POTOMAC VIDEO WEEKLY e-NEWSLETTER
New Releases for Tuesday 6/26/01
The Claim
(USA, 2000)
Rated R
Directed By Michael Winterbottom
Staring
Natiassia Kinski
Milla Jovovich
In transporting Thomas Hardy's THE MAYOR OF CASTERBRIDGE to the American West, English director Michael Winterbottom has fashioned an audacious, epic anti-Western that is a haunting achievement. Set in 1849, the story concerns Mr. Dillon (Peter Mullan), the ruler of Kingdom Come, a snow-covered mining town in Northern California. The story opens with the arrival of Dalglish (Wes Bentley), a handsome surveyor for the Pacific Coast Railroad, who is searching for the most sensible way to turn the dream of a transcontinental railroad into a reality. Also drifting into town are the seriously ill Elena (Nastassja Kinski) and her daughter, Hope (Sarah Polley), who have ambiguous ties to Dillon. Immediately, Hope and Dalglish become acquainted, but their potential romance is threatened by the presence of Lucia (Milla Jovavich), a Portuguese madam who lives with Dillon. As Dalglish reaches a decision regarding the railroad, Dillon must painfully confront mistakes he's made in the past, triggering a series of tragic occurrences.
Winterbottom's lush, expansive film miraculously manages to retain the somber spirit of Hardy's classically English tale. Employing the techniques that made Robert Altman's MCCABE & MRS. MILLER such a breathtaking spectacle--including Alwin Kuchler's dazzling cinematography and Michael Nyman's mesmerizing score--Winterbottom proves once again that he is an accomplished filmmaker who isn't afraid to tackle any genre..
Dude, Where's My Car
(USA, 2001)
Rated PG-13
Directed By Danny Leiner
Staring
Ashton Kutchner
Seann Williams Scott
Jesse (Ashton Kutcher) and Chester (Seann William Scott) got really wasted last night. The fridge is packed with pudding, their girlfriends--"The Twins"--are ticked off, and somehow Jesse's car has disappeared. So the hapless stoners set out to find the car, which happens to have their girlfriends' anniversary presents in it. But they soon discover that losing the car isn't half the story. High school hottie Christie (Kristy Swanson) is mysteriously hot for Jesse, Chester is a favorite customer at the local topless club, and they owe a suitcase full of money to a transvestite stripper. On top of all that, they're being pursued by a minivan full of geeks, horny "space babes," and a couple of "totally gay" Scandinavian dudes--all trying to find the "continuum transfunctioner," the device that can save or destroy the universe. Duuude....
DUDE's comic formula is pretty simple: throw the dudes in one bizarre situation after another and watch them goof their way out. Given the movie's PG-13 rating, it all lands on the lighter side of the teen-comedy spectrum, and if angry ostriches, donut-loving cops, a 50-foot bimbo in a miniskirt, and a pot-smoking dog sound like a good combo, DUDE has got a deal for you.Unbreakable
(USA, 2001)
Rated PG-13
Directed By M. Night Shyamlam
Staring
Bruce Willis
Samuel L. Jackson
UNBREAKABLE stars Bruce Willis as David Dunne, a Philadelphia security guard and the sole survivor of a disasterous train wreck. Not only is David still alive after the crash--he's completely unharmed. After this miraculous incident, he's contacted by the mysterious Elijah Price (Samuel L. Jackson), a dealer of comic book art who seems to have the opposite physicality--his bones tend to snap like twigs. As Elijah attempts to help the reluctant hero realize his superhuman potential, David tries to make amends with his estranged wife (Robin Wright Penn) and son (Spencer Treat Clark).
Following the runaway success of THE SIXTH SENSE, writer-director M. Night Shyamalan once again teams up with Willis for another bleak supernatural tale with a surprising finale. Although Willis and Jackson are excellent in their roles, the highlights of the film are Eduardo Serra's cinematography and Shyamalan's direction, which are eerily atmospheric and inventive--in certain sequences, for example, entire scenes are shot as reflections on glass. UNBREAKABLE is a superhero film at heart, but Shyamalan's somber aesthetic transforms it into something far more intriguing.
You Can Count on Me
(USA, 2001)
Rated R
Directed By Kenneth Lonergan
Staring
Laura Linney
Mark Ruffalo
Matthew Broderick
Set in a small town in upstate New York, YOU CAN COUNT ON ME looks at a brother and sister who grew up together as orphans but now face life with very different perspectives. Sammy (Laura Linney) works at the local bank. Most of her attention goes into raising her 8-year-old son, Rudy (Rory Culkin), and drifting in a tepid romance with Bob (Jon Tenney). The first disruption to her dutiful routine arrives in the form of new bank manager Brian (Matthew Broderick), intent on whipping his employees into shape. Then Sammy's wayward brother, Terry (Mark Ruffalo) shows up after a long absence, and her happiness quickly turns sour when she realizes he has only come to ask for money--again. But with all the elements for a backwater soap opera in place, the story instead becomes a subtle portrait of good intentions and fractured relationships.
First-time director Ken Lonergan was already a noted Hollywood screenwriter (ANALYZE THIS), but he saved his screenplay for himself. Avoiding both big-budget maudlin and low-budget posturing, he steers COUNT ON ME straight to the gut with an artful balance of pain and comedy. A good number of excellent performances, especially by Ruffalo as the screw-up Terry, turn the film into a remarkably honest and moving experience.
* Not all titles available at all locations
Potomac Video’s Top Ten Renting Titles for the Week of 6/18 - 6/24
1. Castaway
(Drama, Rated R)
2. Best in Show (Comedy, Rated PG-13)
3. Traffic (Action,
Rated R)
4. O Brother, Where Art Thou? (Comedy, Rated PG-13)
5. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (Foreign, Rated
PG-13)
6. Save the Last Dance (Drama, Rated PG-13)
7. Billy Elliot (Drama, Rated R)
8. State and Main (Comedy, Rated
R)
9. Proof of Life (Drama, Rated R)
10. What Women
Want (Comedy, Rated PG-13)
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