Elwes, Cary

The Princess Bride (20th Anniversary Edition)

Once upon a time a feisty old grandfather told his bedridden grandson a tongue-in-cheek fairy tale... In the mythical kingdom of Florin farm boy Westley rides off one day to make his fortune leaving his true love Buttercup waiting patiently behind. Unfortunately his ship is beset by pirates and Buttercup grieves for many years believing Westley dead. She reluctantly agrees to marry Prince Humperdinck knowing that she will never love him. Humperdinck has his own plans for the marriage however--he intends to have Buttercup kidnapped and murdered in order to set off a border war that will strengthen his power. But she is eventually rescued by a mysterious pirate who turns out to be Westley in disguise. Their reunion does not last long though and the pair must face numerous obstacles before they can live happily ever after.System Requirements:Running Time; 98 mins.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: ACTION/ADVENTURE Rating: PG UPC: 027616092199 Manufacturer No: M109219

Screenwriter William Goldman's novel The Princess Bride earned its own loyal audience on the strength of its narrative voice and its gently satirical, hyperbolic spin on swashbuckled adventure that seemed almost purely literary. For all its derring-do and vivid over-the-top characters, the book's joy was dictated as much by the deadpan tone of its narrator and a winking acknowledgement of the clichés being sent up. Miraculously, director Rob Reiner and Goldman himself managed to visualize this romantic fable while keeping that external voice largely intact: using a storytelling framework, avuncular Grandpa (Peter Falk) gradually seduces his skeptical grandson (Fred Savage) into the absurd, irresistible melodrama of the title story.

And what a story: a lowly stable boy, Westley (Cary Elwes), pledges his love to the beautiful Buttercup (Robin Wright), only to be abducted and reportedly killed by pirates while Buttercup is betrothed to the evil Prince Humperdinck. Even as Buttercup herself is kidnapped by a giant, a scheming criminal mastermind, and a master Spanish swordsman, a mysterious masked pirate (could it be Westley?) follows in pursuit. As they sail toward the Cliffs of Insanity...

The wild and woolly arcs of the story, the sudden twists of fate, and, above all, the cartoon-scaled characters all work because of Goldman's very funny script, Reiner's confident direction, and a terrific cast. Elwes and Wright, both sporting their best English accents, juggle romantic fervor and physical slapstick effortlessly, while supporting roles boast Mandy Patinkin (the swordsman Inigo Montoya), Wallace Shawn (the incredulous schemer Vizzini), and Christopher Guest (evil Count Rugen) with brief but funny cameos from Billy Crystal, Carol Kane, and Peter Cook. --Sam Sutherland

Screenwriter William Goldman's novel The Princess Bride earned its own loyal audience on the strength of its narrative voice and its gently satirical, hyperbolic spin on swashbuckled adventure that seemed almost purely literary. For all its derring-do and vivid over-the-top characters, the book's joy was dictated as much by the deadpan tone of its narrator and a winking acknowledgement of the clichés being sent up. Miraculously, director Rob Reiner and Goldman himself managed to visualize this romantic fable while keeping that external voice largely intact: using a storytelling framework, avuncular Grandpa (Peter Falk) gradually seduces his skeptical grandson (Fred Savage) into the absurd, irresistible melodrama of the title story. And what a story: a lowly stable boy, Westley (Cary Elwes), pledges his love to the beautiful Buttercup (Robin Wright), only to be abducted and reportedly killed by pirates while Buttercup is betrothed to the evil Prince Humperdinck. Even as Buttercup herself is kidnapped by a giant, a scheming criminal mastermind, and a master Spanish swordsman, a mysterious masked pirate (could it be Westley?) follows in pursuit. As they sail toward the Cliffs of Insanity... The wild and woolly arcs of the story, the sudden twists of fate, and, above all, the cartoon-scaled characters all work because of Goldman's very funny script, Reiner's confident direction, and a terrific cast. Elwes and Wright, both sporting their best English accents, juggle romantic fervor and physical slapstick effortlessly, while supporting roles boast Mandy Patinkin (the swordsman Inigo Montoya), Wallace Shawn (the incredulous schemer Vizzini), and Christopher Guest (evil Count Rugen) with brief but funny cameos from Billy Crystal, Carol Kane, and Peter Cook. --Sam Sutherland

Beyond The Princess Bride on DVD

Watch Once on DVD

Check out an old favorite, Willow on DVD

See the new classic Under the Same Moon on DVD

Stills from The Princess Bride (Click for larger image)

From the Earth to the Moon - The Signature Edition

Originally broadcast in April and May of 1998, the epic miniseries From the Earth to the Moon was HBO's most expensive production to date, with a budget of $68 million. Hosted by executive producer Tom Hanks, the miniseries tackles the daunting challenge of chronicling the entire history of NASA's Apollo space program from 1961 to 1972. For the most part, it's a rousing success. Some passages are flatly chronological, awkwardly wedging an abundance of factual detail into a routine dramatic structure. But each episode is devoted to a crucial aspect of the Apollo program. The cumulative effect is a deep and thorough appreciation of NASA's monumental achievement. With the help of a superlative cast, consistent writing, and a stable of talented directors, Hanks has shared his infectious enthusiasm for space exploration and the inspiring power of conquering the final frontier.

NASA's complete participation in the production lends to its total authenticity, right down to the use of NASA equipment, launch locations, and even spacecraft. The re-creation of the lunar landscape is almost as impressive as the real thing and is further enhanced by the use of helium balloons to lighten the actors playing moon-walking astronauts. (These and other backstage details are revealed in the "making of" featurette, along with a wealth of supplemental materials, on a bonus disc in the miniseries' DVD package.) With a fictional, Walter Cronkite-like TV reporter (Lane Smith) serving as the dramatic link for all 12 episodes, this ambitious production may not be a great work of art. But as a generous and definitive example of nonfiction drama, it's full of the same kind of awe, inspiration, and humanity that led to "one giant leap" in the all-too-short history of 20th-century space exploration. --Jeff Shannon

This 12-hour HBO miniseries created by Tom Hanks garnered 17 Emmy nominations and captivated audiences. From the early stages of the space program and Kennedy's 1961 call to reach the moon within a decade to the successes and heartbreaking failures of the race for space the dream was kept alive by dedicated daring professionals and a nation intent on reaching for -- and landing amid -- the stars all while the world faced the Vietnam War.Running Time: 720 min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA UPC: 026359885327

Georgia Rule (Full Screen Edition)

When three generations of women collide, it isn't always pretty. In Georgia Rule, Lindsay Lohan (Mean Girls) stars as Rachel, a wild child whose mother Lilly (Felicity Huffman, Desperate Housewives) ships her off to Idaho to be tamed by Georgia (Jane Fonda, On Golden Pond)--Lilly's own cantankerous mom. There, 17-year-old Rachel shocks the conservative community with her short shorts, eager sexuality (which she plies on everyone from 12-year-old boys to unsophisticated, but hot, Mormon neighbors), and her tales of possible sexual abuse at the hands of her somewhat slimy stepfather (Cary Elwes, The Princess Bride). As directed by Garry Marshall (Beaches, Pretty Woman), Georgia Rule is a flawed chick flick where the women are tolerable but not particularly likeable. The characters we want to know more about are the peripheral ones we don't see enough of--the men. Simon (Dermot Mulroney), the kindly (and sexy) veterinarian who was once madly in love with Lilly, in many ways is the film's moral compass. A widower whose wife and son died tragically in an accident, Simon would've made a more compelling movie subject than these women. And for all his latent pining for Lilly, the moviegoer feels relieved for him that dodged a bullet by not marrying into this dysfunctional family. While the female leads aren't quite believable as mother, daughter, and grandmother, they all have strong moments in the film that save it from being a groaning mess. While Lohan doesn't exhibit the charm she displayed in Mean Girls, she more than holds her own in parts with the scene-stealing Fonda, who is quite good at chewing up the scenery. --Jae-Ha Kim

Twister

Formerly married but still involved scientists pursue violent tornadoes in an effort to launch sensors which might help them predict future storms.
Genre: Feature Film-Action/Adventure
Rating: PG13
Release Date: 14-SEP-2004
Media Type: DVD

Twister was a mega-million-dollar blockbuster--helmed by a director (Dutchman Jan de Bont) hot off another scorcher hit (Speed)--that flaunted state-of-the-art digital effects and featured a popular leading actress (Helen Hunt) who would win an Academy Award for her next film (As Good As It Gets). But ask anybody who's seen it and they'll tell you who the real star of Twister is: the cow. Not to give anything away, but the cow is one of those inspired little touches (like, say, Bronson Pinchot's career-making cameo in Beverly Hills Cop) that adds a touch of personality to a gigantic Hollywood production. The story is blown out the window after an impressive prologue in which Hunt's character, as a little girl, witnesses her daddy being sucked into a tornado. Basically, Hunt and Bill Paxton are thrill-seeking meteorologists chasing twisters in order to study them (and help warn people of them, of course) with a new technology they've developed. If you thought the Kansas tornado in The Wizard of Oz was every bit as scary as the Wicked Witch of the West, then this may be the movie for you. --Jim Emerson

Lady Jane

The story of Lady Jane Grey, cousin to Henry the VIII, who found herself Queen of England for 9 days in 1553, at the age of 16.
Genre: Feature Film-Drama
Rating: PG13
Release Date: 12-DEC-2003
Media Type: DVD

"I foresee a glittering future for your daughter," the conspiratorial Duke of Northumberland insidiously whispers to the mother of Lady Jane Grey, the woman who would be England's queen, albeit for only nine days. The same could be said for Helena Bonham Carter, who, in her screen debut, carries this historical drama with aplomb. Jane, a principled and precocious 15-year-old (she reads Plato in Greek) was a pawn in a plot to maintain Protestant rule in the wake of young King Edward's death. A dashing Cary Elwes, anticipating his swashbuckling role in The Princess Bride, costars as Northumberland's feckless, wastrel son, Guilford, whose arranged marriage to Jane unexpectedly blossoms into love and rebellion. Anglophiles will bask in this impeccably mounted production (featuring Patrick Stewart as Jane's bullying father), but swooning teens, too, may embrace these young lovers as did the youths who made Franco Zeffirelli's 1968 Romeo & Juliet a box-office smash in its day. --Donald Liebenson

Ella Enchanted (Widescreen Edition)

Fairy tales and contemporary satire collide in Ella Enchanted, based upon the enormously popular young adult novel by Gail Carson Levine. Ella (Anne Hathaway, The Princess Diaries) received an unfortunate fairy gift in her cradle: No matter what anyone tells her to do, she's compelled to obey. Despite this, Ella grows up to be a headstrong young woman who refuses to swoon at the sight of a charming young prince (Hugh Dancy). To get her gift removed, Ella braves a forest packed with ogres, elves, and giants to find her fairy godmother (Vivica A. Fox, Kill Bill, Vol. 1). Much like Shrek, Ella Enchanted is sprinkled with comic modern references; for some, this will make the whimsy too cute, while others will appreciate the snarky jabs. Also featuring Cary Elwes (The Princess Bride), Minnie Driver, Joanna Lumley, Eric Idle, and many others. --Bret Fetzer

Ella is given the \""gift\"" of obedience by her fairy godmother and must do whatever is requested of her. Ella uses her wits to find her fairy godmother and return this \""gift\"".
Genre: Feature Film-Comedy
Rating: PG
Release Date: 22-AUG-2006
Media Type: DVD

Glory

One of the very best films about the Civil War, this instant classic from 1989 is also one of the few films to depict the participation of African American soldiers in Civil War combat. Based in part on the books Lay This Laurel by Lincoln Kirstein and One Gallant Rush by Peter Burchard, the film also draws from the letters of Robert Gould Shaw (played by Matthew Broderick), the 25-year-old son of Boston abolitionists who volunteered to command the all-black 54th Regiment of the Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. Their training and battle experience leads them to their final assault on Fort Wagner in South Carolina, where their heroic bravery turned bitter defeat into a symbolic victory that brought recognition to black soldiers and turned the tide of the war. With painstaking attention to historical detail and richness of character, the film boasts superior performances by Denzel Washington (who won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor), Morgan Freeman, Cary Elwes, and Andre Braugher. Directed by Edward Zwick (co-creator of the TV series thirtysomething), this unforgettable drama is as important as Schindler's List in its treatment of a noble yet little-known episode of history. --Jeff Shannon

Story of the first Black regiment to fight in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
Genre: Feature Film-Action/Adventure
Rating: R
Release Date: 1-FEB-2005
Media Type: DVD

Georgia Rule (Widescreen Edition)

Three generations of top actresses - two-time Academy Award winner Jane Fonda Lindsay Lohan and Felicity Huffman - unite in a film from director Garry Marshall about the power of redemption freedom in forgiveness and the unbreakable bonds of motherhood. When Lilly (Huffman) can no longer handle her rebellious teenage daughter Rachel (Lohan) she takes her to the one place she swore she'd never return her mother's house. For one very surprising summer these three very different women are living under one roof and under one rule: Georgia's (Fonda). System Requirements:Running time: 113 Mins. Genre: DRAMA Rating: R UPC: 025195006583 Manufacturer No: 61100796

When three generations of women collide, it isn't always pretty. In Georgia Rule, Lindsay Lohan (Mean Girls) stars as Rachel, a wild child whose mother Lilly (Felicity Huffman, Desperate Housewives) ships her off to Idaho to be tamed by Georgia (Jane Fonda, On Golden Pond)--Lilly's own cantankerous mom. There, 17-year-old Rachel shocks the conservative community with her short shorts, eager sexuality (which she plies on everyone from 12-year-old boys to unsophisticated, but hot, Mormon neighbors), and her tales of possible sexual abuse at the hands of her somewhat slimy stepfather (Cary Elwes, The Princess Bride). As directed by Garry Marshall (Beaches, Pretty Woman), Georgia Rule is a flawed chick flick where the women are tolerable but not particularly likeable. The characters we want to know more about are the peripheral ones we don't see enough of--the men. Simon (Dermot Mulroney), the kindly (and sexy) veterinarian who was once madly in love with Lilly, in many ways is the film's moral compass. A widower whose wife and son died tragically in an accident, Simon would've made a more compelling movie subject than these women. And for all his latent pining for Lilly, the moviegoer feels relieved for him that dodged a bullet by not marrying into this dysfunctional family. While the female leads aren't quite believable as mother, daughter, and grandmother, they all have strong moments in the film that save it from being a groaning mess. While Lohan doesn't exhibit the charm she displayed in Mean Girls, she more than holds her own in parts with the scene-stealing Fonda, who is quite good at chewing up the scenery. --Jae-Ha Kim

Liar Liar (Collector's Edition)

Jim Carrey is back in top form after his disastrous outing in The Cable Guy. As a lawyer who becomes physically unable to tell a lie for 24 hours after his son makes a magical birthday wish, Carrey learns a few brutal truths about the real meaning of life. There is very little plot, but Carrey's rubbery contortions and slapstick trickery provide just enough humor to keep you interested in this breezy bit of escapism. Not aided in this film by pets or animation, Carrey manages to do amazing and unique things with very simple props. He is also more in control of his acting than before. He is still over the top, but remains believable in some of the lower-energy scenes. An added plus is that the comedy is not as coarse as we've come to expect from him. --Rochelle O'Gorman

Days of Thunder

With Days of Thunder, director Tony Scott tried to do for the Indy 500 what he did for the U.S. Air Force with Top Gun. But without Top Gun's go-go soundtrack and visual feats, Scott merely ends up with a Tom Cruise vehicle that's out of gas.

Cruise plays (what else?) a cocky, upstart stock-car racer who faces down ruthless racing opponents. Nicole Kidman, Robert Duvall, Cary Elwes, and Randy Quaid do the laps around this movie's tiresome track with Cruise, while director Scott attempts to propel the action along with his trademark visceral, gritty but glamorous visual style.

Days of Thunder is notable, however, as a turning point in Cruise's then one-dimensional career. After this film--having tired even his most devoted fans by playing a bartender, an air force pilot, and a stock-car driver--Cruise was forced to take on real character parts. --Ethan Brown

Cole Trickle enters the high-pressure world of Nascar racing. He's a hot driver with a hot temper, and this attitude gets him into trouble not only with other drivers, but members of his own team as well.