Racy

The Beguiled

The Getaway

"This is going to be the last big score, I promise." Famous last words--uttered by crack thief Doc McCoy to his wife--that set forth a whirlpool of deception and violence in Roger Donaldson's 1994 remake of The Getaway. Bailed out of a Mexican jail by shady businessman Jack Benyon (James Woods) in order to hit an Arizona dog track for him, Doc (Alec Baldwin) and Carol (Kim Basinger) flee for south of the border when the robbery goes wrong, with the million-dollar loot in tow. Following close behind are Benyon's men and Doc's double-crossing partner Rudy (Michael Madsen).

The updated version shares not only the original film's plot, but also the added twist of having husband and wife Baldwin and Basinger step into the roles of the first real-life couple to make the film, Steve McQueen and Ali McGraw. This time, however, the woman's role has been given a tougher '90s edge, with Basinger pulling almost as many punches and firing as many shots as Baldwin, compared to McGraw, who followed McQueen around in wide-eyed, silent terror.

The Getaway maintains the same deliberate, neo-noir pace that made the first film taut, creating a claustrophobic atmosphere in the wide-open, desolate Southwestern landscapes. The scorching sun and heat only add to the strain, making it virtually impossible for anyone to find a dark corner or alleyway to hide in. The car chases and shoot-out finale are charged, though a secondary plot line, between Rudy and the woman he kidnaps and seduces (Jennifer Tilly), comes across as unnecessarily and incongruously brutal. --Natasha Senjanovic

A husband and wife crime team are on the run from the law and from a crime boss they doubled crossed.
Genre: Feature Film-Action/Adventure
Rating: UN
Release Date: 5-MAR-2002
Media Type: DVD

Kite

In Japan cartoons and animated features do not encompass fantasy or slapstick personification of animals, but instead delve into the wondrous serendipity and the dark purposes of human interaction. Kite is a prime example of their expression within this genre. With its darkly disturbing La Femme Nikita-style story line, this film begs to be more than the 45-minute event that it is, rivaling the live-action works of Luc Besson and even John Woo. The story involves a college student, Sawa, whose family was brutally murdered. Sawa is adopted by Mr. Akai, the police detective investigating the case, and a twist occurs when we find that Mr. Akai has trained and utilized Sawa as an assassinating angel of vengeance to eliminate the undesirables able to slip through the net of the legal system. In the undertaking of one of these missions, Sawa meets Oburi, another orphan trained like her for the same purpose, and she is placed in the classic position of having to make a life-changing decision. Insights into the truth about Sawa's past are revealed through abstract flashbacks as the film progresses at maniacally breakneck speed, with intense gun battles and blood and guts galore. Kite is exquisitely animated by Yasuomi Umetsu and accompanied by a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack composed by An Fu, and the only flaw is that it could have been expanded by exploring more of its profound emotional revelations. --Hector V. Barrientos-Bullock

Sawa may seem innocent and naïve, but don't be fooled. She's a cold-blooded killer, and if you're on the wrong side of the law, you may be her next target. Not content to just watch as the imperfect justice system frees more criminals each day, a detective trained Sawa to be his instrument of justice. Now she will go to any length to execute her targets.

White Sands

Set in the cinematically picturesque Southwestern desert, Willem Dafoe plays a small-town lawman called out to a remote location after a dead body is found by some tourists. Along with the body, there is a briefcase with half a million dollars in it. Well, he becomes absolutely obsessed in solving the case. The audience never knows why he feels the need to solve this case instead of turning it over to the federal authorities, other than to spice up his otherwise boring job. Judging by his muscle car and quest for adventure, and despite being happily married with a kid, he seems to be going through a bit of a mid-life crisis. He gets his adventure when he finds a phone number on (actually in) the dead man's body, calls it, gets some instructions, and decides to go undercover as the dead man. Pretty soon he's meeting up with a shady Mickey Rourke and falling for Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio. Meanwhile, the script goes through plot twists and double and triple crosses. The strangest thing is that the movie works. It's a lot of fun, and Dafoe plays the most difficult and unbelievable character with such an easy charm it's hard not to go along with him. --Andy Spletzer

Charlie's Angels - Angels Under Cover

Battle Queen 2020

The Chosen One: Legend of the Raven

Hot "Baywatch" babe Carmen Electra made the break from TV to star as the sensuous title character in The Chosen One. A cataclysmic battle between good and evil is waged by a sexy superheroine known as the Chosen One. In Legend of the Raven, a serial killer mysteriously and savagely murders a young Indian woman in rural Los Angeles county, her sister McKenna (Electra) must replace her as the keeper of a sacred and powerful amulet. Reluctantly, McKenna accepts the role of chosen one. McKenna's powers include a thirst for milk and great sexual energy. Playboy Playmate India Allen produces. Available in rated and unrated versions.

The Arena (aka Naked Warriors)

Desperate Crimes

Murder is the name of the game. Two rival "families" are at war for control of the lucrative prostitution and drug trade, killing anyone in their way. When an innocent young woman is murdered by one of the "families," her boyfriend comes looking for answers. With the help of a beautiful prostitute, he discovers the truth and sets out on a path of revenge... Denise Crosby, Franco Columbo, Van Quattro, Rena Niehaus, Traci Lords, Elizabeth Kaitan

Harold Robbins' Body Parts