Mystery, suspense, and crazy chases abound as Fred, Velma, Daphne, Shaggy, and Scooby-Doo renew their commitment to solving mysteries in this 2002 sequel to the original 1969 Scooby Doo television series. Marking a return to the mystery gang's initial five members after several seasons that included additional characters like Scooby-Dum and Scrappy, the What's New, Scooby-Dooseries plays much like the original series despite being animated by Warner Brothers Television Animation rather than Hanna-Barbera. Fred, Velma, Daphne, Shaggy, and Scooby-Doo show some signs of maturation and growth since their inception, but the mystery gang is essentially still the same quirky, tight-knit group that stumbles inadvertently into one mystery after another and plunges in to investigate and unmask the villain(s) behind each strange happening. What's new in this 2002 series is the gang's utilization of high-tech gadgets like global positioning devices and laptop computers (though they still drive the same old mystery van) and their foes' crafty use of technological innovations like wireless remote controls and virtual reality gear. Add in updated popular music and guest stars like baseball great Mike Piazza and teen pop singer Lindsay Pagano and What's New, Scooby-Doobecomes attractive to a whole new generation of fans. The thirteen episodes in season one span the globe from icy snowboarding slopes to the jungles of Costa Rica, glitzy hotels of Las Vegas, and a game preserve in Africa. Bonus features include bloopers and a bonus 2005 episode "A Scooby-Doo Valentine" that stars NSYNC's J.C. Chasez. (Ages 5 and older) —Tami Horiuchi

It always comes up when people are comparing their most traumatic movie experiences: "the death of Bambi's mother," a recollection that can bring a shudder to even the most jaded filmgoer. That primal separation (which is no less stunning for happening off-screen) is the centerpiece of Bambi, Walt Disney's 1942 animated classic, but it is by no means the only bold stroke in the film. In its swift but somehow leisurely 69 minutes, Bambicovers a year in the life of a young deer. But in a bigger way, it measures the life cycle itself, from birth to adulthood, from childhood's freedom to grown-up responsibility. All of this is rendered in cheeky, fleet-footed style—the movie doesn't lecture, or make you feel you're being fed something that's good for you. The animation is miraculous, a lush forest in which nature is a constantly unfolding miracle (even in a spectacular fire, or those dark moments when "man was in the forest"). There are probably easier animals to draw than a young deer, and the Disney animators set themselves a challenge with Bambi's wobbly glide across an ice-covered lake, his spindly legs akimbo; but the sequence is effortless and charming. If Bambi himself is just a bit dull—such is the fate of an Everydeer—his rabbit sidekick Thumper and a skunk named Flower more than make up for it. Many of the early Disney features have their share of lyrical moments and universal truths, but Bambiis so simple, so pure, it's almost transparent. You might borrow a phrase from Thumper and say it's downright twitterpated. —Robert Horton

An impressive cast gives an unexpected boost to Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties, the sequel to the first film starring the comic strip cat turned CGI feline. Once again voiced by Bill Murray (whose ever-eclectic career ranges from Meatballsto Lost in Translation), Garfield stows away in the luggage of his owner, Jon (Breckin Meyer, Clueless), as Jon travels to London to propose to his veterinarian girlfriend, Liz (Jennifer Love Hewitt, Ghost Whisperer). It just so happens that in England, a cat named Prince (voiced by Tim Curry) has just inherited a castle—much to the dismay of Lord Dargis (Billy Connolly, Mrs. Brown), who plots to get rid of Prince and all the other animals who inhabit the castle so that he can build condominiums on the property. Naturally, paths cross, identities get switched, and a barnyard of very British beasts find themselves dependent on the eternally lazy Garfield to keep their home safe from Dargis' predations. A Tail of Two Kittiesis cheerful and short; nothing about it is very inspired, but it's certainly better than the first film and the technical effects are impeccable. Additional voice work by Bob Hoskins, Jane Horrocks, Rhys Ifans, Vinnie Jones, and others make everything seem just a little bit classier, as does the presence of Roger Rees (from the RSC Nicholas Nickleby) and Lucy Davis (from the original version of The Office). —Bret Fetzer

From the award-winning director of Pride and Prejudice comes a stunning critically acclaimed epic story of love. When a young girl catches her sister in a passionate embrace with a childhood friend her jealousy drives her to tell a lie that will irrevocably change the course of all their lives forever. Academy Award® nominee Keira Knightley and James McAvoy lead an all-star cast in the film critics are hailing "the year's best picture" (Thelma Adams US Weekly).System Requirements:Running Time: 123 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA/LOVE & ROMANCE Rating: R UPC: 025193328526 Manufacturer No: 61033285

A film event inspired by Cirque du Soleil. Alegriais the touching story of Frac (Rene Bazinet), a street mime who has lost all love for his art and life, deciding to end it all by lying in front of an oncoming train. When his 11-year-old friend Momo (Clipper Miano) insists on joining the suicide attempt, Frac must save them both. The train carries a traveling circus, and when it stops, Frac catches sight of Giulietta (Julie Cox), the troupe's beautiful lead singer and performer. Frac falls instantly and rapturously in love, but to pursue Giulietta, he must overcome her father, Fleur (Frank Langella), the circus leader who disapproves of Frac. When Giulietta abandons the troupe to be with Frac and help save Momo from an abusive taskmaster who forces young children to sell flowers on the street, the wonderful cirque falls apart. Realizing that Giulietta must return, she and Frac help Fleur understand that the mission of the cirque is to console a suffering world. The show, like life, must go on. 93 minutes.

Like, radical, dude—but not nearly as funny as it should be, even though it was a box-office hit. Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter are a pair of dim Valley boys, whose life is made heinous by a school history project. Enter George Carlin as a futuristic dude with a time-traveling phone booth. So Bill and Ted go back in time to round up a gang of historical figures (Socrates, Joan of Arc) to bring back for their presentation. Abe Lincoln at the mall? That's about as witty as it gets, rendering this the kind of comedy that gives teenaged audiences a bad name. —Marshall Fine

Like a dream, Howl's Moving Castlecarries audiences to vistas beyond their imaginations where they experience excitement, adventure, terror, humor, and romance. With domestic box office receipts of over $210 million, Howlpassed Miyazaki's Princess Mononoketo become the #3 film in Japanese history, behind his Spirited Awayand James Cameron's Titanic. Based on a juvenile novel by Diana Wynne Jones, Howl's Moving Castlemarks the first time Miyazaki has adapted another writer's work since Kiki's Delivery Service(1989). Sophie, a 19-year-old girl who believes she is plain, has resigned herself to a drab life in her family's hat shop—until the Witch of the Waste transforms her into a 90-year-old woman. In her aged guise, Sophie searches for a way to break the Witch's spell and finds unexpected adventures. Like Chihiro, the heroine of Spirited Away, Sophie discovers her hidden potential in a magical environment—the castle of the title. Using CG, Miyazaki creates a ramshackle structure that looks like it might disintegrate at any moment. Sophie's honesty and determination win her some valuable new friends: Markl, Howl's young apprentice; a jaunty scarecrow; Calcifer, a temperamental fire demon; and Heen, a hilarious, wheezing dog. She wins the heart of the dashing, irresponsible wizard Howl, and brings an end an unnecessary and destructive war. The film overflows with eclipsing visuals that range from frightening aerial battles to serene landscapes, and few recent features—animated or live action—offer as much magic as Howl's Moving Castle. —Charles Solomon

The Many Worlds of Hayao Miyazaki

The works of Miyazaki

The Book

The Art of Howls' Moving Castle(book)

Stills from Howl's Moving Castle(click for larger image)

A sweet and sassy comedy about the bonds of sisterhood, Mystic Pizzaoffers the opportunity to see some solid young actors early in their careers. Three sisters of blue-collar Portuguese descent work in a pizzeria in the coastal town of Mystic, Connecticut. Each has her own unique romantic entanglements. One is the fast girl in town (Julia Roberts), who falls for a rich kid but wonders if she'll ever be accepted; one is the lifelong local girl (Lili Taylor) in love with her fisherman boyfriend (Vincent D'Onofrio) but scared of what marriage will do to their sex lives; and the youngest sister (Annabeth Gish) dreams of going to Yale but during a summer of baby-sitting has an affair with a married man. Through it all each sister depends on the others regardless of the complications. It's the alluring charm of the three disparate leads that makes Mystic Pizzathe delightful experience it is. —Robert Lane

There is only one word that comes close to accurately describing the enchanting Mary Poppins, and that term was coined by the movie itself: supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! Even at 2 hours and 20 minutes, Disney's pioneering mixture of live action and animation (based on the books by P.L. Travers) still holds kids spellbound. Julie Andrews won an Oscar as the world's most magically idealized nanny ("practically perfect in every way," and complete with lighter-than-air umbrella), and Dick Van Dyke is her clownishly charming beau, Bert the chimney sweep. The songs are also terrific, ranging from bright and cheery ("A Spoonful of Sugar") to dark and cheery (the Oscar-winning "Chim-Chim Cheree") to touchingly melancholy ("Feed the Birds"). Many consider Mary Poppinsto be the crowning achievement of Walt Disney's career—and it was the only one of his features to be nominated for a best picture Academy Award until Beauty and the Beastin 1991. —Jim Emerson

If you don't mind a heavy dose of schmaltz and sentiment, this romantic comedy has a gentle way of seducing you with its charms. While You Were Sleepingwas the first starring role for Sandra Bullock after her blockbuster success in Speed. In a role that nicely emphasizes her easygoing appeal, Bullock is the reason the movie works at all. She plays Lucy Eleanor Moderatz, a Chicago Transit tollbooth clerk who's hopelessly smitten with a daily commuter, Peter Callaghan (Peter Gallagher). She saves the object of her affection from certain death after he's mugged and falls onto the train tracks. While Peter is in a coma, she lets his family believe that she is his fiancée, and surprisingly finds herself drawn to his brother (Bill Pullman), for whom the attraction is definitely mutual. How Lucy gets out of this amorous predicament is what makes this pleasant movie less predictable than its familiar ingredients would initially indicate. It's feel-good fluff, with characters and performances that keep you smiling through the drippy plot mechanics. —Jeff Shannon

The plot of Failure to Launchis utterly implausible, yet the movie is thoroughly fun. Tripp (laid-back Matthew McConaughey, Sahara, Dazed and Confused) is a 35-year-old man who still lives with his parents (Kathy Bates, Misery, and ex-quarterback Terry Bradshaw)—and they aren't happy about it. Eager to get him out of the nest, they hire Paula (Sex and the City's Sarah Jessica Parker), a professional motivator who feigns relationships with boy-men so that their improved self-esteem will lead them to leave the nest. But Tripp's not the usual insecure shut-in Paula's used to, and as sparks fly, Paula finds herself losing her professional distance. This sort of set-up drove classic screwball comedies of the 1930s and 40s; once you embrace the absurdity, the movie zips along with a surprising balance of humor and bittersweet shadings. Failure to Launchgets a huge boost from the supporting performance of Zooey Deschanel (Elf) as Paula's housemate Kit—part sourpuss, part tomboy, and entirely sexy and winning. McConaughey and Parker have enjoyable chemistry and carry the movie well, but Deschanel is an oddball romantic-heroine-in-waiting. Also featuring Bradley Cooper (Alias) and Justin Bartha (National Treasure). —Bret Fetzer

When the coach of Vince Papale's beloved hometown football team hosted an unprecedented open tryout, the public consensus was that it was a waste of time—no one good enough to play professional football was going to be found this way. Certainly no one like Papale—a down-on-his-luck, 30 year-old, substitute teacher and part-time bartender who never even played college football. But against these odds, Papale made the team and soon found himself living every fan's fantasy—moving from his cheap seats in the upper deck to standing on the field as a professional football player.

A herd of American celebrities—from Whoopi Goldberg to Kevin Smith—have been corralled to redub Doogal, formerly a CGI cartoon from England called The Magic Roundaboutbased on a French stop-motion tv show from the 1960s called Le Manege Enchante. The title character is a dustmop with a face—presumably a dog of some sort—whose craving for sweets inadvertently traps his beloved owner Florence in a frozen carousel and unleashes an evil wintry wizard named Zeebad (voiced by Jon Stewart, The Daily Show). Doogal and his ragtag group of friends—singing cow Ermintrude (Goldberg, Sister Act), hopeful snail Brian (William H. Macy, Fargo), slacker rabbit Dylan (Jimmy Fallon, Fever Pitch), and a choo-choo train (Chevy Chase, Fletch)—must find three enchanted diamonds to stop Zeebad and bring spring back to the world. Presumably, Doogal's target audience is the very young, yet the dialogue (rewritten for the American market) is crammed with allusions to adult fare like Saturday Night Liveand Pulp Fiction. In fact—though it may have seemed differently with the original script—the entire movie comes across as an ungainly patchwork stitched together from scenes fromThe Wizard of Oz, Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Matrix, Ice Age, and much more. The effect is not so much funny as inexplicable. Also featuring the voices of Judi Dench (Iris), Ian McKellen (X-Men), and pop star Kylie Minogue. —Bret Fetzer

Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis wrote the script, but Bill Murray gets all the best lines and moments in this 1984 comedy directed by Ivan Reitman (Meatballs). The three comics, plus Ernie Hudson, play the New York City-based team that provides supernatural pest control, and Sigourney Weaver is the love interest possessed by an ancient demon. Reitman and company are full of original ideas about hobgoblins—who knew they could "slime" people with green plasma goo?—but hovering above the plot is Murray's patented ironic view of all the action. Still a lot of fun, and an obvious model for sci-fi comedies such as Men in Black. —Tom Keogh