Library

Languages: English, French

Subtitles: French, Spanish

Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround

Summary: The best way to enjoy this 1997 thriller is to forget the much better film that inspired it (1973's "The Day of the Jackal") and get whatever kicks you can from this heavy-metal remake. It's not bad as hokey thrillers go, but all of the original film's suspenseful finesse has been traded in (not traded up) for bigger, bolder action and nonsensical plotting. It's as if Hollywood had forgotten to create excitement without resorting to overblown action and heavy hardware, but there's ample compensation in the casting of Bruce Willis and Richard Gere. Willis is the elusive assassin known only as the Jackal, whose latest target (he uses a cannon-sized gun that's anything but inconspicuous) may be the first lady of the United States. Gere plays a former IRA terrorist who is recruited by the deputy head of the FBI (Sidney Poitier) to trace the Jackal's maneuvers, and Diane Venora offers some gutsy support as a Russian-born agent who assists Gere on his mission. The movie has fun turning Willis into a master of disguise, and Gere adds much-needed gravity to counter the plot's escalating absurdity, but this is the kind of film that falls apart if you think about it too much. Still, that doesn't stop the Collector's Edition DVD from offering an impressive array of bonus features, including a director's commentary, a "making of "The Jackal"" documentary, deleted scenes, an alternative ending, cast interviews, and more. "--Jeff Shannon"

Languages: English

Sound: Dolby

Summary: One of the most exciting live bands to emerge from Britain's new wave, the Jam are deservedly immortalized on this two-disc set. A visual record of the neo-mod group's prime years, "The Complete Jam" begins with 1977-1979 concert appearances on U.K. television and ends with a muscular, 1982 set originally broadcast on Granada's "The Tube". The Jam's topnotch musicianship, naked pop influences, and fierce cultural criticism (offset by a disarming whimsicality) are all here: "In the City," "All Around the World," "Beat Surrender," as well as vital covers (Curtis Mayfield's "Move On Up"). Rounding out the ragged but compelling live footage are creaky promotional films and music videos, all fun to see. The jewel here, though, is a 1980 concert at Newcastle City Hall, showcasing the Jam's incendiary, Who-like brilliance marrying power, passion, and sonic exploration. All the historical mystique of this band is here. "--Tom Keogh"

Languages: English, French, Spanish

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Sound: Dolby

Summary: In the vastly overrated 1998 book "Easy Riders, Raging Bulls", author Peter Biskind puts the blame for Hollywood's blockbuster mentality at least partially on Steven Spielberg's box-office success with this adaptation of Peter Benchley's bestselling novel. But you can't blame Spielberg for making a terrific movie, which "Jaws" definitely is. The story of a Long Island town whose summer tourist business is suddenly threatened by great-white-shark attacks on humans bypasses the potboiler trappings of Benchley's book and goes straight for the jugular with beautifully crafted, crowd-pleasing sequences of action and suspense supported by a trio of terrific performances by Roy Scheider (as the local sheriff), Richard Dreyfuss (as a shark specialist), and particularly Robert Shaw (as the old fisherman who offers to hunt the shark down). The sequences on Shaw's boat--as the three of them realize that in fact the shark is hunting "them"--are what entertaining moviemaking is all about. "--Marshall Fine"

Languages: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish

Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1

Summary: With sidesplitting dialogue and rampant profanity, "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back" reunites Kevin Smith's dynamic duo in supreme lowbrow style. It's the "fifth" comedy in Smith's celebrated New Jersey "trilogy." Here Quick-Stop potheads Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Smith) wreak vengeance on Hollywood, where Miramax is making a "Bluntman & Chronic" feature inspired by J. and S.B., but without their permission. En route from Jersey to La La Land, Jay and his "hetero life mate" encounter sexy jewel thieves (including the delightful Shannon Elizabeth), a precocious orangutan, a dimwit wildlife marshal (Will Ferrell), and a nonstop parade of in-jokes, harmless (yet controversial) gay jokes, and splendid celebrity cameos. While gently biting the Miramax hand that feeds him, and paying affectionate homage to the "Star Wars" saga, Smith sheds all inhibitions to give Jay and Silent Bob a stellar sendoff that's nasty, sassy, and undeniably hilarious. "--Jeff Shannon"

Languages: English, French, Spanish

Subtitles: Spanish

Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround

Summary: One of the best romantic comedies of the 1990s, this box-office hit cemented writer-director Cameron Crowe's reputation as "the voice of a generation." Crowe could probably do without that label, but he's definitely in sync with the times with this savvy story about a sports agent (Tom Cruise) whose fall from grace motivates his quest for professional recovery, and the slow-dawning realization that he needs the love and respect of the single mom (Renée Zellweger in her breakthrough role) who has supported him through the worst of times. This is one of Cruise's best, most underrated performances, and in an Oscar-winning role, Cuba Gooding Jr. plays the football star who remains Jerry Maguire's only loyal client on a hard road to redemption and personal growth. If that sounds touchy-feely, it is only because Crowe has combined sharp entertainment with a depth of character that is rarely found in mainstream comedy. "--Jeff Shannon"

Languages: English

Summary: Wrigleyville is transformed into Margaritaville as Jimmy Buffett, his band, and many thousands of his dancing, beer-guzzling, Hawaiian shirt-wearing, lei-draped fans invade the venerable Chicago baseball stadium for "Live at Wrigley Field Double Header". Held over Labor Day weekend, 2005, the concerts themselves (a daytime show occupies one disc, with a nighttime set on the second) are standard Buffett fare--i.e., another opportunity for the above-named "Parrotheads" to "pah-tay"--but as the singer-songwriter frequently observes, the venue is something special. Before Buffett arrived, concerts on the sacred ground known as "the friendly confines" were as rare as Cub victories in the World Series (the team's last world championship, in 1908, preceded the opening of Wrigley Field by some six years), and Buffett, a onetime Chicago resident and longtime Cubs fan, is clearly thrilled to be there. Musically, familiar titles like "Cheeseburger in Paradise," Why Don't We Get Drunk and Screw," and, of course, "Margaritaville" pretty much sum it up; those looking for depth would be as likely to find it on, say, a Paris Hilton record as here. Simply put, Jimmy Buffett don't play no blues, or lament lost love, or bemoan the state of the world; this is sun-soaked party music, no more and no less, and the folks eat it up. But the band (some 15 musicians, singers, and dancers) is right on it, and several moments during the first set evoke the loose-but-tight, slide guitar-driven feel of one of the great American groups, Little Feat (whose keyboardist, Bill Payne, is sitting in). And while Buffett is no one's idea of a world-class vocalist, his songs almost invariably include catchy choruses that everyone loves to sing along with, and his choice of covers includes Hank Williams' "Hey Good Lookin'," Van Morrison's "Brown Eyed Girl," Crosby, Stills & Nash's "Southern Cross," the Grateful Dead's "Scarlet Begonias," and Bruce Springsteen's "Glory Days" (found among the bonus materials). Film montages of Buffett living the good life help break up the visual monotony of a long (165 minutes) concert, and technically the shows look and sound terrific. And don't miss ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro's astonishing rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" (also found among the bonus stuff), which may be the highlight of the whole gig. "--Sam Graham"

Languages: English, French

Subtitles: English, French

Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround

Summary: Another of those cut-and-paste comedies from Adam Sandler's production company starring one of Sandler's erstwhile "Saturday Night Live" colleagues, "The Adventures of Joe Dirt" finds the magnificently caustic David Spade emasculated by a sentimental script and shapeless, haphazard cutting. Spade plays the title character, a white-trash orphan in search of the parents who abandoned him at the Grand Canyon. The humor is supposed to come from Joe's misadventures, his redneck gullibility, and his encounters with such figures as a serial killer, a wacked-out janitor (Christopher Walken), and a lovable gal (Jamie Pressly) who may, unfortunately, turn out to be his sister. But the squishier requirements of the story, requiring the audience to feel deeply for the pain of Spade's caricature, are an irritant and force Spade to veer from the nastier stuff he does so well. With Kid Rock, Dennis Miller. "--Tom Keogh"

Languages: English

Subtitles: English, French

Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1

Summary: Following the successful 1998 video release of "Cats" comes another Andrew Lloyd Webber blockbuster musical, "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat", and it's a savvy choice. It hasn't been represented on film before, it's short enough (78 minutes) to present without cuts, and it has the star power of former teen icon Donny Osmond, who played over 1,800 performances across North America. Rather than record a live performance, "Cats" director David Mallet conceived "Joseph" as a film, though one that is based strongly on codirector Steven Pimlott's 1991 London revival and relies more on camerawork than venturing beyond its stagelike sets.
Lloyd Webber's first project with lyricist Tim Rice was originally written in 1968 as a school cantata; accordingly, this film uses a framing sequence of a school recital, with an audience of clapping, singing kids and members of the faculty playing the roles. The Old Testament tale of Joseph and his coat of many colors gets a splashy, vigorous treatment with an energetic cast, Las Vegas-style glitz, and catchy, eclectic songs, including "Any Dream Will Do," "Close Every Door," the peppy "Go, Go, Go Joseph," and various bits of country, calypso, and Elvis. Osmond is perfect in the title role, with a strong voice and winning persona, while London stage veteran Maria Friedman performs well in the central role of the narrator. Richard Attenborough appears (and sings a little) as Jacob, and Joan Collins makes a brief, nonsinging cameo.
"Joseph" certainly isn't revolutionary musical theater, but if you view it as a kids' show, it's a silly good time (though there are poignant moments too). Parents should note, however, that this production might warrant a little discretion due to one suggestive scene and some risqué costumes. "--David Horiuchi"

Languages: English, French

Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1

Summary: "Oh my God, I'm a trend pimp!" cries rocker Josie McCoy (Rachel Leigh Cook) when she discovers that she and her best friends Melody (Tara Reid) and Val (Rosario Dawson)--collectively known as the Pussycats--have been recruited in a plot to brainwash America's youth into a frenzy of mindless consumerism. Unbeknownst to the Pussycats, subliminal messages in their chart-topping hit "Pretend to Be Nice" are forcing kids to follow the latest prefab trends as if their lives depended on it. Josie's going to be the Next Big Thing, and to her manager (Alan Cumming) and Megarecords mogul Fiona (Parker Posey), the other Pussycats are expendable baggage in their scheme to dictate the cool quotient of teenagers everywhere.
Shrewdly concocted by codirectors Harry Elfont and Deborah Kaplan, this wildly comedic update of the "Archie" comic book (and early-'70s cartoon show) is a deliriously entertaining assault on pop-cultural flotsam, with a disposable boy-band (aptly named "Du Jour") and cross-product marketing ploys that perpetuate blind conformity among gullible teens. Blatant product placements dominate virtually every colorful scene as "Josie" gamely embraces the cultural blight it claims to criticize, but this isn't Hollywood hypocrisy. Elfont and Kaplan willfully bite the hand that feeds them, and they're having loads of fun while advocating independent opinion. Cook and her pals are more honestly sexy than Britney Spears, and they make genuinely catchy music (although Cook's vocals were dubbed). It's pure fluff, but "Josie and the Pussycats" was conceived in such high spirits that it's hard to imagine how it could be improved. Even the obligatory end-credit outtakes are utterly irresistible. "--Jeff Shannon"

Languages: English, French

Subtitles: Spanish

Sound: Dolby

Summary: Jurassic Park
Steven Spielberg's 1993 mega-hit rivals "Jaws" as the most intense and frightening film he'd ever made prior to "Schindler's List", but it was also among his weakest stories. Based on Michael Crichton's novel about an island amusement park populated by cloned dinosaurs, the film works best as a thrill ride with none of the interesting human dynamics of Spielberg's "Jaws". That lapse proves unfortunate, but there's no shortage of raw terror as a rampaging T-rex and nasty raptors try to make fast food out of the cast. The effects are still astonishing (despite the fact that the computer-generated technology has since been improved upon) and at times primeval, such as the sight of a herd of whatever-they-are scampering through a valley. "--Tom Keogh"
The Lost World - Jurassic Park
In the low tradition of knockoff horror flicks best seen (or not seen) on a drive-in movie screen, Steven Spielberg's sequel to "Jurassic Park" is a poorly conceived, ill-organized film that lacks story and logic. Screenwriter David Koepp strings along a number of loose ideas while Jeff Goldblum returns as Ian Malcolm, the quirky chaos theoretician who now reluctantly agrees to go to another island where cloned dinosaurs are roaming freely. Along with his girlfriend (Julianne Moore) and daughter, Malcolm has to deal with hunters, environmentalists, and corporate swine who stupidly bring back a big dino to Southern California, where it runs amok, of course. Spielberg doesn't seem to care that the pieces of this project don't add up to a real movie, so he hams it up with big, scary moments (with none of the artfulness of those in "Jurassic Park") and smart-aleck visual gags (a yapping dog in a suburb mysteriously disappears when a hungry T-rex stomps by). A complete bust."--Tom Keogh"
Jurassic Park III
Surpassing expectations to qualify as an above-average sequel, "Jurassic Park III" is nothing more or less than a satisfying popcorn adventure. A little cheesier than the first two "Jurassic" blockbusters, it's a big B movie with big B-list stars (including Laura Dern, briefly reprising her "Jurassic Park" role), and eight years of advancing computer-generated-image technology give it a sharp edge over its predecessors. While adopting the jungle spirit of "King Kong", the movie refines Michael Crichton's original premise, and its dinosaurs are even more realistic, their behavior more detailed, and their variety--including flying pteranodons and a new villain, the spinosaurus--more dazzling and threatening than ever. These advancements justify the sequel, and its contrived plot is just clever enough to span 90 minutes without wearing out its welcome.
Posing as wealthy tourists, an adventurous couple (William H. Macy, Téa Leoni) convince paleontologist Alan Grant (Sam Neill) and his protégé (Allesandro Nivola) to act as tour guides on a flyover trip to Isla Sorna, the ill-fated "Site B" where all hell broke loose in "The Lost World: Jurassic Park". In truth, they're on a search-and-rescue mission to find their missing son (Trevor Morgan), and their plane crash is just the first of several enjoyably suspenseful sequences. Director Joe Johnston ("October Sky") embraces the formulaic plot as a series of atmospheric set pieces, placing new and familiar dinosaurs in misty rainforests, fiery lakes, and mysterious valleys, turning "JP3" into a thrill ride with impressive highlights (including a T. rex versus spinosaurus smack-down), adequate doses of wry humor (from the cowriters of "Election"), and an upbeat ending that's corny but appropriate, proving that the symptoms of sequelitis needn't be fatal. "--Jeff Shannon "