Library

Languages: English, Spanish, French

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Sound: AC-3

Summary: At his best, director John Woo turns action movies into ballets of blood and bullets grounded in character drama. "Face/Off" marks Woo's first American film to reach the pitched level of his best Hong Kong work ("Hard-Boiled"). He takes a patently absurd premise--hero and villain exchange identities by literally swapping faces in science-fiction plastic surgery--and creates a double-barreled revenge film driven by the split psyches of its newly redefined characters. FBI agent Sean Archer (John Travolta) must play the villain to move through the underworld while psychotic terrorist Castor Troy (Nicolas Cage) becomes a perversely paternal family man while using every tool at his disposal to destroy his nemesis. Travolta vamps Cage's tics and flamboyant excess with the grace of a dancer after his transformation from cop to criminal, while Cage plays the sullen, bottled-up agent excruciatingly trapped behind the face of the man who killed his son. His attempts to live up to the terrorist's reputation become cathartic explosions of violence that both thrill and terrify him. This is merely icing on the cake for action fans, the dramatic backbone for some of the most visceral action thrills ever. Woo fills the screen with one show-stopping set piece after another, bringing a poetic grace to the action freakout with sweeping camerawork and sophisticated editing. This marriage of melodrama and mayhem ups the ante from cops-and-robbers clichés to a conflict of near-mythic levels. "--Sean Axmaker"

Languages: English, Spanish

Subtitles: English

Sound: Dolby

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


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

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

Languages: English, Spanish, French

Sound: Dolby

Comments: Rise

Summary: "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer" is another entertaining romp for the Marvel-superhero franchise. Reed Richards, Mr. Fantastic (Ioan Gruffudd), is treading on thin ice when his fiancée, Sue Storm, the Invisible Woman (Jessica Alba), thinks he's more interested in a series of cosmic phenomena occurring around the earth than in the preparations for their upcoming wedding. Sorry, ladies, but Reed is right. The disturbances are caused by a surge of cosmic power from a mysterious being called the Silver Surfer (an all-CGI creation, modeled by Doug Jones and voiced by Laurence Fishburne), who not only zooms around the skies on his board, but also has enough power to fight the FF, sometimes by turning their own power against them, not only mixing up Sue and Reed, but also Johnny Storm, the Human Torch (Chris Evans), and Ben Grimm, the Thing (Michael Chiklis). But that's not the worst of it. The Surfer is only an opening act, a herald looking for planets that his master, Galactus, can consume for his sustenance.
With its initial installment, "Fantastic Four" established itself as the superhero franchise that didn't take itself too seriously, and that continues here. There are numerous moments of laugh-out-loud humor, and the most angst they suffer is whether Sue and Reed will ever be able to live a normal family life. (That, and whether they'll ever really get married, of course.) If "Fantastic Four" were a normal superhero franchise, the ending would be a knock-down drag-out war with Galactus, featuring the FF in a colossal battle for the planet Earth and the lives of everyone on it. "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer"… just doesn't do that, and we don't quite get the payoff we expected. Effects are dazzling, but the Surfer looks too metallic, more like a skyriding T-1000 robot. "--David Horiuchi"
View Stills from the Blu-Ray's Exclusive Games (Click for larger image):

Languages: English, French

Subtitles: English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Thai

Sound: Dolby

Summary: Ancient curses, all-powerful monsters, shape-changing assassins, scantily-clad stewardesses, laser battles, huge explosions, a perfect woman, a malcontent hero--what more can you ask of a big-budget science fiction movie? Luc Besson's high-octane film incorporates presidents, rock stars, and cab drivers into its peculiar plot, traversing worlds and encountering some pretty wild aliens. Bruce Willis stars as a down-and-out cabbie who must win the love of Leeloo (Milla Jovovich) to save Earth from destruction by Jean-Baptiste Emmanuel Zorg (Gary Oldman) and a dark, unearthly force that makes Darth Vader look like an Ewok. "--Geoff Riley"

Languages: English, French

Subtitles: Chinese, English, French, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish

Sound: AC-3

Summary: Earth is a desolate wasteland in "Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within". Humanity has been decimated by an invasion of Phantoms, insubstantial aliens that extract and devour the spirits of living things. The few remaining humans have retreated to a handful of cities that are protected by massive bio-energy shields. The beautiful Dr. Aki Ross (voiced by Ming-Na) and her mentor Dr. Sid (Donald Sutherland) have discovered that the energy signatures of eight key Earth spirits can cancel out and destroy the Phantoms. With the help of Captain Edwards (Alec Baldwin) and his band of marines, they must scour the globe for the last two remaining spirits before General Hein (James Woods) manipulates the refugee government into attacking the aliens with an orbital laser that may also destroy the Earth. Hironobu Sakaguchi's film is taken from the popular "Final Fantasy" video game franchise, which is particularly well suited to film adaptation with its series of original stories, but the movie features entirely new characters and settings. And like "Toy Story" and "Shrek, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within" is completely computer generated. Unlike those cartoon comedies, though, "The Spirits Within" is a serious science fiction drama with astonishingly human digital actors. Aki, the female lead, appeared in a full-page spread in Maxim magazine's Hot 100 list--and was indistinguishable from the real-life models. The setting and conflict make for incredible action, but it's the larger issues, character interaction, and human elements that really make the movie shine. "The Spirits Within" is not simply a science fiction movie, in the same way that "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" is not simply a kung fu flick. The result is a fantastic summer movie with better action and more emotion than "Pearl Harbor", and actors more lifelike than those in that other video game movie, "Tomb Raider. --Mike Fehlauer"

Languages: English, French, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish

Subtitles: English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Arabic, Korean, Japanese, Thai

Sound: AC-3

Summary: 1995 had already seen the box-office success of sword-wielding heroes in "Rob Roy" and "Braveheart" when along came this glossy revision of the Arthurian legend, in which Lady Guinevere (Julia Ormond) is torn between her love for the noble King Arthur (Sean Connery) and the passionate knight Sir Lancelot (Richard Gere). As the story opens, Guinevere's lands are under attack by the evil knight Malagant (Ben Cross), and she must choose between marriage to Arthur and the security of Camelot, or encouraging the affections of Lancelot, who has heroically rescued her from a potentially lethal attack. Anyone looking for meticulous medieval authenticity won't find it here, but director Jerry Zucker ("Ghost") keeps the action moving with exuberant spirit and glorious production values. Even if you don't completely believe Richard Gere as a somewhat too-contemporary Lancelot, the performances of Ormond and especially Connery are effortlessly appealing. "--Jeff Shannon"

Languages: English, French

Subtitles: English, Spanish, French

Sound: AC-3

Summary: Thematically ambitious and emotionally complex, Clint Eastwood's "Flags of Our Fathers" is an intimate epic with much to say about war and the nature of heroism in America. Based on the non-fiction bestseller by James Bradley (with Ron Powers), and adapted by "Million Dollar Baby" screenwriter Paul Haggis ("Jarhead" screenwriter William Broyles Jr. wrote an earlier draft that was abandoned when Eastwood signed on to direct), this isn't so much a conventional war movie as it is a thought-provoking meditation on our collective need for heroes, even at the expense of those we deem heroic. In telling the story of the six men (five Marines, one Navy medic) who raised the American flag of victory on the battle-ravaged Japanese island of Iwo Jima on February 23rd, 1945, Eastwood takes us deep into the horror of war (in painstakingly authentic Iwo Jima battle scenes) while emphasizing how three of the surviving flag-raisers (played by Adam Beach, Ryan Phillippe, and Jesse Bradford) became reluctant celebrities – and resentful pawns in a wartime publicity campaign – after their flag-raising was immortalized by Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal in the most famous photograph in military history.
As the surviving flag-raisers reluctantly play their public roles as "the heroes of Iwo Jima" during an exhausting (but clearly necessary) wartime bond rally tour, "Flags of Our Fathers" evolves into a pointed study of battlefield valor and misplaced idolatry, incorporating subtle comment on the bogus nature of celebrity, the trauma of battle, and the true meaning of heroism in wartime. Wisely avoiding any direct parallels to contemporary history, Eastwood allows us to draw our own conclusions about the Iwo Jima flag-raisers and how their postwar histories (both noble and tragic) simultaneously illustrate the hazards of exploited celebrity and society's genuine need for admirable role models during times of national crisis. "Flags of Our Fathers" defies the expectations of those seeking a more straightforward war-action drama, but it's richly satisfying, impeccably crafted film that manages to be genuinely patriotic (in celebrating the camaraderie of soldiers in battle) while dramatizing the ultimate futility of war. Eastwood's follow-up film, "Letters from Iwo Jima", examines the Iwo Jima conflict from the Japanese perspective. "--Jeff Shannon"

Beyond "Flags of Our Fathers"
Other World War II DVDs
Essential DVDs by Director Clint Eastwood
"Flags of Our Fathers" by James Bradley Stills from "Flags of Our Fathers" (click for larger image)

Languages: English, Spanish, French

Subtitles: English, Spanish, French

Sound: Dolby

Summary: As superfluous remakes go, "Flight of the Phoenix" could've been better, and could've been worse. It's a passable popcorn adventure, especially for those unfamiliar with the 1965 original, which starred James Stewart, made headlines for the crash-landing death of stunt-pilot Paul Mantz, and now stands as a minor classic of its era. This flashy remake stars Dennis Quaid in Stewart's role, adds a woman to the list of plane-crash survivors, and showcases Giovanni Ribisi, who gives a cleverly eccentric performance as the model-airplane designer who proposes to rebuild a crashed cargo plane into a single-engine escape from certain death in the remote Gobi desert. Both films are essentially identical, but this remake is somehow less believable (due to shortcuts in a haphazardly written screenplay) and much more spectacular, owing to the advantage of impressive special effects. Otherwise it's a routine dose of survivalist entertainment from the director of "Behind Enemy Lines", never convincing enough to be genuinely compelling, but certainly never boring. "--Jeff Shannon"

Languages: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish

Sound: DTS

Comments: Inspired by a true story

Summary:

Languages: English, French, Spanish

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Sound: AC-3

Summary: The "gold" of the title refers to an elusive pirate's booty, but it just as easily could mean the sun-washed glistening shores of Florida, or the sumptuously tanned bodies of its appealing stars, Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey. The whole film is awash in golden highlights, and the scenery and cinematography make the experience akin to taking a tropical holiday. Hudson and McConaughey reprise the chemistry they first exhibited in "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days", sparking and tangling and kvetching, while all the while the audience knows, of course, they adore each other and are perfect for each other. McConaughey is a dreamer, on the trail of a sunken pirate's treasure, and Hudson his now-ex-wife, a historian who prefers life to be a little more sedate. McConaughey, as Finn, delivers impassioned speeches to Hudson, as Tess, saying, "You want history? It's in the ocean, lady!" Before you can say "Romancing the Stone", Tess and Finn are grudgingly reunited in search of the booty. If the plot doesn't contain many surprises, the froth of the stars' chemistry is amiable and makes for a perfect date movie. Scuba divers may find McConaughey's antics below the surface to be wildly unbelievable and usually fatal, but in the end viewers will root for him to surface, and recapture the heart of his lady love. --"A.T. Hurley"

Languages: English

Subtitles: English

Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1

Comments: Bond Has Everything - James Bond Agent 007 Is Back

Summary: After disposing of a familiar looking face, Bond is sent to recover a communication device, known as an ATAC, which went down with a British Spy ship as it sunk. Bond must hurry though, as the Russians are also out for this device. On his travels, he also meets Melina Havelock, whose parents were brutally murdered. Bond also encounters both Aristotle Kristatos and Milos Colombo. Each of them are accusing the other of having links with with the Russian's. Bond must team up with Melina, solve who the true ally is and find the ATAC before it's too late.

Languages: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish

Sound: AC-3

Summary: Getting martial-arts superstars Jet Li and Jackie Chan together in the same action film is like a fantasy come true, even if "The Forbidden Kingdom" is more of a children's movie than an instant kung-fu classic. Yes, Li and Chan square off in a lengthy, acrobatic fight scene that is a lot of fun, though it can't be what such a scene might have been even a decade ago: careful editing now compensates for the 54-year-old Chan's slower moves and reflexes. Still, Chan doesn't disappoint as Lu Yan, a drunken immortal in ancient China who mentors a modern-day American kid, Jason (Michael Angarano), the latter having slipped into the past while in possession of a magical staff that belongs to the imprisoned Monkey King (Li). In order to get back to his own time and help an old friend (also Chan) wounded by thugs, Jason accompanies Lu Yan and a lovely warrior, Golden Sparrow (Liu Yifei), on a journey to return the staff. Along the way, a (mostly) silent monk (Li, again), who has spent his life in search of the staff, joins their mission. He helps Lu Yan train Jason in fighting and adding more muscle to the party as it comes under siege from a violent witch (Li Bing Bing) and pathological warlord (Collin Chou). Screenwriter John Fusco "(Hidalgo)" and director Rob Minkoff "(The Haunted Mansion) " have made a slightly chintzy, Western version of a Chinese swords-and-sorcery tale. The gravity-defying, flying-through-the-air-while-fighting choreography looks pretty choppy and graceless compared to, say, the martial arts films of Zhang Yimou. But "The Forbidden Kingdom" is really aimed at kids, not aficionados of epic fight movies. On that score, the movie aims to please and does so for the right audience. -- "Tom Keogh"

Beyond "The Forbidden Kingdom" on DVD
"The Forbidden Kingdom" Soundtrack
Stills from "The Forbidden Kingdom" (click for larger image)

Languages: English, French

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Sound: AC-3

Comments: What If You Could Live Forever?

Summary: I had to write a review after seeing what's already here. The Fountain might be the best movie I've seen. It is both visually stunning and has a very powerful message. It is a cohesive film, but it takes a bit of effort to get into. I was still thinking about it for days after I saw it. If you don't like things on the abstract side, and are looking for easy entertainment, don't see this film. If you're after something a bit more cerebral and artful, give it a try, it is extremely rewarding.

Languages: English

Summary: This is the beginning of a beautiful friendship. As its ratings following the tragic events of September 11, 2001, illustrated, "Friends" has matured into television's most beloved comfort show. The peerless ensemble--Jennifer Aniston, a pre-Arquette Courtney Cox, Emmy winner Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, and David Schwimmer--makes a lasting first impression in the first season's 24 episodes, which are presented chronologically on four discs. The perky "Pilot" introduces unlucky-in-love Monica, runaway bride Rachel, sad sack Ross, New Age ditz Phoebe, wise guy Chandler, and womanizer Joey. The focus of the first season is Ross's unrequited love for Rachel, but we have these moments to remember: the arrival of Marcel the monkey ("The One with the Monkey"); Monica, Rachel, and Phoebe's "cleansing ritual" ("The One with the Candy Hearts"); the escalating game of shower peek-a-boo ("The One with the Boobies"); Joey as Al Pacino's butt double ("The One with the Butt"); Ross taking lessons from Joey in how to "talk dirty" ("The One with the Stoned Guy"); former "Must-See TV" stars Helen Hunt and George Clooney ("The One with Two Parts"); and Chandler spilling the beans to Rachel about Ross's feelings for her ("The One Where Rachel Finds Out"). Though its devoted fans can recite these episodes chapter and verse, "Friends" maintains its sparkle through repeat viewings, a testament to the sharp writing as well as the cast's lightning-in-a-bottle chemistry and lived-in performances. The episodes are presented uncut and extended, with previously unseen dialogue and scenes. And those who hate "Friends" and would like to drown the characters in the opening credits' fountain are directed to the episode "The One with the Boobies," in which guest star Fisher Stevens hilariously nails the "dysfunctional group dynamic ... co-dependent, emotionally stunted, sitting in your stupid coffeehouse and you're all like, 'Define me, define me.'" "--Donald Liebenson"

Languages: English, Spanish

Summary: Stunt casting stumbles (Jean-Claude Van Damme, Charlie Sheen) aside, it was a very good year for this beloved series, ranked by "TV Guide" as among the top 25 of all time. With the bar set so high from the first season, a sophomore slump could be expected, but, apart from a game Julia Roberts, only the hour-long episode raised the question whether success would spoil "Friends". (This episode, "The One After the Super Bowl," convinced some misguided NBC executive that guest star Brooke Shields could carry her own series!) Ross (David Schwimmer) and Rachel (an Emmy-worthy Jennifer Aniston) were the engine that drove the season and produced some of the series' most monumental episodes, including "The One with Ross' New Girlfriend," "The One Where Ross Finds Out" (with R & R's first kiss), "The One with the List," "The One with the Prom Video," and "The One Where Ross and Rachel... You Know." But this was not the only significant story arc.
Enter--and, in the bittersweet season finale, exit--Tom Selleck as Dr. Richard Burke, the family friend ("He's like a brother to... Dad," notes a disapproving Ross) who becomes Monica's (Courtney Cox) lover. Joey (Matt LeBlanc) finds success (albeit short-lived) as Dr. Drake Ramoray on "Days of Our Lives" and moves out ("We're not Bert and Ernie," he tells roommate Chandler). Future Emmy winner Lisa Kudrow's best season is to come, but, as Phoebe, she makes the most of some memorable subplots, including her shocked discovery of sad movie endings she had been shielded from ("The One Where Old Yeller Dies"), her dispute with Ross over evolution ("The One Where Heckles Dies"), and her channeling of an elderly woman who died on her massage table ("The One with the Lesbian Wedding"). Praise is due unsung hero Lauren Tom, so charming and sweet in the thankless role as Julie, the Girl Who Comes Between Ross and Rachel. Adam Goldberg also makes an indelible impression in his three-episode stint as Chandler's new "psycho" roommate. Notable omissions from this set include chapter stops for each episode, and uh, ahem, hel-LOH, how about commentary from the cast? "--Donald Liebenson"

Languages: English

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Sound: Dolby

Summary: I can't believe that they are supposedly making a clean version of season 3! To clean up friends would be to take away from this wonderful show.

Languages: English

Subtitles: Cantonese, English, French, Korean, Spanish

Sound: Dolby

Summary: "Friends"' fourth season, one of the very best and most consistently satisfying, begins with Chandler urinating on Monica's leg to relieve a jellyfish sting. It ends with the two in bed and in lust. In between are several benchmark episodes and rich, character-enriching plot developments that keep this series from coasting on comfort level. Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) agrees to become a surrogate mother for her long-lost brother (Giovanni Ribisi). Chandler (Matthew Perry) "crosses the line" after falling in love with Joey's girlfriend, and is forced to spend one memorable Thanksgiving in a box. Rachel (Jennifer Aniston in what should have been her Emmy year) desperately pursues the recently divorced Joshua (then real-life squeeze Tate Donovan). Joey (Matt LeBlanc) and Chandler trade spaces with Monica (Courtney Cox) and Rachel, and then, with provocative (albeit offscreen) sapphic compensation, return to their humble abode. And Ross meets the warm and wonderful Emily (Helen Baxendale), setting the stage for a London wedding and classic season finale that revitalizes our rooting interest in the whole Ross and Rachel thing. Especially jolly good in this two-parter are the scene-stealing British character actors, including Hugh Laurie as the unfortunate airline passenger seated next to Rachel as she wings toward London to tell Ross she loves him ("And by the way, it seems to be perfectly clear that you were on a break," he tries to reason with her), and Tom Conti and an absolutely fabulous Jennifer Saunders as Emily's squabbling parents. As "Friends" winds down, it is a pleasure to return to one of its glory years. "--Donald Liebenson"

Languages: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish, French

Sound: Dolby

Summary: Divorce number 2 is immediately on the cards as the fifth season opens with "The One After Ross Says Rachel." As of this point, Ross's character undergoes some extreme personality changes (which apparently lost David Schwimmer many female fans). His incessant whining drives all the Friends to distraction, especially in "The One Where Ross Moves In" with Chandler (Matthew Perry) and Joey (Matt LeBlanc). Later things get uncomfortable both at work and at home when he goes through a period of rage ("The One with Ross's Sandwich"). While all this downplays his failed relationship with Rachel (Jennifer Aniston), the real idea is to allow focus on the secret pairing of Chandler and Monica (Courteney Cox) after a night of passion in London. This made for a return to the show's appealingly silly atmosphere as poor Joey is caught in the middle of everyone's secrets. Building to "The One Where Everybody Finds Out," the silliness pauses for some genuinely touching interplay between Perry and Cox. The previous year's semi-serious thread about Phoebe's (Lisa Kudrow) birth gets forgotten fast: to distract the viewer she's introduced to Gary (Michael Rapaport) in "The One with the Cop." This leads to some hilarious parodying with Phoebe interrogated about apartment hunting, and the guys excited and then scared in "The One with the Ride-Along." She's more than over him by the time of the two-part finale, "The One in Vegas," though, especially since she missed out on London. Just in case fans thought Chandler and Monica had permanently stolen the spotlight, a cliffhanger shocks expectation again with Ross and Rachel bursting out of a chapel.... "--Paul Tonks"

Languages: Portuguese

Subtitles: English, Spanish, French

Sound: Dolby

Summary: Between "Friends"' fifth and sixth seasons, Courteney Cox and David Arquette were married, leading to "The One After Vegas" adding "Arquette" after everyone's title credits. Unfortunately, on-screen it's divorce time again despite "The One When Ross Hugs Rachel," since he secretly tries avoiding an annulment of their accidental marriage. Far more out in the open is Chandler (Matthew Perry) and Monica's (Cox) relationship. Moving in together creates lots of fun as the others move back and forth into each other's apartments. It also leads to Joey (Matt LeBlanc) finally showing a tender side toward temporary roommate Janine (Elle Macpherson). By now his chat-up catchphrase "How you doin'?" had caught on, but he needed to fall for someone. He kept the fun alive all year, pretending to have a Porsche, starting work on the show "Mac and C.H.E.E.S.E.", and falling for Chandler's (Matthew Perry) card game Cups in the excellent "The One with the Last Night" (one of many directed by David Schwimmer).
More fun came from Ross (Schwimmer) trying to teach everyone the mental discipline Unagi, popping ridiculous moves with Monica for their childhood dance routine and having a fluorescently dazzling smile in "The One with Ross's Teeth" (also featuring a near-silent cameo from Ralph Lauren). Far more talkative was Reese Witherspoon as Rachel's (Jennifer Aniston) sister--another temptation for Ross. What they briefly had wasn't as complicated as later in "The One Where Ross Meets Elizabeth's Dad," who turns out to be an Emmy-winning Bruce Willis (thanks to having become friends with Perry during "The Whole Nine Yards"). The fans' need for love interest and continuity had established the seasons' format now. Another two-part finale offers jeopardy--then resolution--from Tom Selleck's Richard in "The One with the Proposal" between Chandler and Monica. "--Paul Tonks"

Languages: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish, French

Sound: Dolby Digital 5.0

Summary: Lots happened behind the scenes between seasons and early on in the seventh year of "Friends", leaving audiences speculating this might be the last. Matthew Perry became seriously ill again, and returned looking more emaciated than ever. Courtney Cox regained weight, but despite finishing "Scream 3" happily, things were already rocky with David Arquette. Much was made in the press about Aniston marrying Brad Pitt, of course, but the real news (allaying fans' fears) was NBC's expensive renewal of the cast for two years at $750,000 per episode each (more than six times their previous increase). On-screen, at least there was Chandler and Monica's engagement lasting the whole year, despite predictable ups and downs (e.g., "The One with the Truth About London" revealing that Monica fancied Joey). By the time we finally get to "The One with Chandler's Dad" (Kathleen Turner!), it seems inevitable that the two-part finale will be an insane mess--but with a happy-ish ending. Sure enough, "The One with Monica and Chandler's Wedding" features Gary Oldman joining in the chaos as Chandler repeatedly goes missing.
Other star turns in the year were "Seinfeld"'s Jason Alexander as a suicidal office manager, Susan Sarandon as soap queen bitch Jessica Lockhart, Denise Richards as one of Ross and Monica's endless number of cousins, and Winona Ryder as a surprise old friend, prompting "The One with Rachel's Big Kiss." But perhaps the most telling installment of this weirdly atmospheric year was "The One Where They All Turn Thirty." It suggested that maybe the Friends were all getting too old to carry on living their frivolous lives the same way after all. "--Paul Tonks"

Languages: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish, French

Sound: Dolby

Summary: The eighth season of "Friends" picks up just moments after Monica and Chandler said, "I do." But the focus of this season is firmly on Rachel's pregnancy, as the story progresses from fatherhood revelations in "The One with the Red Sweater" and "The One Where Rachel Tells..." toward complicated new feelings for Rachel, Ross, and Joey, culminating in the maternity ward two-parter "The One Where Rachel Has a Baby." But it's not all Rachel's pregnancy story. Standalone highlights include "The One with the Rumor" in which the "We Hate Rachel" club started in high school by Ross and a certain Mr. Jennifer Aniston (an uncredited Brad Pitt) is revealed; while "The One with Monica's Boots" has Monica and Chandler arguing over finances when Phoebe and Ross are arguing over the attentions of Sting's wife, Trudie Styler (cameoing as herself). Relationship complications fall upon Phoebe as "The One with the Tea Leaves" hooks her up with a stellar cameo from Alec Baldwin. "The One with Joey's Interview" has Matt LeBlanc in top form preparing to be interviewed by "Soap Opera Digest". But time starts to tick faster for everyone in "The One Where Rachel Is Late," as Joey's WWI movie finally arrives, but is overshadowed by the wait for Rachel's overdue arrival. Naturally it's all build-up to the cliffhanger finale and a final emotional surprise. "--Paul Tonks"

Languages: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish, French

Sound: Dolby

Summary: "Friends"' penultimate season could well be called "The One with All the Romantic Arcs." Phoebe meets Mike (Paul Rudd virtually joining the ensemble). Rachel attempts to "move on" from Ross with a rival co-worker (guest star Dermot Mulroney). Ross meets Charley (Aisha Tyler, welcome colorblind casting), a paleontologist with an intimidating roster of Nobel Prize-winners in her dating history (so, of course, she hooks up with Joey). Other storylines, including Chandler's transfer to Tulsa and Rachel's sudden lust for Joey, are not as compelling as previous seasons', and an indication that inspiration is flagging. But while one is hard-pressed to add any of these episodes to the "Friends" pantheon, what redeems the season are the grace notes: Phoebe channeling a New England WASP to impress Mike's parents ("The One with Ross's Inappropriate Song") or playing naughty girl to Ross's "daddy" ("The One with the Lottery"); Joey's confession that he doesn't get it when people punctuate the air with finger quotes ("The One Where Emma Cries"); and Chandler's discomfort (and ultimate revenge) as an audience member at a ranting feminist's one-woman show ("The One with the Soap Opera Party").
On the guest star front, "Friends" welcomes back Jon Lovitz, who reprises his character from the classic first-season episode, "The One with the Stoned Guy" in "The One with the Blind Dates," and Hank Azaria as David the "Science Guy" who returns to complicate Phoebe's love life. Christina Applegate is a riot as "Rachel's Other Sister," and it's surprising that NBC didn't go all "Suddenly Susan" on Freddie Prinz Jr. after his surprisingly funny stint in "The One with the Male Nanny." Selma Blair is a seductive co-worker who makes a play for Chandler in "The One with Christmas in Tulsa," and Jeff Goldblum portrays a master thespian who mistakes Joey's urge to urinate as method acting. For "Friends" fanatics, it's a coup to get the episodes complete and uncut as opposed to their commercial-laden syndicated counterparts. For more casual viewers, let's just say of this comparatively lackluster season (by "Friends"' own gold standards) that the show was on a break. "--Donald Liebenson"

Languages: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish, French

Sound: Dolby Digital 5.0

Summary: Throughout its phenomenal run, "Friends" demonstrated that familiarity doesn't always breed contempt. But isn't it nice that even after 10 years, we could still learn something new about these intimately observed characters? Tidbits revealed in the episode "The One Where the Stripper Cries": Ross (David Schwimmer) and Monica (Courtney Cox Arquette) used to entertain at family gatherings as Donny and Marie; ("Oh God, that's right," remembers Rachel. "I blocked that out.") and Chandler (Matthew Perry) kissed Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) at a college party in the 1980s.
See the 10 or more seasons club. The best was saved for "The Last One": At one time, Ross (David Schwimmer) pursued being a professional dancer ("Do you realize we almost made it 10 years without that coming up?," he remarks).
"Friends"' tenth season is all about life changes and closure. Monica and Chandler buy a house and make plans to adopt. Once New Age free spirit Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) gets married. Rachel is offered a job in Paris, prompting Ross to finally proclaim his love. View clips and vote for your favorite "Friends" moment. Two of "Friends"'s most invaluable players are granted worthy send-offs. Janice (Maggie Wheeler) resurfaces as a prospective homebuyer in the house next door to Monica and Chandler in "The One Where Estelle Dies," and Central Perk fixture Gunther (James Michael Tyler) at last professes his adoration of Rachel in "The Last One." Christina Applegate makes a welcome return in "The One Where Rachel's Sister Babysits" and Danny DeVito is the unlikely and very temperamental stripper in "The One Where the Stripper Cries." Just friends? See our guide to who kissed whom on "Friends". Greg Kinnear is at his smarmy best as Ross's new girlfriend's Nobel-prize-winning ex-boyfriend in "The One with Ross' Grant." Dakota Fanning has a sweet scene with Joey (Matt LeBlanc) in "The One with Princess Consuela" and Anna Faris joins Paul Rudd (Phoebe's husband Mike, a.k.a. Crap Bag in "Princess Consuela") as a recurring cast member in "The One with the Birth Mother."
"Friends"' final season quickly recovers from the Joey-Rachel misstep to find its consistent and satisfying groove. As each Friend turns in their key to the apartment each had shared at one time or another over the past 10 years in "The Last One," could "Friends" end on a happier or more poignant note? This final addition to the "Friends" DVD library, too, rises to the momentous occasion with a more generous package of features, including a lengthy gag reel and reflections from the ensemble. "--Donald Liebenson"
They'll Be There For You

"Friends - The One With All Ten Seasons"

"Friends: The Official Trivia Guide"
(book)
"Friends: The One With All the Trivia"
(video game)
"Friends 'Til the End: The Official Celebration of All Ten Years"
(book)
"Friends"
(soundtrack)
"Friends Again"
(soundtrack)

Languages: English

Sound: DTS

Comments: Evil has a new address...

Summary: Heavy on atmosphere and light on everything else, "From Hell" is visually impressive while lacking the depth of the acclaimed graphic novel it's based upon. Making their third feature since 1993's "Menace II Society", twins Allen and Albert Hughes approach the Jack the Ripper case with physical precision, re-creating the gritty Whitechapel district of 1888 London in meticulous detail. What they've forgotten is the sheer terror that gripped Whitechapel in the wake of the Ripper's slaying of five prostitutes, investigated here by a Scotland Yard sleuth (Johnny Depp) who uses opium, laudanum, and absinthe to fuel his semiprescient visions of the slayings. Heather Graham attempts a slippery Cockney accent as a would-be victim, while Ian Holm steals the show as a has-been surgeon with devilish delusions of grandeur. Violence is obliquely suggested or briefly graphic, but no matter how you cut it, "From Hell" is only marginally thrilling as it treads familiar territory. "--Jeff Shannon"

Languages: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish, French

Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1

Comments: The world's masters of murder pull out all the stops to destroy Agent 007!

Summary: James Bond 007 is on the search for a Russian decoding machine, known as Lektor. Bond needs to find this machine, before the evil SPECTRE organization discovers it first. Whilst being romantically linked with Russian girl, Tatiana Romanova, Bond sneaks his way around Istanbul, whilst each SPECTRE agent tries to pick him off, including the over powering Donald 'Red' Grant and ex-KGB agent Rosa Klebb who knows all the tricks in the books and even possesses an incredible poison tipped shoe!