for May 15 DVDs

  • ANGELS AND DEMONS

    Tom Hanks is back as Robert Langdon in Dan Brown’s prequel to The Da Vinci Code, which plays here as a sequel.  The setting is Rome, the villainous organization is the Illuminati.

  • 1. TAKEN:

    Liam Neeson is outstanding as a former spy who now does part-time security work, but who has never lost the basic instincts.  His teenage daughter convinces him to give his permission to allow her to travel to Paris with an older girlfriend, but the trip is not as advertised, and she is kidnapped by white slavers.  The ensuing chase is Bourne-like in its intensity.  Great film, big at the box office, but underrated by the critics. Rated 14A.

  • 2. UNDERWORLD: RISE OF THE LYCANS:

    A prequel to the two previous Underworld films, this one offers up Rona Mitra (Boston Legal) as the vampire with royal blood who becomes involved romantically with an arch-enemy, a werewolf (Michael Sheen).  The casting makes you chuckle, because Sheen played the Lycan leader in both previous movies, but that was before we came to know him as Prime Minister Tony Blair in The Queen, and later as David Frost in Frost/Nixon … despite that, fans of the genre get their money’s worth here! Rated 18A.

  • 3. TAKING CHANCE:

    Kevin Bacon is absolutely superb as a real-life US Marine officer who volunteers to accompany the remains of an American Marine killed in action in Iraq in his journey to his final rest.  I cannot describe how emotional this film will make you … never released to theatres, it was on HBO Canada two months ago. Rated PG.

  • 4. RICK’S PICK:  TAKING CHANCE:

    Those who have lost loved ones in any war, but specifically in the present conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, vouch for the touching authenticity of this film … it will really open your eyes to the true nature of the sacrifice made, whether Amercan, Canadian, British, you name it.
HELL IS FOR HEROES (1962):  
Remember the days when movies starred “everybody?”  This WWII adventure has a great cast: Steve McQueen, James Coburn, Harry Guardino, Fess Parker … and introducing … Bob Newhart!  Simple by today’s standards, but with some great twists and turns.

  • STAR TREK

    Depends which side of the fence you are on here.  I’m on the side that says I think this is the best Trek film ever, on the side that says, this is an action-driven relationship film with outstanding special effects.
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