Drumline

  For fans of America?s show-style marching bands, halftime is game time. A squad of players, some 300 strong and armed with musical instruments, takes over the field, commanding attention with their stirring, spectacular display of choreography and musicianship. The football contest?s controlled mayhem makes way for the blaring sound of trumpets and the heart-thumping rhythm of drums. Into this... See Full Description
Comedy, Drama and Musical/Performing ArtsPG-13 for innuendo and language.Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Melinda Ennis
"...it can't be beat for its dazzling theatrics and foot-stomping fun." more... Chicago Sun-Times, Roger Ebert
"...entertaining for what it does, and admirable for what it doesn't do." more... Chicago Tribune, Mark Caro
"...vastly entertaining..." more... Cincinnati Enquirer, Margaret A. McGurk
"The final battle of the bands is as kinetic, dramatic and electrifying as a car chase, and a lot more fun to watch."

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

  In mythic pre-historic times, a young hobbit named Frodo Baggins inherits a magic ring from his elderly cousin Bilbo. Wise to the powers that the magic ring holds, the dark Lord Sauron wants it, knowing it will enable him to enslave the people of Middle Earth. In his effort to thwart Sauron, Frodo recruits the fellowship of a wizard, an elf, a dwarf and others, on a mission to destroy the ring by casting... See Full Description
Action/Adventure, Science Fiction/Fantasy and AdaptationPG 13 for epic battle sequences and some scary images.Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Eleanor Ringel Gillespie
"One of the best - if not THE best - movies of the year." more... BBC, Jackie Finlay
"...a powerful, intense and beautifully realised movie that interprets the novel...almost to perfection." more... Chicago Sun-Times, Roger Ebert
"...some may regret that the Hobbits have been pushed out of the foreground and reduced to supporting characters." more... Chicago Tribune, Michael Wilmington
"...everything you might want it to be - and more." more...

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A Walk to Remember

  Each spring in the little port town of Beaufort, North Carolina, when the wind smells of pine and salt and the sea, Landon Carter remembers his senior year at Beaufort High and Jamie Sullivan, the girl who changed his life... Serious and conservative, Jamie is the daughter of the town's Baptist minister and not afraid of letting people know that her faith is the most important part of her life,... See Full Description
Drama, Romance, Adaptation and TeenPG for thematic elements, language and some sensual material.Chicago Tribune, Robert K. Elder
"...scrapes the bottom of the melodramatic barrel." more... E! Online,
"A Walk to Remember? Forget it." more... Hollywood Reporter, Michael Rechtshaffen
"...sickeningly saccharine..." more... Reelviews, James Berardinelli
"...uninspired..."

Fight Club

  The mundane existence of a product liability evaluator and insomniac, who is addicted to self-help groups, is turned upside down when he meets a sado-masochistic anarchist who is secretly plotting to overthrow civilization. As their friendship grows, they become increasingly involved in a secret society of "fight clubs" where men act out their aggressions and violently beat one another to... See Full Description
Action/Adventure, Drama, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Thriller and AdaptationR for disturbing and graphic depiction of violent anti-social behavior, sexuality and language.Christian Science Monitor, Tom Regan
"Occasionally I see a film that demands a response or an action. 'Fight Club' is such a film." more... culturevulture.net, Tom Block
"David Fincher’s 'Fight Club' (from a novel by Chuck Palahniuk) is about a special kind of male anger." more... Flick Filosopher,
"There is a dissatisfaction that American men are coming to realize afflicts them." more... Harvey's Movie Reviews, Harvey O'Brien
"There are some good moments in David Fincher's bombastic, hyperkinetic adaptation of Jim Uhls' novel."

Meet Joe Black

  The story of a media tycoon William Parrish, whose charmed life and orderly household are suddenly disrupted by the arrival of an enigmatic young man named Joe Black who suddenly insinuates his way into Parrish's life--both in his business and private affairs. Determinedly attached to Parrish's side, Joe attends family dinners, accompanies him to board meetings, and settles comfortably in the... See Full Description
Drama, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy and AdaptationPG-13 for an accident scene, some sexuality and brief strong language.Austin Chronicle, Marc Savlov
"It's an elegiac love story from beyond the grave, as appealingly simple as it is emotionally complex." more... Chicago Sun-Times, Roger Ebert
"...there's so much that's fine in this movie..." more... Cincinnati Enquirer, Margaret A. McGurk
"...could have been a terrific romance. Instead, it’s just way too much of a good thing." more... E! Online,
"Not even Brad Pitt's hunkiness can save this one from arriving DOA." more...

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Nine Lives

  Nine everyday women meet the travails and disappointments of life with resilience. Sandra is locked-up in prison and wants desperately to connect with her visiting child. Diana confronts the sudden flash of a past relationship, long after she has moved on to a new life. Holly can't seem to move forward until her stepfather acknowledges the pain he has caused her. Sonia reels from her boyfriend's... See Full Description
R for language, brief sexual content, and some disturbing images.Entertainment Weekly, Lisa Schwarzbaum
"...a surprisingly rich sketchbook, boosted by the work of fine actors..." Full Review... filmcritic.com, Chris Barsanti
"A well-cast compilation film suffocating on its own self-importance..." Full Review... New York Times, Stephen Holden
"...extraordinarily rich and satisfying..."

Cheaper by the Dozen 2

  Tom Baker and wife Kate, hoping to bring their family together for a memorable summer vacation, take their 12 offspring to the rustic Lake Winnetka. But their retreat soon becomes cutthroat when they enter into a competition with the over-achieving members of a large family headed by Tom's long-time rival, Jimmy Murtaugh.
Comedy, Kids/Family and SequelPG for some crude humor and mild language.Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Bob Longino
"Loud, unamusing, inane, shameless family-style antics. They laugh, they cry; you'll wince." more... Boston Globe, Ty Burr
"It's the sort of movie to send small children and grandparents out of the theater hugging each other and strong men in search of bourbon." more... Chicago Sun-Times, Roger Ebert
"...as I watched this sequel, a certain good feeling began to make itself known." more... Chicago Tribune, Robert K. Elder
"...a harmless, inoffensive bit of family programming..."

The Notebook

  An epic love story centered around an older man who reads aloud to an older, invalid woman whom he regularly visits. From a faded notebook, the old man's words bring to life the story about a couple who is separated by World War II, and is then passionately reunited, seven years later, after they have taken different paths. Though her memory has faded, his words give her the chance to relive her... See Full Description
Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Eleanor Ringel Gillespie
"As weepies go, this is a perfectly good one." more... Chicago Sun-Times, Roger Ebert
"...it is a tearjerker, it's just that it's a good one." more... Chicago Tribune, Michael Wilmington
"It's a film about falling in love and looking back on it, and it avoids many of the genre's syrupy dangers." more... Cincinnati Enquirer, Margaret A. McGurk
"(Rachel) McAdams shows great personality, and (Ryan) Gosling - best known for much darker roles - makes a credible romantic hero."

Saving Private Ryan

James Ryan, who has parachuted into France during the Allied invasion of Europe, has just lost three brothers in combat. Government policy dictates that he should return home lest his family be deprived of all its male offspring. A team of soldiers, led by Captain John Miller and fresh from the beaches of Normandy, is assembled to find and save Private Ryan.
Action/Adventure, Drama and WarR for intense prolonged realistically graphic sequences of war violence, and for language.BBC, Almar Haflidason
"What is abundantly clear is that in the massive body of films that deal with World War II, this is one that pulls no punches." more... Chicago Sun-Times, Roger Ebert
"Saving Private Ryan is a powerful experience." more... Reel.com, Tor Thorsen
"Hailed as the greatest war movie of all time, Saving Private Ryan is one of those few movies that lives up to its hype." more... Salon, Gary Kamiya
"After Saving Private Ryan, the myth of World War II will never be the same."

Girl With a Pearl Earring

  A speculative account of the life of Griet, a 16-year-old girl who appears in Johannes Vermeer's painting of the same title. Set in 17th century Holland, Griet is employed by Vermeer as a housemaid to care for his six children, his jealous pregnant wife and his uncommunicative mother-in-law. Tensions arise when Vermeer's wife suspects intimacy between her husband and the girl--and then climax,... See Full Description
PG-13 for some sexual content.Chicago Sun-Times, Roger Ebert
"It is about things not said, opportunities not taken, potentials not realized, lips unkissed." more... E! Online,
"Color us intrigued if not entirely sold." more... filmcritic.com, Christopher Null
"Barely 90 minutes long, the movie’s only real failing is that it never develops a terribly compelling story." more... Hollywood Reporter, Kirk Honeycutt
"A film that beautifully dramatizes how life influences art."

The Aristocats

  The Aristocats was the first Disney Studios animated feature to be produced after Walt Disney's death. A wealthy woman leaves her vast fortune to her four cats: the well-bred Duchess and her kittens Berlioz, Toulouse, and Marie. Jealous butler Edgar, eager to get his mitts on the cats' legacy, abandons the felines in the French countryside. The four lost kitties are aided in their efforts to return... See Full Description
Comedy, Kids/Family, Musical/Performing Arts and Animation

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Braveheart

  In the late 13th century, William Wallace returns to Scotland after living away from his homeland for many years. The king of Scotland has died without an heir and the king of England, a ruthless pagan known as Edward the Longshanks, has seized the throne. Wallace becomes the leader of a ramshackle yet courageous army determined to vanquish the greater English forces. At the historic battle of Stirling,... See Full Description
Action/Adventure, Drama, Romance, Biopic and WarBBC, Ali Barclay
"A simplistic tale of good versus evil with large quantities of heroism thrown in for good measure..." more... Chicago Sun-Times, Roger Ebert
"...a fullthroated, red-blooded battle epic..." more... filmcritic.com, Christopher Null
"...a vastly entertaining and powerful film." more... Flick Filosopher, MaryAnn Johanson
"...an extraordinary film..."

Batman Begins

 

  How does one man change the world? It's a question that haunts Bruce Wayne like the specter of his parents, gunned down before his eyes in the streets of Gotham on a night that changed his life forever. Tormented by guilt and anger, battling the demons that feed his desire for revenge and his need to honor his parents' altruistic legacy, the disillusioned industrial heir vanished from Gotham and secretly... See Full Description
PG 13 for intense action violence, disturbing images and some thematic elements.Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Eleanor Ringel Gillespie
"This is the story of the Dark Knight, not the Caped Crusader." more... Boston Globe, Ty Burr
"In Batman Begins, Christian Bale gives us the best Bruce Wayne that has ever graced the screen." more... Chicago Sun-Times, Roger Ebert
"The movie works dramatically in addition to being an entertainment." more... Chicago Tribune, Michael Wilmington
"...one of the artier, more noir-drenched, psychologically tortured and memorable of all the recent big comic-book hero movies."

Coyote Ugly

 

  Graced with a velvet voice, 21-year-old Violet Sanforn heads to New York to pursue her dream of becoming a songwriter only to find her aspirations sidelined by the accolades and notoriety she receives at her "day" job as a barmaid at Coyote Ugly. A new nightclub with a twist, Coyote Ugly is the hottest spot in town, featuring a team of sexy, enterprising young women. Lil is the savvy and... See Full Description
Comedy, Drama, Musical/Performing Arts, Romance and AdaptationNZone,
(2.5 out of 5 stars) "...a 'Flashdance' redux..." Full Review... Deseret News (Salt Lake City),
(1.5 stars) "...ludicrously entertaining..." Full Review... E! Online,
(grade: C+) "...something called a plot gets in the way..." Full Review... filmcritic.com,
(2 out of 5 stars) "...just plain bad."

Moulin Rouge

  Christian, a young Bohemian poet living in 1899 Paris, defies his father by joining the colorfully diverse clique inhabiting the dark, fantastical underworld of Paris' now legendary Moulin Rouge. In this seedy but glamorous haven of sex, drugs and newly-discovered electricity, the poet-innocent finds himself plunged into a passionate but ultimately tragic love affair with Satine, the club's... See Full Description
Drama, Musical/Performing Arts and RomanceMay 18, 2001 NY/LA; June 1, 2001 WideBBC, Neil Smith
"...a feast for the senses..." more... Chicago Sun-Times, Roger Ebert
"It's like being trapped on an elevator with the circus." more... Chicago Tribune, Michael Wilmington
"...a rare picture that gets you intoxicated on the possibilities of movies." more... CNN.com, Paul Clinton
"...quite simply, a spectacular reinvention of the movie musical." more...

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Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

  A tale of adventure set during the 17th Century in the Caribbean Sea. For the roguish yet charming Captain Jack Sparrow, the crystalline waters of the Caribbean, like the high seas the world over, present a vast playground where adventure and mystery abound. But Jack's idyllic life capsizes after his nemesis, the wily Captain Barbossa, steals his ship, the Black Pearl, and later attacks the town of... See Full Description
Action/Adventure and Kids/FamilyPG-13 for action/adventure violence.Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Bob Longino
"...a consistently rousing, funny and thoroughly entertaining summer action movie." more... Chicago Sun-Times, Roger Ebert
"...a movie that charms the audience and then outstays its welcome." more... Chicago Tribune, Michael Wilmington
"...Pirates of the Caribbean is fun - but only as long as you don't expect much." more... E! Online,
"...this flick may just be the buried treasure of the summer-blockbuster season."

Mean Girls

  Cady Heron is a cultural blank slate when she first sets foot on the grounds of North Shore High School in a small town outside of Chicago, Illinois. After living in Africa, Cady, now a junior, has no idea how "wild" things can be in civilization until she crosses paths with one of the meanest species of all, the "Queen Bee," who at this particular high school is the cool and calculating... See Full Description
PG-13 for sexual content, language and some teen partying.Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Eleanor Ringel Gillespie
"Reasonably mean and certainly funny, but eventually wimps out." more... Boston Globe, Wesley Morris
"Mean Girls is a pitcher of Kool-Aid with a drop of acid..." more... Chicago Sun-Times, Roger Ebert
"In a wasteland of dumb movies about teenagers, Mean Girls is a smart and funny one." more... Chicago Tribune, Robert K. Elder
"Though not a perfect comedy, it manages to be quite often laugh-out-loud funny." more...

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Thirteen

  At the edge of adolescence, Tracy is a smart straight-A student--if not a little naive. When she befriends Evie, the most popular and beautiful girl in school, Evie leads Tracy down a path of sex, drugs and self-mutilation. As Tracy transforms herself and her identity, her world becomes a boiling, emotional cauldron fueled by new tensions between her and her mother--as well as, teachers and old f... See Full Description
R for drug use, self destructive violence, language and sexuality.Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Eleanor Ringel Gillespie
"...piercingly strong..." more... Boston Globe, Ty Burr
"It's the movie's relentlessness...that will make it a success de scandale at upscale suburban movie theaters." more... Chicago Sun-Times, Roger Ebert
"That the horrors in this movie are worse than those found in the lives of most 13-year-olds, I believe and hope." more... Chicago Tribune, Michael Wilmington
"It's an excellent, unforgettable film, one of the prize American indies of the year."

The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie

  There's trouble brewing in Bikini Bottom. Someone has stolen King Neptune's crown, and it looks like Mr. Krab, SpongeBob's boss, is the culprit. Though he's just been passed over for the promotion of his dreams, SpongeBob stands by his boss, and along with his best pal Patrick, sets out on a treacherous mission to Shell City to reclaim the crown and save Mr. Krab's life.
Comedy, Kids/Family, Animation and AdaptationAtlanta Journal-Constitution, Eleanor Ringel Gillespie
"SpongeBob rules!" more... Boston Globe, Wesley Morris
"...ambles from adventure to adventure, taking nothing seriously, not even itself." more... Chicago Sun-Times, Roger Ebert
"...so much more entertaining than you are probably imagining." more... Chicago Tribune, Scott L. Powers
"...too much message, not enough nonsense."

Charlie's Angels

  Three beautiful private detectives who work for a suave playboy boss are called in to rescue soon-to-be billionaire software mogul Eric Knox, when he is kidnapped from his office at Knox Technologies. While rough-and-tumble Alex, wild-child Dylan, and nerdy Natalie use an impressive array of high-tech gadgetry and martial arts moves to retrieve Knox from the clutches of rival Roger Corwin and his goons,... See Full Description
Action/Adventure, Comedy, Thriller, Crime/Gangster and AdaptationPG 13 for action violence, innuendo and some sensuality/nudity.Chicago Sun-Times, Roger Ebert
"...eye candy for the blind." more... culturevulture.net, Scott Von Doviak
"The latest proof that summer in Hollywood now lasts all year round, 'Charlie's Angels' is yet another update of a 70's television artifact, in this case, the crown jewel of ABC's renowned jiggle era." more... Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Jeff Vice
"...may be the year's most pleasant surprise." more... E! Online,
"...smart enough not to take itself too seriously."

Gangs of New York

  In 1860's lower Manhattan, the Five Points section is a dark, teeming corner of the city known for vice and chaos. Into this frontier of lawlessness arrives the young Irish American, Amsterdam Vallon. Amsterdam is the orphaned son of the slain Priest Vallon--once chief warrior of the Dead Rabbits gang that rallied the Irish immigrants of the Five Points. After 16 years in a "House of Refuge,"... See Full Description
Action/Adventure, Drama, Crime/Gangster and AdaptationDecember 20th, 2002 (1,500 theaters)R for intense strong violence, sexuality/nudity and language.Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Eleanor Ringel Gillespie
"...a fever-sprawl of a movie, a melting-pot panorama, brought to full boil." more... BBC, Nev Pierce
"...both astounds and enthrals..." more... Chicago Sun-Times, Roger Ebert
"It is very good but not great." more... Chicago Tribune, Michael Wilmington
"...definitely the work of a master."

Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour

  Captures 14-year-old singing sensation, Miley Cyrus, in concert at several venues on her 2007 54-city tour. She performs as both a solo artist and as her popular television character, Hannah Montana.
Boston Globe, Joseph P. Kahn
"She sings and dances ably enough, and her tunes (she writes, too, including one song poignantly dedicated to her late grandfather) surpass much of what's heard on Radio Disney." more... Entertainment Weekly, Owen Gleiberman
"As a soundtrack for empowerment, not to mention tween shopping (is there a difference now?), one could do worse." more... New York Post, Lou Lumenick
"Parents of tweens, you've been warned." more... New York Times, Andy Webster
"...it appears that she can sing."

Titanic

  After winning a trip on the RMS Titanic during a dockside card game, American Jack Dawson spots the society girl Rose DeWitt Bukater who is on her way to Philadelphia to marry her rich snob fiance Cal Hockley. Rose feels helplessly trapped by her situation and makes her way to the aft deck and thinks of suicide until she is rescued by Jack. Cal is therefore obliged to invite Jack to dine at their first-class... See Full Description
Action/Adventure, Drama and RomancePG-13 for disaster related peril and violence, nudity, sensuality and brief language.BBC, Almar Haflidason
". . .a truly impressive feat of entertainment achieved by Cameron." more... Chicago Sun-Times, Roger Ebert
"Like a great iron Sphinx on the ocean floor, the Titanic faces still toward the West, interrupted forever on its only voyage." more... E! Online,
"Who'd have thought that the most expensive film ever made could also be good cinema?" more... Reel.com, Rod Armstrong
"To my mind, Titanic is really two films — a trite romantic drama about young love and a spellbinding disaster flick which spares no expense." more...

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Fantastic Four

  Investor, astronaut and scientist Dr. Reed Richards' lifelong dream is close to being realized. He is spearheading a trip to outer space, to the center of a cosmic storm. There he hopes to unlock the secrets of the human genetic codes for the benefit of all humanity. Extensive government grant cutbacks nearly dashed the visionary's hopes of the historic flight, until Reed accepted a financing deal... See Full Description
Action/Adventure, Comedy, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Crime/Gangster and AdaptationPG 13 for sequences of intense action, and some suggestive content.Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Eleanor Ringel Gillespie
"...chances are, you'll be taken in." more... Boston Globe, Wesley Morris
"...you might assume its source was the cartoons of Hanna-Barbera." more... Chicago Sun-Times, Roger Ebert
"...in short, underwhelming." more... Chicago Tribune, Michael Wilmington
"...missing something vital by the end."

Original Sin

  In turn of the century Cuba, Luis, a wealthy coffee tycoon, arranges to marry an American woman named Julia. When he takes Julia as his wife, he thinks his life is complete. But people aren't always who they seem and Luis's life begins to unravel. When Julia disappears with his money, Luis is forced to look into Julia's past - a past that doesn't seem to exist - and finds that the woman... See Full Description
Drama, Romance, Thriller, Adaptation and RemakeR for strong sexual content and some violence.Atlanta Journal-Constitution,
(grade: C) "...both overheated and tepid." Full Review... Deseret News (Salt Lake City),
(1.5 stars) "...how desperate were Banderas and Jolie to take a project as clearly awful as this one is?" Full Review... E! Online,
(grade: C-) "The real sin here? Paying full price for this flick."