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The T.V. series "Clueless" takes off right where the extremely funny film left off. Here we find the character of Cher Horowitz portrayed by newcomer Rachel Blanchard, but the rest of the cast remains in tact. Minor characters like Ty and Josh have been removed (which makes sense because their "stories" were neatly wrapped up in the film) and instead we focus on the day to day adventures and teen-struggles of Cher, Dionne, Murray and Amber. The series takes the sardonic outlook of 90s teens that made the movie a success and expounds on it with great effect. The expansion of the Amber character to be a double edged uber-villain-cum-confidant is beneficial and often makes the episodes so enjoyable.

In 2003 "Lost in Translation" finally broke the mould of films that were nothing more or less than intense character studies. That film has a sheet-thin plot, and for an hour and a half an audience watches two actors (Scarlet Johannsen and Bill Murray) FORCE them to care about the social plights of two characters. "Inside Monkey Zetterland" takes a far quirkier approach to the concept of character study, and succeeds just as well. Perhaps it's no coincidence that Sofia Coppola, director of the former, has a supporting role in the latter. "Monkey" delivers an ensemble case of quirky characters in zany situations that allow them, through their own character study, to make the plot simply about PEOPLE.

Haunted Castle is at it's best a very dark, gothic cautionary tale about doing anything for fame. Unfortunately it goes to some fairly violent extremes to prove it's point. Played in IMAX theaters across America it is billed as a simple, animated trip through a haunted castle. This draws parents with children who might already be at wherever is housing the IMAX screen (aquariums, zoos, etc...) to bring their children in, where they are confronted with a plot about a young musician being enticed by Satan (referred to innocuously as "Mr. D") to sell his soul for eternity. Only a brief part of the film takes place in the actual mansion; the rest is a literal journey through the depths of hell where "Johnny" (whose eyes we see through) is shown how various dead musician's souls are being tortured. (Most vivid in my mind is the opera singer who is strung to a rack and slowly lowered into a vat of acid and barracuda.) The film's 3D effects are mind boggling but often misplaced if not neglected, and there are at least two scenes that play like over-produced music videos. (The last five or six minutes of the film are essentially the credits played VERY SLOWLY over a "performance" by Johnny's band.) In all, if you are not easily grossed out or terrified and don't mind some boring moments, the film is visually stunning, but NOT FOR CHILDREN.