Director: Susan Turley
Genre: Drama
Studio: Ardustry
Rated: R

Passion and deception make deadly bedfellows in this riveting suspense thriller about three men entangled in an intricate web of love, lust and lies. After eight blissful months together, Michael and Tom have a perfect relationship. But that soon changes when Jonathon, a mysterious, sexy drifter, enters their lives and becomes the wild card in a bizarre triangle that evolves into a dangerous game of blackmail, betrayal and murder. Ultimately, the question becomes "who's conning who?" in this captivating tale of fatal temptation.

Director: Tate Taylor
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Studio: Blumhouse Productions
Rated: R

In this new psychological horror-thriller from Tate Taylor and Blumhouse, a lonely woman befriends a group of teenagers and decides to let them party at her house. Just when the kids think their luck couldn't get any better, things start happening that make them question the intention of their crazy host.

Studio: Twentieth Century Fox
Rated: R

From director Robert Rodriguez ("Grindhouse, Sin City") comes an action- packed, cutting-edge serving of carnage asada...with killer deleted scenes that deliver more guns, more girls and more Machete action! Set up, double-crossed and left for dead, Machete (Danny Trejo) is an ass-kicking ex-Federale who lays waste to anything that gets in his path. As he takes on hitmen, vigilantes and a ruthless drug cartel, bullets fly, blades clash and the body count rises. Any way you slice it, vengeance has a new name--Machete.

Director: Robert Rodriguez
Studio: Universal Studios
Rated: R

Danny Trejo returns as legendary ex-Federale Machete Cortez in this action-packed thrill ride from innovative director Robert Rodriguez. In his latest mission, Machete is recruited by the U.S. President (Carlos Estevez) to stop a crazed global terrorist (Mel Gibson) from starting a nuclear war. With a bounty on his head, Machete breaks all the rules as he faces death at every turn from a star-studded cast of deadly assassins. Featuring Michelle Rodriguez, Sofia Vergara, Amber Heard, Antonio Banderas, Cuba Gooding, Jr. and Demian Bichir, Machete Kills is “Absurdly entertaining. Defies expectations!” (Harry Knowles, Ain’t It Cool News). It’s one of the wildest save-the-world adventures ever captured on film!

Director: Caradog James
Studio: Xlrator
Rated: R

Two artificial intelligence engineers come together as they work to create the first ever self-aware artificial intelligence. A veteran AI engineer secretly hopes to develop technology to help his diseased daughter, even if it means funding comes from the powerful Ministry of Defense (MoD). His new partner, a young woman gifted in the field of AI, is brought on after her breakthroughs are recognized by the MoD. Things go wrong when the MoD takes over and advances the researchers' work to the next level, teaching the AI to kill and follow MoD instructions with its new and nearly indestructible body.

Director: George Miller
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Studio: Kennedy Miller Productions
Rated: R

An apocalyptic story set in the furthest reaches of our planet, in a stark desert landscape where humanity is broken, and almost everyone is crazed fighting for the necessities of life. Within this world exist two rebels on the run who just might be able to restore order. There's Max, a man of action and a man of few words, who seeks peace of mind following the loss of his wife and child in the aftermath of the chaos. And Furiosa, a woman of action and a woman who believes her path to survival may be achieved if she can make it across the desert back to her childhood homeland.

Director: Aditya Chandora, Bradley Gallo
Genre: Drama
Studio: Questar
Rated: NR

Summer Magic and Campfire Memories Camp Kobie has been a summer haven for generations of boys. But when the camp's beloved owner, Bud, dies, Camp Kobie's future is threatened. The greedy wife of Bud's estranged son, Richard, insists he sell the property. That leaves TJ, the camp's assistant director, with one last fun-filled summer to change Richard's mind and save the camp. Magic Rock is a heartwarming comedy about enduring friendships, life-defining choices, and summer magic that can make campfire memories to last a lifetime.

Director: Rob Williams
Studio: TLA Releasing
Rated: Unrated

An out-and-proud college student wrestles with revealing his true sexuality to his parents when he comes home for Christmas break and his boyfriend decides to pay him a surprise visit. At school, everyone knows that Olaf "Gunn" Gunnunderson is gay; at home, it's a much different story. Bidding his boyfriend Nathan goodbye, Olaf heads home to find that his parents have fixed him up on a date with his old high school sweetheart Abby. When Nathan comes knocking unannounced, he can't quite believe that Olaf hasn't come out to his parents. Later, as the boys scramble to keep Olaf's sexuality a secret from his parents, the conversations grow increasingly inquisitive and Olaf must decide whether to come out before the truth does.
Special Features:
Cast Interviews Deleted Scenes Extended Scenes Behind The Scenes Outtakes Commentary With Director & Actors Interview With Director Rob Williams Interview With Music Composer Austin Wintory Interview With Alison Arngrim Special Message From Adamo Ruggiero Gloria - Music Video It's Christmas Time - Music Video New Commentary With Kelly Keaton, Derek Long And Director Rob Williams

Director: Andy Muschietti
Studio: Universal Studios
Rated: PG-13

When he's not making gargantuan movies about giant robots and/or comic book hell-beasts, Guillermo del Toro as a producer has fostered a movement toward dreamy, fairy-tale horror ("The Orphanage", "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark"), where primally Grimm scenarios reach some unusually bittersweet resolutions. "Mama", del Toro's 2013 production, continues this winning storybook streak, driven by a fiercely against-type performance by Jessica Chastain and an impressive number of uneasy frights. (How many times can a little girl ferally scuttling around the edges of the frame be scary? Quite a few, actually.) Beginning with a literal Once Upon a Time, director-cowriter Andrés Muschietti's film concerns a pair of young girls left stranded in a creepy cabin in the woods after a family tragedy. When they are miraculously found intact five years later, they credit their survival to a mysterious mother figure. As their reluctant new riot girl guardian (Chastain) soon discovers, this protective entity has a murderous case of separation anxiety. Muschietti's project (devised with his sister Barbara) had its genesis as a widely YouTubed three-minute short film, and the elongation seams do occasionally show, particularly in the third act, when characters begin appearing for the express purpose of being munched. Still, even if it doesn't all hang together, "Mama" has no shortage of champion scary moments, expertly designed for maximum freak-out. (An early scene involving a supernatural game of tug of war hits just the right mark between nervous laughter and serious goose bump territory.) After seeing what lurks under Chastain's bed, don't be surprised if you cultivate some serious dust bunnies of your own. "--Andrew Wright"

Director: Zack Snyder
Studio: Warner Bros.
Rated: PG-13

A young boy learns that he has extraordinary powers and is not of this Earth. As a young man, he journeys to discover where he came from and what he was sent here to do. But the hero in him must emerge if he is to save the world from annihilation and become the symbol of hope for all mankind.

Director: Asger Leth
Studio: Summit Entertainment
Rated: PG-13

In the film critics call a "white-knuckle action thriller," ex-cop Nick Cassidy (Sam Worthington, Avatar & Clash of the Titans) escapes from prison to plan the ultimate heist: steal a $40 million diamond from cutthroat businessman David Englander (Ed Harris), and in the process prove his innocence. From the ledge of the famous Roosevelt Hotel, with the whole world watching, Cassidy plays a clever game of cat & mouse with the NYPD while his dutiful brother Joey (Jamie Bell) works against the clock to extract the diamond and clear his brother’s name.

Director: Tony Scott
Genre: Action & Adventure
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Rated: R

Style trumps substance in "Man on Fire", a slick, brooding reunion of "Crimson Tide" star Denzel Washington and director Tony Scott. The ominous, crime-ridden setting is Mexico City, where a dour, alcoholic warrior with a mysterious Black Ops past (Washington) seeks redemption as the devoted bodyguard of a lovable 9-year-old girl (the precociously gifted Dakota Fanning), then responds with predictable fury when she is kidnapped. Prolific screenwriter Brian Helgeland ("Mystic River", "L.A. Confidential") sets a solid emotional foundation for Washington's tormented character, and Scott's stylistic excess compensates for a distended plot that's both repellently violent and viscerally absorbing. Among Scott's more distracting techniques is the use of free-roaming, comic-bookish subtitles... "even when they're unnecessary"! Adapted from a novel by A.J. Quinnell and previously filmed as a 1987 vehicle for Scott Glenn, "Man on Fire" is roughly on par with Scott's similar 1990 film "Revenge", efficiently satisfying Washington's incendiary bloodlust under a heavy blanket of humid, doom-laden atmosphere. "--Jeff Shannon"

Director: Kenneth Lonergan
Genre: Drama
Studio: Amazon Studios
Rated: R

Lee Chandler is a brooding, irritable loner who works as a handyman for a Boston apartment block. One damp winter day he gets a call summoning him to his hometown, north of the city. His brother's heart has given out suddenly, and he's been named guardian to his 16-year-old nephew. As if losing his only sibling and doubts about raising a teenager weren't enough, his return to the past re-opens an unspeakable tragedy.

Director: Wiktor Grodecki
Genre: Drama
Studio: Water Bearer Films
Rated: NR

NOTE: According to the dictionary: Mandragora is 1) a plant of nightshade family: a plant with a forked root resembling a human body that was formerly believed to have magical powers and was made into a drug and 2)a 14th century alteration of medieval Latin mandragora, influenced by man, drake "dragon" (from its emetic and narcotic properties).

MANDRAGORA, the astonishing film from the Czech Republic written by Wiktor Grodecki (who also directs) and David Svec (who also acts in the film), is aptly named: mandragora is the world of male prostitution that seduces young lads with promises of money and ultimately poisons them with the burning disease of loss of self respect and ultimately of life.

Marek (Miroslav Caslavka in a stunning performance) is a beautiful 15-year-old kid from a little village in the Czech Republic who has aligned himself with petty criminals to have better things such as classy clothing, a lad whose single father (Jir� Kodes) demands he stay in school (yet is always in the background to salvage Marek's errant life situations) and who seems to be prepping his son for a better life. Marek hates school, which he sees as merely a path to be a welder like his father. The father and son collide after another crime spree and Marek leaves home for the big city promises of Prague.

Once in Prague Marek is observed by the pimp Honza (Pavel Skripal) who follows Marek, knowing that Marek's future in the city is doomed without Honza's 'protection'. Within a day's time Marek's luck with the slot machines dries up and Honza convinces him to be his 'rabbit' - a male prostitute. Marek's first encounter with an American 'john' ends disastrously and the beaten Marek returns to the streets where he encounters a fellow hustler David (David Svec). Together they forge an alliance to escape Honza's compound and begin a life of successful prostitution. They are bonded (the probability of Marek's actually being gay and physically attracted to David is strong) and together they encounter all manner of unseemly characters involved in the underbelly of Prague's male prostitution life.

Characters weave in and out of Marek's and David's life, each time leaving scars that grow more visible as does the threat of drug problems and AIDS. They eventually consent to embrace the lowest level of making gay porn where the cruel director forces Marek to be sodomized by David. They are raided by the police and Honza reappears as Marek's nemesis. Through a series of drug-induced hallucinations and dreams Marek envisions what his future holds and his descent is stamped. Yet at this point Marek's father journeys to Prague in search of his son, discovers his life style, is terrified and angry and tangentially passes Marek in a critical final scene that is devastatingly sad.

This film is dark, frank, cruel, realistic, and sweats with the evil of the belly of the beast that is Prague's underworld. Yet the direction is so fine and, equally important, the acting by Miroslav Caslavka so sensitive that we as the audience are swept into an overwhelming compassion for these unfortunate lads whose seemingly only hope for a better life is one of humiliating degradation. MANDRAGORA is a no holds barred examination of a dark life that maintains a precarious balance between caricature and character development. Yes, it is lengthy at 126 minutes, in need of editing in areas, has faulty subtitles, and a strange musical score by Wolfgang Hammerschmid who extrapolates Puccini's 'Nessun dorma' and Bach's 'Erbarme dich' and 'Wir setzen uns mit Tranen nieder' from the St Matthew Passion for heavy effects, and very dark cinematography by Vladim�r Holomek, but despite these sidebar problems, they only slightly mar the overall impact of a very important film. Grady Harp, August 05

Director: Jordan Melamed
Genre: Drama
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Rated: R

I was a bit disappointed when I saw this movie because I expected it to be so much MORE and it wasn't. It does offer a brief look into an adolescent psychiatric ward that is realistic- but I would have liked it if the movie really showed the people struggling in the psych ward with different specific disorders. We have some severely catatonic schizophrenic people...and then there are those who self destruct by cutting and burning... there are a handful of those who struggle with anger management..and a girl who has severely scary nightmares. What about the other things? The opportunity to put in other disorders & conditions such as bipolar.. or eating disorders.. or even someone who struggled with multiple personalities- I think the directors could have made it a lot more interesting if they took more time to make it.

I am not saying it is unrealistic because I did spend some time in a psych ward..and there was things such as level drops and prohibiting the use of shoelaces on our shoes and of course- anything sharp. There was even the occasional person that would try to smoke in the bathrooms. However, it's hard to make a movie like this because it feels like so much more of a documentary than a movie...and I really didn't like that.

Props to Joseph Gordon-Levitt though- he did a GREAT job in a role I am sure was hard for him to play.

Studio: Fox Searchlight
Rated: R

In her stunning feature film debut, Elizabeth Olsen delivers "an electrifying, star-is-born performance" (Rolling Stone) in this gripping psychological thriller that is "far and away one of the year's best!" (Associated Press) After escaping from a dangerous cult and the watchful eye of its charismatic leader (Academy Awardr Nominee John Hawkes), a young woman named Martha (Olsen) tries to reclaim a normal life with her family. But the haunting memories from Martha's past trigger a chilling paranoia - and nowhere seems safe as the fragile line between her reality and delusions begin to blur.

Director: Ridley Scott
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi
Studio: Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
Rated: PG-13

During a manned mission to Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney is presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind by his crew. But Watney has survived and finds himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. With only meager supplies, he must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist and find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive. Millions of miles away, NASA and a team of international scientists work tirelessly to bring "the Martian" home, while his crewmates concurrently plot a daring, if not impossible, rescue mission. As these stories of incredible bravery unfold, the world comes together to root for Watney's safe return.

Director: Joss Whedon
Studio: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
Rated: PG-13

Blasphemy? Perhaps. But the best thing about what may be the most rousing and well-crafted superhero movie since The Dark Knight is not the boffo action scenes that culminate in a New York City-destroying finale that rivals Michael Bay's obliteration of the Chicago skyline in Transformers: Dark of the Moon. No, the real appeal of The Avengers comes from the quiet moments among a group of decidedly unquiet humans, extra-humans, mutants, and demigods. In no particular order those are Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Captain America (Chris Evans), Bruce Banner/Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), S.H.I.E.L.D. world-government commander Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), and indispensable functionary Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg). That's a superstar lineup both in and out of character, and The Avengers brilliantly integrates the cast of ensemble egos into a story that snaps and crackles--not to mention smashes, trashes, and destroys--at breakneck pace, never sacrificing visual dazzle or hard-earned story dynamics. Writer-director Joss Whedon is no slouch when it comes to being a comic geek and he handles the heavy duty reins with efficient panache. The effects are of course spectacular. They include a monstrous flying aircraft carrier that is home base to S.H.I.E.L.D. and Nick Fury's Avenger Initiative; Tony Stark's gleaming skyscraper in midtown Manhattan; off-world scenes of malignant evil; as well as blindingly apocalyptic fights and the above-mentioned showdown that leaves New York a virtual ruin. Yet it's the deeply personal conversations and confrontations among the very reluctant team of Avengers that makes the movie pop. Full of humor, snappy dialogue, and little asides that include inside jokes, eye rolls, and personal grudge matches, the script makes these superhumans real beings with sincere passion or feelings of disillusionment. The conviction of the actors as they fully commit to their clever lines gives credibility to what comes off as more than simple banter, even during the more incredible moments among them (of which are many). The plot involves the appearance of Loki, disgraced villain and brother of Thor, who was also a key player in his eponymous movie. Loki has come to Earth to retrieve the Tesseract, a blue-glowing energy cube that is valuable beyond compare to forces good and evil throughout the universe. As Loki, Tom Hiddleston is supremely, yea gloriously appealing as the brilliantly wicked regal charmer who captures minds from S.H.I.E.L.D. and attempts to conquer Earth with the hideous army at his command. To say he is foiled is an understatement. His face-off with the Hulk is one of the giddiest moments in a movie filled with lightheaded mayhem, and is a perfect example of Whedon's throwaway approach to translating the mythic mystique of the Marvel comics universe. Though at times deadly serious (as deadly serious as an outrageous superhero destructo/fight-fest movie can be, that is), The Avengers is best when it lightens up and lets the fun fly alongside the powerhouse punches. By the way, a single blink-and-you'll-miss-it powerhouse punch is another moment that makes Hulk the most loveable underdog of a smashing green rage monster ever. That spirit of fun and pure adventure makes The Avengers the greatest kind of escapist Hollywood fantasy $250 million can buy. A blockbuster in the most literal sense. --Ted Fry

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Versions of Marvel’s The Avengers on Blu-ray and DVD

Marvel's The Avengers
Marvel's The Avengers (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo in DVD Packaging)
Marvel's The Avengers (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo in Blu-ray Packaging)
Marvel's The Avengers (Four-Disc Combo: Blu-ray 3D/Blu-ray/DVD + Digital Copy + Digital Music Download)
Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase One - Avengers Assembled (10-Disc Limited Edition Six-Movie Collector's Set) Release Date September 25, 2012 September 25, 2012 September 25, 2012 September 25, 2012 TBA Format/Disc # 1 DVD Disc Two Total: 1 Blu-ray and 1 DVD Disc Two Total: 1 Blu-ray and 1 DVD Disc Four Total: 1 Blu-ray 3D, 1 Blu-ray, 1 DVD and 1 Digital Copy Disc 10 Discs Total Digital Copies No No No Yes (Standard Definition Only)
To Be Announced
Digital Album Download No No No Yes, see full track list in Special Features section below TBA Commentaries Audio Commentary by Director Joss Whedon Same as DVD Same as DVD Same as DVD TBA Featurettes - “Assembling the Ultimate Team” - “Assembling the Ultimate Team”
- “A Visual Journey” Same as Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo Same as Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo TBA Deleted Scenes None - Alternate Opening - Maria Hill Interrogation
- Extended Scene - Loki & Barton Strategize
- Steve Rogers - Man Out of Time
- Nick Fury & World Security Council
- Extended Viaduct Fight - Raw Footage
- Fury & Hill Discuss the World Security Council
- Extended Scene - Banner and Security Guard
- Alternate Ending - Maria Hill Interrogation Same as Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo Same as Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo TBA Other Features None - Marvel One-Shot: Item 47
- Second screen
- Gag reel
- Soundgarden music video - “Live to Rise” Same as Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo Same as Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo TBA

Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Genre: Drama
Studio: The Weinstein Company
Rated: R

Returning from Navy service in World War II, Freddie Quell drifts through a series of breakdowns. Finally he stumbles upon a cult which engages in exercises to clear emotions and he becomes deeply involved with them.

Director: Andy Wachowski, Larry Wachowski
Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy
Studio: Creative Design Art Inc.
Rated: R

And we did, right down the rabbit hole into the world of the Wachowski brothers fabulous scifi thriller The Matrix. This visually stunning film introduces us to the world of the future where machines rule, and most of humankind has been reduced to a power source.But there are rebels. Morpheus {Laurence Fishburne},and the crew of the Nebuchadnezzar are searching the matrix looking for the "One". The prophecized saviour of humanity.Is Neo {Keanu Reeves}, the crews latest extraction from the matrix,the One? Does he believe he can be? With a heart pounding pace this film takes you on a special effects ride through this machine world, with new technologies like Bullet Time and CGI's, along with Hong Kong style wire fight scenes it held me gluded to my seat until the end. I throughly enjoyed the ride and anxiously await the sequel.

Director: Andy Wachowski, Larry Wachowski
Genre: Action & Adventure
Studio: Warner Home Video
Rated: R

Considering the lofty expectations that preceded it, "The Matrix Reloaded" triumphs where most sequels fail. It would be impossible to match the fresh audacity that made "The Matrix" a global phenomenon in 1999, but in continuing the exploits of rebellious Neo (Keanu Reeves), Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne), and Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) as they struggle to save the human sanctuary of Zion from invading machines, the codirecting Wachowski brothers have their priorities well in order. They offer the obligatory bigger and better highlights (including the impressive "Burly Brawl" and freeway chase sequences) while remaining focused on cleverly plotting the middle of a brain-teasing trilogy that ends with "The Matrix Revolutions". The metaphysical underpinnings can be dismissed or scrutinized, and choosing the latter course (this is, after all, an epic about choice and free will) leads to astonishing repercussions that made "Reloaded" an explosive hit with critics "and" hardcore fans alike. As the centerpiece of a multimedia franchise, this dynamic sequel ends with a cliffhanger that virtually guarantees a mind-blowing conclusion. "--Jeff Shannon"

Director: Andy Wachowski, Mary Alice
Genre: Horror
Studio: Warner Home Video
Rated: R

Despite the inevitable law of diminishing returns, "The Matrix Revolutions" is quite satisfying as an adrenalized action epic, marking yet another milestone in the exponential evolution of computer-generated special effects. That may not be enough to satisfy hardcore "Matrix" fans who turned the Wachowski Brothers' hacker mythology into a quasi-religious pop-cultural phenomenon, but there's no denying that the trilogy goes out with a cosmic bang instead of the whimper that many expected. Picking up precisely where "The Matrix Reloaded" left off, this 130-minute finale finds Neo (Keanu Reeves) at a virtual junction, defending the besieged human enclave of Zion by confronting the attacking machines on their home turf, while humans combat swarms of tentacled mechanical sentinels as Zion's fate lies in the balance. It all amounts to a blaze of CGI glory, devoid of all but the shallowest emotions, and so full of metaphysical hokum that the trilogy's detractors can gloat with I-told-you-so sarcasm. And yet, "Revolutions" still succeeds as a slick, exciting hybrid of cinema and video game, operating by its own internal logic with enough forward momentum to make the whole trilogy seem like a thrilling, magnificent dream. "-- Jeff Shannon"

Director: William Fruet
Genre: Family, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Studio: Ardmore Egg Company

Super genius Matty Hanson (Keir Gilchrist) works on top secret science project at a major university research lab. When Matty discovers a formula for invisibility, he and his friend Alice (Emily Hirst) find themselves on the run from government agents and corporate bad guys who want the invisible ray to use as a military weapon. Now it's up to Matty to protect his invention, help a girl in distress and solve a criminal conspiracy that unravels the mystery of what happened to his missing father.

Studio: 20th Century Fox
Rated: PG-13

Brand New

Director: Wes Ball
Genre: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Studio: Gotham Group
Rated: PG-13

In the epic finale to The Maze Runner Saga, Thomas leads his group of escaped Gladers on their final and most dangerous mission yet. To save their friends, they must break into the legendary last city, a WCKD controlled labyrinth that may turn out to be the deadliest maze of all. Anyone who makes it out alive will get the answers to the questions the Gladers have been asking since they first arrived in the maze. Will Thomas and the crew make it out alive? Or will Ava Paige get her way?

Director: Wes Ball
Genre: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Studio: Gotham Group
Rated: PG-13

In this next chapter of the epic "Maze Runner" saga, Thomas (Dylan O'Brien) and his fellow Gladers face their greatest challenge yet: searching for clues about the mysterious and powerful organization known as WCKD. Their journey takes them to the Scorch, a desolate landscape filled with unimaginable obstacles. Teaming up with resistance fighters, the Gladers take on WCKD's vastly superior forces and uncover its shocking plans for them all.

Director: Alfonso Gomez-Rejon
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Studio: Indian Paintbrush
Rated: PG

Seventeen-year-old Greg has managed to become part of every social group at his Pittsburgh high school without having any friends, but his life changes when his mother forces him to befriend Rachel, a girl he once knew in Hebrew school who has leukemia.

Director: Jacob Aaron Estes
Genre: Drama
Studio: Paramount
Rated: R

"Deliverance" goes to high school in this grim, stripped-down fable of a prank gone bad. Friends decide to teach a lesson to a teenage bully by inviting him on a canoeing trip where they will humiliate him once and for all. The prank turns seriously sour, and the kids must deal with the consequences. Writer-director Jacob Aaron Estes takes a somber look at these lives, although his low-key approach makes the central tragedy seem melodramatic when it happens. The film isn't quite new enough to be truly revelatory, but Estes neatly avoids a "River's Edge" rehash by allowing his characters more than dead-eyed anomie. The actors hit their notes with precision, especially Rory Culkin (another of the Culkin family, with Macaulay and Kieran), Ryan Kelley, and Scott Mechlowicz. This is the kind of movie that may be slightly familiar to older audiences, but could easily be a home-video cult item with younger viewers. "--Robert Horton"

Director: Lorene Scafaria
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Studio: Anonymous Content
Rated: PG-13

An aging widow from New York City follows her daughter to Los Angeles in hopes of starting a new life after her husband passes away.

Director: Martin Brest
Genre: Drama
Studio: Universal Studios
Rated: PG-13

"Meet Joe Black" seemed almost fated to fail when it was released in 1998, but this romantic fantasy--a remake of 1934's "Death Takes a Holiday"--deserves a chance at life after box-office death. Although many moviegoers were turned off by director Martin Brest's overindulgent three-hour running time, those who gear into its deliberate pace will find that "Meet Joe Black" offers ample reward for your attention.
Brad Pitt plays Death with a capital D, enjoying some time on Earth by inhabiting the body of a young man who'd been killed in a shockingly sudden pedestrian-auto impact. Before long, Death has ingratiated himself with a wealthy industrialist (Anthony Hopkins) and pursues romance with the man's beautiful daughter (newcomer Claire Forlani), whom he'd briefly encountered while still an earthbound human. Under the assumed identity of "Joe Black," he samples all the pleasures that corporeal life has to offer--power, romance, sex, and such enticing pleasures as peanut butter by the spoonful.
But Death has a job to do, and "Meet Joe Black" addresses the heart-wrenching dilemma that arises when either father or daughter (the plot keeps us guessing) must confront his or her inevitable demise. The film takes its own sweet time to establish this emotional crisis and the love that binds Hopkins's semidysfunctional family so closely together. But if you've stuck with the story this far, you may find yourself surprisingly affected. And if "Meet Joe Black" has really won you over, you'll more than appreciate the care and affection that gives the film a depth and richness that so many critics chose to ignore. "--Jeff Shannon"

Director: Lars von Trier
Genre: Drama
Studio: Zentropa Entertainments
Rated: R

On the night of her wedding, Justine is struggling to be happy even though it should be the happiest day of her life. It was an extravagant wedding paid for by her sister and brother-in-law who are trying to keep the bride and all the guests in line. Meanwhile, Melancholia, a blue planet, is hurtling towards the Earth. Claire, Justine's sister, is struggling to maintain composure with fear of the impending disaster.

Director: Christopher Nolan
Genre: Art House & International
Studio: Sony Pictures
Rated: R

Guy Pearce ("L.A. Confidential") and Joe Pantoliano ("The Matrix") shine in this absolute stunner of a movie. "Memento" combines a bold, mind-bending script with compelling action and virtuoso performances. Pearce plays Leonard Shelby, hunting down the man who raped and murdered his wife. The problem is that "the incident" that robbed Leonard of his wife also stole his ability to make new memories. Unable to retain a location, a face, or a new clue on his own, Leonard continues his search with the help of notes, Polaroids, and even homemade tattoos for vital information.
Because of his condition, Leonard essentially lives his life in short, present-tense segments, with no clear idea of what's just happened to him. That's where "Memento" gets really interesting; the story begins at the end, and the movie jumps backward in 10-minute segments. The suspense of the movie lies not in discovering what happens, but in finding out "why" it happened. Amazingly, the movie achieves edge-of-your-seat excitement even as it moves backward in time, and it keeps the mind hopping as cause and effect are pieced together.
Pearce captures Leonard perfectly, conveying both the tragic romance of his quest and his wry humor in dealing with his condition. He is bolstered by several excellent supporting players, and the movie is all but stolen from him by Pantoliano, who delivers an amazing performance as Teddy, the guy who may or may not be on his side. "Memento" has an intriguing structure and even meditations on the nature of perception and meaning of life if you go looking for them, but it also functions just as well as a completely absorbing thriller. It's rare to find a movie this exciting with so much intelligence behind it. "--Ali Davis"

Director: Barry Sonnenfeld
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi
Studio: Columbia Pictures
Rated: PG-13

After breaking out of a moon-based maximum security prison, Boris the Animal decides to go back in time and eliminate the person who arrested him - Agent K. When he does so, Agent J realizes that the time line has been changed and he too travels back to July 15, 1969, the day before Agent K is killed. After overcoming some disbelief, J manages to convince young K and others of just who he is and why he's there. With the help of a being who can see all time lines, they track Boris down. J also learns a secret, something old K had never told him.

Director: Barry Sonnenfeld
Genre: Comedy
Studio: Sony Pictures
Rated: PG-13

More remake than sequel, "Men in Black II" safely repeats everything that made "Men in Black" the blockbuster hit of 1997. That's fine if you loved the original's fresh humor, weird aliens, and loopy ingenuity, but as sequels go, it's pure déjà vu. Makeup wizard Rick Baker is the only "MIB" alumnus who's trying anything new, while director Barry Sonnenfeld and costars Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones (as alien-fighting agents Jay and Kay, respectively) are on autopilot with an uninspired screenplay. The quest of a multitentacled alien--on Earth in the form of Lara Flynn Boyle--for the light of Zartha requires Jay to deneuralize Kay, whose restored memory contains the key to saving the planet. The tissue-thin premise allows all varieties of special effects--mostly familiar, with some oddly hilarious new stuff tossed in for good measure. Certainly enjoyable as a popcorn distraction, but the "MIB" magic has worn a bit thin. "--Jeff Shannon"

Director: Harold Becker
Genre: Action & Adventure
Studio: Universal Studios
Rated: R

Take off your thinking caps and toss 'em in a corner, 'cuz you won't need 'em when you're watching this deliriously dumb thriller from 1997. Bruce Willis stars as a demoted FBI agent who comes to the aid of an autistic boy whose mind holds a potentially deadly secret. It seems that by gazing on a puzzle magazine and making order out of a hidden system of numbers, the 9-year-old autistic boy (Miko Hughes) has accidentally deciphered a sophisticated top-secret government code. This makes him the prime target of the ruthless bureaucrat (Alec Baldwin, in one of his silliest roles), and Willis comes to the rescue. This formulaic thriller sets up this plot with a lot of entertaining urgency, but you can't give any thought to "Mercury Rising" or the whole movie collapses under the weight of its own illogic and nonsense. The redeeming values are the performances of Willis, young Hughes, and newcomer Kim Dickens as a woman who agrees (perhaps too easily, it seems) to aid Willis in his plot to outmaneuver the bad guys. "Mercury Rising" is not a waste of time compared to other formulaic thrillers, but its entertainment value depends on how much you enjoy being smarter than the movie. "--Jeff Shannon"

Director: Moustapha Akkad
Genre: Art House & International
Studio: Starz / Anchor Bay
Rated: PG

Producer-director Moustapha Akkad made a true labor of love out of "The Message", which seeks nothing less than to tell the story of the origins of Islam. Originally released in the U.S. as "Mohammad, Messenger of God", the film has the appeal of most biblical epics: persecuted true believers, a revolutionary prophet scorned by the powers-that-be, and the miraculous triumph of faith. It also has the cheesiness of many biblical epics, with nose-flaring performances and awkward dialogue, but the whole mish-mash is generally entertaining (and informative for those unversed in the "origin stories" of Islam). Akkad had one major hurdle; he couldn't portray the person or voice of Mohammad himself, as such things are traditionally forbidden in Islam. To say the least, this presents an interesting narrative challenge. Akkad tackles it by having characters address the camera-as-Mohammad, or having disciples step out of Mohammad's tent to repeat what the prophet has just said. It's a weird device, but the surprising thing is how often you forget about it. Akkad is aided by some topnotch technicians, including cameraman Jack Hildyard ("The Bridge on the River Kwai") and composer Maurice Jarre (whose score was Oscar-nominated); Anthony Quinn, Irene Papas, and Michael Ansara lead the cast.
Also included in the two-disc set is the Arabic-language version of the film, which was shot at the same time with different actors. (It comes without English subtitles.) It runs about 20 minutes longer than the English version; Akkad explains, in a helpful 44-minute making-of documentary, that Arab styles of storytelling (including pacing) and acting are quite different than in the West. Akkad would also make "Lion of the Desert" and executive-produce the "Halloween" pictures. He died in the November 2005 terrorist bombings in Jordan. "--Robert Horton"

Director: Eric Hendershot
Genre: Action & Adventure
Studio: Mti Home Video
Rated: PG

This movie deserves a lot more attention than it has received. It's one of the best movies I've seen in this genre. The story was exciting and for the most part close to believeable without too much effort put into suspension of disbelief. I mean, sure, there are a few two many coincidences occurring when a kid whose father has been framed and imprisoned winds up unintentionally stumbing on evidence which leads to his father's release and vindication, but the fun tone of the movie makes this easy to accept. The soundtrack and production were very strong. Some of the actors seemed a little inexperienced at times (and strangely enough, I'm talking about the adults in the movie and not the kids!), but overall they pulled it off and made a very fun movie.

Director: Bruno Corbucci
Genre: Drama
Studio: Intermedia Video
Rated: Unrated

This film is not a sequel to the famous Guccione "Caligula" with Malcolm McDowell etc. It is not even a real sequel to the "Caligula" with Laura Gesmer and David Haughton (ASIN: 6303364438), which is released on video and DVD by the same company. The only connection is that they use the same sets! Caligula is not even in this movie!
This film follows the stories of the Emperor Claudius, trying to run the empire while passing gas (on doctor's orders) all the time and hopelessly in love with his wife, the Empress Messalina, who is having sex every man in Rome except her husband, a traveller who has come to rome looking for a good time, and a Roman con-man. There are several funny scenes involving sexual situations, such as the con-man convincing the traveller that a Christian's home is a brothel, and the Empress, disguised as a prostitute, attempting to act out every sexual position illustrated in pictures on the wall ("do them all and it's free...wait, I think you missed one...well, we'll just have to start over..."). It all ends in a comedic bloodbath when Claudius comes home early and finds an orgy in the palace.
For all it's eroticism, this is not a "porno" flick, in that it is not just about sex for sex's sake. It's a sex comedy, where most of the humor involves sex or sexual situations. It is also a historical farce, satirizing the Roman Empire and other Roman Empire movies. It's funny both for the comedy, and for how "bad" this movie is. It is badly dubbed, badly acted and the effects are really cheezy. Not a timeless masterpiece, but somewhat amusing.

Director: Oxide Pang Chun, Danny Pang
Genre: Drama
Studio: Sony Pictures
Rated: PG-13

Lithe and tomboyish Kristen Stewart ("Panic Room, The Safety of Objects") anchors the derivative but potently atmospheric horror movie "The Messengers". The story--a troubled family moves into one of those creepy farmhouses that scream "serial murder site" and find their lives disturbed by unearthly occurrences--is a puree of plot elements from "The Sixth Sense, The Birds, The Amityville Horror, The Shining", the recent spate of Japanese horror remakes, and more. Despite this, the movie may get under your skin; between the bleached sunlight, the effective ambient sound, and scenes that linger unexpectedly on quiet suspense, "The Messengers" creates a vivid and unsettling mood. There are still plenty of the abrupt jolts that make teenager girls clutch their dates, but this artful creepiness--combined with Stewart's engaging presence--will have a longer effect. Also featuring Dylan McDermott ("The Practice"), Penelope Ann Miller ("Carlito's Way"), and John Corbett ("Northern Exposure, Sex and the City"). Directed by the Pang Brothers, the duo responsible for Hong Kong hits like "The Eye and Infernal Affairs". --"Bret Fetzer "

















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Director: Glenn Takakjian
Genre: Horror

Director: Jonah Hill
Studio: A24
Rated: R

This movie follows a teenager named Stevie growing up in Los Angeles. He's struggling with his family, including his co-dependent single mom and his abusive older brother, and at school, where his richer friends seem to overlook him. When Stevie befriends a crew of skateboarders, he learns some tough lessons about class, race, and privilege.

Director: Steve Carr
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Family, Fantasy
Studio: CBS Films
Rated: PG

Imaginative quiet teenager Rafe Katchadorian is tired of his middle school's obsession with the rules at the expense of any and all creativity. Desperate to shake things up, Rafe and his best friends have come up with a plan: break every single rule in the school and let the students run wild.

Director: Mel Chionglo
Genre: Art House & International
Studio: First Run Features
Rated: NR

This film is not a typical Gay & Lesbian-themed film. There are predominant Gay themes in this story, which are treated with dignity and sensitivity. As well, there are some sexually explicit parts and some poorly choreographed violence. Ultimately though, this is a story about survival where people have to look out for their survival and their families by themselves, while they struggle with the unforgiving, decieving reality in which they are trapped. The main theme doesn't use the issue of sexuality as the sole, main backdrop.
Having Filipino background certainly helped in understanding the cultural influences and the dynamics in this film. Main examples are shown in the characters' obligation to family, some of the unorthodox ideas of sexuality and the common cultural clashes between one's common values and survival.. While it's portrayals shouldn't be generalized towards the Filipino culture as a whole, the overall depiction is equal parts honest, disturbing and moving.. and also as one reviewer previously mentioned; ultimately depressing..
With that said, this film is not for everyone. The subtitling is a little bit incomplete in parts, the pacing is a little bit slow and and the Filipino themes may evade some people. If you can get past that, you may find it to be an intense, worthwhile experience..

Director: Jake Szymanski
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Romance
Studio: Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
Rated: R

Hard-partying brothers Mike (Adam Devine) and Dave (Zac Efron) place an online ad to find the perfect dates (Anna Kendrick, Aubrey Plaza) for their sister's Hawaiian wedding. Hoping for a wild getaway, the boys instead find themselves outsmarted and out-partied by the uncontrollable duo.

Director: Gus Van Sant
Genre: Independently Distributed
Studio: Universal Studios
Rated: R

When a famous person, like the nation's first openly gay male city supervisor, inspires an acclaimed book (The Mayor of Castro Street) and Oscar-winning documentary (The Times of Harvey Milk), a biopic can seem superfluous at best. Taking over from Oliver Stone and Bryan Singer, Gus Van Sant, whose previous picture was the more experimental Paranoid Park, directs with such grace, he renders the concern moot. Unlike Randy Shilts' biography, which begins at the beginning, Dustin Lance Black's script starts in 1972, just as Milk (Sean Penn, in a finely-wrought performance) and his boyfriend, Scott (James Franco, equally good), move from New York to San Francisco. Milk opens a camera shop on the Castro that becomes a safe haven for victims of discrimination, convincing him to enter politics. With each race he runs, Harvey's relationship with Scott unravels further. Finally, he wins, and the real battle begins as Milk takes on Proposition 6, which denies equal rights to homosexuals. He does what he can to rally politicians, like George Moscone (Victor Garber) and Dan White (Josh Brolin). While the mayor is willing, the conservative board member has reservations, and after Milk fails to back one of White’s pet projects, the die is cast, leading to the murder of two beloved figures. If Van Sant’s film captures Harvey in all his complexities (he was, for instance, a very funny man), Milk also serves as an enticement to grass-roots activism, showing how one regular guy elevated everyone around him, notably Cleve Jones (Emile Hirsch), the ex-street hustler who created the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial. Released in the wake of Proposition 8, California’s anti-gay marriage amendment, Milk is inspirational in the best way: one person can and did make a difference, but the struggle is far from over. --Kathleen C. Fennessy



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Director: Renny Harlin
Genre: Action & Adventure
Studio: Dimension
Rated: R

Creepy, tense, and enigmatic, Renny Harlin's "Mindhunters" is a grisly cross between Agatha Christie's whodunit classic "And Then There Were None" and Jonathan Demme's horrifying "The Silence of the Lambs". An interesting ensemble cast, including Christian Slater ("Windtalkers"), Jonny Lee Miller ("Melinda and Melinda"), L.L. Cool J (Harlin's "Deep Blue Sea"), and Kathryn Morris (television's "Cold Case") portray promising FBI profilers-in-training. Val Kilmer plays their ambiguous instructor putting the candidates through their paces and leaving them for a weekend on a spooky island, where those who survive a terrifying exercise--penetrating the mind of a serial killer via elaborate clues--will go to the head of the class. The rules change, however, when the students themselves turn out to be victims, bumped off one after another, the survivors half-mad with suspicion and paranoia that the murderer is one of their own. The film's concept is sound even if the execution (so to speak) gets out of hand with problems of logic. Among other things, none of these characters could possibly find time to pull off some of the psychopath's more complicated killing rituals. Quibbles aside, however, "Mindhunters" is particularly watchable if one is in the mood for a movie that plays mind games. "--Tom Keogh"

Director: Spike Lee
Genre: Action & Adventure
Studio: TOUCHSTONE / DISNEY
Rated: R

Every major American filmmaker has a war movie inside them. After the twin triumphs of "When the Levees Broke" and "Inside Man", his biggest box office hit, Spike Lee puts his distinctive stamp on World War II. Though "Miracle at St. Anna" begins and ends in 1983, most of the action takes place in 1944. The segregation of the time leads to the Army's African-American 92nd Infantry Division. In Italy, four of these Buffalo Soldiers, Sergeants Stamps ("Antwone Fisher"'s Derek Luke) and Bishop ("Barbershop"'s Michael Ealy), Corporal Hector ("Jarhead"'s Laz Alonso), and sweet, superstitious Private Train ("The Express"'s Omar Benson Miller), get separated from their unit while fighting the Germans. On the way to higher ground, Train rescues a boy from the rubble. With nine-year-old Angelo (newcomer Matteo Sciabordi) in tow, the soldiers secure shelter in a Tuscan town, where they band together with the villagers, including lovely English speaker Renata ("Artemisia"'s Valentina Cervi), nurse the delusional boy back to health (he has an imaginary playmate named Arturo), and prepare for the next attack. Like "Inside Man", "Miracle" marks one of the few times Lee has drafted an outsider to write the script, in this case bestselling author James McBride, who adapts from his novel. The combination of sensibilities results in a film that alternates, sometimes awkwardly, between cynicism and sentimentality. Tonal irregularities aside, "Miracle at St. Anna" pays overdue tribute to the 15,000 men who fought for freedom in a country that showed them greater respect than their nation of origin. "--Kathleen C. Fennessy"

Director: Tim Burton
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Family, Fantasy
Studio: Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
Rated: PG-13

When Jacob discovers clues to a mystery that spans different worlds and times, he finds a magical place known as Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. But the mystery and danger deepen as he gets to know the residents and learns about their special powers... and their powerful enemies. Ultimately, Jacob discovers that only his own special "peculiarity" can save his new friends.

Director: Ron Howard
Genre: Drama
Studio: Sony Pictures
Rated: R

A woman forms an uneasy alliance with her distant father to search for her daugher, who has been kidnapped.

Director: J.J. Abrams
Genre: Action & Adventure
Studio: Paramount Home Video
Rated: PG-13

At the time of its release, "Mission: Impossible III"'s box office was plagued by the publicity backlash against couch-jumping star Tom Cruise. It's too bad, because this third installment of the spy thriller franchise deserved a better reception than it got. First-time feature director J.J. Abrams (bigwig TV director/producer of "Lost", "Alias", & "Felicity") proves more than able-bodied in creating a "Mission: Impossible" that's leaner and less over-stylized than John Woo's sequel and less confusing than Brian De Palma's original. Plot is still a throwaway here (Cruise's Ethan Hunt rescues his kidnapped former trainee and works to steal a device that... well, we don't really know what it does, but it's something about mass destruction that costs $850 million), but the action sequences, particularly one where Ethan faces down a helicopter on a bridge and gets flung hard against the side of a car, are particularly impressive since Cruise, at 44, is still doing most of his own stunts and shows no hint of the weathered look that's struck his action-star peers. (Though no "Mission: Impossible" stunt will ever be quite as simultaneously nail-biting and funny as the first film's wire-dangling break-in of CIA headquarters.)
"Mission: Impossible III" boasts a pedigreed cast, particularly Oscar® winner Philip Seymour Hoffman ("Capote") as baddie arms dealer Owen Davian. Hoffman plays Owen all teeth-clenched and cool, especially when threatening to kill Ethan in front of his lovely new wife (Michelle Monaghan) who has no idea of his spy life. But in his first action-film lead role, Hoffman's almost too calm and collected to really make a memorable villain, especially when the rest of the cast--Ving Rhames (the only other cast member to return for all three films), Asian film star Maggie Q, and an underused Jonathan Rhys-Meyers--are a highlight as Ethan's IMF team. "Mission: Impossible" is still fun popcorn spy fare, and if Cruise chooses to end the franchise here, at least he goes out on a high note. "--Ellen A. Kim"

Director: John Woo
Genre: Action & Adventure
Studio: Paramount
Rated: PG-13

Visually stunning, and a likely must for John Woo aficionados, the second "Mission: Impossible" outing from megastar Tom Cruise suffers from an inconsistent tone and tired plot devices--not only recycled from other films, but repeated throughout the film. Despite remarkable cinematography and awe-inspiring, trademark Woo photography, the movie offers a tepid story from legendary screenwriter-director Robert Towne ("Chinatown", "Without Limits") and a host of other writers, most uncredited.
It is, regrettably, as forgettable as the first big-budget, big box-office "MI" in 1996, and it's clear (as Towne confirms) that the plot was developed around Woo- and Cruise-written action sequences. The film combines equal elements of romance and action, and is best when it features the stunning allure of Thandie Newton as Nyah, a master thief recruited by the sinewy charms of Ethan Hunt (a fit Cruise). Deeply in love after a passionate night, the couple must then combat MI nemesis (and Nyah's former lover) Sean Ambrose ("Ever After"'s Dougray Scott). Ambrose holds hostage a virus and its cure, and offers them to the highest bidder.
Woo's famed mythic filmmaking is far from subtle, with heroic Hunt frequently slow-motion walking through fire, smoke, or other similar devices, replete with a white dove among pigeons to signal his presence. The emphasis on romance is an attempt to develop character and a more human side to superspy Hunt, but still the dreary story proves a distraction from the exciting action sequences. John Polson (as an MI team member) is an Aussie talent to keep an eye on. "--N.F. Mendoza"

Director: Brian De Palma
Genre: Drama
Studio: Walt Disney Video
Rated: PG

If Brian De Palma directed "Mission to Mars" for 10-year-olds who've never seen a science fiction film, he can be credited for crafting a marginally successful adventure. Isolated moments in this film serve the highest purpose of its genre, inspiring a sense of wonder and awe in the context of a fascinating future (specifically, the year 2020). But because most of us have seen a lot of science fiction films, it's impossible to ignore this one's derivative plot, cardboard characters, and drearily dumb dialogue. Despite an awesome and painstakingly authentic display of cool technology and dazzling special effects, "Mission to Mars" is light years away from "2001: A Space Odyssey" on the scale of human intelligence.
After dispensing with a few space-jockey clichés, the movie focuses on a Mars-bound rescue mission commanded by Jim McConnell (Gary Sinise), whose team (Tim Robbins, Connie Nielsen, Jerry O'Connell) has been sent to retrieve the sole survivor (Don Cheadle) of a tragic Mars landing. During the sequence en route to Mars, De Palma's in his element with two suspenseful scenes (including a dramatic--albeit somewhat silly--space walk) that are technically impressive. But when this "Mission" gets to Mars, the movie grows increasingly unconvincing, finally arriving at an alien encounter that more closely resembles an astronomical CGI video game. But this is a $75 million Hollywood movie, and no amount of technical wizardry can lift the burden of a juvenile screenplay. Kudos to Sinise, his costars, and the special effects wizards for making the most of hoary material; shame on just about everyone else involved. "--Jeff Shannon"

Director: William Monahan
Genre: Thriller
Studio: Atlas Independent
Rated: R

A suicidal artist goes into the desert, where he finds his doppelgänger, a homicidal drifter.

Director: David Kebo, Rudi Liden
Genre: Action
Studio: Kismet Entertainment Group
Rated: R

Fed up with their mundane, ordinary lives, four wannabe thrill-seekers get more than they bargained for when they attend a wild rave in the California desert. Josh (Eric Christian Olsen) and his pals (Rider Strong, Bumper Stevens, Wayne Young) are up for some sex, drugs and rock and roll...not necessarily in that order. But these burning sands, it turns out, are home to some of the deadliest creatures known to man The Scorpions, a local biker gang led by sadistic, machete-wielding Dom (Dash Mihok). Soon, without warning, what began as a spirited road trip devolves into an agonizing battle for survival. Gorgeous Genevieve Cortese also stars in this masterpiece of mayhem about weekend warriors who are forced to become the real deal...or die!

Studio: Sony
Rated: PG

All Allyson and her friends want is a peaceful, grown-up evening of dinner and conversation... a long-needed moms’ night out. But in order to enjoy high heels, adult conversation and food not served in a paper bag, they need their husbands to watch the kids for three hours—what could go wrong?

Director: Jodie Foster
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Studio: TriStar Pictures
Rated: R

In the real-time, high stakes thriller Money Monster, George Clooney and Julia Roberts star as financial TV host Lee Gates and his producer Patty, who are put in an extreme situation when an irate investor who has lost everything (Jack O'Connell) forcefully takes over their studio. During a tense standoff broadcast to millions on live TV, Lee and Patty must work furiously against the clock to unravel the mystery behind a conspiracy at the heart of today's fast-paced, high-tech global markets.

Director: J.A. Bayona
Genre: Drama, Fantasy
Studio: Apaches Entertainment
Rated: PG-13

The monster does not come walking often. This time it comes to Connor, and it asks for the one thing Connor cannot bring himself to do. Tell the truth. This is a very touching story about a boy who feels very damaged, guilty and mostly angry. He struggles at school with bullies, and pity looks from everyone, and at home with his mother's sickness. Will Connor overcome his problems? Will everything be okay? Will Connor be able to speak the truth?

Director: Lee Galea
Genre: Drama, Romance, TV Movie
Studio: Indie Melbourne Productions

When Mike's English teacher pairs him up for a class assignment on Romeo and Juliet with the new kid William, Mike can't believe his luck. However as the two spend more and more time working together on a monster movie version of the Bard's classic tale, they both soon realize their feelings for one another may be more powerful than either of them is truly ready for.

Director: Gareth Edwards
Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Studio: Vertigo Films
Rated: R

Six years ago NASA discovered the possibility of alien life within our solar system. A probe was launched to collect samples, but crashed upon re-entry over North America. Soon after, new life forms began to appear and half of Mexico was quarantined as an INFECTED ZONE. Today, the American and Mexican military still struggle to contain "the creatures"...... Our story begins when a US journalist agrees to escort a shaken tourist through the infected zone in Mexico to the safety of the US border.

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Rated: PG-13

Based on the true story of the greatest treasure hunt in history, THE MONUMENTS MEN centers around an unlikely World War II platoon, tasked with going into Germany to rescue artistic masterpieces from Nazi thieves and returning them to their rightful owners. In a seemingly impossible mission, the Monuments Men, as they were called, find themselves risking their lives in a race against time to avoid the destruction of 1,000 years of culture.

Director: Barry Jenkins
Genre: Drama
Studio: A24
Rated: R

Three time periods - young adolescence, mid-teen and young adult - in the life of African-American, gay Chiron is presented. When a child, Chiron lives with his single, crack addict mother Paula in a crime ridden neighborhood in Miami. Chiron is a shy, withdrawn child largely due to his small size and being neglected by his mother, who is more concerned about getting her fixes and satisfying her carnal needs than taking care of him. Because of these issues, Chiron is bullied, the slurs hurled at him which he doesn't understand beyond knowing that they are meant to be hurtful. Besides his same aged Cuban-American friend Kevin, Chiron is given what little guidance he has in life from a neighborhood drug dealer named Juan, who can see that he is neglected, and Juan's caring girlfriend Teresa, whose home acts as a sanctuary away from the bullies and away from Paula's abuse. With this childhood as a foundation, Chiron may have a predetermined path in life, one that will only be magnified ...

Director: Richard T. Heffron
Genre: Drama

Director: Ron Oliver
Genre: Family, Fantasy, Horror, TV Movie
Studio: Commotion Pictures
Rated: PG

Max Doyle takes some objects from a haunted house to help his ghost friends Nicky and Tara, upsetting a whole bunch of spirits in the process.

Director: Mark Pellington
Genre: Thriller
Rated: PG-13

Described by director Mark Pellington as "a psychological mystery with naturally surreal overtones," "The Mothman Prophecies" begins like an ambitious episode of "The X-Files". Richard Gere brings adequate torment, portent, and ambiguity to his role as a "Washington Post" reporter and grieving widower plagued by a mysterious, unseen urban legend known as the Mothman. Pellington develops subtle doom and gloom that's as effective as the paranoid streak he brought to "Arlington Road". As the Mothman terrifies a West Virginia town, he remains an enigma, glimpsed almost subliminally. This--along with a magnificently creepy soundtrack--amplifies the movie's surreal overtones while keeping everything else (unsettling phone calls, prophesied disasters, suggestions of the afterlife) completely unexplained. With Laura Linney and Debra Messing in underdeveloped roles, "The Mothman Prophecies" feels a bit underdeveloped itself (and ends in desperate need of Mulder and Scully). But if you like your weirdness open-ended, this moody thriller's worth a look. "--Jeff Shannon"

Director: Bruce A. Evans
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Rated: R

Earl Brooks is a highly respected businessman and was recently named Portland's Man of the Year. He hides a terrible secret however: he is a serial killer known as the Fingerprint Killer. He has been attending AA meetings and has kept his addiction to killing under control for two years now but his alter ego, Marshall, has re-appeared and is pushing him to kill again. When he does kill a couple while they are making love, he is seen and photographed by someone who also his own death and murder fetish. In a parallel story, the police detective investigating the murder is having problems of her own. She is going through a messy divorce and a violent criminal who had vowed revenge some years before has escaped from prison and is after her.

Director: Jaco Van Dormael
Studio: Magnolia Home Entertainment
Rated: Unrated

MR. NOBODY tells the life story of Nemo Nobody, a 118-year-old man who is the last mortal on Earth after the human race has achieved quasi-immortality. On his deathbed, Nemo shares his life story with a reporter and reviews the choices he made along the way. Yet even with his last breath, a pivotal decision awaits to conclude his destiny.

Director: Jeff Tremaine
Genre: Comedy
Studio: MTV
Rated: Unrated

When Andy Warhol made his prophetic comment about fame, he could not possibly have anticipated the lengths some would go to get their 15 minutes. Consider Johnny Knoxville and his posse of merry pranksters. These are America's funniest home videos, a generous and representative sampling of segments from the notorious MTV series "Jackass", which capture men behaving very badly, and very stupidly. Knoxville and company are mostly content to do injury to themselves and each other (their poor and battered groins alone must be eligible for combat pay). Other segments have a demented "Candid Camera" quality. In one, Chris Pontius dons a werewolf suit and runs amok through London. In another, two hockey players continue their "fight" inside a store. Throwaway bits, such as the popping of a blackhead, cleanse the palate between stunts. As one observer notes: "You'd have to be an idiot to try this." Watching this, however, is another matter. And by the way, there is no volume 1; go figure. "--Donald Liebenson"

Director: Jeff Nichols
Studio: Lionsgate
Rated: PG-13

MUD is a timeless adventure about two boys, Ellis and his best friend Neckbone, who find a mysterious man named Mud (McConaughey) hiding out on a deserted island in the Mississippi. Mud tells the boys fantastic stories about his life, including how he killed a man in Texas and that vengeful bounty hunters are coming to get him. He says he is planning to meet and escape with the love of his life, Juniper (Witherspoon), who is waiting for him in town. Skeptical but intrigued, Ellis and Neckbone agree to help him. But it isn't long until Mud's tall tales come to life, and their small town is besieged by bounty hunters out for blood.

Director: Michael Burke (IV)
Genre: Drama
Studio: Strand Home Video
Rated: R

The fifteen-year-old Duncan (Emile Hirsch) and his laconic father Edgar Mudge (Richard Jenkins) are reeling after the death of the most important person in their life. Duncan's mother and Edgar's wife died suddenly, whilst biking some farm eggs to her neighbor. An alcoholic, she was the glue that tethered this family together, and her death has left Duncan and Edgar emotionally fragile and at a loss.

It isn't only his wife's passing that is bothering Edgar; he notices that Duncan's a "different" kind of boy - sensitive, kindly and delicate. Duncan constantly dotes on his pet chicken and dresses in his mother's clothes, perhaps in an effort to stay connected to him mom. At church - where he sings out of tune - a neighbor in their tiny farm community comments on how Duncan is the spitting image of his mom.

Duncan is soft, not in an effeminate way; it's just that he has an intuitiveness and a compassion that places him at odds with some of the older and rougher boys, who mock him, and call him "weird" and question his sexuality, something he's already tormented over. Was Duncan a mama's boy? Well, we're not really sure. Obviously there was incredible love between them both, but it's a love that his father is unable to replicate.

Edgar worries about his son and he loves him dearly, but he's is clueless about how to help him. He tries to get him to help out around the farm in an effort to toughen him up. He also encourages Duncan to go out with his older friends, the ringleader of which is Perry (Tom Guiry), a butch and macho town stud who likes to brag about his sexual conquests. Perry's bravado is a cover-up for his scary feelings toward Duncan, and it's only a matter of time before their relationship reaches a crisis.

Mudge Boy is the perfect example of understatement, a tale of bourgeoning same sex attraction, and also a titular exploration of the isolation of farm life. Deeply religious, Edgar could be the fire and brimstone type of father; instead he's a thoughtful, considerate and caring man, who is at a loss at how to deal with his eccentric son. Hirsch, who projects a shy modesty, is perfectly cast as Duncan - a boy who is somewhat out of his depth with the people around him, an outcast with many quirks and eccentricities.

At times, Mudge Boy can be difficult to watch, there's a quasi-rape scene, where the result of some teenage sexual experimentation reaches an ugly climax. But writer-director Michael Burke is always sensitive to his subject matter, beautifully rendering his protagonists' dysfunctions and setting them against a bucolic backdrop of Vermont farm land with it's meadows, tumbling down barns and cow patches.

Whether Duncan is sweetly ingratiating himself and getting drunk with the local in crowd, or sucking on the head of his pet chicken, he's a character who many of us will probably be able to relate to. He's desperate to fit in, confused about his bourgeoning sexuality and is undoubtedly a troubled and confused soul. The final denouement, when Duncan is forced to confront the evils of small town bigotry is absolutely heart wrenching, as is the teary and world-weary reconciliation with his father. Mike Leonard May 06

Director: Barbet Schroeder
Genre: Drama
Studio: Warner Home Video
Rated: R

While reinventing Leopold and Loeb for a new and troubled millennium, "Murder by Numbers" probes the disturbing psychology of two teenaged murderers and the cleverness of their crime. Like Hitchcock's "Rope" and other films inspired by the Leopold and Loeb case of the 1920s, the film intensifies as it explores the repressed (and subtly homosexual) tensions between high-school outcasts Richard (Ryan Gosling) and Justin (Michael Pitt), who randomly kill a woman to enact an amoral philosophy--and to tease a savvy homicide detective (Sandra Bullock) with misleading clues. While clashing with the by-the-book procedure of her partner (Ben Chaplin), Bullock gives one of her best performances in a role that comes with its own set of psychological hurdles. It's comfortable territory for "Reversal of Fortune" director Barbet Schroeder, who draws fine work from his cast while proving that there's no such thing as a perfect crime. "--Jeff Shannon"

Director: Gael Richards
Genre: Action & Adventure

What ever you do, don't buy this piece of CRAP! Don't rent it, don't even watch it. In fact it has been reported that the US government is now using this movie as a torture device in Guantanamo Bay

I've read several positive reviews about this film. Either the director keeps writing in giving himself 5 stars reviews, hoping to trick more innocent victims into buying this movie or there are a lot of people in the US smoking some serious crack.

I completely understand this is a low budget independent film; all gay movies are low budget independent films. However stop making excuses for movies like Murder in Portland. This movie was written by a chimp, and not one of those talented chimps. There seams to be 5 stories going on in the movie that have no connection to one another. At the end of the movie there were 5 separate unrelated endings. I didn't think this movie would ever end, I kept waiting then yet another end scène would appear. Why Murder in Portland? Why?!?

The production quality is poor at best. The movie is shaky, grainy, some times poorly lit, and sometimes too bright. I suspect it was shot on a camcorder. The actors (if you can call them actors), apparently took 1 or possibly 2 quarters of High School Drama. I've seen porn with better acting. Speaking of porn, where did they get the sound track for this film. It sounds like Ron Jeremy wrote it.

The only reason I finished watching this movie was to see the credits. In the middle of this movie is a wonderfully sensual strip tease preformed by a friend of mine. I couldn't believe David would have starred in this D-rate piece of trash. I mean come on gurl if you need the money I can let you borrow it. David makes regular appearances every weekend at Manray and R-Place, two local Seattle gay bars. I'm sure he would love to sign your copy of "Murder in Portland".

Studio: Mill Creek Entertainment
Rated: NR

Rediscover the magic of Fred Astaire in Second Chorus and Royal Wedding. Marvel at the incredible dance moves of Cyd Charisse and Jane Powell in Black Tights and Delightfully Dangerous. Relive the magic of jazz legends like Duke Ellington, Lionel Hampton, The Dorsey Brothers, Count Basie and Sarah Vaughn. Sit back and enjoy the songs of all time greats like Lena Horne, Frank Sinatra, Eartha Kitt, Perry Como, Judy Garland and Dinah Shore. The Classic Musicals 50-MoviePack brings an incomparable world of song, dance and orchestration to life in a collection that offers countless hours of entertainment.

Director: John Cardos
Genre: Horror
Studio: Elite Entertainment, Inc.
Rated: R (MPAA)

Two brothers end up in a small town on their vacation. One of the brothers gets lost and as the other searches he discovers that toxic waste has transformed normal human beings into zombie-like mutants. A nearby chemical plant has inadvertently turned the town into a seething den of bloodthirsty humans, intent on hunting down every last "normal" human to feed upon.



When two brothers from the North visit a conservative southern town, they really have their hands full. But dealing with bigoted rednecks is only part of the problem. Before the pair arrived, many of the locals had suffered an accidental chemical poisoning which mutated them into zombie-like monsters. Banding together with a few citizens left untouched by the plague, the brothers make a last stand and battle for survival.



Muze/MTS Inc.

Director: Marc Meyers
Studio: Ibid Filmworks
Rated: R for disturbing images, language, teen drug use, drinking and sexual content, and for brief nudity

A young Jeffrey Dahmer struggles to belong in high school.

Director: Olivier Ducastel, Jacques Martineau
Genre: Art House & International
Studio: Fox Lorber
Rated: NR

After receiving a videocamera for his 16th birthday, a competitive ice skater chronicles the world around him while struggling through adolescence and questioning his sexual identity.

Director: Gus Van Sant
Genre: Drama
Studio: Criterion
Rated: R

Gus Van Sant's often-beautiful 1991 film stars River Phoenix as a narcoleptic, Seattle male prostitute and Keanu Reeves as the rich friend who agrees to help him find his mother. After a solid hour or so of the two traveling on this quest through Idaho and Italy, Van Sant throws a wrench into the works by conjuring a gay version of Shakespeare's "Henry IV, Part I", with Reeves's character as Prince Hal and filmmaker William Richert (who directed Phoenix in the 1988 "Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon") as a variation on Falstaff. The experiment is interesting to watch, but you can't help wondering what on earth happened to the movie. Still, the film has a cult status one can't argue with, and Phoenix gives a tragic performance that stays in the memory. "--Tom Keogh"

Director: James B. Clark
Genre: Action & Adventure
Studio: Paramount
Rated: G

The book made a huge impression on me 35 years ago. I fell in love with the story and was envious of Sam's year in the wilderness.

Last night, I found the movie for sale at a local book/music/DVD store. I vaguely remembered that My Side of the Mountain had also been a movie way back when, but I had forgotten all about it. I bought the movie and my wife and I watched it.

Ugh. This movie was a waste of time. It was poorly written, abysmally acted, and strayed so far from the book that it was virtually unrecognizable to anyone who read and loved the book.

My wife and I got the impression that the movie was adapted by someone who doesn't like hunting or killing of animals. Reference after reference was made in the movie to guns and hunters being bad, killing animals being bad and even Frightful was killed by a hunter apparently out shooting for sport. So Sam never got his deerskin outfit (as he did in the book). Instead, he bought leather gloves and wore some kind of yellow rain slicker during the winter.

At one point near the end, when Bando returned to visit, there were so many people in Sam's hollowed out tree that I could have sworn it was a magic tree, much like the magic tents in the latest Harry Potter movie. Small from the outside. But huge on the inside.

What an awful movie. Even the cinematography was horrid. If I had to watch Frightful fly around for minutes on end one more time I might have shot her myself.

Avoid this movie at all costs!

But please, do, read the book. It's one of the best children's' novels ever published.

Director: Miguel Ferrari
Studio: TLA Releasing
Rated: Unrated

Diego, a young and successful photographer, lives in the glamorous but shallow and excessive world of fashion. A tragic accident turns his world upside down; his partner Fabrizio is now in a coma. Unexpectedly, and right at this inopportune time, Diego's estranged son Armando shows up. Now, both of them have to adapt to each other; Armando to the unknown, homosexual world of his father, and Diego to the closed attitude of his teenage son. My Straight Son is dramedy that will both touch and amuse.

Director: Vladimír Drha
Genre: Dramas
Studio: Wolfe Video
Rated: Unrated

Once upon a time, Andy was a perfect youngster. Nowadays, he's bent on fulfilling his sexual fulfillment. Things go from bad to worse when his tired parents look for a chance to teach him a lesson in real life. They send him to stay with his younger cousin Eddie - but the education he gets is hardly what Andy's parents had in mind. Eddie introduces Andy to a decadent path of pleasure as they meet a hitchhiking stranger, a forest ranger and an estranged friend from their past. Soon, innocent-looking Andy ends up having an unforgettable lesson in the tricks of the trade taught by his street-wise cousin.



Muze/MTS Inc.

Director: Gregg Araki
Genre: Drama
Studio: Tla
Rated: NC-17

Though the subject matter of "Mysterious Skin" is as sensational as that of Gregg Araki's other films (such as "Totally F***ked Up", "The Doom Generation", or "The Living End"), his direction is richer and more multilayered than ever before. Two Kansas teenagers named Neil (Joseph Gordon-Levitt, "10 Things I Hate About You") and Brian (Brady Corbett, "Thirteen") share a childhood trauma--but their responses are radically different: Neil hustles tricks, while Brady, who can't remember what happened, believes he was abducted by aliens and left with "missing time." As both try to make sense of their lives and Brian struggles to find out the truth, "Mysterious Skin" builds to an emotional pitch that some viewers will find uncomfortable and others will find liberating. The characters of Neil and Brian have a fullness that lifts "Mysterious Skin" above most examinations of sexual abuse and trauma. Gordon-Levitt has been deservedly praised by the critics, but the entire cast--which also includes Bill Sage ("Simple Men"), Elizabeth Shue ("Leaving Las Vegas"), Michelle Trachtenberg ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer"), and Mary Lynn Rajskub ("24")--turns in superb performances. A striking and powerful movie. "--Bret Fetzer"

Director: Kinka Usher
Genre: Comedy
Studio: Universal Studios
Rated: PG-13

Ever wonder if there was a class system in the world of superheroes? After all the big names like Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, etc., who were the supporting players? The folks assigned to the less-than-stellar gigs of saving only a small part of the world? According to this intermittently successful send-up of comic book heroism, there are indeed masked heroes who struggle and toil for their moment in the super sun. Based on the Dark Horse comic book series, "Mystery Men" follows the travails of three B-list avengers--Mr. Furious (Ben Stiller), the Shoveler (William H. Macy), and the Blue Raja (Hank Azaria)--as they fight to make themselves known to the citizens of Champion City, quite difficult to do when the flashy Captain Amazing (Greg Kinnear, never better) takes all the cool gigs "and" has product endorsements up the ying-yang. According to them, it's all a matter of timing--never mind that Mr. Furious never rises above a snit, or that the Blue Raja wears green. Their big break comes when Captain Amazing is abducted by the evil Casanova Frankenstein (Geoffrey Rush), and it's up to this motley crew to save Champion City.
Blessed with a wondrously gifted comic cast and full of droll details, "Mystery Men" struggles in fits and spurts towards its climax. Transcendently witty in parts, it's also woefully sophomoric in others. Literally, this is the kind of movie in which someone gets off a brilliant line and then sits on a fork. Still, when this movie is rolling, it's gleefully on target, thanks primarily to the mordantly cocky Stiller and Janeane Garofalo as a latecomer to the superhero gang; her secret weapon is a bowling ball in which her dead father's head is encased. The comic chemistry between these two is fierce, and when you add the dryly funny Macy and the endearing Azaria (who finally gets a chance to let loose with his comic gifts), it's a hilarious joyride. Too bad that the gas tank is only half-full; this stunning cast deserves a first-rate vehicle. With Tom Waits as a weapons expert, Claire Forlani as the requisite babe, and Paul Reubens as the Spleen, the world's most flatulent superhero. "--Mark Englehart"