Chelsom, Peter

Serendipity

The irresistible casting of John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale highlights this predictable romantic comedy, which combines the romantic yearning of An Affair to Remember and the New York charm of You've Got Mail. It all begins "a few years ago," when New Yorker Jonathan (Cusack) meets Brit beauty Sara (Beckinsale). They share a few perfect hours together before parting ways, leaving future encounters to her quirky obsession with fate. "A few years later," they're about to marry their respective fiancés (reluctantly, of course), and urgently hoping for destiny to bring them back together. Under the casual direction of Peter Chelsom (barely recovering from Town & Country), this starry-eyed romance offers no surprises, but it has a comforting familiarity, made warmer by the easy chemistry of the leads, with obligatory best-friend support by Molly Shannon and long-time Cusack pal Jeremy Piven. It's hokey, but die-hard romantics are sure to be forgiving. --Jeff Shannon

While Christmas shopping in the city, Jonathan and Sara meet and fall in love despite already being involved in other relationships; they decide to separate and see if fate will bring them together in the future.
Genre: Feature Film-Comedy
Rating: PG13
Release Date: 7-SEP-2004
Media Type: DVD

The Mighty

Caught between the purest of intentions and unimaginative shortcuts to sentimentality, The Mighty is nevertheless rewarding enough to make it worth seeing. Kieran Culkin stars as Kevin, a terminally ill but spirited young boy who befriends a healthy but illiterate social outcast, Maxwell (Elden Henson). They realize that together they are a stronger, braver force than they are as individuals, and the various opportunities they have to confront persecutors and memories of their bad fathers are handled very effectively by director Peter Chelsom (a very original filmmaker who made the terrific Funny Bones). The curious adult casting includes Sharon Stone (a natural scene-stealer even when she doesn't intend it) as Kevin's saintly mother, and Gillian Anderson in a quite-unbelievable supporting role. Chelsom's lapses in judgment are not terribly significant (imaginary appearances by Camelot-era knights on horseback are the most annoying), though one could argue that a plot to kidnap one of the boys is a cheesy way to underscore the kids' redemptive loyalty to one another. Still, all in all, you can laugh and cry at this tale of rare friendship, and admire the sensitive performances by Chelsom's younger players. --Tom Keogh

Award-winning actresses Sharon Stone (SPHERE, CASINO) and Gillian Anderson (THE X-FILES) star in this uplifting motion picture that's received overwhelming critical acclaim! With his loving and supportive mother (Stone), 13-year-old Kevin (Kieran Culkin) moves in next door to another teen, Max. Though both have problems that label them as outcasts, Kevin and Max discover that by proudly combining their strengths and uniting as one, they can overcome their individual limitations and triumph over any adversity! As the two set out on a series of courageous adventures, they find the mightiest treasure of all: friendship! With Gena Rowlands (PLAYING BY HEART) and a stellar supporting cast, THE MIGHTY is truly exceptional entertainment that will lift your spirits and touch your heart!

Shall We Dance? (Widescreen Edition)

Something got lost in translation from 1996's critically acclaimed Japanese comedy, but the American remake of Shall We Dance? is not without charms of its own. In being transplanted from Tokyo to Chicago, the original version's subtle humor is shaken out of its cultural context, but this is an otherwise faithful adaptation in which a weary lawyer (Richard Gere) battles his mid-life crisis with ballroom dancing lessons, while his wife (Susan Sarandon) hires a private detective to see if he's cheating. Those expecting a Jennifer Lopez showcase will be disappointed; her role as the melancholy dance instructor keeps the beautifully lovelorn J-Lo on the sidelines, while a cast of standard-issue supporting characters (especially Stanley Tucci's clandestine faux-Latin dance lover) provide a generous dose of Hollywood-ized comic relief. All of this gives Shall We Dance? a polished sheen of mainstream entertainment that many viewers---and especially ballroom dancers--will find delightfully irresistible. --Jeff Shannon

A bored and overworked lawyer signs up for ballroom dance classes after seeing a beautiful young instructor.
Genre: Feature Film-Comedy
Rating: PG13
Release Date: 13-DEC-2005
Media Type: DVD

Shall We Dance? (Full Screen Edition)

Something got lost in translation from 1996's critically acclaimed Japanese comedy, but the American remake of Shall We Dance? is not without charms of its own. In being transplanted from Tokyo to Chicago, the original version's subtle humor is shaken out of its cultural context, but this is an otherwise faithful adaptation in which a weary lawyer (Richard Gere) battles his mid-life crisis with ballroom dancing lessons, while his wife (Susan Sarandon) hires a private detective to see if he's cheating. Those expecting a Jennifer Lopez showcase will be disappointed; her role as the melancholy dance instructor keeps the beautifully lovelorn J-Lo on the sidelines, while a cast of standard-issue supporting characters (especially Stanley Tucci's clandestine faux-Latin dance lover) provide a generous dose of Hollywood-ized comic relief. All of this gives Shall We Dance? a polished sheen of mainstream entertainment that many viewers---and especially ballroom dancers--will find delightfully irresistible. --Jeff Shannon

A bored and overworked lawyer signs up for ballroom dance classes after seeing a beautiful young instructor.
Genre: Feature Film-Comedy
Rating: PG13
Release Date: 13-DEC-2005
Media Type: DVD

Funny Bones

Funny Bones, directed by Peter Chelsom (Hear My Song), is a weird but intriguing comedy with a particularly dark edge. Oliver Platt plays a would-be comedian, the son of a major comedy star (Jerry Lewis); Dad's reputation even overshadows his son's Las Vegas debut. After that flop the son tries to go back to his roots and heads for his father's launch pad in Blackpool, England. There, he meets his previously unknown half-brother (Lee Evans), a bizarre comedy savant who teaches him a thing or two about taking risks to get laughs, and discovers a secret about how his father got started. Platt is likably lost and Lewis is perfectly overbearing, but the real find here is Evans, a rubber-faced, protean comic with always-surprising material. --Marshall Fine

Acclaimed by critics everywhere for its zany comedy and terrific cast, FUNNY BONES is big laughs for everyone! Struggling in the shadow of his famous comedian father (world-renowned entertainer Jerry Lewis), a young comic (Oliver Platt -- THE THREE MUSKETEERS, GUN SHY) retreats to his old hometown when his act bombs in Las Vegas. Ready to try anything for inspiration, he's in for more than a few surprises before learning that his own eccentric family is the best material for a perfect act! You'll want to discover for yourself this uncommon comedy treat that's packed with unforgettable fun!

Town and Country

Released two years later than originally scheduled, Town & Country was plagued by the kind of negative buzz that few movies recover from. Like the infamous Ishtar, this Warren Beatty-led ensemble comedy is ungainly and erratic, but when it's funny it's quite funny, and the involvement of cowriter Buck Henry makes it a lot smarter than most of what passes for wit in postmillennial comedy. An updated sex farce fueled by modern-day foibles, the movie's also an apologetic valentine from notorious womanizers like Beatty, who, as wealthy Manhattan architect Porter Stoddard, is paying the price for his dalliance with a sexy cellist (Nastassja Kinski). While Porter's wife (Diane Keaton) fumes with suspicion, their best friends Mona (Goldie Hawn) and Griffin (Garry Shandling) wage their own marital warfare after Mona spies Griffin with a gorgeous redhead. Mona shouldn't believe what she sees, but she still has cause to worry.

Porter also has a fling with a ski-bunny psycho (Andie MacDowell) with an obsessively protective father (Charlton Heston), and a store clerk (Jenna Elfman) with a thing for Russian literature. It all leads to comedic acts of contrition, but too many gags are strained or flat; lacking knowledge of its troubled history, you'd still think Town & Country was a puzzle with missing pieces. And yet, these veteran stars somehow pull it together just enough to make it work, and with the stammering Shandling as a standout, the movie boasts a few noteworthy highlights. Heston's a riot (believe it or not), and although Town & Country doesn't fire on all pistons, it's got enough horsepower to suggest it could've been a contender. --Jeff Shannon

Shall We Dance

Something got lost in translation from 1996's critically acclaimed Japanese comedy, but the American remake of Shall We Dance? is not without charms of its own. In being transplanted from Tokyo to Chicago, the original version's subtle humor is shaken out of its cultural context, but this is an otherwise faithful adaptation in which a weary lawyer (Richard Gere) battles his mid-life crisis with ballroom dancing lessons, while his wife (Susan Sarandon) hires a private detective to see if he's cheating. Those expecting a Jennifer Lopez showcase will be disappointed; her role as the melancholy dance instructor keeps the beautifully lovelorn J-Lo on the sidelines, while a cast of standard-issue supporting characters (especially Stanley Tucci's clandestine faux-Latin dance lover) provide a generous dose of Hollywood-ized comic relief. All of this gives Shall We Dance? a polished sheen of mainstream entertainment that many viewers---and especially ballroom dancers--will find delightfully irresistible. --Jeff Shannon

Shall We Dance

Something got lost in translation from 1996's critically acclaimed Japanese comedy, but the American remake of Shall We Dance? is not without charms of its own. In being transplanted from Tokyo to Chicago, the original version's subtle humor is shaken out of its cultural context, but this is an otherwise faithful adaptation in which a weary lawyer (Richard Gere) battles his mid-life crisis with ballroom dancing lessons, while his wife (Susan Sarandon) hires a private detective to see if he's cheating. Those expecting a Jennifer Lopez showcase will be disappointed; her role as the melancholy dance instructor keeps the beautifully lovelorn J-Lo on the sidelines, while a cast of standard-issue supporting characters (especially Stanley Tucci's clandestine faux-Latin dance lover) provide a generous dose of Hollywood-ized comic relief. All of this gives Shall We Dance? a polished sheen of mainstream entertainment that many viewers---and especially ballroom dancers--will find delightfully irresistible. --Jeff Shannon

Town & Country [Region 2]

Released two years later than originally scheduled, Town & Country was plagued by the kind of negative buzz that few movies recover from. Like the infamous Ishtar, this Warren Beatty-led ensemble comedy is ungainly and erratic, but when it's funny it's quite funny, and the involvement of cowriter Buck Henry makes it a lot smarter than most of what passes for wit in postmillennial comedy. An updated sex farce fueled by modern-day foibles, the movie's also an apologetic valentine from notorious womanizers like Beatty, who, as wealthy Manhattan architect Porter Stoddard, is paying the price for his dalliance with a sexy cellist (Nastassja Kinski). While Porter's wife (Diane Keaton) fumes with suspicion, their best friends Mona (Goldie Hawn) and Griffin (Garry Shandling) wage their own marital warfare after Mona spies Griffin with a gorgeous redhead. Mona shouldn't believe what she sees, but she still has cause to worry.

Porter also has a fling with a ski-bunny psycho (Andie MacDowell) with an obsessively protective father (Charlton Heston), and a store clerk (Jenna Elfman) with a thing for Russian literature. It all leads to comedic acts of contrition, but too many gags are strained or flat; lacking knowledge of its troubled history, you'd still think Town & Country was a puzzle with missing pieces. And yet, these veteran stars somehow pull it together just enough to make it work, and with the stammering Shandling as a standout, the movie boasts a few noteworthy highlights. Heston's a riot (believe it or not), and although Town & Country doesn't fire on all pistons, it's got enough horsepower to suggest it could've been a contender. --Jeff Shannon

The Mighty [Region 2]

Caught between the purest of intentions and unimaginative shortcuts to sentimentality, The Mighty is nevertheless rewarding enough to make it worth seeing. Kieran Culkin stars as Kevin, a terminally ill but spirited young boy who befriends a healthy but illiterate social outcast, Maxwell (Elden Henson). They realize that together they are a stronger, braver force than they are as individuals, and the various opportunities they have to confront persecutors and memories of their bad fathers are handled very effectively by director Peter Chelsom (a very original filmmaker who made the terrific Funny Bones). The curious adult casting includes Sharon Stone (a natural scene-stealer even when she doesn't intend it) as Kevin's saintly mother, and Gillian Anderson in a quite-unbelievable supporting role. Chelsom's lapses in judgment are not terribly significant (imaginary appearances by Camelot-era knights on horseback are the most annoying), though one could argue that a plot to kidnap one of the boys is a cheesy way to underscore the kids' redemptive loyalty to one another. Still, all in all, you can laugh and cry at this tale of rare friendship, and admire the sensitive performances by Chelsom's younger players. --Tom Keogh