Star Wars Episode III | Aliens of the Deep | Amargosa
The Naughty Show | Whoopi: Back to Broadway | Heights | Brat Pack Collection
Origins of the Da Vinci Code | Exposing the Da Vinci Code | KÀ Extreme

	Sar Wars Episode III: Revenge Of The Sith Ray Pride Review: Rooting for a movie to be bad is not my way. The lights go down, I have faith - until my eternal hope turns out to be foolish. I wanted Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith to be good and worthy diversion, to disprove my instincts that George Lucas has become a terrible writer, a lazy filmmaker, a man who fills frames with all kinds of doodling even as he empties his mind of essential storytelling. Len Klady Review: The good news is that the cinematic coda is a more enjoyable repast than the prior two installments of the closing trilogy. It has the swashbuckling daring-do of the early films and the occasional dash of glib humor that Harrison Ford's Han Solo would deliver with slick dispatch. And for the masses that may be sufficient to quell a collective appetite.
	Aliens of the Deep First, the bad news: James Cameron's latest deep-sea documentary is shown neither in its original large-frame format, nor in 3-D; the good news comes in the form of another 45 minutes worth of fascinating material captured on the ocean's floor. Typical of the growing number of G-rated IMAX releases designed to fit the sometimes disparate demands of museum and multiplex exhibitors, Aliens of the Deep told a story that was both fun to watch and loaded with educational nutrition. The expedition, which follows a team of submersibles to the furthest nether regions of our planet, is no mere ego trip. Specimens of wondrous marine life (a luminous Dumbo-like creature, a lacy jelly, a fish with hands) and samples of fiery geological activity retrieved from the lava beds and geysers could unlock the secrets of other sun-deprived planets and ice-covered moons in our solar system. And, there's no doubting Cameron's genuine enthusiasm for the project and respect for the international team of marine researchers, engineers, geologists and former astronauts. Even on standard television screens, the high-res cinematography remains nothing short of spectacular. -- Gary Dretzka
	Amargosa To the vast majority of Americans, Death Valley is as devoid of culture as it is absent of rain forests. There was the long-running anthology series, Death Valley Days -- sponsored by 20 Mule Team Borax, and hosted by Ronald Reagan, Rory Calhoun and Will Rogers Jr., among others -- but that wonderful show has been off the air for 30 years, now. Barely known, however, is the story told in Todd Robinson's wonderful new documentary, Amargosa, which describes how high-brow culture took root in the low desert, and how it continues to bloom. In it, we're introduced to a true American original, Marta Becket, and one of the planet's most spectacular destinations. A gifted ballet dancer and artist, Becket left New York behind when she discovered an abandoned hotel and theater in Death Valley Junction, and fell in love with it. She restored the venue, as if it were La Scala or the Sistine Chapel, and adapted to frontier ways. Today, the Amargosa Opera House and Hotel remains a testament to her creative vision, and a destination for adventurous tourists. As becomes abundantly clear in the documentary, Becket is no mere eccentric who sees prima ballerinas in the dust devils and kindred souls in the town's burros and rustic natives. Her perseverance and gumption in the face of some pretty steep odds are absolutely genuine, and her talent undeniable. -- Gary Dretzka
The Naughty Show Whoopi: Back to Broadway Anyone who hasn't had the pleasure of listening to young, attractive women comics regale an audience with dick and pussy jokes -- just like the potty-mouth guys at the local Comedy Dungeon -- need only find a copy of The Naughty Show and slip it into the nearest DVD player. If the speakers on your television don't melt before the completion of the 90-plus minute show, the performers will dispel any misconceptions about the willingness of women to speak candidly about sex, lust, dildos and crooked penises, among other R-rated subjects. The comics featured in The Naughty Show include Kim Cea, Kate Rigg, Lisa Ann Walter, Robin Montague, Stella Stolper and Shayma Tash, all of whom are very funny and self-assured. Not all of the material is outrageously funny -- how could it be? -- but it's consistently daring and generally on the mark. That the women in the Ivar Theater audience that night seemed to relate to the material more than their male friends shouldn't come as any surprise to anyone, either. (Apparently, men put dick jokes in the same category as those African-Americans who punctuate their material with the N-word. When told by someone of a different gender or color, they're not quite as funny.) Few entertainers have enjoyed as rapid a rise to A-list stardom as the ridiculously multitalented Whoopi Goldberg. Whoopi: Back to Broadway (The 20th Anniversary Show) is an altogether fitting salute to the woman who not only became the second black woman to win an Academy Award (Ghost) and the first to host the awards ceremony itself, but she also has earned an Emmy (daytime), Grammy and Tony. It all started on Broadway, with a one-woman show that was turned into the HBO special also included here, Direct From Broadway. By book-ending her still-vibrant career in such a way, the two-disc set allows fans the rare opportunity to compare and contrast an artist at both the dawn and mid-afternoon of her career. -- Gary Dretzka
Heights In Chris Terrio's involving upscale drama, Glenn Close plays a renowned and oft-married director of Hollywood movies and Broadway plays -- think, Mike Nichols in fashionable footwear and flowing scarves -- who finds herself in the middle of a domestic crisis involving her daughter, a soon-to-be son-in-law she mistrusts, and a cutie-pie actor in whom she's taken an unusual interest. Heights is one of those smart, if stagy studies of urban neuroses that find unlikely connections within a disparate collection of sophisticated characters, all of whom are near or at their wits end. Close is delightful to watch, and she's surrounded by a handsome cast of young up-and-comers (Elizabeth Banks, James Marsden, Jesse Bradford) and reliable vets (Isabella Rosselini, Eric Bogosian, George Segal). . -- Gary Dretzka
Brat Pack Collection As several amateur critics have observed on Amazon's DVD site, Universal's Brat Pack Collection not only reprises its earlier High School Reunion Collection, but it also is a bit of a misnomer. Although The Breakfast Club definitely fits the Brat Pack criteria -- Molly Ringwald, Ally Sheedy, Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson and Emilio Estevez were key ingredients in the Hollywood youthquake of the mid-'80s -- the inclusion of Sixteen Candles and Weird Science is a bit of a stretch. Sadly, such BP standards as St. Elmo's Fire, Pretty in Pink, Young Guns and even Less Than Zero are the property of other studios, and, therefore, out of bounds to Uni. This trio does, however, represent some of writer-director-producer John Hughes' earliest scores, and, as such, is worth consideration by anyone interested in post-puberty-angst comedies, especially those contemporary teens who are being so poorly served by Hollywood. This boxed set differs from the earlier package primarily by adding a CD of period songs from Hughes' films, and a snazzy notebook cover. -- Gary Dretzka
Origins of the Da Vinci Code Exposing the Da Vinci Code Documentaries produced to exploit the success of Dan Brown's best-seller, "The Da Vinci Code" -- itself inspired (it's safe to assume) by Henry Lincoln's research in "Holy Blood, Holy Grail" -- now flood the marketplace. And, the publicity circus for Ron Howard's film adaptation has barely begun. These titles draw new battle lines, based on contrary evidence and giant egos. There's enough fodder here to keep true believers and skeptics jawing for a month or so, at least. . -- Gary Dretzka
Big Deal on Madonna Street: 20 Years Later In this unnecessary sequel to the classic 1958 Italian heist comedy, Big Deal on Madonna Street, Marcello Mastroianni reprised one of his most memorable roles, that of the scalawag photographer-thief Tiberio. Newly released from prison, Tiberio not only must learn to cope with a Rome he barely recognizes, but he must also deal with the impact of the aging process on the family and friends he left behind. Mastroianni fans will find something to like here, but others are encouraged to stick to the original. -- Gary Dretzka
KÀ Extreme Until the debut of KÀ, at the MGM Grand, the words industrial-strength and Cirque du Soleil rarely were strung together in the same sentence. And, yet, Las Vegas' most technically advanced and expensive new production show -- and latest addition to the Montreal troupe's ever-expanding jewelry case -- is the very definition of industrial-strength theater. Noteworthy both for its monumental, Rust Belt-inspired stage and pan-Asian artistry, KÀ can be enjoyed as much by an engineer or plumber, as a ballet dancer or acrobat. The companion DVD, KÀ Extreme, does a nice job documenting the show's evolution, from inspiration to execution. It also details the contributions of those responsible for the choreography, dare-devil acrobatics, make-up, music and fashion. Anyone who loves the show will find something to like in the DVD. It's sold at Cirque souvenir stores, and through http://www.cirquedusoleil.com.-- Gary Dretzka

MCN's 2004 DVD Year In Review
Doug Pratt's Ten Best - Multiplatter And Single Platter
Digital Nation: Gary Dretzka's Best DVDs of the Year
Ray Pride's Five Best DVDs And Five Best Boxed Sets