DVDpedia : Library : Title : P

Theatrical: 2006

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Drama

Duration: 125

Summary: This love story has Kitty meeting young, intelligent, shy and somewhat dull Dr. Walter Fane, whose forte is the study of infectious diseases, and the convenient marriage that she finds herself committed too. It is in this web of intrigue that they head for China, only after Walter discover's Kitty's infidelity with one dashing and witty Diplomat Charlie Townsend. So much as to hide her from herself and to help thwart a cholera outbreak, this is a marriage more than on the rocks. This is a cold, indifferent and loveless partnership in a vast unknown and deadly environment that will test both these flightless lovebirds and with the hardships and tolerances more than any had ever anticipated. A visual delight amidst the pain and suffering of a dying people and failing marriage. Will a cure be found for both, before it's too late?

Theatrical: 2004

Studio: Fox Lorber

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 100

Summary: Writer/director Todd Solondz has no patience for formulas or safe choices. Most filmmakers, after making a movie as commercially unsuccessful and critically slammed as the underrated "Storytelling", would strive to broaden their appeal. Solondz, instead, made "Palindromes", a movie about a troubled young girl named Aviva whose only goal in life is to have children--a goal that leads her through abortion, religious extremism, pedophilia, and more. But for many viewers, the plot isn't as off-putting as the casting: Over the course of the movie, Aviva is played by eight very different actresses (including Jennifer Jason Leigh, "Rush"). Like Solondz's other movies (including "Welcome to the Dollhouse" and "Happiness"), "Palindromes" initially seems emotionally brutal and absurd, but gradually grows engaging and even moving, albeit in strange and unexpected ways. "Palindromes" is given an extra boost by a hypnotic, emotionally unleashed performance by Ellen Barkin ("The Big Easy", "Drop Dead Gorgeous") as Aviva's mother. "--Bret Fetzer"

Theatrical: 2006

Studio: Ufa/DVD

Genre: Drama

Duration: 120

Summary: In 1944 fascist Spain, a girl, fascinated with fairy-tales, is sent along with her pregnant mother to live with her new stepfather, a ruthless captain of the Spanish army. During the night, she meets a fairy who takes her to an old faun in the center of the labyrinth. He tells her she's a princess, but must prove her royalty by surviving three gruesome tasks. If she fails, she will never prove herself to be the the true princess and will never see her real father, the king, again.

Theatrical: 1964

Studio: Paramount

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 110

Summary: Hollywood producer Alexander Meyerheimer has hired drunken writer Richard Benson to write his latest movie. Benson has been holed up in a Paris apartment supposedly working on the script for months, but instead has spent the time living it up. Benson now has just two days to the deadline and thus hires a temporary secretary, Gabrielle Simpson, to help him complete it in time.

Theatrical: 2006

Studio: First Look Pictures

Genre: Art House & International

Duration: 110

Summary: Even with the impressive talent involved, "Paris, je t'aime" could've ended up like a fallen soufflé. Though all 18 films aren't equally successful, they hit the mark more often than not. Romantics anticipating happy love stories set amongst the City of Lights may be disappointed to find that many are quite sad and that some parts of Paris are less inviting than others (each takes place in a different district). Further, the shorts aren't all "en Français", since the actors and directors hail from around the world, but their outsider perspectives lend the project depth. The strongest entries are provided by Gurinder Chadha ("Quais De Seine"), Gus Van Sant ("Le Marais"), Oliver Schmitz ("Place des Fêtes"), and Alexander Payne ("14ème Arrondissement"), but all find interesting ways to explore cultural misunderstandings. In Joel and Ethan Coen's tragic-comic "Tuileries", tourist Steve Buscemi angers a couple simply by making eye contact. Like Miranda Richardson in Isabelle Coixet's heartbreaking "Bastille", he does all his acting with his expressive face. And while Maggie Gyllenhaal speaks the language adroitly in Olivier Assayas's intriguing "Quartier des Enfants Rouges", Nick Nolte (purposefully) mangles it in Alfonso Cuarón's surprisingly weak "Parc Monceau". The anthology ends with Payne's audio-postcard, in which Margo Martindale's postal carrier narrates her vacation in awkward, but endearing French. Instead of another person, she falls in love with Paris, simply for allowing her to be herself. It's the perfect finish to a poignant repast, like strawberries dipped in chocolate--sweet, but not cloyingly so. "--Kathleen C. Fennessy"

Theatrical: 2000

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Drama

Duration: 123

Summary: "Pay It Forward" is a multi-level marketing scheme of the heart. Beginning as a seventh-grade class assignment to put into action an idea that could change the world, young Trevor McKinney (Haley Joel Osment) comes up with a plan to do good deeds for three people who then by way of payment each must do good turns for three other people. These nine people also must pay it forward and so on, ad infinitum. If successful, the resulting network of do-gooders ought to comprise the entire world. Trevor's attempts to get the ball rolling include befriending a junkie (James Caviezel) and trying to set up his recovering-alcoholic mother (Helen Hunt) with his burn-victim teacher (Kevin Spacey), who posed the assignment.
While this could have turned into unmitigated schmaltz, the acting elevates this film to mitigated schmaltz. By turns powerful and measured, the performances of Spacey, Hunt, and Osment can't make up for the many missteps in a screenplay that sanitizes the look of the lower-middle class and expects us to believe that homeless alcoholics and junkies speak in the elevated manner of grad students. (Can that really be Angie Dickinson as Hunt's dispossessed mother? Yes, it is!) The germ of the story is a good one, though, and one may wonder how it would have been handled by the likes of Frank Capra, who could balance sentiment with humor. But clearly Capra would never have let the ending of his version to take the nosedive into cliché and pathos that director Mimi Leder has allowed in this film. More than a few viewers will also recognize that Leder has blatantly borrowed her final image from "Field of Dreams", where its intended effect was more keenly and honestly felt. "--Jim Gay"

Theatrical: 2003

Studio: Paramount

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 118

Summary: The brainy, paranoid science fiction of writer Philip K. Dick has inspired one visionary classic ("Blade Runner") and two above-average action movies ("Total Recall" and "Minority Report"). "Paycheck" aspires to follow in their footsteps: An engineer (Ben Affleck, "Chasing Amy") routinely agrees to have his memory erased after every job so that he doesn't know what he's done. But after the biggest job of his life, he discovers that not only has he refused a $90 million paycheck, he's sent himself an envelope full of things he doesn't recognize--and he doesn't remember doing any of this. As he unravels the plot, he discovers he's also fallen in love (with Uma Thurman, "Kill Bill") and invented a dangerous device for his former boss (Aaron Eckhart, "Erin Brockovich"). Affleck is bland, the script ruins a cunning idea, and the direction--from the normally dynamic John Woo ("Face/Off")--plods along, aimless and bored. "--Bret Fetzer"

Theatrical: 1997

Studio: Dreamworks Video

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 124

Summary: It seems that thrillers these days--even good ones--are all about scene-chewing bad guys, cute retorts fit for the Dennis Miller show, and one big special effect to end the movie. Well, something like "The Peacemaker", the first feature film from DreamWorks, puts the record straight. Here is an expertly paced thriller with a sensible villain, smart instead of cute dialogue, and a focus on action instead of special effects. It's not original, just solid. It's the second of these energetic and effective thrillers that writer Michael Schiffer ("Crimson Tide") has penned. The White House Nuclear Smuggling Group tracks down 10 stolen nuclear bombs after a suspicious train wreck in Russia. The acting head of the department (Nicole Kidman) and her military field officer (George Clooney) are off to Europe to track down the bombs. Instead of a Gary Oldman-Bruce Dern madman, "The Peacemaker"'s heavy is an unknown Romanian actor (Marcul Iures) playing a Bosnian rebel who works passionately and quietly. This may be a popcorn movie, but it uses the ripe emotions of the Bosnian War to create tension. This is the best film vehicle yet for the overwhelming charisma of George Clooney as a quick witted, generally warm Oliver North type who will seek deadly vengeance without pause. He's matched very well by the professional polish of Nicole Kidman who is showing great flexibility in dividing her roles between serious and fun fare. "--Doug Thomas"

Theatrical: 2001

Studio: Walt Disney Video

Genre:

Duration: 183

Summary: History comes alive in the unforgettable motion picture PEARL HARBOR, the spectacular blockbuster brought to the screen by Jerry Bruckheimer and Michael Bay. Experience the groundbreaking special effects that place you at the center of one of the watershed events of the twentieth century, presented for the first time through the magic of Blu-ray Disc® technology! Ben Affleck, Josh Hartnett and Kate Beckinsale star in this real-life tale of catastrophic defeat, heroic victory, personal courage and sacrifice. See the battle as never before in 1080p high definition, while the astonishing 5.1 48 kHz, 24-bit uncompressed audio will make you feel as though you're in the cockpit of your own fighter plane. The unparalleled realism of Blu-ray Disc® technology delivers a breathtaking reenactment of the "date which will live in infamy."

Theatrical: 1985

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 90

Summary: Former animator Tim Burton ("Beetlejuice", "Edward Scissorhands", "Ed Wood", "Batman", "Mars Attacks!") made his feature directorial debut with this delightful comedy, coscripted by the late Phil Hartman (who also appears briefly as a reporter). Wisely, they keep the story simple so as to concentrate on the characters: Pee-wee's most prized possession, his shiny new bicycle, is stolen, and he sets off on an obsessive cross-country journey, determined to recover it. Pee-wee's awkward and childish attempts to be cool and mature ("I meant to do that!!") are hysterical, as when he tells his girlfriend (Elizabeth Daly): "There's things about me you don't know, Dottie. Things you wouldn't understand. Things you couldn't understand. Things you shouldn't understand.... I'm a loner, Dottie. A rebel." Look for "Saturday Night Live" vet Jan Hooks in a hilarious bit as a tour guide at the Alamo. And beware of Large Marge! "--Jim Emerson"

Theatrical: 1996

Studio: Sony Pictures

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 129

Summary: Leave it to Czech director Milos Forman ("One Flew Over to Cuckoo's Nest") to make the most entertaining and offbeat celebration of the American Constitution that the movies have ever given us. You think the First Amendment was designed to protect you "from" offensive speech? Think again. The real glory of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights--as brought to life in this splendidly quirky and alternately reverent and irreverent comedy--is that it ensures everyone's freedom by protecting a whole range of expression, from the banal to the outrageous. Scripted by the writers of "Ed Wood" (another affectionately twisted biography of a disreputably eccentric entertainment figure), "The People vs. Larry Flynt" applies a similar sort of exaggerated and telescoped editorial-cartoon sensibility to the wild life and times of "Hustler" skin-magazine publisher Larry Flynt. It's the great (and fictionalized-but-true) American story of how smut-peddler Flynt--the poor man's redneck Hugh Hefner--ended up appealing a libel case (brought by televangelist Jerry Falwell) to the Supreme Court and winning a major legal victory that affects us all. Terrific performances by Woody Harrelson as Flynt, grunge-star-turned-glamour-puss Courtney Love as his wife Althea, and Edward Norton as their lawyer (a composite character). "--Jim Emerson"

Theatrical: 2006

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Genre: Action

Duration: 88

Summary: Set during the 1960s in an alternate New Zealand known as Nuovo Zelandia, PERFECT CREATURE imagines a world where vampires and humans peacefully co-exist, with the bloodsuckers the next step in human evolution. This delicate balance looks to be destroyed when an influenza epidemic begins to sweep the human population and one vampire turns to preying on humans. The church sends out Silus (Scott) to catch the renegade vampire, Edgar. Silus joins forces with a human police captain (Burrows), and discovers that Edgar harbors dark secrets.

Theatrical: 1977

Studio: Walt Disney Video

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 129

Summary: This story of a winsome orphan and his guardian dragon features an Academy Award-nominated score and song, Helen Reddy's "Candle on the Water." The combination of a live-action story with an animated figure was innovative in 1977, and the green dragon with pink wings will still charm youngsters today. However, its plot has the boy running from a nasty family to whom he's been sold into slavery, as well as an evil magician who tries to steal the dragon for his parts. These dark story lines may scare or bore younger children, who only want to see Elliot the dragon belch fire and give Pete rides on his back. And older children who might appreciate the plot may scoff at the relatively crude animation. This leaves a rather narrow audience window of about ages 3 to 7. A cast of veterans includes Shelley Winters, Mickey Rooney, and Red Buttons, who all turn in the hammiest of performances. Acting newcomer Reddy demonstrates both why her acting career never took off and why her singing career did. (Lines like "You're a bunch of superstitious ding-dongs" don't give her much help.) However, her sometimes awkward performance as the lonely lighthouse keeper who gives the boy a home provides the film with its heart. Bottom line: it's a keeper for diehard Disney fans, dragon lovers, and those who remember this movie fondly from their childhood. "--Kimberly Heinrichs"

Theatrical: 2004

Studio: Rhino / Wea

Genre: Music Video & Concerts

Duration: 141

Summary: Peter Gabriel has long been revered for his great songwriting, cinematic soundscapes, riveting concerts, and groundbreaking videos. Is it any surprise, then, that "Play: The Videos" is a music DVD for the ages? Nope. But that doesn't make it any less thrilling to watch--or to listen to. Gabriel has assembled and polished an evening-filling 26 clips, all of them collaborations with innovative visual artists and directors like Stephen Johnson, Matt Mahurin, Francois Vogel, and Sean Penn. From the 1977 promo for "Modern Love" to 2003's "Growing Up" and much between, it's all here, and most viewers will be pleasantly surprised to find more than a couple videos they missed along the way. The focus is explicitly on conceptual pieces, the lone visual exception being a 2004 live rendition of "Games Without Frontiers" among the extras.

Gabriel says in an accompanying essay that "music can stand more repetition than video and music together." "Play" gives us something extra in light of that: fresh 5.1 surround mixes in both Dolby Digital and DTS 96/24 for every track, with Gabriel/U2 production vet Daniel Lanois at the helm for most songs. (You'll get standard DTS sound from DTS-capable DVD players and, even better, lossless high-resolution audio from a DTS 96/24-compatible player.) The surround mixes are nothing short of revelatory, using all available channels to amplify Gabriel's ambient side while breaking out the percussion in fascinating ways and driving home the music's subterranean bass. "--Michael Mikesell"

Theatrical: 1953

Studio: Walt Disney Video

Genre: Kids & Family

Duration: 77

Summary: "Peter Pan" has a special place in the realm of classic animated Disney films: it instills an element of childlike wonder. The 1953 version of James M. Barrie's story is colorfully told and keeps on the straight and narrow of the book. Barrie's wondrous focus on child's play is the key to its longevity: kids who don't grow up, shadows that run away from their owners, pirates, a fairy, and the magic ability to fly. In short, you can't help wishing the adventure would happen to you. Fueled by a few memorable songs (the stunner being "You Can Fly") and the strong impression of the pixie fairy Tinkerbell and the goofy Captain Hook, Disney's version of this story neither supplants nor lessens the Broadway version with Mary Martin that was produced for television the same decade. Unlike some classics, "Peter Pan" never ages along the way. "--Doug Thomas"

Theatrical: 1980

Studio: Universal Studios

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 1113

Summary: A ratings hit for eight seasons on CBS, the action-mystery series "Magnum, P.I." makes its DVD boxed set debut in an impressive five-disc package that offers not only the entire first season, but some rarely seen episodes. Positioned in the old "Hawaii Five-O" time slot (Thursdays at 9) in December of 1980, "Magnum" quickly became a hit, thanks to the combination of smart and witty scripting, gorgeous locations, and the considerable charm of lead Tom Selleck as former Naval Intelligence officer Thomas Magnum, who gives up his position to become a private investigator on Oahu with the help of fellow Vietnam vets T.C. (Roger E. Mosley) and Rick (Larry Manetti). Magnum also provided security for the lavish estate of wealthy (and never-seen) mystery writer Robin Masters, which gave him access to the author's expensive vehicles (including a prized Ferrari), much to the disapproval of Masters's manservant Higgins (Jonathan Hillerman).
A rare series that skillfully blended action, humor, drama, and suspense, "Magnum, P.I."'s first season gets the boxed set treatment its fans have been hoping for, with all 18 first-season episodes (including the two-part pilot, "Don't Eat the Snow in Hawaii") included on four discs. The fifth disc contains four rarely shown bonus episodes, including season 3's "Ki'ls Don't Lie," which featured a crossover plot with "Simon and Simon", as well as its conclusion ("Emeralds Are Not a Girl's Best Friend"), which kicked off "S&S"'s second season; the latter episode has never been aired as part of "Magnum"'s syndicated package, which is another reason for fans to pick up and enjoy this long-awaited set. "--Paul Gaita"

Theatrical: 2002

Studio: Universal Studios

Genre: Drama

Duration: 150

Summary: Winner of the prestigious Golden Palm award at the 2002 Cannes film festival, "The Pianist" is the film that Roman Polanski was born to direct. A childhood survivor of Nazi-occupied Poland, Polanski was uniquely suited to tell the story of Wladyslaw Szpilman, a Polish Jew and concert pianist (played by Adrien Brody) who witnessed the Nazi invasion of Warsaw, miraculously eluded the Nazi death camps, and survived throughout World War II by hiding among the ruins of the Warsaw ghetto. Unlike any previous dramatization of the Nazi holocaust, "The Pianist" steadfastly maintains its protagonist's singular point of view, allowing Polanski to create an intimate odyssey on an epic wartime scale, drawing a direct parallel between Szpilman's tenacious, primitive existence and the wholesale destruction of the city he refuses to abandon. Uncompromising in its physical and emotional authenticity, "The Pianist" strikes an ultimate note of hope and soulful purity. As with "Schindler's List", it's one of the greatest films ever made about humanity's darkest chapter. "--Jeff Shannon"

Theatrical: 1982

Studio: Sony

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 83

Summary: By any rational measure, Alan Parker's cinematic interpretation of "Pink Floyd: The Wall" is a glorious failure. Glorious because its imagery is hypnotically striking, frequently resonant, and superbly photographed by the gifted cinematographer Peter Biziou. And a failure because the entire exercise is hopelessly dour, loyal to the bleak themes and psychological torment of Roger Waters's great musical opus, and yet utterly devoid of the humor that Waters certainly found in his own material. Any attempt to visualize "The Wall" would be fraught with artistic danger, and Parker succumbs to his own self-importance, creating a film that's as fascinating as it is flawed.
The film is, for better and worse, the fruit of three artists in conflict--Parker indulging himself, and Waters in league with designer Gerald Scarfe, whose brilliant animated sequences suggest that he should have directed and animated this film in its entirety. Fortunately, this clash of talent and ego does not prevent "The Wall" from being a mesmerizing film. Boomtown Rats frontman Bob Geldof (in his screen debut) is a fine choice to play Waters's alter ego--an alienated, "comfortably numb" rock star whose psychosis manifests itself as an emotional (and symbolically physical) wall between himself and the cold, cruel world. Weaving Waters's autobiographical details into his own jumbled vision, Parker ultimately fails to combine a narrative thread with experimental structure. It's a rich, bizarre, and often astonishing film that will continue to draw a following, but the real source of genius remains the music of Roger Waters. "--Jeff Shannon"

Theatrical: 1995

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Kids & Family

Duration: 471

Summary: Are you pondering what I'm pondering, animation fans? "Yes! " Pinky and the Brain have finally arrived on DVD, and they're going to take over the world! Well, at the very least, these genetically engineered lab mice are going to prove, once and for all, that they're the best comedy duo ever created for an animated series aimed at children.... but, why limit their appeal to kids? As executive producer Steven Spielberg said to the show's creators, he wanted this brilliant, Emmy®-winning half-hour cartoon series to lure adults into watching it with their kids, and like the classic Warner Brothers cartoons of the past, it's likely the grown-ups will enjoy it even more! This is largely due to the fact that "Pinky and the Brain" was produced under the radar, almost as if nobody was watching, so while this delightfully inventive spin-off from "Animaniacs" is purely entertaining for kids, it also includes a wide variety of in-jokes, movie spoofs, and outrageous dialogue that only older viewers can truly appreciate. It's all innocent fun, but if you watch and listen closely, you'll quickly realize that the writers and first-rate voice cast were having the time of their lives, inventing absurd plots and one-liners purely for their own creative pleasure. How else can you explain Pinky's bizarrely suggestive responses when The Brain asks "Are you pondering what I'm pondering?" or the hilarious send-ups of classic movies like "The Third Man" (spoofed here as "The Third Mouse"), "The Manchurian Candidate" ("The Pink Candidate"), and the tearjerking TV classic "Brian's Song" (satirized, of course, as "Brain's Song")?
Better yet, these 22 episodes culled from "P&TB"'s four-season run (1995-98) demonstrate how the show's basic concept--two talking lab mice ("one is a genius, the other's insane") and their nightly attempts at global domination--lent itself to a broad spectrum of hilariously ingenious plots, with no restrictions of timeframe. So you've got episodes in ancient Egypt, Napoleonic France, and 1940s Vienna, along with contemporary schemes and shorter, time-filler episodes (like "Cheese Roll Call") that qualify as mini-masterpieces of educational comedy. "A Pinky and the Brain Christmas" is a bona-fide sentimental classic (offering proof that the Brain's got a soft heart, after all), and the polar-opposite pairing of Pinky and the Brain is just about perfect, largely due to the voice talents of Maurice LaMarche (expertly channeling Orson Welles as the Brain) and Emmy-winner Rob Paulsen as Pinky (both seen, to splendid effect, in disc 2's behind-the-scenes featurette). Additional voice talents include Roddy MacDowall (as the Brain's nemesis, Snowball) and Ernest Borgnine, but the show's primary strength is its go-for-broke writing, brilliant animation (a flawless homage to Warner Bros. tradition, yet uniquely styled to match the material), and music scores (mostly by Richard Stone) that pay tribute to the late, great WB cartoon composer Carl Stalling while incorporating frequent passages from the classical repertoire. All in all, "Pinky and the Brain" is perfect entertainment for the young and young-at-heart, destined for cult-favorite status as one of the best overlooked TV series of the 1990s. As Pinky might say, "Poit! Narf! Oh, this is SO much fun!" "--Jeff Shannon"

Theatrical: 1995

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Kids & Family

Duration: 471

Summary: Are you pondering what I'm pondering, animation fans? "Yes! " Pinky and the Brain have finally arrived on DVD, and they're going to take over the world! Well, at the very least, these genetically engineered lab mice are going to prove, once and for all, that they're the best comedy duo ever created for an animated series aimed at children.... but, why limit their appeal to kids? As executive producer Steven Spielberg said to the show's creators, he wanted this brilliant, Emmy®-winning half-hour cartoon series to lure adults into watching it with their kids, and like the classic Warner Brothers cartoons of the past, it's likely the grown-ups will enjoy it even more! This is largely due to the fact that "Pinky and the Brain" was produced under the radar, almost as if nobody was watching, so while this delightfully inventive spin-off from "Animaniacs" is purely entertaining for kids, it also includes a wide variety of in-jokes, movie spoofs, and outrageous dialogue that only older viewers can truly appreciate. It's all innocent fun, but if you watch and listen closely, you'll quickly realize that the writers and first-rate voice cast were having the time of their lives, inventing absurd plots and one-liners purely for their own creative pleasure. How else can you explain Pinky's bizarrely suggestive responses when The Brain asks "Are you pondering what I'm pondering?" or the hilarious send-ups of classic movies like "The Third Man" (spoofed here as "The Third Mouse"), "The Manchurian Candidate" ("The Pink Candidate"), and the tearjerking TV classic "Brian's Song" (satirized, of course, as "Brain's Song")?
Better yet, these 22 episodes culled from "P&TB"'s four-season run (1995-98) demonstrate how the show's basic concept--two talking lab mice ("one is a genius, the other's insane") and their nightly attempts at global domination--lent itself to a broad spectrum of hilariously ingenious plots, with no restrictions of timeframe. So you've got episodes in ancient Egypt, Napoleonic France, and 1940s Vienna, along with contemporary schemes and shorter, time-filler episodes (like "Cheese Roll Call") that qualify as mini-masterpieces of educational comedy. "A Pinky and the Brain Christmas" is a bona-fide sentimental classic (offering proof that the Brain's got a soft heart, after all), and the polar-opposite pairing of Pinky and the Brain is just about perfect, largely due to the voice talents of Maurice LaMarche (expertly channeling Orson Welles as the Brain) and Emmy-winner Rob Paulsen as Pinky (both seen, to splendid effect, in disc 2's behind-the-scenes featurette). Additional voice talents include Roddy MacDowall (as the Brain's nemesis, Snowball) and Ernest Borgnine, but the show's primary strength is its go-for-broke writing, brilliant animation (a flawless homage to Warner Bros. tradition, yet uniquely styled to match the material), and music scores (mostly by Richard Stone) that pay tribute to the late, great WB cartoon composer Carl Stalling while incorporating frequent passages from the classical repertoire. All in all, "Pinky and the Brain" is perfect entertainment for the young and young-at-heart, destined for cult-favorite status as one of the best overlooked TV series of the 1990s. As Pinky might say, "Poit! Narf! Oh, this is SO much fun!" "--Jeff Shannon"

Theatrical: 1940

Studio: Walt Disney Video

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 88

Summary: This Disney masterpiece from 1940 will hold up forever precisely because it doesn't restrain or temper the most elemental emotions and themes germane to its story. Based on the Collodi tale about a wooden puppet who wants to become a real boy, "Pinocchio" is among the most magical, mythical, and frightening films to come from the studio in its long history. A number of scenes make permanent impressions on young minds (just ask Steven Spielberg, who quoted the film more than once in "Close Encounters of the Third Kind"), and the songs ("When You Wish upon a Star") can't be beat. "--Tom Keogh"

Theatrical: 2006

Studio: Buena Vista Home Entertainment

Genre:

Duration: 150

Summary: Disney Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (Blu-ray)
"Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" pulses with heart-pounding excitement in a Blu-ray 2 disc-set created from the original digital source files. Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley set sail for uncharted adventure in Disney's epic swashbuckler - now more thrilling than ever in this mind-blowing format. Captain Jack Sparrow has a blood debt to pay: He owes his soul to ghastly Davy Jones unless he can cheat death - and eternal damnation - by seizing the fabled "Dead Man's Chest." Totally immerse yourself in crystallinevisual clarity as every eye-popping frame surges over the screen. Tremble in terror as the mighty "Kraken" roars from the ocean depths to split planks, crush hulls and snap bones in enhance theater-quality audio. Experience this action-packed hit asif you're watching it for the very first time with Disney Blu-ray - Magic in High Definition!

Theatrical: 2003

Studio: Buena Vista Home Entertainment

Genre:

Duration: 143

Summary: Disney Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl (Blu-ray)
From producer Jerry Bruckheimer("Pearl Harbor") comes "Pirates Of The Caribbean:The Curse Of The Black Pearl," the thrilling high-seas adventure with a mysterious twist. The roguish yet charming Captain Jack Sparrow's (Academy Award(R) Nominee Johnny Depp) idyllic pirate life capsizes after his nemesis, the wily Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush), steals his ship, the Black Pearl, and later attacks the town of Port Royal, kidnapping the governor's beautiful daughter Elizabeth (Keira Knightley). In a gallant attempt to rescue her and recapture the Black Pearl, Elizabeth's childhood friend Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) joins forces with Jack. What Will doesn't know is that a cursed treasure has doomed Barbossa and his crew tolive forever as the undead. Rich in suspense-filled adventure, sword-clashing action, mystery, humor, unforgettable characters, and never-before-seenspecial effects, "Pirates" is a must-have epic onthe grandest scale ever.

Theatrical: 2006

Studio: Touchstone

Genre: Action

Duration: 150

Summary: Once again we're plunged into the world of sword fights and "savvy" pirates. Captain Jack Sparrow is reminded he owes a debt to Davy Jones, Who captains the flying Dutch man ,a ghostly ship, with a crew from hell. Facing the "locker" Jack must find the heart of Davy Jones but to save himself he must get the help of quick-witted Will Turner and Elizabeth Swan. If that's not complicated enough will and Elizabeth are sentenced to hang, unless will can get Lord Cutler Beckett Jack's compass, Will is forced to join another crazy adventure with Jack.

Theatrical: 2006

Studio: New Line Home Video

Genre: Horror

Duration: 94

Summary: Unholy terror is unleashed in the skies when a deadly, genetically engineered virus is released onboard a transatlantic flight to Paris in this heart-stopping thrill-ride of terror! When a scientist on the run from the CIA manages to smuggle a contaminated body onto a commercial overseas flight, the plane becomes an incubator for a quickly growing army of the undead. With a zombie invasion spreading through the cabin, only a handful of passengers remains to fight off their fellow travelers and land the plane before it's too late.
DVD Features:
Audio Commentary
Gag Reel

Theatrical: 1968

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy

Duration: 112

Summary: Charlton Heston and Roddy McDowall star in this legendary science fiction masterpiece. Astronaut Taylor (Heston) crash lands on a distant planet ruled by apes who use a primitive race of humans for experimentation and sport. Soon Taylor finds himself among the hunted, his life in the hands of a benevolent chimpanzee scientist (McDowall).

Theatrical: 1968

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy

Duration: 112

Summary: Charlton Heston and Roddy McDowall star in this legendary science fiction masterpiece. Astronaut Taylor (Heston) crash lands on a distant planet ruled by apes who use a primitive race of humans for experimentation and sport. Soon Taylor finds himself among the hunted, his life in the hands of a benevolent chimpanzee scientist (McDowall).

Theatrical: 2000

Studio: Sony Pictures

Genre: Drama

Duration: 122

Summary: The long road to "Pollock" began when actor Ed Harris received a biography of Jackson Pollock from his father, who noticed that his son bore an uncanny resemblance to the artist. Harris's fascination with Pollock matched his physical similarity; the actor chose to direct and star in this impressive film biography. And his devotion assured a work of singular integrity, honoring the artist's achievement in abstract expressionism while acknowledging that Pollock was a tormented, manic-depressive alcoholic whose death at 44 (in a possibly suicidal car crash) also claimed the life of an innocent woman. The film also suggests that Pollock's success was largely attributable to the devotion of his wife, artist Lee Krasner, played with matching ferocity by Marcia Gay Harden in an Oscar®-winning performance.
In many respects a traditional biopic, "Pollock" begins in 1941 when Pollock meets Krasner, who encourages him and attracts the attention of supportive critic Clement Greenberg (Jeffrey Tambor) and benefactor Peggy Guggenheim (Amy Madigan). As Pollock rises from obscurity to international acclaim, Harris brings careful balance to his portrayal of a driven creator who found peace during those brief, sober periods when art brought release from his tenacious inner demons. The film offers sympathy without sentiment, appreciation without misguided hagiography. As an acting showcase it's utterly captivating. As a compassionate but unflinching exploration of Jackson Pollock's intimate world, there's no doubt that Harris captured the essence of a man whose life was as torturous as his art was redeeming. "--Jeff Shannon"

Theatrical: 1983

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 289

Summary: Porky's
Reviled by critics and embraced by the public during its initial run (1981), "Porky's" is interesting to watch after all these years. What holds up about this horny coming-of-age tale is remarkable. Writer/director Bob Clark has little more than sex and practical joking on his mind, and his high school seniors from Angel Beach, Florida, rapidly move from one to the other. Clark displays a sense of timing and, perhaps rarer still, a sense of male friendship--its brutalities and its bonds--that feels right, not artificial. Surprisingly, the showcase practical jokes are still funny: the Everglades encounter with Cherry Forever, the hole in the girls' shower, and Beulah Balbricker, the humongous gym teacher. The comedic set-ups and payoffs surprisingly still work. Clark's insistence on a subplot about anti-Semitism, however, still sticks out as A MESSAGE. Kim Cattrall really got her start here (although almost no one else did) as Ms. Honeywell, a.k.a. "Lassie." Clark later distanced himself from the irritating Porky's sequels and went on to make the wonderful "Christmas Story", the tale of a little boy who wants a BB gun for Christmas. "--Keith Simanton"
Porky's II: The Next Day
The inevitable sequel to the surprise hit movie marks a noticeable change in tone, as the horny kids from the first film fight religious fanatics in order to put on a stage show. Though the gang is still as mischievous as they were the night before, most of the raunchy humor from the first film has been dropped. In its place are some surprisingly effective passages dealing bluntly with sex, love, anti-Semitism, and religious tolerance in the repressed South of the 1950s. It's this turn that makes the sequel a surprise and something distinctive from its predecessor. "--Robert Lane"
Porky's Revenge
Bare breasts, practical jokes, greaser hairdos, and cars with big fins--it must be another "Porky's" movie! "Porky's Revenge" continues to fuse sexploitation and 1950s nostalgia, though by this point the adolescent hijinks feel a bit rote. On the verge of graduation, Pee Wee, Meat, and the other three interchangeable guys (winnowed down from the larger gang of the first two movies) try to help their basketball coach out of a jam by revealing to the authorities that fat, foul-tempered Porky has rebuilt his illegal casino/whorehouse--but when they get caught, they promise Porky they'll throw the state championship to save their lives. This flimsy plot is intertwined with other disconnected bits about Pee Wee having the hots for a foreign exchange student (Playboy Playmate Kim Evenson), Meat being forced to marry Porky's daughter, a contraband stag film, a biology teacher with a sideline as a dominatrix, and of course the eternal presence of women's coach Beulah Balbricker (Nancy Parsons), that towering mixture of prudery and repressed lust. Writer/director Bob Clark had nothing to do with this sequel, so it's unsurprising that the genuine fondness he brought to the characters is long gone; now they're just generic horndog teenagers. Still, most fans of the series rate this one higher than "Porky's II: The Next Day". "--Bret Fetzer"

Theatrical: 1983

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 193

Summary: Porky's: A classic, as everyone knows. Hilarious scenes include the Cherry Forever incident, the first run in with Mr. Porky, the call for Mike Hunt, the scene with Lassie in the boy's locker room, and of course, the famous shower scene. The movie's good 'cause, as well as being really funny, it's a nostalgic look at a time long gone, and has some good messages about anti-Semiticism and child abuse, all topped off with an awesome revenge scheme.



Porky's II The Next Day: Leonard Maltin called this movie "unrelated to the original." I don't know what movie he was watching, because, although this doesn't have Porky or his bar, this one continues right after part one with the same characters and lots of continuations from the original. A lot of people don't like this 'cause it's missing Porky, but the important thing is the characters are here and just as fun. There's more revenge, all of it rightfully deserved and deliciously done. A very worthy sequel (although Jarvis healed major injuries pretty quickly).



This is a cool DVD. I got it for Christmas, and watch it a lot. The only problem is that Porky's is already available on a singular DVD, so it might have made more sense to relase a DVD with Porky's II The Next Day and Porky's Revenge together, since Porky's Revenge is not yet available on DVD. Ah well, this is still a fun movie set with two really funny classics. Buy it from Amazon now.

Theatrical: 1998

Studio: Turner Home Ent

Genre: Kids & Family

Duration: 290

Summary: The Powerpuff Girls is an award-winning animated action series about three super-powered little girls Bubbles, Blossom and Buttercup with one very big mission: saving the world before bedtime.
DVD Features:
Audio Commentary
Challenges
Music Video:"Apple In Stereo"

Theatrical: 2006

Studio: Warner Home Video - DVD

Genre: Drama

Duration: 130

Summary: In the end of the Nineteenth Century, in London, Robert Angier, his beloved wife Julia McCullough and Alfred Borden are friends and assistants of a magician. When Julia accidentally dies during a performance, Robert blames Alfred for her death and they become enemies. Both become famous and rival magicians, sabotaging the performance of the other on the stage. When Alfred performs a successful trick, Robert becomes obsessed trying to disclose the secret of his competitor with tragic consequences.

Theatrical: 1986

Studio:

Genre: Comedy

Summary: The era of Molly Ringwald's profitable collaboration with writer-producer-director John Hughes ("Sixteen Candles", "The Breakfast Club") was at its peak with this 1986 film (directed by Howard Deutch but in every sense part of the developing Hughes empire). Ringwald plays a high school girl on the budget side of the tracks, living with her warm and loving father (Harry Dean Stanton) and usually accompanied by her insecure best friend (Jon Cryer). When a wealthy but well-meaning boy (Andrew McCarthy) asks her out, her perspective is overturned and Cryer's character is threatened. As was the case in the mid-'80s, Hughes (who wrote the script and produced the film) brought his special feel for the cross-currents of adolescent life to this story. In its very commercial way, it is an honest, entertaining piece about growing pains. The attractive supporting cast (many of whom are much better known now) does a terrific job, and Ringwald and Cryer have excellent chemistry. "--Tom Keogh"

Theatrical: 1986

Studio: Paramount

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 96

Summary: The era of Molly Ringwald's profitable collaboration with writer-producer-director John Hughes ("Sixteen Candles", "The Breakfast Club") was at its peak with this 1986 film (directed by Howard Deutch but in every sense part of the developing Hughes empire). Ringwald plays a high school girl on the budget side of the tracks, living with her warm and loving father (Harry Dean Stanton) and usually accompanied by her insecure best friend (Jon Cryer). When a wealthy but well-meaning boy (Andrew McCarthy) asks her out, her perspective is overturned and Cryer's character is threatened. As was the case in the mid-'80s, Hughes (who wrote the script and produced the film) brought his special feel for the cross-currents of adolescent life to this story. In its very commercial way, it is an honest, entertaining piece about growing pains. The attractive supporting cast (many of whom are much better known now) does a terrific job, and Ringwald and Cryer have excellent chemistry. "--Tom Keogh"