Ring Two, The (2005)

Horror Rated PG-13

The Ring left its sequel a great setup, but The Ring Two quickly abandon’s the cursed videotape premise of the original – as well as the true original, Japan’s Ringu – in favor of a demonic possession plot. This time the avenging ghost of the tape tracks down the reporter from the first film (Naomi

The Fast and the Furious (2001)

Action/Adventure Rated PG-13

Another movie geared toward 14-year-old boys, but at least it seems to be made by adults.

Road to Perdition (2002)

Drama Rated R

An accomplished, if distant, period drama, as well as director Sam Mendes’ follow-up to American Beauty. With its hushed performances, stately visuals and lush production design, this tale of a Prohibition-era hit man (Tom Hanks) struggling to connect with his 12-year-old son (Tyler Hoechlin) puts its hands on its hips and dares you to call

Hot Chick, The (2002)

Comedy Rated PG-13

Rob Schneider is the poor man’s guilty pleasure – if Adam Sandler can’t feed your appetite for inspired idiocy, then idiocy plays too prominent a part in your life. Nevertheless, The Hot Chick has some funny bits as it follows a snobby cheerleader (Rachel McAdams) who wakes up in Schneider’s body – his first bout

Road Trip (2000)

Comedy Rated R

There are a few moments of inspired lunacy in this American Pie rip-off, but none of the self-deprecating honesty that made that outrageous sex comedy such a sweet surprise. Only MTV’s Tom Green, as a perpetual college student obsessed with feeding his friend’s boa constrictor, stands out among the gimmicky cast.

K-19: The Widowmaker (2002)

Action/Adventure Rated PG-13

A dramatization of a 1961 incident in which a malfunctioning Soviet sub nearly suffered a nuclear meltdown, K-19 is at its creepiest when the threat of radiation begins to haunt the trapped crew. The movie features tight direction by Kathryn Bigelow (Point Break, Strange Days) and the familiar faces of Harrison Ford and Liam Neeson,

Snatch (2000)

Action/Adventure Rated R

This crime farce may have been the movie of the moment when it first came out, what with director Guy Ritchie’s marriage to Madonna and its hip international cast, including Brad Pitt, Benicio Del Toro and a bunch of Brits. But Snatch is about as cool as a day-old corpse. As he follows a stolen

Man on the Moon (1999)

Drama Rated R

Don’t expect to find out what drove the late anarchic comic Andy Kaufman in this biography piece, but thanks to Jim Carrey’s outrageous performance, you can relive the hilarious and baffling experience of watching Kaufman do his stuff. If only more of today’s entertainers were as risky as Kaufman – and Carrey.

Northfork (2003)

Drama Rated PG-13

From idiosyncratic filmmaking brothers Michael and Mark Polish, Northfork takes place in a small town in 1955 Middle America that is being evacuated to make way for a new dam. From there, the movie darts off in directions that are at turns mythical, Biblical and downright bizarre, all captured in striking black-and-white imagery. This is

Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007)

Family Rated PG

“…should be sent to the same movie pound as the recent Garfield pictures.