Warchild : Genre : D

Theatrical: 1971

Studio:

Genre: Documentary

Duration: 32

Summary: Forensic pathologists perform autopsies. The first two consist of examination, measurement, and checking muscles. The remaining ones involve cutting away bone to expose and examine internal organs, peeling back skin and muscle, removing organs, using syringes to extract bodily fluids, and cutting pieces of tissue. Clothes are inventoried. As each autopsy ends, bodies are covered with sheets. There is no soundtrack. We see a body with extensive burns. The hands and trunks of the pathologists appear; sometimes we see them holding the microphone of a tape recorder. The work is sometimes delicate, sometimes not; it's often bloody. We are form and meat.

Theatrical: 1982

Studio: New Video Group

Genre: Documentary

Duration: 88

Summary: The atomic bomb changed the world forever, and this wonderful film shows how Americans expressed wonder over atomic weapons and then suffered from the pervasive fear that America would be on the receiving end of a Soviet nuclear attack. "Atomic Cafe" is a brilliant compilation of archival film clips beginning with the first atomic bomb detonation in the New Mexico desert. The footage, much of it produced as government propaganda, follows the story of the bomb through the two atomic attacks on Japan that ended World War II to the bomb's central role in the cold war. Shown along with the famous "duck and cover" Civil Defense films are lesser-known clips, many of which possess a bizarre black humor when seen today, and it's easy to see why this film, which was produced in the early 1980s, became a cult classic sometimes referred to as the "nuclear "Reefer Madness"." Bellicose congressmen are shown advocating a freewheeling policy of nuclear strikes against China during the Korean War, suburban families are shown enjoying the comforts of their bomb shelters, and footage of a boy trying to bicycle to a bomb shelter in a "bomb survival suit" his father designed is priceless. "Atomic Cafe" is at once clever and poignant, a canny and offbeat look at a significant period in American history. "--Robert J. McNamara"

Theatrical: 2000

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Documentary

Duration: 100

Summary: Legendary martial artist Bruce Lee is the subject of this thoughtful documentary by Lee aficionado John Little. Using interviews, behind-the-scenes footage and action sequences from Lee's last (unfinished) film, Game of Death, Little paints a textured, complex portrait of the world's most famous action hero.

Theatrical: 2005

Studio: RSA/Black Dog Films

Genre: Documentary

Duration: 115

Summary:

Theatrical: 2000

Studio: Palm Pictures

Genre: Documentary

Duration: 84

Summary: For two years Marc Singer lived with the people who make their home in the tunnels beneath Penn Station in New York, creating an unflinching portrait of a part of society that is literally and figuratively beneath our notice.
"You'd be surprised what the human mind and body can adjust to," says Tito, one of the tunnel dwellers. He and his neighbors are homeless, but the tunnels offer them a degree of safety that doesn't exist on the streets above. In this strange place they manage to achieve a remarkable degree of domesticity, building shelters, keeping pets, and cooking meals.
Singer has an eye for telling images, such as Dee dragging a sofa along the train tracks like Sisyphus rolling his stone in Hell. With its grainy black-and-white photography and haunting soundtrack, this is a surprisingly beautiful film, but it is never sentimental, nor does it try to impose a false nobility on its subjects. "Dark Days" simply shows us a world that we never knew existed, and in this simplicity lies its power. "--Simon Leake"

Theatrical: 1976

Studio: Criterion

Genre: Documentary

Duration: 90

Summary: A documentary on the military dictator of Africa's Uganda

Theatrical: 1970

Studio:

Genre: Documentary

Duration: 97

Summary: In December of 1969, four months after Woodstock, the Rolling Stones and Jefferson Airplane gave a free concert in Northern California, east of Oakland at Altamont Speedway. About 300,000 people came, and the organizers put Hell's Angels in charge of security around the stage. Armed with pool cues and knifes, Angels spent the concert beating up spectators, killing at least one. The film intercuts performances, violence, Grace Slick and Mick Jagger's attempts to cool things down, close-ups of young listeners (dancing, drugged, or suffering Angel shock), and a look at the Stones later as they watch concert footage and reflect on what happened.

Theatrical: 2006

Studio:

Genre: Documentary

Summary: Welcome to The Great Happiness Space: Rakkyo Café. The club's owner, Issei (22), has a staff of twenty boys all under his training to become the top escorts of Osaka's underground love scene. During their training, they learn how to dress, how to talk, how to walk, and most importantly, how to fake relationships with the girls who become their source of income. Join us as Osaka's number one host boy takes us on a journey through the complex and heartrenching world of love for sale in the Japanese underground.

Theatrical: 2001

Studio: Showtime

Genre: Documentary

Duration: 90

Summary:

Theatrical: 2004

Studio: Passport International Entertainment

Genre: Documentary

Duration: 156

Summary: With the blessings of Jimi's biological family and many of his closest friends, Passport brings the life of Jimi Hendrix to light as never before. From his upbringing in Seattle to his final days in London, JIMI HENDRIX: THE UNCUT STORY goes beyond all previously released documentaries to explore the complete life-story behind the legendary artist. Episode 1: 1942-1961 The first part of this three-episode series takes us through Jimi's life in Seattle, Washington where he spent two-thirds of his twenty-seven years. Through the recollection of his closest friends and family, we enter into the inner world of Jimi's childhood upbringing. This is where we come to know the people and events that would shape his love for music and define the extraordinary man he would become. Episode 2: 1961 - 1967 After Jimi's stint in the army, we join him as a sideman on the Chitlin' Circuit playing behind some of the greatest names in R&B. After following Jimi to New York, we head off to the UK where Jimi Hendrix became the toast of swinging London virtually overnight. Hear directly from the British rock stars and scenesters who witnessed Jimi's musical coup d'état firsthand. Then follow the Jimi Hendrix Experience on their way to becoming the hottest rock trio on the world stage. Episode 3: 1967 - 1970 Part three highlights the culmination of Jimi's musical career. It was the peak of the counter-culture era and the world was changing at an incredible pace. Jimi's music and lifestyle were no exception. Here is where we follow Jimi to the height of his creative powers, both in the studio and on the road - only to watch it all come crashing down upon him. Through exclusive interviews, we get the facts behind Jimi's demise and examine the events surrounding his controversial death. But more than that - we come to know the spiritual message behind Jimi's work and celebrate the final stage of his life in music.  

Theatrical: 2006

Studio: Bonfire Films of America

Genre: Documentary

Duration: 96

Summary: An intimate and moving meditation on the late musician and artist Kurt Cobain, based on more than 25 hours of previously unheard audiotaped interviews conducted with Cobain by noted music journalist Michael Azerrad for his book "Come As You Are: The Story of Nirvana." In the film, Kurt Cobain recounts his own life - from his childhood and adolescence to his days of musical discovery and later dealings with explosive fame - and offers often piercing insights into his life, music, and times. The conversations heard in the film have never before been made public and they reveal a highly personal portrait of an artist much discussed but not particularly well understood.

Theatrical: 1924

Studio: Pathe

Genre: Documentary

Summary:

Theatrical: 2007

Studio: Minetta Street Productions

Genre: Documentary

Duration: 45

Summary: This acclaimed documentary follows the lives of a group of "Little Warrior Monks" who live in the famous Shaolin Temple and practice the highest form of martial arts known to man. The kids range in age from 6 to 12 years and lead lives isolated from the rest of the world. Each day their discipline included rigorous training, dedicated prayer and a vegetarian lifestyle. Other children their age admire these legendary "Shaolin Monks." This film also follows the plight of one particular "Little Monk" whose dream is to venture out of the Temple to go to Tiananmen Square to see the statue of Chairman Mao. The Shaolin Temple has been the subject of countless popular kung fu films including the classic Shaw Brothers Film " The 36 Chamber" and the "Kill Bill" films as well as featured in the work of popular hip-hop artists.

Theatrical: 2007

Studio:

Genre: Documentary

Summary: THE MAN WHO SOULED THE WORLD tells the story of Steve Rocco, the irreverent genius who transformed the skateboard industry from corporate to skater owned with a do-it-yourself punk attitude. Steve's antics and entrepreneurial impact on the skateboard business are huge and have ultimately had a significant influence on broader mainstream culture as Steve is the man who gave Spike Jonze his first directing gig, discovered Jason Lee and created Big Brother Magazine which became the genesis of Jackass.

Theatrical: 1972

Studio: Cinema X

Genre: Documentary

Duration: 88

Summary: Part documentary, part expose, this film follows one-time child evangelist Marjoe Gortner on the "church tent" Revivalist circuit, commenting on the showmanship of Evangelism and "the religion business", prior to the start of "televangelism".

Theatrical:

Studio: Jack Rollins & Charles H. Joffe Productions

Genre: Documentary

Duration: 98

Summary: From Robert Weide, the filmmaker of "W.C. Fields Straight Up", comes THE MARX BROTHERS IN A NUTSHELL, a fascinating look at the most beloved comedy team in motion picture history. Exclusive interviews with those closest to the brothers supplement this collection of highlights from their film, theater, and television appearances and offer a compelling look at their lives both on and off-screen. The generous use of rare and unreleased film and TV clips provides new insights for even the well-versed Marx Brothers fax. This definitive documentary begins its study with the Marx family vaudeville act and follows through to their final television work; including clips from Groucho's popular TV show "You Bet Your Life." Fellow comedians and collaborators including Woody Allen, Dick Cavett, George Fennemann, Robert Klein, and David Steinberg examine the hard work and perfectionism that put these comic masters at the top of their game. Using rarely-seen footage derived from their original Broadway hit "I'll Say She Is", and highlights from their best film, home movies and newsreels, this film enlightens as it entertains. A tribute to Hollywood's funniest brothers, THE MARX BROTHERS IN A NUTSHELL is an invaluable resource for anyone interested in these remarkable forerunners of modern screen comedy.

Theatrical: 2005

Studio: Paramount

Genre: Documentary

Duration: 208

Summary: Portrait of an artist as a young man. Roughly chronological, using archival footage intercut with recent interviews, a story takes shape of Bob Dylan's (b. 1941) coming of age from 1961 to 1966 as a singer, songwriter, performer, and star. He takes from others: singing styles, chord changes, and rare records. He keeps moving: on stage, around New York City and on tour, from Suze Rotolo to Joan Baez and on, from songs of topical witness to songs of raucous independence, from folk to rock. He drops the past. He refuses, usually with humor and charm, to be simplified, classified, categorized, or finalized: always becoming, we see a shapeshifter on a journey with no direction home.

Theatrical: 2007

Studio: Aberration Films

Genre: Documentary

Duration: 93

Summary: On the edge of the 30th anniversary of punk rock, Punk's Not Dead takes you into the sweaty underground clubs, backyard parties, recording studios, and yes, shopping malls and stadium shows where punk rock music and culture continue to thrive. Thirty years after bands like the Ramones and the Sex Pistols infamously shocked the system with their hard, fast, status-quo-killing rock, the longest-running punk band in history is drawing bigger crowds than ever, "pop-punk" bands have found success on MTV, and kids too young to drive are forming bands that carry the torch for punk's raw, immediate sound. Meanwhile, "punk" has become a marketing concept to sell everything from cars to vodka, and dyed hair and piercings mark a rite of passage for thousands of kids. Can the true, nonconformist punk spirit still exist in today's corporatized culture? Featuring interviews, performances, and behind-the-scenes journeys with the bands, labels, fans, and press who keep punk alive, Punk's Not Dead dares to juxtapose pop-punk's music and lifestyle against the roots in the 70s and 80s, resulting in unexpected revelations. A DIY search for the soul of a subculture and a celebration of all things loud, fast, and spiked, Punk's Not Dead shows punk is stronger and more relevant today than it's ever been.

Theatrical: 1973

Studio: Direct Source

Genre: Documentary

Duration: 93

Summary: He's back! We positively guarantee the Real Bruce Lee. An early Bruce Lee film found in the Chinese archives, and introducing the new sensation DRAGON LEE, and BRUCE LI. The complete fury of martial arts as never before....

Theatrical: 1996

Studio: Abkco

Genre: Documentary

Duration: 65

Summary: Originally filmed in December 1968, "The Rock and Roll Circus" was originally intended to be released as a television special. The special was filmed over two nights and featured not only the Rolling Stones but The Who, Jethro Tull (with future Black Sabbath guitarist Tommy Iommi filling in for the recently departed Mick Abrahams), Marianne Faithful and an all-star jam featuring John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Keith Richards and Mitch Micthell.

Theatrical: 2007

Studio: Weinstein Company

Genre: Documentary

Duration: 123

Summary: Following on the heels of his Palm d'Or winning Fahrenheit 9/11 and his Oscar winning film Bowling for Columbine, acclaimed filmmaker Michael Moore's new documentary sets out to investigate the American healthcare system. Sticking to his tried-and-true on

Theatrical: 2000

Studio: Dolby Digital

Genre: Documentary

Duration: 67

Summary: "The Life and Times of Steve Marriott" is a compelling documentary about one of rock's most dynamic, exciting, and sadly; unsung heroes of rock and roll. Showcasing revelatory interviews with Humble Pie's Peter Frampton, Jerry Shirley, and Greg Ridley, the Black Crowes's Chris Robinson, Rick Nielsen and Bun E. Carlos of Cheap Trick, John Waite, Bad Company/Free drummer Simon Kirke, Quiet Riot's Kevin Dubrow, Ricky Byrd and Marriott historian John Heller among others, the documentary vividly tells the tale of Steve's tragically short life via the use of previously unseen photos, memorabilia, and home movies. Rare fiery performance footage of The Small Faces and Humble Pie frames the action, drawing the viewer closer to this wonderful and underrated artist. Track List: Tin Soldier, Itchycoo Park, Lazy Sunday, Paradise Lost, Take Me Back, Natural Born Woman, Alabama 69, Sad Bag of Shaky Jake, Stone Cold Fever, For Your Love, 4-Day Creep, 30-Days In The Hole, I Don't Need No Doctor, Hot n' Nasty, Black Coffee, Bigger They Come, and I Won't Let You Down.

Theatrical: 1969

Studio: Abkco

Genre: Documentary

Duration: 100

Summary: This version of Jean-Luc Godard's 1968 "One Plus One" caused a legendary confrontation at a film festival when the director became infuriated at his producer's decision to attach the Rolling Stones' completed song "Sympathy for the Devil" at the film's end. Godard's own original plan had been to make a film of the Stones' construction of the tune in rehearsal, and intercut that with a story line about a white revolutionary who becomes suicidal when her lover embraces black separatism. Production problems caused Godard to give up that idea and just allow scenes to fall where they would, allowing viewers to construct the film in their own minds. Be that as it may, this slightly shorter and more commercial producer's cut does not lack in satisfaction by closing things out with the song as Stones fans know it. Overall, the film is a bewildering affair, and that's not at all a bad thing: one's orientation is whatever one makes of Godard's enthralling mess here. Even if a viewer is just interested in seeing the Stones at their peak and at work on their brilliant 1968 album "Beggars Banquet", this is a highly rewarding experience. Astute watchers and listeners will note that in an early take of the song, Mick Jagger sings the lyric, "I shouted out, 'Who killed Kennedy?'/When after all, it was you and me." Later, with no mention of a particularly tragic 1968 event in American politics, Jagger has revised the line to "I shouted out, 'Who killed the Kennedys?'" Talk about a startling moment. "--Tom Keogh"

Theatrical: 1967

Studio:

Genre: Documentary

Duration: 84

Summary:

Theatrical: 2007

Studio: Dare Films

Genre: Documentary

Duration: 97

Summary:

Theatrical: 1968

Studio:

Genre: Documentary

Duration: 99

Summary: Jayne takes us on a review of her last world tour. She takes us through Rome, shares a fantasy about Roman athletes, and then is off to Cannes. She takes a trip to the nudist colony on the Isle of Levant, where she almost kind of joins in. Then it's off to Paris, where she gets a beauty treatment from Fernand Aubrey, and attends some racy dance revues. In New York and Los Angeles, she visits some topless clubs and listens to a topless all-girl pop band. The film wraps up with some posthumous footage of her family in mourning.

Theatrical: 1970

Studio: Wadleigh-Maurice

Genre: Documentary

Duration: 184

Summary: An intimate look at the Woodstock Music & Art Festival held in Bethel, NY in 1969, from preparation through cleanup, with historic access to insiders, blistering concert footage, and portraits of the concertgoers; negative and positive aspects are shown, from drug use by performers to naked fans sliding in the mud, from the collapse of the fences by the unexpected hordes to the surreal arrival of National Guard helicopters with food and medical assistance for the impromptu city of 500,000.

Theatrical: 1992

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Documentary

Duration: 55

Summary:

Theatrical: 1993

Studio: Zipporah Films

Genre: Documentary

Duration: 130

Summary:

Theatrical: 1998

Studio: Keystone Pictures

Genre: Dog

Duration: 90

Summary: The Golden Reciever picks up where Air Bud left off. Josh, now legal owner of Buddy, now plays football with Buddy instead of Basketball!!! The movie takes place in the same town of Ferfield, Washington.

Theatrical: 2007

Studio: MGM

Genre: Dog

Duration: 88

Summary:
Interview with the director of "A Dog's Breakfast", David Hewlett
Tell us about your background and how it prepared you for the making of this film.

I have been making films from the other side of the camera (as an actor) since I was 14. My friends and I used to spend our entire summer vacations causing chaos running around Toronto, Canada armed with an 8mm Cine film camera making short films. They were entirely self-funded and we would beg, borrow or steal equipment, locations and post-production time to get them finished. They were the best "vacations" I ever had. Those experiences were the reason I became a professional actor. Being on Stargate Atlantis has afforded me the time and the money to try to relive those fantastic experiences. This time with me at the helm!

What or who was your inspiration for writing and directing "A Dog's Breakfast"?
My biggest influences for the script were "A Fish Called Wanda", "Fawlty Towers" and the original "Pink Panther". In order to stand out and get noticed, many first time filmmakers go to extreme lengths to be dark, twisted and edgy. Rather than trying to shock people into taking notice of my work, I just wanted to make people laugh. I wanted it to be enjoyably silly. I really liked the idea of all the different aged members of a family being able to sit together and share a giggle. Making those early short films with my friends was the biggest inspiration. But, I also read a lot of books and watched a lot of DVDs in preparation for "A Dog's Breakfast". "Garden State" was a fantastic first film by another actor-turned-director (Zach Braff) that really inspired us to get on with making our own movie. Robert Rodriguez was another huge inspiration. Here is someone who just went out there and made a movie, all on his own. His book "Rebel Without A Crew" is like a road-map to your first film and made it sound so do-able. He had to sell himself for medical research to get the money to fund his work. I just have to save the universe, on Stargate Atlantis. I didn't think we had any excuse not to spend our hiatus making "A Dog's Breakfast".
Is this the first project in which you've starred and directed? How was that experience?
This was the first time I'd ever done two of the three jobs I ended up with on "A Dog's Breakfast"! Directing was completely new to me and it was the skill-set I was most worried about. I have done a fair amount of writing over the years, but this was the first complete script to make it to camera. And then on top of that the fact that I'm actually acting in just about every scene as well -- I don't know what I was thinking! Well, actually I do. It was two less people to feed and schedule around! I would definitely re-think trying to do them all simultaneously again. I kept forgetting to call 'action' or remembered and then forgot my lines, I was a mess! That said, once I got into the swing of it, writing and directing was a dream come true! I was finally able to take part in every aspect of filmmaking. I'd been privy to aspects of it over the years, but seeing a film through from conception to release and even dabbling in the marketing side of things was incredible. I can't wait to do it again! I'm half way through the script for the next project which I'm hoping to have someone else pay for this time! Over 20 years later and I'm still making films during my holidays, and they're still the best "vacations" I could wish for!
You chose to cast several cast mates from Stargate:Atlantis and Stargate SG-1 in your film (your sister Kate, Paul McGillion, Christopher Judge, Rachel Luttrell). What prompted the decision and were you worried it may mislead people about the content of the film (thinking it was sci-fi or associated with Stargate)?
I just worked with my friends and family, it's always worked for me in the past. I know how tough it can be for first time directors and I wanted to surround myself with top-notch and supportive talent. I'd be crazy not to take advantage of those connections! One of the reasons we chose to make Ryan a "sci-fi" actor was to be able to give a little nod to the Stargate fans with his "Starcrossed" clips. So far "A Dog's Breakfast" hasn't been mistaken for a sci-fi movie, so I think we're good, there. The reality is that I knew Stargate audiences were going to be interested in the project so I tried to make a humorous film that would appeal to them. But people outside of the sci-fi world are also enjoying this movie, and it's certainly not exclusively for Stargate fans. If you own a dog you're going to like this as you're in what I call our "Pet-Nerd" audience. That said, the film (and even more so the DVD) certainly has a few giggles that will appeal to those "in the know".
What about the DVD: will there be any extras that you can tell us about?
I can't wait to see the response to the DVD! We've complied a ton of extras that adds a whole new level to the film. We've got a number of "deleted scenes" that are really funny, but just had to go in order keep the running time down. I really miss them, and I'm so glad that now they'll see the light of day. The big seller to me is what Jane has done with the Behind-the-Scenes. Jane Loughman is "A Dog's Breakfast" producer and her background was producing at E! and for Entertaiment Tonight. She's used all those skills to put together a series of mini-documentaries that are so much fun! One of the things that I hate on many DVD's are these repurposed marketing pieces that are dumped on the DVD. You end up having to watch half the film again! We set out from the beginning to have these designed specifically for the DVD and it really shows. This is the kind of DVD that I would buy for the extras!
What do you want your audience to get out of this movie?
I love to make people laugh. I suppose it's the product of being the eldest and only boy in a family of 5 sisters, I'm just desperate for that kind of attention! I made this movie as pure silly entertainment. I wanted to make a new, old-fashioned comedy and I really hope that's how people see it. One of the most rewarding things that happens with "A Dog's Breakfast" is people like it enough to want to quote my own film back to me! That's the kind of response I like to see, because that's how I am about the movies I love.
The big climax, how did you film that?
Very carefully! Jane is such a stickler for detail and she made me re-write that ending section a number of times. She was adamant that there be no "cheats" -- no holes where people could question the timeline and people's motives. When it came to actually shooting it, I was so strapped for time. As it turned out the necessity to jump around with the shots in order to preserve make-up and costumes etc. made it a lot more dynamic than it would have been had I been given all the time I needed. I just wanted a nice spooky reveal that was "tainted" by Patrick's confused and paranoid state-of-mind. I like to think of it as my David Lynch "Murder She Wrote" episode.
What are your favorite movies? What DVDs do you have on your shelf at home?
Wow! There are loads, but here are a few faves, off the top of my head... "A Fish Called Wanda" "Withnail and I" Blake Edward's "The Pink Panther", "A Shot in the Dark" Robert Rodriguez's "El Mariachi", "Desperado", "Sin City" The "Evil Dead" trilogy "Mad Max 2, The Road Warrior" "Garden State" Anything with Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd or Charlie Chaplin in it! "Arsenic and Old Lace" "Sid and Nancy" "Fitzcarraldo" "Blade Runner" Danny Boyle's "Shallow Grave", "28 days later", "Trainspotting", "Millions" "Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind" "Breakfast at Tiffany's" Steven Soderbergh's "Out of Sight", "Solaris"... and just about anything he gets up to!

Theatrical: 2006

Studio: Buena Vista

Genre: Dog

Duration: 120

Summary: Walt Disney Pictures presents EIGHT BELOW, the thrilling tale of incredible friendship between eight amazing sled dogs and their guide Jerry (Paul Walker). Stranded in Antarctica during the most unforgiving winter on the planet, Jerry's beloved sled dogs must learn to survive together until Jerry — who will stop at nothing -- rescues them. Driven by unwavering bonds of friendship, enormous belief in one another, and tremendous courage, Jerry and the dogs make an incredible journey to reunite in this triumphant and inspiring action-adventure the whole family will treasure.

Theatrical: 2007

Studio:

Genre: Dog

Duration: 90

Summary: The true story of the legendary German Shepherd who was found by American pilot Lee Duncun in France during World War I, and later became the most famous animal star in Hollywood history.

Theatrical: 2007

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Genre: Dog

Duration: 111

Summary:
Adolescence is an emotionally stormy time for kids, but it's especially so for Shane (Josh Hutcherson), a teenager being raised by single firefighter father Connor (Bruce Greenwood). Add the recent death of Shane's fire-captain uncle (Connor's brother) in the line of duty and the pending closure of their neighborhood "Dogpatch" fire station, and both Shane's propensity for skipping school and brooding in his room and his father's obsession with work seem easily explainable. When a mutt called Dewey, really a very spoiled superstar dog named Rexxx who's been presumed dead after a parachuting stunt gone wrong, turns up in a burning building and is rescued by the Dogpatch crew, Connor puts Shane in charge of caring for the dog and finding its owner. Shane and Dewey clash immediately and Shane is extremely resentful toward both the dog and his father. However, Dewey's special talents (like skateboarding and trampoline jumping), combined with his good fire-fighting instincts, soon win the admiration and affection of Shane and the entire Dogpatch crew. A series of mysterious fires causes Shane and Connor to begin to really communicate and reconnect, but those fires also threaten their very lives. At the same time, Dewey's former owner discovers Dewey's true identity and demands the return of his superstar companion. An engaging dog story that explores the difficulties of growing up and dealing with personal tragedy, "Firehouse Dog" is a fun family film that's rated PG due to some mildly crude humor (think potty jokes), language, and action peril. --"Tami Horiuchi"

"Firehouse Dog" Extras
Watch the firemen of "Firehouse Dog" take you behind the scenes in this exclusive clip.


Beyond "Firehouse Dog"
Kids & Family Animal Films
Firehouse Dog (Paperback)
Movies for Tweens


Stills from "Firehouse Dog"

Theatrical: 2007

Studio: Magic & Lucky Jonz Productions

Genre: Dog

Summary:

Theatrical: 1987

Studio: Mitsui Company Ltd.

Genre: Dog

Duration: 107

Summary:

Theatrical: 2009

Studio: Dreamworks

Genre: Dog

Duration: 100

Summary: Animals are strictly forbidden at Andi and her little brother Bruce's foster home. But for Friday, the adorable dog they secretly care for, they're ready to risk everything. They finally find him an ideal shelter, a huge abandoned hotel that Bruce transforms thanks to his engineering genius. In what has become an incredible paradise for dogs, Friday is soon joined by all kinds of furry friends, so many in fact that their barks alert the neighbors...and the local pound, who can't understand the disappearance of all the stray dogs. Andi and Bruce will have to call on all their friends and all their imagination to stop the hotel's secret from being discovered.

Theatrical: 1989

Studio: Gordon Company

Genre: Dog

Duration: 101

Summary: The extravagant cop Michael Dooley needs some help to fight a drug dealer who has tried to kill him. A "friend" gives him a dog named Jerry Lee, who has been trained to smell drugs. With his help, Dooley sets out to put his enemy behind the bars, but Jerry Lee has a personality of his own and works only when he wants to. On the other hand, the dog is quite good at destroying Dooley's car, house and sex-life...

Theatrical: 1999

Studio: Universal Studios

Genre: Dog

Duration: 91

Summary: This was an excellent movie. I had seen the first one and thought it was good but this one is even better. I had friends over and we watched it and we all laughed at some of the scenes in this movie. all I can say is its an excellent movie and everyone who loves a great comedy should either watch it or do as I will when it becomes available in the store is to buy it. my Queation is how soon will it be available to the public to buy?

Theatrical: 2008

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Genre: Dog

Duration: 111

Summary: After their wedding, newspaper writers John and Jennifer Grogan move to Florida. In an attempt to stall Jennifer's "biological clock", John gives her a puppy. While the puppy Marley grows into a 100 pound dog, he loses none of his puppy energy or rambunctiousness. Meanwhile, Marley gains no self-discipline. Marley's antics give John rich material for his newspaper column. As the Grogans mature and have children of their own, Marley continues to test everyone's patience by acting like the world's most impulsive dog.

Theatrical: 2008

Studio: Billy Goat Pictures

Genre: Dog

Duration: 93

Summary: An older, reclusive man's best friend is his dog RED. When three teens kill his dog for no reason, the man sets out for justice and redemption within whatever means possible, legal or otherwise.

Theatrical: 2006

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Dog

Duration: 90

Summary:

Theatrical: 2007

Studio: Buena Vista

Genre: Dog

Duration: 84

Summary: What happens when mad scientist Dr. Simon Barsinister (Peter Dinklage) and a former police beagle Shoeshine (voiced by Jason Lee) are involved in a fiery lab accident? A dog with superpowers is born (soon to be dubbed Underdog) and Dr. Barsinister becomes a man obsessed with revenge and bent on genetically modifying the entire population of Capital City. An unwitting former policeman Dan (James Belushi) and his son Jack (Alex Neuberger) adopt Shoeshine in hopes of improving their strained relationship and what follows is a typical scene of home destruction by a young dog multiplied exponentially by the incredible strength, speed, and newly developed language skills of one super dog. While Jack and Shoeshine struggle with the conflict between Shoeshine's desire to be a regular dog and Jack's insistence that he use his newfound powers to help people, mayhem reigns in Capital City as Barsinister and his henchman Cad (Patrick Warburton--"Emperor's New Groove") wreak havoc on the entire city and Jack's dad, schoolmate Molly (Taylor Momsen), and her dog Polly (voiced by Amy Adams--"Enchanted") are all unwittingly dragged into the conflict. Underdog dedicates himself to good, quickly becoming revered as a superhero, but ultimately it will take the combined efforts and understanding of Underdog, Jack, Dan, Molly, and Polly to defeat Barsinister and save Capital City from destruction. Based on the original animated "Underdog" television series, this live action film is entertaining, if not great.

Theatrical: 2009

Studio: Field Guide Films

Genre: Dog

Duration: 80

Summary: A woman's life is derailed en route to a potentially lucrative summer job. When her car breaks down, and her dog is taken to the pound, the thin fabric of her financial situation comes apart, and she is led through a series of increasingly dire economic decisions.

Theatrical: 1986

Studio: Paramount

Genre: Dog

Duration: 84

Summary:

Theatrical: 2007

Studio: Paramount

Genre: Dog

Duration: 96

Summary: Molly Shannon gives a strange and strangely touching performance in "Year of the Dog". A quiet secretary named Peggy (Shannon, "Superstar", "Good Boy!") goes into a tailspin when her beloved dog Pencil dies, leading her to flirt with dating, veganism, animal rights activism, and violence. But though the plot may sound shapeless, the movie is sharp and focused, cutting to the bone of every character's obsessions and neuroses. Yet, though extremely funny, "Year of the Dog" isn't strictly satirical--writer/director Mike White (writer of "The Good Girl" and "Chuck & Buck") doesn't pass judgment on his characters, no matter how irrational or appalling their behavior may be. The movie has a cool empathy, a wistful yet unsparing glance at human weakness. The entire cast--which includes Laura Dern ("We Don't Live Here Anymore"), John C. Reilly ("Boogie Nights"), Regina King ("Ray"), and Peter Sarsgaard ("Boys Don't Cry")--walk a fine line between painfully real and comically absurd. Fans of distinctive directors like Don Roos ("The Opposite of Sex", "Happy Endings") and Todd Solondz ("Happiness", "Storytelling") will enjoy "Year of the Dog". "--Bret Fetzer"

Theatrical: 1951

Studio: Criterion

Genre: Drama

Duration: 111

Summary: Charles Tatum, a down-on-his-luck reporter, takes a job with a small New Mexico newspaper. The job is pretty boring until he finds a man trapped in a mine. He jumps at the chance to make a name for himself by taking over and prolonging the rescue effort, and feeding stories to major newspapers. He creates a national media sensation and milks it for all it is worth.

Theatrical: 1977

Studio: Anchor Bay

Genre: Drama

Duration: 94

Summary: In the mid-16th century, after annihilating the Incan empire Gonzalo Pizarro (Allejandro Repulles) leads his army of conquistadors over the Andes into the heart of the most savage environment on Earth in search of the fabled City of Gold, El Dorado. As the soldiers battle starvation, Indians, the forces of nature , and each other, Don Lope de Aguirre (Klaus Kinski), The Wrath Of God, is consumed with visions of conquering all of South America and revolts, leading his own army down a treacherous river on a doomed quest into oblivion. Featuring a seething, controlled performance from Kinski, this masterpiece from director Werner Herzog is an unforgettable portrait of madness and power.

System Requirements:
Starring: Klaus Kinski, Helena Rojo, Ruy Guerra
Director: Werner Herzog
Producer: Werner Herzog
Running Time: 94 Min.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Theatrical: 1938

Studio: Alpha Video

Genre: Drama

Duration: 96

Summary: Pepe Le Moko, a thief who escaped from France with a fortune in jewels, has for two years lived in, and virtually ruled, the mazelike, impenetrable Casbah, "native quarter" of Algiers. A French official insists that he be captured, but sly Inspector Slimane knows he need only bide his time. The suave Pepe increasingly regards his stronghold as also his prison, especially when he meets beautiful Parisian visitor Gaby, who reminds him of the boulevards to which he dare not return...and arouses the mad jealousy of Ines, his Algerian mistress.

Theatrical: 1974

Studio: Criterion

Genre: Drama

Duration: 93

Summary: Rainer Werner Fassbinder paid tribute to his mentor, Douglas Sirk, with this loose adaptation of "All That Heaven Allows", the classic American soaper of a widow falling for younger man to the disapproval of family and friends. Fassbinder combines the Sirk melodrama with the story told in his own "The American Soldier". An aging, lonely charwoman (sweet old Brigitte Mira) befriends a Moroccan guest worker (El Hedi ben Salem) at least 20 years her junior. Finding comfort and happiness in one another's company, they suddenly marry. Her kids are aghast, his friends appalled, and the neighborhood turns its back, so the two pull together for support. Their relationship ironically begins to unravel when the pressure of community prejudice eases and they must confront the gulf between them. Combining melodrama with social commentary, Fassbinder offers a sharp, incisive portrait of prejudice in modern Germany grounded in contemporary social conditions. Mira delivers a tender, vulnerable performance and Fassbinder molds Salem's stiffness into a distinctive character trait of a man ill at ease in German society. It's an assured and beautiful film, full of gliding camerawork and evocative images, and invested with intimacy and gentleness. Even Fassbinder's characteristically grim conclusion defies tragedy for a glimmer of hope, a welcome and affecting rarity in his career. "--Sean Axmaker"

Theatrical: 1974

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Drama

Duration: 112

Summary: Having scored a critical triumph with "Mean Streets", Martin Scorsese accepted "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore" as his first big-studio assignment, proving his versatility and further advancing his promising career. Hot off "The Exorcist" with her choice of projects at Warner Brothers, Ellen Burstyn sought a hot young talent (Scorsese was recommended by Francis Coppola) to direct Robert Getchell's fine, sensitive screenplay about Alice Wyatt, a newly-widowed 35-year-old lounge singer with a bratty 12-year-old son (Alfred Lutter) and a very uncertain future. Her pursuit of broken dreams lands her a waitressing job in an Arizona diner, where she befriends foul-mouthed Flo (Diane Ladd) and meets and falls in love with a divorced farmer (Kris Kristofferson). With absolute authenticity of emotion and incident, "Alice"--which earned Burstyn a well-deserved Oscar® and features supporting roles for future "Taxi Driver" costars Jodie Foster and Harvey Keitel--conveys a then-timely sense of strength and endurance from a single mother in desperate times. There have been several similar dramas made since 1974, but "Alice" (which inspired the popular TV sitcoms "Alice" and "Flo") is still the best. Trivia buffs: Look closely for Ladd's daughter--a very young Laura Dern--and Scorsese as background extras in the diner scenes. "--Jeff Shannon"

Theatrical: 1941

Studio: William Dieterle Productions

Genre: Drama

Duration: 107

Summary: A down-on-his-luck farmer makes a deal with the devil for seven years of prosperity. When Mr. Scratch comes to collect, orator and hero of the common man Daniel Webster comes to the rescue. Based on the short story by Stephen Vincent Benet. Also known as "All That Money Can Buy."

Theatrical: 2006

Studio: Sony Pictures

Genre: Drama

Duration: 128

Summary: In the 50's, in Louisiana, the smart populist, manipulative and wolf hick Willie Stark is elected governor with the support of the lower social classes. He joins a team composed of his bodyguard and friend Sugar Boy; the journalist from an aristocratic family Jack Burden; the lobbyist Tiny Duffy; and his mistress Sadie Burke, to face the opposition of the upper classes. When the influent Judge Irwin supports a group of politicians in their request of impeachment, Stark assigns Jack to find some dirtiness along the life of Irwin, leading to a tragedy in the end.

Theatrical: 2005

Studio: Umbrella Entertainment

Genre: Drama

Duration: 133

Summary: san-chôme no yûhi

Theatrical: 1979

Studio: Columbia

Genre: Drama

Duration: 119

Summary: When a judge is charged with rape, Arthur Kirkland is forced to defend him. Kirkland has had problems with the judge in the past, including one incident when the judge wrongly sentenced his client Jeff McCullaugh because of a technicality. Kirkland faces a moral and legal dilemma.

Theatrical: 2007

Studio:

Genre: Drama

Duration: 134

Summary: Based on the book by Elizabeth Taylor, "Angel", this is the story of a young woman with incredible imagination who refuses to accept the world around her, and creates her own realities.

Theatrical: 2005

Studio:

Genre: Drama

Duration: 115

Summary: A South Korean expedition is trekking across the Antarctic when they discover a journal left by a British team that was lost 80 years earlier. As they press onward, they begin to notice strange similarities between the ill-fated British journey and their own. In the unforgiving environment where small mistakes can doom an entire party, the team steadily descends deeper into fatal delusions.

Theatrical: 2002

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Genre: Drama

Duration: 120

Summary: Denzel Washington makes his triumphant directorial debut and Derek Luke shines in his first big-screen role in "one of the most touching, heartwarming films of the year." (Jeffrey Lyons, WNBC-TV) Inspired by the true life experiences of its title character, Antwone Fisher tells the dramatic story of a troubled sailer (Luke) who is ordered to see a naval psychiatrist (Washington) about his volatile temper. Little does he know that his first step into the doctor's office will lead him on a remarkable emotional journey to confront his painful past--and connect with the family he never knew.

System Requirements:
Starring: Denzel Washington (Remember the Titans, John Q, Training Day), and Derek Luke (Biker Boyz).
Directed By: Denzel Washington.
Running Time: 120 Min., Color.
Copyright 2003 Twentieth Century Fox.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Theatrical: 2006

Studio: Buena Vista

Genre: Drama

Duration: 139

Summary: In the Maya civilization, a peaceful tribe is brutally attacked by warriors seeking slaves and human beings for sacrifice for their gods. Jaguar Paw hides his pregnant wife and his son in a deep hole nearby their tribe and is captured while fighting with his people. An eclipse spares his life from the sacrifice and later he has to fight to survive and save his beloved family.

Theatrical: 2006

Studio: Sony Pictures

Genre: Drama

Duration: 102

Summary: Bitter, misanthropic, yet sometimes blisteringly funny, "Art School Confidential" is not a movie for everyone. Jerome (Max Minghella, "Bee Season") goes to art school in the hopes of having his genuine ability recognized and cherished--but instead, finds his teachers to be self-obsessed has-beens, his peers jaded and floundering, and himself being investigated for a series of gruesome stranglings. He becomes obsessed with a lovely student named Audrey (Sophia Myles, "Tristan and Isolde"), but she's more interested in hunky Jonah (Matt Keeslar, "Splendor"), whose crude yet acclaimed paintings of cars and tanks make Jerome want to tear his own eyes out. The crime-thriller plot of "Art School Confidential", however, is merely a contrivance to string together a series of caustic digs at the shallow, narcissistic, talentless hacks who go to art school in the vain hope of achieving fame, wealth, and sexual abundance with little or no effort. For most viewers, who want to think that people are largely well-intentioned and decent, this will seem snide and cruel; but for some viewers, who believe people are foolish and blinkered, "Art School Confidential" will seem like an oasis in the arid desert of lies and propaganda about the good side of human nature. If this is your movie, you know who you are, and I encourage you to seek it out as soon as possible. Directed by Terry Zwigoff ("Bad Santa") and based on the work of cartoonist Dan Clowes; their previous collaboration was the much warmer "Ghost World". Also featuring sharp turns from John Malkovich ("Being John Malkovich"), Anjelica Huston ("Prizzi's Honor"), and Jim Broadbent ("Moulin Rouge!"). "--Bret Fetzer"

Theatrical: 2006

Studio: Paramount

Genre: Drama

Duration: 143

Summary: Brilliantly conceived, superbly directed, and beautifully acted, "Babel" is inarguably one of the best films of 2006. Director Alejandro González Iñárritu and his co-writer, Guillermo Arriaga (the two also collaborated on "Amores Perros" and "21 Grams") weave together the disparate strands of their story into a finely hewn fabric by focusing on what appear to be several equally incongruent characters: an American (Brad Pitt) touring Morocco with his wife (Cate Blanchett) become the focus of an international incident also involving a hardscrabble Moroccan farmer (Mustapha Rachidi) struggling to keep his two young sons in line and his family together. A San Diego nanny (Adriana Barraza), her employers absent, makes the disastrous decision to take their kids with her to a wedding in Mexico. And a deaf-mute Japanese teen (the extraordinary Rinko Kikuchi) deals with a relationship with her father (Koji Yakusho) and the world in general that's been upended by the death of her mother. It is perhaps not surprising, or particularly original, that a gun is the device that ties these people together. Yet "Babel" isn't merely about violence and its tragic consequences. It's about communication, and especially the lack of it--both intercultural, raising issues like terrorism and immigration, and intracultural, as basic as husbands talking to their wives and parents understanding their children. Iñárritu's command of his medium, sound and visual alike, is extraordinary; the camera work is by turns kinetic and restrained, the music always well matched to the scenes, the editing deft but not confusing, and the film (which clocks in at a lengthy 143 minutes) is filled with indelible moments. Many of those moments are also pretty stark and grim, and no will claim that all of this leads to a "happy" ending, but there is a sense of reconciliation, perhaps even resolution. "If You Want to be Understood... Listen," goes the tagline. And if you want a movie that will leave you thinking, "Babel" is it. "--Sam Graham"

Beyond "Babel"
Other Interweaving Storylines on DVD
Other DVDs by Director Alejandro González Iñárritu
Why We Love Cate Blanchett Stills from "Babel" (click for larger image)

Theatrical: 2001

Studio: Sony Pictures

Genre: Drama

Duration: 129

Summary: A worthy companion piece to 1991's "Boyz N the Hood", John Singleton's "Baby Boy" expresses compassionate but unforgiving criticism of young, African American black men who lead reckless, irresponsible lives while blithely blaming racism for their chronic disadvantage. That's already enough to make this a provocative and emotionally challenging film, but Singleton injects his drama with such passionate vitality that it never seems inflammatory; instead, in presenting this portrait of a confused and conflicted 20-year-old black man named Jody (Tyrese Gibson), Singleton is both affectionate and accusatory, lending "Baby Boy" an edgy, timeless wisdom that other, less courageous films could never hope to offer.
Unemployed and living with his 36-year-old mother (A.J. Johnson), Jody has fathered children from two young mothers and seems destined for an early grave. He never knew his father, but his mother's new boyfriend Melvin (played to perfection by Ving Rhames) is an ex-con with streetwise maturity that Jody, in time, will come to recognize and respect. This generational dynamic is the lifeblood of Singleton's central theme; Jody can follow Melvin's example or fall into the trap of lawlessness personified by Rodney (Snoop Dogg), a violent gangsta who arrives to threaten Jody's tenuous chance at a respectable adulthood. Through a wealth of fine performances and blistering dialogue, "Baby Boy" presents hard questions with no easy answers, and although Singleton is prone to polemical melodrama, his blunt approach serves a noble and ultimately hopeful purpose. "--Jeff Shannon"

Theatrical: 1955

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Drama

Duration: 82

Summary: One of the first Hollywood films to deal openly with white racism toward Japanese Americans during World War II, this drama directed by 1950s action maestro John Sturges ("The Great Escape") stars Spencer Tracy as a one-armed stranger named MacReedy, who arrives in the tiny town of Black Rock on a hot day in 1945. Seeking a hotel room and the whereabouts of an ethnic Japanese farmer named Komoko, MacReedy runs smack into a wall of hostility that escalates into serious threats. In time it becomes apparent that Komoko has been murdered by a local, racist chieftain, Reno Smith (Robert Ryan), who also plans on dispensing with MacReedy. Tracy's hero is forced to fight his way past Smith's goons (among them Ernest Borgnine and Lee Marvin) and sundry allies (Anne Francis) to keep alive, setting the stage for memorable suspense crisply orchestrated by Sturges. Casting is the film's principal strength, however: Tracy, the indispensable icon of integrity, and Ryan, the indispensable noir image of spiritual blight, are as creatively unlikely a pairing as Sturges's shotgun marriage of Yul Brynner and Steve McQueen in "The Magnificent Seven". "--Tom Keogh"

Theatrical: 2001

Studio: Lifesize Home Entert

Genre: Drama

Duration: 101

Summary: Remarkable acting, striking visuals, and dead-on direction from Kim Ki-Duk (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter…and Spring; The Isle) make BAD GUY an edgy tour de force. Kim submerges the audience in the underground world of Seoul's red-light district and takes them on a surrealistic, darkly romantic ride. It depicts the relationship between a young college girl forced into prostitution and the pimp who orchestrated her demise and silently watches from behind a false mirror.

Theatrical: 1956

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Drama

Duration: 129

Summary: "A basket full of kisses for a basket full of hugs." Those are chilling words, at least when uttered by that ice princess, Patty McCormack. As Rhoda Penmark, she is as pretty as a porcelain doll but drips venom with each curtsey and polite response. Little Rhoda's mother is terrified she has passed on her own mother's corruption. Oops, turns out she's right. This passes the test of time, as it still gets under your skin. The character development is tight and the story very involving. Not even Freddy Krueger had the ability to scare like tiny McCormack, looking just like a little adult while she literally beats out the competition for a penmanship award. However, director Mervyn LeRoy's hands were tied over the ending, which was changed from the source material--Maxwell Anderson's hit Broadway play. A supposedly more appropriate, and moral, ending was demanded by the studio. This was remade (badly) in 1985. "--Rochelle O'Gorman"

Theatrical: 1983

Studio: Toei

Genre: Drama

Duration: 130

Summary: In a small village in a valley everyone who reaches the age of 70 must leave the village and go to a certain mountain top to die. If anyone should refuse he/she would disgrace their family. Old Orin is 69. This winter it is her turn to go to the mountain. But first she must make sure that her eldest son Tatsuhei finds a wife.

Theatrical: 1977

Studio:

Genre: Drama

Duration: 109

Summary:

Theatrical: 1987

Studio: Golan-Globus Productions

Genre: Drama

Duration: 100

Summary: Henry Chinaski never cared for the American dream, the thought of needing to become 'something' and fit into the system disgusts him. He believes that life is free and yours to live like you see fit, and if that in some cases involves copious amounts of whiskey then so be it. Henry spends his days drinking and listening to the radio, and he spends his nights drinking and fighting against Eddy who he thinks personifies shallowness and shameless self promoting. Sometimes in the middle of this he finds the time to jot down a few lines of poetry or a short story. After fighting Eddy and winning for a change Henry is thrown out of his regular bar where Eddy is a bartender. This leads him to seek another watering hole where he happens to find Wanda who is a barfly, in her own words "if another man came along with a fifth of whiskey, I'd go with him". Henry is not fazed by this thou and moves in with her...

Theatrical: 2005

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Drama

Duration: 140

Summary: "Batman Begins" discards the previous four films in the series and recasts the Caped Crusader as a fearsome avenging angel. That's good news, because the series, which had gotten off to a rousing start under Tim Burton, had gradually dissolved into self-parody by 1997's "Batman & Robin". As the title implies, "Batman Begins" tells the story anew, when Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) flees Western civilization following the murder of his parents. He is taken in by a mysterious instructor named Ducard (Liam Neeson in another mentor role) and urged to become a ninja in the League of Shadows, but he instead returns to his native Gotham City resolved to end the mob rule that is strangling it. But are there forces even more sinister at hand?
Co-written by the team of David S. Goyer (a veteran comic book writer) and director Christopher Nolan ("Memento"), "Batman Begins" is a welcome return to the grim and gritty version of the Dark Knight, owing a great debt to the graphic novels that preceded it. It doesn't have the razzle dazzle, or the mass appeal, of "Spider-Man 2" (though the Batmobile is cool), and retelling the origin means it starts slowly, like most "first" superhero movies. But it's certainly the best Bat-film since Burton's original, and one of the best superhero movies of its time. Bale cuts a good figure as Batman, intense and dangerous but with some of the lightheartedness Michael Keaton brought to the character. Michael Caine provides much of the film's humor as the family butler, Alfred, and as the love interest, Katie Holmes ("Dawson's Creek") is surprisingly believable in her first adult role. Also featuring Gary Oldman as the young police officer Jim Gordon, Morgan Freeman as a Q-like gadgets expert, and Cillian Murphy as the vile Jonathan Crane. "--David Horiuchi"

Batman at Amazon.com
All "Batman" DVDs
"Batman Begins" 101: A Comic Book Primer
Where Have I Seen Christian Bale?
All "Batman" Comics and Graphic Novels
"Batman" Toys
"Batman Begins" Soundtrack
Stills from "Batman Begins" (click for larger images)








DVD Features
The first disc is filled out by the theatrical trailer and a Jimmy Fallon-starring "Batman Begins" spoof from the MTV Movie Awards. The second disc consists of eight featurettes (about 105 minutes total) on a variety of topics. "The Journey Begins" covers the early stages of the movie, including the casting and how director/co-writer Christopher Nolan brought in co-writer David S. Goyer for his comic-book expertise. "Shaping Mind and Body" covers Christian Bale's fight training, and other featurettes discuss the sets (the Batcave is shown being constructed out of wood and sheets), the Batman costume, the Batmobile, the monorail sequence, and the hazards of filming in Iceland. All the behind-the-scenes featurettes are solid but somewhat routine, and while "The Journey Begins" is the widest overview, there's not really any centerpiece documentary (all are 8 to 15 minutes, and there's no Play All option). Interviewees tend to be the same throughout: Nolan, Goyer, Bale (the only cast member to get much face time), and other crew members (it's nice to hear from the stunt people).
Potentially more interesting to fans is "Genesis of the Bat," which covers the comic books that influenced the film, including "The Long Halloween", Neal Adams's Ra's Al Ghul from the '70s, Dennis O'Neill and Dick Giordano's "The Man Who Falls", and Frank Miller's "Batman: Year One" and "The Dark Knight Returns". Interviewees include DC Comics editor Paul Levitz and artist Jim Lee, but the latter's involvement eventually degrades the featurette into a pitch for DC's "All-Star Batman" line. A nice bonus to the Deluxe Edition is a mini comic book (DVD case-sized) that has Batman's first appearance ("Detective Comics" #27), "The Man Who Falls", and a 48-page excerpt from "The Long Halloween". (Once you get a taste of "Halloween", you'll want to pick up the full-length, full-size version.) Filling out the disc are overviews of four gadgets and eight characters, DVD-ROM features, and a variety of poster-art concepts. To get to the features menu, you have to scroll through a multi-page Goyer-scribed comic book, which is a good read, but you can't skip it the next time you want to watch the second disc. Note that the comic book is also viewable in French, and the second disc offers a French menu and French (but not English) subtitles for the featurettes. "--David Horiuchi"

Theatrical: 2002

Studio:

Genre: Drama

Duration: 91

Summary:

Theatrical: 2008

Studio: Kim Ki-Duk Film

Genre: Drama

Duration: 88

Summary: Eun Young's striking beauty makes her the center of attraction wherever she goes. Regrettably, that also includes some unwanted attention from perverted male stalkers who fantasize about having sex with her. One of her stalkers (Kim Min Soo, Time) gets his wish by intruding into her house, then raping her ruthlessly. Later on, he confesses to the police that it was really he who was raped by her beauty. Eun Young descends into madness after the ordeal and develops bulimia and anorexia. Watching her sink deeper and deeper into self-destruction, warm-hearted policeman Eun Cheol (Lee Cheon Hee, Bar Legend) feels sorry for the beauty, but what began as compassion turns into an uncontrollable sexual obsession when lust starts to consume his heart. Written and produced by maverick arthouse director Kim Ki Duk, Beautiful paints the gripping psychological tale of a woman whose exceptional beauty makes her the object of unwanted lust and envy. In his feature-length debut, director Jeon Jae Hong (Mul Go Gi), who proudly carries the nickname "Little Kim Ki Duk", casts Cha Soo Yeon (For Eternal Hearts) as Eun Young, a tragic heroine who suffers a mental breakdown after being raped by her stalker, blaming her beauty to be the cause of all her misery. Exploring the extremities of sexual perversion and obsession in human behavior, director Jeon throws the audience into a furious whirlwind of psychological warfare while retaining much of the essence of what is widely known as Kim Ki Duk's signature style. The film saw its world premiere in the 2008 Berlin International Film Festival's Panorama section, receiving rave reviews along with high praise for Cha's soul-stripping performance.

Theatrical: 1979

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Drama

Duration: 130

Summary: Thanks to an extraordinary, delicately balanced performance by Peter Sellers, "Being There" received mixed reviews during its theatrical release in 1979, but has since become a celebrated comedy with a loyal following. It's one of the most unusual black comedies ever made, simply because it stretches a simple premise over 130 minutes of straight-faced, strangely compelling commentary on politics, media, and celebrity in media-savvy America. Adapted by Jerzy Kozinsky from his own novel, the movie's about a simple-minded, middle-aged gardener who, after a lifetime of seclusion and safety in a Washington, D.C. townhouse, gets his first exposure to reality beyond the walls of his sheltered existence. His only reference to the world is through his childlike addiction to television, and when a chance encounter brings him into the inner fold of a dying billionaire (Melvyn Douglas), he suddenly finds himself the toast of Washington's political elite. His simple phrases about gardening are misinterpreted as anything from economic predictions to sage political advice, and under the sharp direction of Hal Ashby, Sellers has the audacity to take this comedic conceit to its logical extreme. "Being There" is not for all tastes--especially not for those who don't appreciate comedic subtlety. But as a showcase for the daring genius of Peter Sellers, this is a classic movie in a category all its own. "--Jeff Shannon"

Theatrical: 1967

Studio: Miramax

Genre: Drama

Duration: 101

Summary: Severine is a beautiful young woman married to a doctor. She loves her husband dearly, but cannot bring herself to be physically intimate with him. She indulges instead in vivid, kinky, erotic fantasies to entertain her sexual desires. Eventually she becomes a prostitute, working in a brothel in the afternoons while remaining chaste in her marriage.

Theatrical: 1945

Studio: Rainbow Productions

Genre: Drama

Duration: 126

Summary: Father O'Malley the unconventional priest from 'Going My Way' continues his work for the Catholic Church. This time he is sent to St. Mary's, a run-down parochial school on the verge of condemnation. He and Sister Benedict work together in an attempt to save the school, though their differing methods often lead to good-natured disagreements.

Theatrical: 1958

Studio:

Genre: Drama

Duration: 85

Summary:

Theatrical: 2008

Studio: BIG Pictures

Genre: Drama

Duration: 96

Summary:

Theatrical: 1946

Studio: Samuel Goldwyn Company

Genre: Drama

Duration: 172

Summary: The story concentrates on the social re-adjustment of three World War II servicemen, each from a different station of society. Al Stephenson (Fredric March) returns to an influential banking position, but finds it hard to reconcile his loyalties to ex-servicemen with new commercial realities. Fred Derry (Dana Andrews) is an ordinary working man who finds it difficult to hold down a job or pick up the threads of his marriage. Having had both hands burnt off during the war, Homer Parrish (Harold Russell) is unsure that his fiancée's feelings are still those of love and not those of pity. Each of the veterans faces a crisis upon his arrival, and each crisis is a microcosm of the experiences of many American warriors who found an alien world awaiting them when they came marching home. In short, the film has everything: laughter, tears, romance, anger, compassion, steadfast love, wrenching drama, social message, emotional dynamite.

Theatrical: 1949

Studio: Image

Genre: Drama

Duration: 89

Summary: A beautiful, simple story of a man in post-war Rome who needs his bicycle in order to work at his job. No sooner does he retrieve it from pawn, then it is stolen. The heartwrenching search teaches the man and his son much about the meaning of life and just how far we will go when pushed to the edge. Winner of a special Academy Award.

Theatrical: 1932

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Drama

Duration: 63

Summary: Seventy-two hours in the life of Indiana man Bud who inherits money and heads for New York City where his cousin Gibbony introduces him to chorus girl Vida for whom he falls. When a girl is killed by a drunk at a party in his hotel room, Bud is the chief suspect.

Theatrical: 1998

Studio:

Genre: Drama

Duration: 105

Summary: Streetwise Jin-a moves into a boarding house run by a small, close-knit family. But her unacceptable behavior threatens to destroy them all.

Theatrical: 1998

Studio: Arts Magic

Genre: Drama

Duration: 118

Summary: A young Japanese salaryman is sent by his company to a remote Chinese village to evaluate precious Jade that is found there, but before he arrives meets the yakuza who was sent to tail him to protect his bosses interest in the company. When the men finally arrive their mission become sidetracked by their interest in a mysterious young village girl, her haunting English language song and the secret that makes men fly like birds.

Theatrical: 1972

Studio: Fox Lorber

Genre: Drama

Duration: 124

Summary: Petra von Kant is a successful fashion designer -- arrogant, caustic, and self-satisfied. She mistreats Marlene (her secretary, maid, and co-designer). Enter Karin, a 23-year-old beauty who wants to be a model. Petra falls in love with Karin and invites her to move in. The rest of the film deals with the emotions of this affair and its aftermath. Fassbinder tells his story in a series of 5 or 6 long scenes with extended uses of a single camera shot and deep focus.

Theatrical: 2007

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Drama

Duration: 116

Summary: Inmate activist George Lester Jackson’s (CSI's Gary Dourdan) short life became a flashpoint for revolution, igniting the bloodiest riot in San Quentin’s history. In a story ripped from history's headlines, Black August traces Jackson’s spiritual journey and violent fate, from being sent up on a one-year-to-life sentence for robbing a gas station of $71, to galvanizing the Black Guerrilla Family with his incendiary book of letters, Soledad Brother, to the fierce August day when his younger brother Jonathan shocked the world by taking a California courtroom hostage to protest Jackson’s upcoming trial.

Theatrical: 2005

Studio: Filmfreaks

Genre: Drama

Duration: 90

Summary: In a world overtaken by eternal darkness, the buttoned down entomologist abandons his phantoms to embrace the unknown. Oscar (Fabrice Rodriguez) is a conservator at the Natural Science Museum, and spends most of his days surrounded by bugs. When Oscar isn't tending to the tiny specimens that line his home and workplace, he can frequently be found reflecting on his childhood traumas in the psychiatrist's office. One day, Oscar returns home from work to find an African woman from the museum lying in his bed. From what Oscar can gather the woman is suffering from a mysterious ailment, and has come to his bed to die. Instinctively, the couple makes love as Oscar struggles to maintain himself in a mysterious gray zone between repulsion and desire. Soon thereafter, the woman begins to experience a disturbing transformation.

Theatrical: 1989

Studio: Image

Genre: Drama

Duration: 123

Summary: Mr and Mrs Shizuma, and their niece Yasuko, make their way through the ruins of Hiroshima, just after the atomic bomb has dropped. Five years later, Yasuko is living with her aunt and uncle, and her senile grandmother, in a village containing many of the bomb survivors. Yasuko does not appear to be affected by the bomb, but the Shizuma's are worried about her marriage prospects, as she could succumb to radiation sickness at any time.

Theatrical: 2007

Studio: Paramount

Genre: Drama

Duration: 115

Summary: The lurid scenario--a nymphomaniacal white trash nymphet (Christina Ricci) is held prisoner by a bitter bluesman (Samuel L. Jackson)--gives way to an affecting tale of redemption in "Black Snake Moan", writer/director Craig Brewer's follow-up to the acclaimed "Hustle & Flow". Lazarus (Jackson, "Jungle Fever", "Pulp Fiction") finds Rae (Ricci, "Monster", "The Ice Storm") beaten unconscious on the road in front of his backwoods house. After bringing her inside, he learns of her wanton ways and decides to exorcise his own demons by curing Rae of her sexual compulsion. "Black Snake Moan" could have been terrible, but Brewer takes his story seriously enough to dig into the genuine emotions of such a situation (though along the way he certainly flirts with sexploitation overtones--several scenes look like they were plucked straight out of a hitherto unknown 1970s trash classic). Ricci, Jackson, and the supporting cast (including pop star Justin Timberlake, giving a surprisingly good performance as Rae's boyfriend) treat the characters with respect, honesty, and humor. The result is off-kilter and maybe a little too fond of its sleazy cinematic forbears to truly hit the emotional notes it's after, but "Black Snake Moan" has considerably more substance than its marketing would suggest. "--Bret Fetzer"

Beyond "Black Snake Moan"
The Soundtrack
More Music Stars on DVD
More DVDs with Samuel L. Jackson Stills from "Black Snake Moan" (click for larger image)

Theatrical: 1955

Studio: MGM

Genre: Drama

Duration: 101

Summary: The Original 50's classic about a decent middle aged school teacher who goes to teach in an unruly high school filled with thugs led by Vic Morrow. This is the original film that has had several unofficial updated remakes over the years.

Theatrical: 1993

Studio: Golden Harvest Company

Genre: Drama

Duration: 94

Summary: A young martial arts teacher is drawn into a plan to reform Imperial China.

Theatrical: 1982

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Drama

Duration: 116

Summary: Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) prowls the steel-and-microchip jungle of 21st Century Los Angeles. He's a "blade runner" stalking genetically made criminal replicants. His assignment: kill them. Their crime: wanting to be human.

The story of Blade Runner is familiar to countless fans. But few have seen it like this. Because this is director Ridley Scott's own vision of his sci-fi classic. This new version omits Deckard's voice narration, develops in slightly greater detail the romance between Deckard and Rachael (Sean Young) and removes the "uplifting" finale. The result is a heightened emotional impact: a great film made greater. Most intriguing of all is a newly included unicorn vision that suggests that Deckard may be a humanoid. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Is Deckard a replicant? As with all things in the future, you must discover the answer yourself.

Running Time: 116 min.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Theatrical: 1932

Studio: Universal Studios

Genre: Drama

Duration: 93

Summary: This film really shouldn't work. The story line is too far-feched, the songs too silly, the star too goregeous when supposedly a vagabond. BUT, it Does work, astoundingly, and the reason is that star, Marlene Dietrich. No other could pull this role off. She's both smolderingly sexy and maternal. Vamp, and housewife. Devoted mother, and kept woman. Pleny of contradictions here, and yet she moves through the film as the glue that holds the whole mess together. Of course, the part that this film is famous for is the "Hot Voodoo" number, where Dietrich emerges out a gorilla costume with native girls swaying in time in the background. What nerve! Nobody today would dare anything like that. Herbert Martshall is cast as the husband, and Cary Grant, in am early role, is cast as the swank lover. All it takes is a bit of suspension of disbelief, for some parts, anyway, and this is a movie to enjoy.
Actually, having just watched the film again for the first time in a while, I was struck by Dietrich's presence in the film. I've always considered Dietrich one of the most under-rated actresses of Hollywoods golden era. She seemed very involved and into her role here. Her scenes with little Dicky Moore, her son in the movie, were very touching and sincere. I'm no acting expert by any stretch, but I feel she was wonderful in this role. Perhaps it was the going against type role of mother that turned off many critics of the day. She was, after all, one of the most glamorous and seductive creatures to ever hit Hollywood, so perhaps thinking of her as a loving mother and housewife could perhaps seem to be a stretch. However, Dietrich carried off the role, and carried the movie totally without effort. Watch the film yourself, and see how under-rated this fine actress really was.

Theatrical: 2004

Studio:

Genre: Drama

Duration: 90

Summary:

Theatrical: 2007

Studio: Sony Pictures

Genre: Drama

Duration: 98

Summary: In Bucharest, Romania, the orphan Vivian was raised by her aunt after losing her parents ten years ago in the Rocky Mountains, Colorado. His family belongs to a bloodline of werewolves and Vivian is promised to the leader of the pack, Gabriel. When the American cartoonist Aiden, who is researching werewolves for his publisher for the next edition of his magazine, meets Vivian, they immediately fall in love for each other. However, the evil son of Gabriel and Vivian's cousin Rafe poisons Gabriel about the love of Vivian, forcing her to choose between her bounds with her family and her passion for Aiden.

Theatrical: 2006

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Drama

Duration: 143

Summary: Leonardo DiCaprio puts a handsome face on an ugly industry: In parts of Africa, diamond mining fuels civil warfare, killing thousands of innocents and drafting preteen children as vicious soldiers. DiCaprio ("The Departed") plays Danny Archer, a white African soldier-turned-diamond-smuggler who gets wind of a large raw jewel found by Solomon Vandy, a native fisherman (Djimon Hounsou, "In America") recently escaped from enslavement by a brutal rebel leader. Archer offers a deal: He'll help Vandy find his war-scattered family if Vandy will share the diamond with him. Drawn into this web of exploitation is journalist Maddy Bowen (Jennifer Connelly, "Little Children"), who agrees to help if Archer will tell her the details of how conflict diamonds make their way into the hands of the corporations who sell them to the Western world. DiCaprio is compelling because he never flinches from Archer's utter ruthlessness; Archer ends up doing the morally justifiable thing, but only because his desperate greed has led him to it. Hounsou and Connelly, though saddled with all the moral and political speeches, rise above the cant and keep the movie's treacherously formulaic plot rooted in human characters. But in the end, the story won't stick with you as much as the dead stillness in the child soldiers' eyes; the horror of African civil strife refuses to be contained by "Blood Diamond"'s uplifting message--and the movie is all the more potent as a result. "--Bret Fetzer"

Theatrical: 2010

Studio: Real Folk Productions

Genre: Drama

Duration: 128

Summary: Tells the true story of the the 1970 murder of Henry Marrow in a rural North Carolina town by Robert Teel and his sons, the aftermath of the murder and the eventual acquittal of the Teels by an all white jury, in spite of multiple eye witnesses to the murder.

Theatrical: 1930

Studio: Criterion

Genre: Drama

Duration: 55

Summary: Sang d'un poète, Le

Theatrical: 2001

Studio:

Genre: Drama

Duration: 116

Summary: Quiet and introspective Kayako routinely has lunch on a rooftop with three of her friends that attend an all girls high school with her in a seaside town. One day she invites Masami Endo to join the group. As her friendship with Masami grows, she loses contact more and more with the others. She is impressed with Endo's greater knowledge of music and art, and although Endo proclaims that she is insignificant with no aim in life, Kayako says that she wishes that she could be like her new friend. Their feelings deepen beyond friendship and she proclaims her love for Endo on a lonely beach. The two become physically intimate but when summer comes Masami disappears and Kayako learns that she has gone to Tokyo to meet a married man with whom she had an affair the year before. An abortion had led to her being suspended from school. Feeling betrayed when Masami returns and lies about where she has been, Kayako keeps to herself and starts painting a still life, emulating Cezanne paintings in one of Masami's books. Although they reconcile and Kayako speaks of them going way to study together, her love of painting leads to her leaving for Tokyo alone to study art, while Masami remains behind. Masami sends a videotape showing a shot of the beach, and then the blue sea, proclaiming that unlike Kayako, this is all that she can do in an artistic sense.

Theatrical: 1978

Studio: TAT Communications Company

Genre: Drama

Duration: 114

Summary: Paul Schrader had established his reputation as a screenwriter ("The Yakuza" and "Taxi Driver", among others) before embarking on his directorial debut. "Blue Collar" is the story of three working-class guys at the Checker auto plant who rob their local union office. Richard Pryor delivers a funny, passionate, seething performance in one of his rare dramatic roles as a rabble-rousing union man. Trapped by family worries and crippling back taxes, he dreams up the robbery after scoping out the joint and enlists his coworker and buddies, family man Harvey Keitel and high-living bachelor Yaphet Kotto, who are in similar financial straits. This is a strictly amateur-hour heist, and their successful getaway is the last bit of good luck in store for the trio. The robbery turns up no cash, only incriminating files, and the inept thieves are soon blackmailing the powerful union, which fights back with force, seduction, and murder. Schrader's first film has little of the polish or style he developed by "American Gigolo", but his portrait of lower middle class families in 1970s Detroit, interracial relations, and male camaraderie is sharp and insightful. His attention to detail shows in every frame and adds to the edgy material, which balances the thriller plot with social commentary about corruption, labor relations, and the lure of power. Schrader's later films show more subtlety and cinematic confidence, but time hasn't dimmed the power he unleashes in this angry working class drama.
The DVD features commentary by Paul Schrader, his first such audio track, guided and prodded by critic Maitland McDonagh, who does her best to draw the director out of his long silences and launch him into his fascinating production stories. "--Sean Axmaker"

Theatrical: 2007

Studio:

Genre: Drama

Summary: Eddie (Goss) finds himself being forced at a gunpoint, by an unseen assailant, on a dark and brutal journey through the harsh terrain of the Mojave desert. His nemesis is Jimmy (Henriksen), a man with an aberrant agenda; armed with a rifle, a scope, walkie-talkies and a truck, he has organized a series of ambushes and mantraps designed to push Eddie to the limits of his humanity and beyond.

Theatrical: 1938

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Drama

Duration: 93

Summary: Spencer Tracy won an Oscar for his portrayal of Father Flanagan, who opens Boys Town and dedicates himself to helping juvenile delinquents go straight. Mickey Rooney plays one of the tougher kids, figuring out early on that Flanagan is nobody's fool. Warmhearted and inspiring, the film's inevitable sentimentality is nicely cut by Tracy's performance and a smart script by Eleanore Griffin and Dore Schary (who also won Oscars). A good film for all ages, directed by Norman Taurog ("Adventures of Tom Sawyer"). "--Tom Keogh"