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Listed chronologically by release date.
Cinderella Man
(USA
2005)
Director: Ron Howard
Release Date: 12/06/2005
Price: 29.98
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Russell Crowe (Jim Braddock),
Renee Zellweger (Mae Braddock),
Paul Giamatti (Joe Gould),
Craig Bierko (Max Baer),
Paddy Considine (Mike Wilson),
Bruce McGill (Jimmy Johnston),
Ron Howard and Russell Crowe team up again in this biopic of boxer Jim Braddock, a fighter determined to beat depression-era America and rescue his family from poverty. Able support from Renee Zellweger and the delightful Paul Giamatti make this one a winner.
Death Race 2000
(USA
1975)
Director: Paul Bartel
Release Date: 12/06/2005
Price: 19.99
MPAA Rating: R
David Carradine (Frankenstein),
Simone Griffeth (Annie),
Sylvester Stallone (Machine-Gun Joe),
Mary Woronov (Calamity Jane),
Roberta Collins (Matilda),
Martin Kove (Nero the Hero),
Louisa Moritz (Myra),
Don Steele (Junior),
Joyce Jameson (Grace Pander),
Fred Grandy (Herman the German),
John Landis (Mechanic),
Pepped-up re-release for producer Roger Corman's satire on driving where the object of the exercise is to hit pedestrians. Director Paul Bartel brings a delirious black humour to the proceedings. Must be ripe for a remake surely? Ah, it is as Death Race 3000!
Dukes of Hazzard
(USA
2005)
Director: Jay Chandrasekhar
Release Date: 12/06/2005
Price: 28.98
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Johnny Knoxville (Luke Duke),
Seann William Scott (Bo Duke),
Alice Greczyn (Laurie Pullman),
Steve Lemme (Jimmy),
Michael Weston (Deputy Enos Strate),
Mitch Braswell (out of Towner#1),
Michael Roof (Dil Driscoll),
Jessica Simpson (Daisy Duke),
Rusty Tennant (Local One),
Dolan Wilson (Local Two),
One for the hoot 'n' holler brigade. A loud boisterous TV series becomes a loud boisterous movie. Adequate. Bonus points if Jessica Simpson in 'Daisy Dukes' revs your engine.
Fantastic Four
(USA
2005)
Director: Tim Story
Release Date: 12/06/2005
Price: 29.98
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Ioan Gruffudd (Reed Richards),
Jessica Alba (Sue Storm),
Chris Evans (Johnny Storm),
Michael Chiklis (Ben Grimm),
Julian McMahon (Victor von Doom),
Hamish Linklater (Leonard),
Kerry Washington (Alicia Masters),
Laurie Holden (Debbie McIlvane),
David Parker (Ernie),
Kevin McNulty (Jimmy O'Hoolihan),
Maria Menounos (sexy nurse),
Domestic family tale despite the odd ability to stretch out to extremes, burst spectacularly into flames, disappear or resemble a dried up river bed. Pity that the shameless rip-off, The Incredibles, was so much better.
Forbidden Games
(France
1952)
Director: Rene Clement
Release Date: 12/06/2005
Price: 29.95
MPAA Rating: R
Georges Poujouly (Michel),
Brigitte Fossey (Paulette),
Amedee (Francis Gouard),
Laurence Badie (Berthe Dolle),
After her parents die during WWII, a young girl is taken adopted by a peasant family who have a son. The girl and boy begin playing strangely morbid games. Bittersweet fable and a classic of French cinema.
Imagine: John Lennon
(USA
1988)
Director: Andrew Solt
Release Date: 12/06/2005
Price: 19.97
MPAA Rating: R
John Lennon (himself),
Yoko Ono (Herself),
Biography of the most interesting Beatle includes much Lennon philosophy and lots of good music including the gorgeous video to the title song. Other highlights include a verbal sparring match with cartoonist Al Capp. Highly recommended.
Mummy Lives
(USA
1993)
Director: Gerry O'Hara
Release Date: 12/06/2005
Price: 14.98
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Tony Curtis (Aziru/Dr. Mohassid),
Leslie Hardy (Sandra Barnes/Kia),
Greg Wrangler (Dr Carey Williams),
Jack Cohen (Lord Maxton),
Typical low-budget Mummy shenanigans. I have to admire a film that has Tony Curtis as the embalmed one though.
40-Year-Old Virgin
(USA
2005)
Director: Judd Apatow
Release Date: 12/13/2005
Price: 29.98
MPAA Rating: R
Steve Carell (Andy Stitzer),
Catherine Keener (Trish),
Paul Rudd (David),
Romany Malco (Jay),
Seth Rogen (Cal),
Elizabeth Banks (Beth),
Leslie Mann (Nicky),
Jane Lynch (Paula),
Gerry Bednob (Mooj),
Shelley Malil (Haziz),
Kat Dennings (Marla),
Genuinely funny observation of a 40-year-old's attempts to render the title obsolete. Benefits from a fine supporting cast and positively relishes that R rating. If nothing else it's good to see Steve Carell move out from the shadow of more exuberant comics (Jim Carrey & Will Ferrell; hmm Carrey + Farrell = Carell?).
Airplane!
(USA
1980)
Director: Zucker Abrahams
Release Date: 12/13/2005
Price: 19.99
MPAA Rating: PG
Robert Hays (Ted Striker),
Julie Hagerty (Elaine),
Lloyd Bridges (McCroskey),
Leslie Nielsen (Dr. Rumack),
Robert Stack (Kramer),
Peter Graves (Captain Oveur),
Lorna Patterson (Randy),
Stephen Stucker (Johnny),
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Murdock (Co-Pilot)),
Jim Abrahams (Religious Zealot #6),
Frank Ashmore (Victor Basta),
Send-up of Airline disaster movies hits all the right notes in this gag-a-second movie. Endlessly quotable repertoire of puns and ridiculous dialogue e.g.
Ted Striker: Surely you can't be serious.
Rumack: I am serious... and don't call me Shirley.
Cracks me up every time. Better equipped than the last release. Highly recommended.
Bad News Bears
(USA
2005)
Director: Richard Linklater
Release Date: 12/13/2005
Price: 29.95
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Billy Bob Thornton (Morris Buttermaker),
Greg Kinnear (Roy Bullock),
Marcia Gay Harden (Liz Whitewood),
Sammi Kane Kraft (Amanda whurlitzer),
Unnecessary remake of a pleasing 1970s comedy. Premise has ne'r-do-well coach Billy Bob attempt to get a misfit little league team into shape. If you haven't seen the Walter Matthau in the original you might like this one. (Warning: the kids do use naughty words to the limit of the PG-13 rating).
Gallipoli
(Australia
1981)
Director: Peter Weir
Release Date: 12/13/2005
Price: 14.98
MPAA Rating: PG
Mark Lee (Archie Hamilton),
Bill Kerr (Uncle Jack),
Harold Hopkins (Les McCann),
Charles Yunupingu (Zac),
Heath Harris (Stockman),
Ron Graham (Wallace Hamilton),
Gerda Nicolson (Rose Hamilton),
Mel Gibson (Frank Dunne),
Robert Grubb (Billy),
Tim McKenzie (Barney),
David Argue (Snowy),
Word War One has been largely neglected by the cinema, perhaps because All Quiet on the Western Front had said it all in 1930. Gallipoli cunningly mixes it's poignant war tale with a rivalry between two aspiring athletes. Beautifully shot and directed by Peter Weir this has to be one of my very favourite films. Very powerful. Very highly recommended.
Island
(USA
2005)
Director: Michael Bay
Release Date: 12/13/2005
Price: 29.99
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Ewan McGregor (Tom Lincoln),
Scarlett Johansson (Sarah Jordan),
Djimon Hounsou (Albert Laurent),
Sean Bean (Merrick),
Steve Buscemi (McCord),
Michael Clarke Duncan (Starkweather),
Razzle-dazzle effort from director Michael (The Rock) Bay concerns the flight for survival of two genetically engineered individuals. Clever, thought provoking and definitely action-packed - everything you'd want from a Summer blockbuster. Recommended.
Let Him Have It
(UK
1991)
Director: Peter Medak
Release Date: 12/13/2005
Price: 14.99
MPAA Rating: R
Eileen Atkins (Lilian Bentley),
Tom Bell (Fairfax),
Tom Courtenay (William Bentley),
Chris Eccleston (),
Michael Elphick (Prison Warden),
Ronald Fraser (),
Michael Gough (Lord Goddard),
Clare Holman (Iris Bentley),
Mark McGann (Niven Craig),
Murray Melvin (),
Clive Revill (),
The UK abandoned the death penalty in 1965, partly because of several controversial decisions such as those depicted in this movie. Worthy, well-acted drama, especially from always terrific Chris Eccleston. One of those preaching to the choir sort of things though.
Rock 'N' Roll High School
(USA
1979)
Director: Allan Arkush
Release Date: 12/13/2005
Price: 19.99
MPAA Rating: PG
P. J. Soles (Riff Randall),
Vincent Van Patten (Tom Roberts),
Clint Howard (Eaglebauer),
Dey Young (Kate Rambeau),
Mary Woronov (Miss Evelyn Togar),
Paul Bartel (Mr. McGree),
Dick Miller (Police Chief Klein),
Don Steele (Screamin' Steve Stevens),
Alix Elias (Coach Steroid),
Loren Lester (Fritz Hansel),
Lynn Farrell (Angel Dust),
Knowing Rock 'n' Roll film is one of the best, assuming you like the Ramones, since the Beatles popped up in A Hard Day's Night. P. J. Soles shines as the effervescent #1 fan.
Sin City
(USA
2005)
Director: Robert Rodriguez
Release Date: 12/13/2005
Price: 39.99
Jessica Alba (Nancy Callahan),
Devon Aoki (Miho),
Alexis Bledel (Becky),
Powers Boothe (Senator Roark),
Cara D. Briggs (Hearing Panel Person),
Jude Ciccolella (Liebowitz),
Jeffrey J. Dashnaw (Motorcycle Cop),
Rosario Dawson (Gail),
Jesse De Luna (Coporal Rivera),
Benicio Del Toro (Jackie Boy),
Jason Douglas (Hitman),
Comic book-meets-film-noir in a stylish violent fusion and with an all-star cast to boot! From the same sort of Tarantino mentality as Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs, which means, for me at least, that while impressive, this is a film I couldn't love. Extended version includes an extra 20 minutes and oodles of commentary tracks with Frank Miller, Rodriguez and Tarantino.
21 Hours at Munich
(USA
1976)
Director: William A. Graham
Release Date: 12/20/2005
Price: 19.94
MPAA Rating: NR
Screen Ratio: 1.33:1
William Holden (Manfred Schreiber),
Shirley Knight (Annaliese Graese),
Franco Nero (Issa),
Richard Basehart (Willy Brandt),
Anthony Quayle (General Zamir),
Noel Willman (Interior Minister Bruno Merk),
Georg Marischka (Hans Dietrich Genscher),
Paul L. Smith (Isreali Gutfreund),
Martin Gilat (Moshe Weinberger),
Else Quecke (Golda Meir),
Above average TV movie regarding the 1972 Munich Olympics terrorist attack. Will be interesting to compare this take on the matter to Steven Spielberg's Munich which debuts on the 23rd.
Brothers Grimm
(USA
2005)
Director: Terry Gilliam
Release Date: 12/20/2005
Price: 29.99
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Petr Ratimec (Young Will),
Barbara Lukesova (Mother Grimm),
Anna Rust (Sister Grimm),
Jeremy Robson (Young Jacob),
Matt Damon (Wilhelm Grimm),
Heath Ledger (Jacob Grimm),
Radim Kalvoda (Gendarme),
Martin Hofmann |
