Paris

• PARIS (DVD MOVIE)

AVENUE MONTAIGNE centers around Jessica (Cecile de France) a beautiful young woman from the provinces who comes to Paris and lands a job waiting tables at a chic bistro on fabled Avenue Montaigne, the city's nexus for art, music, theater and fashion. Jessica's customers include a popular TV actress (Valerie Lemercier) who is courting a major Hollywood director (Sydney Pollack) for her first serious film role; a wealthy art collector (Claude Brasseur) who is about to liquidate a lifetime's worth of treasures at auction; and an illustrious classical pianist (Albert Dupontel) who is at odds with his manager/wife (Laura Morante) as to where his career is headed. Precisely because Jessica doesn't know how celebrated these people are, her guileless and completely unintimidated engagement in their lives has a transforming effect on them - and ultimately her.

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French for "Orchestra Seats," Avenue Montaigne offers an outsider's perspective on an insular world (the original title is Fauteuils d'Orchestre). After bidding adieu to her grandmother (Suzanne Flon in her final performance), sunny Jessica (Cécile De France, L'Auberge Espagnole) moves from Mâcon to Paris. Upon securing a job as a waitress in a popular café, she meets high-strung soap star Catherine (Valérie Lemercier), burnt-out pianist Jean-François (Albert Dupontel), and secretive art collector Jacques (Claude Brasseur), who comes equipped with a pretty girlfriend and a handsome son (Christopher Thompson). Though the tousled Jessica has little in common with these posh Parisians, she affects each of their lives in ways both big and small. Directed by Danièle Thompson (La Bûche) and co-written with her son, Christopher, Avenue Mo! ntaigne serves as the flipside to French phenomenon Whe! n the Ca t's Away, in which a young woman meets the people in her neighborhood while searching for an errant feline. In this case, the surroundings are more upscale, but the residents are just as susceptible to fear and insecurity. Though the idea of a sympathetic look at the upper class will surely strike some as off-putting, Thompson makes it work. The genuine affection she feels for her characters--privileged and underprivileged alike--and the grace with which she keeps several plot strands going at once proves that the spirit of Robert Altman lives on in the most unlikely of places. --Kathleen C. FennessyFrance released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada: LANGUAGES: French ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), French ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), English ( Subtitles ), French ( Subtitles ), WIDESCREEN (1.85:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Commentary, Deleted Scenes, Interactive Menu, Making Of, Scene Access! , SYNOPSIS: A film about love and art, about passing time and time passing, "Avenue Montaigne" is a humble pleasure. The modesty feels intentional and misleading: the story is a nominally light affair abuzz with minor incidents, comic faces, choreographed nonsense, melodramatic blips and swells. But there are serious complications too, including a handful of characters facing life-altering decisions. On the face of it the film recalls the light comedies of what the French call boulevard theater, which were meant to entertain well-heeled patrons but at times, as with "Avenue Montaigne," also offered more. SCREENED/AWARDED AT: Ceasar Awards, ...Avenue Montaigne ( Fauteuils D'orchestre ) ( Orchestra Seats )French for "Orchestra Seats," Avenue Montaigne offers an outsider's perspective on an insular world (the original title is Fauteuils d'Orchestre). After bidding adieu to her grandmother (Suzanne Flon in her final performance), sunny Jessica (Cécile De France, ! L'Auberge Espagnole) moves from Mâcon to Paris. Upon s! ecuring a job as a waitress in a popular café, she meets high-strung soap star Catherine (Valérie Lemercier), burnt-out pianist Jean-François (Albert Dupontel), and secretive art collector Jacques (Claude Brasseur), who comes equipped with a pretty girlfriend and a handsome son (Christopher Thompson). Though the tousled Jessica has little in common with these posh Parisians, she affects each of their lives in ways both big and small. Directed by Danièle Thompson (La Bûche) and co-written with her son, Christopher, Avenue Montaigne serves as the flipside to French phenomenon When the Cat's Away, in which a young woman meets the people in her neighborhood while searching for an errant feline. In this case, the surroundings are more upscale, but the residents are just as susceptible to fear and insecurity. Though the idea of a sympathetic look at the upper class will surely strike some as off-putting, Thompson makes it work. The genuine affection she feels for! her characters--privileged and underprivileged alike--and the grace with which she keeps several plot strands going at once proves that the spirit of Robert Altman lives on in the most unlikely of places. --Kathleen C. FennessyIn Paris, a city of a thousand faces, everyone has a story.

From Cédric Klapisch the award-winning writer/director of L AUBERGE ESPANGOLE comes a deliciously intimate new valentine to The City Of Lights featuring an all-star cast that includes Oscar®-winner Juliette Binoche (THE ENGLISH PATIENT), Romain Duris (THE BEAT THAT MY HEART SKIPPED), Mélanie Laurent (INGLORIOUS BASTERDS) and François Cluzet (TELL NO ONE). It s the story of a young Moulin Rouge dancer (Duris) awaiting a heart transplant, his single-mother/social worker sister (Binoche), and their rediscovery of the life, laughter and love that hides within every balcony, apartment window, street corner and market stall. These are the stories of the middle class and bourgeois! , immigrants and students, fashion models and homeless, and al! l the lo vers and strangers whose paths could only cross and whose worlds are about to change forever in PARIS.In Paris, a superb cast led by by Romain Duris (The Beat That My Heart Skipped) and Juliette Binoche (The English Patient,Caché) give emotional heft to a delicate web of social relationships. Previous films of French director Cedric Klapisch have made a microcosm of a neighborhood (When the Cat’s Away) and a shared apartment (L’auberge espagnole). Paris encompasses the City of Lights in an Altman-esque merry-go-round: When a dancer (Duris) discovers he has heart trouble, he’s reluctant to tell his sister (Binoche), a social worker raising three children by herself. Meanwhile, a middle-aged historian (Fabrice Luchini, Claire’s Knee) finds sudden fortune as the host of a television series, but can’t keep himself from sending Baudelaire poems via text message to a lovely young student (Melanie Laurent, Inglou! rious Basterds). In between these two primary storylines, a multitude of other characters overlap in significant and trivial ways. Minor disappointments and casual pleasures brush against life-changing troubles and, every once in a while, the tantalizing possibility of a lasting happiness. Klapisch has broad ideas about the importance of community, spontaneity, and human contact, but the movie’s success lies in the grit and vividness of simple social interactions--awkward, combative, misunderstood, and joyous. There are missteps (a flimsy dream sequence jars against the movie’s deft naturalism), but they’re small and forgivable. Paris is a lovely and moving film, full of offhand gestures and accidents that will linger in your memory, charged with unexpected resonance. --Bret Fetzer

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Daytime Drinking

• Things look different from the bottom of a bottle.After breaking up with his girlfriend, Hyuk-jin hits a bar in Seoul with his friends. Totally drunk, they decide to take a trip to console Hyuk-jin's broken heart. They agree to leave first thing the next day. However, when Hyuk-Jin gets off the bus the next afternoon, he finds out he's the only one that made the trip. His friends had horrible hang

After breaking up with his girlfriend, Hyuk-jin hits a bar in Seoul with his friends. Totally drunk, they decide to take a trip to console Hyuk-jin's broken heart. They agree to leave first thing the next day. However, when Hyuk-Jin gets off the bus the next afternoon, he finds out he's the only one that made the trip. His friends had horrible hangovers and completely forgot. Worse, he quickly finds that the festival they were headed to was weeks ago... no shops, no other tourists, and the beach is ! freezing cold. Hyuk-jin is truly, honestly, alone. Over the next few days, Hyuk-jin finds himself in a series of increasingly bizarre situations, most of them aided by the fact that, due to his respect for the etiquette of Korean drinking culture, Hyuk-jin cannot refuse a drink when someone offers him one. With his friends not showing up, and his wallet gone, Hyuk-jin has to figure out how get out of what must surely be the world's worst hangover, get back to Seoul, and end his drunken odyssey.

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Beijing Bicycle

• Theatrical Trailer & Other Trailer
• Highlights
• Photo Gallery
• Production Note
• Music Video

"Think of yourselves as the carrier pigeons of today!" instructs the manager of a bicycle delivery service. A young man from the country named Guei works diligently at this new job, eager to pay off the company bicycle and make it his own. But just before his last payment, the bicycle is stolen and he's fired--but if he can find it again, he'll get his job back. The emotional stakes of Beijing Bicycle become amazingly gripping: after Guei accidentally discovers that the bike now belongs to a young student who bought it used, a fight over the ownership of the bicycle becomes downright harrowing, for the student has a secret that threatens to humiliate him. Beijing Bicycle ranges from a light portrait of the kinetic poetry of a bicycle in motion to a raw examina! tion of violence driven by envy and guilt. A beautiful, wrenching movie. --Bret FetzerPersistence pays off for country boy Guei (Cui Lin) when he lands a coveted job as a bicycle messenger on the teeming streets of Beijing. The silver mountain bike he now rides will be his once he earns 600 yuan. But just as he makes his final payment, the bicycle is stolen! On the other side of town, Beijing schoolboy Jian (Lee Bing) longs for a bicycle so he can ride around with his girlfriend Qin (Zhou Xun). Tired of banking on his father's empty promises, he steals a sum of money and buys a used bicycle- the bicycle that once belonged to Guei. After endless searching, Guei finally tracks down his bicycle-but there are complications. A tug-of-war breaks out with Jian. Then, they try working out a compromise. But the bargain they makes takes them on an unexpected journey - a voyage of self-discovery that neither one of them will ever forget."Think of yourselves as the carrier pigeo! ns of today!" instructs the manager of a bicycle delivery serv! ice. A y oung man from the country named Guei works diligently at this new job, eager to pay off the company bicycle and make it his own. But just before his last payment, the bicycle is stolen and he's fired--but if he can find it again, he'll get his job back. The emotional stakes of Beijing Bicycle become amazingly gripping: after Guei accidentally discovers that the bike now belongs to a young student who bought it used, a fight over the ownership of the bicycle becomes downright harrowing, for the student has a secret that threatens to humiliate him. Beijing Bicycle ranges from a light portrait of the kinetic poetry of a bicycle in motion to a raw examination of violence driven by envy and guilt. A beautiful, wrenching movie. --Bret Fetzer

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Clash of the Gods: 3 - Disc Set

• Reacquaint yourself with myths so powerful that they remain woven into the fabric of the present world, resonating with real-life relevance.Thousands of years ago, they were used to help frame the world of the ancients, and dictate the guidelines of their societies. Today, they are often the first stories we learn as children, iconic tales where good and evil clash, and humanity and fantasy collid

Ian McKellen delivers a riveting award-winning performance as Hollywood horror director James Whale. It's 1957 and Whale's heyday as the director of Frankenstein Bride of Frankenstein and The Invisible Man is long behind him. Retired andia semi-recluse he lives his days accompanied only by images from his past. When his dour housekeeper Hannah (Lynn Redgrave) hires a handsome young gardener Clayton Boone (Brendan Fraser) the flamboyant director and simple yard man develop an unlikely friendship. Thi! s powerful and poignant relationship will change their lives forever.System Requirements:Starring Brendan Fraser Ian McKellen Lolita Davidovich Lynn Redgrave Directed by Bill Condon Running time: 105 minutes Copyright Lion's Gate 2003Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA Rating: R UPC: 031398833222 Manufacturer No: 71872One of the most critically acclaimed films of 1998 and winner of several awards including the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay, Gods and Monsters is a compassionate speculation about the final days of James Whale (1889-1957), the director of Frankenstein and 20 other films of the 1930s and '40s, who was openly gay at a time when homosexuality in Hollywood was discreetly concealed. Adapted and directed by Bill Condon from Christopher Bram's novel Father of Frankenstein, the film stars Ian McKellen in a sublime performance as the white-haired Whale, who is portrayed as a dapper gent and amateur artist prompted by failing health into mela! ncholy remembrance of things past. Flashbacks of lost love, Wo! rld War  I battle trauma, and glory days in Hollywood combine with Whale's present-day attraction to a newly hired yard worker (Brendan Fraser) whose hunky, Frankenstein-like physique makes him an ideal model for Whale's fixated sketching.

The friendship between the handsome gardener and his elderly gay admirer is by turns tenuous, humorous, mutually beneficial, and ultimately rather sad--but to Condon's credit Whale is never seen as pathetic, lecherous, or senile. Equally rich is the rapport between Whale and his long-time housekeeper (played with wry sarcasm by Lynn Redgrave), who serves as protector, mother, and even surrogate spouse while Whale's mental state deteriorates. Flashbacks to Whale's filmmaking days are painstakingly authentic (particularly in the casting of look-alike actors playing Boris Karloff and Elsa Lanchester), and all of these ingredients combine to make Gods and Monsters (executive produced by horror novelist-filmmaker Clive Barker) a touchingly ! affectionate film that succeeds on many levels. It is at once a keen glimpse of Hollywood's past, a loving tribute to James Whale, and a richly moving, delicately balanced drama about loneliness, memory, and the passions that keep us alive. --Jeff ShannonOne of the most critically acclaimed films of 1998 and winner of several awards including the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay, Gods and Monsters is a compassionate speculation about the final days of James Whale (1889-1957), the director of Frankenstein and 20 other films of the 1930s and '40s, who was openly gay at a time when homosexuality in Hollywood was discreetly concealed. Adapted and directed by Bill Condon from Christopher Bram's novel Father of Frankenstein, the film stars Ian McKellen in a sublime performance as the white-haired Whale, who is portrayed as a dapper gent and amateur artist prompted by failing health into melancholy remembrance of things past. Flashbacks of lost love, ! World War I battle trauma, and glory days in Hollywood combin! e with W hale's present-day attraction to a newly hired yard worker (Brendan Fraser) whose hunky, Frankenstein-like physique makes him an ideal model for Whale's fixated sketching.

The friendship between the handsome gardener and his elderly gay admirer is by turns tenuous, humorous, mutually beneficial, and ultimately rather sad--but to Condon's credit Whale is never seen as pathetic, lecherous, or senile. Equally rich is the rapport between Whale and his long-time housekeeper (played with wry sarcasm by Lynn Redgrave), who serves as protector, mother, and even surrogate spouse while Whale's mental state deteriorates. Flashbacks to Whale's filmmaking days are painstakingly authentic (particularly in the casting of look-alike actors playing Boris Karloff and Elsa Lanchester), and all of these ingredients combine to make Gods and Monsters (executive produced by horror novelist-filmmaker Clive Barker) a touchingly affectionate film that succeeds on many levels. It is at onc! e a keen glimpse of Hollywood's past, a loving tribute to James Whale, and a richly moving, delicately balanced drama about loneliness, memory, and the passions that keep us alive. --Jeff ShannonOne of the most critically acclaimed films of 1998 and winner of several awards including the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay, Gods and Monsters is a compassionate speculation about the final days of James Whale (1889-1957), the director of Frankenstein and 20 other films of the 1930s and '40s, who was openly gay at a time when homosexuality in Hollywood was discreetly concealed. Adapted and directed by Bill Condon from Christopher Bram's novel Father of Frankenstein, the film stars Ian McKellen in a sublime performance as the white-haired Whale, who is portrayed as a dapper gent and amateur artist prompted by failing health into melancholy remembrance of things past. Flashbacks of lost love, World War I battle trauma, and glory days in Hollywood comb! ine with Whale's present-day attraction to a newly hired yard ! worker ( Brendan Fraser) whose hunky, Frankenstein-like physique makes him an ideal model for Whale's fixated sketching.

The friendship between the handsome gardener and his elderly gay admirer is by turns tenuous, humorous, mutually beneficial, and ultimately rather sad--but to Condon's credit Whale is never seen as pathetic, lecherous, or senile. Equally rich is the rapport between Whale and his long-time housekeeper (played with wry sarcasm by Lynn Redgrave), who serves as protector, mother, and even surrogate spouse while Whale's mental state deteriorates. Flashbacks to Whale's filmmaking days are painstakingly authentic (particularly in the casting of look-alike actors playing Boris Karloff and Elsa Lanchester), and all of these ingredients combine to make Gods and Monsters (executive produced by horror novelist-filmmaker Clive Barker) a touchingly affectionate film that succeeds on many levels. It is at once a keen glimpse of Hollywood's past, a loving tribute to Ja! mes Whale, and a richly moving, delicately balanced drama about loneliness, memory, and the passions that keep us alive. --Jeff Shannon

Previously titled Father of Frankenstein, this acclaimed novel was the basis for the 1998 film starring Sir Ian McKellen, Lynn Redgrave, and Brendan Fraser. It journeys back to 1957 Los Angeles, where James Whale, the once-famous director of such classics as Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein, is living in retirement, haunted by his past. Rescuing him from his too-vivid imagination is his gardener, a handsome ex-marine. The friendship between these two very different men is sometimes tentative, sometimes touching, often dangerousâ€"and always captivating.

This P.S. edition features an extra 16 pages of insights into the book, including author interviews, recommended reading, and more.

Reacquaint yourself with myths so powerful that they remain woven into the fabric of the present world, resonating! with real-life relevance.

Thousands of years ago, they! were us ed to help frame the world of the ancients, and dictate the guidelines of their societies. Today, they are often the first stories we learn as children, iconic tales in which good and evil clash, and humanity and fantasy collide. But what is the reality behind these stories? From the epic tragedy of Medusa, Greek mythology s most infamous female fiend, to Hercules, its greatest action hero, and Hades, master of the land of the dead and a god so feared no one would speak his name, explore these myths and the legendary figures who inspired them in CLASH OF THE GODS. Each episode connects ancient myths to actual historical events, as well as to events in the Bible and other cultures mythologies, gaining important historical insight from renowned scholars in search of the truth behind the legends.

This 10-part series on two discs travels back in time to reveal the stories behind some of history s most infamous mythological figures and legends including:

Zeus
! Hercules
Hades
The Minotaur
Medusa
Odysseus: Curse of the Sea
Beowulf
Tolkien s Monsters
Thor
And moreIt's paradoxical that the most heavily invented and imagined parts in this 10-episode Clash of the Gods series are so much less riveting than the simple storytelling by scholars cast to recap the myths in classroom-lecture style. In these hour-long episodes, myths are dramatized with acting that borders on farce. Men pumping their muscles and grunting or monsters' eyes glowing flaccidly into the camera lens are marked periodically by CG blood splatters and modern primitive tattoo designs blazing across the screen that do nothing for Greek myth except make it feel oafish. Even narrator Stan Bernard's rowdy, punctuated speaking style reminds one of narration for a detective show or a wrestling match instead of an educational documentary highlighting history's greatest mythic heroes. While modernizing ancient myth is a controversial topic, ! there are many reasons a television show visually explicating ! the clas sics to reach new generations is a great idea. But the erratic, hectic visual style of this series does a disservice to already-exciting stories that, according to the show's mission, explain the ancient world's belief that nature was subject to the gods. Clash of the Gods' other premise, more in keeping with its sensationalistic tone, is to expose hidden truths behind the myths.

The majority of the series devotes episodes to the rise of the Olympian gods, beginning with Zeus's battle with his father, Kronos, and the Titans. Images of Zeus with a ridiculous white lightning bolt painted across his face repeat ad nauseam throughout to supposedly show how Zeus took control of mortal earth until consumed by his "uncontrollable sex drive." Likewise, the episode "Hercules" depicts a well-oiled man in tight underwear roaming the desert to elucidate how he is the world's "ultimate superhero." Only scholars like Tom Stone, who humorously likens Hercules to Babe Ruth, or Mi! chael Fontaine from Cornell University, do any justice to the exploration of metaphorical connections between Hercules's 12-challenge quest and the ordeals humans were experiencing when the myth was popular. "Minotaur" better achieves its aim to link truths to the myth, by linking historical wars between the Cretans and Athenians to the horrific tale of the man-eating Cretan beast, deemed Athenian propaganda by historians like David George at Saint Anselm College. Also meaningful is the narrative thread in this episode about Theseus's dual fathers, one mortal and one god, and the fantastic connection between historical politicians, such as Alexander the Great, who believed that they too were conceived of two men. While "Medusa," the two-episode "Odysseus," and "Beowulf" do zilch to enlighten beyond basic redundant storytelling, the lamest episode of all is "Tolkien's Monsters," a heavy-handed look at how J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle Earth was inspired by his days in the trenches! during World War I. While the information in this series is i! nformati ve and interesting, simulated drama and footage that repeats as if the History Channel ran out of material to edit in makes for possibly the worst series on mythology out there. Save your money and read the books instead. --Trinie Dalton

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Boogie Nights (New Line Platinum Series)

• From Hollywood's hottest new director comes the outrageous epic that throws the covers back on California's adult entertainment industry in the swinging seventies. It's a touching and often humorous portrait of a most unusual family of filmakers, broughtRunning Time: 155 min. Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY Rating: R Age: 794043503320 UPC: 794043503320 Manufacturer

From Hollywood's hottest new director comes the outrageous epic that throws the covers back on California's adult entertainment industry in the swinging seventies. It's a touching and often humorous portrait of a most unusual family of filmakers, broughtEven if the notorious 1970s porn-filmmaking milieu doesn'texactly turn you on, don't let it turn you off to this movie's extraordinary virtues, either. Boogie Nights is one of the key movies of the 1990s, and among the most ambitious and exuberantly alive American movies ! in years. It's also the breakthrough for an amazing new director, whose dazzling kaleidoscopic style here recalls the Robert Altman of Nashville and the Martin Scorsese of GoodFellas. Although loosely based on the sleazy life and times of real-life porn legend John Holmes, at heart it's a classic Hollywood rise-and-fall fable: a naive, good-looking young busboy is discovered in a San Fernando Valley disco by a famous motion picture producer, becomes a hotshot movie star, lives the high life, and then loses everything when he gets too big for his britches, succumbs to insobriety, and is left behind by new times and new technology. Of course, it ain't exactly A Star Is Born or Singin' in the Rain. Writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson (in only his second feature!) puts his own affectionately sardonic twist on the old showbiz biopic formula: the ambitious upstart changes his name and achieves stardom in porno films as "Dirk Diggler." Instead of drink! ing to excess, he snorts cocaine (the classic drug of '70s hed! onism); and it's the coming of home video (rather than talkies) that helps to dash his big-screen dreams. As for the britches ... well, the controversial "money shot" explains everything. And the cast is one of the great ensembles of the '90s, including Oscar nominees Burt Reynolds and Julianne Moore, Mark Wahlberg (who really can act--from the waist up, too!), Heather Graham (as Rollergirl), William H. Macy, John C. Reilly, and Ricky Jay. --Jim Emerson

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American Splendor

• Actors: Paul Giamatti, Shari Springer Berman, Harvey Pekar, Chris Ambrose, Joey Krajcar.
• Format: AC-3, Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC.
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround), English (Dolby Digital 5.1). Subtitles: English, Spanish, French.
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only).
• Rated: R. Run Time: 101 minutes.

The inspiration for the award-winning movie
from HBO Films and Fine Line Features

AMERICAN SPLENDOR
The Life and Times of Harvey Pekar

Two classic comic anthologies in one volume

Stories by Harvey Pekar

Introduction by R. Crumb

Art by Kevin Brown, Gregory Budgett, Sean Carroll, Sue Cavey, R. Crumb, Gary Dumm, Val Mayerik, and Gerry Shamray

The classic collection of the comics that inspired the movie American Splendor, winner of the Gr! and Jury Prize at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival

American Splendor is the world’s first literary comic book. Cleveland native Harvey Pekar is a true American original. A V.A. hospital file clerk and comic book writer, Harvey chronicles the ordinary and mundane in stories both funny and touching. His dead-on eye for the frustrations and minutiae of the workaday world mix in a delicate balance with his insight into personal relationships. Pekar has been compared to Dreiser, Dostoevsky, and Lenny Bruce. But he is truly more than all of themâ€"he is himself.

“Mr. Pekar has . . . proven that comics can address the ambiguities of daily living, that like the finest fiction, they can hold a mirror up to life.”
â€"The New York Times

“[Pekar] has a vision that makes daily city lifeâ€"a ride on the bus, a run-in with a boss, or simply buying breadâ€"dramatic.”
â€"Chicago Sun-Times

“Simply stated, American S! plendor is the most superb literary endeavor to come off t! he stree ts of Cleveland in decades.”
â€"The Plain Dealer (Cleveland)

“Mr. Pekar lets all of life flood into his panels: the humdrum and the heroic, the gritty and the grand.”
â€"The New York Times Book Review
Based on the life and work of underground comic book writer Harvey Pekar- a prickly poet of the mundane who knows that all the strategizing in the world can't save a guy from picking the wrong supermarket checkout line.One of the most acclaimed films of 2003, American Splendor is also one of the most audaciously creative biographical movies ever made. Blending fact, fiction, and personal perspective from the comic books that inspired it, this marvelous portrait of Harvey Pekar--scowling curmudgeon, brow-beaten everyman, insightful chronicler of his own life, and frustrated file clerk at a Cleveland V.A. hospital--is an inspired amalgam of the media (comic books, TV, and film) that lifted Pekar from obscurity to the status of a pop! -cultural icon. As played by Paul Giamatti in a master-stroke of casting, we see Pekar and his understanding wife (played by Hope Davis) as underdogs in a world full of obstacles, yet also infused with subtle hope and (gasp!) heartwarming perseverance. We also see the real Pekar, and this multifaceted commingling of "reel" and "real" turns American Splendor into a uniquely cinematic celebration of Pekar's life and, by extension, the tenacity of an unlikely American hero. --Jeff Shannon

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Cashback

• Art student Ben Willis develops insomnia after going through a painful break-up. To kill time, he joins a colorful cast of characters on the late shift at the local supermarket. They all have their own time-killing devices, and Ben s allows him to see the beauty of the everyday world including the people inside it especially Sharon, the quiet checkout girl, who just may hold the answer to resolvin

Art student Ben Willis develops insomnia after going through a painful break-up. To kill time he joins a colorful cast of characters on the late shift at the local supermarket. They all have their own time-killing devices and Ben s allows him to see the beauty of the everyday world including the people inside it especially Sharon the quiet checkout girl who just may hold the answer to resolving Ben s insomnia. System Requirements:Running Time: 102 minsFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY Rating: NR U! PC: 876964000925 Manufacturer No: 10092A slight but likable British comedy-fantasy with a touch of naughtiness, Cashback is an expanded version of director Sean Ellis' Oscar-nominated short film of the same name about a bored supermarket clerk who discovers that he has the ability to stop time. Sean Biggerstaff (from the Harry Potter franchise) is Ben, a lovelorn young man whose chronic insomnia (due to a bad breakup) forces him to bury himself in pointless and repetitive work at a local grocery store. Once there, boredom causes him to believe that he can stop time, and he enjoys long and languid fantasies about undressing and sketching the female shoppers. But reality intrudes in the form of recollections of his troubled past, as well as the lovely presence of fellow clerk Sharon (Emilia Fox), who offers the promise of love in the real world. A gentle and artfully directed independent film, Cashback doesn't run very deep in terms of emotion, but the ! special effects are clever, the cast quirky and amusing, and i! ts premi se is an appealing mix of softcore reverie and boyish longing. - Paul Gaita

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Absolute Power

• ABSOLUTE POWER (DVD MOVIE)

Thank You For Visiting My Store BaTheNetwork This Item Is: Brand New Condition Codes For Used Books, CD's DVD's & LP's LN (means I have visually reviewed item there is no scratches or scuffs minus plastic cover its like new) G (means I can visually see some wear, scuffs but no deep scratches) C(means I can visually see scuffs and small scratches , some has missing sleeves not all) International, Hawaii and Alaska Please Inquire as to Shipping Costs Prior to Bidding. International, Hawaii and Alaska Winner Please Wait for Invoice With Revised Shipping Charges Before Completing Transaction. Buyer or/ Winning Buyers May Request Insurance at an Additional CostDirector Clint Eastwood's 1997 box-office hit stars himself as Luther Whitney, a highly skilled thief who finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time, witnessing the murder of a wo! man involved in a secret tryst with the U.S. president (played by Gene Hackman). Determined to clear his name, Whitney cleverly eludes a tenacious detective (Ed Harris) while investigating a corruption of power reaching to the highest level of government. Adapted by veteran screenwriter William Goldman from David Baldacci's novel, this thriller balances expert suspense with well-drawn characters and an intelligent plot that's just a pounding heartbeat away from real White House headlines. Absolute Power features the great Judy Davis in a memorable supporting role as the White House chief of staff who desperately attempts to cover up the crime. --Jeff ShannonIn a heavily guarded mansion in a posh Virginia suburb, a man and a woman start to make love, trapping Luther Whitney, a career break-in artist, behind a secret wall. Then the passion turns deadly, and Luther is running into the night. Because what he has just seen is a brutal murder involving Alan Richmond! , the president of the United States, the man with...Absolute ! Power.Can the President get away with murder? The fictional answer to this question results in a fast-paced page turner that combines political intrigue with gritty, hard-boiled suspenseHe was where he shouldn’t have been and saw what he shouldn’t have seen. Now, who will believe the word of a career thief and ex-con? Who will trust Luther Whitney when he says he saw a woman killed â€" and that the man responsible for her death is the President of the United States? Clint Eastwood portrays Whitney and directs this crisp, finely acted caper based on David Baldacci’s bestseller. Gene Hackman, Ed Harris, Laura Linney and more top-drawer acting talents create well-rounded characters that intensify a constantly spiralling game of cat-and-mouse between Whitney, local police and the highest levels of Oval Office power. Eastwood is a master at steadily raising the stakes in thrillers. Here his mastery is absolute.Director Clint Eastwood's 1997 box-office hit stars himself as L! uther Whitney, a highly skilled thief who finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time, witnessing the murder of a woman involved in a secret tryst with the U.S. president (played by Gene Hackman). Determined to clear his name, Whitney cleverly eludes a tenacious detective (Ed Harris) while investigating a corruption of power reaching to the highest level of government. Adapted by veteran screenwriter William Goldman from David Baldacci's novel, this thriller balances expert suspense with well-drawn characters and an intelligent plot that's just a pounding heartbeat away from real White House headlines. Absolute Power features the great Judy Davis in a memorable supporting role as the White House chief of staff who desperately attempts to cover up the crime. --Jeff Shannon

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Janice Beard : Widescreen Edition

• Widescreen

DANNY DECKCHAIR - DVD MovieIn the laugh-filled tradition of THE FULL MONTY, THE CASTLE is a hilarious comedy treat critics hailed as one of the year's funniest movies! Even though there's an airport practically running through their backyard, the eccentric Kerrigan clan loves their humble home. But when the airfield needs room to expand, the government says that the Kerrigans have to go! With an irresistable charm and irrepressible humor everyone is sure to enjoy, the hilarity then really takes flight when this funny family decides to stay and fight for their beloved "castle" ... no matter how far the conflict goes!The title of The Castle refers to a ramshackle suburban tract house so close to an airport that planes fly mere yards above the roof. Worse than that, it's built on a toxic landfill and right beside humming high-power lines. But to patriarch Darryl Kerrigan (Micha! el Caton) and his dim-witted but cheerful brood it's home. Darryl has devoted himself to constantly improving it with modifications like a false chimney that, as he brags to a man sent to estimate the value of the property, makes the house look more picturesque. When the owners of the airport serve Darryl notice that his home is being compulsorily purchased, Darryl hires a small-time lawyer and pursues his case all the way to the Australian Supreme Court. This Australian box-office smash wasn't as successful as The Full Monty in American theaters, but it has something of the same buoyant spirit. The Castle actually plays better on the small screen; its relationship with its characters is much like the farcical intimacy of classic British sitcoms like Fawlty Towers, in which crazed behavior is balanced by the genuine warmth of the whole cast. Caton in particular is a sweet, engaging presence; Darryl Kerrigan is a fool, but a fool with dignity, and he car! ries you through the movie. --Bret FetzerFrom the bigge! st festi val to the smallest church social, Kenny Smyth delivers porta-potties to them all. A true unsung hero, Kenny is a knight in shining overalls doing one of society's dirtiest jobs. This engaging mockumentary lifts the lid on one of Australia's roughest diamonds as he juggles family tensions, fatherhood and sewage with charm, humor and unflinching dignity. Part philosopher, part comedian and all heart, Kenny is living proof that in sewage, like life, the best will always rise to the top!Product Description We are introduced to Janice Beard at her ill-starred beginnings. Her father dies of a heart attack during her birth which plunges her mother into a post-natal, post-mortem agoraphobic depression that lasts 23 years. Determined to earn the money for her mother's treatment, Janice sets off into the work force with no skills or experience with disastrous results. Struggling to win everyone over, she thinks she has found love with the mail room boy but has actually become a pawn in an industrial espionage scheme that could ruin the company. Can little Janice find a cure for her mother, save the company and find true love in the bargain? Anything is possible!

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