What’s New

Blow (2001). The problem is not so much that a film was made about a drug dealer as that once the opening section’s energy has dissipated, no one could find a way to make the proceedings of even minimal interest. With Johnny Depp and Penelope Cruz. Warner: no list price; DVD: $26.98; (CC); R, for pervasive drug content and language, some violence and sexuality.

Just Visiting (2001). Americanized version of a 1993 French comedy about a medieval knight (Jean Reno) and his grubby servant (Christian Clavier) magically transported from the 12th century to the 21st. Strictly for the naughty 12-year-old in all of us. With Christina Applegate, Matthew Ross, Tara Reid and Malcolm McDowell. Buena Vista: no list price; DVD: $32.99; (CC); PG-13, for violence and crude humor.

Me, You, Them (2001). A rigorously minimalist take on a Brazilian peasant (Regina Case), a calm, self-possessed woman who manages to have a husband and two lovers plus assorted infants all living under the same roof with little fuss. Columbia: no list price; DVD: $29.98; (CC); PG-13, for sexuality and thematic content.

Shadow Magic (2001). Ann Hu’s delightful valentine to the dawn of cinema in China, with Jared Harris as a fictional Westerner who teams with an imaginative Peking photographer (Xia Yu), an actual historical figure, to make the first movie in China in 1905. Columbia: no list price; DVD: $29.98; (CC); Rated PG, for brief mild language.

The Tailor of Panama (2001). A spiffy entertainment, taken from the John le Carre novel but very much in the Graham Greene mode, in which a dissolute British spy (Pierce Brosnan, sending up his James Bond work) and a suave tailor with a secret (an excellent Geoffrey Rush) do all kinds of damage passing on exaggerated secrets. Columbia: no list price; DVD: $24.95; (CC); R for strong sexuality, language and some violence.

What’s Hot

* Last week’s Top 5 VHS rentals:1. Hannibal (2001). The film is creepy and grotesque rather than terrifying. What’s more problematic is the film’s insistence on viewing Lecter with respect if not outright approval. If he’s not scaring us silly, what’s the point of having him around? Anthony Hopkins reprises his role as the cannibalistic Dr. Lecter and Julianne Moore replaces Jodie Foster. R, for gruesome violence, some nudity and language.2. Joe Dirt (2001). David Spade is a janitor who searches for his long-estranged parents and gets a lot of gooey things dumped on his head along the way. PG-13, for crude and sex-related humor, language.

3. Exit Wounds (2001). Steven Seagal returns to action in this grimy, noisy cop thriller in which he plays a renegade detective chasing down corruption in a rough-and-tumble precinct. R, for strong violence, language and some sexuality/nudity.4. The Mexican (2001). A violence-prone screwball farce that has its eye on being a jaunty, picaresque adventure, kind of an updated version of those off-the-cuff road movies of some years back. With Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts and James Gandolfini of “Sopranos” fame. R, for violence and language.5. 15 Minutes (2001). This dark thriller is too long, too violent and not always convincing. But at the same time, there’s no denying that it’s on to something, that its savage indictment of the nexus of media, crime and a voracious public is a cinematic statement difficult to ignore. Written and directed by John Herzfeld. Robert De Niro, Edward Burns and Kelsey Grammer. R, for strong violence, language and some sexuality.* Last week’s Top 5 DVD rentals:1. Hannibal2. 15 Minutes 3. The Mexican4. Enemy at the Gates (2001). Large and ungainly, this World War II tale of a sniper duel that parallels the bloody battle for Stalingrad has an indisputable visual power, but it’s nothing you’d want to have a conversation with--or, for that matter, about. With Joseph Fiennes, Jude Law, Rachel Weisz, Bob Hoskins and Ed Harris. R, for strong, graphic war violence and some sexuality. 5. The Family Man (2000). A fantasy about a ruthless Wall Street tycoon (Nicolas Cage) who gets a chance to see what his life would have been like had he married his college sweetheart (Tea Leoni) and sold tires for his father-in-law. PG-13 for sensuality and some language. * Last week’s Top 5 VHS sellers: 1. DBZ-Descent (uncut).

2. DBZ-Battle Royal (uncut). 3. DBZ-Descent (edited).

4. Pokemon 3: The Movie (2000). The animated world of Pokemon-land crystallizes and morphs into one reality after another. Sure, it holds kids’ attention. The noise alone prevents them from forming any other complete thought. G.5. DBZ-Battle Royal (edited).

* Last week’s Top 5 DVD sellers:1. Hannibal

2. Forrest Gump (1994). Director Robert Zemeckis uses the story of Gump (Tom Hanks), whose low IQ doesn’t keep him from success, to examine turbulent recent American history through a cracked lens. PG-13, some drug content, sensuality and war violence. 3. Exit Wounds 4. Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971). A pleasant children’s musical fantasy about a tour through a magical candy factory. With Gene Wilder and Jack Albertson. 5. Joe Dirt

What’s Coming

Tuesday: “Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles,” “Driven,” “The Luzhin Defence,” “Spy Kids,” “Startup.com,” “Widow of Saint-Pierre.”

Sept. 25: “Along Came a Spider,” “Amores Perros,” “The Forsaken,” “Kingdom Come,” “A Knight’s Tale,” “One Night at McCool’s,” “Series 7,” “Someone Like You.”

Oct. 2: “Beautiful Creatures,” “Heartbreakers,” “The Mummy Returns.”

Oct. 9: “Bridget Jones’s Diary.”

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Rental video charts provided by VSDAVidTrac, sales charts by VideoScan Inc.