Babe: Pig in the City |
Barenaked in America |
BASEketball |
Battlefield: Earth |
The Beach |
Beautiful |
Beavis and Butt-head Do America |
Bedazzled |
Behind Enemy Lines |
Being John Malkovich |
Best in Show |
Beverly Hills Cop |
The Big Bounce |
Big Daddy |
The Big Hit |
The Big Lebowski |
Big Momma's House |
Billy Elliot |
The Birdcage |
Black Dog |
Black Mask |
Blade |
Blade Runner |
The Blair Witch Project |
Blair Witch 2: Book of Shadows |
Bless the Child |
The Blues Brothers |
Blues Brothers 2000 |
Boiler Room |
The Bone Collector |
Boogie Nights |
Bootmen |
The Borrowers |
Bounce |
The Boxer |
Bowling For Columbine |
Boys and Girls |
Boys Don't Cry |
Brazil |
Breakdown |
Bride of Chucky |
Bring It On |
Brother Bear |
A Bug's Life |
Bullitt |
Bulworth |
The Butcher Boy
Babe: Pig in the City (1998)
(G)
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The sequel to Babe, the story of a talking pig, has the pig going to America to try to save the family farm. While there, he befriends a lot of animals that nobody wants and tries to help them out. This film is almost as cute as the first film, and has it's moments, but doesn't have a lot new to offer. Fairly entertaining, but mostly just more of the same from the first film.
Links:
Official Studio Site
Barenaked in America (2000)
(Unrated)
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A documentary about the pop/rock band The Barenaked Ladies, which gets much of it's information interviewing the band members and various others involved with the band during a 1998 tour promoting their album titled "Stunt". The movie is a good look at the fun and amusing sides of being rock stars, and while it never really gets very deep, it has many moments that fans of the band will enjoy including several live performances.
Links:
Official Studio Site
Film.com's Review
Roger Ebert's Review
BASEketball (1998)
(R)
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Trey Parker and Matt Stone, who do the voices for TV's South Park, star in this movie that has about as much intelligence as a South Park episode, and is just as funny. If you like South Park, you'll like this movie. The story revolves around two guys creating a new sport that becomes popular around the US. The story then moves to what happens to them as they become famous, and includes some great cameos (if you pay attention, you'll catch at least twice where Trey and Matt do the voices for South Park characters). Great fun if you like this style of film..
Links:
BASEketball Picture
Battlefield: Earth (2000)
(PG-13)
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John Travolta plays the leader of a bunch of evil aliens who have killed most of the humans on earth and use the rest as slaves. The humans then decide to strike back and try to win their freedom. The movie had some great special effects, but couldn't keep from becoming consistently boring anyway. The movie spent too long allowing Travolta to rant on about nothing in particular, and wasn't able to add any real emotion to the story, leaving the effects as the only reason to see the film.
Links:
Official Studio Site
Battlefield Earth - The Web Site
The Beach (2000)
(R)
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Leonardo DiCaprio is given a map to an island where a group of young people have created there own "perfect" community separate from the rest of the world. The only deal with the hemp farmers they share the island with was that they couldn't bring anyone else to it. The movie is rather dark, as if they were trying to copy Apocalypse Now and Lord of the Flies. They try to present the idea that perfection can only come with an extreme cost. It came off as a little too concerned with looking hip to make a really good movie, though, and is only mildly entertaining.
Links:
Official Studio Site
Footsteps on the Beach
Snapshots from the Beach
The Best Beach Web Sites
Film.com's Review
Roger Ebert's Review
Beautiful (2000)
(PG-13)
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Minnie Driver plays a woman obsessed with entering beauty pageants, who finally works her way up to become Miss Illinois after having a child, played by the young Pepsi spokes-girl Hallie Kate Eisenberg. The problem is that the Miss America rules state that women who have had children can't participate. The movie succeeds in creating real characters, and they tend to come off almost as boring as they most likely would in real life. The movie lacks any real suspense or conflict, and the humor is surprising lacking. This might be mildly amusing for people who, like the main character, watch the Miss America pageant every year wishing they were on the stage, but it still would have worked a lot better as a 5 minute comedy sketch shown during the pageant's telecast, not as a movie.
Beavis and Butt-head Do America (1997)
(PG-13)
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As much as I hate to admit I enjoyed this movie, it was still mildly entertaining. The jokes are raunchy and aimed at a teenage audience, but adults who still have a younger sense of humor will enjoy it. The plot is an excuse for Beavis and Butthead to cause as much havoc to America as possible, and most of the jokes are of the slapstick variety.
Links:
The Projectionist's Review
Bedazzled (2000)
(PG-13)
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Brendan Fraser is a nerd in love with a co-worker who doesn't notice him until the devil (Elizabeth Hurley) allows him to have seven wishes in exchange for his soul. His wishes never turn out the way he wants, allowing for many humorous moments and many chances for the stars to go for broke hamming up their performances. This manages to work very well, due to the timing of everyone involved being so dead on. Not overly intelligent, but good cute fun.
Links:
Official Studio Site
Radio Free's Review
Roger Ebert's Review
Behind Enemy Lines (2001)
(PG-13)
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Owen Wilson is a navy pilot shot down in a recon mission in an area he wasn't supposed to be, and must get himself to safe ground in friendly territory so he can be picked up in a rescue attempt. Gene Hackman plays his commanding officer, who bucks orders in an attempt to save him. The movie has created a plot and characters that are less shallow and more interesting than the typical shoot-em-up. It not only held my attention, but got me fairly involved in the story. The end is a little far-fetched, but the film still ends up being fun, exciting, and worth a watch.
Links:
Official Studio Site
Roger Ebert's Review
Being John Malkovich (1999)
(R)
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A man discovers a door in the building he works which opens into a portal that allows people to go inside the head of actor John Malkovich for fifteen minutes at a time. The movie then deals with a love triangle that develops between the man, his wife, and the woman he partners with to sell admission into Malkovich's head, as well as what happens when Malkovich finds out what's going on. The film is mildly amusing and creates characters who are interesting enough to keep the movie entertaining. Overall, a little quirky, but fairly enjoyable.
Links:
Official Studio Site
Film.com's Review
Roger Ebert's Review
Best in Show (2000)
(PG-13)
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Using the same concept as This Is Spinal Tap just without acknowledging the camera, this movie shows the going-ons of several different over-the-top dog trainers as they prepare for a big dog show. The movie is well acted and directed, but sometimes spends too long milking the same joke to the point of being boring. It does have some good moments, however, and people who enjoy this style of film might still enjoy it.
Links:
Official Studio Site
Film.com's Review
Roger Ebert's Review
Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
(R)
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A cop from Detroit goes on vacation to Beverly Hills, California to try and solve the murder of a friend. He then must win help from the local police while figuring out who his friend was working for and why they wanted to kill him. The action is fun and the jokes are funny. The movie is fairly slow between the jokes and the shoot-outs, but the actors make it interesting. Overall, an entertaining ride.
The Big Bounce (2004)
(PG-13)
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Small-time con artist Owen Wilson drifts onto an island in Hawaii, running from the life and crimes he left behind. After getting fired from the first job he found, he finds work with the local judge doing odd jobs around his beach resort. He sets out to get rich quick again when he meets a woman who knows where he can find lots of money waiting for someone to walk away with. The film sets itself up as a cat and mouse game, where you can never be sure who's in on the con or how much truth is in what anyone says. To really pull off this type of story, the film should have really strengthened the characters, possibly beyond those from the Elmore Leonard book from which this film is based. As it is, they seemed fairly weak and cliché, nothing more than actors playing the same roles they've been playing for years. The movie had several formulaic plot twists, but they lacked any punch since I never really cared what happened to the characters. It just came off as fairly routine. Been there, done that...
Links:
Official Studio Site
Roger Ebert's Review
Big Daddy (1999)
(PG-13)
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Adam Sandler is up to his usual humor again, but manages to keep it mildly entertaining. Sandler adopts a kid, hoping to make a good impression with his girlfriend, who is dumping him. It doesn't work, and he gets stuck trying to take care of the kid by himself. The jokes are as dumb as they always are in Sandler movie, but by keeping a little of the sappy, touchy-feely style of "The Wedding Singer", they are able to keep the movie entertaining enough to be worth it if you like Sandler's variety of humor.
Links:
Official Studio Site
The Big Hit (1998)
(R)
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This was a good attempt at a shoot-'em-up, but it didn't quite work. The characters were a little forced and the action just wasn't exciting enough for me. My biggest problem was that I didn't really care about the characters. They were all just a little two dimensional. If they all were to die in the gun fire, I really wouldn't have cared. The movie it self was well made though, and people who go to movies for guns and explosions alone will not be let down.
Links:
Official Studio Site
The Big Hit Page
The Big Lebowski (1998)
(R)
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This is one of the better slacker film of the 90's. One of a group of bowlers gets mistaken for a rich man with the same last name by a group that wants revenge on the rich man. After they meet, the rich man asks the bowler to help him track down his lost daughter. The plot takes a few twists, and the bowler gets stuck in the middle while all the people in the film use him to take advantage of each other. The movie keeps track of all it's characters while obviously trying to take it easy, and the main character just goes along for the ride, trying to figure out whats happening while he takes everything in. The movie is fun for people who don't mind when not much is there, even in a movie that has a lot happening.
Links:
Cinema 1's Big Lebowski Page
Roger Ebert's Review
Big Momma's House (2000)
(PG-13)
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Two cops stake out a woman's house to see if her daughter comes back to her mother's home with her wanted boyfriend chasing her. When the woman leaves, one of the cops takes her place by dressing in drag and lots of latex. A cross between The Nutty Professor and Mrs. Doughtfire with a little Stakeout thrown in, there's nothing that hasn't been done before. The movie is done well enough to be mildly entertaining, however. Not tremendously funny, but almost worth it if it sounds interesting to you.
Links:
Official Studio Site
Film.com's Review
Billy Elliot (2000)
(R)
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A boy joins into a ballet class after he decides the boxing classes he's taking aren't what he wants to do. He must then convince his family that it's not just a activity for women and gay men, while they deal with going on strike. The movie is an interesting look at some of the preconceived notions people have about activities in life. It is well acted and directed, but fairly reminiscent of other British movies recently, especially The Full Monty. It's still worth seeing, especially if you haven't seen the other films similar to it.
Links:
Universal's Official Studio Site
Tiger Aspect Pictures' Official Studio Site
Peter Brunette's Film.com Review
Robert Horton's Film.com Review
Roger Ebert's Review
The Birdcage (1996)
(R)
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Robin Williams and Nathan Lane play a gay couple who must act straight when William's son brings his girlfriend's conservative parents over for dinner to meet their future in-laws. Lane gets all the best jokes while dressed in drag pretending to be William's wife. Not for people queasy about the idea of gay love, but lots of fun for those who can accept it.
Black Dog (1998)
(PG-13)
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This movie wanted to be Breakdown, and did a decent job. A man violates parole to drive a truck cross country when he's offered lots of money. He then finds out hes transporting illegal guns and has the cops and a group of bad guys (who also want the guns) chasing him for the guns. As an incentive not to let them have the guns, the people he's delivering to kidnap his wife and daughter and hold them hostage. This isn't anywhere near the best action movie I've seen, but it's not bad. The acting is acceptable, and the action is fun to watch at times.
Black Mask (1999)
(PG)
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An imported martial arts movie redubbed for America, it has more of a plot than I expected, although that's not saying much. A man escapes from a secret project to create super-soldiers, but then must fight the rest of the soldiers who have been left for dead by the government. The fight sceens are fun and very well made, and the rest of the movie has enough happening so I wasn't too bored between fights. Over-all, fans of recent Japanese action movies should enjoy it.
Links:
San Francisco Examiner's Review
Blade (1998)
(R)
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A half human, half vampire tries to kill a vampire who is trying to change everyone on earth into vampires. A very slick adaption of a comic book series, this movie has more of a brain than I was expecting, but doesn't really do a lot with it. The movie looks great, with some well choreographed action sequences and special effects. When the plot starts between action sequences, though, the action just stops and lets the characters talk for long periods of time. Fortunately the acting was good enough to keep these sections of the movie mildly interesting. Fun for action hero and comic fans.
Blade Runner (1982)
(R)
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A man must track down and kill 5 man-made people who have come back to earth from another planet. The story is set in the future, and is very well thought out. The whole world they create seems very believable, and I can actually believe that the story could happen, if the future ends up like the one they created. The visual effects were very good, but the movie never picks up any steam and just moves slowly along to the climax. Great for it's style, but could have picked up the pace just a little.
Links:
Roger Ebert's Review
The Blair Witch Project (1999)
(R)
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Three people get lost in the woods while getting footage for a documentary on a witch. They then discover they may not be alone. The idea has been done before, but the movie adds the twist of being filmed entirely as if it was real documentary footage instead of a typical Hollywood movie. This helps it to seem real and create a very spooky atmosphere. The acting is good, and while the story could have been fleshed out a little more, it still worked well. Overall, fairly good, and done well enough to keep me entertained.
Links:
Official Studio Site
Blair Witch 2: Book of Shadows (2000)
(R)
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A group of people go into the woods to see sites related to the first Blair Witch movie, only to wake up the next day and have all their video equipment smashed and several hours unaccounted for (of course, they couldn't have just fallen asleep). The movie tries hard to be scary and goes in the right general direction, but it doesn't work well. It became mostly a snuff film, using the plot as an excuse to get some characters running around the woods naked while killing people. While it tries to be clever, it mostly came off as sick.
Links:
Official Studio Site
Film.com's Review
Roger Ebert's Review
Bless the Child (2000)
(R)
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A man believing to work for the devil kidnaps a child that can help get millions of people interested in the church unless he interferes. The movie doesn't have anything that hasn't been done before, and doesn't make what it does have very entertaining. Most of the actors are wasted in fairly boring roles, and the director made a generic plot feel even more generic by not offering much that is interesting or exciting to keep us involved in the movie.
Links:
Official Studio Site
Gemma Files' Film.com Review
Ernest Hardy's Film.com Review
The Blues Brothers (1980)
(R)
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John Belushi and Dan Ackroyd star as "Joliet" Jake and Elwood Blues (originally characters from NBC's Saturday Night Live). Jake has just finished a three year prison term, and Elwood picks him up from Joliet in the opening scene. Upon learning the orphanage they grew up in owes $5,000 in property taxes, the brothers set out to reunite their old blues band and raise the money. What follows is a bizarre succession of hijinks that have to be seen to be believed (the car chases alone are outrageously funny). The real strength of this film is it's rich supporting cast; names like John Candy, Carrie Fisher, James Brown, Cab Calloway and Aretha Franklin, just to name a few. Even after countless viewings, The Blues Brothers still leaves me in stitches. A true classic.
Links:
The Blues Brothers Site
Blues Brothers 2000 (1998)
(PG-13)
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Elwood Blues gets out of prison 14 years after the band got back together in the first movie, and finds he has no "family" left except for a son of the man he considers his father, who Elwood has never met. After stealing $500 for a new car, he attempts to to put his band back together with some new front men, including a kid he is supposed to mentor and a bartender he meets at a strip club. The movie wasn't as good as the original, but I was mildly entertained through most of it. The biggest problem was that the movie spent too long on the characters, and not enough having fun. The movie also lost some of the spunk of the original, but still manage to keep me entertained most of the time.
Links:
Blues Brothers 2000 Picture
Official Studio Site
Boiler Room (2000)
(R)
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A collage kid drops out of school, but gets a job at a brokerage firm to impress his father. The film has some good actors and a good concept for a story, but the script doesn't really go far enough developing most of the characters. Only Ron Rifkin as the father of the main character and Ben Affleck as the pitch man for new employees at the firm stand out, and that's because of how well they are able to play the parts. The rest get lost in the blur of what turns out to be a fairly generic plot. With the help of an experienced director, this could have turned out fairly well, but first timer Ben Younger paints the movie too thin, underdeveloping the plot and the characters. Overall, fairly intriguing, but falls a little short of really being good.
Links:
Official Studio Site
Studio Site
Film.com's Review
Roger Ebert's Review
The Bone Collector (1999)
(R)
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Denzel Washington plays a cop who was paralyzed in an accident while collecting evidence for a case. Four years later, he's homebound and contemplating suicide when he starts helping on a murder investigation that catches his interest. A very dark movie that's not quite gory as I thought it would be, but still ranks up there on the gross out factor. The film has good characters and is able to develop the story well, but is not quite as intelligent as it could have been. Overall, good for dark thriller fans, but not really interesting beyond that.
Links:
Official Studio Site
Boogie Nights (1997)
(R)
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A young man gets caught up in the porn industry in the late 70's and early 80's, exposing himself to sex, drugs, rock and roll.
About the only thing they don't show the kid doing is growing a brain and doing something intelligent with his life. I've heard
enough hard luck stories already to last me a lifetime, and this one has nothing new to offer. The only highlight is Burt Reynolds's
acting, which is just as good as when he's played practically this same character in countless other movies. A real bummer of a
movie.
Links:
Official Studio Site
Cinema 1's Boogie Nights Page
Radio Free's Review
Mr. Showbiz's Review
Bootmen (2000)
(R)
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A metal worker not satisfied with his job tries to make it as a tap dancer. When he doesn't make it in a big stage production, he tries to make his own with the help of some friends in the steel business. A feel good movie in the vain of of The Full Monty, it is is fairly generic but still good enough to be interesting if you like the style. The acting and directing are good, and the script has enough happening to keep it from getting boring, while not bogging the film down with too much information.
Links:
Film.com Review
Roger Ebert's Review
The Borrowers (1998)
(PG)
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A good family movie about a family of small people known as Borrowers. The house they live in is going to be demolished, and the two borrower kids have to try to stop it from happening, pitting them against the new human owner of the house. Parents can take their kids to this movie and probably not get too bored. The characters are good, and their are some good laughs.
Links:
Cinema 1's Borrowers Page
Bounce (2000)
(PG-13)
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Ben Affleck switches plane tickets with Gwyneth Paltrow's husband, only to have the plane he would have been on crash. A year later, after fighting off alcoholism, he decides to check in on Paltrow to make sure she's all right. They fall in love with each other in the process, and they each must come to terms with their feelings on the issue. The movie is fairly touchy-feely, but handles it well without falling back onto TV soap opera tactics. The acting and directing is good, and the story remains more believable and less forced than I was expecting. Over all, a well made and fairly interesting melodrama
minutes at a time.
Links:
Moira Macdonald's Film.com Review
Robert Horton's Film.com Review
Roger Ebert's Review
The Boxer (1997)
(R)
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A good dramatic movie, this one centers around an ex-boxing champion just released from prison (Daniel Day-Lewis). He comes home to find his ex-future wife married to a man who is now in prison and his boxing coach an alcoholic. The movie is about him trying to fight his way back into his life - getting his old boxing stadium back, becoming a boxer again, and marring the women he loves (she loves him too, but they are forced apart).
Links:
Official Studio Site
Bowling For Columbine (2002)
(R)
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Michael Moore's latest film takes aim at America's propensity for gun violence. His colorful list of interviewees includes South Park co-creator Matt Stone, rock star Marilyn Manson, and farmer James Nichols (brother of Timothy McVeigh accomplice Terry Nichols). Moore even gets brief access to Charlton Heston by saying he's a lifetime member of the NRA. As with Roger & Me, critics will argue that the finished product is closer to theater than it is to journalism (at one point, Moore takes two Columbine survivors to Kmart Headquarters and asks for a refund on the bullets that are still lodged in their bodies!). That being said, we are offered some very sobering explanations for why our society is so triggerhappy. Other memorable scenes include a visit with the Michigan Militia, a cartoon that chronicles our "culture of fear", and a bank that also happens to be a licensed gun dealer. A refreshing documentary that is both entertaining and thought-provoking.
Links:
Roger Ebert's Review
Boys and Girls (2000)
(PG-13)
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Basicaly a soap opera for teens, this movie focuses on the ongoing relationship between a boy and a girl, spending most of the time watching them talk while they slowly fall in love during their time at collage. It has some decent moments and keeps itself completely centered in reality, but rarely finds a spark to make it really interesting.
Links:
Official Studio Site
Roger Ebert's Review
Boys Don't Cry (1999)
(R)
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A girl goes out to a new town dressed as a boy and tries to create a new life for herself with a new identity. An interesting movie with good acting and directing, it could have been better if it had more to say. As it is, it never really explains itself as well as it should have, which is especially evident when you hear about the true story this was based on and how they left out several important points. One of these events involved the main character being raped before what they show in the movie which lead to her wanting to dress as a man so that no other man would want to touch her again. Had they included facts such as this to answer the inevitable questions that come up, the movie could have been very interesting. This could have been a great movie, but it chose to settle for good instead.
Links:
Official Studio Site
Film.com's Review
Roger Ebert's Review
Brazil (1985)
(R)
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Video Pick of the Week
(6/1/03 - 6/7/03)
In a formula similar to George Orwell's 1984, Terry Gilliam transports us into a bizarre, retro-tech society that is consumed by bureaucracy (like Max Headroom, this is a biting satire of the very society we consider normal). The convoluted nature of "Brazil" is typified by it's antiquated machinery, the overwhelming presence of ducting, and the endless cycle of paperwork. Sam Lowry (Jonathan Pryce) is a conflicted worker bee trying to navigate his way through this haunting reality. His only escape is a fantasy about flying off into the heavens to meet the girl of his dreams. When a small glitch causes a man to be wrongfully arrested, Lowry tries to correct the mistake himself, only to become entangled in the mess. While the pacing of the movie may seem a bit uneven, the images are both hilarious and shocking at the same time; like holding up a fun house mirror at our own culture. The supporting cast includes Ian Holm, Michael Palin, Katherine Helmond, and Robert De Niro(!).
Links:
Roger Ebert's Review
Breakdown (1997)
(R)
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An enjoyable thrill-ride, this movie starts off calm, but builds the tension as the plot moves on. It starts off with a couple going on a trip, and their car breaking down in the middle of nowhere. The wife accepts a ride with a passing trucker, and doesn't show up where she and her husband had planed to meet. The husband starts looking for answers, and walks into a trap set by a group of highway robbers. The fun part of the movie is him trying to get his wife back alive while not getting killed himself. The characters are so good I can easily overlook the generic ending.
Links:
Breakdown Picture
Breakdown Picture 2
Official Studio Site
Roger Ebert's Review
Bride of Chucky (1998)
(R)
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Chucky, the living doll from the Child's Play movie series, gets a female doll partner in crime in this film. They go on a murder spree while tagging along in the van of a teenage boy and girl, who of course get blamed for all the murders. The movie is full of campy humor, poking fun at Chucky himself and other horror films. People who thought Scream did it wrong will probably enjoy this movie more.
Links:
Official Studio Site
Bring It On (2000)
(PG-13)
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A group of high school cheerleaders work on creating their own routine for a championship tournament after discovering that the former captain had stolen their routines from a rival squad. The movie is a decent satire, with a good number of jokes that work and acting and directing that help keep the movie interesting. Even so, most of the movie seems a little bland for what it was trying to do, hinting it could have been better if they were'nt worried about scaring off some of the audience. Overall, it's still mildly entertaining.
Links:
Official Studio Site
Robert Horton's Film.com Review
Sean Means' Film.com Review
Roger Ebert's Review
Brother Bear (2003)
(G)
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Set in the past somewhere in the Pacific Northwest area of North America, the film focuses on an older teen who is transformed into a bear after killing the bear he holds responsible for his brother's death. He then must find his brother's spirit in order to be transformed back to his human form, and learns the truth about how all creatures can work together for peace, love, and understanding. This film can be accused of stealing from many of the animated Disney movies of the decade before it without adding anything of its own to the mix. However, it still manages to come out worth watching, simply for how well it works all its pieces together. Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas deserve much of the credit for how fun this film feels, reviving old characters from their days on SCTV in the form of two moose who turn up for much needed comic relief. Directors Aaron Blaise and Robert Walker also worked well with what they were given, turning what may have been a bland, run of the mill Disney snoozer into something with a bit of an emotional bite. Not top of the line Disney in story, but still worth a look.
Links:
Official Studio Site
Roger Ebert's Review
A Bug's Life (1998)
(G)
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A colony of ants find a group of circus performer bugs to help them defend themselves against the bully grasshoppers. The movie was actually made so that adults could find it mildly entertaining, and it worked. The story and jokes are aimed at kids (but isn't for very young kids, it gets a little intense at points), but the parents and computer animation fans in the audience will not be entirely disappointed. The plot has been done many times before, though, and people tired of the storyline will want to skip the movie.
Links:
Official Studio Site
Bullitt (1968)
(PG)
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Video Pick of the Week
(5/11/03 - 5/17/03)
Steve McQueen and Robert Vaughn star in this classic police drama set in San Francisco (based on the novel "Mute Witness"). Detective Frank Bullitt (McQueen) is assigned to protect mob witness John Ross for 40 hours. Everything seems routine until Ross is killed by hitmen. Bullitt (much like Harry Callahan) disregards his political superiors and cleans up the mess his own way. This movie is famous for an incredible car chase mid-way through (McQueen driving a Mustang fastback, the bad guys driving a Dodge Charger). Director Peter Yates' attention to detail combines with the beautiful locations to create a slick looking package (the graphics in the opening credits are really advanced for 1968!) The soundtrack is one of Lalo Schifrin's best.
Links:
Steve McQueen Site
Bulworth (1998)
(R)
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A U.S. senator decides to start telling politics the way it really is, instead of playing into the hands of the people who finance his campaign. The movie is funny at times and has some good dramatic moments, but they're too few and far between to really keep me interested. And this movie seems to be doing what it's preaching against - telling people what they want to here just to make a buck.
Links:
Official Studio Site
Radio Free's Review
USA Today's Review
The Butcher Boy (1998)
(R)
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This movie follows a boy as he slowly goes insane. His father is an alcoholic and his mother dies during the film, and his neighbor is always saying bad things about his "pig" family. The movie follows what happens to him and the people in his life. The movie is well made and almost funny in a depressing way. I'm not a fan of this style of movie, but people who are will enjoy it.
Links:
Official Studio Site
Cinema 1's Butcher Boy Page
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