Comedy

Charlie Wilson's War (Widescreen)

Academy Award® winners Tom Hanks Julia Roberts and Philip Seymour Hoffman star in this compelling and witty film from Oscar®-winning director Mike Nichols and Primetime Emmy®-winning writer Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing). Based on the outrageous true story Charlie Wilson's War shows how one congressman who loved a good time one Houston socialite who loved a good cause and one renegade CIA agent who loved a good fight conspired to bring about the largest covert operation in history.System Requirements:Running Time: 102 minutes Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA/BIOGRAPHY Rating: R UPC: 025195004848 Manufacturer No: 61100566

Political movies about backroom negotiations need not be dry or heavy-handed, as Charlie Wilson's War delightfully proves. Based on the true story of playboy congressman Wilson's efforts to fund Afghanistan's defense against the Soviet invasion of the 1980s, the film is borne along on breezy attitude and a peppery script by West Wing scribe Aaron Sorkin. Wilson, played by Tom Hanks (who also produced), is the perfect hero for this kind of tale, because there's nothing perfect or heroic about him: He's a highball-swilling, fanny-pinching gadabout who becomes radicalized on the issue of helping the Afghans against their mighty aggressor. He has help in the form of a right-wing Texas anti-Communist (Julia Roberts) with a genius for raising money, and a sardonic CIA operative (Philip Seymour Hoffman, stealing the show) who lacks all the social skills Wilson has in abundance. Sorkin's syncopated speech is just the ticket for director Mike Nichols, who understands exactly how to keep this kind of political comedy popping (the complicated story comes in at a hair over 90 minutes, amazingly). Some scoundrels are on the right side of the angels, and the movie's Charlie Wilson is one of them. --Robert Horton

Beyond Charlie Wilson's War on DVD

More Tom Hanks

Films by Mike Nichols

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Stills from Charlie Wilson's War (Click for larger image)

August Rush

There?s music in the wind and sky. Can you hear it? And there?s hope. Can you feel it? The boy called August Rush can. The music mysteriously draws him penniless and alone to New York City in a quest to find ? somehow someway ? the parents separated from him years earlier. And along the way he may also find the musical genius hidden within him. Experience the magic of this rhapsodic epic of the heart starring Freddie Highmore (as August) Keri Russell Jonathan Rhys Meyers Terrence Howard and Robin Williams. ?I believe in music the way some people believe in fairy tales? August says. Open your heart and listen. You?ll believe too.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA/CHILDHOOD DRAMA UPC: 012569763685 Manufacturer No: 76368

Music has long been considered a universal language with the power to bring people together, but can the simple act of playing music possibly unite a child with a mother and father who live in two different cities and don't even know of the child's existence? Having shared one extraordinary night, classical cellist Lyla Novacek (Keri Russell) and Irish singer and songwriter Louis Connelly (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) were a union meant to be that was torn apart by circumstances and a protective father (William Sadler). After eleven years, both Lyla and Louis have given up performing only to find that they are unhappy and searching for a sense of fulfillment that will ultimately lead both artists back to music and performing. Evan (Freddie Highmore) is an 11-year old orphan who's grown up hearing music in everything around him and is convinced that his real parents want him and will find him with the help of music. Driven by his innate musical genius and a powerful compulsion to perform before the world, Evan runs away from the orphanage and is initially taken in by a street man known as Wizard (Robin Williams) who encourages his musical talent and renames him August Rush and, later, by a local priest who arranges for August to receive a Julliard education. August is a child prodigy who excels beyond even the wildest expectations and earns the opportunity of a lifetime--a chance to perform in front of an enormous audience in New York's Central Park. The question is; can his performance possibly reach the audience August really craves? While elements of this film are completely unbelievable (take August's instant prowess on the guitar or his immediate and sophisticated grasp of musical notation and musical theory), the message of the universality of music and the notion that "the music is all around us, all you have to do is listen" is both compelling and powerful. --Tami Horiuchi

Finding Nemo (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)

A delightful undersea world unfolds in Pixar's animated adventure Finding Nemo. When his son Nemo is captured by a scuba-diver, a nervous-nellie clownfish named Marlin (voiced by Albert Brooks) sets off into the vast--and astonishingly detailed--ocean to find him. Along the way he hooks up with a scatterbrained blue tang fish named Dory (Ellen DeGeneres), who's both helpful and a hindrance, sometimes at the same time. Faced with sharks, deep-sea anglers, fields of poisonous jellyfish, sea turtles, pelicans, and much more, Marlin rises above his neuroses in this wonderfully funny and nonstop thrill ride--rarely does more than 10 minutes pass without a sequence destined to become a theme park attraction. Pixar continues its run of impeccable artistic and economic success (their movies include Toy Story, A Bug's Life, Toy Story 2, and Monsters, Inc). Also featuring the voices of Willem Dafoe, Geoffrey Rush, and Allison Janney. --Bret Fetzer

From the Academy Award(R)-winning creators of TOY STORY and MONSTERS INC. (2001 Best Animated Short Film FOR THE BIRDS) it's FINDING NEMO a hilarious adventure where you'll meet colorful characters that take you into the breathtaking underwater world of Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Nemo an adventurous young clownfish is unexpectedly taken to a dentist's office aquarium. It's up to Marlin (Albert Brooks) his worrisome father and Dory (Ellen DeGeneres) a friendly but forgetful regal blue tang fish to make the epic journey to bring Nemo home. Their adventure brings them face-to-face with vegetarian sharks surfer dude turtles hypnotic jellyfish hungry seagulls and more. Marlin discovers a bravery he never knew but will he be able to find his son? FINDING NEMO's breakthrough computer animation takes you into a whole new world with this undersea adventure about family courage and challenges. Take the plunge into FINDING NEMO a "spectacularly beautiful animated adventure for everyone" -- David Sheehan CBS-TVSystem Requirements:Voices: Albert Brooks; Ellen DeGeneres; Alexander Gould; Willem Dafoe; Brad Garrett; Allison Janney; Austin Pendleton; Stephen Root; Vicki Lewis; Joe Ranft; Geoffrey Rush; Andrew Stanton; Elizabeth Perkins; Nicholas Bird; Bob Peterson; Barry Humphries; and Eric Bana. Directed By: Andrew Stanton. Running Time: 100 Min. Color. Copyright 2003 Buena Vista Home Video.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: CHILDREN/FAMILY Rating: G UPC: 786936215595 Manufacturer No: 03007800

Aladdin (Disney Special Platinum Edition)

After Aladdin discovers the Genie in the lamp, he uses his wishes to help win the heart of Princess Jasmine, despite the evil tricks of the Grand Vizier Jafar.
Genre: Feature Film Family
Rating: NR
Release Date: 5-OCT-2004
Media Type: DVD

Disney's 1992 animated feature is a triumph of wit and skill. The high-tech artwork and graphics look great, the characters are strong, the familiar story is nicely augmented with an interesting villain (Jafar, voiced by Jonathan Freeman), and there's an incredible hook atop the whole thing: Robin Williams's frantically hilarious vocal performance as Aladdin's genie. Even if one isn't particularly moved by the love story between the title character (Scott Weinger) and his girlfriend Jasmine (Linda Larkin), you can easily get lost in Williams's improvisational energy and the equally entertaining performances of Freeman and Gilbert Gottfried (as Jafar's parrot). --Tom Keogh

Caddyshack

No Description Available
No Track Information Available
Media Type: DVD
Artist: CHASE/DANGERFIELD/KNIGHT/O'KEE
Title: CADDYSHACK
Street Release Date: 05/15/2007
Domestic
Genre: COMEDY VIDEO

A no-brainer that has become a low-brow classic, this 1980 comedy makes anarchy the rule of the day, unleashing the antics of Bill Murray, Rodney Dangerfield, Ted Knight, and Chevy Chase. Caddyshack is about the scheme of a vulgar land developer (Dangerfield) who wants to build condominiums on the site of a ritzy country club. Director Harold Ramis (who later reunited with Murray to make Groundhog Day) is content to let the comedy follow a variety of wacky detours, most notably Murray's maniacal war with a gopher that has been digging up the golf course. Dangerfield ultimately steals the show, firing off a battery of one-liners, insults, and tasteless gags. Caddyshack is the kind of movie some people have been known to watch several times a year, reciting every line of dialogue like the followers of a bizarre comedic ritual. --Jeff Shannon

The Lion King (Disney Special Platinum Edition)

Not an ideal choice for younger kids, this hip and violent animated feature from Disney was nevertheless a huge smash in theaters and on video, and it continues to enjoy life in an acclaimed Broadway production. The story finds a lion cub, son of a king, sent into exile after his father is sabotaged by a rivalrous uncle. The little hero finds his way into the "circle of life" with some new friends and eventually comes back to reclaim his proper place. Characters are very strong, vocal performances by the likes of Jeremy Irons, Nathan Lane, and Whoopi Goldberg are terrific, the jokes are aimed as much (if not more) at adults than kids, the animation is sometimes breathtaking, and the music is more palatable than in many Disney features. But be cautious: this is too intense for the Rugrat crowd. --Tom Keogh

How good-looking is the DVD restoration of Disney's popular animated film? Take a look at the serviceable but dull film clips incorporated in the plethora of extras and compare them to the vivid gorgeousness of the film presentation. This "special edition" also adds a 90-second song ("Morning Report") that originated in the lavish stage musical. To Disney's credit, the original theatrical version is also included, both restored and featuring two 5.1 soundtracks: Dolby Digital and a new Disney Enhanced Home Theater Mix, which does sound brighter. As with the Disney Platinum line, everything is thrown into the discs, except an outsider's voice (the rah-rahs of Disney grow tiresome at times). The excellent commentary from the directors and producer, originally on the laser disc, is hidden under the audio set-up menu.

The second disc is organized by 20-minute-ish "journeys" tackling the elements of story, music, et cetera, including good background on the awkward Shakespearean origins at Disney where it was referred as "Bamlet." The most interesting journey follows the landmark stage production, and the kids should be transfixed by shots of the real African wildlife in the animal journey. Three deleted segments are real curios, including an opening lyric for "Hakuna Matata." Most set-top DVD games are usually pretty thin (DVD-ROM is where it's at), but the Safari game is an exception--the kids should love the roaring animals (in 5.1 Surround, no less). One serious demerit goes to the needless and complicated second navigation system that is listed by continent, but just shows the same features reordered. --Doug Thomas

Disney's THE LION KING SPECIAL EDITION features an all-new song, "Morning Report," and never-before-seen animation, giving you even more of this award-winning masterpiece -- the greatest animated adventure of all time. An unforgettable story, breathtaking animation, beloved characters, and Academy Award(R)-winning music (Best Original Score, 1994; Best Song, "Can You Feel The Love Tonight") set the stage for the adventures of Simba, the feisty lion cub who "just can't wait to be king." But his envious Uncle Scar has plans for his own ascent to the throne, and he forces Simba's exile from the kingdom. Alone and adrift, Simba soon joins the escapades of a hilarious meerkat named Timon and his warmhearted warthog pal, Pumbaa. Adopting their carefree lifestyle of "Hakuna Matata," Simba ignores his real responsibilities until he realizes his destiny and returns to the Pride Lands to claim his place in the "Circle of Life." Now extensively restored and remastered -- experience THE LION KING like never before, from its magnificent musical opening over breathtaking African vistas to its emotional climax. The all-star vocal talents -- including Matthew Broderick, Jeremy Irons, Nathan Lane, and Ernie Sabella -- rip-roaring comedy, and uplifting messages of courage, loyalty, and hope make this timeless tale entertainment for all ages.

Toy Story (10th Anniversary Edition)

Woody, the cowboy, & Buzz, a space ranger, are rival toys until they must work together to escape the toy-torturing boy next door.
No Track Information Available
Media Type: DVD
Artist: DISNEY
Title: TOY STORY
Street Release Date: 05/22/2007
Domestic
Genre: COMEDY VIDEO

There is greatness in film that can be discussed, dissected, and talked about late into the night. Then there is genius that is right in front of our faces--we smile at the spell it puts us into and are refreshed, and nary a word needs to be spoken. This kind of entertainment is what they used to call "movie magic," and there is loads of it in this irresistible computer animation feature. Just a picture of these bright toys reawaken the kid in us. Filmmaker John Lasseter thinks of himself as a storyteller first and an animator second, much like another film innovator, Walt Disney.

The 10th anniversary edition of the landmark film repackages most of the extras found in the original Ultimate Toy Box set plus a few more. Two keen retrospectives are new, one with an assortment of talents including Roy Disney and Peter Jackson chiming in on the film's impact. The other is a roundtable with Lasseter and three of the creators simply talking about the experiences without--thankfully--any cutaways to noisy film clips. There's a load of other extras since the Ultimate Toy Box was one of the first and best DVD sets. Missing (besides the second film, which will be released separately) is the effects- and music-only tracks. Added is a whopping DTS soundtrack along with a remixed Dolby 5.1 track. The DVD has a higher transfer bit rate for a better picture, but only high-end enthusiasts will notice it. Since the film is a digital-to-digital transfer, both versions are eye-popping. A must-have set unless you have the Ultimate Toy Box.

Lasseter's story is universal and magical: what do toys do when they're not played with? Cowboy Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks), Andy's favorite bedroom toy, tries to calm the other toys (some original, some classic) during a wrenching time of year--the birthday party, when newer toys may replace them. Sure enough, Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) is the new toy that takes over the throne. Buzz has a crucial flaw, though--he believes he's the real Buzz Lightyear, not a toy. Lasseter further scores with perfect voice casting, including Don Rickles as Mr. Potato Head and Wallace Shawn as a meek dinosaur. The director-animator won a special Oscar for "the development and inspired application of techniques that have made possible the first feature-length computer-animated film." In other words, the movie is great. --Doug Thomas

The Pixar Feature Films

Toy Story, 1995 A Bug's Life, 1998 Toy Story 2, 1999

Monsters, Inc., 2001 Finding Nemo, 2003 The Incredibles, 2004

William Shakespeare's Hamlet (Two-Disc Special Edition)

Hamlet has the kind of power energy and excitement that movies can truly exploit' award-winning actor/director Kenneth Branagh says. In this first-ever full-text film of William Shakespeare's greatest work the power surges through every scene. The timeless tale of murder corruption and revenge is reset in an opulent 19th-century world using sprawling Blenheim Palace as Elsinore and staging much of the action in shimmering-mirrored gold-filled interiors. The excitement of the Bard's words and an adventurous filmmaking style lift the story from its often shadowy ambiance to a fully-lit pageantry and rage. Now presented in an amazing 2-Disc Special Edition.System Requirements:Running Time: 242 minsFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA UPC: 053939268324 Manufacturer No: C2683

It's the greatest work of literature, but nobody had ever filmed Hamlet uncut--until Kenneth Branagh went about the task for his lavish 1996 production. The result is a sumptuous, star-studded version that scores a palpable hit on its avowed goal: to make the text as clear and urgent as possible. Branagh himself plays the melancholy son of the Danish court, caught in a famous muddle about whether to seek revenge against his royal father's presumed slayer… the man who now sits on the throne and shares the bed of Hamlet's mother. (Or, as the song "That's Entertainment" summarizes the plot: "A ghost and a prince meet / And everyone winds up mincemeat.") As a director, Branagh (who shot the movie in 70 mm.) uses the vast, cold interiors of a vaguely 19th-century manor to gorgeous effect; the story might scurry down this hallway, into that back chamber, or sprawl out into the enormous main room. With its endless collection of mirrors, the place is as big and empty as Citizen Kane's Xanadu.

That all works; what doesn't work is Branagh's tendency to over-direct the big dramatic moments. He indulges in quick cutting and flashbacks as though to fend off the audience's objections to the four-hour running time, and the style sometimes looks like wasted energy. The experienced Shakespearians in the cast come off nicely; Derek Jacobi's Claudius, Richard Briers' Polonius, and Michael Maloney's Laertes are just terrific. Julie Christie is a suitably attractive Gertrude, and Kate Winslet makes the most of Ophelia's mad scenes. Branagh's habit of folding in unexpected American performers is on the mark, too: Billy Crystal is surprisingly good as the Gravedigger, Robin Williams predictably camps up Osric, and Charlton Heston is an inspired choice as the grandiloquent Player King. The biggest irony here is that Branagh himself is not quite spot-on as Hamlet. Of course he speaks the lines beautifully, but Branagh's screen personality radiates certainty and clarity of vision; there's little of the doubt that might make him Hamlet-esque. Still, tremendous credit for fending off slings and arrows to get the movie made. --Robert Horton

Monsters, Inc. (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)

Sulley and Mike are best friends who work together at Monsters, Inc., a company that uses monsters to scare children and capture their screams to power the city. The trouble is, the monsters are more afraid of the children, than the children are of them.
Genre: Feature Film Family
Rating: G
Release Date: 17-SEP-2002
Media Type: DVD

The folks at Pixar can do no wrong with Monsters, Inc., the studio's fourth feature film, which stretches the computer animation format in terms of both technical complexity and emotional impact. The giant, blue-furred James P. "Sulley" Sullivan (wonderfully voiced by John Goodman) is a scare-monster extraordinaire in the hidden world of Monstropolis, where the scaring of kids is an imperative in order to keep the entire city running. Beyond the competition to be the best at the business, Sullivan and his assistant, the one-eyed Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal), discover what happens when the real world interacts with theirs in the form of a 2-year-old baby girl dubbed "Boo," who accidentally sneaks into the monster world with Sulley one night. Director Pete Doctor and codirectors David Silverman and Lee Unkrich follow the Pixar (Toy Story) blueprint with an imaginative scenario, fun characters, and ace comic timing. By the last heart-tugging shot, kids may never look at monsters the same, nor artists at what computer animation can do in the hands of magicians. --Doug Thomas

Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins (Widescreen)

Martin Lawrence leads an all-star cast including Cedric the Entertainer Mo'Nique and Mike Epps in the hit comedy Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins. When a celebrated TV show host (Lawrence) returns to his hometown in the South his family is there to remind him that going home is no vacation! It's one outrageous predicament after another when big-city attitude and small-town values collide in this hysterical comedy critics are praising for its "over-the-top hilarity!" (Roger Moore Orlando Sentinel)System Requirements:Running Time: 114 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY/FAMILY GATHERINGS Rating: PG-13 UPC: 025195015875 Manufacturer No: 61101992

While its story might sound terribly interesting, Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins is largely a vehicle for gross-out sight gags and grotesque performances by performers who, in many cases, don't need to do such things. Martin Lawrence stars as R.J. Stevens, a successful, Jerry Springer-like, television talk show host who sets aside his perfect life with a sweet son (Damani Roberts) and celebrity girlfriend (Joy Bryant) to attend his parents' golden wedding anniversary back home in Georgia. From the moment he arrives, all the reasons R.J. left to reinvent himself on the West Coast become clear. His siblings and cousins (Mike Epps, Mo'Nique, Michael Clarke Duncan, Cedric the Entertainer) quickly put him in his place, reminding him that his name is actually Roscoe Jenkins. His sweet mother (Margaret Avery) watches impassively while R.J.'s dad (James Earl Jones) strikes one disapproving note after another. R.J. would be content to wait out the anniversary events and go home, but the arrival of a woman (Nicole Ari Parker) he loved but couldn't keep during his adolescence changes everything, bringing out the competitive survivor within. Written and directed by Malcolm D. Lee (Undercover Brother), Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins promises rich comedy and dramatic flavorings, as well as a bunch of delightful actors doing what only they can do best. But Lee subverts the project for cheap and easy laughs, using his best material to do little else than bridge scenes of bad slapstick, bestial perversity, clownish sex and irritating, motormouth rants from the likes of Mo'Nique and Epps. This a hard movie to sit through at 114 minutes, one of those what-were-they-thinking-when-they-made-this films. --Tom Keogh

Beyond Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins on DVD

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Stills from Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins (Click for larger image)