Monday, November 28, 2011

Gigantic

  • GIGANTIC (DVD MOVIE)
Mattress salesman, Brian Weathersby (PAUL DANO) gets swept up in a romance with the lovely but misguided Harriet Lolly (ZOOEY DESCHANEL) when she comes in to his store one day and falls asleep on one of the beds. To win her over, he must compete with her bear of a father, Al Lolly, (JOHN GOODMAN) an art-collecting loudmouth with a bad back and deep pockets. GIGANTIC is a funny, surreal love story about the anxiety that comes when two people with crazy families collide unexpectedly and fall for each other.

Breaking and Entering

  • BREAKING AND ENTERING may lack the quality and scope of Anthony Minghella s previous work such as THE ENGLISH PATIENT and COLD MOUNTAIN, but it s an interesting, character-driven drama. Jude Law (CLOSER) plays Will, a landscape architect who succeeds in business but finds his personal life is tougher to navigate. He has been with Liv (Robin Wright Penn, FORREST GUMP) for years, but it s difficult
(Drama) A sexy and steamy story about a disparate group of Londoners connected by a string of burglaries and a passionate affair.The atmospheric and erotically charged Breaking and Entering reunites director Anthony Minghella with Jude Law (The Talented Mr. Ripley, Cold Mountain) and the haunting Juliette Binoche (The English Patient, for which she and Minghella won Academy Awards). Law fully invests himself as pre-occupied landscape architect Will Francis, who with his ! partner (Martin Freeman from the original British version of The Office), is heading a gentrification project in London's seedy, crime-plagued King's Cross neighborhood. At home, he and Liv (Robin Penn Wright), his morose Swedish-American girlfriend of 10 years, are increasingly estranged over the demands of his job and of caring for Liv's autistic daughter, a 13-year-old aspiring gymnast. Will, hiding his identity, begins an affair with Amira (Binoche), the mother of a youth who has twice ransacked Will's office. Amira is a Bosnian refugee with a fierce survival streak that is not above blackmail when she learns who Will is. This is Minghella's first original screenplay since his little-known romantic gem Truly Madly Deeply. The dialogue has Woody Allen pretensions: A cleaning woman who comes under suspicion for the break-ins invokes Kafka. A prostitute (Vera Farmiga giving the film's liveliest performance) has a philosophical bent. Will himself ham-handedly ! explains how he much prefers metaphors to straightforward comm! unicatio n (he'd love this film's title). An art-house film with an A-list cast and wrenching performances, Breaking and Entering couldn't get arrested in theatres, but it is a fine addition to Crash and other liberal-minded "them and us" dramas. --Donald Liebenson

Samsung BD-D5500 3D Blu-ray Disc Player (Black)

  • Wi-Fi-Ready .
  • Samsung BD-D5500 3D Blu-ray Disc Player
  • Fast booting and loading time
  • Multi-format disc playback
  • 3D, Samsung Smart TV
The award-winning, critically acclaimed comedy FILM GEEK is about one movie nerd's quest to get a life. When Scotty Pelk (Melik Malkasian) is fired from his video store job for annoying the customers, he hits rock bottom. But then he meets Niko (Tyler Gannon), a sexy free spirit who just might save Scotty from his hopeless existence. Triumphant and hilarious, FILM GEEK celebrates the geek in all of us.Scotty Pelk, the title character in Film Geek, makes Napoleon Dynamite look like James Bond. Scotty is, um, really into movies, and leads a life of relentless geek-itude in Portland, Ore., in slavish devotion to his obsession. He works, of course, in a video store; mans an untrafficked web site, www.scottysfilmpage.com; and arg! ues with customers about what movies they select. He punctuates his few conversations, or even stone silences, with random comments like "Sam Fuller is so underrated." To no one's surprise, he has no life, and the film's relentless scrutiny of his pretty empty existence borders on the painful. And yet--who among us (especially movie fans) can't relate to being so immersed in a subject that everything else fades away? Happily, though Scotty doesn't know it, life is full of surprises--even his cringe-worthy life. The dialogue and acting, especially by Melik Malkasian, who plays Scotty with deadpan perfection, is winning and real. "[Terrence] Malick's only made three films in 30 years, you know," he perkily tells one bemused customer. "We're all waiting for his next one. I know I am." --A.T. Hurley
For the first time since Hitchcock, moviegoers have embraced a film director whose name is synonymous with his own genre â€" a culmination of the crime, gangster, ! and film noir genres that both celebrates and comments ironica! lly upon itself. Part of the Ultrascreen series, Quentin Tarantino: The Film Geek Files charts the controversial success of Tarantino's self-directed films and screenplays. From Reservoir Dogs, True Romance, and Pulp Fiction to Natural Born Killers, Jackie Brown, and Kill Bill, Tarantino has created a unique aesthetic drawing on pop-culture icons and ideals gleaned from movies, TV shows, comic strips, and old Top Ten records. This definitive, illustrated book provides the most essential interviews, essays, and reviews of Tarantino's career â€" from geekish video-store clerk to a cult figure of rock-star status. Aimed at a young, literate, moviegoing audience, Quentin Tarantino is a colorful guide to the brash, media-saturated world that spawned the premier filmmaker of his generation. Includes 70 black-and-white illustrations.
A new dimension of 3D entertainment in one Blu-ray Disc player. Add another dimension to your viewing ex! perience with the Samsung BD-D5500 Blu-ray Disc Player. 3D technology lets you enjoy cinema-quality 3D Blu-ray titles â€" or upconvert2D Blu-ray Disc titles into 3D, for new levels of enjoyment from your existing 2D library. Then, explore new dimensions of connectivity with built-in Samsung Smart TV. Browse the entire internet, access Samsung apps, and search content on your TV or online. Another aspect of the BD-D5500’s attractiveness: the sleek design, which fits right in to nearly any modern living room.

3D Technology Checklist

This product is 3D-related. To help you get a great 3D experience, use the checklist below to ensure you have everything you need. 3D viewing requires:

A Display
First, you'll need a 3D-re! ady disp lay--whether it's a 3D HDTV, 3D projector, or 3D computer monitor. These displays have more processing power than standard 2D models for displaying 3D images in rapid succession.
A Source
Your display may be ready for 3D playback, but you'll still need a device to read 3D content. This can be a cable box with a subscription to a 3D channel, a 3D Blu-ray Disc player, or a PlayStation 3 system.
3D Content
3D content--the actual entertainment, in other words--will be played back using the source mentioned above, whether it's! a 3D broadcast from your cable provider, a 3D Blu-ray Disc, or a 3D video game.
3D Glasses
For now, the vast majority of 3D HDTVs require glasses for 3D viewing. Many use powered "active shutter" glasses, others polarized "passive" glasses. You'll need one pair per viewer, and they'll have to be compatible with your display, whether they're the same brand, or a pair of "universal" glasses designed to work across brands.
HDMI Cable
To connect your source (such as a 3D Blu-ray Disc player) to your display, you'll need a h! igh-speed HDMI cable. Cables with this designation feature ban! dwidth s peeds up to 10.2 Gbps (gigabits per second), for carrying the 3D signal without any loss of quality.

If you want to get more information about 3D, shop our 3D products, watch videos, or interact with other customers, we invite you to visit 3D 101, our customer center about everything 3D.

Internet-Ready Devices

Internet-ready devices use your broadband connection to deliver dynamic content to your television, whether it's streaming video from Netflix, new music from Pandora, or a quick glance at today's weather forecast.

Although there is overlap, each manufacturer offers a unique bundle of free or paid services, including streaming video and musi! c, social networking apps, online photo galleries, news and financial updates, weather info, sports scores, and a variety of other smartphone-like applications.

Manufacturers continue to add new content to their offerings, keeping customers current through firmware updates, and making a bit of research a prudent step in your buying decision.

Learn more about Internet-ready devices and HDTVs, how they work, what services are offered by different manufacturers, and exactly what you'll need to get started at our Internet TV 101 customer center.



February 2011
Add another dimension to your viewing experience with the Samsung BD-D5500 Blu-ray Disc Player. 3D technology lets you enjoy cinema-quality 3D Blu-ray titles--or upconvert 2D Blu-ray Disc titles into 3D, for new levels of enjoyment from your existing 2D library. Then, explore new dimensions of connectivity with built-in Samsung Smart TV! . Browse the Internet, access Samsung apps, and search content! on your TV or online. Or connect USB or DLNA certified network devices for further entertainment options. The BD-D5500 features a sleek, stylish design, to fit into nearly any modern living room.

Samsung BD-D5500
3D Blu-ray playback, Internet connectivity, wide format support, and more.

Add Another Dimension to Your Viewing Experience

Blu-ray 3D Playback

Enter a new dimension in home entertainment with 3D video. Samsung's 3D products offer a truly immersive viewing experience, with the power to fill your room with images you can almost touch. Connect to a 3D TV to enjoy the latest 3D titles, or upconvert regular 2D content to near-3D image quality.

Samsung BD-D5500 3D
Samsung's 3D products offer a truly immersive viewing experience, with the power to fill your room with images you can almost touch.
Samsung BD-D5500 Smart TV
Access digital content like videos, sports, games, social networking, and much more with Samsung Smart TV.
alt
Enjoy media from connected USB devices such as thumb drives or digital cameras.
On the 2D front, you'll enjoy full HD entertainment with mul! ti-chann el, high-definition audio, along with Blu-ray features like Bonus View for extra features, and--thanks to the BD-D5500's Internet connectivity--BD-Live downloadable bonus content. You can also play back recordable BD-RE/R discs. And with all of the above, you'll get an improved graphic user interface and ultra-fast boot/load times.

Still have a large DVD collection? The BD-D5500 will play back all those DVDs, including recordable DVD-R/RW and DVD+R/RW discs. And you can play back your audio CDs and burnt CD-R/RW discs. Finally, the increasingly popular AVHCD format is covered, for the home movie buffs.

Smart TV with Samsung Apps

The BD-D5500 gives you access to Samsung's Smart TV service, for a wealth of added entertainment options. Pull up the Smart Hub, a simple menu system for connected features, and you can easily search for movies, shows and videos via online services and across connected devices, plus access a wide variety of apps from Samsung Ap! ps.

Samsung Apps is a growing collection of apps specifically built for your TV, connecting you to your favorite digital content like videos, sports, games, social networking, and much more. With web-connected apps on your BD-D5500, you can stream movies from Netflix or Blockbuster, TV shows from Hulu, videos from YouTube, Next Level sports information from ESPN, music from, Pandora and view updates on your Facebook or Twitter accounts.

Wi-Fi-ready

The BD-D5500 features an Ethernet port for a wired connection to your home broadband network, but if you'd like to go wireless you can add a Samsung wireless adapter and enjoy connectivity free of cables--great for those whose Blu-ray will not be close to their router.

USB and Networked Entertainment

Connect compatible thumb drives, digital cameras, MP3 players, or other USB devices quickly and easily via the BD-D5500's USB port. An intuitive, user-friendly interface allows access to videos,! music, or pictures via the remote.

You can also play v! ideos, m usic, and photos saved on your DLNA-compatible devices (such as your PC or network-attached storage) through a network connection.

The BD-D5500 supports AVI, MKV, WMV, MP4, and MPG video, with a wide variety of codecs (including DivX). You can also enjoy your MP3/WMA audio files, or display JPG-format photos.

High-Definition Audio

The BD-D5500 is also ready to take advantage of the high-def audio delivered by Blu-ray Disc, with decoding of Dolby Digital TrueHD and DTS Master Audio--enjoy multi-channel theater sound when connected to your receiver via HDMI. Standard two-channel audio outputs are also provided, of course.

BD-D5500 Select Specifications

Supported Media
Disc Formats: 3D Blu-ray, BD-ROM, BD-RE/R, DVD, DVD+R/RW, DVD-R/RW, CD, CD-R/RW, CD-DA, AVCHD
Video File Formats: AVI, MKV, WMV, MP! 4, MPG
Audio File Formats: MP3, WMA
Image File Formats: JPG
Connectivity
HDMI Connections: 1
USB Ports: 2
Ethernet: 1
Digital Audio (Optical): 1
Weight and Dimensions
Dimensions (WxHxD): 16.93 x 1.54 x 8.27 Inches
Weight: 3.75 lbs.

What's in the Box

BD-D5500 Blu-ray Disc Player, Remote Control With Batteries, A/V Cable, Documentation


True Blood: The Complete First Season

  • Condition: New
  • Format: DVD
  • Box set; Color; Dolby; DVD; Widescreen; Subtitled; Closed-captioned; NTSC
He Never Fought A Battle He Couldn't WinAcademy Award®-nominee Sylvester Stallone stars as war hero ex-Green Beret John Rambo in the one that started it all! First Blood is an explosive action-thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the final powerful frame.System Requirements:Starring: Sylvester Stallone Richard Crenna and Brian Dennehy. Directed By: Ted Kotcheff. Running Time: 96 Min. Color. This film is presented in "Widescreen" format. Copyright 2004 Lions Gate Entertainment.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: ACTION/ADVENTURE Rating: R UPC: 012236163565 Manufacturer No: 20204It's easy to forget that this Spartan, violent film, which begat the Rambo series, was such a big hit in 1982 because it was a good movie. Green Beret vet John Rambo (Sylvester Stallon! e) wanders into the wrong small town to find a fellow 'Nam buddy and gets the living heck kicked out of him by the local law enforcement (led by Brian Dennehy). The vet strikes back the only way he knows how, leading to a visceral, if unrealistic, flight and fight through the local mountains. Based on the 1972 novel by David Morrell, this film saved Stallone's then-foundering career and the Rambo character became the inspiration for countless political cartoons. But this film is Deliverance without the moral ambiguity. --Keith Simanton First came the man: a young wanderer in a fatigue coat and long hair. Then came the legend, as John Rambo sprang from the pages of FIRST BLOOD to take his place in the American cultural landscape. This remarkable novel pits a young Vietnam veteran against a small-town cop who doesn't know whom he's dealing with -- or how far Rambo will take him into a life-and-death struggle through the woods, hills, and caves of rural Kentucky.!

Millions saw the Rambo movies, but those who haven't r! ead the book that started it all are in for a surprise -- a critically acclaimed story of character, action, and compassion.Academy Award-nominee Sylvester Stallone stars as war hero, ex-Green Beret John Rambo in the one that started it all! FIRST BLOOD is an explosive action-thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the final, powerful frame.It's easy to forget that this Spartan, violent film, which begat the Rambo series, was such a big hit in 1982 because it was a good movie. Green Beret vet John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) wanders into the wrong small town to find a fellow 'Nam buddy and gets the living heck kicked out of him by the local law enforcement (led by Brian Dennehy). The vet strikes back the only way he knows how, leading to a visceral, if unrealistic, flight and fight through the local mountains. Based on the 1972 novel by David Morrell, this film saved Stallone's then-foundering career and the Rambo character became the inspiration for countle! ss political cartoons. But this film is Deliverance without the moral ambiguity. --Keith SimantonTRUE BLOOD chronicles the backwoods Louisiana town of Bon Temps... where vampires have emerged from the coffin, and no longer need humans for their fix. Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin, Golden Globe(R)-winner for "True Blood", Academy Award®-winner for “The Piano”) works as a waitress at the rural bar Merlotte's. Though outwardly a typical young woman, she keeps a dangerous secret: she has the ability to hear the thoughts of others. Her situation is further complicated when the bar gets its first vampire patron - 173-year old Bill Compton (Steven Moyer, "Quills") - and the two outsiders are immediately drawn to each other. Delivering the best of what audiences have come to expect from Creator and Executive Producer Alan Ball (writer of Oscar®-winning Best Picture “American Beauty”, creator of the Emmy® Award-winning HBO® series “Six Feet Under”), TRU! E BLOOD is a dark and sexy tale that boldly delves into the he! art - an d the neck - of the Deep South.Alan Ball’s True Blood series works well for television, as it has enough sensationalism to tantalize and enough story girth to make the viewer care about the characters. That one can finally invest emotion into monsters, including an undead Civil War victim, a transformer who can shapeshift into various animals, and a female mind reader, speaks volumes about America’s willingness to accept fantasy. Of course, television has always produced good fantasy shows (I Dream of Jeannie), but True Blood’s Southern Goth brand of fun horror is more macabre and more perverse, not to mention gorier, than most shows of its kind to date. Adapted from Charlaine Harris’ Sookie Stackhouse novels, True Blood thrills because of its equal blend in each episode of erotica, humor, tragedy, mystery, and fantasy. 

Set in a rural, swampy Louisiana parrish, the show centers around Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin) and her cla! n, sweet grandmother Adele (Lois Smith) and air-headed brother Jason (Ryan Kwanten). Illicit love is spawned early on, when Sookie saves vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer) from having his blood stolen in the parking lot of Merlotte’s diner, owned by Sam Merlotte (Sam Trammell) who completes what will form a complex love triangle. As tensions between Sookie’s suitors loosen or tighten, many side plots, such as her African American best friend Tara’s (Rutina Wesley) struggle with an alcoholic, Bible-thumping mother and her brother’s dangerous crush on drug addicted hippie, Amy Burley (Lizzy Caplan), keep one wondering who will succeed in this podunk place. The main tension throughout, however, is a race war waged between vampires and humans. As murders of “fang bangers” occur (human girls who let vampires bite them) and dumb policeman Andy Bellefleur (Chris Bauer) fails to find clues, one sees the metaphorical implications of vampirism and feels deeper resonance! with what can be a downright trashy show. Gossip galore, espe! cially a bout what kinds of babies interbreeding will produce, is rampant. One of the funniest characters is Tara’s flamboyant cousin, Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis), who deals drugs, works as a fry cook, and services the local white politicians, while making sure he’s always up in everyone’s business.

What makes True Blood smarter than pure soap opera is the parallels it draws between its monster mash and actual, familiar societal problems. Sookie and her friends watch the news, where Evangelicals bash vampires and prohibit mixed marriage, and everyone is addicted to V, a.k.a vampire blood, that effects like psychedelic heroin. Even its gore reflects a mix of serious and silly, as vampires explode into red, sticky goop. Though it may not be attempting to qualify for the best vampire footage ever shot, True Blood is as addictive as that substance the town̢۪s youth obsesses over, which is a metaphor in itself. --Trinie Dalton



Stills from True Blood (Click for larger image)








A Beautiful Mind (The Awards Edition) [VHS]

  • Condition: Used - Good
 â€œHOW COULD YOU, A MATHEMATICIAN, BELIEVE THAT EXTRATERRESTRIALS WERE SENDING YOU MESSAGES?” the visitor from Harvard asked the West Virginian with the movie-star looks and Olympian manner. “Because the ideas I had about supernatural beings came to me the same way my mathematical ideas did,” came the answer. “So I took them seriously.”

Thus begins the true story of John Nash, the mathematical genius who was a legend by age thirty when he slipped into madness, and whoâ€"thanks to the selflessness of a beautiful woman and the loyalty of the mathematics communityâ€"emerged after decades of ghostlike existence to win a Nobel Prize for triggering the game theory revolution. The inspiration for an Academy Awardâ€"winning movie, Sylvia Nasar’s now-classic biography is a drama about the mystery of the human mind, triumph over adversity, and the healing power o! f love.Stories of famously eccentric Princetonians abound--such as that of chemist Hubert Alyea, the model for The Absent-Minded Professor, or Ralph Nader, said to have had his own key to the library as an undergraduate. Or the "Phantom of Fine Hall," a figure many students had seen shuffling around the corridors of the math and physics building wearing purple sneakers and writing numerology treatises on the blackboards. The Phantom was John Nash, one of the most brilliant mathematicians of his generation, who had spiraled into schizophrenia in the 1950s. His most important work had been in game theory, which by the 1980s was underpinning a large part of economics. When the Nobel Prize committee began debating a prize for game theory, Nash's name inevitably came up--only to be dismissed, since the prize clearly could not go to a madman. But in 1994 Nash, in remission from schizophrenia, shared the Nobel Prize in economics for work done some 45 years pre! viously.

Economist and journalist Sylvia Nasar has written ! a biogra phy of Nash that looks at all sides of his life. She gives an intelligent, understandable exposition of his mathematical ideas and a picture of schizophrenia that is evocative but decidedly unromantic. Her story of the machinations behind Nash's Nobel is fascinating and one of very few such accounts available in print (the CIA could learn a thing or two from the Nobel committees). This highly recommended book is indeed "a story about the mystery of the human mind, in three acts: genius, madness, reawakening." --Mary Ellen Curtin â€œHOW COULD YOU, A MATHEMATICIAN, BELIEVE THAT EXTRATERRESTRIALS WERE SENDING YOU MESSAGES?” the visitor from Harvard asked the West Virginian with the movie-star looks and Olympian manner. “Because the ideas I had about supernatural beings came to me the same way my mathematical ideas did,” came the answer. “So I took them seriously.”

Thus begins the true story of John Nash, the mathematical genius who was a legend by a! ge thirty when he slipped into madness, and whoâ€"thanks to the selflessness of a beautiful woman and the loyalty of the mathematics communityâ€"emerged after decades of ghostlike existence to win a Nobel Prize for triggering the game theory revolution. The inspiration for an Academy Awardâ€"winning movie, Sylvia Nasar’s now-classic biography is a drama about the mystery of the human mind, triumph over adversity, and the healing power of love.Stories of famously eccentric Princetonians abound--such as that of chemist Hubert Alyea, the model for The Absent-Minded Professor, or Ralph Nader, said to have had his own key to the library as an undergraduate. Or the "Phantom of Fine Hall," a figure many students had seen shuffling around the corridors of the math and physics building wearing purple sneakers and writing numerology treatises on the blackboards. The Phantom was John Nash, one of the most brilliant mathematicians of his generation, who had spiraled in! to schizophrenia in the 1950s. His most important work had be! en in ga me theory, which by the 1980s was underpinning a large part of economics. When the Nobel Prize committee began debating a prize for game theory, Nash's name inevitably came up--only to be dismissed, since the prize clearly could not go to a madman. But in 1994 Nash, in remission from schizophrenia, shared the Nobel Prize in economics for work done some 45 years previously.

Economist and journalist Sylvia Nasar has written a biography of Nash that looks at all sides of his life. She gives an intelligent, understandable exposition of his mathematical ideas and a picture of schizophrenia that is evocative but decidedly unromantic. Her story of the machinations behind Nash's Nobel is fascinating and one of very few such accounts available in print (the CIA could learn a thing or two from the Nobel committees). This highly recommended book is indeed "a story about the mystery of the human mind, in three acts: genius, madness, reawakening." --Mary Ellen Curtin â€œHOW COULD YOU, A MATHEMATICIAN, BELIEVE THAT EXTRATERRESTRIALS WERE SENDING YOU MESSAGES?” the visitor from Harvard asked the West Virginian with the movie-star looks and Olympian manner. “Because the ideas I had about supernatural beings came to me the same way my mathematical ideas did,” came the answer. “So I took them seriously.”

Thus begins the true story of John Nash, the mathematical genius who was a legend by age thirty when he slipped into madness, and whoâ€"thanks to the selflessness of a beautiful woman and the loyalty of the mathematics communityâ€"emerged after decades of ghostlike existence to win a Nobel Prize for triggering the game theory revolution. The inspiration for an Academy Awardâ€"winning movie, Sylvia Nasar’s now-classic biography is a drama about the mystery of the human mind, triumph over adversity, and the healing power of love.Winner of 4 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, A Beautiful Mind is directed by Academy Award! winner Ron Howard and produced by long-time partner and colla! borator, Academy Award winner Brian Grazer. A Beautiful Mind stars Russell Crowe in an astonishing performance as brilliant mathematician John Nash, on the brink of international acclaim when he becomes entangled in a mysterious conspiracy. Now only his devoted wife (Academy Award winner Jennifer Connelly) can help him in this powerful story of courage, passion and triumph.This Ron Howard film parlays the troubled story of Nobel laureate John Forbes Nash Jr., a gifted Princeton mathematics professor tormented for decades by paranoid schizophrenia, into something considerably richer than typical Hollywood triumph-against-all-odds fare. Howard has teamed here again with frequent collaborator James Horner, and it's the composer who deftly shades the film's difficult emotional landscape and helps impart a compelling humanity. Horner's first task is not inconsiderable: musically portraying the arcane realm of mathematical theorems that are the story's backdrop. In doing so, the composer ! leans heavily on modern minimalist technique, bright flourishes that recur briefly throughout an orchestral score that increasingly reflects Nash's bleak inner landscape in its quietly somber and brooding tones. And while Horner has frequently been accused of excessively repeating himself in his scores, the neo-minimalist gambit employed on this reflectively pastoral, postmodernist soundscape neatly nips such criticism in the bud. Nash's triumph is ultimately an intensely personal one, well reflected in Welsh soprano Charlotte Church's lilting performance of the Horner/Will Jennings ballad "All Love Can Be." This enhanced CD also features notes by the director and composer, as well as exclusive photos and the film's trailer. --Jerry McCulley A Beautiful Mind manages to twist enough pathos out of John Nash's incredible life story to redeem an at-times goofy portrayal of schizophrenia. Russell Crowe tackles the role with characteristic fervor, playing the Nob! el prize-winning mathematician from his days at Princeton, whe! re he de veloped a groundbreaking economic theory, to his meteoric rise to the cover of Forbes magazine and an MIT professorship, and on through to his eventual dismissal due to schizophrenic delusions. Of course, it is the delusions that fascinate director Ron Howard and, predictably, go astray. Nash's other world, populated as it is by a maniacal Department of Defense agent (Ed Harris), an imagined college roommate who seems straight out of Dead Poets Society, and an orphaned girl, is so fluid and scriptlike as to make the viewer wonder if schizophrenia is really as slick as depicted. Crowe's physical intensity drags us along as he works admirably to carry the film on his considerable shoulders. No doubt the story of Nash's amazing will to recover his life without the aid of medication is a worthy one, his eventual triumph heartening. Unfortunately, Howard's flashy style is unable to convey much of it. --Fionn Meade

Eight Below [Blu-ray]

  • EIGHT BELOW (BLU-RAY DISC)
On what should be a routine rescue mission during World War II, the submarine USS Tiger Shark picks up three survivors of a U-boat attack. But for the crew -- trapped together in the sub's narrow corridors and constricted spaces -- the unexpected visitors seem to spark a series of chilling, otherworldly occurrences! Starring Hollywood favorites Olivia Williams (THE SIXTH SENSE, THE POSTMAN), Bruce Greenwood (THIRTEEN DAYS, DOUBLE JEAPOARD), and Matt Davis (LEGALLY BLONDE, BLUE CRUSH).Inspired by the vintage thrillers of Val Lewton and Jacques Tourneur, Below is a superbly crafted spookfest primed for cult-favorite status. As he did with The Arrival and Pitch Black, director David Twohy revitalizes a B-movie staple--in this case, the World War II submarine thriller--by turning it into a nerve-wracking funhouse of smoke and mirrors, where chilli! ng visions tease the brain and stir paranoia among a close-knit group of terrified characters. When a U.S. sub takes on three survivors from a sinking British ship, its captain (Bruce Greenwood) uncovers secrets while concealing his own. As the sub's recent history unfolds, its crew is increasingly haunted by ghostly images, fleeting and subliminal, while the threat of German attack looms ominously overhead. More of a mood piece than a truly satisfying thriller, Below favors tense atmosphere over cohesive plotting, but it's so visually captivating, and so tautly acted by a fine ensemble cast, that its narrative flaws are easily forgiven. --Jeff ShannonOn what was supposed to be a routine rescue mission during World War II, the submarine USS Tiger Shark picks up three survivors of a U-boat attack. But the crew begins to noticeâ€"while trapped together in the sub's narrow corridors and constricted spacesâ€"that the visitors seem to spark a series of chilling, ot! herworldly occurrences. Starring Hollywood favorites Olivia! William s (TV's Dollhouse), Zach Galifianakis (The Hangover Part II), Jason Flemyng (Clash of the Titans), Bruce Greenwood (Barney's Version) and Matthew Davis (TV's The Vampire Diaries).Inspired by the vintage thrillers of Val Lewton and Jacques Tourneur, Below is a superbly crafted spookfest primed for cult-favorite status. As he did with The Arrival and Pitch Black, director David Twohy revitalizes a B-movie staple--in this case, the World War II submarine thriller--by turning it into a nerve-wracking funhouse of smoke and mirrors, where chilling visions tease the brain and stir paranoia among a close-knit group of terrified characters. When a U.S. sub takes on three survivors from a sinking British ship, its captain (Bruce Greenwood) uncovers secrets while concealing his own. As the sub's recent history unfolds, its crew is increasingly haunted by ghostly images, fleeting and subliminal, whil! e the threat of German attack looms ominously overhead. More of a mood piece than a truly satisfying thriller, Below favors tense atmosphere over cohesive plotting, but it's so visually captivating, and so tautly acted by a fine ensemble cast, that its narrative flaws are easily forgiven. --Jeff ShannonThree quarters of her crew are deep sea miners, geneoids, humans designed with aquatic traits that have created creatures of such beauty that Victoria can’t help but be drawn to them, particularly the merman, Raphael. When he claims her as his companion, he places her in an untenable position, but Victoria quickly discovers that the rules set down by the company that has betrayed them all are of no concern to her when it comes to Raphael, and that she is just as determined to have him as the company is to part them forever.


The Romance Studio
Reviewed by Sara Sawyer
Overall Rating: 5 Hearts!

Ms. O'Connor weaves a marvelou! s futuristic and thrilling book. This novel captures your atte! ntion fr om the first page as each character imbeds themselves into your psyche. Raphael is a genetic experiment that understands that most of the "pure" humans rank him somewhere below themselves, yet above fish. While he does understand this, he does not accept it. Raphael is a strong, beautiful and supremely complex man and a perfect counterpart to Victoria's rule-abiding, open minded self. Together the main characters make the story come alive. The threats, the insecurities, the mystery that surrounds Kay and its blood-colored water is enthralling and well worth the journey.


Three quarters of her crew are deep sea miners, geneoids, humans designed with aquatic traits that have created creatures of such beauty that Victoria can̢۪t help but be drawn to them, particularly the merman, Raphael. When he claims her as his companion, he places her in an untenable position, but Victoria quickly discovers that the rules set down by the company that has betrayed them all ! are of no concern to her when it comes to Raphael, and that she is just as determined to have him as the company is to part them forever.


The Romance Studio
Reviewed by Sara Sawyer
Overall Rating: 5 Hearts!

Ms. O'Connor weaves a marvelous futuristic and thrilling book. This novel captures your attention from the first page as each character imbeds themselves into your psyche. Raphael is a genetic experiment that understands that most of the "pure" humans rank him somewhere below themselves, yet above fish. While he does understand this, he does not accept it. Raphael is a strong, beautiful and supremely complex man and a perfect counterpart to Victoria's rule-abiding, open minded self. Together the main characters make the story come alive. The threats, the insecurities, the mystery that surrounds Kay and its blood-colored water is enthralling and well worth the journey.


It's Mitchum vs. Jurgens as the commanders of an American destroyer! and a German U-boat play a deadly game of cat and mouse.In The Ene my Below
Robert Mitchum and Curt Jurgens are respectively captains of a U.S. destroyer and a German U-boat whose vessels come into conflict in the South Atlantic. Both are good men with a job to do, the script noting Jurgens' distaste for Hitler and the Nazis and engaging our sympathy with the German sailors almost as much as the Americans. Made at the height of the cold war of the 1950s, the film delivers a liberal message of co-operation wrapped inside some spectacular action scenes and a story which builds to a tense and exciting, moving finale. --Gary S. Dalkin
A boy and his action figure explore a secret world below the stairs

Jack and his action figure, Guy, have many adventures together, and the tall, narrow staircase in Jack's house provides the perfect setting. Jack and Guy climb mountains, visit cities, and explore forests. But one day Guy falls down a hole in the stairs and it's up to Jack to rescue him. What is going on below the sta! irs--only Guy knows.

Publishers Weekly has described Nina Crews as "highly skilled at seeing through her photographic lens with the eyes of a child." Here she captures the excitement of make-believe and celebrates a child's imagination and resourcefulness in her signature style.



The unforgiving terrain of Antarctica comes to life through the wonder of Blu-ray Disc technology in this amazing tale of courage and loyalty. Eight incredible dogs, left behind when their research team is forced to flee, band together to survive the subzero elements that blister the screen in eye-popping 1080p. The astonishing sound quality of the 5.1 48 kHz, 16-bit uncompressed audio will have you practically feeling the wind chill factor as guide Jerry (Paul Walker) races against time to save his four-legged friends. Experience this heart-pounding adventure like never before through the magic of Blu-ray high definition.Despite a likable cast of humans, it's the! canine stars who steal the show in Eight Below, a terr! ific liv e-action adventure in the time-honored Disney tradition. Based on a true story that was previously filmed (much differently) as the 1983 Japanese hit Antarctica, this above-average family film takes place in 1993 and focuses on a dog-sled guide at an Antarctic research station (Paul Walker) who is forced by a severe storm to abandon eight beloved sled dogs for the duration of a harsh Antarctic winter. Left to fend for themselves, the rugged and resourceful dogs encounter danger at every turn, surviving for nearly six months while Walker and his closest colleagues (engagingly played by Bruce Greenwood, Moon Bloodgood, and American Pie's Jason Biggs) join forces to mount a daring rescue mission. Having endured similarly extreme conditions on his 1993 film Alive, director Frank Marshall brings an abundance of natural splendor (and minimum use of digital wizardry) to spectacularly arctic locations in Norway, Greenland and Canada, and Walker (star of The F! ast and the Furious) lends an amiable sincerity to his compassionate role. For most viewers, however, it's the remarkable dogs (six Siberian huskies and two malamutes) who make Eight Below so thoroughly entertaining. It's not quite an instant family classic, but it comes pretty doggone close. --Jeff Shannon

Needless Casualties of War

  • Paerback book
  • 1999
  • self published
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Ent Release Date: 03/27/2007 Run time: 119 minutes Rating: RBased on a true story, this Brian De Palma film casts Michael J. Fox as a soldier in Vietnam in a squad led by Sean Penn. While on patrol, in the wake of an ambush that has left friends dead, they kidnap and rape a Vietnamese woman--then murder her. But Fox, one of the soldiers who refused to participate in the rape, is so appalled by the killing that he reports it--and finds himself being treated as the villain. Penn is scarily tough as the vindictive soldier and De Palma does a solid job of re-creating the crime, making it a thing of horror. Yet this film never quite connects, despite a strong performance by Fox and a supporting cast that includes John C. Reilly and John Leguizamo. --Marshall FineThe story of a combat squad gone berserk in the ju! ngles of Vietnam. Based on a true story.
Genre: Feature Film-Drama
Rating: R
Release Date: 23-MAR-2004
Media Type: DVDBased on a true story, this Brian De Palma film casts Michael J. Fox as a soldier in Vietnam in a squad led by Sean Penn. While on patrol, in the wake of an ambush that has left friends dead, they kidnap and rape a Vietnamese woman--then murder her. But Fox, one of the soldiers who refused to participate in the rape, is so appalled by the killing that he reports it--and finds himself being treated as the villain. Penn is scarily tough as the vindictive soldier and De Palma does a solid job of re-creating the crime, making it a thing of horror. Yet this film never quite connects, despite a strong performance by Fox and a supporting cast that includes John C. Reilly and John Leguizamo. --Marshall FineIn this timely teaching, Needless Casualties of War, John Paul Jackson reveals some startling insights that will un! cover spiritual strategies of the dark side. Find out how you ! can prot ect yourself from Satan's onslaught and escape his unforseen and unperceived attacks. Read by Carol Cavazos.

Chasing Amy (Import) [Blu-ray]

  • Format: Widescreen, Import
  • Language: English
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
  • Run Time: 113 minutes
  • Actors: Ben Affleck, Joey Lauren Adams, Jason Lee, Dwight Ewell, Jason Mewes
Chasing Amy is the third installment in the "New Jersey Trilogy" from award-winning writer-director Kevin Smith (Clerks, Mallrats, Dogma). Cult comic-book artist Holden (Ben Affleck) falls in love with fellow artist Alyssa (Joey Lauren Adams), only to be thwarted by her sexuality, the disdain of his best friend Banky (Jason Lee), and his own misgivings about himself. Filled with Smith's unique ear for dialogue and insight into relationships, Chasing Amy offers a thoughtful, funny look at how perceptions alter lives, and how obsession and self-doubt skew reality. Writer-director Kevin Smith (Clerks) makes a huge leap in sophistication with this strong story about a comic-! book artist (Ben Affleck) who falls in love with a lesbian (Joey Lauren Adams) and actually gets his wish that she love him, too. Their relationship is attacked, however, by his business partner (Jason Lee), who pulls a very unsubtle Iago act to cast doubt over the whole affair. The film has the same sense of insiderness as Clerks--this time, Smith takes us within the arcane, funny world of comic-book cultism--but the themes of jealousy, deceit, and the high price of growing up enough to truly care for someone make this a very satisfying movie. --Tom Keogh Chasing Amy is the third installment in the "New Jersey Trilogy" from award-winning writer-director Kevin Smith (Clerks, Mallrats, Dogma). Cult comic-book artist Holden (Ben Affleck) falls in love with fellow artist Alyssa (Joey Lauren Adams), only to be thwarted by her sexuality, the disdain of his best friend Banky (Jason Lee), and his own misgivings about himself. Filled with Smith's unique ear for dialo! gue and insight into relationships, Chasing Amy offers a thoug! htful, f unny look at how perceptions alter lives, and how obsession and self-doubt skew reality.Writer-director Kevin Smith (Clerks) makes a huge leap in sophistication with this strong story about a comic-book artist (Ben Affleck) who falls in love with a lesbian (Joey Lauren Adams) and actually gets his wish that she love him, too. Their relationship is attacked, however, by his business partner (Jason Lee), who pulls a very unsubtle Iago act to cast doubt over the whole affair. The film has the same sense of insiderness as Clerks--this time, Smith takes us within the arcane, funny world of comic-book cultism--but the themes of jealousy, deceit, and the high price of growing up enough to truly care for someone make this a very satisfying movie. --Tom Keogh CHASING AMY, the third installment in the New Jersey Trilogy from award-winning writer/director Kevin Smith becomes more intimate and alive than ever on Blu-ray. Cult comic-book artist Holden (Ben Affleck) ! falls in love with fellow artist Alyssa (Joey Lauren Adams), only to be thwarted by her sexuality, the disdain of his best friend Banky (Jason Lee) and his own misgivings about himself. Filled with Smith's unique ear for dialogue and insight into relationships, CHASING AMY offers a thoughtful, funny look at how perceptions alter lives, and how obsession and self-doubt skew reality -- now with the pristine picture and theater-quality sound of Blu-ray High Definition.

Bonus Features Include: Audio Commentary With Writer/Director/Actor Kevin Smith And Producer Scott Mosier, Tracing Amy: The CHASING AMY Doc, Was It Something I Said? -- A Conversation With Kevin & Joey, 10 Years Later Q & A -- With Kevin Smith And The Cast, Deleted Scenes, Outtakes, TrailerWriter-director Kevin Smith (Clerks) makes a huge leap in sophistication with this strong story about a comic-book artist (Ben Affleck) who falls in love with a lesbian (Joey Lauren Adams) and actually gets his! wish that she love him, too. Their relationship is attacked, ! however, by his business partner (Jason Lee), who pulls a very unsubtle Iago act to cast doubt over the whole affair. The film has the same sense of insiderness as Clerks--this time, Smith takes us within the arcane, funny world of comic-book cultism--but the themes of jealousy, deceit, and the high price of growing up enough to truly care for someone make this a very satisfying movie. --Tom KeoghStudio: Lions Gate Home Ent. Release Date: 05/17/2011 Run time: 113 minutes Rating: RWriter-director Kevin Smith (Clerks) makes a huge leap in sophistication with this strong story about a comic-book artist (Ben Affleck) who falls in love with a lesbian (Joey Lauren Adams) and actually gets his wish that she love him, too. Their relationship is attacked, however, by his business partner (Jason Lee), who pulls a very unsubtle Iago act to cast doubt over the whole affair. The film has the same sense of insiderness as Clerks--this time, Smith takes us within ! the arcane, funny world of comic-book cultism--but the themes of jealousy, deceit, and the high price of growing up enough to truly care for someone make this a very satisfying movie. --Tom Keogh Writer-director Kevin Smith (Clerks) makes a huge leap in sophistication with this strong story about a comic-book artist (Ben Affleck) who falls in love with a lesbian (Joey Lauren Adams) and actually gets his wish that she love him, too. Their relationship is attacked, however, by his business partner (Jason Lee), who pulls a very unsubtle Iago act to cast doubt over the whole affair. The film has the same sense of insiderness as Clerks--this time, Smith takes us within the arcane, funny world of comic-book cultism--but the themes of jealousy, deceit, and the high price of growing up enough to truly care for someone make this a very satisfying movie. --Tom Keogh BOTH DUMPED BY THEIR GIRLFRIENDS, TWO BEST FRIENDS SEEK REFUGEIN THE LOCAL MALL.Sophomore! jinx hit hard in this second film by Kevin Smith, whose debut! Cler ks transcended the limits of its setting and budget to become something memorably funny. (Smith followed Mallrats with the wonderful Chasing Amy, so Mallrats definitely had the old curse.) A ramshackle comedy set in a mall, the film follows several story lines involving lovers, enemies, friends, goofballs, and Smith's own "silent" character, who also appeared in Clerks and Chasing Amy. A heavy self-consciousness weighs on everything, as if Smith forgot how to make obscenity funny instead of tedious. Still, it's nice to see some of the director's film family on screen, among them Jason Lee and Joey Lauren Adams. --Tom Keogh Writer-director Kevin Smith (Clerks) makes a huge leap in sophistication with this strong story about a comic-book artist (Ben Affleck) who falls in love with a lesbian (Joey Lauren Adams) and actually gets his wish that she love him, too. Their relationship is attacked, however, by his business partner (Jason ! Lee), who pulls a very unsubtle Iago act to cast doubt over the whole affair. The film has the same sense of insiderness as Clerks--this time, Smith takes us within the arcane, funny world of comic-book cultism--but the themes of jealousy, deceit, and the high price of growing up enough to truly care for someone make this a very satisfying movie.Writer-director Kevin Smith (Clerks) makes a huge leap in sophistication with this strong story about a comic-book artist (Ben Affleck) who falls in love with a lesbian (Joey Lauren Adams) and actually gets his wish that she love him, too. Their relationship is attacked, however, by his business partner (Jason Lee), who pulls a very unsubtle Iago act to cast doubt over the whole affair. The film has the same sense of insiderness as Clerks--this time, Smith takes us within the arcane, funny world of comic-book cultism--but the themes of jealousy, deceit, and the high price of growing up enough to truly care for someone ! make this a very satisfying movie. --Tom Keogh

Neat-Oh! ZipBin Dinosaur Medium Play Set

  • Dramatic exterior theme identifies the contents
  • Unzipped bin becomes a perfect dinosaur island play mat for playing with dinosaurs, animals,vehicles, boats, action figures and more
  • Play mat becomes the storage bin in a zip
  • Includes 2 dinosaurs
  • Recommended ages between 36 months - 8 years
ZipBin is more than great-looking storage. It's a portable play world that unzips to reveal space to play, create and imagine. And it's easy to clean up... in a zip!

The Dinosaur storage bin's dramatic exterior theme identifies the contents and will look great in your child's room. When the bin is unzipped, it becomes a dinosaur island play mat, complete with a colorful island, a volcano, and oozing tar pit and a mysterious cave. When play is done, the play mat becomes the storage bin in a zip, capturing the toys inside. ZipBin measures approximately 16" x 13" x 9".

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