The timely story behind Hollywood's best political thriller in recent years goes back to Cold War paranoia. More reinterpretation than straightforward remake, Jonathan Demme's The Manchurian Candidate draws inspiration from John Frankenheimer's 1962 political thriller of the same name. Demme replaces the original's communist villains with a present-day headline plot involving traumatized Gulf War veterans, government secrecy, deals with White House-friendly corporations and escalating fear over terrorist attacks. It makes for a potent cocktail of intelligent thrills.

Denzel Washington is believably unbalanced as U.S. Army Captain Bennet Marko, a Gulf War veteran who uncovers a conspiracy to control the next U.S. President.

Liev Schreiber is deadpan creepy as Raymond Shaw, a member of Marko's platoon who's set up as the unsuspecting pawn in the anti-government plot by his mother, Meryl Streep in a devilish performance as a U.S. senator.

Demme's remake is an extraordinary thriller in its own right, an equal to Frankenheimer's classic film. Demme understands that the idea of a "Manchurian Candidate," meaning a President who answers to a power other than the voters, is as credible today as it was 42 years ago. And the Rest
2004's cult comic hero is a gangly high school geek with spongy strawberry hair, freckled cheeks and oversized lips, the titular character of first-time director Jared Hess' laugh-out-loud, independent comedy Napoleon Dynamite (Fox). Jon Heder is perfectly nerdy as Dynamite, a moon-boot-clad loner who spends his days helping his Latino friend Pedro (Efren Ramirez) run for class president -- including an impromptu break dance performance at a school assembly. Hess (who co-wrote the script with his wife Jerusha Hess) credits his childhood in Preston, Idaho, for inspiring the film, which means he's met some crazy people in his life. ... Veteran director William Wyler took a break from serious melodramas like The Children's Hour and The Loudest Whisper with his neat, likable, Paris-set, 1966 caper comedy How To Steal A Million (Fox). Audrey Hepburn, who worked with Wyler on three previous films, including Roman Holiday, puts her stylish beauty and innocent presence to good use as the daughter of an art forger who plans an elaborate museum robbery. Peter O'Toole stares at Hepburn admiringly as her partner in crime and would-be lover.

TV Reruns
Solid casting, innovative directing and chemistry between its supporting players and stand-up comic Tim Allen create apparent laughs throughout Home Improvement: The Complete First Season (Buena Vista). Granted, the TV series (which aired from 1991-99) quickly became locked in predictable formula. TV handyman Tim (Allen) tries to fix something, causes a disaster, but still manages to make everything right. There are few surprises, but the interaction between Allen and his ensemble provides plenty of funny moments. (P.F. Wilson)