Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
DIRECTOR: Gore Verbinski CAST: Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Geoffrey Rush, Jonathan Pryce, Jack Davenport
SYNOPSIS: Inspired by a Disney theme park attraction, the plot concerns the dashing pirate Jack Sparrow (Depp), who is down on his luck after a mutiny when he exchanges a jail term for a possible death sentence: chasing the legendary Black Pearl and its murderous Capt. Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush). Jack pledges to rescue Elizabeth Swann (Knightley), daughter of a wealthy governor (Pryce). Elizabeth's secret love, blacksmith Will Turner (Bloom), is by Jack's side, gradually becoming aware of his shady legacy and its connection to the Black Pearl's cursed bounty.
WHAT WE SAID: "Pirates of the Caribbean has it all: thrills, chills, comedy and romance, all in one lavishly buoyant package," Times film critic Steve Persall wrote in July, giving the film an A-. "Best of all, it has Depp pushing the boundaries of heroism and camera generosity to hilarious lengths. . . . This performance is what Dustin Hoffman wishes he could have pulled off in Hook 12 years ago. It may be at least that long before anyone else is brave enough to try it again."
SYNOPSIS: This nine-disc box set, which lists for $99 but is available on Amazon for $70, is a dream come true for Alien fans, with 45 hours of never-before-seen footage plus the four films: 1979's Alien (both the original and the new director's cut), Aliens (1986), Alien 3 (1992) and Alien Resurrection (1997).
WHAT WE SAID: When Alien: The Director's Cut was released in theaters in October, Persall wrote, "Ridley Scott's 1979 release still holds up as one of the best science fiction horror flicks of all time. Basically, it's a haunted house in outer space; the crew of the cargo ship Nostromo is chased through darkened hallways by a memorable beast. But the film contains an elegant tension that most of its imitators failed to grasp, with more deliberate pacing and understated terror. . . . Sigourney Weaver's Ripley hadn't turned into a bold fighting machine yet; that characterization didn't blossom until James Cameron's sequel, Aliens."
