A big-budget summer epic with money to burn and a scale worthy of its golden Hollywood predecessors, Ridley Scott's Gladiator is a rousing, grisly, action-packed epic that takes moviemaking back to the Roman Empire via computer-generated visual effects. While not as fluid as the computer work done for, say, Titanic, it's an impressive achievement that will leave you marveling at the glory that was Rome, when you're not marveling at the glory that is Russell Crowe. Starring as the heroic general Maximus, Crowe firmly cements his star status both in terms of screen presence and acting chops, carrying the film on his decidedly non-computer-generated shoulders as he goes from brave general to wounded fugitive to stoic slave to gladiator hero. Gladiator's plot is a whirlwind of faux-Shakespearean machinations of death, betrayal, power plays, and secret identities (with lots of faux-Shakespearean dialogue ladled on to keep the proceedings appropriately "classical"), but it's all briskly shot, edited, and paced with a contemporary sensibility. Even the action scenes, somewhat muted but graphic in terms of implied violence and liberal bloodletting, are shot with a veracity that brings to mind—believe it or not—Saving Private Ryan, even if everyone is wearing a toga. As Crowe's nemesis, the evil emperor Commodus, Joaquin Phoenix chews scenery with authority, whether he's damning Maximus's popularity with the Roman mobs or lusting after his sister Lucilla (beautiful but distant Connie Nielsen); Oliver Reed, in his last role, hits the perfect notes of camp and gravitas as the slave owner who rescues Maximus from death and turns him into a coliseum star. Director Scott's visual flair is abundantly in evidence, with breathtaking shots and beautiful (albeit digital) landscapes, but it's Crowe's star power that will keep you in thrall—he—he's a true gladiator, worthy of his legendary status. Hail the conquering hero! —Mark Englehart

Generally acknowledged as a bona fide classic, this Francis Ford Coppola film is one of those rare experiences that feels perfectly right from beginning to end—almost as if everyone involved had been born to participate in it. Based on Mario Puzo's bestselling novel about a Mafia dynasty, Coppola's Godfather extracted and enhanced the most universal themes of immigrant experience in America: the plotting-out of hopes and dreams for one's successors, the raising of children to carry on the good work, etc. In the midst of generational strife during the Vietnam years, the film somehow struck a chord with a nation fascinated by the metamorphosis of a rebellious son (Al Pacino) into the keeper of his father's dream. Marlon Brando played against Puzo's own conception of patriarch Vito Corleone, and time has certainly proven the actor correct. The rest of the cast, particularly James Caan, John Cazale, and Robert Duvall as the rest of Vito's male brood—all coping with how to take the mantle of responsibility from their father—is seamless and wonderful. —Tom Keogh

They were born in the foothills of Sicily. By 1924 their growing numbers and criminal activities had attracted the attention of Mussolini, who went about purging Italy of their secret society. America became their escape. In this stunning overview of the phenomenon known as La Cosa Nostra, THE HISTORY CHANNEL, RAI International and BIOGRAPHY present five programs that fully unveil the origins, the personalities, and the inner workings of the Mafia. Using never-before-seen footage and rare interviews with mob insiders and the agents who pursued them, THE GODFATHERS COLLECTION presents a gripping tale of greed, power, crime and betrayal. With in-depth portraits of crime bosses like Lucky Luciano, Meyer Lansky, Bugsy Siegel, and Carlo Gambino, this is the definitive, eye-opening account of organized crime in America. Volume 1: Godfathers

Godfathers investigates the mob lke no other documentary before it. From the mass immigration of Italians at the end of the 19th century to money laundering on the New York Stock Exchange in 2000, this up-to-date, feature-length production offers a unique perspective on the history of the Mafia as seen through the eyes of an Italian journalist. With newly discovered footage from Italian archives and rare interviews from both sides of the law, Godfathers probes the psychology, the sociology, and the economics behind this powerful yet secretive society. Some of the biggest names in mafia history are introduced, and the ways in which their political savvy helped them orchestrate many of history's major events is explained.

Volume 2:
* LUCKY LUCIANO: CHAIRMAN OF THE MOB: He ran the Mob like a corporation—diversifying rackets, organizing gangs and running his own political candidates—and his top-secret war efforts earned him parole from a 50-year sentence.
* MEYER LANSKY: MOB TYCOON: From the pogroms of Eastern Europe to the heyday of the Vegas Mob, rare footage and interviews reveal the double life of the man known as the Mob's financial leader.
* GENOVESE: PORTRAIT OF A CRIME FAMILY: A soldier breaks the sacred mobster's oath of silence (omerta) and the Genovese family hits the headlines. From Joe the Boss to Vito Genovese to the "Odd Father" himself, every personality and gripping detail in this ongoing saga comes to life.
* BUGSY SIEGEL: Handsome, glamorous and the most vicious crime boss of all, Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel began as a hit man on the streets of Brooklyn and died the victim of a mysterious murder, but not before turning a desert mirage into a Las Vegas dreamland.

Martin Scorsese's 1990 masterpiece GoodFellas immortalizes the hilarious, horrifying life of actual gangster Henry Hill (Ray Liotta), from his teen years on the streets of New York to his anonymous exile under the Witness Protection Program. The director's kinetic style is perfect for recounting Hill's ruthless rise to power in the 1950s as well as his drugged-out fall in the late 1970s; in fact, no one has ever rendered the mental dislocation of cocaine better than Scorsese. Scorsese uses period music perfectly, not just to summon a particular time but to set a precise mood. GoodFellas is at least as good as The Godfather without being in the least derivative of it. Joe Pesci's psycho improvisation of Mobster Tommy DeVito ignited Pesci as a star, Lorraine Bracco scores the performance of her life as the love of Hill's life, and every supporting role, from Paul Sorvino to Robert De Niro, is a miracle.

You may be surprised to discover that the director of the Lethal Weapon movies and scary horror flick The Omen, Richard Donner, also produced and directed this classic children's adventure (which, by the way, was written by Donner's screen-wizard friend Steven Spielberg). Then again you may not. The Goonies, like Donner's other movies, is the same story of good versus evil. It has its share of bad guys (the Fratelli brothers and their villainous mother), reluctant-hero good guys (the Walsh bothers and their gang of friends), and lots of corny one-liners. Like in an old-fashioned Hardy Boys or Nancy Drew plot, the Goonies need to solve a problem: a corrupt corporate developer has bought out their neighborhood and plans to flatten all their homes. Luckily, the beloved gang stumbles on a treasure map. In the hopes of finding the treasure to buy back their houses, the Goonies embark on their quest through underground passages, aboard pirate ships, and behind waterfalls. This swashbuckling and rollicking ride was also a great breeding ground for a couple of child actors who went on to enjoy numerous successes in adulthood: Sean Astin (Rudy, Encino Man) and Martha Plimpton (Pecker, 200 Cigarettes). —Samantha Allen Storey

A very impressive treatment of the rise and fall of New York crime boss John Gotti, this made-for-TV movie succeeds in large measure because of the outstanding work of Armand Assante (I, The Jury, Mambo Kings) as Gotti. Assante creates a complex portrayal of a man loyal to the mob while struggling with personal demons and his own self-destructive ambitions. The film traces the dapper don's rise through the ranks of the Gambino crime family, first through the patronage of his mentor (Anthony Quinn) and then through a brazen assassination of the Gambino boss. Eventually Gotti's world crashes around him as his arrogance over beating the government at trial and his thirst for the limelight causes a rift with his right-hand man, Sammy "The Bull" Gravano (William Forsythe). Gotti boasts terrific New York City locales and a truly impressive cast, including standout work by Forsythe and Quinn. But it's Assante's movie all the way, and he makes the most out of a larger than life character by making him seem no more, and no less, than human and flawed. —Robert Lane

After the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Elijah Wood could've opted for further big budget epics, but took a sharp left turn with this better-than-average B-movie. Released just after Everything is Illuminated, another offbeat entry, Wood plays journalism student Matt Buckner. In the prologue, he's expelled from Harvard when his over-privileged roommate sets him up to take the fall for his own misdeeds. With nowhere to go, Matt decides to visit his sister, Shannon (Claire Forlani), in London. He's already got a chip on his shoulder when he falls under the sway of Shannon's brother-in-law, Pete (Charlie Hunnam), head of West Ham's football "firm," the Green Street Elite. Matt soon gets caught up in their thuggish antics—to tragic effect. In her feature debut, German-born Lexi Alexander makes a mostly convincing case for the attractions of violence to the emotionally vulnerable, as opposed to the emotionally numb pugilists of the more satirical Fight Club. Unlike David Fincher (by way of Chuck Palahniuk), she plays it straight, except for the stylized fight sequences. Consequently, humor is in short supply, but the young Brit cast, especially Leo Gregory as the surly Bovver, is charismatic and Wood makes his character as believable as possible, i.e. he may seem miscast, but that's the point. Although there's no (direct) correlation between the two, Green Street makes a fine taster for Bill Buford's Among the Thugs, the ultimate dissection of the hooligan mentality. —Kathleen C. Fennessy

"Heima", which translates as both "at home" and "homeland", chronicles a series of free concerts Sigur Ros played in their native Iceland over the course of summer 2006. The entire tour was filmed and provides a unique insight into one of the world's most inscrutable bands while exploring their natural habitat like never before, with performances in deserted fish factories, at far-flung community halls, in sylvan fields, darkened caves, canyons, and fjords. Limited deluxe edition is individually numbered and includes 100 page bound book. Standard edition is amaray-sized digipak with 8-page booklet.

Helvetica is a feature-length independent film about typography, graphic design and global visual culture. It looks at the proliferation of one typeface (which will celebrate its 50th birthday in 2007) as part of a larger conversation about the way type affects our lives. The film is an exploration of urban spaces in major cities and the type that inhabits them, and a fluid discussion with renowned designers about their work, the creative process, and the choices and aesthetics behind their use of type.

An inspired teacher arrives at a tough inner-city school determined to turn gangsters into scholars but in this hilarious spoof its the teacher who gets an eye-opening education. Studio: Sony Pictures Home Ent Release Date: 06/01/2004 Starring: Jon Lovitz Mekhi Phifer Run time: 96 minutes Rating: Pg13 Director: Hart Bochner

HOLLYWOOD VS. THE MOB (DVD MOVIE)

This uplifting crowd-pleaser follows an unorthodox high school basketball coach (Gene Hackman) and the town drunk (Dennis Hooper) as they join forces to lead their underdog team all the way to the state championship.System Requirements:Starring: Gene Hackman Barbara Heshey Dennis Hooper Sheb Wooley Fern Persons Chelcie Ross Robert Swan Michael O'Guinne and Wil Dewitt. Directed By: David Anspaugh. Running Time: 115 Min. Color. This film is presented in both "Widescreen" and "Standard" formats. Copyright 2000 MGM Studios.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA Rating: PG UPC: 027616801821 Manufacturer No: 908018

Studio: Tcfhe Release Date: 12/09/2008 Run time: 174 minutes Rating: G