British

Tommy

If you've ever wanted to hear Jack Nicholson sing (or try to) or marvel at the sight of Ann-Margret drunkenly cavorting in a cascade of baked beans, Tommy is the movie you've been waiting for. As it turns out, the Who's brilliant rock opera is sublimely matched to director Ken Russell's penchant for cinematic excess, and this 1975 production finds Russell at the peak of his filmmaking audacity. It's a fever-dream of musical bombast, custom-fit to the thematic ambition of Pete Townshend's epic rock drama, revolving around the titular "deaf, dumb, and blind kid" (played by Who vocalist Roger Daltrey) who survives the childhood trauma that stole his senses to become a Pinball Wizard messiah in Townshend's grandiose attack on the hypocrisy of organized religion.

The story is remarkably coherent considering the hypnotic dream-state induced by Russell's visuals. Tommy's odyssey is rendered through wall-to-wall music, each song representing a pivotal chapter in Tommy's chronology, from the bloodstream shock of "The Acid Queen" (performed to the hilt by Tina Turner) to Nicholson's turn as a well-intentioned physician, Elton John's towering rendition of "Pinball Wizard," and Daltrey's epiphanous rendition of "I'm Free." Other performers include Eric Clapton and (most outrageously) the Who's drummer Keith Moon, and through it all Russell is almost religiously faithful to Townshend's artistic vision. Although it divided critics when first released, Tommy now looks likes a minor classic of gonzo cinema, worthy of the musical genius that fueled its creation. --Jeff Shannon

Spice World

The Spice Girls have plenty of personality, and that helps make up for the lapses in inspiration that keep their feature debut from being a truly good movie and potential cult piece. As with Richard Lester's Hard Day's Night, Spice World is about a few days in the collective life of the all-female British group; and the banter is suggestively representative of how the Girls all speak to one another. But the value of individual scenes is woefully inconsistent, reaching a low point in a dumb sequence when a gaggle of extraterrestrials hit them up for autographs. Fortunately, the film is full of great people, or in some cases good people doing great things: Richard E. Grant, Roger Moore, Alan Cummings, Mark McKinney, and tons of cameos from the likes of Elton John, Elvis Costello, and Bob Hoskins. You don't have to be 11 years old and female to get some enjoyment out of this movie, but it might help. --Tom Keogh

Eric Clapton - Unplugged

This laid-back, live, intimate session featuring Eric Clapton's bluesy guitar playing is quite enjoyable--if a bit limited in scope. With little lighting and frills and a small group backing him up, Clapton picks up his acoustic guitar and leads the listener down memory lane. Clapton is clearly on his best behavior as he engages in minimal small talk with his audience and lets the music speak for itself. The erstwhile Yardbird and former member of Cream and Blind Faith riffs through some dozen-plus songs including "Before You Accuse Me," "Tears in Heaven," "Walkin' Blues," "Alberta," "San Francisco Bay Blues" (in which Clapton thankfully cuts loose a bit), and his great hits "Layla" (written for his ex-wife, Patti Boyd Harrison) and "Old Love," a standard that garnered big applause. But the simple set and sparse stage can barely contain the energy that fills the arena when Clapton launches into "Rollin' and Tumblin'," a raucous, rousing bit of blues that Clapton is certainly still up for. This video is primarily for Clapton's most ardent fans, providing some heartfelt, soulful instrumental prowess in addition to an aging British rocker singing the blues as well as a white guy can. --Paula Nechak

Oasis - Familiar to Millions: Live At Wembley

Recorded at their 2000 dates from Wembley Stadium, England, Familiar to Millions celebrates not just nearly a decade of dominance by Oasis but also the fact that it is still actually possible to get them on the same stage at the same time. Moreover, while the band certainly had their troubles getting there (not the least of which was Noel Gallagher's decision to stay at home for many European dates), this finds all concerned with blistering form, with even the newer band members sounding like they were born to play with the monobrowed ones. The chosen set list also wisely skimps on selections from their recent work, preferring instead to concentrate on the likes of "Cigarettes & Alcohol," "Wonderwall," "Supersonic," "Shakermaker," "Don't Look Back in Anger," "Champagne Supernova," and a superb Noel-sung version of Neil Young's "Hey Hey My My."

The actual concert footage itself, though, is only the tip of the iceberg, with special features including a discography, graphics that were specially filmed for the dates, multicamera angles on "Cigarettes & Alcohol," and a documentary by Grant Gee, previously responsible for Radiohead's Meeting People Is Easy documentary. The most entertaining aspect of this DVD by far, however, is a Gary Crowley-conducted, pre-gig interview with the siblings in which ex- cokehead Noel gleefully admits that he can remember absolutely nothing whatsoever about recording (What's the Story) Morning Glory? --Warren Wayans

As the year ends, comes the concert event of the century--Oasis' "Familiar to Millions" is the first definitive concert from the pre-eminent rock band of the last decade. Recorded live at Wembley Stadium before a sold-out audience on July 21st, 2000. Songs: Fuckin' in the Bushes, Go Let It Out, Who Feels Love?, Supersonic, Shakermaker, Acquiesce, Step Out, Gas Panic!, Roll With It, Stand By Me, Wonderwall, Cigarettes and Alcohol, Don't Look Back in Anger, Live Forever, Hey Hey My My, Champagne Supernova, Rock 'n' Roll Star.

There & Then

Eric Clapton & Friends in Concert: A Benefit for the Crossroads...

It's been quite a road for Eric Clapton: from blues purist to rock guitar god, from country-pop balladeer to classic rock icon, and on to his current status as all-around legend, playing everything from straight blues to neo-soul. Those different aspects are all on display in this concert, taped at New York's Madison Square Garden to raise funds for the guitarist's drug and alcohol rehab center in the Caribbean. Of course, we get a healthy dose of Clapton the frontman during the nearly two-hour show, from the predictable "Layla" and "Tears in Heaven" to "River of Tears," perhaps the best song from his 1998 Pilgrim album (heard here in a more gospel-tinged arrangement). But it is as a collaborator or accompanist that he really shines, whether he's adding some tasty slide guitar to Sheryl Crow's "Different Kind," generating some real heat with saxophonist David Sanborn during a fiery "Little Wing," or harmonizing and trading guitar licks with Bob Dylan during a good-timey "Crossroads." Sure, Eric Clapton backing up Mary J. Blige may seem a little strange, but by the time he encores with a rousing "Sunshine of Your Love," it's clear that a good time was had by all. --Sam Graham

On July 30, 1999, Eric Clapton put together a stellar band and invited a few friends--Bob Dylan, Sheryl Crow, Mary J. Blige, and David Sanborn--to perform a one-night-only concert in New York City's Madison Square Garden as a benefit for Clapton's Crossroads Centre at Antigua. 170 minutes.

Barnum

A leaping, spinning, and singing Michael Crawford stars as the worlds greatest showman, Phineas T. Barnum, in Harold Fielding's rousing Victoria Palace production of the smash circus musical Barnum. Hailed as "the definitive Barnum", Crawford delivers beautiful songs and show stopping circus moments one after another. the story traces P.T. Barnum's career from his humble beginnings as a sideshow promoter, right through to co-founding "The Greatest Show On Earth": The Barnum & Bailey Circus. grab some cotton candy and get ready for The Greatest Video On Earth!

Eric Clapton: 24 Nights

The Smiths - The Complete Picture

Morrissey - Oye Esteban