Entertainment

The Beatles - Unauthorized (DVD)

A pastiche of documentary footage from important moments in the career of one of the most important pop bands of all time, this hard-to-find video includes interview, newsreel, and performance footage. Beginning with their landmark first American concert in Washington, D.C. in 1964, the video captures performances of classics like I Saw Her Standing There, She Loves You, and I Wanna Hold Your Hand. In addition, rare newsreel clips of a Hollywood Bowl performance and some very personal interviews with the band -- in which Paul talks about his romance with actress Jane Asher, and the rest of the boys pontificate on fame, the future, and the meaning behind their songs, are included.

Unavailable as per cease and desist from Apple Music. neimit 11/18/03

Step Up 3 (DVD)

Step it up to the stratosphere with Step Up 3, the eye-popping dance movie that gets your juices flowing like nothing before it. Gravity-defying routines, pulse-pounding music and heated drama take you to a dimension that's nothing less than amazing. When a tight-knit group of New York City street dancers are pitted against the best hip hop dancers in the world, it's a high stakes dance battle that'll change their lives forever. And with hot new chart-topping tracks from Flo Rida (Feat. David Guetta), Trey Songz, Wisin y Yandel and Sofia Fresh (Feat. T-Pain) - plus exclusive, dance-filled bonus features - experiencing Step Up 3 is one of the most exhilarating moves you can make.

Half Past Dead (DVD)

An undercover FBI agent, Sascha Petrosevitch (Steven Seagal), takes bullets for his buddy, Nick Frazier (Ja Rule). Nick figures Sascha for dead until the two are reunited again on duty at New Alcatraz (a hellish, high-tech version of the now-defunct prison). At New Alcatraz, criminal mastermind Lester (Bruce Weitz) is set to be executed. Lester knows the whereabouts of a fortune in gold, but isn`t talking. With only hours to live, Lester takes a meeting with Sascha, just as corrupt prison official Donny (Morris Chestnut) and his gang (including Nia Peebles) raid New Alcatraz by helicopter and take Lester and a Supreme Court justice hostage. Highly energetic action scenes pay respect to the films of John Woo, and director Don Michael Paul makes many tasteful choices in the film`s editing and music.

This Is Primal Rap (DVD)

A foreign production crew filming a documentary on the Los Angeles hip-hop scene finds their mission complicated by the fact that their primary subjects aren`t very talented or agreeable in this scathing musical mockumentary. The further the clueless crew delves into the local music scene, the clearer it becomes that they`re not getting the whole story. Hard as they may try, the two rappers that the film crew were hired to follow just don`t have what it takes to become hip-hop superstars. Later, one of the aspiring rappers vies for exposure on the radio, and the other ventures into the recording studio in hopes of producing a hit record. In the process, both musicians start to find their own niche, and work it for all it`s worth.

P-Star Rising (DVD)

Filmmaker Gabriel Noble follows nine year old hip-hop phenomenon P-Star as she prepares to move out from under the shadow of her single-parent father/mentor and take the music industry by storm. By night P-Star keeps the clubs rocking, and by day she greets her fans at public appearances. Back in the day, P-Star`s dad produced such groundbreaking acts as Ice-T and 2 LIVE CREW; these days, all of his energy goes toward helping his daughter reach the top of the charts. But despite her age, P-Star is fiercely independent. She`s never stopped thinking about her mother, and after securing a record deal she begins to voice her own opinions about how to create a successful public image.

Rockin' At the Red Dog (DVD)

Perched in the middle of Virginia City, Nevada, is a little-known piece of `60s counterculture history. Though the hippie movement is acknowledged to have been born in San Francisco, the seeds of musical experimentation, free love, and artistic expression germinated in the Red Dog Saloon, where bands like The Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Quicksilver Messenger Service, and The Charlatans played long before they were famous. The psychedelic era was ushered in at this nightspot, where the scene was somewhat surreal, as the musicians carried guns, the kitchen served gourmet French meals to rowdy customers, and the air was full of creativity and revolution. Filmmaker Mary Works pieces together the story using interviews with key members of the community, music, archival footage, photos, and poster art. A sense of the excitement of the times is palpable, while an interesting look at what each person went on to do is also afforded.

Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme (DVD)

Although carefully constructed rap songs have become a staple of the mainstream music scene, most freestyle rhyming remains undocumented, with a variety of talented rappers seeing their words floating off into thin air after they pass through their lips at the speed of a high-powered locomotive. FREESTYLE: THE ART OF RHYME aims to remedy this state of affairs by highlighting some of the best freestylers out there. Viewers who have seen 8 MILE will be familiar with the freestyle battles that go down, and these are featured here, alongside rhyming and commentary from a number of rap luminaries; Mos Def, The Roots, Jurassic 5, and The Last Poets all feature. As well as the spectacular rhyming skills, the film also offers some prescient comment on how many kids have been saved from a life of crime by discovering their freestlying talents. An informative, educational, and entertaining documentary, this is a great opportunity to witness some breathtaking performances by a group of unheralded artists.

Blues Views (DVD)

Have the blues every day, just like Little Milton, who performs his hit song Everyday I Have the Blues live on this compilation of rare and classic videos from the best voices in R&B, soul, and blues. Also heard is the blues-laced soul music of Latimore, and Shirley Brown delivers her biggest hit, Woman to Woman, both in performances that have rarely been seen. Johnnie Taylor, who rose to fame with Sam Cooke's first band the Soul Stirrers, made a concept video for his hit song Good Love, which has hardly been seen until now. Denise LaSalle, the Bobby Blues Band, and Ernie Johnson also appear, as well as a humorous video for Poonanny's Brand New Cadillac.

Bollywood Beats (DVD)

Dejected dancer Raj weighs his career ambitions against his domestic responsibilities after reluctantly becoming a dance instructor on the advice of an older woman. Raj`s career was going nowhere until Jyoti suggested that he use his talent to teach others how to dance. Despite some disheartening setbacks early on, Raj eventually finds his footing as an instructor as the pupils begin pouring in. Meanwhile, when an up and coming pop star recruits Raj to choreograph a music video, the instructor realizes that true fame may come at the cost of his new family, who have come to a crucial crossroads and need his support in order to weather the difficult road ahead.

Basement Jaxx - The Videos (DVD)

Felix Buxton and Simon Ratcliffe have been heating up dance floors with their smart, ultra-catchy, and eclectic mixes that have been praised by Danny Tenaglia, Armand van Helden and Daft Punk. The Brixton, UK duo create classic house colored with punk, funk, R&B, jazz, hip hop, and pop in a winning formula that simply can't be ignored. This collection of videos includes all their best-known hits, including Where's Your Head At which won two major awards at the eleventh Annual Music Video Production Awards. Other tracks include Red Alert, featuring Blue James, Rendez-Vu, and Bingo Bango; Lucky Star, featuring Dizzee Rascal; Good Luck, featuring Lisa Kekaula; and Plug It In, featuring JC Chasez, Kish Kash, Flylife.