Fantasy

Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (DVD)(FS)

In the second installment of the Star Wars series, EPISODE II--ATTACK OF THE CLONES, Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) is now a teenage Jedi apprentice to Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor). Together they must protect Senator Padme Amidala (Natalie Portman) from a militant group of political activists who are trying to assassinate her. This group is led by the evil Count Dooku (Christopher Lee). But aside from other troubles, Anakin faces some hard choices as he begins to fall in love with Padme, a love that is forbidden by the Jedi knights' creed. In addition, Anakin begins to show his rebellious attraction to the dark side--which will eventually conquer him, when he becomes the future Darth Vader.The story is set 10 years after STAR WARS EPISODE 1: THE PHANTOM MENACE, and there are appearances by some of PHANTOM's characters, including the much-maligned Jar Jar Binks. But CLONES also contains familiar faces from the original STAR WARS: the lovable droids R2D2 and C3PO appear here, as does Yoda, who plays a key role in this film. Although the acting is for the most part wooden, and the dialogue full of clunkers, Lucas creates an impressive array of beautifully rendered alien planets and beings, sleek spaceships, and dazzling effects; he remains at the head of the class in terms of technical ability and visual imagination. The film's climactic final sequences show the magic with which CLONES' earns its place as part of the beloved STAR WARS series. FULLSCREEN

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Kill Bill Vol. 2 (DVD) » Kill Bill Vol. 2 (DVD)

The second and final volume in Quentin Tarantino`s KILL BILL series is another stylish, sprawling masterwork. VOLUME 2 picks up where the first film left off, as The Bride (Uma Thurman) resumes her quest to track down her former mentor, Bill (David Carradine), and exact revenge. But before she gets to Bill, she must first take out the remaining minions who helped to slaughter her best friends and fianci. First up is Budd (Michael Madsen), a quiet but dangerous country boy who lives in a trailer. Next is Elle Driver (Darryl Hannah), a one-eyed vixen who doesn`t appear to have a heart--or a conscience. As The Bride makes her way closer to Bill, scenes from her past are revisited, including her training with the angry and brutal Pai Mei (Gordon Liu). Finally, The Bride locates her man, sparking a truly unforgettable confrontation. In contrast to the nearly dialogue-free first volume, VOLUME 2 is filled with extended conversations that bring the story full circle. Thurman is once again riveting as the determined assassin, while Carradine delivers one of his best performances ever as the sadistic title character. Director of photography Robert Richardson uses a variety of film stocks to great effect, adding even more flair to Tarantino`s already eye-popping vision. Rounding out things is an electrifying soundtrack that features original music from The RZA and Robert Rodriguez, as well as songs from Shivaree, Ennio Morricone, and Johnny Cash.