Pieces of April (DVD)
Katie Holmes is outstanding as the title character in Peter Hedges's PIECES OF APRIL. Holmes stars as April Burns, the black sheep of her family who has left suburbia for a Lower East Side tenement. To reconnect with her mother and father, she invites... Cast: Katie Holmes, Patricia Clarkson, Derek Luke
Katie Holmes is outstanding as the title character in Peter Hedges's PIECES OF APRIL. Holmes stars as April Burns, the black sheep of her family who has left suburbia for a Lower East Side tenement. To reconnect with her mother, Joy (Patricia Clarkson), and father, Jim (Oliver Platt), she invites them and her wisecracking brother (John Gallagher Jr.) and perfect sister (Alison Pill) for Thanksgiving dinner at her apartment, and against their better judgment, the Burnses pile up in the family station wagon, pick up Grandma (Alice Drummond), and head to the big city from the safe confines of their stereotypical suburban home. But Joy is seriously ill, complicating the road trip; meanwhile, April's oven is broken, sending her off to her bizarre and wacky neighbors to try to borrow their kitchen. Her interaction with Wayne (Sean Hayes) is a riot.
Holmes is a revelation as April, showing marvelous range and depth as the outcast daughter who still strives for her mother's affection. Derek Luke is excellent as April's caring boyfriend, who understands how important this Thanksgiving dinner is to her. Platt is solid as the father, with just the right amount of vulnerability, but Clarkson nearly steals the movie; she takes over the screen in every scene she's in. Hedges's directorial debut, following screenplays for WHAT'S EATING GILBERT GRAPE, ABOUT A BOY, and A MAP OF THE WORLD, is well-paced and fun to watch. The soundtrack features music by Stephen Merritt with the 6ths and Magnetic Fields.
PG-13"
Director: Peter Hedges
ACTORS: Katie Holmes, Patricia Clarkson, Oliver Platt, Sean Hayes, Derek Luke
Captive (DVD)
An lonely advertising executive is lured into kidnapping his wealthy boss`s son by a seductive co-worker. He soon discovers that he too is a pawn in a dangerous game of deception, and events quickly spiral out of control.NR"
Director: Matt Dorff
ACTORS: Richard Grieco, Marie-Josee Croze, Paul Hopkins, Michele Greene, Lawrence Arcouette
Dynamite (DVD)
When a beautiful demolitions expert and an ex-G.I. meet, the sparks fly.NR"
ACTORS: William Gargen, Virginia Wells
L.A. Law - The Movie (DVD)
L.A. LAW reunites the cast of the popular NBC-TV program, which ran from 1986-1994. Nearly the entire cast of the original series returns for this feature-length 2002 follow-up. After founding partner Leland McKenzie (Richard Dysart) leaves the firm of McKenzie-Brackman, Douglas Brackman, Jr. (Alan Rachins) becomes Senior Managing Partner. Meanwhile, Grace Van Owen (Susan Dey) leads the prosecution of a former client of the firm, while divorce attorney Arnie Becker (Corbin Bernsen) goes through his own painful divorce.NR"
Director: Michael Schultz
ACTORS: Corbin Bernsen, Larry Drake, Richard Dysart, Jill Eikenberry, Dann Florek
Pippi Longstocking - The TV Series (DVD)
The first feature film of Pippi Longstocking, made in 1970, was compiled from footage shot for the television series. Now, for the first time, six episodes from that series is available to the public, complete with all-new English dubbing.NR"
