Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe What's new on the home video scene... MOVIES Advertisement "The Time Machine" -- H.G. Wells' famous time-travel fantasy, in its latest cinematic reincarnation, is a fast-paced, special effects-laden adventure with a number of major differences from the novel on which it's based and from the fondly remembered 1960 George Pal epic. Turn-of-the-century inventor/scientist Alexander Hartegen (Guy Pierce, looking a bit haggard) builds an elaborate time machine in a futile effort to change the past after the death of his fianceé. Undaunted, he delves next into the future, looking for a key to rewriting history, a trek that takes him 800,000 years forward, beyond cataclysms and ice ages, to a replenished and repopulated Earth. There he finds that human beings have evolved into two species: the non-violent Eloi, who dwell above ground, and the murderous Morlocks, who live in a vast underground civilization and constantly prey on the meek topsiders. After being helped by a young Eloi woman (Samantha Mumba), Alexander leads her terrified people in their first all-out fight against the Morlocks. Chalk-faced Jeremy Irons does a cameo as head of the underground creatures. While generally an entertaining diversion, it misses most of the gee-whiz enthusiasm of the original and some of the changes, especially late in the movie, don't quite wash. It's an unexpected detour from the novel since the author's great-grandson, Simon Wells, was the director. 2002. 96 minutes, DreamWorks Home Entertainment. Rated PG-13 (intense sequences of action violence). Advertisement "Crossroads" -- Britney Spears is the latest pop singing star to get a shot at the movies and, like most, the overall result is only so-so. Actually, Britney is better than some of her contemporaries even in a relatively low-key role in a contrived and ultimately sad film. Largely, it's a road movie, centering on three recently graduated high school seniors headed for Los Angeles in a convertible. Britney's character Lucy is looking for her long-lost mother; Kit (Zoe Saldana) is searching for her balky boyfriend and Mimi (Taryn Manning) wants to be in a songwriting contest despite being pregnant. Their driver (Anson Mount) is a hunk they just met. Their escapades are familiar and predictable. 2002. 90 minutes, Paramount Home Entertainment. Rated PG-13 (sexual content and bief teen drinking). "Kung Pow: Enter the Fist" -- In this generous helping of ku foolishness, writer-director Steve Oedekerk plays the Chosen One, a martial arts master since he was an infant, who sets out to avenge the deaths of his parents. They were killed by the sinister Master Pain (Lung Fai), who for some reason wants to be called Betty. Our hero has some wild adventures en route to catching up with Betty, including an encounter with a karate-kicking cow. Oedekerk took the 1976 chop-socker "Tiger & Crane Fists," erased the dialogue, shot some new footage and digitally incorporated himself into the film as the star with a new script. Woody Allen tried the same thing years ago with "What's Up, Tiger Lily" with great success. Unfortunately, this doesn't work nearly as well. 2002. 81 minutes. Fox Home Entertainment. Rated PG-13 (comic violence, crude and sexual humor). Advertisement "Tarzan and Jane" -- Disney's direct-to-video animated sequel has Tarzan and Jane about to celebrate their first wedding anniversary. Jane is busily searching the jungle for the right gift for Tarzan, unaware he's doing the same. A long vine swing from the original but, for kids, light and rather likable on its own. 2002. 75 minutes. Animated. Walt Disney Home Entertainment. Rated G. VIDBITS Coming up next: Arnold Schwarzenegger's "Collateral Damage," "Dragonfly" with Kevin Costner and "Resident Evil"... The romantic comedy "Shallow Hal" and the Oscar-winning drama "A Beautiful Mind" are out front in the video rental derby this week... The one-billionth DVD was expected to be shipped to retail this week as the video industry celebrates the fifth anniversary of the digital video disc format... "Spider-Man" swings onto the home video stage on Friday, Nov. 1, the day after Halloween, highlighting what should be a dynamite fourth quarter for Columbia TriStar. Scuttlebutt has it had the studio will follow its $400 million mega-hit with "Men In Black II," the current box office leader, "Mr. Deeds" and "Stuart Litttle 2." Great things are expected of "Spider-Man," seen as a possible successor to "The Lion King," which holds the video sales record of 30 million copies... Advertisement New on DVD: "Robin and Marian," (Columbia TriStar, 1976), an interesting, atmospheric look at the twilight years of Robin Hood (played here by Sean Connery) who returns disillusioned from the Crusades to reunite with Maid Marian (Audrey Hepburn), now a nun, and tangle once more with the sheriff of Nottingham (Robert Shaw).
