Rabu, 30 November 2011

Four Christmases

  • Every Christmas happily unmarried Brad and Kate escape divorced parents and exasperating relatives by getting on a plane. This year a fog rolls in, the airport shuts down and the couple is forced to celebrate four family Christmases in one hectic, hilarious day. Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon lead an all-star cast in a comedy brimming with good cheer and great laughs -- as well as the answer t
When their only daughter Blair leaves the family nest, Luther and Nora Krank (Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis) decide to book an island cruise to beat the yuletide blues and just skip the holidays. But their decision to boycott tradition has the whole neighborhood in an uproar, and when Blair callson Christmas Eve to announce a surprise visit with her new fiancée, the Kranks have just twelve hours to perform a miracle and pull themselves and their neighbors together to throw the best celebration eve! r.Slapstick humor gets a full-body workout in Christmas with the Kranks. Critics were unanimous in their derision, and John Grisham must have gnashed his teeth over what studio-boss-turned-director Joe Roth did to his bestselling novel Skipping Christmas, to which this broad-stroked comedy bears little or no resemblance. The title characters are played by Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis, who decide to skip Christmas because their daughter's in Peru with the Peace Corps. Thus begins a rabid program of enforced conformity when their neighbors (led by Dan Aykroyd) coerce the Kranks into changing their holiday attitude--a change that comes easily when the daughter announces she'll be home for Christmas after all. Imagine if a suburban lynch mob said "Have a Merry Christmas or we'll kill you," and you'll get some idea of what spending Christmas with the Kranks is really like. And if you laughed at the frozen cat, you're probably on Santa's "naughty" list. ! --Jeff ShannonA hilarious family comedy! Subtitled in Engl! ish, Fre nch, Chinese, Thai. Wide and full screen.Matthew Broderick and Danny DeVito are hilarious as two neighbors trying to put the "win" in "winter" in one of the year's funniest comedies! Determined to unseat Steve Finch's (Broderick) reign as the town's holiday season king, Buddy Hall (DeVito) plasters his house with so many decorative lights that it'll be visible from space! When their wives (Kristin Davis and Kristin Chenoweth) bond, and their kids follow suit, the two men only escalate their rivalry ­ and their decorating. It's anybody's guess whether the holidays will wind up jolly or jostled in this wild and woolly laugh-fest that the whole family will love!Good neighbors can be hard to come by and when the flighty Buddy Hall (Danny Devito) moves in across the street from the conservative Dr. Steve Finch (Matthew Broderick), it quickly becomes apparent that the two men are complete opposites. While Finch methodically plans out every minute of the coming Christmas season! for his family, Buddy craves freshness and excitement and is seized by an impulsive desire to decorate his house so brightly that it can be seen from space. While the men's wives Kelly (Kristin Davis) and Tia (Kristin Chenoweth) and their children revel in one another's differences and form solid friendships, a rivalry of personalities and Christmas spirit ensues between the two men that will wind up testing the patience and love of every member of both families. This is fun, comical holiday entertainment for the entire family ages 9 and older. --Tami Horiuchi

Beyond Deck the Halls


The Holidays on DVD

Matthew Broderick Films

Danny DeVito Films



Stills from Deck the Halls







Facing another lonely christmas drew wants to re! visit his childhood home & relive holiday memories. But when he gets there he finds another family living in the home. Drew offers a nice financial reward to the family. But is his cash the beginning of an annoying visitor who is overeager to celebrate christmas? Studio: Paramount Home Video Release Date: 08/19/2008 Starring: Ben Affleck Christina Applegate Run time: 91 minutes Rating: Pg13Ben Affleck is well-cast as Drew Latham, a millionaire on the verge of nervous collapse, a man with no sense of self who tries to buy the trappings of life--including the family that just happens to be living in his childhood home. He jumps around with a plastic smile on his face, trying to impose himself on the bribed household, who--even though the parents are on the verge of divorce--are still more psychologically coherent than he is. Surviving Christmas has been unfairly trashed due to anti-Affleck sentiment in the post-Gigli era; though the movie eventually succumb! s to bland formula, it has some moments of bracing dark comedy! and gen uine empathy, mostly thanks to James Gandolfini (The Sopranos, The Mexican) and Catherine O'Hara (A Mighty Wind, Beetlejuice) as the parents--two superb actors who could breathe life into any banal script. Also featuring Christina Applegate (Anchorman, View from the Top). --Bret FetzerSlapstick humor gets a full-body workout in Christmas with the Kranks. Critics were unanimous in their derision, and John Grisham must have gnashed his teeth over what studio-boss-turned-director Joe Roth did to his bestselling novel Skipping Christmas, to which this broad-stroked comedy bears little or no resemblance. The title characters are played by Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis, who decide to skip Christmas because their daughter's in Peru with the Peace Corps. Thus begins a rabid program of enforced conformity when their neighbors (led by Dan Aykroyd) coerce the Kranks into changing their holiday attitude--a change that comes! easily when the daughter announces she'll be home for Christmas after all. Imagine if a suburban lynch mob said "Have a Merry Christmas or we'll kill you," and you'll get some idea of what spending Christmas with the Kranks is really like. And if you laughed at the frozen cat, you're probably on Santa's "naughty" list. --Jeff ShannonWhen their only daughter Blair leaves the family nest Luther and Nora Krank (Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis) decide to book an island cruise to beat the yuletide blues and just skip the holidays. But their decision to boycott tradition has the whole neighborhood in an uproar and when Blair calls on Christmas Eve to announce a surprise visit with her new fianc e the Kranks have just twelve hours to perform a miracle and pull themselves and their neighbors together to throw the best celebration ever! With fast-paced energy and support from Dan Aykroyd Cheech Marin Jake Busey and M. Emmet Walsh this hilarious adaptation of John Grish! am's best-selling novel "Skipping Christmas" has become "an in! stant fa mily classic!" (Gorman Woodfin CBN)System Requirements: Running Time 99 MinFormat: UMD Genre: COMEDY Rating: PG UPC: 043396125452 Manufacturer No: 12545Slapstick humor gets a full-body workout in Christmas with the Kranks. Critics were unanimous in their derision, and John Grisham must have gnashed his teeth over what studio-boss-turned-director Joe Roth did to his bestselling novel Skipping Christmas, to which this broad-stroked comedy bears little or no resemblance. The title characters are played by Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis, who decide to skip Christmas because their daughter's in Peru with the Peace Corps. Thus begins a rabid program of enforced conformity when their neighbors (led by Dan Aykroyd) coerce the Kranks into changing their holiday attitude--a change that comes easily when the daughter announces she'll be home for Christmas after all. Imagine if a suburban lynch mob said "Have a Merry Christmas or we'll kill you," and you'll get some id! ea of what spending Christmas with the Kranks is really like. And if you laughed at the frozen cat, you're probably on Santa's "naughty" list. --Jeff ShannonJINGLE ALL THE WAY FAMILY FUN EDITION - DVD MovieIt's Christmas Eve, and Arnold needs to find a Turbo Man action figure, the craze of the season. Only they're sold-out, of course. So the race is on, and Arnold does fierce battle with other shoppers and merchants alike, all for the prize toy with which to purchase his son's affections. His chief rival and nemesis is Sinbad, a mailman who's always going--you guessed it--postal. (Must have looked good on paper.) All of which is unwittingly very sad, on the content level. But the film supposes itself to be amiable enough, on its own shabby terms, even when it climbs out of the screen and starts gnawing at your furniture. If the humor were to get broader it would make HDTV obsolete. The tone can only be termed good-naturedly mean-spirited. Goofy carniva! l music runs continuously in the background so we never forget! that wh at we're seeing is, er, um, funny. All the action is composed of comic violence, like an unhip Warner Bros. cartoon. Do the filmmakers actually consider this cynical foray to be indicative of the Christmas spirit? Apparently so, because the resolution has Arnold winning quite inadvertently, and offers no clear alternative to the competitive commercialism that drives the film's attempts at humor. In a key scene that's meant to be touching, Arnold and Sinbad sit down for a heart-to-heart in which we learn that receiving much-wanted Christmas presents in our formative years is responsible for our success in adulthood. You get that Turbo Man, you'll be a billionaire; don't get it, you'll be a loser. Such is the formidable challenge of parenthood, to cater to the child's whims while it can still make a difference. This is what's wrong with this country. --Jim GayA couple struggles to visit all four of their divorced parents on christmas day. Studio: New Line Home V! ideo Release Date: 11/24/2009 Starring: Reese Witherspoon Robert Duvall Run time: 120 minutes Rating: Pg13 Director: Seth GordonWhen your significant other tells you you both need an exit "safe word" before you enter his dad's Christmas gathering, you know you're not in Bedford Falls. But while Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon may not be It's a Wonderful Life's George and Mary Bailey, Four Christmases is a modern holiday classic in its own right. For one thing, every family neurosis and dysfunction have taken root in the four families of Vaughn and Witherspoon's characters, Brad and Kate--and the sleek yuppie façade each has built with the other is about to come tumbling down. There are real belly laughs as the couple unexpectedly has to spend holidays with their four extended family groups. "I don't want to speak ill of your mother on Christmas," growls Howard (Robert Duvall) to son Brad, while Brad's bullnecked ultimate-fighter brothers are rassling ! everything in sight, "but she's nothing but a common street wh! ore." Br ad may cringe, but Kate's own family is about to mortify her in abundant ways, from her randy "Gram-Gram" and about-to-pounce cougar mom Mary Steenburgen ("I feel like a Saudi prince in here," marvels Brad as all of Kate's female relatives drape themselves over him), to the revelation to Brad that Kate used to be--how to put this--a bit on the chubby side. If the plot isn't full of surprises, the quips are nonstop and the acting believable and charming. The supporting cast also includes Sissy Spacek, Jon Voight, Jon Favreau and Dwight Yoakam in a memorable turn as the mega-church pastor Steenburgen's character is involved with. It's a comic Christmas blessing, and there'll be no need to say "mistletoe"--at least not till the viewers are home with their own families. --A.T. Hurley

Alien Anthology [Blu-ray]

  • Condition: New
  • Format: Blu-ray
  • AC-3; Box set; Dolby; DTS Surround Sound; Dubbed; Subtitled; Widescreen
The terror begins when the crew of a spaceship investigates a transmission from a desolate planet, and discovers a life form that is perfectly evolved to annihilate mankind. One by one, each crew member is slain until only Ripley is left, leading to an explosive conclusion that sets the stage for its stunning sequel, "Aliens." A landmark of science fiction and horror, Alien arrived in 1979 between Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back as a stylishly malevolent alternative to George Lucas's space fantasy. Partially inspired by 1958's It! The Terror from Beyond Space, this instant classic set a tone of its own, offering richly detailed sets, ominous atmosphere, relentless suspense, and a flawless ensemble cast as the crew of the space freighter No! stromo, who fall prey to a vicious creature (designed by Swiss artist H.R. Giger) that had gestated inside one of the ill-fated crew members. In a star-making role, Sigourney Weaver excels as sole survivor Ripley, becoming the screen's most popular heroine in a lucrative movie franchise. To measure the film's success, one need only recall the many images that have been burned into our collective psyche, including the "facehugger," the "chestburster," and Ripley's climactic encounter with the full-grown monster. Impeccably directed by Ridley Scott, Alien is one of the cinema's most unforgettable nightmares. --Jeff ShannonBrace yourself for a whole new breed of Blu-ray: Four powerful films...eight thrilling versions...in dazzling, terrifying, high-def clarity with the purest digital sound on the planet. Two bonus dics and over 65 hours of archival and never-before-seen content, including the totally immersive MU-TH-UR mode feature, makes this definiti! ve Alien collection!Review of Alien
A landmark of science fiction and horror, Alien arrived in 1979 between Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back as a stylishly malevolent alternative to George Lucas's space fantasy. Partially inspired by 1958's It! The Terror from Beyond Space, this instant classic set a tone of its own, offering richly detailed sets, ominous atmosphere, relentless suspense, and a flawless ensemble cast as the crew of the space freighter Nostromo, who fall prey to a vicious creature (designed by Swiss artist H.R. Giger) that had gestated inside one of the ill-fated crew members. In a star-making role, Sigourney Weaver excels as sole survivor Ripley, becoming the screen's most popular heroine in a lucrative movie franchise. To measure the film's success, one need only recall the many images that have been burned into our collective psyche, including the "facehugger," the "chestburster," and Ripley's climactic encounter with the full-grown monster. Impeccably directed by Ridley Scott, Ali! en is one of the cinema's most unforgettable nightmares. --Jeff Shannon

Review of Aliens
Aliens is one of the few cases of a sequel that far surpassed the original. Sigourney Weaver returns as Ripley, who awakens on Earth only to discover that she has been hibernating in space so long that everyone she knows is dead. Then she is talked into traveling (along with a squad of Marines) to a planet under assault by the same aliens that nearly killed her. Once she gets there, she finds a lost little girl who triggers her maternal instincts--and she discovers that the company has once again double-crossed her, in hopes of capturing one of the aliens to study as a military weapon. Directed and written by James Cameron, this is one of the most intensely exciting (not to mention intensely frightening) action films ever, with a large ensemble cast that includes Bill Paxton, Lance Henriksen, Paul Reiser, and Michael Biehn. Weaver defin! ed the action woman in this film and walked away with an Oscar! nominat ion for her trouble. --Marshall Fine

Review of Alien 3
The least successful film in this series was directed by stylemaster (and content-underachiever) David Fincher. Ripley, the only survivor of her past mission, awakens on a prison planet in the far corners of the solar system. As she tries to recover, she realizes that not only has an alien gotten loose on the planet, the alien has implanted one of its own within her. As she battles the prison authorities (and is aided by the prisoners) in trying to kill the alien, she must also cope with a distinctly shortened lifespan that awaits her. But the striking imagery makes for muddled action and the script confuses it further. The ending looks startling but it takes a long time--and a not particularly satisfying journey--to get there. --Marshall Fine

Review of Alien Resurrection
Perhaps these films are like the! Star Trek movies: The even-numbered episodes are the best ones. Certainly this film (directed by French stylist Jean-Pierre Jeunet) is an improvement over Alien 3, with a script that breathes exciting new life into the franchise. This chapter is set even further in the future, where scientists on a space colony have cloned both the alien and Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), who died in Alien 3; in doing so, however, they've mixed alien DNA with Ripley's human chromosomes, which gives Ripley surprising power (and a bad attitude). A band of smugglers comes aboard only to discover the new race of aliens--and when the multi-mouthed melonheads get loose, no place is safe. But, on the plus side, they have Ripley as a guide to help them get out. Winona Ryder is on hand as the smugglers' most unlikely crew member (with a secret of her own), but this one is Sigourney's all the way. --Marshall Fine

Xbox 360 4GB Console with Kinect

  • Kinect sensor, Built-in Wi-Fi
  • Xbox LIVE, Xbox 360 wireless controller
  • Kinect Adventures game
When asked to save a struggling auto dealership from bankruptcy, Jeremy Piven and his ragtag crew descend on a small California town to party and wreak havoc... and move some cars, in this outrageously funny comedy.Look out, Temecula, here comes Don Ready and his band of X-treme salesmen, rarin' to boost sales at a struggling car dealership over the course of a single hardcore weekend. That's the plan in The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard, a scattershot comedy featuring fast-talking Jeremy Piven as the slippery Mr. Ready, who knows how to lay on the discounts, the free food, and the personal appearances by bottom-tier celebrities. He and his for-hire team (Ving Rhames, David Koechner, and Kathryn Hahn) have three days to clear the lot, or the owner (a game James Brolin) will lose! his business. The movie's at its funniest when going for non sequitur craziness (best exemplified by the zany-creepy vibe between Hahn and Brolin's ten-year-old son, played by Rob Riggle, whose glandular condition makes him look like a strapping 35-year-old). Good folks score in drive-by bits: Ed Helms does his best fatuous jerk, Craig Robinson glowers as a grumpy DJ, and producer Will Ferrell gets an extended cameo during which he spends much of his time falling from a plane without a parachute. (He's funny enough that you wish his role weren't confined to a flashback and a fantasy sequence.) The central role is tailor-made for Piven's skills, and he's suitably revved-up, but ultimately the movie leaves him stranded by trying to have it both ways: it can't decide whether it's a totally put-on sketch comedy or a more-or-less sincere redemption story. That won't fly, and the movie sputters accordingly. --Robert Horton

Stills fro! m The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard (Click for larger i! mage)











Microsoft Xbox 3! 60 S4G-0 0001 Gaming Console with Game Pad S4G-00001 Video Game Consoles

First Snow in the Woods: A Photographic Fantasy

  • ISBN13: 9780977010868
  • Condition: New
  • Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!
Guy Pearce (Memento, L.A. Confidential), Piper Perabo (Coyote Ugly) and JK Simmons (Thank You For Smoking, Spiderman 1-3) star in this intriguing thriller about a man whose life spins out of control after psychic tells him his days are numbered. After his car breaks down in a desolate town, a slick salesman, Jimmy Starks (Pearce), visits a fortune teller (Simmons) to kill some time. But the psychic’s ominous reading sends Jimmy’s life into a tailspin when he learns that his life will soon end, but he is safe at least, until the first snow of the season. Now, with his ultimate fate looming nearer, Jimmy becomes obsessed with revisiting his past in hopes of changing! his destiny before it’s too late. With a thriller as low-key as First Snow, dynamic acting is a must. Fortunately, Guy Pearce (Memento) owns the screen as slick salesman Jimmy Starks. In his first film, Oscar-nominated writer Mark Fergus (Children of Men) forgoes visual effects in favor of an increasingly complex narrative. As in many Stephen King novels, the story centers on the collision between a man of reason and a man of faith--in the supernatural, that is. The foreshadowing begins when Starks visits fortune teller Vacaro (J.K. Simmons, Spider-Man). Starks assumes he's a fellow hustler. Then his every prediction comes true. On a return trip, Vacaro tells him he'll be dead by first snow, but can't say how or when. Should Starks put his affairs in order, enjoy his time with girlfriend Deirdre (Piper Perabo), or just do nothing? Then again, snow seems unlikely for Albuquerque. Over the next few days, several possible culprits come to light, ! like Andy (Rick Gonzalez), an assistant Starks fired, and Vinc! e (Shea Wigham), a partner he sold down the river. Convinced one of them is going to seek revenge, Starks becomes so paranoid he opens the door to disaster. Fergus excels in keeping the tension at a low boil, but he undersells the climax. Still, it's a nice change from all the mysteries that build in intensity before collapsing in a heap of improbabilities. First Snow is rooted in the real world from the first frame to the last. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

The first snow has fallen.
The mice children go sledding
with Grandma and Grandpa.
But at the top of the hill,
who will go first?
Bitty, the smallest mouse,
is scared.
When she tries,

WHEEEEEE,

she finds that sledding is the best!

Caldecott Medalist Emily Arnold McCully captured the chills and thrills of a first sled ride when first snow was published in 1985. She has added words and created new pictures for this handsome larger edition, a compani! on to picnic.

KNOCKED OUT OF THE SKY BY A PASSING PLANE, SEAN HAS MISSED HISBIG FLIGHT SOUTH. BUT WINTER IS SCHEDULED TO ARRIVE ON TIME, SO THE LITTLE DUCK WILL HAVE TO PREPARE. LUCKILY, SEAN MEETS VOLEY,A GOODHEARTED FRIEND WHO TAKES SEAN UNDER HIS WING, TEACHING HIMHOW TO GATHER FOOD AND WARMTH AND STEER CLEAR OF THE CRAFTY FOX.The winter adventures of an errant young Irish duck who loses track of his family on their annual southbound flight make for a charming tale voiced in accents from the British Isles with appealing animation reminiscent of the Little Bear series. If our hero Sean were human, he would probably be diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder. But he's fowl, so his mother (Carol Kane) makes her own diagnosis: he's "a duck running amok." So it's no surprise when he strays from the family formation and gets knocked back to earth to face winter alone. He is ably tutored by a good-natured, riverdancing vole (Tim Curry) who imparts some handy survi! val wisdom before he hibernates. The last 10 minutes of this 2! 7-minute story are crammed with a series of short-lived perils involving a storm, a fox, and Sean's inability to find his parents as the ducks return in the spring. It all ends well, but very young and/or sensitive children may have a few anxious moments along the way. --Kimberly Heinrichs

Calvin Klein Men's Event Plaid Crinkle Long Sleeve Woven Shirt, Black, Large

Dylan Dog: Dead of Night - Movie Poster - 27 x 40 Inch (69 x 102 cm)

  • You are looking at a great poster.
  • This poster measures approx. 27 x 40.
  • Rolled and shipped in a sturdy tube.
  • This poster is from Dylan Dog: Dead of Night (2010)
Dylan Dog (Brandon Routh) is a world famous private detective who specializes in the supernatural. Armed with an edgy wit and carrying an arsenal of silver and wood-tipped bullets, Dylan must track down a dangerous artifact before a war ensues between his werewolf, vampire and zombie clients living undercover in the monster infested backstreets of New Orleans.At a time when it feels odd for a movie to not feature zombies or vampires, genre movies often need a little something extra in the tank to register. The firmly post-Whedon supernatural comedy Dylan Dog: Dead of Night doesn't exactly blaze new trails, but some appealing performances and a nicely off-kilter delivery help it glide over most of! the well-trod areas. Based on the long-running comic series by Tiziano Sclavi (which also semi-inspired 1994's majestically loopy Dellamorte Dellamore), the story follows the character of Dylan Dog (Brandon Routh), an ex-paranormal investigator with a history of settling disputes between the warring paranormal factions roaming the streets of New Orleans. After a case involving a beautiful blonde (Anita Briem) reluctantly draws him back into the underworld, he discovers a plot by an upstart vampire (Taye Diggs) to rule and/or destroy the planet. Director Kevin Munroe, an animation veteran, brings a pleasantly cartoony sheen to the proceedings, maximizing his constrained budget to deliver an impressively diverse array of things that go bump in the night. (A scene involving a thrift shop catering exclusively to zombies is a gloppy highlight.) Throw in a winningly understated performance by Routh and a lulu of an extended cameo by a wolfed-out Peter Stormare, and the in! gredients are there for a breezily enjoyable gore comedy. Ulti! mately, what makes Dylan Dog worth seeking out is the presence of Diggs, a fine actor too often suavely constrained. Here, as a double-dealing monster, he goes gloriously unhinged, creating a creature of the night that stands out among the current hordes of mopey cinematic nosferatus. More, please. --Andrew WrightThe adventures of supernatural private eye dylan dog who seeks out the monsters of the louisiana bayou in his signature red shirt black jacket and blue jeans. Studio: Tcfhe Release Date: 07/26/2011 Starring: Brandon Routh Taye Diggs Run time: 108 minutes Rating: Pg13 Director: Kevin MunroeAt a time when it feels odd for a movie to not feature zombies or vampires, genre movies often need a little something extra in the tank to register. The firmly post-Whedon supernatural comedy Dylan Dog: Dead of Night doesn't exactly blaze new trails, but some appealing performances and a nicely off-kilter delivery help it glide over most of the well-trod ! areas. Based on the long-running comic series by Tiziano Sclavi (which also semi-inspired 1994's majestically loopy Dellamorte Dellamore), the story follows the character of Dylan Dog (Brandon Routh), an ex-paranormal investigator with a history of settling disputes between the warring paranormal factions roaming the streets of New Orleans. After a case involving a beautiful blonde (Anita Briem) reluctantly draws him back into the underworld, he discovers a plot by an upstart vampire (Taye Diggs) to rule and/or destroy the planet. Director Kevin Munroe, an animation veteran, brings a pleasantly cartoony sheen to the proceedings, maximizing his constrained budget to deliver an impressively diverse array of things that go bump in the night. (A scene involving a thrift shop catering exclusively to zombies is a gloppy highlight.) Throw in a winningly understated performance by Routh and a lulu of an extended cameo by a wolfed-out Peter Stormare, and the ingredients are t! here for a breezily enjoyable gore comedy. Ultimately, what ma! kes D ylan Dog worth seeking out is the presence of Diggs, a fine actor too often suavely constrained. Here, as a double-dealing monster, he goes gloriously unhinged, creating a creature of the night that stands out among the current hordes of mopey cinematic nosferatus. More, please. --Andrew WrightAt a time when it feels odd for a movie to not feature zombies or vampires, genre movies often need a little something extra in the tank to register. The firmly post-Whedon supernatural comedy Dylan Dog: Dead of Night doesn't exactly blaze new trails, but some appealing performances and a nicely off-kilter delivery help it glide over most of the well-trod areas. Based on the long-running comic series by Tiziano Sclavi (which also semi-inspired 1994's majestically loopy Dellamorte Dellamore), the story follows the character of Dylan Dog (Brandon Routh), an ex-paranormal investigator with a history of settling disputes between the warring paranormal factio! ns roaming the streets of New Orleans. After a case involving a beautiful blonde (Anita Briem) reluctantly draws him back into the underworld, he discovers a plot by an upstart vampire (Taye Diggs) to rule and/or destroy the planet. Director Kevin Munroe, an animation veteran, brings a pleasantly cartoony sheen to the proceedings, maximizing his constrained budget to deliver an impressively diverse array of things that go bump in the night. (A scene involving a thrift shop catering exclusively to zombies is a gloppy highlight.) Throw in a winningly understated performance by Routh and a lulu of an extended cameo by a wolfed-out Peter Stormare, and the ingredients are there for a breezily enjoyable gore comedy. Ultimately, what makes Dylan Dog worth seeking out is the presence of Diggs, a fine actor too often suavely constrained. Here, as a double-dealing monster, he goes gloriously unhinged, creating a creature of the night that stands out among the current hordes of! mopey cinematic nosferatus. More, please. --Andrew WrightMovie Goods has Amazon's largest selection of movie and TV show memorabilia, including posters, film cells and more: tens of thousands of items to choose from. We also offer a full selection of framed posters. Customer satisfaction is always guaranteed when you buy from MovieGoods on Amazon.

Blade Runner (Five-Disc Complete Collector's Edition) [Blu-ray]

  • Visually spectacular, intensely action-packed and powerfully prophetic since its debut, Blade Runner returns in Ridley Scott's definitive Final Cut, including extended scenes and never-before-seen special effects, now seen in sepcatacular hi-definition! In a signature role as 21st- century detective Rick Deckard, Harrison Ford brings his masculine-yet- vulnerable presence to this stylish noir thri
Visually spectacular, intensely action-packed and powerfully prophetic since its debut, Blade Runner returns in Ridley Scott's definitive Final Cut, including extended scenes and never-before-seen special effects, now seen in sepcatacular hi-definition! In a signature role as 21st- century detective Rick Deckard, Harrison Ford brings his masculine-yet- vulnerable presence to this stylish noir thriller. In a future of high- tech possibility soured by urban and social decay, Deckard hunts for fugitive! , muderous replicants - and is drawn to a mystery woman whose secrets may undermine his soul. This spectacular 5-Disc Set features all of the content of the standard definition Ultimate Collector's Edition. All five version of the legendary Sci-Fi film from Director Ridley Scott with all new 5.1 audio - the definitive Final Cut, three additional versions of the film, and the rare Work Print version - in addition to the in-depth feature length documentary "Dangerous Days", and one complete disc of bonus content including over 80-minutes of never- before-seen deleted scenes.In celebration of Blade Runner's 25th anniversary, director Ridley Scott has gone back into post production to create the long-awaited definitive new version. Blade Runner: The Final Cut, spectacularly restored and remastered from original elements and scanned at 4K resolution, will contain never-before-seen added/extended scenes, added lines, new and improved special effects, director an! d filmmaker commentary, an all-new 5.1 Dolby® Digital audio t! rack and more. Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Edward James Olmos, Joanna Cassidy, Sean Young, and Daryl Hannah are among some 80 stars, filmmakers and others who participate in the extensive bonus features. Among the bonus material highlights is Dangerous Days, a brand new, three-and-a-half-hour documentary by award-winning DVD producer Charles de Lauzirika, with an extensive look into every aspect of the film: its literary genesis, its challenging production and its controversial legacy. The definitive documentary to accompany the definitive film version.

Stills from Blade Runner (click for larger image)








The Evil Dead [Blu-ray]

  • EVIL DEAD BLU-RAY (BLU-RAY DISC)
A movie that only true horror buffs could love, Army of Darkness is officially part 3 in the wild and wacky Evil Dead trilogy masterminded by the perversely inventive director Sam Raimi, who would later serve as executive producer of the popular syndicated TV series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. Raimi's favorite actor, Bruce Campbell, returns as Ash (hero of the first two Evil Dead flicks), a hardware-store clerk who is magically transported--along with his beat-up Oldsmobile and a chainsaw attachment for his severed left forearm--to the brutal battlefields of the 14th century. He quickly assumes power (who else in the Middle Ages packs a shotgun and a chainsaw?), and unites his band of medieval knights against the dreaded Army of the Dead. Raimi gleefully subverts almost every horror-movie cliché as he serves up a nonstop parade of blood,! gore, and vicious sword-bearing skeletons--an affectionate homage to animator Ray Harryhausen's classic Jason and the Argonauts. The frantic action is fun while it lasts, but even at 80 minutes Army of Darkness nearly wears out its welcome. You know that Raimi can maintain the mayhem for only so long before it grows tiresome, and fortunately this madcap movie quits while it's ahead. --Jeff ShannonAll primitive screwheads, listen up! Cult superstar Bruce Campbell (Evil Dead) reunites with director Sam Raimi (Drag Me to Hell, Spider-Man) to battle the deadly forces of evil in Army of Darkness - the outrageous, effects-fueled action epic that will make you scream with fear and laughter. Forced to lead a makeshift Dark Ages army against the demonic Deadites, who possess all the deadly magic of hell, the shotgun-toting, chainsaw-armed, reluctant 20th century time traveler Ash (Campbell) must save the living from the dead, rescue his medieval girlfriend and! get back to his own time. One of the most popular horror com! edies of all time, now digitally remastered and loaded with bonus features, Army of Darkness Screwhead Edition is drop-dead fun!A movie that only true horror buffs could love, Army of Darkness is officially part 3 in the wild and wacky Evil Dead trilogy masterminded by the perversely inventive director Sam Raimi, who would later serve as executive producer of the popular syndicated TV series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. Raimi's favorite actor, Bruce Campbell, returns as Ash (hero of the first two Evil Dead flicks), a hardware-store clerk who is magically transported--along with his beat-up Oldsmobile and a chainsaw attachment for his severed left forearm--to the brutal battlefields of the 14th century. He quickly assumes power (who else in the Middle Ages packs a shotgun and a chainsaw?), and unites his band of medieval knights against the dreaded Army of the Dead. Raimi gleefully subverts almost every horror-movie cliché as he serves up a nonstop p! arade of blood, gore, and vicious sword-bearing skeletons--an affectionate homage to animator Ray Harryhausen's classic Jason and the Argonauts. The frantic action is fun while it lasts, but even at 80 minutes Army of Darkness nearly wears out its welcome. You know that Raimi can maintain the mayhem for only so long before it grows tiresome, and fortunately this madcap movie quits while it's ahead. --Jeff ShannonAll primitive screwheads, listen up! Cult superstar Bruce Campbell (Evil Dead) reunites with director Sam Raimi (Drag Me to Hell, Spider-Man) to battle the deadly forces of evil in Army of Darkness - the outrageous, effects-fueled action epic that will make you scream with fear and laughter. Forced to lead a makeshift Dark Ages army against the demonic Deadites, who possess all the deadly magic of hell, the shotgun-toting, chainsaw-armed, reluctant 20th century time traveler Ash (Campbell) must save the living from the dead, rescue his medieval! girlfriend and get back to his own time. One of the most pop! ular hor ror comedies of all time, now digitally remastered and loaded with bonus features, Army of Darkness Screwhead Edition is drop-dead fun!A movie that only true horror buffs could love, Army of Darkness is officially part 3 in the wild and wacky Evil Dead trilogy masterminded by the perversely inventive director Sam Raimi, who would later serve as executive producer of the popular syndicated TV series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. Raimi's favorite actor, Bruce Campbell, returns as Ash (hero of the first two Evil Dead flicks), a hardware-store clerk who is magically transported--along with his beat-up Oldsmobile and a chainsaw attachment for his severed left forearm--to the brutal battlefields of the 14th century. He quickly assumes power (who else in the Middle Ages packs a shotgun and a chainsaw?), and unites his band of medieval knights against the dreaded Army of the Dead. Raimi gleefully subverts almost every horror-movie cliché as he serves! up a nonstop parade of blood, gore, and vicious sword-bearing skeletons--an affectionate homage to animator Ray Harryhausen's classic Jason and the Argonauts. The frantic action is fun while it lasts, but even at 80 minutes Army of Darkness nearly wears out its welcome. You know that Raimi can maintain the mayhem for only so long before it grows tiresome, and fortunately this madcap movie quits while it's ahead. --Jeff ShannonTwo Discs Of Mind-Blowing Mayhem From The Director Of THE EVIL DEAD And SPIDER-MAN! The one and only Bruce Campbell stars as Ash, a hapless housewares clerk time-warped back to the Dark Ages by the demonic power of the Necronomicon. Now armed with only a '73 Oldsmobile, his trusty chainsaw and a 12-gauge double-barreled S-Mart shotgun, our knuckleheaded hero must battle vicious she-bitches, a diabolical Evil Ash and the relentless hordes of the medieval dead in the most outrageously spectacular horror comedy every made. Get ready ! for some sugar, baby: This is ARMY OF DARKNESS - THE BOOMSTICK! EDITION ! By overwhelming fan demand, this groovy double-disc set presents the U.S. Theatrical Version complete with its notorious original ending and the Director's Cut with over 15 minutes of additional footage. There's also deleted scenes, a wild audio commentary with Bruce Campbell, writer/director Sam Raimi and co-writer Ivan Raimi, an exclusive featurette, storyboards and much more. So listen up, you primitive screwheads: This is ARMY OF DARKNESS like you've never seen it before! Includes an 8-Page Collector's Booklet with all-new liner notes by star Bruce Campbell A movie that only true horror buffs could love, Army of Darkness is officially part 3 in the wild and wacky Evil Dead trilogy masterminded by the perversely inventive director Sam Raimi, who would later serve as executive producer of the popular syndicated TV series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. Raimi's favorite actor, Bruce Campbell, returns as Ash (hero of the first two Evil Dead! flicks), a hardware-store clerk who is magically transported--along with his beat-up Oldsmobile and a chainsaw attachment for his severed left forearm--to the brutal battlefields of the 14th century. He quickly assumes power (who else in the Middle Ages packs a shotgun and a chainsaw?), and unites his band of medieval knights against the dreaded Army of the Dead. Raimi gleefully subverts almost every horror-movie cliché as he serves up a nonstop parade of blood, gore, and vicious sword-bearing skeletons--an affectionate homage to animator Ray Harryhausen's classic Jason and the Argonauts. The frantic action is fun while it lasts, but even at 80 minutes Army of Darkness nearly wears out its welcome. You know that Raimi can maintain the mayhem for only so long before it grows tiresome, and fortunately this madcap movie quits while it's ahead. --Jeff ShannonA movie that only true horror buffs could love, Army of Darkness is officially part 3 in th! e wild and wacky Evil Dead trilogy masterminded by the ! perverse ly inventive director Sam Raimi, who would later serve as executive producer of the popular syndicated TV series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. Raimi's favorite actor, Bruce Campbell, returns as Ash (hero of the first two Evil Dead flicks), a hardware-store clerk who is magically transported--along with his beat-up Oldsmobile and a chainsaw attachment for his severed left forearm--to the brutal battlefields of the 14th century. He quickly assumes power (who else in the Middle Ages packs a shotgun and a chainsaw?), and unites his band of medieval knights against the dreaded Army of the Dead. Raimi gleefully subverts almost every horror-movie cliché as he serves up a nonstop parade of blood, gore, and vicious sword-bearing skeletons--an affectionate homage to animator Ray Harryhausen's classic Jason and the Argonauts. The frantic action is fun while it lasts, but even at 80 minutes Army of Darkness nearly wears out its welcome. You know that Rai! mi can maintain the mayhem for only so long before it grows tiresome, and fortunately this madcap movie quits while it's ahead. --Jeff ShannonA movie that only true horror buffs could love, Army of Darkness is officially part 3 in the wild and wacky Evil Dead trilogy masterminded by the perversely inventive director Sam Raimi, who would later serve as executive producer of the popular syndicated TV series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. Raimi's favorite actor, Bruce Campbell, returns as Ash (hero of the first two Evil Dead flicks), a hardware-store clerk who is magically transported--along with his beat-up Oldsmobile and a chainsaw attachment for his severed left forearm--to the brutal battlefields of the 14th century. He quickly assumes power (who else in the Middle Ages packs a shotgun and a chainsaw?), and unites his band of medieval knights against the dreaded Army of the Dead. Raimi gleefully subverts almost every horror-movie clich! é as he serves up a nonstop parade of blood, gore, and viciou! s sword- bearing skeletons--an affectionate homage to animator Ray Harryhausen's classic Jason and the Argonauts. The frantic action is fun while it lasts, but even at 80 minutes Army of Darkness nearly wears out its welcome. You know that Raimi can maintain the mayhem for only so long before it grows tiresome, and fortunately this madcap movie quits while it's ahead. --Jeff ShannonBound in human flesh, inked in blood, and amazingly hard to pronounce, the ancient "Necronomicon," or "Book of the Dead," transports a department store clerk and his '73 Oldsmobile into England's Dark Ages to face legions of undead beasts in director Sam Raimi's (A Simple Plan) outrageously hilarious sword-and-sorcery epic starring Bruce Campbell (The Evil Dead).A movie that only true horror buffs could love, Army of Darkness is officially part 3 in the wild and wacky Evil Dead trilogy masterminded by the perversely inventive director Sam Raimi, who would later serve as e! xecutive producer of the popular syndicated TV series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. Raimi's favorite actor, Bruce Campbell, returns as Ash (hero of the first two Evil Dead flicks), a hardware-store clerk who is magically transported--along with his beat-up Oldsmobile and a chainsaw attachment for his severed left forearm--to the brutal battlefields of the 14th century. He quickly assumes power (who else in the Middle Ages packs a shotgun and a chainsaw?), and unites his band of medieval knights against the dreaded Army of the Dead. Raimi gleefully subverts almost every horror-movie cliché as he serves up a nonstop parade of blood, gore, and vicious sword-bearing skeletons--an affectionate homage to animator Ray Harryhausen's classic Jason and the Argonauts. The frantic action is fun while it lasts, but even at 80 minutes Army of Darkness nearly wears out its welcome. You know that Raimi can maintain the mayhem for only so long before it grow! s tiresome, and fortunately this madcap movie quits while it's! ahead. --Jeff ShannonThe Evil Dead, director Sam Raimi's (Darkman, Quick & The Dead, Army Of Darkness) first feature film, is a true cult classic in every sense of the word. Originally released in 1982, The Evil Dead tells the tale of a group of friends who go to a cabin in the woods, where they find an unspeakable evil lurking in the forest. They find the Necronomicon, the Book Of The Dead, and the taped translation of the text. Once the tape is played, the evil is released. One by one, the teens become deadly zombies. With only one remaining (Bruce Campbell), it is up to him to survive the night and battle The Evil Dead.In the fall of 1979, Sam Raimi and his merry band headed into the woods of rural Tennessee to make a movie. They emerged with a roller coaster of a film packed with shocks, gore, and wild humor, a film that remains a benchmark for the genre. Ash (cult favorite Bruce Campbell) and four friends arrive at a backwoods cabin for a vacation, where they find a tap! e recorder containing incantations from an ancient book of the dead. When they play the tape, evil forces are unleashed, and one by one the friends are possessed. Wouldn't you know it, the only way to kill a "deadite" is by total bodily dismemberment, and soon the blood starts to fly. Raimi injects tremendous energy into this simple plot, using the claustrophobic set, disorienting camera angles, and even the graininess of the film stock itself to create an atmosphere of dread, punctuated by a relentless series of jump-out-of-your-seat shocks. The Evil Dead lacks the more highly developed sense of the absurd that distinguish later entries in the series--Evil Dead 2 and Army of Darkness--but it is still much more than a gore movie. It marks the appearance of one of the most original and visually exciting directors of his generation, and it stands as a monument to the triumph of imagination over budget. --Simon Leake

Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore

Selasa, 29 November 2011

Charlie St. Cloud: A Novel

  • ISBN13: 9780553386936
  • Condition: New
  • Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!
THE HEBREW HAMMER stars Adam Goldberg in the title role of this holiday farce as a handsome Orthodox stud and man of action who is called upon to save Hanukkah. When Santa Claus’ evil son Damian (Dick) is pushed over the edge by his father’s liberal policies, he murders the Christian patriarch and, stepping into the vacated role, launches a nefarious worldwide campaign to eradicate the Jewish Holiday. The Hammer joins forces with Esther (Greer), the gorgeous daughter of the chief of the Jewish Justice League to topple Damian and save Hanukkah for future generations.A cross between a Kosher Shaft and Airplane!'s shameless gag machine, The Hebrew Hammer is an unabashed burlesqu! e about a streetwise Jewish private detective (a "circumcised dick" in his own parlance) named Mordechai Jefferson Carver (Adam Goldberg). Once ostracized by Gentile children, Mordechai has become a much-feared defender of Jews, so extreme that even the militant Jewish Justice League tosses him out. Until, that is, JJL leader Chief Bloomenbergansteinhal (Peter Coyote) and his lovely daughter Esther (Judy Greer) recruit him to take on the wicked Damien (Andy Dick), a snippy anti-Semite who murders Santa Claus in order to turn Christmas into a Jew-hating holiday. Written and directed by Jonathan Kesselman, this sporadically funny feature is based on a funkier short (included on this DVD) of the same name. The cast is better than the generally obvious material, and Nora Dunn (as Mordechai's mother) and Mario Van Peebles are very good in supporting roles. --Tom Keogh"Hammer breathes a womanÂ’s breath into ancient narratives Â… her collection of new midrashim draws ! on her knowledge of the Bible, the rich tradition of classical! midrash , and on her own imagination." Ââ€" Lilith

This exceptional anthology of 24 stories about the women in the Bible is now available in paperback. Drawing from the ancient tradition of midrash, the author brings to life the inner world and the experiences of these women, weaving rabbinic legends and her own imagination into the biblical texts.

Readers will discover Lilith -- not as the night demon alluded to in Isaiah, but as another aspect of Eve herself. Sarah is a moon priestess and as great a prophet as Abraham. Miriam is not merely a figure of song and dance, but also one of revelation, a source of Torah.

These new stories were written to give biblical women the honor they deserve Ââ€" due them as prophets, rulers, and teachers. The Introduction to Sisters at Sinai offers the rationale and the need for midrash Ââ€" the writing in the margins Ââ€" expressing how it can be liberating as well as deeply comforting. Perfect for womenÂ’s studies courses, adult st! udy groups, confirmation classes and book groups.A cross between a Kosher Shaft and Airplane!'s shameless gag machine, The Hebrew Hammer is an unabashed burlesque about a streetwise Jewish private detective (a "circumcised dick" in his own parlance) named Mordechai Jefferson Carver (Adam Goldberg). Once ostracized by Gentile children, Mordechai has become a much-feared defender of Jews, so extreme that even the militant Jewish Justice League tosses him out. Until, that is, JJL leader Chief Bloomenbergansteinhal (Peter Coyote) and his lovely daughter Esther (Judy Greer) recruit him to take on the wicked Damien (Andy Dick), a snippy anti-Semite who murders Santa Claus in order to turn Christmas into a Jew-hating holiday. Written and directed by Jonathan Kesselman, this sporadically funny feature is based on a funkier short (included on this DVD) of the same name. The cast is better than the generally obvious material, and Nora Dunn (as Mordechai's mother)! and Mario Van Peebles are very good in supporting roles. -! -Tom Keo ghHephaestus Books represents a new publishing paradigm, allowing disparate content sources to be curated into cohesive, relevant, and informative books. To date, this content has been curated from Wikipedia articles and images under Creative Commons licensing, although as Hephaestus Books continues to increase in scope and dimension, more licensed and public domain content is being added. We believe books such as this represent a new and exciting lexicon in the sharing of human knowledge. This particular book is a collaboration focused on Comedy Central films.Hephaestus Books represents a new publishing paradigm, allowing disparate content sources to be curated into cohesive, relevant, and informative books. To date, this content has been curated from Wikipedia articles and images under Creative Commons licensing, although as Hephaestus Books continues to increase in scope and dimension, more licensed and public domain content is being added. We believe books such as! this represent a new and exciting lexicon in the sharing of human knowledge. This particular book is a collaboration focused on Hanukkah.

More info: Hanukkah (, Tiberian: Ḥănukkāh, nowadays usually spelled חנוכ×" in Modern Hebrew, also romanized as Chanukah), also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple (the Second Temple) in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt of the 2nd century BCE, Hanukkah is observed for eight nights, starting on the 25th day of Kislev according to the Hebrew calendar, which may occur at any time from late November to late December in the Gregorian calendar."Hammer breathes a womanÂ’s breath into ancient narratives Â… her collection of new midrashim draws on her knowledge of the Bible, the rich tradition of classical midrash, and on her own imagination." Ââ€" Lilith

This exceptional anthology of 24 stories about the women in the Bible is now! available in paperback. Drawing from the ancient tradition of! midrash , the author brings to life the inner world and the experiences of these women, weaving rabbinic legends and her own imagination into the biblical texts.

Readers will discover Lilith -- not as the night demon alluded to in Isaiah, but as another aspect of Eve herself. Sarah is a moon priestess and as great a prophet as Abraham. Miriam is not merely a figure of song and dance, but also one of revelation, a source of Torah.

These new stories were written to give biblical women the honor they deserve Ââ€" due them as prophets, rulers, and teachers. The Introduction to Sisters at Sinai offers the rationale and the need for midrash Ââ€" the writing in the margins Ââ€" expressing how it can be liberating as well as deeply comforting. Perfect for womenÂ’s studies courses, adult study groups, confirmation classes and book groups."Hammer breathes a womanÂ’s breath into ancient narratives Â… her collection of new midrashim draws on her knowledge of the Bible, the ric! h tradition of classical midrash, and on her own imagination." Ââ€" Lilith

This exceptional anthology of 24 stories about the women in the Bible is now available in paperback. Drawing from the ancient tradition of midrash, the author brings to life the inner world and the experiences of these women, weaving rabbinic legends and her own imagination into the biblical texts.

Readers will discover Lilith -- not as the night demon alluded to in Isaiah, but as another aspect of Eve herself. Sarah is a moon priestess and as great a prophet as Abraham. Miriam is not merely a figure of song and dance, but also one of revelation, a source of Torah.

These new stories were written to give biblical women the honor they deserve Ââ€" due them as prophets, rulers, and teachers. The Introduction to Sisters at Sinai offers the rationale and the need for midrash Ââ€" the writing in the margins Ââ€" expressing how it can be liberating as well as deeply comforting. Perfect for wome! nÂ’s studies courses, adult study groups, confirmation clas! ses and book groups.In a snug New England fishing village, Charlie St. Cloud tends the lawns and monuments of an ancient cemetery where his younger brother, Sam, is buried. After surviving the car accident that claimed his brother's life, Charlie is graced with an extraordinary gift: He can see, talk to, and even play catch with Sam's spirit. Into this magical world comes Tess Carroll, a captivating woman training for a solo sailing trip around the globe. Fate steers her boat into a treacherous storm that propels her into Charlie's life. Their beautiful and uncommon connection leads to a race against time and a choice between death and life, between the past and the future, between holding on and letting go â€" and the discovery that miracles can happen if we simply open our hearts.Questions for Ben Sherwood About Charlie St. Cloud

Q: Did you always imagine your book becoming a movie?
A: In a word...no. I quit a great job at NBC News in New York to write this book. It was a risky career move. I wish I could say the road was easy, but it wasn’t. There were major creative challenges and serious professional setbacks. Indeed, the route from blank page to the finished book might well be described as a near-death publishing experience. Perhaps that’s why I never really imagined this book becoming a movie. Indeed, the very idea of a film adaptation seemed farfetched. As one of my close friends always said: "I’ll believe Charlie St. Cloud is a movie when I’m sitting in the theater and eating popcorn."

Q: How involved were you with the movie and did you write the screenplay?
A: The producers and studio were generous to include me at many stages of the process but I wasn’t involved ! with the movie or screenplay. I was fortunate to visit th! e produc tion twice, once on location in a cemetery and another time on a soundstage in Vancouver. Each time, I relished how filmmakers turned some of the book’s tiniest details into movie reality. For instance, Major League Baseball sent three small Red Sox mitts for Sam to use when he played catch with Charlie. I watched an assistant prop master carry a brand-new red mitt around all day, rubbing it constantly to give it a well-worn appearance.

On another occasion, the director showed me the closing shot of the film. Today, words still fail to describe the exhilarating experience of seeing Charlie and Tess literally sailing into the sunset. Seven years earlier, in the quiet of my little writing room, I had imagined these two young people on a boat aimed at the open ocean. Suddenly, they were on the screen, leaning into each other with wind tousling their hair and sails, steering a Gryphon Solo, one of the world’s fastest fifty-f! oot sailboats, filmed by a camera mounted on a helicopter hovering above.

Q: How does it feel to see your book turned into a movie?
A: Quite simply, I’m filled with gratitude. To create the movie version of Charlie St. Cloud, it took 28 actors, 34 stunt people, and some 250 crew. When I visited the set in Vancouver, I tried my best to thank every single one, including the wrangler responsible for a noisy flock of geese, the messy bane of Charlie’s existence.

When I called my wife in Los Angeles, she asked, "How does it feel?" I thought for a moment. Then I answered: "I want to hug every person I meet."

Q: Did you imagine Zac Efron as Charlie St. Cloud?
A: In candor, I never imagined Zac Efron in the role of Charlie. Wrecked by loss and grief, Charlie was a character who had wasted many years of his precious life. I always imagined Charlie as much older and much sadder.! Thank goodness I’m not a movie producer.

! I salute the studio and producers for realizing that Efron was a perfect choice. Young, dynamic, and charismatic, he embodies the promise of Charlie St. Cloud without the burden and loss. With Efron’s vibrant presence and performance, a sometimes weighty story feels more hopeful and uplifting. As I told Efron when we met in the cemetery in Vancouver, I’m delighted and very thankful that he took the part and filled it with vitality.

Q: How do you feel about the movie being made in Vancouver, Canada instead of Marblehead, Massachussetts, where the novel takes place?
A: I love Marblehead and the people of the town. While researching the book, I traveled to Marblehead several times to walk among the tombstones in Waterside Cemetery, eat breakfast with fishermen at the Driftwood before dawn, drink beers with 'Headers at Maddie's, and compete in my first and only sailboat race.

Vancouver is a country away from the ! wonderful town where I situated the story. But a movie adaptation isn't supposed to be a literal translation of a book. It's an interpretation. While I sincerely hoped that the film would be made in Massachusetts--and while the filmmakers tried their best too--I understood the financial decision to pick Canada, where production costs are significantly lower.

Given this choice, the filmmakers did a great job transplanting Charlie and Sam's story to the Pacific Northwest, which looks absolutely spectacular on film.

Q: Your writing seems to focus on questions of life and death. Why?
A: Maybe it's my age or life experience but I've spent a lot of time thinking about how we overcome grief and loss and make the most of our time on earth. These are subjects that have come to occupy my recent work. Over the last few years, I wrote a nonfiction book called The Survivors Club, exploring the secrets an! d science of the world’s most effective survivors and thrive! rs. Int erviewing survivors around the world, I discovered even more proof that love is a powerful and universal survival tool. In my own life, falling in love with my future wife, Karen, helped unlock the stranglehold of my father’s sudden and untimely death 17 years ago. (That’s why I dedicated the book to both of them.) In Charlie's case, discovering Tess helped him break free of the cemetery and the suffocating grip of grief.

Q: You have two young sons. What do you hope they take away from this book some day?
A: When I was leaving the movie set in Vancouver to fly home to Los Angeles, one of the producers generously asked if I wanted a souvenir from the production. I asked for one of Sam’s red mitts from Major League Baseball. Our two young boys can play catch with it. Then some day when they outgrow it, the glove can sit in my office, a reminder of the power of brotherly love and what happens when you take ! risks, seize life, and set your imagination free.




Enemy of the State [Blu-ray]

  • A former NSA operative aids the innocent victim of a politically motivated assassination cover-up. Directed by Tony Scott. Format: BLU-RAY DISC Genre: DRAMA Rating: R Age: 786936724936 UPC: 786936724936 Manufacturer No: 05346400
Will Smith and Gene Hackman trigger rapid-fire suspense in ENEMY OF THE STATE on Blu-ray’s high definition disc. The star-studded adventure Rolling Stone calls "a dynamite thriller" heats up as this volatile new format explodes onto the screen. After a Washington, D.C. attorney is given â€" without his knowledge â€" a video tying a top National Security Agency official to a political murder, he finds himself targeted by a relentless team of lethal NSA surveillance operatives. Watch as nonstop action meets cutting-edge technology in astounding 1080p, and hear the echo of every footstep with 5.1 48 kHz, 24-bit uncompressed audio. Surrender your senses to the awe! some power of Blu-rayâ„¢ High Definition!Robert Clayton Dean (Will Smith) is a lawyer with a wife and family whose happily normal life is turned upside down after a chance meeting with a college buddy (Jason Lee) at a lingerie shop. Unbeknownst to the lawyer, he's just been burdened with a videotape of a congressman's assassination. Hot on the tail of this tape is a ruthless group of National Security Agents commanded by a belligerently ambitious fed named Reynolds (Jon Voight). Using surveillance from satellites, bugs, and other sophisticated snooping devices, the NSA infiltrates every facet of Dean's existence, tracing each physical and digital footprint he leaves. Driven by acute paranoia, Dean enlists the help of a clandestine former NSA operative named Brill (Gene Hackman), and Enemy of the State kicks into high-intensity hyperdrive.

Teaming up once again with producer Jerry Bruckheimer, Top Gun director Tony Scott demonstrates his glossy style with c! lever cinematography and breakneck pacing. Will Smith proves t! hat ther e's more to his success than a brash sense of humor, giving a versatile performance that plausibly illustrates a man cracking under the strain of paranoid turmoil. Hackman steals the show by essentially reprising his role from The Conversation--just imagine his memorable character Harry Caul some 20 years later. Most of all, the film's depiction of high-tech surveillance is highly convincing and dramatically compelling, making this a cautionary tale with more substance than you'd normally expect from a Scott-Bruckheimer action extravaganza. --Jeremy StoreyRobert Clayton Dean (Will Smith) is a lawyer with a wife and family whose happily normal life is turned upside down after a chance meeting with a college buddy (Jason Lee) at a lingerie shop. Unbeknownst to the lawyer, he's just been burdened with a videotape of a congressman's assassination. Hot on the tail of this tape is a ruthless group of National Security Agents commanded by a belligerently ambitious fed! named Reynolds (Jon Voight). Using surveillance from satellites, bugs, and other sophisticated snooping devices, the NSA infiltrates every facet of Dean's existence, tracing each physical and digital footprint he leaves. Driven by acute paranoia, Dean enlists the help of a clandestine former NSA operative named Brill (Gene Hackman), and Enemy of the State kicks into high-intensity hyperdrive.

Teaming up once again with producer Jerry Bruckheimer, Top Gun director Tony Scott demonstrates his glossy style with clever cinematography and breakneck pacing. Will Smith proves that there's more to his success than a brash sense of humor, giving a versatile performance that plausibly illustrates a man cracking under the strain of paranoid turmoil. Hackman steals the show by essentially reprising his role from The Conversation--just imagine his memorable character Harry Caul some 20 years later. Most of all, the film's depiction of high-tech surveilla! nce is highly convincing and dramatically compelling, making t! his a ca utionary tale with more substance than you'd normally expect from a Scott-Bruckheimer action extravaganza. --Jeremy Storey

Black Dynamite [Blu-ray]

  • Condition: New
  • Format: Blu-ray
  • AC-3; Color; Dolby; Subtitled; Widescreen
An all-star cast led by Michael Jai White is featured in this 1970's-style blaxploitation action fiilm about the legendary super crime fighter "Black Dynamite." The Man killed his brother, pumped heroin into local orphanages, and flooded the ghetto with adulterated malt liquor. Black Dynamite was the one hero willing to fight The Man all the way from the blood-soaked city streets to the hallowed halls of the Honky HouseWhen drug dealers take out his kid brother, ex-CIA agent Black Dynamite (Spawn's Michael Jai White) makes like a karate-chopping dynamo to track them down. Armed with a .44 Magnum, a set of nunchucks, and a sexy 'stache, Big D starts out in the City of Angels, where ! his buddies Cream Corn (In Living Color's Tommy Davidson), a hustler, and Bullhorn (co-writer Byron Minns), a club owner, offer to lend a hand. The deeper Dynamite digs, the more endangered his life becomes as he uncovers a conspiracy to keep the black man down by flooding the streets with malt liquor and filling the country's orphanages with smack. Since the smooth operator has a way with the ladies, he also enlists Gloria (I Am Legend's Salli Richardson-Whitfield), a socially-conscious soul sister, to aid in his clean-up campaign. Director Scott Sanders and White, who co-wrote the script, collaborated on 1998's Thick as Thieves, and their chemistry shines through. If the supporting cast can be a little wooden, White gives Shaft's Richard Roundtree a run for the money with his cool-cat charisma. Set in 1972, Black Dynamite doesn't just act like a movie from the Superfly era, it looks and sounds like one, too, courtesy Adrian Younge! 's old-school funk score, Shawn Maurer's 16mm cinematography, ! a cartoo n credit sequence, and some carefully choreographed boom mic appearances. And dig those crazy cameos: Arsenio Hall as Tasty Freeze, Brian McKnight as Sweet Meat, and NBA veteran John Salley as Kotex. --Kathleen C. Fennessy



Stills from Black Dynamite (Click for larger image)











An all-star cast led by ! Michael Jai White is featured in this 1970's-style blaxploitat! ion acti on fiilm about the legendary super crime fighter "Black Dynamite." The Man killed his brother, pumped heroin into local orphanages, and flooded the ghetto with adulterated malt liquor. Black Dynamite was the one hero willing to fight The Man all the way from the blood-soaked city streets to the hallowed halls of the Honky House.When drug dealers take out his kid brother, ex-CIA agent Black Dynamite (Spawn's Michael Jai White) makes like a karate-chopping dynamo to track them down. Armed with a .44 Magnum, a set of nunchucks, and a sexy 'stache, Big D starts out in the City of Angels, where his buddies Cream Corn (In Living Color's Tommy Davidson), a hustler, and Bullhorn (co-writer Byron Minns), a club owner, offer to lend a hand. The deeper Dynamite digs, the more endangered his life becomes as he uncovers a conspiracy to keep the black man down by flooding the streets with malt liquor and filling the country's orphanages with smack. Since the smooth op! erator has a way with the ladies, he also enlists Gloria (I Am Legend's Salli Richardson-Whitfield), a socially-conscious soul sister, to aid in his clean-up campaign. Director Scott Sanders and White, who co-wrote the script, collaborated on 1998's Thick as Thieves, and their chemistry shines through. If the supporting cast can be a little wooden, White gives Shaft's Richard Roundtree a run for the money with his cool-cat charisma. Set in 1972, Black Dynamite doesn't just act like a movie from the Superfly era, it looks and sounds like one, too, courtesy Adrian Younge's old-school funk score, Shawn Maurer's 16mm cinematography, a cartoon credit sequence, and some carefully choreographed boom mic appearances. And dig those crazy cameos: Arsenio Hall as Tasty Freeze, Brian McKnight as Sweet Meat, and NBA veteran John Salley as Kotex. --Kathleen C. Fennessy



Stills from Black Dynamite ! (Click for larger image)












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