‘Eternal Sunshine’ burns brilliant
“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”
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Director Michel Gondry takes Charlie Kaufman’s script and forces us to go where we’ve never been. Not only does Jim Carrey pull off the performance of his career, but the film overall is a brilliant meditation on life and love, on the nature of perception and self-
awareness (and the lack of it), on the nature of memory and on the risks involved with taking the kinds of chances that make living worthwhile. (DVD, VHS; 1:48; rated R for language, drug and sexual content)
“The Alamo”
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As always, the facts are shaky. But director John Lee Hancock’s use of outdoor settings and dramatic battle scenes, along with references to the evils of slavery and concessions to Mexican pride and bravery, make this version of a national myth the most authentic ever filmed. And no one could have portrayed the Davy Crockett of legend better than Billy Bob Thornton. (DVD, VHS; 2:17; rated PG-13 for sustained intense battle sequences)
“Super Size Me”
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Morgan Spurlock had an original idea for a film: To show that eating fast food is bad for you, he would eat for 30 days straight at McDonald’s. Funny and informative as it is, “Super Size Me” fails to be as effective as it could have been because Spurlock is never able to rise above the level of gimmick. (DVD, VHS; 1:38; not rated)
“Walking Tall”
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Director Kevin Bray updates the story of real-life lawman Buford Pusser by casting The Rock as a returning Gulf War veteran named Chris Vaughn who finds that a local casino owner is corrupting the ol’ hometown. So Vaughn runs for sheriff, wins, and then the rough stuff starts. Bray uses violence the way that Bugs Bunny does carrots: He chews it up. (DVD, VHS; 1:25; sequences of intense violence, sexual content, drug material, language)
“Ramones: Raw”
Interviews, special TV appearances, 18 deleted scenes and tracks of such Ramones classics as “I Wanna Be Sedated” and “Teenage Lobotomy” make this special edition DVD a must-buy for all fans of the legendary punk-rock quartet. (DVD only; 1:45; not rated)
| 1 | “The Punishers” |
| 2 | “Ladykillers” |
| 3 | “Soul Plane” |
| 4 | “Twisted” |
| 5 | “The Passion of the Christ” |
| 6 | “Jersey Girl” |
| 7 | “Taking Lives” |
| SOURCE: www.billboard.com |
Now available: “The Alamo,” “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” “Super Size Me,” “Walking Tall,” “Degrassi Junior High: The Complete First Season,” “Incredibly Strange Creatures …” (DVD only), “Ramones: Raw” (DVD only), “Rivers and Tides” (DVD only).
Available Tuesday: “Fahrenheit 9/11,” “Saved!” “The Three Faces of Eve” (DVD only).