Monday, January 23, 2012

Beyond the Sea

  • TESTED
One of America’s greatest performers, Bobby Darin lived a rags-to-riches life. He worked his way from shady nightclubs to his dream destination, The Copacabana, where he wowed crowds with "Splish Splash," "Mack the Knife" and other hits. He was a marvel at singing, songwriting and performing â€" stealing the hearts of fans everywhere despite the suffering in his own hear.The chameleon-like actor Kevin Spacey is best known for playing pyschopaths (in Seven and The Usual Suspects) and capturing a creepy mid-life crisis in American Beauty--but surprisingly, playing crooner Bobby Darin, Spacey does some snappy dancing and top-notch singing. Beyond the Sea puts Darin's life through a bit of a kaleidoscope: While singing Darin's most memorable hit, "Mack the Knife," Darin suddenly stops the show, revealing that he's not at a nightclub, but in the middle of a s! hooting a scene about his life as a nightclub performer. Why has he stopped? Because he's just seen himself as a young boy, peering from behind a curtain. Such self-conscious narrative twists recur throughout the movie, turning Darin's fight for fame and respect into a love story between his adult and childhood selves. Sandra Dee (Kate Bosworth, Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!), a hugely popular movie star in her own right, was supposedly the love of Darin's life, but she never holds his attention as does his childhood self (played by newcomer William Ullrich). It's a striking metaphor for the narcissism that drives such success-hungry entertainers. But despite (or perhaps because of) the complexity of the telling, the events never grip your emotions; though Darin's life featured hits galore and a few soap opera twists, his story lacks the seductive charm of his nighclub show. Also featuring Bob Hoskins, John Goodman, Brenda Blethyn, and Greta Scacchi. --Bret Fetzer!

Thursday, January 19, 2012

The Day After Tomorrow

Gerber 45803 Guardian Back Up, Double Edge, Fine Edge Knife

  • Double-edge blade
  • Non-reflective black blade coating
  • Adjustable withdraw tension sheath
  • Overall length: 7.28 inches; blade length: 3.41 inches
  • Weight: 3 ounces
This is a look into the series that inspired the spinoff THE ZODIUS SERIES now in mass market. SPECIAL NOTE: Legend of Michael the first book in the spinoff series from Sourcebooks is 1.99 for a limited time. This is my New York publisher so I don't control price. Get it before they change it!

Now onward to this story PROTECTOR!
This is full length Novel! Formerly released through Ellora's Cave

Hot soldiers! Hot romance! Heart pounding romance! Did I say -- hot SUPER soldiers?!

Book 1 of a sexy paranormal series with hot super soldiers you don't want to miss!

*4 stars from ROMANTIC TIMES Reviews!
*A full sized novel at 87,000 words
*Includes s! horts excerpts from HOT VAMPIRE KISS and THE STORM THAT IS STERLING after the 87,000 word novel is complete. Total word count is 89,000 words

About the book:

Mason Alexander is the leader of the elite Black Knights, a special forces unit that have all been genetically enhanced. He must lead his team to stop a rogue group of Knights lead by his brother. Holly Hart, a beautiful doctor who has devoted her life to genetic research, is the woman who can help achieve his goal of capturing his brother. Dark danger and hot passion will bring them together, but will Mason’s secrets, drive them apart, before love can save them?

• Book 2 of the Underground Guardians is HEALER. It is also available for download.

Dear Reader:

The Underground Guardians was originally published through Ellora’s Cave many years ago. As time passed, though readers asked for the next book in the series, I knew that there were things I should have ! done differently, that I wanted to do differently. More time p! assed, a nd this series stuck with me. I WANTED to write more stories. So finally, I sat down and said â€" how do I write more? How do I get from where I started to where I want to go? There was only one option. A spinoff series. So I wrote a new series -- THE ZODIUS series -- which debuts in May 2011 with Sourcebooks Casablanca with the book THE LEGEND OF MICHAEL. But these books â€" The Underground Guardians â€" inspired the Zodius series. Without them, the Zodius series would never have taken form. So here is a look into the young writer’s vision into a world that later became the more mature writer’s world. You will actually meet my inspiration for the Zodius version of Michael (LEGEND OF MICHAEL) in this book. In fact, there will be many things in the Zodius series that you will find familiar to the Underground Guardians series, but you will also find many things very different.

I hope this look into the world of the Underground Guardians will intrigue you enough! to make you want to read the Zodius series, starting with LEGEND OF MICHAEL.

Thank you for your support!
Lisa

• Book 1 of the Zodius Series: THE LEGEND OF MICHAEL is available May 1, 2011!

*Book 2 THE STORM THAT IS STERLING out now

*Book 3 THE DANGER THAT IS DAMION -- May 2012 --pre-order available now
This is a look into the series that inspired the spinoff THE ZODIUS SERIES now in mass market. SPECIAL NOTE: Legend of Michael the first book in the spinoff series from Sourcebooks is 1.99 for a limited time. This is my New York publisher so I don't control price. Get it before they change it!

Now onward to this story PROTECTOR!
This is full length Novel! Formerly released through Ellora's Cave

Hot soldiers! Hot romance! Heart pounding romance! Did I say -- hot SUPER soldiers?!

Book 1 of a sexy paranormal series with hot super soldiers you don't want to miss!

*4 stars from ROMANTIC T! IMES Reviews!
*A full sized novel at 87,000 words
*Incl! udes sho rts excerpts from HOT VAMPIRE KISS and THE STORM THAT IS STERLING after the 87,000 word novel is complete. Total word count is 89,000 words

About the book:

Mason Alexander is the leader of the elite Black Knights, a special forces unit that have all been genetically enhanced. He must lead his team to stop a rogue group of Knights lead by his brother. Holly Hart, a beautiful doctor who has devoted her life to genetic research, is the woman who can help achieve his goal of capturing his brother. Dark danger and hot passion will bring them together, but will Mason’s secrets, drive them apart, before love can save them?

• Book 2 of the Underground Guardians is HEALER. It is also available for download.

Dear Reader:

The Underground Guardians was originally published through Ellora’s Cave many years ago. As time passed, though readers asked for the next book in the series, I knew that there were things I should have done differently, that ! I wanted to do differently. More time passed, and this series stuck with me. I WANTED to write more stories. So finally, I sat down and said â€" how do I write more? How do I get from where I started to where I want to go? There was only one option. A spinoff series. So I wrote a new series -- THE ZODIUS series -- which debuts in May 2011 with Sourcebooks Casablanca with the book THE LEGEND OF MICHAEL. But these books â€" The Underground Guardians â€" inspired the Zodius series. Without them, the Zodius series would never have taken form. So here is a look into the young writer’s vision into a world that later became the more mature writer’s world. You will actually meet my inspiration for the Zodius version of Michael (LEGEND OF MICHAEL) in this book. In fact, there will be many things in the Zodius series that you will find familiar to the Underground Guardians series, but you will also find many things very different.

I hope this look into the world of the Un! derground Guardians will intrigue you enough to make you want ! to read the Zodius series, starting with LEGEND OF MICHAEL.

Thank you for your support!
Lisa

• Book 1 of the Zodius Series: THE LEGEND OF MICHAEL is available May 1, 2011!

*Book 2 THE STORM THAT IS STERLING out now

*Book 3 THE DANGER THAT IS DAMION -- May 2012 --pre-order available now
Reckoning - the third book in the Guardian Trilogy...

With Maggie alone and on the run and with unknown forces conspiring against her, she is in more danger than ever before. As Eran struggles to protect her, she prepares for their enemies retaliation only to learn that her destiny may be the very cause that separates her and Eran forever.

RECKONING is the astonishing conclusion of the spellbinding, romantic saga...The Guardian Trilogy.

5% of the proceeds from this novel will be donated to the Animal Welfare Institute in an effort to help fight animal neglect and cruelty.Reckoning - the third book in the Guardian Trilogy...
With Maggie alone and on the run and with unknown forces conspiring against her, she is in more danger than ever before. As Eran struggles to protect her, she prepares for their enemies retaliation only to learn that her destiny may be the very cause that separates her and Eran forever.

RECKONING is the astonishing conclusion of the spellbinding, romantic saga...The Guardian Trilogy.

5% of the proceeds from this novel will be donated to the Animal Welfare Institute in an effort to help fight animal neglect and cruelty.When seventeen year-old Kara Nightingale is suddenly struck by lightning and diesâ€"yet againâ€"she finds herself back in Horizon, where angels, oracles and other supernatural beings occupy a mystical world unknown to humanity.

But when Kara accidently strikes an angel with her newfound powers and nearly kills him, she is banished to the angel prison Tartarus. What’s more, Kara soon discovers her mother’s soul has been taken by D! emons.

Hunted by the Legion, Kara takes refuge wit! h a new band of angel friends. She finds herself torn with her feelings for Davidâ€"when angel romance is forbidden. And when Kara decides to venture into the Netherworld to find her mother’s missing soul, will her powers be enough to save her mother and save the mortal world?
When seventeen year-old Kara Nightingale is suddenly struck by lightning and diesâ€"yet againâ€"she finds herself back in Horizon, where angels, oracles and other supernatural beings occupy a mystical world unknown to humanity.

But when Kara accidently strikes an angel with her newfound powers and nearly kills him, she is banished to the angel prison Tartarus. What’s more, Kara soon discovers her mother’s soul has been taken by Demons.

Hunted by the Legion, Kara takes refuge with a new band of angel friends. She finds herself torn with her feelings for Davidâ€"when angel romance is forbidden. And when Kara decides to venture into the Netherworld to find her mother’s missing soul, w! ill her powers be enough to save her mother and save the mortal world?

A professional fixed blade knife that takes a mighty serious cut at self defense, the Gerber 45803 Guardian Back Up features blackened--and therefore non-reflective--stainless steel in a 3/4" tang blade. Lightweight and compact, it's effortless to carry and agile to use. The Santoprene-covered nylon handle, and it comes with a patented sheath that lets you adjust the withdraw tension to suit your individual style. Clip it to your boot or belt or your strap, and you'll never be without a reliable back-up.

The double fine-edged, spear-style blade is constructed of high carbon stainless steel and has a fine tip. The blade measures 3.41 inches and it has an overall length of 7.28 inches and a 3-ounce weight. Made in the USA. Backed by a limited lifetime warranty.

 

Gerber 45803 Guardian Back Up
The Gerber Guardian Back Up with aggressive lines and matte black paint job (view larger).
At a Glance
Gerber 45803 Guardian Back Up
At a Glance:
  • Aggressive lines and matte black paint job

  • Blackened, non-reflective high carbon stainless steel b! lade

  • Santoprene-covered nylon with soft grip inserts

  • Patented sheath with adjustable withdraw tension

  • Limited lifetime warranty
At a Glance

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Parker Sonnet Sterling Ciselé Medium Point Ballpoint Pen with Golden Trim, Silver (1743553)

  • A precious 925/1000 Sterling Silver chiseled finish enhanced with a brushed and varnished effect to create a satin iridescent look
  • A deep engraved Cisele décor highlighted by the varnish to create a soft and pleasant tactile sensation
  • An 18K solid gold nib to guarantee a consistent writing comfort and smoothness
  • Hand polished, manually assembled, then visually checked and tested individually to ensure flawless quality
  • Ready for gifting in a premium Parker Gift Box
A former medical detective for the Centers for Disease Control, Dr. Nate McCormick had seen enough suffering to last a lifetime. Now he’s left the CDC, determined to begin a new life with his girlfriend in San Francisco…until the vicious murder of a biotech researcherâ€"an old friendâ€"hurtles him back into the medical world he’d left behind. While the police hunt for a killer, Nate starts sift! ing through evidence, determined to find what his friend did to provoke his brutal death. And the truth he ultimately discovers far exceeds the very worst he had imagined.

As a circle of treachery tightens around Nate, and the woman he loves is thrust into the line of fire, patients surface with agonizing stories to tell. Nate is about to make the most startling discovery of all: a secret alliance between crime, science, and a billion-dollar industry determined to hide its victims at any price. For Nate, that price will be the one person most important to himâ€"unless he can expose the flaw in a perfect conspiracy of medicine and murder.

From shocking evidence revealed under a microscope to the shattering testimony of those betrayed by the ruthlessness of the medical industry, Flawless takes us on a terrifying, adrenaline-charged journey. Taut, thrilling, and relentless, it will leave you pondering its questions long after the last page is turned.

From the Hardcover edition.The Sonnet is modern p! en desig n at its best- it's the quintessential Parker pen and one of our most successful collections ever. Combining timeless, contemporary style with a unique choice of perfectly balanced pen sizes, diverse modes and high quality finishes, the Sonnet writes beautifully, feels comfortable and looks sublime. The Sonnet range possesses a sophisticated harmony that is synonymous with achievement and distinction. Scintillating finishes in gold and silver or colorful lacquers make this an impeccable choice for the discerning. Matching a classic silhouette with cutting edge multi-layer decors provides an up-to-date look and a modern twist on this Parker Classic. Sonnet, the definitive Parker style.

Born Romantic: Music From The Motion Picture (Original Soundtrack)

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Hostel (Unrated Widescreen Edition)

  • 4 commentary tracks, including Director Eli Roth, Quentin Tarantino, and Harry Knowles from Aint It Cool News
  • "Hostel Dissected" - Behind the scenes featurette
  • "Kill the Car!" Multi-angle interactive feature
Well-made for the genre--the excessive-skin-displayed-before-gruesome-bloody-torture-begins genre--Hostel follows two randy Americans (Jay Hernandez, Friday Night Lights, and Derek Richardson, Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd) and an even randier Icelander (Eythor Gudjonsson) as they trek to Slovakia, where they're told beautiful girls will have sex with anyone with an American accent. Unfortunately, the girls will also sell young Americans to a company that offers victims to anyone who will pay to torture and murder. To his credit, writer/director Eli Roth (Cabin Fever) takes his time setting things up, laying a realistic foundation that! makes the inevitable spilling of much blood all the more gruesome. The sardonic joke, of course, is that Americans are worth the most in this brothel of blood because everyone else in the world wants to take revenge upon them. This dark humor and political subtext help set Hostel above its more brainless sadistic compatriots, like House of Wax or The Devil's Rejects. In general, though, there's something lacking; horror used to suggest some threat to the spirit--today's horror can conceive of nothing more troubling than torturing the flesh. For aficionados, Hostel features a nice cameo by Takashi Miike, director of bloody Japanese flicks like Audition and Ichi the Killer. --Bret Fetzer

Monday, January 16, 2012

Cabin Fever

  • Used - Like New

Greg Heffley is in big trouble. School property has been damaged, and Greg is the prime suspect. But the crazy thing is, he’s innocent. Or at least sort of.

The authorities are closing in, but when a surprise blizzard hits, the Heffley family is trapped indoors. Greg knows that when the snow melts he’s going to have to face the music, but could any punishment be worse than being stuck inside with your family for the holidays?

Amazon Exclusive: A Q&A with Jeff Kinney

Question: Given all the jobs that you have--game designer, fatherhood, Diary of a Wimpy Kid movie work, etc.,--do y! ou have a certain time that you set aside to write?

Kinney: I still treat writing like a hobby, working mostly at night and sometimes on weekends. But when a deadline looms my hobby time gets extended into the wee hours of the night. It's not uncommon for me to work until 4:00 a.m., and I'm usually back at work by 9:00 a.m.

Q: Did you get to choose which character you would play in the Wimpy Kid films (Mr. Hills)? What do you enjoy most about working on the movies?

Kinney: I never any real desire to appear in the Wimpy Kid films, but one day my wife encouraged me to be an extra in one of the crowd scenes. So I walked onto the set, ready to ask the assistant director to put me somewhere in the back. It happened that right at that moment the director was looking for someone to play the role of Mr. Hills, Holly Hills's father. What I didn't realize was that I'd be front and center in the church scene, and in the new movie! , I'm even more prominent. I'm incredibly self-conscious so ap! pearing on-camera was a real stretch for me.

Q: In 2009 Time magazine named you as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World--what’s the first thing you did after you found out?

Kinney: I thought it was a practical joke, so I tried to track down the source of the joke. I eventually reached a voicemail of a reporter who said they worked for Time, and at that point I thought it was just a well-planned practical joke. It took me a while to realize it was for real. It was a big honor, but I don't take it very seriously. I'm the fourth most influential person in my own house.

Q: Would you ever consider making Wimpy Kid into a newspaper comic strip or creating another one? Do you have any favorite comic strips that you currently read?

Kinney: I've considered it. I set out to become a newspaper cartoonist but failed to break in. But I like the freedom books give me, so it would be tough to c! ram my ideas into three or four panels.

Q: What is (or could be) you motto in life?

Kinney: I was inspired to write by a Benjamin Franklin quote: "Well done is better than well said." But I always encourage kids to "create something great," because the tools to create something original and find an audience are available to them like never before.

Q: What was your favorite year in school, and why?

Kinney: Fifth grade was my favorite year. I had a great teacher, Mrs. Norton, who encouraged me to be funny and challenged me to be a better artist and joke-teller than I was. I liked it that she didn't coddle me.

Q: Kids now ask for a book that is “like Diary of a Wimpy Kid,” and with this series you’ve created a whole new subset of books for young readers--how does it feel to be the person behind such massive book enjoyment, reaching reluctant readers, and spawning any number of ! titles that aspire to be “the next Wimpy Kid?”

!

< b>Kinney: I'm happy that kids are reading. I think graphical books reach kids who might otherwise see books as work. Books should be fun!

A modern Waldenâ€"if Thoreau had had three kids and a minivanâ€"Cabin Fever is a serious yet irreverent take on living in a cabin in the woods while also living within our high-tech, materialist culture.
 
Try to imagine Thoreau married, with a job, three kids, and a minivan. This is the serious yet irreverent sensibility that suffuses Cabin Fever, as the author seeks to apply the hermit-philosopher’s insights to a busy modern life.
 
Tom Montgomery Fate lives in a Chicago suburb, where he is a husband, father, professor, and active member of his community. He also lives in a cabin built with the help of friends in the Michigan woods, where he walks by the river, chops wood, and reads Thoreau by candle light.
 
While he divides his time between suburbia and the cabin, Fate’s po! int is not to draw a line between the two but to ask what each has to say about the other. How do we balance nature (picking blackberries) with technology (tapping BlackBerrys)? What is revealed about human boundaries when a coyote wanders into a Quiznos? Can a cardinal protecting chicks from a hungry cat teach us anything about instincts and parenting? Fate seeks a more attentive, deliberate way of seeing the world and our place in it, not only among the trees and birds but also in the context of our relationships and society.
 
A seasonal nature memoir, Cabin Fever takes readers on a search for the wild both in the woods and within ourselves. Although we are often estranged from nature in our daily lives, Fate shows that we can recover our kinship with the earth and its other inhabitants if we are willing to pay attention.
 
In his exploration of how we are to live “a more deliberate life” amid a high-tech, material world, Fate invites reade! rs into an interrogation of their own lives, and into a new ki! nd of vi sion: the possibility of enough in a culture of more.

 

Love isn’t something she thinks she needs…until it lands right on her doorstep.
 
Genevieve Boden is a witch and doesn’t care who knows. The townspeople’s fear of her keeps away those who have hurt her beforeâ€"like the local men of authority. Besides, a life of exile deep in the woods of West Virginia is due punishment, she figures, for the part she played in her mother’s death. If she’s alone, no one need know that the trauma took away her powers.
 
Then she finds a bloody, fatally wounded man slumped on her porch. In an instant, her healing ability reawakensâ€"and that’s not all. He stirs a hunger beyond her wildest dreams. But a relationship with the new chief of police? Not a chance.
 
Alex Rivera isn’t sure how he survived, but he’s certain his beautiful savior did more than just bandage his wounds. Capti! vated by this wary angel and stunned by the depth of emotion he feels for her, he vows to discover her secrets. After all, thanks to the raging snowstorm, they have nothing to do but share body heat.
 
Their sizzling attraction goes straight to their hearts. So could a killer’s bullet…once whoever shot Alex finds them.
 
Warning: Contains a convenient snowstorm that throws together two wounded characters who happen to be wildly attracted to each other, a drool-worthy hero, a shotgun-toting heroine, mattress sex, shower sex, couch sex, armchair sex, some light bondage, and a really good cup of hot cocoa.
 

 

A log cabin in the woods is one of America's most cherished icons -- a dream shared around the world. As the stress level of city life rises, more and more of us are imagining our own cottages far away from traffic lights and urban distractions. Cabins in the wilderness have never gon! e out of style, because the rustic life is a simple, rewarding! one roo ted in the traditions of the great outdoors.

Featuring rustic interiors as well as North Woods architecture, Cabin Fever visits more than two dozen charming retreats old and new, large and small, in the mountains and along the water, from the wilds of New York out to the wild, wild West. Author Rachel Carley explains where our love for the rustic comes from and shows the amazingly varied guises in which it appears today.

After serving as settlers' cabins, log homes enjoyed a phenomenal popularity in the late nineteenth century. Wealthy families such as the Vanderbilts, Guggenheims, and Carnegies summered in areas as remote as they could find, building what were euphemistically called camps. Those less affluent, following the era's prescription for fresh air and simplicity, traveled to even more rustic hotels and vacation cabins to get their share of the refreshing woods. Cabin Fever presents some of the best of these old lodges and private cabins, along! with striking new homes that give a contemporary twist to the ideal of the rustic life.

To help fill a cabin, a whole camp, or even an apartment with the latest in rustic style, the book's catalogue shows where to find home furnishings from twig bedsteads to Hudson Bay blankets to Adirondack chairs. Brimming with exceptionally creative ideas for achieving this truly American look, this enchanting guide to living with the rustic style will cure every variety of cabin fever.The craze for "getting away from it all" in buildings of log, stone, and unpainted lumber has been a part of American life since the 1800s. From the Gilded Age retreats of the Catskills and Adirondacks to the rugged Wild West lodges of Yellowstone and Yosemite, Cabin Fever celebrates the architectural elements that make cabin style unique: gleaming hand-peeled and polished logs, cowhide sofas, and river-rock fireplaces. Some are large, old, and built as public lodgings, like Putnam Camp,! the Adirondack summer retreat founded by philosopher William! James, which still has the cheerful austerity it had when Freud and Jung mingled there with Harvard academicians. Others, like the grand hunting lodge nestled on the edge of a marsh, are more recent monuments to quirky private visions of the perfect rustic retreat. Rooms in both are accessorized with animal heads, native American blankets and art, snowshoes, antler chandeliers, and willow twig furniture. The book's appendix includes catalog sources for everything from small wooden summerhouses to buffalo-plaid blankets, and a list of hotels in the grand old style (like Yosemite's Ahwahnee and the Grand Canyon's El Tovar). Even if you can't have a piece of the wilderness to call your own (and the burl furniture to match), you can still enjoy the rustic yet substantial comforts of Cabin Fever.When Naomi is scarred by a horrible crime, her old seductress ways were put to rest, while she coped with the fact that men did not find her attractive anymore. Yet, when she ! ventures on the Internet and finds a man who will love her despite her appearance, she realizes that beauty is only skin deep, but deception is ugly to the bone.When Naomi is scarred by a horrible crime, her old seductress ways were put to rest, while she coped with the fact that men did not find her attractive anymore. Yet, when she ventures on the Internet and finds a man who will love her despite her appearance, she realizes that beauty is only skin deep, but deception is ugly to the bone.This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understan! ding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hop! e you en joy this valuable book.CABIN FEVER - DVD MovieA sneaky and surprisingly smart horror flick, Cabin Fever sets up all the cliches of its particular subgenre (what might be called the "sexy young people go into the woods" horror movie, featuring hostile redneck locals, dead animals on hooks, cars that suddenly stop running, etc.) and by the end has played a clever twist on every standard element, often to darkly comic effect. What's the plot? Well, five sexy young people (Rider Strong, Jordan Ladd, Joey Kern, Cerina Vincent, and James DeBello) go to an isolated cabin where they contract a nasty bacteria that eats their flesh; this, combined with a bad-tempered dog and a party-loving police deputy (Giuseppe Andrews, giving a particularly funny performance), leads everyone into confusion and bloody chaos. Some of the ironic twists are a little obvious, but most of them effectively subvert your expectations to entertaining effect. --Bret Fetzer

Battat Take Apart Airplane

Hottie & the Nottie

  • Nate Cooper (Joel David Moore) has been smitten with Cristabel Abbott (Paris Hilton) since he was six years old. But before he could try and snuggle up to her at nap time, his family moved away. Now, years later, he moves to Los Angeles to find his long lost love. The good news: Cristabel is still single and stunning. The bad news: Cristabel is still best friends with June Phigg (Christine Laki
A young man moves to L.A. to track down the woman he's been in love with since childhood, only to discover that his plan to woo her only has one hurdle to overcome: what to do with her ever-present, not-so-hot best friendCelebutante Paris Hilton takes on leading lady status in this fluffy comedy about the mysteries of love, and the importance of orthodontia. Nate Cooper (Joel David Moore) is an unfeeling commitment "challenged" lemon. His fed-up girlfriend runs out on him and he’s just about hit rock! bottom. Haunted by his childhood, he can’t seem to get over his kindergarten crush with the cutest girl at school, Christabel Abbot (Paris Hilton). Unable to move forward in love and life, Nate decides to track down Christabel, hoping to unlock the key to his future. As luck and movie magic would have it, Christabel has blossomed into LA’s hottest blonde who's miraculously single. Unavoidably however, there’s a catch: she’s still playing guardian to childhood best friend and physically cursed June Phigg (Christine Lakin) and has made a solemn vow of chastity until June has a boyfriend of her own. Considering June’s sad and highly exaggerated state of affairs (e.g. rotting teeth, whiskers, etc.), Nate is faced with a daunting task. As his hare-brained schemes to find June an appropriate suitor evolve, she begins to undergo an extreme inner and outer transformation. When her teeth are whitened and the moles and whiskers are removed to reveal a Hollywood actress-lik! e allure, Nate "suddenly" has an unobstructed view of her "in! ner beau ty" and in an epiphanic moment realizes that love and destiny are pretty confusing things. Lacking verisimilitude and plagued with gross-out jokes, spotty direction, and an underwritten script, much of the film plays out like Farrelly brothers' sloppy seconds. Nonetheless, there’s plenty of silliness, some good laughs, and a very willing cast who is more than up to playing along, most notably the talented Lakin and Moore. Hilton fans can rejoice in knowing that within the limited confines of the script, she aptly holds her own and when given the chance, has comedy potential. All in all The Hottie and the Nottie is a modest ultralight romantic comedy that though forgettable, is not without its charms. Neither a Hottie nor a Nottie, let’s just call this a Middle-of-the-Roadie. - Matt Wold

Friday, January 13, 2012

Hamlet 2

  • Condition: New
  • Format: DVD
  • AC-3; Color; Dolby; Dubbed; DVD; Subtitled; Widescreen; NTSC
HAMLET 2 - DVD MovieJust when it seems as if things can't get any worse for high-school drama teacher Dana Marschz (Steve Coogan), he quips, "My life is a parody of a tragedy." Yet that very ability to laugh in the face of defeat will allow this failed actor to triumph over adversity. A lovably ridiculous dreamer like Waiting for Guffman’s Corky St. Clair, Marschz lives in Tucson with his sarcastic wife (Catherine Keener) and their silent boarder (David Arquette). Though he tries to inspire, like Richard Dreyfuss in Mr. Holland's Opus, only two students (Spring Awakening’s Skylar Astin and Phoebe Strole) share his passion for theatrics. When the principal decides to eliminate his department, Marschz makes a bold move: he writes an original play, lets the class! contribute their own unique talents, and puts the whole thing on as a fundraiser (they'll need to bring in $6,000). Sure, everyone dies at the end of Shakespeare's classic, but in Marschz’s musical sequel, Hamlet 2, a time machine allows the Danish prince to turn back the clock to set things right. Just as his production starts to take shape and retired actress Elisabeth Shue (played by Shue) offers her support, his marriage hits the rocks, he starts drinking again, and the community protests against numbers like "Rock Me Sexy Jesus." (Amy Poehler portrays his ACLU attorney.) Though Andrew Fleming’s comedy follows the usual inspirational instructor trajectory, ribald humor helps the medicine go down and Coogan gives his most unhinged performance since Tristram Shandy. --Kathleen C. Fennessy


Stills from Hamlet 2 (Click for larger image)












Thursday, January 12, 2012

Grindhouse (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) [Blu-ray]

  • GRINDHOUSE SPECIAL BLU-RAY ED. (BLU-RAY DISC)
Together for the first time the Rodriguez/Tarantino Double Feature Grindhouse is back and better than ever! These rip-roaring and adrenaline-pumping films are now featured in the original theatrical exhibition format. Loaded with over 2 hours of bonus content, including the fan favorite Rodriguez's 10 Minute Cooking School this 2-disc Blu-Ray will deliver a new experience like never before!Loud, fast, and proudly out of control, Grindhouse is a tribute to the low-budget exploitation movies that lurked at drive-ins and inner city theaters in the '60s and early '70s. Writers/directors Quentin Tarantino (Kill Bill) and Robert Rodriguez (Sin City) cooked up this three-hour double feature as a way to pay homage to these films, and the end result manages to evoke the down-and-dirty vibe of the original films fo! r an audience that may be too young to remember them. Tarantino's Death Proof is the mellower of the two, relatively speaking; it's wordier (as to be expected) and rife with pulp/comic book posturing and eminently quotable dialogue. It also features a terrific lead performance by Kurt Russell as a homicidal stunt man whose weapon of choice is a souped-up car. Tarantino's affection for his own dialogue slows down the action at times, but he does provide showy roles for a host of likable actresses, including Rosario Dawson, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Rose McGowan, Sydney Poitier, and newcomer Zoe Bell, who was Uma Thurman's stunt double in Kill Bill. Detractors may decry the rampant violence and latch onto a sexist undertone in Tarantino's feature, but for those viewers who grew up watching these types of films in either theaters or on VHS, such elements will be probably be more of a virtue than a detrimental factor. Rodriguez's Planet Terror is a rol! licking horror/sci-fi/action piece about a plague outbreak tha! t turns citizens into cannibalistic murderers; it's heavy on the gore and explosions but also features a terrific cast of A players (Freddy Rodriguez, Naveen Andrews, Marley Shelton) and B-movie vets (Michael Biehn, Jeff Fahey, Tom Savini) and the indelible image of Rose McGowan as a stripper whose torn-off leg is replaced by a high-powered machine gun.- Paul Gaita

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Big Time Products 13910-06 Firm Grip Blue Nitrile Disposable Glove - Pack of 100

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No Description Available
No Track Information Available
Media Type: CD
Artist: FIRM
Title: FIRM
Street Release Date: 07/07/1987
Domestic
Genre: ROCK/POPWhen Mitch McDeere signed on with Bendini, Lambert & Locke of Memphis, he thought that he and his beautiful wife, Abby, were on their way. The firm leased him a BMW, paid off his school loans, arranged a mortgage, and hired the McDeeres a decorator. Mitch should have remembered what his brother Rayâ€"doing fifteen years in a Tennessee jailâ€"already knew: You never get nothing for nothing. Now the FBI has the lowdown on Mitch’s firm and needs his help. Mitch is caught between a rock and a hard place, with no choiceâ€"if he wants to live.Hard ! to believe, but there was a time when the word "lawyer" wasn't synonymous with "criminal," and the idea of a law firm controlled by the Mafia was an outlandish proposition. This intelligent, ensnaring story came out of nowhere--Oxford, Mississippi, where Grisham was a small-town lawyer--and quickly catapulted to the top of the bestseller list, with good reason. Mitch McDeere, the appealing hero, is a poor kid whose only assets are a first-class mind, a Harvard law degree, and a beautiful, loving wife. When a Memphis law firm makes him an offer he really can't refuse, he trades his old Nissan for a new BMW, his cramped apartment for a house in the best part of town, and puts in long hours finding tax shelters for Texans who'd rather pay a lawyer than the IRS. Nothing criminal about that. He'd be set for life, if only associates at the firm didn't have a funny habit of dying, and the FBI wasn't trying to get Mitch to turn his colleagues in. The tempo and pacin! g are brilliant, the thrills keep coming, and the finish has ! a wonder ful ironic flourish. It's not hard to see why Grisham changed the genre permanently with this one, and few of his colleagues in a very crowded field come close to equaling him. --Jane AdamsBig Time Products Firm Grip Blue Nitrile Disposable Glove is latex free. It is a great alternative for people with latex allergies. It fits either hand.

Elektra (Widescreen Edition)

  • TESTED
ELEKTRA (DIRECTOR'S CUT) - Blu-Ray MovieWhile 2003's Daredevil was a conventional superhero movie, the 2005 spinoff, Elektra, is more of a wuxia-styled martial arts/fantasy flick. Elektra (Jennifer Garner) has returned to her life as a hired assassin, but she balks at an assignment to kill a single father (Goran Visnjic, ER) and his teenage daughter (Kirsten Prout). That makes her the target of the Hand, an organization of murderous ninjas, scheming corporate types, and a band of stylish supervillains seeking to eliminate Elektra and tip the balance of power in the ongoing battle of good vs. evil.

As the star of Alias, Garner has proven that she can kick butt with the best of them, and some of the visual effects are impressive, but the action sequences tend to be anticlimactic, and there's not much to the story. Fans will notice numerous refe! rences to Frank Miller's comic books, but there's very little resemblance to Miller's cold-blooded killer (Elektra with an agent? Elektra referring to herself as a "soccer mom"?).

Is Elektra better than Daredevil? Not really, even with the distinct advantage of having all Garner and no Ben Affleck. That could be the spinoff's greatest disappointment: after Spider-Man 2 raised the bar for comic-book movies, Elektra lowered it back to Daredevil's level. Directed by Rob Bowman (the X-Files movie), and featuring Terence Stamp as the mysterious mentor Stick, Will Yun Lee (Die Another Day) as the chief villain, and NFL-player-turned-mixed-martial-arts-champion Bob Sapp as the immovable Stone. --David HoriuchiELEKTRA UNRATED DIRECTOR'S CUT - DVD MovieWhile 2003's Daredevil was a conventional superhero movie, the 2005 spinoff, Elektra, is more of a wuxia-styled martial arts/fantasy flick. Elek! tra (Jennifer Garner) has returned to her life as a hired assa! ssin, bu t she balks at an assignment to kill a single father (Goran Visnjic, ER) and his teenage daughter (Kirsten Prout). That makes her the target of the Hand, an organization of murderous ninjas, scheming corporate types, and a band of stylish supervillains seeking to eliminate Elektra and tip the balance of power in the ongoing battle of good vs. evil.

As the star of Alias, Garner has proven that she can kick butt with the best of them, and some of the visual effects are impressive, but the action sequences tend to be anticlimactic, and there's not much to the story. Fans will notice numerous references to Frank Miller's comic books, but there's very little resemblance to Miller's cold-blooded killer (Elektra with an agent? Elektra referring to herself as a "soccer mom"?).

Is Elektra better than Daredevil? Not really, even with the distinct advantage of having all Garner and no Ben Affleck. That could be the spinoff's greatest disa! ppointment: after Spider-Man 2 raised the bar for comic-book movies, Elektra lowered it back to Daredevil's level. Directed by Rob Bowman (the X-Files movie), and featuring Terence Stamp as the mysterious mentor Stick, Will Yun Lee (Die Another Day) as the chief villain, and NFL-player-turned-mixed-martial-arts-champion Bob Sapp as the immovable Stone. --David HoriuchiFROM THE FORCES THAT BROUGHT YOU X-MEN AND DAREDEVIL?Superstar Jennifer Garner proves that looks can kill as the sexiest action hero ever to burst from the pages of Marvel Comics. Restored to life after sustaining mortal wounds in Daredevil, an icy, solitary Elektra (Garner) now lives only for death as the world?s most lethal assassin. Using her bone-crunching martial arts skills and Kimagure?the ability to see into the future?Elektra is on a collision course with darkness? until her latest assignment forces her to make a choice that will lead either to her redemptio! n or destruction in the ultimate battle between good and evil!! While 20 03's Daredevil was a conventional superhero movie, the 2005 spinoff, Elektra, is more of a wuxia-styled martial arts/fantasy flick. Elektra (Jennifer Garner) has returned to her life as a hired assassin, but she balks at an assignment to kill a single father (Goran Visnjic, ER) and his teenage daughter (Kirsten Prout). That makes her the target of the Hand, an organization of murderous ninjas, scheming corporate types, and a band of stylish supervillains seeking to eliminate Elektra and tip the balance of power in the ongoing battle of good vs. evil.

As the star of Alias, Garner has proven that she can kick butt with the best of them, and some of the visual effects are impressive, but the action sequences tend to be anticlimactic, and there's not much to the story. Fans will notice numerous references to Frank Miller's comic books, but there's very little resemblance to Miller's cold-blooded killer (Elektra with an agent? Elektra r! eferring to herself as a "soccer mom"?).

Is Elektra better than Daredevil? Not really, even with the distinct advantage of having all Garner and no Ben Affleck. That could be the spinoff's greatest disappointment: after Spider-Man 2 raised the bar for comic-book movies, Elektra lowered it back to Daredevil's level. Directed by Rob Bowman (the X-Files movie), and featuring Terence Stamp as the mysterious mentor Stick, Will Yun Lee (Die Another Day) as the chief villain, and NFL-player-turned-mixed-martial-arts-champion Bob Sapp as the immovable Stone.

DVD features
Ben Affleck's much-rumored cameo is one of the deleted scenes on the Elektra DVD. It's a one-minute throwaway, and while he's supposedly appearing as Matt Murdock (who romanced Elektra in Daredevil), the barrage of celebrity gossip makes it impossible to see him as anything other than Jennifer Garner's real-life boyfriend. T! here's also a making-of featurette, which is mostly promotiona! l hype o ther than a few interesting effects shots; four editing featurettes; and Jennifer Garner's videotaped message to ComicCon. --David Horiuchi

More on Elektra


Elektra: The Album (Soundtrack CD)

Elektra: The Movie (Comic Adaptation)

Frank Miller Comic Books

Daredevil (Director's Cut) (DVD)

Jennifer Garner stars in Alias (DVD)

More Superhero DVDs

The Venture Bros.: Season Four, Vol. 1

  • VENTURE BROS. SEASON 4 VOLUME 1 (DVD MOVIE)
Four adopted brothers come together to bury the woman who raised them. At the funeral, the brothers discover that their mother was murdered, and they look to seek revenge.Bound by love for their slain adoptive mother, the brothers in Four Brothers form a unique quartet that gives John Singleton's film a razor's edge of redemption. It's a thin edge, to be sure, because while Singleton's urban Western pays homage to the Blaxpoitation films of the '70s (as he did with his remake of Shaft), it walks a fine line of credibility with a mythic vengeance plot (recalling John Wayne's 1965 hit The Sons of Katie Elder) that endorses violence as the last resort of a family under siege. When a saintly foster mother (Fionnula Flanagan) is gunned down in a convenience store, her only adopted sons (two white, two black, played respectively by Ma! rk Wahlberg, Garrett Hedlund, Tyrese Gibson and Andre Benjamin) go after the killers, only to discover that their mother's death was not a random event. As they uncover a sticky web of criminal activity involving a local kingpin (Chiwitel Ejiofor), the character-driven plot races toward an inevitable showdown, with ex-con Wahlberg leading the way. Making excellent use of blue collar locations in Detroit, Singleton keeps the action moving fast enough that the film's lack of realism is easily ignored, and the well-drawn characters (including Terrence Howard as a tenacious detective) lend emotional dimension to an otherwise familiar revenge scenario. Four Brothers is manipulative, but it's filled with grace notes of rugged working-class humanity, and it definitely holds your attention. --Jeff ShannonFour adopted brothers come together to bury the woman who raised them. At the funeral, the brothers discover that their mother was murdered, and they look to seek rev! enge.Bound by love for their slain adoptive mother, the brothe! rs in Four Brothers form a unique quartet that gives John Singleton's film a razor's edge of redemption. It's a thin edge, to be sure, because while Singleton's urban Western pays homage to the Blaxpoitation films of the '70s (as he did with his remake of Shaft), it walks a fine line of credibility with a mythic vengeance plot (recalling John Wayne's 1965 hit The Sons of Katie Elder) that endorses violence as the last resort of a family under siege. When a saintly foster mother (Fionnula Flanagan) is gunned down in a convenience store, her only adopted sons (two white, two black, played respectively by Mark Wahlberg, Garrett Hedlund, Tyrese Gibson and Andre Benjamin) go after the killers, only to discover that their mother's death was not a random event. As they uncover a sticky web of criminal activity involving a local kingpin (Chiwitel Ejiofor), the character-driven plot races toward an inevitable showdown, with ex-con Wahlberg leading the way. Making excelle! nt use of blue collar locations in Detroit, Singleton keeps the action moving fast enough that the film's lack of realism is easily ignored, and the well-drawn characters (including Terrence Howard as a tenacious detective) lend emotional dimension to an otherwise familiar revenge scenario. Four Brothers is manipulative, but it's filled with grace notes of rugged working-class humanity, and it definitely holds your attention. --Jeff ShannonFour adopted brothers come together to bury the woman who raised them. At the funeral, the brothers discover that their mother was murdered, and they look to seek revenge.Bound by love for their slain adoptive mother, the brothers in Four Brothers form a unique quartet that gives John Singleton's film a razor's edge of redemption. It's a thin edge, to be sure, because while Singleton's urban Western pays homage to the Blaxpoitation films of the '70s (as he did with his remake of Shaft), it walks a fine line of ! credibility with a mythic vengeance plot (recalling John Wayne! 's 1965 hit The Sons of Katie Elder) that endorses violence as the last resort of a family under siege. When a saintly foster mother (Fionnula Flanagan) is gunned down in a convenience store, her only adopted sons (two white, two black, played respectively by Mark Wahlberg, Garrett Hedlund, Tyrese Gibson and Andre Benjamin) go after the killers, only to discover that their mother's death was not a random event. As they uncover a sticky web of criminal activity involving a local kingpin (Chiwitel Ejiofor), the character-driven plot races toward an inevitable showdown, with ex-con Wahlberg leading the way. Making excellent use of blue collar locations in Detroit, Singleton keeps the action moving fast enough that the film's lack of realism is easily ignored, and the well-drawn characters (including Terrence Howard as a tenacious detective) lend emotional dimension to an otherwise familiar revenge scenario. Four Brothers is manipulative, but it's filled with grace notes o! f rugged working-class humanity, and it definitely holds your attention. --Jeff ShannonFour adopted brothers come together to bury the woman who raised them. At the funeral, the brothers discover that their mother was murdered, and they look to seek revenge.Bound by love for their slain adoptive mother, the brothers in Four Brothers form a unique quartet that gives John Singleton's film a razor's edge of redemption. It's a thin edge, to be sure, because while Singleton's urban Western pays homage to the Blaxpoitation films of the '70s (as he did with his remake of Shaft), it walks a fine line of credibility with a mythic vengeance plot (recalling John Wayne's 1965 hit The Sons of Katie Elder) that endorses violence as the last resort of a family under siege. When a saintly foster mother (Fionnula Flanagan) is gunned down in a convenience store, her only adopted sons (two white, two black, played respectively by Mark Wahlberg, Garrett Hedlund, Tyr! ese Gibson and Andre Benjamin) go after the killers, only to d! iscover that their mother's death was not a random event. As they uncover a sticky web of criminal activity involving a local kingpin (Chiwitel Ejiofor), the character-driven plot races toward an inevitable showdown, with ex-con Wahlberg leading the way. Making excellent use of blue collar locations in Detroit, Singleton keeps the action moving fast enough that the film's lack of realism is easily ignored, and the well-drawn characters (including Terrence Howard as a tenacious detective) lend emotional dimension to an otherwise familiar revenge scenario. Four Brothers is manipulative, but it's filled with grace notes of rugged working-class humanity, and it definitely holds your attention. --Jeff ShannonBound by love for their slain adoptive mother, the brothers in Four Brothers form a unique quartet that gives John Singleton's film a razor's edge of redemption. It's a thin edge, to be sure, because while Singleton's urban Western pays homage to the Blaxpoitatio! n films of the '70s (as he did with his remake of Shaft), it walks a fine line of credibility with a mythic vengeance plot (recalling John Wayne's 1965 hit The Sons of Katie Elder) that endorses violence as the last resort of a family under siege. When a saintly foster mother (Fionnula Flanagan) is gunned down in a convenience store, her only adopted sons (two white, two black, played respectively by Mark Wahlberg, Garrett Hedlund, Tyrese Gibson and Andre Benjamin) go after the killers, only to discover that their mother's death was not a random event. As they uncover a sticky web of criminal activity involving a local kingpin (Chiwitel Ejiofor), the character-driven plot races toward an inevitable showdown, with ex-con Wahlberg leading the way. Making excellent use of blue collar locations in Detroit, Singleton keeps the action moving fast enough that the film's lack of realism is easily ignored, and the well-drawn characters (including Terrence Howard as a t! enacious detective) lend emotional dimension to an otherwise f! amiliar revenge scenario. Four Brothers is manipulative, but it's filled with grace notes of rugged working-class humanity, and it definitely holds your attention. --Jeff ShannonBound by love for their slain adoptive mother, the brothers in Four Brothers form a unique quartet that gives John Singleton's film a razor's edge of redemption. It's a thin edge, to be sure, because while Singleton's urban Western pays homage to the Blaxpoitation films of the '70s (as he did with his remake of Shaft), it walks a fine line of credibility with a mythic vengeance plot (recalling John Wayne's 1965 hit The Sons of Katie Elder) that endorses violence as the last resort of a family under siege. When a saintly foster mother (Fionnula Flanagan) is gunned down in a convenience store, her only adopted sons (two white, two black, played respectively by Mark Wahlberg, Garrett Hedlund, Tyrese Gibson and Andre Benjamin) go after the killers, only to discover that their m! other's death was not a random event. As they uncover a sticky web of criminal activity involving a local kingpin (Chiwitel Ejiofor), the character-driven plot races toward an inevitable showdown, with ex-con Wahlberg leading the way. Making excellent use of blue collar locations in Detroit, Singleton keeps the action moving fast enough that the film's lack of realism is easily ignored, and the well-drawn characters (including Terrence Howard as a tenacious detective) lend emotional dimension to an otherwise familiar revenge scenario. Four Brothers is manipulative, but it's filled with grace notes of rugged working-class humanity, and it definitely holds your attention. --Jeff ShannonQuestions are answered and truths are revealed. Learn how Henchman 21 copes with life without 24. See what happens when Brock and the Venture family are forced to part ways. Discover the final fate of H.E.L.P.eR. And all the while, the balance of the free world hangs in the hands ! of Dean Venture, who must kill Hitler.The first half of the Venture Bros.' fourth season might be subtitled The Venture Bros. Grow Up, since so much change is afoot for the hapless Hank and Dean Venture, their scientist dad Rusty, and bloodthirsty bodyguard Brock Samson; naturally, most of these formative moments are utter disasters, as befits the Venture family, and all of it delivered in the most inventive and frequently hilarious ways. Season 4 opens with the Venture compound under assault and Samson (voiced by Patrick Warburton) out of commission due to an explosion; Samson eventually rejoins his old outfit, the G.I. Joe-esque SPHINX, which requires the reformed arch-villain Sgt. Hatred (voiced by Christopher McCulloch, a.k.a. series cocreator Jackson Publick) to step in and mind the boys. Meanwhile, Dean (Michael Sinterniklaas) is reluctantly groomed by his father (James Urbaniak) for a life in super-science, and Hank (McCulloch) searches for a father figure to replace Brock. Candidates include Hatred and Captain Suns! hine (Batman regular Kevin Conroy), whose interest in Hank is decidedly prurient. There are also surprises afoot for necromancer Dr. Orpheus (Steven Rattazzi) and daughter Triana (Lisa Hammer), as well as the Monarch's Henchman, 21 (cocreator Doc Hammer), and the rise of the delusional Phantom Limb (Urbaniak) as a threat to the Ventures. It's a lot to digest, so newcomers are advised to backtrack and check out the first three seasons before diving in; Venture vets, however, will revel in the razor-sharp dialogue, the skewering of pop-culture sacred cows, and the terrific vocal performances by every member of the cast, with Urbaniak, Rattazzi, and McCulloch as standouts. Best of all, the rest of the season, which includes one of the series' most clever outings, the noir-inspired "Everybody Comes to Hank's," is still to come. Extras include witty, informative commentary by Publick and Doc Hammer on every episode, as well as a battery of deleted scenes and a very amusin! g abandoned cold opening that finds 21 ruining the Monarch's m! ock inva sion of the Venture compound. Buyers should know that the eight episodes presented on the single-disc set are uncut. --Paul Gaita

"What's Happening to Me?" A Guide to Puberty

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Orphan

  • Tragedy seems to follow nine-year-old Esther. She was orphaned in her native Russia. Her last adoptive family perished in a fire Esther barely escaped. But now the Coleman family has adopted her, and life is good. Until amate takes a serious fall from a slide. Until an orphanage nun is battered to death. And until Esther s new mom wonders if that tragic fire was an accident. From Dark Castle Produ
Christine Brown (Alison Lohman) is on her way to having it all: a devoted boyfriend (Justin Long), a hard-earned job promotion, and a bright future. But when she’s forced to make a tough decision that evicts an elderly woman from her house, Christine becomes the victim of an evil curse. Now she has only three days to dissuade a dark spirit from stealing her soul before she is dragged to hell for an eternity of unthinkable torment. Director Sam Raimi (Spider-Man and The Evil Dead Trilogy) returns t! o the horror genre with a vengeance in the film that critics rave is “the most crazy, fun and terrifying horror movie in years!” (Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly)Touted as a return to Sam Raimi's horror-movie roots, Drag Me to Hell is indeed closer in spirit to the director's Evil Dead pictures than to his Spider-Man films. You got your gypsy gargoyles with rotted dentures, your upchucking corpses, your flexible two-way orifices--yes, Raimi's definitely back in the saddle. There's even a story: a sad loan officer (Alison Lohman) turns down the aforementioned denture-wearing gypsy for a loan extension, which leads to an evil curse and a date in hell in three days' time. A séance, an animal sacrifice, and a session in a storm-tossed graveyard will make the 72 hours pass very nervously, thank you, along with assorted scares. Justin Long plays Lohman's upper-class boyfriend, and Raimi fills the rest of the cast with some unusual and unfamil! iar types. Along with the giddy horror-comedy that bursts out ! of the m ovie every 10 minutes or so, there's also an underlying mood of pity: Lohman's character is something of a hard-luck sad sack, who does enough wrong things to make her seem like a truly abject individual, well outside the heroic model of most multiplex offerings. (Lohman's own little-girl-lost quality adds to this feeling.) But don't let that get in the way of the fun-ride aspects of this goofy enterprise: Drag Me to Hell is a bunch of Z-movie gags wrapped in top-drawer production values. --Robert Horton


Stills from Drag Me to Hell (Click for larger image)
Christine Brown (Alison Lohman) is on her way to having it all: a devoted boyfriend (Justin Long), a hard-earned job promotion, and a bright future. But when she’s forced to make a tough decision that evicts an elderly woman from her house, Christine becomes the victim of an evil curse. Now she has only three days to dissuade a dark spirit from stealing her soul before she is dragged to hell for an eternity of unthinkable torment. Director Sam Raimi (Spider-Man and The Evil Dead Trilogy) returns to the horror genre with a vengeance in the film that critics rave is “the most crazy, fun and terrifying horror movie in years!” (Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly)Touted as a return to Sam Raimi's horror-movie roots, Drag Me to Hell is indeed closer in spirit to the director's Evil Dead pictures than to his Spider-Man films. You got y! our gypsy gargoyles with rotted dentures, your upchucking corp! ses, you r flexible two-way orifices--yes, Raimi's definitely back in the saddle. There's even a story: a sad loan officer (Alison Lohman) turns down the aforementioned denture-wearing gypsy for a loan extension, which leads to an evil curse and a date in hell in three days' time. A séance, an animal sacrifice, and a session in a storm-tossed graveyard will make the 72 hours pass very nervously, thank you, along with assorted scares. Justin Long plays Lohman's upper-class boyfriend, and Raimi fills the rest of the cast with some unusual and unfamiliar types. Along with the giddy horror-comedy that bursts out of the movie every 10 minutes or so, there's also an underlying mood of pity: Lohman's character is something of a hard-luck sad sack, who does enough wrong things to make her seem like a truly abject individual, well outside the heroic model of most multiplex offerings. (Lohman's own little-girl-lost quality adds to this feeling.) But don't let that get in the way of the fun-ri! de aspects of this goofy enterprise: Drag Me to Hell is a bunch of Z-movie gags wrapped in top-drawer production values. --Robert Horton

Stills from Drag Me to Hell (Click for larger image)
Studio: Warner Home Video Release Date: 10/27/2009 Run time: 122 minutes Rating: RA bad seed with a Russian accent, 9-year-old Esther (Isabelle Fuhrman) is a nasty little girl with a nasty little plan. Unfortunately, this malevolent tyke has landed in the home of! adoptive parents Kate and John (Vera Farmiga and Peter Sarsga! ard), an unsuspecting couple with two kids of their own and considerable grief over recent family tragedies. It doesn't take long for Esther to make her creepy presence known, as broken limbs on the playground and torched tree houses can attest. Give this movie some credit--the psychological underpinnings are all set carefully in place: Maternal trauma? Check. Backyard pond as emotionally charged danger zone? Check. Feminist parable about husbands not listening to troubled wives? Check. The casting of reputable actors such as Farmiga and Sarsgaard also ups the movie's class quotient; Farmiga in particular has an emotional workout, and this gifted actress strikes few false notes even as the scenario becomes increasingly lurid. (There's some déjà vu here: Farmiga also played a mother realizing her kid was "not right" in Joshua, a much superior film.) Director Jaume Collet-Serra, of House of Wax notoriety, knows full well the unsettling weirdness of seeing a child commi! t murderous mayhem, and he presses all the buttons with something like unholy joy. The movie begins to drive off the rails even before a clumsy twist hits the fan near the end, and at that point, the mechanical exercise becomes downright silly. The Omen's Damien has nothing to worry about. --Robert Horton
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