The Phantom of the Opera (Widescreen Edition)

• TESTED

The Phantom of the Opera, SoundtrackFor better or worse, Andrew Lloyd Webber's adaptation of Gaston Leroux's gothic horror/romance novel has done for stage musicals what Spielberg's Jaws did for fish stories, with worldwide sales of its original cast album approaching 25 million. While director Joel Schumacher's film turns on his typically ambitious visual verve, its new film soundtrack recording has been paradoxically focused in scope, yet beefed up dynamically via the brawny presence of a hundred piece orchestra and The London Boys Choir. This single disc version showcases all of Phantom's key songs (a deluxe, double-disc edition is also available), with Gerard Butler imparting a welcome, youthful sensuality to his Phantom, making a fine foil for Emmy Rossum's ever-conflicted Christine. Original show orchestrator David Cullen has fashioned compelling new cont! emporary arrangements to frame Webber's songs -- which now conclude with the lilting, upbeat new ballad he wrote for the film, "Learn to Be Lonely," sung by Minnie Driver. --Jerry McCulleyThe Phantom of the Opera (The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) 2 CD Deluxe Collector's Edition, contains all of the music from the single disc plus other original score material featured in the film.For better or worse, Andrew Lloyd Webber's adaptation of Gaston Leroux's gothic horror/romance novel has done for stage musicals what Spielberg's Jaws did for fish stories, with worldwide sales of its original cast album approaching 25 million. While director Joel Schumacher's film turns on his typically ambitious visual verve, its new film soundtrack recording has been paradoxically focused in scope, yet beefed up dynamically via the brawny presence of a hundred piece orchestra and the London Boys Choir. This deluxe, double-disc version showcases all of Phantom's key songs, with Gerard Butler imparting a welcome, youthf! ul sensu ality to his Phantom, making a fine foil for Emmy Rossum's ever-conflicted Christine. Original show orchestrator David Cullen has fashioned compelling new contemporary arrangements to frame Webber's songs--which now conclude with the lilting, upbeat new ballad he wrote for the film, "Learn to Be Lonely," sung by Minnie Driver. --Jerry McCulleyThe Royal Albert Hall in London comes alive to the passionate melodies and songs from the shows of Andrew Lloyd Webber. Enjoy the magic of this night of a thousand stars. Directed by: David MalletIn 1998 a concert at the Royal Albert Hall celebrated Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber's 50th birthday and featured more than two hours of hits from a body of work spanning almost three decades. In this keepsake of a memorable night, star after star steps on to a massive, Eurovision-style set to revisit golden moments in their long association with Britain's most successful composer of musicals. Elaine Paige in big frocks and an even bigger voi! ce delivers "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina" and "Memory" with her usual power; Michael Ball and Donny Osmond stretch the last vestiges of boyish charm to the very limits but still sound great; and Boyzone gets the youth vote. Then there are Kiri Te Kanawa, Bonnie Tyler, Tina Arena, and, of course, another encore for brother Julian Lloyd Webber and those Variations on the cello. But the stars are Sir Andrew's ex-wife Sarah Brightman in an outstanding selection from The Phantom of the Opera (probably his best work), Antonio Banderas (who really can sing), and Glenn Close, a stupendous, moving Norma Desmond in songs from Sunset Boulevard. All in all, a deserved celebration for someone who has given so many people a great deal of pleasure, and a treat for musicals fans of all ages. --Piers FordMusical Drama based on Andrew Lloyd Webber's celebrated musical phenomenon. The Phantom of the Opera tells the story of a disfigured musical genius (Gerard Butler) who ! haunts the catacombs beneath the Paris Opera, waging a reign o! f terror over its occupants. When he falls fatally in love with the lovely Christine (Emmy Rossum), the Phantom devotes himself to creating a new star for the Opera, exerting a strange sense of control over the young soprano as he nurtures her extraordinary talents.Although it's not as bold as Oscar darling Chicago, The Phantom of the Opera continues the resuscitation of the movie musical with a faithful adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's blockbuster stage musical. Emmy Rossum glows in a breakout role as opera ingénue Christine Daae, and if phantom Gerard Butler isn't Rossum's match vocally, he does convey menace and sensuality in such numbers as "The Music of the Night." The most experienced musical theater veteran in the cast, romantic lead Patrick Wilson, sings sweetly but seems wooden. The biggest name in the cast, Minnie Driver, hams it up as diva Carlotta, and she's the only principal whose voice was dubbed (though she does sing the closing-credit number, "Lear! n to Be Lonely," which is also the only new song).

Director Joel Schumacher, no stranger to visual spectacle, seems to have found a good match in Lloyd Webber's larger-than-life vision of Gaston LeRoux's Gothic horror-romance. His weakness is cuing too many audience-reaction shots and showing too much of the lurking Phantom, but when he calms down and lets Rossum sings "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again" alone in a silent graveyard, it's exquisite.

Read our CD buying guide

Those who consider the stage musical shallow and overblown probably won't have their minds changed by the movie, and devotees will forever rue that the movie took the better part of two decades to develop, which prevented the casting of original principals Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman. Stil! l, The Phantom of the Opera is a welcome exception to t! he long line of ill-conceived Broadway-to-movie travesties.

DVD Features
The special edition of The Phantom of the Opera has two major extras. "Behind the Mask: The Story of The Phantom of the Opera" is an hourlong documentary tracing the genesis of the stage show, with interviews of composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, director Harold Prince, producer Cameron Macintosh, lyricists Richard Stilgoe and Charles Hart, choreographer Gillian Lynne, and others. Conspicuously absent are stars Sarah Brightman and Michael Crawford. Both do appear in video clips, including Brightman performing with Colm Wilkinson at an early workshop, and Crawford is the subject of a casting segment. Other brief scenes from the show are represented by a 2001 production. The other major feature is the 45-minute making-of focusing on the movie, including casting and the selection of director Joel Schumacher Both are well-done productions by Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group.

The ! deleted scene is a new song written by Lloyd Webber and Charles Hart, "No One Would Listen," sung by the Phantom toward the end of the movie. It's a beautiful song that, along with Madame Giry's story, makes him a more sympathetic character. But because that bit of backstory already slowed down the ending, it was probably a good move to cut the song. --David Horiuchi

More on The Phantom of the Opera

The Phantom of the Opera (Special Extended Edition Soundtrack) (CD)	The Phantom of the Opera (2004 Movie Soundtrack) (CD)	The Phantom of th! e Opera< /i> (Original 1986 London Cast) (CD)
Evita (DVD)	Andrew Lloyd Weber: The Royal Albert Hall Celebration (DVD)	More Broadway DVDs

Read more »

Dungeons & Dragons: Eye of the Beholder

• Engaging 1st person dungeon adventure with a host of interactive puzzles and encounters;
• Create a party of 6 adventurers and embark on a dangerous quest through the dungeons of Waterdeep;
• Choose from 6 Forgotten Realms Races including Human, Half-Elf and Moon Elf
• Choose from 4 D&D base classes: Wizard, Rogue, Cleric, and Fighter;
• A combination of over 150 spells and items will help you to pass safely through the horrors of the Waterdeep dungeons.

Grayson Adams is living a double life in Victorian England. By day, he paints erotic pictures, by evening he attends the balls where eager mamas throw their virginal daughters at him, though he is merely the youngest son of a baron. Lately, however, he’s lost his muse, and wonders what it would be like to paint one of those virginal society misses.
Sarah Dusenberry is enduring her fifth season, and is tired of ! her mother pushing her toward a husband, when it’s clear no man wants her. Why can’t she just travel with a companion, lead the life of a well-off spinster? But her mother wants her to have the protection of a man and will not part with the funds Sarah needs for her dream of travel. In search of her own funds, she answers an ad for an artist’s model, never thinking of how she’ll be modelingâ€"or how much she’ll enjoy it.
Grayson becomes entranced with his new model and pursues her in society as he struggles to keep his distance in the studio. What will Sarah do when she learns the truth?
THIS BOOK CONTAINS EROTIC CONTENT.Grayson Adams is living a double life in Victorian England. By day, he paints erotic pictures, by evening he attends the balls where eager mamas throw their virginal daughters at him, though he is merely the youngest son of a baron. Lately, however, he’s lost his muse, and wonders what it would be like to paint one of those virginal s! ociety misses.
Sarah Dusenberry is enduring her fifth seas! on, and is tired of her mother pushing her toward a husband, when it’s clear no man wants her. Why can’t she just travel with a companion, lead the life of a well-off spinster? But her mother wants her to have the protection of a man and will not part with the funds Sarah needs for her dream of travel. In search of her own funds, she answers an ad for an artist’s model, never thinking of how she’ll be modelingâ€"or how much she’ll enjoy it.
Grayson becomes entranced with his new model and pursues her in society as he struggles to keep his distance in the studio. What will Sarah do when she learns the truth?
THIS BOOK CONTAINS EROTIC CONTENT.Mary Peters despairs that she will never marry. At nineteen, she has no prospects of finding a husband, so she takes matters into her own hands and becomes a mail-order bride. When she arrives to Omaha, Nebraska to meet the man she's due to marry, he takes one look at her homely appearance and rejects her.

But fate has! other plans for Mary. Dave Larson happens to be nearby and thinks she will make a good wife. Though she is stunned that someone as handsome and as kind as Dave would ask her to marry him, she accepts. She knows that this marriage will not bear the fruits of love. Love, after all, is for beautiful women. Isn't it?Mary Peters despairs that she will never marry. At nineteen, she has no prospects of finding a husband, so she takes matters into her own hands and becomes a mail-order bride. When she arrives to Omaha, Nebraska to meet the man she's due to marry, he takes one look at her homely appearance and rejects her.

But fate has other plans for Mary. Dave Larson happens to be nearby and thinks she will make a good wife. Though she is stunned that someone as handsome and as kind as Dave would ask her to marry him, she accepts. She knows that this marriage will not bear the fruits of love. Love, after all, is for beautiful women. Isn't it?Ewan McGregor stars as The Eye,! an isolated British intelligence agent. The Eye's current mi! ssion is to track Joanna Eris (Ashley Judd), a woman suspected of blackmailing the son of a senior British official. But Eris is far more than a blackmailer. she is a master of disguise, a frenzied murderer, a lost orphan and a mystery whose rage is as fierce as her beauty.This problematic thriller boasts several inspired elements, especially intelligent, committed performances by leads Ewan McGregor and Ashley Judd, both of whom have become hot commodities. Fans should definitely investigate their incisive work here, even if McGregor and Judd's talents are ultimately cast into a lost cause.

Judd plays a black-widow serial murderer named Joanna, who is systematically seducing and killing men who, in one way or another, are outside the ordinary. (Among her victims is a blind mulimillionaire, played by Patrick Bergin, and a nasty loser portrayed, surprisingly, by Jason Priestley.) McGregor is on board as a British intelligence agent who happens to be following her. Referred to! as "the Eye," McGregor's operative is a haunted man abandoned years before by his wife and daughter. His isolation is such that he holds imaginary conversations with the latter, and she advises him to take pity on Joanna and protect her even as she carries on with her monstrous mission.

That's precisely what he does, at a distance, ushering in comparisons to Hitchcock's classics about voyeurism and obsession, particularly Vertigo and Rear Window. (Allusions to Francis Coppola's The Conversation are unavoidable as well.) But despite the great material (the 1980 source novel by Marc Behm was highly praised by The New York Times) and a fascinating cast (including Geneviève Bujold and k.d. lang), Eye of the Beholder bogs down in Stephan Elliott's often thoughtless, obvious direction. Elliott (Priscilla, Queen of the Desert) grinds down several members of the cast by insisting on dreary, one-note performances, and he makes a lo! ng movie seem even longer by telegraphing story twists and ot! her deve lopments long before they happen. Justice would be served if one could extract Judd and McGregor's appearances here and graft them onto a better movie, but so it goes. --Tom KeoghMary Peters despairs that she will never get married. At nineteen, she has no prospects for finding a husband, so she takes matters into her own hands and becomes a mail order bride. When she arrives in Omaha, Nebraska to meet the man she's due to marry, he takes one look at her homely appearance and rejects her. But fate has other plans for Mary, for Dave Larson, happens to be nearby and figures she will make a suitable companion to help him on his farm. Though she is stunned that someone as handsome and as kind as Dave would ask her to marry him, she accepts, realizing that this marriage of convenience will not bear the fruits of love. Love, after all, is for beautiful women. Isn't it? *This historical western romance is rated R.Cartridge Only Engaging 1st person dungeon adventure with a host of interactive puzzles and encounters; Create a party of 6 adventurers and embark on a dangerous quest through the dungeons of Waterdeep; Choose from 6 Forgotten Realms Races including Human, Half-Elf and Moon Elf; Choose from 4 D&D base classes: Wizard, Rogue, Cleric, and Fighter; Utilize 50 unique 3rd Edition feats and skills to overcome countless enemies and obstacles; A combination of over 150 spells and items will help you to pass safely through the horrors of the Waterdeep dungeons.

Read more »

Bart Got a Room : Widescreen Edition

• Widescreen

Nerdy high school senior Danny has spent six hundred bucks on the hotel room, the limo and the tux for his prom. He's only missing one thing - the girl. Hampered by well intentioned but clueless advice from his newly divorced parents and unsympathetic mocking from his best friends, Danny battles peer pressure, teen angst and his own raging hormones as he desperately searches for a prom date. Danny's luckless quest turns to panic when he learns that even Bart - the school's biggest dweeb - has secured not only a date but also a hotel room for the night.Bart Got a Room isn’t the first movie comedy about nerds, high school, and the senior prom, and it undoubtedly won’t be the last. It may not be the best, either, but writer-director Brian Hecker’s 2008 concoction has enough laughs, charm, amusingly-drawn characters, and winning performances to more than hold its own.! For Danny Stein (Steven J. Kaplan), a high school student in Hollywood, Florida, the imminence of the prom is the source of considerable distress; even more distressing is the prospect of booking of a hotel room for himself and his date at the end of the evening. Problem is, Danny (who’s a bit of a schlub, but far from a total, like, loser), doesn’t have a date yet. The obvious choice is his “best friend” Camille (Alia Shawkat), who’s available and clearly interested, but Danny thinks he can do better--say, with Alice (Ashley Benson), the sophomore hottie who drives to school with him every day. Wrong. As the days, then the hours, dwindle down, Danny, whose parents’ separation is an added distraction (William H. Macy and Cheryl Hines are perfect as Ernie, who’s looking for love on the internet, and Beth, who has a new beau), realizes he’s in big trouble, not least because even the titular Bart--a geek so geeky he makes Danny look like Tom Cruise--already ha! s the room thing covered. All of this plays out in ways that a! re neith er surprising nor especially hilarious, but the movie has heart, not to mention a number of cute, quirky scenes (many involving Danny’s well-intentioned, but mostly clueless, family). Movies like Bart Got a Room aren’t really about the destination, anyway; they’re about the journey, and this one’s a fun ride. --Sam Graham

Stills from Bart Got a Room (Click for larger image)

Bart Got a Room isn't the first movie comedy about nerds, high school, and the senior prom, and it undoubtedly won't be the last. It may not be the best, either, but writer-director Brian Hecker's 2008 concoction has enou! gh laughs, charm, amusingly-drawn characters, and winning perf! ormances to more than hold its own. For Danny Stein (Steven J. Kaplan), a high school student in Hollywood, Florida, the imminence of the prom is the source of considerable distress; even more distressing is the prospect of booking of a hotel room for himself and his date at the end of the evening. Problem is, Danny (who's a bit of a schlub, but far from a total, like, loser), doesn't have a date yet. The obvious choice is his "best friend" Camille (Alia Shawkat), who's available and clearly interested, but Danny thinks he can do better--say, with Alice (Ashley Benson), the sophomore hottie who drives to school with him every day. Wrong. As the days, then the hours, dwindle down, Danny, whose parents' separation is an added distraction (William H. Macy and Cheryl Hines are perfect as Ernie, who's looking for love on the internet, and Beth, who has a new beau), realizes he's in big trouble, not least because even the titular Bart--a geek so geeky he makes Danny look like Tom Cruise--! already has the room thing covered. All of this plays out in ways that are neither surprising nor especially hilarious, but the movie has heart, not to mention a number of cute, quirky scenes (many involving Danny's well-intentioned, but mostly clueless, family). Movies like Bart Got a Room aren't really about the destination, anyway; they're about the journey, and this one's a fun ride.

Read more »

Purple TPU Flexible Case For Apple Iphone 4 4G

• Lightweight, slimfit soft case that is tear resistant.
• Molded to twist and bend but not stretch out of shape.
• Protects your Iphone 4 from scratches, bumps, and dings.
• Complete access to all functionality and buttons without removing iPhone from the case.
• Eliminates antenna problem with iPhone 4

Jayne (Parker Posey) and Laura (Demi Moore) are about to take on the first man they just might not be able to handle: their father Joe (Rip Torn). Dutiful daughters returning to the house they grew up in, Jayne and Laura are forced to take a closer look at their own not-so-perfect lives. Laura suspects that Joe needs full-time care, but Jayne refuses to believe that their father’s condition is serious. Jayne’s compulsion to escape reality only increases Laura’s attempts to yank her back down to earth. Meanwhile, Joe still sings and plays the blues on his prized gui! tar, and the lively widower even has a new “ladyfriend,” shameless and sassy Shelly (Ellen Barkin). Tensions flare as Joe’s senility increases and the close sisters must also juggle their own very different lives â€" but their adventures back home are not without merriment, mischief and even a little childhood magic.Parker Posey and Demi Moore prove inspired casting as troubled sisters in Happy Tears. Posey (all quirks and neuroses) plays Jayne, the sister who married the wealthy but unstable son of a famous artist and is now enveloped in a bubble of money; Moore (half woman warrior, half earth mother) plays Laura, the sister who isn't rich and who has ended up taking care of their increasingly erratic father, Joe (Rip Torn, Men in Black, The Larry Sanders Show), and who is managing--just barely--not to resent Jayne for the difference in their lives. But Joe is slipping into dementia and giving away money to a needy addict named Shelly (Ellen Bark! in, Ocean's Thirteen, Sea of Love), so Jayne com! es back home to decide with Laura what to do. Happy Tears is a peculiar yet vivid movie; the naturalistic surface of its domestic drama is punctured with odd moments of surrealism, such as when Jayne hallucinates that a boot salesman has turned into a vulture. The plot wanders, the characters are explored unevenly, yet moment to moment Happy Tears holds you by virtue of a surprising honesty. Jayne, Laura, Joe, and Shelly feel--despite a bit of hamminess in the performances--like real people, with jagged edges that can't be ignored or explained away. --Bret Fetzer

Stills from Happy Tears (Click for larger image)

	!

PRINCESS KAIULANI - DVD MoviePrincess Kaiulani is a moving film that's part romantic epic, part historical period piece. But mostly it's a portrait of how a frightened young girl grew into an extraordinary woman. The film begins in 1889, when civil unrest unseated Hawaii's royal family and the Hawaiian people began a struggle to maintain their independence and right of self-governance, and when the 13-year-old princess Ka'iulani (Q! 'orianka Kilcher), who was next in line for the Hawaiian thron! e, was e xiled to England to ensure her safety. Shot on location in both England and Hawaii by indie director Marc Forby, this breathtakingly beautiful film follows Ka'iulani as she is plopped down in a foreign world that looks upon Hawaiians as barbarians and where her royal heritage counts for virtually nothing. Princess Ka'iulani, or "Victoria," as the English often call her, endures harsh treatment at the hands of both teachers and students at boarding school, but she refuses to crumble, carrying on with a strength and quiet resolve that's powerfully portrayed by Kilcher. As Ka'iulani matures, she falls in love with Englishman Clive Davies (Shaun Evans) and becomes engaged. Just as Ka'iulani's happiness seems assured, her father visits her in England, bringing with him serious news: her uncle, King Kalakaua (Ocean Kaowili), has died unexpectedly after having been forced to adopt a constitution in conflict with the best interests of the Hawaiian people, and Ka'iulani's aunt Liliu'! okalani (Leo Anderson Akana), who ascended to the throne, has subsequently been put under house arrest and removed from power. Incensed by the grave injustices inflicted upon her people, Princess Ka'iulani is propelled by her inherent sense of duty to sacrifice her own potential happiness. She journeys first to America, where she eloquently pleads with outgoing president Grover Cleveland for his help, and later to Hawaii, where she fights for her people's rights in person. Princess Kaiulani is a powerful film, and what comes across so strongly is not just the often-overlooked perspective of the native Hawaiian people regarding America's annexation of Hawaii and the cultural consequences of that annexation, but the truly heroic acts of Hawaii's extraordinary Princess Ka'iulani. --Tami HoriuchiThe domestic disciplinary adventures of a family consisting of the beautiful widowed Eleanor Stanfield, her teenage daughter, Arthur Hadley, a handsome widower, and his sp! oiled, haughty offspring. When Eleanor and Arthur marry, the d! omineeri ng stepmother sets out for the ultimate training of both girls, enhancing the blissful relationship between the newlyweds. A psychological study of both the erotic and disciplinary effects of corporal punishment. Illustrated.CLASSIC CHASTISEMENT The domestic disciplinary adventures of a family consisting of the beautiful widowed Eleanor Stanfield, her teenage daughter, Arthur Hadley, a handsome widower, and his spoiled, haughty offspring. When Eleanor and Arthur marry, the domineering stepmother sets out for the ultimate training of both girls, enhancing the blissful relationship between the newlyweds. A psychological study of both the erotic and disciplinary effects of corporal punishment.

Read more »

Arthur's Family Vacation: An Arthur Adventure (Arthur Adventure Series)

• ISBN13: 9780316109581
• Condition: New
• Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!

Russell Brand reinvents the role of lovable billionaire Arthur Bach, an irresponsible charmer who has always relied on two things to get by: his limitless fortune and lifelong nanny Hobson (Academy Award® winner* Helen Mirren) to keep him out of trouble. Now he faces his biggest challenge: choosing between an arranged marriage to ambitious corporate exec Susan (Jennifer Garner) that will ensure his lavish lifestyle, or an uncertain future with the one thing money can’t buy â€" Naomi (Greta Gerwig), his true love. With Naomi’s inspiration and some unconventional help from Hobson, Arthur will take the most expensive risk of his life and learn what it means to be a man in this re-imagining of the b! eloved Oscar®-winning* romantic comedy Arthur. As a high-concept Hollywood pitch, remaking the charming Dudley Moore 1981 comic romp about a man-child billionaire playboy with a rather serious drinking problem and installing Russell Brand as the new lead sounded like a pretty good idea. With Brand's reputation as a semi-reformed bad boy and actual recovering alcoholic/addict (not to mention his parlayed success from English standup fame to movies like Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Get Him to the Greek), he was a great casting choice to reprise Moore's devilishly innocent character. In many ways Brand is among the heirs to first-wave loony British comics like Moore, Peter Sellers, and Spike Milligan, along with actors like Steve Coogan, Eddie Izzard, and Ricky Gervais. But something happened in the 30-year translation that has deflated a lot of charm from the 2011 Arthur. Brand is probably the best thing about the movie, although he's never quite able t! o capture the characterization of a genuinely agreeable immatu! re cad t hat Moore portrayed so adorably. This is Russell Brand playing another version of himself, which isn't such a bad thing, just not quite adorable enough. Brand is a smart, funny, and quick-on-his-feet improviser, and lot of that comes through, but he'd probably be the first to admit that he's no Dudley Moore.

The basics of the story remain unchanged. Arthur Bach is a trust fund child who is stuck in childhood, even though his pampered bubble of wealth now brings him toys like prostitutes, famous movie prop cars (the Batmobile, the Back to the Future DeLorean, the Scooby-Doo Mystery Machine, and others all make appearances), and all manner of grownup baubles at every fleeting whim. His stuck-in-childhood mode seems to be blamed on the loss of his doting father at a very young age. But now at 30, his prim mother (Geraldine James) wants him to grow up, stop embarrassing the huge corporation that bears their name, and marry a respectable girl (Jennifer Garner) w! ho will tame him and give the company a veneer of respectability. Upon threat of being cut off from the family fortune, Arthur reluctantly agrees, but then immediately falls for the real girl of his dreams, a lowly--and poor--Manhattan tour guide (Greta Gerwig), who falls for him too. She doesn't even care about the money. The issue of drink is handled somewhat differently 30 years after Dudley Moore made such a loveable and unrepentant chronic inebriant. Since it's kind of a more significant societal issue, the filmmakers haven't really been able to make it as much of a fun and funny part of who Arthur is (plus, Dudley Moore did a drunken shtick that was fairly classic, while there doesn't seem to be much difference between Brand's drunken and sober Arthur). Arthur's drinking is treated as a genuine problem in this update, which also provides comedy the dilemma of dealing with seriousness. Fortunately the sense of forward momentum, Brand's general likeability, and the perv! ading sunny tone cover up a lot. The other big selling point a! nd major change from the original is the character of Hobson, who for Dudley Moore was a dour butler played by John Gielgud, and for Russell Brand is a disapproving nanny in the persona of Helen Mirren. Both Hobsons were best friends to Arthur, and Mirren's statuesque gravitas brings a lot to the authentic lifelong affection that seems real as handled by both actors. Overlooking some slackness in the script, Brand and Mirren give this bright, shiny updated Arthur longer legs than it might otherwise have had in striding cleverly into audiences' hearts. --Ted FryARTHUR - DVD MovieWhen you get caught between the moon and New York City (ahem), chances are you'll find yourself taking another look at this hit comedy starring Oscar-nominated Dudley Moore as the charmingly witty, perpetually drunken millionaire Arthur Bach. Arthur falls in love with a waitress (Liza Minnelli) who doesn't care about his money, but unfortunately Arthur's stern father wants him to marry a Waspy prima do! nna. The young lush turns to his wise and loyal butler (Oscar-winner John Gielgud) for assistance and advice. Arthur was a huge hit when released in 1981, as was its Oscar-winning theme song by Christopher Cross. Few remember that the movie was, sadly, the only one ever made by writer-director Steve Gordon, who died less than a year after the film's release. Consistently funny and heartwarming, Arthur was hailed as a tribute to the great romantic comedies of the 1930s. --Jeff ShannonRussell Brand reinvents the role of lovable billionaire Arthur Bach, an irresponsible charmer who has always relied on two things to get by: his limitless fortune and lifelong nanny Hobson (Academy Award® winner* Helen Mirren) to keep him out of trouble. Now he faces his biggest challenge: choosing between an arranged marriage to ambitious corporate exec Susan (Jennifer Garner) that will ensure his lavish lifestyle, or an uncertain future with the one thing money can’t bu! y â€" Naomi (Greta Gerwig), his true love. With Naomi’s insp! iration and some unconventional help from Hobson, Arthur will take the most expensive risk of his life and learn what it means to be a man in this re-imagining of the beloved Oscar®-winning* romantic comedy Arthur. As a high-concept Hollywood pitch, remaking the charming Dudley Moore 1981 comic romp about a man-child billionaire playboy with a rather serious drinking problem and installing Russell Brand as the new lead sounded like a pretty good idea. With Brand's reputation as a semi-reformed bad boy and actual recovering alcoholic/addict (not to mention his parlayed success from English standup fame to movies like Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Get Him to the Greek), he was a great casting choice to reprise Moore's devilishly innocent character. In many ways Brand is among the heirs to first-wave loony British comics like Moore, Peter Sellers, and Spike Milligan, along with actors like Steve Coogan, Eddie Izzard, and Ricky Gervais. But something happened in the 30-ye! ar translation that has deflated a lot of charm from the 2011 Arthur. Brand is probably the best thing about the movie, although he's never quite able to capture the characterization of a genuinely agreeable immature cad that Moore portrayed so adorably. This is Russell Brand playing another version of himself, which isn't such a bad thing, just not quite adorable enough. Brand is a smart, funny, and quick-on-his-feet improviser, and lot of that comes through, but he'd probably be the first to admit that he's no Dudley Moore.

The basics of the story remain unchanged. Arthur Bach is a trust fund child who is stuck in childhood, even though his pampered bubble of wealth now brings him toys like prostitutes, famous movie prop cars (the Batmobile, the Back to the Future DeLorean, the Scooby-Doo Mystery Machine, and others all make appearances), and all manner of grownup baubles at every fleeting whim. His stuck-in-childhood mode seems to be blamed on th! e loss of his doting father at a very young age. But now at 30! , his pr im mother (Geraldine James) wants him to grow up, stop embarrassing the huge corporation that bears their name, and marry a respectable girl (Jennifer Garner) who will tame him and give the company a veneer of respectability. Upon threat of being cut off from the family fortune, Arthur reluctantly agrees, but then immediately falls for the real girl of his dreams, a lowly--and poor--Manhattan tour guide (Greta Gerwig), who falls for him too. She doesn't even care about the money. The issue of drink is handled somewhat differently 30 years after Dudley Moore made such a loveable and unrepentant chronic inebriant. Since it's kind of a more significant societal issue, the filmmakers haven't really been able to make it as much of a fun and funny part of who Arthur is (plus, Dudley Moore did a drunken shtick that was fairly classic, while there doesn't seem to be much difference between Brand's drunken and sober Arthur). Arthur's drinking is treated as a genuine problem in this u! pdate, which also provides comedy the dilemma of dealing with seriousness. Fortunately the sense of forward momentum, Brand's general likeability, and the pervading sunny tone cover up a lot. The other big selling point and major change from the original is the character of Hobson, who for Dudley Moore was a dour butler played by John Gielgud, and for Russell Brand is a disapproving nanny in the persona of Helen Mirren. Both Hobsons were best friends to Arthur, and Mirren's statuesque gravitas brings a lot to the authentic lifelong affection that seems real as handled by both actors. Overlooking some slackness in the script, Brand and Mirren give this bright, shiny updated Arthur longer legs than it might otherwise have had in striding cleverly into audiences' hearts. --Ted FryArthur's family vacation is all wet-it's pouring rain! Arthur has to take charge and finds new things for his family to do-like go to Gatorville. Maybe family vacation isn't so bad after all!

Read more »

Drop Dead Gorgeous

• TESTED

DVD - MovieSubtle is not the word to describe Drop Dead Gorgeous, a mock documentary purporting to cover the Sarah Rose Cosmetics Teen America Beauty Pageant in Mount Rose, Minnesota. Ellen Barkin (Sea of Love) and Kirsten Dunst (Interview with a Vampire, Dick) are perfectly cast as a mother and daughter whose only ambition is to use the pageant to get out of their claustrophobic small-town lives. Opposing them are Denise Richards (Wild Things, Starship Troopers) and her mother, Kirstie Alley (Look Who's Talking), who just happens to be the pageant's organizer. The plot, which centers on contestants being murdered (mostly by flaming explosions), is clearly secondary to the backstage shenanigans and satirical portrayals of vanity, small-town corruption, and family dysfunction. There's not much suspense to the pageant itself, but Dunst is ! an endearing protagonist and along with the broad jokes are some excellent acting turns from the cast, particularly Barkin, Brittany Murphy (Clueless), Nora Dunn (a Saturday Night Live alumna), and the great character actress Allison Janney, who's played small roles in countless movies but finally gets a chance to shine as the supportive neighbor of Barkin and Dunst. In fact, for all the jokes and satirical jabs, in the end it's the characters' relationships that stay in your mind. A bonus: the soundtrack features a hard-rocking version of the theme from The Mary Tyler Moore Show, performed with cool aplomb by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. --Bret Fetzer

Read more »

Nintendo Game Boy Gameboy Silicone Case For iPhone 4 4G

• This case keeps your iPhone 4 safe and protected in style
• Snap-on case is designed to offer all-around external surface protection to your phone without compromising usability
• Provides easy access to all functions without having to remove the case
• Shock absorbent and shatterproof
• Material:Silicone

This black T-shirt features a front screen of a white skull labeled with text that declares "Game Over."This black T-shirt features a front screen of a white skull labeled with text that declares "Game Over."Features Overview: # This case keeps your iPhone 4 safe and protected in style # Snap-on case is designed to offer all-around external surface protection to your phone without compromising usability # Provides easy access to all functions without having to remove the case # Shock absorbent and shatterproof Technical Specification # Material:Silicone

Read more »

Daybreak: The Complete Series

• Did you ever have a day so bad you couldn't wait to get past it? The kind of day where nothing goes your way and everything turns out wrong. What would happen if you couldn't put this day behind you.literally?Today, Detective Brett Hopper will be accused of shooting state attorney Alberto Garza. He will offer his rock solid alibi but will realized that he has been framed and will run. Then he wil

Taye Diggs (Private Practice, How Stella Got Her Groove Back) stars in an action-packed thriller from director Rob Bowman (The X-Files, Reign of Fire) and writer Paul Zbyszewski (After the Sunset).Hopper must find the delicate balance between doing what s important and what s right to get through this killer day and move on to tomorrow.Originally aired on ABC with10 million viewers for the Premier!

Read more »