Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Dollhouse: The Complete Second Season


  • Dec 01, 2010 01:38:27


  • Product Brand : Twentieth Century Fox
  • Product Overviews
  • From creative mastermind Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) comes the stunning final season of this sexy thriller that that will reveal all the secrets and complete your collection!
     As Dollhouse continues to provide its elite clientele with “actives” – human beings imprinted with the personas of whomever the client wants them to be – its mind-altering technology spins dangerously out of control.  Now, an unlikely alliance must attempt to destroy the sinister corporation behind the facade.  And, as the lovely, lethal active Echo (Eliza Dushku) struggles with the memories of her past, she must unlock the deadly secret that will ultimately determine the fate of all mankind.

  • Product Specifications
  • Add Dollhouse to the list of excellent TV shows cancelled far too soon. Of course, it's miraculous that Dollhouse made it to a second season at all. Television isn't generally receptive to complicated stories or moral ambiguity--and how else can you describe a series about people called "actives," whose minds are wiped clean so they can be imprinted with other personalities and rented out to the wealthy? As season 2 begins, former FBI agent Paul Ballard (Tahmoh Penikett, Battlestar Galactica) has joined the Dollhouse and become the handler for Echo (Eliza Dushku, Bring It On), the most popular active. But Ballard still hopes to bring the Dollhouse down, and when he discovers that Echo's mind is starting to accumulate a new, coherent personality, he keeps her secret and promises to help her.

    Echo's developing self began as the season's dominant story, but halfway through the season creator Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog) learned the show had been cancelled--so he decided to cram the events he'd planned for multiple seasons into the remaining episodes. The result is more like a zippy science-fiction novel than typical serial television. Some plot developments feel rushed, but overall the headlong pace revs up the excitement as the Dollhouse fights against its parent corporation and instigates what may be the end of civilization. The regular characters all develop in juicy ways and some actors from other Whedon series (like Firefly's Summer Glau and Angel's Alexis Denisof) get plum guest roles. The series has its weaknesses--some ideas seem clumsily grafted on from other science-fiction franchises--but the second season vastly improved upon the first, and Whedon's vivid characters and superb storytelling make Dollhouse a pleasure to watch. The DVD extras are substantive, particularly some deleted scenes that give additional heft to the season's developments. --Bret Fetzer

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  • Monday, November 29, 2010

    Dirty Harry (Blu-ray Book)


  • Nov 30, 2010 01:20:08


  • Product Brand : Warner Brothers
  • Product Overviews
  • In the year 1971, San Francisco faces the terror of a maniac known as Scorpio- who snipes at innocent victims and demands ransom through notes left at the scene of the crime. Inspector Harry Callahan (known as Dirty Harry by his peers through his reputation handling of homicidal cases) is assigned to the case along with his newest partner Inspector Chico Gonzalez to track down Scorpio and stop him. Using humiliation and cat and mouse type of games against Callahan, Scorpio is put to the test with the cop with a dirty attitude. Featuring the all-new Blu-Ray BOOK STYLE packaging; Hard-cover book w/36-pages of photos and facts on Dirty Harry All content from 2-Disc Special Edition is included in this Blu-Ray Disc of Dirty Harry. ALL NEW commentary by Clint Eastwood ALL NEW featurette, "The Long Shadow of Dirty Harry" RT 30:00 "Clint Eastwood: Man From Malpaso" 1993 TV Special RT 58:00 Dirty Harry was voted the 17th greatest movie hero ever in AFI’s 100 Years…100 Heroes & Villains; Dirty Harry is the only title in the Dirty Harry franchise that is available separately in Hi-definition Blu-Ray.

  • Product Features
    • In the year 1971, San Francisco faces the terror of a maniac known as Scorpio- who snipes at innocent victims and demands ransom through notes left at the scene of the crime. Inspector Harry Callahan (known as Dirty Harry by his peers through his reputatio n handling of homicidal cases) is assigned to the case along with his newest partner Inspector Chico Gonzalez to track down Scorpio and stop hi

  • Product Specifications
  • Whether or not you can sympathize with its fascistic-vigilante approach to law enforcement, Dirty Harry (directed by star Clint Eastwood's longtime friend and directorial mentor, Don Siegel) is one hell of a cop thriller. The movie makes evocative use of its San Francisco locations as cop Harry Callahan (Eastwood) tracks the elusive "Scorpio killer" who has been terrorizing the city by the Bay. As the psychopath's trail grows hotter, Harry becomes increasingly impatient and intolerant of the frustrating obstacles (departmental red tape, individuals' civil rights) that he feels are keeping him from doing his job. A characteristically taut and tense piece of filmmaking from Siegel (Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Shootist, Escape from Alcatraz), it also remains a fascinating slice of American pop culture. It was a big hit (followed by four sequels) that obviously reflected--or exploited--the almost obsessive or paranoid fears and frustrations many Americans felt about crime in the streets. At a time when "law and order" was a familiar slogan for political candidates, Harry Callahan may have represented neither, but from his point of view his job was simple: stop criminals. To him that end justified any means he deemed necessary. --Jim Emerson

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  • Sunday, November 28, 2010

    Escaflowne: Movie [Blu-ray]


  • Nov 29, 2010 01:00:07


  • Product Brand : Bandai
  • Product Overviews
  • ESCAFLOWNE:MOVIE - Blu-Ray Movie

  • Product Specifications
  • Escaflowne is a sprawling adventure saga that infuses sword-and-sorcery and mecha elements into the popular "magical girl" anime genre. The girl is Hitomi Kanzaki (voice by Kelly Sheridan), a withdrawn teenager who wishes she could just leave everything behind and vanish. When she's magically transported to the alternate world of Gaia, she gets her wish--in spades. The dashing Van (Kirby Morrow) of the White Dragon Clan is pitted against his twisted brother Folken (Paul Dobson), the leader of the Black Dragon Clan, in a succession war that threatens the very existence of Gaia. Hitomi is hailed as the long-awaited "Wing Goddess," and her power over the invincible dragon-mecha suit Escaflowne confirms her status. Although the tangled story line has been pared down, the feature remains a reworking of the 26-part TV series The Vision of Escaflowne, which aired briefly on Fox Kids and is available on DVD. Fans of the television series will find that many of the familiar characters have been redesigned and reduced to minor roles, among them Allen, Princess Millerna, Dryden, Merle, Naria, and Eriya. Some of the story's more outré elements have been dropped, but there are still more prophecies, conflicts, and relationships than the filmmakers can resolve satisfactorily in 96 minutes, despite a pat happy ending. Escaflowne boasts some impressive action sequences, which Kazuki Akane directs with panache. The film opens with a spectacular sword fight, as Van single-handedly dispatches the guards on an enemy airship to capture Escaflowne. MPAA rating: PG-13. Contains considerable violence. --Charles Solomon

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  • Saturday, November 27, 2010

    Tchaikovsky: Cherevichki - The Tsarina's Slippers [Blu-ray]


  • Nov 28, 2010 00:38:11


  • Product Overviews
  • Based on Gogol's fantastical and comic story of the Devil's antics on
    Christmas Eve, this magical blend of opera and ballet is brought to
    vivid life in Francesca Zambello's colourful production. Magnificent set
    designs (Mikhail Mokrov) and costumes (Tatiana Noginova), and an
    excellent, largely Russian cast provide authenticity. Splendid dancing
    by The Royal Ballet and Cossack dancers completes the spectacle.

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  • Friday, November 26, 2010

    X-Men Trilogy (X-Men/ X2 - X-Men United/ X-Men - The Last Stand)


  • Nov 27, 2010 00:16:04


  • Product Brand : TCFHE
  • Product Overviews
    • Audio: English: Dolby Digital 5.1 / Spanish & French: Dolby Surround
    • Language: Dubbed: English, French, & Spanish / Subtitled: English & French
    • Theatrical Aspect Ratio: Widescreen: 2.35:1

    Disc 1:
    • X-Men: The Last Stand
    • Widescreen Feature
    • Director & Writer Commentary by Brett Ratner, Zack Penn,and Simon Kinberg
    • Deleted & Extended Scenes (with optional commentary by Brett Ratner)
    • 3 Alternate Endings
    • 2 Menu Sets: X-Men and Brotherhood
    • Inside Look- A Night a the Museum
    • The World of Marvel Trailers
    • US Component #2237392
    • Canadian Bilingual Component #2237393
    • Refer to PIS for details

    Disc 2:
    • X2
    • Widescreen Feature
    • Deleted Scenes
    • US Component #2110485
    • Canadian Bilingual Component #2110488
    • Refer to PIS for details
    Disc 3:
    • X-Men
    • Widescreen Feature
    • US Component #2110095
    • Canadian Bilingual #2110098
    • Refer to PIS sheet for details

    Episode Description:
    • Disc 1: X-Men: The Last Stand
    • Disc 2: X2
    • Disc 3: X-Men

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  • Thursday, November 25, 2010

    The Dark Knight FutureShop Blu-ray Steelbook [Region-Free]


  • Nov 25, 2010 23:57:08


  • Product Overviews
  • Product descriptionThe follow-up to Batman Begins, The Dark Knight reunites director Christopher Nolan and star Christian Bale, who reprises the role of Batman/Bruce Wayne in his continuing war on crime. With the help of Lt. Jim Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent, Batman sets out to destroy organized crime in Gotham for good. The triumvirate proves effective, but soon find themselves prey to a rising criminal mastermind known as The Joker, who thrusts Gotham into anarchy and forces Batman closer to crossing the fine line between hero and vigilante. Heath Ledger stars as archvillain The Joker, and Aaron Eckhart plays Dent. Maggie Gyllenhaal joins the cast as Rachel Dawes. Returning from Batman Begins are Gary Oldman as Gordon, Michael Caine as Alfred and Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox.Blu-ray features: * Movie with Focus Points (picture in picture) * Explore your favorite movies through BD-LiveTM, an interactive gateway to exclusive content * 2.40:1 aspect ratio, with IMAX sequences in 1.78:1 * Gotham Uncovered: Creation of a Scene: Director Christopher Nolan and creative collaborators unmask the incredible detail and planning behind the film, including stunt staging, filming in IMAX®, and the new Bat-suit and Bat-pod. * Batman Tech: The incredible gadgets and tools (in HD) * Batman Unmasked: The Psychology of The Dark Knight: Delve into the psyche of Bruce Wayne and the world of Batman through real-world psychotherapy (in HD) * Gotham Tonight: 6 episodes of Gotham Cable's premier news program * The Galleries: The Joker cards, concept art, poster art, production stills, trailers and TV spots * Digital Copy of the feature film

  • Product Features
    • Exclusive SteelbookTM packaging
    • 1080P WIDESCREEN 16x9 Variable 2.4:1 and 1.78:1 IMAX Sequences
    • Two Disc with Digital copy and BD-Live
    • DOLBY DIGITAL TRUEHD ENGLISH 5.1; ENGLISH 2.0;FRENCH 5.1
    • ENGLISH/FRENCH/SPANISH SUBTITLES

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  • Wednesday, November 24, 2010

    Smallville: The Complete Seventh Season [Blu-ray]


  • Nov 24, 2010 23:38:33


  • Product Brand : Warner Brothers
  • Product Overviews
  • SMALLVILLE:COMPLETE SEVENTH SEASON - Blu-Ray Movie

  • Product Specifications
  • Super-sexy and super-flirty, Clark's super-cousin Kara (Laura Vandervoot) made the splashiest addition to the cast in Smallville's season 7. Unfortunately for Clark (Tom Welling), she's more advanced in her powers than he is (she can fly), and she's not the kind to shy away from drawing attention to herself, whether it's in a skimpy bikini or garnering notice from Lex (Michael Rosenbaum) and Jimmy (Aaron Ashmore, joining the opening credits). Chloe (Allison Mack, rightfully moving ahead of Erica Durance in the credits) is trying to come to terms with her "meteor freak" powers, and Lois (Durance) is dallying with the new Daily Planet editor Grant Gabriel (Michael Cassidy), who has a mysterious past. The dreary drama of Lex and Lana (Kristin Kreuk) is over, and Martha Kent (Annette O'Toole) has permanently departed for Congress, so Lana is now playing house with Clark at the Kent farm. More elements of the DC Comics mythology enter, such as superheroine Black Canary (Alana Huffman), as do guest stars from the universe of Super-entertainment (Lois and Clark's Dean Cain as a doctor who claims to be able to "cure" meteor powers, and Helen "Supergirl" Slater as Clark's Kryptonian mother). Braniac (James Marsters) is still a threat, and Lionel (John Glover) reveals a shady past as part of an order called Veritas, which is purportedly assigned with protecting "the Traveler," an alien who has come to Earth as its salvation. Yet even with the numerous cast comings and goings, the most surprising change happened at the end of the season, when series producers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar announced their departure. Whether that would be a good or bad thing (and whether it would mean an end to their original Smallville edict, "No flights, no tights") would have to be answered in season 8. --David Horiuchi

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  • Tuesday, November 23, 2010

    Secondhand Lions [Blu-ray]


  • Nov 23, 2010 23:15:14


  • Product Brand : NEW Line Home Video
  • Product Overviews
  • SECONDHAND LIONS - Blu-Ray Movie

  • Product Specifications
  • If you can get past its thick layer of syrup and molasses, Secondhand Lions reveals itself as a thoroughly decent family film that anyone can enjoy. It gets a little sappy sometimes, but there's something to be said for a movie in which Michael Caine and Robert Duvall play eccentric old brothers who take the easy approach to fishing: instead of a peaceful rod and reel, they use 12-gauge shotguns. When 14-year-old Walter (Haley Joel Osment, teetering on puberty) spends an eventful summer with his great-uncles on their vast Texas farmland (he's been dumped there by his delinquent mom, played by Kyra Sedgwick), he soon discovers they've lived lives full of adventure, excitement, passion, and mystery. Either that or they're old-time bank robbers with a long criminal record, and writer-director Tim McCanlies (who invested similar warmth into The Iron Giant) does a nice job of concealing the truth until the very end. Full of enriching lessons and homespun humor, Secondhand Lions has more substance than most family films. If you enjoyed Holes, you'll probably enjoy this movie, too. --Jeff Shannon

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  • Monday, November 22, 2010

    Ghost in the Shell 2.0 [Blu-ray]


  • Nov 22, 2010 22:57:31


  • Product Brand : Fox
  • Product Overviews
  • A film that has spawned a thousand imitations but never been bettered – Mamoru Oshii’s legendary anime film GHOST IN THE SHELL returns in a stunning new edition remastered by Oshii himself. For this definitive Version 2.0 release, all the original animations are re-produced with latest digital film and animation technologies, including 3D-CGI. Set in a re-imagined Hong Kong at a time when cyberspace is expanding into human reality, the story follows top cyberwarrior Major Motoko Kusanagi as she hovers on the border of total immersion in the digital world.


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  • Sunday, November 21, 2010

    Nature: Elsa's Legacy: The Born Free Story [Blu-ray]


  • Nov 21, 2010 22:38:32


  • Saturday, November 20, 2010

    The Vampire Diaries: The Complete First Season [Blu-ray]

    The Vampire Diaries: The Complete First Season [Blu-ray] Review


    The Vampire Diaries: The Complete First Season [Blu-ray] Feature

    • Title: VAMPIRE DIARIES: 1ST SEASON BLU-RAY
    • Publisher: WARNER HOME VIDEO / Genre: TELEVISION / Theme: SERIES & SEQUELS / Rating: NR
    • Product Type: VIDEO /
    • Platform: BLU-RAY DISC

    The Vampire Diaries: The Complete First Season [Blu-ray] Overview

    It's Elena's first day back at Mystic Falls High School since the tragic death of her parents. Along with her Aunt Jenna, Elena tries her best to look after her troubled younger brother, Jeremy, and salvage what family they have left. The first day is already shaping up to be a struggle for Elena until she meets the mysterious new kid at school, Stefan. Elena is touched that he can relate to what she's going through. What Elena doesn't know is that Stefan is a vampire, constantly resisting the urge to taste her blood. As their undeniable connection grows deeper, Stefan's dangerous older brother, Damon, shows up to wreak havoc on the town of Mystic Falls - and claim Elena for himself. The Vampire Diaries is based on the bestselling book series from Alloy Entertainment. [endif] [if Like HBO's True Blood, the CW's Vampire Diaries proves there's always room for more good-looking bloodsuckers. Cocreated by Kevin Williamson (Dawson's Creek) and based on the young adult series by L.J. Smith, the show revolves around Elena (Nina Dobrev), an orphan who lives with her aunt Jenna (Sara Canning) and her underachieving brother, Jeremy (Steven R. McQueen), who has a thing for bad girl Vicki (Kayla Ewell). As the school year begins, Elena meets Stefan (Paul Wesley of the smoldering stare) and sparks fly. With the aid of a special ring, he can go out during the day, thus keeping his true nature a secret. After he returns to Mystic Falls, his ancestral home, Vicki gets bit, and Elena's best friend, Bonnie (Katerina Graham), has strange premonitions (Jasmine Guy plays her grandmother).

    Upon uncovering Stefan's secret, Elena learns that he and his brother, Damon (Lost's Ian Somerhalder), once loved a woman who looks just like her (their Civil War past plays out through flashbacks), while Elena used to date Vicki's brother, Matt (Zach Roerig), a football player with a flaky mother (The O.C.'s Melinda Clarke). As more citizens turn up dead, the town council sets out to stop the culprits with help from Elena's uncle John (Alias's David Anders) and his ex, Isobel (The L Word's Mia Kirshner).

    It's easy to take a cynical attitude toward a supernatural soap like The Vampire Diaries, but it gets more things right than wrong. There's moping, goopy ballads, and mumbo jumbo about crystals, but the story lines are compelling and the writers are smart enough to anticipate the Twilight comparisons. When his girlfriend Caroline (Candice Accola) asks why he doesn't sparkle, Damon quips, "Because I live in the real world." Extras include deleted scenes, featurettes, and commentary on the pilot. --Kathleen C. Fennessy]

    The Vampire Diaries: The Complete First Season [Blu-ray] Specifications

    Like HBO's True Blood, the CW's Vampire Diaries proves there's always room for more good-looking bloodsuckers. Cocreated by Kevin Williamson (Dawson's Creek) and based on the young adult series by L.J. Smith, the show revolves around Elena (Nina Dobrev), an orphan who lives with her aunt Jenna (Sara Canning) and her underachieving brother, Jeremy (Steven R. McQueen), who has a thing for bad girl Vicki (Kayla Ewell). As the school year begins, Elena meets Stefan (Paul Wesley of the smoldering stare) and sparks fly. With the aid of a special ring, he can go out during the day, thus keeping his true nature a secret. After he returns to Mystic Falls, his ancestral home, Vicki gets bit, and Elena's best friend, Bonnie (Katerina Graham), has strange premonitions (Jasmine Guy plays her grandmother).

    Upon uncovering Stefan's secret, Elena learns that he and his brother, Damon (Lost's Ian Somerhalder), once loved a woman who looks just like her (their Civil War past plays out through flashbacks), while Elena used to date Vicki's brother, Matt (Zach Roerig), a football player with a flaky mother (The O.C.'s Melinda Clarke). As more citizens turn up dead, the town council sets out to stop the culprits with help from Elena's uncle John (Alias's David Anders) and his ex, Isobel (The L Word's Mia Kirshner).

    It's easy to take a cynical attitude toward a supernatural soap like The Vampire Diaries, but it gets more things right than wrong. There's moping, goopy ballads, and mumbo jumbo about crystals, but the story lines are compelling and the writers are smart enough to anticipate the Twilight comparisons. When his girlfriend Caroline (Candice Accola) asks why he doesn't sparkle, Damon quips, "Because I live in the real world." Extras include deleted scenes, featurettes, and commentary on the pilot. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

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    Friday, November 19, 2010

    The League: The Complete Season One [Blu-ray]

    The League: The Complete Season One [Blu-ray] Review


    The League: The Complete Season One [Blu-ray] Overview

    Get drafted into the hilarious first season of The League, a full-contact look at the hyper-competitive, hysterically unrestrained world of fantasy football! The League's members are a tight crew of long-time buddies, but that doesn't stop an all-out blitz of trash-talking, deceit and ruthless extortion. Watch as their obsession with winning the highly coveted, yet utterly absurd championship trophy impacts their careers, sex lives, families and above all -- their dignity.

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    Thursday, November 18, 2010

    12 Monkeys [Blu-ray]

    12 Monkeys [Blu-ray] Review


    12 Monkeys [Blu-ray] Overview

    Cole (Bruce Willis) is sent back in time to save the human race from a deadly virus that has forced mankind into dank underground communities in the future. Along his travels, he encounters a psychiatrist (Madeleine Stowe) and a mental patient, brilliantly portrayed by Brad Pitt, who may hold the key to the mysterious rogue group, the Army of the 12 Monkeys, thought to be responsible for unleashing the killer disease. Believing he can obtain a pure virus sample in order to find a cure in the future, he is met with one riddle after another that puts him in a race with time. This sci-fi masterpiece from the genius mind of Terry Gilliam is a modern-day classic.

    12 Monkeys [Blu-ray] Specifications

    Inspired by Chris Marker's acclaimed short film LaJetée (which is included on the DVD Short 2: Dreams), 12 Monkeys combines intricate, intelligent storytelling with the uniquely imaginative vision of director Terry Gilliam. The story opens in the wintry wasteland of the year 2035, where a virulent plague has forced humans to live in a squalid, oppressively regimented underground. Bruce Willis plays a societal outcast who is given the opportunity to erase his criminal record by "volunteering" to time-travel into the past to obtain a pure sample of the deadly virus that will help future scientists to develop a cure. But in bouncing from 1918 to the early and mid-1990s, he undergoes an ordeal that forces him to question his own perceptions of reality. Caught between the dangers of the past and the devastation of the future, he encounters a psychiatrist (Madeleine Stowe) who is initially convinced he's insane, and a wacky mental patient (Brad Pitt in a twitchy Oscar-nominated role) with links to a radical group that may have unleashed the deadly virus. Equal parts mystery, tragedy, psychological thriller, and apocalyptic drama, 12 Monkeys ranks as one of the best science fiction films of the '90s, boosted by Gilliam's visual ingenuity and one of the finest performances of Willis's career. --Jeff Shannon

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    Wednesday, November 17, 2010

    Chicken Little [Blu-ray]

    Chicken Little [Blu-ray] Review


    Chicken Little [Blu-ray] Overview

    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 of Pixar--but with none of their intelligence, heart, or simple storytelling 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

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    Tuesday, November 16, 2010

    Breaking Bad: The Complete Second Season

    Breaking Bad: The Complete Second Season Review


    Breaking Bad: The Complete Second Season Overview

    Popular water-cooler drama about an unremarkable and uncharismatic chemistry teacher, Walter, who discovers new passion in his life after he learns he has terminal cancer. Now that they’ve launched their drug business, there’s no turning back for Walt and his young partner, Jesse. Using Walt’s knowledge of chemistry to cook up high-grade methamphetamine to pay for Walt’s cancer treatments, the pair is thrust into a netherworld of murder, mayhem and the twin threats of exposure and arrest. Amid suspicions about her husband’s fidelity, Walt’s wife Skyler faces an unexpected pregnancy and a grim financial outlook that forces her back to work for a boss she once threatened to sue for sexual harassment. The prospect of leaving his family penniless catapults Walt headlong into the deal to end all deals, elevating his reputation in the eyes of criminals and cops alike, but bringing him and Jesse to the brink of disaster while potentially making them rich beyond anything they could have dreamed up.

    Breaking Bad: The Complete Second Season Specifications

    As Breaking Bad's first year concluded, chemistry teacher Walt (two-time Emmy-winner Bryan Cranston) and his meth-making partner, Jesse (Emmy-nominee Aaron Paul), hooked up with drug kingpin Tuco (Raymond Cruz), and the money started to roll in. They expected some degree of danger--but not a homicidal maniac. When DEA agent Hank (Dean Norris) starts to close in on Tuco, he kidnaps the duo, who eventually escape, but the experience creates a host of new complications, leaving Jesse temporarily homeless and driving a wedge between Walt and his pregnant wife, Skyler (Anna Gunn), and their 15-year-old son, Walt Jr. (R. J. Mitte). In his commentary, creator Vince Gilligan explains that the "chickens come home to roost" in season 2 as Walt's criminal activity catches up with him. In effect, he lives out the psychological version of The Fly, with his double life merging into one, such that he starts to become as ruthless as Tuco. Hank, meanwhile, gets a promotion that expands his jurisdiction to El Paso, while Skyler takes an accounting job that could cause her to "break bad" in season 3.

    If this AMC hit lacked a sense of humor, it just might be too hard to take. Aside from Walt's incurable illness and Hank's post-traumatic stress disorder, there's a head crushing, a shooting, an explosion, and an overdose. Though Walt and Skyler get few humorous moments, Jesse, Hank, and ambulance-chasing attorney Saul (Mr. Show's Bob Odenkirk, an inspired addition) make the most of theirs. Jesse even gets a girlfriend (Krysten Ritter), who comes with a wary father (John de Lancie)--but there's still more shadow than light (not counting those panoramic desert shots). Strong stuff, but it's impossible to look away. Extensive extras include commentaries, deleted scenes, and featurettes on every episode. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

    Stills from Breaking Bad: The Complete Second Season (Click for larger image)











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    Nature's Most Amazing Events

    Nature's Most Amazing Events Review


    Nature's Most Amazing Events Overview

    Witness the planet's most breathtaking natural events, and follow the dramatic wildlife stories behind them. Combining the epic cinematography of Planet Earth, with all the emotion, intimacy and storytelling of a wildlife diary, this series charts the effects of global climatic phenomena which transform entire landscapes, drawing in thousands of animals and determining their fate. Each episode is set in a different part of the world - from the great flood of the Okavango delta to the plankton blooms of the Pacific Ocean, and from the Indian monsoon to the race for survival triggered by the annual Arctic melt - and shows how immense natural forces, often starting thousands of miles away, drive a chain reaction that culminates in a spectacular wildlife event. For some animals, it's a window of opportunity, but for others, it's the most dangerous time of their lives. Follow their emotional, involving stories to a dramatic climax where their fate will be revealed. Episodes: The Great Melt, The Great Salmon Run, The Great Migration, The Great Tide, The Great Flood, The Great Feast.

    Nature's Most Amazing Events Specifications

    Nature's Most Amazing Events takes up the mantle left by the stunning BBC series Planet Earth, and offers a closer look at some of the most fascinating and dramatic natural happenings on the planet. Narrated by David Attenborough, it digs in some detail into the impact of certain events on nature, and manages to hone in on small stories in the midst of major happenings. It's a breathtaking cocktail. What particularly lifts Nature's Most Amazing Events too is the stunning photography. Many will recall just how superb the shots in Planet Earth were, but if anything, Nature's Most Amazing Events tops it. The cinematography here is world-class, and it greatly enhances the series around it as a result. That said, there's more than enough substance to Nature's Most Amazing Events as it stands anyway. Diligently made and researched, and presented in an accessible, yet not condescending manner, it's another major success for the BBC in this area, and further cements why it's a world leader where natural-history documentaries are concerned. Credit must go too for the decision to include the making-of material. Back when the BBC broadcast The Blue Planet, this material was often just as interesting as the main feature itself, and the same is true here. It's a genuinely fascinating insight into the production of such an ambitious, and unmissable, series. --Jon Foster

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    Sin City

    Sin City Review


    Sin City Overview

    SIN CITY - DVD Movie

    Sin City Specifications

    Brutal and breathtaking, Sin City is Robert Rodriguez's stunningly realized vision of Frank Miller's pulpy comic books. In the first of three separate but loosely related stories, Marv (Mickey Rourke in heavy makeup) tries to track down the killers of a woman who ended up dead in his bed. In the second story, Dwight's (Clive Owen) attempt to defend a woman from a brutal abuser goes horribly wrong, and threatens to destroy the uneasy truce among the police, the mob, and the women of Old Town. Finally, an aging cop on his last day on the job (Bruce Willis) rescues a young girl from a kidnapper, but is himself thrown in jail. Years later, he has a chance to save her again.


    Read our interview with Frank Miller.
    Based on three of Miller's immensely popular and immensely gritty books (The Hard Goodbye, The Big Fat Kill, and That Yellow Bastard), Sin City is unquestionably the most faithful comic-book-based movie ever made. Each shot looks like a panel from its source material, and director Rodriguez (who refers to it as a "translation" rather than an adaptation) resigned from the Directors Guild so that Miller could share a directing credit. Like the books, it's almost entirely in stark black and white with some occasional bursts of color (a woman's red lips, a villain's yellow face). The backgrounds are entirely digitally generated, yet not self-consciously so, and perfectly capture Miller's gritty cityscape. And though most of Miller's copious nudity is absent, the violence is unrelentingly present. That may be the biggest obstacle to viewers who aren't already fans of the books and who may have been turned off by Kill Bill (whose director, Quentin Tarantino, helmed one scene of Sin City). In addition, it's a bleak, desperate world in which the heroes are killers, corruption rules, and the women are almost all prostitutes or strippers. But Miller's stories are riveting, and the huge cast--which also includes Jessica Alba, Jaime King, Brittany Murphy, Rosario Dawson, Benicio Del Toro, Elijah Wood, Nick Stahl, Michael Clarke Duncan, Devin Aoki, Carla Gugino, and Josh Hartnett--is just about perfect. (Only Bruce Willis and Michael Madsen, while very well-suited to their roles, seem hard to separate from their established screen personas.) In what Rodriguez hopes is the first of a series, Sin City is a spectacular achievement. --David Horiuchi

    More Sin City at Amazon.com


    The Graphic Novels and Books

    Films by Robert Rodriguez

    From Graphic Novel to Big Screen

    The Soundtrack

    Films by guest director Quentin Tarantino

    Crime on DVD

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