for September 14

  • The Brave One

    Jodie Foster is a woman attacked and left for dead... who seeks revenge when the courts can´t help.

  • Mr. Woodcock

    Billy Bob Thornton as a crude, crass high school teacher who later romances the mother of one of his then–students.

  • 1. Away From Her

    This exceptional Canadian film was difficult to find in theatres, but here it is on DVD, and it´s been worth the wait. The first directorial outing from Sara Polly (Road to Avonlea), Gordon Pinsent, Julie Christie, and Olympia Dukakis star in a story of love and loss with Alzheimer´s at the heart. Touching and sensitive. Rated PG.

  • 2. Brooklyn Rules

    A Sopranos–like indie movie with an $8 million budget that has, prior to the DVD release, made back less than $400,000, it has a good cast and will appeal to any who like a good Italian–American mob story. Alec Baldwin, Freddie Prinze, Jr., Scott Caan, and Mina Suvari take us down a familiar road in a world where Frank Sinatra still rules, but where InSync Is beginning to show up too. Rated 18A for violence.

  • 3. Pirates of Ghost Island

    Packaged to look like Pirates of the Caribbean, don´t be fooled here. This is an extremely low–budget ($500,000) horror film about a spring break party that goes bad when the kids are deposited on a supposedly uninhabited island that is populated by pirate zombie ghosts. Who survives and who does not? In typical “b” horror movie fashion, girls are killed off in direct proportion to their promiscuity. Pretty bad! Rated 14A.

  • Rick´s Pick: Away From Her

    Sara Polly´s direction is flawless. She also wrote the script based on a short story that she had read. The film she actually wanted to make was about a 12 year–old actress working on a TV series, but the studio wouldn´t greenlight it... this was her fallback position.
The Shipping News (1991)
I was looking for a good example of Gordon Pinsent´s work to go with his exceptional performance in "Away From Her." But most of his best stuff ("Escape From Iran: The Canadian Connection," "Who Has Seen The Wind") aren´t out on DVD. But here, in this set–in–Newfoundland film with Kevin Spacey, his performance shines.

  • 3:10 to Yuma

    Russell Crowe and Christian Bale are superb in this great retelling of the 1957 original, based on an Elmore Leonard short story – a classic western!

  • Shoot Em Up

    Clive Owen at his violent best as the mysterious "Mr. Smith" out to save a child targeted for a mob hit.

  • The Brothers Solomon

    A stupid, slack–jawed, drooling bit of nonsense about two boys looking for a woman to have their baby (don´t ask!)

  • Hatchet

    A very low–end slasher movie that has more nudity than it does blood – but it´s a close call.