8 Masters (DVD)
Old school Hong Kong action abounds in this lightning fast kung fu classic. The 8 masters are seeking the child of their enemy for an act of revenge when the child is rescued and taken to a Shaolin Temple for training. He grows up to be a skilled fighter (Carter Wong) who then seeks the 8 masters to exact vengeance.NR"
ACTORS: Carter Wong
Wasted (DVD)
Based on a true story, WASTED is a frightening and realistic look at drug addiction. Straight-A high school student Samantha (Summer Phoenix) hides her drug habit under a blanket of ambition and achievement. Rebellious Owen (Nick Stahl) uses drugs for an escape, but becomes a hard core addict. Chris (Aaron Paul) wants to help his friends overcome their demons, but quickly develops a problem of his own. This thoughful and compelling MTV production features strong performances and a grim, uncompromising tone in its portrayal of addicted teens.NR"
Director: Stephen Kay
ACTORS: Nick Stahl, Summer Phoenix, Aaron Paul, Brittney Irvin
Joe (DVD)
Director John G. Avildsen`s violent and gritty portrayal of the clash between the counterculture and establishment of 1970s New York became an instant cult classic. Dennis Patrick stars as Bill Compton, a New York advertising executive whose hippie daughter, Melissa (Susan Sarandon in her film debut), is sent to rehab after she`s found overdosing in an East Village drugstore. Melissa`s unrepentant junkie boyfriend, Frank (Patrick McDermott), wallows in drugs and squalor until Bill visits him and flies into a violent rage that ends in murder. This act of violence wins him the admiration of Joe (Peter Boyle), a flag-waving bigoted blue-collar worker, as the two strike up an unlikely friendship in a local bar. Joe`s knowledge of Bill`s heinous crime becomes a subtle form of emotional blackmail as the two men spend time together in a bizarre class struggle between their two disparate worlds. When Melissa runs away, the two friends, joined in their fear and hatred of the counterculture, begin a search for her in the bohemian haunts of New York`s East Village. Their search turns into an ironic night of liberation as the two men carouse with a group of young hippies. However, as the evening comes to a close the two men are consumed by their hatred and guilt. A final conflict with the hippies ends in a deeply disturbing and violent climax. This stylized and stark view of hate crimes and the 1970s counterculture remains shocking and relevant to this day.R"
Director: John G. Avildsen
ACTORS: Peter Boyle, Dennis Patrick, Susan Sarandon, Audrey Caire, K. Callan
Together (DVD) World Films Set in 1975 Stockholm at a communal living house called Tillsammans or Together, this bittersweet comedy revolves around the members of a radical hippie commune as they fight, fall in love, and struggle to stay together...
Set in 1975 Stockholm at a communal living house called Tillsammans or Together, this bittersweet comedy revolves around the members of a radical hippie commune as they fight, fall in love, and struggle to stay together. Director Lukas Moodysson perfectly captures the youthful idealism and visual style of the period, commenting on the social and political climate with a steady dose of irony and heartfelt emotion. The members of the commune, desperate to live in Socialist-like peace, fight about everything including television, meals, and dish-washing duties. One day, Goran (Gustav Hammarsten), a soft spoken and painfully mild-mannered member of the group, brings his straightlaced suburban sister Elisabeth (Lisa Lundgren) and her two children to live at the commune, rescuing her from an abusive husband. Initially, Elisabeth is shocked at the radical political and sexual attitudes of her new housemates but soon she is joining in spirited partying and coming to terms with her own sexual and social awakening. Similar to Moodysson`s critically acclaimed 1998 film, SHOW ME LOVE, he portrays sexuality and alienation with a breathtakingly simple honesty. Moodysson also sheds light on the experiences of Elisabeth`s two painfully shy children who are trapped in a seemingly crazy adult world. The film offers a refreshing view of the 1970s, fraught with the joys and dangers of social idealism.
NR"
Director: Lukas Moodysson
ACTORS: Lisa Lindgren, Michael Nyqvist, Gustav Hammarsten, Anja Lundkvist, Jessica Liedberg
Key Largo (DVD)
Captivating cinematic adaptation of the play by Maxwell Anderson. A notorious gangster (Robinson) holds the residents of a hotel hostage during a tropical storm. Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actress--Claire Trevor.NR"
Director: John Huston
ACTORS: Humphrey Bogart, Edward G. Robinson, Lauren Bacall, Claire Trevor, Lionel Barrymore
