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Archives
of Movies on Video
xxxxx
Critics Choice for the Top
Movies of the 20th Century
xxxxx
Movies
are listed by date of review starting with the most recent at the top.
Due to Illness of the Editior this Section has fallen behind, we are attemting to catch up.
Oceans
11
PG-13 ... 1-1/2
xxxxx
Vanilla Sky
R ... 1
xxxxx
Spy
Game
R ... 3
xxxxx
The
Heist
R ... 3
xxxxx
Life
as a House
R ... 3
xxxxx
The One
PG-13 ...1-1/2
xxxxx
Jurassic
Park III
PG-13 ... 3
xxxxx
Planet of the Apes
PG-13 ... 2-1/2
xxxxx
Pearl
Harbor
PG-13 ... 3
xxxxx
The Score
R ... 2
xxxxx
Rush Hour 2
PG13 ... 1-1/2
xxxxx
A.I.
Artificial Intelligence
PG-13 ... 2
xxxxx
Laura Croft: Tomb Radier
PG-13 ... 2
xxxxx
Swordfish
R ... 2
xxxxx
DR2 (Doctor Doolittle 2)
PG ...1
xxxxx
The
Animal
PG-13 ... 2
xxxxx
Bridget Jones's Diary
R ... 3
xxxxx
The Tailor of Panama
R ... 3
xxxxx
Driven
PG-13 ... 1-1/2
xxxxx
The Mummy Returns
PG-13 ... 2-1/2
xxxxx
A Knights Tale
PG-13 ... 2-1/2
xxxxx
TomCats
R ... 1
xxxxx
Blow
R ... 2-1/2
xxxxx
Enemy at the Gates
R ... 3
xxxxx
Heartbreakers
PG-13 ... 2-1/2
xxxxx
Road to Redemption
PG ... 2-1/2
xxxxx
The Mexican
R ... 2
xxxxx
Recess:
School's Out
G ... 2
xxxxx
3000
Miles to Graceland
R ... 2
xxxxx
Traffic
R ... 3
xxxxx
The
Pledge
R ... 3
xxxxx
The
Wedding Planner
PG-13 ... 2
xxxxx
Valentine
R ... 1-1/2
xxxxx
Hannibal
R ... 3
xxxxx
Thirteen
Days
PG-13 ... 3
xxxxx
A
Family Man
PG-13 ... 2-1/2
xxxxx
Quills
R ... 2-1/2
xxxxx
Thirteen
Days
PG-13 ... 3
xxxxx
Mercy
Streets Recommended Viewing
PG-13 ... 3
xxxxx
102 Dalmations
G ... 2
xxxxx
What
Women Want
PG-13 ... 2-1/2
xxxxx
The
Vertical Limit
PG-13 ... 3
xxxxx
Into
the Arms of Starngers
PG ...3-1/22
xxxxx
Men
of Honor
R ... 3
xxxxx
Little Nicky
PG-13 ... 1
xxxxx
Red Planet
PG-13 ... 2
xxxxx
The 6th Day
PG-13 ... 2
xxxxx
Charlie's Angels
PG-13 ... 2
xxxxx
Book
of Shadows Blair Witch Project 2
R ... 1
xxxxx
Bedazzled
PG-13 ... 1-1/2
xxxxx
Pay it Forward
PG-13 ... 3
xxxxx
Lost Souls
R ... 2
xxxxx
The Exorcist
re-release
R ... 3-1/2
xxxxx
The Little Vampire
R ... 1-1/2
xxxxx
Lucky Numbers
R ... 1-1/2
xxxxx
Goya in Bordeaux
R ... 2-1/2
xxxxx
Luminous Motion
R ... 1-1/2
xxxxx
The Contender
R ... 1-1/2
xxxxx
Luminarias
R ... 2
xxxxx
Get Carter
R ... 1-1/2
xxxxx
Meet the Parents
PG-13... 3
xxxxx
Shower
PG-13 ... 3
xxxxx
Love and Sex
R ... 2-1/2
xxxxx
The Exorcist
R ... 1
xxxxx
Remember the Titans
R ... 2-1/2
xxxxx
Almost Famous
R ... 2-1/2
xxxxx
An Affair of Love
R ... 2
xxxxx
Urban Legends
R ... 1
xxxxx
Woman On Top
R ... 2
xxxxx
Duet
R ... 2
xxxxx
Bait
R ... 1-1/2
xxxxx
The Interview
R ... 3
xxxxx
Committed
R ... 1-1/2
xxxxx
Nurse Betty
R ... 2-1/2
xxxxx
Five Senses
R ... 2-1/2
xxxxx
The Watcher
R ... 1-1/2
xxxxx
Highlander End Game
R ... 1
xxxxx
Godzilla2000
PG ... 2
xxxxx
The Crew
PG-13 ... 2-1/2
xxxxx
Art of War
R ... 2
xxxxx
The Life and Times of
Hank Greenberg
NR ... 3-1/2
xxxxx
Bless the child
R ... 3-1/2
xxxxx
Butterfly
PG-13 ... 3
xxxxx
The Cell
R ... 1-1/2
xxxxx
Space Cowboys
PG-13 ... 3
xxxxx
The Patriot
R ... 2
xxxxx
Coyote Ugly
PG-13 ...1-1/2
xxxxx
Hollow Man
R ... 1-1/2
xxxxx
The Replacements
PG-13 ... 3
xxxxx
Rocky and Bullwinkle
PG ... 2-1/2
xxxxx
The Perfect Storm
PG-13 ... 3
xxxxx
Me, Myself and Irene
R ... 1/2
xxxxx
Chicken Run
G ... 3-1/2
xxxxx
Thomas and
the Magic Railroad
G ... 3
xxxxx
What Lies Beneath
PG-13 ... 2
xxxxx
Nutty Professor II
The Klumps
PG-13 ...1-1/2
xxxxx
Dinosaur
PG ... 2-1/2
xxxxx
Titan A.E.
PG ... 2
xxxxx
Sunshine
R ... 3
xxxxx
Shaft 2
R ... 2
xxxxx
Shanghai Noon
PG-13 ... 2
xxxxx
Big Momma's House
PG-13 ... 1
xxxxx
Gone in 60 Seconds
PG-13 ... 2
xxxxx
Mission Impossible
2
PG-13 ... 2-1/2
xxxxx
The Basket
PG ... 2-1/2
xxxxx
Battlefield Earth
PG-13 ... 1/2
xxxxx
I Dreamed of Africa
PG-13 ... 2
xxxxx
Gladiator
R ... 3
xxxxx
Where the Heart Is
PG-13 ... 2
xxxxx
Frequency
PG-13 ... 2-1/2
xxxxx
Keeping the Faith
PG-13 ... 2-1/2
xxxxx
U-571
R ... 2
xxxxx
Contact
Us
Feedback and Advertising
Info...
xxxxx
Contact Marie
Asner
Let us know what you
think...
xxxxx
Report Dead Links
Feedback...
______________
R ... 2
xxxxx
SHOWER 3
Rated PG 13
Website: www.SonyClassics.com (Chinese with English subtitles)
"Shower" doesn’t refer to a wedding shower. This heartwarming Chinese film is concerned with water— the cleansing effect, the healing effect, the stimulating effect and the lack of—in one’s life. The film was directed by Zhang Yang and co-written with Liu Fen Dou, Huo Xin, Diao Yi Nan and Cai Xiang Jun.
The story of "Shower" concerns the relationship with a father, Liu (Zhu Xu) and his two sons. One son is Da Ming (Pu Cun Xin) who lives in a large city and is married and successful at his work. The other son, Er Ming (Jiang Wu) is retarded and lives with the father. The film opens with Da Ming taking what can only be described as a high tech shower. It resembles a car wash and you almost expect spray wax to cover Da Ming’s body. We then move to the village where father and Er Ming live. The father operates a bathhouse that is a home-away-from-home for the village men. They have a bath, massage, gossip, play games and have their crickets fight each other. Women are not allowed. We see that the bathhouse owner must, in turn, be confidante, father figure and counselor to the men.
Da Ming receives a mysterious note and rushes home thinking his father is dead. Instead, he discovers the happiness between father and retarded son. Da Ming decides to stay a few days though is uncomfortable in this small village. Gradually, the friendliness appeals to him, but he has to deal with the villagers and their problems, the proposal to destroy the bathhouse for a housing development and his retarded brother who knows no home but the bathhouse. What to do?
The photography is beautifully done, especially in a flash back as we meet the mother of Er Ming as a young bride. Her country (presumably Mongolia) is so dry one has to walk for days to see a body of water. Baths are a luxury. Contrast this to the amount of water used in the bathhouse, which seems extravagant, indeed.
Da Ming has been away from "water" so long he is dry inside. As the "moisture" of the village and family creep into him, he becomes a different person, opening up like a flower. The antics of the retarded brother don’t seem strange after all. Er Ming has a talent for putting people at ease, especially in a scene where a man is trying to sing in a talent contest, but can’t do it. He sings beautifully in a shower, but not in public. Er Ming solves the problem by dousing the singer with water. Suddenly, there is a break through and the audience hears an unexpectedly strong voice.
"Shower" tells us that progress doesn’t always come without a price. Losing the heart of a village is something builders don’t think about. The script, acting and direction capture this well.
Be aware of nudity and some profanity.
Copyright 2000 Marie Asner
