Gwynne, Michael C

Cherry 2000

At long last, one of the seminal films of the Melanie Griffith oeuvre is now available. Cherry 2000 is the heartwarming tale of Sam Treadwell (David Andrews), who will stop at nothing to find another model of his broken sex android. Griffith plays E. Johnson, the tough-as-nails tracker who helps him track her down. As deliriously chowderheaded as the premise of the movie sounds, it's actually not half bad and immensely fun to watch. The surprisingly mature plot (nobody gets naked!) involves Treadwell's gradual discovery that there's more to a good woman than a beautiful body and perfect subservience. Don't worry, there are plenty of explosions to keep you from getting bored. Griffith absolutely owns the movie--she looks like a complete badass handling surface-to-air missiles, though of course she still sounds like she picked up diction tips from early Shirley Temple movies. The DVD version includes the invaluable documentary "The Making of Cherry 2000" and the option of watching the entire film dubbed into French. Do not pass up the French version: it really brings out the art. --Ali Davis

Sunset

Blake Edwards directed this homage to both the Old West and the silent era in filmmaking that undeservedly received indifferent reviews and did little business. James Garner is perfectly cast as Wyatt Earp who, his lawman days behind him, is brought to Hollywood in the waning days of silent movies to serve as a consultant on a movie about his life. There, he hooks up with cowboy star Tom Mix (Bruce Willis, in relaxed, low-key mode) and together they solve a murder. Though Edwards includes elements of slapstick, he actually puts together a fairly involving mystery plot and a compelling cast of characters, including Malcolm McDowell, Mariel Hemingway, and Dermot Mulroney. But this is Garner's film, aided by a surprisingly likable Willis performance. --Marshall Fine

J-Men Forever!

J Men is the story of The Secret World War, a war of cultures as Rock & Roll smashes Shmaltzy music. This outrageous comedy was created by Firesign Theatre's Philip Proctor and Peter Bergman in the style of Woody Allen's "What's Up Tiger Lilly?" From a g

Payday

He'll be nigh on unrecognizable to fans of The Larry Sanders Show and Men in Black (not to mention his dozens of other roles), but the actor who gives a, well, rip-roaring performance in Payday is the very same Rip Torn. Directed by Daryl Duke, this 1973 film was one of Torn's few outings as a leading man, and he has a field day as Maury Dann, a mid-level country singer traveling the Deep South honky tonk circuit. We only spend about a day and a half in this unsavory character's company, but that's plenty. Indeed, in those 36 action-packed hours, Dann plays a gig (Torn does his own singing--he's no George Jones, but that's entirely appropriate for the part), goes quail-hunting, drops in to a radio station for an interview, visits his estranged wife and drug-addled mother, pops handfuls of pills and smokes plenty of reefer, and beds no less than three women, one of them in the backseat of his Cadillac while another sleeps right beside them. He is basically a hard living lout, a guy whose sense of entitlement far exceeds his actual stature, and it comes as little surprise when his lies, cynicism, and general abuse of everyone in his orbit catch up to him in the end. Payday effectively immerses the viewer in a world of card-playing good ol' boys, easy women, and cheap motel rooms with cheesy wood paneling. But it's more a series of vignettes than a real story, and while there are some amusing characterizations by the other actors (Cliff Emmich shines as Maury's faithful driver, while Elayne Heilveil is effective as a clueless female conquest), this is Torn's show from beginning to end. For many, that will be enough. The principal bonus feature is a commentary track with director Duke and Saul Zaentz, whose company produced the film. --Sam Graham

His life is on the road his career is on the skids; but maybe a country singer's next song can take him out of the honky tonks and onto the radio hit parade. Rip Torn scores in this chronicle of show business backstage. Year: 1972 Director: Daryl Duke Starring: Rip TornRunning Time: 103 min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA/CLASSICS UPC: 085391186366 Manufacturer No: 118636

Butch and Sundance - The Early Days

The first film to actually bill itself as a "prequel," this Richard Lester effort certainly didn't measure up to the Robert Redford-Paul Newman original, but it's better than you'd think. That's because of Lester's terrific sense of slapstick and his ability to deflate legends. He gets Newman and Redford lookalikes Tom Berenger and William Katt and puts them through a series of screwups and miscues, as the two would-be outlaws find that breaking the law is no easy business. Writer Allan Burns's script isn't long on story, but it offers both plausible and entertaining explanations of how these two came to be partners. --Marshall Fine

Harry Tracy: The Last of the Wild Bunch

Nominated for 7 Genie Awards.

Nostradamus

The plot of Nostradamus has something to do with a demonic cult of time-traveling monks trying to instigate the apocalypse. But fortunately, the filmmakers don't spend a lot of time trying to make this seem eerie or soul-threatening. Instead, they go for sheer propulsive storytelling, and the result is surprisingly entertaining. Minneapolis detective Mike Nostrand (Rob Estes) begins investigating cases of apparent spontaneous combustion and discovers that they've been induced by chanting demons from the 16th century. He has a hard time swallowing this, despite the conviction of FBI psychic Lucy (Joely Fisher, decked out in miniskirts, push-up bras, and leather jackets). But when he puts on a ring connected to a time-traveling device, he suddenly finds himself in medieval France (where, fortunately, everyone speaks English). According to prophecy, he's Nostradamus, come to save the world! It's all pretty silly, but the script is efficient enough to keep everything moving. Estes and Fisher are pleasant and deliver their dialogue with straight faces. At the end, Nostradamus feels like a pilot for a time-traveling X-Files. Though Estes has some unfortunate "medieval" facial hair, it might make for an amusing series. Fans of Xena and Hercules might also find it up their alley. --Bret Fetzer

The battle for the future has begun. Only the past can save it. While pursuing their suspect, Michael is mysteriously transported back to 16th century France. There he confronts Garamond (Finton McKeown - Walking Ned Divine), leader of the Sixth Order. Michael discovers the nexus between past and present has been erased through the use of a secret time machine created by Leonardo da Vinci. An enemy of the Sixth Order, La Font (Michael Gwynne) helps Michael escape and reveals that he, Michael, is actually the legendary Nostradamus. La Font explains the Sixth Order's plan to eliminate certain souls and bring about Armageddon - the final confrontation between good and evil. Michael returns to the present day, only to discover that no one knows him, except the psychic Lucy. Now a battle for the future has begun and only he stop it.

Deadly Justice

Blood Ties

Tai Pan