Total Number of DVDs: 312
Last Updated: 26 May 2008

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Page Number: 18 / 25

 

 

Real Genius

Director: Martha Coolidge
Starring: Val Kilmer, Gabriel Jarret, Michelle Meyrink, William Atherton, Jon Gries
Genre: Comedy
Rated: PG
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 6.7 (8,277 votes)
Duration: 106
Release: Jun 2002
# of Discs: 1
UPC: 9780767881203
Purchased On:
Summary: An underrated little picture, "Real Genius" offers a rare college comedy that doesn't rely on gross-out humor--and a look at Val Kilmer before he turned into a star. A high school whiz kid (Gabriel Jarret) arrives at a brainy college, where the crème de la crème of the science students are marshaled under an ambitious professor (expert villain William Atherton). Unbeknownst to them, the kids are working on a weapons system that the prof plans on selling to the government. The star student, and chief rabble-rouser, is played by Kilmer, in good early form as a cocky genius who hasn't lost touch with his goofy side. The director is Martha Coolidge, whose "Valley Girl" was one of the brightest (and most unexpected) of '80s comedies; she keeps the movie perking along and never worries about dumbing down a film that just happens to be about smart people. "--Robert Horton"


 

The Recruit

Director: Roger Donaldson
Starring: Al Pacino, Colin Farrell, Bridget Moynahan, Gabriel Macht, Kenneth Mitchell
Genre: Mystery & Suspense
Rated: R
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 6.5 (23,526 votes)
Duration: 115
Release: May 2003
# of Discs: 1
UPC: 0786936207996
Purchased On:
Summary: "Nothing is as it seems" in "The Recruit", a guessing-game thriller that employs plot twists and conflicting loyalties as its primary raison d'être. Surrounded by potential deception, a newly recruited CIA officer (Colin Farrell) must determine if his manipulative instructor (Al Pacino) is being honest when he identifies Farrell's fellow recruit and love interest (Bridget Moynihan) as an enemy "mole" assigned to steal a dangerous computer virus from CIA headquarters. While claiming to offer an insider's look at CIA training methods, this engrossing yet ultimately predictable plot is pure Hollywood fantasy; any resemblance to reality is purely coincidental, leaving the perpetually unshaven and scruffily coiffed Farrell to fend for himself in Pacino's cynical arena while tracing his familial roots in the spy game. Wearing its cleverness on its sleeve, "The Recruit" is an adequately elaborate puzzle of perceptions. "Everything is a test," as Farrell soon realizes, and attentive viewers will enjoy piecing it all together. "--Jeff Shannon"


 

Red Eye

Director: Wes Craven
Starring: Rachel McAdams, Cillian Murphy, Brian Cox, Jayma Mays, Laura Johnson
Genre: Drama
Rated: PG-13
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 6.6 (24,564 votes)
Duration: 85
Release: Jan 2006
# of Discs: 1
UPC: 9781417065868
Purchased On:
Summary: Veteran horror director Wes Craven lends his proven talent to the non-horror thriller "Red-Eye", turning it into an above-average potboiler that makes the most of its 85 tension-packed minutes. That's a perfect running time for a movie like this, in which a resourceful heroine Lisa (Rachel McAdams, the breakout star of 2005) is trapped on a red-eye flight with creepy villain Jackson Rippner (Cillian Murphy, even more menacing than he was as the Scarecrow in "Batman Begins") who's playing middle-man in the plot to assassinate a Homeland Security official. He's got her father pinned down by a would-be killer, using that advantage to coerce Lisa into phoning the luxury resort where she works and arranging to move the target into a pre-set position. It's a situation from which there is seemingly no escape, but of course Craven and screenwriter Carl Ellsworth find a way to milk the suspenseful dilemma for all it's worth, even managing to wedge in a few intriguing character details to enhance the fast-moving plot. It's still a B-movie, but it's tightly constructed and well-executed by Craven, whose previous films made him a perfect choice to maximize all that "Red-Eye" has to offer. "--Jeff Shannon"


 

Red vs. Blue - The Blood Gulch Chronicles - Season One

Director: Burnie Burns
Starring: Burnie Burns, Dan Godwin, Geoff Fink, Gustavo Sorola, Jason Saldaña
Genre: Comedy
Rated: NR
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 9.3 (2,394 votes)
Duration: 74
Release:
# of Discs: 1
UPC: 733792456228
Purchased On:
Summary: A gruff sergeant. An unlucky ghost. A psychotic mercenary. A sarcastic slacker. An unrepentant kiss-up. Two morons. A tank with impeccable manners. And a robot stuck on the Spanish setting...

War is hell.

In the distant future, ten soldiers battle for control of the least desirable piece of real estate in the known universe -- a box canyon in the middle of nowhere. Red vs. Blue chronicles the misadventures of two hapless armies as they wage a war that few understand and no one wants to fight.

The hit comedy series that took the Internet by storm is now on DVD, with 19 full episodes, audio commentary by the filmmakers and special scenes you won't find anywhere else!


 

Reign of Fire

Director: Rob Bowman
Starring: Christian Bale, Matthew McConaughey, Izabella Scorupco, Gerard Butler, Scott Moutter
Genre: Action & Adventure
Rated: PG-13
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 5.8 (20,647 votes)
Duration: 102
Release: Nov 2002
# of Discs: 1
UPC: 9780788837814
Purchased On:
Summary: "The Road Warrior" meets "Dragonslayer" in the briskly entertaining post-apocalyptic action thriller "Reign of Fire". "Reign of Fire" exists primarily to give us a bigger and better dragon than the Vermithrax Pejorative of 1981's classic "Dragonslayer", and in that regard, the special effects are mightily impressive; the reptilian fire-breathers are stupendously convincing. While the earlier film offers a richer, more whimsical medieval adventure, "Reign of Fire" is a fast-moving tale of man versus dragon that takes place in the charred England of 2020, after Earth has been scorched by rapidly multiplying dragons and the aftermath of a futile nuclear counterstrike. Mixing high-tech gadgetry with primitive survivalism, "X-Files" alumnus Rob Bowman makes the most of his midlevel budget, establishing a lavish castle base for the rugged, adversarial teaming of Christian Bale and Matthew McConaughey as dragonslayers on the brink of extinction. With a steady supply of crowd-pleasing highlights, "Reign of Fire" is a pyrotechnical treat. "--Jeff Shannon"


 

Reno 911 - The Complete First Season

Director: Ben Garant, Thomas Lennon (III), Michael Patrick Jann
Starring: Carlos Alazraqui, Mary Birdsong, Ben Garant, Kerri Kenney, Thomas Lennon (III)
Genre: Television
Rated: NR
My Rating:
IMDB Rating:
Duration: 337
Release: Jun 2004
# of Discs: 2
UPC: 9781415701331
Purchased On:
Summary: From the creators of the flamboyantly fabulous "Viva Variety" (and when will "that" be released on DVD?) comes "Reno 911", Comedy Central's most arresting comedy series. Ride along with the cluelessly cracked squad of the Wahoe County Sheriff's Department, who cross the proverbial thin blue line with impunity. "That's how we do it in Reno," exults Lt. Dangle (Thomas Lennon), after absent-mindedly rear-ending a car whose trunk pops open to reveal a cache of marijuana. "Reno 911" has "Cops"'s gritty documentary feel, and "Police Squad"'s straight face in subverting cop show conventions. The hapless officers get no respect, not from the citizens they encounter, from their colleagues in the FBI, or even from themselves. Kerri Kenney-Silver's unfortunate Det. Wiegel is the squad's odd girl out. "She's like a bad casserole" is one of the more polite things said about her. In one episode, a misunderstanding leads to her being put under a suicide watch, and she so loves the attention, she doesn't bother to inform her brethren that she, in fact, did not try to kill herself. The forays into black comedy are about as subtle as a S.W.A.T. assault. In the first episode's opening moments, an officer answers a domestic disturbance call with guns blazing, only to discover it is a surprise birthday party for him.
But "Reno 911" would have gotten old fast if it was just "Police Academy"-style mishaps and slapstick. What elevates this from being a one-joke series are the intimately observed characters' quirks and personal dramas. Dangle has a penchant for short shorts, and, in the first episode at least, comely male traffic offenders. Dangle is not exactly Capt. Furillo (from "Hill Street Blues") in the compassion department. When the squad learns that unwed Deputy C. Johnson (Wendy McLendon-Covey) is pregnant, he jokingly searches for a phone book when considering who the father might be. "There's usually a phone book around here," he shrugs. "It would have been funnier." Comedy Central may be guilty of running these episodes into the ground, but for "Reno 911"'s devoted following, and for rookies to the force, this boxed set of commercial-free episodes, some commentary-enhanced, is just the ticket. "--Donald Liebenson"


 

Reno 911 - The Complete Second Season

Director: Michael Patrick Jann, Brad Abrams, Thomas Lennon (III), Ben Garant
Starring:
Genre: Television
Rated: NR
My Rating:
IMDB Rating:
Duration: 340
Release: Jun 2005
# of Discs: 3
UPC: 0097368886940
Purchased On:
Summary: An unfolding scandal threatens to rock Reno, Nevada to its core. It's not the clueless Officer Wiegel's new boyfriend, who just may be the Truckee River Killer. It's not the shooting of singer Kenny Rogers while under the neglectful watch of Garcia and Wiegel. No, it's the caught-on-tape pummeling of "Milkshake Man" at the hands of Jones and Garcia that will place Wahoe County's finest (certainly funniest) under investigation by an ambitious District Attorney (he his eye on becoming Comptroller). "Reno 911"'s sophomore season is even more savagely funny than the first, as witness the various humiliations suffered weekly by the hapless squad. When they're not being one-upped by the Reno fire department, which has scheduled its annual pancake dinner the same night at the policeman's ball, they are being outsmarted and disrespected by the various lowlifes and misfits who populate their beat. "Reno 911" seems to have outlawed pathos. In the season opener, Lt. Dangle, still outfitted in those "plum-smuggler" short shorts, finds his "farewell" dinner conflicts with a local women's basketball championship. An especially inspired touch this season are a series of hilarious "Layin' Down the Law" PSAs featuring the squad, as well as a series of traumatizing visits to the local children's hospital (at one point, Wiegel overenthusiastically barges in wearing clown makeup and waving her gun).
Presenting the episodes "Uncensored" is something of a mixed blessing. The closer "Reno 911" hews to the "Cops" template, the funnier it is. Unlike Chapelle's Show" or "The Osbournes", "Reno 911"'s episodes are arguably funnier with the profanities bleeped (not an option on this three-disc set). Happily, the exposed body parts are still blurred. Commendations are due the entire ensemble, as well as the B-list doppelganger cast (among them, Martin Mull, Sean Young, and Wayne Brady) that replaces them in the season cliffhanger, for "keepin' it real... real funny." Take the advice of executive producer Danny DeVito, who introduces episode 13: "I've never seen the show," he confesses, "but I've heard good things about it. I'm really going to watch the show this year." "--Donald Liebenson"


 

Reno 911 - The Complete Third Season

Director: Michael Patrick Jann, Brad Abrams, Thomas Lennon (III), Ben Garant
Starring:
Genre: Television
Rated: NR
My Rating:
IMDB Rating:
Duration: 278
Release: Jul 2006
# of Discs: 2
UPC: 0097368891241
Purchased On:
Summary: Buckle up for another ride with the officers of Reno Nevada's Sheriff's Department in this third season DVD of the hit Comedy Central Series. From a stint in prison to an accidental cat killing to close encounters of the S.A.R.S. kind, you can expect nothing but foolish choices and utter mediocrity from these hapless law enforcers!


 

Reno 911! - Miami

Director: Robert Ben Garant
Starring: Carlos Alazraqui, Mary Birdsong, Ben Garant, Kerri Kenney, Thomas Lennon
Genre: Comedy
Rated: Unrated
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 6.2 (7,632 votes)
Duration: 83
Release: Jun 2007
# of Discs: 1
UPC: 0024543444381
Purchased On:
Summary:
For "Reno 911" fans who believe that Comedy Central's improv-driven mock-reality series could benefit from more unbleeped profanity, uncensored sex scenes, and nudity, the feature-length R-rated "Miami" will be just the ticket. Perhaps less a movie than it is a Very Special Episode, "Miami" transplants short-shorts-bedecked Lt. Dangle (Thomas Lennon) and company to Miami for the American Police Convention ("They invited everybody"). No sooner can you say "bio-terrorism" than the hotel is quarantined, and Wahoe County's hapless misfits, shut out when their credentials can't be found, must step in and save the city from "complete chaos." Complete chaos ensues. As with the series, "Miami" unfolds in a series of hit and miss bits. The funniest are those that hew closest to the Cops template, such as an early "814" call that does not, as the officers believe, decode as armed intruder, but actually involves a loose chicken, and an encounter with a taunting good ol' boy who, when faced with an alligator in a swimming pool, boldly goes where officers Jones (Cedric Yarbrough) and Garcia (Carlos Alazraqui) fear to tread.
Happily, as was not the case with "Borat", no innocent or unsuspecting citizens were emotionally harmed during the making of this movie. All of the jokes and humiliations are at the Reno squad's expense. "Miami" benefits from some subtle (and not so subtle) stunt casting, including Patton Oswalt (The King of Queens) in a small but pivotal role as the deputy assistant mayor, and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's hilarious, albeit short-lived cameo as a gung-ho bomb squad leader. It is a tribute to the crack ensemble that "Reno"'s intimately etched characters do not need much of an introduction, and can be appreciated by those who have not seen the show. But longtime viewers are issued this warning that "Miami" crosses with even more impunity the thin blue line of good taste. A "Rear Window" homage in which we view each officer indulging in some alone time in their fleabag motel rooms may not be as bad as "Borat"'s wrestling match, but really, there ought to be a law! --"Donald Liebenson"


 

The Replacement Killers

Director: Antoine Fuqua
Starring: Yun-Fat Chow, Mira Sorvino, Michael Rooker, Kenneth Tsang, Jürgen Prochnow
Genre: Action & Adventure
Rated: R
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 5.8 (9,625 votes)
Duration: 87
Release: Jul 1998
# of Discs: 1
UPC: 9786304970478
Purchased On:
Summary: The director of Chow Yun-fat's first Hollywood outing, music-video veteran Antoine Fuqua, seems to be trying to squeeze the charismatic Asian superstar into a conventional American action-hero mold, and the results are dispiriting. Fuqua never lets this high-spirited actor smile, fetishizing him as a gunslinging clotheshorse in a series of garish, scenery-smashing battle scenes. As a paid assassin whose former employers turn against him, Chow enlists the help of an illegal documents specialist played, with surprising grit, by Mira Sorvino, and then spends most of the time fending off squads of killers in mirror shades. The movie is art-directed and photographed fit to kill (even the most routine incidents are eye-gougingly colorful) and edited to a hip-hop beat. It's garishly superficial. The frequent gunplay duels may keep action fans riveted, but they'll hate themselves in the morning. "--David Chute"


 

Requiem for a Dream

Director: Darren Aronofsky
Starring: Ellen Burstyn, Jared Leto, Jennifer Connelly, Marlon Wayans, Christopher McDonald
Genre: Art House & International
Rated: Unrated
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 8.4 (96,884 votes)
Duration: 102
Release: May 2001
# of Discs: 1
UPC: 0012236115670
Purchased On:
Summary: Employing shock techniques and sound design in a relentless sensory assault, "Requiem for a Dream" is about nothing less than the systematic destruction of hope. Based on the novel by Hubert Selby Jr., and adapted by Selby and director Darren Aronofsky, this is undoubtedly one of the most effective films ever made about the experience of drug addiction (both euphoric and nightmarish), and few would deny that Aronofsky, in following his breakthrough film "Pi", has pushed the medium to a disturbing extreme, thrusting conventional narrative into a panic zone of traumatized psyches and bodies pushed to the furthest boundaries of chemical tolerance. It's too easy to call this a cautionary tale; it's a guided tour through hell, with Aronofsky as our bold and ruthless host.
The film focuses on a quartet of doomed souls, but it's Ellen Burstyn--in a raw and bravely triumphant performance--who most desperately embodies the downward spiral of drug abuse. As lonely widow Sara Goldfarb, she invests all of her dreams in an absurd self-help TV game show, jolting her bloodstream with diet pills and coffee while her son Harry (Jared Leto) shoots heroin with his best friend Tyrone (Marlon Wayans) and slumming girlfriend Marion (Jennifer Connelly). They're careening toward madness at varying speeds, and Aronofsky tracks this gloomy process by endlessly repeating the imagery of their deadly routines. Tormented by her dietary regime, Sara even imagines a carnivorous refrigerator in one of the film's most memorable scenes. And yet... does any of this have a point? Is Aronofsky telling us anything that any sane person doesn't already know? "Requiem for a Dream" is a noteworthy film, but watching it twice would qualify as masochistic behavior. "--Jeff Shannon"


 

Resident Evil

Director: Paul W.S. Anderson
Starring: Milla Jovovich, Michelle Rodriguez, Eric Mabius, James Purefoy, Martin Crewes
Genre: Action & Adventure
Rated: R
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 6.2 (34,292 votes)
Duration: 101
Release: Sep 2004
# of Discs: 1
UPC: 9781404938274
Purchased On:
Summary: Marilyn Manson worked on the soundtrack, so it's no surprise that "Resident Evil" is best enjoyed by headbangers, goth guys, and PlayStation junkies. Like the interactive game it's based on, this horror hybrid pits a small band of SWAT-like commandos (including Milla Jovovich and "Girlfight"'s Michelle Rodriguez) against a ravenous hoard of zombies, resulting in a gorefest that only sociopaths could love. The tenacious heroes are trapped inside the Hive--an underground complex where an evil corporation conducts illegal research with a deadly virus--and the zombies (reanimated corpses of sacrificed employees) are fodder for endless rounds of gunfire. It's utter nonsense (not unlike director Paul W.S. Anderson's previous "Event Horizon"), so your best defense is to wallow in it or avoid this trash altogether. A few cool sequences are borrowed from better films (that slice-and-dice laser is cribbed from the 1998 Canadian shocker "Cube"), but if you're in the mood for heavy-metal carnage, this movie's for you. "--Jeff Shannon"


 

Resident Evil: Apocalypse

Director: Alexander Witt
Starring: Milla Jovovich, Sienna Guillory, Oded Fehr, Thomas Kretschmann, Sophie Vavasseur
Genre: Action & Adventure
Rated: R
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 5.7 (23,945 votes)
Duration: 94
Release: Dec 2004
# of Discs: 2
UPC: 9781404950931
Purchased On:
Summary: 2002's popular video-game-derived hit "Resident Evil" didn't inspire confidence in a sequel, but "Resident Evil: Apocalypse" defies odds and surpasses expectations. It's a bigger, better, action-packed zombie thriller, and this time Milla Jovovich (as the first film's no-nonsense heroine) is joined by more characters from the popular Capcom video games, including Jill Valentine (played by British hottie Sienna Guillory) and Carlos Olivera (Oded Fehr, from 1999's "The Mummy"). They're armed and ready for a high-caliber encounter with devil dogs, mutant "Lickers," lurching zombies, and the leather-clad monster known only as Nemesis, unleashed by the nefarious Umbrella Corporation responsible for creating the cannibalistic undead horde. Having gained valuable experience as a respected second-unit director on high-profile films like "Gladiator" and "The Bourne Identity", director Alexander Witt elevates this junky material to the level of slick, schlocky entertainment. "--Jeff Shannon"


 

Resident Evil: Extinction

Director: Russell Mulcahy
Starring: Milla Jovovich, Oded Fehr, Ali Larter, Iain Glen, Ashanti
Genre: Action
Rated: R
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 6.3 (22,801 votes)
Duration: 94
Release: Dec 2007
# of Discs:
UPC: 043396247703
Purchased On: 12 Jan 2008
Summary: Years after the Raccoon City disaster, Alice is on her own; aware that she has become a liability and could endanger those around her, she is struggling to survive and bring down the Umbrella Corporation led by the sinister Albert Wesker and head researcher Dr. Isaacs. Meanwhile, traveling through the Nevada Desert and the ruins of Las Vegas, Carlos Olivera, L.J., and new survivors K-Mart, Claire Redfield, and Nurse Betty must fight to survive extinction against hordes of zombies, killer crows and the most terrifying creatures created as a result of the deadly T-Virus that has killed millions.


 

The Ring

Director: Gore Verbinski
Starring: Naomi Watts, Martin Henderson, David Dorfman, Brian Cox, Jane Alexander
Genre: Horror
Rated: PG-13
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 7.3 (51,817 votes)
Duration: 115
Release: Mar 2003
# of Discs: 1
UPC: 9780783269870
Purchased On:
Summary: With its disturbing images and a few good shocks, "The Ring" is the kind of frightfest you'll watch to set a chilling mood or spook your susceptible friends, but when you try to sort it out, this well-mounted American remake (of the 1998 Japanese hit "Ringu", based on Koji Suzuki's popular novel) becomes a batch of incoherent parts. The negligible plot follows a Seattle reporter (Naomi Watts) as she investigates the death of her niece, the victim of a mysterious videotape that, according to urban legend, causes the viewer's death seven days later. ("Fear Dot Com" borrowed the same idea while avoiding this film's lofty pretensions.) The countdown structure follows the reporter, her son, and her estranged boyfriend into deepening layers of terror--all quite effective until the movie attempts to explain itself. At that you're better off shutting down your brain and letting the creepy visuals take over. "--Jeff Shannon"


 

The Ring Two

Director: Hideo Nakata
Starring: Naomi Watts, Simon Baker, David Dorfman, Elizabeth Perkins, Gary Cole
Genre: Drama
Rated: Unrated
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 5.1 (16,857 votes)
Duration: 128
Release: Aug 2005
# of Discs: 1
UPC: 0678149443325
Purchased On:
Summary: Most contemporary horror movies depend upon a series of sudden jolts, executed with the finesse of a cattle-prod, to keep their audiences awake. "The Ring Two" offers something far more interesting: A slow but relentless creepiness that might just linger in your mind when the movie is over. A few months after the events of the first "Ring", journalist Rachel Keller (Naomi Watts, "Mulholland Drive") and her son Aidan (David Dorfman, "A Wrinkle in Time") have fled to a small town on the Oregon coast to get over their awful experience with a cursed videotape. Of course, a copy of the videotape finds its way there, and soon the troubled spirit of a girl with long, face-obscuring black hair is worming her way into Rachel and Aidan's lives by worming her way into Aidan's flesh. As a story with a coherent beginning, middle, and end, "The Ring Two" is full of holes; but as a series of surreal and evocative images accumulating into a dislocating sense of dread, "The Ring Two" holds up. In fact, at one point the movie becomes so dreamlike in its flow that it verges on avant-garde. The source of this alluring eeriness is the director, Hideo Nakata, who directed the Japanese "Ringu", on which "The Ring" was based. Also featuring Gary Cole ("Office Space") and Sissy Spacek ("Carrie"). "--Bret Fetzer"


 

Road to Perdition

Director: Sam Mendes
Starring: Tyler Hoechlin, Rob Maxey, Liam Aiken, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tom Hanks
Genre: Drama
Rated: R
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 7.7 (50,273 votes)
Duration: 117
Release: Feb 2003
# of Discs: 1
UPC: 9780783274454
Purchased On:
Summary: In "Road to Perdition", Tom Hanks plays a hit man who finds his heart. Michael Sullivan (Hanks) is the right-hand man of crime boss John Rooney (Paul Newman), but when Sullivan's son accidentally witnesses one of his hits, he must choose between his crime family and his real one. The movie has a slow pace, largely because director Sam Mendes ("American Beauty") seems to be in love with the gorgeous period locations. Hanks gives a deceptively battened-down performance at first, only opening up toward the very end of the film, making his character's personal transformation all the more convincing. Newman turns in a masterful piece of work, revealing Rooney's advancing age but at the same time, his terrifying power. Jude Law is also a standout, playing a hit man-photographer with chilling creepiness. This movie requires a little patience, but the beautiful cinematography and moving ending make it well worth the wait. "--Ali Davis"


 

Road Trip

Director: Todd Phillips
Starring: Breckin Meyer, Seann William Scott, Amy Smart, Paulo Costanzo, DJ Qualls
Genre: Comedy
Rated: R
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 6.2 (25,946 votes)
Duration: 94
Release: Dec 2000
# of Discs: 1
UPC: 9780783245362
Purchased On:
Summary: "Road Trip" is a mostly agreeable, by-the-numbers teen flick with a handful of inspired sequences, most of them involving MTV's resident disturbed soul, Tom Green. It concerns a sleepy University of Ithaca student named Josh (Breckin Meyer) who accidentally mails a video of his sexual encounter with an infatuation (Amy Smart) to his longtime girlfriend (Rachel Blanchard), who's seemingly avoiding him while at school in Austin, Texas. Naturally, he recruits some buddies--Seann William Scott as the lech, D.J. Qualls as the hopeless nerd, and Paulo Costanzo as the doper genius--to hit the open highway and intercept the package. Even more naturally, mayhem ensues: A car explodes, a bus is stolen, a nerd is deflowered, French toast is horribly violated, and an elderly man bogarts both pot and Viagra.
The film's humor is more democratic than politically correct, as everyone--women and minority characters, not just the hipster white guys--have a hand in the high jinks. Green plays Barry Manilow (no, not that one), a professional student (eight years and counting)--he relates the film's story to skeptical prospective students while leading them on a tour of the college--and thrill-seeking dork extraordinaire. In particular, in an already justly famous sequence of scenes, he sadistically anticipates and endeavors to accelerate a mouse's demise at the jaws of a python. It's very much in the vein of "American Pie", perhaps a smidgen tamer, but at least its characters don't really learn any dopey lessons in the end. Director and coscreenwriter Todd Phillips, who earlier made the much-questioned documentary "Frat House", again proves he's more adept at staging fictional comic sequences than real ones. "--David Kronke"


 

Romeo + Juliet

Director: Baz Luhrmann
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Claire Danes, John Leguizamo, Harold Perrineau, Pete Postlethwaite
Genre: Drama
Rated: PG-13
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 6.8 (35,970 votes)
Duration: 120
Release: Jan 2003
# of Discs:
UPC: 0024543034650
Purchased On:
Summary: Baz Luhrmann's dazzling and unconventional adaptation of William Shakespear's classic love story is spellbinding. Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes portray Romeo and Juliet, the youthful star-crossed lovers of the past. But the setting has been moved from it's Elizabethan origins to the futuristic urban backdrop of Verona Beach.


 

Ronin

Director: John Frankenheimer
Starring: Robert De Niro, Jean Reno, Natascha McElhone, Stellan Skarsgård, Sean Bean
Genre: Action & Adventure
Rated: R
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 7.1 (35,316 votes)
Duration: 121
Release: Feb 1999
# of Discs: 1
UPC: 9786305263241
Purchased On:
Summary: In a world where loyalties are easily abandoned and allegiances can be bought, a new and deadlier terrorist threat has emergedfree agent killers! Featuring "high-octane action" (Gene Shalit, "Today"), a "first-rate cast" (L.A. Daily News) and exhilarating car chases that "are nothing short of sensational" (The New York Times), Ronin is "the real deal in action fireworks" (Rolling Stone) directed by "a master of intelligent thrillers" (Roger Ebert). The Cold War may be over, but a new world order keeps a group of covert mercenaries employed by the highest bidder. These operatives, known as "Ronin," are assembled in France by a mysterious client for a seemingly routine mission: steal a top-secret briefcase. But the simple task soon proves explosive asother underworld organizations vie for the same prize...and to get the job done, the members of Ronin must do something they've never done beforetrust each other!


 

The Royal Tenenbaums

Director: Wes Anderson
Starring: Gene Hackman, Anjelica Huston, Ben Stiller, Gwyneth Paltrow, Luke Wilson
Genre: Comedy
Rated: R
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 7.5 (51,353 votes)
Duration: 109
Release: Jul 2002
# of Discs: 2
UPC: 0786936165425
Purchased On:
Summary: In a fitting follow-up to "Rushmore", writer-director Wes Anderson and cowriter-actor Owen Wilson have crafted another comedic masterwork that ripples with inventive, richly emotional substance. Because of the all-star cast, hilarious dialogue, and oddball characters existing in their own, wholly original universe, it's easy to miss the depth and complexity of Anderson's brand of comedy. Here, it revolves around Royal Tenenbaum (Gene Hackman), the errant patriarch of a dysfunctional family of geniuses, including precocious playwright Margot (Gwyneth Paltrow), boyish financier and grieving widower Chas (Ben Stiller), and has-been tennis pro Richie (Luke Wilson). All were raised with supportive detachment by mother Etheline (Anjelica Huston), and all ache profoundly for a togetherness they never really had. The Tenenbaums reconcile somehow, but only after Anderson and Wilson (who costars as a loopy literary celebrity) put them through a compassionate series of quirky confrontations and rekindled affections. Not for every taste, but this is brilliant work from any perspective. "--Jeff Shannon"


 

Rumble in the Bronx

Director: Stanley Tong
Starring: Jackie Chan, Anita Mui, Françoise Yip, Bill Tung, Marc Akerstream
Genre: Action & Adventure
Rated: R
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 6.5 (7,139 votes)
Duration: 91
Release: Jun 1997
# of Discs: 1
UPC: 9780780619333
Purchased On:
Summary: Jackie Chan finally conquered America with "Rumble in the Bronx". If the mildly contorted English dialogue sounds peculiarly foreign and disembodied (most of it is dubbed), and the mountains of Vancouver, BC don't convincingly double for the skyline of New York City, well, peculiarities like these actually contribute something to the movie's ingenuous charm. With his disarming smile and feline physicality, the compact Chan radiates star quality. But there's more to him than charisma: at his best, the actor combines the relentlessly escalating, hyperkinetic action set-pieces for which Hong Kong is famous; the rigorous martial arts training of his idol, Bruce Lee; and the grace and daring that distinguish Buster Keaton's physical comedy. Chan also shares some of Keaton's cinematic integrity, which dictated that you shouldn't cheat the audience by faking stunts, on the set or in the editing room. Like Keaton, Chan does his own stunts, and you can see that it really is him jumping off a bridge onto a speeding boat, or clinging to the dangling ladder of a helicopter as the hostile pilot tries to shake him loose by smashing him into the sides of skyscrapers. Not that it matters, really, but the plot of "Rumble in the Bronx" has something to do with Chan helping the woman who has taken over his uncle's neighborhood market when she is harassed by local hoodlums. What really matters is Chan, and he's in fine form. "Rumble in the Bronx" doesn't rank with his best work, but it's a swell introduction to a unique star. And those stunt outtakes over the end credits are as delightfully spellbinding as ever. "See?" Chan seems to say every time he breaks a rib or twists an ankle (which happens often). "I'm doing this all for you." "--Jim Emerson"


 

Runaway Jury

Director: Gary Fleder
Starring: John Cusack, Gene Hackman, Dustin Hoffman, Rachel Weisz, Bruce Davison
Genre: Drama
Rated: PG-13
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 7.1 (20,433 votes)
Duration: 127
Release: Feb 2004
# of Discs: 1
UPC: 0024543100812
Purchased On: 05 Aug 2007
Summary: Based on the bestseller by John Grisham, "Runaway Jury" is a slick thriller that's exciting enough to overcome the gaps in its plot. The ultimate target has been changed: Grisham's legal assault on the tobacco industry was switched to the hot-button issue of gun control (no doubt to avoid comparison to "The Insider") in a riveting exposé of jury-tampering. Gene Hackman plays the ultra-cynical, utterly unscrupulous pawn of the gun-makers, using an expert staff and advanced electronics to hand-pick a New Orleans jury that will return a favorable verdict; Dustin Hoffman (making his first screen appearance with real-life former roommate Hackman) defends the grieving widow of a gun-shooting victim with idealistic zeal, while maverick juror John Cusack and accomplice Rachel Weisz play both ends against the middle in a personal quest to hold gun-makers accountable. It's riveting stuff, even when it's obvious that Grisham and director Gary Fleder have glossed over any details that would unravel the plot's intricate design. "--Jeff Shannon"


 

The Rundown

Director: Peter Berg
Starring: The Rock, Seann William Scott, Rosario Dawson, Christopher Walken, Ewen Bremner
Genre: Action & Adventure
Rated: PG-13
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 6.5 (16,172 votes)
Duration: 105
Release: Mar 2004
# of Discs: 1
UPC: 9780783284262
Purchased On:
Summary: Professional wrestling star the Rock, who was such a lump of flesh in "The Scorpion King", proves surprisingly light on his feet in "The Rundown", demonstrating charm and humor as well as the requisite toughness. Beck (the Rock), a repo-man for deadbeats, is sent to South America to find a treasure hunter (Seann William Scott) who's seeking a priceless golden idol--which the local head honcho (Christopher Walken) would like to get his hands on as well. Add in the lovely but dangerous barmaid with a secret (Rosario Dawson), and Beck has some obstacles to overcome. The plot of "The Rundown" isn't anything special, but the script is enjoyably clever and reasonably coherent; the capable cast keeps things lively; and the movie's relaxed but sinewy pace sets it apart from the frantic floundering of recent action flicks--kudos to director Peter Berg ("Very Bad Things"). A surprisingly fun flick. "--Bret Fetzer"


 

Rush Hour

Director: Brett Ratner
Starring: Ken Leung, Jackie Chan, Tom Wilkinson, Tzi Ma, Robert Littman
Genre: Action & Adventure
Rated: PG-13
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 6.7 (30,552 votes)
Duration: 97
Release: Mar 1999
# of Discs: 1
UPC: 9780780625143
Purchased On:
Summary: The plot line may sound familiar: Two mismatched cops are assigned as reluctant partners to solve a crime. Culturally they are complete opposites, and they quickly realize they can't stand each other. One (Jackie Chan) believes in doing things by the book. He is a man with integrity and nerves of steel. The other (Chris Tucker) is an amiable rebel who can't stand authority figures. He's a man who has to do everything on his own, much to the displeasure of his superior officer, who in turn thinks this cop is a loose cannon but tolerates him because he gets the job done. Directed by Brett Ratner, "Rush Hour" doesn't break any new ground in terms of story, stunts, or direction. It rehashes just about every "buddy" movie ever made--in fact, it makes films such as "Tango and Cash" seem utterly original and clever by comparison. So, why did this uninspired movie make over $120 million at the box office? Was the whole world suffering from temporary insanity? Hardly. The explanation for the success of "Rush Hour" is quite simple: chemistry. The casting of veteran action maestro Jackie Chan with the charming and often hilarious Chris Tucker was a serendipitous stroke of genius. Fans of Jackie Chan may be slightly disappointed by the lack of action set pieces that emphasize his kung-fu craft. On the other hand, those who know the history of this seasoned Hong Kong actor will be able to appreciate that "Rush Hour" was the mainstream breakthrough that Chan had deserved for years. Coupled with the charismatic scene-stealer Tucker, Chan gets to flex his comic muscles to great effect. From their first scenes together to the trademark Chan outtakes during the end credits, their ability to play off of one another is a joy to behold, and this mischievous interaction is what saves the film from slipping into the depths of pitiful mediocrity. "--Jeremy Storey"


 

Rush Hour 2

Director: Brett Ratner
Starring: Jackie Chan, Chris Tucker, John Lone, Ziyi Zhang, Roselyn Sanchez
Genre: Action & Adventure
Rated: PG-13
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 6.4 (28,948 votes)
Duration: 91
Release: Jun 2004
# of Discs: 1
UPC: 9780780636934
Purchased On:
Summary: "Rush Hour 2" retains the appeal of its popular predecessor, so it's easily recommended to fans of its returning stars, Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan. The action--and there's plenty of it--starts in Hong Kong, where Detective Lee (Chan) and his L.A. counterpart Detective Carter (Tucker) are attempting a vacation, only to get assigned to sleuth a counterfeiting scheme involving a triad kingpin (John Lone), his lethal henchwoman (Zhang Ziyi, from "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"), and an American billionaire (Alan King). Director Brett Ratner simply lets his stars strut their stuff, so it hardly matters that the plot is disposable, or that his direction is so bland he could've phoned it in from a Jacuzzi.
At its best, "Rush Hour 2" compares favorably to Chan's glossiest Hong Kong hits, and when the action moves to Las Vegas (where Don Cheadle makes an unbilled cameo), the movie goes into high-pitched hyperdrive, riding an easy wave of ambitious stuntwork and broad, derivative humor. Echoes of "Beverly Hills Cop" are too loud, however, and stale ideas (including a comedic highlight for Jeremy Piven as a gay clothier) are made even more aggravating by dialogue that's almost Neanderthal in its embrace of retro-racial stereotypes. Of course, that's what makes "Rush Hour 2" a palatable dish of mainstream comedy; it insults and comforts the viewer at the same time, and while some may find Tucker's relentless hamming unbearable, those who enjoyed "Rush Hour" are sure to appreciate another dose of Chan-Tucker lunacy. "--Jeff Shannon"


 


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