Formats Available: The above information on special features refers to the DVD. Check for availability on VHS.

Novmeber 12 - Recommended Video and DVD Release

"Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones" (2002)

This sequel to "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace" (1999) stars Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, and Hayden Christensen. Ten years have passed since "Episode I," and the stability of the Republic is threatened by a separatist movement. There's an assassination attempt on Senator Padmé Amidala (Portman), and Jedi knight Obi-Wan Kenobi (McGregor) sets out to discover what's behind it. Obi-Wan's apprentice, Anakin Skywalker (Christensen), is assigned the task of protecting Padmé, and they become romantically attracted to each other. It turns out that an army of clones is being developed on a distant planet, and Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Padmé end up in a fight for their lives that will determine the future of the Republic. Also, the dark side of young Anakin Skywalker begins to emerge.

Formats Available: The above information on special features refers to the DVD. Check for availability on VHS.

November 19 - Recommended Video and DVD Releases

Aimed at kids, this somewhat old-fashioned animated film is narrated by Matt Damon. Spirit is a wild stallion who roams the American Old West with an untamed herd. Then he is captured by United States Cavalry troops, and the commanding colonel (voice of James Cromwell) sets out to break him. After Spirit throws the colonel, the officer prepares to shoot him. However, while in captivity, Spirit meets Little Creek (voice of Daniel Studi), an Indian. Spirit and Little Creek initially engage in a lengthy battle of wills, but they eventually team up to escape. Although humans keep trying to capture Spirit, he tenaciously resists and tries to make his way back to his herd. Along the way, Spirit has various adventures, including falling in love with a feisty mare.

Formats Available: The above information on special features refers to the DVD. Check for availability on VHS.

"Sunshine State" (2002)

Written and directed by John Sayles, this drama features an ensemble cast that includes Edie Falco, Angela Bassett, Jane Alexander, Ralph Waite, Timothy Hutton, and Alan King. The film tells the interlocking stories of several people in adjacent coastal Florida communities. One of the communities has lots of white retirees, while another is a rather prosperous enclave of African Americans. The people in the communities are thrown into crisis when a development company wants to buy their land and turn the entire area into a resort. But this isn't a simpleminded movie: Everything about the local way of life may not be worth preserving, and many of the locals are not completely happy with the lives they are living. Sayles' genius lies in the way he shows how the characters deal with change.

Formats Available: The above information on special features refers to the DVD. Check for availability on VHS.

This is an animated comedy aimed at young children, but adults who see it with them probably won't mind it. The story is set in prehistoric times at the onset of an Ice Age that is causing animals to migrate. In the course of the mass migration, a sloth named Sid (voice of John Leguizamo) latches onto a woolly mammoth called Manny (voice of Ray Romano), and then a human child happens to come into the possession of this pair. Manny and Sid are soon joined by a saber-toothed tiger named Diego (voice of Denis Leary) in an attempt to return the child to its tribe. Along the way, the mismatched trio of animals squabbles over how to take care of the human baby and has various adventures. They also keep crossing paths with a cute long-toothed rodent trying to bury an acorn.

Formats Available: The above information on special features refers to the DVD. Check for availability on VHS.

Written and directed by Nicole Holofcener, this insightful comedy-drama is about a mother and her three daughters. The mother, Jane Marks (Brenda Blethyn), undergoes liposuction and hopes for a romantic relationship with her handsome surgeon. Jane's 36-year-old daughter Michelle (Catherine Keener) makes collectibles, has a husband who no longer cares about her, and gets sexually involved with an underage boy. Jane's other adult daughter Elizabeth (Emily Mortimer) is an actress who cares for stray dogs and has a fellow actor point out the flaws in her naked body. Jane also has an adopted daughter named Annie (Raven Goodwin), who is eight years old, African American, and overweight. "Lovely & Amazing" is smart and observant and features sharp, witty dialogue.

Formats Available: The above information on special features refers to the DVD. Check for availability on VHS.

More New Video/DVD Releases for November, 2002

New Video/DVD Releases - November Week One

New Video/DVD Releases - November Week Two

New Video/DVD Releases - November Week Three

New Video/DVD Releases - November Week Four

More Video and DVD Releases

Movies on Video/DVD - January, 2002 to the Present

Video and DVD releases from the beginning of this year to the present month.

More Video and DVD Releases Upcoming Movies on Video and DVD

Selected movies on video and DVD that will be released in the coming months.