Pollack, Jeff

Above the Rim

This rousing basketball drama centers around Tommy "Shep" Sheppard (Leon), a former high school basketball star now haunted by the accidental death of his best friend, and Kyle Watson (Duane Martin), an arrogant high school player in danger of slipping into crime. Though Shep avoids commitment in his life as a security guard, his attraction to Kyle's mother (Tonya Pinkins) draws him out of his protective shell--but Kyle is more interested in mentorship from Shep's gangster brother Birdie (Tupac Shakur). Above the Rim is melodramatic but played with grit and energy by a solid cast, particularly Shakur. Writer-director Jeff Pollack keeps the story moving and gives the characters enough spin to rescue them from being clichés; the result is engaging despite its formulas. Also featuring Bernie Mac and Marlon Wayans. --Bret Fetzer

A hot prospect threatens his college career by playing in a high stakes street basketball tournament. Starring Duane Martin, Tupac Shakur and Marlon Wayans. Year: 1994 Director: Jeff Pollack Starring: Duane Martin Leon, Tupac Shakur, Marlon Wayans

Booty Call

Okay, so Booty Call is trashy and often sophomoric. It is still funny. Tommy Davidson and Tamala Jones have been dating for almost two months and are pushed into that big romantic night by best friends Jamie Foxx and Vivica A. Fox (as the hysterically named "Lysterine"). The friends, of course, engage in a verbal war based on instant loathing and mutual attraction. The humor is low-brow and sometimes stereotypical, but this is worth watching just for the scene in which the two guys, concerned about "safe sex," cover themselves in plastic wrap. It pushes the envelope, which is fun, but the clearly homophobic tendencies cause it to lose ground. Still, there is chemistry between the players and plenty of laugh-out-loud scenes. --Rochelle O'Gorman

Lost and Found

Boy meets girl, boy falls in love. Girl loses dog, boy finds dog, decides to be a hero. But wait--the girl has an oily Euro ex-boyfriend, and the dog swallows the boy's best friend's wedding ring and can't be returned to the girl until the ring is, uh, found. Fans of There's Something About Mary should like this light-as-a-feather comedy, since it heists plot devices directly from that film. Think about it: there's two guys competing for the same girl, a scruffy-but-lovable terrier, and even a clutch of oversexed old ladies. David Spade, Saturday Night Live alum, is marginally less grating and more likable in this slight romantic comedy. Unfortunately this film is also littered with some pretty bad gags (beware of Spade's lengthy Neil Diamond impersonation), poo-poo jokes, and a character who's a direct stand-in for the late Chris Farley. Sophie Marceau, gorgeous as she is, apparently speaks her lines in phonetic English for all the feeling she puts into them. Still, this is suitable for stashing your brain under the couch for an evening. --Jerry Renshaw

His romantic life has gone to the dogs! Love-bitten David Spade decides the best way to get close to gorgeous girl-next-door Sophie Marceau is to dognap her pet and then help her find it.Running Time: 103 min.System Requirements:Starring: Sophie Marceau David Spade Artie Lange Jeff Pollack Martin Sheen and Mitchell Whitfield. Directed By: Jeff Pollack. Running Time: 100 mins. This film is presented in "Widescreen" and "Standard" format. Copyright: 1999 WarnerHome Video.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY Rating: PG-13 UPC: 085391756323

Booty Call - The Bootiest Edition

Okay, so Booty Call is trashy and often sophomoric. It is still funny. Tommy Davidson and Tamala Jones have been dating for almost two months and are pushed into that big romantic night by best friends Jamie Foxx and Vivica A. Fox (as the hysterically named "Lysterine"). The friends, of course, engage in a verbal war based on instant loathing and mutual attraction. The humor is low-brow and sometimes stereotypical, but this is worth watching just for the scene in which the two guys, concerned about "safe sex," cover themselves in plastic wrap. It pushes the envelope, which is fun, but the clearly homophobic tendencies cause it to lose ground. Still, there is chemistry between the players and plenty of laugh-out-loud scenes. --Rochelle O'Gorman

No Description Available.
Genre: Feature Film Urban Comedy
Rating: R
Release Date: 5-OCT-2004
Media Type: DVD

Above the Rim & Menace II Society (2pc) (2pk)

This rousing basketball drama centers around Tommy "Shep" Sheppard (Leon), a former high school basketball star now haunted by the accidental death of his best friend, and Kyle Watson (Duane Martin), an arrogant high school player in danger of slipping into crime. Though Shep avoids commitment in his life as a security guard, his attraction to Kyle's mother (Tonya Pinkins) draws him out of his protective shell--but Kyle is more interested in mentorship from Shep's gangster brother Birdie (Tupac Shakur). Above the Rim is melodramatic but played with grit and energy by a solid cast, particularly Shakur. Writer-director Jeff Pollack keeps the story moving and gives the characters enough spin to rescue them from being clichés; the result is engaging despite its formulas. Also featuring Bernie Mac and Marlon Wayans. --Bret Fetzer

Tyrin Turner may not have broken out into stardom as was initially expected, but his work in Menace II Society is one of the more powerful cinematic debuts. The film, from the brother writer-director team of Allen and Albert Hughes, chronicles life in the Los Angeles 'hood. Similar territory was covered in the equally commanding Boyz N the Hood, but what makes this cautionary tale stand out is not only the Hughes brothers' forceful story, (written with their friend, Tyger Williams) and direction, but the naturalness of then-newcomer leads Turner as Caine, Larenz Tate as O-Dog, and Jada Pinkett as Ronnie. They are so credible--occasionally frighteningly so--that the repressive universe of violent ghetto life is captured effectively. Life as portrayed here--and no doubt accurately so--is both figuratively and literally narrow. As a very young boy, Caine witnesses his dad murdered over something inconsequential, and his mom OD. His is a world where respect comes from intimidation, power from violence. Despite his understanding of right and wrong (values passed on by a good friend, his kind grandparents, a caring teacher), his life and its entrapments are too much to overcome. --N.F. Mendoza

Above the Rim [Region 2]

This rousing basketball drama centers around Tommy "Shep" Sheppard (Leon), a former high school basketball star now haunted by the accidental death of his best friend, and Kyle Watson (Duane Martin), an arrogant high school player in danger of slipping into crime. Though Shep avoids commitment in his life as a security guard, his attraction to Kyle's mother (Tonya Pinkins) draws him out of his protective shell--but Kyle is more interested in mentorship from Shep's gangster brother Birdie (Tupac Shakur). Above the Rim is melodramatic but played with grit and energy by a solid cast, particularly Shakur. Writer-director Jeff Pollack keeps the story moving and gives the characters enough spin to rescue them from being clichés; the result is engaging despite its formulas. Also featuring Bernie Mac and Marlon Wayans. --Bret Fetzer

Breakin' All the Rules/Booty Call

BOOTY CALL: Jamie Foxx Tommy Davidson Vivica A. Fox and Tamala Jones star in this outrageous comedy about the one thing men and women both want: each other. After weeks of dating Rushon and Nikki think they might be in love. And they know they're in lust. There's just one little problem Nikki insists on double-dating with her best friend Lysterine on the night Rushon has reserved for romance. So Rushon brings his rude crude sex-obsessed best boy Bunz to keep Lysty busy and turns Nikki's double date into a hilarious date with disaster.BREAKIN' ALL THE RULES: The game is on and the rules are out as Jamie Foxx Morris Chestnut Jennifer Esposito and Gabrielle Union star in this outrageous comedy that rewrites the book of love. After being dumped by his fianc e aspiring writer Quincy Watson (Foxx) pens the ultimate how-to book on breaking up. When it becomes a smash bestseller Quincy starts giving his cousin Evan (Chestnut) choice tips on how to win the battle of the sexes. But when Evan s beautiful girlfriend Nikki (Union) gets wind of the plan it s these players that end up getting played in this sexy comedy of errors about breaking up breaking throughand breaking all the rules.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY UPC: 043396082182 Manufacturer No: 08218