Kingdom Come (DVD)
Whoopi Goldberg stars in KINGDOM COME as matriarch Raynelle Slocumb, whose mean-spirited husband, Ray Bud, unexpectedly falls down dead at the breakfast table in this touching and irreverent comedy based on the play DEARLY DEPARTED by David Dean Bottrell and Jessie Jones. Ray Bud`s untimely death forces the dysfunctional Slocumb clan together for a long weekend where family tensions, grievances, and long-suffering silences are aired as they prepare the funeral of their patriarch. An all-star African American cast features L.L. Cool J as Ray Bud Jr., who is put in charge of the funeral despite his struggles to come to terms with unresolved feelings for his father while battling alcoholism and an unhappy marriage with his wife, Lucille (Vivica A. Fox). Bud Jr.`s brother, Junior (Anthony Anderson), is a small-time scheme-spinner who descends on the Slocumb family home in rural Lulu, California with his shrewish wife, Charisse (Jada Pinkett Smith), and their three monstrous children. Bud`s sister, Marguerite (Loretta Devine), is a deeply religious bible-thumper whose son, Royce (Darius McCrary)--affectionately called Satan--dreams of starting a family of his own so he can live on welfare. And finally, wealthy cousin, Juanita (Toni Braxton), who competes with Charisse for Junior`s affection as the whole family comes together for a wildly vibrant ride orchestrated by a slightly gaseous Reverend (Cedric The Entertainer). Set to a rollicking gospel soundtrack by Kirk Franklin, featuring a title song with Jill Scott, this entertaining combination of humor and family dynamics features a first-rate ensemble cast brimming over with vitality in this self-parody of African American family life.PG"
Director: Doug McHenry
ACTORS: Whoopi Goldberg, Toni Braxton, LL Cool J, Jada Pinkett, Anthony Anderson
Insomnia (DVD) Full Frame In a remote Alaskan town called Nightmute, the murder of a teenage girl has shocked the tight-knit community. The Los Angeles Police Department sends two of its cops--both under investigation by Internal Affairs--to try to s...
In a remote Alaskan town called Nightmute, the murder of a teenage girl has shocked the tight-knit community. The Los Angeles Police Department sends two of its cops--both under investigation by Internal Affairs--to try to solve the crime in Christopher Nolan`s film based on Erik Skjoldbjfrg`s 1997 Norwegian film starring Stellan Skarsgerd. The experienced, weathered Will Dormer (Al Pacino) has nothing in life except for the force. His younger partner, Hap (Martin Donovan), has a family to support and is willing to turn state`s evidence to protect them. Local cop Ellie Burr is excited to work with her hero, Dormer--until she starts uncovering some questionable situations. It isn`t long before Dormer finds the murderer--writer Walter Finch, played with subtle nuances by Robin Williams--but Finch knows a secret that could bring Dormer down. Director Nolan, who stunned audiences with 2001`s inventive MEMENTO, here crafts an atmospheric psychological thriller that is bathed in whites and grays. The acting is uniformly excellent, especially Pacino`s performance as a cop on the edge and Williams as a soft-spoken, low-rent crime novelist. Because it never gets dark in Alaska at this time of year, Dormer (a play off the Spanish word dormir, which means to sleep ) is unable to fall asleep, light always streaming into his hotel room; watching him slowly unravel is a treat.
R"
Director: Christopher Nolan
ACTORS: Al Pacino, Robin Williams, Hilary Swank, Paul Dooley, Maura Tierney
Ernest Goes to Camp (DVD)
Ernest P. Worrell, America`s lanky, lovable know-it-all becomes the handyman at Kamp Kikakee and is then promoted to camp counselor to a gang of juvenile delinquents from the Midstate Boys Detention Center. As if they weren`t enough, there`s also the big mining co. takeover to divert.PG"
Director: John R. Cherry
ACTORS: Jim Varney, Victoria Racimo, John Vernon, Iron Eyes Cody
Rolie Polie Olie: Springy-Time Fun (VHS)
A little boy robot who lives with his family on the completely round Rolie Polie Planet, Olie finds himself in all sorts of adventures. This collection of episodes features springtime stories. Love abounds in spring, and Rolie Polie planet gets caught up in the season when a new girl catches the attention of Olie and his friend Billy, and a everyone loves a just-born baby chick who needs some extra attention.NR"
Dante`s View (DVD)
DANTE`S VIEW offers a gripping crime drama rife with homoerotic subtext. After a flawed robbery where she abandons her dying boyfriend at the scene, Samantha (TWIN PEAKS` Sheryl Lee), takes off with the bounty. Her escape goes awry when her truck stops working in the middle of Death Valley. There, she meets June (GO FISH`S Guinevere Turner), an unsophisticated girl who wants a more exciting life. The two develop a close bond, as Samantha`s wild experiences and lack of boundaries captivate innocent June. However, Samantha cannot suppress her inner demons for long, and her violent tendencies threaten both their lives.R"
