Bachelor Party Bachelor Party may not be the first trashy sex comedy, but it is perhaps the definitive trashy sex comedy. The movie makes its first breast joke before the opening credits have even finished. A cheerful school bus driver (Tom Hanks) has somehow gotten engaged to a lovely young heiress, much to the chagrin of her family and vengeful ex-boyfriend. The bus driver's roustabout friends decide to throw him a bachelor party-and you can pretty much guess the rest: scantily clad hookers, rampant drug use, bad 1980s new-wave music, really bad 1980s fashions, full frontal nudity (curiously, due to a scene in a Chippendales strip club, there's almost as much male flesh on display as female), bestiality, racial stereotypes, blackmail, attempted suicide, all played for unrepentant cheap laughs. Throughout, Tom Hanks floats along with a carefree (if slightly sheepish) grin, projecting such an air of impish innocence that it's hard to be offended by any of it. And it all ends in a wedding, just like a Shakespearean comedy. Also featuring the blinding white teeth and big hair of Tawny Kitaen (playing the good girl Hanks marries), buxom scream queen Monique Gabrielle, and Adrian Zmed, whose career has not fared as well as Hanks's. -Bret Fetzer The Man with One Red Shoe Adapted from a popular French comedy-thriller, The Man with One Red Shoe follows a concert violinist (Tom Hanks) used as a patsy in a conflict between two rival factions of the CIA. Singled out at the airport solely because he's wearing mismatched shoes, Hanks is henceforth believed to be a mole with important information; a rogue crew of agents follows him, searches his apartment, and even seduces him in order to find out what he knows. At the same time, loyal agents-who also believe he's a mole-follow and protect him from predation by the rogues. [+]

Stomping out their usual cuteness and carbon copying Disney's grand animation style to a T, directors Don Bluth and Gary Goldman (An American Tail) create a successful musical comedy from the story of the lost Russian princess. Adapting the story of imperialism and revolution is tricky, and subsequently the film's opening is weak. Once Anya (voiced by Meg Ryan, sung by Liz Callaway) is a teenager and on her own (suffering from some degree of amnesia), the film is quite pleasing though never refreshingly new. Twentieth Century Fox's big-money gamble to horn in on Disney's realm is worthy. The songs, especially the recurrent "Once Upon a December," by Broadway team Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty are better than Disney's recent efforts. It's worth picking up the soundtrack. The mix of cell animation and computer work is vivid. The collection of vocal talent is also strong, from John Cusack (as Dimitri, who wants to earn the reward by bringing Anya to Paris) to Hank Azaria as an amusing albino bat. Kelsey Grammer helps turn a roly-poly sidekick into a warm and strong supporting character. The biggest drawback is Bluth/Goldman's insistence on having a typical villain. [+]

Produced by the UK-based UFO Magazine and narrated by its editor Graham W. Birdsall, each volume of `UFOs: Hard Evidence' features exclusive interviews with many of the best-known figures in international UFO research. This documentary features striking UFO footage from the UK and overseas; in-depth case studies; and a plethora of topical UFO-related features. Informative throughout, `UFOs: Hard Evidence' cuts to the chase and serves up a myriad of newsworthy topics that broadcasters elsewhere consider too hot to handle.

A shrink-wrapped VHS four-pack that includes a copy of William Friedkin (WHE71240), Lawrence Kasdan (WHE71241), Terry Gilliam (WHE71242) and Spike Lee (WHE71243).

Given the difficulty of living up to such an ambitious title, American Cinema, a nine-hour public television overview of the movies, is a remarkably entertaining, informative, and informed introduction to movies in the U. S. , from the silent era to the Sundance generation. Divided into 10 self-contained episodes, the series begins by looking at the practical magic of movies. "The Hollywood Style" and "The Star" examine the underpinnings of filmmaking and star making in carefully chosen examples and contrasts: the changing Hollywood style from Casablanca to Chinatown, the studio-controlled career of Joan Crawford compared to modern star Julia Roberts. Later episodes single out specific genres for study ("Romantic Comedy," "Film Noir," "The Western," and "The Combat Film") and chart the changing face of Hollywood from "The Studio System" to "Film in the Television Age" to "The Film School Generation," concluding with the American independent explosion in "The Edge of Hollywood. " A rich array of illustrative film clips and interviews with directors and stars as well as commentary by historians and critics invigorate this whirlwind tour through the dream factory. It's a smartly written project and a solid introduction to American movies that, for all its generality, creates absorbing and entertaining film history. -Sean Axmaker.

How does our brain work? Scientists don't have all the answers, but The Brain: Our Universe Within presents what is known in a way that even us non-brain surgeons can understand. Produced by the Discovery Channel and hosted by David Suzuki, The Brain takes viewers on a five-part journey (spread over three videotapes) exploring the evolution of the human brain, how different parts of the brain perform certain functions, how chemicals affect our behavior and emotions, and the ways the brain can compensate for certain deficiencies. It uses computer animation to explain the roles of cells, neurons, endorphins, the cerebral cortex, the hippocampus, and the hypothalamus in transmitting, receiving, and storing information. Most interesting, though, are the real-life examples of people who've endured Alzheimer's disease, strokes, autism, and various disorders and the effects those conditions have had on their lives (and the ways their brains have responded). In one case, a young boy with severe epilepsy had the left half of his brain removed, leaving him unable to speak or move the right half of his body. However, after just three years, he'd regained most of his speech and movement-his brain had learned to work around the problem. There's also a fascinating look at a man who suffered brain damage and in turn lost all short-term memory-he uses a tape machine and takes detailed notes to record his every move. (As Suzuki notes, "Jeremy keeps his memory in a box behind the couch. ") While The Brain suffers from occasional lapses of cheesiness (in one segment about memory, Suzuki can't find his car), it gives an interesting, informative look at the body's most mysterious organ and should get those electric signals in your brain moving. -Andy Boynton.

This fascinating three-volume documentary series reveals beautiful works of Russian art, from ancient icon paintings to magnificent architecture, literature, and cinema rarely seen by Western eyes. More than this, though, it shows how Russian art and culture have throughout history reflected the soul of the Russian people and continues to define the Russian experience. Political, social, and spiritual themes heavily influence Russian art, and in turn these artistic offerings have had profound effects on the way Russia sees itself. Now that Russia has reached yet another turning point on its turbulent road to stability, the question seems to be how its art and culture will respond to the fading of communism and the freedom of expression that comes with democracy. Narrator James N. Billington suggests that the changes will show, as upheaval in Russia has always shown, the resilience of Russia's artistic community and its determination to find and express its voice to the world. Broad in scope and enlightening in its study of historical and current art trends, this series is a must-see for anyone interested in the Russian culture-it's a work that future generations will surely revisit for its insightful perspective. -Ed Noble For more than a millennium, political upheaval and outside forces have shaped Russia's culture. Now, as the dream of democracy unfolds, how will the Russian people redefine themselves? This magnificent three-part series illuminates the hearts, minds, and many faces of Russia by exploring her arts and culture. The Face of Russia is a remarkable journey across history, encompassing Russia's grand architecture, icon paintings, music, literature, and cinema. [+]

The history of rock & roll in Ireland is presented in suitably lively fashion in a series produced by RTÉ, Ireland's national television network. In these first three installments from the series (each an hour long), the story advances from the 1950s to the early 1980s, with archival footage providing a glimpse of what all the excitement was about. The first stirrings of rock music in Ireland took the form of "show bands," hugely popular ensembles that gave many young musicians their start. Fascinating clips of concert film chronicle the development of two artists who helped define rock in Ireland: blues guitarist Rory Gallagher and Phil Lynott, a black Dubliner who formed the hard-rocking band Thin Lizzy. The seldom-interviewed Van Morrison reminisces a bit about his own formative years and influences, Bob Geldof talks about his career in the Boomtown Rats, and Bono, the Edge, and others comment on U2's earliest stirrings. Folk bands like Planxty are seen briefly in clips, as are primal Celtic rockers Horslips and punk pioneers the Virgin Prunes. The bits of concert footage, especially scenes of guitar hero Gallagher blazing away, would alone make these programs worth watching, but interviews with Irish music writers and intelligent observers such as film director Jim Sheridan (My Left Foot) make the programs informative as well as extremely entertaining. - Robert J. McNamara.

The most successful public-television miniseries in American history, the 11-hour Civil War didn't just captivate a nation, reteaching to us our history in narrative terms; it actually also invented a new film language taken from its creator. When people describe documentaries using the "Ken Burns approach," its style is understood: voice-over narrators reading letters and documents dramatically and stating the writer's name at their conclusion, fresh live footage of places juxtaposed with still images (photographs, paintings, maps, prints), anecdotal interviews, and romantic musical scores taken from the era he depicts. The Civil War uses all of these devices to evoke atmosphere and resurrect an event that many knew only from stale history books. While Burns is a historian, a researcher, and a documentarian, he's above all a gifted storyteller, and it's his narrative powers that give this chronicle its beauty, overwhelming emotion, and devastating horror. Using the words of old letters, eloquently read by a variety of celebrities, the stories of historians like Shelby Foote and rare, stained photos, Burns allows us not only to relearn and finally understand our history, but also to feel and experience it. -Dave McCoy Hailed as a documentary masterpiece without parallel, Ken Burns' filmed chronicle of America's most terrible and destructive conflict will hold you in thrall as it portrays the strategies and action of the war's famous battles, and tells the stories of illustrious generals and ordinary field soldiers, politicians and rogues, heroes and a beleaguered President. Winner of two Emmy Awards, the series begins by looking at the fateful causes of the war that led to the firing on Fort Sumter, to the devastating battles of Shiloh, Antietam and Gettysburg, climaxing with Lee's surrender and the assassination of President Lincoln. Vivid photographic imagery and narration by many of today's most acclaimed performers highlight this epic program. Titles are: "The Cause of 1862," "A Very Bloody Affair 1862," "Forever Free 1862," "Simply Murder 1863," "The Universe of Battle 1863," "Valley of the Shadow of Death 1864," "Most Hallowed Ground 1864," "War Is All Hell 1865," and "The Better Angles of Our Nature 1865. ".