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

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Saw

Director: James Wan
Starring: Leigh Whannell, Cary Elwes, Danny Glover, Ken Leung, Dina Meyer
Genre: Horror
Rated: Unrated
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 7.6 (60,066 votes)
Duration: 103
Release: Oct 2005
# of Discs: 2
UPC: 0031398182610
Purchased On:
Summary: "Saw" opens with a gruesome scenario: Two men are chained to the walls of a grimy bathroom with a bloody corpse lying on the floor between them. Tape recordings tell them that one of the men has to kill the other, or his wife and child will die. The corpse is holding a gun in one hand, but it's out of reach...but whoever has locked these two up has thoughtfully provided a hacksaw that can't cut through the heavy chain, but might cut through a little flesh and bone. From there, "Saw" jumps back and forth as the two men slowly unravel how they know each other and that their tormentor is one of those all-knowing, all-capable serial killers (it goes without saying that "Saw" is hugely influenced by "Seven" and the movies of Dario Argento), a fellow known as Jigsaw who disguises his voice and lets a creepy puppet (lifted almost directly from the eccentric animations of the Brothers Quay) be his visual representative. But imitation isn't inherently bad; what puts "Saw" ahead of its horror compatriots is a gleeful enthusiasm that a dozen sequels to "Halloween" couldn't muster. "Saw" has problems--it's clumsily overwritten (every detail of what's going on, no matter how visually evident, will be explained by the characters); most of the situations are static and implausible; and though the cast includes talented veterans like Cary Elwes ("The Princess Bride") and Danny Glover ("Lethal Weapon"), the acting has the depth of a puddle. The rapid pace and frequently frenzied camerawork keep things in motion and while the philosophical underpinnings of Jigsaw won't challenge Hegel or Schopenhauer, they do offer more food for thought than most contemporary horror. Discriminating fans of the genre who like their gore with a glimmer of an idea will embrace "Saw".
The "Uncut Edition" differs only slightly from the theatrical release; it reinserts a little more gore that was cut to get an R rating and tightens up the editing (the uncut version is actually a teensy bit shorter than the theatrical release). The extras are plentiful (if a bit thin): Two audio commentaries (one by director James Wan, screenwriter/actor Leigh Whannel, and Elwes), one by the producers--thankfully, no one takes themselves too seriously. Also included are a trio of typically self-congratulatory making-of featurettes ("He was amazing to work with" etc.), an animated storyboard of a sequence they couldn't afford to shoot, a DVD-ROM game in which you can construct your own puppet, a couple of self-mocking Easter Eggs, and lots of promotional stuff for "Saw II". There's a very curious faux-news show purporting to be an investigation of the "real" Jigsaw, which uses clips from the movie as if they were documentary footage--it's hard to say whether this is a misguided attempt to make the movie seem creepier or a bit of flimsy humor. Most fans will find the regular DVD release satisfactory; this special edition is largely for hardcore enthusiasts. "--Bret Fetzer"


 

Saw II

Director: Darren Lynn Bousman
Starring: Tobin Bell, Shawnee Smith, Donnie Wahlberg, Erik Knudsen, Franky G
Genre: Horror
Rated: R
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 6.9 (39,581 votes)
Duration: 92
Release: Feb 2006
# of Discs: 1
UPC: 0031398188599
Purchased On:
Summary: "Saw II" brings back many features of the original "Saw": elaborate sadistic scenarios designed to "test" the victims' will to live; Tobin Bell as the Machiavellian (yet doomed) serial killer Jigsaw; Shawnee Smith as Amanda, a survivor of one of Jigsaw's "games", forced to play again; Dina Meyer ("Starship Troopers"), whose role as a detective is considerably expanded; and the stunningly godawful dialogue of screenwriter Leigh Whannel. The set-up this time is even more preposterous than before, as a rough-and-tumble cop named Eric (Donnie Whalberg, "Band of Brothers") watches, on video monitors, his son trapped in a house filled with nerve gas and a handful of other victims, all of whom are mysteriously connected. Eric has captured Jigsaw, but the implacable killer refuses to reveal where the cop's son is being held... unless Eric will play by Jigsaw's rules. Fans of "Saw" will love "Saw II", as the tortures are more gruesome than before; viewers who found "Saw" either detestable or laughable won't like "Saw II" either, as the characters rarely behave like actual people (even when a moment's explanation would solve a conflict, no one bothers to communicate, even though their lives are on the line). It's a festival of body fluids, agonized grimaces, and shrieks of pain--and if that's your thing, this is your movie. "--Bret Fetzer"


 

A Scanner Darkly

Director: Richard Linklater
Starring: Rory Cochrane, Robert Downey Jr., Mitch Baker, Keanu Reeves, Sean Allen
Genre: Action & Adventure
Rated: R
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 7.3 (17,882 votes)
Duration: 100
Release: Dec 2006
# of Discs: 1
UPC: 0012569594173
Purchased On:
Summary: How well you respond to Richard Linklater's "A Scanner Darkly" depends on how much you know about the life and work of celebrated science fiction writer Philip K. Dick. While it qualifies as a faithful adaptation of Dick's semiautobiographical 1977 novel about the perils of drug abuse, Big Brother-like surveillance and rampant paranoia in a very near future ("seven years from now"), this is still very much a Linklater film, and those two qualities don't always connect effectively. The creepy potency of Dick's premise remains: The drug war's been lost, citizens are kept under rigid surveillance by holographic scanning recorders, and a schizoid addict named Bob Arctor (Keanu Reeves) is facing an identity crisis he's not even aware of: Due to his voluminous intake of the highly addictive psychotropic drug Substance D, Arctor's brain has been split in two, each hemisphere functioning separately. So he doesn't know that he's also Agent Fred, an undercover agent assigned to infiltrate Arctor's circle of friends (played by Woody Harrelson, Winona Ryder, Rory Cochrane, and Robert Downey, Jr.) to track down the secret source of Substance D. As he wears a "scramble suit" that constantly shifts identities and renders Agent Fred/Arctor into "the ultimate everyman," Dick's drug-addled antihero must come to grips with a society where, as the movie's tag-line makes clear, "everything is not going to be OK."
While it's virtually guaranteed to achieve some kind of cult status, "A Scanner Darkly" lacks the paranoid intensity of Dick's novel, and Linklater's established penchant for loose and loopy dialogue doesn't always work here, with an emphasis on drug-culture humor instead of the panicked anxiety that Dick's novel conveys. As for the use of "interpolated rotoscoping"--the technique used to apply shifting, highly stylized animation over conventional live-action footage--it's purely a matter of personal preference. The film's look is appropriate to Dick's dark, cautionary story about the high price of addiction, but it also robs performances of nuance and turns the seriousness of Dick's story into... well, a cartoon. Opinions will differ, but "A Scanner Darkly" is definitely worth a look--or two, if the mind-rattling plot doesn't sink in the first time around. "--Jeff Shannon"


 

Scanners

Director: David Cronenberg
Starring: Jennifer O'Neill, Stephen Lack, Patrick McGoohan, Lawrence Dane, Michael Ironside
Genre: Horror
Rated: R
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 6.5 (6,295 votes)
Duration: 103
Release: Aug 2001
# of Discs: 1
UPC: 9780792850687
Purchased On:
Summary: Welcome to the world of the Scannersa race of humans with telekinetic powers that can wreak havoc beyond your most dreaded nightmare. Writer/director David Cronenberg (The Fly, Naked Lunch) brings the terror closer than ever beforehe brings it right into your mind. Cronenberg is a modern-day horror master whose name fits in easily with the likes of King, Craven and Carpenter...and Scanners, with its spectacular and shockingly realistic special effects, is a startling masterpiece of the genre. When a rogue Scanner of unparalleled power (Michael Ironside) wages a bloody war against the normals, young empath Cameron Vale (Stephen Lack) is recruited to trackhim down. But Vale is inexperiencedand a battle with another Scanner could mean a grisly death...or worse. Can Vale vanquish his insanely violent, power-mad adversary? Only one thing is certain: Scanners delivers the chills-down-your-spine, heart-in-your-throat, you-can't-watch-but-you-daren't-leave goods (Time)!


 

Scary Movie

Director: Keenen Ivory Wayans
Starring: Carmen Electra, Dave Sheridan, Frank B. Moore, Giacomo Baessato, Kyle Graham
Genre: Comedy
Rated: R
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 5.7 (39,013 votes)
Duration: 88
Release: Dec 2000
# of Discs: 1
UPC: 9780788818301
Purchased On:
Summary: If you've seen "Scream" and "I Know What You Did Last Summer", then you know the entire plot of "Scary Movie". That's okay, though, because this is a parody, and it helps to know the story in order to be able to get the jokes. No, the biggest surprise here is not the story as much as the amount of full-frontal male nudity. Really, in addition to all the dick jokes (and the ass jokes and fart jokes), there's a couple of shots of the male member, one of which is erect and used as a weapon. "Scary Movie" somehow ended up with an R rating, which in a sense is groundbreaking; perhaps our ratings board is loosening up after all.
But is it funny? That's the most important question, and the answer to that is yes. In the vein of "Airplane!", with a dash of the Farrelly brothers, "Scary Movie" keeps throwing jokes at you one after another. The law of averages says some of them have to hit, and enough of them do to keep the movie entertaining. Unlike the makers of "Airplane!", however, the Wayans brothers aren't making this movie out of a love of the genre, and unlike the Farrelly brothers, they don't make fun of retarded people with any sort of respect, so the humor throughout feels a lot uglier. Still, there are enough funny scenes in "Scary Movie" to make the viewing experience worthwhile. Special credit must go to Lochlyn Munro as Greg, the over-the-top jock, who steals the movie up until the time he's gotta die."--Andy Spletzer"


 

Scary Movie 2

Director: Keenen Ivory Wayans
Starring: Anna Faris, Marlon Wayans, James DeBello, Shawn Wayans, David Cross
Genre: Comedy
Rated: R
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 4.4 (23,186 votes)
Duration: 82
Release: Dec 2001
# of Discs: 1
UPC: 9780788831447
Purchased On:
Summary: The Wayans Brothers return with another horror-flick parody, this one taking shots at "The Exorcist", "Hannibal", and "House on Haunted Hill", along with non-horror fare like "Charlie's Angels". In addition to gags (and I do mean "gag") about innumerable bodily functions, there are slyer jabs at Thomas Jefferson and "Raging Bull". As in "Scary Movie", the strongest humor comes from making fun of the inane behavior of characters in horror movies. Assisting Shawn and Marlon Wayans are Anna Faris, Kathleen Robertson (in the Carmen Electra role, providing the T&A), and David Cross, as well as Tori Spelling, Chris Elliott, James Woods (as an exorcist with bowel trouble), Andy Richter, and poor Tim Curry, who probably never thought his career would come to this. "--Bret Fetzer"


 

Scary Movie 3.5

Director: David Zucker
Starring: Pamela Anderson, Jenny McCarthy, Marny Eng, Charlie Sheen, Simon Rex
Genre: Comedy
Rated: Unrated
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 5.3 (21,775 votes)
Duration: 85
Release: Sep 2005
# of Discs: 1
UPC: 0786936286953
Purchased On:
Summary: This freewheeling parody tosses horror movies, Eminem, "The Matrix", and much more into a cinematic blender. "Scary Movie 3" centers around Cindy (Anna Faris, "Lost in Translation"), a bubble-headed young newscaster who believes that a deadly videotape has some mysterious connection to the aliens who've been making crop circles in the cornfield of a local farmer (Charlie Sheen, "Young Guns"), whose brother (Simon Rex) hopes to win a local rap contest. Along for the ride are Queen Latifah, George Carlin, Anthony Anderson, Pamela Anderson, Jenny McCarthy, Jeremy Piven, Camryn Manheim, Ja Rule, dozens of rap stars, and Leslie Nielsen as the President of the U.S. No need to have seen the first two "Scary Movie" flicks--though a few of the characters recur, the movie leapfrogs from gag to goofy gag, plundering "The Ring", "Signs", and "The Others" as needed. Silly and slapdash, but with a decent dose of laughs. "--Bret Fetzer"


 

Scary Movie 4

Director: David Zucker
Starring: Anna Faris, Regina Hall, Craig Bierko, Bill Pullman, Anthony Anderson
Genre: Comedy
Rated: Unrated
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 5.2 (18,864 votes)
Duration: 91
Release: Aug 2006
# of Discs: 1
UPC: 0796019794657
Purchased On:
Summary: Some comedy is like a scalpel; the "Scary Movie" series is a hand grenade, spewing bodily fluids and big-breasted women in all directions as they lampoon the latest horror. In "Scary Movie 4"'s case, the main targets are "War of the Worlds", "The Village", "The Grudge", "Saw", and Tom Cruise jumping all over Oprah's couch (the scariest of the lot). Along the way, potshots get taken at non-horror fare like "Brokeback Mountain" and "Million Dollar Baby", as well as obvious targets like Michael Jackson and George W. Bush, among others. Anna Faris ("Lost in Translation") and Regina Hall ("The Honeymooners") return as the central characters wandering through a crazy quilt of horror scenarios, joined by Craig Bierko ("Cinderella Man") doing a dead-on parody of Cruise at his most manic. Cameos include everyone from Charlie Sheen to Shaquille O'Neal to Carmen Electra. Some of it's funny, some of it's not, but there's a generally buoyant zaniness that comes from director David Zucker, one of the creators of "Airplane!", which started the whole firehose-of-jokes aesthetic. "--Bret Fetzer"


 

Scrubs - The Complete First Season

Director: Michael Spiller, Adam Bernstein, Ken Whittingham, Chris Koch, Bill Lawrence, Marc Buckland, John Inwood, Craig Zisk, Lawrence Trilling, Will Mackenzie, Gail Mancuso, Victor Nelli Jr., Zach Braff, Linda Mendoza, John Putch, Richard A. Wells, John Michel, Matthew Diamond, Joanna Kerns, Randall Winston, Henry Chan, Rick Blue
Starring: Zach Braff, Sarah Chalke, Donald Faison, Neil Flynn, Ken Jenkins
Genre: Television
Rated: NR
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 9.4 (17,194 votes)
Duration: 558
Release: May 2005
# of Discs: 3
UPC: 0786936273809
Purchased On:
Summary: The sitcom may be flatlining, but as long as there are fresh and original series like "Scrubs", the prognosis isn't entirely negative. Created by Bill Lawrence, "Scrubs" is an interns'-eye view of hospital life and the torturous, tragic, and triumphant route to becoming a doctor. The eminently likeable Zach Braff heads the cast as "newbie" J.D., whose years of medical school haven't quite prepared him for chaotic Sacred Heart Hospital. "Family Guy" has nothing on the live-action "Scrubs" when it comes to surreal asides and fantasy sequences (for example, J.D. literally becomes the proverbial deer in the headlights when he cannot answer a medical query), pop culture references, and TV Land casting (John Ritter guest stars as J.D.'s negligent father in "My Old Man," and "St. Elsewhere" veterans William Daniels, Ed Begley, Jr., Stephen Furst, and Eric Laneuville appear as Legionnaire's-stricken doctors in "My Sacrifical Clam"). With surgical precision, this inaugural season charts J.D.'s growth as a doctor and a human being, and the close-knit bonds he forms with his equally overwhelmed peers and colleagues, including best friend and surgeon Chris Turk (Donald Faison), beautiful, but raw-nerved and by-the-book Elliot Reid (Sarah Chalke), and supportive nurse Carla Espinoza (Judy Reyes'), who affectionately nicknames J.D. "Bambi." But at the heart of the series is J.D.'s relationship with his mentor, Dr. Cox (an Emmy-worthy John C. McGinley), a cross between Obi-Wan Kenobi and a pit bull. Giving "Scrubs" a further shot of adrenaline are recurring characters Jordan (Christa Miller Lawrence), Dr. Cox's satanic ex-wife, and Neil Flynn as the Janitor, who torments J.D. just as Larry Miller menaced Jerry in the "Seinfeld" episode "The Doorman."
"Scrubs"' animated sensibility allows for inexplicable cameos by Jimmie Walker or, at one point, an impromptu "West Side Story"-esque dance-off to convey the schism between the surgeons and other doctors. But while hilariously funny, "Scrubs", too, can break your heart, as in the two-parter "My Occurrence"/"My Hero," with guest star Brendan Fraser as Jordan's spontaneously spirited brother, who is diagnosed with leukemia, and "My Old Lady," in which J.D., Elliot, and Chris experience for the first time losing a patient. "Scrubs" is one of NBC's few remaining "Must-See" series, but it has not been well-served by the network. Whether you're a "newbie" or devoted viewer, this DVD release is just what the doctor ordered. "--Donald Liebenson"


 

Scrubs - The Complete Second Season

Director: Michael Spiller, Adam Bernstein, Ken Whittingham, Chris Koch, Bill Lawrence, Marc Buckland, John Inwood, Craig Zisk, Lawrence Trilling, Will Mackenzie, Gail Mancuso, Victor Nelli Jr., Zach Braff, Linda Mendoza, John Putch, Richard A. Wells, John Michel, Matthew Diamond, Joanna Kerns, Randall Winston, Henry Chan, Rick Blue
Starring: Zach Braff, Sarah Chalke, Donald Faison, Neil Flynn, Ken Jenkins
Genre: Television
Rated: NR
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 9.4 (17,194 votes)
Duration: 479
Release: Nov 2005
# of Discs: 3
UPC: 0786936281583
Purchased On:
Summary: The interns of Sacred Heart hospital move up to residents in the second season of "Scrubs", the dorky little brother to "ER" with more than a passing resemblance to "Ally McBeal". But in this season the sitcom actually matures-- in a good way--in its ability to balance just the right amount of heart and humor. While JD (Zach Braff) wrestles with his feelings for Elliot (Sarah Chalke), Elliot bends over backwards to be included with her colleagues and friends alike (after a character rags on JD and Turk, she squeals, "Do me!"), Turk (Donald Faison) proposes to Carla (Judy Reyes), and Dr. Cox (John C. McGinley) reunites with his ex-wife Jordan (Christa Miller), who's carrying his child. The cast melds together nicely, but it's Braff, executing most of the fantasy sequences, who's the real comic find, although he's nearly upstaged (in a welcome bit of stunt casting) by Tom Cavanaugh as JD's irresponsible older brother, a complete departure from his role on "Ed".
Season Two's bonus features include some very revealing episode commentary by creator Bill Lawrence and various cast members, who all describe guest star Rick Schroder as "an odd dude" and make fun of his imploring the cast not to call him Ricky. They also spend a curious part of time studying the female anatomy, from Chalke's bra colors to guest star Heather Locklear's derriere to Miller's bust (this observation comes from Lawrence, who is Miller's husband). Braff's fame after "Garden State" also comes as an easy target in the commentaries, as well as the network's inability to understand the show, such as asking to remove an episode's reference to the Wonder Twins because they didn't know who they were. Thank goodness the producers didn't listen. -- "Ellen A. Kim"


 

Scrubs - The Complete Third Season

Director: Michael Spiller, Adam Bernstein, Ken Whittingham, Chris Koch, Bill Lawrence, Marc Buckland, John Inwood, Craig Zisk, Lawrence Trilling, Will Mackenzie, Gail Mancuso, Victor Nelli Jr., Zach Braff, Linda Mendoza, John Putch, Richard A. Wells, John Michel, Matthew Diamond, Joanna Kerns, Randall Winston, Henry Chan, Rick Blue
Starring: Zach Braff, Sarah Chalke, Donald Faison, Neil Flynn, Ken Jenkins
Genre: Television
Rated: NR
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 9.4 (17,194 votes)
Duration: 477
Release: May 2006
# of Discs: 3
UPC: 0786936293456
Purchased On:
Summary: Not content to rest on the solid pratfalls that made it famous, "Scrubs" stretched its legs in season three to give deeper insight into its characters. With Turk and Carla (Donald Faison and Judy Reyes) planning their season-finale wedding, J.D. (Zach Braff) once again wrestles with his feelings for fellow resident Elliot (Sarah Chalke), but her reciprocity leads to a startling revelation. "Scrubs" also lent numerous guest stars to its cause, including former "Spin City" castmates Richard Kind as a hypochondriac, Barry Bostwick as a cancer patient, and Michael J. Fox in a hilarious return to television as an obsessive-compulsive visiting surgeon. Scott Foley ("Felicity") plays Elliot's devoted suitor, and Tara Reid's turn as Dr. Cox (John C. McGinley)'s sister-in-law starts out daffy and decomposes into parody. (Producers admit in episode commentary that they tried to cast Reid against type, then gave up a few episodes later and told her to just be her wild, party-going self.) But it's two returning guest stars that pack the most emotional wallop: "Mad TV's" Nicole Sullivan as a chirpy patient whose barely masked troubles are ignored by her doctors; and Brendan Fraser as Dr. Cox's cancer-stricken brother-in-law, Ben. Fraser's episode, entitled "My Screw Up," does a masterful job turning from comedy to tearjerker on a dime in one half-hour. It's one of the best episodes of the show's entire run, and a crime that McGinley wasn't recognized for his brilliant work.
Two episode commentaries, featuring producers, writers, and Faison, aren't as fun as in past seasons (though referring to Braff as "Chicken Little," the character he voiced in Disney's much-maligned animated film, is a notable jab). But the DVD set stuffs in way too many featurettes, including one just devoted to the stars' dogs. One complaint: The animated navigation menu takes way too long getting to the special features, it's tempting to skip them altogether. Better to just hit "play" and re-watch the episodes again. "--Ellen A. Kim"


 

Scrubs - The Complete Fourth Season

Director: Michael Spiller, Adam Bernstein, Ken Whittingham, Chris Koch, Bill Lawrence, Marc Buckland, John Inwood, Craig Zisk, Lawrence Trilling, Will Mackenzie, Gail Mancuso, Victor Nelli Jr., Zach Braff, Linda Mendoza, John Putch, Richard A. Wells, John Michel, Matthew Diamond, Joanna Kerns, Randall Winston, Henry Chan, Rick Blue
Starring: Zach Braff, Sarah Chalke, Donald Faison, Neil Flynn, Ken Jenkins
Genre: Television
Rated: NR
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 9.4 (17,194 votes)
Duration: 542
Release: Oct 2006
# of Discs: 3
UPC: 0786936299625
Purchased On:
Summary: More guest stars move through the revolving door of Sacred Heart Hospital in "Scrubs'" fourth season, with results as uneven as the show itself. With last season's climactic end to J.D. (Zach Braff) and Elliot (Sarah Chalke)'s relationship resolved within two episodes, Heather Graham ("Boogie Nights") comes on board as a cheerful psychiatrist/love interest, and Julianna Margulies ("ER") as a cutthroat malpractice attorney/love interest. But the real love story of "Scrubs" has always been between J.D. and Turk (Donald Faison), a point that is poked fun at in the season opener, as the two joyously reunite after Turk's honeymoon with nurse Carla (Judy Reyes). Turk and Carla struggle to navigate newlywed life, made all the more complicated by J.D.'s drunken kiss with Carla. Meanwhile, at the hospital, it's Elliot who proves the more proficient doctor when she shares co-chief resident with J.D., and a few (though not enough) patient stories, including "Saturday Night Live" alum Molly Shannon as a chatterbox ambulance driver with a secret, Matthew Perry ("Friends") as an air traffic controller estranged from his dad (played by John Perry, his real father), and in the most bizarre bit of stunt casting, Colin Farrell ("Miami Vice") as an unintelligible Irishman (so, basically himself) and "American Idol" runner-up Clay Aiken as a singing cafeteria worker(!).
Some of "Scrubs'" special features this time around are ho-hum, including short vignettes on "The Mysterious Janitor" and more on J.D. and Dr. Cox. The only pleasant surprise is an audio commentary from Braff (who was absent from season three's commentaries and was ribbed in season two's disc for being too important shooting films to contribute), speaking on "My Last Chance," which he directed. Season Four is a letdown compared to the previous seasons' smooth navigation between belly laughs and heartache; here's hoping "Scrubs'" trademark hysterics get resuscitated for season five. "--Ellen A. Kim"


 

Scrubs - The Complete Fifth Season

Director: Michael Spiller, Adam Bernstein, Ken Whittingham, Chris Koch, Bill Lawrence, Marc Buckland, John Inwood, Craig Zisk, Lawrence Trilling, Will Mackenzie, Gail Mancuso, Victor Nelli Jr., Zach Braff, Linda Mendoza, John Putch, Richard A. Wells, John Michel, Matthew Diamond, Joanna Kerns, Randall Winston, Henry Chan, Rick Blue
Starring: Zach Braff, Sarah Chalke, Donald Faison, Neil Flynn, Ken Jenkins
Genre: Television
Rated: NR
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 9.4 (17,194 votes)
Duration: 30
Release: May 2007
# of Discs: 3
UPC: 0786936721508
Purchased On: 30 Jul 2007
Summary: "I'm gonna have a good year, aren't I?" J.D. (Zach Braff), now an attending physician at Sacred Heart Hospital, asks in the fifth season's opening episode. All vital signs are good (the series did receive an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Comedy), but longtime "Scrubs" fans may be forgiven a sense of déjà vu, from J.D.'s whimsical reveries to Dr. Cox's (John C. McGinley) increasingly tiresome rants. The series itself acknowledges the palpable sense of been there, seen that with the clever episode "Déjà vu, Déjà vu." But don't pronounce "Scrubs" dead just yet. Directed by Braff, "My Way Home," the series' 100th episode, is a brilliantly conceived homage to "The Wizard of Oz" with J.D. and company finding their hearts, brains, and courage. Another powerful episode that shows a welcome maturity is "My Lunch," in which J.D. at last has lunch with his reluctant mentor, Dr. Cox, in the wake of a patient's death (happily, the music rights were secured for the DVD release so that the Fray's "How to Save a Life" is playing on the soundtrack when Dr. Cox has his own tragic setback), and the follow-up episode, "My Fallen Idol."
While "Scrubs" has a tendency this season to get "more ridiculous" (in one episode, Neil Flynn's Janitor defies Ken Jenkins' Dr. Kelso to secretly keep a crow in the hospital), the scalpel-sharp writing affords Braff moments that are, in his character's own words, "classic Dorian." In the episode "My Half Acre," he mixes his sports analogies to tell Elliot (Sarah Chalke), "What's waiting for me in my room is what's known, in football terms, as a slam dunk," as he mimes hitting a tennis ball. Mandy Moore, displaying a surprising knack for physical comedy, follows Tara Reid and Heather Graham as a fleeting love interest for J.D. Other character milestones include pregnancies for Carla (Judy Reyes) and two other characters best left a surprise. Good for whatever ails season 5 are this set's extras, including an entertaining series retrospective, featuring interviews with the cast and creators, as well as commentary by Braff for an extended cut of "My Way Home." "--Donald Liebenson"


 

Se7en

Director: David Fincher
Starring: Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, Gwyneth Paltrow, R. Lee Ermey, Andrew Kevin Walker
Genre: Action & Adventure
Rated: R
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 8.5 (153,568 votes)
Duration: 127
Release: Dec 2000
# of Discs: 2
UPC: 9780780630215
Purchased On:
Summary: A retiring cop and his replacement track a psychotic killer who's using the seven deadly sins as a guide. Starring Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman and Gwyneth Paltrow.


 

Shakespeare in Love

Director: John Madden
Starring: Joseph Fiennes, Geoffrey Rush, Tom Wilkinson, Antony Sher, Martin Clunes
Genre: Art House & International
Rated: R
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 7.4 (57,073 votes)
Duration: 122
Release: Dec 1999
# of Discs: 1
UPC: 9780788818936
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Summary: One of the most endearing and intelligent romantic comedies of the '90s, the Oscar-winning "Shakespeare in Love" is filled with such good will, sunny romance, snappy one-liners, and devilish cleverness that it's absolutely irresistible. With tongue placed firmly in cheek, at its outset the film tracks young Will Shakespeare's overwrought battle with writer's block and the efforts of theater owner Philip Henslowe (Geoffrey Rush, in rare form) to stage Will's latest comedy, "Romeo and Ethel, the Pirate's Daughter". Jokey comedy, though, soon takes a backseat to ravishing romance when the beautiful Viola De Lesseps (Gwyneth Paltrow) disguises herself as a young man to wangle herself an audition in the all-male cast, and wins both the part of Romeo and, after much misunderstanding, the playwright's heart. Soon enough, Will's pirate comedy becomes the beautiful, tragic "Romeo and Juliet", reflecting the agony and ecstasy of Will and Viola's romance--he's married and she's set to marry the slimy Lord Wessex (Colin Firth) in the near future.
The way that Oscar-winning screenwriters Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard enfold their story within the parameters of "Romeo and Juliet" (and even "Twelfth Night") is nothing short of brilliant--it would take a Shakespearean scholar to dissect the innumerable parallels, oft-quoted lines, plot developments, and thematic borrowings. And most amazingly, Norman and Stoppard haven't forgotten to entertain their audience in addition to riding a Shakespearean roller coaster, with director John Madden ("Mrs. Brown") reigning in his huge ensemble with rollicking energy. Along the way there are small gems to be found, including Judi Dench's eight-minute, Oscar-winning turn as a "truly" regal Queen Elizabeth, but the key element of "Shakespeare in Love"'s success rests on the milky-white shoulders of its two stars. Fiennes, inexplicably overlooked at Oscar time, is a dashing, heartfelt Will, and as for Best Actress winner Paltrow, well, nothing she'd done before could have prepared viewers for how amazing she is here. Breathtakingly beautiful, fiercely intelligent, strong-willed, and lovestruck--it's a performance worthy of Shakespeare in more ways than one. By the film's end, you'll be thoroughly won over--and brushing up your Shakespeare with newfound ardor. "--Mark Englehart"


 

Shaun of the Dead

Director: Edgar Wright
Starring: Simon Pegg, Kate Ashfield, Nick Frost, Lucy Davis, Dylan Moran
Genre: Art House & International
Rated: R
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 8.0 (58,960 votes)
Duration: 100
Release: Dec 2004
# of Discs: 1
UPC: 9781417018161
Purchased On:
Summary: British horror/comedy "Shaun of the Dead" is a scream in all senses of the word. Brain-hungry zombies shamble through the streets of London, but all unambitious electronics salesman Shaun (Simon Pegg) cares about is his girlfriend Liz (Kate Ashfield), who just dumped him. With the help of his slacker roommate Ed (Nick Frost), Shaun fights his way across town to rescue Liz, but the petty concerns of life keep getting in the way: When they're trying to use vinyl records to decapitate a pair of zombies, Shaun and Ed bicker about which bands deserve preservation--New Order they keep, but Sade becomes a lethal frisbee. Many zombie movies are comedies by accident, but "Shaun of the Dead" is deliberately and brilliantly funny, while still delivering a few delicious jolts of fear. Also featuring the stealthy comic presence of Bill Nighy ("Love Actually") and some familar faces from "The Office". "--Bret Fetzer"


 

The Shawshank Redemption

Director: Frank Darabont
Starring: Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman, Bob Gunton, William Sadler, Clancy Brown
Genre: Drama
Rated: R
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 9.2 (271,851 votes)
Duration: 142
Release: Dec 1999
# of Discs: 1
UPC: 0053939258325
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Summary: A prominent banker unjustly convicted of murder spends many years in the Shawshank prison. He is befriended by a convict who knows the ropes and helps him to cope with the frightning realities of prison life.


 

Sideways

Director: Alexander Payne
Starring: Paul Giamatti, Thomas Haden Church, Virginia Madsen, Sandra Oh, Marylouise Burke
Genre: Comedy
Rated: R
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 7.8 (44,650 votes)
Duration: 127
Release: Apr 2005
# of Discs: 1
UPC: 0024543175780
Purchased On:
Summary: With "Sideways", Paul Giamatti ("American Splendor", "Storytelling") has become an unlikely but engaging romantic lead. Struggling novelist and wine connoisseur Miles (Giamatti) takes his best friend Jack (Thomas Haden Church, "Wings") on a wine-tasting tour of California vineyards for a kind of extended bachelor party. Almost immediately, Jack's insatiable need to sow some wild oats before his marriage leads them into double-dates with a rambunctious wine pourer (Sandra Oh, "Under the Tuscan Sun") and a recently divorced waitress (Virginia Madsen, "The Hot Spot")--and Miles discovers a little hope that he hasn't let himself feel in a long time. "Sideways" is a modest but finely tuned film; with gentle compassion, it explores the failures, struggles, and lowered expectations of mid-life. Giamatti makes regret and self-loathing sympathetic, almost sweet. From the director of "Election" and "About Schmidt". "--Bret Fetzer"


 

A Simple Plan

Director: Sam Raimi
Starring: Bill Paxton, Bridget Fonda, Billy Bob Thornton, Brent Briscoe, Jack Walsh
Genre: Drama
Rated: R
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 7.6 (20,678 votes)
Duration: 121
Release: Jun 1999
# of Discs: 1
UPC: 9780792155478
Purchased On:
Summary: An endless white landscape of rolling hills and snow-blanketed forests. A lonely acoustic score (by Danny Elfman) playing in the background. A vision of rural simplicity portrayed in hushed tones. The stillness is about to shatter. Brothers Hank (Bill Paxton), an accountant at a small-town feed store, and Jacob (Billy Bob Thornton), an unemployed, hygienically challenged dim bulb, accompanied by Jacob's oafish pal Lou (Brent Briscoe), stumble across a downed plane in the brush containing a corpse and a sack containing millions of dollars--surely the aftermath of a drug deal, they conclude. Greed overcomes good sense, and the three agree to hide the money for a year and keep the secret to themselves. A simple plan indeed, and it doesn't take long for it to go all to hell as the lure of wealth tears at kinship and friendship, and the ruthless machinations of impetuous partners leave a body count in its wake. Bridget Fonda costars as Hank's wife, whose initial hesitation gives way to cold-blooded plotting. Sam Raimi, best known for wowing audiences with stylistic gymnastics and manic mayhem, directs this quietly desperate thriller with chilly restraint, finding its cold, tragic heart in the estranged relationship between Hank and Jacob: the college boy blind to the truth of his own family and the town loser whose tortured soul reveals a humanity lost on his brother (a brilliant performance by Thornton). Adapted by Scott B. Smith from his acclaimed novel. "--Sean Axmaker"


 

Sin City

Director: Frank Miller, Robert Rodriguez, Quentin Tarantino
Starring: Jessica Alba, Devon Aoki, Alexis Bledel, Powers Boothe, Cara D. Briggs
Genre: Action & Adventure
Rated: Unrated
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 8.4 (131,573 votes)
Duration: 124
Release: Aug 2005
# of Discs: 1
UPC: 0786936291568
Purchased On:
Summary: Brutal and breathtaking, "Sin City" is Robert Rodriguez's stunningly realized vision of Frank Miller's pulpy comic books. In the first of three separate but loosely related stories, Marv (Mickey Rourke in heavy makeup) tries to track down the killers of a woman who ended up dead in his bed. In the second story, Dwight's (Clive Owen) attempt to defend a woman from a brutal abuser goes horribly wrong, and threatens to destroy the uneasy truce among the police, the mob, and the women of Old Town. Finally, an aging cop on his last day on the job (Bruce Willis) rescues a young girl from a kidnapper, but is himself thrown in jail. Years later, he has a chance to save her again.

Read our interview with Frank Miller. Based on three of Miller's immensely popular and immensely gritty books ("The Hard Goodbye", "The Big Fat Kill", and "That Yellow Bastard"), "Sin City" is unquestionably the most faithful comic-book-based movie ever made. Each shot looks like a panel from its source material, and director Rodriguez (who refers to it as a "translation" rather than an adaptation) resigned from the Directors Guild so that Miller could share a directing credit. Like the books, it's almost entirely in stark black and white with some occasional bursts of color (a woman's red lips, a villain's yellow face). The backgrounds are entirely digitally generated, yet not self-consciously so, and perfectly capture Miller's gritty cityscape. And though most of Miller's copious nudity is absent, the violence is unrelentingly present. That may be the biggest obstacle to viewers who aren't already fans of the books and who may have been turned off by "Kill Bill" (whose director, Quentin Tarantino, helmed one scene of "Sin City"). In addition, it's a bleak, desperate world in which the heroes are killers, corruption rules, and the women are almost all prostitutes or strippers. But Miller's stories are riveting, and the huge cast--which also includes Jessica Alba, Jaime King, Brittany Murphy, Rosario Dawson, Benicio Del Toro, Elijah Wood, Nick Stahl, Michael Clarke Duncan, Devin Aoki, Carla Gugino, and Josh Hartnett--is just about perfect. (Only Bruce Willis and Michael Madsen, while very well-suited to their roles, seem hard to separate from their established screen personas.) In what Rodriguez hopes is the first of a series, "Sin City" is a spectacular achievement. "--David Horiuchi"


 

Sleepy Hollow

Director: Tim Burton
Starring: Johnny Depp, Christina Ricci, Miranda Richardson, Michael Gambon, Casper Van Dien
Genre: Horror
Rated: R
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 7.4 (65,395 votes)
Duration: 105
Release: May 2000
# of Discs: 1
UPC: 9780792164906
Purchased On:
Summary: The films of Tim Burton shine through the muck like a jack-o-lantern on a foggy October night. After such successes as "The Nightmare Before Christmas" and "Edward Scissorhands", it should come as no surprise that "Sleepy Hollow" is a dazzling film, a delicious reworking of Washington Irving's "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow". Dark and moody, the film is a thrilling ride back to the turn of the 19th century. Johnny Depp stars as Ichabod Crane, a seemingly hapless constable from New York City who is sent to the small town of Sleepy Hollow to solve the mystery of the decapitations that are plaguing the town. Crane is a bumbling sort, with a tremendous faith in science over mysticism, and he comes up against town secrets, bewitching women, and a number of bodies missing heads. Christina Ricci, as beautiful as ever, is Katrina Van Tassel, the offbeat love interest who alternately charms and frightens Crane.
The film, while occasionally gory (as one should expect from a movie about a headless horseman), is not terribly frightening, although it is suspenseful. Both Depp and Ricci are convincing, and the art direction and production values give the village its harsh feel. Toward the end, once the secrets are revealed, the film does slow down; however, this stylistic horror film provides many tricks and even more treats. "--Jenny Brown"


 

Smokin' Aces

Director: Joe Carnahan
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Ray Liotta, Joseph Ruskin, Alex Rocco, Wayne Newton
Genre: Action & Adventure
Rated: R
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 6.7 (23,257 votes)
Duration: 109
Release: Apr 2007
# of Discs: 1
UPC: 0025193226624
Purchased On:
Summary: A frantic and frequently amusing cocktail of Tarantino cool and Hong Kong bullet ballet, Joe ("Narc") Carnahan's "Smokin' Aces" delivers some inspired moments of action and dark comedy in its dizzying-comic book plot about a rogue's gallery of killers on the hunt for a mob informer. At the core of Carnahan's bloody shaggy-dog tale is Buddy Israel (Jeremy Piven, offering a more desperate take on his standard hustler persona), a Vegas magician who's turned informant against the mobsters who have treated him as their personal entertainment. Wishing to close Buddy's overactive mouth permanently, the mob capo puts a bounty on the two-bit showman's head, and a horde of hitmen descends on Buddy's digs to claim the prize. The unholy crew of gunmen offer the movie's most inspired (and outlandish) moments, with R&B singer Alicia Keys (as a cool, "Foxy Brown"-esque assassin), Nestor Carbonell (as a torture-minded sadist), Ben Affleck and Peter Berg (low-key bail bondsmen) and Chris Pine (the leader of a trio of semi-savage brothers) among the more memorable villains. Ryan Reynolds, Ray Liotta, and Andy Garcia represent the other side of the coin as FBI agents determined to get to Buddy before the legion of doom, and the clashes between both factions produce some eye-popping gunplay. If there's any complaint to be made about "Smokin' Aces", it's that the tone shifts between action-drama and hipster comedy feel forced (Carnahan struck a firmer balance between the two in his 1998 indie effort, "Blood, Guts, Bullets and Octane"), but the performances and shootout set pieces, as well as Carnahan's hyperactive camera work, do much to make those transitions palatable. Eagle-eyed audience members will note the presence veteran scene stealers Curtis Armstrong ("Ray"), David Proval ("The Sopranos"), and Alex Rocco ("The Godfather"'s Moe Green) in supporting roles. " -- Paul Gaita"


 

Snakes on a Plane

Director: David R. Ellis
Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Julianna Margulies, Nathan Phillips, Rachel Blanchard, Flex Alexander
Genre: Action & Adventure
Rated: R
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 6.7 (41,446 votes)
Duration: 106
Release: Jan 2007
# of Discs: 1
UPC: 0794043105487
Purchased On:
Summary: "Snakes on a Plane" knows exactly what kind of movie it is, knows exactly what moviegoers expect from a title like "Snakes on a Plane", and delivers the exact pleasures of a movie in which poisonous snakes are unleashed on a plane to kill an eyewitness to murder. Samuel L. Jackson ("Pulp Fiction", "The Long Kiss Goodnight") knows exactly what he's doing in this movie and knows exactly when to pull out the superbad Samuel L. Jackson stare and deliver the infuriated Samuel L. Jackson bellow. The rest of the cast--including Julianna Margulies ("ER"), Rachel Blanchard (the TV series "Clueless"), Kenan Thompson ("Fat Albert"), David Koechner ("Anchorman"), Bobby Canavale ("The Station Agent"), and Sunny Mabrey ("One Last Thing...")--play their parts with admirably straight faces and deadpan humor. Director David R. Ellis ("Final Destination 2", "Cellular") gives the movie the much-needed headlong momentum you would expect from a former stunt coordinator. In summation: A perfect piece of self-aware but not self-conscious high camp entertainment, blending comedy and thrills in perfect proportion. "--Bret Fetzer"


 

Sneakers

Director: Phil Alden Robinson
Starring: Jo Marr, Gary Hershberger, Robert Redford, Sidney Poitier, David Strathairn
Genre: Action & Adventure
Rated: PG-13
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 7.0 (16,861 votes)
Duration: 126
Release: Dec 2004
# of Discs: 1
UPC: 9780783280684
Purchased On:
Summary: This enjoyable thriller, written and directed by Phil Alden Robinson (the screenwriter of "Field of Dreams"), follows a raggedy group of corporate security experts who get in over their heads when they accept an assignment poaching some hot hardware for the National Security Agency. Robert Redford plays the group's guru, an aging techno-anarchist who has been hiding from the feds since the early 1970s; his companionable gang of freaks includes Dan Aykroyd, David Strathairn, Mary McDonnell, the late River Phoenix, and Sidney Poitier, as a veteran CIA operative turned "sneaker." The technological black box that everybody is after, an array of computer chips that can decode any encrypted message, isn't a very plausible invention, but it's a serviceable McGuffin, and the megalomania of the master plotter played by Ben Kingsley has more resonance than most. Modest inferences can be drawn about the very latest high-tech threats to civil liberties. "--David Chute"


 

So I Married an Axe Murderer

Director: Thomas Schlamme
Starring: Mike Myers, Nancy Travis, Anthony LaPaglia, Amanda Plummer, Brenda Fricker
Genre: Comedy
Rated: PG-13
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 6.2 (10,638 votes)
Duration: 93
Release: Jun 1999
# of Discs: 1
UPC: 9780767827584
Purchased On:
Summary: Mike Myers's first feature role without his "Wayne's World" wig is a performance at odds with the best interests of the movie. Myers plays a single guy who always manages to find something seriously wrong with each of his girlfriends. His new love (Nancy Travis), a butcher, may be the perfect woman, except for one thing: she might be a "black-widow" killer who prefers dispatching husbands with a sharp instrument. Robbie Fox's original script has a fine shape and strong, black-comedy material within it. But Myers creates unnecessary dissonance by playing a variety of characters (including an irascible Scotsman like the one he often played on "Saturday Night Live") and accenting his skills as an improvisational comic (such as impersonating the soothing cadences of a massage therapist). It's not that Myers isn't funny doing all that, but it has nothing to do with the movie. Directed by Thomas Schlamme ("Miss Firecracker"). "--Tom Keogh"


 

Soldier

Director: Paul W.S. Anderson
Starring: Kurt Russell, Jason Scott Lee, Jason Isaacs, Connie Nielsen, Sean Pertwee
Genre: Action & Adventure
Rated: R
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 5.3 (9,176 votes)
Duration: 99
Release: Mar 1999
# of Discs: 1
UPC: 9780790740447
Purchased On:
Summary: Kurt Russell hits new heights in laconic action heroes with his portrayal of Sergeant Todd, born and bred to be a soldier in a futuristic army. Raised to kill mercilessly, living only for battle, he finds himself at the twilight of his career (and so-called life) when a regiment of genetically enhanced warriors threatens to make his brand of soldiering obsolete. Despite his extensive skills, he is no match for the best of breed of the new order, and he's left for dead on a planet that serves only as a junk heap. There he encounters a ragtag group of castaways, and in his own strange and silent way slowly begins to learn how to be less a killer and more a human. All is disrupted, though, when the genetic regiment arrives on the trash planet and decides to eradicate the local human "trespassers." Though Todd had been overmatched before, this time he has more than ever to fight for--a home, and friends. "Soldier" is one of those rare sci fi movies that relies more on plot and action than special effects (though the trash planet is effectively wrought). The pace of action in the last half of the film is relentless and exciting, and Russell's portrayal of the old warrior as he warms to human emotions relies more on expression than words--in fact, he barely utters more than a half-dozen lines. "--Tod Nelson"


 

South Park - Bigger, Longer & Uncut

Director: Trey Parker
Starring: Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Mary Kay Bergman, Isaac Hayes, Jesse Howell
Genre: Comedy
Rated: R
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 7.7 (53,138 votes)
Duration: 81
Release: Nov 1999
# of Discs: 1
UPC: 9780792159513
Purchased On:
Summary: OK, let's get all the disclaimers out of the way first. Despite its colorful (if crude) animation, "South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut" is in no way meant for kids. It is chock full of profanity that might even make Quentin Tarantino blanch and has blasphemous references to God, Satan, Saddam Hussein (who's sleeping with Satan, literally), and Canada. It's rife with scatological humor, suggestive sexual situations, political incorrectness, and gleeful, rampant vulgarity. And it's probably one of the most brilliant satires ever made. The plot: flatulent Canadian gross "meisters" Terrance and Philip hit the big screen, and the South Park quartet of third graders--Stan, Kyle, Kenny, and Cartman--begin repeating their profane one-liners ad infinitum. The parents of South Park, led by Kyle's overbearing mom, form "Mothers Against Canada," blaming their neighbors to the north for their children's corruption and taking Terrance and Philip as war prisoners. It's up to the kids then to rescue their heroes from execution, not mention a brooding Satan, who's planning to take over the world.
To give away any more of the plot would destroy the fun, but this feature-length version of Trey Parker and Matt Stone's Comedy Central hit is a dead-on and hilarious send-up of pop culture. And did we mention it's a musical? From the opening production number "Mountain Town" to the cheerful antiprofanity sing-along "It's Easy, MMMKay" to Satan's faux-Disney ballad "Up There," Parker (who wrote or cowrote all the songs) brilliantly shoots down every earnest musical from "Beauty and the Beast" to "Les Misérables". And in advocating free speech and satirizing well-meaning but misguided parental censorship groups (with a special nod to the MPAA), "Bigger, Longer & Uncut" hits home against adult paranoia and hypocrisy with a vengeance. And the jokes, while indeed vulgar and gross, are hysterical; we can't repeat them here, especially the lyrics to Terrance and Philip's hit song, but you'll be rolling on the floor. Don't worry, though--to paraphrase Cartman, this movie won't warp your fragile little mind. Unless you have something against the First Amendment. "--Mark Englehart"


 

South Park - Insults to Injuries

Director: Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Adrien Beard, Toni Nugnes, Eric Stough
Starring: Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Isaac Hayes, Mona Marshall, Eliza Schneider
Genre: Television
Rated: NR
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 9.3 (9,813 votes)
Duration: 93
Release: Jun 2002
# of Discs: 1
UPC: 9780790768410
Purchased On:
Summary: The insanity that is South Park is captured in these outrageous episodes. South Park - where the extraordinary and the unbelievable are just part of everyday life.


 

South Park - The Complete First Season

Director: Matt Stone
Starring:
Genre: Television
Rated: NR
My Rating:
IMDB Rating:
Duration: 325
Release: Nov 2002
# of Discs: 3
UPC: 9780790771120
Purchased On:
Summary: "South Park" exploded on the pop culture landscape like a dirty bomb in 1997, and the 13 episodes that comprise the groundbreaking first season have lost none of their subversive impact. If "Seinfeld" was a show about nothing, then "South Park" is a show about everything, from important moral lessons in compassion and tolerance to good old-fashioned animated character assassination (Kathie Lee Gifford in "Weight Gain 4000" and Barbra Streisand in "Mecha-Streisand"). Like an After School Special gone quite mad, profanity-spewing third-graders Stan, Kyle, Cartman, and the ill-fated Kenny navigate childhood in their mountain town. Nothing in "South Park" is sacred, and each episode has something to offend, from "Big Gay Al's Big Gay Boat Ride" (featuring George Clooney as the voice of Sparky, the homosexual dog), to the Halloween episode "Pink Eye," in which Cartman dresses up as Adolph Hitler. Best not to even get started on Mr. Hankey, the Christmas Pooh, or the season finale cliffhanger, "Cartman's Mom Is a Dirty Slut."
Each episode is preceded by a faux introduction by creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, who proclaim every episode to be their favorite. Their incarnations as Rootin'-Tootin' Trey Parker and Pistol-Slingin' Matt Stone indicate that after "South Park" runs its course, they'd be great hosts of their own children's show, which--and this cannot be stressed strongly enough--"South Park" is "not". Other extras include the "South Park" boys' appearance on the CableAce awards and "A South Park Thanksgiving," featuring Jay Leno, which aired exclusively on "The Tonight Show". A minor annoyance is the slapdash packaging that mislabels the episodes ("Damien," for example, is on disc 3, not 2 as indicated). "--Donald Liebenson"


 

South Park - The Complete Second Season

Director: Trey Parker, Matt Stone
Starring:
Genre: Television
Rated: NR
My Rating:
IMDB Rating:
Duration: 404
Release: Jun 2004
# of Discs: 3
UPC: 9781415703489
Purchased On:
Summary: Now that enough time has lapsed, we can all have a good laugh over "South Park" creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone's amusing little April Fools prank, in which they kicked off the show's second season not with the conclusion to season one's cliffhanger that would reveal the identity of Cartman's father, but with an all-Terrance, all-Phillip, all-farting episode, "Not Without My Anus." The ensuing outcry illustrated just how seriously its devoted fans take "South Park". There is little evidence of sophomore slump in this three-disc collection of 18 episodes that continue the coming-of-age trials of third graders Stan, Kyle, Cartman, and Kenny. There is considerable shock value just in the episode titles alone, among them "Cojoined Fetus Lady," "Merry Christmas, Charlie Manson," and the infamous "Cartman's Mom Is Still a Dirty Slut." But mostly, the episodes are just--in Cartman's words--hella funny. "Spookyfish" is a creepfest about a killer fish, possessed animals, and alien alter egos (in which the so-called Evil Cartman is much nicer than the real Cartman) presented in Spookyvision, with pictures of Barbra Streisand framing the screen. "Chef's Salty Chocolate Balls" is a hilarious send-up of the Sundance Film Festival and the indie film scene that marks the return of Mr. Hankey, the Christmas Poo, and ends with the burial of Robert Redford in excrement.
As always, hard-earned life lessons provide "South Park" with fertile territory for skewed and subversive social commentary. In "Chicken Lover," Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged" is an argument against literacy. "Underwear Gnomes" makes a strong case for corporate takeover of local family business. It is difficult to respect Warner Bros.' "authoritah" with the scant DVD extras. There are no commentaries, but Parker and Stone are present to introduce most of the episodes, each of which they proclaim to be their favorite. But their incarnations as abusive retirement center entertainers and as the hosts of an all-bacon cooking show fall flat. Bring back Rootin'-Tootin' Trey Parker and Pistol-Slingin' Matt Stone from the "Season One" set! "--Donald Liebenson"


 

South Park - The Complete Third Season

Director: Trey Parker, Matt Stone
Starring:
Genre: Television
Rated: NR
My Rating:
IMDB Rating:
Duration: 374
Release: Dec 2003
# of Discs: 3
UPC: 9780792196495
Purchased On:
Summary: The third time's the, for want of a better word, charm for "South Park" on DVD. Instead of mere episode intros as on the first two boxed sets, Trey Parker and Matt Stone finally oblige us with actual episode commentary, or, as they call it, "commentary-mini." On this optional audio track, Trey and Matt goof for about five minutes or so at the top of each episode, certifying some as favorites ("Tweek vs. Craig," "Jewbilee," and "Worldwide Recorder Concert," which is described as "a reverse after-school special from hell"), championing others popularly dismissed by "South Park"'s otherwise loyal fans ("Jakovasaurs," "Sexual Harassment Panda"), and provocatively dismissing all of season 2.
The third season was frantically produced simultaneously with the feature film, "South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut". This was the season, Trey proclaims, "where "South Park" turned the corner... and became good (as far as we were concerned)." Among their most inspired conceits is the so-called "Meteor Shower Party" trilogy, three episodes that unfold over the course of one night, each focusing on a different kid. "Korn's Groovy Pirate Ghost Mystery" pays homage to Hanna-Barbera-style animation and "Scooby-Doo", recasting Korn as the Mystery Inc gang. "Rainforest Shmainforest," featuring a game Jennifer Aniston, cuts rainforest crusaders down to size. "Mr. Hankey's Christmas Classics" takes its irreverent cue from the album of the same name, and contains an outrageously obscure reference to the 1978 made-for-TV "Star Wars Holiday Special". Throughout the season, "South Park" is, as usual, a gleeful equal-opportunity offender, but the show's true gonzo spirit is truly illustrated in such surreal touches as the employment of live action in "Tweek vs. Craig," the singing of "The Morning After" backwards to save Chef from the spell of "The Succubus," and the "Seinfeld"-worthy argument over whether the term should be "pirate ghosts" or "ghost pirates" in "Korn's Groovy Pirate Ghost Mystery." "--Donald Liebenson"


 

South Park - The Complete Fourth Season

Director: Trey Parker, Matt Stone
Starring:
Genre: Television
Rated: NR
My Rating:
IMDB Rating:
Duration: 380
Release: Jun 2004
# of Discs: 3
UPC: 9781415700600
Purchased On:
Summary: In the episode "Chef Goes Nanners," Cartman is left standing alone in the snow after Wendy blithely proclaims her improbable attraction for him to has suddenly vanished. Cartman heaves a heavy sigh, and exits Chaplinesque stage right. But any concerns that "South Park" creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone had gone soft, or that Cartman would undergo a more sympathetic, Louie De Palma-like makeover are abated in nearly every other episode of "South Park"'s pivotal fourth season. From the "downright immature" trashing of Phil Collins (whose "You'll Be in My Heart" from "Tarzan" had emerged victorious Oscar night over Parker and Stone's "Blame Canada") to an episode in which Cartman becomes the unwitting poster child for NAMBLA, "South Park" gave its viewers much shock value for its basic cable dollar. This was the season that introduced the show's most unlikely breakout star, the wheelchair-bound Timmy, who, despite being only able to say his own name (or perhaps because of it), carried the pathos in his own holiday special, "Helen Keller! The Musical." This was the season in which Parker and Stone somehow were able to comment with "Daily Show" immediacy on the Elian Gonzales incident ("Quintuplets 2000") and the presidential election debacle ("Trapper Keeper") within days of the actual events. This was the season in which other "statement shows" skewered the South Carolina confederate flag controversy ("Chef Goes Nanners") and hate-crime legislation ("Cartman's Silly Hate Crime 2000"). This was also the season in which the "South Park" kids graduated to the fourth grade, we got a harrowing look inside Cartman's brain ("Helen Keller!"), and estranged lovers Saddam Hussein and Satan were reunited (in a two-parter, no less!).
Episodes not appreciated in their time can now be seen with fresh eyes. "Pip," hosted by Malcolm McDowell, and featuring none of the "South Park" regulars, is a faithful abridgement of Charles Dickens's "Great Expectations", monkey robots notwithstanding. As in the season 3 set, Parker and Stone provide brief, "fun-size commentary" that address their censorship skirmishes with Comedy Central and illuminate the inspiration and backstory for each episode. To quote the pro-commercialism holiday episode, "A Very Krappy Christmas," "If we all buy presents, everyone benefits." For "South Park" fans, this boxed set is an excellent start. "--Donald Liebenson"


 

South Park - The Complete Fifth Season

Director: Trey Parker, Matt Stone
Starring:
Genre: Television
Rated: NR
My Rating:
IMDB Rating:
Duration: 315
Release: Feb 2005
# of Discs: 3
UPC: 0097368799042
Purchased On:
Summary: Comedy, Lenny Bruce once said, is tragedy plus time. Less than two months--hardly any time at all--had elapsed after September 11 when "South Park" broadcast an episode that addressed the tragedy. Wit and satire have their place, of course, but in the aftermath of epochal upheaval, sometimes good old-fashioned ridicule can diminish an enemy and help to heal a grieving nation. The Emmy-nominated episode "Osama Bin Laden Has Farty Pants" does the cathartic trick, as Cartman plays Bugs Bunny to Osama's Elmer Fudd with a series of humiliating pranks, one of which reveals Osama's miniscule Bin Laden. "This is how we deal with stuff," creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone remark during the "commentary-mini," a listening option on each episode. In this fifth season, "It Hits the Fan," to quote the title of the notorious season-opening episode, in which the "S" word is uttered a staggering 162 times. In another series milestone, "Kenny Dies," and actually stays dead (at least until season 6). One of "South Park"'s best characters gets his own half hour in "Butters' Very Own Episode," while one of the series' absolute worst, "Towelie," also gets his. Over the course of these 14 episodes, many life lessons are learned about sex education ("Proper Condom Use"), prejudice ("Here Comes the Neighborhood") and stereotypes ("The Entity"). But perhaps the most valuable lesson is: "Don't tick off Cartman," as witness his diabolical revenge against the unfortunate ninth grader who rips him off in "Scott Tenorman Must Die."
The genius of "South Park" is its uncanny ability to make satiric hay with such otherwise sure-fire comedy killers as aborted fetuses, concentration camps, and cancer (which becomes instantly funny when the words "up the a**" are added to it, and funnier still when spoken by actual members of Radiohead). 2001 was a rough year for America, and while this country's "problems" provide Stone and Parker with a fount of material (most of it objectionable), we can take odd comfort that they remain vigilant in rooting for their "team." "--Donald Liebenson"


 

South Park - The Complete Sixth Season

Director: Trey Parker, Matt Stone
Starring:
Genre: Television
Rated: NR
My Rating:
IMDB Rating:
Duration: 374
Release: Oct 2005
# of Discs: 3
UPC: 0097368810440
Purchased On:
Summary: The quiet little mountain town of South Park, Colorado enters its sixth season as America's weirdest and most dysfunctional town, and if you thought that title was already claimed by Springfield, I have one word for you: Lemmiwinks. If you thought it couldn't get any weirder, this season will prove you wrong. But the good news is that "South Park" has always been able to maintain a mathematical-like balance of proportionality so impressive it could be charted on a graph: as "South Park" gets weirder, so it gets funnier (usually). Which makes sense because one of "South Park"'s greatest strengths has always been to reflect the strangest elements of society, which, let's face it, are pretty strange. Targets this season include exploitive daytime TV shows ("Freak Strike"), celebrities gone wild (Russell Crowe fightin' round the world), the Catholic priest sexual-abuse scandals ("Red Hot Catholic Love"), and the meat industry ("Fun With Veal"). Creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker even parody the reality of competing with "The Simpsons"'s longevity in "The Simpsons Already Did It," where Butters, gone out of his mind and in his Professor Chaos persona, can't even come up with an original evil scheme to unleash on the citizens of South Park. Fortunately for fans, the quality of the writing is as strong this season as it has been at any point in the show's run, and it's not like the show's going to back off from its trademark gross-out factor at this point. Proof of that can be found in "The Death Camp of Tolerance." In an extreme satire of sex education class, Mr. Slave and Lemmiwinks, the heroic and intensely unfortunate gerbil, make their, umm, debuts. In South Park, this is what qualifies as a normal school day. Taken as a whole, Season Six is one of the show's strongest punches yet to the face of a society that had it coming. "--Daniel Vancini"


 

South Park - The Complete Seventh Season

Director: Trey Parker, Matt Stone
Starring:
Genre: Television
Rated: NR
My Rating:
IMDB Rating:
Duration: 330
Release: Mar 2006
# of Discs: 3
UPC: 0097368891449
Purchased On:
Summary: There is nothing in "South Park"'s seventh season to offend Tom Cruise (nothing about Scientology, at any rate; that will come in season 9). However, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck, Rob Reiner, the Queer Eye guys, Christopher Reeve (!), war supporters and anti-war protesters, and Mormons, do not get off so easy. But, "Who cares?" as the townspeople sing in "I'm a Little Bit Country." What matters is that with this particular episode, "South Park" attained the precious, syndication-ready 100-episode mark! Another milestone: "Raisins," in which Wendy breaks up with Stan, who falls under the influence of the "Goth kids" ("If you want to be one of the non-comformists, all you have to do is dress just like us and listen to the same music we do").
Even by "South Park" standards, season 7 is pretty hardcore. In "Christian Rock Hard," Cartman is so determined to attain platinum album status before Kyle and his band that he forms a Christian rock group. The band's repertoire makes Tom Lehrer's once-scandalous "Vatican Rag" sound like "Oh, Happy Day." But mostly, "South Park" creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone take Cheney-like potshots at pop-culture notables. In "South Park Is Gay!", we discover what is really behind the "metrosexual" phenomenon and the true identity of the "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" quartet. In "Butt Out," Rob Reiner is portrayed as a corpulent goo-filled "fascist" willing to the sanction murder (of Cartman) to further his anti-"Big Tobacco" agenda. As you can guess from the title, "Fat Butt and Pancake Head" is a merciless deconstruction of "Bennifer," as Cartman's Jennifer Lopez hand puppet dethrones the real thing, and attracts the amorous attention of Ben Affleck. "All About Mormons" anticipates the Scientology episode, "Trapped in the Closet" (not included here, and if lawyers have anything to say about it, might not be included in a season 9 set, either) with a straight-faced musical dramatization of the Joseph Smith story. "Everyone thought we were making stuff up to be funny," Parker and Stone relate in their mini commentary (optional for each episode). "But we're not. We're not making this stuff up in this show." Which is perhaps why the episode "Cancelled," which posits that Earth exists only as reality-TV fodder for aliens, doesn't seem so farfetched. "--Donald Liebenson"


 

South Park - The Complete Eighth Season

Director: Trey Parker, Matt Stone
Starring: Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Isaac Hayes, Mona Marshall, Eliza Schneider
Genre: Television
Rated: NR
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 9.3 (9,813 votes)
Duration: 308
Release: Aug 2006
# of Discs: 3
UPC: 0097368897946
Purchased On:
Summary: To quote "Bad Day at Black Rock", a man is as big as what'll make him mad. By this criteria, "South Park" creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone are giants. Fanaticism of any stripe, steroids, vapid pop culture icons marketed as role models for impressionable youth, and mass merchants encroaching on small town life are just some of the hot button issues tackled in "South Park"'s eighth season. Of course, "South Park" is not above (or beneath) stooping to conquer, as witness "Stupid Spoiled Whore Video Playset," which climaxes in a "whore-off" featuring--you guessed it--Paris Hilton. Sure, Paris is an easy target, as is Michael Jackson (portrayed in the episode "The Jeffersons" not as a child molester, but as an infantile parent who needs to grow up). But just as a segment of the population tunes in to "The Daily Show" to get Jon Stewart and company's satirical take on the day's news, so do "South Park" fans eagerly await Parker and Stone's perspective on the zeitgeist. Which brings us to the season's most infamous episode, "The Passion of the Jew," in which Kyle is devastated by Mel Gibson's brutalizing epic, Cartman is transformed into Gibson's Hitlerian apostle, and an unimpressed Stan and Kenny try in vain to get their money back from Gibson himself, a loony toon with a penchant for torture. And while Janet Jackson's Super Bowl wardrobe malfunction is old news, "South Park"'s response, "Good Times with Weapons," remains a relevant satire of misplaced parental priorities, not to mention an anime-stylized tour-de-force in which the boys purchase martial arts weapons at a county fair and imagine themselves as ninja warriors.
In one of Stone and Parker's candid mini-commentaries, available as a listening option on each episode, the duo grade this season a B+. Give them extra credit, then, for such seriously (or hilariously) twisted episodes as the one (whose title cannot be printed here) that sends up the film "You Got Served", and the instant holiday classic "Woodland Critter Christmas," with its Satan-worshiping forest creatures, and a brilliant surprise ending that echoes Chuck Jones's classic cartoon "Duck Amuck", in which the unseen animator tormenting poor Daffy is revealed to be none other than Bugs "Ain't I a stinker?" Bunny. "--Donald Liebenson"


 

Spaceballs

Director: Mel Brooks
Starring: Mel Brooks, Rick Moranis, Bill Pullman, Daphne Zuniga, John Candy
Genre: Comedy
Rated: PG
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 6.8 (32,204 votes)
Duration: 96
Release: Apr 2000
# of Discs: 1
UPC: 9780792844891
Purchased On:
Summary: Mel Brooks's 1987 parody of the Star Wars trilogy is a jumble of jokes rather than a comic feature, and, predictably, some of those jokes work better than others. The cast, including Brooks in two roles, more or less mimics the principal characters from George Lucas's famous story line, and the director certainly gets a boost from new allies ("SCTV" graduates Rick Moranis and John Candy) as well as old ones (Dick Van Patten, Dom DeLuise). Watch this and wait for the sporadic inspiration--but don't be surprised if you find yourself yearning for those years when Brooks was a more complete filmmaker ("Young Frankenstein"). "--Tom Keogh"


 

Species

Director: Roger Donaldson
Starring: Ben Kingsley, Michael Madsen, Alfred Molina, Forest Whitaker, Marg Helgenberger
Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy
Rated: R
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 5.4 (13,393 votes)
Duration: 108
Release: Mar 1997
# of Discs: 1
UPC: 9780792833246
Purchased On:
Summary: There's a kind of perverse marketing genius at work in this cheesy sci-fi hit from 1995 in which scientists create a half-human, half-alien woman named Sil (Natasha Henstridge) who's capable of morphing from a slimy, tentacled creature into a blonde babe with the body of a "Playboy" centerfold. This makes it easy for Sil to lure gullible guys who are only too willing to indulge her voracious mating urge, realizing too late that sex with Sil is anything but safe. As the body count rises, a handpicked team of specialists tracks the alien's killing spree, but their diverse expertise is barely a match for the ever-morphing Sil. Borrowing elements of the "Alien" movies (including bizarre alien designs by Swedish artist H.R. Giger) and spicing them up with some tantalizing nudity, "Species" is a wet dream for creature-feature fans--kind of like watching a sci-fi vampire fantasy while browsing through the "Sports Illustrated" swimsuit issue. "--Jeff Shannon"


 

Spider-Man

Director: Sam Raimi
Starring: Tobey Maguire, Willem Dafoe, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Cliff Robertson
Genre: Action & Adventure
Rated: PG-13
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 7.4 (109,044 votes)
Duration: 121
Release: Nov 2002
# of Discs: 2
UPC: 9780767898720
Purchased On:
Summary: For devoted fans and nonfans alike, "Spider-Man" offers nothing less--and nothing more--than what you'd expect from a superhero blockbuster. Having proven his comic-book savvy with the original "Darkman", director Sam Raimi brings ample energy and enthusiasm to Spidey's origin story, nicely establishing high-school nebbish Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) as a brainy outcast who reacts with appropriate euphoria--and well-tempered maturity--when a "super-spider" bite transforms him into the amazingly agile, web-shooting Spider-Man. That's all well and good, and so is Kirsten Dunst as Parker's girl-next-door sweetheart. Where "Spider-Man" falls short is in its hyperactive CGI action sequences, which play like a video game instead of the gravity-defying exploits of a flesh-and-blood superhero. Willem Dafoe is perfectly cast as Spidey's schizoid nemesis, the Green Goblin, and the movie's a lot of fun overall. It's no match for "Superman" and "Batman" in bringing a beloved character to the screen, but it places a respectable third. "--Jeff Shannon"


 

Spider-Man 2

Director: Sam Raimi
Starring: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Alfred Molina, Rosemary Harris
Genre: Action & Adventure
Rated: PG-13
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 7.8 (87,178 votes)
Duration: 128
Release: Nov 2004
# of Discs: 2
UPC: 9781404956438
Purchased On:
Summary: More than a few critics hailed "Spider-Man 2" as "the best superhero movie ever," and there's no compelling reason to argue--thanks to a bigger budget, better special effects, and a dynamic, character-driven plot, it's a notch above "Spider-Man" in terms of emotional depth and rich comic-book sensibility. "Ordinary People" Oscar-winner Alvin Sargent received screenplay credit, and celebrated author and comic-book expert Michael Chabon worked on the story, but it's director Sam Raimi's affinity for the material that brings "Spidey 2" to vivid life. When a fusion experiment goes terribly wrong, a brilliant physicist (Alfred Molina) is turned into Spidey's newest nemesis, the deranged, mechanically tentacled "Doctor Octopus," obsessed with completing his experiment and killing Spider-Man (Tobey Maguire) in the process. Even more compelling is Peter Parker's urgent dilemma: continue his burdensome, lonely life of crime-fighting as Spider-Man, or pursue love and happiness with Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst)? Molina's outstanding as a tragic villain controlled by his own invention, and the action sequences are nothing less than breathtaking, but the real success of "Spider-Man 2" is its sense of priorities. With all of Hollywood's biggest and best toys at his disposal, Raimi and his writers stay true to the Marvel mythology, honoring "Spider-Man" creators Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, and setting the bar impressively high for the challenge of "Spider-Man 3". "--Jeff Shannon"


 

Spider-Man 3

Director: Sam Raimi
Starring: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Thomas Haden Church, Topher Grace
Genre: Action & Adventure
Rated: PG-13
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 6.7 (87,169 votes)
Duration: 139
Release: Oct 2007
# of Discs: 1
UPC: 0043396159280
Purchased On:
Summary:
How does "Spider-Man 3" follow on the heels of its predecessor, which was widely considered the best superhero movie ever? For starters, you pick up the loose threads from that movie, then add some key elements of the Spidey comic-book mythos (including fan-favorite villain Venom), the black costume, and the characters of Gwen Stacy and her police-captain father. In the beginning, things have never looked better for Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire): He's doing well in school; his alter ego, Spider-Man, is loved and respected around New York City. And his girlfriend, Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst), has just taken a starring role in a Broadway musical. But nothing good can last for Spidey. Mary Jane's career quickly goes downhill; she's bothered by Peter's attractive new classmate, Gwen Stacy (Bryce Dallas Howard); and the new "Daily Bugle" photographer, Eddie Brock (Topher Grace), is trying to steal his thunder. Enter a new villain, the Sandman (Thomas Haden Church), who can transform his body into various forms and shapes of sand and who may be connected to Peter's past in an unexpected way. There's also the son of an old villain, Harry Osborne (James Franco), who unmasked Spidey in the previous movie and still has revenge on his mind. And a new black costume seems to boost Spidey's powers, but transforms mild-mannered Peter into a mean and obnoxious boor (Maguire has some fun here).
If that sounds like a lot to pack into one 140-minute movie, it is. While director Sam Raimi keeps things flowing, assisted on the screenplay by his brother Ivan and Alvin Sargent, there's a little too much going on, and it's inevitable that one of the villains (there are three or four, depending on how you count) gets significantly short-changed. Still, the cast is excellent, the effects are fantastic, and the action is fast and furious. Even if "Spider-Man 3" isn't the match of "Spider-Man 2", it's a worthy addition to the megamillion-dollar franchise. --"David Horiuchi "


 

Spy Game

Director: Tony Scott
Starring: Robert Redford, Brad Pitt, Catherine McCormack, Stephen Dillane, Larry Bryggman
Genre: Action & Adventure
Rated: R
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 6.9 (27,242 votes)
Duration: 127
Release: Apr 2002
# of Discs: 1
UPC: 9780783263618
Purchased On:
Summary: A thinking person's thriller, "Spy Game" employs dense plotting without sacrificing the kinetic momentum that is director Tony Scott's trademark. The film has the byzantine scope of a novel, focusing on veteran CIA operative Nathan Muir (Robert Redford), whose protégé Tom Bishop (Brad Pitt) is scheduled for execution in a Chinese prison. It's Muir's last day before retiring (cliché alert!), and Bishop is being deliberately sacrificed by oily CIA officials to ensure healthy trade with China. Muir has 24 hours to rescue Bishop and his perfunctory love interest (Catherine McCormack), and "Spy Game" connects the mentor's end-run strategy to flashbacks of his student's exploits in Berlin, Beirut, and beyond. Ambitious but emotionally bland--and not as exciting as Scott's "Enemy of the State"--"Spy Game" offers pass-the-torch humor between leather-faced Redford and pretty boy Pitt, and although their dialogue is occasionally limp, the movie compensates with efficient style and substance. "--Jeff Shannon"


 

Stand By Me

Director: Rob Reiner
Starring: Scott Beach, Marshall Bell, William Bronder, John Cusack, Dick Durock
Genre: Comedy
Rated: R
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 8.1 (58,662 votes)
Duration: 88
Release: Aug 2000
# of Discs: 1
UPC: 9780767856126
Purchased On: 30 Dec 2007
Summary: A sleeper hit when released in 1986, "Stand by Me" is based on Stephen King's novella "The Body" (from the book "Different Seasons"); but it's more about the joys and pains of boyhood friendship than a morbid fascination with corpses. It's about four boys ages 12 and 13 (Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, Jerry O'Connell) who take an overnight hike through the woods near their Oregon town to find the body of a boy who's been missing for days. Their journey includes a variety of scary adventures (including a ferocious junkyard dog, a swamp full of leeches, and a treacherous leap from a train trestle), but it's also a time for personal revelations, quiet interludes, and the raucous comradeship of best friends. Set in the 1950s, the movie indulges an overabundance of anachronistic profanity and a kind of idealistic, golden-toned nostalgia (it's told in flashback as a story written by Wheaton's character as an adult, played by Richard Dreyfuss). But it's delightfully entertaining from start to finish, thanks to the rapport among its young cast members and the timeless, universal themes of friendship, family, and the building of character and self-esteem. Kiefer Sutherland makes a memorable teenage villain, and look closely for John Cusack in a flashback scene as Wheaton's now-deceased and dearly missed brother. A genuine crowd-pleaser, this heartfelt movie led director Rob Reiner to even greater success with his next film, "The Princess Bride". "--Jeff Shannon"


 

Star Wars Trilogy

Director: George Lucas
Starring: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Peter Cushing, Alec Guinness
Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy
Rated: PG
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 8.8 (208,347 votes)
Duration: 388
Release: Sep 2004
# of Discs: 4
UPC: 0024543123415
Purchased On:
Summary: Episode IV A New Hope Eighteen years later, Luke Skywalker, a young farm boy on Tatooine, is thrust into the struggle of the Rebel Alliance when he meets Obi-Wan Kenobi, who has lived for years in seclusion on the desert planet. Obi-Wan begins Luke's Jedi training as Luke joins him on a daring mission to rescue the beautiful Rebel leader Princess Leia from the clutches of the evil Empire. Although Obi-Wan sacrifices himself in a lightsabre duel with Darth Vader, his former apprentice, Luke proves that the Force is with him by destroying the Empire's dreaded Death Star. Episode V The Empire Strikes Back Three years later Imperial forces continue to pursue the Rebels. After the Rebellion's defeat on the ice planet Hoth, Luke journeys to the planet Dagobah to train with Jedi Master Yoda, who has lived in hiding since the fall of the Republic. In an attempt to convert Luke to the dark side, Darth Vader lures young Skywalker into a trap in the Cloud City of Bespin. In the midst of a fierce lightsaber duel with the Sith Lord, Luke faces the startling revelation that the evil Vader is in fact his father, Anakin Skywalker. Episode VI Return of the Jedi In the epic conclusion of the saga, the Empire prepares to crush the Rebellion with a more powerful Death Star while the Rebel fleet mounts a massive attack on the space station. Luke Skywalker confronts his father Darth Vader in a final climactic duel before the evil Emperor. In the last second, Vader makes a momentous choice: he destroys the Emperor and saves his son. The Empire is finally defeated, the Sith are destroyed, and Anakin Skywalker is thus redeemed. At long last, freedom is restored to the galaxy.


 

Starship Troopers

Director: Paul Verhoeven
Starring: Casper Van Dien, Dina Meyer, Denise Richards, Jake Busey, Neil Patrick Harris
Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy
Rated: R
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 6.8 (49,942 votes)
Duration: 130
Release: May 2002
# of Discs: 2
UPC: 9780767869638
Purchased On:
Summary: In the first and finest "RoboCop" movie, director Paul Verhoeven combined near-future science fiction with a keen sense of social satire--not to mention enough high-velocity violence to satisfy even the most voracious bloodlust. In "Starship Troopers", Verhoeven and "RoboCop" cowriter Ed Neumeier take inspired cues from Robert Heinlein's classic sci-fi novel to create a special-effects extravaganza that functions on multiple levels of entertainment. The film might be called "Melrose Place in Space," with its youthful cast of handsome guys and gorgeous women who look like they've been recruited (and in some cases they were) from the cast of "Beverly Hills 90210". Viewers might focus on the incredible, graphically intense action sequences (definitely "not" for children) in which heavily armed forces from Earth go to off-world battle against vast hordes of alien "bugs" bent on planetary conquest. The attacking bugs are marvels of state-of-the-art special-effects technology, and the space battles are nothing short of spectacular. But "Starship Troopers" is more than a showcase for high-tech hardware and gigantic, flesh-ripping insects. Recalling his childhood in Holland during the Nazi occupation, Verhoeven turns this epic adventure into a scathingly funny satire of fascist propaganda, emphasizing Heinlein's underlying warning against the hazards of military conformity and the sickening realities of war. It's an action-packed joy ride if that's all you're looking for, but Verhoeven has a provocative agenda that makes "Starship Troopers" as smart as it is exciting. "--Jeff Shannon"


 

State and Main

Director: David Mamet
Starring: Michael Higgins, Michael Bradshaw, Morris Lamore, Allen Soule, Clark Gregg
Genre: Art House & International
Rated: R
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 6.8 (9,721 votes)
Duration: 106
Release: Jun 2001
# of Discs: 1
UPC: 9780780634954
Purchased On:
Summary: Pity the poor film director (William H. Macy). He's arrived with cast and crew in the perfectly Rockwellian town of Waterford, Vermont, only to discover that the local mill--a crucial location for his movie, since it's titled "The Old Mill"--burned down in 1960. The idealistic screenwriter (Philip Seymour Hoffman) would rather pursue a pure-hearted local (Rebecca Pidgeon) than do a last-minute rewrite; the town's aspiring politico (Clark Gregg) wants to milk the production for every dime it's worth; the oft-exposed bimbo starlet (Sarah Jessica Parker) is now balking at her contractual nude scene; and a local teenager (Julia Stiles) is only too willing to exploit the indiscretions of the film's skirt-chasing star (Alec Baldwin). And of course, the power-wielding producer (David Paymer) is panicking about everything.
Welcome to David Mamet's "State and Main", the acclaimed writer-director's funniest and most accessible film to date, propelled by the rocket fuel of Mamet's show-biz experience and driven by an ensemble cast that simply couldn't be better. Naturally, the writer's dilemma is the meatiest one--will he be noble or sell out?--and Mamet arrives at a solution that's as hilarious as it is morally justified. Along the way, the rigors of filmmaking are explored with farcical abandon, such as how to provide a high-tech product placement... in a 19th-century story. Mamet's razor-sharp dialogue is gourmet popcorn here--each kernel yields a tasty surprise--and the whole scenario (intentionally modeled in the style of Preston Sturges) plays out with the breezy assurance of vintage screwball comedy. It's pure gold from start to finish, and even the closing credits offer another reason to laugh. "--Jeff Shannon"


 

Strange Brew

Director: Rick Moranis
Starring: Dave Thomas, Rick Moranis, Max von Sydow, Paul Dooley, Lynne Griffin
Genre: Comedy
Rated: PG
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 6.3 (6,116 votes)
Duration: 91
Release: Oct 2002
# of Discs: 1
UPC: 9780790746708
Purchased On:
Summary: Dave Thomas and Rick Moranis created their popular toque-wearing, beer-swigging "Great White North" hosers Bob and Doug McKenzie on the great TV comedy show "SCTV" to fulfill a Canadian broadcasting regulation that required Canadian shows to have a certain amount of "Canadian content." Bob and Doug became so popular that they made a hit record ("Take Off", with Geddy Lee, nasalist with the Canadian rock band Rush) and this Major Motion Picture--filmed in "Hoserama." Bob and Doug are the Cheech and Chong of beer, so the plot involves the boys's attempt to scam a free case of Elsinore beer from the brewery, which is run by a mad scientist Brewmeister Smith (Max von Sydow), who wants to rule the world, like all mad scientists do. "Strange Brew"'s intoxicating blend of hops and malt--er ... cleverness and silliness--earned it a loyal and well-deserved cult following. "--Jim Emerson"


 

Stranger Than Fiction

Director: Marc Forster
Starring: Will Ferrell, Queen Latifah, Peter Grosz, Ricky Adams, Christian Stolte
Genre: Comedy
Rated: PG-13
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 7.9 (47,631 votes)
Duration: 113
Release: Feb 2007
# of Discs: 1
UPC: 0043396154094
Purchased On: 21 May 2008
Summary: Much was written about Will Ferrell's first "dramatic role" as Harold Crick, an IRS auditor who begins hearing a voice narrating his life. But "Stranger Than Fiction" is hardly a drama. However, what Ferrell does--like Jim Carrey before him in "The Truman Show"--is handle a toned-down character with genuineness and affection: you believe he is this guy. Crick leads a lonely life filled with numbers and routines. While at first he considers the voice a nuisance, Crick decides more action is needed when it speaks of "his demise." Enter Professor Jules Hilbert (Dustin Hoffman), who takes on the absurd notion with revelry, trying to find out what kind of book Crick's life is leading. It turns out that the voice Crick is hearing belongs to Kay Eiffel (Emma Thompson), a very real--and troubled--author who is writing a book in which Crick is a fictional character. As usual with these things, the stuffed shirt learns to live a better life--Crick even falls for one of his audits, a brash baker named Ana (Maggie Gyllenhaal). Marc Foster ("Monster's Ball, Finding Neverland") has the right tone for the film, using great urban scenes (the unnamed city is Chicago) with interesting visualizations of Crick's world of numbers. He also directs Ferrell, Hoffman, and Gyllenhaal to their most charming performances (plus Linda Hunt and Tom Hulce pop up in two funny scenes). Ferrell succeeds in being a romantic lead you can root for; a scene where he eats Ana's freshly baked cookies is totally delightful without a hint of sarcasm. Screenwriter Zach Helm has two personal traits with his story: like Crick he followed his heart (he stopped rewriting scripts and only worked on his own) and like Eiffel, the final results are not a masterpiece, but good, and entertaining enough. Britt Daniel of the band Spoon worked on the dynamite soundtrack."--Doug Thomas"


 

strongbad_email.exe - Homestar Runner

Director: Matt Chapman, Mike Chapman
Starring: Matt Chapman, Melissa Palmer, Mike Chapman, Ryan Sterritt, Craig Zobel
Genre: Comedy
Rated: Unrated
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 7.5 (239 votes)
Duration: 115
Release: Nov 2004
# of Discs: 3
UPC: 0880485420094
Purchased On:
Summary: 3 full DVDs including the first 100 Strong Bad emails with all of the hidden scenes and other easter eggs intact! Tons of bonus, hidden and never before seen stuff! 4 Karaoke tracks! Puppet stuff! 3 unreleased emails!


 

Suicide Kings

Director: Peter O'Fallon
Starring: Mark Watson, Christopher Walken, Denis Leary, Nina Siemaszko, Jay Della
Genre: Action & Adventure
Rated: R
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 6.9 (9,485 votes)
Duration: 103
Release: Aug 2001
# of Discs: 1
UPC: 0012236114277
Purchased On:
Summary: Here's another gritty independent film that tries to invade Tarantino territory by casting Christopher Walken--that most reliable of indie-film actors--as a Mobster who gets chummy with a group of preppie-like young men and becomes the victim of a kidnapping scheme. One of the kidnappers (Henry Thomas) has a sister who's been abducted by another group of kidnappers, and they've bagged Walken for his Mob connections and negotiating power. What follows is a game of psychological strategy in which the desperate group of guys slowly lose their advantage to the smarter, more experienced gangster--even though they've got Walken tied to a chair. The situation turns volatile when the young men start to doubt the wisdom of their strategy and suspect betrayal within the group, and "Suicide Kings" turns into a talky, repetitious thriller only partially redeemed by Denis Leary's cagey role as Walken's Mob lieutenant. The movie's a showcase for its cast of rising talent (including Jay Mohr, Jeremy Sisto, Johnny Galecki, and Sean Patrick Flanery), but not even Walken can hold it all together. What's best about the film is Leary's sinister presence in a peripheral role and Walken's trademark villainy, here toned down to a steady, simmering menace. "--Jeff Shannon"


 

Superbad

Director: Greg Mottola
Starring: Jonah Hill, Michael Cera, Seth Rogen, Bill Hader
Genre: Comedy
Rated: Unrated
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 7.9 (71,619 votes)
Duration: 118
Release: Dec 2007
# of Discs: 2
UPC: 0043396238176
Purchased On: 07 Jan 2008
Summary: Striking a balance between raunch and sweetness is a tall order for any film, but the Judd Apatow-produced "Superbad" manages to serve up both in equal and satisfying portions without undercutting a consistent stream of laugh-out-loud performances and gags. Michael Cera (the sublime George Michael Bluth from "Arrested Development") and unstoppable scene-stealer Jonah Hill (Apatow's "Knocked Up") are lifelong pals who attempt to make up for years of obscurity by getting into one blowout party before parting ways for college; an opportunity presents itself in the form of Hill's crush, the lovely Jules (Emma Stone), who wants the boys to bring liquor to her shindig. What follows is a combination road adventure and coming of age story as Cera and Hill tackle crazed partygoers, a pair of overeager cops (played by co-scripter and producer Seth Rogen and "Saturday Night Live"'s Bill Hader), and the hard truth about girls and their own emotional bond. The humor is crass and occasionally gross but never mean-spirited, and Cera and Hill offer believable performances as guys wholly unaware of their own potential, yet ready to risk humiliation in order to find out. They're well supported by a cast of Apatow regulars, including Kevin Corrigan, Martin Starr, David Krumholtz, and Carla Gallo (and Stone and Martha MacIsaac are terrific as their love interests), but the film is completely shoplifted by newcomer Christopher Mintz-Plasse as their uber-nerdy pal Fogell, whose fake ID handle is among the movie's funniest gags. Classic funk fans should also keep an ear out for the score by Lyle Workman, which features such James Brown and P-Funk veterans as Bootsy Collins, Bernie Worrell, and Clyde Stubblefield. "--Paul Gaita"


 

Superman Returns

Director: Bryan Singer
Starring: Brandon Routh, Kate Bosworth, Kevin Spacey, James Marsden, Parker Posey
Genre: Action & Adventure
Rated: PG-13
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 6.9 (63,630 votes)
Duration: 154
Release: Nov 2006
# of Discs: 2
UPC: 0012569823372
Purchased On:
Summary: If Richard Donner's 1978 feature film "Superman: The Movie" made us believe a man could fly, Bryan Singer's 2006 follow-up, "Superman Returns", lets us remember that a superhero movie can make our spirits soar. Superman (played by newcomer Brandon Routh) comes back to Earth after a futile five-year search for his destroyed home planet of Krypton. As alter ego Clark Kent, he's eager to return to his job at the Daily Planet and to see Lois Lane (Kate Bosworth). Lois, however, has moved on: she now has a fiancé (James Marsden), a son (Tristan Leabu), and a Pulitzer Prize for her article entitled "Why the World Doesn't Need Superman." On top of this emotional curveball, his old archrival Lex Luthor (Kevin Spacey) is plotting the biggest land grab in history.

Singer, who made a strong impression among comic-book fans for his work on the X-Men franchise and directed Spacey in "The Usual Suspects", brings both a fresh eye and a sense of respect to the world's oldest superhero. He borrows John Williams's great theme music and Marlon Brando's voice as Jor-El, and the story (penned by Singer's "X-Men" collaborators Michael Dougherty and Dan Harris) is a sort-of-sequel to the first two films in the franchise (choosing to ignore that the third and fourth movies ever happened). The humorous and romantic elements give the movie a heart, Singer's art-deco Metropolis is often breathtaking, and the special effects are elegant and spectacular, particularly an early airplane-disaster set-piece. Of the cast, Routh is excellent as the dual Superman/Clark, Spacey is both droll and vicious as Luthor, and Parker Posey gets the best lines as Luthor's moll Kitty. But at 23, Bosworth seems too young for the five-years-past-grizzled Lois. It's nice to see Noel Neill, Jack Larson (both from the classic "Adventures of Superman" TV series), and Eva Marie-Saint on the screen as well. Superman Returns is one of those projects that was in development for seemingly forever, but it was worth the wait -- it's the most enjoyable superhero movie since "Spider-Man 2" and "The Incredibles". "--David Horiuchi"


 

Swingers

Director: Doug Liman, Nicholas Goodman
Starring: Jon Favreau, Vince Vaughn, Ron Livingston, Patrick Van Horn, Alex Désert
Genre: Comedy
Rated: R
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 7.6 (22,840 votes)
Duration: 96
Release: Sep 2002
# of Discs: 1
UPC: 0786936197679
Purchased On:
Summary: For anyone who wants to catch a glimpse of the Los Angeles "lounge" scene that was in vogue during the early and mid-1990s, here's the movie that virtually defined that brief but colorful nightlife milieu. As an added bonus, it just happens to be a very funny, observant story about love, loss, and male bonding among a group of friends who struggle to find decent jobs by day, and lurk through Hollywood's hottest nightclubs by night. A sort of latter-day Rat Pack, they include Mike (writer-actor Jon Favreau) and his closest buddy, Trent (Vince Vaughn), who are waiting for the big show-biz break that seems to be eluding them. Mike's twisted up about the girlfriend he left back East to pursue his going-nowhere standup comedy career, and Trent uses the word "money" as an adjective ("Man, we look totally money tonight") with such frequency that you may find yourself slipping into lounge-lizard mode after watching the movie. One of the most noteworthy indie-film success stories of the '90s, this time-capsule comedy seized its moment in the spotlight, launched several promising careers, and continues to maintain its lasting appeal. "--Jeff Shannon"


 

Swordfish

Director: Dominic Sena
Starring: John Travolta, Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, Don Cheadle, Sam Shepard
Genre: Action & Adventure
Rated: R
My Rating:
IMDB Rating: 6.2 (34,178 votes)
Duration: 99
Release: Jun 2004
# of Discs: 1
UPC: 9780790761459
Purchased On:
Summary: "Swordfish" is a superficial movie, so let's address the superficial facts: Halle Berry was well paid to bare her breasts in this gratuitous cyber-action thriller, and while Berry's many fans will enjoy a cheap drool at the actress's expense, her brief topless scene doesn't justify this insipid parade of glossy violence from the director of 2000's "Gone in 60 Seconds". Add yet another notch in John Travolta's bad-movie belt, and you've got Hollywood bankruptcy in full blossom. Go ahead, marvel at director Dominic Sena's biggest money shot--a 360-degree pan as a robbery hostage is blown to bits by a bomb that pelts a surrounding SWAT squad with deadly ball bearings.
The plot, as if it matters: Travolta's a slick, self-appointed antiterrorist who recruits a top-flight computer hacker (Hugh Jackman) to transfer a $9.5 billion government slush fund into a cluster of secret accounts. Berry's the curvaceous bait who lures Jackman into the scheme; Don Cheadle's an FBI agent hot on their tails; and an obligatory subplot turns Jackman's daughter (Camryn Grimes) into an innocent bargaining chip. By the time a hostage transport bus is airlifted in the film's not-so-thrilling climax, "Swordfish" will hold your passive attention or put you to sleep--it all depends on your tolerance for Sena's brand of derivative bloodlust. It's pornography of a sort, and efficiently mechanical, but you can bet good money that Berry and her costars didn't cash their paychecks proudly. "--Jeff Shannon"


 


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