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Even if a big-screen Western comeback never reaches fruition, the DVD format has seen some true classics of the genre finally get their due. None more so than “Spaghetti Western,” the misbegotten children of Hollywood mythmakers like John Ford filtered through that peculiarly Italian sensibility. But the sub-genre goes much deeper than the seminal work of Eastwood and Leone’s “Dollars” trilogy. Both the good and the bad, the visceral and the political, come to a head in Anchor Bay’s “Once Upon A Time In Italy Collection,” gathering five impressive previously released films into one sweet looking box set. Taking them on alphabetically, “A Bullet For the General” (AKA “Quien Sabe” or “Who Knows?”) is a subtly powerful political statement from director Damiano Damiani disguised as a buddy picture. Chuncho, a bandit/revolutionary with an unquenchable lust for life, befriends a mysterious American he nicknames “Nino.” With the gringo’s help, Chuncho and his gang sweep through Mexico gatheri...

THE FLICK: Born of an era when every low-budget film producer was looking for an angle to make a quick buck in the exploitation market, ÒFight For Your LifeÓ plays the race card with a vengeance Ð pitting a trio of escaped cons (led by white trash kingpin William Sanderson) against an innocent suburban black family. Hurling epithets and punches with equal ferocity, the movie aims to shock (especially with a third act twist akin to ÒLast House on the LeftÓ) but is actually fairly tame by cult cinema standards. Sanderson and his crew taunt their hostages with every ÒdarkieÓ insult you can imagine, but the presiding head of the household (Robert Judd), a minister, insists on turning the other cheekÉuntil he just canÕt take it anymore! (Yup, just like the movie poster). ThereÕs one or two cold-blooded murders, one attempted rape, three successful rapes, and the brutal braining of a 12-year-old boy. And thatÕs before anyone starts fighting back! As ferocious as it all sounds, director Rober...

Making the transition from the comfortable grind of a successful weekly TV series to the bright lights of big-time Hollywood movies has produced more than a few casualties. For every Michael J. Fox or Tim Allen fortunate enough to find the right material, thereÕs a sad-sack like David Caruso who gambled and lost. Others like Jerry Seinfeld are just too smart to try. Ray Romano finds himself in a reasonably good position with ÒWelcome to Mooseport,Ó surrounded by some great actors (Gene Hackman, Marcia Gay Harden, Maura Tierney) and a slew of small town oddballs. So imagine the irony that itÕs Romano himself, and his rambling slow-paced delivery, that seem out of place. When the backwater burg invites the most popular ex-president in history (played to the hilt by Hackman) to be its Mayor, they spark a media feeding frenzy as RomanoÕs handyman character decides to start his own campaign Ð incensed that his long-time girlfriend (Tierney) accepted a date from the commander in chief. The s...

THE FLICK: At their best, Robert RodriguezÕ ÒSpy KidsÓ films are seat-of-your-pants storytelling, blessed with a healthy dose of improvised imagination. The director makes no secret that he likes to work fast and loose, below the studioÕs radar, giving him free reign to make movies his way. The results are a mixed success, with the second film in the series, Island of Lost Dreams, still the most inspired. In the case of ÒSpy Kids 3D: Game Over,Ó the formula is a tad muddled, with most of the series regulars (Antonio Banderas, Carla Gugino and even senior Spy Kid Alexa Vega) relegated to third act cameos. This time the series weakest link, Juni Cortez (Daryl Sabara), is assigned the big mission: stop a cyber-baddie named the Toymaker (Sylvester Stallone) by entering the video game world to prevent kids everywhere from being brainwashed. Ricardo Montalban as Grandfather Cailsta Cortez follows him into the game to help spring JuniÕs kidnapped spy sibling, Carmen. Even without the 3D gimmi...

THE FLICK: For all the bad press Disney has received of late about trouble in the board of directors, the disheartening split from Pixar and the general disarray of the mouse house, allow me to give them some love for the direct-to-video debut of “Lion King 1 1/2.” While not equal to the majesty of the original, the hyperactive story combined with original voice talents like Nathan Lane and Whoopi Goldberg show some concerted effort was put into making this more than just a franchise filibuster for parent’s hard earned dough. The movie follows second bananas Timon and Pumbaa on their quest for “Hakuna Matata” as the events from the first film take place concurrently. Meaning, we see the original “Lion King” through the eyes of the comic relief rather than Simba. It’s a fun gimmick, starting with Timon’s escape from a life of drudgery digging tunnels with his family to his eventual run in a flatulent boar named Pumbaa. Together they find a paradise of no worries, into which Simba appear...

THE FLICK: “Lost in Translation” is a film that finds itself – that’s coincidentally about finding yourself. It’s aimless, free form style (along with the spacey-tunes by ex-“My Bloody Valentine” guitarist Kevin Shields) is a perfect match for the improvisational talents of Bill Murray who stars as Bob Harris, an American actor filming a commercial in Tokyo. Scarlett Johansson is Charlotte, the bored wife of a workaholic photographer in Japan on business. Their chance meetings strike up a friendship and an unspoken connection that allows director Sofia Coppola’s film to take on a playful air of innocence despite the drastic age difference between the two leads. Never quite a comedy – although Murray is given free reign to be himself – the film is brilliantly adept at never saying more than it has too. Coppola explores her own artistic sensibilities as Bob and Charlotte explore the city, drifting through an endless barrage of neon lights and late-night parties. “Lost in Translation” dev...

The ÒTrekÓ films almost made a fatal mistake with part ÒV,Ó which disappointed even die-hard fans with its out-of-character stabs at humor and lapses in sci-fi logic. So itÕs no surprise the studio turned to the two men responsible for the successful even-numbered films in the franchise to pull their collective fat out of the fire and give the original Enterprise crew a more respectful send off. Leonard Nimoy and Nicholas Meyer were never afraid to mess with creator Gene RoddenberryÕs vision, which made their films more accessible to audiences that couldnÕt understand the Trek universe. Parallels to 20th century life abound, and, in the case of ÒStar Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country,Ó are often the jumping off point for a metaphorical discussion on current affairs. The hot topic in 1991 was the demise of the communist regime and the uneasy peace between two superpowers. ÒTrek VIÓ transposes the idea to outer space with the wall coming down between the Klingon and Federation empires. B...

THE FLICK: There are very few auteurs still working at the top of their game. Spielberg sold out. Scorsece has lost his edge. Even indies like Cronenberg and Lynch are only intermittently engaging. Yet maverick moviemaker Terry Gilliam continues to deliver fantastically challenging films full of comic genius and visual bravado. And “Time Bandits” is where it all started. After co-directing “Monty Python & The Holy Grail” (as well as the solo project, “Jabberwocky”), Gilliam came into his own with this imaginative take on the standard time travel story. Young Kevin (Craig Warock) is kidnapped by a gang of squabbling dwarves who drag him from one famous historical locale to another. Using a stolen “map of the known universe,” they loot from the likes of Napoleon (Ian Holm), King Agamemnon (Sean Connery) and Robin Hood (John Cleese). Pursued by the “Supreme Being” (Ralph Richardson), the wacky group eventually becomes prisoners of “Evil” (David Warner) and must defeat him to save them...

THE FLICK: As the Western stops and starts its way to a comeback of sorts, a new generation of filmmakers look to put their brand on the genre. Kevin Costner has a head start, having appeared in three previous outings (“Silverado, Dances With Wolves & Wyatt Earp) with varying degrees of success. And it’s obvious that the myth of the Western hero holds a particular appeal for him both as an actor and director. “Open Range” is an undisguised tribute to the men of the frontier – those who traded the comforts of civilization for a life of simple freedoms. But when those freedoms are threatened, as they are in the film by a monopolistic cattle baron who objects to freegrazers Charlie (Costner) and Boss Stegg (Robert Duvall) on his land, the true nature of Man comes into question. For the Charlie the question is, can 10 years of living at peace with himself erase a lifetime of killing? If that sounds a bit like “Unforgiven,” you’re right. But where Eastwood’s film was a nihilistic ode to...

THE FLICK: “Winged Migration” impresses on two levels. First is the innovative and extraordinary photographic accomplishment of capturing images of birds in flight the way they never have before. Second is the behind-the-scenes commitment it took (4 years, 3 directors and 8 ultra-light planes over every continent on the planet) to bring the film to the screen. Inspired by the footage from “Fly Away Home,” lead director Jacques Perrin set out to follow the migratory existence of several species of birds - geese, pelicans, ducks, and a few more colorful varieties. Traveling upwards of 1500 miles on their journey, the scenery is as much a part of the wonder of the film as the birds themselves. The camera soars over mountains, forests, oceans and cities, then skims the ground for a “bird’s eye” view of a life in flight. Yes, it’s a nature film. But there is relatively little commentary and Perrin’s goal seems much more philosophical than educational. Just when things seem to be getting rep...

THE FLICKS: It’s enough to restore your faith in your fellow man. It’s proof there is a higher power. Or at the very least it’s proof that years of internet whining can make a difference. What’ s the big announcement? After 50 years of waiting, the big green lizard himself, Godzilla, is finally speaking Japanese. Well, he’s not actually talking, but all the poor saps he’s stepping on are. And for once fans get to hear the original audio tracks with English “dubtitles” (translations of the English dubs) in place of the unintentionally hilarious voice work. The first two releases to get the treatment on DVD are “Godzilla vs. Megaguirus” and “Godzilla, Mothra, Ghidorah – All Out Monster Attack,” both part of the new wave of G-films that arrived in the post-Roland Emmerich re-make era. Like “Godzilla 2000,” which saw a brief theatrical window in the States, these films feature better effects and bigger explosions, although still relying mostly on “man in a suit” technology. “Megaguirus” is...

Buffalo Soldiers is one of those movies that swings both ways. It can be either a dark comedy or an amusing tragedy depending on how you look at it. Set during on a U.S. military base in West Germany during the fall of the Berlin Wall, Joaquin Phoenix stars as ÒRadarÓ-like company clerk Ray Elwood (that is, if Radar cooked heroin and screwed his superiorÕs daughter in his spare time) whose corrupt and jaded attitude is pervasive throughout his fellow soliders. With peace comes boredom, and the ex-cons and high school drop-outs in uniform are looking out for themselves - arranging big money arms deals with a side of smack. Director Gregor JordanÕs film turns up the heat as Elwood gets cornered by a new gung-ho sergeant (Scott Glenn) out to clean house. Meanwhile, his buddies are getting picked off one by one in a black market deal gone bad. Can the love of a good woman and a dash of reality turn one man around? A harsh satire of military politics and our species as a whole, the best thi...

THE FLICK: Few actors defined a role so unassumingly as Henry Fonda did as the legendary Wyatt Earp in “My Darling Clementine.” And few directors could have shaped the by now predictable ricochets from the gunfight at the O.K. Corral as expertly as John Ford, whose collaborations with Fonda always brought out the humanist in both of them. Playing fast and loose with history (despite Ford’s claim to have gotten the true facts from Earp himself), “Clementine” re-stages the famous shootout as little more than an footnote to the everyday challenges of life on the frontier and the constant struggle between savagery and civilization. After the Earp’s cattle are rustled and youngest brother killed by members of the Clanton clan, Wyatt sticks around Tombstone as the new Marshall until he can bring the killers to justice. His role as lawman also puts him at odds with Doc Holiday, the quick draw artist who runs the local gambling hall. And their relationship becomes even more strained when Holid...

THE FLICKS: Most movies try their best to disguise they era in which they were created (70’s sci-fi flicks being the exception...apparently they were pretty confident that polyester would stand the test of time). But Brian DePalma’s “Scarface” embraces the decadence and self-destruction of the 80’s as the backdrop for a re-imagining of the gangster classic with Al Pacino as the dangerously ambitious Cuban immigrant Tony Montana. It’s safe to say we wouldn’t even be enjoying this 2nd special edition if it wasn’t for all the exposure “Scarface” receives on MTV’s “Cribs,” in which every gold-toothed rapper proudly displays their copy of the film on their shelf. At the time of its release, Pacino’s over-the-top performance was about the only thing that attracted positive reviews. Oliver Stone’s brutal, profanity laced script hit the screen after fighting its way past an X-rating, only to do moderate business at the box office. But from these humble beginnings a cult film was borne. Bereft ...

THE FLICK: Now that all the hype has died down around the “Matrix Trilogy” – replaced by crushing disappointment – it’s hard to remember which came first, the Wachowski Brothers sci-fi digital revolution or the Japanese culture that inspired it. The simultaneous release of “The Animatrix” on DVD showed that the filmmakers were eager to give credit where it was due. So even though there’s no glowing endorsement on the front cover, “Avalon,” the latest in a number of “Matrix” knock-offs, should garner a little extra love. Why? Because director Mamoru Oshii was also responsible for the seminal anime “Ghost in the Shell,” which was one of many templates reinterpreted for American audiences to “ooh” and “ahhh” over. This existential action film is likely as close as one can get to translating the Japanese animation style into a live-action film: emotionally barren but undeniably visionary. In an alternate reality somewhere between Orwell and the Holocaust, gamers compete in a worldwide on-l...

It’s tough to criticize the final chapter of Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings” trilogy. Even casual fans now seem to defend Tolkien’s text with almost biblical fervor, frothing at the mouth at even the mention of literary meddling. Which is a shame, because other than Jackson’s slavish attachment to the source material, “Return of the King” is a largely successful conclusion for Frodo, Gandalf, Aragorn and the rest of the Middle Earth gang. The film’s visual effects quite literally reach a peak, with a distinctly vertical sense of dizzying heights prevalent in Frodo and Sam’s ascent of Mount Doom and the towering city of Gondor, the focal point of Sauron’s attack against all Mankind. There’s a great deal of emotional set-up before we make it to the big show – a winner take all battle between the newly crowned King Aragorn and an endless army of Mordor’s enemy forces. If you’re mouth doesn’t hang open in awe, you’re jaw must be wired shut. But for all the grandiose images on display, ...

THE FLICK: Some films are fatally flawed. Script problems, bland direction, weak acting Ð take your pick. Like Hill House or the Ford Fury in Stephen KingÕs ÒChristine,Ó theyÕre just born bad. Others suffer from, for lack of a better term, Òbad apples.Ó Creatively and competently executed, there remain enough head-scratching moments of Òwhat were they thinking!Ó to stink up (but not spoil) the whole experience. Yet sometimes those Òbad applesÓ make for an infinite amount of re-watchibility; as if one were hoping the film would miraculously correct itself with each new viewing. And for whatever reason (thereÕs a lot of personal bias in the Òbad appleÓ theory), ÒThe League of Extraordinary GentlemenÓ fits quite nicely into the latter category. A moderately big-budget adaptation of the Alan Moore graphic novel built around the audacious idea of classic Victorian literary figures (Alan Quartermain, Dorian Gray, The Invisible Man, Dr. Jekyll, Mina Harker, Captain Nemo & Tom Sawyer) band...

For those that donÕt ÒgetÓ animation (i.e., close-minded, over-educated snobs with no sense of humor) shows like ÒSouth Park,Ó ÒThe SimpsonsÓ and the late-great ÒFuturamaÓ must seem like annoying Saturday morning escapees that accidentally wound up in prime time. DonÕt bother to convince them otherwise. TheyÕll never grasp the comic timing of a well-placed ÒDÕoh!Ó or appreciate the familiar refrain of ÒScrew you guys, IÕm going home!Ó In fact, that last sentence has them so confused, angry and disoriented theyÕre rushing to the TV for a live-action fix of Courtney Cox-Arquette. ÒSouth Park: The Complete Third Season,Ó in the words of creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, is where the cardboard cutout show truly came together. The character quirks, interwoven plots, and no-limits sense of humor found a groove that became familiar rather than formulaic Ð playing off the now well-established cast of oddball personalities and scathing celebrity cameos. The seventeen episodes collected in Pa...

THE FLICK: Fans of Johnny Depp will say itÕs about time the rest of the country woke up and appreciated one of the most interesting and eccentric actors of our generation. But ÒPiratesÓ didnÕt exactly shove the smelling salts under John Q. PublicÕs nose; most folks already had a good idea what Depp was capable of from modest hits like ÒEdward ScissorhandsÓ and ÒSleepy Hollow.Ó More accurately, it was Depp himself who finally broke down and channeled his independent spirit into the Hollywood mainstream. Director Gore Verbinski captures the feel of classic swashbucklers past and the squeaky clean fun of the Disney thrill ride the filmÕs based on. But without his leading pirate the movie would be just more big budget eye candy. Depp, famously basing his performance on StoneÕs guitarist Keith Richards, is a fumbling, mumbling wreck of a pirate whoÕs much cleverer than he looks. As Captain Jack Sparrow, he overwhelms even the most elaborate special effect in the film and lifts the material ...

THE FLICK: Like it or not, season two of “Alias” was defined by the post-Super Bowl spectacular that featured superspy Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner) in even more revealing outfits than usual. The fact that it spun the series into a completely different direction was a fringe benefit. Give creator J.J. Abrahms credit for not letting his show sit on its laurels and keeping audience’s guessing just when they thought things were starting to make sense. Plot threads that will pique regular viewers interest: the return of Syndey’s mother (and her mysterious motivations), shifting personal and professional alliances, a budding romance with CIA handler Vaughn and plenty of one-shot supervillians and good guys like Ethan Hawke, Christian Slater and Rutger Hauer. Although the sense of discovery that made Season One appointment television is lacking and the formula is becoming a bit transparent, how do these next 22 episodes stand up? Very well, thank you very much. Many of the juicy secrets t...

THE FLICK: The DVD format has made it fashionable to label nearly every special edition re-release a “classic.” That’s capitalism at work. And it’s hard to argue when so many obscure one-hit-wonders not only get the digital treatment, but are also hailed as masterpieces in their own mini-genres. So for a film like “Once Upon A Time In The West,” director Sergio Leone’s finest work and a high point of the Western, to slip quietly into the night would have been more than a shame...it would have been embarrassment. Thankfully, Paramount came through and Leone’s epic not only shines on home video, it runs a few minutes longer to boot. Made from fragments of Leone’s own work, and those classic Westerns he idolized (most notably “High Noon” and “Johnny Guitar”), “Once Upon A Time...” is both the last gasp and an invigorating shot in the arm for a dying genre. Charles Bronson is another “man with no name” (although everyone calls him “Harmonica”), Henry Fonda is a cold-blooded killer (for the...

THE FLICK: Let’s sit back and marvel for a moment at the accomplishments of director Bryan Singer and the creative team behind “X-Men” and “X2.” Not only did they turn in a faithful adaptation of comicdom’s most beloved team of misunderstood mutant superheroes, but they made the often soap-operatic storyline accessible to anyone and everyone who was lucky enough to buy a ticket. And while the first film served as an excellent introduction to the mutant menace, “X2” is an improvement in almost every respect. More action. More characters. More depth. And more visual razzle dazzle - the only element that was lacking in Singer’s first go round with Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) and the gang. “X2” takes the idea of mutant prejudice to the next level by introducing the character of Stryker (Brian Cox), a right-wing military man with a grudge to bear against Professor X (Patrick Stewart) and his school for gifted youngsters. His plan for global mutant genocide forces the X-Men into action, teaming...

THE FLICKS: Attaching a quote to a box set that proudly labels Gualtiero Jacopetti and Franco Prosperi “perhaps the most devious and irresponsible filmmakers who have ever lived” is bound to either pull you in or turn you off. And Blue Underground’s immense 8-disc “Mondo Cane Collection” is likely the most gorgeous love it or leave it DVD product released this year. Comprised of five films, two directors cuts and a full-length documentary, some might question the loving care that went into acquiring and restoring films that have been decried as pornographic, racist, sensationalistic, and entirely fabricated. But extreme opinions add up to interesting filmmaking. And the “Mondo” films are always that. “Mondo Cane” (1962) (translated as Dog’s World) was the first of the so-called “shockumentaries,” gathering footage from around the world of the strange, bizarre, exotic, and just plain disgusting. It set the stage for latter day imitators like “Faces of Death” and a slew of other films th...

THE FLICK: Even before “Finding Nemo,” it was patently obvious that Pixar Studios had found the key to producing consistently outstanding animated films. What separates “Toy Story,” “A Bug’s Life” and “Monsters Inc.” from other family fare are strong scripts and characters that appeal to every age, not just children. It’s that ability to entertain beyond the so-called “target audience” that explains how “Nemo” swam to the of the box office last year...and now dives into home video with a two-disc collector’s edition DVD. More of a typical Disney plot, “Finding Nemo” follows the deep sea quest of Marlin, a clownfish (voiced by Albert Brooks) as he crosses the ocean to find his son who’s been scooped up and plopped in an Australian dentist’s fish tank. Marlin’s misadventures along the way, including a run-in with sharks, sea turtles, whales, ravenous seagulls, and a dimwitted tag-along named Dory (Ellen Degeneres), make for a charming, funny, and warmly familiar fish tale. THE FEATURES: ...

THE FLICK: Willis O’Brien is the cinematic equivalent of a one-hit-wonder. There’s no denying “King Kong” is a milestone in movie history. Even the stop-motion animator’s silent warm-up, “The Lost World,” pushed the art of filmmaking into a fantastic new direction. But O’Brien’s career seemed to topple with Kong’s long fall off the Empire State Building. “The Black Scorpion” (1957) is one of his latter efforts and is hampered by a low budget, hammy acting, and all the contrived set-ups of the giant bug genre. That being said, there’s still a lot to enjoy once the talking stops and O’Brien’s title character starts tearing up the screen. After being awakened by a volcano, a swarm of prehistoric scorpions descend on Mexican peasants, eating livestock and disturbing the peace. Luckily, a Norte Americano scientist and his Mexican sidekick volunteer to meet the big bugs on their own turf, at the bottom of a bottomless cavern that serves as a “lost world” of its own. The plan fails and eventu...

THE FLICK: Those who insist on trying to convert the unenlightened to the stop-motion artistry of Ray Harryhausen are fighting a losing battle. As the effects master’s lifelong friend Ray Bradbury puts it, “We grew old together, but we never grew up.” And that’s the key to enjoying films like “Beast from 20,000 Fathoms” and “Valley of Gwangi”; keeping your heart and mind open to the fantastic. The vast majority of audiences simply don’t get it, but those that do are in for a treat. “Beast” is loosely based on a short story by Bradbury and is also Harryhausen’s first solo project (he assisted mentor Willis O’Brien on “Mighty Joe Young”), hired to bring his titular Rhedosaurus to life on a low, low budget. Laying down the groundwork for atomic monster tales like “Godzilla,” the story has its prehistoric dino thawed out at the Arctic Circle, only to make its way to New York City and Coney Island for the famous flaming rollercoaster finale. As is often the case, the film wrapped around Har...

THE FLICKS: Classic horror fans and Hammer aficionados are two discs closer to nirvana with the release of “Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell” & “Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter” – two of the British studios latter fare that stacks up surprisingly well with some of their best. The final installment in their Frankenstein films, Hammer somehow roped in Peter Cushing and director Terence Fisher to send out the series with a low-key tale of dread and dismemberment at a remote asylum which, of course, results in the creation of a murderous man-ape than runs amok. While the plot may be redundant and does nothing to further the mad scientist mythos, Cushing is predictably amazing in the lead role as “Dr. Victor,” now hiding under a flimsy alias and using mental patients as raw material to continue his body building experiments. Railroad-spike thin but still full of nervous energy (witness his piggy-back stunt at the ripe old age of 65), the actor gives it his all, a nice counter-balan...

THE FLICKS: To hear Lucas and Spielberg tell it, the Indiana Jones films are nothing more than shameless patchworks of Saturday Afternoon serial adventure films. Of course, to an entire generation that had never seen Flash Gordon, Tarzan, or the assorted cowboy heroes, “Raiders of the Lost Ark” was a completely new and completely liberating experience. And in their fanciful quest to re-create the films of their youth, Lucas and Spielberg managed to create an entirely new cinematic icon almost by accident. Few films, if any, can top “Raiders” for sheer entertainment value. Yes, its action set pieces are the stuff of legend – the boulder, the blowdarts, the truck stunts, the exploding heads – but it’s the surprisingly well-rounded performances from secondary characters like Karen Allen and John Rhys-Davies that make it feel like family reunion every time you watch. “Temple of Doom” took some much undeserved heat at the time of release for being too violent and dark, even though the physi...

THE FLICK: The third film in Godfrey Reggio’s “Qatsi” series continues his visual dissection of human society. Only this time, instead of contrasting the natural world with Man’s complex mechanical imitations, “Naqoyqatsi” is made up of images that are electronically altered to support the title’s thematic translation, “Life as War” – war with each other, war against ourselves, and war against technology. If you turn off your brain, Reggio’s film is nothing more than an adult version of those “Baby Einstein” videos – a mesmerizing montage of glorious photography set to the hypnotic beat of composer Phillip Glass. But the deeper meanings behind it all begin to seep in eventually, even if it’s only on a subconscious level. And you come out of “Naqoyqatsi” with a different view of the world, one that lay hidden just below the surface. THE FEATURES: After a brief intro by producer Steven Soderbergh (who champions the film as an example of brave and experimental filmmaking), the special fea...

THE FLICK: Low-budget horror hit a peak in the 70’s with films like Tobe Hooper’s “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” and Wes Craven’s “The Hills Have Eyes” breaking the barriers of good taste and the heretofore predictable rules of scary movies audiences came to expect. These were the pioneers of the “anti-Hollywood” horror movie. “Hills” is a jury-rigged minor masterpiece, held together by sheer brute force and an overwhelming sense of dread. Despite an obvious script full of over-the-top melodrama (a weakness Craven carried throughout his career), the film feeds off the momentum of its stripped down story about a family of whitebread vacationers fighting for survival in the desert against an family of cannibalistic madmen (and women). The set-piece scene (and the one that likely earned the film its reputation) is a disturbingly violent attack at the family RV which includes one rape, two deaths and a kidnapped baby saved for dinner. Almost 30 years later, it still has the power to shock. And ...