What elevates She's All That above the realm of standard teen fare is its mixture of good-natured fairy-tale romance and surprisingly clear-eyed view of high school social strata. The lines of class are demarcated as clearly as if in a Jane Austen novel, but the satire is equally deflating and affectionate. Sure, high school could be bad sometimes, but it was lots of fun too; this is a movie good-natured enough to take time out for an extended hip-hop dance number at the prom. Director Robert Iscove (who also helmed the ! Brandy-starring TV adaptation of Cinderella) has also assembled a great young cast, including a scene-stealing Anna Paquin as Zach's no-nonsense sister, Kieran Culkin as Laney's geeky brother, and a stupidly goofy Matthew Lillard as a Real World cast member whose arrival shakes things up a little too much. And amidst all the comedy and prom drama, you'd be hard-pressed to find two teen stars as talented, attractive, and appealing as Prinze and Cook. Prinze is an approachable and sensitive jock, though it's Cook who's the true star, investing Laney with confidence, humor, and heart. Like Zach, you'll be hard-pressed not to fall in love with her. By the story's end, both Cook and the film will have charmed the socks off of you. --Mark EnglehartAl (Freddie Prinze Jr., from She's All That and I Know What You Did Last Summer) and Imogen (Julia Stiles from 10 Things I Hate About You) take turns narrating the story of their colle! ge romance. Al has a celebrity chef for a father (an amusing t! urn from Henry Winkler) and a rising porn star for a best friend (Zak Orth). The dialogue is stale, the story flounders, and the movie can't seem to decide whether it wants to be a sweet romance or a social satire. Down to You keeps dropping into odd fantasy bits that have nothing to do with, well, much of anything. But all the stars--including Selma Blair (Cruel Intentions) and Shawn Hatosy (Outside Providence) are pleasant and well groomed (well, except for Hatosy, who bears the brunt of being the poster boy for every fad of the '90s), and the soundtrack (featuring Cibo Matto, early David Bowie, Yo La Tengo, and others) is excellent. --Bret FetzerMARY HIGGINS CLARK:YOU BELONG TO ME - DVD MovieProving once and for all that life can be an amazing journeyâ€"and a real tripâ€"this all-new Quantum Edition release of What The Bleep!? Down the Rabbit Hole utilizes cutting-edge DVD technology to create a unique version of the film with every viewing! The possib! ilities are endless...and so is the fun! Academy Award® winner Marlee Matlin is Amanda, a photographer suddenly transported into a metaphysical world of quantum mechanics, odd science and mind-bending phenomena. Guided by the world’s top physicists, engineers, biologists and mystics, she tumbles down the rabbit hole and gets a first-hand look at the fascinating links between science and spirituality in our everyday lives.The unlikeliest cult hit of 2004 was What the (Bleep) Do We Know?, a lecture on mysticism and science mixed into a sort-of narrative. Marlee Matlin stars in the dramatic thread, about a sourpuss photographer who begins to question her perceptions. Interviews with quantum physics experts and New Age authors are cut into this story, offering a vaguely convincing (and certainly mind-provoking) theory about... well, actually, it sounds a lot like the Power of Positive Thinking, when you get down to it. Talking heads (not identified until film's end) ! include JZ Knight, who appears in the movie channeling Ramtha! , the an cient sage she claims communicates through her (other speakers are also associated with Knight's organization). What she says actually makes pretty good common sense--Ramtha's wiggier notions are not included--and would be easy to accept were it not being credited to a 35,000-year-old mystic from Atlantis. --Robert HortonWHAT THE BLEEP DO WE KNOW?! is a new type of film. It is part documentary, part story, and part elaborate and inspiring visual effects and animations. The protagonist, Amanda, played by Marlee Matlin, finds herself in a fantastic Alice in Wonderland experience when her daily, uninspired life literally begins to unravel, revealing the uncertain world of the quantum field hidden behind what we consider to be our normal, waking reality. She is literally plunged into a swirl of chaotic occurrences, while the characters she encounters on this odyssey reveal the deeper, hidden knowledge she doesn?t even realize she has asked for. Like every hero, Amanda is ! thrown into crisis, questioning the fundamental premises of her life ? that the reality she has believed in about how men are, how relationships with others should be, and how her emotions are affecting her work isn?t reality at all!The unlikeliest cult hit of 2004 was What the (Bleep) Do We Know?, a lecture on mysticism and science mixed into a sort-of narrative. Marlee Matlin stars in the dramatic thread, about a sourpuss photographer who begins to question her perceptions. Interviews with quantum physics experts and New Age authors are cut into this story, offering a vaguely convincing (and certainly mind-provoking) theory about... well, actually, it sounds a lot like the Power of Positive Thinking, when you get down to it. Talking heads (not identified until film's end) include JZ Knight, who appears in the movie channeling Ramtha, the ancient sage she claims communicates through her (other speakers are also associated with Knight's organization). What she says ! actually makes pretty good common sense--Ramtha's wiggier noti! ons are not included--and would be easy to accept were it not being credited to a 35,000-year-old mystic from Atlantis. --Robert HortonParty Down is a Starz original series about a group of struggling dreamers who are stuck working for tips while waiting for their big break. As employees of the L.A. catering company “Party Down,†these misfits mingle with guests at everything from sweet sixteen parties to the most lavish Hollywood soirees. Follow these engaging wannabes as they wait on guests while waiting on something better to come along.
Stills from Party Down: Season 1 (Click for larger image)
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