Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Eight Below (Full Screen Edition)

  • Inspired by a true story and the hit Japanese film NANKYOKU MONOGATARI, Frank Marshall s (ALIVE, CONGO) EIGHT BELOW captures a rugged world of ice, snow, and threatening weather that few will ever experience in person. As a guide for a National Science Foundation Research Base in Antarctica, Jerry Shepard (Paul Walker) is perfectly content to spend his time exploring the wilderness with his sled d
Walt Disney Pictures presents EIGHT BELOW, the thrilling tale of incredible friendship between eight amazing sled dogs and their guide Jerry (Paul Walker). Stranded in Antarctica during the most unforgiving winter on the planet, Jerry's beloved sled dogs must learn to survive together until Jerry â€" who will stop at nothing -- rescues them. Driven by unwavering bonds of friendship, enormous belief in one another, and tremendous courage, Jerry and the dogs make an incredible journey to reunite in th! is triumphant and inspiring action-adventure the whole family will treasure.Despite a likable cast of humans, it's the canine stars who steal the show in Eight Below, a terrific live-action adventure in the time-honored Disney tradition. Based on a true story that was previously filmed (much differently) as the 1983 Japanese hit Antarctica, this above-average family film takes place in 1993 and focuses on a dog-sled guide at an Antarctic research station (Paul Walker) who is forced by a severe storm to abandon eight beloved sled dogs for the duration of a harsh Antarctic winter. Left to fend for themselves, the rugged and resourceful dogs encounter danger at every turn, surviving for nearly six months while Walker and his closest colleagues (engagingly played by Bruce Greenwood, Moon Bloodgood, and American Pie's Jason Biggs) join forces to mount a daring rescue mission. Having endured similarly extreme conditions on his 1993 film Alive, director! Frank Marshall brings an abundance of natural splendor (and m! inimum u se of digital wizardry) to spectacularly arctic locations in Norway, Greenland and Canada, and Walker (star of The Fast and the Furious) lends an amiable sincerity to his compassionate role. For most viewers, however, it's the remarkable dogs (six Siberian huskies and two malamutes) who make Eight Below so thoroughly entertaining. It's not quite an instant family classic, but it comes pretty doggone close. --Jeff Shannon

Elf (Infinifilm Edition)

  • Features include: -MPAA Rating: PG -Format: DVD-Runtime: 97 minutes
This hilarious Christmas film tells the tale of a young orphan child who mistakenly crawls into Santa's bag of gifts on Christmas Eve and is transported back to the North Pole and raised as an elf. Years later Buddy learns he is not really an elf and goes on a journey to New York City to find his true identity.

DVD Features:
Audio Commentary:2 commentaries with Will Ferrell & Director
DVD ROM Features
Deleted Scenes
Featurette:Film school for kids Tag along with Will Ferrell How they made the North Pole Kids on Christmas and more!
Other:2-Disc Infinifilm DVD Widescreen version on Disc 1 and Fullscreen version on Disc 2 Spanish Language Track Elf Karaoke Read-Along Infinifilm Fact Tack Buddy's Adventure Game Elf Decoder Card and more!

Elf is genuinely ! good. Not just Saturday Night Live-movie good, when the movie has some funny bits but is basically an insult to humanity; Elf is a smartly written, skillfully directed, and deftly acted story of a human being adopted by Christmas elves who returns to the human world to find his father. And because the writing, directing, and acting are all genuinely good, Elf is also genuinely funny. Will Ferrell, as Buddy the adopted elf, is hysterically sincere. James Caan, as his rediscovered father, executes his surly dumbfoundedness with perfect aplomb. Zooey Deschanel, as a department store worker with whom Buddy falls in love, is adorably sardonic. Director Jon Favreau (Swingers) shepherds the movie through all the obligatory Christmas cliches and focuses on material that's sometimes subtle and consistently surprising. Frankly, Elf feels miraculous. Also featuring Mary Steenburgen, Bob Newhart, Peter Dinklage, and Ed Asner as Santa Claus. ! --Bret Fetzer


Stil! ls from Elf (click for larger image)


The Busy World of Richard Scarry: Every Day There's Something New

  • RICHARD SCARRY: BUSY WORLD 30 EPISODES (DVD MOVIE)
Liev Schreiber (Salt) heads an all-star cast in this warm and wise comic drama as Ned, a loving husband and devoted father dealing with life's curveballs. He's got a stressed-out wife (Helen Hunt, As Good As It Gets) an independent teenage son (Ezra Miller, City Island), and an embittered father-in-law (Brian Dennehy, Silverado) who's turning his home upside down. Ned's job writing a scandalous TV series for a demanding boss (Eddie Izzard, Valkyrie) is unfulfilling, and late night rewrites with a sexy co-worker (Carla Gugino, Entourage) might just push him over the deep end. This modern family story by Nip/Tuck producer/writer Richard Levine is filled with heart, humor and life's unexpected twists that teach Ned that marriage and parenthood don’t always go according to the script.Liev Schreiber (Salt) heads an all-star cast in this warm and! wise comic drama as Ned, a loving husband and devoted father dealing with life's curveballs. He's got a stressed-out wife (Helen Hunt, As Good As It Gets) an independent teenage son (Ezra Miller, City Island), and an embittered father-in-law (Brian Dennehy, Silverado) who's turning his home upside down. Ned's job writing a scandalous TV series for a demanding boss (Eddie Izzard, Valkyrie) is unfulfilling, and late night rewrites with a sexy co-worker (Carla Gugino, Entourage) might just push him over the deep end. This modern family story by Nip/Tuck producer/writer Richard Levine is filled with heart, humor and life's unexpected twists that teach Ned that marriage and parenthood don’t always go according to the script.The title comes from research that shows people are happiest on Fridays. Pastor Joel Osteen writes how we can generate this level of contentment and joy every day of the week.
Known as a man who maintains a constant positive outlook in spite of cir! cumstances, Osteen has described this message as a core theme! of his ministry. Combining his personal experiences with scriptural insights and principles for true happiness, he shows readers how every day can hold the same promise and opportunities for pure joy that they experience at five o'clock on Friday.This 70-minute documentary follows the final days of freedom for Wendy Maldonado's fateful decision to protect her family from abuse at all costs, even her own freedom. Wendy, an Oregon Mother of four who pleaded guilty, along with her oldest son Randy for murdering her husband Aaron in his bed using a hammer and hatchet in May 2005.

This product is manufactured on demand using DVD-R recordable media. Amazon.com's standard return policy will apply.\r\n

This disc is expected to play back in DVD Video "play only" devices, and may not play in other DVD devices, including recorders and PC drives. \r\nEvery Day with Rachael Ray is every busy home cook?s go-to-guide for great food; good fun; and inspiring ways! to relax, laugh and enjoy life. Help yourself to 30-minute meals and menu planners, Rach?s faves for fun, beauty, style and home, plus 100s of food and entertaining tips.The title comes from research that shows people are happiest on Fridays. Pastor Joel Osteen writes how we can generate this level of contentment and joy every day of the week.
Known as a man who maintains a constant positive outlook in spite of circumstances, Osteen has described this message as a core theme of his ministry. Combining his personal experiences with scriptural insights and principles for true happiness, he shows readers how every day can hold the same promise and opportunities for pure joy that they experience at five o'clock on Friday.The title comes from research that shows people are happiest on Fridays. Pastor Joel Osteen writes how we can generate this level of contentment and joy every day of the week.
Known as a man who maintains a constant positive outlook in spite of circu! mstances, Osteen has described this message as a core theme of! his min istry. Combining his personal experiences with scriptural insights and principles for true happiness, he shows readers how every day can hold the same promise and opportunities for pure joy that they experience at five o'clock on Friday.WHEN EVERY DAY WAS THE FOURTH OF JULY "Go out of your way to see it. It's pretty wonderful." - Los Angeles Times The summer of 1937 in Bridgeport, Connecticut was a time of innocence and adventure for 12-year-old Daniel Cooper and his 10-year-old sister Sarah. It was the year that Sarah's friend Snowman, a brain-damaged veteran of World War I, was accused of murder. Believing him to be innocent, Sarah convinces her attorney father, Ed Cooper (Dean Jones), to defend Snowman -- a decision that leads to an explosive and unforgettable courtroom drama. A Dan Curtis Production starring DEAN JONES, LOUISE SOREL, KATY KURTZMAN, CHRIS PETERSEN, HARRIS YULIN, GEOFFREY LEWIS, SCOTT BRADY, BEN PIAZZA, RONNIE CLAIRE EDWARDS AND HENRY WILCOXIN Music Compo! sed by WALTER SCHARF Film Editor DENNIS VIRKLER Director of Photography FRANK STANLEY Art Director JACK DeGOVIA Screenplay LEE HUTSON Story by DAN CURTIS & LEE HUTSON Produced & Directed by DAN CURTIS. THE LONG DAYS OF SUMMER "Extraordinarily good...a captivating storyline, a sensitive and intelligent script, a marvelous cast..." - Los Angeles Herald Examiner During the summer of 1938, Jewish attorney Ed Cooper and his family are faced with a growing sense of bigotry in the community, mixed with awareness of the increasing menace overseas in the form of Adolf Hitler. The talk of Bridgeport, however, centers around the pending rematch between boxing heavyweight champ Joe Lewis and his German challenger -- a controversy that fuels the smoldering conflict about to erupt in this powerful sequel to When Every Day Was the Fourth of July.Make Time for a Song and a Smile!

Favorite characters come to life in these enchanting animated tales! This fully animated serie! s is based on the books by Richard Scarry which parents worl! dwide re ly on to teach valuable lessons. Busytown is an enchanting place that s abuzz with energy and life. Young audiences love to sing and laugh along, as Huckle Cat and Lowly Worm make their way through the day. Always concerned for each other, the residents of Busytown make time for a song and a smile.

Featuring the beloved characters from the worldwide bestselling book series from acclaimed author Richard Scarry, young audiences will love to sing and laugh along as Huckle Cat, Lowly Worm, Mr. Fixit, Hilda Hippo, Sgt. Murphy and Bananas Gorilla make their way through the day exploring their happy and lively world.

This special DVD collection features 30, half-hour television episodes filled with fun stories, inventive slapstick and colorful animation to delight children of all ages!

Also included: 3 BONUS EPSIODES!

  • Busytown Mysteries
  • Wimzie's House
  • Simon in the Land of Chalk.


The New Christian Traveler's Guide to the Holy Land

  • ISBN13: 9780802466501
  • Condition: New
  • Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!
The geographic heart and soul of Judaism, Islam, and Christianity, the Holy Land has immense significance for the millions of visitors it has attracted since as early as the fifth century BC. Now in an exciting new edition, this popular handbook once again offers tourists an indispensable, illustrated guide to over 200 of the most important archeological and religious sites in the City of Jerusalem and the surrounding area.
Fully updated with all the latest information, The Holy Land presupposes little knowledge of history or archaeology, giving clear directions on how to find sites and monuments of interest--both well-known locations and those less familiar. With entries including ! the Damascus Gate, the Via Dolorosa, Mount Sion, the Dead Sea, Hebron, and Jericho, this indispensable book includes detailed maps, plans, and illustrations that further illuminate these spectacular locales. Each entry explains the history and topography of a site as well as its function and significance. In his introduction, Father Jerome Murphy-O'Connor provides a brief historical outline of the Holy Land, from the Stone Age to the Modern Period, and lists sites accordingly. The Fifth Edition includes new information on the crucial recent developments at the Holy Sepulchre and on six completely new sites, including a Middle Bronze Age water system in Jerusalem and what may be the original Pool of Siloam.
A marvelous Baedeker to both the city of Jerusalem and the Holy Land, brimming with practical advice and featuring more than 150 high quality site plans, maps, diagrams, and photographs, this book provides the ultimate visitor's guide to one of the richest archaeo! logical regions in the world.
Knowing the Land helps us u! nderstan d the Book in new and vivid ways. Charles Dyer, a Bible scholar and licensed tour guide for Israel, and Greg Hatteberg, graduate of the Institute of Holy Land Studies in Jerusalem, created this reference guide for pilgrims who want to deepen the spiritual impact of their trip to Israel, as well as other travelers who just want to know more: Where did Jesus walk? Where is King David buried? Where is Mt. Sinai? You’ll find detailed information about five key Bible lands: Israel, Egypt, Greece, Jordan, and Turkey. This guide includes a full color 32-page photo insert, practical tips for travelers, a 4-week prayer guide for preparing for your trip, and detailed maps and an outline of Bible history. With The New Christian Traveler’s Guide to the Holy Land, you’ll see the Bible through a new set of geographical lenses.


Festival in Cannes - Anouk Aimee - Movie Poster 27" X 40" (379)

  • Festival in Cannes
  • Anouk Aimee
  • Movie
  • Poster
  • Measures 27" X 40"
Filming on location in France during the 1999 Cannes Film Festival, Henry Jaglom goes behind the scenes to explore how movies get made (and unmade). He would know--he's been making them for decades now. In this one, he takes an Altman-meets-Cassavetes approach to his subject. While former actress Alice (Greta Scacchi), for instance, is trying to get her directorial debut off the ground, film icon Millie (Anouk Aimée) is trying to decide between the lead in Alice's indie and a (better-paying) cameo in the new Tom Hanks vehicle. As in The Player, Jaglom focuses on several characters and, as in many Cassavetes pictures, the dialogue feels improvised. If Festival in Cannes is less emotionally involving than 1997's Déjà Vu (arguably his best), it still provides a fine showcase f! or a talented cast, including Maximilian Schell as Millie's husband and Ron Silver as the producer behind the Hanks project. --Kathleen C. FennessyFilming on location in France during the 1999 Cannes Film Festival, Henry Jaglom goes behind the scenes to explore how movies get made (and unmade). He would know--he's been making them for decades now. In this one, he takes an Altman-meets-Cassavetes approach to his subject. While former actress Alice (Greta Scacchi), for instance, is trying to get her directorial debut off the ground, film icon Millie (Anouk Aimée) is trying to decide between the lead in Alice's indie and a (better-paying) cameo in the new Tom Hanks vehicle. As in The Player, Jaglom focuses on several characters and, as in many Cassavetes pictures, the dialogue feels improvised. If Festival in Cannes is less emotionally involving than 1997's Déjà Vu (arguably his best), it still provides a fine showcase for a talented cast, includ! ing Maximilian Schell as Millie's husband and Ron Silver as th! e produc er behind the Hanks project. --Kathleen C. FennessyEach year, thousands flock to the Cannes Film Festival, wildly chasing fame, fortune and each other against the picturesque background of the French Riviera. Director Jaglom captures all the magic and mayhem as he follows an intriguing cast of characters - a beautiful movie icon (Anouk Aimée), her ex-husband (Maximilian Schell), an actress (Greta Scacchi) trying her first script, a high-powered producer (Ron Silver), an up-and-coming ingenue (Jenny Gabrielle), and a fast-talking entrepreneur (Zack Norman). How their lives and loves entangle make for an unforgettable journey through the very heart of the entertainment world.Filming on location in France during the 1999 Cannes Film Festival, Henry Jaglom goes behind the scenes to explore how movies get made (and unmade). He would know--he's been making them for decades now. In this one, he takes an Altman-meets-Cassavetes approach to his subject. While former actress A! lice (Greta Scacchi), for instance, is trying to get her directorial debut off the ground, film icon Millie (Anouk Aimée) is trying to decide between the lead in Alice's indie and a (better-paying) cameo in the new Tom Hanks vehicle. As in The Player, Jaglom focuses on several characters and, as in many Cassavetes pictures, the dialogue feels improvised. If Festival in Cannes is less emotionally involving than 1997's Déjà Vu (arguably his best), it still provides a fine showcase for a talented cast, including Maximilian Schell as Millie's husband and Ron Silver as the producer behind the Hanks project. --Kathleen C. FennessyFESTIVAL IN CANNES Movie Poster. Starring: Anouk Aimée & Greta Scacchi. Written and Directed by: Henry Jaglom. 2002 Paramount Pictures. Measures 27" X 40"

Gone in 60 Seconds [Blu-ray]

  • GONE IN 60 SECONDS (BLU-RAY DISC)
Academy Award(R)-winners Nicolas Cage (1996 Best Actor, LEAVING LAS VEGAS; ADAPTATION, MATCHSTICK MEN) and sexy Angelina Jolie (1999 Best Supporting Actress, GIRL INTERRUPTED; LARA CROFT TOMB RAIDER) ride an unstoppable wave of speed and adrenaline in this hot, egdy action hit from high-octane producer Jerry Bruckheimer (PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL, PEARL HARBOR). Legendary car booster Randall "Memphis" Raines (Cage) thought he'd left the fast lane behind -- until he's forced out of retirement in a do-or-die effort to save his kid brother (Giovanni Ribisi, LOST IN TRANSLATION, TV's FRIENDS) from the wrath of an evil mobster! But with speed to burn and attitude to spare, Memphis hastily reassembles his old crew -- a rogues' gallery including Academy Award-winner Robert Duvall (1983 Best Actor, TENDER MERCIES; OPEN RANGE) -- and floor! s it in a full-throttle race to pull off the ulimate car heist: 50 exotic beauties in 24 hours -- and the cops are already on to them! Directed by Dominic Sena and written by Scott Rosenberg, GONE IN 60 SECONDS is an action-packed thrill ride that comes out fast and never slows down.Kip Raines (Giovanni Ribisi) is a cocky young car thief working with a crew to steal 50 cars for a very bad man whose nickname is "The Carpenter." Being young and cocky, Kip messes up, so it's up to his big brother, Randall "Memphis" Raines (Nicolas Cage), to come out of car thief retirement and save him. With a cast that includes Robert Duvall, Angelina Jolie, Delroy Lindo, Cage, and Ribisi, it would be easy to say this story wastes all their talents--which it does, but that's not the point. This is a Jerry Bruckheimer film. A good story and complex characters would only get in the way of the action scenes and slow the movie down. No, Gone in 60 Seconds (based on the cult 1974 film of ! the same name) is not about the stars as much as it's about ca! rs. Fast cars. Rare cars. Wrecked cars. All cars. Too bad director Dominic Sena (Kalifornia) doesn't come across as more of a gearhead; he seems less interested in fast cars than fast cuts. But is this movie fun? Absolutely, and it's fun because it's so stupid. With pointless car chases and hackneyed dialogue in one of the most predictable plots of the year, Gone in 60 Seconds is a comic film that's not quite a parody of itself, but darn close. --Andy SpletzerFasten your seat belts for the ride of your life as Jerry Bruckheimer's high-octane hit reaches a new gear in a revolutionary high-definition format. Nicolas Cage and Angelina Jolie go full throttle as they try to pull off the ultimate heist -- 50 exotic cars in 24 hours! The action revs up like never before on Blu-ray disc. Experience every jaw-dropping chase scene in stunning 1080p. Feel the screech of the tires and the roar of the engines presented in 5.1 48 kHz, 24-bit uncompressed audio.! Enjoy GONE IN 60 SECONDS like never before -- with a pristine high-definition picture and theater-quality sound.Kip Raines (Giovanni Ribisi) is a cocky young car thief working with a crew to steal 50 cars for a very bad man whose nickname is "The Carpenter." Being young and cocky, Kip messes up, so it's up to his big brother, Randall "Memphis" Raines (Nicolas Cage), to come out of car thief retirement and save him. With a cast that includes Robert Duvall, Angelina Jolie, Delroy Lindo, Cage, and Ribisi, it would be easy to say this story wastes all their talents--which it does, but that's not the point. This is a Jerry Bruckheimer film. A good story and complex characters would only get in the way of the action scenes and slow the movie down. No, Gone in 60 Seconds (based on the cult 1974 film of the same name) is not about the stars as much as it's about cars. Fast cars. Rare cars. Wrecked cars. All cars. Too bad director Dominic Sena (Kalifornia) doesn't com! e across as more of a gearhead; he seems less interested in fa! st cars than fast cuts. But is this movie fun? Absolutely, and it's fun because it's so stupid. With pointless car chases and hackneyed dialogue in one of the most predictable plots of the year, Gone in 60 Seconds is a comic film that's not quite a parody of itself, but darn close. --Andy Spletzer

Captain America: The First Avenger (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy)

  • 1 Blueray Disk Only.
  • In Jewel Case
  • Preowned
  • Great Condition
Nicole Beharie (The Express), Will Patton (Entrapment, The Postman), Charles Dutton (TV's Roc, Mimic) and Alfre Woodard (TV's Desperate Housewives, Primal Fear) star in this gripping true-life story. Falsely accused of distributing narcotics in a school zone, Dee Roberts (Beharie) is offered a deal she can't refuse: plead guilty and accept a 10-year suspended sentence. The alternative: risk serving 16-to-25 in jail. Realizing a conviction would ruin her life, Dee decides to fight back. Suing the DA for racial discrimination, Dee battles impossible odds in a case that will not only change her life but the laws of Texas as well.American Violet may be based on the story of outrageous injustices committed against Regina Kelly of Hearne,! Texas, but that does not make it a good film. It is, at best, a bad film with an important message. American Violet is about a single mother of four, Dee Roberts (Nicole Beharie), who is wrongly convicted of drug charges due to police racism and corruption. As she struggles to stay out of prison with the help of her mother, Alma (Alfre Woodard), Dee exemplifies a stalwart woman who refuses to plead guilty when offered a plea bargain. While names of characters and the town itself are changed, the story in American Violet is allegedly altered only slightly in hopes of maintaining its tragic truth, that a plea-bargain system in Texas forced, in this case, impoverished and sometimes innocent African Americans to accept guilty charges and their negative aftereffects. American Violet's melodramatic sensibility attempts to spark the same indignation that fuels ACLU lawyer David Cohen (Tim Blake Nelson) to embark on a lawsuit against the head racist, district ! attorney Calvin Beckett (Michael O'Keefe). Cohen, with the hel! p of a f ormer narcotics officer, Sam Conroy (Will Patton), discovers enough evidence to disturb any viewer. While it is crucial to have artful dialogue about this politically offensive topic, American Violet is not finely scripted or cinematically engaging enough to elevate it above second-hand documentary. Still, since the film does cover meaningful territory, there may be a place for it in classrooms, or it may inspire others to work on further exposing gross injustice for the benefit of our society. --Trinie DaltonNicole Beharie (The Express), Will Patton (Entrapment, The Postman), Charles Dutton (TV's Roc, Mimic) and Alfre Woodard (TV's Desperate Housewives, Primal Fear) star in this gripping true-life story. Falsely accused of distributing narcotics in a school zone, Dee Roberts (Beharie) is offered a deal she can't refuse: plead guilty and accept a 10-year suspended sentence. The alternative:! risk serving 16-to-25 in jail. Realizing a conviction would ruin her life, Dee decides to fight back. Suing the DA for racial discrimination, Dee battles impossible odds in a case that will not only change her life but the laws of Texas as well.American Violet may be based on the story of outrageous injustices committed against Regina Kelly of Hearne, Texas, but that does not make it a good film. It is, at best, a bad film with an important message. American Violet is about a single mother of four, Dee Roberts (Nicole Beharie), who is wrongly convicted of drug charges due to police racism and corruption. As she struggles to stay out of prison with the help of her mother, Alma (Alfre Woodard), Dee exemplifies a stalwart woman who refuses to plead guilty when offered a plea bargain. While names of characters and the town itself are changed, the story in American Violet is allegedly altered only slightly in hopes of maintaining its tragic truth, that a pl! ea-bargain system in Texas forced, in this case, impoverished ! and some times innocent African Americans to accept guilty charges and their negative aftereffects. American Violet's melodramatic sensibility attempts to spark the same indignation that fuels ACLU lawyer David Cohen (Tim Blake Nelson) to embark on a lawsuit against the head racist, district attorney Calvin Beckett (Michael O'Keefe). Cohen, with the help of a former narcotics officer, Sam Conroy (Will Patton), discovers enough evidence to disturb any viewer. While it is crucial to have artful dialogue about this politically offensive topic, American Violet is not finely scripted or cinematically engaging enough to elevate it above second-hand documentary. Still, since the film does cover meaningful territory, there may be a place for it in classrooms, or it may inspire others to work on further exposing gross injustice for the benefit of our society. --Trinie DaltonCaptain America leads the fight for freedom in the action-packed blockbuster starring Chris Evans ! as the ultimate weapon against evil! When a terrifying force threatens everyone across the globe, the world’s greatest soldier wages war on the evil HYDRA organization, led by the villainous Red Skull (Hugo Weaving, The Matrix). Critics and audiences alike salute Captain America: The First Avenger as “pure excitement, pure action, and pure fun!” â€" Bryan Erdy CBS-TVThe Marvel Comics superhero Captain America was born of World War II, so if you're going to do the origin story in a movie you'd better set it in the 1940s. But how, then, to reconcile that hero with the 21st-century mega-blockbuster The Avengers, a 2012 summit meeting of the Marvel giants, where Captain America joins Iron Man and the Incredible Hulk and other super pals? Stick around, and we'll get to that. In 1943, a sawed-off (but gung-ho) military reject named Steve Rogers is enlisted in a super-secret experiment masterminded by adorable scientist Stanley Tucci and skeptica! l military bigwig Tommy Lee Jones. Rogers emerges, taller and ! sporting greatly expanded pectoral muscles, along with a keen ability to bounce back from injury. In both sections Rogers is played by Chris Evans, whose sly humor makes him a good choice for the otherwise stalwart Cap. (Benjamin Button-esque effects create the shrinky Rogers, with Evans's head attached.) The film comes up with a viable explanation for the red-white-and-blue suit 'n' shield--Rogers is initially trotted out as a war bonds fundraiser, in costume--and a rousing first combat mission for our hero, who finally gets fed up with being a poster boy. Director Joe Johnston (The Wolfman) makes a lot of pretty pictures along the way, although the war action goes generic for a while and the climax feels a little rushed. Kudos to Hugo Weaving, who makes his Nazi villain a grand adversary (with, if the ear doesn't lie, an imitation of Werner Herzog's accent). If most of the movie is enjoyable, the final 15 minutes or so reveals a curious weakness in the overall design! : because Captain America needs to pop up in The Avengers, the resolution of the 1943 story line must include a bridge to the 21st century, which makes for some tortured (and unsatisfying) plot developments. Nevertheless: that shield is really cool. --Robert Horton

The Order - From Matthew Barney's Cremaster Cycle 3

Household Tales by Brothers Grimm

web log free