Saturday, December 3, 2011

Casino Jack and the United States of Money

  • This portrait of Washington super-lobbyist Jack Abramoff, from his early years as a gung-ho member of the GOP political machine to his final reckoning as a disgraced, imprisoned pariah, confirms the adage that truth is indeed stranger than fiction.  A tale of international intrigue involving casinos, spies, sweatshops and mob-style killings, this is a story of the way money corrupts our polit
Two-time Academy Award® Winner Kevin Spacey delivers a “bravura performance” (The New Yorker ) in this “uproarious, riveting and wickedly hilarious” (Elle ) film inspired by a true story. Spacey stars as Jack Abramoff, the real-life Washington power player who resorted to jaw-dropping levels of fraud and corruption. High-rolling excess and outrageous escapades are all in a day’s work for Abramoff, as he goes to outrageous lengths to promote the Indian gambling industry, earning him the nickna! me “Casino Jack.” But when Jack and his womanizing protégé Michael Scanlon (Barry Pepper) enlist a dimwitted business partner (Jon Lovitz) for an illegal scheme, they find themselves ensnared in a web of greed and murder that explodes into a worldwide scandal.The sordid tale of lobbyist Jack Abramoff and his greedy, felonious power plays during the glory days of the W. presidency are fine fuel for the antic romp Kevin Spacey turns out in Casino Jack. Spacey's signature twist of smug sincerity and self-satisfaction perfectly suits the portrait of a man whose morals are so corrupt and ego so glorified that he truly believes he's doing God's work at the same time he's swiping cash from every opportunistic situation he can wrangle. As a companion piece to Alex Gibney's equally entertaining documentary Casino Jack and the United States of Money, this comic rendering of a political life led with such impolitic indiscretion ramps the ridiculousness of Abramoff'! s schemes up several notches thanks to a liberal dose of drama! tic lice nse. Nevertheless, the events portrayed are real--the ploys to defraud Indian tribes, the bumbling forays of entrepreneurship, the ballsy attempts at misdirection once misdeeds spiral out of control--as are many of the major players. Director George Hickenlooper (who died at age 47 just days before the film's opening in late 2010) has no compunction about magnifying the ethical warts of historical players such as Tom DeLay, Ralph Reed, Grover Norquist, and Karl Rove as they act out the real-life sketch comedy of what really happened in the corridors of the Capitol and the conference rooms of K Street. Because it does come off as high-end sketch comedy, Casino Jack sometimes feels a little sketchy in its execution, but the cast is uniformly excellent in making scenes crackle with hilariously vituperative flair. Especially good are Barry Pepper as Abramoff's oily cohort, Jon Lovitz as a doltish, mobbed-up mattress salesman, and the late Maury Chaykin as a seemingly harm! less mafia functionary who's way more dangerous than his clownish exterior betrays. But the movie belongs to Spacey as a man obsessed with his own importance. This Abramoff, who worked as a C-list producer early in his career, still fancies himself a Hollywood-type player even as the A-list plots he scripts in Washington end up filled with holes. Spacey apes and mugs with typically borderline-manic panache, giving masterful insight into the master of a universe that exists almost entirely in his own avaricious mind. --Ted FryThis portrait of Washington super-lobbyist Jack Abramoff, from his early years as a gung-ho member of the GOP political machine to his final reckoning as a disgraced, imprisoned pariah, confirms the adage that truth is indeed stranger than fiction. A tale of international intrigue involving casinos, spies, sweatshops and mob-style killings, this is a story of the way money corrupts our political process. Oscar®-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney illu! minates the way politicians' desperate need to get
elected ! and the millions of dollars it costs may be undermining the basic principles of American democracy. Infuriating, yet undeniably eye-opening and entertaining, CASINO JACK is a saga of greed and corruption with a cynical villain audiences will love to hate.As he proved in Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, Oscar-winning director Alex Gibney knows how to transform creative bookkeeping into compelling drama without dumbing things down. In his follow-up to Gonzo, a portrait of rabble-rouser Hunter S. Thompson, Gibney takes on disgraced GOP lobbyist Jack Abramoff (Stanley Tucci provides his voice in readings). Gibney begins with the Mob-style murder of a one-time associate before backtracking to Abramoff's days as chairman of the College Republicans, where he rubbed shoulders with Karl Rove and Ralph Reed--and impressed Ronald Reagan. Even as a student, however, there were signs of trouble as he laundered money through charities, a pattern he would repeat throughout the d! ecades, always on the lookout for new loopholes. Gibney proceeds through his dealings with the Contras, an Angolan dictator, Saipan sweatshops, and Indian casinos (the debacle in Angola led him to produce the right-wing shoot-'em-up Red Scorpion). Along the way, Abramoff ensnared lawmakers and government officials in his web as they traded political favors for campaign financing. As Bob Ney's chief of staff, Neil Volz, puts it, Abramoff "could talk a dog off a meat truck." When his house of cards finally came crashing down, Reed, Ney, Volz, Tom DeLay, and numerous others fell with him (all but Reed appear in the film). As in his other documentaries, Gibney juices the action with music cues that keep things lively, even if some of his choices are a little too on the nose, like Howlin' Wolf's "Back Door Man." --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Hot Rods to Hell

  • The Phillips Family is chased by rowdy teenagers on their way through California. Runtime: 92 mins Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION Rating: NR Age: 012569797284 UPC: 012569797284 Manufacturer No: 79728
Andy Samberg stars as Rod Kimble, a stuntman with a fake mustache and a dream, in this outrageous comedy so unpredictable you won't know what hit you! Rod has never landed a jump without wiping out. His family and friends think he's a joke. And, to top it off, his stepfather Frank uses him as his own personal pinching bag. But he's not going to let a few minor problems keep him from the biggest stunt of his life!

Co-starring Isla Fisher and Ian McShane, Hot Rod is "very, very funny from start to finish" and scales the heights of hilarity as Rod defies death to win the money, win the girl and, ultimately, win some respect. After making a name for himself on SNL through a! series of shorts, particularly viral video favorite "Lazy Sunday," the way was clear for Andy Samberg to segue to the big screen. Directed by SNL scribe Akiva Schaffer, Hot Rod proves his humor works best in small doses. Then again, producer Will Ferrell got his start in A Night at the Roxbury. In his first starring role, Samberg is amateur stuntman Rod Kimble. To raise money for his ailing stepfather, Frank (played with devilish glee by Deadwood's Ian McShane), Rod plans to jump 15 school buses on a moped. With support from his crew, which includes SNL's Bill Hader and Isla Fisher (Wedding Crashers), Rod trains for the big event. All the while, Denise (Fisher) is seeing obnoxious attorney Jonathan (Will Arnett, Arrested Development). Lack of physical dexterity aside, Rod prevails through pure dogged determination. You've seen it before, and if you can't get enough of this sort of thing, you'll see it again. Hot Rod i! s the kind of slapdash comedy that neglects to provide its her! o with a n age, a job, or even a hometown. But don't count Samberg out. Given time, he may yet craft a persona that doesn't borrow so heavily from the man-boy antics associated with Ferrell and Adam Sandler. Still, Hot Rod would've worked better with the funnier, more sympathetic Jorma Taccone, who plays Rod's half-brother, in the lead--on the other hand, that's the same formula that made Napoleon Dynamite a hit. --Kathleen C. FennessyAmateur stuntman Rod Kimble (ANDY SAMBERG) has a problem â€" his step-father Frank (IAN MCSHANE) is a jerk. Frank picks on Rod, tosses him around like a rag doll in their weekly sparring sessions, and definitely doesn't respect him, much less his stunts. But when Frank falls ill, it's up to Rod to stage the jump of his life in order to save his step-father. The plan: Jump 15 buses, raise the money for Frank's heart operation, and then... kick his ass.After making a name for himself on SNL through a series of shorts, particularly vir! al video favorite "Lazy Sunday," the way was clear for Andy Samberg to segue to the big screen. Directed by SNL scribe Akiva Schaffer, Hot Rod proves his humor works best in small doses. Then again, producer Will Ferrell got his start in A Night at the Roxbury. In his first starring role, Samberg is amateur stuntman Rod Kimble. To raise money for his ailing stepfather, Frank (played with devilish glee by Deadwood's Ian McShane), Rod plans to jump 15 school buses on a moped. With support from his crew, which includes SNL's Bill Hader and Isla Fisher (Wedding Crashers), Rod trains for the big event. All the while, Denise (Fisher) is seeing obnoxious attorney Jonathan (Will Arnett, Arrested Development). Lack of physical dexterity aside, Rod prevails through pure dogged determination. You've seen it before, and if you can't get enough of this sort of thing, you'll see it again. Hot Rod is the kind of slapdash comedy that neglects to pr! ovide its hero with an age, a job, or even a hometown. But don! 't count Samberg out. Given time, he may yet craft a persona that doesn't borrow so heavily from the man-boy antics associated with Ferrell and Adam Sandler. Still, Hot Rod would've worked better with the funnier, more sympathetic Jorma Taccone, who plays Rod's half-brother, in the lead--on the other hand, that's the same formula that made Napoleon Dynamite a hit. --Kathleen C. FennessyAmateur stuntman Rod Kimble (ANDY SAMBERG) has a problem â€" his step-father Frank (IAN MCSHANE) is a jerk. Frank picks on Rod, tosses him around like a rag doll in their weekly sparring sessions, and definitely doesn't respect him, much less his stunts. But when Frank falls ill, it's up to Rod to stage the jump of his life in order to save his step-father. The plan: Jump 15 buses, raise the money for Frank's heart operation, and then... kick his ass. After making a name for himself on SNL through a series of shorts, particularly viral video favorite "Lazy Sunday," the way ! was clear for Andy Samberg to segue to the big screen. Directed by SNL scribe Akiva Schaffer, Hot Rod proves his humor works best in small doses. Then again, producer Will Ferrell got his start in A Night at the Roxbury. In his first starring role, Samberg is amateur stuntman Rod Kimble. To raise money for his ailing stepfather, Frank (played with devilish glee by Deadwood's Ian McShane), Rod plans to jump 15 school buses on a moped. With support from his crew, which includes SNL's Bill Hader and Isla Fisher (Wedding Crashers), Rod trains for the big event. All the while, Denise (Fisher) is seeing obnoxious attorney Jonathan (Will Arnett, Arrested Development). Lack of physical dexterity aside, Rod prevails through pure dogged determination. You've seen it before, and if you can't get enough of this sort of thing, you'll see it again. Hot Rod is the kind of slapdash comedy that neglects to provide its hero with an age,! a job, or even a hometown. But don't count Samberg out. Given! time, h e may yet craft a persona that doesn't borrow so heavily from the man-boy antics associated with Ferrell and Adam Sandler. Still, Hot Rod would've worked better with the funnier, more sympathetic Jorma Taccone, who plays Rod's half-brother, in the lead--on the other hand, that's the same formula that made Napoleon Dynamite a hit. --Kathleen C. FennessyStudio: Victor Multimedia-05 Release Date: 10/16/2007 Run time: 60 minutesLike something that rolled out of a garage in Andy Hardy's hometown of Carvel Indiana comes Hot Rod. James Lydon (whose radio and film portrayals of Henry Aldrich were perhaps but a half-block removed from Andy) stars as David Langham, an enterprising youth with an eye for the girls and an ear for a well-tuned high-compression machine. And his dad? He's a sagacious font of advice (Art Baker) who happens to be a small town judge. The film, which combines the excitement of tire-singing speed with a cautionary message about the perils ! of street racing, would see a stream of redlining exploitation flicks in its rearview, Hot Rod Girl, Hot Rod Gang and Hot Rods to Hell among them.

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HOT RODS TO HELL - DVD Movie

Doug's 1st Movie [VHS]

  • approx 83 minutes
NEW VHS; Factory sealed, never opened. Clean, very fine condition, Carefully packaged to assure your vhs will arrive in perfect condition. SATISFACTION GUARANTEED

Back to the Future: The Complete Trilogy (Widescreen Edition)

  • Condition: Used, Very Good
  • Format: DVD
  • Anamorphic; Box set; Closed-captioned; Color; Dolby; DVD; Subtitled; Widescreen; NTSC
Experience one of the most popular movie series of all time like never before with the Back to the Future 25th Anniversary Trilogy! Join Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox), Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) and a time traveling DeLorean for the adventure of a lifetime as they travel to the past, present and future, setting off a time-shattering chain reaction that disrupts the space time continuum! From filmmakers Steven Spielberg, Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale, these timeless films feature all-new 25th Anniversary restorations for enhanced picture and sound plus hours of exciting bonus features.Filmmaker Robert Zemeckis topped his breakaway hit Romancing the Stone with Back to the Future, a joyous comedy with a dazzling hook: what would it be like to! meet your parents in their youth? Billed as a special-effects comedy, the imaginative film (the top box-office smash of 1985) has staying power because of the heart behind Zemeckis and Bob Gale's script. High schooler Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox, during the height of his TV success) is catapulted back to the '50s where he sees his parents in their teens, and accidentally changes the history of how Mom and Dad met. Filled with the humorous ideology of the '50s, filtered through the knowledge of the '80s (actor Ronald Reagan is president, ha!), the film comes off as a Twilight Zone episode written by Preston Sturges. Filled with memorable effects and two wonderfully off-key, perfectly cast performances: Christopher Lloyd as the crazy scientist who builds the time machine (a DeLorean luxury car) and Crispin Glover as Marty's geeky dad. --Doug Thomas

Critics and audiences didn't seem too happy with Back to the Future, Part II, the inventive, perhaps too! clever sequel. Director Zemeckis and cast bent over backwards! to add layers of time-travel complication, and while it surely exercises the brain it isn't necessarily funny in the same way that its predecessor was. It's well worth a visit, though, just to appreciate the imagination that went into it, particularly in a finale that has Marty watching his own actions from the first film. --Tom Keogh

Shot back-to-back with the second chapter in the trilogy, Back to the Future, Part III is less hectic than that film and has the same sweet spirit of the first, albeit in a whole new setting. This time, Marty ends up in the Old West of 1885, trying to prevent the death of mad scientist Christopher Lloyd at the hands of gunman Buford "Mad Dog" Tannen (Thomas F. Wilson, who had a recurring role as the bully Biff). Director Zemeckis successfully blends exciting special effects with the traditions of a Western and comes up with something original and fun. --Tom KeoghExperience one of the most popular movie series of all time like n! ever before with the Back to the Future 25th Anniversary Trilogy! Join Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox), Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) and a time traveling DeLorean for the adventure of a lifetime as they travel to the past, present and future, setting off a time-shattering chain reaction that disrupts the space time continuum! From filmmakers Steven Spielberg, Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale, these timeless films feature all-new 25th Anniversary restorations for enhanced picture and sound plus hours of exciting bonus features.Filmmaker Robert Zemeckis topped his breakaway hit Romancing the Stone with Back to the Future, a joyous comedy with a dazzling hook: what would it be like to meet your parents in their youth? Billed as a special-effects comedy, the imaginative film (the top box-office smash of 1985) has staying power because of the heart behind Zemeckis and Bob Gale's script. High schooler Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox, during the height of his TV success) is ca! tapulted back to the '50s where he sees his parents in their t! eens, an d accidentally changes the history of how Mom and Dad met. Filled with the humorous ideology of the '50s, filtered through the knowledge of the '80s (actor Ronald Reagan is president, ha!), the film comes off as a Twilight Zone episode written by Preston Sturges. Filled with memorable effects and two wonderfully off-key, perfectly cast performances: Christopher Lloyd as the crazy scientist who builds the time machine (a DeLorean luxury car) and Crispin Glover as Marty's geeky dad. --Doug Thomas

Critics and audiences didn't seem too happy with Back to the Future, Part II, the inventive, perhaps too clever sequel. Director Zemeckis and cast bent over backwards to add layers of time-travel complication, and while it surely exercises the brain it isn't necessarily funny in the same way that its predecessor was. It's well worth a visit, though, just to appreciate the imagination that went into it, particularly in a finale that has Marty watching his own ac! tions from the first film. --Tom Keogh

Shot back-to-back with the second chapter in the trilogy, Back to the Future, Part III is less hectic than that film and has the same sweet spirit of the first, albeit in a whole new setting. This time, Marty ends up in the Old West of 1885, trying to prevent the death of mad scientist Christopher Lloyd at the hands of gunman Buford "Mad Dog" Tannen (Thomas F. Wilson, who had a recurring role as the bully Biff). Director Zemeckis successfully blends exciting special effects with the traditions of a Western and comes up with something original and fun. --Tom KeoghFrom the Academy Award-winning filmmakers Steven Spielberg and Robert Zemeckis comes Back to the Future - the original, groundbreaking adventure that sparked one of the most successful trilogies ever! When teenager Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) is blasted to 1955 in the DeLorean time machine created by the eccentric Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd), he finds! himself mixed up in a time-shattering chain reaction that cou! ld vapor ize his future - and leave him trapped in the past. Powered by innovative special effects, unforgettable songs and non-stop action, Back to the Future is an unrivaled adventure that stands the test of time. Starring: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Thomas F. Wilson, Crispin Glover, Claudia Wells, Billy Zane, Casey Siemaszko Directed by: Robert ZemeckisDr. Emmett Brown: Then tell me, "future boy," who is president in the United States in 1985?
Marty McFly: Ronald Reagan.
Dr. Brown: Ronald Reagan? The actor?! Who's vice president? Jerry Lewis?

Filmmaker Robert Zemeckis topped his breakaway hit Romancing the Stone with this joyous comedy with a dazzling hook: what would it be like to meet your parents in their youth? Billed as a special-effects comedy, the imaginative film (the top box-office smash of 1985) has staying power because of the heart behind Zemeckis and Bob Gale's script. High schooler Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox, during ! the height of his TV success) is catapulted back to the '50s where he sees his parents in their teens, and accidentally changes the history of how Mom and Dad met. Filled with the humorous ideology of the '50s, filtered through the knowledge of the '80s (actor Ronald Reagan is president, ha!), the film comes off as a Twilight Zone episode written by Preston Sturges. Filled with memorable effects and two wonderfully off-key, perfectly cast performances: Christopher Lloyd as the crazy scientist who builds the time machine (a DeLorean luxury car) and Crispin Glover as Marty's geeky dad. Followed by two sequels. --Doug ThomasExperience one of the most popular movie series of all time like never before with the Back to the Future 25th Anniversary Trilogy! Join Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox), Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) and a time traveling DeLorean for the adventure of a lifetime as they travel to the past, present and future, setting off a time-shattering chain r! eaction that disrupts the space time continuum! From filmmake! rs Steve n Spielberg, Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale, these timeless films feature all-new 25th Anniversary restorations for enhanced picture and sound plus hours of exciting bonus features.Filmmaker Robert Zemeckis topped his breakaway hit Romancing the Stone with Back to the Future, a joyous comedy with a dazzling hook: what would it be like to meet your parents in their youth? Billed as a special-effects comedy, the imaginative film (the top box-office smash of 1985) has staying power because of the heart behind Zemeckis and Bob Gale's script. High schooler Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox, during the height of his TV success) is catapulted back to the '50s where he sees his parents in their teens, and accidentally changes the history of how Mom and Dad met. Filled with the humorous ideology of the '50s, filtered through the knowledge of the '80s (actor Ronald Reagan is president, ha!), the film comes off as a Twilight Zone episode written by Preston Sturges. Filled ! with memorable effects and two wonderfully off-key, perfectly cast performances: Christopher Lloyd as the crazy scientist who builds the time machine (a DeLorean luxury car) and Crispin Glover as Marty's geeky dad. --Doug Thomas

Critics and audiences didn't seem too happy with Back to the Future, Part II, the inventive, perhaps too clever sequel. Director Zemeckis and cast bent over backwards to add layers of time-travel complication, and while it surely exercises the brain it isn't necessarily funny in the same way that its predecessor was. It's well worth a visit, though, just to appreciate the imagination that went into it, particularly in a finale that has Marty watching his own actions from the first film. --Tom Keogh

Shot back-to-back with the second chapter in the trilogy, Back to the Future, Part III is less hectic than that film and has the same sweet spirit of the first, albeit in a whole new setting. This time, Marty ends up in t! he Old West of 1885, trying to prevent the death of mad scient! ist Chri stopher Lloyd at the hands of gunman Buford "Mad Dog" Tannen (Thomas F. Wilson, who had a recurring role as the bully Biff). Director Zemeckis successfully blends exciting special effects with the traditions of a Western and comes up with something original and fun. --Tom KeoghExperience theiComplete Trilogy!Presented by Steven Spielberg directed by Oscar® winner Robert Zemeckis and starring time travelers Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd the phenomenally popular Back To The Future films literally changed the future of the adventure movie genre. Now this unprecedented Back To The Future DVD Trilogy immerses you in all the breathtaking action outrageous comedy and sheer moviemaking magic of one of the most brilliantly inventive wildly entertaining motion picture triumphs in Hollywood history!System Requirements:Starring: Michael J. Fox Christopher Lloyd Crispin Glover Elisabeth Shue and Lea Thompson. Directed By: Robert Zemeckis. Running Time: 344 Min. (Total) C! olor. These films are presented in "Widescreen" format. Copyright 2002 Universal.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY Rating: PG UPC: 025192212123 Manufacturer No: 61022121Filmmaker Robert Zemeckis topped his breakaway hit Romancing the Stone with Back to the Future, a joyous comedy with a dazzling hook: what would it be like to meet your parents in their youth? Billed as a special-effects comedy, the imaginative film (the top box-office smash of 1985) has staying power because of the heart behind Zemeckis and Bob Gale's script. High schooler Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox, during the height of his TV success) is catapulted back to the '50s where he sees his parents in their teens, and accidentally changes the history of how Mom and Dad met. Filled with the humorous ideology of the '50s, filtered through the knowledge of the '80s (actor Ronald Reagan is president, ha!), the film comes off as a Twilight Zone episode written by Preston Sturges. Filled with ! memorable effects and two wonderfully off-key, perfectly cast ! performa nces: Christopher Lloyd as the crazy scientist who builds the time machine (a DeLorean luxury car) and Crispin Glover as Marty's geeky dad. --Doug Thomas

Critics and audiences didn't seem too happy with Back to the Future, Part II, the inventive, perhaps too clever sequel. Director Zemeckis and cast bent over backwards to add layers of time-travel complication, and while it surely exercises the brain it isn't necessarily funny in the same way that its predecessor was. It's well worth a visit, though, just to appreciate the imagination that went into it, particularly in a finale that has Marty watching his own actions from the first film. --Tom Keogh

Shot back-to-back with the second chapter in the trilogy, Back to the Future, Part III is less hectic than that film and has the same sweet spirit of the first, albeit in a whole new setting. This time, Marty ends up in the Old West of 1885, trying to prevent the death of mad scientist Christophe! r Lloyd at the hands of gunman Buford "Mad Dog" Tannen (Thomas F. Wilson, who had a recurring role as the bully Biff). Director Zemeckis successfully blends exciting special effects with the traditions of a Western and comes up with something original and fun. --Tom Keogh

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

  • OST
  • O.S.T.
  • 5099750182420
Three young meneach cursed with two left feetfind that the right steps to salsa dancing can lead to love in this hilarious romantic film"a feel-good date movie in the Four Weddings mold" (Uncut)! Starring Craig Ferguson ("The Drew Carey Show"), Ian Hart (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone), Jane Horrocks ("Absolutely Fabulous"), Adrian Lester, Catherine McCormack,Jimi Mistry, David Morrissey and Olivia Williams (The Sixth Sense), Born Romantic will take you for a dizzying spin through three quirky courtshipsand leave you "smiling and believing that love really can conquer all" (Good Housekeeping)! A certified lounge lotharioseeks to heat things up with an art historian who's cooled on the idea of love. A failed musician wants to strum the right chord with the bride he jilted years earlier. And a dyslexic mugger with a chloroform-doused cloth finds ! himself knocked out by a pretty grave attendant. They've got their workcut out for them. And yet, at a local club pulsating with the hot sounds of salsa music, any one ofthese three could find the answer to his romantic quandary if they can only find the rhythm in time.A cheeky comedy about love's labor being well beyond lost, Born Romantic stutters out of the gate and never quite recovers. Perhaps it's the gaggle of local quips, jokes based on British television personalities, for instance, or the cameo-like nature of its ever-revolving cast, but director David Kane can't seem to sit still long enough to artfully set up his punch lines--anathema to a feature-length comedy. Set mostly in a London salsa club, the film trails behind a series of lonely thirtysomething singles as they search out one-night stands in the hopes of stumbling upon something more meaningful, namely love. As they shuttle to and fro in late-night minicabs, we're afforded insight into their short! comings, past disappointments, shagging abilities, and ostensi! ble char ms, the cab serving as both confession booth and makeshift bedroom. Featuring a cast of recognizably talented faces, including Jimi Mistry (East Is East) and Olivia Williams (Rushmore), Born Romantic unfortunately never manages to shake its initial impression of being an inflated sitcom better pared down for television. --Fionn MeadeTrack listing 1. Acuyuye - DLG // 2. Oye Como Va - Feliciano, Cheo // 3. Ella Fue - Fania Allstars // 4. Love - Cole, Nat 'King' // 5. Indestructible - Salinas, Robby // 6. Ran Kan Kan - Puente, Tito // 7. Pintame - Crespo, Elvis // 8. Born Romantic - Boswell, Simon // 9. Fear And Love - Morcheeba // 10. Sway - Martin, Dean // 11. La Enganadora - Gonzalez, Ruben // 12. Baby Won't You Please Come Home - Horrocks, Jane & Dean Martin // 13. Ojala - Kassav // 14. Como Ves - Ozomatli // 15. No Me Dejes De Querer (Flores Del Caribe mix) - Estefan, Gloria // 16. London By Day - Boswell, Simon // 17. Love - Ferguson, Craig // 18. Yes Sir I Can Boogie - Miranda, Nina

Cairo Time

  • CAIRO TIME (DVD MOVIE)
A married magazine editor falls for one of her husband's old acquaintances while vacationing in Cairo in this romantic drama from writer/director Ruba Nadda. Juliette (Patricia Clarkson) is a magazine editor who is happily married to Mark (Tom McCamus), a Canadian diplomat. Their kids are all grown up, and they've planned a three-week vacation in Cairo together when Mark gets delayed in the Palestinian territories and Juliette is left to navigate the Egyptian capitol alone. In order to ensure his wife's safety until he arrives, Mark asks his former security officer and longtime friend Tareq (Alexander Siddig) to be her guide though the city. He never imagined that they would fall in love, but the more time Tareq and Juliette spend together the more difficult is becomes for them to deny their intense attraction to one another.Patricia Clarkson, who brightens just about a! ny movie she's in, is positively luminous in Cairo Time. The plot of the movie barely exists: Juliette Grant (Clarkson, The Station Agent, Pieces of April) goes to Cairo to meet with her husband, a U.N. diplomat held up in Israel. At loose ends, she wanders the city and spends time with a friend of her husband's, Tareq (Alexander Siddig, Syriana, Deep Space Nine), with whom an understated but undeniable attraction forms. But Cairo Time isn't about plot--it's a wonderfully delicate examination of cultural differences and human connection across them. Both Clarkson and Siddig are superb; both are thoroughly grounded actors, and their firm grasp of their characters allows them to capture very quiet emotions that have a surprising impact. Director Ruba Nadda, who is a Canadian of Arab descent, has a skillful sense of rhythm and a keen eye for both human detail and magnificent landscapes. Cairo Time is a beautiful movie, romantic ! and melancholy, gentle and tart, subtle but deeply satisfying.! --Br et Fetzer

Celtic Woman: Songs From The Heart

  • DVD
  • Celtic Woman
  • Format DVD
GRACE OF MY HEART - DVD MovieThe traditions of old-fashioned melodrama are given a hip facelift in this homage to the Brill Building era (the late 1950s to the early 1970s) of pop-music glory, providing a perfect match between writer-director Allison Anders and her excellent cast. Illeana Douglas plays a singer-songwriter (loosely modeled after Brill recording artist Carole King) whose life runs emotionally parallel to popular music trends. John Turturro is a stand-in for "wall of sound" producer Phil Spector and Matt Dillon is a thinly disguised version of maverick Beach Boy Brian Wilson. It's a bit too schematic in the way the central character is always in the right place at the right time, but as a tale of fame and romantic highs and lows in the '50s and '60s the movie is funny, touching, and sincere. It's a lively and loving tribute to timeless! music and the colorful characters who created it. --Jeff Shannon A terrific sampler of greatest hits from the heyday of girl groups and the Brill Building--except that none of the songs are actually from that era. What we have here is an incredible simulation--from Allison Anders' unjustly overlooked 1996 movie about the tempestuous life and career of a Carole King- like singer-songwriter (the magnificent Illeana Douglas) who spends years writing for others before finding her own voice. But instead of just licensing the old Shirelles' recordings of Goffin-King hits, the filmmakers came up with the brilliant idea of doing original songs by combining the sensibilities of contemporary artists and their songwriting forebears. So, for example, Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach teamed up to write and perform the power- ballad "God Give Me Strength" (although I wish they'd also included Douglas's even more moving version from the picture); Leslie Gore te! ams with Larry Klein and David Baerwald for "My Secret Love" ! (perform ed by Miss Lily Banquette of Combustible Edison); Gerry and Louise Goffin team with Baerwald for "Between Two Worlds" (performed by Sean Colvin); J. Mascis of Dinosaur Jr. writes and sings some Brian Wilson/Beach Boys-type stuff ("Take a Run at the Sun," "Don't You Think It's Time"), and so on. Buy the record; see the movie. You won't be disappointed. --Jim EmersonThe traditions of old-fashioned melodrama are given a hip facelift in this homage to the Brill Building era (the late 1950s to the early 1970s) of pop-music glory, providing a perfect match between writer-director Allison Anders and her excellent cast. Illeana Douglas plays a singer-songwriter (loosely modeled after Brill recording artist Carole King) whose life runs emotionally parallel to popular music trends. John Turturro is a stand-in for "wall of sound" producer Phil Spector and Matt Dillon is a thinly disguised version of maverick Beach Boy Brian Wilson. It's a bit too schematic in the way the! central character is always in the right place at the right time, but as a tale of fame and romantic highs and lows in the '50s and '60s the movie is funny, touching, and sincere. It's a lively and loving tribute to timeless music and the colorful characters who created it. --Jeff Shannon Tracks: God Give Me the Strength-Burt Bacharach & Elvis Costello, Love Doesn't Ever Fail Us-Williams Brothers, Take a Run at the Sun-J Mascis, I Do-For Real, Between Two Worlds-Shawn Colvin, My Secret Love-Lily Banquette, Man From Mars-Kristen Vigard, Born to Love that Boy-For Real, Truth is You Lied-Jill Sobule, Unwanted Number-For Real, Groovin on You-Juneo, In Another World-Portrait, Don't You Think It's Time-J Mascis, Absence Makes the Heart-Tiffany Anders & Boyd Rice, A Boat on the Sea-Kristen VigardTrack Listing:
1. The Call
2. Fields of Gold
3. When You Believe
4. The Coast of Galiçia
5. The New Ground - Isle of Hope, Isle of Tears
6. Non ! C’è Piú
7. True Colours
9. Galway Bay
10! . Goodni ght My Angel
11. O, America!
12. Níl Sé’n Lá
13. The Last Rose Fantasia
14. The Moon’s a Harsh Mistress
15. My Lagan Love
16. Amazing Grace
17. Pie Jesu
18. Slumber My Darling / The Mason’s Apron
19. Danny Boy
20. You Raise Me Up
21. Finale / Mo Ghile Mear

Before Sunrise

  • BEFORE SUNRISE (DVD MOVIE)
A heartbroken young Texas journalist meets a beautiful French student on a train bound for Paris, and invites her to share his last night in Vienna.
Genre: Feature Film-Drama
Rating: R
Release Date: 6-NOV-2001
Media Type: DVDThis romantic, witty, and ultimately poignant glimpse at two strangers (Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy) who share thoughts, affections, and past experiences during one 14-hour tryst in Vienna somehow remains writer/director Richard Linklater's (Dazed and Confused, Slacker) most overlooked gem. Delpy, a stunning, low-key Parisian, meets the stammering American Hawke, as the two share a Eurorail seat--she's starting school in Paris, he's finishing a vacation. Their mutual attraction leads to an awkward meeting (beautifully played by each performer), and Hawke suggests that Delpy spend his remaini! ng 14 hours in Vienna with him.

Typically, this skeleton is as much plot as Linklater provides; as usual, he's more interested in concentrating his talents on observing the casual, playful conversations between his leads. His tight time frame allows the characters to say anything to one another, and topics ranging from politics to past romances to fears of the future flow with subtle finesse. The short time frame is also cruel, however, because beneath this love affair lies the painful reality that the two most likely will never see each other again and will be left only with memories--an idea Linklater drives home with an effective snapshot conclusion.

Hardly the trite Gen-X bitch session that many '90s films using this approach become, the film feels more like a Bresson or Rohmer piece, containing sharp perceptions--and flawed humans rather than stereotypes. The protagonists' frank revelations and heated exchanges flow in a stream-of-consciousness style, and its n! o accident that Linklater set the film in Vienna, where Freud ! invented and practiced psychotherapy. --Dave McCoyBEFORE SUNSET - DVD MovieIn 1994, director Richard Linklater (Dazed and Confused, Waking Life) made Before Sunrise, a gorgeous poem of a movie about two strangers (played by Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy) wandering around Vienna, talking, and falling in love. Ten years later, Linklater, Hawke, and Delpy have returned with Before Sunset, which reunites the same characters after Hawke has written a book about that night. Delpy appears at the final book reading of his European tour; they have less than two hours before Hawke has to catch a flight to New York...and in that time, they walk around Paris, talk, and fall in love all over again. It sounds simple, perhaps dull, but it's written with such skill and care and acted with such richness that it's a miracle of filmmaking. On its own, Before Sunset is moving and wonderful; seen right after Before Sunrise, it will break your heart. --B! ret FetzerStudio: Warner Home Video Release Date: 11/09/2010This romantic, witty, and ultimately poignant glimpse at two strangers (Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy) who share thoughts, affections, and past experiences during one 14-hour tryst in Vienna somehow remains writer/director Richard Linklater's (Dazed and Confused, Slacker) most overlooked gem. Delpy, a stunning, low-key Parisian, meets the stammering American Hawke, as the two share a Eurorail seat--she's starting school in Paris, he's finishing a vacation. Their mutual attraction leads to an awkward meeting (beautifully played by each performer), and Hawke suggests that Delpy spend his remaining 14 hours in Vienna with him.

Typically, this skeleton is as much plot as Linklater provides; as usual, he's more interested in concentrating his talents on observing the casual, playful conversations between his leads. His tight time frame allows the characters to say anything to one another, and topic! s ranging from politics to past romances to fears of the futur! e flow w ith subtle finesse. The short time frame is also cruel, however, because beneath this love affair lies the painful reality that the two most likely will never see each other again and will be left only with memories--an idea Linklater drives home with an effective snapshot conclusion.

Hardly the trite Gen-X bitch session that many '90s films using this approach become, the film feels more like a Bresson or Rohmer piece, containing sharp perceptions--and flawed humans rather than stereotypes. The protagonists' frank revelations and heated exchanges flow in a stream-of-consciousness style, and its no accident that Linklater set the film in Vienna, where Freud invented and practiced psychotherapy. --Dave McCoy

Captivity

  • ISBN13: 9780895873538
  • Condition: New
  • Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!
CAPTIVITY - DVD MovieWhen someone releases the chimpanzees at the South Carolina Primate Project, its director, Dana Armstrong, is forced to confront the complexity of both her past and the present as she struggles to preserve the chimps' sanctuary.

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