February 2004 DVD & Blu-rays

With Diane Lane • Raoul Bova • Audrey Wells • Tom Sternberg • Kate Walsh • Dan Bucatinsky • Lindsay Duncan • Vince Riotta • Giulia Steigerwalt • Laura Fattori • Frances Mayes

Frances Mayes (Diane Lane) is a 35-year-old San Francisco writer whose perfect life has just taken an unexpected detour. Her recent divorce has left her with terminal writer's block and extremely depressed, and her best friend, Patti (Sandra Oh), is beginning to think she might never recover. "Dr. Patti's" Rx: 10 days in Tuscany. And it's there that, on a whim, Frances purchases a villa named Bramasole - literally, "something that yearns for the sun." The home needs much restoration, but what better place for a new beginning than the home of the Renaissance? As she flings herself into her new life at the villa in the lush and beautiful Italian countryside, Frances makes new friends among her neighbors, but in the quiet moments, she is fearful that her ambitions for her new life - and a new family - may not be realized... until a chance encounter in Rome throws Frances into the arms of an intriguing Protobello antiquities dealer named Marcello (Raoul Bova). Can this be what she dreamed of? Can love last with Marcello? Will her new life flower under the Tuscan sun?

With Scarlett Johansson • Anna Faris • Sofia Coppola • Bill Murray • Giovanni Ribisi

The second feature film from writer-director Sofia Coppola ("The Virgin Suicides") is set in Tokyo, where two bored Americans — a fading TV star (Bill Murray) shooting an alcohol ad and a young married woman (Scarlett Johansson) with an ambitious, neglectful husband — become fast friends after meeting in a hotel bar. The two then spend an adventure-filled weekend together "finding themselves."

With Robert Duvall • Michael Caine • Josh Lucas • Haley Joel Osment • Kyra Sedgwick • Scott Ross • Nicky Katt • Tim McCanlies • David Kirschner • Corey Sienega

"Secondhand Lions" follows the comedic adventures of an introverted 14 year-old boy (Haley Joel Osment) who reluctantly finds himself spending the summer with a pair of cranky, eccentric great-uncles (Michael Caine and Robert Duvall). At first appalled by their gruff uncaring manner, over time he becomes enthralled with his uncles as the exotic tales and remembrances of their own youthful exploits introduce the boy to a world of imagination and wonder and re-ignites the old men's spirits.

With Paul Giamatti • Hope Davis • James Urbaniak • Harvey Pekar • Judah Friedlander • Shari Berman • Bob Pulcini

The plot is based on the true story of Harvey Pekar (Paul Giamatti), a Cleveland Hospital file clerk who writes comic books about his life and experiences in his free time.

With Carmen Electra • Ashton Kutcher • Michael Madsen • Jon Abrahams • Tara Reid • Molly Shannon • Jeffrey Tambor • David Koechner • Andy Richter • Terence Stamp • Ever Carradine • David Zucker

Eager but accident-prone young executive Tom Stansfield has finally happened upon the opportunity of his lifetime: he can impress his megalomaniac boss and the boss's luscious daughter, Lisa, by simply house-sitting their lavish mansion for one night. It's a plan that could lead to love and success, if only the guests didn't keep arriving. From director David Zucker ("The Naked Gun", "Airplane!") comes an outrageous, fast-and-rowdy romantic comedy about a young man whose quest for the girl of his dreams is interrupted by a constant flow of calamities. One by one, a barrage of wild and crazy visitors take over the house he's supposed to be watching and turn it upside-down, as well as inside out.

With Mike Epps • Steve Harvey • Beyonce Knowles • Cuba Gooding Jr. • Jonathan Lynn • Wendell Pierce • Faith Evans • Rue McClanahan • Melba Moore • LaTanya Richardson • Dave Sheridan • Angie Stone

When slick-talking New York City advertising executive Darrin Fox travels back to his small hometown in Georgia to claim the inheritance his aunt Sally left him, he finds he must fulfill her last wish before he can collect -- create a gospel choir and lead it to success. But with a town full of tin ears and a shortage of singers, Darrin is about ready to give up and head back to the city where he belongs…until he runs into Lilly. A beautiful nightclub singer with a voice that could rock the competition at the annual Gospel Explosion, Lilly is just the miracle Darrin is looking for... if he can persuade her to sing.

With Carla Thomas • Isaac Hayes • William Bell • Jerry Butler • The Chi-Lites • Sam Moore • Ann Peebles • Wilson Pickett • Sir Mack Rice • Rufus Thomas • Mary Wilson

This documentary examines the careers of the 1950s-1970s Stax Records and Motown soul and R&B singers who "kept on keeping on" right through (and after) the disco scene into today, through the use of interviews with and performance footage by such Motown luminaries as Isaac Hayes, the Chi-Lites, Sam Moore (of Sam and Dave), Mary Wilson (of the Supremes) and others. The focus of the film is how these performers managed to keep thriving through the 30 years of change in the music industry since the heydays of classic R&B.

With Mark Ruffalo • Kevin Bacon • Meg Ryan • Nick Damici • Jennifer Jason Leigh • Jane Campion • Effie Brown • Susanna Moore

Based on the best-selling novel by Susanna Moore, "In the Cut" is a psychological thriller starring Meg Ryan and directed by Jane Campion. Ryan plays a lonely New York woman who discovers the darker side of passion after becoming involved with a tough homicide detective, who is investigating a series of murders in her neighborhood.

With Lucy Liu • Macaulay Culkin • Dylan McDermott • Wilson Cruz • Seth Green • Fenton Bailey • Daniel Franzese • Natasha Lyonne

Set in the New York nightclub scene of the late 1980's and 1990's, this is the story of Michael Alig (Macaulay Culkin), a Club Kid party organizer originally from Indiana, whose extravagant life was sent spiralling downward when he boasted on television that he had killed his drug dealer and roommate, Angel Melendez (Wilson Cruz).

With Tim Blake Nelson • Dylan McDermott • Josh Lucas • Val Kilmer • Lisa Kudrow • Christina Applegate • Ted Levine • Janeane Garofalo • Kate Bosworth • Frankie G. • Eric Bogosian • M.C. Gainey • Natasha Gregson Wagner • James Cox

On the afternoon of July 1, 1981, Los Angeles police responded to a distress call at 8763 Wonderland Avenue and soon discovered a grisly quadruple homicide, later compared to the gruesome slaughter at the Tate household at the hands of the Charles Manson family 10 years earlier. Ron Launius (Josh Lucas), Billy Deverell (Tim Blake Nelson), Barbara Richardson (Natasha Gregson Wagner) and Joy Miller (Janeane Garofalo) were brutally murdered, and Ron's wife Susan (Christina Applegate) was left in critical condition. The police investigation that followed - led by detectives Sam Nico (Ted Levine), Louis Cruz (Frankie G.) and Mike Peters (M.C. Gainey) - would unearth a seedy world of drugs and violence, ultimately revealing a motley crew from LA's underbelly including ex-con David Lind (Dylan McDermott), nightclub impresario Eddie Nash (Eric Bogosian), the most unlikely of American heroes - porn legend John Holmes (Val Kilmer) - Holmes' estranged wife Sharon (Lisa Kudrow) and his teenage lover Dawn Schiller (Kate Bosworth).

With Gwyneth Paltrow • Daniel Craig • Christine Jeffs • Blythe Danner • Michael Gambon • Jared Harris

This is the true story of the romance and marriage of American poet/novelist Sylvia Plath (Gwyenth Paltrow) and English poet Ted Hughes (Daniel Craig). Born in Boston during the Great Depression, Plath first attended Smith College, which was also the setting for her first suicide attempt. Receiving a Fulbright scholarship, she traveled to England to attend Cambridge, where she met a dashing young poet who would win her heart, and ultimately become her husband. Their marriage was rocky, however, and they eventually separated in 1963 when Hughes broke her heart by taking on another lover, Assia Wevill. Crushed, Plath attempted suicide again... and was successful. Hughes went on to publicly accept responsibility for causing her lethal anguish.

With Robert Carlyle • Rhys Ifans • Finn Atkins • Shane Meadows • Shirley Henderson • Kathy Burke • Ricky Tomlinson • Vanessa Feltz • Vic Reeves • Bob Mortimer

Dek and Shirley live together with 12 year-old Marlene, her daughter by the sexy, delinquent Jimmy who went off into the badlands of Glasgow years ago and hasn't been heard from since. Decent-but-dull Dek loves Shirley so much that he humiliates her by proposing without warning on national television. Like everyone else Shirley has ever met, Jimmy is watching when she turns Dek down on TV and he returns to town, determined to win her back. Shirley seems destined to succumb to Jimmy's charms, but he hasn't reckoned on the obstacles: their daughter Marlene, his sister Carol, her estranged husband Charlie, their sons Emerson and Lake, Carol's daughter Donna, her boyfriend Donut. Nor could he anticipate the heroic, last-minute challenge from mild-mannered, love-sick Dek.

With George Clooney • Billy Bob Thornton • Catherine Zeta-Jones • Cedric the Entertainer • Geoffrey Rush • Ethan Coen • Kristin Datillo • Sean Daniel • Matthew Stone • Edward Herrmann • Stacey Travis • Paul Adelstein • Julia Duffy • Joel Coen • Brian Grazer • James Jacks • Robert Ramsey

A slick Beverly Hills divorce lawyer (George Clooney) frames the wife (Catherine Zeta-Jones) of a client to get him released from the marriage without a settlement. She vows to get revenge by marrying the attorney, aiming to take him to the cleaners in their own savage divorce, but what she doesn't expect is that she falls in love with him in the process...

With Takeshi Kaneshiro • Mitsuru Murata • Yukiko Okamoto • Ann Suzuki • Kirin Kiki • Goro Kishitani • Dean Harrington • Kisuke Iida • Chiharu Kawai • Kazuya Shimizu • Masaya Takahashi • Takashi Yamazaki

Takeshi Kaneshiro stars in this thriller as Miyamoto, an assassin who accidentally wounds a young woman during a shoot out. When Miyamoto goes to help her, she tells him that she has been sent from the future to prevent an alien invasion that will occur in 72 hours. She informs him that because he has injured her, he must now help her carry out her mission or else be responsible for the destruction of humanity.

With Milla Jovovich • Adrien Brody • Vera Farmiga • Jessica Walter • Jared Harris • Mirabella Pisani • Gabor Morea • Illeana Douglas • Ron Leibman • Helen Hanft • Richmond Hoxie • Adam LeFevre • Joanne Bayes • Lou Martini Jr. • Edward Hibbert • Greg Pritikin

Set in suburbia, the Greg Pritikin-directed film centers on socially challenged Steven (Adrien Brody), who quits his job to pursue a life-long dream of becoming a ventriloquist. Ignored at home by his father (Ron Leibman), mother (Jessica Walter) and embittered sister (Illeana Douglas), Steven begins to find his voice with the help of a wisecracking dummy.

With Jeremy Piven • John Cusack • Dustin Hoffman • Cliff Curtis • Nora Dunn • Arnon Milchan • Bruce McGill • Stanley Anderson • John Grisham • Nick Searcy • Rachel Weisz • Bruce Davison • Rusty Schwimmer • Gene Hackman • Rhoda Griffis • Bill Nunn • Guy Torry • Gary Fleder • Brian Koppelman • David Levien • Christopher Mankiewicz • Matthew Chapman

n their first film together, screen legends Gene Hackman and Dustin Hoffman face off in this electrifying nail-biter about a ruthless jury consultant who'll do anything to win. With lives and millions of dollars at stake, the fixer plays a deadly cat-and-mouse game with a jury member (John Cusack) and a mysterious woman (Rachel Weisz) who offer to "deliver" the verdict to the highest bidder.

With David Spade • Jack Giarruputo • Alyssa Milano • Doris Roberts • Jenna Boyd • Mary McCormack • Jon Lovitz • Craig Bierko • Corey Feldman • Sascha Knopft • Fred Wolf • Sam Weisman • Tom McNulty

TV child star of the '70s, Dickie Roberts is now 35 and parking cars. Craving to regain the spotlight, he auditions for a role of a normal guy, but the director quickly sees he is anything but normal. Desperate to win the part, Dickie hires a family to help him replay his childhood and assume the identity of an average, everyday kid. Several folk who are also involved in Dickie's special world include: Sidney, Dickie's longtime friend and agent; Cyndi, his on-again, off-again girlfriend; Peggy, Dickie's real mother; George, Dickie's adopted father figure; and Grace, his adopted mother figure.

With Jason Jessee • Stacy Peralta • Steve Caballero • Mark Rogowski • Tony Hawk • Helen Stickler

This documentary, filmed over six years (1996-2002), is about Mark "Gator" Rogowski, a pro skateboarding star in the '80s currently serving a life sentence for the rape and murder of a woman he barely knew. The film mixes old footage of Gator skating and carousing with recent interviews with such skateboarding icons as Tony Hawk and Stacey Peralta. It examines what drove a charming, rich, and famous bad-boy skater to kill.

With John Goodman • Jeff Bridges • Luke Wilson • Penelope Cruz • Steven Bauer • Angela Bassett • Bruce Dern • Reggie Lee • Jessica Lange • Bob Dylan • Larry Campbell • Larry Charles

Set somewhere, sometime, in an unnamed country, torn by civil war with unclear battle lines or ideology, "Masked and Anonymous" tells the story of a "benefit concert." Impressario Uncle Sweetheart (John Goodman) is scheming to find a headliner for this event whose purpose is unclear and whose charity is its promoter's pockets. Nina Veronica (Jessica Lange) is the veteran TV producer whose job it is to make the concert the international spectacle which it can never be. And when Sweetheart manages to get the iconic cult star Jack Fate (Bob Dylan) released from prison, the stage is set for tumult. Jeff Bridges as the cynical investigative reporter, Penélope Cruz as his girlfriend, Luke Wilson as the devoted acolyte, and a sundry cast of supporting characters give this imaginative allegory its energy and spirit.

With Demian Bichir • Penelope Cruz • Victoria Abril • Elena Anaya • Gael García Bernal • Peter McDonald • Gemma Jones • Bruno Bichir • Fanny Ardant • Juan Echanove • Emilio Gutierrez Caba • Cristina Marcos • Alicia Sanche • Augustín Díaz Yanes • Edmundo Gil • Gerardo Herrero • Eduardo Campoy • Agustin Diaz Yanes

Two angels, one good and one bad, are sent to Earth to compete for the very questionable soul of a boxer. The last 10 years have been nothing but tough times in Heaven, with Hell winning the battle between good and evil. So, when Heaven's managers finally have the opportunity to win the soul of a boxer and shift the balance of power, they send their best angel for the job. When Hell's Chief Executive gets wind of this, he counters by sending his most experienced operative to Earth. The battle between Heaven and Hell is on.

With Harold Perrineau • Vanessa Ferlito • Liz Owens • Josh Hamilton • Isabel Gillies • John Fleck • Eric Millegan • Jed Weintrob

In this erotic drama, John (Josh Hamilton), a guy trying to get over a bad breakup, and his roommate, Moe (Harold Perrineau), set up an adult chat room on the Internet and watch their lives change as a result of the various people they meet.

With Alberto San Juan • Concha Velasco • George Corraface • Carlos Fuentes • Silke • Tristan Ulloa • Mercè Pons • Jesus Cabrero

"Km. 0" is a exuberant sex farce that takes a frenzied peek into the lives of a group of 14 people whose lives all intersect one very hot summer day at "km. 0" – the very center of Madrid. The various plotlines – several of which involve gay men – all involve chance meetings, missed connections and mistaken identifies, but from the confusion comes unexpected erotic interludes, new friendships, hot and bothered sexual escapades and romantic couplings. It's gay, straight, young, old: there's the 21-year-old movie director hopeful who is fresh off the bus and is picked up by a prostitute instead of his sister's friend; Marga (Concha Valasco), an older woman who beds a male escort (Jesus Cabrero) only to discover that she may be related to him; a gay dance instructor whose personal encounter with a chat room guy offers sex and maybe even love; Sergio (Alberto San Juan), a virgin about to be married but befriended by a interested gay man; Silvia (Mercè Pons), an aspiring actress who will do anything to get a part in a big musical. Amidst the heat, dreams are realized, clothing shed and romance triumphs! A rollicking, fast-paced comedy about finding your right partner, even if it means trying on a few beforehand.

With Claudia Ferri • Paul Sorvino • Luke Kirby • Ginette Reno • Peter Miller • Pierrette Robitaille • Mary Walsh • Shaun Balbar • James Berlingieri • Richard Jutras • Diane Lavallee • Sophie Lorain • Tim Post • Dino Tavarone • Emile Goudreault

They're all Italian living in Montreal, but they could be from any large city in the western world with an Italian community. Angelo is a travel agent trying to become a television writer in his late twenties. Nino is a well-respected law enforcement officer, also in his thirties. Maria and Gino, Angelo's parents, emigrated in the 1950's and married after their arrival in "the new world". Maria and Gino's world is shattered when their son decides to get a place of his own. They are relieved however when Angelo's childhood buddy Nino decides to move in with their son. Their relief is short lived as they find out that Nino and Angelo are more than just roomates-they're lovers!

With Nicolas Cage • Ridley Scott • Sam Rockwell • Bruce Altman • Alison Lohman • Bruce McGill

Phobia-addled con artist Roy (Nicolas Cage) and his protégé Frank (Sam Rockwell) are on the verge of pulling off a lucrative swindle when the unexpected arrival of Roy's teenage daughter Angela (Alison Lohman) disrupts his carefully-ordered life and jeopardizes his high-risk scam.

With Sylvester Stallone • Danny Trejo • Alan Cumming • Carla Gugino • Bill Paxton • Steve Buscemi • Cheech Marin • Emily Osment • Robert Vito • Robert Rodriguez • Alexa Vega • Elizabeth Avellan • Matt O'Leary • Ricardo Montalban • Daryl Sabara • Courtney Jines • Ryan James Pinkston

On their most mind-blowing mission yet, the Spy Kids are about to enter an entirely new dimension: the third dimension. In "Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over", state-of-the-art digital 3D technology puts something special into special effects action for the whole family. On their latest assignment, under-age Juni and Carmen Cortez (Sabara and Vega) journey inside the virtual reality wolrd of a cool but crazy video game, where anything is possible, including the impossible. Action film veteran Sylvester Stallone joins the cast as the power-hungry villain the 'Toymaker', who wants to take over the youth of the world, and Juni and Carmen must battle their way through tougher and tougher levels of a three-dimensional game ingeniously designed to outwit and defeat them. Using their usual humor, gadgetry, bravery and family bonds, the Spy Kids must win every high-flying, puzzle-solving challenge, from racing road warriors to surfing on boiling lava. Meanwhile, high-definition digital 3-D sequences and special viewing glasses give the audience a chance to interact with the larger-than-life excitement on screen. Adding to the visual fun, "Spy Kids 3D: Game Over" also features all-new inventions from the mind of writer/director Robert Rodriguez, who lets his imagination loose in a blazingly colorful, futuristic game world come to life. In this latest chapter of the Spy Kids trilogy, Antonio Banderas and Carla Gugino reprise their roles as suave spy-parents Gregorio and Ingrid Cortez and Ricardo Montalban makes a comeback as the Spy Kids' grandfather, who plays a pivotal role in their mission. Also returning are Steve Buscemi as the mad scientist Romero; Alan Cumming as Floop; Bill Paxton as Dinky Winks; Cheech Marin as Uncle Felix; and Danny Trejo as Uncle Machete.

With Cate Blanchett • Aaron Eckhart • Tommy Lee Jones • Evan Rachel Wood • Val Kilmer • Jenna Boyd • Eric Schweig • Jay Tavare

"The Missing" is the story of Maggie Gilkeson (Cate Blanchett), a young woman raising her two daughters in an isolated and lawless wilderness. When her oldest daughter (Evan Rachel Wood) is kidnapped by a psychopathic killer with mystical powers (Eric Schweig), Maggie is forced to re-unite with her long estranged father (Tommy Lee Jones) to rescue her. The killer and his brutal cult of desperados have kidnapped several other teenage girls, leaving a trail of death and horror across the desolate landscape of the American Southwest. Maggie and her father are in a race against time to catch up with the renegades and save her daughter, before they cross the Mexican border and disappear forever.

With Bo-Lin Chen • Lun-Mei Guey • Joanna Chou • Shu-Hui Liang • Ming-Gin Cheng • Chin-Yen Yee

In this romantic triangle teen drama set in modern Taipei, high school students Ke-Rou (Lun-Mei Guey) and Yueh-Chen (Shu-Hui Liang) are best friends. When Yueh-Chen asks Ke-Rou to approach a boy, Shih-Hao (Bo-Lin Chen) that she has a crush on (but is too shy to ask), Shih-Hao unexpectedly asks Ke-Rou out instead. She excepts, but with a warning, because she has a secret: she thinks she might be a lesbian because she's actually in love with Yueh-Chen. Going out with Shih-Hao, however, is her chance to test herself to see if she is, or if she isn't...

With Chin Han • Lisa Lu • Vivian Wu • Anna Chi

Set in Los Angeles at home of the middle-class Hong family, a drama thriller in which many layers of deception in a bi-cultural clan are unraveled--upon the arrival of an intruder brandishing a gun.

With Anna Kendrick • Robin de Jesus • Steven Cutts • Stephen DiMenna • Dequina Moore • Todd Graff • Daniel Letterle • Joanna Chilcoat • Tiffany Taylor • Sasha Allen • Alana Allen • Don Dixon • Egle Petraityte

This musical set at a summer camp for young singers, dancers, actors and musicians tells the story of Bert Hanley, a former Broadway songwriter who has to work at the camp because his career has burnt out after a series of flops. Inspired by the kids at the camp, however, Bert sees his chance to find success again by recruiting them to put together a new production. The long summer days at Camp Ovation are ripe with life lessons, fast friendships, jealousies and antics, along with the shocking discovery that there is an honest-to-goodness straight boy in the bunch.

With Oliver Platt • Derek Luke • Alison Pill • Patricia Clarkson • Katie Holmes • John Lyons • Gary Winick • Alice Drummond • John Gallagher Jr. • Sisqo • Sean P. Hayes • Lillias White • Isiah Whitlock • Susan Bruce • Peter Hedges • Alexis Alexanian • Holly Becker

April Burns (Katie Holmes) is a 21-year-old wild child with a very big problem. Against her better judgment, she's invited her straightlaced family for Thanksgiving dinner. Her boyfriend, Bobby, wants to help, but she banishes him from the apartment while she attempts to cook the meal. To make matters worse, she then discovers that her oven doesn't work. So, while April is forced to ask her eccentric neighbors for help in cooking her fifteen pound turkey, the Burns Family begins a reluctant journey from suburban Pennsylvania toward New York City's Lower East Side. April's Dad, Jim Burns (Oliver Platt) tries to convince the family that the day will be beautiful. Her mom, Joy (Patricia Clarkson) has her doubts and freely voices them. April's teenage sister and brother are squeezed between Grandma Dottie and a bag of snacks in the back seat as the Burns' family car hurtles toward Manhattan and what will most likely be certain disaster.