NEW MOVIES AND ELECTRONICS YOU NEED: 09/06/08

Saturday, September 06, 2008

ENTOURAGE SEASON 2 NOW AVAILABLE

ENTOURAGE SEASON 2 NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE

HERE IS THE SUMMARY FOR THE SHOW ENTOURAGE SEASON 2 FROM IMDB

In this sitcom, the suddenly risen film star Vince Chase, a 'jeune premier' of humble origins, learns the ropes of the business and the the high-profile world of the wealthy happy few in and around Hollywood, but not alone: he brings form his native New York his atypical 'entourage (hence the title), not glitterati or professionals but a close circle of friends since childhood, and his professional agent finds they often make his job harder as the Queens boys not only sponge on the star but also have his ear, so Vince is much harder to counsel. Written by KGF Vissers

HERE IS A REVIEW FOR SEASON 2 OF ENTOURAGE FROM DVDTALK

The Movie

When it comes to quality TV shows (and I judge "quality" by the amount of times friends and readers tell me "Dude, you have to see this show!!"), I'm more than content to wait for the DVDs. I'd heard so many people raving about HBO's Entourage that I just knew I had to check it out eventually. I mean ... it's about a young movie star who invades Hollywood with two old buddies and his big brother. That's so up my alley it's not even funny. Combine the concept with the fact that Entourage comes from a guy who's actually been there (Mark Wahlberg), and all of a sudden this warm-yet-venomous Tinseltown satire takes on some extra layers.

Last year a friend of mine lent me his Season 1 set, and I pretty much went nuts for the thing. Laden with "inside" jokes, Hollywood jabs, and a strangely unexpected amount of wit and warmth, Entourage is a supremely satisfying comedy -- doubly so if you happen to be a ravenous movie geek like me.

The players are:

Up & coming superstar Vincent Chase (Adrian Grenier), who's been in Head On and Queens Boulevard, but needs a big-time blockbuster to cement his status.

Straight-arrow manager Eric Murphy (Kevin Connolly), who's been friends with Vince since they were six years old. It's Eric's job to keep Vincent focused, professional, and happy.

Turtle (Jerry Ferrara) is another old pal who's been given the "general labor" job: Keep the household moving, make the important purchases, drive the car, etc.

Johnny Drama (Kevin Dillon) is Vince's older brother, a semi-failed actor who's living off the last crumbs of fanboy praise. Always happy to ride his little brother's coattails, but also fiercely loyal and protective, Drama just might be the best character of the bunch...

...ah, but then there's Ari Gold, shark-like talent agent extraordinaire. As played by the brilliantly funny character actor Jeremy Piven, Ari, while not exactly a part of the "entourage," storms through every episode and doles out only the biggest laughs.

So you have the concept and you have the characters. The rest is an all-out assault on the duplicity, hypocrisy, and insanity that is Hollywood. Season 2 sees Vince signing on to star in James Cameron's Aquaman, which gives Entourage an enjoyable "soap opera" feel as you wend your way through the episodes ... but there are a lot of detours along the way. Highlights include: as trip to Sundance, time spent at a Comic Con, and an ill-fated romance between Vincent Chase and Mandy Moore.

Ah yes, the guest stars! Peppered throughout Entourage's second season you'll find an impressive array of Hollywood royalty, all of whom seem more than willing to poke a little fun at their chosen profession. Keep your eyes peeled for juicy moments from Amanda Peet, Gary Busey, Jaime Pressly, Ralph Macchio, Bob Saget, Bai Ling, Peter Dinklage, Brooke Shields, Beverly D'Angelo, Dale Dye, Richard Schiff, Malcolm McDowell, Vanessa Angel, Rainn Wilson, Pauly Shore, and the late Chris Penn. Maury Chaykin also chimes in with one of the funniest Harvey Weinstein caricatures I've ever seen. Plus, c'mon, who would have ever thought that James Cameron could be funny? (Special mention is due to Ms. Debi Mazar, who pops up quite frequently as a wonderfully, profanely direct publicist.)

Recently renewed for a third season (yay!), Entourage is a concept that sounds potentially smug and obnoxious on paper, but with a stellar cast, some superlative writing, and the sure hand of series creator Doug Ellin at the helm, the thing's a damn sight more compelling and insightful than it has any real right to be. Plus it's really freaking funny.

The DVD

Video: The episodes are presented in a clean and crisp fullscreen format, just as they're delivered on HBO.

Audio: Dolby Digital 2.0 across the board: English, French, and Spanish. Optional subtitles are available in the same three languages.

Extras

No commentaries, darnit, but there's a rather excellent piece on disc 3 called The Mark Wahlberg Sessions. It's a 22-minute interview compendium in which Wahlberg discusses the series with Grenier, Connolly, Ferrara, Dillon, Piven, and several other cast & crew members. For those who'd like to learn a little of the "truth" behind Entourage, this featurette is for you.

You'll also find a season 1 recap and 14 individual episode previews, should you need 'em.

Final Thoughts

Entourage has figured out a way to have its cake and eat it, too: It's a scathing, sexy indictment of Hollywood silliness, but it also has enough sincerity and warmth to work as a character piece. In the hands of lesser actors and producers, Entourage could have been a stunningly obnoxious experience. Happily for all involved, it is not.

THE LONGSHOTS NOW AVAILABLE

THE LONGSHOTS NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE

HERE IS THE SUMMARY FOR THE MOVIE THE LONGSHOTS FROM IMDB

Curtis Plummer - a down-on-his-luck former high school football star - turns his niece, Jasmine, into the quarterback of the local team, the Minden Browns, and gets his stride back when he becomes the team coach. With Curtis as their new leader and their pigtail-wearing star player, this team of misfits wins its way to the Pop Warner Super Bowl and the small city of Minden, Illinois, is ignited with team spirit, town pride and the glory.

HERE IS A REVIEW FOR THE MOVIE THE LONGSHOTS FROM DVDTALK

Perhaps the most brilliant decision the producers of "The Longshots" made was to hold director Fred Durst's credit from reveal until the end of the film, to minimize assured slack-jawed disbelief. The guy who gifted the world "Nookie" is making movies these days, and much like the music he created with band Limp Bizkit, Durst's cinematic sensibilities are hackneyed, tiresome, and lack sorely needed rehearsal.

In the depressed Midwestern town of Minden, young Jasmine (Keke Palmer, "Akeelah and the Bee") is having difficulty fitting in at school, hounded by the popular kids and struggling with the absence of her biological father. To help out, Jasmine's shiftless Uncle Curtis (Ice Cube) is brought in, and while bored with the young girl's fascination with fashion, he spots a terrific throwing arm underneath all her melancholy. Encouraging Jasmine to perfect her football skills, Curtis gets her on the local Pop Warner team, where she's met with immediate disapproval. However, once her arm starts producing wins, Jasmine finds herself a success, and provides Minden a new, long overdue shot of hope.

Actually, "Longshots" is Durst's second directorial endeavor (the first, "The Education of Charlie Banks," has been unable to find distribution), but one could never deduce that little detail while watching this inspirational football film. "Longshots" is a bowlful of clichés, never once straying from the path of screenwriting basics, scrubbed down to the barest tension and invention to appeal to a mass audience.

The uplifting sport melodrama formula is all well and good (this review is brought to you by the world's biggest "Rudy" fan), but Durst isn't the type of confident filmmaker to start experimenting with tone or performance. The film is a work of survival; a directing effort played safe to assure future directing efforts, and while it offers audiences a relaxed experience, it does nothing to show off what Durst is capable of behind the camera. Or maybe this is all he's got.

Rooted loosely in fact, the story of Jasmine Plummer is a sweet account of gender subversion and community spirit. Durst imagines Minden as the archetypal lost cause: the factories have been shuttered, church attendance is down, and beer sipped from a brown paper bag is the unofficial town drink. Shot with autumnal gloom, Minden is ready for a bright focal point when Jasmine rises to fame, and the screenplay slathers on the motivating speeches and melodramatic setbacks (heart-attacks, a Tyrone Biggums caricature of absentee fatherhood, lack of football funds) with apathetic writing-template timing. It's difficult not to be consumed with cynicism watching Durst sleepwalk through the motions here.

The football sequences also offer a recognizable buffet of hazing sequences and underdog scenarios. While impressively scored by John Swihart, "Longshots" is again smothered by manufactured sentiment and conflict on the gridiron, though many of the scenes are saved by Cube and Palmer. Sharing friendly, endearing chemistry, the actors rescue the picture with their easygoing charisma, especially Cube, who isn't Olivier, but reveals a vulnerable, gentle side to his gruff persona. He's fun to watch, and the sporting sequences benefit from the comedic interplay between the actors.

Aimed primarily at children, "Longshots" works best on a carefree mind, otherwise the tsunami of formula will surely sweep away any enjoyment factor. Fred Durst is hardly the ideal creative soul to shine new light on a well-worn inspirational plot, routinely declining to challenge mounting cliché to better the final product.

HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD FOR THE MOVIE THE LONGSHOTS.

THE LOVE GURU NOW AVAILABLE

THE LOVE GURU NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE

HERE IS THE SUMMARY FOR THE MOVIE THE LOVE GURU FROM IMDB

Pitka an American raised outside of his country by gurus, returns to the States in order to break into the self-help business. His first challenge: To settle the romantic troubles and subsequent professional skid of a star hockey player whose wife left him for a rival athlete.

HERE IS A REVIEW FOR THE MOVIE THE LOVE GURU FROM DVDTALK

There was a character in the last "Austin Powers" film named, appropriately, Goldmember; he was a mischievous creation from star Mike Myers, performed with a goofy voice and an eye toward grossing out the room, but he ran out of entertainment steam early. "The Love Guru" is a cinematic equivalent of Goldmember: a semi-hilarious movie that corners itself too easily and grows tiresome quickly.

Offered a huge sum of cash and an Oprah appearance if he can reunite hockey star Darren Roanoke (Romany Malco) with his estranged wife (Meagan Good), the Guru Pitka (Mike Myers) bursts onto the scene, preaching a message of self-love and confidence to his followers. With the help of Toronto Maple Leafs owner Jane Bullard (Jessica Alba), Pitka indulges every last lesson learned from his teacher, Guru Tugginmypudha (Ben Kingsley), as he tries to help Darren focus on his gifts and ignore his psychological limitations. Along the way, Pitcka develops feelings for Jane, testing his sexual willpower and helping him to feel the same love he preaches about.

I wanted to shamelessly dig into "Love Guru," if only to celebrate Myers's return to live-action filmmaking after a long five-year absence. A ferociously talented and funny performer, Myers does have the tendency to chase fouled concepts of comedy all the way to the bitter end, as witnessed in some of the lesser moments of the aforementioned "Austin Powers" franchise. "Love Guru" is one of those low notes; a comedy of blissful intentions, but a failure of execution, caught between deafening notes of silly and screwy without any sort of road map to connect it all together.

Myers likes to play loudly, and while previous features have found a way to channel that energy into more level-headed screenplays, "Love Guru" is a free-for-all battle royal of slapstick and bathroom humor, giving Myers free reign to stroke whatever impulse pleases him. First-time director Marco Schnabel holds no control over the film, merely making sure the camera is in focus while Myers dances around in a long beard, fake nose, and plays up a second-tier Deepak Chopra act to middling results. Myers is the type of performer that needs a traffic cop on set, and Schnabel is just not that person. The filmmaker sets a lawless tone early with "Love Guru" and doesn't do a thing to stop the proceedings from snowballing into a picture completely drained of laughs.

What I did enjoy about the film are the moments of Myers's unbridled curiosity: the little buttons on scenes that could only emerge from a constantly whirring mind. "Love Guru" has pointedly uproarious sequences with Myers bouncing off his co-stars or making the camera his best friend, and the actor can sell impish sexual jesting like no other.

However, it's criminal how much of "Love Guru" is lost to Myers's other passion in life: genital humor. The actor is fascinated with the functions and durability of the midsection and the film spends an inordinate amount of time on bathroom humor (including a battle where the combatants hold urine-soaked mops). I certainly can't argue that the potty material provokes a reaction, but Myers beats on this drum for far too long, taking the script to dead ends as he tries to find new ways to use the male genitalia as a punchline. We get it, Mike: testicles are hilarious. Move on, please.

"Love Guru" doesn't start off promisingly, but it does have a zest about it that promises a more rousing time than what actually ends up onscreen. With several musical numbers, fun celebrity cameos, some pachyderm lovemaking, a crafty callback to "Wayne's World," and an affectionate send-up of self-help culture, "Love Guru" aims to please in a major way. However, allowed to indulge Myers's questionable imagination to the fullest degree, and "Love Guru" wears out its welcome fast.

HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD FOR THE MOVIE THE LOVE GURU.

THE BANK JOB NOW AVAILABLE

THE BANK JOB NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE

HERE IS THE SUMMARY FOR THE MOVIE THE BANK JOB FROM IMDB

Business is slow for Terry Leather, a London car dealer, married with children. He's an artful dodger, so Martine, a former model with a thing for him, brings him her scheme: a bank's alarm is off for a couple weeks, so let's tunnel into the vault. He assembles a team, not realizing her real goal is a safe-deposit box with compromising photos of a royal: she needs the photos to trade for avoiding a jail sentence - and M-5, or is it M-6, is pulling the strings two steps removed. A Trinidadian thug, a high-end bordello owner, and a pornographer also have things stored in the vault, so the break-in threatens many a powerful personage. Is there any way these amateurs can pull it off? Written by {jhailey@hotmail.com}

Based on the true story of the 1971 Baker Street bank robbery which was prevented from being told for over thirty years because of a Government gagging order. The real story of how one of the biggest robberies in British history took place with no arrests ever made nor money ever recovered. Written by Mark Thomas

In September 1971, thieves tunneled into the vault of a bank in London's Baker Street and looted safe deposit boxes of cash and jewelry worth over three million pounds. None of it was recovered. Nobody was ever arrested. The robbery made headlines for a few days and then disappeared - the result of a 'D' Notice, gagging the press. This film reveals what was hidden for the first time. The story involves murder, corruption and a sex scandal with links to the Royal Family - a story in which the thieves were the most innocent people involved. Written by The Production

HERE IS A REVIEW FOR THE MOVIE THE BANK JOB FROM DVDTALK

"The Bank Job" is based on the infamous 1971 Baker Street bank robbery, an event that shook up England, damaging the reputation of government and police officials, before it was locked down with a rare usage of the silencing "D-notice." It's a marvelous story, but something tells me all factual elements have been peeled away in favor of a vibrant, violent, lewd approach to the tale. It may be inconsiderate to the real participants, but it makes for rollicking heist cinema.

Down on his luck and trying to keep his business afloat, Terry (Jason Statham) is offered a chance to reverse his fortunes by Martine (Saffron Burrows), who is planning a bank heist to get herself out of a jam and needs a crew for the dirty work. Gathering his friends, Terry and the boys put their intricate plan into motion, digging underneath the bank to pop up in the safety deposit box vault and loot the mysterious contents. While the team goes about their criminal business, there are multiple eyes watching them, from porn kings to black radicals, and when the corrupt police force becomes involved, all hell breaks loose.

"Bank Job" is a glossy production intending to reduce complicated criminal interaction down to primal ingredients. The direction by Roger Donaldson is lively and effective, rolling around the known gray qualities of heroes and villains, inserting unusual velocity into his filmmaking. The material is Viagra to Donaldson, and his concentration on pace keeps "Bank Job" fresh and exciting, while also making sure to lay satisfying character groundwork along the way to boost the participation factor.

There's a buffet of storylines to take in with "Bank Job," including Terry's strained marriage, the comical ham radio reveal of the heist to law enforcement officials, pictures of Princess Margaret in compromising positions, and the puzzling whereabouts of a ledger containing extensive notes on police bribery. The plots are knocked around like a beach ball at a rock concert, only slowing down long enough to process basic questions of logic. The film is marinated in factual bits of primo London crime history, but "Bank Job" winds to such a fever pitch that it feels like a fictional joy ride, and perhaps it is. Donaldson never hammers down an overall vibe of reality, and that's a wise choice. The fun of picture seems to be the embellishments between the buoys of recorded history.

Jason Statham leads a terrific ensemble, including an unexpectedly edgy turn from Burrows, who drops her typical wounded-kitten routine to play Martine as a confident crime boss of sorts. Donaldson wields his actors well, spending time with everyone connected to the robbery and cherry-picking pieces of their personality. It helps when "Bank Job" blurs into a series of double-crosses and judo chops in the second half of the picture.

"Bank Job" never boils down to total confusion, but there are still a heap of characters to keep track of, not to mention several locations and motivations; the factual bullet points of the Baker Street incident manage to squeak through loud enough while Donaldson pulls the movie towards action standards, with Terry seeking fist-first revenge on those who threatened his crew. It's an uneasy, if undeniably thrilling, mix of brawn and historical record, presented briskly enough to make one turn a blind eye to the reality that 90% of the "Bank Job" is assuredly fiction.

HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD FOR THE MOVIE THE BANK JOB.

ENTOURAGE SEASON 1 NOW AVAILABLE

ENTOURAGE SEASON 1 NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE

HERE IS THE SUMMARY FOR THE SHOW ENTOURAGE FROM IMDB

In this sitcom, the suddenly risen film star Vince Chase, a 'jeune premier' of humble origins, learns the ropes of the business and the the high-profile world of the wealthy happy few in and around Hollywood, but not alone: he brings form his native New York his atypical 'entourage (hence the title), not glitterati or professionals but a close circle of friends since childhood, and his professional agent finds they often make his job harder as the Queens boys not only sponge on the star but also have his ear, so Vince is much harder to counsel. Written by KGF Vissers

HERE IS A REVIEW FOR SEASON 1 OF ENTOURAGE FROM DVDTALK

Entourage is the most fun you can ever have without actually making friends with the Next Big Thing - it's a giddily verite spin on what up-and-coming stars must go through on a daily basis. Centered on hot newcomer Vincent Chase (Adrian Grenier) whose movie "Head On" is opening to big business and a bright future; his brother Johnny Drama (Kevin Dillon) and their two life-long pals from New York, Eric (Kevin Connolly) and Turtle (Jerry Ferrara)- the show, which is executive-produced by reformed bad boy Mark Wahlberg, never feels like anything less than stolen reality.

First airing last July on HBO, it was an instant success - it was renewed for a second season within a week of its premiere (a second season which begins on June 5, incidentally) and snagged two Golden Globe nominations in 2004 - one for Best Television Series, Musical or Comedy and one for Jeremy Piven's brilliant turn as Vincent's agent, Ari Gold.

Over the course of the eight episodes that make up the first season, viewers are introduced to this tight-knit group of friends as they explore the ins and outs of becoming famous - much of the show's power and charm comes from the rag-tag chemistry displayed by the four main actors. My girlfriend described the show as "a peek at a boy's club" - and she's right; it's this peek behind the curtain that is only hinted at in tabloids and TV talk shows that makes Entourage so fascinating and endlessly compelling.

More than once through the course of the commentary tracks, series creator/executive producer Doug Ellin and executive producer Larry Charles (late of Curb Your Enthusiasm) make note of the series' authenticity. The show feels grounded and as a result, makes the characters (who can do some pretty bone-headed things) much more sympathetic. Indeed, there's an air of Peter Pan (and not in that creepy Michael Jackson way) about these boys who, sometimes, refuse to grow up, indulging in wants like Gulfstream jets and spur of the moment trips to Vegas. For what, on the surface, would appear to be a throwaway show about beautiful people and hot celebrity cameos, Entourage packs a surprising emotional punch that rewards repeat viewings.

Speaking of celebrity cameos, this show is rife with them: executive producer Mark Wahlberg drops by, as does (among others) Val Kilmer, Luke Wilson, Sarah Silverman, Jimmy Kimmel, Jessica Alba, Sara Foster, Scarlett Johansson, Lennox Lewis and, of course, Gary Busey in one hilariously memorable episode (more on that below).

The set-up is killer, the casting (even down to the most minor roles) is spot-on and Entourage is so compulsively watchable that you may find yourself blowing through the entire run of eight episodes in one sitting - it's that good. Kudos to the creative team for taking the time to get it right and building a world populated with people it's easy to care about - Entourage looks to maintain its momentum going into its second season; here's hoping there's many seasons to come of Vince and his pals.

The inaugural season of Entourage fits on two discs and is housed in a rather handsome looking box that opens up revealing the insert attached to the lid and the pair of discs facing each other - very slick.

Disc One:
(Mild spoiler warnings throughout!)
Entourage (pilot), dir. David Frankel
The series kicks off with Eric suddenly having more input in the direction of Vince's career, on the eve of his breakout flick, "Head On" opening - which of course naturally infuriates Vince's temperamental agent, Ari. (Features commentary from Doug Ellin and Larry Charles.)

The Review, dir. Julian Farino
After Variety describes Vince's performance in "Head On" as "lackluster," Ari schools Eric in the fine art of handling negative reviews.

Talk Show, dir. Julian Farino
In support of "Head On," Vince agrees to an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live," not realizing that his brother, Johnny Drama, has a bit of a history with Mr. Kimmel and that a former flame, Sara Foster, is also appearing.

Date Night, dir. Daniel Attias
Eric's budding relationship with Ari's assistant Emily (Samaire Armstrong) is put to the test during a night out with the boys in celebration of "Head On" opening - each fella brings someone a little different to the party, with some unexpected results.

Disc Two:
The Script & The Sherpa, dir. Adam Bernstein
Vince's latest lady, an outspoken vegan named Fiona (Beau Garrett), isn't making any new friends with Vince's crew, who naturally aren't shy about letting him know.

Busey and the Beach, dir. Julian Farino
One of the funnier episodes in the season, Turtle accidentally breaks one of Gary Busey's sculptures during an art opening and Ari is forced to act when he fears that Vince may be toying with leaving him for Josh Weinstein (Joshua LaBar), another agent. (Features commentary from Doug Ellin and Larry Charles.)

The Scene, dir. David Frankel
As pre-production on the hard-won project "Queens Boulevard" begins, Vince takes a shine to Billy Walsh (Rhys Coiro), the director, even though Eric doesn't care for him.

New York, dir. Julian Farino
The season finale finds the boys packing up to head back home to the East Coast but not before Vince "says goodbye" to a laundry list of ladies around town - all this while Eric faces greater responsibility with Vince's career and Johnny Drama deals with a tough career decision. (Features commentary from Doug Ellin and Larry Charles.)

The DVD

The Video

Presented in its original 1.33:1 ratio as broadcast, Entourage looks as sharp as a Prada lace-up. The image gets a little soft on occasion, but overall, this is a perfectly servicable transfer that looks as good, if not slightly better, than the original HBO broadcast.

The Audio

Dolby 2.0 stereo is the only option available and while it would be cool if the soundtrack - which often features cuts by Jay-Z, Joe Walsh and The Doors - were a bit fuller, what's available sounds good. There's a slight punch to the songs every now and then, but the dialogue comes through loud and clear with no distortion.

The Extras

The packaging makes it sound as though what's offered here is ample, but it's slightly closer to anemic - three commentary tracks, all featuring Ellin and Charles, split their time between describing what's on screen, pointing out friends and co-workers and along the way, talking a little bit about the long, winding road to having the show greenlit. Ellin seems a bit uncomfortable at first next to Charles, but he loosens up by the season finale. Aside from a season index and episode previews, the only other feature included here is a brisk, 10 minute and 20 second, full-screen behind-the-scenes featurette that features interviews with executive producer Wahlberg and the cast - some of what's covered in the commentary tracks is repeated here, but it's still a fun watch.

Final Thoughts

Entourage is the latest in the new wave of HBO series and sets out to do exactly what it promises: provide an entertaining peek behind the Hollywood curtain. It's a relaxed, funny series that will win over all but the most jaded viewers - consider it the somewhat warm-hearted antecedent to the occasionally harrowing "Unscripted." Highly recommended.

HERE ARE THE DIRECT DOWNLOADS FOR SEASON 1 OF ENTOURAGE.

HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD FOR EPISODE 1 OF ENTOURAGE SEASON 1.

HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD FOR EPISODE 2 OF ENTOURAGE SEASON 1.

HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD FOR EPISODE 3 OF ENTOURAGE SEASON 1.

HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD FOR EPISODE 4 OF ENTOURAGE SEASON 1.

HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD FOR EPISODE 5 OF ENTOURAGE SEASON 1.

HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD FOR EPISODE 6 OF ENTOURAGE SEASON 1.

HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD FOR EPISODE 7 OF ENTOURAGE SEASON 1.

HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD FOR EPISODE 8 OF ENTOURAGE SEASON 1.

DEXTER SEASON 2 NOW AVAILABLE

DEXTER SEASON 2 NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE

HERE IS THE SUMMARY FOR THE SHOW DEXTER SEASON 2 FROM IMDB

During the day, Dexter Morgan is a jovial employee in the Miami Metropolitan Police Department's crime lab, but his meticulously crafted life masks his true nature. In reality Dexter is a disciplined and murderous psychopath (a self-admitted "monster"), and he slakes his blood lust at night by carefully killing the serial killers he tracks down during the day. Based on the novels (Darkly Dreaming Dexter, Dearly Devoted Dexter and Dexter in the Dark) by Jeff Lindsay. Written by Clenching Teeth Toast Guy

HERE IS A REVIEW FOR SEASON 2 OF DEXTER FROM DVDTALK

The Story So Far...
Adapted from Jeff Lindsay's novel, Darkly Dreaming Dexter, the Showtime series "Dexter" follows Dexter Morgan, a forensic scientist who also happens to be a soulless serial killer who preys upon murderers. A fascinating story about how and why a person would become a monster, the show is beautifully shot, tinged with black comedy and led by an outstanding performance by Michael C. Hall ("Six Feet Under"), making it an incredible series. The first season was released on DVD in August of 2007. DVDTalk has a review here.

The Show
The first season of "Dexter" was all about the hunt, as the friendly, neighborhood sociopath tracked down The Ice Truck Killer, who teased him with clues and hints about a shared connection. This season, the game has changed, and it's Dexter in the crosshairs, as the FBI, led by Special Agent Lundy (Keith Carradine), has come to town following the discovery of Dex' many victims hidden under the water. The ramifications of season one's finale and the police pressure looking for "The Bay Harbor Butcher" begins to wear on him and he finds himself losing control.

That lack of control makes Dexter increasingly sloppy and lands him in trouble with his girlfriend Rita, forcing him to pretend he's a drug addict (when his addiction is actually much, much deadlier.) That leads to meet Lila, a fellow haunted soul, he runs across at a support group for his addiction. She leads him down a very dark path that brings out the worst in him, and puts his secret life in peril, as well as the life he's been building with Rita. The use of the addiction metaphor for Dexter's loss of control is well done, and an excellent way to approach the serial killer concept from a new angle.

Dexter's not the only one struggling this season, as his sister Deb has a hard time getting over what happened in season one, which creates problems not only for her, but the people around her, especially Dex, as he gains a new roommate, which puts a cramp on his lifestyle. Pascal, his boss at the station is having trouble as well, as her tumultuous personal life spills over to the office, in more ways than one. The office "politics" that were rampant in season one are more focused this time around, as suspicion swirls, relationships strain and there's plenty of pain and suffering to go around.

Unlike the first season, this run doesn't have the handy momentum generators that Dexter's kills provided, which makes things move a bit slowly at times, but the noir-like inner monologues and gorgeously filmed settings remain in place and Hall remains one of the finest serial killers in the history of television and film, displaying the switch between normalness and madness with immense ease. It's quite disconcerting to see Dexter as essentially a family man, and then a feral animal, as his past is further revealed to him, changing who he thought he was and the code he lives by.

The already-wonderful cast got a bump from a change this season, as the addition of Carradine to the line-up gave Dexter a perfect foil, as he brings the perfect blend of gravitas and humor to a key role. After watching him here, and remembering his guest spot on "Criminal Minds", it's clear someone really needs to get him a regular series starring role ASAP. The same can't be said for Jaime Murray, whose role as Lila sticks to the stereotype of the manipulative psycho bitch. As she sticks around longer and longer, one hopes she'd have some tricks in her hosebag, but you just end up disappointed.

Lila's not the only problem spot this season though. The flashbacks to young Dexter, including a few with Hall as the teen nutjob, are a bit overwrought, and there are some plotholes that are exceedingly large, and a few too many coincidences for a show that's been pretty tightly plotted to this point. The ending also is a bit of a let-down that seems to be a result of the storyline working itself into a corner. But despite these issues, the series remains compulsively watchable and incredibly entertaining, better than the vast majority of what's on TV.

The DVDs
The 12 episodes from the second season of "Dexter" are spread over four DVDs, with three episodes on Disc One, four on the next two, and one on the final platter. The discs are packed in a pair of slip-cased, clear, dual-hubbed ThinPaks, with episode descriptions on the inside of the covers. The animated, anamorphic widescreen menus, which are a huge step up stylistically from the previous season set, offer a choice to play all the episodes, select individual shows or adjust languages. Audio options include English Dolby Digital 5.1 and 2.0 tracks and a Spanish 1.0 mix, while there are no subtitles, though closed captioning is included.

The Quality
The video quality on these anamorphic widescreen episodes is just as fantastic as it was on the previous set, with the bright Miami vistas and dark crime scenes both looking terrific, with nice, appropriate color, an extremely high level of detail and not a spot of obvious dirt, damage or compression artifacts. Watching the opening titles is such a visual feast, I can't help but keep it running on every episode.

The Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack is impressive, but certainly not bombastic, effectively delivering the show's dialogue from the center channel, with atmospheric effects and musical enhancement taking advantage of the surround speakers. It's utterly clear and appropriate sound for the series.

The Extras
What an utter disappointment. After getting two audio commentaries last time, there are none. The only extras you can watch on your DVD player are two episodes of Showtimes Irish mob drama "Brotherhood," some text biographies and a decent full-frame manual photo gallery. I didn't want to watch that New England crap the first time around, and I certainly have no interest in it now, and if I did, I'd just buy the DVDs for that show.

Pop the disc in your DVD-ROM drive and you're supposed to be able to check out other extras, like a podcast with Hall, an interview with him, and, joy of joys, episodes from "The Tudors" and "Californication," but, like the first season, these features don't work on my computer and they don't seem to work on a Mac either. Thanks, Showtime.

If the other crap isn't insult enough, there's a bonus feature option that says "Dexter Season 3 Sneak Peek!," but all it is is a screen that tells you to buy the DVDs for "Brotherhood" Season Two, which has the actual sneak peek. Fargin iceholes.

The Bottom Line
In watching this series, what strikes one most is how complete the world of "Dexter" is, with characters and stories that are fully realized and believable, raising the show above the status of the common cop show, to create something very special that's taken the next step to a new level. But while the DVDs look and sound fantastic, the extras are once again focused on promoting other Showtime products, instead of enhancing this series. As a result, this set is really best for those who either never saw the show or missed a few episodes, while the fans will want to give it a look-see for the meager extras available.