Friday, January 13, 2012

Arthur/Arthur 2: On the Rocks

  • Dudley does right! Dudley Moore is Arthur, the irrepressible, irresponsible playboy who faces marriage to a woman he detests to keep his fortune and then meets the right woman (Liza Minnelli) from the wrong side of the tracks. John Gielgud won an Academy Award (1981 Best Supporting Actor) as Arthur's acerbic valet. "I'll alert the media," he says when Arthur announces his intention to take a bath.
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 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 Rick! y Gervais. But something happened in the 30-year translation t! hat 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 the loss of his doting fath! er 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) 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 drin! king is treated as a genuine problem in this update, which als! o provid es 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 - 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, pe! rpetually 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 donna. 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 ShannonDudley does right! Dudley Moore is Arthur, the irrepressible, irresponsible playboy who faces marriage to a woman he detests to keep his fortune…and then meets the right woman (Liza Minnelli) from the wrong side of the tracks. John Gielgud won an Academy Award® (1981's B! est Supporting Actor) as Arthur's acerbic valet. "I'll alert t! he media ," he says when Arthur announces his intention to take a bath. The title tune also won Oscar® gold for Original Song. A business deal bilks Arthur out of his fortune and he must (egad!) get a job in the sequel Arthur 2 on the Rocks. But laughs are still the common currency as Moore, Minnelli and Gielgud return. Enjoy!Dudley does right! Dudley Moore is Arthur, the irrepressible, irresponsible playboy who faces marriage to a woman he detests to keep his fortune?and then meets the right woman (Liza Minnelli) from the wrong side of the tracks. John Gielgud won an Academy Award? (1981 Best Supporting Actor) as Arthur's acerbic valet. "I'll alert the media," he says when Arthur announces his intention to take a bath. The title tune also won Oscar? gold for Original Song. A business deal bilks Arthur out of his fortune and he must (egad!) get a job in the sequel. But laughs are still the common currency as Moore, Minnelli and Gielgud return. Enjoy!

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Glory Road (Widescreen Edition)

  • Very Black
COACH CARTER tells the inspiring true story of controversial high school basketball coach Ken Carter (Jackson). Making headlines for his emphasis on the importance of academics over athletics, Carter requests all the members of the team to sign contracts, promising to maintain a certain grade point average. When the players fail to live up to this agreement, Carter benches the entire team, locking the gym and forfeiting games to prove his point. This infuriates the community who sees this as a hindrance to the future professional athletic careers of the players. Through hard work and dedication, Carter eventually gets his point across to his team and the community, going above and beyond to ensure a solid academic future for his team.Based on a true story of the man who locked his boys out of the gym until they focused on their schoolwork, this by-the-numbers crowd-pleaser hold! s together because a steely Samuel L. Jackson refuses to notice the parade of clichés he's trumpeting (the dialogue sticks to platitudes like, "Success in here is the key to success out there"). Coach Ken Carter (Jackson) takes over an unruly team of Richmond, California basketball players and teaches them how to play--and behave--like champions. His plight, which pits him against an uncooperative school board and parents who've given up hope, holds some interest, but the film is too concerned with giving us a Big Game every twenty minutes or so. The teens all have the spark of life in them (including pop star Ashanti, who features in a surprisingly well-handled teen pregnancy subplot), though the film's plodding familiarity means it's never really rousing, adding up to simply a good-natured amalgam of Stand and Deliver, Hoosiers, Dangerous Minds, and even Dead Poet's Society (one of the tougher players actually recites some inspirational poetry! ).--Steve WieckingCOACH CARTER tells the inspiring true! story o f controversial high school basketball coach Ken Carter (Jackson). Making headlines for his emphasis on the importance of academics over athletics, Carter requests all the members of the team to sign contracts, promising to maintain a certain grade point average. When the players fail to live up to this agreement, Carter benches the entire team, locking the gym and forfeiting games to prove his point. This infuriates the community who sees this as a hindrance to the future professional athletic careers of the players. Through hard work and dedication, Carter eventually gets his point across to his team and the community, going above and beyond to ensure a solid academic future for his team.Based on a true story of the man who locked his boys out of the gym until they focused on their schoolwork, this by-the-numbers crowd-pleaser holds together because a steely Samuel L. Jackson refuses to notice the parade of clichés he's trumpeting (the dialogue sticks to platitudes li! ke, "Success in here is the key to success out there"). Coach Ken Carter (Jackson) takes over an unruly team of Richmond, California basketball players and teaches them how to play--and behave--like champions. His plight, which pits him against an uncooperative school board and parents who've given up hope, holds some interest, but the film is too concerned with giving us a Big Game every twenty minutes or so. The teens all have the spark of life in them (including pop star Ashanti, who features in a surprisingly well-handled teen pregnancy subplot), though the film's plodding familiarity means it's never really rousing, adding up to simply a good-natured amalgam of Stand and Deliver, Hoosiers, Dangerous Minds, and even Dead Poet's Society (one of the tougher players actually recites some inspirational poetry).--Steve WieckingAcademy Award nominee Samuel L. Jackson stars in the inspiring true story of controversial high school basketball c! oach Ken Carter, who benched his entire undefeated team for po! or acade mic performance, in order to teach his players the importance of education.Based on a true story of the man who locked his boys out of the gym until they focused on their schoolwork, this by-the-numbers crowd-pleaser holds together because a steely Samuel L. Jackson refuses to notice the parade of clichés he's trumpeting (the dialogue sticks to platitudes like, "Success in here is the key to success out there"). Coach Ken Carter (Jackson) takes over an unruly team of Richmond, California basketball players and teaches them how to play--and behave--like champions. His plight, which pits him against an uncooperative school board and parents who've given up hope, holds some interest, but the film is too concerned with giving us a Big Game every twenty minutes or so. The teens all have the spark of life in them (including pop star Ashanti, who features in a surprisingly well-handled teen pregnancy subplot), though the film's plodding familiarity means it's never really rousing,! adding up to simply a good-natured amalgam of Stand and Deliver, Hoosiers, Dangerous Minds, and even Dead Poet's Society (one of the tougher players actually recites some inspirational poetry).--Steve WieckingThe studio that brought you REMEMBER THE TITANS now delivers another winner with this exciting and inspirational true story of the team that changed college basketball -- and the nation -- forever! Josh Lucas (SWEET HOME ALABAMA) stars as future Hall of Fame coach Don Haskins of tiny Texas Western University, who bucks convention by simply starting the best players he can find: history's first all-African American lineup. In a turbulent time of social and political change, their unlikely success sends shock waves through the sport that follow the underdog Miners all the way to an epic showdown with all-white, #1 ranked Kentucky for the National Championship!One of the greatest basketball games in NCAA history is immortalized in Gl! ory Road, an engaging sports movie that dramatizes a pivot! al miles tone in the racial integration of college athletics. While it may not be as rousing as similar movies like Hoosiers or Friday Night Lights, this fact-based drama gains depth and substance from the groundbreaking achievement of Don Haskins (well-played by Josh Lucas), who coached the 1965-66 team from Texas Western University to the NCAA championship, using the first-ever all-black lineup in the championship game and forever changing the rules of college basketball. Texas Western's underdog season is followed from anxious start to glorious finish, as Haskins recruits many of his black star players from the North, including Bobby Joe Hill (Derek Luke) and Willie Cager (Damaine Radcliff), and this typically wholesome Disney film doesn't flinch from the harsh realities of racial tension (including player beatings and vandalized motel rooms) that Texas Western's black players had to struggle against as their victories began to draw national attention. Jon Voight (un! der heavy makeup) makes a memorable cameo appearance as legendary Kentucky coach Adolph Rupp, whose favored all-white team was no match for Texas Western, and Haskins' unforgettable achievement is celebrated in an end-credits sequence that demonstrates the positive ripple-effect of his color-blind coaching. Glory Road relies a bit too heavily on sports-movie clichés, but its shortcomings are easily overlooked in favor of its greater historical significance. --Jeff Shannon

Uncertainty

  • UNCERTAINTY (DVD MOVIE)
Loud music. Pornography. Lighting fires. These are a few of Hesher’s favorite things. And they are what Hesher (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) brings into the lives of TJ (Devin Brochu) and his father Paul (Rainn Wilson) when he takes up residence in the garage uninvited. Grief stricken by the loss of TJ’s mother, Paul can’t muster the strength to evict the strange squatter and soon the long-haired, ta ttooed Hesher becomes a fixture in the household. Like a force of nature, Hesher’s anarchy shakes the family out of their grief and helps them embrace life once more.As the title character in Hesher, Joseph Gordon-Levitt wears a grungy fright wig and anarchic death-metal attitude to match. He's worlds away from the suave, immaculately groomed covert operative he played in Inception. But what's consistent in both performances and the thing that gives the übe! r-indie and perhaps overly nihilistic Hesher its punch is Gordon-Levitt's sleek, leonine physicality. Hesher is a mysterious, violent, rude, yet affectingly empathetic drifter who appears in the life of 13-year-old T.J., his depressed father, and ailing grandmother, all of whom are grieving the recent death of the boy's mother. Hesher drives a beat-up black van and sleeps in vacant houses (until he moves uninvited into T.J.'s garage), popping in and out of the action at random and seemingly just to bring more chaos into the life of T.J. and his family. Whether Hesher is what the family needs to unscrew itself from the funk of extreme dysfunction caused by their communal tragedy is something first-time writer-director Spencer Susser tries hard to work out, and not always with complete success. It's a tough and very messy narrative that runs dangerously close to mawkishness, but for the vicious outbursts of brutality, aggression, and deep-seated emotional pain lying ju! st beneath everyone's surface. Hesher is the catalyst, and for! tunately Gordon-Levitt's physical grace is extraordinarily compelling as he pushes and punishes his lithe body in complete commitment to the role. This is a severely damaged soul who's probably beyond redemption himself, but understands that he still has something to give that might be of aid to someone else. As the primary beneficiary of the salvation on offer, Devin Brochu is an impressive little brother-like match as T.J., even as he's constantly exposed to the physical danger that's a by-product of being in proximity to Hesher (kudos to the tiny stunt double who gets tossed around like a rag doll). The rest of the cast do their best to keep up with the bedlam. Rainn Wilson is stretching some little-used actorly muscles as the near-catatonic dad for whom something must change, and Natalie Portman looking positively frumpy as a down-and-out ragamuffin who crosses paths with both T.J. and Hesher seems also to be trying to put a shine on her indie cred. Piper Laurie's turn as the ob! ese, uncomprehending grandmother is a poignant peak in her long career and a character that's integral to the changes everyone else experiences, most especially Hesher himself. --Ted FryLoud music. Pornography. Lighting fires. These are a few of Hesher’s favorite things. And they are what Hesher (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) brings into the lives of TJ (Devin Brochu) and his father Paul (Rainn Wilson) when he takes up residence in the garage uninvited. Grief stricken by the loss of TJ’s mother, Paul can’t muster the strength to evict the strange squatter and soon the long-haired, tattooed Hesher becomes a fixture in the household. Like a force of nature, Hesher’s anarchy shakes the family out of their grief and helps them embrace life once more.As the title character in Hesher, Joseph Gordon-Levitt wears a grungy fright wig and anarchic death-metal attitude to match. He's worlds away from the suave, ! immaculately groomed covert operative he played in Inceptio! n. B ut what's consistent in both performances and the thing that gives the über-indie and perhaps overly nihilistic Hesher its punch is Gordon-Levitt's sleek, leonine physicality. Hesher is a mysterious, violent, rude, yet affectingly empathetic drifter who appears in the life of 13-year-old T.J., his depressed father, and ailing grandmother, all of whom are grieving the recent death of the boy's mother. Hesher drives a beat-up black van and sleeps in vacant houses (until he moves uninvited into T.J.'s garage), popping in and out of the action at random and seemingly just to bring more chaos into the life of T.J. and his family. Whether Hesher is what the family needs to unscrew itself from the funk of extreme dysfunction caused by their communal tragedy is something first-time writer-director Spencer Susser tries hard to work out, and not always with complete success. It's a tough and very messy narrative that runs dangerously close to mawkishness, but for the vicious o! utbursts of brutality, aggression, and deep-seated emotional pain lying just beneath everyone's surface. Hesher is the catalyst, and fortunately Gordon-Levitt's physical grace is extraordinarily compelling as he pushes and punishes his lithe body in complete commitment to the role. This is a severely damaged soul who's probably beyond redemption himself, but understands that he still has something to give that might be of aid to someone else. As the primary beneficiary of the salvation on offer, Devin Brochu is an impressive little brother-like match as T.J., even as he's constantly exposed to the physical danger that's a by-product of being in proximity to Hesher (kudos to the tiny stunt double who gets tossed around like a rag doll). The rest of the cast do their best to keep up with the bedlam. Rainn Wilson is stretching some little-used actorly muscles as the near-catatonic dad for whom something must change, and Natalie Portman looking positively frumpy as a down-and-o! ut ragamuffin who crosses paths with both T.J. and Hesher seem! s also t o be trying to put a shine on her indie cred. Piper Laurie's turn as the obese, uncomprehending grandmother is a poignant peak in her long career and a character that's integral to the changes everyone else experiences, most especially Hesher himself. --Ted FryThe Choice is Theirs

Every choice has a consequence. But what if the flip of a coin could trigger two separate but parallel destinies? Joseph Gordon-Levitt (500 DAYS OF SUMMER) and Lynn Collins (WOLVERINE) star as Bobby and Kate, a young New York couple at a crossroads whose lives are about to take very different heads/tails directions: A visit to Brooklyn leads them to gentle discoveries about family, loss and each other, while a day in Manhattan plunges them into an urban nightmare of pursuit, suspense and murder. Olivia Thirlby (JUNO) co-stars in this uniquely powerful thriller written, produced and directed by Scott McGehee and David Siegel, the award-winning filmmakers behind SUTURE, BEE SEASON and T! HE DEEP END.

Multi Voice Changer by Toysmith: Change your voice with 10 different voice modifiers - Kids Toy (Colors May Vary)

  • 10 different voice modifiers in one 6.5" voice changer
  • Use the side levers to create hundred of combinations
  • Features flashing LED lights
  • Requires 1-9 Volt battery-INCLUDED
  • Fun voice effects
This uniquely poignant and funny film focuses on the rekindling of a school relationship that has taken on a new twist."This book, the first in the Learning about sex series for girls, aids parents in the often difficult task of introducing and explaining human sexuality. The simple, age-appropriate text and pictures in this book teach girls ages 4 to 6 that the similariti"This multi voice changer is lots of fun for children, yes even for adults! Ten different voice modifiers in one 6.5 inch voice changer! Use the side levers to create even more variations. Features flashing LED lights. Requires one 9V battery, included. Comes in assorted colors, yours will be chosen at ran! dom from stock.

The Cat in the Hat

  • Hardcover
  • Juvenile beginning reading
  • Stories with verses
  • Rhymed verses.
  • English


Features include:

•MPAA Rating: PG
•Format: DVD
•Runtime: 82 minutes
The Cat in the Hat is a marketing ploy disguised as a wildly designed movie for hyperactive kids, and it could use a dose of Ritalin. It hardly matters, though, because kids will surely enjoy the rampant romp that occurs when the top-hatted feline convinces young Sally (Dakota Fanning) and Conrad (Spencer Breslin) to wreak havoc in the home their mother (Kelly Preston) has neatly prepared for an upcoming party. It's all in the name of fun, and while Seuss's classic rhymes are relegated to voice-over narration, director Bo Welch capitalizes on his background as one of Hollywood's most gifted production designers (with credits including Edward Scissorhands and! Men in Black), turning the Seussian town of "Anville" into a playful pastiche of pastels. As played by Mike Myers under layers of fur and latex, Dr. Seuss's mischievous Cat is mayhem personified, and the movie suffers from his anything-goes approach to getting a laugh. And though Myers delivers a few laughs while channeling voices from his own comedic repertoire (including "Coffee Talk" maven Linda Richman), a little of this Cat goes a long way, and he nearly wears out his welcome. --Jeff ShannonPoor Dick and Sally. It's cold and wet and they're stuck in the house with nothing to do . . . until a giant cat in a hat shows up, transforming the dull day into a madcap adventure and almost wrecking the place in the process! Written by Dr. Seuss in 1957 in response to the concern that "pallid primers [with] abnormally courteous, unnaturally clean boys and girls' were leading to growing illiteracy among children, The Cat in the Hat (the first Ra! ndom House Beginner Book) changed the way our children learn h! ow to re ad.
He may be an old standby, but he never lets us down. When in doubt, turn to the story of the cat that transformed a dull, rainy afternoon into a magical and just-messy-enough adventure. There's another, hidden adventure, too: this book really will help children learn to read. With his simple and often single-vowel vocabulary, the good Doctor knew what he was doing: hear it, learn it, read it--laughing all the way. The Cat in the Hat is a must for any child's library.

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Cop Out

  • COP OUT (DVD MOVIE)
Action star Bruce Willis and ace comic Tracy Morgan play bickering-but-got-your-back Brooklyn buddy cops. Kevin Smith (Clerks, Chasing Amy) directs the gritty, goofball goings-on as the guys hunt for a stolen 1952 mint-condition baseball card, a hunt plunging them into a gunslinging war with a deadly drug ring. Batter up, fans. The boys are ready to take you out to the ol’ brawl game!Fan-favorite filmmaker Kevin Smith (Clerks, Chasing Amy) directs the first movie he didn't write himself: Cop Out, starring Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan (30 Rock) as mismatched cops. When a bust goes wrong, they get suspended, forcing Willis to sell a treasured baseball card in order to pay for his daughter's wedding. But while selling the card, it gets stolen, sending the pair on a wild chase featuring a parkour-loving housebreaker, a hot Latina trapped in the t! runk of a Mercedes-Benz, a 10-year-old car thief, and a lot of other goofiness. It's hard to believe that Smith didn't have a hand in the writing, as the comedy has all of his loose, ramshackle habits (and his reliance on jokes about poop and male genitalia)--though much of it also has the feel of being improvised by Willis and Morgan. Cop Out wants to mock buddy-cop movies, but it also wants to be a buddy-cop movie; these conflicting impulses are never harmonized, so the whole movie feels out of tune. The star-studded supporting cast includes Jason Lee, Michelle Trachtenberg, Seann William Scott, Fred Armisen, Kevin Pollak, Adam Brody, Rashida Jones, and Susie Essman. --Bret Fetzer

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Famous Stars and Straps Men's Side Family Tee, Black/White, Small

  • Doin our own thing since 99'
  • Making Noise and Influencing People
Mens short sleeve tee with screen printed graphic on front

Friday, January 6, 2012

Follow My Voice - With the Music of Hedwig

  • One record producer, the creators of Hedwig and the Angry Inch and top indie rock artists come together to create a tribute album benefiting the Hetrick-Martin Institute, home of the Harvey Milk High School-the first accredited high school in the country for LGBTQ youth. Follow My Voice: With the Music of Hedwig weaves the compelling, courageous stories of four students at this controversial sc
One record producer, the creators of Hedwig and the Angry Inch and top indie rock artists come together to create a tribute album benefiting the Hetrick-Martin Institute, home of the Harvey Milk High School-the first accredited high school in the country for LGBTQ youth.

Follow My Voice: With the Music of Hedwig weaves the compelling, courageous stories of four students at this controversial school with a unique chronicle of the yearlong creation of Wig in a Box, the album whose songs poi! gnantly echo these teens struggles and aspirations. Audiences around the world became instant Hed Heads as Hedwig, like everyone who was ever young, questions TheOrigin of Love, dreams of a Sugar Daddy, feels like a Freak and curses a Wicked Little Town.

Meanwhile, the little known Harvey Milk School for at-risk youth, operating for 20 years in New York City s East Village quickly became the subject of international news when it received accreditation and financial support from NYC. A furious controversy over public funding ignite passionate self-determination from the kids and a deeper commitment from the artists who them-selves know what it s like to be outside the mainstream.

Through a dramatic and vibrant combination of verité documentation, student video diaries, and rare in-studio scenes of artists recording tracks, Follow My Voice offers a powerful look at this unlikely intersection of youth, gender and rock. Includes Yoko Ono, Rufus Wainwr! ight, Cyndi Lauper, Ben Folds, The Breeders, Yo La Tengo, John! Cameron Mitchell, They Might Be Giants and more.

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