title: Badder Santa function popUp(URL,NAME) { amznwin=window.open(URL,NAME,'location=yes,scrollbars=yes,status=yes,toolbar=yes,resizable=yes,width=380,height=450,screenX=10,screenY=10,top=10,left=10'); amznwin.focus();} document.open(); document.write(""); document.close(); studio: Dimension Home Video MPAA rating: this disc is an unrated version of the film starring: Billy Bob Thornton, Tony Cox, Brett Kelly, Lauren Graham, Lauren Tom, Bernie Mac, John Ritter release year: 2004 film rating: Four Stars sound/picture rating: Three-and-a-Half Stars reviewed by: Bill Warren Despite “Badder Santa’” being the title on the very ugly DVD box, this movie is still called “Bad Santa,” but does differ from the theatrical release, also available on DVD. Some of the extra features are unique to this disc, but they are standard, even dull. The gag reel is brief and consists mostly of actors blowing their lines. In the very ordinary “making of” documentary, we do learn that the story of the film was written by Joel and Ethan Coen; their only on-screen credit is as the executive producers. A commentary track by director Terry Zwigoff would have been a bonus, but the movie really does speak for itself. And ...

title: Protocol function popUp(URL,NAME) { amznwin=window.open(URL,NAME,'location=yes,scrollbars=yes,status=yes,toolbar=yes,resizable=yes,width=380,height=450,screenX=10,screenY=10,top=10,left=10'); amznwin.focus();} document.open(); document.write(""); document.close();� studio: Warner Home Video MPAA rating: PG starring: Goldie Hawn, Chris Sarandon, Richard Romanus, Gail Strickland release year: 1984 reviewed by: Abbie Bernstein There are some films that you see and can barely remember afterwards. 'Protocol' fits into this category--and rewatching it 15 years after its initial release, this is perfectly understandable. The movie was lightweight fluff masquerading as political comedy at the time it was made. Seen in 1999, its principal value would seem to be as an illustration of what big-budget '80s fluff looked like.

title: Bonfire Of The Vanities function popUp(URL,NAME) { amznwin=window.open(URL,NAME,'location=yes,scrollbars=yes,status=yes,toolbar=yes,resizable=yes,width=380,height=450,screenX=10,screenY=10,top=10,left=10'); amznwin.focus();} document.open(); document.write(""); document.close(); studio: Warner Home Video MPAA rating: R starring: Tom Hanks, Bruce Willis, Melanie Griffith, Morgan Freeman, Kim Cattrall release year: 1990 film rating: Two-and-a-Half Stars sound/picture: Three Stars reviewed by: Abbie Bernstein The film version of Tom Wolfe’s novel ‘Bonfire of the Vanities’ got critically scorched when it was released theatrically in 1990. It’s actually not that bad; it’s just not especially good, either. In the hands of director Brian De Palma, it looks great, with lights shimmering magically against dark backgrounds and opulent interiors to fulfill the wildest dreams of avarice. However, skill with social satire is even more crucial than visual mastery for ‘Bonfire,’ and neither De Palma nor screenwriter Michael Cristofer here show much flair for the genre. Our narrator, alcoholic journalist Peter Farrow (Bruce Willis), is being honored for his work. Peter guides us back to the incidents that brought him this fame and fortune. He was the first reporter involved in covering the story of ...

title: Unconditional Love function popUp(URL,NAME) { amznwin=window.open(URL,NAME,'location=yes,scrollbars=yes,status=yes,toolbar=yes,resizable=yes,width=380,height=450,screenX=10,screenY=10,top=10,left=10'); amznwin.focus();} document.open(); document.write(""); document.close();�<br> studio: New Line Home Entertainment MPAA rating: R starring: Kathy Bates, Rupert Everett, Jonathan Pryce, Dan Aykroyd release year: 2003 film rating: Three-and-a-Half Stars sound/picture: Three Stars reviewed by: Abbie Bernstein “Unconditional Love” is a very unconventional comedy. The tone set by director P.J. Hogan and his co-writer Jocelyn Moorhouse goes everywhere. One moment we’re in an affectionate, knowing tweaking of fandom – think “Galaxy Quest,” with a Tom Jones-esque entertainer rather than a ‘60s cult TV show as the object of adoration – the next, we’re in the stark drama of deep loss, and then we’ve got surrealism, with Julie Andrews as herself calming the passengers on a storm-tossed airplane by leading a singalong. In a word, it’s odd.

title: My Blue Heaven function popUp(URL,NAME) { amznwin=window.open(URL,NAME,'location=yes,scrollbars=yes,status=yes,toolbar=yes,resizable=yes,width=380,height=450,screenX=10,screenY=10,top=10,left=10'); amznwin.focus();} document.open(); document.write(""); document.close();�<br> studio: Warner Home Video MPAA rating: PG-13 starring: Steve Martin, Rick Moranis, Joan Cusack, Melanie Mayron release year: 1990 film rating: Two-and-a-Half Stars reviewed by: Abbie Bernstein Reviewer’s note: I really hate dead animal jokes. They are, pardon the pun, personal pet peeve. There is a dead-pet gag that takes up prominent space in the first third of ‘My Blue Heaven,’ which admittedly prejudiced me almost from the start. Those who aren’t bothered by this sort of thing will likely find ‘My Blue Heaven’ a modestly amusing if not wildly inspired farce, competently directed by Herb Ross and scripted by Nora Ephron.