Latest Home Video Reviews

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Zodiac (2007)

Reverent docudrama...to those completely unfamiliar with the case, Zodiac should be every bit as satisfying as a true-crime paperback.
King Kong (2005)

Peter Jackson's King Kong is all things cinema, in the hands of a clever but overindulged filmmaker.
El Norte (1984)

On the surface El Norte is the essence of simplicity. But in 1983, the simple story was both news to many and history to many others finally seeing their story depicted on screen on their terms.
The Last Emperor (1987)

Works the brain in two-part harmony: the melody skids effortlessly across the historical timeline of the Ching dynasty, China's last, and the harmony part is all aesthetic appeal...
Hulk Vs. (V) (2009)

Marvel's new deal with Madhouse Studio bodes well for the future. The Japanese animation giant...has the chops to produce spectacular, dynamic, colorful, stylish animation (or, rather, anime) that's an evolutionary leap for Marvel on the small screen.
Henry Poole is Here (2008)

Despite an excellent performance by Luke Wilson and a promising start, Henry Poole is Here ends up an overindulgent misfire.
The Express (2008)

Like a biography plucked from the shelf of a grade-school library...includes ample inspiration and sufficient history to get to its destination in "express" fashion.
Swing Vote (2008)

Would be innocuous if it weren't so utterly, utterly misguided.
The Bourne Identity (The Bourne Trilogy) (2002)

Liman adds to his knack for controlling audience tension a moody visual sense that exploits the mournful, sleeping-giant, old-world architecture of Prague as a place where action may break out at any moment, and frequently does.
The Bourne Ultimatum (The Bourne Trilogy) (2007)

Predicated on finally delivering answers we basically already know...and cornered into bigger and better variations on the same basic action tropes, The Bourne Ultimatum turns out to be: be pretty damn exciting or get off the stage.
The Bourne Supremacy (The Bourne Trilogy) (2004)

If one were to rewind a James Bond movie, one might get The Bourne Supremacy, a steadfastly unglamorous spy thriller with a few adrenaline jolts for good measure.
Nikita (a.k.a. La Femme Nikita) (1991)

A spy version of Pygmalion, complete with perverse romance, Nikita was well ahead of the curve when it came to women warriors as modern shoot-'em-up stars.
Friday Night Lights (2004)

Berg fashions a Spike Lee-esque prism through which he sheds light on the game, though Berg hasn't so much got game as he got highlight.
The Wackness (2008)

As for Squires' outlandish behavior and Kingsley's theatrical performance, they're entertaining, but very hard to believe. The film lives more comfortably in the milieu of '90s youth culture...
Superhero Movie (2008)

Nothing in Superhero Movie could be described as magical, but for comic-book fans in a forgiving mood, this lowbrow outing has its moments.
Pineapple Express (2008)

Despite its rusty mechanics and hodgepodge of tones, Pineapple Express convincingly imitates the mode of Midnight Run: on-the-run odd-couple comedy with gunplay and car chases.
Righteous Kill (2008)

The new thriller that emphatically pairs [De Niro and Pacino] qualifies as a historic event, whether it's any good or not.
The Mask (1994)

Pretty thin material, but it still holds up for the same reason it worked in 1994: Carrey unleashed in a part tailor-made for just that purpose.
Hot Rod (2007)

Oh, Napoleon Dynamite! What have you wrought?
Into the Wild (2007)

Penn has managed an impressive achievement that qualifies as a great American film.
Eagle Eye (2008)

So colossally ridiculous (and transparently derivative) that willing suspension of disbelief is a fool’s errand.
The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)

An enduring film property with an unforgettable catch phrase ("Klaatu barada nikto")...[and] socially conscious themes.
The Truman Show (1996)

[A] hugely entertaining dramatization of Plato's "Allegory of the Cave"...a fable that would be relevant 50 years earlier and no doubt will remain relevant 50 years hence.
Serenity (2005)

Whedon's smart, densely plotted, fast-paced story provides ample opportunities for characterization, revealing the pain beneath the characters' defensive humor.
Last Holiday (2006)

A better way to seize the day would be to do something other than sitting through the sitcomedic Last Holiday.
The Longshots (2008)

That's the problem with this well-intentioned celebration of the spirit of Title IX: it wants so badly to be liked that it tries to blend into the crowd.
Surfer, Dude (2008)

A celebration of unrealistic lifestyles, which makes it exactly the wrong film for our times.
The Duchess (2008)

Willing to settle for all-around competency instead of excavating history for deeper insights, leaving audiences with another undemanding genre placeholder.
Ghost Town (2008)

The comic voice of Ricky Gervais comes through loud and clear, and Koepp's vision of a classical Hollywood comedy creates a confluence not only of great performers but of considerable wit and heart.
Days of Thunder (1990)

An unofficial "sideways sequel" to Top Gun...except with national treasure Robert Duvall in the role of crusty mentor.
Ghost (1990)

An unqualified populist success...works because it evinces a sincerity rarely felt in today's cinema.
Tommy Boy (1995)

Farley and Spade have a definite chemistry, and they do their best to pick up the slack.
Burn After Reading (2008)

Sour candy...redeemed by its humor and its clever construction, harkening back to the relatively optimistic crime comedy Fargo.
The House Bunny (2008)

Almost worth seeing just for Faris' spot-on work...Shelley becomes an endearing character in Faris' nonjudgmental hands.
Old School (2003)

The sort of bad movie that constantly threatens to turn into something good, mostly on the strength of a few talented actors.
Bottle Rocket (1996)

Though flawed, Bottle Rocket is full of buried treasures and holds up to repeated viewings, as any cult film should. [Criterion Collection Blu-ray]
Mamma Mia! (2008)

Complete fluff, and proud of it...Once you adjust your senses, however, you're bound to submit to this vacation of a movie.
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008)

Joyless spectacle: it has a certain epic sweep...but it also has tacky CGI Yeti.
Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004)

Gleefully silly...plays like an extension of a Ben Stiller Show sketch (but a pretty good one, at that).
Dumb and Dumber (1994)

The Farrellys' knack for stupid, Three Stooges-esque comedy writ larger by an infusion of heart excels with the complementary screen teaming of manic Jim Carrey and consummate screen actor Jeff Daniels.

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