- DVD Details: Actors: William H. Macy, Maria Bello, Alec Baldwin, Shawn Hatosy, Ron Livingston
- Directors: Wayne Kramer
- Format: Anamorphic, Color, DVD, NTSC. Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only)
- Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1; Number of discs: 1; Studio: Lions Gate
- DVD Release Date: April 27, 2004; Run Time: 101 minutes
When Albert Stockwell (Rufus Sewell) comes home from work one day he finds a note from his wife of 15 years, Nancy (Maria Bello), saying she has gone to see friends. After waiting several days, Albert realizes that his wife is missing. Nancy has met her salvation on the Internet in the form of Louis Farley (Jason Patric). Nancy and Louis, both wounded souls, take comfort in one another through e-mail, pictures, and promises of perverse sexual encounters. Nancy has finally found the one and only thing that can liberate her from the pain in her life. While! she pursues the freedom that she feels will only come with ultimate liberation, Albert is left to put the pieces together and try to salvage what is left.THIS FILM IS NOT YET RATED - DVD MovieAs it turns out, Kirby Dick's eye-opening documentary isn't rated. When he submitted it to the Motion Picture Association of America, they slapped it with an NC-17 (though he had always intended to release it unrated). This is fitting since he sheds much-needed light on the inner workings of a secretive organization that wields great power over the movies the public gets to see (since most mainstream media won't touch the dreaded NC-17). It's just as well since
This Film Is Not Yet Rated focuses on the more controversial films of the past three decades. Aside from the stories of filmmakers who have tussled with the MPAA, Dick hires a private investigator to determine who sits on the board, since this information isn’t in the public domain. With her assistance, he solves the m! ystery. Directors include Darren Aronofsky (
Requiem for a D! ream ), Mary Harron (
American Psycho), and Kimberly Peirce (
Boys Don't Cry). Though frequently humorous,
This Film Is Not Yet Rated should be required viewing for serious film fans, because the MPAA doesn't just affect what gets seen--but what gets made. If it has a flaw, it's this: In his attempt to generate transparency, Dick (
Twist of Faith) arguably crosses the line. It's one thing to identify the board members; it's another to divulge their vital statistics. Whether or not these "guardians of morality" are working for the common good, they're still entitled to a little privacy. That said, this is vital stuff for anyone concerned about First Amendment issues.
--Kathleen C. Fennessy"The Sisters" is suggested by Anton Chekhov’s renowned play, "The Three Sisters." The film tells the story of familial deception and ultimate revelation amongst three sisters, exploring their ups and downs as well as the ties that bind them despite their dysfunct! ional family dynamics. Featuring a sensational cast, including 2006 Golden Globe nominee Maria Bello, "The Sisters" spins an extraordinary tale of love, lust deceit, and loss.Loosely based on the classic Russian play
Three Sisters,
The Sisters takes Anton Chekov's tale of failed marriages, stunted yearnings, and ordinary unhappiness and injects it with drug addiction, closeted homosexuality, and incest. Three daughters of a noted academic scholar find their lives falling apart: Marcia (Maria Bello,
A History of Violence) loathes her psychologist husband and falls into the arms of a visiting old friend (Tony Goldwyn,
Ghost); Olga (Mary Stuart Masterson,
Fried Green Tomatoes) has turned brittle and secretive, despite a successful career; and Irene (Erika Christensen,
The Upside of Anger), the baby of the family, finds herself engaged to a man she doesn't love (Chris O'Donnell,
Kinsey). Meanwhile, their hapless brother Andrew (A! llesandro Nivolla,
Junebug) has married a brassy, vulga! r woman all three sisters despise (Elizabeth Banks,
Heights). As their dysfunctions collide, everyone talks in lengthy, hyper-articulate, and brutal detail about their problems. But all the actors--especially Bello--dive into their roles with gusto and vigor, drawing out some genuine feeling from this woefully overwritten script. Also featuring Rip Torn (
Forty Shades of Blue,
Men in Black) and Eric McCormack (
Will & Grace).
--Bret FetzerCOOLER - DVD MovieThe premise of this swinging Vegas picture is enough to carry it over its narrative rough spots. The unluckiest sap on the planet (William H. Macy) is employed as a "cooler" at a casino; his very presence can chill the hot streak of any patron on a roll. He's valued by the old-school manager of the place, a role given a two-fisted, bourbon-swilling incarnation by Alec Baldwin. Macy means to quit, but then he falls for a waitress (the excellent Maria Bello, from
Permanent Midnight)--might h! is luck be changing? The subplots are pretty much a mess, but the frank sex scenes between Macy and Bello give the movie a truly offbeat feel. The tawdry air of a second-rate casino is also nicely done: This is not the new family-friendly Las Vegas, but a tough place of superstitions, sinister back rooms, and shabby motels. The characters are perfectly at home.
--Robert Horton
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