AMERICAN PSYCHO: UNCUT VERSION

2000, Unrated

Published amid a flurry of controversy, Bret Easton Ellis' American Psycho is the rare contemporary novel that touches a nerve. And for good reason. Ellis' elegant, deadpan prose is the perfect vehicle for the story of Patrick Bateman, a monster of gigantic self-importance who poses as a human being. When rumors of a film version surfaced, I thought someone was as crazy as Bateman -- the book's violence (always best left to the imagination), tone (satire at its darkest) and logistics (much of the narrative takes place in Bateman's head) seemed an impossible cinematic task. And compared to Ellis' novel, director Mary Harron's restrained film adaptation inevitably falls short. Yet as a stand-alone piece of moviemaking, it somehow works, largely due to Christian Bale's thoroughly convincing portrayal of a vacant Wall Street yuppie driven to the edge. Of the numerous extras on this recently released uncut version, Harron's lucid audio commentary is as illuminating a discussion of the book-to-screen pitfalls as you're likely to hear. It also reminds us just how bad the '80s sucked. (Jason Gargano) Grade: B

HIDE AND SEEK

HIDE AND SEEK (FOX)

2004, Rated R

Four alternative endings -- complete with commentary from director John Polson -- give home viewers a chance to interact with Polson's slick but dull thriller, Hide and Seek, in ways theater audiences could only imagine. But none of the extra endings prevent the horror film from sinking to the level of disaster. Robert De Niro is subdued to the point of cellophane as widower David Callaway, who relocates from Manhattan to a plush country home in rural New York with his young daughter, Emily (Dakota Fanning). Callaway, a psychologist, seeks quiet and emotional recuperation after the death of his wife (Amy Irving). Everything about Hide and Seek goes crazy after Emily finds solace with an imaginary friend, dragging De Niro to one of the worst performances of his career. Elisabeth Shue, as the cute neighbor, and Famke Janssen, as Emily's psychologist, receive the brunt of screenwriter Ari Schlossberg's fright-less storytelling. Watching all four alternative endings, as well as bonus scenes and storyboards, grants viewers an insider's perspective into Hide and Seek. But they won't like the movie any better. (Steve Ramos) Grade: D

PROZAC NATION

PROZAC NATION (MIRAMAX)

2001, Rated R

Elizabeth Wurtzel should be pissed. So should Christina Ricci, whose game performance as the aforementioned writer deserves better. This film version of Wurtzel's zeitgeist-capturing 1994 memoir of the same name is shockingly slight, coming off more like a movie of the week than the personal, often comedic saga of a talented young Harvard student coping with depression. Wurtzel's writing effectively, if somewhat indulgently, captured the emotional damage divorce imposes on a family. Put simply, the film does not. Ricci tries hard to overcome a flawed screenplay and flaccid, cliché-ridden direction from Erik Skjoldbjrg, but not even a shameless cameo by Wurtzel's beloved Lou Reed can resuscitate this flatliner. Miramax, which seems to be in a puzzling daze at this point, buried Prozac Nation for several years before finally releasing it on DVD this month. Its delay is one the few insightful decisions they've made of late. Fittingly, the subtle-free cover art looks as if it was designed by a horny eighth-grader. (JG) Grade: D

CRACKER -- THE COMPLETE U.S. SERIES

CRACKER -- THE COMPLETE U.S. SERIES (TANGO)

1997, Not Rated

A chance to revisit all 16 one-hour episodes on a new four-DVD set of the under-appreciated 1997-98 ABC TV series Cracker supports the premise that TV dramas often outshine movies when it comes to adult storytelling. Robert Pastorelli (best known as the comical house painter Eldin on Murphy Brown) is the brilliant but troubled police psychologist with the L.A.P.D. He is an alcoholic, a compulsive gambler and a philanderer. But his flaws help him understand the criminals he captures. Fans of the original British series and Robbie Coltrane's titular performance will tell you that the American shows suffer by comparison to the original (Cracker aired on U.K. ITV from 1993-95). But it's not a question of choosing one or the other. Compelling episodes like the two-part "True Romance," which introduced Cracker to U.S. audiences, reveal a show worthy to its source material and heads and shoulders above anything on present-day network TV. Coltrane shows up in a guest appearance alongside Pastorelli. It's a nice gesture to fans and a welcome chance for both Crackers to meet. (SR) Grade: B