Catalog created on 22/01/2004 with Ant Movie Catalog.
| Number | Original Title | Translated Title | Size (Mb) | Format | Languages | Subtitles |
22   |
3000 Miles to Graceland | 3,000 Miles to GracelandThree Thousand Miles to Graceland | DVD | |||
| PLOT SYNOPSIS: After squaring off in 1995 with competing movie biographies of frontier lawman Wyatt Earp, actors Kurt Russell and Kevin Costner co-star in this action crime caper as former cronies engaged in a series of double-crosses over some stolen loot. Michael Zane (Russell) and Thomas Murphy (Costner) are the leaders of a gang of ex-convict thieves using an Elvis Presley impersonator convention to pull off a daring heist in a Las Vegas casino. The gang also includes Gus (David Arquette), Hanson (Bokeem Woodbine), and Franklin (Christian Slater). Although they manage to retrieve the money, the crooks turn on each other in bloody fashion and Murphy (who believes he's actually the illegitimate son of Elvis) makes off with the illegal funds. In hot pursuit are the police and Michael, who's encumbered by his girlfriend Cybil (Courtney Cox-Arquette) and her young son Jesse James. Written and directed by music video creator Demian Lichtenstein, 3000 Miles to Graceland also stars Kevin Pollak, Ice-T, and Howie Long. -- Karl Williams AMG REVIEW: Kevin Costner puts the finishing touches on a major career slump with this ultra-bad crime thriller that would have been passé (and just as ghastly) five years earlier. Positioned as a goofy, comic action flick, 3000 Miles to Graceland is in actuality a soulless, vile enterprise utterly devoid of human feeling or thought, chock full of pointless blood, mayhem, and carnage. The depiction of women is deplorable not just for its archaic reprehensibility but also for its sheer plot-bending senselessness. Example number one: A mother (Courtney Cox-Arquette), characterized throughout the film as loving and attentive, abandons her beloved son with a stone-cold killer for a long section of the narrative, apparently because she finds his taste for waving a gun in her face just ginchy. Example number two: In many a noir crime tale, the central anti-heroes are presented as likable simply by contrast to the sheer villainy and corruptibility of the so-called "ordinary" folks they encounter. In noir, everyone's on the make, a venerable conceit stretching back to Philip Marlowe and Sam Spade. The level of understanding that director Demian Lichtenstein brings to this hallowed device becomes clear in a sequence depicting Murphy (Costner) liberating a teen sex abuse victim from a loathsome gas station attendant. The teen nymphet character is speedily dropped -- in the most sexist, stomach-turning fashion imaginable -- and it becomes clear that Lichtenstein has used a narrative tradition in order to stage a really cool explosion that he can film from a variety of angles, sending the film's already jaw-dropping lack of credibility to new heights. Never has a film worked so hard to be dubbed "Tarantino-esque," but unlike the films of Quentin Tarantino, which are seeped in character and dexterous plot confabulations, music video director Lichtenstein's debut feature is soaked in caricature, twisting like a dying carp all over the literal and figurative terrain of its genre, desperate to introduce some gratifying plot point while never delving deeper into any of its characters than an interstitial cartoon. Moments that are meant to play as sleek and cool, such as a stroll through a casino by Elvis-impersonating rip-off artists (in an umpteenth nod to a scene from 1983's The Right Stuff), fall hopelessly flat, making the film unintentionally hilarious and thereby entertaining in ways never planned by its creators. Virtually unwatchable, 3000 Miles to Graceland is one of the worst films of 2001 or any other year. -- Karl Williams | ||||||
20   |
American Wedding | American Pie 3 | DVD | |||
| PLOT SYNOPSIS: Jesse Dylan's American Wedding rounds up the characters from the American Pie films for a trip to the altar. Jim (Jason Biggs) proposes to Michelle (Alyson Hannigan). Hoping to make the wedding day as special as possible for his bride, Jim enlists the help of his friends Finch (Eddie Kaye Thomas), Kevin (Thomas Ian Nicholas), and the always obnoxious Stiffler (Seann William Scott) to help him convince a dressmaker to create the perfect gown, make a good impression on his future in-laws, and assist him in getting out of the embarrassing situations in which he so often seems to find himself. Stiffler and Finch battle for the attention of Michelle's younger sister Cadence (January Jones), Jim's Grandmother objects to the wedding because Michelle is not Jewish, and Stiffler's poorly timed surprise bachelor party are just some of the obstacles that must be overcome before the happy event can transpire. -- Perry Seibert AMG REVIEW: The young and horny high schoolers of American Pie, after a brief stint as the young and horny college students of American Pie 2, have settled in as the slightly older, vaguely lost, and perpetually horny young adults of American Wedding. Granted, palpably absent former co-stars Natasha Lyonne, Chris Klein, Mena Suvari, and Tara Reid have apparently moved on to bigger and better things (though it's hard to say for certain, being that their absence doesn't get so much as a fleeting mention), but the rest of the group, as well as the movie itself, seems almost desperate to go through the motions. Sure enough, Jim (Jason Biggs) and Michelle (Alyson Hannigan) have decided to consummate what began as a prom night bet into a lifelong commitment. The marriage itself, however, serves as more of a vehicle for Seann William Scott than it does as a central plot device. Sadly, Hannigan's screen time is only slightly more than a cameo appearance, popping up now and then to remind audiences that there's a wedding being planned, while Biggs' primary concern is to woo his future bride's WASP-y parents, despite two more embarrassing incidents involving baked goods and his crotch. Scott, as Steve Stifler, is arguably the star of American Wedding, but his good-hearted Neanderthal act is significantly more believable as a supporting performance than it is as a lead role. Scott's knack for slapstick and physical comedy is undeniable, however, and the funniest moments of the movie can, indeed, be attributed to his character. Still, simply put: his shtick is old. Even Eugene Levy's famous fatherly advice seems a little strained, though his performance is easily the highlight of the film. In short, American Pie's formula was unique enough to stretch over two movies, but after three it's reduced to a mirror of the film's characters -- a little older, a little wiser, but without the charm. -- Tracie Cooper | ||||||
9  |
Bad Boys II | DVD | ||||
| PLOT SYNOPSIS: Stars Martin Lawrence and Will Smith return along with director Michael Bay and producer Jerry Bruckheimer for this sequel to the 1995 sleeper hit Bad Boys, the film that sparked the careers of both actors, as well as Bay. Once again, Lawrence and Smith play hotshot, wisecracking Miami narcotics officers Marcus Burnett and Mike Lowry. This time around, they've been assigned to head up a task force to investigate the illegal trafficking of ecstasy into the city. They discover that an underground gang war has been instigated by drug kingpin Johnny Tapia (Jordi Molla). In order to cut off the flow of the designer drug, they have to take down Tapia. Unfortunately, there's a wrench thrown into the gears in the form of Burnett's sister Syd, whom Lowry takes a liking to and begins a relationship with. Tensions rise between the partners, threatening both their friendship and the investigation and putting Syd's life in harm's way. Also returning from the first film are Joe Pantoliano as Captain Howard, Theresa Randle as Bennet's wife Theresa, and former-NBA star John Salley as 'Hacker' Fletcher. Among the supporting players new to this entry in the series are Peter Stormare and musician, spoken-word artist, and sometimes-actor Henry Rollins. -- Matthew Tobey AMG REVIEW: The Bad Boys are back in this amped-up sequel, promising bigger explosions, wittier dialogue, and more slow-motion shots than the law of Peckinpah allows. This time, they take on a nasty Cuban drug lord and end up destroying half of Miami and Cuba along the way. It'd been a while since Michael Bay had directed a straight-ahead action film, so you can tell that he wanted to pull out all the stops with this one. As it turns out, he's managed to create one of the most excessive and mindless blockbusters to come out of Tinseltown in quite some time. It's loud, brutally violent, and extremely bloody, with each gun battle ending with multiple body bags for drug dealers, cops, and bystanders alike. It seems that Smith and Lawrence must've stockpiled their "get out of jail free" cards, because they destroy literally everything everywhere they go and never seem to get in trouble (though it does open the door for some hilarious Joe Pantoliano moments). Whatever happened to the cops getting suspended in the movies? Obviously the filmmakers had no room for that cliché, since they'd ripped off virtually every other one in the script already. Speaking of rip-offs, there are some painfully obvious Matrix-like scenes, which while still over-the-top, come out of nowhere and end up looking horribly out of place. The same goes for Bay's overabundant camera tricks -- like the endless nightclub shot or the spinning gunfight scene (which wears out its "cool factor" pretty quick). Overabundance of style like this just comes off laughable, but then again, it's Bad Boys II, so what do you expect? Comedy-wise, the laughs are seriously lacking, as they mine Lawrence's anger management subplot for far too long, virtually making the whole film one big argument between the two leads. Still, with a wild chase scene (rivaling the same summer's Terminator 3 for sheer destruction), and most scenes ending in complete carnage, this sequel might appeal to the brainless action movie lover in the crowd -- just don't expect them to explain it to you afterwards. With a whopping running time of 146 minutes and a convoluted plot that advances at break-neck speed, Bad Boys II runs the risk of not only confusing the audience, but making them restless -- a big mistake when dealing with summer blockbusters. That said, if you've got a few hours and can leave your brain at the door, you might be able to find some enjoyment in this gluttonous mess. If not, don't bother. -- Jeremy Wheeler | ||||||
13   |
Beef | DVD | English | |||
| A documentary on the evolution of MC battles from verbal one-upmanship to street warfare. | ||||||
34   |
Bruce Almighty | DVD | ||||
| PLOT SYNOPSIS: After a bad day at work, a man suddenly gets a new job -- as the world's new Heavenly Father -- in this comedy. Bruce Nolan (Jim Carrey) is a television reporter working in Buffalo, NY, who has been growing increasingly dissatisfied with his existence, and after an especially bad day, he flies into a rage and curses God for making his life miserable. To Bruce's great surprise, the Supreme Being Himself (Morgan Freeman) appears, and tries to convince Bruce of the enormity of his task. Bruce, however, isn't buying it, so God gives him a chance to find out what he's up against; God bestows all of his powers on Bruce for a week, to see how he'd handle things. At first, Bruce has a great time bending the world around him to his will, much to the puzzlement of his girlfriend, Grace (Jennifer Aniston), but after six days God stops by to remind Bruce he hasn't done much to make the Earth a better place. Disappointed, God presents Bruce with an ultimatum -- he has one day to improve the world in a concrete way, or God will toss the planet back into the void. Bruce Almighty was directed by Tom Shadyac, who previously teamed with Jim Carrey for Liar, Liar and Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. -- Mark Deming AMG REVIEW: With its not-very-subtle attempt to soften Jim Carrey and its throwaway casting of Jennifer Aniston, Bruce Almighty feels like it should have been made in 1997. The first half hour of the film consists of Carrey doing his usual physically explosive, plastic-faced, put-upon schmuck schtick. The film gets some necessary gravitas when Morgan Freeman, perfectly cast as God, appears. Freeman standing still is more powerful a screen presence than Carrey moving, and thankfully Carrey (or director Tom Shadyac) understands that. Once the (admittedly superb) high concept kicks in, the film has great fun for about 30 minutes. As Bruce learns what he is capable of, Carrey's intense physicality helps sell the more outlandish stunts he pulls. The highlight of this section of the film is actually Steven Carell's amusing turn as a tongue-tied anchorman who is the focus of Bruce's anger. But the interminable last hour of the film is full of the same mawkish sentimentality that Carrey's audience rejected when it came in the form of The Majestic. The film's second half feels like an attempt to soften Carrey's image, which is not something that he needs to do at this point in his career. Fans will probably be satisfied with Bruce Almighty, but one gets the feeling that Carrey refuses to give his audience the laughs that they want unless they take him seriously as well. We are seeing a performer who once made his butt talk demand respectability. -- Perry Seibert | ||||||
1  |
Cradle 2 the Grave | DVD | ||||
| PLOT SYNOPSIS: A thief and a lawman join forces to hunt down a common enemy in this action thriller. Tony Fait (DMX) is a master thief who, along with his crew (Gabrielle Union, Anthony Anderson, and Drag-On), pulls off a major score when they steal a cache of highly valuable black diamonds. However, the hard-as-nails Tony has a soft spot for his young daughter Vanessa (Paige Hurd), and Ling (Mark Dacascos), a former detective turned ruthless criminal, kidnaps Vanessa, demanding a ransom from Tony for her return -- the stash of black diamonds. The jewels have already been stolen, however, from Tony's fence Archie (Tom Arnold), and are now in the hands of a powerful underworld boss (Chi McBride). Determined to get back his daughter whatever the cost, Tony and his gang set out to find both Ling and the diamonds, but he soon gets some invaluable help from an unlikely corner -- Su (Jet Li), a government agent from Taiwan who was once Ling's partner, and has an old score to settle with him. Cradle 2 the Grave also features Kelly Hu and Roxana Brusso. -- Mark Deming AMG REVIEW: Like most of Jet Li's stateside films, Cradle 2 the Grave is yet another poor excuse of an action film to showcase the martial arts expert's talents. Of course, this being a modern American kung fu flick, there just has to be a rapper playing opposite him -- this time it's the seemingly always moralistic DMX. After his goody goody role in the surprisingly good Seagal comeback flick Exit Wounds, you'd think that he might want to get serious about kicking butt, but instead he opts for a latter-day Eddie Murphy family-guy mindset and ends up breaking the record for how many times one can make references to being "a father" in a film. (Dear DMX, the audience got it by about the fifth time.) The script is just one big mess too, with the action and plot annoyingly split between the two leads at all times during the film. In fact, if it weren't for the simply atrocious editing, Cradle 2 the Grave would be much better remembered, if not simply because of the scene where Jet Li fights a midget! It's absolute genius, with the tuxedoed little guy spinning kicks at our hero in a cage match as the place explodes with over a dozen brawlers all heading for Li. Unfortunately for the audience, the fun is majorly spoiled by the big hand of the editor once again, cutting the action dead in its tracks and picking up DMX's story line long after you forgot what the heck his character was up to. It's this kind of reckless disregard for action set pieces that kills Cradle 2 the Grave. Amazingly, it doesn't stop with this scene, as the final fight between Li and Brotherhood of the Wolf extraordinaire Mark Dacascos, which should have been epic, is virtually ruined by the same technique. (Funny enough, the same editor is also the guy who didn't know how to cut Li's action in Romeo Must Die.) Thankfully, the film repeats the hilarious comic relief from Exit Wounds, with Tom Arnold and Anthony Anderson crackin' jokes once again during the end credits -- a welcome ending to a frustrating film. -- Jeremy Wheeler | ||||||
30  |
Dogma | DVD | ||||
| PLOT SYNOPSIS: Would you believe that the last living descendent of Jesus Christ is a woman working at an abortion clinic in Illinois? And that she's been sent on a holy mission with two minor characters from Clerks and Mallrats as her guides? Prepare to suspend any and all disbelief as you watch the religious satire Dogma, the fourth film from writer/director Kevin Smith. Bethany (Linda Fiorentino) has been disappointed in life and has found her faith severely tested after her husband leaves her when she discovers she cannot have children. So Bethany is all the more puzzled when she's approached by Metatron (Alan Rickman), a grumpy angel. Metatron wants her to help him stop Bartleby (Ben Affleck) and Loki (Matt Damon), two fallen angels who were ejected from paradise, have escaped from exile and are heading to New Jersey. If they are able to pass through the arc of a certain church, it will prove God is fallible and the world will come to a swift end. Bethany has no idea what to do or why she's been given this project, but she heads out anyway, with her assigned assistants Jay (Jason Mewes), an appallingly rude former dope dealer and self-styled ladies man, and Silent Bob (Kevin Smith). Along the way, Bethany picks up more helpers, including a celestial muse named Serendipity (Salma Hayek) and Rufus (Chris Rock), who claims to have been the 13th apostle and that Jesus owes him 12 dollars. Boasting a huge supporting cast -- including George Carlin, Jason Lee, Janeane Garofalo, Bud Cort, and Alanis Morissette (as God) -- Dogma proved to be highly controversial even before its release. Miramax Pictures, owned by Disney, financed the film, but several weeks before Dogma's world premier at the Cannes Film Festival, they announced they would not release the picture and intended to sell it to another distributor (which would turn out to be Lions Gate Films). Director Smith, however, has always contended that Dogma is a film about the importance of faith, if not organized religion. -- Mark Deming AMG REVIEW: A bizarre and controversial film from writer/director Kevin Smith that's a heady mixture of indie conventions, Monty Python sensibilities and the twisted, violent comic book Preacher. Despite such an impressive and interesting pedigree, Dogma contains a few entertaining sequences and some interesting ideas, but the parts never quite cohere into a solid whole. Smith's dialogue, while often clever, also remains frustratingly expository after so many films, and some of his characters' motivations are murky at best, both because of the director's strict adherence to plot mechanics over all other story elements. As in so many of Smith's films, the characters move from point A to point B not because they necessarily must, but because the plot requires them to. The result is a cutesy, self-aware, and artificial feel to Smith's work that quickly wears out its welcome. As one of the first and most talented of his generation of "slacker" filmmakers, Smith should move on thematically and stylistically into new territory, a move he seemed to make with Chasing Amy (1997). -- Karl Williams | ||||||
16  |
Family Guy Volume One (Seasons 1 & 2) | 4 | DVD | |||
| The Griffin household includes two teenagers, a cynical dog who is smarter than everyone else, and a mutant baby who makes numerous attempts to eradicate his parents and siblings. Heading up this eclectic household is Peter Griffin. Peter does his best to do what's right for the family, but along the way, he makes mistakes that are the stuff of legends. | ||||||
17  |
Family Guy Volume Two (Season 3) | 3 | DVD | |||
| The Griffin household includes two teenagers, a cynical dog who is smarter than everyone else, and a mutant baby who makes numerous attempts to eradicate his parents and siblings. Heading up this eclectic household is Peter Griffin. Peter does his best to do what's right for the family, but along the way, he makes mistakes that are the stuff of legends. | ||||||
4  |
Final Destination 2 | DVD | ||||
| PLOT SYNOPSIS: Death lurks, and two teenage girls try to figure out where he's heading, in this sequel to the unexpected teen horror hit Final Destination. As Clear Rivers (Ali Larter), the only surviving passenger of the ill-fated Flight 180, waits in a mental institution, certain Death will claim her, Kim (A.J. Cook), who has begun to display precognitive powers, is driving along the highway when she sees a terrible accident in which several cars crash into a logging truck. Moments later, the horrible vision is gone, but Kim is certain she saw an accident that was supposed to happen but didn't...and now Death will track down the souls he meant to take that day who slipped through his fingers. A police officer, Thomas Burke (Michael Landes), believes there's a germ of truth in Kim's story, and teams her up with Clear in hopes that together they can help prevent Death from snuffing out any more of the people involves in the accident that wasn't. Tony Todd also returns from the first film as Mr. Bludworth. -- Mark Deming AMG REVIEW: With mixed reviews and a domestic gross just north of 50 million dollars, Final Destination was an unlikely candidate to spawn a sequel, despite its slick (and wickedly morbid) execution of a smart concept. But Final Destination 2 justifies all risks taken to give it a theatrical release, as a mostly new cast and crew reproduce the original formula in a manner that may actually be more self-assured and satisfying. It's certainly funnier, though most of the laughter comes in the form of head-shaking howls at the gruesome and gory abruptness of the deaths. J. Mackye Gruber's script understands how to set up these punchlines through seat-squirming red herrings -- the audience can't bear to watch a dentist aim his hypodermic needle at an impending victim's gums -- so even when viewers telegraph the twists that are meant to defy their expectations, it's still cathartic. The adroit staging of these scenes, veritable montages of fatal coincidence, makes it easier to forgive director David R. Ellis for overusing them to the point of redundancy. The film even constructs a somewhat intelligible plan to flout Death's design that links to the first film, though viewers should be prepared to make concessions in the logic department. Final Destination 2 reiterates the best strength of its surprisingly fertile franchise: a liberating format that doesn't rely on serial killers pouncing from the shadows, instead indulging in a genuinely inventive and comic view of predestined doom. -- Derek Armstrong | ||||||
15  |
Finding Nemo | DVD | ||||
| PLOT SYNOPSIS: Andrew Stanton, who helped write Toy Story and Monsters, Inc., co-wrote and directed this computer-animated comedy-adventure about finding a very small fish in a very large ocean. Marlin (voice of Albert Brooks) is a more-than-slightly paranoid Clown Fish who is extremely devoted to his young son, Nemo (voice of Alexander Gould), the only survivor after a hungry shark swallowed up Nemo's mother and her other offspring. It's not Marlin's nature to explore unfamiliar waters, but when he and Nemo are accidentally separated near the Great Barrier Reef en route to Nemo's first day of fish school, Marlin gathers his courage and sets out to find his son. What Marlin doesn't know, however, is that while Nemo was looking at a boat passing on the surface, he was caught in a net and given a new home in a dentist's aquarium. As Marlin searches for his son, he makes friends with a friendly but absent-minded Regal Blue Tang named Dory (voice of Ellen DeGeneres), a Great White Shark named Bruce (voice of Barry Humphries) who is trying to cut fish out of his diet, a beach-rat Sea Tortoise named Crush (voice of Andrew Stanton), and Nigel (voice of Geoffrey Rush), a Pelican who can take Marlin's search from the ocean to dry land. Finding Nemo's impressive voice cast also includes Willem Dafoe, Allison Janney, Eric Bana, Stephen Root, and Brad Garrett. -- Mark Deming AMG REVIEW: Finding Nemo is a superb achievement on three distinct levels. First, the look of the film is gorgeous. The Pixar crew has created a fully realized underwater world. The colors are bright and entrancing, while the movement of the fish is so realistic that the viewer never for a second suspends belief. The story is beautifully structured. After establishing the relationship between Marlin (Albert Brooks) and Nemo (Alexander Gould), the film sets up the separate worlds they each inhabit (the ocean and the fish tank). The screenwriters have dreamed up creative plot points, formulating exciting obstacles (like the wrecking of a filtration system, a dangerous jellyfish zone, and a dentally challenged eight-year-old) that allow the film to maintain an exciting pace without sacrificing character or humor. Each member of the cast appears to have been hired for their skills as a performer more than for their name recognition. Brooks, DeGeneres, and Willem Dafoe all communicate real emotional truth in their characters, while such talented vocal performers as Stephen Root, Geoffrey Rush, and Barry Humphries lend pitch-perfect comedic support. Finding Nemo is an inventively written, gorgeously drawn, and perfectly acted animated film. -- Perry Seibert AWARDS: Best Picture - Musical or Comedy (nom) - 2003 Golden Globe Best Animated Feature (win) - 2003 National Board of Review | ||||||
28  |
Gladiator | DVD | ||||
| PLOT SYNOPSIS: A man robbed of his name and his dignity strives to win them back, and gain the freedom of his people, in this epic historical drama from director Ridley Scott. In the year 180, the death of emperor Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris) throws the Roman Empire into chaos. Maximus (Russell Crowe) is one of the Roman army's most capable and trusted generals and a key advisor to the emperor. As Marcus' devious son Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) ascends to the throne, Maximus is set to be executed. He escapes, but is captured by slave traders. Renamed Spaniard and forced to become a gladiator, Maximus must battle to the death with other men for the amusement of paying audiences. His battle skills serve him well, and he becomes one of the most famous and admired men to fight in the Colosseum. Determined to avenge himself against the man who took away his freedom and laid waste to his family, Maximus believes that he can use his fame and skill in the ring to avenge the loss of his family and former glory. As the gladiator begins to challenge his rule, Commodus decides to put his own fighting mettle to the test by squaring off with Maximus in a battle to the death. Gladiator also features Derek Jacobi, Connie Nielsen, Djimon Hounsou, and Oliver Reed, who died of a heart attack midway through production. -- Mark Deming AMG REVIEW: Single-handedly reviving a long-lost genre -- the "sword-and-sandals epic" -- this exciting action picture boasts top-notch production values, creative and engaged (if occasionally ill-considered) direction from Ridley Scott, and -- at long last -- a star-making performance from Australian actor Russell Crowe. The chief appeal of Gladiator is its retro vibe, but some of Scott's artistic choices smack of a shallow attempt to stay modern, such as the hand-held camera and hitching, as well as ultra-focused images in the film's battle sequences, both inspired by Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan (1998). The script by David Franzoni, rewritten by John Logan and William Nicholson (some of it during filming), is sometimes scattershot, foregoing character development as it forages too widely in search of sweep, thus providing doses of everything under the Italian sun: revenge, political intrigue, romance, action, and historical background. Though never delivering the emotional power an audience might crave, Gladiator is rescued by sharp editing, marvelous design and effects, and superb performances from Crowe, the briefly seen Richard Harris, and the impressively slick, fey, high-camp posturing of the lizard-like Joaquin Phoenix. The mix of traditional costumes and set design with the new development of computer-generated imagery produces some eye-popping visuals, especially the lingering overhead shots of the coliseum in Rome, one of the best uses to date of high-tech special effects. As a summer popcorn picture, Gladiator succeeds on most levels and provides some unabashed, old-fashioned entertainment. Similarities were noted by many critics to the earlier epic The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964) from director Anthony Mann, which features many of the same characters. -- Karl Williams AWARDS: Best Actor (win) Russell Crowe - 2000 Academy Best Art Direction (nom) Arthur Max - 2000 Academy Best Art Direction (nom) Crispian Sallis - 2000 Academy Best Cinematography (nom) John Mathieson - 2000 Academy Best Costume Design (win) Janty Yates - 2000 Academy Best Director (nom) Ridley Scott - 2000 Academy Best Editing (nom) Pietro Scalia - 2000 Academy Best Original Screenplay (nom) William Nicholson - 2000 Academy Best Original Screenplay (nom) David H. Franzoni - 2000 Academy Best Original Screenplay (nom) John Logan - 2000 Academy Best Picture (win) - 2000 Academy Best Score (nom) Hans Zimmer - 2000 Academy Best Sound (win) Scott Millan - 2000 Academy Best Sound (win) Bob Beemer - 2000 Academy Best Sound (win) Ken Weston - 2000 Academy Best Supporting Actor (nom) Joaquin Phoenix - 2000 Academy Best Visual Effects (win) John Nelson - 2000 Academy Best Visual Effects (win) Neil Corbould - 2000 Academy Best Visual Effects (win) Tim Burke - 2000 Academy Best Visual Effects (win) Rob Harvey - 2000 Academy AFI's Top 10 Films of the Year (win) - 2000 American Film Institute Best Actor (nom) Russell Crowe - 2000 British Academy Awards Best Cinematography (win) John Mathieson - 2000 British Academy Awards Best Costume Design (nom) Janty Yates - 2000 British Academy Awards Best Director (nom) Ridley Scott - 2000 British Academy Awards Best Editing (win) Pietro Scalia - 2000 British Academy Awards Best Film (win) - 2000 British Academy Awards Best Makeup/Hair (nom) - 2000 British Academy Awards Best Music (nom) Lisa Gerrard - 2000 British Academy Awards Best Music (nom) Hans Zimmer - 2000 British Academy Awards Best Original Screenplay (nom) John Logan - 2000 British Academy Awards Best Original Screenplay (nom) William Nicholson - 2000 British Academy Awards Best Original Screenplay (nom) David H. Franzoni - 2000 British Academy Awards Best Production Design (win) Arthur Max - 2000 British Academy Awards Best Sound (nom) - 2000 British Academy Awards Best Supporting Actor (nom) Oliver Reed - 2000 British Academy Awards Best Supporting Actor (nom) Joaquin Phoenix - 2000 British Academy Awards Best Visual Effects (nom) - 2000 British Academy Awards Orange Audience Award (win) - 2000 British Academy Awards Best Actor (win) Russell Crowe - 2000 Broadcast Film Critics Association Best Cinematography (win) John Mathieson - 2000 Broadcast Film Critics Association Best Composer (win) Hans Zimmer - 2000 Broadcast Film Critics Association Best Picture (win) - 2000 Broadcast Film Critics Association Best Production Design (win) Arthur Max - 2000 Broadcast Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actor (win) Joaquin Phoenix - 2000 Broadcast Film Critics Association Best Director (nom) Ridley Scott - 2000 Directors Guild of America Best Actor - Drama (nom) Russell Crowe - 2000 Golden Globe Best Director (nom) Ridley Scott - 2000 Golden Globe Best Motion Picture - Drama (win) - 2000 Golden Globe Best Original Score (win) Lisa Gerrard - 2000 Golden Globe Best Original Score (win) Hans Zimmer - 2000 Golden Globe Best Supporting Actor (nom) Joaquin Phoenix - 2000 Golden Globe #7 Film of the Year (win) - 2000 National Board of Review Best Actor (nom) Russell Crowe - 2000 Screen Actors Guild Best Ensemble Performance (nom) - 2000 Screen Actors Guild Best Supporting Actor (nom) Joaquin Phoenix - 2000 Screen Actors Guild | ||||||
21  |
Gone In 60 Seconds | Gone in Sixty Seconds | DVD | |||
| PLOT SYNOPSIS: In this action thriller, a master car thief has his skills pushed to the limit. Randall "Memphis" Raines (Nicolas Cage) can steal practically any car that crosses his path. While he has done well in his life of crime, he knows that there's a short future in theft, and he wants to get out of the business. But his retirement plans are interrupted when his younger brother Kip (Giovanni Ribisi) gets in trouble with a dangerous crime boss. To get his brother out of harm's way, Randall agrees to a profitable but risky scheme to steal 50 luxury cars in one night, with the help of several other car thieves, including Sara "Sway" Wayland (Angelina Jolie). A rival group of thieves is trying to pull the same stunt at the same time, and detectives Castlebeck (Delroy Lindo) and Drycoff (Timothy Olyphant) are trying to shut down both operations. Also starring Robert Duvall as Otto Halliwell, and Scott Caan as Tumbler, Gone in Sixty Seconds is a remake of the 1974 low-budget action hit of the same name, best remembered for a 40-minute chase scene in which 90 cars were destroyed. -- Mark Deming AMG REVIEW: A throwback to the collaborations between Hal Needham and Burt Reynolds of 20 years earlier, Gone in 60 Seconds is lacquered with a triple coat of the glossy sizzle indicative of producer Jerry Bruckheimer. While an excellent cast including Nicolas Cage, iovanni Ribisi, Angelina Jolie, and Robert Duvall struggles to breath life into its roster of two-dimensional characters, the real stars of a fast-paced car-culture action flick such as this one are the automobiles and the stunts that destroy them. Director Dominic Sena keeps the hoods shining in the California sun (a change of location from gloomy Boston to bright and shiny Southern California was perhaps one solid creative choice), and a series of visual set pieces are viscerally enjoyable. A by-the-numbers plot and lack of character development keep the film static, however. Essentially feature-length eye candy, Gone in 60 Seconds is eminently forgettable, to be enjoyed by car enthusiasts only. -- Karl Williams | ||||||
14  |
Kill Bill Vol. 1 | Kill Bill | DVD | |||
| PLOT SYNOPSIS: Perhaps the most highly anticipated film of 2003, Kill Bill Vol. 1 marked the return of renowned filmmaker Quentin Tarantino after a six-year hiatus. Re-teaming the director with Uma Thurman for the first time since 1994's Pulp Fiction, the film was originally the first half of what was to be a three-hour movie before being split into two 90-minute films. Thurman stars as The Bride, one-fifth of a team of assassins called DiVAS. When The Bride opts to leave the outfit for a life of marital bliss, it doesn't sit well with her boss, Bill (David Carradine), so he has her former cohorts, played by Lucy Liu, Vivica A. Fox, Daryl Hannah, and Michael Madsen, show up at the nuptials, leaving behind a blood bath. Miraculously, The Bride survives a bullet to the head and, four years later, she sets out for revenge against her four assassins and their employer. The story is concluded in Kill Bill Vol. 2, released four months later. -- Matthew Tobey AMG REVIEW: Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill Vol. 1 is the work of a master filmmaker falling in love with directing all over again. After a layoff of six years, Tarantino pulls out all the stops to serve up an entertaining shot of action cinema. The film has momentum and an infectious sense of over-the-top fun that manifests itself in the various styles Tarantino employs. The anime section is brilliantly conceived and, quite frankly, live actors performing the story would have probably kept the film from getting an R rating. The same is true of the decision to film in black-and-white during the final battle. Had the splattering blood and flying limbs been presented in color, the ratings board would probably have balked. However, by choosing to shoot the sequence in black-and-white, Tarantino gets around that problem and forces the viewer to concentrate more on the choreography and the editing than the bloodshed. Judging this film is dicey, as it truly is nothing more than the first-half of a movie that was always intended to be a three-hour extravaganza. Kill Bill Vol. 2 will hit theaters four months later and although it could either add depth to Vol. 1 or reveal it as an emotionally empty exercise in (admittedly highly entertaining) style(s), the fact is that anybody who sits through the setup will not want to miss the conclusion. -- Perry Seibert AWARDS: Best Actress - Drama (nom) Uma Thurman - 2003 Golden Globe | ||||||
5  |
Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde | DVD | English | |||
| Sassy postgrad Elle Woods (Witherspoon) is all about animal rights. In fact, she puts her nuptial plans on hold to head to Washington D.C. to get an anti-animal testing bill passed. Her building's doorman (Newhart) quickly shows her the ways and workings of our nation's capital. | ||||||
32  |
Marci X | DVD | ||||
| PLOT SYNOPSIS: Paul Rudnick provides the script for the Scott Rudin-produced comedy Marci X, directed by Richard Benjamin. The new song "Shoot Ya' Teacha" by controversial hardcore rapper Dr. S. (short for Dr. Snatchcatcher, played by Damon Wayans) causes a public outcry. The stress causes a heart attack for the owner of the hardcore rap record label Felony Assault (played by director Benjamin). It's up to his stylishly sunny daughter Marci (Lisa Kudrow) to take over his business. She tries to rescue the record label by changing the negative image of Dr. S. in order to appeal to a youth-oriented crowd, which leads the pair into an unlikely romance. Actress Christine Baranski appears as a conservative senator who threatens to ban the rapper. -- Andrea LeVasseur | ||||||
33  |
Matchstick Men | DVD | ||||
| PLOT SYNOPSIS: Ridley Scott directs the crime comedy Matchstick Men, based on the novel of the same name by Eric Garcia. Neurotic con man Roy (Nicolas Cage) suffers from several emotional problems, including obsessive-compulsive disorder. He and his partner Frank (Sam Rockwell) swindle people out of money by posing as money collectors who promise things like tax refunds, package vacations, and other fabulous prizes (which they never get). Frank wants to pull a really big job, but Roy is too consumed with fear and panic attacks to join him. Only cigarettes and his trusty illegal prescription drugs seem to keep him going. When Roy finds himself in desperate need of more pills, he is forced to see legitimate psychotherapist Dr. Klein (Bruce Altman). Roy ends up talking about his emotional damage from a troubled marriage and divorce, which results in the discovery of a child whom he has never met. Dr. Klein suggests that he spend a weekend with the kid, so in walks teenaged Angela (played by twentysomething Alison Lohman). Reluctant to develop his role as a father, Roy also gets heavily involved in Frank's ambitious swindle. -- Andrea LeVasseur | ||||||
25  |
Monsters, Inc. | DVD | ||||
| PLOT SYNOPSIS: After exploring the worlds of toys and bugs in the two Toy Story films and A Bug's Life, the award-winning computer animation company Pixar delves into the realm of monsters with its fourth feature. Hulking, blue-furred behemoth James P. "Sully" Sullivan (John Goodman) and his one-eyed assistant Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal) are employed by Monsters, Inc., a scream processing factory. It seems that the denizens of their realm thrive on the screams of kids spooked by monsters lurking under their beds and in their closets. It's the job of Sully, Mike, and their co-workers, including sarcastic Randall Boggs (Steve Buscemi), crab-like CEO Henry J. Waternoose (James Coburn), and lovely snake-headed receptionist Celia (Jennifer Tilly) to keep the frights flowing. When Sully and Mike are followed back into the monster world by a very unafraid little human girl named Boo (Mary Gibbs), they are exiled to her universe, where they discover that such a modern-day mythological specimen as the Abominable Snowman is a fellow refugee. -- Karl Williams AMG REVIEW: Even with a pastel universe of computer tricks at their disposal, the story is what really pushes a Pixar movie over the top -- what made the Toy Story movies so grand, and what left A Bug's Life short of greatness. Monsters, Inc. may burst at the seams with visual stimulants, but it's the delightful premise, fleshed out through a superior script, that helped scare up one of the largest opening weekends ever, paving the way for a monster-sized hit. That creatures of all shapes and textures live harmoniously in a candy-colored neighboring dimension called Monstropolis, scaring children for a living to harness the vital energy in their screams, is the jumping off point for an odyssey of jokes, thrills, and sentiment. Of course the monsters look great -- mostly cuddly types, in keeping things appropriately Disney -- but it's the factory where they work that really tests the animators' boundaries. Reminiscent of the alien-run Men In Black headquarters, the airy building full of blinking contraptions really comes to life in the jaw-dropping finale, which features a chase conducted on an assembly line of whizzing closet doors. Even while dragging just a tad in the second act, Monsters, Inc. never stops delving deeper into the giddy logic of its world. The vocal talent is all good, but the infant chosen to voice Boo (Mary Gibbs), the toddler who crosses over, trumps them all, emitting such tickling gurgles that she's even cuter than the monsters. Monsters, Inc. boasts an unexpected fringe benefit to parents: Once their children come to consider those shapes lurking in the shadows as fuzzy and lovable, a lot more of them may sleep through the night. -- Derek Armstrong AWARDS: Best Animated Feature (nom) Peter Docter - 2001 Academy Best Animated Feature (nom) John Lasseter - 2001 Academy Best Score (nom) Randy Newman - 2001 Academy Best Song (win) Randy Newman - 2001 Academy Best Sound Editing (nom) Michael Silvers - 2001 Academy Best Sound Effects Editing (nom) Gary Rydstrom - 2001 Academy Best Animated Feature (nom) - 2001 Broadcast Film Critics Association Best Animation (Runner-up) (win) - 2001 L.A. Film Critics Association | ||||||
27  |
Old School | DVD | ||||
| PLOT SYNOPSIS: Three men relive their carefree college years by killing off as many brain cells as possible in this over-the-top comedy. Mitch (Luke Wilson) returns home from a less-than-pleasant business trip one evening to discover his wife, Heidi (Juliette Lewis), involved in a ménage à trois with two blindfolded strangers. Feeling less than welcome at home after this, Mitch rents a house near the campus of a nearby college; two of Mitch's old college buddies, Beanie (Vince Vaughn) and Frank (Will Ferrell), stop by to cheer him up. They soon become regular guests at Mitch's place, despite the fact that Frank only recently wed Marissa (Perrey Reeves), while Beanie and his wife, Lara (Leah Remini), are busy with two kids. Beanie decides to throw a housewarming party for Mitch, and since Beanie sells audio equipment for a living, he's able to trick out the big bash with a massive PA system and an appearance by Snoop Dogg. Mitch soon finds he's the not-entirely-willing proprietor of the school's leading party spot, which raises the ire of Pritchard (Jeremy Piven), a dean at the college who was the target of Mitch, Frank, and Beanie's abuse when they were all students. Pritchard arranges to have Mitch's neighborhood zoned into a student housing district, but Beanie and Frank respond by forming a fraternity and making Mitch's home their headquarters. Mitch, however, is not enthusiastic about the idea, especially as he's trying to impress Nicole (Ellen Pompeo), a beautiful divorcee who is less than enchanted with Frank and Beanie's "party hearty" lifestyle. Old School director Todd Phillips knows more than a bit about the seamy side of fraternity life as director of the infamous unreleased documentary Frat House. -- Mark Deming AMG REVIEW: At one point in director Todd Phillips' post-Animal House, pre-midlife crisis comedy Old School, love interest Nicole (Ellen Pompeo) slyly mentions to Mitch (Luke Wilson), the "Godfather" of a ragtag fraternity, that she always wondered what went on in "those places" (meaning frat houses). Herein lies the problem with Old School: if anyone should know enough of what goes on in frat houses to make a solid collegiate comedy, it's director Phillips. As the man behind the controversial and ill-fated documentary Frat House, Phillips personally endured the legendary "hazing" process and was subsequently threatened with multiple lawsuits by Greek society members for the sometimes shocking situations he captured them participating in. With this wealth of knowledge, it would seem that Phillips would undoubtedly be the man to avoid the cliché and breathe new, authentic life into the long-suffering college party film. Yet despite his previous experience with the wild side of Greek culture, audiences are inexplicably served up the same "save the frat house from the evil dean" plot that seemed laughably played-out when PCU hit theaters nearly a decade ago. Audiences have no doubt seen all the characters and many of the situations in Old School countless times before, and despite the talented cast involved, only SNL alum Will Ferrell seems to be able to muster the energy needed to transcend the hackneyed material. A fearless and at times surreal performance, Ferrell's suppressed maniac Frank "the Tank" provides Old School with not only 80 percent of the laughs, but a sole, strangely tender comic moment which with a lesser comic actor would have been swallowed up in the flood of clichés. It now seems as if every generation needs an Animal House to call their own, filled with the comic actors of the day and spiked with the popular radio hits of the moment. Taken as such, Old School does indeed serve it's purpose, yet it might have been more effective if it had attempted to break the mold instead of simply going through the motions. -- Jason Buchanan | ||||||
29  |
Once Upon a Time in Mexico | DVD | ||||
| PLOT SYNOPSIS: Director Robert Rodriguez returns to the characters of his breakthrough hits El Mariachi and Desperado in this grand scale south-of-the-border action-adventure saga. Sands (Johnny Depp) is a rogue CIA agent who is working in cahoots with Mexican officials who've caught wind of a plan by corrupt military leader General Marquez (Gerardo Vigil) and ruthless drug kingpin Barillo (Willem Dafoe) to assassinate Mexico's president (Pedro Armendáriz Jr.). Sands needs to recruit a gunman to take out Barillo's assassins before they can complete their mission, and through barman Belini (Cheech Marin), Sands learns of El Mariachi (Antonio Banderas), a fabled musician turned vigilante with a remarkable talent for violence, and a score to settle with Marquez. El Mariachi is living quietly in hiding after the death of the woman he loved, Carolina (Salma Hayek), but Sands lures him back into action through the promise of a final showdown with his nemesis Marquez, forcing El Mariachi to retrieve his guitar case (containing a mighty arsenal) and once again do battle against the lawless. Robert Rodriguez not only directed Once Upon a Time in Mexico, but he wrote the screenplay, handled the camera work, edited the film, and composed the musical score. -- Mark Deming AMG REVIEW: Robert Rodriguez' Once Upon a Time in Mexico is a tribute to Sergio Leone in much more than just name only. What he takes from the master is a desire to pump up genre clichés until they achieve an almost kabuki-like level of significance. There are many individual sequences that work quite well in Once Upon a Time in Mexico, but Rodriguez loses the fun after about 40 minutes. Johnny Depp's CIA agent is darkly humorous and gives the film some much needed comic relief, but much of the film is given over to Antonio Banderas brooding about his lost wife and child, and solemnly preparing to do what he has to do. This is a darker, more serious film than the two previous films in the franchise. A streak of Mexican nationalistic pride gives the film some thematic weight, but also leads to some easy audience pleasing moments that fail to replace the humor and charm of Desperado and El Mariachi. Once Upon a Time in Mexico will satisfy fans of Rodriguez distinct style and talent for action sequences, but it also feels like he used up all of his sense of fun while making three Spy Kids films in three years. -- Perry Seibert | ||||||
7  |
Payback | DVD | ||||
| PLOT SYNOPSIS: Porter (Mel Gibson) is pulled into a heist by his old friend, Val (Brian De Palma regular, Gregg Henry). As they're stealing $130,000 in laundered drug money from Chinese Triads, no one is going to call the police. Everything goes smoothly until Porter's wife, Lynn (Deborah Kara Unger), shoots Porter in the back. After Val had shown Lynn a photo of Porter in the arms of another girl (Maria Bello), the two planned the double-cross together to pay off Val's mob debts so he could return to "The Syndicate." They didn't plan well enough, though, because five months later Porter's back, a complete sociopath who wants his $70,000. Brian Helgeland, the screenwriter for L.A. Confidential and Conspiracy Theory, makes his directing debut with this adaptation of the novel The Hunter by Donald E. Westlake writing under the pseudonym, Richard Stark. The same novel served as the basis for John Boorman's Point Blank starring Lee Marvin. -- Chris Gore AMG REVIEW: After a turbulent and high-profile production that was rumored to have been reshot by star Mel Gibson, the final cut of Payback is certainly a letdown on many levels. Although he's played a wide range of characters, Mel Gibson is best known for portraying lovable loose cannons that strive for justice. In Payback, Gibson attempts to create a murderous anti-hero who steals, cheats, and cavorts with hookers and sadists. Tossing aside political correctness, he toys with his own screen image and assumes the role of a stone-cold villain and outlaw. The concept is compelling, but the movie fails to capitalize on this interesting premise. Payback is an empty, rarely engaging thriller that desperately tries to fuse classic film noir with '70s-era exploitation. Even though it was based on the brilliant 1967 film Point Blank, it doesn't even compare to the Lee Marvin and John Boorman thriller. Gibson's film seems sordid, empty, and vacuous, where Point Blank was stylish, mysterious, and suspenseful. Although moments in Payback are supposed to be comic, the audience is relentlessly inundated with brutal, meaningless violence. When Gibson's character isn't slaughtering his foes, he's getting shot, pummeled, or mangled with a mallet. While these moments should work on the basic noir level, the film clearly needs more humor to soften the mean-spirited violence. Lucy Liu (Ally McBeal) portrays an amusing dominatrix, but James Coburn steals the show in a brief cameo. First-time director Brian Helgeland, writer of L.A. Confidential, succeeds in creating a gritty, retro world, but his direction is sloppy and the character relationships are contrived. A decent debut effort, it simply can't compare to John Boorman's exhilarating masterpiece. -- Adam Goldberg | ||||||
6  |
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl | Pirates of the Caribbean | DVD | |||
| PLOT SYNOPSIS: Following his surprise-hit American remake of The Ring in 2002, director Gore Verbinski took on Pirates of the Carribean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, the second of recent films to be based upon Disney theme-park rides (the first being The Country Bears). When Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley), the daughter of Governor Swann (Jonathan Pryce) is kidnapped by a group of pirates led by Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) and taken aboard their ship, The Black Pearl, Will Turner (Orlando Bloom), the young man who loves Elizabeth despite the fact that she is promised to another, sets out to rescue her. But he can't do it alone, so he enlists the help of swashbuckling ship captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp). Together the two chase after The Black Pearl, but they soon discover that the captain and crew aren't your average pirates. Cursed to remain between the living and the dead, Barbossa and his men look like skeletons when basked in the moonlight. When it is revealed that the only thing that can break the curse is Elizabeth's blood, Jack and Will are faced with a race against time and a battle against the undead to save the Governor's daughter. -- Matthew Tobey AMG REVIEW: Pirate films have been a curse on cinema for a quite a while in recent years (Cutthroat Island, anyone?), and outside of releasing Pixar flicks, Disney hadn't been doing any better quality-wise -- so when Gore Verbenski (fresh off The Ring remake) and virtuoso Johnny Depp came aboard the beloved adaptation of the Pirates of the Caribbean theme-park ride, eyebrows were definitely raised. So how does it stack up? Well, in a time of massive summer blockbusters, this high-sailing ship is definitely a crowd-pleaser. The scale is huge, with technical brilliance in front and behind the camera, while swords clash, cannons roar, and wit is dished out at every corner. Following a kind of Stephen Sommers' Mummy-esque tradition, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl has "lighthearted" written all over it, no small thanks to Depp's brilliantly over-the-top creation, Captain Jack Sparrow. Mix Keith Richards and Depp's Hunter S. Thompson together and you're about halfway there with this brilliantly wild performance. Turning in another juicy role is Geoffrey Rush as the cursed Captain Barbossa, a dastardly villain whom Rush was no doubt meant to play. Also worth mentioning are heartthrobs Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley as the film's love interests. Knightley perks it up as the spunky female lead just fine, though Bloom's soft-spoken manner and delivery are frankly starting to wear thin outside of his Legolas gig. The ILM skeletal effects are well done and neat, especially in the final sword fight between Sparrow and Barbossa (where columns of light are used ingeniously in the final effect). For all the thrilling moments though, Pirates is hobbled by one thing -- its running time. Well over two hours, it's just flat out too long. Thankfully, with zombie monkey skeletons and Depp virtually stealing the show, the film still manages to deliver. So take the kids, put up your feet, and sing "Yo Ho," for this is one Disney pirate flick that surprisingly does not disappoint. -- Jeremy Wheeler | ||||||
19  |
S.W.A.T. | DVD | ||||
| PLOT SYNOPSIS: Clark Johnson's big-screen adaptation of the 1970s television series S.W.A.T. stars Colin Farrell as Jim Street, a young special weapons and tactics team member who, in the film's opening sequence, is demoted after his hothead partner Jeremy Renner shoots a hostage while trying to kill her captor. In need of good press, the higher-ups call in SWAT expert Hondo Harrelson (Samuel L. Jackson) to put together an elite team that can bring some luster back to the badge. He chooses Street, veteran T.J. (Josh Charles), and tough single mother Chris Sanchez (Michelle Rodriguez). The new team survives a series of tests before hitting the streets. Their first big assignment involves transporting an international criminal (Olivier Martinez) to federal authorities. The criminal had offered a hundred million dollars to anyone who can bust him out. -- Perry Seibert AMG REVIEW: S.W.A.T. adheres closely to the conventions of police-action films. That helps the film during its first half. The filmmakers understand what the characters have to do and so they are relaxed enough to give the cops flashes of real personality. Colin Farrell and Michelle Rodriguez have some genuine chemistry and they easily earn the audience's goodwill; Samuel L. Jackson is his usual engaging self; and Josh Charles registers with very little screen time. Sadly, when the admittedly brilliant high-concept second half of the movie begins, the filmmakers shift focus entirely onto the action sequences at the expense of the characters. That might have been enough if director Clark Johnson had a taste for action sequences, but he seems more comfortable with his characters conversing in a bar than he does when they beat each other up. Only Oscar-winning composer Elliot Goldenthal shows creativity and originality through the entire film with his amusing musical score that finds numerous humorous ways to recycle the theme song from the television show that inspired this just slightly better-than-average action film. -- Perry Seibert | ||||||
12  |
Scarface (1932) | Scarface: The Shame of a Nation [1931] | DVD | |||
| PLOT SYNOPSIS: Completed in mid-1930, Scarface, based on Armitage Trail's novel of the same name, might have been the first of the great talkie gangster flicks, but it was held up for release until after that honor was jointly usurped by Little Caesar and Public Enemy. Paul Muni stars as prohibition-era mobster Tony Camonte, a character obviously patterned on Al Capone (whose nickname was "Scarface"). The homicidal Camonte ruthlessly wrests control of the bootlegging racket from his boss, Johnny Lovo (Osgood Perkins), and claims Lovo's mistress, Poppy (Karen Morley), in the bargain. But while Poppy satisfies him sexually, Tony has a soft spot in his heart only for his sister Cesca (Ann Dvorak). The film's finale is one of the longest and bloodiest of the 1930s, maintaining suspense and concern for the characters involved even though Muni has deliberately done nothing to make Tony likeable to audience. The grimness of Scarface is leavened by a few choice moments of black humor. Forced to leave a stage production of Rain in order to commit a murder, Tony returns to his theater seat and anxiously asks his buddies how the play came out. Some of the film's funniest moments belong to Vince Barnett as the mentally deficient, illiterate gangster secretary, who at one juncture gets so mad at a caller on the phone that he shoots the receiver. Scarface features a famous "'X' Marks The Spot" logo, inspired by news photos of gangland murders: whenever a character is killed, the letter "X" appears on screen in one form or another. Example: When a rival gangster (played by Boris Karloff) is killed at a bowling alley, the camera cuts to his bowling ball knocking down all the pins -- a strike, denoted, of course, by an "X." Producer Howard R. Hughes couldn't release Scarface until he toned down some of the violence, reshot certain scenes to avoid libel suits, added the subtitle "The Shame of the Nation" to the opening credits, and shoehorned in new scenes showing upright Italian-Americans banding together to wipe out gangsterism. After its first run, Scarface was completely withdrawn from distribution on Hughes' orders; the film would not be seen again on a widespread basis until it was reissued by Universal in 1979, shorn of 8 of its original 99 minutes. -- Hal Erickson AMG REVIEW: Scarface is a potent, uncompromising portrait of the gangster life. While journalists often romanticized them, and many in the public made mobsters into folk heroes, director Howard Hawks' portrayal of the brutish and ambitious Capone-inspired titular character, played with terrific ferocity by Paul Muni (this movie made him a star, and it is easy to see why) is brutal and stark. The pre-noir gangster genre was in many ways defined by the innovative approaches taken by Hawks in Scarface. Tracking and dolly shots, relatively unknown at the time, contribute to the film's kinetic energy and excellent pacing. The expressionistic black-and-white cinematography by Lee Garmes is married to a screenplay (written by a team led by Ben Hecht) packed with symbolism as well as a rare combination of humor, sex, and violence. This extremely violent film (28 murders are recorded onscreen) also grafts a racy incest theme (Muni's character has Caligula-like feelings for his sister, played with remarkable sexual confidence by Ann Dvorak) onto the story line, resulting in considerable pressure from censors (the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America) coming to bear on the filmmakers (in this pre-Hays Production Code era). However, after considerable squabbling, producer Howard Hughes finally released Scarface in two formats: one with censor approval and one without, leading to confusion among Scarface audiences at the time. Ironically, though the movie indicts the violence of the mob figures it portrays, it became very popular largely because of this: in the end, the mobsters lead a very exciting lifestyle and seem to be having a lot of fun wreaking havoc on the world. And, of course, the movie is grand entertainment itself. -- Dan Jardine AWARDS: 10 Best Films (win) - 1930-32 Film Daily 10 Best Films (win) - 1930-32 National Board of Review of Motion Pict 10 Best Films - 1932 National Board of Review of Motion Pict U.S. National Film Registry (win) - 1994 Library of Congress | ||||||
11  |
Scarface Anniversary Ediiton | DVD | ||||
| PLOT SYNOPSIS: Al Pacino stars as Tony Montana, an exiled Cuban criminal who goes to work for Miami drug lord Robert Loggia. Montana rises to the top of Florida's crime chain, appropriating Loggia's cokehead mistress (Michelle Pfeiffer) in the process. Howard Hawks' "X Marks the Spot" motif in depicting the story line's many murders is dispensed with in the 1983 Scarface; instead, we are inundated with blood by the bucketful, especially in the now-infamous buzz saw scene. One carry-over from the original Scarface is Tony Montana's incestuous yearnings for his sister Gina (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio). The screenplay for the 1983 Scarface was written by Oliver Stone. -- Hal Erickson AMG REVIEW: Infinitely quotable and more than a little cartoonish, Brian De Palma's update of Howard Hawks' seminal gangster film revels in its freedom to be larger than life. A work as akin to pop art as any other form, it reworks the crime melodrama in bold, primary colors, mostly blood red. Attracting a great deal of attention for its violence at the time of its release, the controversy overshadowed the fact that everything in the film ran to extremes, including Pacino's performance, the director's visual style (which found him almost reverting to The Fury mode), the dialogue (from a script co-written by Oliver Stone), and most importantly the themes. Scarface focuses on words like "crime" and "America," then lets itself run wild with the associations. That a classically American rise-and-fall story forms the heart of the film is its simplest and best irony. The experience will probably be thrilling to some, particularly those already enthusiastic about De Palma's work, and extremely off-putting to others. Tony Montana may not be an appealing character with which to spend nearly three hours, but there's little chance of forgetting the experience. -- Keith Phipps AWARDS: Best Actor - Drama (nom) Al Pacino - 1983 Golden Globe Best Original Score (nom) Giorgio Moroder - 1983 Golden Globe Best Supporting Actor (nom) Steven Bauer - 1983 Golden Globe | ||||||
26  |
Scooby-Doo | DVD | ||||
| PLOT SYNOPSIS: The long-running cartoon from William Hanna and Joseph Barbera that began life in 1969 as Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? becomes this live-action, tongue-in-cheek comedy-adventure featuring a computer-generated version of the easily frightened, mush-mouthed Great Dane. Freddie Prinze Jr. stars as Fred, the blonde, confident, ascot-sporting leader of Mystery Inc., a ghost-busting service that exposes phony supernatural phenomena as the work of shysters. Working with Fred are: his rich, beautiful girlfriend, Daphne (Sarah Michelle Gellar), who has a bad habit of getting kidnapped by villains; Velma (Linda Cardellini), the real brains of the group who pines secretly for Fred; cowardly slacker and dog's best friend Shaggy (Matthew Lillard); and the snack-gobbling pet pooch Scooby. However, after solving its latest case involving a beleaguered toy company owner (Pamela Anderson), the group fractures over Fred's habit of grabbing credit for everyone's hard work, despite the pleas of Shaggy and Scooby. Two years later, they are reunited at Spooky Island, a theme park and teen spring break destination that owner Emile Mondavarious (Rowan Atkinson) claims is plagued with ghosts. Suspicious as usual of any claims involving the paranormal, the Mystery Inc. clan is soon probing a scheme involving ancient rites, summoned spirits, and brainwashed college students, forcing the group members to resolve their differences and uncover the truth. Directed by Chris Columbus protégé Raja Gosnell, Scooby-Doo features the voice of Scott Innes as the title character. -- Karl Williams AMG REVIEW: With its snarky, eye-popping production design and disparate cast of popular young thespians, this live-action take on the Saturday-morning staple seemed like it had half a chance of pleasing Baby Boomers and Generation X. Instead, though, it's a children's flick, suitable only for Generation Z and almost completely lacking in Brady Bunch Movie-style winking. Scooby Doo does contain a few laugh-out-loud moments and lots of in-jokes about marijuana, but the film has been carefully engineered so as not to offend or confuse the kiddies. (Pointed references to Velma's sexual orientation ended up on the cutting room floor, along with lots of other subversive hijinks if the Internet movie spies are to be believed.) The result is a movie that looks good and stays relatively true to its source material without ever seeming edgy or even engaging. Perhaps a cartoon whose very appeal has always been its extreme lameness couldn't really afford to be enclosed in yet another set of quotation marks. But given the pedestrian CG and by-the-numbers spookiness on display, it seems the filmmakers couldn't come up with anything compelling to replace the missing irony. Scooby-Doo himself is an animatronic monstrosity who mixes poorly with the human actors. Of those performers, their watchability varies highly: The delightful Matthew Lillard mimics Casey Kasem perfectly but also invests Shaggy with something approaching human feeling. Linda Cardellini and Sarah Michelle Gellar both subvert feminine stereotypes and provoke chuckles, though within very strict parameters. The less said about Freddie Prinze Jr., the better, though his blond dye job is far worse than his acting. The real blame for this supremely adequate outing lies at the feet of the corporate gatekeepers who decided to play it safe. Very young children will probably enjoy it, but for anyone older than 10, it's a slight trifle at best. -- Brian J. Dillard | ||||||
23  |
Super Troopers | DVD | ||||
| PLOT SYNOPSIS: A handful of state troopers are put in the uncomfortable position of having to actually enforce the law in this high-spirited comedy. Mac (Steve Lemme), Thorny (Jay Chandrasekhar), Foster (Paul Stoter), and Rabbit (Erik Stolhanske) are four Vermont state troopers whose dedication to duty is not exactly an inspiration to law enforcement officers everywhere. Stationed in a small town near the Canadian border, the troopers don't have much to do, so they while away their hours smoking dope and harassing hapless motorists. Their superior officer, Capt. O'Hagan (Brian Cox), likes the boys and they try to keep their more outrageous antics out of his earshot, but they often run afoul of fellow trooper Farva (Kevin Heffernan), who insists on doing things by the book. When Governor Jessman (Lynda Carter) announces massive budget cuts for Vermont law enforcement personnel, things look bad for the troopers and they must quickly prove their worth or they'll be forced to look for real jobs. Appropriately enough, the troopers stumble upon some information regarding a group of marijuana dealers operating along the border; the guys figure this is just the sort of high-profile bust that could save their careers, but the police department of the nearby town of Earlville gets wind of the troopers' plans. The Earlville police are no friends of the troopers, and they set out to ruin their moment of glory. Super Troopers was written by the five-man comedy troupe Broken Lizard, who also star as the five troopers; the group's leader, Jay Chandrasekhar, directed. -- Mark Deming AMG REVIEW: Super Troopers is a silly, slow-moving lowbrow comedy. Colgate University-spawned comedy troupe Broken Lizard work well together, but their script is full of flat jokes and gags that misfire, and the direction by troupe member Jay Chandrasekhar (who plays Thorny), stretches every one of these bits to the breaking point. The lazy pace of the film is oddly intriguing during a pre-credit sequence in which Thorny and Rabbit (Eric Stolhanske) harass a trio of stoned college kids. The scene's weird distention enhances the Kafkaesque quality of the humor. But things never really pick up, and it begins to seem like the guys just didn't have enough jokes to fill the film's running time. Why just throw away a gag about Mac (Steve Lemme) pointing his radar gun at his hand when he's masturbating in his squad car, when you can drag it out for a good minute-and-a-half? The Broken Lizard guys are better actors than they are writers, and Chandrasekhar in particular is surprisingly sympathetic. Veteran character actors Brian Cox (who played Hannibal Lecter in Manhunter) and Daniel Von Bargen (of TV's Malcolm in the Middle) do solid work. There's an original idea in here somewhere about bored cops whose attempts to pass the time devolve into anarchy. But the appealingly off-kilter premise and easy bonhomie are not enough to sustain a feature film. -- Josh Ralske | ||||||
2  |
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines | DVD | ||||
| PLOT SYNOPSIS: The second sequel to the 1984 sci-fi action classic, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines is the first film without the involvement of director James Cameron. Instead, Jonathan Mostow, the man behind Breakdown and U-571, has stepped in to fill the shoes left vacant by Cameron. In addition, the role of John Connor from the second film has been recast, with In the Bedroom's Nick Stahl taking over for Edward Furlong. Set ten years after the events of 1991's Terminator 2: Judgement Day, the film finds Connor living on the streets as a common laborer. Sarah Connor, his mother, has since died, and their efforts in the second film have not stopped the creation of SkyNet artificial intelligence network. As he will still become the leader of the human resistance, Connor is once again targeted by a Terminator sent from the future by SkyNet. This new Terminator, T-X (Kristanna Loken), is a female and is more powerful than any of her predecessors. To protect Connor, the human resistance sends a new T-101 (Arnold Schwarzenegger) back from the future. Also starring Claire Danes, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines had its world premiere when it showed out of competition at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival. -- Matthew Tobey AMG REVIEW: In the post-millennia sea of overblown action epics with inflated running times, the third installment in the Terminator franchise is a lean, mean breath of fresh air, defying imminent low expectations and proving that you don't have to be James Cameron to understand what makes this successful and entertaining series tick. What T3 does brilliantly is bring back the perfect mix of highly intense action, character-driven humor, and technological wizardry that the big screen had been lacking for more than a decade since Terminator 2: Judgment Day. There's a direct understanding of the dynamics which the story demands, and once things kick in, there's no doubt that you're back in Terminator-land. Arnold Schwarzenegger is unforgivably perfect as he steps back into the role which helped launch his career, bringing an understanding to the lovable cyborg that goes beyond simple line delivery and stoic screen presence. Joining him are Nick Stahl and Claire Danes, who both fill their roles amply, with newcomer Stahl's wearied approach to John Connor being the freshest. Danes is an unlikely choice, but made a fine substitute when her role had to be recast after the first actress was deemed "too young" during filming. It's not too easy to follow up Robert Patrick's steely-eyed breakout performance either, but just as with the film, Kristanna Loken's deadly TX is classic Terminator in every way -- easily holding her own against Schwarzenegger's iconic screen presence. More than anything, what undoubtedly drives the film is the man behind the lens, Jonathan Mostow, the director of such effective smaller thrillers as Breakdown and U-571. This being his big-time proving ground, Mostow pulls off the once-deemed impossible feat and cranks out a real deal Terminator flick without any of the personal flash or style upon which some of his bigger, more-expensive peers thrive. It doesn't hurt that he also surrounded himself with the same visionary geniuses behind the series' highly evolved special effects work, namely Stan Winston and Industrial Light and Magic. Their work is sheer brilliance and, in this case, the perfect stage to show off unprecedented practical robotic effects mixed with unbelievable CG work, which, either separate or combined, make for some truly show-stopping moments that the audience might not even realize is movie-making magic (such as the seamless high-flying truck crash). Score-wise, original composer Brad Fidel is admittedly missed, with Marco Beltrami supplying notes and rhythms that almost feel right. But without the deep synchs and central theme to the series (which is reinterpreted with a score over the final credits), the film seems to be missing one key ingredient -- even if his knowledge of when and where to use music is note-perfect. Still, with its ingenious end, The Rise of the Machines proves its worth with a deep knowledge of what came before and the intelligence it utilizes to substantiate the inclusion of this entry in the series. Schwarzenegger sincerely did come "back" for this one, and audiences everywhere should thank him for it. -- Jeremy Wheeler | ||||||
8  |
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen | DVD | ||||
| PLOT SYNOPSIS: Based on the comic book miniseries by Alan Moore, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen takes place in an alternate universe where the characters of several literary classics exist in reality. If that wasn't enough, they've been assembled together in 1900 by Queen Victoria as a team of evil-fighting heroes. Among them are Allan Quatermain (Sean Connery) from H. Rider Haggard's King Solomon's Mines; Mina Harker (Peta Wilson) from Bram Stoker's Dracula; Tom Sawyer (Shane West) from several works by Mark Twain; Dorian Grey (Stuart Townsend) from Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Grey; Captain Nemo (Naseeruddin Shah) from Jules Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea; The Invisible Man (Tony Curran) from H.G. Wells book of the same name; and several others. Working together, the odd assortment of characters must combine their powers to defeat a mysterious villain and save the world from certain destruction. Directed by Stephen Norrington (Blade), The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen also stars Jason Flemyng, Tom Goodman-Hill, and David Hemmings. -- Matthew Tobey AMG REVIEW: The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen starts off with a fantastic premise. Bringing together great fictional characters to stop a world war from starting should provide a pop-culture kick for the actors and the viewers. Sadly, Steve Norrington has directed the film with such a heavy hand, and directed the actors to take the proceedings so seriously, that not a moment of levity or fun is allowed to grace the screen. The audience should have no problem excepting the basic premise, but it is far more difficult to suspend disbelief during a high-speed car chase -- through the streets of Vienna -- in 1899. Such outlandishly silly scenes could still work if the film had a light and airy tone, but the explosions are so loud and the editing is so rapid that the film assaults the audience instead of letting it enjoy the surroundings and the goofiness. Sean Connery holds the screen, but mostly because there is nothing else worth looking at. Even he can't seem to work up much enthusiasm for the material. Stuart Townsend, Peta Wilson, and Shane West have been given interesting ideas rather than characters to play, limiting their seemingly game performances from being anything other than three of the more obvious wasted opportunities in this boring, disappointing would-be summer blockbuster. -- Perry Seibert | ||||||
10  |
The Lord of the Rings - The Two Towers (Platinum Series Special Extended Edition) | DVD | ||||
| PLOT SYNOPSIS: The second film in Peter Jackson's series of screen adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien's internationally popular Lord of The Rings trilogy, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers literally begins where The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring ended, with the Fellowship splitting into three groups as they seek to return the Ring to Mordor, the forbidding land where the powerful talisman must be taken to be destroyed. Frodo (Elijah Wood), who carries the Ring, and his fellow Hobbit Sam (Sean Astin) are lost in the hills of Emyn Muil when they encounter Gollum (Andy Serkis), a strange creature who once carried the Ring and was twisted by its power. Gollum volunteers to guide the pair to Mordor; Frodo agrees, but Sam does not trust their new acquaintance. Elsewhere, Merry (Dominic Monaghan) and Pippin (Billy Boyd) are attempting to navigate Fangorn Forrest where they discover a most unusual nemesis -- Treebeard (voice of John Rhys-Davies), a walking and talking tree-shepherd who doesn't much care for Hobbits. Finally, Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), Gimli (John Rhys-Davies), and Legolas (Orlando Bloom) arrive in Rohan to discover that the evil powers of Saruman (Christopher Lee) have robbed King Theoden (Bernard Hill) of his rule. The King's niece Éowyn (Miranda Otto) believes Aragorn and his men have the strength to defeat Saruman, his henchman Wormtongue (Brad Dourif), and their minions. Éowyn soon becomes infatuated with Aragorn, while he struggles to stay faithful to the pledge of love he made to Arwen (Liv Tyler). Gandalf (Ian McKellen) offers his help and encouragement as the Rohans, under Aragorn's leadership, attempt to face down Saruman's armies, but they soon discover how great the task before them truly is when they learn that his troops consist of 10,000 bloodthirsty creatures specially bred to fight to the death. Most of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers was shot in tandem with The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King during a marathon 18-month shooting schedule, overseen by Peter Jackson. -- Mark Deming AMG REVIEW: Co-writer and director Peter Jackson continues his Oscar-winning, box-office blockbuster adaptation of the classic fantasy novel from author J.R.R. Tolkien with a second installment that plunges the fictional setting of Middle-earth into a vicious war. Welcome additions to the action in the sophomore adventure include the CG-created Gollum, moving front and center as a major character who is simply amazing in his ability to entertain and move the viewer emotionally. The most pathetic creature in the trilogy, he's a schizophrenic nightmare but heartbreakingly human and poignantly, dazzlingly realized by a combination of actor Andy Serkis's physical skill and Jackson's special effects experts. Gollum puts the similar Jar Jar Binks character of the second Star Wars trilogy to shame. Also thrilling are a climactic battle between Ents (living "trees") and the evil wizard Saruman (Christopher Lee) that brings to mind any number of breathtaking sequences from The Wizard of Oz (1939), and the final clash between humans and invading enemy forces at Helm's Deep, a lengthy but thrilling clash of bows and shields that recalls the superb fight sequences from Braveheart (1995). Less persuasive are some storytelling elements that fall victim to the filmmakers' effort to condense the story into a three-hour running time: several gaps in the action occur and a few developments are left unexplained, such as how the forces of Éomer (Karl Urban) grow from a few dozen to thousands, how the defenders of the realm of Gondor manage to defeat their attackers, why the Ringwraiths have suddenly switched mounts from horses to dragons (why did they use horses at all in the first film?) -- and why Tolkien felt the need to give every location, character, and object in his work at least three utterly confusing names (those who haven't read the books may be left wondering what the difference is between Éomer and Faramir or Gimli and Grima). However, the simple fact that a novel as dense and detailed as this one hasn't been turned into a labored bore is a miracle; that Jackson has fashioned such a triumphant success is a real artistic achievement. Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) may be imperfect in its occasionally frustrated effort to squeeze every significant plot element into the mix, but it's a visual marvel and a definite raising of the artistic bar for its entire genre. No filmmaker will ever be able to create a sci-fi or fantasy epic again without comparison against it. -- Karl Williams AWARDS: Top Ten Movie of the Year (win) - 2002 AFI Best Art Direction (nom) - 2002 Academy Best Film Editing (nom) - 2002 Academy Best Picture (nom) - 2002 Academy Best Sound (nom) - 2002 Academy Best Sound Editing (win) - 2002 Academy Best Visual Effects (win) - 2002 Academy Best Composer (nom) Howard Shore - 2002 Broadcast Film Critics Association Best Picture (nom) - 2002 Broadcast Film Critics Association Best Director (nom) Peter Jackson - 2002 Director's Guild of America Best Director (nom) Peter Jackson - 2002 Golden Globe Best Film (nom) - 2002 Golden Globe Best Cast (nom) - 2002 Screen and Actors Guild | ||||||
35  |
The Old Grey Whistle Test | DVD | ||||
| PLOT SYNOPSIS: Between 1971 and 1987, The Old Grey Whistle Test was the leading showcase for "serious" rock music on British television. Created by the BBC as an outlet for the breed of progressive rock artists who didn't fit the format of the nation's leading pop music show, Top of the Pops, The Old Grey Whistle Test played host to nearly every major British rock act of the day, as well as a large number of high-profile visitors from the United States. While the series never aired in North America, The Old Grey Whistle Test became a legend among Anglophile rock fans, and this DVD release brings together a number of classic live performances from the show's archive, as well as thoughts from many of the program's former hosts about favorite artists and notable appearances. The Old Grey Whistle Test includes appearances by John Lennon, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, the Wailers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, U2, R.E.M., Bonnie Raitt, Tom Waits, Curtis Mayfield, the Police, and many more. (By the way, the name of the show came from an old Tin Pan Alley expression; music publishers would refer to the elderly men who worked as doormen and porters as "old greys," and it was thought if they would whistle along with a song after hearing it only two or three times, it had passed the "old grey whistle test" and was destined to be a hit.) -- Mark Deming | ||||||
24  |
The Scorpion King | DVD | ||||
| PLOT SYNOPSIS: The Rock has his first starring role in this prequel to The Mummy films, which was developed while The Mummy Returns was still in production. The film takes place in ancient times, when a mighty swordsman, Memnon (Steven Brand, making his film debut) ruled over nearly all the known world. Memnon, a brutal tyrant, defeats his enemies in battle with the help of a beautiful sorceress, Cassandra (Kelly Hu), who can predict the future. The last of the "free tribes" form a fragile alliance to fight Memnon, and hire a trio of Akkadian assassins, led by Mathayus (pro wrestler The Rock, who made his big-screen debut as this character in The Mummy Returns), to kill the sorceress and thus remove Memnon's advantage. Balthazar (Michael Clarke Duncan of The Green Mile), the powerful leader of the Nubians, objects to hiring mercenaries, but the plan goes forward. The assassins are betrayed by Takmet (Peter Facinelli), the son of one of the tribal leaders, and Mathayus finds himself unable to kill Cassandra. Thanks to the unlikely machinations of Cassandra, and the aid of a horse thief, Arpid (Grant Heslov of True Lies), Mathayus escapes to the desert. He eventually abducts Cassandra, who explains that Memnon was holding her against her will. Mathayus thwarts Memnon's efforts to re-capture Cassandra, then uses his newfound sense of justice to convince the surviving tribal leaders to join forces again to defeat Memnon. The Scorpion King was directed by Chuck Russell. Jonathan Hales (Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones) was credited with the story, and WWF owner Vince McMahon has an executive producer credit. The film, which was shot in the U.S. (very unusual for a big action film), reportedly underwent extensive re-shoots when the first cut came in with a running time of 70 minutes. -- Josh Ralske AMG REVIEW: Expectations weren't very high for The Scorpion King, a prequel/spin-off of The Mummy Returns, but it still disappoints. The Scorpion King relies on extensive fight scenes rather than the elaborate CGI effects of The Mummy films. This seems appropriate enough, as the film is the first star vehicle for professional wrestler The Rock. With his ethnically ambiguous good looks and his chiseled physique, The Rock is well-suited to star in this physically demanding role. As an actor, he comports himself efficiently, though naturally he's given extremely little to do beyond swing his massive arms around and look mean. Director Chuck Russell (who also directed the Jim Carrey vehicle, The Mask), gives the film a certain shabby B-movie charm. But Scorpion King was clearly designed to maximize its box-office potential by avoiding an R rating, so while it's extremely violent, there's surprisingly little blood. Unfortunately, this bloodlessness detracts from the visceral impact of all the death and destruction on display, and drains some of the life from the film. The script, meanwhile, is a silly collection of sword and sorcery clichés, interspersed with groan-inducing comic relief. The most amusing moment in the film comes early. The brother of Mathayus (The Rock) is about to be killed while a large group of warriors and their harem girls look on. The Rock makes his grand entrance, busting into the room, and a hush comes over the onlookers as they gape at him. Before hacking and slashing his way through the crowd, he breaks the silence by quietly saying, "Boo." This anachronistically goofy line sets the tone for all of the film's forced humor. The story doesn't do much to sustain interest, and all the swordplay eventually gets tedious. What could have been cheesy dumb fun is mostly just cheesy and dumb. -- Josh Ralske | ||||||
31  |
Underworld | DVD | ||||
| PLOT SYNOPSIS: A young man who has pledged his life to helping others finds himself in a pitched battle between two gangs of supernatural villains in this blend of horror story and action thriller. Michael Corvin (Scott Speedman) is a medical student who is heading home after a long day of school and work when he unexpectedly finds himself in the middle of what appears to be a rumble between two well turned-out street gangs. What Michael doesn't know is he has witnessed a skirmish between two deadly underground communities, unknown to the mortal world, who are battling for supremacy -- the Death Dealers, a tribe of vampires, and the Lycans, a band of werewolves. Selene (Kate Beckinsale) is a leading member of the Death Dealers who hears through the grapevine that the Lycans have plans to capture the aspiring doctor who witnessed their battle. Certain something is in the air, Selene begins following Michael around the city, and she finds herself growing emotionally attached to him. As Selene becomes more attracted to Michael, she becomes more convinced that the Lycans are planning a major attack against the Death Dealers, although vampire kingpin Kraven (Shane Brolly) is certain she's crediting the Lycans with more intelligence than they can muster. As Selene shadows Michael, she finds herself wanting to protect him, but her longing becomes a handicap when he's attacked by Lucian (Michael Sheen), the leader of the werewolf community, and the man she wants to save has now become a sworn enemy. Underworld was the first feature film from music video director Len Wiseman. -- Mark Deming AMG REVIEW: Pitting werewolves and vampires against each other is something that every movie monster-lover can appreciate any day of the week. In Len Wiseman's stylish, but flawed directorial debut Underworld, this concept is explored and fleshed out with epic intentions, but not so epic results. First off, anyone expecting monumental battle scenes between the two creatures better stop where you are, because you're in for a full plate of disappointment here. Moments of bloody hand-to-hand monster brawling are fleeting, with all of the action relegated to quickly cut, lame John Woo-style gunfights -- that's right, gunfights! It's a problem that lies at the heart of the film -- instead of embracing the horror elements of these two iconic creatures, the filmmakers opt to sweep it under the rug and dress the flick up as an action-fest whose explosive elements and style are as derivative as they come (the shooting through the floor gag was done ten years earlier in Albert Pyun's low-budget gem Nemesis and stolen from ever since). Admittedly, it's hard to criticize Underworld's take on the many, extremely well-known inspirations which fueled everything from the look to the selling of the film -- only because they're so blatant. Every other shot undeniably echoes a dozen or so famous and well-crafted films -- though most didn't have at their disposal the 23-million-dollar budget that this one did. Unfortunately, it seems that most of the money went straight into the gothic production design, while other sections were greatly hindered by the budget restraints -- namely, the creature effects. Created and crafted by Patrick Tatopoulos (the same hack behind 1998's Godzilla redesign), the werewolves (aka: lycans) are simply a mess, which probably explains why they show up almost nowhere in the two-hour, one-minute running time. With huge muscular necks and little hyena heads with no fur to be seen, the design is awkward and unapologetically ugly, save for the few imaginative transformation scenes. Surprisingly, where the film shines is within the script. At numerous key moments during the story, new thematic elements are brought forth which are both engrossing and original, despite their familiar set dressing. With the endless amounts of vampire lore floating around, Underworld's inventive approach is refreshing and ends up being more interesting than the bullet-ridden shoot-'em-up scenes -- though the style of the flashbacks leaves much to be desired. In contrast, the acting is strictly a mixed bag, with lithe star Kate Beckinsale and clan heads Lucian (Michael Sheen) and Viktor (Bill Nighy) bringing class and freshness to the piece, while others like Shane Brolly as Kraven stink up the place with their semi-Euro trash accents and laughable diction. (Head stud Scott Speedman is given nothing to do, thus he's not worth mentioning.) With deals made for a sequel and prequel, there might be some hope for Underworld's future installments, as there is a well-developed base here for a continuing tale -- but as it is, this one will forever fail to live up to the concept it built for itself. Too bad too, because the world needs more werewolf vs. vampire films! -- Jeremy Wheeler | ||||||
3  |
X2: X-Men United | X-Men 2X2 | DVD | |||
| PLOT SYNOPSIS: When a failed assassination attempt occurs on the President's (Cotter Smith) life by the teleporting mutant Nightcrawler (Alan Cumming), it's Professor Xavier (Patrick Stewart) and his School for Gifted Youngsters who are targeted for the crime. While Jean Grey (Famke Janssen) and Storm (Halle Berry) try and locate the assassin, Cyclops (James Marsden) and Professor X (Patrick Stewart) seek answers from their old foe Magneto (Ian McKellan) in his glass cell...Little do they know they're walking into a trap set by the villainous William Stryker (Brian Cox), a mysterious governmental figure that figures into Wolverine's (Hugh Jackman) secretive past, along with information about the X-Men's operation, supplied by Magneto through a mind-controlling agent. Meanwhile Wolverine, just home from a failed mission to regain his memory, is in charge of the students when a crack-commando team led by Stryker infiltrates the school by order of the President. With a mansion full of young, powerful mutants and the ferocious Wolverine in babysitter mode, can he defend the school against the one man who can answer his questions? What roles do the sinister Mystique (Rebecca Romijn-Stamos) and Lady Deathstrike (Kelly Hu) have in all of this? Why does Stryker want Professor X and his Cerebro machine? With the war between humanity and mutants escalating to extremes, can the rest of the X-Men trust their old foes to help them? Director Bryan Singer returns and raises the stakes in this sequel to the highly lauded 2000 adaptation of Marvel Comics' X-Men. -- Jeremy Wheeler AMG REVIEW: X2 is one of those sequels that moviegoers dream of -- it's bigger, badder, and ten times more explosive than Bryan Singer's classy but hindered original. Aided by a much larger budget, and the comfort of the mythology already introduced, X2 goes for broke from the get-go and doesn't let up until the fantastic finale that'll leave die-hard fans sweating in their seats. That's not to say non-comic-book readers are left in the dust with this one -- essentially, that's the genius of this sequel...While building their own film universe with these beloved mutants, the filmmakers obviously have love and respect for the original 30-plus years of printed history -- in this flick alone, they tackle three key stories of the comic and somehow still make it all work for the non-readers out there. Thinking back, it's fitting that X-Men was so much of a setup because this is where the juice really gets cookin' and the payoff begins. First off, Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) fans beware, because this is what you've been waiting for -- the berserker is officially unleashed, and audiences everywhere now have a new iconic movie hero because of it. Of course, it's not all Wolvie's story in this darker tale...Old faces are fresh again when plots blossom and characters are fleshed out in fantastic fashion as everyone, at some point, gets their time in the sun (besides Cyclops [James Marsden], who sadly disappears for one full hour during the film). Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellan continue to be fabulous in their roles, giving instant credibility and creating flawless characterizations to these two tragic old friends. New to the scene is Alan Cumming in a surprising turn as the mysterious teleporter Nightcrawler. His makeup and teleporting effects are exceptional, while the accent he chose is flawless (unlike Academy Award-winner Halle Berry's in the original, which is gladly absent here). Of course, with a new sequel come new villains, and this one has them in spades. First off, there's Brian Cox -- one mammoth actor that gives birth to one of the nastiest bad guys in history, William Stryker, a scientist who holds the key to Wolverine's past. Also on hand is the gorgeous Kelly Hu as Lady Deathstrike, a siren who isn't on the screen long, but does take part in one of the most grueling knock-down, drag-out fights in X-Men history, automatically making her a classic villain that'll be remembered long after the credits roll. Speaking of action, if the theater had seat belts, you'd want to strap yourself in, because Singer and company have crafted a film that makes the first one pale in comparison. It's the tasty treat that fans and newcomers alike have been waiting for -- a meaty, action-packed, story-driven superhero film that delivers on the grandness and scale that the characters and this sequel deserved. -- Jeremy Wheeler | ||||||
18  |
Zoolander | DVD | ||||
| PLOT SYNOPSIS: Comic actor Ben Stiller co-wrote, directed, and stars in this spoof of the fashion industry that began as a short skit for the 1996 VH1 Fashion Awards. Stiller is Derek Zoolander, an intellectually challenged but bone structure-blessed male model who's despondent after being eclipsed in popularity by an equally vacuous rival, Hansel (Owen Wilson). Upon his reluctant retirement, Derek is invited to a day spa by previously standoffish fashion designer Jacobim Mugatu (Will Ferrell), where the befuddled model is brainwashed by the mysterious Katinka (Milla Jovovich) into assassinating the prime minister of Malaysia. In addition to Stiller's real-life wife Christine Taylor, Zoolander co-stars his father Jerry Stiller, along with Jon Voight, David Duchovny, Andy Dick, and Fabio. -- Karl Williams AMG REVIEW: Reality Bites, an attempt to summarize a generation, and The Cable Guy, which attempted to make a grand statement about the dangers of television, were uneven films that displayed a talented filmmaker whose reach exceeded his grasp. Zoolander finds director Ben Stiller poking fun at the world of fashion models. While it is fair to argue that so simple a target should be child's play for a talented comedian, Stiller finds just enough variations on the vapid, shallow people that populate this world to keep things running smoothly for the film's running time. His ace in the hole is Owen Wilson. Wilson's performance as Zoolander's archrival Hansel (who looks like Roger Daltrey wishes he looked in Tommy) manages to be just enough like Zoolander to show that they are birds of a feather, but different enough to show the variations on the comedic elements that make up these two characters. Stiller and Wilson successfully find different ways to use their voices to humorously express the stupidity of the characters, while simultaneously mining the physical comedy that results from mocking the preening posture and movements of male models to add to the comedy. Their ten-minute "walk-off" (the fashion world equivalent of the rumble in West Side Story) is as funny as anything else Stiller or Wilson has done. Stiller has finally found, in the superficial world of famous beautiful people, a subject he knows well enough to satirize completely, pointedly, and even a tad lovingly. -- Perry Seibert | ||||||
Total: 35 movies
