New Videos Coming Out This Week

Here's what you need to know to plan your next trip to the video store. There are some interesting releases slated for Tuesday, October 30, 2001, including "The Animal" and "Swordfish." Also, the much-anticipated animated comedy "Shrek" becomes available on Friday, November 2, 2001. Let's take a look at these films, along with a few additional releases of interest, and take a sneak peek at next week.

"The Animal" - Special Edition

Tagline: "He wasn't much of a man... Now he's not much of an animal..."

Length: 84 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for some crude and sexual humor

Rob Schneider and Colleen Haskell (from "Survivor") star in this silly, good-natured comedy. Alone at a police station when a 911 call comes in, file clerk Marvin Mange (Schneider) heads for the scene of the crime, but gets into a terrible automobile accident on the way. Unbeknownst to Marvin, a rogue scientist saves his life by transplanting organs from several different animals. When Marvin returns to work, his newfound abilities to sniff out drugs like a dog and swim like a sea lion bring him respect. And soon he’s dating cute nature activist and animal shelter worker Rianna (Haskell). But sometimes Marvin’s animalistic behavior makes him look ridiculous, as when he licks the upper part of his leg or engages in a mating ritual with a female goat in heat.

Selected Special DVD Features:

Formats Available: The above information refers to the DVD; this film is also available on VHS.

"Swordfish"

Tagline: "Log on. Hack in. Go anywhere. Steal everything."

Length: 99 Minutes
MPAA Rating: R for violence, language and some sexuality/nudity

Starring John Travolta, Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, and Don Cheadle, "Swordfish" is an action thriller. Gabriel Shear (Travolta) masterminds shady operations, but he claims to do so to protect American freedoms. The beautiful Ginger (Berry), who seems to be somehow associated with Shear, approaches former computer hacker Stanley Jobson (Jackman) about doing a job for Shear. Desperate for money to fight a custody battle over his daughter, Jobson reluctantly accepts the job and finds himself caught up in a dangerous situation, where he must evade a tenacious government agent (Cheadle). While the character motivations and plot may be hard to follow in "Swordfish," the film offers much to look at, including a massive explosion, a bus being carried by a helicopter, and the stunning Halle Berry’s bare breasts.

Selected Special DVD Features:

Formats Available: The above information refers to the DVD; this film is also available on VHS.

"Shrek"

Length: 90 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG for mild language and some crude humor

"Shrek" is an animated comedy that features the voices of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, and John Lithgow. The title character (voice of Mike Myers) is an ogre who yearns to live a solitary life in his swamp. However, he’s deeply disturbed when a bunch of fairy-tale creatures come into his swamp because they have been banished by Lord Farquaad (voice of John Lithgow). But Lord Farquaad longs for the imprisoned Princess Fiona (voice of Cameron Diaz), and Shrek agrees to free her and bring her back if Lord Farquaad will guarantee the return of the swamp to solitude. On his mission to rescue Princess Fiona, Shrek is accompanied by a motor-mouth donkey called Donkey (voice of Eddie Murphy). Eighty-seven percent of the critics on Rotten Tomatoes liked "Shrek."

Selected Special DVD Features:

Formats Available: The above information refers to the DVD; this film is also available on VHS.

Additional Releases of Interest

"Midway" - Collector's Edition (1976)

Formats Available: The above information refers to the DVD; this film is also available on VHS.

"Rocco and His Brothers" (1961)

Formats Available: The above information refers to the DVD; this film is also available on VHS.

"Victoria & Albert"

Formats Available: The above information refers to the DVD; this film is also available on VHS.

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