DVDpedia : Library : Title : F

Theatrical: 2006

Studio: The Weinstein Company

Genre: Biography

Duration: 99

Summary: A beautiful, wealthy young party girl drops out of Radcliffe in 1965 and heads to New York to become Holly Golightly. When she meets a hungry young artist named Andy Warhol, he promises to make her the star she always wanted to be. And like a super nova she explodes on the New York scene only to find herself slowly lose grip on reality...

Theatrical: 2004

Studio: Sony Pictures

Genre: Documentary

Duration: 122

Summary: To anyone who "truly" understands what it means to be an American, Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11" should be seen as a triumph of patriotic freedom. Rarely has the First Amendment been exercised with such fervor and forthrightness of purpose: After subjecting himself to charges of factual errors in his gun-lobby exposé "Bowling for Columbine", Moore armed himself with a platoon of reputable fact-checkers, an abundance of indisputable film and video footage, and his own ironically comedic sense of righteous indignation, with the singular intention of toppling the war-ravaged administration of President George W. Bush. It's the Bush presidency that Moore, with his provocative array of facts and figures, blames for corporate corruption, senseless death, unnecessary war, and political favoritism toward Osama Bin Laden's family and Saudi oil partners following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Moore's incendiary film earned Palme d'Or honors at Cannes and a predictable legion of detractors, but do yourself a favor: Ignore those who condemn the film without seeing it, and let the facts speak for themselves. By honoring American soldiers and the victims of 9/11 while condemning Bush's rationale for war in Iraq, "Fahrenheit 9/11" may actually succeed in turning the tides of history. "--Jeff Shannon"

Theatrical: 2005

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 88

Summary: For "Family Guy" fans, there are no freakin' sweeter words than "Never Before Seen." A triumphant homecoming for the Griffins, "Stewie Griffin" is not so much a movie as it is a not-yet-aired three-episode story arc enhanced with a home-video-exclusive "red carpet premiere" prologue and an epilogue (capped, of course, with a fart joke). "Family Guy's" resurrection is a television miracle, and its creators have rewarded the faithful by picking up right where they left off, offending any and all sensibilities (recasting Jesus as comic magician Art Metrano), dissing the celebrity disenfranchised (Ellen Cleghorne references, anyone?), and generally taking potshots at anyone on their enemies list (Stewie breaks the neck of a reporter for "Entertainment Weekly", the magazine that once called "Family Guy" "the Awful Show They Just Keep Putting on the Air"). "The Untold Story! " is a star vehicle for "Family Guy" 's breakout character, in which the mega maniacal and matricidal infant has a Grinch-like change of heart after a near-death experience (and a disturbing encounter with Steve Allen in Hell) and, more life-altering, discovers a football-pated man who could be his father (the truth is more shocking!). As go the gags, so goes "Family Guy", and there are enough good ones here to compensate for the many misfires. The Miller-esque (as in Dennis) penchant for channeling arcane pop culture can grow tiresome. But for those who do remember the words to the "Who's the Boss" theme song, know (or still care) who Steve Bartman is, and are always up for "a sexy party," this will be the greatest story ever untold. "--Donald Liebenson"

Stills from "Family Guy Presents Stewie Griffin - The Untold Story " (click for larger image)

Theatrical: 1999

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Genre: Television

Duration: 624

Summary: To the ranks of shows too brilliant and outrageous for prime time ("The Ben Stiller Show", "Andy Richter Controls the Universe"), add Seth McFarland's "Family Guy". This animated series, which debuted after the 1999 Super Bowl, simply sparked too much controversy and offended too many sensibilities to survive ("Entertainment Weekly" dubbed it "the Awful Show They Just Keep Putting on the Air"). That the Fox network also played hackysack with its schedule, ensuring viewers would not be able to find it, sealed its fate (it was cancelled in 2002). This boxed set containing all 28 episodes from the first two seasons is payback for the show's devoted cult following, who may be moved to echo the words of infant Stewie Griffin, the megalomaniacal 1-year-old bent on matricide and world domination: "Victory is mine!"
The dysfunctional Griffins of Quahog, Rhode Island, invite comparisons to "The Simpsons". The testicular-chinned father, Peter Griffin, is a clueless oaf in the Homer mold. "Peter, what did you promise me last night?" asks his long-suffering wife Lois in one episode. "That I wouldn't drink at the stag party," he replies. "And what did you do?" she asks. "Drank at the stag part--oh ho ho, I almost walked into that one," he cackles. Other family members include teenage daughter Meg, a desperate high school social pariah; 13-year-old son Chris, a chip off his father's blockhead; and Brian, the family's sarcastic talking dog. But this series' true inspiration is football-pated Stewie (voiced by McFarlane, who earned an Emmy), who was born to be a Bond villain once he escaped his mother's "ovarian bastille." "Family Guy" recklessly ventured where "The Simpsons" feared to tread. In one episode, Meg's one and only friend turns out to be the member of a suicidal cult. In another, Death (voiced by Norm McDonald) becomes an unwanted houseguest. Each episode plays fast and furious with surreal flashes (in one episode, Peter turns his house into a puppet) and pop-culture references and TV, movie, and commercial parodies that invite repeated viewings. Freed from its own family-hour bastille and the whims of dim network executives, "Family Guy" can be appreciated at last on its own profane, sacrilegious, and irreverent terms. Welcome to the DVD family, Griffins. "--Donald Liebenson"

Theatrical: 2003

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Genre: Television

Duration: 495

Summary: The third and final season of Seth MacFarlane's late, lamented "Family Guy" finds television's most dysfunctional cartoon family even more animated than usual. As MacFarlane notes in a bonus segment about the controversial series' censorship battles, he was inspired to go for broke, thinking that the series, already juggled like a hot potato in the schedule (at one point, it aired opposite the mighty "Friends"), had been cancelled. Just as "Spinal Tap" walked the fine line between "clever and stupid," so did "Family Guy" gleefully mock the line between "edgy and offensive." Case in point is this set's holy grail: "When You Wish Upon a Weinstein," not aired during the series' original run, in which clueless Rhode Island patriarch Peter Griffin is convinced that if his lumpen son is to be rich and successful, he must become Jewish.
Like "The Simpsons", "Family Guy" lends itself to multiple viewings to catch each densely packed episode's way-inside "one-percenter" gags (so-called by the creators because that is the percent of the audience who will get them), scattershot pop-culture references, surreal leaps, and gratuitous pot shots at everyone from, predictably, Oprah, Kevin Costner, and Bill Cosby to, unpredictably, Rita Rudner. Also like their Springfield counterparts, this series benefits from a great ensemble voice cast, with surprising contributions from a no-less-stellar roster of guest stars. Yes, that's actually Kelly Ripa as her "real" self, a heart-devouring alien in "Family Guy Viewer Mail #1," and June Foray popping in as Rocky the Flying Squirrel in "Brian Does Hollywood." "Family Guy"'s stock has recently risen with its addition to Cartoon Network's "Adult Swim" lineup, a much better fit than prime time. To see Peter invite Charles Manson to a party for Sharon Tate ("but only if you don't embarrass me") is to marvel how much of this ever got on the air. Happily, it is on DVD. "--Donald Liebenson"

Theatrical: 2004

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Genre: Television

Duration: 292

Summary: "Family Guy" lives! That's great news for the devoted fans who watched in record numbers the reruns on Cartoon Network and made the "Family Guy" DVDs bestsellers. It's bad news for Mel Gibson, Christina Aguilera, Justin Timberlake, Jimmy Fallon, Rob Schneider, Skeet Ulrich, Corey Haim, "My Two Dads", and other pop-culture detritus this show's writers take infinite delight in kicking when they're down (or up, for that matter). The long, long, awaited fourth season begins with a bravado broadside at Fox, which canceled "Family Guy" in 2002. Peter Griffin (voiced by series creator Seth MacFarlane) recites a litany of 29 doomed replacement shows beginning with "Dark Angel" and ending with "Greg the Bunny". From there, it's like the Griffins never left. The 13 episodes are just as dense with bodily function jokes, surreal nonsense, gratuitous pop-culture references (the more obscure, the better), and edgier gags that recklessly cross the line on any number of levels ("Maybe I was wrong about you," Jodie Foster says to John Hinckley in the episode, "Model Misbehavior." "Maybe I was wrong about all men.").
The new season rewards longtime viewers with appearances by such series icons as the Greased-Up Deaf Guy and the Evil Monkey in Chris's closet, and makes no concessions to newcomers to the show (who will no doubt be scratching their heads over the more than two-and-a-half-minute digression in "Blind Ambition," in which Peter's nemesis, the Giant Chicken, returns to continue the smackdown that started in the season 2 episode "Da Boom." In "World Domination: The "Family Guy" Phenomenon," one of the bonus features included on this three-disc set, MacFarlane proclaims these new shows to be "the best we've done." A bold claim, but often enough, one is laughing too hard to prove otherwise. One minute, "Family Guy" dazzles with inspired animation (In "Breaking Out Is Hard to Do," Chris reaches for a carton of milk at the supermarket and finds himself pulled in to A-ha's classic music video, "Take on Me"). The next, it's wallowing in vomit ("8 Simple Rules for Buying My Teenage Daughter"). In addition to the freewheeling episode commentaries, this set also includes a great bonus, excerpts of cast "table reads" of two episodes. Back to the "World Domination" featurette. MacFarlane states, "It's the first time since we've been doing (the show) that I think it's safe to say that we're here to stay for awhile." Are you listening, Fox? "--Donald Liebenson"

Theatrical: 2005

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Genre: Television

Duration: 314

Summary: Okay, let's get one thing straight right off the bat: "Family Guy" is not, never has been, and never will be, "The Simpsons". Nor is it "South Park", "King of the Hill", or any one of a number of other shows on Adult Swim. But yes, it is in many ways a rip-off of those other shows (especially "The Simpsons"; let's not even pretend otherwise). But so what? By now, you either think the show's funny, or you don't, and the derivativeness either bothers you, or it doesn't. Volume 4 is likely to just cement your feelings one way or the other, because this collection features some of the funniest, and the most offensive material yet. It's also the most cohesive. The show has always been incredibly erratic, turning on a dime to fit in all those jokes from out of the blue that start with Peter saying "Boy, this is worse than that time when..." But by now, the writers and series creator/executive producer Seth MacFarlane have figured out how to more seamlessly integrate them into the show, and that's just what it needed to really come together. In fact, the extra attention being paid to the show recently in the form of swipes from "The Simpsons" and especially "South Park" (which dedicated an entire episode to trying to kill off "Family Guy") is evidence that this is probably the peak for the series. This volume is 14 episodes, and stand-outs include "The Courtship of Stewie's Father," which gives more face time to creepy old man Herbert (brilliantly voiced by Mike Henry), and "The Father, the Son, and the Holy Fonz," in which Peter starts his own church dedicated to Fonzie from "Happy Days". Of course, there is still the lingering question of who the real star of "Family Guy" is: Peter or Stewie? The little football-head gets his moments to shine in "Sibling Rivalry," in which he battles with half-brother Bertram, and... well, pretty much every other episode, as he continues to get many of the memorable lines. Along with the extra features, over 40 deleted scenes, extensive commentaries, and featurettes, you true fans will get more than your share of laughs from this collection, which is what you watch the show for in the first place." --Daniel Vancini"

Theatrical: 1999

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Genre: Television

Duration: 146

Summary: It's Family Guy, It's really cool. But man, 13 episodes? Are you kidding me? They can't do that to people. They should wait a couple of weeks more and get more episodes in there. What's wrong with you, I have the whole Family Guy collection, if the next one is like this one i'm not buying it.

Theatrical: 1940

Studio: Walt Disney Video

Genre: Classics

Duration: 125

Summary: Groundbreaking on several counts, not the least of which was an innovative use of animation and stereophonic sound, this ambitious Disney feature has lost nothing to time since its release in 1940. Classical music was interpreted by Disney animators, resulting in surreal fantasy and playful escapism. Leopold Stokowski and the Philadelphia Orchestra provided the music for eight segments by the composers Tchaikovsky, Moussorgsky, Stravinsky, Beethoven, Ponchielli, Bach, Dukas, and Schubert. Not all the sequences were created equally, but a few are simply glorious, such as "Night on Bald Mountain," "The Sorcerer's Apprentice," and "The Nutcracker Suite." The animation ranges from subtly delicate to fiercely bold. The screen bursts with color and action as creatures transmute and convention is thrust aside. The painstaking detail and saturated hues are unique to this film, unmatched even by more advanced technology. "--Rochelle O'Gorman"

Theatrical: 2005

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 106

Summary: Marvel Comics' first family of superherodom, the Fantastic Four, hits the big screen in a light-hearted and funny adventure. It begins when down-on-his-luck genius Reed Richards (Ioan Gruffudd, "Horatio Hornblower") has to enlist the financial and intellectual help from former schoolmate and rival Victor Von Doom (Julian McMahon, "Nip/Tuck") in order to pursue outer-space research into human DNA. Also on the trip are Reed's best friend, Ben Grimm (Michael Chiklis, "The Shield"); his former lover, Sue Storm (Jessica Alba, "Dark Angel", "Sin City"), who's now Doom's employee and love interest; and her hotshot-pilot brother, Johnny Storm (Chris Evans, "Cellular"). Things don't go as planned, of course, and the quartet becomes blessed--or is it cursed?--with superhuman powers: flexibility, brute strength, invisibility and projecting force fields, and bursting into flame. Meanwhile, Doom himself is undergoing a transformation.
Among the many entries in the comic-book-movie frenzy, "Fantastic Four" is refreshing because it doesn't take itself too seriously. Characterization isn't too deep, and the action is a bit sparse until the final reel (like most "first" superhero movies, it has to go through the "how did we get these powers and what we will do with them" churn). But it's a good-looking cast, and original comic-book cocreator Stan Lee makes his most significant Marvel-movie cameo yet, in a speaking role as the FF's steadfast postal carrier, Willie Lumpkin. Newcomers to superhero movies might find the idea of a family with flexibility, strength, invisibility, and force fields a retread of "The Incredibles", but Pixar's animated film was very much a tribute to the FF and other heroes of the last 40 years. The irony is that while "Fantastic Four" is an enjoyable B-grade movie, it's the tribute, "The Incredibles", that turned out to be a film for the ages. "--David Horiuchi
The Fantastic Four at Amazon.com
Comics and Graphic Novels
Disney animated series
The classic comic book
Movie tie-in graphic novel
The Xbox game
"Fantastic Four" Soundtrack
The Fantastic Cast


Jessica Alba as Sue Storm
Michael Chiklis as The Thing
Ioan Gruffudd as Reed Richards
Chris Evans as Johnny Storm

Stills from "Fantastic Four" (click for larger images)

Theatrical: 2007

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 92

Summary: "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer" is another entertaining romp for the Marvel-superhero franchise. Reed Richards, Mr. Fantastic (Ioan Gruffudd), is treading on thin ice when his fiancée, Sue Storm, the Invisible Woman (Jessica Alba), thinks he's more interested in a series of cosmic phenomena occurring around the earth than in the preparations for their upcoming wedding. Sorry, ladies, but Reed is right. The disturbances are caused by a surge of cosmic power from a mysterious being called the Silver Surfer (an all-CGI creation, modeled by Doug Jones and voiced by Laurence Fishburne), who not only zooms around the skies on his board, but also has enough power to fight the FF, sometimes by turning their own power against them, not only mixing up Sue and Reed, but also Johnny Storm, the Human Torch (Chris Evans), and Ben Grimm, the Thing (Michael Chiklis). But that's not the worst of it. The Surfer is only an opening act, a herald looking for planets that his master, Galactus, can consume for his sustenance.
With its initial installment, "Fantastic Four" established itself as the superhero franchise that didn't take itself too seriously, and that continues here. There are numerous moments of laugh-out-loud humor, and the most angst they suffer is whether Sue and Reed will ever be able to live a normal family life. (That, and whether they'll ever really get married, of course.) If "Fantastic Four" were a normal superhero franchise, the ending would be a knock-down drag-out war with Galactus, featuring the FF in a colossal battle for the planet Earth and the lives of everyone on it. "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer" just doesn't do that, and we don't quite get the payoff we expected. Effects are dazzling, but the Surfer looks too metallic, more like a skyriding T-1000 robot. "--David Horiuchi"
On the DVD Are you getting tired of big movies initially coming out on substandard DVDs only to be released in better versions later? No such worries with the Power Cosmic Edition of "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer", which delivers the goods. The double-sided disc 1 has both widescreen and full-screen editions of the movie, with two commentary tracks. On the first, director Tim Story talks about FF inside jokes and what had to be cut out of the movie. The second combines producer Avi Arad (has anyone recorded more superhero DVD commentaries?), screenwriter Don Payne, and editors Peter S. Elliot and William Hoy (only the last two sound like they were actually in the room at the same time) covering some of the same ground: comic-book references, special effects, etc. On disc 2 are five extended/deleted scenes (almost 10 minutes total) with commentary by Story, including a longer title sequence and some comic relief. "Family Bonds" is a 46-minute "fly on the wall" documentary that follows the crew as they scout locations, test early special effects, and then work with the cast. There's a multi-angle look at the Fantasticar and five featurettes (some of which are more substantial than you'd expect for that term). Topics include the development of the Fantasticar (10 minutes), the Surfer effects (15 minutes), the history of the Surfer in comic books (39 minutes, with interviews of Stan Lee, Jim Starlin, and Ron Marz, and Lee describes himself as his own biggest fan!), the Thing suit (11 minutes), and the music score (four minutes). "--David Horiuchi"

"Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer" Extras View exclusive clips (including interviews with "Fantastic Four" Creator Stan Lee and Screenwriter Don Payne), download AIM icons and wallpapers and browse the extensive photo gallery at our "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer" minisite. Beyond "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer"
"Fantastic Four" Toys & Games
"Fantastic Four" Paperback Series
"Fantastic Four" Comics & Graphic Novels
"Fantastic Four" Video Games
"Fantastic Four" Posters, Stickers and More
"Fantastic Four" Apparel

More of the "Four" on DVD
"Fantastic Four" Extended Cut
"The Fantastic Four" Animated Series
"Fantastic Four" on Blu-Ray


Stills from "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer"

Theatrical: 1996

Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)

Genre: Art House & International

Duration: 98

Summary: Nominated* for seven Oscars(r) and winner of two, this darkly amusing thriller combines a first-rate cast, "a dazzling mix of mirth and malice" (Rolling Stone) and a bizarre kidnapping plot that unravels the Midwest like never before. Starring Frances McDormand, William H. Macy and Steve Buscemi, Fargo is a brilliant tour de force from the creators of Raising Arizonaand O Brother, Where Art Thou? *1996: Best Picture, Director, Actress (McDormand, won), Supporting Actor (Macy), Original Screenplay (won), Cinematography, Editing

Theatrical: 2006

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 114

Summary:
If you're still eating that fast-food burger after watching "Super Size Me", you might not feel too hungry after watching "Fast Food Nation", a fictionalized feature based on Eric Schlosser's bestselling nonfiction expose. Director Richard Linklater, who cowrote the screenplay with Schlosser, guides a topnotch ensemble cast through a peek behind the veil of how that Big Mac is born. Much of the film focuses on the illegal immigrants who work in the loosely regulated meat-packing industry, and actors including the luminous Catalina Sandino Moreno ("Maria Full of Grace"), who plays a desperate but outraged laborer. Greg Kinnear also delivers a spot-on performance as a fast-food chain marketing manager, trying frantically to discover the source of stomach-turning contamination in the company's meat. Stories are woven in unexpected ways, and cameos by the likes of Kris Kristofferson, Patricia Arquette, and especially Bruce Willis keep the narrative fresh. The film has a point of view, but thanks to Linklater's deft touch, is never didactic. As Willis's character slyly says, "Most people don't like to be told what's best for them." Agreed, yet "Fast Food Nation" likely will help the viewer be more conscious of what's on the end of that fork. --"A.T. Hurley"
Extras from "Fast Food Nation"
"Fast Food Nation" Arcade-Style Game

Beyond "Fast Food Nation"
"Super Size Me"
"Fast Food Nation (Paperback)"
Fast Food Nation: Music from and Inspired by the Motion Picture

Stills from "Fast Food Nation"

Theatrical: 1982

Studio: Universal Studios

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 90

Summary: Before he became an overrated filmmaker, Cameron Crowe ("Jerry Maguire") was a reporter for "Rolling Stone" who was so youthful looking that he could go undercover for a year at a California high school and write a book about it. He wrote the script for this film, based on that book, and it launched the careers of several young actors, including Jennifer Jason Leigh, Judge Reinhold, Phoebe Cates, and, above all, Sean Penn. The story line is episodic, dealing with the lives of iconic teen types: one of the school's cool kids, a nerd, a teen queen, and, most enjoyably, the class stoner (Penn), who finds himself at odds with a strict history teacher (a wonderfully spiky Ray Walston). This is not a great movie but very entertaining and, for a certain age group, a seminal movie experience. "--Marshall Fine"

Theatrical: 2006

Studio:

Genre: Action

Duration: 118

Summary:

Theatrical: 1998

Studio: Criterion

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 119

Summary: The original cowriter and director of "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" was Alex Cox, whose earlier film "Sid and Nancy" suggests that Cox could have been a perfect match in filming Hunter S. Thompson's psychotropic masterpiece of "gonzo" journalism. Unfortunately Cox departed due to the usual "creative differences," and this ill-fated adaptation was thrust upon Terry Gilliam, whose formidable gifts as a visionary filmmaker were squandered on the seemingly unfilmable elements of Thompson's ether-fogged narrative. The result is a one-joke movie without the joke--an endless series of repetitive scenes involving rampant substance abuse and the hallucinogenic fallout of a road trip that's run crazily out of control. Johnny Depp plays Thompson's alter ego, "gonzo" journalist Raoul Duke, and Benicio Del Toro is his sidekick and so-called lawyer Dr. Gonzo. During the course of a trip to Las Vegas to cover a motorcycle race, they ingest a veritable chemistry set of drugs, and Gilliam does his best to show us the hallucinatory state of their zonked-out minds. This allows for some dazzling imagery and the rampant humor of stumbling buffoons, and the mumbling performances of Depp and Del Toro wholeheartedly embrace the tripped-out, paranoid lunacy of Thompson's celebrated book. But over two hours of this insanity tends to grate on the nerves--like being the only sober guest at a party full of drunken idiots. So while Gilliam's film may achieve some modest cult status over the years, it's only because "Fear and Loathing" is best enjoyed by those who are just as stoned as the characters in the movie. "--Jeff Shannon"

Theatrical: 1986

Studio: Paramount

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 102

Summary: Like a soda pop left open all night, "Bueller" seems to have lost its effervescence over time. Sure, Matthew Broderick is still appealing as the perennial truant, Ferris, who fakes his parents out and takes one memorable day off from school. Jeffrey Jones is nasty and scheming as the principal who's out to catch him. Jennifer Grey is winning as Ferris's sister (who ends up making out in the police station with a prophetic vision of Charlie Sheen). But there's a definite sense that this film was of a particular time frame: the '80s. It's still fun, though. There's Ferris singing "Twist and Shout" during a Chicago parade, and a lovely sequence in the Art Institute. But don't get it and expect your kids to love it the way you did. Like it or not, it's yours alone. "--Keith Simanton"

Theatrical: 2006

Studio: Lions Gate Home Entertainment

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 91

Summary: Timmy Robinson's best friend in the whole wide world is a six-foot tall rotting zombie named Fido. But when FIDO eats the next-door neighbor, Mom and Dad hit the roof, and Timmy has to go to the ends of the earth to keep Fido a part of the family. A boy-and-his-dog movie for grown ups, "FIDO" will rip your heart out.

Theatrical: 1997

Studio: Universal Studios

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 94

Summary: In an attempt to catch lightning in a bottle, "Monty Python" veteran John Cleese wrote this slapstick farce for the purpose of reuniting the comedic cast of "A Fish Called Wanda". "Fierce Creatures" is all about a media mogul (Kevin Kline) who owns a London zoo. He demands that the park raise more profit, so the new zoo director (Cleese) orders that only dangerous animals be displayed in order to maximize ticket sales. In a dual role, Kline also plays the mogul's son, who plans to run the zoo with the help of displaced employees (including Michael Palin) and zoo programmer Willa Weston (Jamie Lee Curtis). The situation lends itself to comedic confusion and split-second timing, and for a few good laughs the film is a pretty safe bet. It's not as hilarious as "A Fish Called Wanda" (that's a pretty tall order), but Cleese knows comedy, and his efforts are worth a look. "--Jeff Shannon"

Theatrical: 1997

Studio: Sony Pictures

Genre:

Duration: 125

Summary: New York cab driver Korben Dallas didn't mean to be a hero, but he just picked up the kind of fare that only comes along every five thousand years: A perfect beauty, a perfect being, a perfect weapon. Now, together, they must save the world. Bruce Willis, Milla Jovovich, and Gary Oldman star in acclaimed director Luc Besson's outrageous sci-fi adventure, an extravagantly styled tale of good against evil set in an unbelievable twenty-third century world.

Theatrical: 1997

Studio: Sony Pictures

Genre:

Duration: 125

Summary: New York cab driver Korben Dallas didn't mean to be a hero, but he just picked up the kind of fare that only comes along every five thousand years: A perfect beauty, a perfect being, a perfect weapon. Now, together, they must save the world. Bruce Willis, Milla Jovovich, and Gary Oldman star in acclaimed director Luc Besson's outrageous sci-fi adventure, an extravagantly styled tale of good against evil set in an unbelievable twenty-third century world.

Theatrical: 1999

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 139

Summary:
2-Disc set is loaded with Extra Punch!

Bonus Features
Four audio commentaries by the cast and crew, including David Fincher, Brad Pitt, Edward Norton and Helena Bonham Carter.Five deleted scenes and outtakes.Original sketches, oil paintings, storyboards, publicity stills and lobby cards.17 behind-the-scenes vignettes.Anamorphic widescreen formatLanguages:English 5.1 surround; English and French Dolby SurroundAnd much more!

System Requirements:
Starring: Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, Helena Bonham Carter, Meat Loaf, Jared Leto, Van Quattro, Markus Redmond, Michael Girardin, and Rachel Singer. Directed By: David Fincher. Running Time: 139 Min., Color. This film is presented in "Widescreen" format. Copyright 2000 Twentieth Century Fox.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Theatrical: 2003

Studio: Walt Disney Video

Genre: Kids & Family

Duration: 100

Summary: A delightful undersea world unfolds in Pixar's animated adventure "Finding Nemo". When his son Nemo is captured by a scuba-diver, a nervous-nellie clownfish named Marlin (voiced by Albert Brooks) sets off into the vast--and astonishingly detailed--ocean to find him. Along the way he hooks up with a scatterbrained blue tang fish named Dory (Ellen DeGeneres), who's both helpful and a hindrance, sometimes at the same time. Faced with sharks, deep-sea anglers, fields of poisonous jellyfish, sea turtles, pelicans, and much more, Marlin rises above his neuroses in this wonderfully funny and nonstop thrill ride--rarely does more than 10 minutes pass without a sequence destined to become a theme park attraction. Pixar continues its run of impeccable artistic and economic success (their movies include "Toy Story", "A Bug's Life", "Toy Story 2", and "Monsters, Inc"). Also featuring the voices of Willem Dafoe, Geoffrey Rush, and Allison Janney. "--Bret Fetzer"

Theatrical: 2004

Studio: Miramax

Genre: Biography

Duration: 101

Summary: Sweetness that doesn't turn saccharine is hard to find these days; "Finding Neverland" hits the mark. Much credit is due to the actors: Johnny Depp applies his genius for sly whimsy in his portrayal of playwright J. M. Barrie, who finds inspiration for his greatest creation from four lively boys, the sons of widow Sylvia Llewelyn Davies (Kate Winslet, who miraculously fuses romantic yearning with common sense). Though the friendship threatens his already dwindling marriage, Barrie spends endless hours with the boys, pretending to be pirates or Indians--and gradually the elements of "Peter Pan" take shape in his mind. The relationship between Barrie and the Llewelyn Davies family sparks both an imagined world and a quiet rebellion against the stuffy forces of respectability, given physical form by Barrie's resentful wife (Radha Mitchell, "High Art") and Sylvia's mother (Julie Christie, "McCabe and Mrs. Miller"). This gentle silliness could have turned to treacle, but Depp and Winslet--along with newcomer Freddie Highmore as one of the boys--keep their feet on the earth while their eyes gaze into their dreams. Also featuring a comically crusty turn from Dustin Hoffman (who appeared in another Peter Pan-themed movie, "Hook") as a long-suffering theater producer. "--Bret Fetzer"

Theatrical: 2006

Studio: Sony Pictures

Genre: Drama

Duration: 101

Summary:

Theatrical: 1988

Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 108

Summary: Tour-de-force performances from an unparalleled comic cast highlight this much-loved hit that Roger Ebert calls "the funniest movie I have seen in a long time!" Monty Pythoners John Cleese and Michael Palin (Search For The Holy Grail, The Meaning Of Life) join OscarÂ(r) winner* Kevin Kline (In & Out) and Jamie Lee Curtis (True Lies) in an entertainment so impeccably timed and executed that Time Magazine hailed it as: "Geniu[a film that] Redefines a great comic tradition!" Four conniving jewel thieves...three Yorkshire terriers...two heaving bosoms and one proper British barrister. It all adds up to "a non-stop barrage of...outrageous plot twists and over-the top performances" (L.A. Weekly) when a girl called Wanda (Curtis) tries to deceive her Nietzche-quoting boyfriend (Kline), an animal-loving hitman (Palin) and an embarrassment-prone counselor (Cleese) out of a fortune in jewels in this hilariously funny farce! *1988: Best Supporting Actor, A Fish Called Wanda

Theatrical: 2006

Studio: Warner Home Video - DVD

Genre: Action

Duration: 132

Summary: In 1945, the Marines attack twelve thousand Japaneses protecting the twenty square kilometers of the sacred Iwo Jima island in a very violent battle. When they reach the Mount Suribachi and six soldiers raise their flag on the top, the picture become a symbol in a post Great Depression America. The government brings the three survivors to America to raise funds of war, bringing hope to desolated people, and making the three men heroes of war. However, the traumatized trio has difficulties to deal with the image build by their superiors, sharing the heroism with their mates.

Theatrical: 1994

Studio: Simitar Ent.

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 97

Summary: Wow, people gave this gem one star? They must be looking for some Bruce Willis film, which this is not. If you've ever "floundered" or if you want to see how society has floundered at even the best of times, then this thought-provoking film may be for you. Intermixing the personal and the political in the wake of the Rodney King riots, "Floundering" shows a fascinating mix of LA-ians trying to make sense of it all. Their lives are a mix of boredom and shock at what has just occured, and the film follows the central character as he careens through his increasingly desparate search for meaning. With a huge roster of great cameos, its indie roots are at times maybe too exposed, but its breathless pace is such fun that you can't help but get pulled in (if, that is, you have the patience and mindset for films off the beaten track). So, buckle up for a great ride of a film. I watch this once a year, and am fully entertained and even a bit enlightened by the experience.

Theatrical: 2004

Studio: Sony Pictures

Genre: Documentary

Duration: 107

Summary: "The Fog of War", the movie that finally won Errol Morris the best documentary Oscar, is a spellbinder. Morris interviews Robert McNamara, Secretary of Defense in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations, and finds a uniquely unsettling viewpoint on much of 20th-century American history. Employing a ton of archival material, including LBJ's fascinating taped conversations from the Oval Office, Morris probes the reasons behind the U.S. commitment to the Vietnam War--and finds a depressingly inconsistent policy. McNamara himself emerges as--well, not exactly apologetic, but clearly haunted by the what-ifs of Vietnam. He also mulls the bombing of Japan in World War II and the Cuban Missile Crisis, raising more questions than he answers. "The Fog of War" has the usual inexorable Morris momentum, aided by an uneasy Philip Glass score. This movie provides a glimpse inside government. It also encourages skepticism about same. "--Robert Horton"

Theatrical: 1963

Studio: Universal Studios

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 422

Summary: Matt Fletcher (Marlon Brando), is a tight-lipped loner who returns from the Civil War to his surrogate family in the border town of Ojo Prieto to settle down. When Matt's prize Appaloosa stallion (played by Cojo Rojo) is stolen by bad banditos and spirited away to Mexico, he goes after them with a vengeance. Somewhat slow, and the title character isn't in the movie all that much. However, since it's the only way to get this movie on DVD, the boxed set is recommended.



Staci Layne Wilson

Theatrical: 1984

Studio: Paramount

Genre: Drama

Duration: 107

Summary: Director Herbert Ross ("The Turning Point") pulled a winning movie out of this almost self-consciously archetypal tale of teenage rock rebellion. Kevin Bacon stars as a hip city kid who ends up in a Bible-belt town after his parents divorce. An ill fit for a conservative community where rock is frowned upon and dancing is forbidden, Bacon's character rallies the kids and takes on the establishment. Between a good cast really embracing the drama of Dean Pitchford's screenplay, and Ross's imaginative, highly charged way of shooting the dance numbers, you can get lost in this all-ages confection, and you won't even mind Kenny Loggins's bubbly pop. Bonuses include one of John Lithgow's best performances (a bit reminiscent of Jimmy Stewart), and Christopher Penn (who sure doesn't look the same anymore) as a good-natured hick who learns to boogie. "--Tom Keogh"

Theatrical: 2006

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 86

Summary: Hollywood send-up. No-name actors are making a low-budget period drama called "Home for Purim," when an anonymous post on the Internet suggests that one performance is Oscar-worthy. Then, two more cast members get Oscar-related press: buzz in "Variety" and appearances on TV prompt the studio executives to insist on changes in the script in anticipation of a blockbuster. Jump ahead a few months to the days before Oscar nominees are announced: just the possibility of a nomination has changed the actors' lives. Agents, publicists, make-up artists, local celebrity reporters, and other bit players round out the backstage ensemble. Hooray for Hollywood!

Theatrical: 1956

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy

Duration: 99

Summary: A dutiful robot named Robby speaks 188 languages. An underground lair provides astonishing evidence of a populace a million years more advanced than Earthlings. There are many wonders on Altair-4, but none is greater or more deadly than the human mind. Forbidden Planet is the granddaddy of tomorrow, a pioneering work whose ideas and style would be reverse-engineered into many cinematic space voyages to come. Leslie Nielsen portrays the commander who brings his spacecruiser crew to the green-skied Altair-4 world that's home to Dr. Morbius (Walter Pidgeon), his daughter (Anne Francis), the remarkable Robby...and to a mysterious terror. Featuring sets of extraordinary scale and the first all-electronic musical soundscape in film history, Forbidden Planet is in a movie orbit all its own.

Theatrical: 1994

Studio: Paramount

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 141

Summary: The Academy Award winner for Best Picture, Best Director Robert Zemeckis, and Best Actor Tom Hanks, this unlikely story of a slow-witted but good-hearted man somehow at the center of the pivotal events of the 20th century is a funny and heartwarming epic. Hanks plays the title character, a shy Southern boy in love with his childhood best friend (Robin Wright) who finds that his ability to run fast takes him places. As an All-Star football player he meets John F. Kennedy; as a soldier in Vietnam he's a war hero; and as a world champion Ping-Pong player he's hailed by Richard Nixon. Becoming a successful shrimp-boat captain, he still yearns for the love of his life, who takes a quite different and much sadder path in life. The visual effects incorporating Hanks into existing newsreel footage is both funny and impressive, but the heart of the film lies in its sweet love story and in the triumphant performance of Hanks as an unassuming soul who savors the most from his life and times. "--Robert Lane"