Neil Ross Movies
- 2007
- PG13
- Add Dragonlance: Dragons of Autumn Twilight to Queue Add Dragonlance: Dragons of Autumn Twilight to top of Queue
In this animated film based on the popular series of fantasy books, six friends - a dwarf, a warrior, a half-elf, a mage, a knight and a kinder - have come together once again after spending five years searching for proof that the gods do in fact exist. Sadly, they reunite amidst rumors of a growing evil and an impending war - but now, with horror and chaos looming on the horizon, the goal of their searches may finally be within their grasp in the form of mysterious warrior princess bearing a crystal blue staff. A threat like none of them have seen is poised to overtake their homeland, but if these heroes can stand against it, they will become legends. ~ Cammila Collar, Rovi
- Starring:
- Michael Rosenbaum, Kiefer Sutherland, (more)
The documentary special NOVA: Absolute Zero incorporates two separate NOVA episodes on the subject of cold temperature. Both parts (as originally screened on PBS back-to-back) explore and chart humankind's quest to understand and achieve manufactured cold over the trajectory of time. Part one, "The Conquest of Cold," roughly spans the period of 1600 through the late 19th century. It begins in an era when mankind neither understood nor appreciated the intrinsic nature of hot and cold; many argued that both were aspects of the same basic phenomenon, but found this notion difficult to prove - until such groundbreakers as Antoine Lavoisier, Cornelius Drebbel and Michael Faraday codified related scientific ideas for future generations and thus spurred the Industrial Revolution on to new and lofty heights. Episode two, "The Race for Absolute Zero," recounts scientists' relentless competition with one another (including that between Heike Onnes and James Dewar) to push cold temperatures to unseen lows, and their success in finally reaching the subthermal level at which nitrogen and oxygen liquefy (-253° Celsius, or 20 degrees above absolute zero). The program then wraps by moving ahead to the end of the 20th century and examining Daniel Kleppner's success in achieving the formation of the Bose-Einstein condensate, a rare form of matter that appears as temperatures reach absolute zero. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
A kid who hates ants finds himself living among the six-legged critters in this computer-animated comedy-adventure. Lucas Nickle (voice of Zach Tyler Eisen) is a ten-year-old boy whose family has just moved to a new town, and Lucas isn't enjoying it much -- he hasn't made any friends yet, his big sister ignores him, his parents (voices of Larry Miller and Cheri Oteri) are occupied with their upcoming vacation in Mexico, and his loving but slightly crazy grandmother (voice of Lily Tomlin) is convinced space aliens are casing out the neighborhood. To make matters worse, the local bully has found Lucas and is making his life miserable, so the boy looks for someone he can push around -- and he soon finds a large colony of ants in his yard. Lucas takes out his frustrations by stomping, drowning, and burying the bugs, little realizing the ants see him as a threat to their safety and aren't about take his attacks lying down. Zoc (voice of Nicolas Cage) is a "wizard ant" who creates a formula that shrinks Lucas to the size of an insect, and the tiny boy is brought before the leader of the Ant Council (voice of Ricardo Montalban) and the Queen of the Colony (voice of Meryl Streep) to answer for his crimes against the ants. Showing compassion, the queen sentences Lucas not to death, but to live among them and see how difficult their circumstances can be. Nurse Ant Hova (voice of Julia Roberts) is put in charge of looking after Lucas, and with the help of Scout Fugax (voice of Bruce Campbell) and Forager Kreela (voice of Regina King), Lucas gets an eye-opening picture of how the other half lives -- just in time for Lucas to help the ants in an all-out battle against Stan (voice of Paul Giamatti), a pest-control man brought in to get rid of the bugs. Produced by Tom Hanks, The Ant Bully was written and directed by John A. Davis, who handled the same chores on the film Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Julia Roberts, Nicolas Cage, (more)
It was a little-known episode of WWII that has nonetheless gained notoriety among survivors of the period and historians. Crafted by the Japanese in vitriolic response to Pearl Harbor, the Yamato remains the largest battleship in modern history, twice the size of the average American gunship with the most massive warheads ever mounted on a seagoing vessel. However, she sank on the day of her launch, in an explosion that sent the majority of her crew -- 3,000 Japanese soldiers -- to the bottom of the ocean. In NOVA: Sinking the Supership, the acclaimed WGBH-produced documentary program breaks new ground by interviewing two survivors and -- incredibly -- teaming up with a group of undersea explorers, to journey to the depths of the East China Sea and unlock the mysteries of this now-mythical battleship -- the secrets behind its operation and the details of its final, ill-fated mission. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
In the decades since it first arrived on television, PBS's hugely popular NOVA series has built much of its reputation on uniting the efforts of camera crews, archaeologists, scientists, and researchers to not simply disclose pre-known scientific facts, but to break new ground and debunk decades-old, scientific and historical fog-shrouded enigmas. NOVA: Hitler's Sunken Secret upholds this tradition. The episode journeys back to war-torn Europe circa 1944 and investigates a covert Allied operation little known among history buffs. After receiving numerous indications that the Norwegian ferry Hydro was toting several railroad flatcars full of "heavy water" to the Nazis -- a substance that Hitler's regime could use to build an atomic bomb that would render invincible the entire Axis -- the Allies sent a member of the Norwegian resistance to plant bombs in the prow of the Hydro, thus sinking the ship and its cargo. The mission was a triumph and may have been responsible for permanently altering the course of world history. But historians have never been able to determine with any certainty if the substance actually made it on board prior to the capsizing of the vessel. In this special, NOVA's explorers dive some 1,300 feet to the bottom of Lake Tinn in Norway, where they find the Hydro, astonishingly intact after many decades, and bring to the surface one of the barrels that supposedly contained the heavy water, exposing its contents to a battery of scientific tests that will solve the mystery definitively. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
In Volcano Under the City, NOVA researchers take a sojourn to Mt. Nyiragongo, Congo, in West Africa, a volcanic crater that suddenly exploded in January 2002. Lava engulfed much of the neighboring village of Goma, some 100 miles distant, killing 100 people and destroying the homes of 120,000. In the years since, research scientists (and villagers) have become terrified that volcanic activity of greater severity will transpire beneath the city, bringing the entire community to a tragic and gruesome end. To grasp the nature of the volcanic activity -- and how it might ultimately be prevented -- NOVA thus sends a group of scientists, including French volcano expert Jacques Durieux and Italian geologists Orlando Vaselli and Dario Tedesco, to camp out on one of the inner rims of the volcano, where they begin to conduct research experiments that will lead to a greater understanding of seismic catastrophe and may help prevent related environmental tragedies such as the associated discharge of lethal carbon monoxide gases throughout the surrounding atmosphere. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
- 2005
After a pair of near-disastrous incidents with the Space Shuttle, all eyes were on NASA in early 2004 when their latest project edged into the spotlight -- a pair of roving space probes, Spirit and Opportunity, were set to land on Mars and send back pictures and data on the planet's landscape. Despite technical glitches and other unexpected difficulties, the rovers proved to be a major success, running longer than expected and sending back crucial data that suggested the presence of water on Mars -- and with it, the possibility of life. Nova: Welcome to Mars is a documentary produced for the popular PBS science series which offers a behind-the-scenes look at the Spirit and Opportunity missions -- how the rovers were created, how they made their way to Mars, and how NASA's crew was able to troubleshoot the machines from millions of miles away. Nova: Welcome to Mars originally aired on January 4, 2005. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
In this program that originally aired mere hours after the Spirit - mankind's most sophisticated rover to date - landed on the surface of Mars, the mission to explore the red planet is profiled from the construction of the Spirit and its twin the Opportunity through both rovers' continued search for water often though hidden deep within the dusty plains. As unanticipated complications give way to small victories and the NASA crew responsible for the mission rides a rollercoaster of emotions, the mysteries of this wondrous planet slowly come into focus while the future of NASA's Mars Exploration program hangs in the balance. If the rovers fail and no new information is gleaned from the mission, it could mean the end of the ambitious Mars Exploration program; but if the crew finds success, the Spirit and the Opportunity could lay the groundwork for an eventual manned mission to the not-so-distant planet. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- 2003
- Add NOVA: Wright Brothers' Flying Machine to Queue Add NOVA: Wright Brothers' Flying Machine to top of Queue
This PBS program documents the years preceding the completion of the Wright brothers' first successful flying machine. After their humble beginnings, most of which chronicles the brothers' use of gliders in order to test the efficiency of various wing shapes and a three-axis control system that would eventually become a cornerstone of balanced flight, they finally created a proper aircraft December 17, 1903. This NOVA production also highlights some of the most important moments after their plane's initial flight, including the development of dual-chain driven propellers and the first plane to cross the continental U.S. in 1911. ~ Tracie Cooper, Rovi
- 2000
- Add Sugihara: Conspiracy of Kindness to Queue Add Sugihara: Conspiracy of Kindness to top of Queue
While Germany and Japan were United against American forces during World War II, one Japanese man made his own brave attempt to fend off the Nazi holocaust in Europe, and this documentary tells his remarkable story. Chiune Sugihara became fascinated with English literature as a student, and against the wishes of his parents, he made it his field of study, which led to his holding a number of diplomatic posts, representing the Japanese government around the world. One of his assignments during the war required him to do espionage work, monitoring the activities of several nations allied with Axis forces. Sugihara soon became aware of the Nazi plot to eliminate the Jews and other enemies of the state; his conscience stirred, Sugihara began using his diplomatic authority to issue visas that allowed thousands of Jews in Lithuania to escape Europe to freedom and safety. Sugihara: Conspiracy of Kindness was the closing night feature at the 2000 Hollywood Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Neil Ross
- 1999
- Add Scooby-Doo and the Witch's Ghost to Queue Add Scooby-Doo and the Witch's Ghost to top of Queue
Scooby, Shaggy, Velma, Fred, and Daphne once again pile into the Mystery Machine and stumble onto danger. This time they happen upon some ghoulies in a small New England town. ~ Rovi
Would you pay money to journey into the mind of the star of Con Air, The Killing Fields, and In The Line of Fire? Puppeteer Craig Schwartz (John Cusack) is having money problems, so he takes a temporary job as a file clerk on the seventh-and-a-half floor of a large office building. One day, while rummaging behind a cabinet, he finds a small door that leads to the center of the mind of actor John Malkovich (played by, you guessed it, John Malkovich). Craig discovers that entering the portal allows him to become John Malkovich for a brief spell, and in time he and his beautiful but aloof co-worker Maxine (Catherine Keener) get the bright idea to charge admission for the privilege of spending 15 minutes inside the head of a well-known actor. Malkovich realizes that something strange is happening to him, but can do little to stop it, as strangers take over his mind for a quarter-hour at a time. Craig's wife, Lotte (Cameron Diaz), eventually takes a trip into Malkovich's psyche, and she soon finds herself in love with Maxine, with whom Malkovich has an affair; meanwhile, Maxine in time becomes infatuated with both Craig and Lotte, but only when they're inside Malkovich. Being John Malkovich marked the feature-length debut of director Spike Jonze, who previously made acclaimed music videos for Weezer, the Beastie Boys, and the Breeders, among others. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- John Cusack, Cameron Diaz, (more)
This heartwarming animated tale--reportedly inspired by a National Geographic documentary--follows the exploits of a shy penguin, Hubie, who is hopelessly enamored with Marina, but must compete with the ultra macho, puffed up Drake, who wants her to be his life mate. In order to win her, one of them must present her with a suitable pebble. Hubie finds a doozy of an emerald-like stone to give her, but before he can deliver it, the wicked Drake pushes him into the roiling sea and Hubi is swept away. Eventually Hubie is captured by traders. He must make it home within 10 days or Drake will claim his beloved Mariana. Songs are sung, action ensues, and ultimately, happiness prevails. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Martin Short, Annie Golden, (more)
A young pig fights convention to become a sheep dog -- or, rather, sheep pig -- in this charming Australian family film, which became an unexpected international success due to superior special effects and an intelligent script. The title refers to the name bestowed on a piglet soon after his separation from his family, when he finds himself on a strange farm. Confused and sad, Babe is adopted by a friendly dog and slowly adjusts to his new home. Discovering that the fate of most pigs is the dinner table, Babe devotes himself to becoming a useful member of the farm by trying to learn how to herd sheep, despite the skepticism of the other animals and the kindly but conventional Farmer Hoggett (James Cromwell). Because technically impeccable animatronics and computer graphics allow the farm animals to converse easily among themselves, first-time director Chris Noonan can treat the film's menagerie as actual characters, playing scene not for cuteness but for real emotions. The result is often surprisingly touching, with Noonan and George Miller's script, based on Dick King-Smith's children's book and, indirectly, a true story, seamlessly combining gentle whimsy and sincere feeling. These same qualities are embodied by in Cromwell's beautifully understated performance as Farmer Hoggett, which anchors the film. Despite its unlikely premise and low profile, Babe's inspirational story was embraced by audiences and critics, and the movie became an international sleeper that won an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture. It was followed in 1999 by the less successful Babe: Pig in the City. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
This rental contains both Babe and Babe: Pig in the City
This rental contains both Babe and Babe: Pig in the City
- Starring:
- James Cromwell, Magda Szubanski, (more)
The voices of Carol Channing, John Hurt, Jodi Benson and Gilbert Gottfried help bring this wonderful Hans Christian Andersen story to life. Barry Manilow contributed heavily to the film's music. Children still seem to enjoy this story about a young girl who was the size of a human thumb. She was kidnapped by a toad, just when she hoped to continue her life with Cornelius the Fairy Prince. This is a good "family film" with few, if any, parts that might be considered questionable for children. Kids are likely to enjoy how Gilbert Gottfried does the voice of a strange beetle and how Carol Channing breathes life into Ms. Fieldmouse. ~ Elizabeth Smith, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jodi Benson, Carol Channing, (more)
- 1993
Explore an often-overlooked aspect of the King's life and music with this biography from A& E Home Video, which delves into the special bond shared between Elvis and his mother, Gladys. Brought together by the abuse they both suffered at the hands of Elvis' father, the two were devastated when the young singer's rising fame forced them to separate. Featuring exclusive Presley home movies, this fresh portrait explores how Elvis' legendary career, which began when he walked into Sun Records to lay down two songs for Gladys' birthday, was inspired and affected by his private demons. ~ Sarah Welsh, Rovi
- 1992
- G
- Add Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland to Queue Add Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland to top of Queue
Adventure is only limited by imagination in this exciting animated fantasy from The Goonies writer Chris Columbus. Warmly welcomed to the Kingdom of Slumberland by the king himself, young Nemo is christened heir to the throne and given a magical key that will open any door in the kingdom. Though Nemo is warned not to open the one door with the power to destroy Slumberland, temptation proves too strong and the king is kidnapped as a black cloud of nightmares washes over the formerly idyllic dreamscape. Now, if Nemo is to reverse his error and bring the king back alive, he must rally his friends and journey deep into Nightmare Land to face his ultimate fear. Will dreams ever return to Slumberland, or has Nemo's folly set into motion an irreversible, eternal echo of nightmares and chaos? ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Gabriel Damon, René Auberjonois, (more)
- 1992
- G
- Add FernGully: The Last Rainforest to Queue Add FernGully: The Last Rainforest to top of Queue
A man finds himself living among the animals and enchanted spirits of the rainforest, and learns of the true consequences of human destruction in this animated adventure. Crysta (voice of Samantha Mathis) is a young fairy who is being tutored in the powers of magic by the older and wiser Magi (voice of Grace Zabriskie) in an Amazon rain forest. While their home was once on the verge of destruction thanks to the evil spirit Hexxus (voice of Tim Curry), the demon has been trapped inside a tree, and Crysta is free to play with her friends Batty Koda (voice of Robin Williams), a bat who escaped from an animal testing facility, and Pips (voice of Christian Slater), who has obvious romantic intentions toward the attractive young sprite. However, a clear-cutting crew destroys the tranquil peace of the rainforest, and when Crysta sees a runaway logging machine about to run over lumberjack Zak (voice of Jonathan Ward), she saves his life by shrinking him to her own size. However, Crysta isn't able to bring Zak back to his normal size, so he's forced to live among the forest creatures and learn first-hand the devastation the humans have brought to this world -- especially when the loggers accidentally free Hexxus from captivity. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Tim Curry, Robin Williams, (more)
Warren Beatty directed and starred in this big-budget action comedy featuring Chester Gould's square-jawed, two-dimensional comic strip detective. Ruthless gangster Big Boy Caprice (Al Pacino) touches off a gang war against underworld boss Lips Manlis (Paul Sorvino), with Big Boy and his minions rubbing out enough of Manlis's goons (along with Manlis himself) to take over his nightclub, and a healthy percentage of the city's criminal activities in the process. Caprice also gains proprietary rights to Manlis's girlfriend, nightclub chanteuse Breathless Mahoney (Madonna). Big Boy's next move to is unite the rest of the city's crooks under his command; this wave of corruption attracts the attention of lawman Dick Tracy, who is determined to smash Caprice's criminal network once and for all. As Tracy plots to put Big Boy behind bars where he belongs, Breathless uses her considerable charms in an attempt to sway Tracy from the path of righteousness; this causes no small amount of anxiety for Tracy's long-suffering female companion, Tess Trueheart (Glenne Headly), and the street-smart kid (Charlie Korsmo) they've been keeping an eye on. The various bad guys, heavily made up to resemble Gould's cartoon characters (though Beatty is not made up to resemble Tracy), include Dustin Hoffman, James Caan, R.G. Armstrong, and William Forsythe. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Warren Beatty, Charlie Korsmo, (more)
Where the original Gremlins was a horror film spiked with comedy, Gremlins 2: The New Batch is essentially a black comedy, with a couple of horrifying touches. As the film starts, the fantastical trinket shop in Chinatown, which sold the Mogwai in the first film, is demolished by a crazed multi-media businessman called Daniel Clamp (John Glover). The heroes from the first movie, Billy (Zach Galligan) and Kate (Phoebe Cates), happen to work for Clamp in his huge high-rise. They find the Mogwai within Clamp's building, but not before he has accidentally spawned legions of mischievous, lizard-like Gremlins. Soon, the Gremlins are wreaking havoc throughout the building. In the original film, their misdeeds were violent, but here they're also goofy and satirical. Director Joe Dante has filled the film with quick verbal and visual jokes, which, for many, makes Gremlins 2: The New Batch a satire and inversion of the typical horror film. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi
- Starring:
- Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates, (more)
Things have barely settled from the excitement and resolve of the original Back to the Future, when in pops that crazy inventor Dr. Emmett Brown (Christopher Lloyd) with news that in order to prevent a series of events that could ruin the McFly name for posterity, Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox ) and his girlfriend are whisked into the future to the year 2015, where Marty must tangle with a teen rogue named Griff, who's obviously the descendant of Biff, the first Future film's bully. Marty foils Griff and his group when he jumps on an air-foil skateboard that flies him through town at rakish speeds with the loser bullies beaten again. Marty gets a money-making brainstorm before hopping in the time-traveling DeLorean, and he purchases a sports almanac. He figures that back in 1985 he'll be able to place sure-fire bets using the published sports scores of the games that are yet to happen. Unfortunately for Marty, Dr. Brown disapproves of his betting scheme -- he feels too much messing with time is very dangerous -- and he tosses the almanac. A hidden Biff overhears the discussion about the almanac, sees it get tossed out, and grabs it. Thus begins a time-traveling swirl to make the head spin. Biff swipes the DeLorean, heads back to 1955, and with the help of the unerring almanac, bets his way to power. The now-altered "Biff world" has turned into a nightmarish scene with Biff the mogul, residing in a Vegas-styled pleasure palace and running everything. It's all our hero Marty can do to pull the pieces together this time, as he must jump between three generations of intertwined time travel. The end of Back to the Future, Part 2 introduces its sequel as the zany professor has already time-dashed away to the Wild West of the late 1800s and invites Marty into a new adventure. ~ Rovi
- Starring:
- Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, (more)
Director Joe Dante infuses this science fiction comedy with the visual razzle-dazzle and manic, goofball performances typical of his cartoon-inspired sensibilities. Navy test pilot Lt. Tuck Pendleton (Dennis Quaid) has volunteered for a highly dangerous medical experiment. A submersible craft, with Tuck at the controls, is to be shrunk down to molecular size and inserted into the body of a living rabbit. If successful, the test could result in radical breakthroughs in surgical techniques, but some high-tech thieves attempt to steal Tuck and his ship while both are in miniature form. Enter Jack Putter (Martin Short), a mild-mannered, hypochondriac retail store clerk, a nerd who suddenly finds himself injected with Tuck and his tiny ship. Now poor Jack's got to rise above his mundane existence to help an American hero get back to safety, while also trying to reunite Tuck with his beautiful estranged girlfriend Lydia (Meg Ryan). Innerspace (1987) won an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi
- Starring:
- Dennis Quaid, Martin Short, (more)
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