Hunt, Brad

Hart's War

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

Bruce Willis stars as an imprisoned officer who refuses to give up his fight to defeat the Nazis in this absorbing (Roger Ebert) WW II adventure. Co-starring Colin Farrell (Minority Report) and packed with crisp action sequences (Los Angeles Times) Hart s War is a powerful and stirring tribute to soldierly courage and honor (L.A. Daily News). When Col. William McNamara (Willis) is stripped of his freedom in a German POW camp he s determined to keep on fighting even from behind enemy lines. Enlisting the help of a young lieutenant (Farrell) in a brilliant plot against his captors McNamara risks everything on a mission to free his men and change the outcome of the war.Special Features:Audio Commentary with Director Gregory Hoblit and Writer Billy Ray Making Hart s War: The Creative Process FeaturetteTrue Stories Behind and Beyond Hart's War: POW Camps of WWII: The Stalag LuftsAfrican Americans in the Military/The Tuskegee AirmenWartime TribunalsAdapting the NovelDeleted Scenes with Director's CommentaryFact & Trivia Subtitle TrackTheatrical Trailer Photo Gallery and MoreSystem Requirements: Running Time 125 MinFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA Rating: R UPC: 027616877284 Manufacturer No: 1003589

The Darwin Awards

Loosely based on the book series of the same name, The Darwin Awards is a wry indie film that deals with the premise that some people will live long and prosperous lives, while the weaker will weed themselves out by committing unbelievably stupid acts (such as smashing into a high-rise window to prove it's shatterproof, or using dynamite as a means to make a small hole for ice fishing). The film stars Joseph Fiennes as Michael, a brilliant profiler for the San Francisco police department who has an unusual quirk: When he sees blood, he faints. This trait proves to be his undoing when he catches a serial killer who happens to have a bloody nose. As the newspaper headline screams the following day, "Officer Faints; Killer Runs Free." Kicked off the police force, Michael redefines himself as a risk management assessor for an insurance company. Paired with fellow investigator Siri (Winona Ryder), the two traipse across the country to determine whether their company should pay out premiums to the victims of unnecessarily idiotic acts, like the vacationing British couple whose understanding of a RV's "cruise control" has little to do with reality; or the two stoned Metallica fans literally dying to see the band in concert. Injecting just enough hinky characteristics into his role to make Michael truly weird, Fiennes is excellent in his role. And while Ryder is as lovely as ever, she is still too coltish to be completely believable as a foul-mouthed, seen-it-all, done-it-all ballbuster. Featuring appearances by David Arquette, Lukas Haas, Metallica, beat poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage (both from the Discovery Channel's MythBusters), and Chris Penn in his last role before his 2006 death, The Darwin Awards has its share of disjointed moments. And it's not the scratch-your-head antics that are unbelievable so much as some of the minor plot points, such as a film grad student (Wilmer Valderrama) having complete access to film Michael and his investigations (and the money to fly off wherever Michael and Siri do). Still, the film offers fine performances (especially by Arquette as a small-town man trying to impress his wife, played by Juliette Lewis) and an unusual premise. --Jae-Ha Kim

An all-star cast including the late Chris Penn (RESERVOIR DOGS) brings director Finn Taylor's vision to the screen with a detective and an insurance claims investigator examining the potential winner of a Darwin Award (which is given to people who die in accidental and inadvertently amusing ways).Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY Rating: R UPC: 024543449966 Manufacturer No: 2244996

Fire Down Below

Here's a movie that only a Steven Seagal fan could love. It's not nearly as good as Under Siege (the movie destined to remain Seagal's high-water mark), but not any worse than Above the Law. This time ol' Steve is an agent of the Environmental Protection Agency who's busting heads in Kentucky. He's on good terms with the local yokels (including Marg Helgenberger and Harry Dean Stanton), but locks horns with a slimy mogul (Kris Kristofferson) who's using abandoned mines to dump toxic waste. Along with an ecological message, Seagal serves up several broken limbs, cracked skulls, and bloody noses, and he even finds time to do some guitar picking with country boys such as Travis Tritt and Randy Travis. Once you've heard Seagal crooning a country tune, you'll be eager to see him go back to whuppin' the bad guys. --Jeff Shannon

Cherish

Cherish starts out with a promising idea: An erratic young woman named Zoe (Robin Tunney, The Craft, Niagara, Niagara) under house arrest with a bracelet around her ankle that sets off an alarm if she tries to leave her apartment, begins an unlikely romance with Bill (Tim Blake Nelson, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, The Good Girl), the lonely guy who monitors the bracelet. Unfortunately, about halfway through the movie mutates into a poorly thought-out thriller, in which Zoe tries to trap the stalker who got her arrested in the first place. Tunney and Nelson are both engaging, inventive actors; if the movie had trusted their charm, instead of trying to concoct implausible plot twists, this could have been delightful. Also featuring Jason Priestley, Nora Dunn, and indie rock star Liz Phair. --Bret Fetzer

Robin Tunney stars as a woman accused of a crime she didn't commit. With an unforgettable soundtrack featuring vintage music from the 70's and 80's Cherish is a roller-coaster ride of romance humor and unexpected plot twists.Running Time: 100 min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY UPC: 794043594724

Dream With the Fishes

Named after a line in The Godfather, Finn Taylor's directorial debut offers proof that movies about death don't have to be grim. Like Harold and Maude--but grittier--Taylor (Cherish) keeps the tone light and quirky. If you were to ask, he might even say that Dream with the Fishes is actually about life, but Terry (David Arquette) really does want to die and Nick (Brad Hunt) really does have only a few weeks to live. Death is what binds the two together. They would otherwise have nothing in common. The men live in the same San Francisco neighborhood, but Terry is a depressed widower with a penchant for voyeurism, while Nick may be terminally ill, yet he and his tattoo artist girlfriend, Liz (a virtually unrecognizable Katherine Erbe from Law and Order: Criminal Intent), live life to the full. They're just the medicine that the (psychically) ailing Terry needs. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Terry is a suicidal voyeur who doesn't seem to be able to kill himself. While preparing to jump off a bridge, he meets Nick who ends up saving his life and a special bond develops between the two. Stars David Arquette (Scream).

Clive Barker's The Plague

Produced by master of horror Clive Barker (Hellbound: Hellraiser II Candyman) The Plague is an intense horror film starring James Van Der Beek (Varsity Blues TV's Dawson's Creek) and Dee Wallace Stone (The Howling E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial). All hell breaks loose when the children of the world who had mysteriously fallen into a coma awaken ten years later possessing otherworldly powers to wage an unholy battle against all adults.System Requirements:Running Time 82 Mins.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: HORROR Rating: R UPC: 043396148093 Manufacturer No: 14809

Cherish

Cherish starts out with a promising idea: An erratic young woman named Zoe (Robin Tunney, The Craft, Niagara, Niagara) under house arrest with a bracelet around her ankle that sets off an alarm if she tries to leave her apartment, begins an unlikely romance with Bill (Tim Blake Nelson, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, The Good Girl), the lonely guy who monitors the bracelet. Unfortunately, about halfway through the movie mutates into a poorly thought-out thriller, in which Zoe tries to trap the stalker who got her arrested in the first place. Tunney and Nelson are both engaging, inventive actors; if the movie had trusted their charm, instead of trying to concoct implausible plot twists, this could have been delightful. Also featuring Jason Priestley, Nora Dunn, and indie rock star Liz Phair. --Bret Fetzer

Get ready to fall in love with one of the year's most original films. Cherish is a roller-coaster romance about a woman accused of a crime she didn't commit. Computer animator Robin Tunney (Vertical Limit, The Craft) becomes the victim of a bizarre kidnapping that ends in the death of a policeman. Placed under house arrest until the trial, she has only one chance to prove her innocence and catch the killer. But first…she has to find a way out of her apartment! Tim Blake Nelson (O Brother, Where Art Thou?), Jason Priestley ("Beverly Hills 90210") and Brad Hunt (Hart's War) co-star in this irresistible comedy about life, love, and getting locked up. With an energetic soundtrack featuring vintage music from the '70s and '80s, Cherish is a film you'll treasure forever.

Lucky 13

If you really want to know a man just ask his ex-girlfriends. Brad Hunt Harland Williams (Dumb and Dumber) and Lauren Graham ("Gilmore Girls") star in this goofy romantic comedy that finally reveals what women really want and what men really need.For Zach (Hunt) breaking up isn't hard to do he's already done it a dozen times. But when his childhood crush Abbey (Graham) decides to move to New York Zach realizes that he's about to lose the only girl he's ever truly loved. Now with the help of his hilarious best friend Bleckman (Williams) Zach has just three days to question all 12 of his ex-girlfriends. It's the only way to learn where he went wrong and finally get it right before the love of his life becomes unlucky number 13!System Requirements: Running Time 88 MinFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY Rating: R UPC: 027616921635 Manufacturer No: 1008115

Cookers

After stealing a huge stash of drugs speed freaks Hector and Dorena plan to cook up an enormous batch of crystal meth and get rich quick. Hector's old buddy Merle has the perfect hideout/meth lab: an old abandoned farmhouse in the woods where no one will ever find them. Unfortunately no one will hear their screams either. Turns out they may not be alone after all. It seems this farmhouse is the site of a horrific urban legend. Now holed up together with nothing to do but snort smoke and shoot up the strung-out "cookers" fall prey to paranoia private demons and terrifying visions which whether they are hallucinations or hauntings are equally terrifying and just as deadly! System Requirements:Running Time 95 Mins.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA Rating: R UPC: 783722734827 Manufacturer No: ARD27348

The Journeyman