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Batman Gotham Knight (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)

Acclaimed screenwriters including David Goyer (Batman Begins) Josh Olson (A History of Violence) and Alan Burnett (Batman The Animated Series) join forces with revered animation filmmakers on six spellbinding chapters chronicling Batman?s transition from novice crimefighter to Dark Knight. These globe-spanning adventures pit Batman against the fearsome Scarecrow the freakish Killer Croc and the unerring marksman Deadshot. Using an arsenal of high-tech gadgetry from Wayne Industries Batman?s ethical boundaries exist only where he chooses to place them leaving some fearful of his power. The sharp storytelling complemented by stylish art from some of the world?s most visionary animators masterfully depicts the blurred lines of Batman as man myth and legend.Running Time: 75 min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: CHILDREN/FAMILY UPC: 883929011155 Manufacturer No: 1000037297

Jericho - The Second Season

JERICHO is a drama about what happens when a uclear mushroom cloud suddenly appears on the horizon plunging the residents of a small peaceful Kansas town into chaos leaving them completely isolated and wondering if they're the only Americans left alive. But in this time of crisis as sensible people become paranoid personal agendas take over and well-kept secrets threaten to be revealed some people will find an inner strength they never knew they had and the most unlikely heroes will emerge.System Requirements:Running Time: 347 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/SERIES & SEQUELS Rating: NR UPC: 097368920149 Manufacturer No: 892014

The second season of the cult favorite Jericho shows in gritty, emotional detail why fans adore this show. It's intelligently written, and manages to make its out-there concept not only believable, but mesmerizing. Part post-apocalyptic sci-fi, part Western, part conspiracy thriller, and part juicy human drama, Jericho in its second season explores how the citizens of wee Jericho, Kansas, are coping six months after a nuclear bomb destroyed most of the town--and the fabric of the country. The layers of character and plot development, rare on network TV, continue to surprise and develop. Our hero, Jake (Skeet Ulrich), is helping put the pieces of his town and life back together, while hostile forces from neighboring towns plan attacks. And the mysterious Robert Hawkins (Lennie James) is hiding in town with a literal smoking gun--a nuclear warhead that may prove the attacks were carried out not by Iran and North Korea, but by internal forces. Hawkins is on the run, and Jake is in on his secret. Amid all this chaos arrives Major Beck (the charismatic Esai Morales), who's been sent by the acting Western government to instill order in Jericho. "The nightmare is over," he intones to the shaken townsfolk. "Order will be restored."

The nightmare is far from over, however, which accounts for Jericho's intense drama and creative storytelling. The viewer is never totally sure whom to believe, keeping the viewer just off kilter just enough to want to watch another episode, and then another. Extras on the boxed set include terrific audio commentaries on virtually every episode, which lend even greater appreciation to the set designers and cinematographers. There's a featurette, "Rebuilding Jericho," giving fans insight to the conception of a post-apocalyptic America, and deleted scenes, and perhaps most interesting to devoted fans, an alternate unaired ending to the season finale--worth watching just to see where the creators imaginations can take them. --A.T. Hurley

Lonesome Dove

Epic western about two former Texas rangers who leave the south Texas town of Lonesome Dove on a cattle drive to the lush ranch country of Montana.
Genre: Westerns
Rating: NR
Release Date: 21-OCT-2003
Media Type: DVD

Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones star as Gus McCrae and Woodrow Call, aging cowboys and former Texas rangers and who organize a 2,500 mile cattle drive for one last great adventure in this excellent 1989 miniseries adaptation of Larry McMurtry's novel. The best friends, who steal the herd from a gang of Mexican cattle rustlers, drive their herd from Texas to Montana, battling horse thieves, angry Indian tribes, and a renegade half-breed killer named Blue Duck (Frederic Forrest) on a mission of revenge. The excellent cast also includes Robert Urich as cardsharp and former Ranger Jake Spoon, Anjelica Huston as McCrae's old flame Clara Allen, Danny Glover, Ricky Schroder, Diane Lane, Chris Cooper, D.B. Sweeney, Steve Buscemi, and even a small role for author Larry McMurtry. Australian director Simon Wincer shows a tremendous capacity for balancing sweeping drama and intimacy against the gorgeous landscape of the American Southwest, giving a grandly epic feel to the film despite its small-screen target and limited budget, and for forging memorable characters of even the smallest supporting parts. The heart of the drama belongs to McCrae and Call, memorably etched by Duvall and Jones as the last of the range romantics. In the age of revisionist Westerns, this excellent cattle-drive drama nicely maintains an old-fashioned feeling while still showing the dark side of the American West. Winner of seven Emmy Awards and responsible for two miniseries sequels (Return to Lonesome Dove and Dead Man's Walk) and a TV series. --Sean Axmaker

Batman Gotham Knight (Single-Disc Edition)

Acclaimed screenwriters including David Goyer (Batman Begins) Josh Olson (A History of Violence) and Alan Burnett (Batman The Animated Series) join forces with revered animation filmmakers on six spellbinding chapters chronicling Batman s transition from novice crimefighter to Dark Knight. These globe-spanning adventures pit Batman against the fearsome Scarecrow the freakish Killer Croc and the unerring marksman Deadshot. Using an arsenal of high-tech gadgetry from Wayne Industries Batman s ethical boundaries exist only where he chooses to place them leaving some fearful of his power. The sharp storytelling complemented by stylish art from some of the world s most visionary animators masterfully depicts the blurred lines of Batman as man myth and legend.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: CHILDREN/FAMILY Rating: PG-13 UPC: 085391123323 Manufacturer No: 112332

Robin Hood (Most Wanted Edition)

A minor classic from Disney, this 1973 all-animal, all-animated musical version of the familiar story is more charming than one might expect. Perhaps it's the warm, chummy take on key relationships within the legend--the way Robin Hood (Brian Bedford) gets twitterpated whenever the subject of Maid Marian (Monica Evans) comes up or the way best pal Little John (Phil Harris voicing a variation on his own Baloo from The Jungle Book) admonishes the Sherwood Forest hero, "Aw, Rob, why dontcha just marry the girl?" (Then, of course, there's the canny "casting" of the romantic leads as foxes: Robin the sly one and Marian the, well, foxy one.) The rest of the vocal cast is lively and eclectic: Peter Ustinov, Andy Devine, Terry-Thomas, George Lindsey. Roger Miller provides the songs and voice for the minstrel character Allan-A-Dale. The film is ably directed by Wolfgang Reitherman, whose decades of work in Disney's animation division helped create the studio's rich legacy. --Tom Keogh

A long time ago in a faraway land legend tells an extraordinary tale of courage and friendship.... Get ready for swashbuckling adventure unforgettable characters memorable music and lots of laughs in Disney's ROBIN HOOD one of the most cherished animated films of all time. Heroic Robin Hood -- along with his trusted companion Little John and his devoted band of merry men -- conjures up one famously funny and daring deed after another to outfox greedy Prince John and bring happiness to the residents of Sherwood Forest. THE MOST WANTED EDITION DVD also features a forest full of merriment with a never-before-seen alternate ending all-new games and Disney Song Selection plus a new digital transfer 5.1 Surround Sound and much more!System Requirements:Running Time: 83 minsFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: CHILDREN/FAMILY Rating: G UPC: 786936716245 Manufacturer No: 05241200

Jericho - The Complete Series

JERICHO is a drama about what happens when a nuclear mushroom cloud suddenly appears on the horizon plunging the residents of a small peaceful Kansas town into chaos leaving them completely isolated and wondering if they're the only Americans left alive. But in this time of crisis as sensible people become paranoid personal agendas take over and well-kept secrets threaten to be revealed some people will find an inner strength they never knew they had and the most unlikely heroes will emerge.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/SERIES & SEQUELS Rating: NR UPC: 097361375847 Manufacturer No: 137584

As Good As It Gets

Jack Nicholson Helen Hunt Greg Kinnear and Cuba Gooding Jr. star in James L. Brooks hit comedy As Good As It Gets. Nicholson gives a show-stopping performance as Melvin Udall an obsessive-compulsive novelist with Manhattans meanest mouth. But when his neighbor Simon is hospitalized Melvin is forced to baby-sit Simons dog. And that unexpected act of kindness-along with waitress Carol Connelly--helps put Melvin back in the human race. "Magically written directed and acted As Good As it gets is the best and funniest romantic comedy of the year."System Requirements:Starring: Jack Nicholson Helen Hunt Greg Kinnear Cuba Gooding Jr. and Skeet Ulrich Director: James L. Brooks Copyright: 1997 Columbia/Tri-Star Produced by Bridget Johnson Kristi Zea; written by Mark Andrus; DVD released on 05/19/1998; running time of 138 minutes; Closed Captioned. English 2-channel or 5.1 (Dolby Digital) Additional Language: French Subtitles: English Spanish and French Scene Selections Presented in Widescreen 1.85:1 Theatrical Aspect Ratio and Full Screen Format Commentary Track with Producer & Director James L. Brooks as well as actors Jack Nicholson Helen Hunt and Greg KinnearFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY Rating: PG-13 UPC: 043396217096 Manufacturer No: 21709

For all of its conventional plotting about an obsessive-compulsive curmudgeon (Jack Nicholson) who improves his personality at the urging of his gay neighbor (Greg Kinnear) and a waitress (Helen Hunt) who inspires his best behavior, this is one of the sharpest Hollywood comedies of the 1990s. Nicholson could play his role in his sleep (the Oscar he won should have gone to Robert Duvall for The Apostle), but his mischievous persona is precisely necessary to give heart to his seemingly heartless character, who is of all things a successful romance novelist. As a single mom with a chronically asthmatic young son, Hunt gives the film its conscience and integrity (along with plenty of wry humor), and she also won an Oscar for her wonderful performance. Greg Kinnear had to settle for an Oscar nomination (while cowriter-director James L. Brooks was inexplicably snubbed by Oscar that year), but his work was also singled out in the film's near-unanimous chorus of critical praise. It's questionable whether a romance between Hunt and the much older Nicholson is entirely believable, but this movie's smart enough--and charmingly funny enough--to make it seem endearingly possible. --Jeff Shannon

Luther

Regional princes and the powerful church wield a fast firm and merciless grip over 16th century Germany. But when Martin Luther issues a shocking challenge to their authority the people declare him their new leader-and hero. Even when threatened with violent death Luther refuses to back down sparking a bloody revolution that shakes the entire continent to its core.System Requirements: Running Time 113 minFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA Rating: NR UPC: 027616906540 Manufacturer No: 1006463

Like The Passion of the Christ, Luther is the story of a spiritual leader, German monk Martin Luther (Joseph Fiennes), in opposition to the religious orthodoxy of the time (in his case, the 1500s). His goal--to bring God to the people and to take money, fear, and shame out of the equation--made him a reformer to some, a heretic to others. Released around the same time as Mel Gibson's blockbuster, it failed to attract the same degree of attention--or controversy. Granted, it's a different film, but not radically so. Directed by Eric Till (Bonhoeffer: Agent of Grace), Luther isn't always easy to follow or as emotionally involving as it could be. That said, it's a fascinating story and Fiennes receives solid support from Alfred Molina (Frida), Bruno Ganz (Wings of Desire), and the late Sir Peter Ustinov (Spartacus), in his final film role, as Frederick the Wise. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Robin Hood - Men in Tights

Cary Elwes stars as Robin Hood the dashing defender of the down-trodden who along with his merry men and Maid Marion resides in Sherwood Forest. There they have become together to fight against the seriously neurotic Prince John the not quite-evil Sheriff of Rottingham and the mad scorceress Latrine.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY Rating: Unknown UPC: 024543167433 Manufacturer No: 2226743

It's not Blazing Saddles, but there are some chuckles to be found in Mel Brooks's 1993 spoof of the Robin Hood legend. Cary Elwes is Robin (with a lighthearted jab at Kevin Costner's bad English accent in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves), while Richard Lewis plays an angst-ridden King John, and Roger Rees a snotty Sheriff of Nottingham. Comic David Chappelle has some good moments as the only black member of Robins's noble thieves, and Brooks does his own spin on Friar Tuck: Rabbi Tuchman. The song-and-dance sequences featuring a chorus line of the Merry Men ("We're men / men in tights") is vintage Brooks, but otherwise the film can't get any traction. --Tom Keogh

Legally Blonde (Special Edition)

She's a California sorority girl who'll do anything to keep her man. Even if it means going all the way... to law school! Reese Witherspoon (Election) stars with Luke Wilson (Charlie's Angels) Selma Blair (Cruel Intentions) Matthew Davis (Pearl Harbor) and Victor Garber (Titanic) in a knock-out comedy with a heart of gold - and hair to match!Elle Woods (Witherspoon) is a California blonde with couture clothes fabulous friends and the hottest boyfriend on campus. So when Warner Huntington III (Davis) suddenly dumps her and heads for Harvard Law School Elle takes matters into her own perfectly manicured hands. She enrolls too! Now getting Warner back should be a snap right? Wrong! Elle's about to begin the toughest fight of her life - for love honor justice and respect for blondes everywhere!Bonus Features: Deleted Scenes 2 Featurettes: "Inside Legally Blonde" & "The Hair That Ate Hollywood" 2 Audio Commentaries Featuring Robert Luketic Reese Witherspoon Mark Platt & Film Crew Hit Music Video "Perfect Day" by Hoku Trivia Track Original Theatrical TrailerSystem Requirements:Starring: Reese Witherspoon Selma Blair Jennifer Coolidge Matthew Davis Victor Garber and Luke Wilson. Directed By: Robert Luketic. Running Time: 96 Min. Color. This film is presented in both "Widescreen" and "Standard" formats. Copyright 2001 Columbia TriStar.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY Rating: PG-13 UPC: 027616868268 Manufacturer No: M110582

If you've ever doubted how much a star can carry a movie, look no further than Legally Blonde, Robert Luketic's pop fluff about a sorority girl who becomes the reigning brain at Harvard Law School. The film tries way too hard to be pop fluff, but thankfully it also understands the comic glories of Reese Witherspoon. As Elle Woods, the supposedly dimwitted heroine, Witherspoon gives a high-wattage performance that somehow comes across as both lusciously cartoonish and warmly human. It's a radiant comic turn worthy of Marilyn Monroe, and Luketic throws the whole movie at her, even though its intentional kitsch and sledgehammer contrivances don't trust you enough to figure out on your own what might be guilty fun about it. It's a lame movie, essentially, that redeems itself by knowing just enough to keep things sunny and moving right along. The film is content to follow several steps behind the regal Witherspoon, carrying her train. You probably will be, too. --Steve Wiecking