Added on 08/24/08

Amazon.com: Eklavya - The Royal Guard: Amitabh Bachchan, Saif Ali Khan, Vidya Balan, Boman Irani, Jackie Schroff, Sanjay Dutt, Sharmila Tagore: Movies & TV

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Added on 11/17/06

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Added on 11/17/06

Raised in an Italian convent, 16-year-old Robin Sana returns to her native Japan to join the STNJ, a secret organization that captures, rather than kills, witches of both sexes. The typically mismatched crew includes hacker Michael Lee, rookie Haruto... See more

Raised in an Italian convent, 16-year-old Robin Sana returns to her native Japan to join the STNJ, a secret organization that captures, rather than kills, witches of both sexes. The typically mismatched crew includes hacker Michael Lee, rookie Haruto Sakaki, psychic Miho Karasuma, Yurika Dojima, the spoiled daughter of a prominent family, and icily aloof Amon, the de facto leader of the team. As a "craft user," Robin can conjure fire as a weapon, but has some trouble with her aim. Witch Hunter combines the subdued palette of Blood: The Last Vampire with the alienated tone of the Vampire Princess Miyu OVAs. The elegantly designed settings and skillful use of color are more interesting than the flat stories about pursuing the supernatural murderers. All six volumes and a pin collection are included in this set. (Rated 13 and older: violence, alcohol and tobacco use) --Charles Solomon See less

Added on 11/17/06

As this intriguing supernatural adventure progresses, the story twists and turns back on itself. Cheza, the girl linked to the Lunar Flowers, escapes from the fallen Noble Darcia, who took her back from Lord Orkham's scientist- kidnappers. She's... See more

As this intriguing supernatural adventure progresses, the story twists and turns back on itself. Cheza, the girl linked to the Lunar Flowers, escapes from the fallen Noble Darcia, who took her back from Lord Orkham's scientist- kidnappers. She's drawn to the shape-shifting quartet of Tsume, Toboe, Hige, and Kiba, and her presence strengthens their tentative bonds. Scientist Cher and squadrons of Orkham's soldiers pursue Cheza, which brings them into conflict with the wolf-boys, Darcia and Quent the wolf-hater. But the filmmakers present as many mysteries as they resolve: in the Forest of Death that surrounds the Darcia family tombs, they're guided by a phantom owl, and "Rakuen," the prophesied paradise Kiba seeks, remains as tantalizing as ever. Although it's still burdened with a surfeit of characters and subplots, Wolf's Rain is clearly improving as it progresses. (Rated 13 and older: violence, alcohol and tobacco use) --Charles Solomon See less

Added on 11/17/06

As the fantasy-adventure Wolf's Rain reaches its conclusion, Toboe, Tsume, Hige, Blue, Quent, Cheza, Cher, Hubb and Kiba continue their search for Paradise. The characters head north, slogging through snow storms and savage winds. They negotiate... See more

As the fantasy-adventure Wolf's Rain reaches its conclusion, Toboe, Tsume, Hige, Blue, Quent, Cheza, Cher, Hubb and Kiba continue their search for Paradise. The characters head north, slogging through snow storms and savage winds. They negotiate treacherous ice fields and scale vertiginous cliffs. The plot borrows heavily from the Norse myths of the Ragnarok or Götterdämmerung, a continuing process of birth, growth, decay, death, and rebirth. Artists have been drawing on the concept of that endlessly repeating cycle for centuries. But the writers at the Bones studio complicate their story needlessly: they introduce new elements at the last minute, leave some plot points underdeveloped, and drag others out unnecessarily. Wolf's Rain is an interesting and sometimes compelling series, but it ultimately proves to be a frustrating adventure that could easily have been more than it is. (Rated 13 and older: considerable violence) --Charles Solomon See less

Added on 11/17/06

Although wolves are supposed to have died out more than 200 years earlier, a quintet of lycanthropes prowl a half-ruined city in the post-apocalyptic fantasy Wolf's Rain. The shape-shifters include Tsume, a cynical criminal; eager, naive Toboe;... See more

Although wolves are supposed to have died out more than 200 years earlier, a quintet of lycanthropes prowl a half-ruined city in the post-apocalyptic fantasy Wolf's Rain. The shape-shifters include Tsume, a cynical criminal; eager, naive Toboe; perpetually hungry Hige; and charismatic Kiba, who's seeking "Rakuen," the prophesied paradise. Tied to his search are the Moon Flowers, and Cheza, a girl somehow created from those flowers. Scientist Cher Degré studies Cheza in her laboratory--until the flower-girl is kidnapped by a mysterious figure who looks like the Phantom of the Opera in drag. Complicating matters still further is Quent, a hunter bent on exterminating all wolf-humans. Wolf's Rain suffers from a surfeit of characters, effects, and subplots, but the dark palate, angular designs, alienated characters, and dramatic camera angles will appeal to fans of Hellsing and Blood: the Last Vampire. (Rated 13 and older: violence, alcohol use, brief nudity) --Charles Solomon See less

Added on 11/17/06

Human civilization may have collapsed 200 years earlier, but the Nobles who rule its remains still command formidable powers, as the heroes of Wolf's Rain discover. Tsume, Toboe, Hige, and Kiba flee with Cheza, and beneath the full moon, they see the... See more

Human civilization may have collapsed 200 years earlier, but the Nobles who rule its remains still command formidable powers, as the heroes of Wolf's Rain discover. Tsume, Toboe, Hige, and Kiba flee with Cheza, and beneath the full moon, they see the Lunar Flowers form the road to Paradise. Noble Darcia uses his bizarre flying machine to overtake them and seize Cheza. Detective Hubb searches for Cher, accompanied by Quent. Meanwhile, the forces of Lady Jaguara assassinate Lord Orkham and throw the remnants of civilization into chaos. All the characters are drawn to Darcia's Keep and the mysterious power of Cheza. The world of high-tech machinery and the world of curses, prophecies, alchemy, and shape-shifters would seem to be at odds. Yet the filmmakers manage to integrate the two into an intriguing, if largely unexplained, setting for this story. (Rated 13 and older: violence, alcohol and tobacco use) --Charles Solomon See less

Added on 11/17/06

As Wolf's Rain nears its climax, all the characters converge on Lost City and the Keep of Jaguara. The near-catatonic inhabitants of this eerie, sterile metropolis seem unaware of the constant surveillance by soldiers and electronic systems. Although... See more

As Wolf's Rain nears its climax, all the characters converge on Lost City and the Keep of Jaguara. The near-catatonic inhabitants of this eerie, sterile metropolis seem unaware of the constant surveillance by soldiers and electronic systems. Although nearly every scene contains some sort of revelation, they don't cohere to form a story, at least not yet. Jaguara has been slaughtering humans and wolves to capture Cheza and Kiba and open the way to Paradise. Her actions have been guided by her passion for Darcia, who's actually her brother-in-law. After declaring her love and frustration, she stabs him with a poisoned dagger--yet he miraculously recovers. Hige discovers that his collar made him an unwitting spy for Jaguara. There are genuinely intriguing elements in Wolf's Rain, which make the awkward pacing and often clumsy storytelling doubly frustrating. (Rated 13 and older: violence, alcohol and tobacco use) --Charles Solomon See less

Added on 11/17/06

Like many adventure series, Wolf's Rain depicts a world where advanced technology and magic or alchemy exist side by side. The lycanthropes Tsume, Toboe, Hige, and Kiba continue their search for the legendary Paradise, knowing that only the... See more

Like many adventure series, Wolf's Rain depicts a world where advanced technology and magic or alchemy exist side by side. The lycanthropes Tsume, Toboe, Hige, and Kiba continue their search for the legendary Paradise, knowing that only the mysterious flower-maiden Cheza can lead them there. But these four episodes consist almost entirely of flashbacks with only an occasional new scene or line of dialogue. The plot of Wolf's Rain is complicated, with secondary stories and minor characters the filmmakers have yet to develop fully, so one recap episode wouldn't be unwelcome. But four installments of repeated material in a 26-episode series suggests the story is inadequately developed, padded, or both. Hard-core fans of Wolf's Rain may want to own every disc in the series, but this material contributes precious little to the otherwise interesting narrative. (Rated 13 and older: violence, alcohol and tobacco use) --Charles Solomon See less

Added on 11/17/06

After a four-episode hiatus, the filmmakers pick up the story of Wolf's Rain and try to make up for lost time: each episode on this disc is crowded with events. Tsume, Toboe, Hige, and Kiba encounter an American Indian tribe who call... See more

After a four-episode hiatus, the filmmakers pick up the story of Wolf's Rain and try to make up for lost time: each episode on this disc is crowded with events. Tsume, Toboe, Hige, and Kiba encounter an American Indian tribe who call themselves--incongruously--the Hmong. Their noble kindness spurs the quartet to continue their quest to rescue Cheza and find Paradise. Cher and Hubb are reunited during her search for Cheza, then separated by Jaguara's henchmen. Cher continues the pursuit with Blue, who began as Quent's hunting dog, but discovered her lupine nature through contact with Cheza. Everyone is converging on Jaguara's castle, where the climactic battle will undoubtedly occur. Although the story has regained much of its excitement, making episodes 15-18 flashbacks threw the structure and pacing hopelessly out of balance. (Rated 13 and older: violence, alcohol and tobacco use) --Charles Solomon See less

Added on 11/17/06

Tokyo is the city where the final battle between the Dragon of Earth and the Dragon of Heaven will take place in the Japanese anime film X, directed by Rintaro (a.k.a. Tarô Rin; Astro Boy, Kimba the White Lion) and written by the all-woman writing... See more

Tokyo is the city where the final battle between the Dragon of Earth and the Dragon of Heaven will take place in the Japanese anime film X, directed by Rintaro (a.k.a. Tarô Rin; Astro Boy, Kimba the White Lion) and written by the all-woman writing team Clamp. The Dragon of Earth wants to wipe out humankind because of the damage people have inflicted on the Earth, while the Dragon of Heaven is fighting to protect civilization. At the center of all this is Kamui, the chosen one, who must pick a dragon to fight for. Full of dreams and flashbacks that pop up out of nowhere, the structure of X could be considered confusing and needlessly complex--if the story weren't so simple. Obviously, we're supposed to root for the Dragon of Heaven to win and save mankind, but the funny thing is, the Dragon of Earth has the better argument. If it were a debate, humanity would lose. But it's not a debate, it's an action film, and many of Tokyo's most famous buildings get destroyed in the battles. As... See less

Added on 11/17/06

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Added on 11/17/06

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Added on 11/17/06

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Added on 11/17/06

Raised in an Italian convent, 16-year-old Robin Sana returns to her native Japan to join the STNJ, a secret organization that captures, rather than kills, witches of both sexes. The typically mismatched crew includes hacker Michael Lee, rookie... See more

Raised in an Italian convent, 16-year-old Robin Sana returns to her native Japan to join the STNJ, a secret organization that captures, rather than kills, witches of both sexes. The typically mismatched crew includes hacker Michael Lee, rookie Haruto Sakaki, psychic Miho Karasuma, Yurika Dojima, the spoiled daughter of a prominent family, and icily aloof Amon, the de facto leader of the team. As a "craft user," Robin can conjure fire as a weapon, but has some trouble with her aim. Witch Hunter combines the subdued palette of Blood: The Last Vampire with the alienated tone of the Vampire Princess Miyu OVAs. The elegantly designed settings and skillful use of color are more interesting than the flat stories about pursuing the supernatural murderers. Included in the extras is the Maelifica Compendium, a veritable gold mine of mythological misinformation. (Rated 13 and older: violence, alcohol and tobacco use) --Charles Solomon See less

Added on 11/17/06

A decade after their last hilarious short, the Oscar-winning A Close Shave, Claymation wonders Wallace and Gromit return for a full-length adventure. Daffy scientist Wallace (voiced by Peter Sallis) and his heroic dog Gromit are doing well with their... See more

A decade after their last hilarious short, the Oscar-winning A Close Shave, Claymation wonders Wallace and Gromit return for a full-length adventure. Daffy scientist Wallace (voiced by Peter Sallis) and his heroic dog Gromit are doing well with their business, Anti-Pesto, a varmint-hunting outfit designed to keep their English town safe from rabbits chomping on prized vegetables. Wallace meets Lady Tottington (Helena Bonham Carter), who appreciates Wallace's humane way of dealing with rabbits (courtesy of the Bun-Vac 6000), and sets up a rivalry with the gun-toting Victor Quartermaine (Ralph Fiennes, enjoying himself more than ever). Creator Nick Park, with co-director/writer Steve Box, delivers a story worthy of the 85-minute running time, although it stretches the act a bit; the formula plays better shorter, but the literally hand-crafted film is a joy to watch. Taking a chapter from classic horror films, a giant were-rabbit is soon on the prowl, and the town is up in arms, what with... See less

Added on 11/17/06

Although it looks like a studio work, Voices of a Distant Star is a personal film, made almost entirely by a single artist, Makoto Shinkai. Mikako and Noboru are separated at the beginning of high school in 2046. She's accepted into the training... See more

Although it looks like a studio work, Voices of a Distant Star is a personal film, made almost entirely by a single artist, Makoto Shinkai. Mikako and Noboru are separated at the beginning of high school in 2046. She's accepted into the training program for mecha pilots to fight the aliens who attacked human settlements on Mars. As she moves across the miles and, ultimately, light years, she sends messages that the forlorn Noboru patiently awaits. The animation is largely restricted to camera moves over still artwork and CG objects, but Shinkai is a skillful enough director to tell this melancholy sci-fi romance through the strong music and vocal tracks. Voices of a Distant Star packs more of an emotional punch than many elaborate studio films. (Rated 13 and older, but suitable for viewers 2 years younger: minor violence) --Charles Solomon See less

Added on 11/17/06

D, a haunted half-human, half-vampire warrior, wanders the countryside of a feudalistic future, hunting his own kind while battling his own evil nature. Like a rogue samurai, the silent, solitary hero wanders into a small hamlet terrorized by the... See more

D, a haunted half-human, half-vampire warrior, wanders the countryside of a feudalistic future, hunting his own kind while battling his own evil nature. Like a rogue samurai, the silent, solitary hero wanders into a small hamlet terrorized by the all-powerful Count, a monstrous vampire lord, and his demonic minions from a castle that casts a long shadow over the countryside. The Count has claimed the human Doris (who wields a mean cutlass herself) as his bride. D becomes her protector and--when she's captured by the Count's shape-shifting minions--her savior. Designed in slashes and sharp, angular images and directed with abrupt explosions of lightning-fast action, Vampire Hunter D is violent and bloody in the mode of a samurai adventure. The sleek D is appropriately dark and quiet, cutting a mysterious figure, while the Count is a veritable demon of a vampire, a supernaturally powerful monster whose appetites know no bounds. The undercurrent of sexuality never spills over into the... See less

Added on 11/17/06

Who and what is Vash the Stampede, a.k.a. "The Humanoid Typhoon"? To bounty hunters, he's an outlaw with 60,000,000,000 Double Dollars on his head. To Meryl Stryfe and Millie Thompson of the Bernardelli Insurance Society, he's a walking disaster area... See more

Who and what is Vash the Stampede, a.k.a. "The Humanoid Typhoon"? To bounty hunters, he's an outlaw with 60,000,000,000 Double Dollars on his head. To Meryl Stryfe and Millie Thompson of the Bernardelli Insurance Society, he's a walking disaster area who's cost the company a fortune. To otaku, he's one of the most popular characters in anime. Based on Yasuhiro Nightow's manga, this comic adventure takes place in the distant future on a desert planet that looks like the American Old West. Vash wanders from town to town, unsuccessfully pursuing peace, doughnuts, and "the mayfly known as love." Meryl and Millie follow him, trying to minimize the destruction, but Vash's only real friend is the gun-totin' preacher Nicholas Wolfwood. Despite their grudging affection, Wolfwood articulates the other characters' thoughts when he tells Vash, "When you're around, things always seem to get worse!" Anime heroes tend to be either cold-blooded warriors who kill for honor (the Gundam Wing pilots) or... See less

Added on 11/17/06

With its hallucinatory visions of crawling dead babies and a grungy plunge into the filthiest toilet in Scotland, you might not think Trainspotting could have been one of the best movies of 1996, but Danny Boyle's film about unrepentant heroin... See more

With its hallucinatory visions of crawling dead babies and a grungy plunge into the filthiest toilet in Scotland, you might not think Trainspotting could have been one of the best movies of 1996, but Danny Boyle's film about unrepentant heroin addicts in Edinburgh is all that and more. That doesn't make it everybody's cup of tea (so unsuspecting viewers beware), but the film's blend of hyperkinetic humor and real-life horror is constantly fascinating, and the entire cast (led by Ewan McGregor and Full Monty star Robert Carlyle) bursts off of the screen in a supernova of outrageous energy. Adapted by John Hodge from the acclaimed novel by Irving Welsh, the film was a phenomenal hit in England, Scotland, and (to a lesser extent) the U.S. For all of its comedic vitality and invigorating filmmaking, the movie is no ode to heroin, nor is it a straight-laced cautionary tale. Trainspotting is just a very honest and well-made film about the nature of addiction, and it doesn't pull any punches... See less

Added on 11/17/06

In The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, director Wes Anderson takes his familiar stable of actors on a field trip to a fantasy aquarium, complete with stop-motion, candy-striped crabs and rainbow seahorses. And though Anderson does expand his... See more

In The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, director Wes Anderson takes his familiar stable of actors on a field trip to a fantasy aquarium, complete with stop-motion, candy-striped crabs and rainbow seahorses. And though Anderson does expand his horizons in terms of retro-special effects and a whimsical use of color, fans will otherwise find themselves in well-charted waters. As The Life Aquatic opens, Zissou (Bill Murray), a self-involved, Jacques Cousteau-like filmmaker, has just released a documentary depicting the death of his best friend Esteban, who was eaten by some sort of sea creature--possibly a jaguar shark. Zissou's troubles also include his waning popularity with the public, and a nemesis (Jeff Goldblum) who hogs up all the grant money. Hope arrives in the form of Ned Plimpton (Owen Wilson), an amiable Kentuckian who may be Zissou's son. Despite his lack of enthusiasm for fatherhood, Zissou welcomes Ned--and Ned in turn saves Zissou's new documentary (in which he seeks... See less

Added on 11/17/06

In a fitting follow-up to Rushmore, writer-director Wes Anderson and cowriter-actor Owen Wilson have crafted another comedic masterwork that ripples with inventive, richly emotional substance. Because of the all-star cast, hilarious dialogue, and... See more

In a fitting follow-up to Rushmore, writer-director Wes Anderson and cowriter-actor Owen Wilson have crafted another comedic masterwork that ripples with inventive, richly emotional substance. Because of the all-star cast, hilarious dialogue, and oddball characters existing in their own, wholly original universe, it's easy to miss the depth and complexity of Anderson's brand of comedy. Here, it revolves around Royal Tenenbaum (Gene Hackman), the errant patriarch of a dysfunctional family of geniuses, including precocious playwright Margot (Gwyneth Paltrow), boyish financier and grieving widower Chas (Ben Stiller), and has-been tennis pro Richie (Luke Wilson). All were raised with supportive detachment by mother Etheline (Anjelica Huston), and all ache profoundly for a togetherness they never really had. The Tenenbaums reconcile somehow, but only after Anderson and Wilson (who costars as a loopy literary celebrity) put them through a compassionate series of quirky confrontations and... See less

Added on 11/17/06

Epic Action Drama. Set in Japan during the 1870s, The Last Samurai tells the story of Capt. Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise), a respected American military officer hired by the Emperor of Japan to train the country's first army in the art of modern... See more

Epic Action Drama. Set in Japan during the 1870s, The Last Samurai tells the story of Capt. Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise), a respected American military officer hired by the Emperor of Japan to train the country's first army in the art of modern warfare. As the Emperor attempts to eradicate the ancient Imperial Samurai warriors in preparation for more Westernized and trade-friendly government policies, Algren finds himself unexpectedly impressed and influenced by his encounters with the Samurai, which places him at the center of a struggle between two eras and two worlds, with only his own sense of honor to guide him.Running Time: 154 min.Format: DVD MOVIE See less

Added on 11/17/06

When you add up all the best things about The Island, you might just conclude that there's hope yet for Hollywood's most critically reviled hit-maker, Michael Bay. Recruited by Steven Spielberg to direct this lavish and often breathtaking sci-fi... See more

When you add up all the best things about The Island, you might just conclude that there's hope yet for Hollywood's most critically reviled hit-maker, Michael Bay. Recruited by Steven Spielberg to direct this lavish and often breathtaking sci-fi action thriller, Bay rises to the occasion with an ambitious production that is, by his standards (and compared to Bay's earlier hits like The Rock and Armageddon), surprisingly intelligent as it explores the repercussions of cloning in a sealed-off society where humans are cultivated for spare parts, surrogate parenthood, and full-body replacements for wealthy clientele. But when two of the clones (Ewan McGregor, Scarlett Johanssen) begin to question their fate and the motives of their keepers, they escape into the real world and The Island becomes just another Michael Bay action extravaganza, albeit an impressively exciting one. With elaborate chase scenes and a high-tech feast of CGI to dazzle the eye, The Island recycles much of the plot... See less

Added on 11/17/06

From the Academy Award(R) winning creators of FINDING NEMO (2003 Best Animated Feature Film) comes the action-packed animated adventure about the mundane and incredible lives of a house full of superheroes. Bob Parr and his wife Helen used to be... See more

From the Academy Award(R) winning creators of FINDING NEMO (2003 Best Animated Feature Film) comes the action-packed animated adventure about the mundane and incredible lives of a house full of superheroes. Bob Parr and his wife Helen used to be among the world's greatest crime fighters, saving lives and battling evil on a daily basis. Fifteen years later, they have been forced to adopt civilian identities and retreat to the suburbs where they live "normal" lives with their three kids, Violet, Dash, and Jack-Jack. Itching to get back into action, Bob gets his chance when a mysterious communication summons him to a remote island for a top secret assignment. He soon discovers that it will take a super family effort to rescue the world from total destruction. Exploding with fun and featuring an all-new animated short film, this spectacular 2-disc collector's edition DVD is high-flying entertainment for everyone. See less

Added on 11/17/06

Just because Walt Disney created contemporary and traditional classics of animation doesn't mean the studio is out of ideas--not by a long shot. The Great Mouse Detective is richly animated and offers a clever tale. It may not be as easily... See more

Just because Walt Disney created contemporary and traditional classics of animation doesn't mean the studio is out of ideas--not by a long shot. The Great Mouse Detective is richly animated and offers a clever tale. It may not be as easily recognized a title as Aladdin or The Little Mermaid, but all three share the same director, Ron Clements. Originally released theatrically in 1986, the mystery borrows easily from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes and is based on Eve Titus's book Basil of Baker Street. When a brilliant toymaker is kidnapped by a creepy peg-legged bat, his daughter, Olivia, enlists the aid of the legendary Basil. Basil, Olivia, and Basil's assistant, Dr. Dawson, are part of an intricate city system of Victorian-era London mice. Basil quickly realizes his archenemy, Professor Ratigan (a rat who wants to be a mouse), is behind the abduction. Ratigan (voiced by Vincent Price) fiendishly aspires to take over London rodents--and will stop at nothing to achieve... See less

Added on 11/17/06

Inspired by a famous 1971 psychological experiment, Oliver Hirschbiegel's German-language movie The Experiment finds a group of 20 volunteers randomly divided into 12 prisoners and eight guards and asked to play out their roles for a fortnight while... See more

Inspired by a famous 1971 psychological experiment, Oliver Hirschbiegel's German-language movie The Experiment finds a group of 20 volunteers randomly divided into 12 prisoners and eight guards and asked to play out their roles for a fortnight while scientists study their reactions. A conflict arises between undercover reporter Fahd (Moritz Bleibtreu), a con with a hidden agenda, and the apparently mild-mannered Berus (Justus von Dohnanyi), a guard with a megalomaniac streak. The film begins as a psychological drama as ordinary people settle into the game, with joking displays of resistance by the "prisoners" greeted with increasing brutality from the "guards," but detours into suspense and horror as Fahd, who needs the experiment to get out of hand in order to make his story more saleable, deliberately ratchets up the tension between the factions only to see the situation spiral nightmarishly out of control as various test subjects in both camps edge closer to snapping. With a... See less

Added on 11/17/06

Turbo-charged comic Jack Black shakes School of Rock to its foundations, wailing with born-again metalhead passion as Dewey Finn, a guitarist who gets kicked out of a band because he grandstands too much--or, to put it another way, enjoys himself.... See more

Turbo-charged comic Jack Black shakes School of Rock to its foundations, wailing with born-again metalhead passion as Dewey Finn, a guitarist who gets kicked out of a band because he grandstands too much--or, to put it another way, enjoys himself. Through an intercepted phone call, Finn gets a job as a substitute teacher for a fifth grade class at a private grade school. Neither students nor teacher quite know what to do with each other until Finn discovers that some of his young charges can play instruments; at once he starts turning them into a blistering rock & roll troupe that can crush his former band at an upcoming competition. School of Rock is silly and formulaic, but director Richard Linklater (Dazed and Confused), writer Mike White (The Good Girl), and especially Black and co-star Joan Cusack invest the formulas with such glee that the movie is irresistibly fun. --Bret Fetzer See less

Added on 11/17/06

Director Shinichiro Watanabe continues to push the envelope as his outrageous adventure-comedy Samurai Champloo nears the end of its first season. The encounter between Fuu, Jin, and Mugen and a mysterious musician-assassin raises more questions than... See more

Director Shinichiro Watanabe continues to push the envelope as his outrageous adventure-comedy Samurai Champloo nears the end of its first season. The encounter between Fuu, Jin, and Mugen and a mysterious musician-assassin raises more questions than it answers: The three misfits' trip to Nagasaki apparently involves greater issues than they realize. Fans of Cowboy Bebop may find the eerily surreal "Cosmic Collisions" recalls the "Mushroom Samba" episode of Watanabe's previous series. A clipper ship from the U.S. arrives in Japan decades before Commodore Perry, and the depiction of the Americans is anything but flattering. A nascent crisis involving questions of honor has to be resolved in a baseball game: Mugen makes sports history as the first man to pitch a no-hitter in getta (platform clogs). Only Watanabe could drop a baseball game into an Edo-era coastal village and make it feel plausible. (Rated 16 and older: violence, violence against women, profanity, alcohol and tobacco... See less

Added on 11/17/06

Neon Genesis Evangelion's trailblazing blend of action and philosophy immediately elevated it above the pack and accounts for its enduring popularity. The series, which originally aired in Japan from 1995 to 1996, has exerted a strong influence on... See more

Neon Genesis Evangelion's trailblazing blend of action and philosophy immediately elevated it above the pack and accounts for its enduring popularity. The series, which originally aired in Japan from 1995 to 1996, has exerted a strong influence on anime ever since. See less