UNDERWORLD RISE OF THE LYCANS NOW AVAILABLE

Here is the summary for the movie Underworld Rise of The Lycans from imdb

The prequel story traces the origins of the centuries-old blood feud between the aristocratic vampires and their onetime slaves, the Lycans. In the Dark Ages, a young Lycan named Lucian emerges as a powerful leader who rallies the werewolves to rise up against Viktor, the cruel vampire king who has enslaved them. Lucian is joined by his secret lover, Sonja, in his battle against the Vampire army and his struggle for Lycan freedom. Written by Anonymous

Here is a review for the movie Underworld Rise of The Lycans from dvdtalk

The new "Underworld" installment is being touted as the prequel the die-hard fans were demanding. That's super-secret Hollywood code for, "Kate Beckinsale refused to appear no matter how much money was offered." After the abysmal "Underworld: Evolution" from 2006, the prospect of another go-around with werewolves and vampires wasn't welcome, though I have to hand it to the producers for having the sheer balls to replace Beckinsale with Bill Nighy and Michael Sheen, perhaps hoping acting expertise will pull this pointless prequel out of the gutter. The risk pays off for the rickety franchise, with "Rise of the Lycans" a swell, if profoundly trivial return to form for the creaky "Underworld" universe.

In the beginning, the Vampires ruled the land, using the mysterious Lycans as slaves to build and protect their empire. Now with the creatures entertaining plans to revolt, Vampire leader Viktor (Bill Nighy) struggles to keep control, finding powerful Lycan rebel Lucian (Michael Sheen) gathering a makeshift army to fight back, using his undying love for Viktor's daughter Sonja (Rhona Mitra) to soothe his tortured soul. Now with hope for Lycan freedom within his grasp, Lucian declares war on the Vampires, setting up a ferocious feud that will last for centuries to come.

While it's still the same old "Underworld" fantasy playground of gloomy cinematography and histrionic acting, much has changed behind the scenes for the latest installment. Gone is director Len Wiseman, who took wife Beckinsale with him, though the former receives a story credit while the latter makes a bizarre cameo constructed out of footage from the original feature film. Bumped up from creature duties to the director's chair is Patrick Tatopoulos, a man who knows a thing or two about the gruesome details of raging monsters. At its best, "Rise of the Lycans" is a convincing tango of hyper-edited violence, combining the concept's Shakespearean tremors with a modern cinematic quest for fantasy mayhem, brought vividly to life by the cast and crew, who do their damndest to make this budget prequel spring to life.

It's nice to watch "Rise of the Lycans" at least try to slip some new energy into this tired franchise. With "Evolution" effectively snuffing out the intriguing genre escapism the original film provided, it seemed as though the "Underworld" promise was cut down prematurely. The prequel benefits from not having to build on the numerous mistakes of the sequel, inventing a fresh angle on the shadowy tale that allows for more melodramatic posturing, better actors, and room to spill monster blood by the bucketful. That's not to say "Rise of the Lycans" is an especially intoxicating distraction, but it retains a gothic spirit the last film never bothered to establish, and the work from Nighy and Sheen keep the formulaic power struggle/romantic tragedy plot wide awake.

Surely these superior actors might not be as attractive as Beckinsale, or perhaps fit as snugly into PVC battle garb, but Sheen and Nighy convincingly portray the world-changing cry of war. "Rise of the Lycans" is built entirely around these two actors chewing scenery, with Nighy acting the bejesus out of his aqua blue contact lenses, while Sheen assumes a sweaty Kip Winger swagger, puffing out his chest and feeling every line of torment like a pro. Mitra adds to the mix quite agreeably as the inadvertent catalyst for rebellion, but the feature is reserved for the men. Both actors take the wafer-thin screenplay and make it dance with their exaggerated conviction.

Downplaying the murky Vampire/Lycan mythology that grew to suffocate the previous films, "Rise of the Lycans" is a 90-minute-long horror passion play that benefits from brevity. Left with only a small pocket of timeline to embroider, the prequel manages to develop a breezy, bloody, operatic experience. Even better, it wipes away the toxic awfulness of "Evolution." It's now safe to return to the "Underworld."

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TOY STORY NOW AVAILABLE

Here is the summary for the movie Toy Story from imdb

A little boy named Andy loves to be in his room, playing with his toys, especially his doll named "Woody". But, what do the toys do when Andy is not with them, they come to life. Woody believes that he has life (as a toy) good. However, he must worry about Andy's family moving, and what Woody does not know is about Andy's birthday party. Woody does not realize that Andy's mother gave him an action figure known as Buzz Lightyear, who does not believe that he is a toy, and quickly becomes Andy's new favorite toy. Woody, who is now consumed with jealousy, tries to get rid of Buzz. Then, both Woody and Buzz are now lost. They must find a way to get back to Andy before he moves without them, but they will have to pass through a ruthless toy killer, Sid Phillips. Written by John Wiggins

Toy Story is about the 'secret life of toys' when people are not around. When Buzz Lightyear, a space-ranger, takes Woody's place as Andy's favorite toy, Woody doesn't like the situation and gets into a fight with Buzz. Accidentaly Buzz falls out the window and Woody is accused by all the other toys of having killed him. He has to go out of the house to look for him so that they can both return to Andys room. But while on the outside they get into all kind of trouble while trying to get home. Written by Marcos Eduardo Acosta Aldrete

Imagination runs rampant when toys become mobile when not watched. Two toys, Woody and Buzz Lightyear despise each other like no other. But, when the toys are separated from their home, a truce is formed between them all in an effort to journey home. Written by Joshua Davis {xtnb64a@prodigy.com}

A toy named Woody has it all. He is practically the leader in Andy's toy room, Bo Peep has the hots for him, and most importantly, he is Andy's favorite toy. But when the clocks strike Andy's birthday, a new toy arrives. Buzz Lightyear, a space cadet who thinks he is a space ranger, (not a toy in a room) instantly wins over Andy, thus becoming Andy's new treasure. But when Woody is accused of knocking Buzz out of the window, he must go into the world and find Buzz, with many delays... Written by neo101

Andy Davis is an ordinary boy. Or so he thought. His baby sister, mother, and he live in a nice little house. The only problem that Andy doesn't know about is his toys. After he plays with them, they come to life. Woody, Bo Peep, Rex, Slinky, Mr. Potato Head, Hamm, Lenny, Slinky, Mr. Spell, and a few others are his toys. Then, as a rivalry begins between Woody and new toy Buzz. Written by bookmanjunior

Here is a review for the movie Toy Story from dvdtalk

Believe it or not, it's been ten years since Pixar Studios turned the animation world on its ear with Toy Story (1995), planet Earth's first full-length computer animated film. Not surprisingly, it still stands tall as one of the best---though its toughest competitors have been the company's follow-up efforts, including The Incredibles, Finding Nemo and even Toy Story's 1999 sequel. Pixar's commitment to making films by animation lovers for animation lovers has earned them a near-invincible status: they've produced a string of CGI features that have succeeded on critical and commercial fronts, a rare feat for films of any genre.

While the purist in me knows that 2-D cel animation will never die, it's easy to watch films like this and realize that they're much more than a visual fad. Pixar's films have real heart, style and substance, lovingly handcrafted by talented artists and writers that love to have fun. Toy Story reminds us that even with a slick new look and presentation, CGI can exhibit the same life that made Disney's best modern films (including Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King) so memorable. It's a buddy comedy, an adventure film and a road trip rolled up in one. It's a film about loss, rejection, acceptance, loyalty and action figures.

More than anything else, it's a whole lot of fun. Luckily for us, everyone involved knew it.

From the cast of voice talent (including Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Don Rickles, the late Jim Varney, R. Lee Ermey and more) to the amazingly good animation, character design, music and sound, there's not much about Toy Story that lags. Sure, the artwork isn't quite as polished as Pixar's more recent work, but it was a visual breakthrough at the time and still stands tall today. Though I didn't get a chance to see it in theaters---after all, I was smack in the middle of high school and had turned my back on toys temporarily----a lifelong interest in art led me back to Toy Story, but this was a rare example where the visuals were matched by a clever script. Sure, it owes a tip of the hat to earlier films like Jim Henson's made-for-TV holiday classic The Christmas Toy (1986), but Toy Story story bucked the trend of most "kid's fare" before and during its time: it didn't rely on musical numbers to carry the story, favoring non-stop character interaction and adventure instead.

The resulting effort was a visually dynamic film that played out more like live action than traditional animation. Despite travelling some rough road during production---including Disney's attempts to pull the plug midway through---Toy Story couldn't be stopped on its way to theaters. Critics and audiences ate it up, establishing the film as a runaway hit and Pixar as a force to be reckoned with. The studio's follow-up efforts---including A Bug's Life and Toy Story 2 (a rare sequel that actually surpasses the original)---only hammered home the point that animation will never die, no matter if it's hand-drawn or computer rendered. Their hot streak shows no signs of cooling off, so here's hoping that Pixar can keep raising the bar for the animation industry. They're done a fantastic job so far.

Though it focuses mostly on the film at hand, this 10th Anniversary Edition of Toy Story is every bit a milestone for the studio itself. It's been assembled from bits and pieces of The Ultimate Toy Box, a 3-disc set containing both films and a slew of extras, as well as a collection of new retrospective featurettes and interviews. To top it all off, the film has been given a technical upgrade not unlike the "Superbit" line of DVDs, as Toy Story boasts an improved transfer (yes, improved) and a pair of newly-created Dolby Digital 5.1 EX and DTS-ES mixes. All in all, it's a surprisingly solid package that really celebrates Pixar's history quite well. Below, you'll find a partial comparison review: though no screen comparisons or ratings are given, it's been written with owners of each release in mind.

Quality Control Department

Video & Audio Quality:

Let's get the obvious out of the way: owners of the first releases know just how amazing the image quality is. The original 1.77:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer absolutely sparkles with clarity---hardly surprising, since it was taken directly from the digital source. As it stands, the main difference here is an increased bitrate---averaging around 7.5Mbps---but many improvements won't be easily noticed by those without fancy setups or progressive scan capability (hence the lack of screen comparisons). Rest assured though, this is an improvement: the image is more detailed overall, making the 10th Anniversary Edition a true reference-quality disc (again). Ladies and gents, this is as good as transfers get on DVD, so it's no surprise that this one earns a perfect rating.

Equally perfect is a pair of brand new reference-quality sound mixes, including Dolby Digital 5.1 EX and a brand new DTS-ES mix (both remixed by sound designer Gary Rydstrom). Each mix exhibits an impressive atmosphere, highlighted by crystal-clear dialogue, punchy sound effects and an incredible dynamic range. The DTS offers a slightly smoother audio experience, easily helping this disc rank among the best sounding in any genre. Either way, you'll certainly be impressed. English, Spanish and French subtitles (as well as Closed Captioning) are included for the deaf and hearing impaired. English, Spanish and French 2.0 Surround mixes are also included for the 5.1 impaired.

Menu Design, Presentation & Packaging: Perfectly suited for this release's retrospective theme, the animated menus for Toy Story (seen above) feature lots of conceptual artwork and early character designs. Navigation is smooth and simple, highlighted by clever menu transitions and a lively atmosphere. This 81-minute film has been divided into 30 chapters, while no glaringly obvious layer change was detected during playback. The packaging is standard Disney fare, as this 2-disc set is housed in a slim double keepcase with a matching slipcover. It's not as cool looking as The Ultimate Toy Box…but then again, what is?

Bonus Features: For the lucky owners of The Ultimate Toy Box, this 10th Anniversary Edition combines many of those amazing bonus features with an assortment of new ones…and even a few new vintage extras to boot (for those keeping score at home, a comprehensive list of goodies from the previous Toy Box can be found in either of these reviews). To make a long story short, owners of the original 3-disc behemoth may want to hang onto their prized possessions---but in more ways than one, this new 10th Anniversary Edition makes a terrific companion piece. With that said, let's see what's on board:

First up on Disc One, there's a new Introduction by John Lasseter (1 minute, above left) where he hypes the new technical improvements and bonus features. The film itself is also paired with the orignal Audio Commentary (from the "Toy Box") featuring Lasseter, produers Ralph Guggenheim and Bonnie Arnold, screenwriter Andrew Stanton, supervising animator Pete Docter, art director Ralph Eggleston and supervising technical director Bill Reeves (whew!). Chock full of interesting anecdotes and plenty of laughs, this is a great commentary that's just as good the second time around. Also here on the first disc is the all-new Legacy of Toy Story (12 minutes, above right), a short featurette filled with testimonials from George Lucas, Hayao Miyazaki, Brad Bird, Leonard Maltin, Roy Disney, a slim Peter Jackson and many more! It's fairly promotional for the most part, but there's some nice history scattered throughout. Next up are Sneak Peeks of a few upcoming Disney/Pixar films and DVDs, including Cars, Toy Story 2, Cinderella: Platinum Edition and Lady and the Tramp.

The party continues on Disc Two, kicked off by the same Making of Documentary (21 minutes) as seen on the first release. It's a trip to see some of the cast and crew with larger glasses and more hair, so those who've never seen it are in for a treat. A new arrival is up next: Filmmakers Reflect (17 minutes, below left), a roundtable discussion with Lasseter, Docter, Stanton and (sadly) the late, great Joe Ranft, who served as story supervisor on the film. This chat was filmed in the main lobby/atrium at Pixar, and it's as loose, candid and fun as the company itself. There's also some discussion about Disney's attempts to close down the film's production midway, making this piece a bit more interesting that your average "pat on the back" featurette. Also returning are a selection of eight Deleted Scenes (19 minutes total), the bulk of which remain in rough story reel form.

Up next is the Behind the Scenes department (the bulk of which is ported over from the Toy Box), though it's fronted by a new featurette entitled Designing Toy Story (7 minutes) that briefly discusses the film's early technical achievments. Design Galleries is the first vintage section, which includes characters, sets, color roughs and 3-D turnarounds (above right), followed by a Story section that includes comparisons, story reels and more. Next up is the Production section, including a production tour, a multi-angle presentation, a multi-language track and other notables. Music and Sound is up next, including a new video for "You've Got a Friend in Me" (3 minutes, assembled from studio footage and finished art), a featurette about the film's sound design (7 minutes) and an assortment of Randy Newman demos. Last but not least is the Publicity archive, including the film's trailer, TV spots, an interview with Woody and Buzz, and a look at some of the film's merchandise.

Outside of the archives, there's another new feature in the Claw Game, a fun little distraction that yields a few clever goodies (if you're lucky, that is). Finally, there's a healthy dose of Easter Eggs to be found, though the "Index" section holds the entire Easter basket. As a sidenote, all of the bonus features have been anamorphically enhanced---yes, even the fullscreen ones, similar to The Incredibles---and even include optional English subtitles! This is a major plus for the overall presentation, so here's hoping that more studios follow suit in the future. All things considered, it's a nice assortment of goodies: those who already own the Toy Box should hang on to both for the complete experience, while those unfamiliar with the vintage extras should be satisfied.

Final Thoughts

Is this a fine release? You bet. Was it absolutely necessary? Well, maybe not…but that shouldn't stop any fans of Toy Story from picking up this excellent 2-disc set. There's a handful of brand new goodies here, combined with a slightly improved transfer and Pixar's first DTS track---and let's face it, only the most ardent fans of the film were able to snag The Ultimate Toy Box. If you've already got "The Box", you'll certainly enjoy the technical improvements and retrospective material found here. If you've only got the original release, there's absolutely no reason why you shouldn't make the upgrade. This landmark film isn't quite a landmark double dip, but it's still a well-rounded release that just oozes fun and creativity…just like the studio that created it. Very Highly Recommended.

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MARLEY & ME NOW AVAILABLE

Here is the summary for the movie Marley & Me from imdb

A family learns important life lessons from their adorable, but naughty and neurotic dog.

Here is a review for the movie Marley & Me from dvdtalk

"Marley & Me" isn't so much an amiable motion picture as it is a series of manipulations kissed by Floridian sun and scored to a 45-year-old accountant's idea of a "wicked cool" mix CD. With a legion of readers already devoted to John Grogan's best-selling autobiography, the film has a built in audience ready to weep uncontrollably all over again. However, pull back the intense tear-jerking and layers of sitcom filmmaking, and you're left with a movie with amazingly little in the way of dramatic nutrition or organic sentiment.

Newlyweds John (Owen Wilson) and Jennifer (Jennifer Aniston) Grogan have relocated to South Florida to start their careers as idealistic newspaper reporters. To help nudge along the dream of a baby in the house, the couple tries on a dog for size, meeting Marley, a feisty Labrador whose energy is perceived as adorable by the new owners. As the years go by, it's clear Marley can never be tamed, with a daily routine of eating up the house, causing trouble outside, and making life miserable for John and Jennifer. When children start to arrive and relocations take the family across the country, the consistent spark of life is provided by Marley, who soon helps John achieve success as a reluctant columnist.

My one big hesitation with "Marley & Me" is its gummy consistency. Whatever quality that made Grogan's story such a bookstore mainstay over the last few years hasn't been translated properly to the screen for this adaptation. "Marley & Me" is a persistently episodic tale of a dog and his madness, but under the guidance of director David Frankel ("The Devil Wears Prada"), the story has been reduced to only a few effective moments where the viewer gets a real sense of Marley and the family as a unit bonding big throughout the years. Frankel and the screenwriters simply pick their favorite Marley moments for maximum adorability or profound canine reaction, turning Grogan's story from a 13-year-long swell of emotion to an obnoxious, crude series of "dogjinks" where Marley ruins the day with his destructive curiosity and impulsive behavior.

If there was an authentic bond between the Grogans and Marley, the film doesn't bother solidifying the union. In trying to incorporate John's professional hesitations as an aspiring hard-nosed journalist (Alan Arkin turns in reliable supporting work as John's editor), Jennifer's baby pangs, and Marley's phobias and frightful neighborhood reputation, the movie liquefies into a series of montages and muffled plot points. Frankel hopes to convey the passing of years in a few short steps, but it comes across as lame wish-fulfillment storytelling after the opening act, where the newspaper reporter can afford a sprawling Pennsylvania estate and Marley takes 15 seconds out of his busy day ruining the world to comfort Jennifer when she miscarries. The movie is hustling too fast to cram all the Grogan highlights into two hours, quickly abandoning any connective tissue. I came out of the picture refusing to believe a single scene of the film occurred in real life, and that's not the aftertaste "Marley & Me" should leave behind.

Also of great concern is Marley. While branded by John as "the world's worst dog," Marley is actually hell on paws, and it's quite painful to observe the pooch obliterate everything he encounters, especially when the film showcases these antics in the name of "hilarity." Perhaps dog enthusiasts will eat up scenes where Marley howls endlessly at thunderstorms, shreds every piece of furniture around, and intimidates the neighborhood while Jennifer and John just shrug their shoulders and pat Marley on the head. I couldn't help but fondly recall the climax of "Old Yeller" during most of Marley's reign of terror.

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BEDTIME STORIES NOW AVAILABLE

Here is the summary for the movie Bedtime Stories from imdb

Marty Bronson (Jonathan Pryce) who raises his son and daughter on his own has to sell his homey motel to clever Barry Nottingham (Richard Griffiths) who promises to make Marty's son manager, when he's grown up and has proven himself. Nottingham pulls down the motel to raise a pricey hotel. Although grown up, Marty's son Skeeter Bronson (Adam Sandler) works as a janitor and general servant, but unlikely as it seems, he still dreams of becoming the manager. When Nottingham announces a brand-new gigantic hotel project, he makes his future son-in-law, base Kendall (Guy Pierce), manager, shattering Skeeter's dream. At the same time Skeeter's sister Wendy (Courtney Cox) has to leave town for a job interview and asks him to alternate looking after her two children Patrick (Jonathan Morgan Heit) and Bobbi (Laura Ann Kesling) with Wendy's responsible-minded colleague Jill (Keri Russell). He doesn't get along with either Jill or the children, but his easy-goingness loosens them all up and once he starts telling his bedtime stories, the children grow fond of him and begin to bring in their ideas about how the stories should go. When the stories turn out to become true in real life, Skeeter tries to manoeuver the stories into a direction which will make his dream come true, too.

Here is a review for the movie Bedtime Stories from dvdtalk

Taking time out of his hectic PG-13 schedule to make a flick for the kiddies, Adam Sandler tones down his act a smidge for the Disney film experience, "Bedtime Stories." Only six months ago Sandler was try to ease Middle East tensions and enjoy sex with Lanie Kazan in "You Don't Mess with the Zohan," and now it's all bug-eye guinea pigs, gumball storms, and Buzz Lightyear cameos. Even if you hold distaste for Sandler's juvenile antics, I think some credit has to be given for his recent interest in versatility.

Left to care for his niece and nephew while his sister (Courtney Cox) is away on a job hunt, Skeeter (Adam Sandler) finds he has little in common with the kids, and even less with fellow caretaker Jill (Keri Russell). Enticing the children with wild bedtime stories, Skeeter dreams up faraway lands of enchantment where his make-believe surrogate enjoys the spoils of war. However, the children keep their uncle grounded by including punishments and failure for Skeeter and his massive imagination. When the bedtime story embellishments start to show up in the real world, Skeeter finds he's unlocked a gold mine, trying to convince the kids to help him with money, women, and a chance to snatch a promotion away from his hotel workplace rival Kendall (Guy Pearce, enjoying the change of pace).

If one accepts that "Bedtime Stories" is strictly for family audiences, it's great deal easier to embrace the film as a tempered, but amiable offering from Sandler, reaching out directly to the nosepickers this holiday season to expand his fanbase. A lavish fantasy/comedy, "Stories" is a routine tale of underdog success and childlike wonder, putting Sandler's ease with youngsters to good use as our hero is sent on several imaginary missions to experiment with the magical results.

Following Skeeter into western, sci-fi, gladiatorial, and medieval "chapters" of the bedtime story allows Sandler sizable room to flex his goofball muscles. More at ease in front of the camera than I've ever seen him, Sandler appears to enjoy the comfy PG surroundings, permitted to employ fart jokes, booger monsters, and the aforementioned ocularly challenged guinea pig to help bring the movie to a child's level. The dumbing down of the material isn't an inspiring sight, but Sandler's charm always saves the script from its worst tendencies, especially when he's allowed a moment to spin jokes his own specialized absurd way.

At 95 minutes, "Stories" stalls to stretch itself out. It's a thin concept and director Adam Shankman doesn't grip the promise of the material with optimal fervor, instead letting dull asides with the formula stuff (Kendall's deceptions, flirtations with Jill) lead the way over uproarious eccentricity. Thankfully, appearances from the "The Sandler Players" such as Alan Covert, Rob Schneider (playing a Native American), Nick Swardson, and Jonathan Loughran help extend the strangeness, while supporting work from Russell Brand (as Skeeter's best friend) reveals a refreshingly silly new side to his comedic gifts.

"Stories" is more harmless merriment than hilarity, and I give Shankman credit for never swallowing the picture in special effects, employing the ornamentation wisely around the film in a manner that furthers the fantasy vibe. However, Sandler's mischievous heart just doesn't belong in a straight-up kid zone like "Bedtime Stories," especially one with a script that doesn't elevate beyond the expected.

Here is the direct download for the movie Bedtime Stories 1 of 2.

Here is the direct download for the movie Bedtime Stories 2 of 2.

TWILIGHT NOW AVAILABLE

Here is the summary for the movie Twilight from imdb

Bella Swan has always been a little bit different. Never one to run with the crowd, Bella never cared about fitting in with the trendy, plastic girls at her Phoenix, Arizona high school. When her mother remarried and Bella chooses to live with her father in the rainy little town of Forks, Washington, she didn't expect much of anything to change. But things do change when she meets the mysterious and dazzlingly beautiful Edward Cullen. For Edward is nothing like any boy she's ever met. He's nothing like anyone she's ever met, period. He's intelligent and witty, and he seems to see straight into her soul. In no time at all, they are swept up in a passionate and decidedly unorthodox romance - unorthodox because Edward really isn't like the other boys. He can run faster than a mountain lion. He can stop a moving car with his bare hands. Oh, and he hasn't aged since 1918. Like all vampires, he's immortal. That's right - vampire. But he doesn't have fangs - that's just in the movies. And he doesn't drink human blood, though Edward and his family are unique among vampires in that lifestyle choice. To Edward, Bella is that thing he has waited 90 years for - a soul mate. But the closer they get, the more Edward must struggle to resist the primal pull of her scent, which could send him into an uncontrollable frenzy. Somehow or other, they will have to manage their unmanageable love. But when unexpected visitors come to town and realize that there is a human among them Edward must fight to save Bella? A modern, visual, and visceral Romeo and Juliet story of the ultimate forbidden love affair - between vampire and mortal. Written by http://www.summit-ent.com/

Isabella Swan moves to gloomy Forks to live with her father. As she starts her junior year in high school she becomes fascinated by Edward Cullen who holds a dark secret which is only known by his family. Edward falls in love with Bella as well but knows the further they progress in their relationship the more he is putting Bella and those close to her at risk. Edward warns Bella that she should leave him but she refuses to listen and to understand why he is saying this. Bella learns his secret. He is a vampire, however she is not afraid of his blood-thirsty needs and the fact he could kill her at any moment. Bella is afraid of losing him, the love of her life. The thrill begins when a new vampire finds it a challenge to hunt Bella down for her irresistible blood. The game is on and James will not stop until she is killed. Written by courtney

Bella Swan is a clumsy, kind hearted teenager with a knack for getting into trouble. Edward Cullen is an intelligent, good looking vampire who is trying to hide his secret. Against all odds, the two fall in love but will a pack of blood thirsty trackers and the disapproval of their family and friends separate them? Written by LadyN1

Here is a review for the movie Twilight from dvdtalk

If you are a teenage girl, in love with the romance genre, then Twilight is your Citizen Kane. Not since Stanley Kubrick locked Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise in a room together for hours and hours in Eyes Wide Shut have we seen more screen time devoted to the relationship of just two people.

Based on the best selling novel by Stephanie Meyer, Twilight tells the story of the deep attraction and constantly unconsummated relationship between two high school students, Bella and Edward. These two star crossed lovers would have little standing in their way were it not for the unavoidable fact that Edward is a vampire.

This conflict, "Will he lover her or will he eat her?" is the core of Twilight, everything else feels tacked on to fill out the movie. On paper this makes Twilight a fairly superficial and thin film. Ancillary characters, like Bella's father, are thinly drawn and only exist to bridge the gaps between scenes with Bella and Edward. Sub plots involving rival vampires and mysterious murders are completely throw away and again, only serve to connect us to scenes between the two lovers. What Twilight lacks in depth it more than makes up with passion. There's enough passion in Twilight to fill up an entire series of films. So much so, I fully expect teenage girls to literally swoon after seeing this film.

Robert Pattinson, who is sure to become a 'teen idol', plays Edward as a wonderfully pained and brooding character. Pattison's performance seems to be inspired more by Hamlet and Romeo than Dracula and Angel and his character feels oddly un-vampiric. Kristen Stewart does a solid job playing Bella, the every girl grappling with the attention of a boy so captivating she can't help but become obsessed with him.

In many teen oriented romantic films issues of high school politics, popularity, social circles and just 'fitting in' tend to dominate.. With Twilight the issues are much more internal. Bella is less concerned with fitting in and more concerned over whether or not she's done something to keep Edward from loving her. This internal struggle of self confidence in relationships is sure to strike a deep chord with the intended audience especially combined with the deep level of complex and unconsummated teen love.

As a vampire movie, Twilight reinterprets the traditional vampire myth through almost superhero eyes. In the Twilight universe vampires don't have fangs, aren't effected by garlic (even a golden one) and don't burst into flames in the sunlight. The Twilight vampires have more in common with The X-Men than they do with Buffy The Vampire Slayer. At times Edward seems almost celestial despite his constant proclamations to the contrary.

But summing all this into a recommendation is extremely difficult. Twilight is one of those movies where film criticism really doesn't matter all that much. Odds are audiences are going to make up their minds to see this film based on the novels or at least the popularity of the novels. It's just one of those movies so connected to the book series there's no way to really un-teather it.

For my part, I feel that Twilight does one thing well, it captures a passionate romance between teenagers and embodies the highs and lows of that experience. Beyond that I think the film is a little weak. But for the target audience I think it's going to be more than enough and I anticipate that it'll be the kind of movie that gets a large number of repeat views in theaters and builds quite a dedicated following.

I've seen much worse than Twilight, but as a parent bringing my pre-teen to a movie I found that it was engaging enough not to be a miserable moving going experience (something I can't say for many of the films aimed at her demographic).

Note: Replay rating extremely high for the target audience, everyone else will probably get all they need from seeing this film once.

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BEHIND ENEMY LINES COLUMBIA NOW AVAILABLE

Here is the summary for the movie Behind Enemy Lines Columbia from imdb

Navy SEALS mount an attack on Colombian special forces to clear their names and rescue a hostage.

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YES MAN NOW AVAILABLE

Here is the summary for the movie Yes Man from imdb

A guy challenges himself to say "yes" to everything for an entire year.

Here is a review for the movie Yes Man from dvdtalk

Once upon a time Jim Carrey couldn't tell a lie. Now he can't stop saying yes to every opportunity that comes his way. Reshuffling a comedy concept a little to the left, "Yes Man" has Carrey trying to reclaim his bygone slapstick glory days, scraping the gunk off his comic timing and sprinting toward low-calorie bellylaughs. The effort is appreciated; however, the film still leaves much to be desired.

A man who has never indulged in a personal adventure, banker Carl (Jim Carrey) prefers to keep to himself, ignoring friends (including Bradley Cooper and Danny Masterson) and co-workers (Rhys Darby, "Flight of the Conchords") who request his company. When an old acquaintance (John Michael Higgins) urges Carl to take in a seminar on the power of saying yes, the host (Terence Stamp) convinces Carl to change his life. Suddenly agreeing to do anything that comes his way, Carl find his existence transformed, leading him into the arms of Allison (Zooey Deschanel), a bohemian singer/photographer who takes a shine to Carl's newfound spontaneity.

With the wild days of Ace Ventura and "Dumb and Dumber" long behind him, Jim Carrey has struggled to retain his spark over the last decade, weaving through dramatic endeavors for legitimacy and toplining halfhearted comedies that all tend to fizzle out in the third act. "Yes Man" continues along the same route of middling results for Carrey, only now the concept hits too close to home, with the actor repeating himself to maintain the shine on his box office gold medal.

Directed by Peyton Reed (the likeable "The Break-Up," the rancid "Down with Love"), "Yes Man" suffers from a severe case of mediocrity, and Carrey fidgets frantically to kick-start the proceedings beyond the heavy chains of formula. The picture actually starts off promisingly by introducing Carl as not a depressed loser, but a gentleman who genuinely doesn't enjoy the constraints of a social life. It's an inventive twist on the routine, and Carrey plays around with the anti-social behavior with traditional amusement, keeping Carl something of a jerk, though a kindly jerk. "Yes Man" has a lot of fun with Carl's public misery, building to the titular moment of universal agreement in pleasingly broad fashion, punctuated by a hilarious supporting role from Stamp as the guru who encourages total submission from the withdrawn man.

Once Carl swallows his negativity, "Yes Man" switches into slapstick overdrive, observing Carl taking on new challenges in language, musicianship, and suicide prevention, not to mention accepting wholly unwanted sexual favors from senior citizens, culminating in a routine gums-only oral sex gag that keeps this film from its rightful home as an ideal family night out at the movies. A shame. The film also makes plenty of space for Carl to woo Allison, taking the hipster on the ride of her life as Reed nudges the material toward a romantic comedy destination. Even with 18 years separating the actors, Carrey and Deschanel share flavorful chemistry, making proper use of the screenplay's insistence on musical numbers and easily telegraphed eccentricity.

The movie's midpoint features Carl and Allison heading to Nebraska on a traveling whim, taking in sights such as a telephone museum and a slaughterhouse killing floor (Carl quickly passes out), which takes the film to a wonderful plateau of gentle farce that deepens the central relationship without the need to apply the brakes. Then the brakes are applied, when Carl and Allison return home to find they've been mistaken for terrorists. Reed promptly punts the laughs away and "Yes Man" goes from chuckles to stasis as the screenplay lazily hunts for a way to introduce hand-holding meaning to all the laughs. In short: the filmmakers have decided to "Bruce Almighty" the bejesus out of the picture.

Dealing with Carl's conscience and a tiresome screenwriting formula which specifies romantic entanglements must be dissolved for maximum third-act redemption (preferably with an 80's rock anthem scoring the moment), "Yes Man" is left devoid of a needed personality. Carrey's gusto helps to squeeze some pleasure out of the familiarity of it all, but the film hardly satisfies that special need to be slapped around by a comedy. Considering Carrey already mined this material in the aggravating-yet-side-splitting "Liar Liar," it's strange to watch the actor fail to achieve funny-bone velocity. Instead, "Yes Man" plays it safe, failing to heed its own message of taking chances.

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GRAN TORINO NOW AVAILABLE

Here is the summary for the movie Gran Torino from imdb

Disgruntled Korean War vet Walt Kowalski sets out to reform his neighbor, a young Hmong teenager, who tried to steal Kowalski's prized possession: his 1972 Gran Torino.

Here is a review for the movie Gran Torino from dvdtalk

Never the ambassador of understatement, Clint Eastwood fits "Gran Torino" comfortably alongside the rest of his directorial oeuvre. A pleasurably performed character study of racism and redemption, "Torino" doesn't have much nuance to soothe the demanding filmgoer; the pleasures of the picture emerge from the vigor of the acting and the manner Eastwood sticks to perhaps outdated storytelling techniques to preserve his version of tension.

Walt Kowalski (Clint Eastwood) is a retired Detroit auto mechanic recently widowed, left to tend to his impeccable yard and fend off the selfish needs of his children. Watching his neighborhood, and to a larger extent younger generations, fall into disrepair, Walt has maintained a rich passion for bigotry to keep him company since his dark days in the Korean War. Observing the violent predicament of a young Hmong neighbor boy named Thao (Bee Vang), Walt is compelled to intervene, driving away local gang members and earning the respect of the Hmong community. Finding the culture immediately distasteful, Walt is soon won over by Hmong traditions, befriending Thao with hopes to teach him some self-respect before the gang activity worsens.

The screenplay for "Gran Torino" by Minnesotan Nick Schnek is steeped in textured Midwestern culture, utilizing the discomfort between old-guard military men who refuse to abandon their comfortable domiciles and the melting pot that surrounds them, erecting a human story of tentative respect and the clearing of conscience. It's not a scholastic take on race relations, but Schnek understands the venomous mentality of men like Walt, who live and breathe outdated American values, only to find their faith rewarded by the degeneration of respect in the youth and the rise of foreign perspectives in their own backyard.

Eastwood plays up Walt's grotesque behaviors to the hilt. Having lost his beloved wife, dealing with adult children who want to put him in a home, finding his health deteriorating, and now inclined to interfere with an ethnicity he despises, it makes perfect sense for Walt to storm around with a mammoth chip on his shoulder. Eastwood's growly acting is what holds "Torino" away from the jaws of melodrama, returning to his teeth-clenched, asphalt-voiced roots, as though Walt was an elderly version of Harry Callahan. Spitting out every Asian racial epithet known to man to sell Walt's calloused exterior, the role finds perfect concert with Eastwood's specific haggard range, assembling a character of gun-happy action, beer-soaked reflection, and Geritol-fueled defiance that could only be sold by the screen legend.

The majority of "Torino" concerns Walt coming to terms with his new Hmong friends, led by Thao's sister Sue (Ahney Her, in a lovely, fresh performance), who takes special care to bring Walt out of his shell of calcified hatred. The film's supreme moments are the ones of Walt finding his footing at Hmong gatherings, failing socialization opportunities, but lovin' the cooking. The crux of the story belongs to Walt and Thao, born from a thwarted gang-initiation attempt to steal Walt's prized 1972 Gran Torino, a classic car of immense worth but also a reminder of a simpler life for Walt during his golden factory days. "Torino" doesn't play the relationship for "Odd Couple" laughs, but more as an unlikely father/son partnership, with Thao learning to better himself through hard work and avoiding the lure of crime. While Vang's performance lacks polish and range, the relationship remains an engrossing central piece of the "Torino" puzzle.

Eastwood, who's made a career out of classically mounted simplicity, doesn't tax "Torino" past obvious declarations of hate and remorse. Walt's arc is easily telegraphed and predictably resolved, yet "Torino" finds an ease with itself that helps to swallow a few terrible scenes (notably the ones where Walt bonds with his like-minded barber) and Eastwood's constant underlining of Walt's spittle-slicked prejudices. The direction is clean enough to move past a few dramatic potholes, though it leads to a conclusion heavy with symbolic intention, perhaps a bit too graceful for comfort.

Unofficially billed as Eastwood's swan song to acting, "Torino" certainly returns the star to his fist-first roots with extreme satisfaction. The finished film doesn't quite live up to Eastwood's typically magnetic screen conduct, but "Gran Torino" isn't concerned with a wide footprint. It's a minimal story of redemption, and a fairly successful one at that.

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SEVEN POUNDS DVD SCREENER NOW AVAILABLE

Here is the summary for the movie Seven Pounds from imdb

An IRS agent with a fateful secret embarks on an extraordinary journey of redemption by forever changing the lives of seven strangers.


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THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL NOW AVAILABLE

Here is the summary for the movie The Day the Earth Stood Still from imdb

In the original movie, a flying saucer orbits Earth, and lands in Washington, DC, on the Mall. Klaatu (Michael Rennie) steps out and is shot by a jumpy soldier. Gort (Lock Martin), an indestructible robot steps out of the spacecraft and proceeds to melt all the weapons, including tanks. Later, the Earth comes to realize that Gort has used very little of his power to make this happen.

While lying on the ground, Klaatu orders Gort to stop, and is then taken by the military to a hospital from which he later escapes in order to learn more about this planet called Earth and its human inhabitants. He meets Helen Benson (Patricia Neal) and her son Billy (Billy Gray); takes Klaatu on a tour of Washington, DC; and finally stops in front of the Lincoln Memorial. Klaatu reads the words uttered by Lincoln many years ago and realizes that there might be hope for Earth.

When they begin to suspect the alien man, he reveals himself, along with the news that Gort is a member of a race of super-robot enforcers invented to keep the peace of the galaxy and will destroy the Earth if provoked. Klaatu is pursued and shot and killed by the military. Before Klaatu dies, he tells Helen to go to Gort, and say the words "Klaatu barada nikto." If she does not, Klaatu tells her Gort will destroy the Earth. Helen makes her way to the ship and finds Gort. As the robot moves towards her, she repeats the phrase over and over. The robot picks her up and takes her into the ship. It then retrieves Klaatu's body and, through their alien science, resurrects Klaatu.

The 2008 remake about an alien and his indestructible robot will star Keanu Reeves as Klaatu, Jennifer Connelly as Helen Benson, Jaden Smith as Jacob, and Kathy Bates. Gort has not been cast at this time and will most likely be created using SFX.

The remake of The Day the Earth Stood Still will supposedly remain true to the original movie. However, there is a chance the remake will more likely remain true to the short story upon which the 1951 movie is based. In either case, the alien weaponry seems to have been upgraded. In addition to a city going dark, and a very brief look at the new Gort, the film trailer shows a cloud of black smoke, capable of rapid movement and disintegrating matter on contact.

In the 1951 movie, Gort is described as one of a race of robots created by the planets to maintain peace throughout the galaxy. If the 2008 remake follows "Farewell to the Master," the short story by Harry Bates upon which the 1951 movie is based will be used for the ending, which will not be revealed here.

Here is a review for the movie The Day the Earth Stood Still from dvdtalk

On the unnecessary remake scale of brow-furrowed disgust, I would rate this new pass at "The Day the Earth Stood Still" fairly high; not only because the film endeavors to "reimagine" the 1951 Robert Wise classic, but because it dares to drag perfection in the opposite direction. Refusing to take Wise's nuanced lead, the new "Stood" is a grotesque creation that prefers noise to thought, clumsily slapping together an eco-minded warning siren in the guise of a bloated Roland Emmerich creation. We already have one Emmerich, the world doesn't need a second version running around.

When a mysterious sphere of glowing biological purpose lands in Central Park, Earth's leading scientists, including Dr. Helen Benson (Jennifer Connelly), are summoned to study the visiting ship. Out of the light comes Klaatu (Keanu Reeves), an alien with a sobering message to deliver to the leaders of the planet. When Klaatu is shot during his greeting, government officials (led by Kathy Bates) seize the opportunity to lock up the alien and interrogate him. With the help of Helen and her son Jacob (Jaden Smith, son of Will Smith), Klaatu is rescued out of confinement and taken out of state, where the alien attempts to make sense of the human race, hoping to find a reason to save Earth from certain doom before it's too late.

The nerve of Fox to rework "Stood" leaves a bitter residue in my mouth, but that's the way Hollywood rolls these days. Pandering to kids who wouldn't know Gort if he came up and shot a laser beam down their throats, the new "Stood" turns a tidy atomic age parable into event movie mush. It trades nuclear weapons and cold wars for Al Gore-inspired planetary consideration, wrapped up tightly in blinding special effect displays to keep the audience interested in a preachy screenplay and patchy performances.

Certainly "Stood" means well enough, trying to fit its obese frame into the tight sweater of a message movie, speaking on the dangers of pollution and hostility in an increasingly careless world. Perhaps a filmmaker with some experience with large scale movement and political discussion could've molded "Stood" into a distant cousin of the original film. Instead, Fox hired Scott Derrickson, a man who previously gifted the world pure cinematic drivel such as "The Exorcism of Emily Rose" and "Hellraiser: Inferno."

Derrickson kicks off "Stood" with a respectable opening act, using a frightened Helen as the film's guide into alien mystery and end-of-the-world willies, building a convincing wall of vagueness with the appearance of the massive orb and Klaatu's blood-spattered introduction to humans. Once the alien is established as a resourceful, powerful weapon of energy with serious opinions about Earth, "Stood" takes a swan dive, developing a boil of stupidity it refuses to lance. From here on out, the screenplay by David Scarpa becomes crippled with clichés and miscalculated peaks of drama, with Derrickson heading off to supervise the considerable special effects work, leaving the actors to fight the good screen fight alone.

It's one thing to use eco-terror as a backdrop for concern, deftly reworking the original story to match new standards of social alarm; but "Stood" doesn't sniff out much gradational thought, instead it takes a lead-foot approach that features the characters spelling out the themes of the movie through clunky dialogue and poorly modulated performances (Smith is especially grating and resoundingly awful as the innocent soul of the picture). "Stood" is preachy with its point of change, constantly emphasizing the obvious, stopping just short of an Iron Eyes Cody cameo to drive home the message of humanity as the ultimate poison. I'm not disagreeing with the sentiment, I only object to the monotone monologues from Reeves or the teary pleading of Connelly to smuggle the elephant into the room.

Beyond the world-changing goal of the picture lies the visual effects, and while there's a wild bunch of alien and ecological ornamentation hung around the film, the worst offense lies with Gort, Klaatu's now building-sized robot defender. Once a creation of limited movement, the new Gort is reintroduced as a fluid being of destruction, not only from his laser beam-happy ocular cavity, but also though his ability to dissolve into a swarm of miniature metal insects that eat away anything in their path. The introduction of Gort leads "Stood" to unimaginably idiotic scenes with gung-ho U.S. military forces that bring to mind old "Simpsons" episodes, and showcases Derrickson's real impetus for the directorial job: to stage worldwide catastrophe. Oh, and to add as much product placement into the frame as possible.

It doesn't take very long before "Stood" turns into a crude pyrotechnics display, effectively wiping clean whatever responsibility it toyed with in the first act to dive into glowing ball/Gort smash! excess. It's too late now to cry foul over a needless remake. The film's here, waiting for audiences to escape the holiday blues with a little helping of devastation. Perhaps to the relaxed eye, Derrickson's coarse direction won't feel like a hot knife through the temple, but to any fan of 1951 film, it's best to ignore this exhaustive mangling of a classic movie.

Here is the direct download for the movie The Day the Earth Stood still part 1 of 2.

Here is the direct download for the movie The Day the Earth Stood Still part 2 of 2.

THE PUNISHER 2 WARZONE NOW AVAILABLE

Here is the summary for the movie The Punisher 2 from imdb

Infamous vigilante, anti-hero Frank Castle (Ray Stevenson) is six years into his vengeance driven zeal as the Punisher when he brutally assaults a "beat the rap" party for notorious mob boss Gaitano Cesare. During the course of the massacre, he hideously disfigures overeager gangster Billy Russoti (Dominic West) and murders a mafia lackey who turns out to be an undercover FBI agent. Agent Paul Budiansky (Colin Salmon), the ex-partner of the undercover Fed, joins the NYPD's "Punisher Task Force" to help bring Castle to justice, once and for all. A facially mutilated Russoti recovers from his run-in with the Punisher with revenge on his mind and recruits a massive army of psychotic killers, gangbangers, and mobsters under his new alias "Jigsaw." Distraught that he has now become the very evil he swore to battle, Castle is content to hang up his guns and quit the justice business for good. However, plans quickly change once he learns that Jigsaw has kidnapped the surviving wife and child of the dead federal agent. Forced back into the war, the Punisher now has to face off against Jigsaw's formidable army in order to save the lives of an innocent family his actions put on firing line. "Clock's ticking."

Here is a review for the movie The Punisher 2 from dvdtalk

The Film:
Really, when you stop and think about it, there really isn't a character better suited for an easy transition from the comic book page to the movie screen than Marvel's Punisher. Loaded down with enough fire power to stop an army, decked out in a black outfit emblazoned with a skull, and no super powers other than the ability to kill criminals, the Punisher is about as no-frills as comic book characters get. There's no convincing a movie audience he can fly, or that he transforms into a giant green monster, or that he has enhanced strength from being bitten by a spider. But despite the simplicity of the character, the last two attempts at bringing the Punisher to life--an idiotic 1988 adaptation starring Dolph Lundgren and an even more abysmal 2004 version starring Thomas Jane--have ranked among the more craptacular comic book movies. And those two miserable failures are either enough to make you wonder why anyone would make another Punisher movie, or give you cynical hope that at least there's nowhere to go but up.

Following in the latest Hollywood trend of restarting franchises with pseudo-sequels to earlier failures, Punisher: War Zone is to the bad 2004 Punisher what this year's Incredible Hulk was to 2003's disappointing Hulk. Both films were not so much sequels as they were attempts to correct some really bad decisions that resulted in movies that were not that fun to watch. Irish actor Ray Stevenson takes over the lead role of ex-special forces operative Frank Castle, who loses his wife and children to a Mafia massacre after they witness a brutal gang execution. With nothing to live for, and bent on destroying organized crime, Castle arms himself to the teeth, and stalks the underworld as the take-no-prisoners Punisher. With the mob afraid of him, and the cops turning a blind eye to him, Castle is pretty much left to do what he does best--amass a massive body count of bad guys. But when the Punisher accidentally kills an undercover federal agent, he begins to question his actions. But as fate would have it, gangster Billy Russoti (Dominick West) is looking for his missing money--money last seen in the hands of the agent killed by Castle. With his face terribly disfigured after an encounter with the Punisher, Russoti, now calling himself Jigsaw, goes after the wife and daughter of the murdered agent. Despite his desire to give up his life of splattering the brains of criminals all over the place, Castle refuses to sit by as Jigsaw wrecks havoc, which of course means it's only a matter of time before the hot lead starts flying and the bodies start dropping.

Punisher: War Zone, while being a ways away from great cinema, is a vast improvement over the two earlier Punisher movies. Ray Stevenson, looking like a Punisher drawing by legendary comic book artist Tony DeZuniga, is well suited for the role. Perhaps the only other actors right for the role would be Tommy Lee Jones about twenty years ago or Tom Berenger around the time he basically played the same role in The Substitute. Stevenson brings a nice steely grit to the character, and a look of determined intensity that doesn't need pointless dialog to prove a point.

The rest of the cast of Punisher: War Zone is pretty inconsequential, the notable exception being Dominic West, who gives an over-the-top performance that outdoes all others in a film full of over-the-top performances. In fact, restraint is something not to be found in most of Punisher: War Zone, as the cast delivers ham-fisted dialog in heavy New Yawka accents. That's not to say the script is terrible--especially compared to earlier versions of the Punisher--but this isn't screenwriting at its finest, either. The problem here is that the film feels like it's trying to prove that it is adapted from a comic book by playing into the notion of what a comic book is. Everyone involved has clearly studied other super hero movies, without really considering the fact that Punisher is not a real superhero. The Punisher is not Spider-Man or even Batman; he's Charles Bronson in Death Wish or Robert Forster in Vigilante. It would be nice if the films reflected that a bit more, and instead drew inspiration from other comic-to-film adaptations like A History of Violence.

Part of what makes the Punisher such an interesting character in the comic book world is the way he interacts with super-powered heroes like Spider-Man and Daredevil. Comic fans know that Punisher is seldom more interesting when he goes to-toe-toe with masked heroes who can't bring themselves to cross the same line he doesn't give a second thought to. This creates a great conflict that has propelled some of the best Punisher stories. But you can't do that in a film, because there are no costumed heroes for the Punisher to play off of in the movie world. This is why Punisher: War Zone, and if there are any other entries in the franchise, would be better served by scaling back the comic book-ish nature of Frank Castle's screen persona in favor of something more grounded in reality. The Punisher is, after all, a crime book, not a superhero book.

For what it is, Punisher: War Zone is entertaining. It is a B, or perhaps a B-minus grade entry in the world of films based on comic books. But considering how bad the earlier Punisher films were, as well as junk like Daredevil and Ghost Rider, there's a certain comfort in knowing that this movie is not as bad as it could have been. Is that a ringing endorsement? No, it is not. But if you like the Punisher, or if you like fairly brainless tales of vigilantes on a killing rampage that are punctuated with excessive violence and splatter-happy gore, then this film will do the trick.

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GHOST TOWN NOW AVAILABLE

Here is the summary for the movie Ghost Town from imdb

Bertram Pincus is a man whose people skills leave much to be desired. When Pincus dies unexpectedly, but is miraculously revived after seven minutes, he wakes up to discover that he now has the annoying ability to see ghosts. Even worse, they all want something from him, particularly Frank Herlihy who pesters him into breaking up the impending marriage of his widow Gwen. That puts Pincus squarely in the middle of a triangle with spirited result. Written by Studio Approved Synopsis

Here is a review for the movie Ghost Town from dvdtalk

Bertram Pincus, D.D.S. (Ricky Gervais) is dead...or at least he was, for just under seven minutes. His brief departure into the afterlife has triggered an "ability" to see and interact with dead people; specifically, those with unfinished business from their former lives. They soon pester the good doctor into helping them resolve said business---but as a man who outright detests social interaction, Pincus simply wants to be left alone. A particularly smooth-talking spirit, Frank Herlihy (Greg Kinnear), manages to grab his attention with a deal: if Pincus can break up the impending marriage of his widow, Gwen (Téa Leoni), Frank promises the reluctant clairvoyant that he will Live In Peace. As fate would have it, though, Pincus develops feelings for Gwen...even though her new fiancée makes the average Boy Scout look like a social degenerate.

Co-written and directed by David Koepp, Ghost Town manages to strike a solid balance between romantic comedy and light-hearted ghost story during the bulk of its 102-minute running time. Gervais is particularly likable as the central character: his awkward interactions with those that irritate him (read: just about everyone) anchor the story quite well, reminding us that a less experienced funnyman would've brought this production to a screeching halt. His gradual affection for the soon-to-be-married Gwen is believable enough, thanks to the intelligent spark and attractive quirks infused by Leoni. As the spirit with the most screen time, Kinnear turns in a solid performance on par with Gervais'; cursed with a somewhat despicable personality of his own, Frank Herlihy is a man whose mistakes reveal a certain humility hidden behind layers of cockiness. His transformation into "invisible wingman" partners well with Pincus, who Herlihy can't help but live vicariously through.

An aside: perhaps it's the Manhattan setting, the somewhat downbeat atmosphere, the presence of Greg Kinnear or simply the "socially-awkward-guy-comes-out-of-his-shell" factor, but Ghost Town bears a spiritual resemblance to 1997's As Good As It Gets. One could argue that it feels often feels like a dozen other romantic comedies along the way, but it's a feeling I just couldn't shake (though as a fan of the Jack Nicholson vehicle, there's certainly worse films to mimic).

Despite a fairly consistent parade of gags, Ghost Town can't help but struggle a bit in the home stretch. It tends to grasp at straws while building momentum during the third act; luckily, the ending we eventually reach isn't loaded with artificial sweetener. The typical "romantic comedy formula" may prove more irritating than Gervais' ghosts---but the comedy manages to outweigh the romance, if that's any consolation. In short, fans of Gervais and Kinnear (or those just looking for a sturdy date movie, of course) should find Ghost Town a pleasing and briskly-paced offering worthy of repeat viewings. It may not burn up the box office, but this perfectly entertaining effort ushers in Autumn with an appropriate mix of comedy, heart and pathos. Recommended.

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SOUTH PARK IMAGINATION LAND NOW AVAILABLE

SOUTH PARK MOVIE IMAGINATION LAND NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE

HERE IS THE SUMMARY FOR THE MOVIE SOUTH PARK IMAGINATION LAND FROM IMDB

The doors of a whole new dimension are thrown open and the boys of South Park walk right in. It all begins with Cartman's quest to find a leprechaun and in turn win a bet with Kyle that would force him to suck Cartman's balls. The kids have just arrived in Imaginationland a wondrous magical place when terrorist's attack unleashing all of mankind's evil imaginary forces upon the world. With imaginations running wild the government steps in and prepares to nuke Imaginationland thus eliminating further attacks on the country's most vulnerable spot. A crisis faces the nation and Stan and Butters remained trapped in Imaginationland. Kyle pleads with the Pentagon for his friends' lives and Cartman goes all the way to the Supreme Court to get justice for his dry balls.

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BLU-RAY PATHOLOGY MOVIE NOW AVAILABLE

Here is the summary for the movie Pathology from imdb
Harvard Medical School graduate Dr. Ted Grey arrives at one of the nations most prestigious Pathology programs and is quickly noticed by the program's privileged and elite band of pathology interns who invite him into their crowd. It is also here, where he is introduced to Dr. Jake Gallo, who brings him to a secluded wing, where he and four other indulge in their after-hours, extra-curricular activities...finding ways to commit the perfect murder! Written by suspicious
Here is a review for the movie Pathology from dvdtalk The Movie:

Reviewer's Note: Unfortunately, Fox / MGM sent DVD Talk a screener copy of Pathology to review. Since the 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment logo pops up from time to time as well as what I believe were other deliberate artifacts, placed there perhaps out of copy protection worries, I don't feel this disc best reflects what will likely arrive in stores. Because of this, the video and audio quality will not be evaluated for this review. Should DVD Talk receive the final product for consideration, this review will be amended.

Every now and then, a thriller shows up involving medical students who go off the deep end and engage in disturbing behavior. One such movie arrived nearly two decades ago (and boy, it does not seem that long ago - I must be getting old) in theaters. It was a popular flick called Flatliners, and it centered upon a group of medical students who decided they would bring each other near death to experience the greatest mystery of humankind. As a thriller / horror movie, of course, things do not go well with their experiment. The film is probably more notable today for being a ensemble of young, up-and-coming actors including Julia Roberts, Kiefer Sutherland, Kevin Bacon, and others.

I was reminded of Flatliners as I watched Pathology, a recent thriller involving a group of medical students that's been released on home video. In this potboiler, the students are playing a high stakes game where each tries to commit a perfect murder and see if the others can't figure out their method as they examine the corpse in the pathology ward. It does have a cast of notable young up-and-coming actors, though whether their careers are as varied as the cast of Flatliners, of course, remains to be seen.

Pathology follows Ted Grey (Milo Ventimiglia from NBC's hit series Heroes), a brilliant young medical student who, after serving a stint in Africa, is stationed at the pathology ward of a New York City hospital. He's engaged to Gwen (Alyssa Milano from the hit series Charmed), and his future is very promising. However, his fellow students, he discovers, are a bunch of complete psychotics. They drink, smoke crack, have a lot of sex, and oh yes, play the game that is mentioned in the previous paragraph. Their leader is Jake (Michael Weston), who somehow entices Ted to participate in their deadly pursuits. It doesn't seem to take Ted very long to join in, especially since he has an attraction to Juliette (Lauren Lee Smith), a pathologist who seems to share her sexual appetites with everyone in the group.

Well, if you haven't picked up on this from the synopsis above, Pathology is one sleazy film, even by direct-to-video standards. It's worth mentioning this as I can envision fans of Heroes picking this up and being surprised to see one of its main stars in such a dark and twisted little tale. The autopsy scenes are graphic and intentionally shocking, as the students like to play games with the dead bodies they work upon. Violence and nudity are also surprisingly copious.

What isn't copious is intelligence. This is one far-fetched movie. How on Earth these medical students have the time and energy to indulge in the vices they do and plan and carry out their meticulous murders is never explained. Why someone as brilliant as Ted would need little prompting to engage in the behaviors he does is never really explained. And as the movie goes along, the events become more and more implausible, until a finale that is jaw-droppingly inane.

However, I will admit that this film does satisfy prurient interests. If one isn't queasy at the sight of blood, Pathology remains an interesting movie throughout. The acting is pretty good all around, with Ventimiglia carrying over his brooding personality from Heroes fairly well. And in and amongst the silliness, there are some effective moody scenes and chilling lines of dialogue. It's gross and it's trashy, but it keeps one's interest. I hesitate in this rating a bit, but I'll go with a borderline Recommended.

The DVD

Video:

See Reviewer's Note at the top of this review.

Sound:

See Reviewer's Note at the top of this review.

A Language Selection menu suggests the final disc will have an English language 5.1 Dolby Surround track and a Spanish language Dolby Surround track. English and Spanish subtitles will also be made available.

Extras:

When the disc is played, trailers precede the main menu for Deception, The Happening, Joy Ride 2: Dead Ahead, and Behind Enemy Lines: Columbia. These trailers don't seem to be linked in the main menu, but inexplicably, a link does exist to a trailer for AVPR: Alien Vs. Predator Requiem.

Pathology arrives loaded with movie-specific extras in addition to the trailers. The most significant of these is a feature-length commentary by director Marc Scholermann and writers / producers Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor. A random sampling suggests it's an irreverent track, with all three providing observations and jokes about the movie.

Creating the Perfect Murder (15:02) starts off a series of featurettes. It's a typical featurette that deals with the making of the movie and has sound bytes from various cast and crew. Next up is The Cause of Death: A Conversation with Pathologist Craig Harvey (8:05), which serves up about what its title promises. Harvey makes some observations about pathology, and scenes from the movie are played. Unintended Consequences (2:21) is a short music video by Legion of Doom F/ Triune. Finally, an extended cut of one of the autopsy scenes from the movie (3:04) round out the extras. All but the last featurette are presented in anamorphic widescreen.

Final Thoughts:

Pathology, a story about medical students who challenge each other's diagnostic prowess by trying to commit the perfect murder, is gory, trashy, and very far-fetched. However, it's also fairly well-acted, and despite the absurd storyline, it is an engaging film with an interesting premise. This is not a movie for everyone, but I think the horror and thriller crowd will find enough of interest to warrant a mild recommendation.

Here is the direct download for the nzb file of the Blu-ray version of the movie Pathology.

FROST NIXON NOW AVAILABLE

Here is the summary for the movie Frost Nixon from imdb

For three years after being forced from office, Nixon remained silent. But in summer 1977, the steely, cunning former commander-in-chief agreed to sit for one all-inclusive interview to confront the questions of his time in office and the Watergate scandal that ended his presidency. Nixon surprised everyone in selecting Frost as his televised confessor, intending to easily outfox the breezy British showman and secure a place in the hearts and minds of Americans. Likewise, Frost's team harbored doubts about their boss's ability to hold his own. But as cameras rolled, a charged battle of wits resulted. Would Nixon evade questions of his role in one of the nation's greatest disgraces? Or would Frost confound critics and bravely demand accountability from the man who'd built a career out of stonewalling? Over the course of their encounter, each man would reveal his own insecurities, ego and reserves of dignity--ultimately setting aside posturing in a stunning display of unvarnished truth.

Here is a review for the movie Frost Nixon from dvdtalk

When British chat-show host David Frost and disgraced former President Richard M. Nixon sat down for a series of extended television interviews in 1977, both men had specific, and somewhat contradictory, motives. Frost was considered more of a celebrity than a journalist; his States-based show had failed and his British and Australian ventures were struggling for relevance, so he saw the Nixon interviews as a chance to establish his credibility and make some headlines, especially if he could coax out of Nixon the apology or admission of guilt that the American people so desperately desired. Nixon, on the eve of publishing his memoirs, saw the interviews as the opportunity to begin rehabilitating his public image, aggressively pushing the narrative of his foreign policy triumphs and dodging the few softball Watergate questions his less-than-stellar interviewer would lob his way.

Those psychological interests were what made Peter Morgan's 2006 stage hit Frost/Nixon so much more than a play about some TV interviews; particularly adept at spinning great drama out of seemingly dull subject matter (he wrote the screenplay for The Queen, a film that hung great suspense, convincingly, on whether Queen Elizabeth II should show public emotion after Diana's death), Morgan's play (which I had the good fortune of seeing during its Broadway run) positioned its two larger-than-life protagonists in an exhilarating battle of wits and wills.

Ron Howard is not the first director you might think of for this kind of material, but he navigates it with skill and precision, turning up the flash when it's called for and knocking down the theatrics at all the right moments. His smartest decision was retaining Michael Sheen (Blair in The Queen) as Frost and Frank Langella (who won a Tony for the play) as Nixon; both are magnificent. His second smartest decision was dumping the less-memorable supporting players and filling the cast with some of the best character actors working (Kevin Bacon, Sam Rockwell, Matthew Macfadyen, and the invaluable Oliver Platt).

Morgan adapts the play himself (a less difficult job than usual, as this was a very cinematic script to begin with), wisely transforming the direct-to-audience monologues into documentary-style to-camera interviews. Howard telescopes the action, honing in on the rich subtext while popping Morgan's terrific dialogue like so many firecrackers.

Both men (and Langella) are clearly fascinated by the complex psychology of Nixon, and they're not the first dramatists to explore the tragedy of this man; Oliver Stone, for example, made him the neo-Shakespearean center of one of his finest films. Langella's extraordinary performance is a triumph in both the big speeches and the tiny, introverted moments, but his fine work (and the film itself) reaches its apex in a late-night telephone conversation (a "3 a.m. phone call," if you will) between the two men late in the picture's second act.

Nixon calls Frost in his hotel room late one night; Frost is depressed over the failure of the interviews thus far, Nixon has had a few drinks. As the former President begins to talk, he attempts to draw parallels between his inquisitor and himself, about their backgrounds and struggles, first seeming to look for common ground, then building to an angry, seething rage. He gives Frost a glimpse inside, but his generalizations are pointed and nasty. He's taunting Frost. Why?

Answer that question, and you've figured out Nixon. Morgan's brilliant screenplay seems to argue that Nixon was pushing Frost to amp it up; he'd never admit it, but there was probably a part of him (the young Quaker who knew right from wrong) that had not yet been smothered by the politician. Somewhere inside his dark psyche, Nixon may have wanted to be held accountable, and when he saw that Frost wasn't working for it, he pushed him. That late night phone call may have been an act of self-flagellation.

And now I've gone far, far afield, but that's the kind of film Frost/Nixon is; it puts two smart men (and their gifted teams) in a room and watches what happens, and you can't helped but get sucked into their subtle mind game. The third act, in which Frost takes the bait and comes to the final interview ready to give Nixon the fight that he wants, is just plain thrilling, beautifully acted by two terrific performers (I realize, looking over this piece that I've undersold Sheen, who is extraordinary) and expertly handled by Howard, a journeyman director doing some of his finest work.

It's nothing new to complain that movies don't get made for grown-ups these days, so when a movie as invigorating, witty, and smart (seriously, this is one of the most intelligent screenplays produced by a major Hollywood studio in recent memory) as Frost/Nixon gets made, attention should be paid. This is one of the year's best films. Highly Recommended.

Here is the direct download for the movie Frost Nixon.