Monday, November 14, 2011

Brothers & Sisters: The Complete Fourth Season

  • BROTHERS & SISTERS: THE COMPLETE FOURTH SEASON-6-D (DVD MOVIE)
Four adopted brothers come together to bury the woman who raised them. At the funeral, the brothers discover that their mother was murdered, and they look to seek revenge.Bound by love for their slain adoptive mother, the brothers in Four Brothers form a unique quartet that gives John Singleton's film a razor's edge of redemption. It's a thin edge, to be sure, because while Singleton's urban Western pays homage to the Blaxpoitation films of the '70s (as he did with his remake of Shaft), it walks a fine line of credibility with a mythic vengeance plot (recalling John Wayne's 1965 hit The Sons of Katie Elder) that endorses violence as the last resort of a family under siege. When a saintly foster mother (Fionnula Flanagan) is gunned down in a convenience store, her only adopted sons (two white, two black, played! respectively by Mark Wahlberg, Garrett Hedlund, Tyrese Gibson and Andre Benjamin) go after the killers, only to discover that their mother's death was not a random event. As they uncover a sticky web of criminal activity involving a local kingpin (Chiwitel Ejiofor), the character-driven plot races toward an inevitable showdown, with ex-con Wahlberg leading the way. Making excellent use of blue collar locations in Detroit, Singleton keeps the action moving fast enough that the film's lack of realism is easily ignored, and the well-drawn characters (including Terrence Howard as a tenacious detective) lend emotional dimension to an otherwise familiar revenge scenario. Four Brothers is manipulative, but it's filled with grace notes of rugged working-class humanity, and it definitely holds your attention. --Jeff ShannonFour adopted brothers come together to bury the woman who raised them. At the funeral, the brothers discover that their mother was murdered, and th! ey look to seek revenge.Bound by love for their slain adoptive! mother, the brothers in Four Brothers form a unique quartet that gives John Singleton's film a razor's edge of redemption. It's a thin edge, to be sure, because while Singleton's urban Western pays homage to the Blaxpoitation films of the '70s (as he did with his remake of Shaft), it walks a fine line of credibility with a mythic vengeance plot (recalling John Wayne's 1965 hit The Sons of Katie Elder) that endorses violence as the last resort of a family under siege. When a saintly foster mother (Fionnula Flanagan) is gunned down in a convenience store, her only adopted sons (two white, two black, played respectively by Mark Wahlberg, Garrett Hedlund, Tyrese Gibson and Andre Benjamin) go after the killers, only to discover that their mother's death was not a random event. As they uncover a sticky web of criminal activity involving a local kingpin (Chiwitel Ejiofor), the character-driven plot races toward an inevitable showdown, with ex-con Wahlberg leading the ! way. Making excellent use of blue collar locations in Detroit, Singleton keeps the action moving fast enough that the film's lack of realism is easily ignored, and the well-drawn characters (including Terrence Howard as a tenacious detective) lend emotional dimension to an otherwise familiar revenge scenario. Four Brothers is manipulative, but it's filled with grace notes of rugged working-class humanity, and it definitely holds your attention. --Jeff ShannonFour adopted brothers come together to bury the woman who raised them. At the funeral, the brothers discover that their mother was murdered, and they look to seek revenge.Bound by love for their slain adoptive mother, the brothers in Four Brothers form a unique quartet that gives John Singleton's film a razor's edge of redemption. It's a thin edge, to be sure, because while Singleton's urban Western pays homage to the Blaxpoitation films of the '70s (as he did with his remake of Shaft), it wa! lks a fine line of credibility with a mythic vengeance plot (r! ecalling John Wayne's 1965 hit The Sons of Katie Elder) that endorses violence as the last resort of a family under siege. When a saintly foster mother (Fionnula Flanagan) is gunned down in a convenience store, her only adopted sons (two white, two black, played respectively by Mark Wahlberg, Garrett Hedlund, Tyrese Gibson and Andre Benjamin) go after the killers, only to discover that their mother's death was not a random event. As they uncover a sticky web of criminal activity involving a local kingpin (Chiwitel Ejiofor), the character-driven plot races toward an inevitable showdown, with ex-con Wahlberg leading the way. Making excellent use of blue collar locations in Detroit, Singleton keeps the action moving fast enough that the film's lack of realism is easily ignored, and the well-drawn characters (including Terrence Howard as a tenacious detective) lend emotional dimension to an otherwise familiar revenge scenario. Four Brothers is manipulative, but it's filled! with grace notes of rugged working-class humanity, and it definitely holds your attention. --Jeff ShannonFour adopted brothers come together to bury the woman who raised them. At the funeral, the brothers discover that their mother was murdered, and they look to seek revenge.Bound by love for their slain adoptive mother, the brothers in Four Brothers form a unique quartet that gives John Singleton's film a razor's edge of redemption. It's a thin edge, to be sure, because while Singleton's urban Western pays homage to the Blaxpoitation films of the '70s (as he did with his remake of Shaft), it walks a fine line of credibility with a mythic vengeance plot (recalling John Wayne's 1965 hit The Sons of Katie Elder) that endorses violence as the last resort of a family under siege. When a saintly foster mother (Fionnula Flanagan) is gunned down in a convenience store, her only adopted sons (two white, two black, played respectively by Mark Wahlberg, G! arrett Hedlund, Tyrese Gibson and Andre Benjamin) go after the! killers , only to discover that their mother's death was not a random event. As they uncover a sticky web of criminal activity involving a local kingpin (Chiwitel Ejiofor), the character-driven plot races toward an inevitable showdown, with ex-con Wahlberg leading the way. Making excellent use of blue collar locations in Detroit, Singleton keeps the action moving fast enough that the film's lack of realism is easily ignored, and the well-drawn characters (including Terrence Howard as a tenacious detective) lend emotional dimension to an otherwise familiar revenge scenario. Four Brothers is manipulative, but it's filled with grace notes of rugged working-class humanity, and it definitely holds your attention. --Jeff ShannonBound by love for their slain adoptive mother, the brothers in Four Brothers form a unique quartet that gives John Singleton's film a razor's edge of redemption. It's a thin edge, to be sure, because while Singleton's urban Western pays homage ! to the Blaxpoitation films of the '70s (as he did with his remake of Shaft), it walks a fine line of credibility with a mythic vengeance plot (recalling John Wayne's 1965 hit The Sons of Katie Elder) that endorses violence as the last resort of a family under siege. When a saintly foster mother (Fionnula Flanagan) is gunned down in a convenience store, her only adopted sons (two white, two black, played respectively by Mark Wahlberg, Garrett Hedlund, Tyrese Gibson and Andre Benjamin) go after the killers, only to discover that their mother's death was not a random event. As they uncover a sticky web of criminal activity involving a local kingpin (Chiwitel Ejiofor), the character-driven plot races toward an inevitable showdown, with ex-con Wahlberg leading the way. Making excellent use of blue collar locations in Detroit, Singleton keeps the action moving fast enough that the film's lack of realism is easily ignored, and the well-drawn characters (including Ter! rence Howard as a tenacious detective) lend emotional dimensio! n to an otherwise familiar revenge scenario. Four Brothers is manipulative, but it's filled with grace notes of rugged working-class humanity, and it definitely holds your attention. --Jeff ShannonBound by love for their slain adoptive mother, the brothers in Four Brothers form a unique quartet that gives John Singleton's film a razor's edge of redemption. It's a thin edge, to be sure, because while Singleton's urban Western pays homage to the Blaxpoitation films of the '70s (as he did with his remake of Shaft), it walks a fine line of credibility with a mythic vengeance plot (recalling John Wayne's 1965 hit The Sons of Katie Elder) that endorses violence as the last resort of a family under siege. When a saintly foster mother (Fionnula Flanagan) is gunned down in a convenience store, her only adopted sons (two white, two black, played respectively by Mark Wahlberg, Garrett Hedlund, Tyrese Gibson and Andre Benjamin) go after the killers, only to di! scover that their mother's death was not a random event. As they uncover a sticky web of criminal activity involving a local kingpin (Chiwitel Ejiofor), the character-driven plot races toward an inevitable showdown, with ex-con Wahlberg leading the way. Making excellent use of blue collar locations in Detroit, Singleton keeps the action moving fast enough that the film's lack of realism is easily ignored, and the well-drawn characters (including Terrence Howard as a tenacious detective) lend emotional dimension to an otherwise familiar revenge scenario. Four Brothers is manipulative, but it's filled with grace notes of rugged working-class humanity, and it definitely holds your attention. --Jeff ShannonWelcome the Walkers back into your home with the emotional fourth season of the warm and witty drama that explores the triumphs and tragedies of the American family. Featuring one of the most celebrated casts on television, including Sally Field, Calista Flockh! art, Rob Lowe, and Patricia Wettig, ABC’s Brothers And Siste! rs is †œinstantaneously seductive,” raves the Wall Street Journal.

No matter how much life changes, family stays the same. As new challenges arise for the Walkers, they learn to rely on one another more than ever before. Kitty̢۪s personal revelation devastates the entire family, Nora begins a relationship with a younger man and Justin and Rebecca̢۪s Malibu wedding doesn̢۪t quite go as planned. Relive all the drama and every touching moment of Season Four, complete with never-before-seen bonus features available only on DVD!The Walker family of Brothers and Sisters grows more complex with every season--a delight for viewers who get plenty of comedy along with a crisply written dramatic series. The ensemble cast is always top-notch across the board, but this season belongs to Calista Flockhart as Kitty, who faces serious health and personal challenges with believable vulnerability alternating with determination. This season also sees a delicious--and younger--love! interest for Nora (Sally Field), and a new French beau for Sarah (Rachel Griffiths). As the Walker family tries to rally around Kitty and her shocking news, however, their messy lives tend to spiral out of tidy plot lines. This season Kitty's marriage to Robert (the always excellent Rob Lowe, who lends the cast some needed gravitas) faces speed bumps bigger than usual, while her brother Kevin (Matthew Rhys) and his partner Scotty (Luke Macfarlane) decide to expand their family--and to start a new business. Another Walker offspring is discovered, and he brings with him an element of menace.

Viewers adore Brothers and Sisters precisely because there's so much going on with the characters they have grown to love, but this season has perhaps a few too many subplots to follow and get invested in. (With the steely Patricia Wettig, playing Holly, at the helm of Ojai Foods, is there really any doubt the company will survive its economic challenges?) But the deeply invol! ving story of Kitty and her health issues--and Flockhart's ins! pired pe rformance--is, as it should be, the silk thread that holds together season 4 of Brothers and Sisters--and the Walker family.

The boxed set, like those of previous seasons, is rich in material for fans. There are more than a dozen deleted scenes, all well acted and nuanced, and the bloopers are abundant and hilarious. There is also a feature about the cast members and how bonded they are off-camera--to the point where they play softball and even do a triathlon together. And you know what they say about a family that plays together. --A.T. Hurley

Anime Studio Debut 8

  • Complete animation software designed for digital artists--perfect for first time animators, hobbyists and digital enthusiasts
  • Create art using intuitive vector-based draw, paint and fill tools;
  • Choose from pre-built content in the library or automatically convert existing sketches to ready-to-animate vector drawings
  • Built-in Character Wizard lets you design your own characters complete with walk cycles, expressions and more
  • Then make them talk with built-in Lip Syncing
  • Export to the most popular web and video formats, or upload and share on YouTube or Facebook directly from within Anime Studio
Create Your Own Catoons and Animations
Screenshot
! Make your characters talk with built-in Audio Recording and Lip-Syncing. View larger.

Anime Studio Debut 8

Create Your Own Cartoons and Animations

Create Animations in Minutes

The fun, quick and affordable way to create animations, Anime Studio is the ideal solution for first-time animators, hobbyists and digital artists. A Beginner's Mode and Character Wizard allow you to design your own ready-to-animate characters in minutes.

Organize Projects with the Timeline, Keyframes and Layers

Move your character naturally along the timeline with keyframes, creating smooth animations. Use multiple layers to edit your animation and add sound, special effects and more.

Screenshot
The Beginner's Mode gets you started quickly. Vi! ew larger.
Use Bone Tools to Quickly Animate ! Your Cha racters

A unique bone-rigging toolset allows you to create a skeleton that can be easily manipulated to animate characters, simple drawings, or objects in your animation.

Create Your Own Art or Import Content to Get Started Quickly

Draw your own art with intuitive vector-based draw and paint tools or use pre-built content from the Library to get started. Easily import your hand-drawn sketches or existing artwork from popular graphics programs and automatically convert them to ready-to-animate vector drawings.

Screenshot
Animate your creations using bones. View larger.
Screensho!  t
Create an endless amount of ready-to-animate characters using the Character Wizard. View larger.
Share Everywhere

Export to the most popular web and video formats, or upload and share on YouTube or Facebook directly from within Anime Studio.

Utilize an Array of Powerful and Versatile Features

Free Characters: Use pre-built characters including Jace, Liz, Lightning Man, Dexter and Anime Boy. All are royalty-free, vector-based creations.

Import and Export Art: Bring in your Illustrator or layered Adobe Photoshop files; instantly gather all your project files in one location.

Tons of Tutorials: Access videos and sample files to master powerful features and start animating right away.

Bring Your Photos to Life: Import your favorite images from your digital camera, attach bones and easily turn your photographs into animated movies.

Features

! New! Character Wizard

Creating your own characters has! never b een easier. Quickly design ready-to-animate characters using the built-in Character Wizard. Select a preset, dial in the body proportions and choose from dozens of predesigned 2D components such as hands, feet, mouths, eyes, noses and heads. The look and feel of each character is fully customizable with the help of easy to use sliders. Choose from various clothing choices and custom color combinations, or create a virtually endless amount of fun and different characters using the Randomize feature. Each character comes with multiples views and can be imported with a complete walk cycle, allowing you to have your characters walk in your scene with the click of a button. Even attach head shots of you and your friends for fast and easy jib-jab style animation.

Screenshot
The Content ! Library is packed with hundreds of ready-to-use characters, props, scenes and more. View larger.
New! Automatic Image Tracing

Quickly bring your scanned drawings and photos to life by converting them to ready-to-animate vector art with the click of a button. Color your vector art, resize without loss in image quality and animate using bones. Existing drawings such as heads can quickly get attached to a pre-animated character that you created with the Character Wizard, providing versatility and speed when creating your own characters.

New! Enhanced Drawing Tools

Combine the freehand tool's smart welding feature with the Delete Edge tool to create complex shapes quickly. This eliminates the need for precise drawing, giving you the freedom to sketch as you desire. Additional brush styles have been included and optional rounded end caps have been added to the drawing tools.

Screenshot
Apply a cut-out style effect to any character or object. View larger.
Screenshot
Quickly convert existing drawings to vector art. View larger.
Screenshot
Anime Studio Debut 8 offers an intuitive interface with powerful tools. View larger.
New! Vector Shape Selector

Quickly find and edit vector layers using the Vector Shape Selector. You no longer have to worry about naming each layer to easily find the one you're looking for. Just click on a shape in your project, and! the corresponding layer automatically gets selected for editing. This eliminates tedious searching for the layer you want to edit.

New! Layer Outline Effects

Quickly apply a cut-out style effect to any character or object. Set the width and color for each outline and customize the look and feel of your animation.

New! Enhanced User Interface

Anime Studio 8 introduces new User Interface colors, allowing you to choose from various preset color schemes or create your own. The new Smart Tool Palette provides a less cluttered interface and a better user experience by hiding irrelevant tools.

New! More Ready-To-Use Content

Anime Studio Debut provides an extensive content library with hundreds of pieces of ready-to-use content that includes fully rigged, vector-based characters like Jace, Thorn, Anime Boy and Liz, as well as props, scenes, action words, stock video and images, sound effects and more so you can start creating your ow! n animations right away.

  • Beginner's Mode helps yo! u start animating right away
  • Incorporate sound clips with integrated audio recording and automatic lip-syncing
  • Combine your animation with audio and video elements
  • Apply cartoon effects to any image or video
  • Integrate special effects such as motion blur and shadows
  • Track, zoom and roll the camera
  • Access the Content Library for hundreds of ready-to-use characters, props, scenes and more
  • Pen tablet support simulates drawing on paper
  • Built-in tutorials and sample files get you up and running quickly
  • Import Quicktime, AVI or MPEG-4 video
  • Export your animations in SWF, AVI or MOV format
  • Render in popular formats and sizes
  • Upload directly to Facebook and YouTube

Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters for DVD

  • The Aqua Teen Hunger Force movie establishes the origins of the Aqua Teens and attempts to explain the back story to some age-old mysteries that have surrounded the Aqua Teens. Or does it? No one really knowsRunning Time: 166 min. Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY Rating: R Age: 053939791921 UPC: 053939791921 Manufacturer No: T7919
The Aqua Teen Hunger Force movie establishes the origins of the Aqua Teens and attempts to explain the back story to some age-old mysteries that have surrounded the Aqua Teens. Or does it? No one really knows

DVD Features:
Alternate endings
Deleted Scenes
Featurette
Music Video
Other
Photo gallery
Theatrical Trailer

Fans of Cartoon Network̢۪s Aqua Teen Hunger Force series (part of the cable channel̢۪s Adult Swim programming) know what they̢۪re in for with this feature! -length extension of the nearly-indescribable animated show. Set in a rundown, Jersey suburb, Aqua Teen concerns the misadventures of three human-size characters who happen to be fast food refuse: the crude Master Shake, a discarded milkshake in a cup similar to those from McDonalds; skeptical Frylock, a flying, cardboard box of french fries; and the personable Meatwad, a piece of expired, red beef of unknown origin. Together, they go in search of a missing piece of an exercise machine that happens to be more than an exercise machine, placing them on a collision course with the likes of Oglethorpe and Emory, a pair of jagged, ridiculous creatures from the future who travel with a robot companion claiming to be the Ghost of Christmas Past. They also encounter Dr. Weird, a mad scientist given to disguises and who seeks revenge against the Hunger Force; McPee Pants, a rapping spider who wears a shower cap and diaper; and the hilarious Ignignokt and Err, two-dimensional ! villains from the ancient days of pokey, Atari video games. Da! ve Willi s and Matt Maiellaro, series creators and writers-directors on Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters, are wildly entertaining class clowns, but they expect the rest of us to follow them into their surreal world of postmodern animated nuttiness. The rewards, however, are plentiful. --Tom Keogh

Chicken Little

  • Experience a fantastic world of breathtaking action in Disney's hilarious new movie CHICKEN LITTLE. It's "the perfect family film," raves Scott Mantz of Access Hollywood. When the sky really is falling and sanity has flown the coop, who will rise to save the day? Together with his hysterical band of misfit friends, Chicken Little must hatch a plan to save the planet from alien invasion and
Experience a fantastic world of breathtaking action in Disney's hilarious new movie CHICKEN LITTLE. It's "the perfect family film," raves Scott Mantz of Access Hollywood. When the sky really is falling and sanity has flown the coop, who will rise to save the day? Together with his hysterical band of misfit friends, Chicken Little must hatch a plan to save the planet from alien invasion and prove that the world's biggest hero is a little chicken. Overflowing with incredible music and bursting with exciting! bonus features, including alternate openings, an exclusive "making of" featurette, games, and much more, this sensational DVD is truly something to cluck about.A classic fable gets fused with War of the Worlds in Disney's Chicken Little. In the small town of Oakey Oaks, young Chicken Little (voiced by Zach Braff, Garden State) struggles to live down the embarrassment of having once thought the sky was falling. But when he gets struck again by a hexagonal, sky-camouflaged, hi-tech doohickey, he and his friends Ugly Duckling (Joan Cusack, School of Rock), Runt of the Litter (Steve Zahn, Sahara), and Fish Out of Water discover that aliens are preparing to invade Earth--but since no one believed Chicken Little the first time, why would they believe him now? Though kids will enjoy the bright whizz-bang action sequences of Chicken Little, discerning parents will find the movie tedious. Technically, it has the computer animation quality o! f Pixar--but with none of their intelligence, heart, or simple! storyte lling skill. The basic idea of connecting the fable to aliens is amusing, but the script routinely bogs down in clumsy father-son issues that seem like material edited out of Finding Nemo. The jokes rarely have anything to do with the characters, but are mostly pop-culture references that are sadly out of date. The action sequences were obviously created with the inevitable video game in mind, for which the movie is little more than an advertisement. Chicken Little falls flat. --Bret Fetzer

Invicta Women's 4718 II Collection Limited Edition Diamond Chronograph Watch

  • Precise Swiss-quartz movement
  • Sapphire-coated mineral crystal
  • Case diameter: 33 mm
  • Stainless-steel case; mother-of-pearl dial; diamonds bezel; date function; chronograph functions
  • Water-resistant to 330 feet (100 M)
Add a dash of high style to any ensemble with this limited edition Invicta chronograph timepiece for women, which is elegantly topped by a bezel ringed with 16 hand set sparkling diamonds. The diamonds are GH color and SI clarity. The shimmery mother-of-pearl dial face includes three silver sub-dials with measurements for 1/10th of a second, 60 seconds, and 30 minutes of elapsed time as well as luminous Tritnite hands and hour markers, small minute indexes, and a date window at 4 o'clock. The round watch case measures 33mm wide (1.30 inches) and 11mm thick (0.43 inches). It's complemented by a stainless steel bracelet band that mixes polished and sa! tin links. Other features include a precise Swiss quartz movement, a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal, and water resistance to 100 meters (330 feet)--offering protection from accidental splashes as well suitable for swimming, snorkeling, and light recreational diving.

II Collection

In the wake of up to the minute technology, optimal construction, and a spectrum of inventive design choices you will find the Invicta II collection. Priced to demand attention, no technological or creative rock has been left unturned in order to create such an impeccable example of the ultimate in function and fashion. Invicta II offers a myriad of enticing options including applied indexes, up markers, double-dial dual timers, leather straps, carbon-fiber dials, retrograde chronographs, and moon phase registers. Having fused brains and good looks at a stellar price, the Invicta II is the perfect collection to indulge in all your watch fantasies.

Beerfest (Unrated Widescreen Edition)

  • After a humiliating false start in Germany's super-secret underground beer competition, America's unlikely team vows to risk life, limb and liver to dominate the ultimate chug-a-lug championship. The laughs are on the haus!Running Time: 116 min. Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY Rating: NR Age: 085391102076 UPC: 085391102076 Manufacturer No: 110207
Gamers, grannies and stoners unite! From Adam Sandler's Happy Madison Productions comes a raucously funny, "fish-out-of bongwater comedy" (Playboy) that'll have you rolling with laughter! Life is sweet for 35-year-old video game tester Alex (Allen Covert), until he's forced to move in with his overbearing grandmother Lilly (Doris Roberts) and her two roommates: oversexed Grace (Shirley Jones) and overmedicated Bea (Shirley Knight). To save face with his much younger co-workers and super-sexy new boss (Linda Cardellini), Alex brags about the "thr! ee hot babes" living with him, but soon that cat's out of the bag?and the real party at Grandma's house has just begun! If you love footie pajamas, techno-talk and karate-chopping chimps (and who doesn't?), grab your buds and watch Grandma's Boy!Gamers, grannies and stoners unite! From Adam Sandler's Happy Madison Productions comes a raucously funny, "fish-out-of bongwater comedy" (Playboy) that'll have you rolling with laughter! Life is sweet for 35-year-old video game tester Alex (Allen Covert), until he's forced to move in with his overbearing grandmother Lilly (Doris Roberts) and her two roommates: oversexed Grace (Shirley Jones) and overmedicated Bea (Shirley Knight). To save face with his much younger co-workers and super-sexy new boss (Linda Cardellini), Alex brags about the "three hot babes" living with him, but soon that cat's out of the bag and the real party at Grandma's house has just begun! If you love footie pajamas, techno-talk and karate-chopping chimps (and! who doesn't?), grab your buds and watch Grandma's Boy!SPECIAL! FEATURE S: - ORIGINAL THEATRICAL AND UNRATED FILM VERSIONS - AUDIO COMMENTARY - DELETED SCENES - AND MOREDisc 1: Dodgeball WS Disc 2: Grandma's Boy WS Disc 3: Freddy Got Fingered WSAfter a humiliating false start in Germany's super-secret underground beer competition, America's unlikely team vows to risk life, limb and liver to dominate the ultimate chug-a-lug championship. The laughs are on the haus!

DVD Features:
Audio Commentary
Deleted Scenes
Featurette
Interviews
Other

While it didn't quite spark a trend in chug-a-lug brew comedies, Beerfest is the kind of zany time-killer that's a lot funnier if you're within reach of a six-pack and Doritos. In other words, this is yet another low-brow laff-a-thon from the Broken Lizard gang (Super Troopers) that's likely to draw a bigger audience on DVD than it did in theaters, especially since there's a lot of duds (and flat suds) to sit through while waiting for the next big beer-belly-laugh. It's the kind of movie that thinks masturbating frogs a! re funny (OK, you decide), while serving up a gang of guzzling Americans (the aforementioned Broken Lizard troupe, who also write this stuff with director Jay Chandrasekhar) who compete in an epic beer-drinking contest against the nefarious German challenger Baron Wolfgang Von Wolfhausen (played by German actor Jurgen Prochnow, whose starring role in Das Boot inspires one of this movie's better jokes). When it's not trying to top itself in terms of sheer stupidity and juvenile humor, Beerfest satisfies its target audience (basically, frat-rats and party animals) with some gratuitously bare-breasted babes, rampant consumption of alcohol, and the welcomed appearance of Cloris Leachman, who sort-of reprises her "Frau Blucher" persona from Young Frankenstein. So basically what you've got here is a dim-witted but energetic comedy called Beerfest that delivers exactly what you'd expect from a movie with that title. Who says truth in advertising is dead? --! Jeff Shannon

Everybody Loves Raymond: The Series Finale

  • DVD Details: Actors: Ray Romano, Patricia Heaton, Doris Roberts, Brad Garrett, Peter Boyle
  • Writers: Philip Rosenthal
  • Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1; Number of discs: 1; Studio: HBO Home Video
  • DVD Release Date: May 24, 2005; Run Time: 30 minutes
Romance meets comedy in Woody Allen's first movie musical, and it's a glorious celebration of love that had audiences laughing and critics cheering. In intertwining stories, Joe's (Woody Allen) attempt to win the heart of Von (Julia Roberts) takes him to scenic Venice and Paris, while his ex-wife, Steffi (Goldie Hawn), and her current husband, Bob (Alan Alda), deal with erupting family matters in their swank but crowded Manhattan apartment. In the meantime, Steffi and Bob's daughter, Skylar (Drew Barrymore), is torn between two boyfriends (Edward Norton and Tim Roth), adding t! o the complications. But through it all, Allen's dream cast knows the perfect moment to express their emotions with a classic love song or a hilarious production number. Musical comedy has seldom been played with such wit, humor, and sophistication. Get ready to fall in love with love ... and to sing the praises of EVERYONE SAYS I LOVE YOU!Writer-director Woody Allen has produced yet another challenging and funny film, this time taking on the musical genre and bending it to his own unique vision. The result is one of the most charming films in recent years, as Allen assembles a typically sterling ensemble cast to evoke the romanticism of years past. This time, the large cast (including Alan Alda, Drew Barrymore, Goldie Hawn, Edward Norton, and Tim Roth) not only turn in funny and touching performances, but they sing the classic songs of the 1930s and 1940s themselves, and sing them very well. The plot centers on an extended family in New York and their various romantic enta! nglements, including Allen's pursuit of Julia Roberts through ! the stre ets of Paris and the canals of Venice. The musical numbers are the film's high point, displaying wonderful choreography ranging from a room full of dancing Groucho Marxes to a dancing couple in flight at the banks of the Seine. Everyone Says I Love You is a witty and entertaining fantasy, and a truly romantic escape. --Robert Lane Romance meets comedy in Woody Allen's first movie musical, and it's a glorious celebration of love that had audiences laughing and critics cheering. In intertwining stories, Joe's (Woody Allen) attempt to win the heart of Von (Julia Roberts) takes him to scenic Venice and Paris, while his ex-wife, Steffi (Goldie Hawn), and her current husband, Bob (Alan Alda), deal with erupting family matters in their swank but crowded Manhattan apartment. In the meantime, Steffi and Bob's daughter, Skylar (Drew Barrymore), is torn between two boyfriends (Edward Norton and Tim Roth), adding to the complications. But through it all, Allen's dream cast! knows the perfect moment to express their emotions with a classic love song or a hilarious production number. Musical comedy has seldom been played with such wit, humor, and sophistication. Get ready to fall in love with love ... and to sing the praises of EVERYONE SAYS I LOVE YOU!Writer-director Woody Allen has produced yet another challenging and funny film, this time taking on the musical genre and bending it to his own unique vision. The result is one of the most charming films in recent years, as Allen assembles a typically sterling ensemble cast to evoke the romanticism of years past. This time, the large cast (including Alan Alda, Drew Barrymore, Goldie Hawn, Edward Norton, and Tim Roth) not only turn in funny and touching performances, but they sing the classic songs of the 1930s and 1940s themselves, and sing them very well. The plot centers on an extended family in New York and their various romantic entanglements, including Allen's pursuit of Julia Roberts throu! gh the streets of Paris and the canals of Venice. The musical ! numbers are the film's high point, displaying wonderful choreography ranging from a room full of dancing Groucho Marxes to a dancing couple in flight at the banks of the Seine. Everyone Says I Love You is a witty and entertaining fantasy, and a truly romantic escape. --Robert Lane Writer-director Woody Allen has produced yet another challenging and funny film, this time taking on the musical genre and bending it to his own unique vision. The result is one of the most charming films in recent years, as Allen assembles a typically sterling ensemble cast to evoke the romanticism of years past. This time, the large cast (including Alan Alda, Drew Barrymore, Goldie Hawn, Edward Norton, and Tim Roth) not only turn in funny and touching performances, but they sing the classic songs of the 1930s and 1940s themselves, and sing them very well. The plot centers on an extended family in New York and their various romantic entanglements, including Allen's pursuit of Julia Roberts t! hrough the streets of Paris and the canals of Venice. The musical numbers are the film's high point, displaying wonderful choreography ranging from a room full of dancing Groucho Marxes to a dancing couple in flight at the banks of the Seine. Everyone Says I Love You is a witty and entertaining fantasy, and a truly romantic escape. --Robert Lane Your eyes will pop with this unique way of saying "I Love You"!

How do people around the world say "I Love You"? Each spread in this delightful pop-up book features a different country's way of saying these very special words along with a pop-up of an iconic element from that location. From the Statue of Liberty in America, to a gondola in Italy, to an African safari, everyone will love learning how people around the world express themselves.Mira Sorvino won an Oscar for her performance as a bubbleheaded hooker and porn star who happens to be the mother of a bright young boy adopted by a Manhattan couple (Woody! Allen and Helena Bonham Carter). The story finds Allen's spor! tswriter character becoming curious about the identity of his son's biological mom, and he strikes up a relationship with her without revealing why. This 27th feature written and directed by Allen is a nice combination of smart comedy and some of the wackier energy of his earliest movies. (Between scenes, there's a running gag involving a Greek chorus--actually filmed among some real Greek ruins--who do song-and-dance interpretations of the script's events.) This isn't Allen at his best, but it is a fine minor work graced by Sorvino's spin on the cinema's archetypal dumb blonde. --Tom KeoghHow do you say goodbye to the show The New York Times called "The sitcom of our times?" Find out as the series bids a fond farewell, delivering the same good cheer and classic humor that has charmed us for nine seasons. DVD includes the series finale plus the original pilot episode of Everybody Loves Raymond which aired on CBS on September 16, 1996!

Twitter Delicious Facebook Digg Stumbleupon Favorites More

 

web log free