Mansfield Park

Rating: PG-13

Movie Release Date: November 17, 1999

DVD Release Date: July 11, 2000

Plot 411: A poor girl grows up in a rich household and perseveres despite a different kind of rough upbringing

Review: In this film based on Jane Austen's book of the same name, poor Fanny Price (Frances O'Connor) goes to live with her wealthy aunt as a young girl. Her family sends her for the developmental and educational benefit as well as for the financial relief of having one less mouth to feed. Depsite being a relative, she is treated harshly like a servant. Everyone is horrible except for her cousin Edmund (Jonny Lee Miller), and they quickly become friends. As they grow up, Fanny's love for Edmund deepens. However, it is threatened when Henry (Alessandro Nivola) and Mary (Embeth Davidtz) Crawford, relatives of the local clergy, arrive and begin insinuating themselves into their lives. Again, I'm loving this period piece, especially because it's another adaptation of Jane Austen. Somehow, she just gets all the angst and turmoil surrounding love in these impossible situations. She understands strong female characters and is determined to see them succeed. Miller is lovable and sometimes so darned respectful that you just want to bop him on the head! O'Connor does a nice job as Fanny.

Watch It: For a slightly different take on things than what's in the novel.

Skip It: If you don't like Austen to begin with. Why waste your time?

Vanity Fair

Rating: PG-13

Movie Release Date: September 1, 2004

DVD Release Date: February 1, 2005

Plot 411: A girl ditches her humble beginnings to climb England's social ladder.

Review: Reese Witherspoon is Becky Sharp, a bright and ambitious girl who establishes herself as a nanny to a wealthy family. Here she rubs elbows with society's elite and further entrenches herself into the upper crust of society when she marries the family's eldest son (James Purefoy). She uses all of her assets to achieve her lifelong dreams of stability, credibility and social acceptance. Becky's actions are shockingly bold for a woman of the 1800s. However, viewed from today's standards, she's, in fact, a heroine for her ability to acheive her dreams. I totally love these period pieces and the wardrobe is wonderfully colorful and intricate. Witherspoon's gowns, jewelry and hair are really impressive. I also enjoy the witty repartee and banter between the men and women. With so many restrictions governing appropriate behavior, it's the lustful glances from across the room or the slightest touch of fingertips that really make the flirting so much more moving than today's thoroughly obvious efforts.

Watch It: If you want to see a woman who will stop at nothing to make it to the top.

Skip It: Witherspoon's pointy witch chin will be too much of a distraction to the action on screen.

Dog Bite Dog / Gau ngao gau

Rating: Not Rated

Movie Release Date: August 17, 2006 (Hong Kong) / June 23, 2007 (USA)

DVD Release Date: October 23, 2007

Plot 411: A man raised amidst savagery learns to love or a single-minded cop hunts a savage hitman . . . depending on your perspective.

Review: This was definitely a unique movie. The plot centered around a hitman (Edison Chen) who is hired to assassinate a judge's wife and the police who try to capture him. This may seem like old news, but the way in which the violence is carried out is astonishingly unique. The brutality and savagery of the action are explosive and seem to somehow push boundaries between film and reality. The horrifying efficiency in which the hitman kills people is pretty devastating. He is unemotional and detached, almost like a robot. However, despite being chased by an obsessive cop (Sam Lee) and unflinchingly beating and killing many people, the hitman shows his humanity when he meets a troubled girl. The hitman's character arc is pretty impressive, though I don't know how credible it is. Still, the capacity of the human heart is immeasurable so perhaps in spite of his untraditional Cambodian upbringing, the hitman is still capable of love and feelings of tenderness. The message at the end feels forced, but whatever. I'll go with it anyway.

Watch It: For a brutality that is rarely portrayed in film.

Skip It: Because of that very same brutality. You're either going to love it or hate it.