title: Power 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: R starring: Richard Gere, Julie Christie, Gene Hackman, Denzel Washington release year: 1986 film rating: Three Stars reviewed by: Abbie Bernstein Sleaziness and absurdity are in the eye of the beholder. There are, in fact, quite a bit of both in the 1986 drama ‘Power,’ but at the time, the filmmakers could hardly have foreseen real-life events that would make the world they depict look comparatively fair, rational and well-balanced.

title: With Honors 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 starring: Joe Pesci, Brendan Fraser, Moira Kelly, Patrick Dempsey release year: 1994 film rating: Three Stars sound/picture: Three Stars reviewed by: Abbie Bernstein ‘With Honors’ is a Harvard-set comedy/drama that examines the unlikely bond that grows between political science senior Monty Kessler (Brendan Fraser), a nose-to-the-grindstone type, and the 50ish, homeless Simon Wilder (Joe Pesci). Through an accident, Simon gets hold of the only copy of Monty’s thesis, which he holds for ransom: one page for every favor Monty provides. These include niceties like glazed donuts and clean underwear. Eventually, Simon winds up camped out in front of Monty’s dorm house. Monty’s roommates (Moira Kelly, Patrick Dempsey and Josh Hamilton) react with varying degrees of humor, compassion and outright horror. Monty inevitably picks up a few life lessons from Simon, while the long-alienated Simon rediscovers the value of friendship and trust.

title: Boys On The Side 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: Whoopi Goldberg, Mary-Louise Parker, Drew Barrymore release year: 1995 film rating: Three stars sound/picture: Three stars reviewed by: Abbie Bernstein ‘Boys on the Side’ is an offbeat comedy/drama that overall works despite flaws that would sink another film crafted by less skilled hands. It doesn’t quite ring true, but it is consistently entertaining and generally good-hearted. Jane (Whoopi Goldberg) is a worldly, cynical, lesbian struggling singer who resolves to move from New York to L.A. Robin (Mary-Louise Parker), the woman who responds to Jane’s ad for a traveling companion, is a determinedly cheerful realtor and heterosexual Carpenter’s fan who would seem to be Jane’s antithesis. En route, they pick up Jane’s pal Holly (Drew Barrymore), who in the course of fleeing an abusive boyfriend takes more decisive action than intended. The trio stop in Arizona, where the nature of their trajectories and relationships keep them in place, especially Jane, who has fallen ...

title: The Betsy 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: Laurence Olivier, Robert Duvall, Tommy Lee Jones, Katherine Ross release year: 1978 film rating: Two Stars reviewed by: Abbie Bernstein ‘The Betsy’ is one of those rare films that benefits from being modified from the widescreen to full-screen aspect ratio. It’s difficult to imagine what this movie played like on the big screen. Adapted from Harold Robbins’ novel by screenwriters William Bast and Walter Bernstein and directed by Daniel Petrie, ‘The Betsy’ resembles nothing so much as an extra-long, better-acted episode of ‘Dynasty.’ Actually, it’s the other way round as ‘The Betsy’ was made in 1978 and ‘Dynasty’ and its ilk didn’t show up until the ‘80s. However, the style and subject matter both seem more familiar from nighttime soap opera than from films of any era. ‘The Betsy,’ believe it or not, is what aging Detroit auto mogul Loren Hardeman Sr. (Laurence Olivier) plans to call a new car ...

title: The Ten Commandments 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: Paramount Home Video MPAA rating: G starring: Charlton Heston, Yul Brynner, Anne Baxter, Edward G. Robinson release year: 1956 film rating: Three Stars reviewed by: Abbie Bernstein ‘The Ten Commandments’ is epic in ambition, in scope and -- at three hours, 40 minutes -- in length. It pretty much epitomizes what modern audiences think of when ‘50s Biblical tales are mentioned. It’s got huge crowds (real extras, not CGI), bright colors, a reverential mood and a campiness factor that probably was evident even in first release, let alone over 40 years after the fact.