Guinee, Tim

Blade (New Line Platinum Series)

The recipe for Blade is quite simple; you take one part Batman, one part horror flick, and two parts kung fu and frost it all over with some truly campy acting. What do you get? An action flick that will reaffirm your belief that the superhero action genre did not die in the fluorescent hands of Joel Schumacher. Blade is the story of a ruthless and supreme vampire slayer (Wesley Snipes) who makes other contemporary slayers (Buffy et al.) look like amateurs. Armed with a samurai sword made of silver and guns that shoot silver bullets, he lives to hunt and kill "Sucker Heads." Pitted against our hero is a cast of villains led by Deacon Frost (Stephen Dorff), a crafty and charismatic vampire who believes that his people should be ruling the world, and that the human race is merely the food source they prey on. Born half-human and half-vampire after his mother had been attacked by a blood-sucker, Blade is brought to life by a very buff-looking Snipes in his best action performance to date. Apparent throughout the film is the fluid grace and admirable skill that Snipes brings to the many breathtaking action sequences that lift this movie into a league of its own. The influence of Hong Kong action cinema is clear, and you may even notice vague impressions of Japanese anime sprinkled innovatively throughout. Dorff holds his own against Snipes as the menacing nemesis Frost, and the grizzly Kris Kristofferson brings a tough, cynical edge to his role as Whistler, Blade's mentor and friend. Ample credit should also go to director Stephen Norrington and screenwriter David S. Goyer, who prove it is possible to adapt comic book characters to the big screen without making them look absurd. Indeed, quite the reverse happens here: Blade comes vividly to life from the moment you first see him, in an outstanding opening sequence that sets the tone for the action-packed film that follows. From that moment onward you are pulled into the world of Blade and his perpetual battle against the vampire race. --Jeremy Storey

Wesley Snipes plays a half-mortal half-immortal charged with ridding the earth of a race of vampires led by Stephen Dorff in this action-packed blockbuster.Running Time: 120 min.System Requirements:Starring: Wesley Snipes Stephen Dorff et al. Director: Stephen Norrington Edition Details: Region 1 encoding (for use in US and Canada only) Color Closed-captioned Dolby Widescreen Commentary by Audio commentary by actor Wesley Snipes (qv) actor Stephen Dorff (qv) writer David S. Goyer (qv) cinematographer Theo Van de Sande (qv) production designer Kirk M. Petruccelli (qv) and producer Peter Frankfurt (qv) Commentary by Isolated musical score with commentary by composer Mark Isham (qv) Theatrical trailer(s) Featurette "La Magra" including the original ending Featurette "Designing Blade" Featurette "The Origins of Blade" Featurette "The Blood Tide" "House of Erebus" information about the different vampire houses Widescreen anamorphic format Number of discs: 1 Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: HORROR Rating: R UPC: 794043470929

Sweet Land - A Love Story

Adapted from a Will Weaver story, Ali Selim's Sweet Land is a truly sweet story about unlikely immigrant lovers whose struggle for integration into 1920's America earns them a work ethic more American than many of their narrow-minded neighbors. Set in rural Minnesota, the sentimental film focuses on tribulations that Scandinavian settlers experienced, with a cinematic serenity reminiscent of Terrence Malik's Days of Heaven. Norwegian farmer Olaf Torvik (Tim Guinee) invites a non-English speaking German siren, Inge Alltenburg (Elizabeth Reaser), to relocate and marry him, but discovers that neither the town's Lutheran pastor (John Heard) nor the local judge will marry a German into their community for fear of wartime German spies. Inge finds friendship in neighbors Frandsen (Alan Cumming) and his wife, Brownie (Alex Kingston), who disregarding local gossip, welcome her into their home. Finally, Inge proves herself, settling in so that Sweet Land's historical narrative is framed by Inge, fifty years later, speaking to her adult son about her husband's death and their plot of land. This multi-generational tale of social acceptance and land ownership is ultimately the story of America, though the regional specificity of Sweet Land will speak especially to those familiar with Midwestern culture. --Trinie Dalton

Inge (Elizabeth Reaser) is a feisty German mail-order bride who has come to Minnesota to marry Olaf (Tim Guinee), a young Norwegian immigrant farmer of few words. But in a post-WWI, anti-German climate, the local minister (John Heard) openly forbids the marriage. Inge and Olaf fall in love despite the town's disapproval. But when the town banker (Ned Beatty) attempts to foreclose on the farm of his friend Frandsen (Alan Cumming), Olaf takes a stand...and the community unites around the young couple, finally accepting Inge as one of their own.

Beavis and Butt-Head Do America (10th Anniversary Special Collector's Edition)

The Full Length Hit MovieMTV's metal-head morons Beavis and Butt-Head are on the road and on the run in their big screen adventure. this kick a** special collector's edition (uh huh...huh..huh...he said a**) is packed with exclusive never before seen bonus features from the vaults of creator Mike Judge.System Requirements:Running Time: 80 MinutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY Rating: PG-13 UPC: 097360422948 Manufacturer No: 042294

Mike Judge, the creator and voice of MTV's insouciant Beavis and Butt-head characters, made his feature film directorial debut with this full-length B&B misadventure, which finds the boys going on a cross-country adventure after their all-important television set is stolen. Fans of the now-defunct TV show will obviously enjoy this film the most, though almost anyone with a passing awareness of the characters will find something to chuckle about. (The funniest recurring gag finds beleaguered B&B neighbor Tom Anderson constantly sabotaged by the guys while on vacation.) Celebrity voices are fun to pick out, particularly that of David Letterman, who rather appropriately plays Butt-head's long-lost father. --Tom Keogh

Vampires

Talk about an opening. The first few minutes of John Carpenter's Vampires--in which James Woods's vampire killer leads a dawn raid on a New Mexico "goon nest" of bloodsuckers--not only suggests a horror movie that will not pull any punches, it even evokes some of the more disturbing dream-memories of American Westerns. Muscular and uncompromised, the sequence suggests a new Carpenter classic unraveling before one's eyes. Well, dream on. Things don't quite work out that way, but this is still a film to reckon with. There are a few serious (and surprising) misjudgments on the director's part, particularly a mishandling of Sheryl Lee's role as a prostitute poisoned by the bite of a "master vampire" (who pretty much wiped out Woods's team of goon terminators). But aside from some weaknesses, the action is jolting, the suggested complicity of the Catholic Church in destroying monsters is provocative, and the traces of Howard Hawks's continuing influence on Carpenter's storytelling are in evidence. --Tom Keogh

Gore Vidal's Lincoln

Once Around

Richard Dreyfuss and Holly Hunter lead an all-star cast in this critically acclaimed tale of life, love and chance. Jilted by her boyfriend, Renata (Hunter), the oldest daughter of a close-knit Italian-American family, falls in love with Sam (Dreyfuss), an abrasive and forcefully charming businessman. But neither her spirited sister (Laura San Giacomo), her down-to-earth father (Danny Aiello), or her supportive mother (Gena Rowlands) can tolerate Sam's often obnoxious intrusion into their family circle. Aggressive and overwhelmingly generous, Sam proceeds - with only the best intentions - to disrupt and nearly demolish Renata's family. Love, humor and forgiveness go once more around as the Bellas try to balance Renata's happiness with their family's survival in this funny and often touching story, directed by Lasse Hallstrom.

Ladder 49 (Widescreen Edition)

In paying simple tribute to firefighters, Ladder 49 gets to the heart of those who risk their lives for a living. Director Jay Russell brought similar sincerity to his memorable family favorite My Dog Skip, and despite the banalities of an ultra-conventional screenplay by Lewis Colick, Ladder 49 generates so much goodwill toward its Baltimore firemen that you may find yourself unexpectedly overcome with emotional appreciation for guys like Jack (Joaquin Phoenix), a firefighter whose career, courtship, marriage, and fatherhood are viewed in flashback as he struggles to survive in the present-day framing scenes, cut off from his fellow firemen in the fiery guts of a collapsing 20-floor building. There are no surprises in the familiar scenes of male bonding, dangerous rescues, injury and death, and the supportive concern of Jack's wife (Jacinda Barrett), but by focusing on the simple integrity of Jack's personal and professional commitment, the movie gives Phoenix a showcase for unselfish virtue, while John Travolta provides dignified support as Jack's mentor and devoted firehouse captain. Ladder 49 is routine in most respects, but it's a much-deserved valentine to working-class heroes. --Jeff Shannon

A fire fighter trapped in a high rise fire recalls his life and career while awaiting rescue.
Genre: Feature Film-Drama
Rating: PG13
Release Date: 7-FEB-2006
Media Type: DVD

Broken English

Though made by the daughter of iconoclastic filmmaker John Cassavetes, Broken English is a surprisingly old-fashioned affair. Just as her friend Sofia Coppola wrote about a woman much like herself for Lost in Translation, Zoe Cassavetes has done something similar for her first film (although Before Sunset seems to have exerted a greater influence). Nora (Parker Posey in typically fine form) works in guest relations for a hip New York hotel, just as the writer/director once did. Her best friend, Audrey (Drea de Matteo, The Sopranos), has been married for five years, while Nora remains single. Her mother, Vivien (Gena Rowlands, Zoe's real-life mother), would like to see her settle down. First, Nora goes on a date with self-obsessed actor Nick (a mohawked Justin Theroux), then blind date Charlie (Josh Hamilton). Neither ends well. Nora laments, "Men hate me," but Audrey argues that Nora really hates herself. Her self-confidence gets a boost when she meets Julien (Melvil Poupaud, François Ozon's Time to Leave), a chain-smoking, fedora-sporting Frenchman. Just as she starts to falls for him, Julien returns to Paris, so Nora has to decide whether to stay...or to go. Much like the ladies of Sex and the City (on which Theroux guested), she's the kind of character who appears to have it all, but feels worthless if she isn't in a relationship. It isn't a particularly progressive notion--that the right man will solve every problem--but that doesn't mean plenty of women won't be able to relate. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Croatian born NINA (Aleksandra Vujcic) escapes with her family from their war ravaged homeland to the culturally mixed suburbs of Auckland New Zealand. Smothered by the controlling love of her volatile father IVAN (Rade Serbedzija) Nina finds tender romance when she falls in love with EDDIE (Julian Arahanga) a New Zealand native (Maori). Frustrated Nina knows there is no chance that she and Eddie can afford to start their own life together until she's offered a large sum of money to marry Chinese political refugee WU thus allowing him resident status. Ivan learns of Nina's marriage of convenience and is further enraged when he discovers Nina is pregnant with Eddie's child. Desperate to reassert his control over her Ivan risks alienating his entire family when he tries to tear Nina away from the man she truly loves.System Requirements:Running Time: 98 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY Rating: PG-13 UPC: 876964000895 Manufacturer No: 10089

Ladder 49 (Full Screen Edition)

In paying simple tribute to firefighters, Ladder 49 gets to the heart of those who risk their lives for a living. Director Jay Russell brought similar sincerity to his memorable family favorite My Dog Skip, and despite the banalities of an ultra-conventional screenplay by Lewis Colick, Ladder 49 generates so much goodwill toward its Baltimore firemen that you may find yourself unexpectedly overcome with emotional appreciation for guys like Jack (Joaquin Phoenix), a firefighter whose career, courtship, marriage, and fatherhood are viewed in flashback as he struggles to survive in the present-day framing scenes, cut off from his fellow firemen in the fiery guts of a collapsing 20-floor building. There are no surprises in the familiar scenes of male bonding, dangerous rescues, injury and death, and the supportive concern of Jack's wife (Jacinda Barrett), but by focusing on the simple integrity of Jack's personal and professional commitment, the movie gives Phoenix a showcase for unselfish virtue, while John Travolta provides dignified support as Jack's mentor and devoted firehouse captain. Ladder 49 is routine in most respects, but it's a much-deserved valentine to working-class heroes. --Jeff Shannon

A fire fighter trapped in a high rise fire recalls his life and career while awaiting rescue.
Genre: Feature Film-Drama
Rating: PG13
Release Date: 7-FEB-2006
Media Type: DVD

Impostor (Director's Cut)

Based on a short story by sci-fi master Philip K. Dick, Impostor holds considerable appeal for genre enthusiasts, who will instantly recognize trace elements of the Dick-based Total Recall and Blade Runner. Fortunately, derivative plotting doesn't detract from director Gary Fleder's capable handling of briskly paced action involving Spencer Olham (Gary Sinise), a weapons designer suspected of being an alien robot with an assassin's agenda. The year is 2079; Earth is at war with an alien race called the Centauri, and its dome-sealed cities are intensely monitored by the Earth Security Agency. A high-tech chase ensues between Olham and his ESA pursuer (Vincent D'Onofrio), testing the bond of trust between Olham and his physician wife (Madeleine Stowe). This marital subplot gives the film's twist ending additional impact, and Dick's recurring themes of lost identity and drug-altered reality are handled with adequate sophistication, while cool gadgetry and sharp visual effects compensate for the plot holes. --Jeff Shannon

An exciting, action-packed sci-fi story from the author of TOTAL RECALL and BLADE RUNNER, the thrilling Director's Cut of IMPOSTOR brings you Gary Sinise (FORREST GUMP, APOLLO 13), Madeleine Stowe (WE WERE SOLDIERS, PLAYING BY HEART), Vincent D'Onofrio (THE CELL, MEN IN BLACK), and Mekhi Phifer (O, 8 MILE) in a stellar cast. At a time when the earth has been at war with an alien force for over a decade, the latest work of lauded government scientist Spencer Olham (Sinise) promises to save the planet. But suddenly, Olham himself is accused of being an alien spy and is thrown headlong into a disorienting nightmare as a fugitive from the law. With blasts of adrenaline-fueled intensity, this futuristic thriller soars as Olham races to prove his identity to the world ... and himself ... in time to save all mankind!