The Gift (DVD) Widescreen Collection - Sensormatic Annie Wilson (Cate Blanchett) is a young widow living in Brixton, Georgia, who does psychic readings. She has a power that allows her to see things her neighbors don`t see, and she talks about the th...
Annie Wilson (Cate Blanchett) is a young widow living in Brixton, Georgia, who does psychic readings. She has a power that allows her to see things her neighbors don`t see, and she talks about the things that they try to keep quiet. She eventually stirs up trouble by advising Valerie Barksdale (Hilary Swank) to leave her abusive husband, Donnie (an effectively menacing Keanu Reeves). Donnie chases after Annie and threatens her and her young sons. Then Jessica King (Katie Holmes), a sexually liberated rich girl, disappears, and Annie has visions of a gruesome murder that endanger her own life. THE GIFT is an unusual supernatural thriller. Director Sam Raimi (A SIMPLE PLAN) and DP Jamie Anderson use the huge gnarled trees and foggy swamps of Savannah to create a palpable sense of dread, and Raimi really knows how to jolt an audience. The script, by Billy Bob Thornton (SLING BLADE) and Tom Epperson, has enough twists to keep the audience guessing. Blanchett is very believable, and Giovanni Ribisi gives a heart-wrenching performance as Buddy Cole, a disturbed young man who seeks Annie`s counsel. Their relationship gives the film an emotional weight that makes it more than just a good thriller.
R"
Director: Sam Raimi
Starman (DVD) Closed Caption; Multiple Languages A departure for director John Carpenter, STARMAN is a gentle, simple film that won accolades from critics and applause from audiences. Jeff Bridges plays the title character, an alien that has come do...
A departure for director John Carpenter, STARMAN is a gentle, simple film that won accolades from critics and applause from audiences. Jeff Bridges plays the title character, an alien that has come down to Earth on a peaceful scouting mission. When he takes the form of a recently widowed woman`s dead husband he unintentionally involves her in his mission. The alien only has a few days to reach a rendezvous point where he will be picked up by his mothership. Along the way he must discover what he can about human beings and our civilization. He finds out plenty very quickly, as his relationship with the young widow grows very strong as they make their way to the rendezvous point. Meanwhile, the FBI is in hot pursuit after it discovers the discarded landing vehicle, and the alien`s own health is deteriorating in Earth`s foreign atmosphere. The story tells of the struggle for communication, the pain of letting go, and the search for understanding. Jeff Bridges gives an unforgettable performance as the gentle alien trying his best to cope with being a human. With STARMAN, Carpenter proves he is a master storyteller, not just of horror and science fiction, but of subtle, emotional drama as well.
PG"
Director: John Carpenter|Bruce A. Evans
ACTORS: Jeff Bridges, Karen Allen, Charles Martin Smith, Richard Jaeckel, Robert Phalen
Sunshine State (DVD)
SUNSHINE STATE, directed and written by John Sayles, takes a close-up and occasionally comic look at the fading community of Delrona Beach, Florida. A dozen local personalities are introduced, each with their own unique challenges. The town`s dilapidated houses, its stale Buccaneer Days Festival, its sluggish economy, and the constant stream of developers trying to buy up the shore front, are making the natives think about moving on. However, the black residents of Lincoln Park refuse to let their land be bought and turned into a vacation resort. Dr. Lloyd (Bill Cobbs) leads the charge to stage a protest, and tries to get help from Eunice (Mary Alice) her daughter Desiree (Angela Bassett), who is visiting from Boston. On the other side of things, Marly (Edie Falco), a former Weeki Wachee mermaid, is the surly manager of the dingy Sea-Vue Motel who would like nothing more than to sell the joint and leave Delrona Beach for good.
With a dizzy, meandering camera and a documentary feeling, SUNSHINE STATE draws viewers into the daily life of Delrona Beach, developing each of nearly a dozen characters with detail and feeling. While the plotlines are sometimes depressing, the realness of the characters and their lives is endearing, and at the end of the film, the narrative gets a satisfying dose of closure.PG-13"
Director: John Sayles
ACTORS: Edie Falco, Angela Bassett, Jane Alexander, Ralph Waite, James McDaniel
Geysers of Yellowstone (VHS)
This program explores in detail the unbelievable natural wonders of Yellowstone`s geyser basins, including a tour of all the major basins.NR"
A Night to Dismember (DVD)
Samantha Fox plays Vickie Kent in this Doris Wishman cult horror classic. Vickie Kent is a suspected murderess who is released from an insane asylum to return home, only to raise the question of whether or not she was completely cured of her insanities.
