Saved!
MGM Home Entertainment

- This is wickedly funny film about life at a Christian High School and the obsessive behavior of some of the students is also charming and quietly brilliant. When good girl Mary (Jena Malone) gets pregnant, her popularity hit the skids and her best friend, Hilary Faye played by the delightful Mandy Moore turns on her. The filmmakers Brian Dannelly and Michael Urban are making a statement about religious zealotry and the general adolescent angst but to set their story in such a setting is bold and subversive. This is a smart teen comedy!

The young cast is also wonderful. Besides the lovely Jena Malone ("Cold Mountain," "Dangerous Lives of Alter Boys") and popular teen ingenue Mandy Moore ("Walk to Remember"), director Dannelly has also cast former child star, Macaulay Culkin ("Home Alone") who firmly establishes himself as a young adult actor. He plays Hilary Faye's wheel chair bound brother who eagerly pursues a romance with the quirky Jewish girl. His sly wise-cracks and quiet personality reminds everyone that people with phsyical challenges also have a brain. "Almost Famous" star Patrick Fugit, "Welcome to the Dollhouse" starlet Heather Matarazzo and newcomer Eva Amurri, who is the daughter Susan Sarandon's daughter round out the cast. Dannelly bravely explores issues of teen individuality, sexuality and religious confusion.

The DVD is stuffed with deleted scenes, funny bloopers, audio commentary by the director, writer and the two stars -- Malone and Moore and a wonderful behind the scenes featurette. This is a clever, interesting movies with loads of extras.

The Box
MTI Home Entertainment

- This hard-luck story about an ex-con trying to go straight and an ex-stripper looking for a new life was written by its star, James Russo. Gritty, intense and chilling, this dark tale is set in Los Angeles's underbelly of petty criminals, psychopaths and undesirables. Of course, this is familiar territory for Russo, a veteran character actor best known for roles in such films as "Donnie Brasco, " "Once Upon a Time in America," "The Postman" and "Open Range." Russo crafts a straight-forward story of desperate lives and violence with a poignant edge. His co-star Theresa Russell ("Wild Things") is still vibrant and sensual as a decent woman with a troubled past. Her emotional outbursts compliment Russo's quiet sullenness and anger. When the couple stumbles upon a box belonging to Russell's ex-husband, their lives take an unexpected dangerous turn.

Russo, who also co-produced the film, has aassembled an excellent cast of well-known faces -- Brad Dourif ("The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King"), Jon Polito ("The Last Shot") and Michael Rooker ("Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer") -- and audiences who regularly view thrillers will delight in their performances. "The Box" is an taunt little thriller.

Unfortunately, the DVD lacks an audio commentary from Russo or the director. It would have been interesting to hear the actor's views on writing his first feature and creating the film. The DVD has widescreen format, scene selection, subtitles and Dolby Digital Stereo.

Heartlands
Miramax Home Entertainment

- When Colin (Michael Sheen) discovers his wife, Sandra's infidelity with his best friend, he's desvastated. Sandra is the center of this quiet, young man's life and he's frozen with disappointment and anger. Yes, Colin lives a bland life operating his own business in the locale magazine store and spending uneventful nights drinking in the pub and practicing darts with his mates. He decides that he can't live without Sandra so when he's bounced from the darts team trip to Blackpool, he follows Sandra and her new love to the seaside resort. And, something wonderful happens! Colin discovers that he loves traveling on the quiet roads, camping with felllow motorcycle enthusiasts and making new friends. Colin discovers that he has true grit. He had settled for a quiet life without ever venturing out into the world and now that he's out and about, he loves it. His broken heart has given him insight into other people's problems and their ability to care on. He knows that he'll be able to care on , too.

The Dolby Digital surround sounds disc has no special features especial Spanish language subtitles. But this quiet film is poignant, smart and very touching. It's a perfect little gem.

The Alamo
Touchstone Home Entertainment

- The latest adaptation of The Alamo, a remote Texas settlement where Americans were hoping to keep the Mexican government at bay and establish a free-wheeling American state, is a raw look at all of the historical figures. This is a gritty, patient film that unfolds slowly allowing the viewer a chance to get to know all of the well known American folk heroes who were killed during the fightings. Native Texan, Dennis Quaid plays Sam Houston the offical leader of this frontier terroritory who eventuallydefeated the Mexican army. The all-star cast includes Billy Bob Thornton as a peaceful David Crockett, a man looking for a financial opportuntity but instead realized that he'd been dupped by the bragging and bravado. Jason Patric plays James Bowie, the infamous knife expert who was dying to tubercuoulos. Patrick Wilson plays Lt. Col. William Travis who makes the fatal mistake of under-estimating Santa Ana (Emilio Echevarria). The sense of adventure seems lost and instead we're left with a slow, boring film.

The DVD has some fascinating historical documentaries about Texas, the Alamo and the men who were scouring the West. Featurettes like "Walking in the Footsteps of Heroes," and "Deep in the Heart of Texans" are informative and entertaining. There are deleted scenes and a behind the scenes featurette are also inlcuded.

Edited by Veronica Mixon
images courtesy of MGM, Miramax, MTI and Touchstone.

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