Reality romp, horror hit to blow into video stores during March
Editor’s note: Near the beginning of each month, Video View looks at the tapes and DVDs to be released in the next four weeks.A reality romp (“Jackass: The Movie”), a horror hit (“The Ring”), a romantic comedy (“Maid in Manhattan”), a family drama (“White Oleander”), an animated favorite (“Who Framed Roger Rabbit”), a TV spoof (“I Spy”) and a melancholy melodrama (“Moonlight Mile”) will blow into video stores during March. The following capsule reviews, listed alphabetically, will give you an idea of the caliber of films coming soon to a video store near you. The films are graded as follows: Very Good, (A); Good, (B); Fair, (C); Poor, (D); Turkey (F). Those with (NP) have not been previewed.
ABANDON (Paramount; $99.99, tape; $29.99, DVD; March 18; NP): In this psychological thriller, a college student (Katie Holmes of TV’s “Dawson’s Creek’) finds her world turned upside down when her boyfriend, who mysteriously vanished years before, suddenly reappears. A hardened detective (Benjamin Bratt of “Miss Congeniality’) starts investigating the young woman when another student from campus vanishes without a trace. Screenwriter Stephen Gaghan, who penned “Traffic,’ made his directing debut. Drug and alcohol content, sexual elements, violence and harsh four-letter profanity. (PG-13)
AUTO FOCUS (Columbia TriStar; $99.99, tape; $26.99, DVD; March 18; B+): There’s no joy of sex in this biography of “Hogan’s Hero’ star Bob Crane (played by Greg Kinnear). The creepy work shows how the former TV star became a sex addict, videotaped hundreds of erotic encounters, allowed his life to deteriorate and was brutally murdered. Paul Schrader (“American Gigolo’) directed the cautionary tale about a seemingly happy-go-lucky performer whose cheery smile camouflaged a seedy existence and dark secret. Very strong sexual elements, nudity, harsh four-letter profanity, drug use, adult themes. (R)
FEMME FATALE (Warner; $22.99, tape; $29.99, DVD; March 25; B-): A beautiful con artist (Rebecca Romijn-Stamos of “X-Men’) working in France swindles her partners in crime by stealing a diamond-studded fashion item and not cutting them in for their share of the loot. She then creates a new identity, marries a rich American and moves to the United States. Her life begins to unravel when the government names her husband to a post in France and her old criminal cohorts stalk her and seek revenge. Antonio Banderas (“Frida’), Peter Coyote (“E.T.”) and Gregg Henry (“Payback’) co-star. The intriguing but uneven sexually charged thriller was directed by Brian De Palma (“Dressed to Kill’) and features an initially fascinating story that challenges viewers to keep up with the twists and turns. Strong sexual elements, violence, harsh four-letter profanity. (R)
FRIDAY AFTER NEXT (New Line; $22.99, tape; $27.99, DVD; March 26; C+): During this third installment in the hit comedy series (preceded by 1995’s “Friday’ and 2000’s “Next Friday’), two buddies (Ice Cube of “Barbershop’ and Mike Epps of “Bait’) discover that a thief dressed as Santa Claus has robbed their apartment and stolen the money they had saved to buy holiday gifts. To pay the rent, they accept jobs as unarmed security guards at a strip mall, where they meet some highly unusual shoppers and learn the true meaning of Christmas. Music video specialist Marcus Raboy, who created videos for Lil’ Kim, Mary J. Blige, Sting, Santana, Naughty by Nature and Staind, made his directing debut. Quality rating provided by AP. Harsh four-letter profanity, sex, drug use. (R)
GHOST SHIP (Warner; $22.99, tape; $27.99, DVD; March 28; NP): A salvage team discovers the rusty remains of the lavish cruise ship Antonia Graza that sank in a remote region of the Bering Sea 40 years ago.
The crew soon discovers that the spirits of those who went down with the vessel are hungry for fresh victims. Gabriel Byrne (“The Usual Suspects’), Julianna Margulies (TV’s “ER’) and Isaiah Washington (“Romeo Must Die’) co-star. Violence, harsh four-letter profanity, sex. (R)
THE GREY ZONE (Trimark; $99.99, tape; $24.99, DVD; March 18; B): Based on actual events, this unsettling film looks at Jewish concentration-camp prisoners who agree to work for the Nazis by helping to prepare fellow Jews for gas-chamber extermination in exchange for a few extra weeks of life.
They eventually mount the only armed revolt that ever took place at Auschwitz, Mira Sorvino (“Mighty Aphrodite’), David Arquette (“Scream’), Harvey Keitel (“Reservoir Dogs’), Natasha Lyonne (“American Pie’) and Steve Buscemi (“Ghost World’) co-star. Tim Blake Nelson (“O’) wrote and directed. Very disturbing images, violence, nudity, harsh four-letter profanity. (R)
HALF PAST DEAD (Columbia TriStar; $99.99, tape; $26.99, DVD; now available; NP): After the California Penal Authority reopens Alcatraz, a renegade commando team plots to infiltrate the prison and kidnap a death-row inmate who knows the location of a stolen $200 million. Action favorite Steven Seagal (“Under Siege’) plays an undercover FBI agent planning to stop the abduction, and rapper-turned-actor Ja Rule (“The Fast and the Furious’) co-stars as an inmate helping the highly trained federal operative. Nia Peeples (TV’s “Fame’) and Philadelphia rap artist Kurupt co-star. Violence, sexual elements, profanity. (PG-13)
I SPY (Columbia TriStar; $99.99, tape; $27.99, DVD; March 11; B-): Superstar Eddie Murphy (“Beverly Hills Cop’) and Owen Wilson (“Shanghai Knights’) star in this very loose adaptation of the NBC-TV series (1965-68) with Bill Cosby and Robert Culp who worked as government agents and operated under the cover of professional sports.
Murphy plays a champion boxer drafted to help a clumsy government agent (Wilson) locate a stolen state-of-the-art military weapon, which will be sold to the highest bidder. The script is weak, but Murphy single-handedly carries the film by improvising funny lines that bring the picture to life. Violence, sexual content, language. (PG-13)
JACKASS: THE MOVIE (Paramount; $22.99, tape; $29.99, DVD; March 25; B for hardcore fans of the show only; D for anyone else): Teen favorite Johnny Knoxville takes the outlandish stunts he developed on the MTV series “Jackass,’ which premiered Oct. 1, 2000, to new levels of grossness. Be prepared to see flesh sliced, private parts pummeled and bones pounded. Dangerous stunts, graphic toilet humor, nudity, harsh four-letter profanity. (R)
MAID IN MANHATTAN (Columbia TriStar; $99.99, tape; $27.99, DVD; March 25; B): Romantics should warm up to this modern-day fairy tale, which concerns a hotel worker (Jennifer Lopez of “The Wedding Planner’) whose ordinary world becomes extraordinary when she begins a love affair with a handsome politician (Ralph Fiennes of “Red Dragon.’) Director Wayne Wang (“The Joy Luck Club’) follows the same template as “Pretty Woman’ and allows Lopez to work her screen magic.
Sexual elements, brief nudity, profanity. (PG-13)
THE MAN FROM ELYSIAN FIELDS (Columbia TriStar; $99.99, tape; $29.99, DVD; March 18; B-): A mysterious owner (rocker/actor Mick Jagger of “Performance’) of a male escort business befriends a struggling writer (Andy Garcia of “The Untouchables’).
The smooth-talking pimp convinces the penniless author to earn money to support his family by becoming a gigolo and romantically servicing the young wife (Olivia Williams of “Rushmore’) of a famed older author (James Coburn of “Affliction’). The morality fable, which co-stars Julianna Margulies (TV’s “ER’) as the gigolo’s unsuspecting wife, suffers from a farfetched premise but still works due to the heartfelt performances and theme about the power of true love. Strong sexual elements, harsh four-letter profanity; adult themes. (R)
MOONLIGHT MILE (Touchstone; $99.99, tape; $29.99, DVD; March 11; B-): A middle-aged couple (Susan Sarandon of “The Banger Sisters’ and Dustin Hoffman of “Rain Man’) adjusting to the senseless murder of their daughter invite her fianc’ (Jake Gyllenhaal of “October Sky’) to share in their shattered lives. Various secrets soon surface during this uneven but heartfelt tale about adjusting to grief. Brad Silberling (“City of Angels’) wrote and directed the melodrama, which is loosely based on a tragedy in his life. Harsh four-letter profanity, sensual elements, strong adult themes. (PG-13)
PERSONAL VELOCITY (MGM; $99.99, tape; $26.99, DVD; March 18; B): Three very different women – played by Kyra Sedgwick (“Phenomenon’), Parker Posey (“You’ve Got Mail’) and Fairuza Balk (“The Craft’), 37, 34 and 28, respectively – are followed at points in their lives when they’re in psychological, sometimes physical distress. Both intimate and intense, the dramatically involving shot-on-video film was directed by Rebecca Miller (“Angela’), the daughter of playwright Arthur Miller. She also wrote the book of three short stories on which the screenplay is based. Strong sexual elements, unsettling violence, harsh four-letter profanity, adult themes. (R)
THE RING (DreamWorks; $22.99, tape; $26.99, DVD; now available; B): A journalist (Naomi Watts of “Mulholland Drive’) watches a haunting tape that causes those who view it to die exactly one week later and then struggles to locate the source of its creepy lethal power.
The picture, a remake of a Japanese horror hit that inspired two sequels, offers some atmospheric sights and sounds. Very strong violent elements, harsh four-letter profanity. (PG-13)
ROGER DODGER (Artisan; $99.99, tape; $26.99, DVD; March 18; B): During this modern morality tale, a cynical Manhattan advertising executive (Campbell Scott of “Dying Young’) agrees to help his 16-year-old nephew (newcomer Jesse Eisenberg) lose his virginity. The misguided adult then encounters two ladies (Jennifer Beals of “Flashdance’ and Elizabeth Berkley of “Showgirls’), who prove far too smart for his stale lines, and also discovers that his lover (Isabella Rossellini of “Blue Velvet’) is dumping him for a much younger man.
Dylan Kidd made his directing debut with the jaded story about a deeply unhappy guy who believes that all men are becoming irrelevant. Sex, harsh four-letter profanity. (R)
SWIMF@N (Fox; $99.99, tape; $27.99, DVD; March 11; NP): In this thriller, a high-school girl (Erika Christensen of “Traffic’) encourages a championship swimmer (Jesse Bradford of “Clockstoppers’) to seduce her on their first date. The athlete looks upon the evening as a one-night stand, which causes the mentally unbalanced teen-ager to stalk and terrorize him. Sexual elements, profanity, strong adult themes. (PG-13)
THE WEIGHT OF WATER (Lions Gate; $99.99, tape; $24.99, DVD; now available; C+): Parallel stories unfold during this uneven picture that follows a contemporary photojournalist (Catherine McCormack of “Braveheart’) as she investigates the 19th-century double murder of two immigrant women and discovers the disturbing truth behind the grisly crime. Sean Penn (“I Am Sam’), Elizabeth Hurley (“Serving Sara’), and Sarah Polley (“Go’) co-star in the overheated melodrama, based on the novel by Anita Shreve. Kathryn Bigelow (“K-19: The Widowmaker’) directed. Nudity, sex, violence, harsh four-letter profanity, adult themes. (R)
WHITE OLEANDER (Warner; $22.99, tape; $27.99, DVD; March 11; B): A 15-year-old girl (the gifted Alison Lohman of Fox’s “Pasadena’) lands in a number of foster homes after her physically beautiful, mentally unbalanced mother (Michelle Pfeiffer of “The Deep End of the Ocean’) commits a murder and shatters their lives. Renee Zellweger (“Chicago’), Patrick Fugit (“Almost Famous’), Noah Wyle (NBC’s “ER’) and Robin Wright Penn (“The Pledge’) co-star in the intriguing, often downbeat drama.
Harsh four-letter profanity, violence, sexual elements, adult themes. (PG-13)
WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT (Touchstone; $19.99, tape; $29.99, DVD; March 25; A): This Toon Town favorite, which stars Bob Hoskins and mixes live action and animation, has been digitally remastered for its 15th anniversary.
Sexual innuendo. (PG)