Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • 32

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And "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" (1988, $19.98) is an almost unbearably beautiful adaptation of Milan Kun-dera's sensual, poetic novel about a womanizing Czech doctor (Daniel Day-Lewis) who gets caught up in his country's political turmoil. MGM is also releasing 1982's "Koyaanisqatsi" and its sequel "Powaqqatsi" (each Godfrey Reggio's visual and aural explorations of a "world out of balance." The long-delayed third installment of the trilogy will be released locally this fall. 'Rex the Runt' One more: "Rex the Runt" (, a two-DVD set collecting every ridiculous episode of the absurd animated British TV series produced by Aard-man Animations, the stop-motion masters who gave us the great Wallace Gromit. Its producers assure us the DVD will "challenge every presumption we ever had about plasticene dogs." I cannot disagree, or stop laughing. jjYour Community livi hy TukpavJ ing to make a comeback, only to develop psychosomatic blindness.

"Death to Smooehy" Warner Home Video, starring Robin Williams as a smarmy kids' show host who's replaced by Edward Norton, isn't (mite as bad as its reputation, but neither is it much of a comedy. Best of show is "Scratch" (, Palm Pictures, $26.99,) a two-DVD edition of the documentary tracing the origins of DJ culture that's nearly as imaginative and energizing as the music. Close behind is the sweet and funny "Kissing Jessica Stein" (, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, a surprise spring hit about a New York professional who abandons her long search for Mr. Right and cautiously takes her chances with Ms. Right.

It's one of those movies that very casually changes minds without making a big fuss about it. From MGM MGM's most recent raid on its vaults is a wallet-emptier, with the first DVD release of 1979's "The Onion Field" (, An adaptation of Joseph Wam-baugh's riveting account of a cop killing, it's directed by Harold Becker (who recorded a commentary). James Woods, in his star-making performance, plays the sleazy killer. "The Pride of the Yankees" (1942, $14.95) is the su Ciillinn "Monsters Inc." a t'olU'ftor's li edition (, Walt Disney Home Video, is superfluous; like i' tlie previous DVDs produced by Disney partner I'ixar, this two-disc set has more extras than Sully has fur. Disc one contains wide-screen and full-frame versions of the digitally animated hit about the company that converts kids' screams into energy to power the city of Monstropolis.

Top scream producer Sully (John Goodman) commits the no-no of accidentally bringing one of his little human victims back to Monstropolis, creating no end of problems for himself and his best pal, walking eyeball Mike (Billy Crystal). Disc two is loaded, divided between kid stuff a game, an explanation of computer-generated imagery and more grown-up material. The latter includes an in-depth look at the design concepts for Monstropolis, the factory and the characters. Best of all: two Pixar shorts, last year's Oscar-winning "For the Birds" and a new one, "Mike's New Car," a vehicle that will almost certainly show up in the "Monsters Inc." ssequel. 'The Panic Room' Columbia-TriStar Home Enter tainment has released "The Panic Room" as part of its deluxe collection right out of the box (, previously, the company's high-definition transfer process has been saved for second, pricier DVD releases of visually driven films like "Men in The visual and sound design make this movie worthwhile; the credit sequence is nearly worth the purchase price.

'Frailty' Bill Paxton's directing debut "Frailty" was unable to find its audience last spring, but I predict the DVD will be a born-again experience for this well-crafted and atmospheric drama. Paxton plays a Southern single father who informs his two sons that God has sent an angel with a list of evildoers who must be smitten. This film casts a seriously spooky spell you'll find hard to shake. Hits and misses The week's other recent theatrical releases are a mixed bag. "40 Days and 40 Nights" (, Miramax Home Entertainment) wastes a an attractive cast (Josh Hartnett, Shannyn Sossamon) on an unattractive sex comedy about a man who swears off sex.

There are a few laughs in Woody Allen's "Hollywood Ending" (, DreamWorksUniversal, but not much else. Allen plays a difficult director try i 1 i Contact TERRY LAWSON at 313-223-4524 or luwsonfrecpress.com. 'RULES' I Sitcom tries for CAMERON I Writer's work fresh, wholesome laughs goes from the Web to TV she comes home crying and washes it. It drives you nuts." As therapy for being driven a little cuckoo by his daughter, Cameron expressed his feelings in his writing. "I needed something that would make me laugh or I would go crazy." Cameron lives in Los Angeles and is working on a screenplay treatment for the possible transformation of "8 Simple Rules" into a Disney movie.

He lists the Top Three Things to Remember When Your Daughter Becomes a Teenager which also can apply to teenage sons. Here they are: "However much you're saving for college, it's not enough." "Familiarize yourself with insurance claim forms." "Try to come up with some creative punishments. Because if you ground her for too long, it turns into your punishment." From Page IE ten about the challenges of dealing with his adolescent children, Georgia (now 21), Chelsea (18) and Chase (14) eventually led to a job as a weekly, Dave Barry-flavored lifestyle columnist for the Rocky Mountain News in Denver. "8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter" (Workman Publishing, $11.95) became an immediate hit when it was published in 2001. It struck universal chords of amused frustration for many parents.

"Fathers don't understand the high school prom. The prom is one of the most perplexing things," Cameron says. "I think mothers want to use the prom as a trial run for planning a wedding. "I just didn't understand why it cost me so darn much money. Besides the fancy dress, there's the fancy hair-do," he says.

"And then after she gets the fancy hair-do, 3 if 1 a hospital nurse. So Dad is perpetually dismayed and wigging out. Once you get past Ritter's performance and his chemistry with Sagal, who does an emotional 180 from her days as Peg Bundy the formula feel of "8 Simple Rules" is a disappointment. With "Home Improvement," you had the zing of discovering a hot new comic talent and his loopy "Tool Time" wit. With "8 Simple Rules," you may well have the sense you've seen it all before.

But given time to evolve and Ritter might lure an audience on the sheer energy of his comic gifts the show could get into a winning comic groove. And given his background in successful sitcoms, Tracy Gamble just might have more of a feel for what America wants to see than TV critics do. Plus, he's right about one thing: Men dither in times of child-rearing crisis. "Women just have a better sense of humor about raising kids," observes Gamble. "Wives are kind of like, 'Oh, get over it.

This is Droll with the punch lines, that might yet be the ticket for "8 Simple Simple Rules." Contact MIKE DUFFY at 313-222-6520 or duffyigfrecprcss.com. Spinedex Physical Therapy USA, Inc. Formerly VAX-D Medical Centers vsww.5 rimed exxom ES Ml. jV i Splnedex Physical Therapy has changed my life. Before I started therapy, I was experiencing severe back pain and pain down my legs.

I have had back problems for 20 years, but in the last year I had to give up playing baseball, golf, and coaching my son's club soccer team. My doctors prescribed 1 20 milligrams per day of Morphine, which I became dependent on. Doctors were scheduling me for back surgery when my wife saw an ad in Sunday's paper and I called for a consultation. After 5 therapy sessions, all the pain I had been experiencing in my back and legs was gone, and I was able to stop taking pain medication. As continued therapy at Splnedex, I could feel my back muscles getting stronger, and began coaching and playing basketball with my four children.

I rarely think about my back any more, except when I give your card out to friends and business associates. And I haven't been back to the neurosurgeon, neurologist, or chiropractor since I started at Splnedex. fwas very impressed with the staff's professionalism-l would recommend Splnedex to anyone that is experiencing back pain. Thank you once again for your help! i Every Sunday Bob Lawrence Non-Chiropractic No Medicare No Medicaid Sciatic Leq Pain Herniated Discs Deoenerative Discs Facet Syndrome mm: From Page IE (Katev Sagal, "Married with "Much like Tim Allen on 'Home John has a sense of playfulness and a sense of fun," says Gamble. "There's an imp in there.

But at the core, John is a kind human being. And if you match that with a 'beleaguered it can be very funny." It's no coincidence that Gamble mentions Michigander Allen and "Home Improvement." Gamble was a writer and producer for the ABC sitcom also set in Detroit. "I want this to be a show the whole family can enjoy, the way 'Home Improvement' was," says Gamble, who has also worked on "The Golden Girls," and "Married with Children." Gamble and his wife, Cathy, and their three children, including 12-year-old son Rory, have made regular summertime jaunts to visit their best friends, Dan and Louise Bernstein of Jackson. For "8 Simple Rules," Gamble also drew on the Bernsteins' years with daughters Sarah, 22, a grad student at Michigan State, and Annie, 21, a senior at Western Michigan. "Every day was a battle," recalls Dan Bernstein, managing a chuckle about his daughters, who got tattoos and navel rings that Dad didn't quite approve of.

"They'd always want to do things you didn't think they should. I had a lot of fun when I was a kid and I wanted my daughters to have fun but be sensible." Though Cameron's book provided the blueprint and the Bernsteins' experiences offered extra bits of chucklehead fuel "8 Simple Rules" is still Tracy Gamble's baby. The sitcom family's name is Cathy Gamble's maiden name. And the kids on "8 Simple Rules" have the same names as the Gamble children, Bridget (Kaley Cuoco), Kerry (Amy Davidson) and Rory tin Spanjers). That's u-; .,11, In the iiovv'ii premiere episode, Hitler C'inco repeat a dia-iogue straight from an encounter O.uiibie had with his daimhter Bridget.

On the show, Bridget bounces downstairs in a flimsy midriff-baring top with a hot pink thong visible abo her blue jeans. "1 think you missed the word 'under' in underwear because I can see your bra and that slingshot you're wearing under your pants," snorts Ritter. "It's a thong," she responds. "It's floss," says Dad. "That dialogue came right out of my life while 1 was writing the series pilot," recalls a bemused Gamble of his daughter's less provocative wearing of a thong be-Ii sweat pants.

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