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Caddyshack
Comedy Harold Ramis
Ever caught yourself wondering what exactly "Noonan" means? To avoid further embarrassment, every golfer--hack or scratch--must tee it up at Bushwood Country Club for the golf classic "Caddyshack". Harold Ramis directs a who's who of 1970s and 1980s stand-up and sketch comedy: Bill Murray, Chevy Chase, and Rodney Dangerfield battle the forces of greed, golf, and gophers in a film that has become a comedy classic.--"Richard M. Seanor"

Casablanca
Drama Michael Curtiz
A truly perfect movie, the 1942 "Casablanca" still wows viewers today, and for good reason. Its unique story of a love triangle set against terribly high stakes in the war against a monster is sophisticated instead of outlandish, intriguing instead of garish. Humphrey Bogart plays the allegedly apolitical club owner in unoccupied French territory that is nevertheless crawling with Nazis; Ingrid Bergman is the lover who mysteriously deserted him in Paris; and Paul Heinreid is her heroic, slightly bewildered husband. Claude Rains, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, and Conrad Veidt are among what may be the best supporting cast in the history of Hollywood films. This is certainly among the most spirited and ennobling movies ever made. "--Tom Keogh"

Cast Away
Action & Adventure Robert Zemeckis
"Cast Away" is a good movie that wants to be much better. While director Robert Zemeckis's earlier film "Contact" achieved a kind of mainstream spiritual significance, "Cast Away" falls just short of that goal. That may explain why the film's most emotionally powerful scene involves the loss of an inanimate object, even as it presents a heart-rending dilemma in its very human final act.
It's three movies in one, beginning when punctuality-obsessed Federal Express systems engineer Chuck Noland (Tom Hanks) departs on Christmas Eve to escort an ill-fated flight of FedEx packages. Following a mid-Pacific plane crash, movie number two chronicles Chuck's four-year survival on a remote island, totally alone save for a Wilson volleyball (aptly named "Wilson") that becomes Chuck's closest "friend." Movie number three leads up to Chuck's rescue and an awkward encounter with his ex-girlfriend Kelly (Helen Hunt, in a thankless role), for whom Chuck has seemingly risen from the grave.
It's fascinating to witness Chuck's emerging survival skills, and Hanks's remarkable physical transformation is matched by his finely tuned performance. With slow, rhythmic camera moves and brilliant use of sound, Zemeckis wisely avoids the postcard prettiness of "The Black Stallion" and "The Blue Lagoon" to emphasize the harshness of Chuck's ascetic solitude, and this stylistic restraint allows "Cast Away" to resonate more than one might expect. Even the final scene--which feels like a crowd-pleasing compromise--offers hope without shoving it down our throats. You may not feel the emotional rush that you're meant to feel, but "Cast Away" remains a respectable effort. "--Jeff Shannon"

Chariots of Fire
Drama Hugh Hudson
The come-from-behind winner of the 1981 Oscar for best picture, "Chariots of Fire" either strikes you as either a cold exercise in mechanical manipulation or as a tale of true determination and inspiration. The heroes are an unlikely pair of young athletes who ran for Great Britain in the 1924 Paris Olympics: devout Protestant Eric Liddell (Ian Charleson), a divinity student whose running makes him feel closer to God, and Jewish Harold Abrahams (Ben Cross), a highly competitive Cambridge student who has to surmount the institutional hurdles of class prejudice and anti-Semitism. There's delicious support from Ian Holm (as Abrahams's coach) and John Gielgud and Lindsay Anderson as a couple of Cambridge fogies. Vangelis's soaring synthesized score, which seemed to be everywhere in the early 1980s, also won an Oscar. "Chariots of Fire" was the debut film of British television commercial director Hugh Hudson (Greystoke) and was produced by David Puttnam. "--Jim Emerson"

The Cider House Rules
Drama Lasse Hallström
In adapting his own novel "The Cider House Rules" for the screen, John Irving sacrificed at least some of the depth and detail that made his humanitarian themes resonate, while the film--directed with Scandinavian sobriety by Lasse HallstrÖm--is often vague about the complex issues (abortion, incest, responsibility) that lie at its core. Allowing for this ambiguity (which is arguably intentional), the film retains much of what made Irving's novel so admired, and like HallstrÖm's earlier feature "What's Eating Gilbert Grape?", it's blessed with a generous, forgiving spirit toward the mistakes, foibles, and desires of its many engaging characters.
Central to the story (set during World War II) is Homer (Tobey Maguire), a young man raised in a Maine orphanage, where the ether-sniffing Dr. Larch (Michael Caine) rules with benevolent grace while performing safe but illegal abortions. To expand his horizons, Homer follows a young couple (Charlize Theron, Paul Rudd) to do fieldwork on an apple farm, where his innocent eyes are opened to the good and evil of the world--and to the realization that not all rules are steadfast in all situations. By the time Homer returns to the orphanage, "The Cider House Rules"--which features one of Caine's finest performances--is memorable more for its many charming and insightful moments than for any lasting dramatic impact. Is Homer fated to come full circle in his kindhearted journey? It's left to the viewer to decide. "--Jeff Shannon"

Cinderella
Kids & Family Ilene Woods, Helene Stanley, Eleanor Audley, Luis Van Rooten, Verna Felton, Don Barclay, Claire Du Brey, Rhoda Williams, James MacDonald (II), Lucille Bliss, John Fontaine, Mike Douglas, William Phipps, Marion Darlington, Earl Keen, John Woodbury, Lucille Williams, June Foray, Clint McCauley, June Sullivan Hamilton Luske, Wilfred Jackson, Clyde Geronimi
Worry not, Disney fans--this special edition DVD of the beloved "Cinderella" won't turn into a pumpkin at the strike of midnight. One of the most enduring animated films of all time, the Disney-fied adaptation of the gory Brothers Grimm fairy tale became a classic in its own right, thanks to some memorable tunes (including "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes," "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo," and the title song) and some endearingly cute comic relief.
The famous slipper (click for larger image) We all know the story--the wicked stepmother and stepsisters simply won't have it, this uppity Cinderella thinking she's going to a ball designed to find the handsome prince an appropriate sweetheart, but perseverance, animal buddies, and a well-timed entrance by a fairy godmother make sure things turn out all right. There are a few striking sequences of pure animation--for example, Cinderella is reflected in bubbles drifting through the air--and the design is rich and evocative throughout. It's a simple story padded here agreeably with comic business, particularly Cinderella's rodent pals (dressed up conspicuously like the dwarf sidekicks of another famous Disney heroine) and their misadventures with a wretched cat named Lucifer. There's also much harrumphing and exposition spouting by the King and the Grand Duke. It's a much simpler and more graceful work than the more frenetically paced animated films of today, which makes it simultaneously quaint and highly gratifying. "--David Kronke"
DVD Features
For another of its classic films, Disney delivers another dazzling DVD with a gorgeous, razor-sharp picture and 5.1 sound. (Note: the 1949 film is properly presented in full-screen format, 1.33 aspect ratio, because widescreen films weren't made until the '50s.) The best part of the supplemental features is the archival material, the absolute highlight of which is two unused songs, "Cinderella's Work Song" (in which Cinderella imagines multiplying herself à la the Sorcerer's Apprentice) and "Dancing on a Cloud."
Bippity-boppity-boo! (click for larger image) Because these numbers were never animated, they're accompanied by stylish illustrations from the Disney artists, and they're simply marvelous to look at. The artist of much of that material, Mary Blair, gets her due in a 15-minute featurette, while the better known "Nine Old Men" are the subject of a round-table discussion among some of today's top animators. In addition, a 38-minute documentary covers their contributions to specific characters of "Cinderella" as well as the film in general and the vocal cast. Also on the historical side is "The "Cinderella" That Almost Was," tracking the development of the project through decades of original Disney concepts, characters, and songs, including the 1922 silent "Laugh-o-Gram," which is also included in its entirety.
The pumpkin transformed (click for larger image)
Additional musical material includes three radio programs and a short promo of the movie by Perry Como, in which he summarizes the plot amid some songs by the Fontaine Sisters, star Ilene Woods, and the host himself. Seven other unused songs (17 minutes total) are available in audio-only. The material for kids is on the sparse side, consisting of two music videos, Disney Channel personality Sally (from "Mike's Super Short Show") learning how to become a princess with the help of the "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" crew and others, a minor dancing-princess feature, and a DVD-ROM design studio. Oddest extra: ESPN's "top Cinderella stories," including the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team and Joe Namath's New York Jets, although stories on Mia Hamm and tennis's Williams sisters should appeal to the film's primary target audience of young girls. "--David Horiuchi"
"Cinderella" Throughout the Years
"Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella" (1957 Television Production)
"Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella" (1965)
"The Slipper and the Rose" (1976)
"Faerie Tale Theatre - Cinderella "(1982)
"Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella" (1997)
"Ever After - A Cinderella Story"(1998)

The Color Purple
Drama Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg, proving he's one of the few modern filmmakers who has the visual fluency to be capable of making a great silent film, took a melodramatic, D.W. Griffith-inspired approach to filming Alice Walker's novel. His tactics made the film controversial, but also a popular hit. You can argue with the appropriateness of Spielberg's decision, but his astonishing facility with images is undeniable--from the exhilarating and eye-popping opening shots of children playing in paradisiacal purple fields to the way he conveys the brutality of a rape by showing hanging leather belts banging against the head of the shaking bed. In a way it's a shame that Whoopi Goldberg, a stage monologist who made her screen debut in this movie, went on to become so famous, because it was, in part, her unfamiliarity that made her understated performance as Celie so effective. (This may be the first and last time that the adjective "understated" can be applied to Goldberg.) Nominated for 11 Academy Awards, including best picture and actress (supporting players Oprah Winfrey and Margaret Avery were also nominated), it was quite a scandal--and a crushing blow to Spielberg--when it won none. The digital video disc requires flipping to play the whole movie. "--Jim Emerson"

Crime Story
Action & Adventure Kirk Wong
Jackie Chan's most dramatic work casts him as a no-nonsense undercover cop on the trail of a ruthless gang of kidnappers who discovers that a respected figure in his own department may be involved with the criminals. In this film based on a true story, director Kirk Wong brings a gritty sense of realism to the action-filled police thriller while allowing plenty of opportunities for Jackie to show his stuff, notably in the bravura climax, a solo battle with the gang that culminates in a raging fire that devours a creaky apartment complex around them. Wong's sleek, hard-edged style meshes well with Jackie's acrobatic vigor, and Chan proves to be an adept and effective dramatic performer. However, fans expecting his trademark physical gags and comic interludes may be disappointed. This is a startlingly different side of the versatile Mr. Chan, and his performance helps make this grim "policier" one of the best serious Hong Kong action thrillers to date. "--Sean Axmaker"

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Action & Adventure Ang Lee
Hong Kong "wuxia" films, or martial arts fantasies, traditionally squeeze poor acting, slapstick humor, and silly story lines between elaborate fight scenes in which characters can literally fly. "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" has no shortage of breathtaking battles, but it also has the dramatic soul of a Greek tragedy and the sweep of an epic romance. This is the work of director Ang Lee, who fell in love with movies while watching "wuxia" films as a youngster and made "Crouching Tiger" as a tribute to the form. To elevate the genre above its B-movie roots and broaden its appeal, Lee did two important things. First, he assembled an all-star lineup of talent, joining the famous Asian actors Chow Yun-fat and Michelle Yeoh with the striking, charismatic newcomer Zhang Ziyi. Behind the scenes, Lee called upon cinematographer Peter Pau ("The Killer", "The Bride with White Hair") and legendary fight choreographer Yuen Wo-ping, best known outside Asia for his work on "The Matrix". Second, in adapting the story from a Chinese pulp-fiction novel written by Wang Du Lu, Lee focused not on the pursuit of a legendary sword known as "The Green Destiny," but instead on the struggles of his female leads against social obligation. In his hands, the requisite fight scenes become another means of expressing the individual spirits of his characters and their conflicts with society and each other.
The filming required an immense effort from all involved. Chow and Yeoh had to learn to speak Mandarin, which Lee insisted on using instead of Cantonese to achieve a more classic, lyrical feel. The astonishing battles between Jen (Zhang) and Yu Shu Lien (Yeoh) on the rooftops and Jen and Li Mu Bai (Chow) atop the branches of bamboo trees required weeks of excruciating wire and harness work (which in turn required meticulous "digital wire removal"). But the result is a seamless blend of action, romance, and social commentary in a populist film that, like its young star Zhang, soars with balletic grace and dignity. "--Eugene Wei"

The Crucible
Action & Adventure Nicholas Hytner
The Salem witch hunts are given a new and nasty perspective when a vengeful teenage girl uses superstition and repression to her advantage, creating a killing machine that becomes a force unto itself. Pulsating with seductive energy, this provocative drama is as visually arresting as it is intellectually engrossing. Arthur Miller based his classic 1953 play on the actual Salem witch trials of 1692, creating what has since become a durable fixture of school drama courses. It may look like a historical drama, but Miller also meant the work as a parable for the misery created by the McCarthy anti-Communist hearings of the 1950s. This searing version of his drama delves into matters of conscience with concise accuracy and emotional honesty. Three passionate cheers for Miller, director Nicholas Hytner, and costars Daniel Day-Lewis and Winona Ryder. "--Rochelle O'Gorman"



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