nemesis (Charles Dance) gets his hands on the ticket, the fight busts out into the real world and Jack (à la "Toy Story"'s Buzz Lightyear) refuses to believe he's a fictional character. Director John McTiernan churns some nifty scenes out of this setup, although the fiction-to-reality shuffle is not as deft as in, say, Woody Allen's "The Purple Rose of Cairo", and the plot needs the kind of logic and discipline found in that classic when-worlds-collide film "Back to the Future". Still, Schwarzenegger has moments of wit and smashing action, and we get a faux-movie trailer advertising an intriguing new shoot-'em-up: "Something's rotten in the State of Denmark--and Hamlet is taking out the trash!"

Theatrical: 1991

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 105

Summary: In giving 1991's "The Last Boy Scout" a three-star review, critic Roger Ebert was properly performing his duty as an objective reporter, praising the filmmakers' professional skill while observing that "the only consistent theme of the film is its hatred of women." For the purposes of this capsule review, there's no such obligation to level-headed fairness; the simple truth is, this ultraviolent, action-packed vehicle for Bruce Willis and Damon Wayans is disgustingly rotten to the core. Not only is it fueled by a bitter and spiteful attitude toward women, it's also the kind of profanely vulgar movie that doesn't hesitate to put foul-mouthed children in the path of vicious thugs and potentially deadly situations. Willis plays an ex-secret service agent turned private detective who is hired to protect a stripper (Halle Berry) and then teams up with the stripper's boyfriend (Wayans), a disgraced NFL star who was kicked out of football for gambling. They catch on to a criminal plot leading all the way up to a corrupt football team owner who wants to legalize gambling on pro football. Willis and Wayans get in and out of all sorts of trouble along the way, and naturally there are plenty of explosions to go along with the brutal beatings, gunfire, and constant cussing. Shane Black (of "Lethal Weapon" infamy) set a Hollywood record (since broken, several times) for the sale price of his slick but vile screenplay, and "Top Gun" director Tony Scott handles the action with his trademark gloss and high-impact style. But, seriously, is this a movie that anyone could bear to watch twice? "--Jeff Shannon"

Theatrical: 2001

Studio: Dreamworks Video

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 131

Summary: "The Last Castle" rides high on a wave of American patriotism, respectful of military service and protocol, and primed to ignite anyone's passion for justice against corrupted ideals. This intense prison drama begins when a court-martialed three-star general (Robert Redford) is sentenced to military prison for defying a presidential command. The prison's warden (James Gandolfini) is a jealous martinet who's never seen combat, and when the jailed general seizes command of the prison to protest the warden's abuse of power, "The Last Castle" erupts toward a classic showdown between integrity and cowardice. Former critic and West Point graduate Rod Lurie ("The Contender") directs this intimate battle with manipulative skill, appealing more to emotions than intelligence, but his stellar cast keeps the action on track, and a potent script returns flag-waving to its rightful place of honor. "--Jeff Shannon"

Theatrical: 2007

Studio: New Line Home Video

Genre: Drama

Duration: 97

Summary: Comparisons with "E.T." are inevitable, but the more modest "The Last Mimzy" is based on the classic short story "Mimzy Were the Borogoves," by Lewis Padgett (a pseudonym for husband-and-wife writing team Henry Kuttner and C.L. Moore), that anticipated Steven Spielberg's extraterrestrial fantasy by nearly four decades. Chris O'Neil and Rhiannon Leigh Wryn give winning, naturalistic performances as siblings Noah and Emma, whose lives are transformed by a box of mysterious objects they find on the beach outside the family's Seattle vacation home. Among its contents is a stuffed rabbit that Emma names Mimzy and becomes quite attached. Noah and Emma are your typical outsiders. He is not good at sports, and she is interested in astronomy and plays the violin. But the objects work wonders on them. Their brainpower increases exponentially, Noah is able to drive a golf ball hundreds of yards, and Emma begins to communicate telepathically with Mimzy, who reveals his true identity and purpose. Rainn Wilson of "The Office" displays an off-center charm as Mr. White, Noah's New Age-y science teacher, who discovers similarities between Noah's intricate notebook doodlings and ancient renderings of the universe ("This is so out of my league," he marvels at one point), and becomes involved in Mimzy's back-to-the-future quest. Timothy Hutton and Joely Richardson are solid as the understandably confounded and increasingly concerned parents. Michael Clarke Duncan is a menacing FBI agent who, invoking the Patriot Act, arrests the family after Noah inadvertently causes a citywide blackout with one of the futuristic objects. "The Last Mimzy" may not reach "E.T."'s spectacular heights, but as thoughtfully adapted for the screen by Bruce Joel Rubin ("Ghost") and Toby Emmerich ("Frequency"), it is a transporting, idea-rich family film that is free of gratuitous coarse language (save for Mr. White's offhand classroom use of the word "screw") or bathroom humor. "--Donald Liebenson"

Theatrical: 1998

Studio: Universal Studios

Genre: Art House & International

Duration: 95

Summary: Apocalyptic visions can take many forms, from atomic to cosmic disaster, from cautionary tale to sardonic despair, comets, asteroids, plague. But when it comes to the end of the world, one expects fire or ice, bang or whimper. Rarely does this genre focus on the area between those two extremes, as it does brilliantly in Don McKellar's "Last Night", a wry tale exploring the effects of the world's imminent demise on a group of characters in Toronto. No panic ensues, no looting, no gnashing of teeth or elaborate schemes to forestall disaster. Well, that may be happening somewhere, but certainly not in Toronto. Here the radio counts down the top 500 hits of "all time". The clock ticks by the evening hours while daylight fails to wane. Everywhere, people prepare for the end in ways that range from the mundane to the winsome. The principal action throws together Patrick (McKellar), a dejected young man who plans on spending the end alone listening to music, with Sandra (Sandra Oh), whose plans to spend the end with her husband (David Cronenberg) are thwarted by lack of transportation. Meanwhile, Patrick's friend Craig (Callum Keith Rennie) is fulfilling every sexual fantasy he's ever had. "Love the one you're with" is the message here. The real star is the tone of the picture, which is distanced and ironic and masterfully maintained throughout. Sarah Polley and Geneviève Bujold appear in supporting roles. It's the directorial debut of actor McKellar ("Exotica", "eXistenZ"), who also scripted "The Red Violin". "--Jim Gay"

Theatrical: 1992

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 112

Summary: Wildly romantic, daringly exciting, Michael Mann's film of James Fenimore Cooper's novel created a new babe magnet out of Daniel Day-Lewis, he of the heaving pecs and flowing mane. As Hawkeye, he plays an American settler raised by the Mohicans who is forced to serve as a guide for British adventurism in upstate New York. But the British have been outflanked by the French (and their Indian allies); then British honor is betrayed when a band of renegades assaults them during their retreat. Mann captures the viciousness of this era's hand-to-hand combat in startling battle scenes. But he also invests the film with heartfelt romance, as the feelings swell between Day-Lewis and Madeleine Stowe. The ending is a stunner, a long, nearly wordless sequence of battle and loss. Strong performances all around, particularly by Russell Means as Chingachgook and Wes Studi as the evil Magua. "--Marshall Fine"

Theatrical: 2003

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 154

Summary: While Japan undergoes tumultuous transition to a more Westernized society in 1876-77, "The Last Samurai" gives epic sweep to an intimate story of cultures at a crossroads. In America, tormented Civil War veteran Capt. Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise) is coerced by a mercenary officer (Tony Goldwyn) to train the Japanese Emperor's troops in the use of modern weaponry. Opposing this "progress" is a rebellion of samurai warriors, holding fast to their traditions of honor despite strategic disadvantage. As a captive of the samurai leader (Ken Watanabe), Algren learns, appreciates, and adopts the samurai code, switching sides for a climactic battle that will put everyone's honor to the ultimate test. All of which makes director Edward Zwick's noble epic eminently worthwhile, even if its Hollywood trappings (including an all-too-conventional ending) prevent it from being the masterpiece that Zwick and screenwriter John Logan clearly wanted it to be. Instead, "The Last Samurai" is an elegant mainstream adventure, impressive in all aspects of its production. It may not engage the emotions as effectively as Logan's script for "Gladiator", but like Cruise's character, it finds its own quality of honor. "--Jeff Shannon"

Theatrical: 1984

Studio: Universal Studios

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 60

Summary: No description available for this title.
Item Type: BLU-RAY DVD Movie
Item Rating: PG
Street Date: 08/18/09
Wide Screen: yes
Director Cut: no
Special Edition: no
Language: ENGLISH
Foreign Film: noSubtitles: no
Dubbed: no
Full Frame: no
Re-Release: no
Packaging: Sleeve

Theatrical: 1993

Studio: Lions Gate

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 60

Summary: Life's a bitch, or at least it is to Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog. Since his first appearance in 1997, Triumph has emerged a breed apart as "Late Night with Conan O'Brien"'s biggest breakout star. In fact, not even Conan himself has had a bestselling CD, or appeared on "Hollywood Squares". Triumph gives new meaning to the honor "Best in Show" with this collection of his most memorable "Late Night" appearances, including his now-classic reports at the Westminster Dog Show (where he takes full advantage of backstage access, if you get my cruder meaning), his Red Carpet interviews at MTV's Video Music Awards, and, the pick of the litter, his visit to the "Star Wars" "uber-dorks" waiting in line for the opening of "Attack of the Clones" (To a Darth Vader impersonator in full regalia: "Which of these buttons calls your parents to pick you up?"). For Triumph fans, this DVD is a tremendous, exciting experience... FOR ME TO POOP ON! "--Donald Liebenson"

Theatrical: 2003

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 110

Borrowed By: Alberto Aldrete

Summary: The heroes of 1899 are brought to life with the help of some expensive special effects in "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen". From the pages of Victorian literature come Captain Nemo, Dr. Jekyll (and his alter ego Mr. Hyde), Dorian Gray, Tom Sawyer, an Invisible Man, Mina Harker (from "Dracula"), and the hunter Allan Quatermain (Sean Connery), all brought together to combat an evil megalomaniac out to conquer the world. Hardly an original plot, but perhaps that's fitting for a movie sewn together like Frankenstein's monster. The movie rushes from one frenetic battle to another, replacing sense with spectacle--Nemo's submarine rising from the water, a warehouse full of zeppelins bursting into flame, Venice collapsing into its own canals; flashy, dumb, and completely incoherent. Fans of the original comic book will be disappointed. Also featuring Peta Wilson, Shane West, Stuart Townsend, Richard Roxburgh, and Jason Flemyng. "--Bret Fetzer"

Theatrical: 1992

Studio: Sony Pictures

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 128

Summary: Penny Marshall's popular 1992 comedy sheds light on a little-known chapter of American sports history with its story of a struggling team in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. The league was formed when the recruiting of soldiers during World War II resulted in a shortage of men's baseball teams. The AAGPBL continued after the war (until 1954), and Marshall's movie depicts the league in full swing, beginning when a savvy baseball scout (Jon Lovitz) finds a pair of promising new players in small-town Oregonian sisters (Geena Davis, Lori Petty). The sisters are signed to play for the Rockford Peaches near Chicago, whose new manager (Tom Hanks) is a former home-run king who wrecked his career with alcoholism. They're all a bunch of underdogs, and Marshall (with a witty script by Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel) does a fine job of establishing a colorful team of supporting players including Madonna and (in her movie debut) Rosie O'Donnell. It's a conventional Hollywood sports story (Marshall's never been one to take dramatic risks), but the stellar cast is delightful, and the movie's filled with memorable moments, witty dialogue, and agreeable sentiment. And just remember: there's no crying in baseball! "--Jeff Shannon"

Theatrical: 2001

Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 96

Summary: If you've ever doubted how much a star can carry a movie, look no further than "Legally Blonde", Robert Luketic's pop fluff about a sorority girl who becomes the reigning brain at Harvard Law School. The film tries way too hard to "be" pop fluff, but thankfully it also understands the comic glories of Reese Witherspoon. As Elle Woods, the supposedly dimwitted heroine, Witherspoon gives a high-wattage performance that somehow comes across as both lusciously cartoonish and warmly human. It's a radiant comic turn worthy of Marilyn Monroe, and Luketic throws the whole movie at her, even though its intentional kitsch and sledgehammer contrivances don't trust you enough to figure out on your own what might be guilty fun about it. It's a lame movie, essentially, that redeems itself by knowing just enough to keep things sunny and moving right along. The film is content to follow several steps behind the regal Witherspoon, carrying her train. You probably will be, too. "--Steve Wiecking"

Theatrical: 2000

Studio: Dimension

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 99

Summary: Jackie Chan return becomes and is able to fend off numerous attacks and perform incredible stunts. Aided by his hilarious stepmother and friends, Hong faces the challenge of protecting valuable Chinese history and saving his family honor.s to the role that made him a star in 1979's "Drunken Master." Chinese folklore hero Wong Fei Hong discovers a smuggling ring, orchestrated by the British Government, to transport valuable Chinese artifacts out of the country. Hong must use his unique style of martial arts, "Drunken Boxing," to fight the conspirators and salvage the Chinese treasures before it

Theatrical: 2010

Studio: Sony Pictures

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 100

Summary: As pure check-your-head-at-the-door popcorn entertainment, the apocalyptic action-horror hybrid "Legion" delivers in nearly every frame--its story of a band of strangers fighting an army of angels and demons for the fate of mankind is proudly loud, bullet riddled, and knee-deep in gore and CGI. That doesn't mean it's particularly good or even coherent--the story has renegade angel Michael (a glum Paul Bettany) come to the aid of diner owner Dennis Quaid (equally glum) and his patrons (a cross-section of stereotypes embodied by a capable cast, which includes Lucas Black, Charles S. Dutton, Tyrese Gibson, Kate Walsh, and Jon Tenney) as a host of heavenly and diabolical beings, dispatched by an angry God, descend on the diner with the intent of killing waitress Adrianne Palicki ("Friday Night Lights"), whose unborn child may be the salvation of humanity. The orgy of special effects--endless hails of bullets and a menagerie of unpleasant demonic creatures, the most unsettling of which is the ice cream man (Doug Jones, "Hellboy")--is eye popping but ultimately repetitive, and since no character rises above a cipher in director Scott Stewart's script (cowritten with Peter Schink), the whole affair feels unwieldy and eventually tiresome under a barrage of hackneyed dialogue. Naturally, "Legion" ends with the possibility of a sequel, though one wonders where the story can go after Armageddon. "--Paul Gaita"


Stills from "Legion" (Click for larger image)

Theatrical: 1994

Studio: Sony Pictures

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 133

Summary: Luc Besson ("The Fifth Element") made his American directorial debut with this stylized thriller about a French hit man (Jean Reno) who takes in an American girl (Natalie Portman) being pursued by a corrupt killer cop (Gary Oldman). Oldman is a little more unhinged than he should be, but there is something genuinely irresistible about the story line and the relationship between Reno and Portman. Rather than cave in to the cookie-cutter look and feel of American action pictures, Besson brings a bit of his glossy style from French hits "La Femme Nikita" and "Subway" to the production, and the results are refreshing even if the bullets and explosions are awfully familiar. "--Tom Keogh"

Theatrical: 1998

Studio: Sony Pictures

Genre: Drama

Duration: 134

Summary: Frenchman Jean Valjean (Liam Neeson), imprisoned for stealing bread, is paroled after nearly two decades of hard labor. A gift of silver candlesticks from a kindly priest helps him begin anew. Forging a decent and profitable existence, he finds success as a businessman and as the mayor of a small town. He even takes in a pregnant young woman (Uma Thurman) and raises her daughter as his own. When a former prison guard (Geoffrey Rush) recognizes Valjean, his past catches up to him. Director Bille August culls mesmerizing performances from his cast, but loses us with an ending that panders to teen audiences. The focus shifts dramatically, and uncomfortably, from the haunted Neeson and his hawk-like pursuer, to his daughter (Claire Danes) and her romance with a handsome revolutionary. After this narrative shift, the script leaves behind the Victor Hugo classic's themes of revenge and redemption to focus improbably on teen angst--hardly what Hugo had on his mind. "--Rochelle O'Gorman"

Theatrical: 2006

Studio: Universal Studios

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 84

Summary: In the comedy "Let's Go to Prison", revenge proves not so sweet for John Lyshitski (Dax Shepard, "Employee of the Month"), an incompetent ex-con who manages to get the son of the judge who first convicted him sent to prison. But John finds that unsatisfying, so he gets himself sent back to prison so he can guarantee that Nelson Biederman the IVth (Will Arnett, "Arrested Development") gets the works. From there, "Let's Go to Prison" squeezes as much uneasy humor out of male rape and white supremacists as is possible. The results could be tasteless, but director Bob Odenkirk (of "Mr. Show") gives everything his own particular flavor, which his fans will undoubtedly enjoy. Shepard has an amiable charm and Arnett oozes some of his patented smarmy arrogance. The cast also includes Chi McBride ("Roll Bounce"), David Koechner ("Anchorman"), and Dylan Baker ("Happiness"). "--Bret Fetzer"

Theatrical: 1987

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 110

Summary: Mel Gibson set aside his art-house credentials to star as a crazy cop paired with a stable one (Danny Glover) in this full-blown 1987 Richard Donner action picture. The most violent film in the series (which includes three sequels), it is also the edgiest and most interesting. After Gibson's character jumps off a building handcuffed to a man, and Gary Busey (as a cold, efficient enforcer) lets his hand get burned without flinching, there is a sense that anything can happen, and it usually does. Donner's strangely messy visual and audio style doesn't make a lot of aesthetic sense, but it stuck with all four movies. The DVD release includes production notes, Dolby sound, theatrical trailer, optional full-screen and widescreen presentations, optional French soundtrack, and optional English, French, and Spanish subtitles. "--Tom Keogh"

Theatrical: 1989

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 114

Summary: The series formula started to kick in with this immediate sequel to "Lethal Weapon", but that doesn't necessarily make it a weak movie. Joe Pesci joins the fold, Richard Donner directs again, and Mel Gibson and Danny Glover return as LAPD partners, their relationship smoother now that Gibson's character has recovered from his maddening grief over his wife's death. But the reckless Mel and cautious Danny equation, good for a million laughs, settles into place in this story involving a South African smuggler and a new girlfriend (Patsy Kensit) for Gibson. The movie is hardly comfy, though. The last act gets nasty, and a climactic fight between Gibson (who gets the worst of it) and some high-kicking villain is ugly. "--Tom Keogh"

Theatrical: 1992

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 118

Summary: The lightest of the first three films, "Lethal Weapon 3" finds everyone occupying comfortable positions like students who always choose to sit in the same classroom seats. Mel Gibson and Danny Glover return as LAPD partners whose working method consists of the former diving into danger and the latter holding back. (The sequence set in the parking garage of a building, in which Gibson inadvertently trips a switch that makes a timed explosive device speed up, is priceless.) Joe Pesci once again plays a motor-mouth pest, and while the story is pretty much forgettable, it does introduce the best new dynamic in the series, a romance between Gibson and Rene Russo's equally tough but attractive cop. "--Tom Keogh"

Theatrical: 1998

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 127

Summary: In the fourth and reportedly final film of the "Lethal Weapon" series, director Richard Donner reunites with Mel Gibson and Danny Glover, who reprise their roles as Martin Riggs and Roger Murtaugh for one last hurrah in a film that is decidedly better than the third and first chapters. This time the pair are pitted against Jet Li, who plays the leader of a Chinese organized crime unit. Li, a veteran of hundreds of Hong Kong action films, more than holds his own against the more established team of Gibson, Glover, Renee Russo, and Joe Pesci with his subtle yet strong portrayal of the quietly irrepressible Wah Sing Ku. As always with the "Lethal" series, the plot is incredibly simple to follow: someone steals something, someone gets killed, and Murtaugh is reluctantly thrown into the mix while Riggs dives into the case with gleeful aplomb. As with the previous movies, we watch for the sheer action and chemistry alone. The action sequences throughout the fourth installment are exquisite, from the opening scene involving a flamethrower, a burning building, and a half-naked Murtaugh strutting like a chicken (don't ask, just watch), to the climactic showdown that pays genuine tribute to Jet Li's masterful martial art skills. As for chemistry, the bond between these characters is so strong by now that you sometimes feel like you're watching a TV series in its sixth season, such is the warm familiarity between the audience and the personalities on the screen. The humor is more fluid than ever, aided immeasurably by the casting of comedian Chris Rock, who like Li does a great job of making his presence known in some memorable verbal tirades that would bring a smile out of the Farrelly brothers. But it's the verbal and emotional jousting between Glover and Gibson that makes this fourth episode especially appealing; both are in peak form with great physical and verbal timing. One can only hope that if this is indeed the last of the "Lethal" films, that it won't be the last time we see Glover and Gibson together on screen. "--Jeremy Storey"

Theatrical: 2007

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 141

Summary: Critically hailed as an instant classic, Clint Eastwood's "Letters from Iwo Jima" is a masterwork of uncommon humanity and a harrowing, unforgettable indictment of the horrors of war. In an unprecedented demonstration of worldly citizenship, Eastwood (from a spare, tightly focused screenplay by first-time screenwriter Iris Yamashita) has crafted a truly Japanese film, with Japanese dialogue (with subtitles) and filmed in a contemplative Japanese style, serving as both complement and counterpoint to Eastwood's previously released companion film "Flags of Our Fathers". Where the earlier film employed a complex non-linear structure and epic-scale production values to dramatize one of the bloodiest battles of World War II and its traumatic impact on American soldiers, "Letters" reveals the battle of Iwo Jima from the tunnel- and cave-dwelling perspective of the Japanese, hopelessly outnumbered, deprived of reinforcements, and doomed to die in inevitable defeat. While maintaining many of the traditions of the conventional war drama, Eastwood extends his sympathetic touch to humanize "the enemy," revealing the internal and external conflicts of soldiers and officers alike, forced by circumstance to sacrifice themselves or defend their honor against insurmountable odds. From the weary reluctance of a young recruit named Saigo (Kazunari Ninomiya) to the dignified yet desperately anguished strategy of Japanese commander Tadamichi Kuribayashi (played by Oscar-nominated "The Last Samurai" costar Ken Watanabe), whose letters home inspired the film's title and present-day framing device, "Letters from Iwo Jima" (which conveys the bleakness of battle through a near-total absence of color) steadfastly avoids the glorification of war while paying honorable tribute to ill-fated men who can only dream of the comforts of home. "--Jeff Shannon"
On the DVDs
Like the film itself, the two-disc special edition of "Letters from Iwo Jima" is predominantly Japanese in content, and that's as it should be. Disc 1 presents the film in a flawless widescreen transfer, with a Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround soundtrack that perfectly captures the film's wide dynamic range. The optional subtitles can be turned off for those wishing to immerse themselves in a completely Japanese viewing experience. Disc 2 opens with "Red Sun, Black Sand: The Making of "Letters from Iwo Jima"," a 20-minute behind-the-scenes documentary that concisely covers all aspects of production, from director Clint Eastwood's initial decision to create a companion piece to "Flags of Our Fathers", to interview comments from principal cast and crew, the latter including "Flags" screenwriters Paul Haggis and "Letters" screenwriter Iris Yamashita, costume designer Deborah Hopper, editor Joel Cox, cinematographer Tom Stern, production designer James Murakami (taking over for the ailing Henry Bumstead), and coproducer Rob Lorenz. "The Faces of Combat" is an 18-minute featurette about selecting the Japanese (and Japanese-American) cast of "Letters", and how they were chosen through the international collaboration of Eastwood's long-time casting director Phyllis Huffman (who turned over some of her duties to her son while struggling with terminal illness) and Japanese casting associate Yumi Takada, who filled important roles with Japanese celebrities (like pop star Kazunari Ninomiya, who plays "Saigo") and unknown actors alike.
"Images from the Frontlines" is a 3.5-minute montage of images from the film and behind-the-scenes, set to the sparse piano theme of Eastwood's original score. The remaining bonus features chronicle the world premiere of "Letters" in Tokyo on November 15, 2006. The premiere itself is covered in a 16-minute featurette taped at the famous Budokan arena, where we see the red-carpet procession, a full-capacity audience despite cold November weather, and introductory comments from the film's primary cast and crew, many of them quite moving with regard to the satisfaction of working on a film that helps Japanese viewers come to terms with a painful chapter of their history. The following day's press conference (at the Grand Hyatt Tokyo hotel) is a 24-minute Q&A session covering much of the same territory, with additional testimony from principal cast & crew. Throughout this two-day event, it's clear that Eastwood (referring to himself as "a Japanese director who doesn't speak the Japanese language") was warmly embraced by the Japanese, and that "Letters from Iwo Jima" had served its intended purpose, reminding us of the horrors of war while uniting both Japanese and Americans in somber reflection, 61 years after the battle of Iwo Jima. "--Jeff Shannon"

Theatrical: 1997

Studio: Universal Studios

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 86

Summary: Jim Carrey is back in top form after his disastrous outing in "The Cable Guy". As a lawyer who becomes physically unable to tell a lie for 24 hours after his son makes a magical birthday wish, Carrey learns a few brutal truths about the real meaning of life. There is very little plot, but Carrey's rubbery contortions and slapstick trickery provide just enough humor to keep you interested in this breezy bit of escapism. Not aided in this film by pets or animation, Carrey manages to do amazing and unique things with very simple props. He is also more in control of his acting than before. He is still over the top, but remains believable in some of the lower-energy scenes. An added plus is that the comedy is not as coarse as we've come to expect from him. "--Rochelle O'Gorman"

Theatrical: 2006

Studio: Turner Home Ent

Genre: Thrillers

Duration: 92

Summary: Only one film under his belt, and already Flynn Carsen (Noah Wylie) is talking like Indiana Jones. "Relax," he tells a companion before daringly retrieving an ancient artifact before it can be used for evil. "This kind of stuff happens to me all the time." A character of modest charms (much like this made-for-cable movie), Carsen is not your typical movie action hero. His brain serves him better than his brawn. Early on, his knowledge of vegetation plays a key role in a cliff-jumping escape from pursuing bad guys. Carsen, for those just tuning in, is a librarian at the Metropolitan Library, which secretly houses history's mythic artifacts, including the sword Excalibur, and the Shroud of Turin. The fate of the world is once again in Carsen's hands when a map to the legendary King Solomon's Mines is stolen. Carsen embarks on another fantastic global adventure, with stops in Casablanca (with inevitable references to the Humphrey Bogart classic) and Kenya. This time, he has new female companionship, Emily (Gabrielle Anwar), a beautiful archaeologist who can match the much-educated Carsen degree for degree. Reprising their roles from the first film are Olympia Dukakis as Flynn's meddling mother, who tries to fix him up with his third cousin ("You'll have plenty to talk about"), Jane Curtin as flinty library administrator, Charlene ("Save your receipts"), and Bob Newhart as his mentor, Judson. Savvy viewers will see plot twists and character revelations coming from a mile away, but that is all part of the fun, as are the hokey special effects and knowing humor ("There's always a secret passage," Carsen observes while navigating a catacomb). Who know if there will ever be another "Indiana Jones" movie. Until then, "The Librarian" is worth checking out, especially on DVD, where it can be enjoyed without intrusive commercial interruption. "--Donald Liebenson"

Theatrical: 2004

Studio: Turner Home Ent

Genre: Thrillers

Duration: 92

Summary: Broadcast to record ratings on the TNT cable network, this "Raiders"-esque adventure does not go by the book, staring with its atypical action hero and his decidedly uncool profession. Flynn Carsen (Noah Wylie from "E.R.") is a thirtysomething perpetual student who still lives with his mother (Olympia Dukakis). When his exasperated professor finally ejects him into the real world, Carsen's Holmesian deductive acumen lands him a job as the librarian at the Metropolitan Library. This is not an ordinary library. It houses history's most mythic artifacts, including the Ark of the Covenant, Pandora's Box, and the sword Excalibur. The fate of the world is in Carsen's hands ("That's so sad," he observes) when the dread Serpent Brotherhood steals the library's Spear of Destiny, and Carsen must retrieve it. His reluctant, and antagonistic, partner is Nicole (Sonya Walger), who is as skilled in martial arts as Carsen is schooled in the Dewey Decimal System. Bob Newhart and Jane Curtin add welcome comic relief, with Newhart, of all people, getting into the action by film's end. The humble hero (who would rather be known as "Flynn, the rather pleasant at parties"), somewhat cheesy special effects, and corny comedy make "The Librarian" a fun guilty pleasure. As Carsen proclaims, "Being a librarian is actually a cool job." This looks like the beginning of a beautiful franchise. "--Donald Liebenson"

Theatrical: 2008

Studio: Sony Pictures

Genre: Thrillers

Duration: 90

Summary: The third installment in the "Librarian" franchise more than keeps up with the (Indiana) Joneses. It's unpretentious, good-natured, family-friendly fun without any "Crystal Skull"-esque letdown. And it's got vampires! Not soulful, swooning high-school vampires, either, but the Big Kahuna of bloodsuckers--Dracula! Noah Wyle returns as Flynn Carsen, the globe-trotting librarian who battles supernatural forces while securing the world's mythical artifacts for the mammoth (and secret) Metropolitan Library. But a disillusioned Flynn needs a vacation after the demands of his job cost him yet another relationship with a woman who cannot deal with "the wild and unpredictable lifestyle of dating a librarian." No sooner does he arrive in New Orleans then he becomes embroiled in a former KGB agent's outrageous plot to restore Russia's former glory by using the eponymous relic to revive Dracula to lead an army of "unkillable soldiers." Throw in a beautiful French chanteuse (Stana Katic) with a secret (suffice to say that when she sings about how she wishes she could feel the sun again, she's not kidding) and a disabled professor and vampire expert (Bruce Davison) and the stage is set for good old fashioned B movie (okay, B+) pleasures, including corny jokes and special effects that work hard for the money. The appealing Wyle, as one character observes of Flynn, "is very convincing as a hapless loser," and he gets invaluable comic support from Jane Curtin, as cost-scrutinizinglibrary administrator Charlene, and Bob Newhart as Flynn's mentor, Judson, who encourages the reluctant hero to "embrace his destiny." Hopefully, that means another "Librarian" adventure. If not, "Judas Chalice" brings the trilogy to a satisfying conclusion. "--Donald Liebenson"

Theatrical: 1988

Studio: Starz / Anchor Bay

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 88

Summary: The brief 1980s mania surrounding "the Coreys" peaked with "License to Drive", a modest but surprisingly still enjoyable adventure comedy. Les (Corey Haim, "Lucas") has a chance to date his dream girl, Mercedes (Heather Graham, "Boogie Nights", in her first significant movie role)--but he's just failed his driving exam. Motivated by a mixture of pride and hormones, he steals his grandfather's Cadillac and heads out on the town with Mercedes for a night that swiftly becomes an escalating series of disasters, made worse by the foolhardy antics of Les' best friend Dean (Corey Feldman, "Stand by Me"). Despite some egregious '80s fashion disasters (Graham gets the worst of them), "License to Drive" holds up surprisingly well--it's no work of genius, but it is a solidly made and entertaining teen comedy that's more coherent than most. The depiction of parent-teen relations is fairly honest and particularly well-played by Richard Masur ("Risky Business") and Carol Kane ("In the Soup") as the parents. The DVD includes a very funny and rambunctious audio commentary track by the screenwriter and director, as well as interviews with the grown-up Coreys. A must-have for fans of '80s nostalgia. "--Bret Fetzer"

Theatrical: 2007

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 91

Summary: Marriage is a huge step in any relationship and, with the divorce rate skyrocketing, some clergymen find it advisable to council prospective couples prior to the marriage ceremony. Reverend Frank (Robin Williams) takes his marriage preparation course to a whole new level, putting couples through a very unusual and grueling set of classes that cover everything from trust and communication to experiencing childbirth, meeting each other's needs in and out of bed, and group sessions on how to fight fairly. Happy couple Sadie Jones's (Mandy Moore) and Ben Murphy's (John Krasinski) perfect compatibility is tested to the limits with extraordinary (and hysterical) assignments like caring for twin baby robots that cry and poop without restraint while baby-sitting a friend's two young children and shopping for wedding china. Driving a car blindfolded while one's intended gives directions is no simple task either, but abstinence from sex and writing their own marriage vows may be the couple's most difficult homework assignments. Comedy reigns throughout the entire movie thanks to Robin Williams, his choir-boy assistant Josh Flitter ("Nancy Drew") and the rest of the cast and laughing out loud is definitely a course requirement for viewers, but underneath the hilarity is a serious message about making marriage work. "--Tami Horiuchi" DVD features Includes widescreen anamorphic and full-screen versions Additional scenes with optional director commentary Ask Choir Boy: Choose which relationship/marital questions he answers

Theatrical: 1999

Studio: Universal Studios

Genre: African American Cinema

Duration: 109

Summary: Martin Lawrence and Eddie Murphy play it surprisingly straight in this film by director Ted Demme. Though there are laughs to be had, this is a story about perseverance in the face of a life of disappointment (yet the film was sold as a prison comedy). But "Stir Crazy" this isn't. Rather, Lawrence and Murphy play a couple of New Yorkers making a moonshine run from New York to Mississippi during the Prohibition who find themselves framed for murder and sentenced for life to a prison chain gang. As they age, the two become close friends, although the strait-laced Lawrence always resents the free-wheeling Murphy for getting him into the situation in the first place. Ultimately, these two men learn to find meaning where they can, taking value from friendship and their limited ability to affect the lives of others. At times preachy, it ends on an upbeat note; the film's biggest laughs are reserved for the final section, in which Lawrence and Murphy don age makeup and play octogenarians. "--Marshall Fine"

Theatrical: 2004

Studio: Miramax Home Entertainment

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 119

Summary: In "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou", director Wes Anderson takes his familiar stable of actors on a field trip to a fantasy aquarium, complete with stop-motion, candy-striped crabs and rainbow seahorses. And though Anderson does expand his horizons in terms of retro-special effects and a whimsical use of color, fans will otherwise find themselves in well-charted waters. As "The Life Aquatic" opens, Zissou (Bill Murray), a self-involved, Jacques Cousteau-like filmmaker, has just released a documentary depicting the death of his best friend Esteban, who was eaten by some sort of sea creature--possibly a jaguar shark. Zissou’s troubles also include his waning popularity with the public, and a nemesis (Jeff Goldblum) who hogs up all the grant money. Hope arrives in the form of Ned Plimpton (Owen Wilson), an amiable Kentuckian who may be Zissou’s son. Despite his lack of enthusiasm for fatherhood, Zissou welcomes Ned--and Ned in turn saves Zissou’s new documentary (in which he seeks revenge on the jaguar shark) in more ways than one.

One of Wes Anderson’s greatest achievements as a director to date has been launching the autumnal melancholy phase of Bill Murray’s career, starting with "Rushmore" in 1998, and Murray delivers a similarly comedic yet low-key performance here. Unfortunately, Zissou is one of the few characters in this ensemble to achieve multi-dimensionality. Even co-star Wilson doesn’t get to develop Ned much beyond Noble Southerner, and he ends up seeming more like a prop for illustrating Zissou’s emotional development rather than his own man. "The Life Aquatic" probably won’t be remembered as a great film, but it is still one that no Anderson (or Murray) fan can afford to miss.--"Leah Weathersby"

Theatrical: 2003

Studio: Universal Studios

Genre: Art House & International

Duration: 130

Summary: Kevin Spacey ("American Beauty") plays David Gale, a brilliant but hard-drinking anti-death penalty crusader on death row for a rape and murder that he claims he didn't commit. The victim of the crime is Gale's close friend and anti-death penalty colleague (Laura Linney, "You Can Count On Me"), so Gale argues that he's been set up to discredit the cause. Committed journalist Bitsey Bloom (Kate Winslet, "Titanic") takes it upon herself to figure the whole thing out--and so we follow her through a ridiculous plot full of supposedly shocking twists that are telegraphed far in advance and make very little sense when they arrive. The overwritten script tries to cover too many hot-button issues and gives Spacey way too many showy scenes where he gets to be passionate and caring, which is creepier than his psychopath roles in "The Usual Suspects" and "Seven". "--Bret Fetzer"

Theatrical: 1985

Studio: Fox/MGM Home Video preorder: Sept 11, 2007

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 116

Summary: Director Tobe Hooper was a hot property after he scored a popular hit with "Poltergeist" (thanks in part to producer Steven Spielberg), so his follow-up film was the most wildly ambitious of his career to date. Armed with a big budget and a special effects crew led by "Star Wars" pioneer John Dykstra, Hooper and "Alien" cowriter Dan O'Bannon whipped up a movie that must be seen to be believed. That's not really a compliment, since "Lifeforce" isn't much of a movie when all the sound and fury is over. But you've got to admit there's something crazily admirable about a movie that starts out as a science fiction adventure about a mission to explore Halley's comet, turns into an alien-invasion thriller featuring a beautiful naked woman (Mathilda May) who's a vampire from space, and escalates into an end-of-the-world disaster flick! It's got everything you could want from a horror movie--from zombies running amok in London to rotting corpses and energy bolts to signal the apocalypse to come! Holding it all together is Steve Railsback as the Halley mission survivor who holds the key to mankind's salvation--but what fun is saving the world when you could be seduced by a sexy naked space vampire? Check out "Lifeforce" to see how it all turns out. The widescreen DVD includes 15 minutes of footage not seen in U.S. theaters, an eight-page booklet of production notes and trivia, and the original theatrical trailer. "--Jeff Shannon"

Theatrical: 1993

Studio: Platinum Disc

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 90

Summary: In 2168, A.D. nine people board a lifepod and escape the fatal explosion aboard their interplanetary spaceship, only to learn that the explosion was sabotage and the saboteur is among them.
Genre: Feature Film-Action/Adventure
Rating: UN
Release Date: 5-APR-2005
Media Type: DVD

Theatrical: 1988

Studio: Sony Pictures

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 97

Summary: The same year that River Phoenix made "Running on Empty", in which he played the son of '60s radicals on the run from the law and hiding in plain sight, he also made this film, which is even less interesting than the vastly overrated "Running". And, in this one, he plays a kid whose parents are, in fact, deep-cover Soviet moles (oops, the Berlin Wall is coming down--bad timing there) who are about to be brought to the surface. But Sonny Boy is being indoctrinated by a kindly FBI agent (Sidney Poitier)--and is torn between battling those dirty Commies and helping them because those dirty Commies are Mom and Dad. As silly as it sounds, building to an ersatz action finale. "--Marshall Fine"

Theatrical: 1987

Studio: United Artists

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 130

Summary: Timothy Dalton made his 007 debut in the lean, mean mode of Sean Connery, doing away with the pun-filled camp of Roger Moore's final outings. He establishes his persona right from the gritty pre-credits sequence, in which he hangs from a speeding truck as it barrels down narrow cobblestone streets, battles an assassin mano a mano, and lands in the arms of a bikinied babe. This James Bond is ruthless, tough, and romantic. "The Living Daylights", set during the thaw of the cold war, begins with the defection of Russian KGB General Koskov (Jeroen Krabbé) and his revelation of a Soviet plot to eliminate Britain's secret agent force. Assigned to eliminate Koskov's Soviet boss (John Rhys-Davies, cutting a memorable figure in his brief appearance), Bond uncovers a conspiracy involving Koskov and an American arms dealer (Joe Don Baker). Maryam d'Abo makes a fine Bond girl as Koskov's beautiful cellist girlfriend, a classy innocent who soon loses her naive blush and shows her pluck. The villains are lackluster--Krabbé is a clown and Baker a blowhard--and Dalton hadn't yet mastered the delivery of the trademark quips, but it's a sleek script with a no-nonsense attitude. Veteran series director John Glen's action scenes have never been better--especially the show-stopping mid-air battle on the net of a speeding cargo plane--and he returns the series to the smart, rough, high-energy adventures that made the Bond reputation. "--Sean Axmaker"

Theatrical: 1999

Studio: Polygram USA Video

Genre: Art House & International

Duration: 107

Summary: Cockney boys Tom, Soap, Eddie, and Bacon are in a bind; they owe seedy criminal and porn king "Hatchet" Harry a sizable amount of cash after Eddie loses half a million in a rigged game of poker. Hot on their tails is a thug named Big Chris who intends to send them all to the hospital if they don't come up with the cash in the allotted time. Add into the mix an incompetent set of ganja cultivators, two dimwitted robbers, a "madman" with an afro, and a ruthless band of drug dealers and you have an astonishing movie called "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels". Before the boys can blink, they are caught up in a labyrinth of double-crosses that lead to a multitude of dead bodies, copious amounts of drugs, and two antique rifles.
Written and directed by talented newcomer Guy Ritchie, this is one of those movies that was destined to become an instant cult classic à la "Reservoir Dogs". Although some comparisons were drawn between Ritchie and Quentin Tarantino, it would be unfair to discount the brilliant wit of the story and the innovative camerawork that the director brings to his debut feature. Not since "The Krays" has there been such an accurate depiction of the East End and its more colorful characters. Indicative of the social stratosphere in London, Ritchie's movie is a hilarious and at times touching account of friendships and loyalty. The director and his mates (who make up most of the cast) clearly are enjoying themselves here. This comes across in some shining performances, in particular from ex-footballer Vinnie Jones (Big Chris) and an over-the-top Vas Blackwood (as Rory Breaker), who very nearly steals the show. Full of quirky vernacular and clever tension-packed action sequences, "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" is a triumph--a perfect blend of intelligence, humor, and suspense. "--Jeremy Storey"

Theatrical: 1996

Studio: New Line Home Video

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 120

Summary: Geena Davis and her former husband, director Renny Harlin, attempted to pick up the pieces after the debacle of their box-office disaster, "Cutthroat Island". What they came up with was this repulsive ode to American film noir, based on a script by Shane Black ("Lethal Weapon") about an amnesiac schoolteacher (Davis) who searches for her true identity and finds she is actually a secret agent immersed in a deadly plot to topple the government. Mechanistic in its violence, obnoxious in its attitude, the film makes Davis, a once-promising actress, nothing more than a special effect. She tosses one to sadists in the audience by allowing her character to be beaten, punched unconscious, and tortured. The DVD release has optional full-screen and widescreen presentations, plus Dolby surround sound, theatrical trailer, cast information, optional French-language soundtrack and optional Spanish subtitles. "--Tom Keogh"

Theatrical:

Studio:

Genre: Action & Adventure

Summary:

Theatrical: 2001

Studio: New Line Home Entertainment

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 208

Summary: In every aspect, the extended-edition DVD of Peter Jackson's epic fantasy "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" blows away the theatrical-version DVD. No one who cares at all about the film should ever need to watch the original version again. Well, maybe the impatient and the squeamish will still prefer the theatrical version, because the extended edition makes a long film 30 minutes longer and there's a bit more violence (though both versions are rated PG-13). But the changes--sometimes whole scenes, sometimes merely a few seconds--make for a richer film. There's more of the spirit of J.R.R. Tolkien, embodied in more songs and a longer opening focusing on Hobbiton. There's more character development, and more background into what is to come in the two subsequent films, such as Galadriel's gifts to the Fellowship and Aragorn's burden of lineage. And some additions make more sense to the plot, or are merely worth seeing, such as the wood elves leaving Middle-earth or the view of Caras Galadhon (but sorry, there's still no Tom Bombadil). Extremely useful are the chapter menus that indicate which scenes are new or extended.
Of the "four" commentary tracks, the ones with the greatest general appeal are the one by Jackson and cowriters Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, and the one by 10 cast members, but the more technically oriented commentaries by the creative and production staff are also worth hearing. The bonus features (encompassing two complete DVDs) are far superior to the largely promotional materials included on the theatrical release, delving into such matters as script development, casting, and visual effects. The only drawback is that the film is now spread over two discs, with a somewhat abrupt break following the council at Rivendell, due to the storage capacity required for the longer running time, the added DTS ES 6.1 audio, and the commentary tracks. But that's a minor inconvenience. Whether in this four-disc set or in the collector's gift set (which adds Argonath bookends and a DVD of "National Geographic Beyond the Movie: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring"), the extended-edition DVD is the "Fellowship" DVD to rule them all. "--David Horiuchi"

Theatrical: 2003

Studio: New Line Home Video

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 201

Summary: With "The Return of the King", the greatest fantasy epic in film history draws to a grand and glorious conclusion. Director Peter Jackson's awe-inspiring adaptation of the Tolkien classic "The Lord of the Rings" could never fully satisfy those who remain exclusively loyal to Tolkien's expansive literature, but as a showcase for physical and technical craftsmanship it is unsurpassed in pure scale and ambition, setting milestone after cinematic milestone as the brave yet charmingly innocent Hobbit Frodo (Elijah Wood) continues his mission to Mordor, where he is destined to destroy the soul-corrupting One Ring of Power in the molten lava of Mount Doom. While the heir to the kingdom of Men, Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), endures the massive battle at Minas Tirith with the allegiance of the elf Legolas (Orlando Bloom), dwarf Gimli (John Rhys-Davies) and the great wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen), Frodo and stalwart companion Samwise Gamgee (Sean Astin) must survive the schizoid deceptions of Gollum, who remains utterly convincing as a hybrid of performance (by Andy Serkis) and subtly nuanced computer animation.

Jackson and cowriters Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens have much ground to cover; that they do so with intense pacing and epic sweep is impressive enough, but by investing greater depth and consequence in the actions of fellow Hobbits Merry (Dominic Monaghan) and Pippin (Billy Boyd), they ensure that "Return of the King" maintains the trilogy's emphasis on intimate fellowship. While several major characters appear only briefly, and one (Christopher Lee's evil wizard, Saruman) relegated entirely to the extended version on DVD, Jackson is to be commended for his editorial acumen; like Legolas the archer, his aim as a filmmaker is consistently true, and he remains faithful to Tolkien's overall vision. If "Return" suffers from too many endings, as some critic suggested, it's only because the epic's conclusion is so loyally inclusive of the actors--most notably Astin--who gave it such strength to begin with. By ending the "LOTR" trilogy with noble integrity and faith in the power of imaginative storytelling, "The Return of the King", like its predecessors, will stand as an adventure for the ages. "--Jeff Shannon"

Theatrical:

Studio: New Line Home Video

Genre: Thrillers

Duration: 682

Summary: As the triumphant start of a trilogy, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring leaves you begging for more. By necessity, Peter Jackson's ambitious epic compresses J.R.R. Tolkien's classic The Lord of the Rings, but this robust adaptation maintains reverent allegiance to Tolkien's creation, instantly qualifying as one of the greatest fantasy films ever made. At 178 minutes, it's long enough to establish the myriad inhabitants of Middle-earth, the legendary Rings of Power, and the fellowship of hobbits, elves, dwarves, and humans--led by the wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and the brave hobbit Frodo (Elijah Wood)--who must battle terrifying forces of evil on their perilous journey to destroy the One Ring in the land of Mordor. Superbly paced, the film is both epic and intimate, offering astonishing special effects and production design while emphasizing the emotional intensity of Frodo's adventure, and ends on a perfect note of heroic loyalty and rich anticipation.
After the breaking of the Fellowship, Frodo and Sam journey to Mordor with the creature Gollum as their guide in The Two Towers. Meanwhile, Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), Legolas (Orlando Bloom), and Gimli (John Rhys-Davies) join in the defense of the people of Rohan, who are the first target in the eradication of the race of Men by the renegade wizard Saruman (Christopher Lee) and the dark lord Sauron. Fantastic creatures, astounding visual effects, and a climactic battle at the fortress of Helm's Deep make The Two Towers a worthy successor to The Fellowship of the Ring, grander in scale but retaining the story's emotional intimacy.
With The Return of the King, the greatest fantasy epic in film history draws to a grand and glorious conclusion. The trilogy could never fully satisfy those who remain exclusively loyal to Tolkien's expansive literature, but as a showcase for physical and technical craftsmanship it is unsurpassed in pure scale and ambition, setting milestone after cinematic milestone as Frodo and Sam continue their mission to Mordor to destroy the soul-corrupting One Ring. While the heir to the kingdom of Men, Aragorn, endures the massive battle at Minas Tirith with the allegiance of Legolas, Gimli, and Gandalf, Frodo and Sam must survive the schizoid deceptions of Gollum, who remains utterly convincing as a hybrid of performance (by Andy Serkis) and subtly nuanced computer animation. Jackson and cowriters Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens have much ground to cover; that they do so with intense pacing and epic sweep is impressive enough, but by investing greater depth and consequence in the actions of fellow hobbits Merry (Dominic Monaghan) and Pippin (Billy Boyd), they ensure that The Return of the King maintains the trilogy's emphasis on intimate fellowship and remains faithful to Tolkien's overall vision. By ending the LOTR trilogy with noble integrity and faith in the power of imaginative storytelling, The Return of the King, like its predecessors, will stand as an adventure for the ages. --Jeff Shannon and David Horiuchi
Our Review of the Extended Edition on DVD (Dec. 14, 2004):
The extended editions of Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings present the greatest trilogy in film history in the most ambitious sets in DVD history. In bringing J.R.R. Tolkien's nearly unfilmable work to the screen, Jackson benefited from extraordinary special effects, evocative New Zealand locales, and an exceptionally well-chosen cast, but most of all from his own adaptation with co-writers Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, preserving Tolkien's vision and often his very words, but also making logical changes to accommodate the medium of film. While purists complained about these changes and about characters and scenes left out of the films, the almost two additional hours of material in the extended editions (about 11 hours total) help appease them by delving more deeply into Tolkien's music, the characters, and loose ends that enrich the story, such as an explanation of the Faramir-Denethor relationship, and the appearance of the Mouth of Sauron at the gates of Mordor. In addition, the extended editions offer more bridge material between the films, further confirming that the trilogy is really one long film presented in three pieces (which is why it's the greatest trilogy ever--there's no weak link). The scene of Galadriel's gifts to the Fellowship added to the first film proves significant over the course of the story, while the new Faramir scene at the end of the second film helps set up the third and the new Saruman scene at the beginning of the third film helps conclude the plot of the second.

To top it all off, the extended editions offer four discs per film: two for the longer movie, plus four commentary tracks and stupendous DTS 6.1 ES sound; and two for the bonus material, which covers just about everything from script creation to special effects. The argument was that fans would need both versions because the bonus material is completely different, but the features on the theatrical releases are so vastly inferior that the only reason a fan would need them would be if they wanted to watch the shorter versions they saw in theaters (the last of which, The Return of the King, merely won 11 Oscars). The LOTR extended editions without exception have set the DVD standard by providing a richer film experience that pulls the three films together and further embraces Tolkien's world, a reference-quality home theater experience, and generous, intelligent, and engrossing bonus features. --David Horiuchi
Versions of Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy on Blu-ray and DVD

Original Theatrical Edition
Platinum Series Special Extended Edition
Original Theatrical and Extended Limited Edition
Original Theatrical Edition [Blu-ray]
Extended Edition [Blu-ray] Release Date May 25, 2004 Dec. 14, 2004 Aug. 29, 2006 Apr. 16, 2010 TBA Format/Disc # Three DVDs 12 DVDs Six DVDs Three Blu-ray Discs, Three DVDs, Three Digital Copies 15 Discs Total: Films are on Blu-ray, with Special Features on DVDs Digital Copies No No No Yes, on three discs Yes, online Extra footage None 30 minutes added to Return of the King; 43 minutes added to The Two Towers; 50 minutes added to Return of the King For all three films: Both the theatrical and extended edition on one disc None Same as extended-edition DVD Commentaries None Commentary by Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens; Commentary by the design team; Commentary by the production/post-production team; Commentary by the cast, including Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Sean Astin, Andy Serkis, John Rhys-Davies, Orlando Bloom, Christopher Lee, and Miranda Otto None None Same commentaries as extended-edition DVD Documentaries Fellowship of the Ring: "Welcome to Middle-earth," "The Quest for the Ring," "A Passage to Middle-earth"; The Two Towers: "On the Set: The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers"; "Return to Middle- earth"Return of the King: Three documentaries: "The Quest Fulfilled: A Director's Vision," "A Filmmaker's Journey: Making The Return of The King," "National Geographic Special: Beyond the Movie" "From Book to Vision," "From Vision to Reality," "The Journey Continues...," Documentaries on J.R.R. Tolkein, "From Book to Script" documentaries, "Designing and Building Middle-earth," "Home of the Horse Lords," "Gollum," "Filming 'The Two Towers,'" "Visual Effects," "Editorial: Refining the Story," "Music and Sound," "The Battle for Helm's Deep is Over..."; "Filming The Return of the King," "Weta Digital," "Post-Production: Journey's End," "The Passing of an Age," "Cameron Duncan: The Inspiration for 'Into the West'" Three behind-the-scenes documentaries by Costa Botes, the filmmaker director Peter Jackson personally hired Same as theatrical-edition DVD Same as extended-edition DVD, plus Costa Botes documentaries from the Original Theatrical & Extended Limited Edition Featurettes Fellowship of the Ring: 15 featurettes originally created for lordoftherings.net; The Two Towers: Eight featurettes originally created for lordoftherings.net; Return of the King: Six featurettes None None Same as theatrical-edition DVD None Other Features Exclusive 10-minute behind-the-scenes previews of The Two Towers and The Fellowship of the Ring; Enya "May It Be" music video; An inside look at the Special Extended DVD Edition of The Lord of the Rings Trilogy; Preview of Electronic Arts' video games; DVD-ROM features: Exclusive online content; Emiliana Torrini "Gollum Song" music video; "The Long and Short of It," a short film by Sean Astin; "The Lord of The Rings" Trilogy Supertrailer Design Galleries; "Middle-earth Atlas: Tracing the Journeys of the Fellowship" interactive map; "New Zealand as Middle-earth" interactive map w/on-location footage; production photos; "The Mumakil Battle" demonstration / multi-angle interactive feature; "DFK6498" short film, "Strike Zone" short film, DVD-ROM access to exclusive online features None Same as theatrical-edition DVD Same as extended edition DVDs; see above for complete special features

Theatrical: 2002

Studio: New Line Home Entertainment

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 179

Summary: "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" is a seamless continuation of Peter Jackson's epic fantasy based on the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. After the breaking of the Fellowship, Frodo (Elijah Wood) and Sam (Sean Astin) journey to Mordor to destroy the One Ring of Power with the creature Gollum as their guide. Meanwhile, Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), Legolas (Orlando Bloom), and Gimli (John Rhys-Davies) join in the defense of the people of Rohan, who are the first target in the eradication of the race of Men by the renegade wizard Saruman (Christopher Lee) and the dark lord Sauron. Fantastic creatures, astounding visual effects, and a climactic battle at the fortress of Helm's Deep make "The Two Towers" a worthy successor to "The Fellowship of the Ring", grander in scale but retaining the story's emotional intimacy. These two films are perhaps the greatest fantasy films ever made, but they're merely a prelude to the cataclysmic events of "The Return of the King". "--David Horiuchi"

Theatrical: 2005

Studio: Lions Gate

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 122

Summary: The lethal business of arms dealers provides an electrifying context for the black-as-coal humor of Andrew Niccol's "Lord of War". Having proven his ingenuity as the writer of "The Truman Show", and writer-director of "Gattaca" and the under-appreciated "Simone", Niccol is clearly striving for Strangelovian relevance here as he chronicles the rise and inevitable fall of Yuri Orlov (Nicolas Cage), a Ukrainian immigrant to America who makes his fortune selling every kind of ordnance he can get his amoral hands on. With a trophy wife (Bridget Moynahan) who's initially clueless about his hidden career, and a younger brother (Jared Leto) whose drug-addled sense of decency makes him an ill-chosen accomplice, Yuri traffics in death the way other salesman might push vacuum cleaners (he likes to say that alcohol and tobacco are deadlier products than his), but even he can't deny the sheer ruthlessness of the Liberian dictator (a scene-stealing Eamonn Walker) who purchases Orlov's "products" to expand his oppressive regime. Niccol's themes are even bigger than Yuri's arms deals, and he drives them home with a blunt-force lack of subtlety, but Cage gives the film the kind of insanely dark humor it needs to have. To understand this monster named Yuri, we have to see at least a glimpse of his humanity, which Cage provides as only he can. Otherwise, this epic tale of gunrunnng would be as morally unbearable as the black market trade it illuminates. "--Jeff Shannon"

Theatrical: 2000

Studio: Sony Pictures

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 98

Summary: Writer-director Amy Heckerling has a way with teen comedies, from "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" to "Clueless" and now "Loser". She manages to take the clichés of life in school and spin them into cinematic gold. Part of her secret is that she genuinely seems to respect all of her characters, even the unsavory ones. In "Loser", Paul Tannek (Jason Biggs from "American Pie") is a farm-town boy who's gotten himself a scholarship to a fancy Manhattan college. He's worried that he's not going to fit in with the sophisticated city crowd. Well, he's right to worry. He doesn't fit in, which his three dorm-mates are quick to remind him. The only person he can talk to is Dora (Mena Suvari from "American Beauty"), a cocktail waitress-student who's having an affair with a pretentious lit teacher (Greg Kinnear).
Biggs is great in this movie, the perfect straight man, setting up jokes that wouldn't work without his reactions to them. In fact, the whole movie is so well-cast--Suvari is charming, Kinnear is entertainingly smug, the three dorm-mates are fun to dislike--that the actors, working in tandem with Heckerling, give a life to characters that in less talented hands would have been revealed as over-determined and exaggerated. Pardon the blurb, but it's true: "Loser" is a winner."--Andy Spletzer"

Theatrical: 1999

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 100

Summary: Boy meets girl, boy falls in love. Girl loses dog, boy finds dog, decides to be a hero. But wait--the girl has an oily Euro ex-boyfriend, and the dog swallows the boy's best friend's wedding ring and can't be returned to the girl until the ring is, uh, "found". Fans of "There's Something About Mary" should like this light-as-a-feather comedy, since it heists plot devices directly from that film. Think about it: there's two guys competing for the same girl, a scruffy-but-lovable terrier, and even a clutch of oversexed old ladies. David Spade, "Saturday Night Live" alum, is marginally less grating and more likable in this slight romantic comedy. Unfortunately this film is also littered with some pretty bad gags (beware of Spade's lengthy Neil Diamond impersonation), poo-poo jokes, and a character who's a direct stand-in for the late Chris Farley. Sophie Marceau, gorgeous as she is, apparently speaks her lines in phonetic English for all the feeling she puts into them. Still, this is suitable for stashing your brain under the couch for an evening. "--Jerry Renshaw"

Theatrical: 1987

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 97

Summary: This 1987 thriller was a predictable hit with the teen audience it worked overtime to attract. Like most of director Joel Schumacher's films, it's conspicuously designed to push the right marketing and demographic buttons, and granted, there's some pretty cool stuff going on here and there. Take Kiefer Sutherland, for instance. In "Stand by Me" he played a memorable bully, but here he goes one step further as a memorable bully "vampire" who leads a tribe of teenage vampires on their nocturnal spree of bloodsucking havoc. Jason Patric plays the new guy in town, who quickly attracts a lovely girlfriend (Jami Gertz), only to find that she might be recruiting him into the vampire fold. The movie gets sillier as it goes along, and resorts to a routine action-movie showdown, but it's a visual knockout (featuring great cinematography by Michael Chapman) and boasts a cast that's eminently able (pardon the pun) to sink their teeth into the best parts of an uneven screenplay. "--Jeff Shannon"

Theatrical: 2003

Studio: Universal Studios

Genre: Independently Distributed

Duration: 102

Summary: Like a good dream, Sofia Coppola's "Lost in Translation" envelops you with an aura of fantastic light, moody sound, head-turning love, and a feeling of déjà vu, even though you've probably never been to this neon-fused version of Tokyo. Certainly Bob Harris has not. The 50-ish actor has signed on for big money shooting whiskey ads instead of doing something good for his career or his long-distance family. Jetlagged, helplessly lost with his Japanese-speaking director, and out of sync with the metropolis, Harris (Bill Murray, never better) befriends the married but lovelorn 25-year-old Charlotte (played with heaps of poise by 18-year-old Scarlett Johansson). Even before her photographer husband all but abandons her, she is adrift like Harris but in a total entrapment of youth. How Charlotte and Bill discover they are soul mates will be cherished for years to come. Written and directed by Coppola ("The Virgin Suicides"), the film is far more atmospheric than plot-driven: we whiz through Tokyo parties, karaoke bars, and odd nightlife, always ending up in the impossibly posh hotel where the two are staying. The wisps of bittersweet loneliness of Bill and Charlotte are handled smartly and romantically, but unlike modern studio films, this isn't a May-November fling film. Surely and steadily, the film ends on a much-talked-about grace note, which may burn some, yet awards film lovers who "always had Paris" with another cinematic destination of the heart. "--Doug Thomas"

Theatrical: 1988

Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 87

Summary: From the brilliant minds behind "Saturday Night Live" and "MadTV!" comes a tale of Saucy Sorcery in Salem! In 1692, fresh, young baker Sara Lee (Kelly Preston) is overjoyed that her childhood sweetheart Miles (Cassidy) has returned to be the new assistant at Salem's church. But all is not well in fair Salem; the mayor (Dave Thomas) and the judge (Stuart Pankin) have come up with an outrageous scheme to dupe the townsfolk out of their land, by accusing innocent people of witchcraft! As they begin this plan, a sexy stranger (Barbara Carrera) enters town to visit her cousin...What nobody knows is that this woman actually is a real witch, and she's brewing up a pot of magical mischief. Will the townspeople be able to decide who the real witch is before all hell breaks loose?

Theatrical: 1992

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 92

Summary: The premise of "Love Potion #9"--that a magic potion makes the user irresistible to the opposite sex--could be the setup for the crassest sex farce imaginable. Instead, this film is a surprisingly subtle romantic comedy. Nebbishy scientist Paul (Tate Donovan) goes to a Gypsy fortuneteller (Anne Bancroft), who tells him she sees no women in his entire life. To make up for this depressing news, she gives him a few drops of a love potion--number 8. Paul, a biochemist, scoffs; but when his pet cat accidentally gets a taste and attracts every female cat in the neighborhood, he enlists fellow dweeby scientist Diane (Sandra Bullock) to analyze it. After experimenting on monkeys, they decide to test it on themselves; soon Diane is being pursued by handsome Italians in the street and comes close to marrying the Prince of England, while Paul gets a little revenge on a woman who previously rejected him, then embarks on his own love spree. Shortly they discover that they really want each other; but before they can get married, an old boyfriend of Diane returns with his own dose of love potion number 8. Paul's only hope is to get something even more powerful. "Love Potion #9" is genuinely clever and sweet, and both Donovan and Bullock work well with the low-key but effective humor of the movie's well-written script. It's a tribute to her talent and her girl-next-door looks that Bullock, unlike most pretty stars dressing down, is effective as both a lovelorn loser and the confident glamour-girl she becomes. Altogether, a charming and enjoyable film. "--Bret Fetzer"

Theatrical: 1989

Studio: Sony Pictures

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 98

Summary: No Description Available.
Genre: Feature Film-Comedy
Rating: PG13
Release Date: 4-APR-2006
Media Type: DVD

Theatrical: 2006

Studio: Weinstein Company

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 109

Summary: How boring it is to label a movie Tarantino-esque anymore. The thing is, when it comes to an offering like "Lucky Number Slevin", the shoe fits, and the result is anything but boring. Gruesome killings, arid wit, self-reflexive pop culture references, an A-list cast, and style-heavy production values abound, which gives the proceedings an epoxy bond that seals the Q.T. homage factor. Josh Hartnett--who spends a lot of buffed-up time with his shirt off--is Slevin Kelevra, a hapless fellow visiting his New York friend Nick. But Nick has disappeared, which sets off a mistaken-identity thrill ride when two goons grab Slevin (he's in Nick's apartment so he must be Nick) and take him to their crime lord boss, the Boss (Morgan Freeman). The Boss doesn't care about Slevin's wrong-man protests; he just wants the $96,000 Nick owes him. In one of many offers he can't refuse, Slevin has to agree to murder the son of the Boss's felonious arch rival, the Rabbi (Ben Kingsley) or take the bullet himself. But Slevin turns out to be no ordinary patsy. Thrown into the ingeniously designed production, clever plot twists, and academic nods to Bond, Hitchcock, and obscure old cartoons are Lucy Liu as a sexy coroner, Stanley Tucci as an obsessed cop, and Bruce Willis as a wily hit man with his finger in many pots. With so much visual and narrative trickery, there's almost too much to absorb in one viewing of this convoluted jigsaw puzzle of revenge and entertaining mayhem. "Lucky Number Slevin" isn't quite up to par with similarly brainy thrillers like "Memento" and "The Usual Suspects", but the prospect of seeing it again in order to get your bearings is just as appealing."--Ted Fry"

Theatrical: 2003

Studio: Sony Pictures

Genre: Art House & International

Duration: 90

Summary: No Description Available.
Genre: Feature Film-Comedy
Rating: PG13
Release Date: 13-SEP-2005
Media Type: DVD