The Horse Whisperer

• After a devastating riding accident, a young girl and her beloved horse are both left with serious physical and emotional scars. Determined to help, the girl s desperate mother (Thomas) puts her busy, big-city life on hold and travels west to seek out the "Horse Whisperer." When she meets this, rugged, down-to-earth rancher (Redford), she discovers his extraordinary gift with animals also touches

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

His name is Tom Booker. His voice can calm wild horses, his touch can heal broken spirits. And Annie Graves has traveled across a continent to the Booker ranch in Montana, desperate to heal her injured daughter, the girl’s savage horse, and her own wounded heart. She comes for hope. She comes for her child. And beneath the wide Montana sky, she comes to him for what no one else can give her: a reason to believe.

The Horse Whisperer is a! story made in Hollywood heaven. The novel was written by a first-time author, and the film option was snapped up by aging heartthrob Robert Redford for 3 million smackers. Why take such risks on a brand-spanking-new author? The answer becomes clear upon reading the touching tale.

One morning while teenage Grace Maclean is riding Pilgrim, her goofy, loveable pony, she has a horrendous glass-shattering, bone-splintering, ligament-lynching meeting with a megaton truck that leaves her and her four-legged friend damaged in mind, body, and spirit. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, her jaded, brilliant, bitchy mom, Annie Graves (Kristin Scott Thomas in the 1998 film) is working out a wrinkle in her self-absorbed existence when she gets a call at her plush, Manhattan office about Grace's accident. Racked with guilt, Graves makes it her calling to find the mythical horse whisperer, an equine Zen master who has the ability to heal horses (and broken souls) with soot! hing words and a gentle touch. Just when it seems he can't be! found, what do you know, she finds him. He arrives in the form of Tom Booker-- a rugged, sensitive, dreamy cowboy who helps Pilgrim and Grace repair their fractured selves. To add more mesquite to fire, Booker has a way with not-so-injured, attractive, married women--like Annie. As the plot thickens, so does the familial strife, which threatens to undo Booker's healing work.

Like an expert cinematographer, Evans deftly crafts each scene with precision and clarity, sprinkling in ominous signs and foreboding images. For example, in the opening paragraphs, as Annie starts out on the tragic ride, she comes across a bloody bird wing that seems to have fallen out of nowhere. The weight of impending doom is further strengthened by the truck driver's bad luck--he has a run-in with the highway patrol just moments before his meeting with Grace and Pilgrim. These not-so-subtle subliminal messages are masterfully stitched in throughout the story and may compel readers to act! as if they were watching a B-grade horror movie, shouting aloud, "Don't go there!" However sentimental, The Horse Whisperer is an engaging read, sort of like a finely tuned, well-edited film. --Rebekah Warren#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

His name is Tom Booker. His voice can calm wild horses, his touch can heal broken spirits. And Annie Graves has traveled across a continent to the Booker ranch in Montana, desperate to heal her injured daughter, the girl’s savage horse, and her own wounded heart. She comes for hope. She comes for her child. And beneath the wide Montana sky, she comes to him for what no one else can give her: a reason to believe.The Horse Whisperer is a story made in Hollywood heaven. The novel was written by a first-time author, and the film option was snapped up by aging heartthrob Robert Redford for 3 million smackers. Why take such risks on a brand-spanking-new author? The answer becomes clear up! on reading the touching tale.

One morning while teenage ! Grace Ma clean is riding Pilgrim, her goofy, loveable pony, she has a horrendous glass-shattering, bone-splintering, ligament-lynching meeting with a megaton truck that leaves her and her four-legged friend damaged in mind, body, and spirit. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, her jaded, brilliant, bitchy mom, Annie Graves (Kristin Scott Thomas in the 1998 film) is working out a wrinkle in her self-absorbed existence when she gets a call at her plush, Manhattan office about Grace's accident. Racked with guilt, Graves makes it her calling to find the mythical horse whisperer, an equine Zen master who has the ability to heal horses (and broken souls) with soothing words and a gentle touch. Just when it seems he can't be found, what do you know, she finds him. He arrives in the form of Tom Booker-- a rugged, sensitive, dreamy cowboy who helps Pilgrim and Grace repair their fractured selves. To add more mesquite to fire, Booker has a way with not-so-injured, attractive, married ! women--like Annie. As the plot thickens, so does the familial strife, which threatens to undo Booker's healing work.

Like an expert cinematographer, Evans deftly crafts each scene with precision and clarity, sprinkling in ominous signs and foreboding images. For example, in the opening paragraphs, as Annie starts out on the tragic ride, she comes across a bloody bird wing that seems to have fallen out of nowhere. The weight of impending doom is further strengthened by the truck driver's bad luck--he has a run-in with the highway patrol just moments before his meeting with Grace and Pilgrim. These not-so-subtle subliminal messages are masterfully stitched in throughout the story and may compel readers to act as if they were watching a B-grade horror movie, shouting aloud, "Don't go there!" However sentimental, The Horse Whisperer is an engaging read, sort of like a finely tuned, well-edited film. --Rebekah Warren#1 NEW YORK TIMES ! BESTSELLER

His name is Tom Booker. His voice can ca! lm wild horses, his touch can heal broken spirits. And Annie Graves has traveled across a continent to the Booker ranch in Montana, desperate to heal her injured daughter, the girl’s savage horse, and her own wounded heart. She comes for hope. She comes for her child. And beneath the wide Montana sky, she comes to him for what no one else can give her: a reason to believe.Academy Award(R)-winner Robert Redford (Best Director, 1980, ORDINARY PEOPLE) stars with Adademy Award(R)-nominee Kristin Scott Thomas (Best Actress, 1996, THE ENGLISH PATIENT) in this landmark epic adapated from one of the most acclaimed novels of our time! After a devastating riding accident, a young girl and her beloved horse are both left with serious physical and emotional scars. Determined to help, the girl's desperate mother (Thomas) puts her busy, big-city life on hold and travels west to seek out the "Horse Whisperer." When she meets this rugged, down-to-earth rancher (Redford), she discovers his extraor! dinary gift with animals also touches the lives of the people around him! Featuring Hollywood favorites Sam Neill (JURASSIC PARK) and Oscar(R)-winner Dianne Wiest (Best Supporting Actress, 1994, BULLETS OVER BROADWAY) in a superb cast -- critics and moviegoers alike were captivated by this powerful motion picture event!Although it's best viewed on a big theatrical screen to take full advantage of Robert Richardson's breathtaking widescreen cinematography, it seems likely that most people will see this classy romance in the comfort of their own homes. Adapted from the bestseller by Nicholas Evans and directed by Robert Redford, the film did respectable business at the box-office, but it was too sprawling and too soapy to be a bona fide hit. Redford stars as the title character, a Montana rancher named Tom Booker, who possesses the specialized talent of healing traumatized horses through careful and affectionate rehabilitation. He gets his most challenging case when he's soug! ht out by a fast-lane New York magazine editor (Kristin Scott ! Thomas, in a role modeled after former New Yorker editor Tina Brown) whose daughter (Scarlett Johansson) was injured and traumatized by an accident that nearly killed her favorite horse. When mother, daughter, and horse arrive at Booker's ranch, the big-city editor falls in love with the serene rancher and faces the painful decision of whether to stay in Montana or return to her husband (Sam Neill) in New York. Some may find this to be much ado about nothing, and comparisons to The Bridges of Madison County are inevitable, but Redford's directorial approach offers the kind of graceful stature, tenderness, and intelligence required to elevate the simple story. The film takes all the time it needs to let its characters heal and make their important decisions, and that alone makes it a refreshing alternative to the frantic pace of most big-studio productions. --Jeff Shannon

Fade to Black: No Gi Chokes

• Vol 1: Darce Chokes
• Vol 2: Guillotines
• Vol 3: Peruvian Neckties
• Vol 4: Arm Triangles, Vol 5: Reverse Arm Triangles
• Vol 6: Gators

FADE TO BLACK takes a look at the rapper’s career, providing a backstage glimpse during the concert and showing how his last album was conceived. Narrated by Jay-Z himself, the film features notable guest performances by Beyonce, Missy Elliott, Mary J. Blige, R. Kelly, Pharrell Williams, Foxy Brown and appearances by P. Diddy and 2004 Grammy-winner Kanye West.Fade to Black is a document of Jay-Z’s self-proclaimed final concert; a grand affair that took place before a sold-out crowd at New York’s Madison Square Garden in November 2003. (But anyone who follows celebrity news knows that Jay-Z was out of retirement and back performing at the Garden just a year later.) Fade to Black is a legitimately powerful record of! a truly historic event in the annals of rap. Muttering offhand narration with typical bored, streetwise affect, Jay hails the concert as a momentous occasion for being the first time a hip-hop show was allowed to headline at the Garden.

It’s unlikely that the full impact of the live performances will hit home to viewers unfamiliar with Jay-Z and his Roc-A-Fella Records stable of artists. Another frustration is trying to identify the array of visitors who trade raps on Jay’s stage. Included in the star-studded lineup are Missy Elliott, Foxy Brown, Pharell, Ghostface Killah, Beanie Sigel, Memphis Bleek, and R. Kelly. One unmistakable figure--and we do mean figure--is Jay’s squeeze Beyonce, who raises the temperature and the roof with her skimpy outfit, flowing hair, soulful yowl, and sexed-up dance routine that leaves her boyfriend and the whole of Madison Square Garden slack-jawed with animal desire.

Twenty cameras captured the event, and some of the most powe! rful sequences are sweeping moves across the swirling, blissed! -out mas ses as they lip sync along in perfect unison with Jay-Z’s complex, profane, quick-witted raps. Less effective are intermittent cutaway segments that show the artist in various studio settings working up beats and rhymes. These amateurish home video breaks may give some insight to Jay’s perfectionism and dedication to his craft, but they detract from the visceral power of the beautifully executed performance footage. --Ted FryA mysterious figure has broken into Mayuri Kurotsuchi’s laboratory in the Seireitei. Using a scythe-like weapon, the intruder causes Mayuri to go mad and destroy his own lab equipment. Kenpachi rushes to the laboratory as the Seireitei becomes engulfed in a cloud of reishi. When Kenpachi arrives he is greeted by an even greater explosion of reishi that completely devastates the Seiretei. Rukia witnesses this catastrophe from a distance, when the two intruders approach her and use the same scythe that drove Mayuri mad. The intruders then abdu! ct Rukia as she feels something inside of her fade away. Meanwhile, in the World of the Living, Ichigo and Kon experience a strange disturbance and head to Kisuke Urahara’s shop for some answers. When Kisuke informs them about the destruction of the Seireitei, the two set out for the Soul Society. What awaits Ichigo in the devastated Seireitei, however, are Soul Reapers who seem to have lost all memory related to both him and Rukia. To make matters worse, the Soul Reapers witness Ichigo’s Hollowfication and suspect him of being the one responsible for the Seireitei’s destruction. Now on the run, Ichigo is forced into a lonely battle against the Soul Reapers who once fought alongside him. Overcoming countless obstacles, Ichigo finally finds Rukia, only to learn she is not herself. Ichigo must find out what happened to Rukia and try to save her before the two are forced to part ways forever!Director Noriyuki Abe and his artists pull out all the stops in Bleach the Mo! vie: Fade to Black (2008), the most dramatic and satisfyin! g of the theatrical features based on Tite Kubo's best-selling manga. A mistake in Captain Mayuri's research unleashes an explosion of serpentine creatures that bury a third of the Seireitei in a whitish gunk that imprisons anyone caught in it. An eerie-looking girl and a gaunt young man with a scythe capture Rukia, declaring they will destroy her memory so she can stay with them forever. Their power not only erases Rukia's memory, but makes everyone else forget she ever existed. Even Ichigo forgets her, until recollections of their first adventures trouble his dreams. Ichigo charges to the rescue, only to discover that no one in the Seireitei remembers him either--not even his close friends Renji and Hitsugaya. The ultimate source of all the trouble is a parasitic Hollow with a scythe-like tentacle that can sever memories. But Ichigo knows that friendship and loyalty transcend any obstacle a Hollow can create. His courage and unbreakable bonds with Renji, Hitsugaya, Uruhara, and es! pecially Rukia triumph over the sinister Hollow and its wraith-like slaves. Fade to Black boasts a stronger emotional punch than the first feature, Memories of Nobody, and more spectacular battles than the second, Diamond Dust Rebellion. The result is a high-energy yet moving film that will delight fans of the long-running Bleach series. (Rated "Teen," suitable for ages 13 and older: violence, grotesque imagery) --Charles SolomonA mysterious figure has broken into Mayuri Kurotsuchi’s laboratory in the Seireitei. Using a scythe-like weapon, the intruder causes Mayuri to go mad and destroy his own lab equipment. Kenpachi rushes to the laboratory as the Seireitei becomes engulfed in a cloud of reishi. When Kenpachi arrives he is greeted by an even greater explosion of reishi that completely devastates the Seiretei. Rukia witnesses this catastrophe from a distance, when the two intruders approach her and use the same scythe that drove Mayuri! mad. The intruders then abduct Rukia as she feels something i! nside of her fade away. Meanwhile, in the World of the Living, Ichigo and Kon experience a strange disturbance and head to Kisuke Urahara’s shop for some answers. When Kisuke informs them about the destruction of the Seireitei, the two set out for the Soul Society. What awaits Ichigo in the devastated Seireitei, however, are Soul Reapers who seem to have lost all memory related to both him and Rukia. To make matters worse, the Soul Reapers witness Ichigo’s Hollowfication and suspect him of being the one responsible for the Seireitei’s destruction. Now on the run, Ichigo is forced into a lonely battle against the Soul Reapers who once fought alongside him. Overcoming countless obstacles, Ichigo finally finds Rukia, only to learn she is not herself. Ichigo must find out what happened to Rukia and try to save her before the two are forced to part ways forever!Director Noriyuki Abe and his artists pull out all the stops in Bleach the Movie: Fade to Black (2008), the most dr! amatic and satisfying of the theatrical features based on Tite Kubo's best-selling manga. A mistake in Captain Mayuri's research unleashes an explosion of serpentine creatures that bury a third of the Seireitei in a whitish gunk that imprisons anyone caught in it. An eerie-looking girl and a gaunt young man with a scythe capture Rukia, declaring they will destroy her memory so she can stay with them forever. Their power not only erases Rukia's memory, but makes everyone else forget she ever existed. Even Ichigo forgets her, until recollections of their first adventures trouble his dreams. Ichigo charges to the rescue, only to discover that no one in the Seireitei remembers him either--not even his close friends Renji and Hitsugaya. The ultimate source of all the trouble is a parasitic Hollow with a scythe-like tentacle that can sever memories. But Ichigo knows that friendship and loyalty transcend any obstacle a Hollow can create. His courage and unbreakable bonds with Renj! i, Hitsugaya, Uruhara, and especially Rukia triumph over the s! inister Hollow and its wraith-like slaves. Fade to Black boasts a stronger emotional punch than the first feature, Memories of Nobody, and more spectacular battles than the second, Diamond Dust Rebellion. The result is a high-energy yet moving film that will delight fans of the long-running Bleach series. (Rated "Teen," suitable for ages 13 and older: violence, grotesque imagery) --Charles SolomonDanny Huston (Robin Hood, Clash of the Titans) stars with Oscar®-winner Christopher Walken (The Deer Hunter) in this twisting mystery-thriller of intrigue, seduction and murder. Arriving in post-WWII Rome to re-kindle his failing career, movie star and director Orson Welles is immediately captivated by a ravishing young actress (Paz Vega, Spanglish). But when her stepfather is killed by an unknown assassin, Welles and his street-wise Italian driver/bodyguard (Diego Luna, The Terminal) are plunged into Rome’s chaotic criminal underworld, where nothing is! what it seems, no one can be trusted and the truth…is the deadliest illusion of all."I'm Jarret. Cody Jarret, understand?!" snarls Dennis Christopher (Breaking Away) in his best James Cagney. OK, he's no Rich Little, but as the movie-mad social misfit Eric Binford he makes a convincing media-saturated Norman Bates, and for a while his geeky fumblings and wounded vulnerability keep the film on track. He is a gofer for a B-movie studio, constantly bullied by his tough-guy coworker Mickey Rourke and his aunt, a bitter wheelchair-bound failed starlet who blames the boy for her misfortunes and never lets him forget it. His sanity already precariously close to the edge, he flares up and becomes Richard Widmark in Kiss of Death, shoving dear auntie down the back stairs and forever losing himself in the characters of his favorite movies. It's the first of many movie-inspired murders, but the gimmick becomes repetitive and the film loses its focus in series of pre-Scream set pieces. Better is Eric's deluded romance with! an Auss ie Marilyn Monroe look-a-like. It's hard to understand what she sees in this jittery nerd who rattles off meaningless movie trivia like it was the meaning of life, but give Eric credit for wooing her as Laurence Olivier in The Prince and the Showgirl. Tim Thomerson gets to play both tough guy and sensitive social worker as the counselor who utters the immortal line: "Binford's not to blame, he's a victim of society!" --Sean AxmakerJapanese only SHM pressing. The SHM-CD [Super High Material CD] format features enhanced audio quality through the use of a special polycarbonate plastic. Using a process developed by JVC and Universal Music Japan discovered through the joint companies' research into LCD display manufacturing SHM-CDs feature improved transparency on the data side of the disc allowing for more accurate reading of CD data by the CD player laser head. SHM-CD format CDs are fully compatible with standard CD players. Universal. 2009.Don't let that classica! l-guitar-ish opening to "Fight Fire with Fire" fool you--Ride the Lightning packs a heavy-metal wallop. While not as ambitious as the subsequent Master of Puppets, this early Metallica album is indubitably one of their best. Thematically, it explores death and dying from myriad points of view: nuclear war ("Fight Fire with Fire"), electric-chair execution (the title track), and drowning ("Trapped Under Ice"). Interestingly, the best track on this album is probably "Fade to Black," a slower, more introspective song about suicide. There's also "Creeping Death," which remains a concert favorite. An excellent mix of rapid-fire guitar riffs, rip-roaring solos, and singer James Hetfield's trademark growl, this is thrash metal at its finest. Very highly recommended. --Genevieve WilliamsDon't let that classical-guitar-ish opening to "Fight Fire with Fire" fool you--Ride the Lightning packs a heavy-metal wallop. While not as ambitious as the subsequent Master of Puppets, this early Metallica album is indubita! bly one of their best. Thematically, it explores death and dying from myriad points of view: nuclear war ("Fight Fire with Fire"), execution by electric chair (the title track), and drowning ("Trapped Under Ice"). Interestingly, the album's best track is "Fade to Black," a slower, introspective song about suicide. There's also "Creeping Death," which remains a concert favorite. An excellent mix of rapid-fire guitar riffs, rip-roaring solos, and singer James Hetfield's trademark growl, this is thrash metal at its finest. -- Genevieve Williams Brandon Quick teaches a HUGE variety of chokes in this 6 volume DVD set. The chokes you'll see here are the latest innovations of darces, peruvian neckties, guillotines, arm triangles, and gators and chances are your opponent hasn't seen most of these!

The Big Bad Swim

• An adult swim sets the stage for this charming comedy-drama about love, loss, and second chances. Three strangers inextricably connected through personal heartbreak find themselves entering deep water as they learn that life isn't always about diving right in it's about getting your feet wet once in awhile. Starring Jeff Branson (TV's All My Children) and Paget Brewster (TV's Criminal Minds).Not R

Elizabeth Halsey (Cameron Diaz) is a foulmouthed, ruthless, and inappropriate teacher. She drinks, gets high, and can’t wait to marry a meal ticket to get out of her bogus day job. When she’s dumped by her fiancé, she sets her sights on a rich, handsome substitute (Justin Timberlake) while shrugging off the advances of the school gym teacher (Jason Segel). The consequences of her wild and outrageous schemes give her students, coworkers, and even herself an education like no other! As any kid w! ho's ever forcibly shot milk through their nasal passages can testify, the key to a great gross joke isn't so much the content as it is the delivery. The proudly crass Bad Teacher certainly has great big gobs of greasy, grimy potential, chief among them its central performance by an exceedingly game Cameron Diaz, but it occasionally fails to nail the dismount. This film from director Jake Kasdan (Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story) is exactly what the title says: after getting dumped by her rich boyfriend, a lying, cheating, and perpetually boozing middle-school teacher (Diaz) hatches a scheme to con her school out of enough money to pay for cosmetic surgery, while squaring off against the aggressively cheerful teacher across the hall (a very funny Lucy Punch). Lessons are not learned, thankfully. Although the title and attitude recall the effortlessly filthy Bad Santa, Bad Teacher feels more like a spiritual sequel to Diaz's earlier Sweetest Thin! g, a women-can-be-gross-too comedy that spent more time co! ngratula ting itself on how far it was willing to go instead of actually going there. While Bad Teacher certainly has its number of belly laughs and worthy outrages (particularly during a hilariously awkward love scene between Diaz and a nerded-up Justin Timberlake), it's hard not to end up with a general feeling of missed opportunities. Too often, it toes the bad-taste line, when it should be jumping over it with a rocket cycle. --Andrew WrightSee dvd for synopsis Studio: Sony Pictures Home Ent Release Date: 10/18/2011 Run time: 98 minutes Rating: Pg13As any kid who's ever forcibly shot milk through their nasal passages can testify, the key to a great gross joke isn't so much the content as it is the delivery. The proudly crass Bad Teacher certainly has great big gobs of greasy, grimy potential, chief among them its central performance by an exceedingly game Cameron Diaz, but it occasionally fails to nail the dismount. This film from director Jake Kasdan (Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story) is exactly what the title says: after getting dumped by her rich boyfriend, a lying, cheating, and perpetually boozing middle-school teacher (Diaz) hatches a scheme to con her school out of enough money to pay for cosmetic surgery, while squaring off against the aggressively cheerful teacher across the hall (a very funny Lucy Punch). Lessons are not learned, thankfully. Although the title and attitude recall the effortlessly filthy Bad Santa, Bad Teacher feels more like a spiritual sequel to Diaz's earlier Sweetest Thing, a women-can-be-gross-too comedy that spent more time congratulating itself on how far it was willing to go instead of actually going there. While Bad Teacher certainly has its number of belly laughs and worthy outrages (particularly during a hilariously awkward love scene between Diaz and a nerded-up Justin Timberlake), it's hard not to end up with a general feeling of missed opportunities. T! oo often, it toes the bad-taste line, when it should be jumpin! g over i t with a rocket cycle. --Andrew WrightElizabeth Halsey (Cameron Diaz) is a foulmouthed, ruthless, and inappropriate teacher. She drinks, gets high, and can’t wait to marry a meal ticket to get out of her bogus day job. When she’s dumped by her fiancé, she sets her sights on a rich, handsome substitute (Justin Timberlake) while shrugging off the advances of the school gym teacher (Jason Segel). The consequences of her wild and outrageous schemes give her students, coworkers, and even herself an education like no other!As any kid who's ever forcibly shot milk through their nasal passages can testify, the key to a great gross joke isn't so much the content as it is the delivery. The proudly crass Bad Teacher certainly has great big gobs of greasy, grimy potential, chief among them its central performance by an exceedingly game Cameron Diaz, but it occasionally fails to nail the dismount. This film from director Jake Kasdan (Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story) is exactly what the title says: after getting dumped by her rich boyfriend, a lying, cheating, and perpetually boozing middle-school teacher (Diaz) hatches a scheme to con her school out of enough money to pay for cosmetic surgery, while squaring off against the aggressively cheerful teacher across the hall (a very funny Lucy Punch). Lessons are not learned, thankfully. Although the title and attitude recall the effortlessly filthy Bad Santa, Bad Teacher feels more like a spiritual sequel to Diaz's earlier Sweetest Thing, a women-can-be-gross-too comedy that spent more time congratulating itself on how far it was willing to go instead of actually going there. While Bad Teacher certainly has its number of belly laughs and worthy outrages (particularly during a hilariously awkward love scene between Diaz and a nerded-up Justin Timberlake), it's hard not to end up with a general feeling of missed opportunities. Too often, it toes the bad-taste l! ine, when it should be jumping over it with a rocket cycle. --Andre w WrightA sexually-charge comedy about love, loss, and second chances. Audience Award Best Feature Film Winner at the Tallgrass Film Festival. Best American Independent Winner at the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival. Best Feature Film Winner ath the Annapolis Film Festival. Bonus Features include: Filmmaker's Commentary, Cinematographer's Video Journal, and Deleted Scenes.

Dodgeball - A True Underdog Story (Full Screen Edition)

• brings a lot of laughs

You'll dodge, duck, dip, dive. . . and laugh out loud watching Vince Vaughn and Ben Stiller settle their differences in a winner-take-all dodgeball competition. Under the painful tutelage of legendary ADAA champ, Patches O'Houlihan (Rip Torn), Peter LaFleur (Vaughn) and his Average Joes take on the Purple Cobras, led by egomaniacal fitness guru, White Goodman (Stiller). It's an over-the-top underdog tale filled with hilarious sight gags and balls-out fun!How's this for impressive trivia: Dodgeball faced off against The Terminal in opening-weekend competition, and 29-year-old writer-director Rawson Marshall Thurber aced Steven Spielberg by a score of $30 to $18.7 in box-office millions. That's no mean feat for a newcomer, but Thurber's lowbrow script and rapid-fire direction--along with a sublime cast of screen comedians--proved to be just what moviegoers w! ere ravenous for: a consistently hilarious, patently formulaic romp in which the underdog owner of Average Joe's Gym (Vince Vaughn) faces foreclosure unless he can raise $50,000 in 30 days. The solution: A dodgeball tournament offering $50K to the winners, in which Vaughn and his nerdy clientele team up against the preening, abhorrently narcissistic owner (Ben Stiller) of Globo Gym, who's threatening a buy-out. That's it for story; any 5-year-old could follow it with brainpower to spare. But Thurber, Vaughn, Stiller, and their well-cast costars (including Stiller's off-screen wife, Christine Taylor) keep the big laughs coming for 96 nonsensical minutes. With spot-on cameos by champion bicyclist Lance Armstrong, David Hasselhoff, Hank Azaria, Chuck Norris, and William Shatner, and a crudely amusing coda for those who watch past the credits, Dodgeball is no masterpiece, but you can bet Spielberg was unexpectedly humbled by its popular appeal. --Jeff ShannonStudi! o: Tcfhe Release Date: 12/09/2008 Run time: 92 minutes Rati! ng: Pg13 How's this for impressive trivia: Dodgeball faced off against The Terminal in opening-weekend competition, and 29-year-old writer-director Rawson Marshall Thurber aced Steven Spielberg by a score of $30 to $18.7 in box-office millions. That's no mean feat for a newcomer, but Thurber's lowbrow script and rapid-fire direction--along with a sublime cast of screen comedians--proved to be just what moviegoers were ravenous for: a consistently hilarious, patently formulaic romp in which the underdog owner of Average Joe's Gym (Vince Vaughan) faces foreclosure unless he can raise $50,000 in 30 days. The solution: A dodgeball tournament offering $50K to the winners, in which Vaughan and his nerdy clientele team up against the preening, abhorrently narcissistic owner (Ben Stiller) of Globo Gym, who's threatening a buy-out. That's it for story; any 5-year-old could follow it with brainpower to spare. But Thurber, Vaughan, Stiller, and their well-cast costars (including S! tiller's off-screen wife, Christine Taylor) keep the big laughs coming for 96 nonsensical minutes. With spot-on cameos by champion bicyclist Lance Armstrong, David Hasselhoff, Hank Azaria, Chuck Norris, and William Shatner, and a crudely amusing coda for those who watch past the credits, Dodgeball is no masterpiece, but you can bet Spielberg was unexpectedly humbled by its popular appeal. --Jeff ShannonYou'll dodge, duck, dip, dive. . . and laugh out loud watching Vince Vaughn and Ben Stiller settle their differences in a winner-take-all dodgeball competition. Under the painful tutelage of legendary ADAA champ, Patches O'Houlihan (Rip Torn), Peter LaFleur (Vaughn) and his Average Joes take on the Purple Cobras, led by egomaniacal fitness guru, White Goodman (Stiller). It's an over-the-top underdog tale filled with hilarious sight gags and balls-out fun!How's this for impressive trivia: Dodgeball faced off against The Terminal in opening-weekend c! ompetition, and 29-year-old writer-director Rawson Marshall Th! urber ac ed Steven Spielberg by a score of $30 to $18.7 in box-office millions. That's no mean feat for a newcomer, but Thurber's lowbrow script and rapid-fire direction--along with a sublime cast of screen comedians--proved to be just what moviegoers were ravenous for: a consistently hilarious, patently formulaic romp in which the underdog owner of Average Joe's Gym (Vince Vaughan) faces foreclosure unless he can raise $50,000 in 30 days. The solution: A dodgeball tournament offering $50K to the winners, in which Vaughan and his nerdy clientele team up against the preening, abhorrently narcissistic owner (Ben Stiller) of Globo Gym, who's threatening a buy-out. That's it for story; any 5-year-old could follow it with brainpower to spare. But Thurber, Vaughan, Stiller, and their well-cast costars (including Stiller's off-screen wife, Christine Taylor) keep the big laughs coming for 96 nonsensical minutes. With spot-on cameos by champion bicyclist Lance Armstrong, David Hasselhoff, Han! k Azaria, Chuck Norris, and William Shatner, and a crudely amusing coda for those who watch past the credits, Dodgeball is no masterpiece, but you can bet Spielberg was unexpectedly humbled by its popular appeal. --Jeff ShannonYou'll dodge, duck, dip, dive. . . and laugh out loud watching Vince Vaughn and Ben Stiller settle their differences in a winner-take-all dodgeball competition. Under the painful tutelage of legendary ADAA champ, Patches O'Houlihan (Rip Torn), Peter LaFleHow's this for impressive trivia: Dodgeball faced off against The Terminal in opening-weekend competition, and 29-year-old writer-director Rawson Marshall Thurber aced Steven Spielberg by a score of $30 to $18.7 in box-office millions. That's no mean feat for a newcomer, but Thurber's lowbrow script and rapid-fire direction--along with a sublime cast of screen comedians--proved to be just what moviegoers were ravenous for: a consistently hilarious, patently formulaic romp i! n which the underdog owner of Average Joe's Gym (Vince Vaughan! ) faces foreclosure unless he can raise $50,000 in 30 days. The solution: A dodgeball tournament offering $50K to the winners, in which Vaughan and his nerdy clientele team up against the preening, abhorrently narcissistic owner (Ben Stiller) of Globo Gym, who's threatening a buy-out. That's it for story; any 5-year-old could follow it with brainpower to spare. But Thurber, Vaughan, Stiller, and their well-cast costars (including Stiller's off-screen wife, Christine Taylor) keep the big laughs coming for 96 nonsensical minutes. With spot-on cameos by champion bicyclist Lance Armstrong, David Hasselhoff, Hank Azaria, Chuck Norris, and William Shatner, and a crudely amusing coda for those who watch past the credits, Dodgeball is no masterpiece, but you can bet Spielberg was unexpectedly humbled by its popular appeal. --Jeff Shannon

The Window Facing Winter

• ISBN13: 9781930974371
• Condition: New
• Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!

A young working-class wife and mother unlocks a freedom within her heart that she never expected. Don't miss this critically-acclaimed, award-winning romance.The beautiful and wonderfully named Giovanna Mezzogiorno joins the list of soulful Italian actresses with Facing Windows, a pleasant cinematic fancy. Her character is a married Mom in an ordinary apartment, whose life is affected by two things: her fascination with the handsome man who lives across the courtyard, and the sudden arrival in her home of an elderly amnesiac (played by the late Massimo Girotti)--a well-dressed man found walking on the street, dazed and lost. Turkish-born director Ferzan Ozpetek (Steam: The Turkish Bath)! makes this simultaneously a slice of life and a vaguely fantastical situation. It probably all works out a little too neatly, but the unhurried pace and deep sympathy Ozpetek displays toward his main characters is refreshing. And when in doubt, he points the camera at the face of La Mezzogiorno, which solves all problems. --Robert HortonImport exclusive soundtrack to multi-national romantic drama, originally issued in 2003 & just released on DVD in the U.S., features the score by Gianfilippo Corticelli & one track, 'Gocce Di Memoria', performed by Giorgia. 17 tracks.Poetry. "In THE WINDOW FACING WINTER, the urgency of the beautiful andsometimes murderous urban landscape, set alongside the seductive, intricateoasis of the Japanese garden, renders possible a vision into 'sliver ofthe absolute.' With unflinching accuracy, LaFemina delivers a sacred, ifmomentary, world, laying bare its essential loneliness, its obstinatebeauty" --Robin Behn.

LG Dare Silver Phone (Verizon Wireless)

• Multimedia-oriented smartphone boasting spacious 3-inch touchscreen with handwriting recognition
• Access Verizon's V Cast Music and Video service via fast EV-DO data network; GPS-enabled for turn-by
• 3.2-megapixel camera/camcorder with Schneider-Kreuznach lens; Bluetooth stereo streaming; MicroSD ex
• Up to 4.7 hours of talk time, up to 360 hours (15 days) of standby time; measures 4.1 x 2.2 x 0.5 in
• Includes: Handset, travel adapter/USB cable, user guide, quick reference guide, music CD

Multimedia-oriented smartphone boasting spacious 3-inch touchscreen with handwriting recognition. Access Verizon's V Cast Music and Video service via fast EV-DO data network, GPS-enabled for turn-by. 3.2-megapixel camera/camcorder with Schneider-Kreuznach lens, Bluetooth stereo streaming, MicroSD ex. Up to 4.7 hours of talk time, up to 360 hours (15 days) of standby time, measures ! 4.1 x 2.2 x 0.5 in. Includes: Handset, travel adapter/USB cable, user guide, quick reference guide, music CD

Cassandra's Dream

• Ewan McGregor and Colin Farrell star as working brothers whose dreams of better lives leads to desperation, greed and deadly betrayal. When gambling debt and an expensive courtship place them in a financial bind, a rich uncle (Tom Wilkinson, Michael Clayton) offers them an out in exchange for committing murder. Featuring gripping performances from an all-star cast; "this family tragedy puts us

Ewan McGregor and Colin Farrell star as working class brothers whose dreams of better lives leads to desperation, greed and deadly betrayal. When gambling debt and an expensive courtship place them in a financial bind, a rich uncle (Tom Wilkinson, Michael Clayton) offers them an out in exchange for committing murder. Featuring gripping performances from an all-star cast; "this family tragedy puts us near the edge of our seats and pulls us right along on its downward spiral" (William Arnold, Seattle Pos! t Intelligencer). Woody Allen returns in razor-sharp form with this "intense, intelligently-written and directed," (Jeffrey Lyons, Reel Talk) thriller that challenges how far a man should go in the name of family.Scottish Ewan McGregor and Irish Colin Farrell play two Cockney brothers who get in over their heads when a wealthy relative asks for a favor. Woody Allen's sleek thriller Cassandra's Dream begins in innocent times: Ian (McGregor) and Terry (Farrell) buy a sailboat and name it Cassandra's Dream. But soon Terry falls afoul of gambling debts and Ian falls head over heels for a sultry actress who doesn't take him seriously, leading them to ask their uncle Howard (Tom Wilkinson) for money, which he's happy to give them--if they'll get rid of a man who's going to testify against him. The first half of Cassandra's Dream zips along with short, concise scenes and charismatic performances by the lead lads. Newcomer Hayley Atwell (Brideshead Revisited) i! s alluring as the actress, while Sally Hawkins (Persuasion) bri ngs warmth and sympathy to the underwritten role of Terry's girlfriend Kate. The second half--as with many of Allen's later films--seems to run out of steam, though there's still much to admire about Allen's clean, unfussy filmmaking. Regrettably, he seems to have lost the ability to sustain his imaginative spark. The weakness is in the writing; too many of the characters are barely sketched and clumsy lines of dialogue jar the ear in otherwise well-shaped scenes. But just when you're ready to throw up your hands, there's a moment of understated grace, in which Allen's simple visuals capture something with crystalline clarity. Cassandra's Dream is a frustrating movie, but it has its rewards. --Bret Fetzer

BIG MOMMA'S HOUSE 2 ORIGINAL MOVIE POSTER

• 27X41
• DESCRIPTION:  Authentic original (or specified high quality reproduction) one-sheet movie poster.
• SIZE: Approx 27x40 inches unless otherwise stated.

Nonstop laughs are back in the house with this super-sized sequel that's wilder, funnier, and filled with even more outrageous new adventures! Martin Lawrence and Nia Long return in a heavyweight hit comedy that's loads of fun for the whole family!

In the interest of national security, FBI agent Malcolm Turner (Lawrence) goes back undercover as Big Momma?a slick-talking, slam-dunking Southern granny with attitude to spare! Now this granny must play nanny to three demanding kids to complete his most outrageous assignment ever!Funnyman Martin Lawrence steps back into the latex fatsuit for Big Momma's House 2, the sequel to one of Lawrence's biggest hits. Malcolm Turner (Lawrence, Bad Boys, Rebound) go! es undercover, turning his Big Momma disguise into a nanny for a computer company executive who may be concocting a means to hack into military databases. But that's just a pretense to get Big Momma coping with a perfectionist mom and her three kids, who are all dysfunctional in cute and easily resolved ways. Naturally, Big Momma dispenses life lessons and catches the crooks while Lawrence does his best to milk his fat drag act for cheap laughs. Unfortunately, those cheap laughs never quite pay off; the script is a wastebasket of cliches and clumsy set-ups for gags that never seem worth the effort. The movie desperately wants to appeal to women with cute kids while luring men with a spa visit featuring scantily clad Victoria's Secret models. Even Lawrence's fans will find themselves snoozing through this one. --Bret FetzerFBI AGENT MALCOLM TURNER AND HIS STEPSON TRENT GO UNDERCOVER AT AN ALL-GIRLS PERFORMING ARTS SCHOOL AFTER TRENT WITNESSES A MURDER.Martin Lawrence ! returns as Master of Disguise--well, just one disguise, honest! ly, but he's really, really good at it--FBI agent Malcolm Turner in the second sequel to 2000's blockbuster Big Momma's House. Here, the agent must throw on the padding to pose as the housemother at an exclusive Female School of the Arts, in an attempt to ferret out a murderous Russian Mobster. The twist? This time he's forced to bring his stepson (Tropic Thunder's Brandon T. Jackson) along with him. The presence of Jackson makes this genially mellow sequel feel like a low-impact passing of the torch, with Lawrence (who also executive produced) seemingly content to let his younger costar handle most of the cross-dressing comedic heavy lifting (ballet lessons, slumber parties, etc.). Only a scene where Big Momma faces off in a game of Twister against an equally gargantuan security guard (an uncredited and very funny Faizon Love) really feels of a piece with the earlier films. Stranger still is the inclusion of a half-dozen musical numbers, including one in a lunchroom t! hat blossoms into full-out High School Musical territory. Awkward as these song-and-dance interludes often are, the filmmakers should deserve some credit for attempting to inject some form of new energy into a scenario that could definitely use a boost. Longtime fans of the franchise and Lawrence, however, may wonder if someone at Fox accidentally let Glee into the telepod. --Andrew WrightDisguise is the limit. "Martin Lawrence brings down the house" (E! Online) as crafty FBI agent Malcolm Turner who's willing to go through thick and thin in order to catch an escaped prisoner. "Nia Long is captivating" (Checkout.com) as Sherry, the con's sexy former flame - she might have the skinny on millions in stolen loot, and she's headed for Georgia to lay low for a while. That's enough to send Malcolm deep undercover as Big Momma, an oversized, overbearing Southern granny with an attitude as tough as her pork chops. The result is an outrageous comedy of epic! proportions, filled with nonstop laughs and plenty of action!! No one t ries very hard in Big Momma's House, so your enjoyment of this Martin Lawrence vehicle pretty much depends on how much amusement you're able to derive from a guy dressed up as a very ample woman. The setup is of the eye-rolling, only-in-Hollywood nature: Lawrence, as detective Malcolm Turner, is after a killer, and apparently the only way to capture him is to pose as the bad guy's ex-girlfriend's grandmother, who--the film cannot stress this point too much--is quite large.

Apparently, Sherry (Nia Long), the young woman in question--she's as attractive as Big Momma is, well, you know--is none too bright, for she falls for Malcolm's ruse, which of course ostensibly amuses mainly because it's so transparent. She at least has an excuse--she hasn't seen Big Momma in two years--but Big Momma's oblivious friends must be functional morons. Screenwriters Darryl Quarles and Don Rhymer didn't tax themselves very much, as they have Malcolm-as-Big-Momma going throu! gh fairly predictable motions--botching a meal and delivering a baby unconventionally (Big Momma's a midwife), but ruling at basketball and self- defense and protecting Sherry while trying vainly not to flirt with her. Paul Giamatti is wasted as Malcolm's partner; director Raja Gosnell's clunky sense of comic rhythm is bewildering, because he used to be an editor (he brought a similar lack of magic to Home Alone 3).

Lawrence won't have anyone forgetting Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon in Some Like It Hot, Dustin Hoffman in Tootsie, or Robin Williams in Mrs. Doubtfire anytime soon. Big Momma's House benefits mainly by being first to the marketplace ahead of Eddie Murphy's The Nutty Professor 2: The Klumps; Murphy's work in prosthetics is far more accomplished, versatile, and funny. --David KronkeNo one tries very hard in Big Momma's House, so your enjoyment of this Martin Lawrence vehicle pretty much depends! on how much amusement you're able to derive from a guy dress! ed up as a very ample woman. The setup is of the eye-rolling, only-in-Hollywood nature: Lawrence, as detective Malcolm Turner, is after a killer, and apparently the only way to capture him is to pose as the bad guy's ex-girlfriend's grandmother, who--the film cannot stress this point too much--is quite large.

Apparently, Sherry (Nia Long), the young woman in question--she's as attractive as Big Momma is, well, you know--is none too bright, for she falls for Malcolm's ruse, which of course ostensibly amuses mainly because it's so transparent. She at least has an excuse--she hasn't seen Big Momma in two years--but Big Momma's oblivious friends must be functional morons. Screenwriters Darryl Quarles and Don Rhymer didn't tax themselves very much, as they have Malcolm-as-Big-Momma going through fairly predictable motions--botching a meal and delivering a baby unconventionally (Big Momma's a midwife), but ruling at basketball and self- defense and protecting Sherry while t! rying vainly not to flirt with her. Paul Giamatti is wasted as Malcolm's partner; director Raja Gosnell's clunky sense of comic rhythm is bewildering, because he used to be an editor (he brought a similar lack of magic to Home Alone 3).

Lawrence won't have anyone forgetting Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon in Some Like It Hot, Dustin Hoffman in Tootsie, or Robin Williams in Mrs. Doubtfire anytime soon. Big Momma's House benefits mainly by being first to the marketplace ahead of Eddie Murphy's The Nutty Professor 2: The Klumps; Murphy's work in prosthetics is far more accomplished, versatile, and funny. --David KronkeBig Momma's House 2
Disguise is the limit. "Martin Lawrence brings down the house" (E! Online) as crafty FBI agent Malcolm Turner who's willing to go through thick and thin in order to catch an escaped prisoner. "Nia Long is captivating" (Checkout.com) as Sherry, the con's sexy former f! lame - she might have the skinny on millions in stolen loot, a! nd she's headed for Georgia to lay low for a while. That's enough to send Malcolm deep undercover as Big Momma, an oversized, overbearing Southern granny with an attitude as tough as her pork chops. The result is an outrageous comedy of epic proportions, filled with nonstop laughs and plenty of action!

Big Momma's House 2
Nonstop laughs are back in the house with this super-sized sequel that's wilder, funnier, and filled with even more outrageous new adventures! Martin Lawrence and Nia Long return in a heavyweight hit comedy that's loads of fun for the whole family! In the interest of national security, FBI agent Malcolm Turner (Lawrence) goes back undercover as Big Momma?a slick-talking, slam-dunking Southern granny with attitude to spare! Now this granny must play nanny to three demanding kids to complete his most outrageous assignment ever! PRODUCT DESCRIPTION: At Moviestore we have an unbeatable range of both original and classic high quality reproducti! on movie posters. Movie poster art is a wonderful collectible item and great for home or office decor. We have been in business for 16 years so you can buy with confidence. Our guarantee - if you are not fully satisfied with your purchase from Moviestore we will gladly refund your money.

Across the Universe (Two-Disc Special Edition)

• Condition: Used, Very Good
• Format: DVD
• Anamorphic; NTSC

Across the Universe, from director Julie Taymor, is a revolutionary rock musical that re-imagines America in the turbulent late-1960s, a time when battle lines were being drawn at home and abroad. When young dockworker Jude (Jim Sturgess) leaves Liverpool to find his estranged father in America, he is swept up by the waves of change that are re-shaping the nation. Jude falls in love with Lucy (Evan Rachel Wood), a rich but sheltered American girl who joins the growing anti-war movement in New York's Greenwich Village. As the body count in Vietnam rises, political tensions at home spiral out of control and the star-crossed lovers find themselves in a psychedelic world gone mad. With a cameo by Bono, Across the Universe is "the kind of movie you watch again, like listening to a favorite album." (Roger Ebert, C! hicago Sun-Times)Set in America during the Vietnam War, Across the Universe is a powerful love story set against a backdrop of political and social unrest: it's a story of soul-searching, self-doubt, and individual powerlessness cleverly conveyed through a multitude of Beatles songs. Like young adults all across America during the 1960's, Jude (Jim Sturgess), Lucy (Evan Rachel Wood), Max (Joe Anderson), Sadie (Dana Fuchs), Prudence (T.V. Carpio), and JoJo (Martin Luther) are in turmoil over the war; questioning their individual roles in the war effort and struggling to find a way to hold true to their beliefs while making a difference in the world. While love proves a powerful uniting force, its limitations become clear as relationships are strained and broken over individual perceptions of responsibility to cause and country. A fairly bizarre juxtaposition of extremely stylized, almost hallucinogenic scenes of swirling colors and reflections, highly choreogra! phed dance segments, seemingly commonplace character interacti! on, and emotionally packed close-up footage of characters lost in contemplative song, this film imparts a good sense of the confusion and passion of the time and is at once powerful, invigorating, and disturbing. The film runs a bit long at 2-hours 11-minutes and several segments drag noticeably thanks to some incredibly slow song tempos. Warning: this production may change how you think about a favorite Beatles song forever. --Tami Horiuchi

Beyond Across the Universe

On Blu-ray

The Deluxe Soundtrack

Beatles audio CD

Stills from Across the Universe (click for larger image)