Barry Levinson (Wag the Dog) directed this comedy-drama about an Armed Forces Radio disc jockey (Robin Williams) whose manic, hilarious delivery from a studio in 1965 Saigon gives U.S. troops in the field a morale boost (while upsetting military brass). Based on the real-life experiences of deejay Adrian Cronauer, the film is actually more concept than story: put Williams in front of a microphone and let him go nuts. Still, the surrounding stuff about the influence upon Cronauer of the endless deaths among his listeners—as Cronauer tries to stay funny while feeling the mounting losses—is affecting. Williams got a much-deserved Oscar nomination for his work. —Tom Keogh

A Christmas Storyis on its way to becoming an annual holiday classic, one to keep on the shelf with It's a Wonderful Life, the puppet-animated Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and A Charlie Brown Christmas. It may have been directed by Bob Clark (responsible for the Porky'spictures), but it's based on the childhood memoirs of humorist Jean Shepherd (from his hilarious book In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash). And it is Shepherd's wry, deadly accurate, and gently nostalgic comic sensibility that shines through in this kid's-eye view of an all-American Christmas in the 1940s. All little Ralphie (Peter Billingsley) wants under the tree on Christmas morning is a Daisy Brand Red-Ryder BB rifle. He not only wants it, he's consumed with an aching desire for it. Unfortunately, his mother (Melinda Dillon) repeatedly crushes his dreams with the familiar, harsh mantra: "You'll shoot your eye out!" Among the movie's highlights are a surrealistic visit with little brother Randy to a department store Santa, and the childlike mixture of delight, pride, and awe with which Ralphie's dad (Darren McGavin) takes possession of a spectacularly gaudy prize he's won in a radio contest. McGavin should have won an award for his splendid comic work as a middle-aged-kid-turned-patriarch who alternates between grown-up temper tantrums and unabashed juvenile joy. —Jim Emerson

Made in 1964 merely to take advantage of widespread Beatlemania in England, A Hard Day's Nightwas quickly recognized as a brilliant piece of filmmaking. This two-disc collector's edition backs up that judgement. Thanks in no small part to director Richard Lester's genius, the movie's as fresh and innovative today as it seemed upon release, with sharp writing from Alun Owen, hilarious gags, and excellent acting from non-Beatles and Beatles alike. The music's not bad either. The film's all the more remarkable for being shot quickly on a modest budget.

The production of this collector's edition DVD set probably cost as much as the movie itself back in 1964. More than just a fully enhanced digital version of A Hard Day's Night, it features extensive interviews with practically anyone still living who worked on the movie, from child actor David Janson to United Artists studio executive David Picker. More than two hours of material provide fascinating perspective on the making of the movie and the aura surrounding it. The thoroughness of the bonus material further expands the legend of this clever little film and provides insight as to what life was like for the Beatles during this exciting time. —Adem Tepedelen

After the critical success of 1993's The Secret Garden, Warner Bros returned to the novels of Frances Hodgson Burnett to create this 1995 adaptation of A Little Princess, which instantly ranked with The Secret Gardenas one of the finest children's films of the 1990s. Neither film was a huge box-office success, but their quality speaks for itself, and A Little Princesshas all the ingredients of a timeless classic. A marvel of production design, the film features lavish sets built almost entirely on a studio backlot in Burbank, California. The story opens in New York just before the outbreak of World War I, when young Sara (Liesel Matthews) is enrolled in private boarding school while her father goes off to war. Under the domineering scrutiny of the school's wicked headmistress, Miss Minchen (Eleanor Bron), Sara quickly becomes popular with her schoolmates, but fate intervenes and she soon faces a stern reversal of fortune, resorting to wild flights of fancy to cope with an unexpectedly harsh reality. Rather than label her fanciful tales as escapist fantasy, A Little Princessactively encourages a child's power of imagination—a power that can be used to learn, grow, and adapt to a world that is often cruel and difficult. It's also one of the most visually beautiful films of the 90s and creates a fully detailed world within the boarding school—a place where imagination is vital to survival. A first-class production in every respect, this is one family film that should (if it's not too stuffy to say it) be considered required viewing for parents and kids alike. —Jeff Shannon

A perfect movie for the digital age, A.I.finds a natural home on DVD. The purity of the picture, its carefully composed color schemes, and the multifarious sound effects are accorded the pinpoint sharpness they deserve with the anamorphic 1.85:1 picture and DTS and Dolby Digital 5.1 sound, as is John Williams's thoughtful music score. On the first disc there's a short (12 minutes) yet revealing documentary, "Creating A.I.," but the meat of the extras appears on disc 2. Here there are interesting, well-made featurettes on acting, set design, costumes, lighting, sound design, music, and various aspects of the special effects: Stan Winston's remarkable robots (including Teddy, of course) and ILM's flawless CGI work. In addition, there are storyboards, photographs, and trailers. Finally, Steven Spielberg provides some rather sententious closing remarks ("I think that we have to be very careful about how we as a species use our genius"), but no director's commentary. —Mark Walker

You know that old dramatic principle of suspension of disbelief? You'll have to rely on it for this box-office smash, but you won't be disappointed. Harrison Ford plays a U.S. president who single-handedly employs his rigid antiterrorism policy when a band of Russian thugs hatch a mid-flight takeover of Air Force One. Gary Oldman, who chews the scenery as the lead terrorist, will shoot a hostage at the slightest provocation. Glenn Close plays the sternly pragmatic vice president who negotiates with Oldman from her Washington seat of power. If you can believe that the aircraft's pressurized cabin can sustain hundreds of rounds of machine-gun fire, you'll buy anything in this entertaining potboiler, especially thanks to Ford's stalwart heroics and some nifty special effects. Director Wolfgang Petersen (Das Boot) keeps the action moving so fast you won't be sweating the details. Don't forget your parachute! —Jeff Shannon

The satirical sensibilities of writer Peter Shaffer and director Milos Forman (One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest) were ideally matched in this Oscar-winning movie adaptation of Shaffer's hit play about the rivalry between two composers in the court of Austrian Emperor Joseph II—official royal composer Antonio Salieri (F. Murray Abraham), and the younger but superior prodigy Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Tom Hulce). The conceit is absolutely delicious: Salieri secretly loathes Mozart's crude and bratty personality but is astounded by the beauty of his music. That's the heart of Salieri's torment—although he's in a unique position to recognise and cultivate both Mozart's talent and career, he's also consumed with envy and insecurity in the face of such genius. That such magnificent music should come from such a vulgar little creature strikes Salieri as one of God's cruellest jokes, and it drives him insane. Amadeus creates peculiar and delightful contrasts between the impeccably re-created details of its lavish period setting and the jarring (but humorously refreshing and unstuffy) modern tone of its dialogue and performances—all of which serve to remind us that these were people before they became enshrined in historical and artistic legend. Jeffrey Jones, best-known as Ferris Bueller's principal, is particularly wonderful as the bumbling emperor (with the voice of a modern mid-level businessman). The film's eight Oscars include statuettes for Best Director Forman, Best Actor Abraham (Hulce was also nominated), Best Screenplay and Best Picture. —Jim Emerson

Note: this region two DVD is a "flipper" with a break between sides A and B.

Whether American Dad!will ever enjoy Family Guy's cult status remains to be seen, but the first 13 episodes of its inaugural season, collected in this extras-laden three-disc set, are promising. After a few episodes, CIA agent Stan Smith and family gradually emerge from the Griffins' formidable shadow, and the show finds its own comic voice. And it sounds a lot like Paul Lynde. That would be Roger (voiced by McFarlane), the housebound alien who saved Stan's life at Area 51 and now lives with the Smiths. Not as inspired a creation is Klaus, the German-accented goldfish who lusts after Stan's wife, Francine. He does, though, have an inspired meta-moment in the episode "Bullocks to Stan," in which he provides faux scene-specific commentary (during the episode!) in anticipation of the show's release on DVD ("I wasn't sure about the Squeaky Fromme reference," he offers, "but it's a smart joke, and the fans have come to expect that from us"). As for the rest of the clan, Steve's children are the typical dysfunctional siblings: Steve, a socially awkward geek, and Hayley, a liberal counterpoint to red, white, and blue-blooded Stan—at least liberal enough to sleep with Stan's boss, Bullock (playfully voiced by Patrick Stewart) in the episode "Bullocks to Stan."

Though the jokes in American Dad!are not as free-associative as in Family Guy, McFarlane cannot seem to resist dispensing with character integrity for a gratuitous potshot at, say, Lisa Kudrow. But as with Family Guy, American Dad!tears at the sitcom envelope. The blasphemous episode "Deacon Stan, Jesus Man," had the distinction of being voted "Worst TV Show of the Week" by the Parents Television Council. And American Dad!has its own version of Family Guy's surreal titanic bouts between Peter Griffin and that chicken. The episode "Homeland Insecurity" features a digression in which a Department of Water and Power worker greedily kills his partner over a gem-encrusted gold "turd," only to find out his wife is having an affair. As he wails to the heavens, the words "To be continued" appear onscreen. According to the audio commentary, the writers do indeed intend to continue this compelling soap opera. So that's something to look forward to. —Donald Liebenson

Anyone who's watched just about any teenage film knows that the greatest evil in this world isn't chemical warfare, ethnic cleansing, or even the nuclear bomb. The worst crime known to man? Why, virginity, of course. As we've learned from countless films—from Summer of '42to Risky Business—virginity is a criminal burden that one must shed oneself of as quickly as possible. And while many of these films have given the topic a bad name, American Piequietly sweeps in and gives sex some of its dignity back. Dignity, you may say? How can a film that highlights intercourse with fruit pies, premature ejaculation broadcasted across the Internet, and the gratuitous "gross-out" shots restore the dignity of a genre that's been encumbered with such heavyweights as Porky'sand Losin' It? The plot may be typical, with four high school friends swearing to "score" by prom, yet the film rises above the muck with its superior cast, successful and sweet humor, and some actually rather retro values about the meaning and importance of sex. Jason Biggs, Chris Klein, Thomas Ian Nicholas, and Eddie Kaye Thomas make up the odd quartet of pals determined to woo, lie, and beg their way to manhood. The young women they pursue are wary girlfriend Vicky (Tara Reid), choir girl Heather (Mena Suvari), band geek Michelle (Alyson Hannigan), and just about any other female who is willing and able. Natasha Lyonne as Jessica, playing a similar role as in Slums of Beverly Hills, is the general adviser to the crowd (when Vicky tells her "I want it to be the right time, the right place," Jessica responds, "It's not a space shuttle launch, it's sex"). The comedic timing hits the mark—especially in the deliberately awkward scenes between Jim (Biggs) and his father (Eugene Levy). And, of course, lessons are learned in this genuinely funny film, which will probably please the adult crowd even more than it will the teenage one. —Jenny Brown

Après le succès commercial d'Analyze This, qui a même inspiré la série télévisée The Sopranos, les studios Warner lui ont façonné une suite. Réunissant de nouveau Billy Cristal et Robert De Niro, associés pour l'occasion à la production, Analyze That continue d'explorer les rapports entre un parrain de la mafia et son psychanalyste.

Victime d'une tentative de meurtre en prison, Paul Vitti semble sombrer dans la folie. Il chantonne des airs de West Side Story pour ensuite tomber dans un état catatonique. Les autorités décident alors, à la condition que le mafioso retrouve le droit chemin, de le confier à son thérapeute, qui vient de perdre son père et souffre de crises d'angoisse terribles.

Réussir une suite est un exercice difficile, et Analyze That ne fait pas exception à la règle. Bien sûr, l'humour du premier film est toujours présent : quelques gags rappellent même Woody Allen, et la force comique de De Niro n'est pas à mésestimer. L'ensemble ne parvient pourtant pas à prendre son envol. Peut-être parce que certaines répliques embaument le cliché, peut-être aussi parce que le rythme s'essouffle rapidement. Ou peut-être est-ce simplement la désagréable impression que les producteurs se sont contentés de reprendre les mêmes ingrédients et de recommencer. —Helen Faradji

Cast Robert De Niro and Billy Crystal together in a film and it should be a sucker's bet as to who's going to be funnier and who's going to give the more nuanced performance. Somehow, though, De Niro walks away with most of the laughs in Analyze This, a buddy action-comedy about a mob boss (De Niro, natch) suffering from panic attacks who makes a nebbishy shrink (Crystal, natch) an offer he can't refuse—actually, it's not really an offer, it's a command. The good doctor is forced to help the gangster get in touch with his feelings. Had the brilliant TV series The Sopranosnot underscored how thin and watery and shticky director-cowriter Harold Ramis's approach to such potentially rich material actually is, the movie—a hit in theaters and De Niro's biggest film ever—would seem more fresh and kicky. De Niro's definitely a hoot as the ever milder menace, and Crystal actually concentrates on giving a credible performance opposite the acting legend (alas, he doesn't turn his character's fear of his patient into inspired comedy, as Alan Arkin did in Grosse Pointe Blank). The conclusion devolves into the requisite gunplay, and Chazz Palminteri and Lisa Kudrow are criminally wasted as an opposing mob boss and Crystal's fiancée, respectively, but overall, it's breezy fun. —David Kronke

Par Toutatis ! Potion magique ou pas, Alain Chabat signe là une version plus enlevée, plus allumée et plus tonique que le premier Astérixréalisé par Claude Zidi. Après Didier, l'ex-Nul s'impose comme un réalisateur malin et efficace. Pour réussir son pari de 55 millions d'euros – plus gros budget du cinéma français, et deuxième place au box-office des films français, avec 14,5 millions d'entrées – il est revenu aux sources des albums de Goscinny et Uderzo, en y greffant son univers décalé et loufoque. Anachronismes, jeux de mots, clins d'œil fleurissent à gogo : de Matrixau Grand Pardon, en passant par Cyranoou Claude François, un festival...Ju-bi-la-toire ! ! À quoi s'ajoute une avalanche de gags irrésistibles, des dialogues épicés qui jouent avec saveur sur le décalage passé-présent – "Itineris a raison : faut pas se l'SFR" –, des décors et des costumes somptueux dessinés par le créateur de Ranxerox, Tanino Liberatore. Bref, la greffe réussie de l'humour Canal sur le comique traditionnel français, dans un esprit potache qui n'est pas sans rappeler celui qui irrigue les désopilants Y a-t-il un pilote dans l'avion ?. Autour de Clavier et Depardieu – uniques rescapés du premier opus – une légion romaine de comédiens, plus délectables les uns que les autres : Monica Belluci, Gérard Darmon en méchant d'anthologie, Dieudonné, Claude Rich, Isabelle Nanty, Alain Chabat, Mathieu Kassovitz, et même Pierre Tchernia ! ! Et puis, il y a les cas Jamel et Édouard Baer : absolument déjantés, ils dominent l'interprétation par leur tchatche et leur abattage. À revoir plusieurs fois, comme on relit sans cesse les BD originales. —Sylvain Lefort