Wildflowers (DVD)
Cally (DuVall) is a seventeen-year-old tomboy who lives with her out-of-touch father (Arana) aboard a houseboat in the California Bay Area. Her life seems trite and mundane until she`s graced by a one-time encounter with an extremely exotic woman named Sabine (Hannah). Cally is taken by the mystery and drama that seems to envelop Sabine, and employs a friend (Roberts) to help track her down. Soon Cally finds herself engrossed in a maze of suspense, where at the end of it all lies Sabine`s true identity--a secret life Cally was destined to discover. Featuring music by Santana, Blues Traveler, Jane`s Addiction, and more.R"
Director: Melissa Painter
ACTORS: Daryl Hannah, Clea DuVall, Eric Roberts, Tomas Arana, Irene Bedard
Swept Away (DVD)
British director Guy Ritchie (LOCK, STOCK AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS, SNATCH) here remakes the controversial 1975 Italian film SWEPT AWAY... BY AN UNUSUAL DESTINY IN THE BLUE SEA OF AUGUST as a vehicle for his pop icon spouse, Madonna. The rich and spoiled Amber Leighton (Madonna) spends the bulk of her husband`s Mediterranean yacht voyage drinking, being bored, and insulting the crew. The class tables turn when she winds up lost at sea and eventually swept onto a deserted island with the same sailor she`s been extra rude to all through the voyage. Giuseppe (Adriano Giannini, son of Giancarlo, who played the same role in the original) seizes the chance to dominate his former employer, and dictate the terms of their survival and inevitable torrid island passion. The political ranting and darker sexual elements of the 1975 version are toned down this time out, but potential viewers should note there`s still some un-PC slapping and a near-rape. The exquisite scenery is a plus, as is Madonna`s look in the film: Deeply tan, with chiseled, muscular arms and sexy facial wrinkles, she emerges a ravishing, buff, bronze goddess. Her fans will hopefully be awed by this incarnation of their favorite, chameleon-like diva.R"
Director: Guy Ritchie
ACTORS: Madonna, Adriano Giannini, Jennifer Aniston, Bruce Greenwood, Jeanne Tripplehorn
Honkytonk Man (DVD) Clint Eastwood Collection Clint Eastwoods HONKYTONK MAN is certainly one of the actor-directors gentler works. The low-key period film takes place during the depression, with Eastwood starring as Red Stovall, a struggling country sin...
Clint Eastwoods HONKYTONK MAN is certainly one of the actor-directors gentler works. The low-key period film takes place during the depression, with Eastwood starring as Red Stovall, a struggling country singer on the verge of his big break. Reds been invited to audition for the Grand Ole Opry, but as the film opens, hes a long way from success. He shows up at his sisters Oklahoma home drunk, in a stolen car, and suffering from tuberculosis. His sister ends up sending her son, Whit (Kyle Eastwood), along with Red to Nashville to make sure he gets to his audition in one piece. The interaction between Red and his 14-year-old nephew is the focus of the film. Eastwood again plays a rather unreliable type. Red is a bit of a scoundrel, and he and Whit get into quite a bit of trouble on their way to Tennessee, as Reds health deteriorates. At one point, they pick up a teenage prostitute (Alexa Kenin) who begs them to take her along to Nashville so she can pursue a singing career. Eastwoods film captures the period and the desperate straits of his characters perfectly while maintaining a light and humorous tone.
PG"
Director: Clint Eastwood
ACTORS: Clint Eastwood, Alexa Kenin, John McIntire
Fat City (DVD)
The hard times of poor white fighters in California are the background for this grim late masterpiece by Director John Huston. Stacy Keach is Tully, a down-on-his-luck alcoholic boxer living in a flophouse and earning money as a field worker while trying for a comeback. Jeff Bridges is Ernie, his 18-year-old admiring protege setting himself up for the same hard-luck life. Tully tries to pass his wisdom on to Ernie, attempting to give the kid the chances that he missed. Meanwhile, Tully also becomes involved with Oma (Susan Tyrell), a raging alcoholic who does nothing but drag him further down. Adapted from a Leonard Gardner novel, this sorely overlooked work brilliantly and unflinchingly portrays the lives of a group of born losers.PG"
Director: John Huston
ACTORS: Stacy Keach, Jeff Bridges, Candy Clark, Susan Tyrrell, Nicholas Colasanto
How to Stuff a Wild Bikini (DVD)
It`s more beach party fun with one of the most popular films of this genre from the 1960s. When Frankie goes on reserve duty, he becomes threatened that Dwayne will steal Dee Dee away from him. In order to prevent this, he sends Cassandra, a beautiful woman, to distract Dwayne. Things soon erupt, however, as Cassandra`s mere appearance turns the whole beach town upside down. Comedy greats Buster Keaton and Mickey Rooney have cameos.NR"
Director: William Asher
