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Golden Boy - Essential Anime Collection
Anime.Comedy A.D. Vision
Kintaro Oe, a 25-year-old dropout from Tokyo University Law School, bicycles around Japan "learning about life" like an Asian "Along Came Bronson". He takes various part-time jobs, surprising everyone by excelling at everything he does, despite his goofy demeanor. He's lucky he's a quick study, as he spends most of his time ogling pretty women, cleaning toilets, and getting beat up. In this six-part 1995 OAV, he writes code at a software company, helps a corrupt mayor get re-elected, and learns to make noodles by hand. The animation is often sloppy--Kintaro changes appearance frequently--and the artists clearly concentrated on the bouncing breasts and jiggling derrières. Kintaro is a good-hearted and generally agreeable goof, but the slight plots and leering humor of this series will quickly bore anyone but a lecherous adolescent. As Kintaro's enthusiasm is matched only by his libido, it's all very silly and often crass, with his visceral reactions digitally disguised. Rated 17 Up: nudity, violence, profanity, sexual and toilet humor. "--Charles Solomon"

Goosebumps: Scary House
Horror 20th Century Fox NR
The House of No Return: Chris Wakely is new kid in town and the perfect candidate for The Danger Club, a club for brave people. But to become a member, Chris has to spend an entire hour alone in the Willow Hill House, the spookiest, most haunted house in the neighborhood! Chris won't be totally alone, however; the evil ghosts will keep him company. In fact, they like Chris so much, they may want him to stay with them …forever! The Haunted House Game When Nadine Platt and her friend, Jonathan Hall, find a box for "The Haunted House Game" in the closet of a big, creepy old house, they soon realize that it's not just another Monopoly. Nadine and Jonathan open the box and suddenly find themselves inside the game - surrounded by hideous-looking ghouls, terrifying ghosts, and eerie voices. But will they ever find their way out…

The Greatest Game Ever Played
Drama Walt Disney Video PG
You wouldn't think a movie that uses the game of golf as a metaphor for class struggle could be so entertaining. "The Greatest Game Ever Played" stars the charming Shia LaBeouf ("Holes") as Francis Ouimet, a golfer who, in 1913, rose from caddy to U.S. Open champion at the age of 20--despite the resistance of the powers that be, who thought it unseemly for a lower-class plebian to play the sport of gentlemen. Ouimet's main competitor is Harry Vardon (Stephen Dillane, "The Hours"), a British professional, still considered one of the greatest players of all time, who fought his own class battles. The two go head to head in a genuinely gripping match, deftly balanced against the juxtapositions of their personal struggles. Is it sentimental and formulaic? Is the outcome a foregone conclusion? Yes, but it doesn't matter--formulas exist because, when executed with verve and dexterity, they work. Bill Paxton, best known as an actor ("One False Move", "Apollo 13"), steps into the director's chair and hits all the right notes, aided by an excellent cast playing colorful characters, a vivid recreation of the time period, glowing cinematography, and an expert pace. "The Greatest Game Ever Played" works. "--Bret Fetzer"

Grind
Comedy Warner Home Video PG-13
Grind's plot line is outlined in the Amazon capsule: teenage guys on the verge of college hit the road in hopes of getting a skateboarding sponsorship deal. Along the way, they become better friends and do some skating.



If I didn't know anything about skateboarding, I might find the whole skateboard culture thing a little obnoxious, but the guys are likeable enough, even if their characters are a little flat and predictable (the dying-to-get-signed skater, the clown - who is awesome, the reluctant tagalong and the womanizer) and the challenges of the road plus their solutions are amusing enough.



In terms of the skateboarding, there are some nice sequences and the cinematography of those beats most skater pron. I dug the skating and wished there was more. There just wasn't enough. My favorite sequence was the hotel pool - that was awesome. But the ramp riding at the end was incredible and the way it was filmed was first rate.



Do I recommend it? Depends. If you're looking for a new take on the teen genre, this isn't it. If you're looking for the ultimate skater movie, this isn't it either (it doesn't yet exist). If you're looking for a couple of sequences of rad skating interspersed with a thing storyline, then GRIND might be the ticket.

The Grudge
Horror Sony Pictures Unrated
It's not the scary hit that "The Ring" was in 2002, but "The Grudge" makes a similarly convincing case for American remakes of popular Japanese horror films. Barely a year passed between the release of Takashi Shimizu's creepy ghost story "Ju-On: The Grudge" and the production of this American remake, set in Tokyo and starring Sarah Michelle Gellar in her first post-"Buffy" horror film. About the only significant difference between the two films is the importing of a mostly-American cast (including Bill Pullman, Clea DuVall and Grace Zabriskie), but "The Grudge" was reconfigured (by screenwriter Stephen Susco) to allow Shimizu to refine and improve the spookiest highlights of his earlier version, which enjoyed previous incarnations as a short film and two made-for-Japanese-video features. Surprising box-office analysts with a $40 million opening weekend, "The Grudge" may disappoint hard-core horror fans because it lacks gore and graphic violence, but as a creepy tale about a "very" haunted house, it's guaranteed to send a few chills up your spine. "--Jeff Shannon"

The Grudge 2
Horror.Drama Sony Pictures PG-13

"The Grudge 2" is a spooky installment in Takashi Shimizu's hardworking "Ju-on/Grudge" series of horror pictures. It doesn't carry the disorienting thrill of the very first Japanese "Ju-on" features, but it's a lot creepier than anybody could have expected. The story picks up from the end of the first Hollywood version of "The Grudge", and has nothing to do with "Ju-on 2", Shimizu's Japanese sequel. Sarah Michelle Gellar returns (a distinctly supporting role) as an American woman traumatized by her experiences with a haunted house in Tokyo; younger sister Amber Tamblyn flies over to help out. This particular storyline doesn't have much meat on it; the murder house is still there, and people who go inside have a disconcerting habit of dropping dead. Fortunately, two other plots thread into the basic one: a group of American schoolgirls in Tokyo become intrigued by the legend of the house, and some Chicago apartment dwellers are unsettled by domestic anxiety and the weird sounds coming from next door. (This storyline, featuring Jennifer Beals, gives the film its extremely satisfying opening sequence.) As usual with these movies, sequences come to us in non-chronological order, and it's up to us to piece it together. You can guess where the film is going, but the slow trajectory toward its final sequences is surprisingly involving. The movie was widely panned upon its release, which says more about the presumption of the law of diminishing sequel returns than the film itself--it's a decent little horror flick. --"Robert Horton "













Stills from " The Grudge 2 "(click for larger image)

















More "The Grudge 2" at Amazon.com










The Original "Grudge"






More Horror on Amazon.com








Japanese Horror on Amazon.com























Hand Maid May - Limited Edition Boxed Set
Anime.Comedy Geneon Entertainment Unrated
The romantic comedy "Hand Maid May" feels like pieces of "Oh My Goddess", "Tenchi Muyo", "El Hazard", and "Steel Angel Kurumi" cobbled together. The premise is no more improbable, the characters no sillier, the holes in the plot no more egregious than in those comedies, but the elements never quite gel, and the show plays like a rerun, even on the first viewing. Kazuya is a computer nerd, trying to create a squid version of the famous robot-cat Doraemon. When a virus zaps his system, he inadvertently orders a Hyperdoll--a girl one-sixth normal size. May tries to perform a maid's duties despite her diminutive stature, and the inevitable mismatched attraction arises. When Kazuya can't pay the $1.45 million bill, May is repossessed by the Cyberdyne Corp. But a kindly robot offers to provide him with a replacement--free of charge. A full-sized version of May appears and they pick up where they left off. But Kazuya's kindness attracts other beautiful Hyperdolls. The predictable contretemps include the jealousy of Nanbara, Kazuya's self-proclaimed best friend and worst enemy. Things take a weird turn when Kazuya's and Nanbara's descendants arrive from the future and begin messing with the story line. The low-key romance is juxtaposed with jiggle shots and risqué jokes. The original series ran 10 episodes--a pointless 11th OAV has been added--and the episodes stretched over three discs. The fourth contains supplemental material. (Rated 13 and older: brief nudity, minor profanity, violence, risqué humor, alcohol use) "--Charles Solomon"

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Action.Adventure Warner Home Video PG
First sequels are the true test of an enduring movie franchise, and "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" passes with flying colors. Expanding upon the lavish sets, special effects, and grand adventure of "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone", Harry's second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry involves a darker, more malevolent tale (parents with younger children beware), beginning with the petrified bodies of several Hogwarts students and magical clues leading Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint), and Hermione (Emma Watson) to a 50-year-old mystery in the monster-laden Chamber of Secrets. House elves, squealing mandrakes, giant spiders, and venomous serpents populate this loyal adaptation (by "Sorcerer's Stone" director Chris Columbus and screenwriter Steve Kloves), and Kenneth Branagh delightfully tops the supreme supporting cast as the vainglorious charlatan Gilderoy Lockhart (be sure to view past the credits for a visual punchline at Lockhart's expense). At 161 minutes, the film suffers from lack of depth and uneven pacing, and John Williams' score mostly reprises established themes. The young, fast-growing cast offers ample compensation, however, as does the late Richard Harris in his final screen appearance as Professor Albus Dumbledore. Brimming with cleverness, wonderment, and big-budget splendor, "Chamber" honors the legacy of J.K. Rowling's novels. "--Jeff Shannon"

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Action.Adventure Warner Home Video PG-13
The latest entry in the "Harry Potter" saga could be retitled "Fast Times at Hogwarts", where finding a date to the winter ball is nearly as terrifying as worrying about Lord Voldemort's return. Thus, the young wizards' entry into puberty (and discovery of the opposite sex) opens up a rich mining field to balance out the dark content in the fourth movie (and the stories are only going to get darker). Mike Newell ("Four Weddings and a Funeral") handily takes the directing reins and eases his young cast through awkward growth spurts into true young actors. Harry (Daniel Radcliffe, more sure of himself) has his first girl crush on fellow student Cho Chang (Katie Leung), and has his first big fight with best bud Ron (Rupert Grint). Meanwhile, Ron's underlying romantic tension with Hermione (Emma Watson) comes to a head over the winter ball, and when she makes one of those girl-into-woman Cinderella entrances, the boys' reactions indicate they've all crossed a threshold.
But don't worry, there's plenty of wizardry and action in "Goblet of Fire". When the deadly Triwizard Tournament is hosted by Hogwarts, Harry finds his name mysteriously submitted (and chosen) to compete against wizards from two neighboring academies, as well as another Hogwarts student. The competition scenes are magnificently shot, with much-improved CGI effects (particularly the underwater challenge). And the climactic confrontation with Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes, in a brilliant bit of casting) is the most thrilling yet. "Goblet", the first installment to get a PG-13 rating, contains some violence as well as disturbing images for kids and some barely shrouded references at sexual awakening (Harry's bath scene in particular). The 2 1/2-hour film, lean considering it came from a 734-page book, trims out subplots about house-elves (they're not missed) and gives little screen time to the standard crew of the other "Potter" films, but adds in more of Britain's finest actors to the cast, such as Brendan Gleeson as Mad-Eye Moody and Miranda Richardson as Rita Skeeter. Michael Gambon, in his second round as Professor Dumbledore, still hasn't brought audiences around to his interpretation of the role he took over after Richard Harris died, but it's a small smudge in an otherwise spotless adaptation. "--Ellen A. Kim"

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Action.Adventure Warner Home Video PG
In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry, Ron and Hermione, now teenagers, return for their third year at Hogwarts, where they are forced to face escaped prisoner, Sirius Black, who poses a great threat to Harry. Harry and his friends spend their third year learning how to handle a half-horse half-eagle Hippogriff, repel shape-shifting Boggarts and master the art of Divination. They also visit the wizarding village of Hogsmeade and the Shrieking Shack, which is considered the most haunted building in Britain. In addition to these new experiences, Harry must overcome the threats of the soul-sucking Dementors, outsmart a dangerous werewolf and finally deal with the truth about Sirius Black and his relationship to Harry and his parents. With his best friends, Harry masters advanced magic, crosses the barriers of time and changes the course of more than one life. Directed by Alfonso Cuaron and based on J.K. Rowling 's third book, this wondrous spellbinder soars with laughs, and the kind of breathless surprise only found in a Harry Potter adventure.
DVD Features:
3D Animated Menus
Challenges:Three great interactive challenges! Test your memory with "Magic You May Have Missed", help Crookshanks "Catch Scabbers", and go on an unexpected quest with Sir Cadogan.
DVD ROM Features:Wizard Trading Cards.Hogwarts Timeline.
Deleted Scenes:A selection of mystifying exclusive never-before-seen footage
Featurette:Conjuring a Scene - an in-depth look at the making of key scenes from the filmMeet the animal trainers from the movie in Care of Magical Creatures.
Interviews:Raucous interviews with the cast lead by Johnny Vaughan and the Shrunken HeadCreating the Vision - a revealing interview with J.K. Rowling and the filmmakers.
Other:Self-guided iPIX tours into Honeydukes and Professor Lupin's Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. Choir Practice - sing-along with the Hogwarts choir.Hogwarts Portrait Gallery - get a closer look at the various portraits lining the walls of Hogwarts castle. Electronic Arts game preview.
Theatrical Trailer:Harry Potter 1, Harry Potter 2, Harry Potter 3

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Action.Adventure Warner Home Video PG
Here's an event movie that holds up to being an event. This filmed version of "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone", adapted from the wildly popular book by J.K. Rowling, stunningly brings to life Harry Potter's world of Hogwarts, the school for young witches and wizards. The greatest strength of the film comes from its faithfulness to the novel, and this new cinematic world is filled with all the details of Rowling's imagination, thanks to exuberant sets, elaborate costumes, clever makeup and visual effects, and a crème de la crème cast, including Maggie Smith, Richard Harris, Alan Rickman, and more. Especially fine is the interplay between Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and his schoolmates Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson), as well as his protector, the looming Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane). The second-half adventure--involving the titular sorcerer's stone--doesn't translate perfectly from page to screen, ultimately because of the film's fidelity to the novel; this is a case of making a movie for the book's fans, as opposed to a transcending film. Writer Steve Kloves and director Chris Columbus keep the spooks in check, making this a true family film, and with its resourceful hero wide-eyed and ready, one can't wait for Harry's return. Ages 8 and up. "--Doug Thomas"

Hart's War
Action.Adventure MGM (Video & DVD) R
Anyone who appreciates subtle tension will enjoy this World War II prison-camp drama, based on John Katzenbach's novel, in which honor, courage, and sacrifice are revealed in unexpected ways. Bruce Willis plays the ranking U.S. prisoner in a Nazi POW camp, joined in December 1944 by a law-student lieutenant (up-and-coming star Colin Farrell) who'd been captured despite his father's powerful military connections. When a black pilot (Terrence Dashon Howard) from the famous Tuskeegee airmen is falsely accused of murdering a fellow prisoner, Farrell tries his case and discovers the real motivation behind Willis's kangaroo court. While combining elements of "Stalag 17" and "The Great Escape", director Gregory Hoblit ("Primal Fear", "Frequency") spices this moral dilemma with well-crafted suspense and a rousing dogfight sequence, but the human drama remains muted despite fine, understated performances by Willis, Farrell, and Howard. An escape thriller with an ethical twist, "Hart's War" works best as a study of heroism under extraordinary circumstances. "--Jeff Shannon"

Hellsing - Complete Collection
Anime.Action Geneon Entertainment
Episode 01: The Undead
Episode 02: Club M
Episode 03: Sword Dancer
Episode 04: Innocent as Human
Episode 05: Brotherhood
Episode 06: Dead Zone
Episode 07: Duel
Episode 08: Kill House
Episode 09: Red Rose Vertigo
Episode 10: Master of Monster
Episode 11: Transcend Force
Episode 12: Total Destruction
Episode 13: Hellfire

The vampire-turned-hunter saga Hellsing owes a lot to both the original and remake of Vampire Hunter D. In Britain, vampires that were artificially created by implanting chips in their necks are attacking people. Dispatching them is the job of the Royal Order of Religious Knights, headed by the icy (and apparently female) Sir Integra Hellsinger. Her chief agent, the red-clad Alucard, destroys one vampire, then turns police woman Seras Victoria into a servant-vampire, bound to him. The outré story violates the rules of the traditional legends: vampires wear crosses, enter churches, and pose as priests; the Hellsing organization's mortal enemy is the Vatican's Iscariot Organization.

Hot Shots!
Comedy 20th Century Fox PG-13
The gang that created "Airplane" and "The Naked Gun" sets its sights on "Top Gun" in this often hilarious spoof starring Charlie Sheen, who previously only inspired laughs with his personal life. He plays Topper Harley, a fighter pilot with an ax to grind: clearing the family name. He gets involved in a relationship with Valerie Golino, a woman with an unusually talented stomach. But his mission is to avenge his father. Lloyd Bridges, late in his career, revealed an aptitude for this kind of silliness, here as a commander who is both incredibly dim and delightfully accident prone. Directed by Jim Abrahams, the film makes fun of a variety of other films as well, from "Dances with Wolves" to "The Fabulous Baker Boys". It was so successful that they all returned in the sequel, "Hot Shots! Part Deux". "--Marshall Fine"

The House That Dripped Blood
Horror Lions Gate PG
Shortly after renting an old country house, film star Paul Henderson mysteriously disappears and Inspector Holloway from Scotland Yard is called to investigate. Enquiring at the local police station, Holloway is told of the house's history...

System Requirements:
Running Time 101 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE



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