News

Prepare your living room for its own slice of Chicken Jockey mayhem. This year’s big moneymaker, A Minecraft Movie, is set to hit digital streaming next week on May 13, but Blu-ray.com has now reported on the details that Warner Bros. has released for the Minecraft Movie 4K Blu-ray home release. The spring blockbuster that stars Jason Momoa, Jack Black, Emma Myers, Danielle Brooks, and Sebastian Hansen will be releasing both HD and Ultra-hd Blu-rays on June 24.

The description reads,

Welcome to the world of Minecraft, where creativity doesn’t just help you craft, it’s essential to one’s survival! Four misfits—Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison (Momoa), Henry (Hansen), Natalie (Myers) and Dawn (Brooks)—find themselves struggling with ordinary problems when they are suddenly pulled through a mysterious portal into the Overworld: a bizarre, cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination. To get back home, they’ll have...

Warner Bros. Pictures has released the final trailer for A Minecraft Movie, which will open in theaters on April 4. Tickets are now on sale for the big-screen adaptation.

As you’ll see in the trailer, each character’s journey in the film reflects how Minecraft players all around the globe develop personal stories and build their universes within the game because, as you know, anything is possible in the Overworld!

Warner Bros. has also announced a Minecraft game add-on for fans of the game. For a limited time, starting on February 27, fans in the US who purchase tickets to A Minecraft Movie through Fandango will receive access to an exclusive in-game jetpack add-on for Minecraft: Bedrock Edition.

From Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures and starring Jason Momoa and Jack Black, A Minecraft Movie, directed by Jared Hess, is the first-ever big-screen, live-action adaptation of Minecraft, the best-selling video game of all time.

Are ya ready, kids? Netflix has just released the trailer for the newest adventure in the SpongeBob SquarePants series. SpongeBob SquarePants character Sheldon J. Plankton, is getting his own spin-off with Plankton: The Movie. The voice cast includes Mr. Lawrence, Jill Talley, Tom Kenny, Bill Fagerbakke, Carolyn Lawrence, Clancy Brown and Rodger Bumpass. The movie comes from Dave Needham from a screenplay by Mr. Lawrence & Kaz and (credited again?) Mr. Lawrence & Chris Viscardi. The film is based on the animated Nickelodeon show SpongeBob SquarePants, which was created by Stephen Hillenburg.

The description reads,

“Plankton’s world is flipped upside down when his plan for world domination is thwarted. SpongeBob SquarePants’ tiniest frenemy, Sheldon J. Plankton, is finally getting his close up. When Plankton’s latest evil scheme is thwarted, Bikini Bottom and the surface world become threatened by an unexpected danger. Now, before Plankton can take over the world, he...

Netflix has revealed the official trailer and poster for Plankton: The Movie, the new SpongeBob SquarePants film coming to the streaming service on March 7.

In the film, SpongeBob SquarePants’ tiniest frenemy, Sheldon J. Plankton, is finally getting his close-up.

When Plankton’s latest evil scheme is thwarted, Bikini Bottom and the surface world become threatened by an unexpected danger. Now, before Plankton can take over the world, he’s going to have to save it.

Directed by Dave Needham, the screenplay for Plankton: The Movie was written by Lawrence & Kaz and Lawrence & Chris Viscardi. It is based on a story by Lawrence.

The movie features Mr. Lawrence as the voice of Plankton alongside Jill Talley as Karen, Tom Kenny as SpongeBob SquarePants, Bill Fagerbakke as Patrick Star, Carolyn Lawrence as Sandy Cheeks, Clancy Brown as Mr. Krabs and Rodger Bumpass as Squidward Tentacles.

The new film is the second in...

The trailer for A Minecraft Movie showcases the video game adaptation to be a family-friendly adventure, but with Jack Black and Jason Momoa in the cast, it is surely set to lean the film into some light irreverent humor. The ratings bulletin from the MPA has recently announced that A Minecraft Movie will be an edgier family film with a PG rating for violence/action, language, suggestive/rude humor and some scary images.

From Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures and starring Jason Momoa and Jack Black, A Minecraft Movie, directed by Jared Hess, is the first-ever big-screen, live-action adaptation of Minecraft, the best-selling video game of all time. The film also stars Emma Myers (Wednesday), Oscar nominee Danielle Brooks (The Color Purple), Sebastian Eugene Hansen, with Jennifer Coolidge.

Welcome to the world of Minecraft, where creativity doesn’t just help you craft, it’s essential to one’s survival!

Earlier this morning, we saw Netflix unveil their 2025 TV slate, and now the folks at Deadline have also gotten their hands on the list of movies that we can expect to see drop on the streaming service as the year goes on. The list includes the likes of The Electric State, Wake Up Dead Man, Happy Gilmore 2, Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, The Old Guard 2, and a whole lot more – and you can check it out by scrolling down!

Kinda Pregnant – February 5 | Comedy

Jealous of her best friend’s pregnancy, Lainy wears a fake baby bump…and accidentally meets the man of her dreams. Director: Tyler Spindel Screenplay By: Julie Paiva and Amy Schumer Story By: Julie Paiva Producers: Adam Sandler, Tim Herlihy, Judit Maull, Kevin Grady, Eli Thomas for Happy Madison, Molly Sims for Something Happy Productions, Amy Schumer, Alex Saks for Saks Picture Company Executive Producers: Barry Bernardi,...

Netflix unveiled their feature slate for this year, dating a handful of titles, along with some first look photos and teasers to come this morning. For all the headlines that they’ve cut back on their feature slate, what’s clear below is that the streamer continues to commit to event films.

Among those pic’s receiving premiere dates, either specific or general, are the Stephen Chbosky directed comedy Nonnas starring Lorraine Bracco, Linda Cardellini and Drea de Matteo, the long-awaited Charlize Theron Skydance action sequel The Old Guard 2, Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, the Gareth Evans action thriller Havoc, Fear Street: Prom Queen, A Merry Little Ex-Mas, Noah Baumbach’s Jay Kelly, the Ben Affleck and Matt Damon cop thriller Rip, The Woman in Cabin 10, Oscar winner Kathryn Bigelow’s next untitled movie, and the highly anticipated Rian Johnson threequel Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery.

Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures have released new photos from A Minecraft Movie, which will open in theaters and IMAX on April 4, 2025. Scroll down to view all the A Minecraft Movie photos.

Directed by Jared Hess and based on the best-selling video game of all time, the first-ever live-action adaptation stars Jason Momoa, Jack Black, Emma Myers (Wednesday), Oscar nominee Danielle Brooks (The Color Purple), Sebastian Eugene Hansen, and Jennifer Coolidge.

Welcome to the world of Minecraft, where creativity doesn’t just help you craft; it’s essential to one’s survival! Four misfits—Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison (Momoa), Henry (Hansen), Natalie (Myers), and Dawn (Brooks)—find themselves struggling with ordinary problems when they are suddenly pulled through a mysterious portal into the Overworld: a bizarre, cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination.

To get back home, they’ll have to master this world while embarking on a magical quest with an unexpected,...

Updated with full trailer: “As a child, I yearned for the mines,” Jack Black’s Steve reminisces at the opening of Warner Bros., Mojang Studios’ and Legendary’s A Minecraft Movie trailer.

Set to Mgmt’s “Time to Pretend,” Black’s character narrates how he could not be kept away from the mines, which prompted the origin of the world of Minecraft, a wonderland in which anything can be created, as long as it’s made out of blocks.

Enter through the glowing blue portal, Jason Momoa’s Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison, Gamer of the Year, 1989, Danielle Brooks’ Dawn, Sebastian Eugene Hansen’s Henry and Emma Myers’ skeptical Natalie. No sign of the characters played by Jennifer Coolidge, Kate McKinnon and Jemaine Clement yet.

“Welcome to the Overworld,” Steve tells the visitors as a poor live chicken is turned into a cooked meal when lava is poured on it.

A new trailer and poster have been released (via GameFragger.com) for Warner Bros.' A Minecraft Movie and we're getting serious Jumanji vibes from this long-awaited big screen take on the hit video game franchise.

It's not just because Jack Black is leading the cast either; in this latest sneak peek, we watch as his character, Steve, discovers a means to travel into the world of Minecraft where he can create anything...provided it's block-shaped, of course.

He soon finds some new friends to tackle the dark forces intent on destroying that reality, and there are heaps of Easter Eggs and deep-cut references for those of you who know what to look out for.

Given what a huge fanbase Minecraft has, there's a good chance this will be a hit next year. However, a quick look on social media suggests gamers are divided when it comes to the direction...

Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures have released the new trailer for A Minecraft Movie, which reveals Steve’s origin story and more. A new poster for the movie was also released.

Directed by Jared Hess and based on the best-selling video game of all time, the first-ever live-action adaptation stars Jason Momoa, Jack Black, Emma Myers (Wednesday), Oscar nominee Danielle Brooks (The Color Purple), Sebastian Eugene Hansen, and Jennifer Coolidge.

Welcome to the world of Minecraft, where creativity doesn’t just help you craft; it’s essential to one’s survival! Four misfits—Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison (Momoa), Henry (Hansen), Natalie (Myers), and Dawn (Brooks)—find themselves struggling with ordinary problems when they are suddenly pulled through a mysterious portal into the Overworld: a bizarre, cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination.

To get back home, they’ll have to master this world while embarking on a magical quest with an unexpected,...

Thirty years ago, it was a given that if you saw Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction in theaters, you eventually bought the soundtrack. From the music to the dialogue snippets to Uma Thurman’s seductive pose on the cover, the triple platinum-selling soundtrack was a cool, take-home companion piece, something...

Watch the funny first trailer for A Minecraft Movie starring Jason Momoa and Jack Black. Directed by Jared Hess, the movie is the first-ever big screen, live-action adaptation of Minecraft, the best-selling video game of all time.

The film also stars Emma Myers (“Wednesday”), Oscar nominee Danielle Brooks (“The Color Purple”), Sebastian Eugene Hansen, with Jennifer Coolidge.

Welcome to the world of Minecraft, where creativity doesn’t just help you craft, it’s essential to one’s survival! Four misfits—Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison (Momoa), Henry (Hansen), Natalie (Myers) and Dawn (Brooks)—find themselves struggling with ordinary problems when they are suddenly pulled through a mysterious portal into the Overworld: a bizarre, cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination. To get back home, they’ll have to master this world while embarking on a magical quest with an unexpected, expert crafter, Steve (Black).

Together, their adventure will challenge all five...

Backed by The Beatles’ “Magical Mystery Tour,” Warner Bros Pictures’ A Minecraft Movie teaser trailer provides a first look at what’s coming with the first live-action feature film based on the biggest-selling video game in history.

The April 4, 2025 release stars Jason Momoa (Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom), Jack Black (the Kung Fu Panda films), Emma Myers (Wednesday), Oscar nominee Danielle Brooks (The Color Purple), Sebastian Eugene Hansen (Just Mercy), and Jennifer Coolidge (The White Lotus). Nacho Libre‘s Jared Hess directs.

Poster for Warner Bros Pictures’ ‘A Minecraft Poster’

“Welcome to the world of Minecraft, where creativity doesn’t just help you craft, it’s essential to one’s survival! Four misfits—Garrett ‘The Garbage Man’ Garrison (Momoa), Henry (Hansen), Natalie (Myers), and Dawn (Brooks)—find themselves struggling with ordinary problems when they are suddenly pulled through a mysterious portal into the Overworld: a bizarre, cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination,...

It's been a long time since a Minecraft movie was first announced. However, next year will finally see the release of Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures' A Minecraft Movie, the first-ever big screen, live-action adaptation of the best-selling video game of all time.

As we first reported on GameFragger.com, the first teaser trailer and poster for the movie have been released following a leak this summer which saw us get an early glimpse at several lead characters.

It's clear this has been made with fans in mind so, if you've never played the Minecraft games, you may well be left scratching your heads. Everyone seems to be having fun, though, and the movie will either surprise us or be another Borderlands. It's hard to say right now.

With a cast led by Jason Momoa (Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom) and Jack Black (The Super Mario Bros. Movie), A Minecraft...

Video game movies with a prominent storyline don’t often transfer to the big screen in a way that can live up to its source material. The movie Borderlands is a recent example. However, with a game like Minecraft, in which the whole thing is a sandbox of which the player can make anything they want, the possibilities can be endless for how a movie adapts the property. Get a peek at how things unfold in the new trailer for A Minecraft Movie.

From Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures and starring Jason Momoa and Jack Black, A Minecraft Movie, directed by Jared Hess, is the first-ever big-screen, live-action adaptation of Minecraft, the best-selling video game of all time. The film also stars Emma Myers (Wednesday), Oscar nominee Danielle Brooks (The Color Purple), Sebastian Eugene Hansen, with Jennifer Coolidge.

Welcome to the world of Minecraft, where creativity doesn’t just help you craft,...

Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures unveiled the first teaser trailer for the “Minecraft” movie on Wednesday, offering a peek at the highly anticipated video game adaptation. The live-action cast includes Jason Momoa, Jack Black, Danielle Brooks, Sebastian Eugene Hansen and Emma Myers, but it’s likely the animated “Minecraft” figures that fans of the game are most excited to see in action.

The story follows four misfits — Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison (Momoa), Henry (Hansen), Natalie (Myers) and Dawn (Brooks) — who find themselves pulled through a mysterious portal into the Overworld: a bizarre, cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination. Per the official synopsis, “To get back home, they’ll have to master this world while embarking on a magical quest with an unexpected, expert crafter, Steve (Black). Together, their adventure will challenge all five to be bold and to reconnect with the qualities that make each of them uniquely creative...

Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures have revealed the official teaser trailer and poster for the Minecraft movie, directed by Jared Hess and based on the best-selling video game of all time.

The first-ever live-action adaptation stars Jason Momoa, Jack Black, Emma Myers (Wednesday), Oscar nominee Danielle Brooks (The Color Purple), Sebastian Eugene Hansen, and Jennifer Coolidge.

Welcome to the world of Minecraft, where creativity doesn’t just help you craft; it’s essential to one’s survival! Four misfits—Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison (Momoa), Henry (Hansen), Natalie (Myers), and Dawn (Brooks)—find themselves struggling with ordinary problems when they are suddenly pulled through a mysterious portal into the Overworld: a bizarre, cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination.

To get back home, they’ll have to master this world while embarking on a magical quest with an unexpected, expert crafter, Steve (Black).

Together, their adventure will challenge all five...

The egotistical, aggressive, evil and power-hungry planktonic copepod –Plankton– from SpongeBob fame is getting his own Netflix movie as unveiled as part of the streamer’s Next on Netflix Animation press drop.

In the Dave Needham-directed animated feature, Plankton’s world is flipped upside down when his plan for world domination is thwarted. Plankton runs the Chum Bucket restaurant alongside Karen, a waterproof computer that doubles as his sidekick and wife.

EPs are Marc Ceccarelli, Vincent Waller. Story is by Mr. Lawrence, screenplay is too, with co-scribes Kaz and Chris Viscardi. Voice cast is Mr. Lawrence, Jill Talley, Tom Kenny, Bill Fagerbakke, Carolyn Lawrence, Clancy Brown, and Rodger Bumpass.

The movie had been in the works for over four years and was recorded two years ago.

Mahuia Bridgman-Cooper wrote the music with music supervisors Karyn Rachtman and Otis Ratchman.

Original songs were penned by Bret McKenzie, Linda Perry, Mark Mothersbaugh & Bob Mothersbaugh.

Harold Reid, whose bass voice, songwriting, and gift for humor distinguished his long career as a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame vocal group the Statler Brothers, died at his home in Staunton, Virginia, Friday evening after a lengthy battle with kidney failure, according to Reid’s bandmate Jimmy Fortune. He was 80.

Fortune posted a message on Facebook that read in part, “Our hearts are broken tonight. Our prayers and our thoughts are with [Reid’s wife] Brenda and his children and grandchildren and with my other brothers, Don and Phil.

Quentin Tarantino movies may be a nightmare for some in the scoring community — who’d be out of work if every other director adopted his approach of almost exclusively using existing songs and score — but they’re a dream for just about anyone else who loves music. From Steelers Wheel in “Reservoir Dogs” to the Paul Revere & the Raiders or the Royal Guardsmen in “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood,” he’s always had the right impulse for finding B or C-list tracks of yore and elevating them to grade-a memes via their unlikely marriage to unforgettable contemporary scenes.

His longstanding partner in this is Mary Ramos, who worked as a music coordinator on his first two features and then has been upped to music supervisor on every film since. Variety spoke with Ramos about her work on movies like “Pulp Fiction” and “Django Unchained” and, now, the joys of...

Pras Michel of the Fugees has re-teamed with producer Karyn Rachtman (the duo last worked together on the award-winning feature documentary "Sweet Micky for President" which was released in 2015) on what will be an adaptation of a book by co-authors Hugh Wray McCann, David C. Smith, titled "The Search For Johnny Nicholas: The Secret of Nazi Prisoner No. 44451," which tells the relatively unknown story of Haitian-born Jean Marcel “Johnny” Nicholas, a downed black American pilot who parachuted into France on a secret intelligence mission during WWII. Born in 1918, Nicholas was a young Haitian dilettante and member of the French Resistance during the...

Exclusive: Fugees co-founder Pras Michel has teamed with Karyn Rachtman to land The Search For Johnny Nicholas: The Secret of Nazi Prisoner No. 44451, a book by Dave C. Smith and Hugh Wray McCann that tells an unbelievable story of a Haitian man imprisoned in a concentration camp in WWII. Jean Claude Lamarre will write the script. Haitian born Johnny Nicholas was a savant and con man who moved to Paris and lived the high life under the guise of being an American fighter…...

Read More: Watch: 'Song of Lahore' Directors Reveal Why the Film Almost Unraveled (Exclusive)Producers Pras Michel and Karyn Rachtman recently joined Indiewire's Special Projects Editor Steve Greene to discuss their film, "Sweet Micky for President," at the International Documentary Association's continued screening series.The official synopsis reads: "'Sweet Micky for President' follows Pras Michel, Grammy award-winning rapper and founder of the hip-hop group The Fugees, as he returns to his homeland of Haiti post-earthquake and finds a corrupt government in paralysis. With no experience or money, Pras passionately mobilizes a presidential campaign for the unlikeliest of candidates: Michel Martelly, aka 'Sweet Micky,' Haiti’s most popular and most outlandish pop star. The idealistic and politically inexperienced pair set out against a corrupt government, civil unrest, and a fixed election system to change the course of Haitian history." In this first clip above,...

Films screen all day at the Orpheum Theatre, Scottish Rite, Central Library, Historical Museum, Garvey Center, Hotel at Old Town and the C.A.C. Theatre at Wsu. Click here for Friday’s schedule.

Be sure to check out these films with Special Guests:

I Declare War, 1:30 pm at the Orpheum with Director James Lapeyre Lost On Purpose, 4:00 pm at the Orpheum with co-Director Josh Barrett Blackfish, 4:45 pm at the Scottish Rite with Producer Manuel Oteyza Her Aim Is True, 11:15 am at the Garvey Forum with Director Karen Whitehead Zipper: Coney Island’S Last Wild Ride, 1:30 pm at the Garvey Forum with Director Amy Nicholson A Band Called Death, 4:00 pm at the Garvey Forum with Director Mark Covino The Last White Knight, 11:30 am at the Garvey Med. with Director Paul Saltzman Barzan, 2:00 pm at the Garvey Med. with Producer Sarah Stuteville and...

After seven hit seasons on Nickelodeon, "The Rugrats" have finally crawled their way to the big screen in a full-length, action-filled adventure that will neither disappoint fans nor overwhelm the uninitiated.

Retaining the refreshingly non-pandering tone that has made the series an animated success story -- by drawing more than 23 million viewers each week it's TV's No. 1 kids show -- "The Rugrats Movie" packs a duo-generational appeal that should translate into a "diapie-ful" of dollars for Paramount, with even bigger dividends waiting just around the video corner.

Kicking off with a delightful "Indiana Jones" fantasy sequence, the picture wastes little time in getting to the crux of the story -- the impending arrival of a new addition to the Pickles family.

While toddler Tommy (voiced by E.G. Daily) is initially unsure of how to welcome has new baby brother Dylan (Dil, for short, of course; voiced by Tara Charendoff), his playmates Chuckie Finster (Christine Cavanaugh) and twins Phil and Lil DeVille (Kath Soucie) decide there's only one way to stop his incessant crying -- to take him back to the "hopsickle" and ask for a refund since he's obviously "broked."

Loading the little one in the Reptar Wagon, the latest of dad Stu Pickles' (Jack Riley) wacky inventions, the Rugrats take a couple of unexpected turns, ending up stuck in a scary forest where they battle a troupe of derailed circus monkeys and a hungry wolf, not to mention tyrannical cousin Angelica (Cheryl Chase), who makes like Shirley-Lock Holmes on the trail of her missing Cynthia doll.

In expanding from the usual 13-15-minute segments to the feature-length big time, screenwriters David N. Weiss and J. David Stem and directors Norton Virgien and Igor Kovalyov have generally succeeded in retaining the show's rambunctious flavor, although the pacing, like the kids, occasionally loses its way during the extended woods sequence.

But it's a minor quibble given all the bright, bold visuals, the rich voice work (joining the regulars are guest turns from Whoopi Goldberg, Tim Curry, Andrea Martin, David Spade, Busta Rhymes and Roger Clinton) and music supervisor Karyn Rachtman's whimsical selection of tunes that are far more happening than those of that big purple guy, ranging from the familiar ("One Way or Another" and "Witch Doctor") to the brand spanking new ("I Throw My Toys Around", performed by No Doubt and Elvis Costello).

The hands-down-highlight, however, has to be the irresistibly scatological "This World is Something New to Me" number, a delivery ward "We Are the World" penned by the film's composer and former Devo member Mark Mothersbaugh, featuring an inspired vocal ensemble including Beck, Iggy Pop, the B-52's, Lenny Kravitz, Patti Smith, Jakob Dylan, Lisa Loeb, Laurie Anderson and Lou Rawls.

As kidflicks go, they just don't get any hipper than that.

THE RUGRATS MOVIE

Paramount

Paramount Pictures and

Nickelodeon Movies present

a Klasky-Csupo production

Directors: Norton Virgien and Igor Kovalyov

Producers: Arlene Klasky and Gabor Csupo

Screenwriters: David N. Weiss & J. David Stem

Executive producers: Albie Hecht, Debby Beece

Art director: Dima Malanitchev

Music supervisor: Karyn Rachtman

Music: Mark Mothersbaugh

Color/stereo

Voices:

Tommy Pickles: E.G. Daily

Chuckie Finster: Christine Cavanaugh

Phil and Lil DeVille: Kath Soucie

Angelica Pickles: Cheryl Chase

Dylan Pickles: Tara Charendoff

Didi Pickles: Melanie Chartoff

Stu Pickles: Jack Riley

Grandpa Boris: Joe Alaskey

Running time -- 82 minutes

MPAA Rating: G...

PARK CITY, Utah -- The 1960s graduates in producer Michael Shamberg's ''The Big Chill'' found it was ''cold out there'' in the real world, while the 1990s graduates in ''Reality Bites'' (produced by Danny DeVito and Shamberg) find it's a void out there.

Centering on four twentysomething roommates suffering post-graduation uncertainty, 1994-style, ''Reality Bites'' should be a big commercial winner for Universal. The Jersey Films production premiered to an enthusiastic reception Friday night here at the Sundance Film Festival.

College valedictorian Lelaina (Winona Ryder) finds that being head of her class means going straight to the bottom of the heap in real life. Slogging away as an intern-level assistant on a dopey morning TV show, Lelaina finds her only personal outlet is in the videos she shoots of her closest friends -- ''reality bites, '' as she calls them.

The bites mirror their frustrations and uncertainties: For roommate Gap worker Vickie (Janeane Garofalo), it's romantic self-esteem problems exacerbated by the malaise of toiling for a chain store; for Troy (Ethan Hawke), it's the fear of committing to anything or anyone for fear of failure; and for Sammy (Steve Zahn), it's the trauma of admitting his sexuality. Like most 22-to-23-year-olds, they haven't got a toehold on anything and the only certainties they find are in the old, consoling TV shows of their youth -- namely, ''The Brady Bunch.'' Alas, small comfort -- the real-life head of that snug household died of AIDS.

Alternately downbeat and chipper, ''Reality Bites'' is an appealing narrative document of twentysomething fear. Helen Childress' screenplay smartly intertwines a representative set of generational impediments, professional and personal, that today's college grads face.

Ben Stiller's direction, while respectful of the gnawing dilemmas each character encounters, is nevertheless appropriately spunky, reflective of the resilient energies of the characters' age group.

As the prickly and talented Lelaina, Ryder embodies the energetic but conflicted exuberance of a young woman who frantically seeks to define herself.

Hawke is terrific as the gifted poet-singer whose own abilities frighten him, wallowing in a constant state of avoidance. Garofalo is well-cast as the 1970s clinging roomie, while Stiller nicely reeks of unexamined conformity in his role as aspiring Yuppie.

Tech credits are tops, with a particular nod to music supervisor Karyn Rachtman for the telling soundtrack selections, best represented by the Talking Heads' ''Road to Nowhere.''

REALITY BITES

Universal Pictures

A Jersey Films Prod.

Producers Danny DeVito, Michael Shamberg

Director Ben Stiller

Screenwriter Helen Childress

Executive producers Stacey Sher, Wm. Barclay Malcolm

Director of photography Emmanuel Lubezki

Supervising producers William Finnegan, Sheldon Pinchuk

Production designer Sharon Seymour

Editor Lisa Churgin

Costume designer Eugenie Bafaloukos

Music supervisor Karyn Rachtman

Music Karl Wallinger

Casting Francine Maisler

Sound mixer Stephen Halbert

Color/Stereo

Lelaina Pierce Winona Ryder

Troy Dyer Ethan Hawke

Vickie Miner Janeane Garofalo

Sammy Gray Steve Zahn

Michael Grates Ben Stiller

Charlane McGregor Swoosie Kurtz

Wes McGregor Harry O'Reilly

Helen Ann Pierce Susan Norfleet

Tom Pierce Joe Don Baker

Running time -- 99 minutes

MPAA Rating: PG-13

(c) The Hollywood Reporter...