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Apocalypto (R)
Buena Vista
Apocalypto is a brilliant film. It really is. Taking place roughly around the fall of the Mayan Empire (starring an unknown cast and spoken entirely in native tongue), it tells the story of Jaguar Paw and, after his village is ransacked for sacrifices, his eventual escape and trip back home to his child and pregnant wife. It's a thrilling adventure story that, as some have claimed, may have no historical merit. But that's kind of like saying Pirates of the Caribbean is historically inaccurate; who cares, when a film is this enthralling? Of course, because of the director's asinine behavior, all of the above was overshadowed in favor of automatically hating the whole thing. Louis Fowler
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Survival Quest (R)
Anchor Bay Entertainment Lance Henriksen is the genial, well-trained owner of the North Rockies Survival Quest School, which teaches city folk how to survive in the mountains through the use of ropes, zip cords, compasses, eating worms you get the idea. The new group is enjoying itself until a rival school, one that teaches brutal and sadistic paramilitary survival training, crosses paths with our weekend warriors. It delves into a true test of wills, with beautiful mountain photography highlighting an action-packed, if formulaic story. Overall, it works. And now if you're out hiking, and some paramilitary whack jobs ambush you, you'll know what to do. Louis Fowler
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American Dad! Vol. 2 (NR)
20th Century Fox
Family Guy has pretty much run its course, now relegated to the easy-to-achieve guffawing from the frat boy set. It continues on, breaking no new ground, repeating its typical quick-cut pop-culture-referential humor. American Dad! is basically the exact same show, only even unfunnier. Even the most easily entertained types avoid this show yet, somehow, it stays on the air. Does creator Seth MacFarlane have dirt on all those FOX execs? Because it sure as hell ain't ratings or quality that keeps this show on. As for this DVD collection, it's pretty redundant if you already own any Family Guy DVDs. Louis Fowler
April's First Friday
We Are The Youth
