Saturday, November 5, 2011

Gossip Girl: The Complete Third Season

  • GOSSIP GIRL: 3RD SEASON (DVD MOVIE)
College jounalism students plant a trashy rumor about a celibate co-ed, planning to track how the story changes as it burns through the university. But what the students never imagine is that the savagely mutating tale will turn against them.

DVD Features:
Alternate endings
Audio Commentary:Commentary by D. Guggenheim, J. Mardsen
Deleted Scenes:Deleted Scenes - 11:07
Filmographies
Interactive Menus
Music Video
Other:Travis's gossip Interviews "Grab Bag"
Scene Access
Theatrical Trailer

Gossip is one of a spate of movies that owe a lot to Cruel Intentions. This time it's rich kids in college, but other than that Gossip stays well within the beautiful-young-people-doing-awful-things-to-each other formula. Lena Heady plays Jones, obvi! ously the Smart Girl because she is briefly seen wearing glasses. Jones hangs out with Arty Guy Travis and Handsome Rich Guy Derrick, who finances their adventures and has a little bit of a lying habit. The three are all in the same journalism class (acidic monologist Eric Bogosian plays the acidic professor) and decide to start and track a rumor for their term papers. They pick rich and beautiful couple Beau and Naomi (Joshua Jackson and Kate Hudson) as the focus of the rumor, and before you know it their juicy story starts spinning out of control into ugly territory and a truly ludicrous climax. There are attempts at making sledgehammer points about the slippery task of finding Truth, but mostly Gossip is about the guilty pleasure of watching pretty young actors be mean to each other. You'll hate yourself in the morning, but watch it anyway. --Ali DavisHere’s the dish, GG fans: the 22 episodes of Season Four couldn’t be juicier! And Gossip Girl is there ! to keep you clued in to the buzz, secrets and scandals of Manh! attan’ s elite. Between Blair and Serena’s thrilling summer in Paris, Chuck’s new girlfriend and new identity, unexpected fatherhood for Dan, a power play for Bass Industries, Blair’s too-haute-to-handle internship at W Magazine and a vicious conspiracy that threatens to bring down one of your favorite Upper East Siders, Season Four sizzles with some very surprising hookups and meltdowns. With lies and betrayals at every turn, Serena, Blair, Nate, Chuck, and Dan struggle to “keep their friends close and their frenemies closer.” The fourth season of Gossip Girl starts to show a little age; while the fashions are as couture as ever and the scandals the right level of sleaze, the season takes some inexplicable turns. But no season is complete without its parade of troublemakers, so up first is Georgina (Michelle Trachtenberg), whose pregnancy announcement at the end of season three throws serious water on Dan's romantic possibilities with Serena (Blake Lively). Then t! here's Juliet (Katie Cassidy, daughter of '70s teen idol David), an impostor whose elaborate scheme to take down Serena is connected to her past and involves some serious loony-bin activity (Cassidy, who was the best thing on the short-lived Melrose Place reboot, makes a terrific foil--much less irksome than Georgina, who has by now overstayed her welcome). Finally, there's Russell Thorpe (Spin City's Michael Boatman), a ruthless businessman who angles to take over Bass Industries from Chuck (Ed Westwick). But none of these villains hold a candle to the internal evildoing within the Upper East Siders; Dan (Penn Badgley) plots against Chuck, Vanessa (Jessica Szohr) and Jenny (Taylor Momsen) plot against Serena, then turn against each other, mapping both of their exits off the series; Serena and Chuck plot against her mother, Lily (Kelly Rutherford), and finally Lily's sister Carol plots against her by employing her daughter Charlie (Kaylee DeFer). Incomprehensi! ble love matches ensue (the show's creators seem intent on hav! ing Sere na circle romantic possibilities with… pretty much everyone), but the friendship that naturally evolves between Dan and Blair becomes the season's most pleasant surprise. That Blair becomes the center of a complex romantic web between Chuck and an honest-to-goodness prince (Hugo Becker) steers the season back in the right direction; Meester and Westwick remain the emotional centers of the show and anchor it when it veers too far into Crazytown. --Ellen A. Kim

A dishy, incisive exploration of gossip â€" from celebrity rumors to literary romans à clef, personal sniping to political slander â€" by one our “great essayists” (David Brooks)

To his successful examinations of some of the most powerful forces in modern life â€" envy, ambition, snobbery, friendship â€" the keen observer and critic Joseph Epstein now adds Gossip. No trivial matter, despite its reputation, gossip, he argues, is an eternal and necessary human enterprise. Proving that ! he himself is a master of the art, Epstein serves up delightful mini-biographies of the Great Gossips of the Western World along with many choice bits from his own experience. He also makes a powerful case that gossip has morphed from its old-fashioned best â€" clever, mocking, a great private pleasure â€" to a corrosive new-school version, thanks to the reach of the mass media and the Internet. Gossip has invaded and changed for the worse politics and journalism, causing unsubstantiated information to be presented as fact. Contemporary gossip claims to reveal truth, but as Epstein shows, it’s our belief in truth that gossip today threatens to undermine and destroy.

Written in his trademark erudite and witty style, Gossip captures the complexity of this immensely entertaining subject.
Spotted: Our beloved Upper East Siders, all grown up. Though high school may be behind most of them, you can be sure a future of love, scandal and, of course, secrets awaits! . Based on the best-selling series of young-adult novels by Ce! cily von Ziegesar, this drama is told through the eyes of an all-knowing blogger -- Gossip Girl -- who, via constant, avidly read text messages, is determined to uncover and fuel every scandal possible on Manhattan's Upper East Side, where gossip rules, and affluent young people find themselves with the money, access and appetite to explore all the temptations New York City has to offer. Keeping track of the shifting friendships, jealousies and turmoil in this wealthy and complex world isn't easy; that's why there's Gossip Girl. Executive produced by Josh Schwartz (Chuck, The O.C.) and Stephanie Savage (The O.C.), Gossip Girl has won a legion of devoted and fashion-forward fans.For the Upper East Siders of Gossip Girl, their first year of college means some hierarchical changes. At NYU, Blair (Leighton Meester) gets a cold reception from the students she was hoping to make her minions; alternately, Dan (Penn Badgley) finally hits his stride, inclu! ding dating a movie star (guest star Hilary Duff) but struggling with growing feelings for his bestie Vanessa (Jessica Szohr). Serena (Blake Lively) tries various jobs in an effort to be taken seriously, but as usual ends up falling for the wrong guy and getting herself in one jam after another, the most serious of which involves her daddy issues when he (guest star William Baldwin) reappears into her family's lives. Meanwhile, Chuck (Ed Westwick) is finally happy in his relationship with Blair and, buoyed by her love, launches his own hotel to emerge from his late father's shadow. As scheming and backstabbing are the bread and butter of Gossip Girl, many villains cycle through, including Michelle Trachtenberg's return as Georgina and Desmond Harrington (Dexter) as Chuck's uncle. But the true evolving baddie in the third season is Jenny (Taylor Momsen), now the Queen Bee of Constance Billard and showing a new meanness that leaves her betraying her closest frie! nds and family, trying to steal Nate (Chace Crawford) from Ser! ena, and (gasp!) dealing drugs. Blair and Chuck may be vicious, but at least they're multidimensional and easy to root for--they remain the central couple of the series, with Meester and Westwick's undeniable chemistry and strong acting--whereas Jenny has become (literally) the petulant child whom you just want to give a good spanking. Unfortunately, no amount of tears ever really redeems her, since her transformation from loathing the social elitism to leading the Mean Girls is so abrupt.

The best episodes are when the cast turns into the Scooby Gang to dig for the truth about someone's nefarious ways, with Serena as the far-too-trusting victim (for a girl who's far from sheltered, she's also really dense about people's ulterior motives and really horrible at learning that you should never hide things from your boyfriend). Of course, there's always a college party or a fabulous gala (this season includes a cotillion, a wedding, and a state dinner!) to bring everyone together an! d have an excuse to wear fabulous couture. Season 3 may take the series out of high school and into the real world, but really, the only difference is they're not wearing school uniforms. Bonus features include a featurette on the many formal events across the three seasons (the Kiss on the Lips party, the black and white party, proms, masquerade balls, etc.), including tips on how to throw your own Gossip Girl party; a blooper reel; and a music video from Lady Gaga, who makes a cameo in one episode. --Ellen A. Kim

Goodbye Bafana Framed Poster Movie 11 x 17 Inches - 28cm x 44cm Joseph Fiennes Dennis Haysbert Diane Kruger Patrick Lyster

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Joseph Fiennes (Running with Scissors, Shakespeare in Love) and Dennis Haysbert (TV's 24) star in the incredible true story of the deep bond that develops between political prisoner Nelson Mandela and James Gregory, the racist white South African who was Mandela's prison guard for more than 20 years. Based on Gregory's controversial memoir, Goodbye Bafana, The Color Of Freedom powerfully chronicles the life-changing journey both men experience during Mandela's impriso! nment - as one man confronts the racism he has always known, the other's struggle for freedom makes him a worldwide symbol of South Africa's heroic fight for democracy.Inspired by James Gregory's memoir, Goodbye Bafana, The Color of Freedom offers an inside look at the 27-year incarceration of future South African President Nelson Mandela (24's Dennis Haysbert). Apartheid-friendly guard Gregory (Shakespeare in Love's Joseph Fiennes), social-climbing spouse Gloria (National Treasure's Diane Kruger), and their two children move to Robben Island, home of the infamous political prison, in 1968. Because he speaks Xhosa, Gregory’s superior charges the warder with censoring correspondence and supervising visits between the African National Congress (ANC) leader and his wife, Winnie (Faith Ndukwana). As it transpires, the guard had a black childhood friend named Bafana, and his relationship with Mandela rekindles Gregory’s long-lost belief in ! racial equality. Directed by Denmark's Bille August (The Be! st Inten tions), The Color of Freedom captures the natural beauty of South Africa and the unnatural fashions of yesteryear (including Kruger's '60s-era foundation garments). The actors also give it their all, particularly Fiennes, who nails the Afrikaner dialect, but predictability and underdeveloped personalities dilute the drama (it's also worth noting that Mandela hasn't corroborated the facts in Gregory's book, contributing to its controversial reputation). The six-foot-four Haysbert's dissimilarity to the Nobel Peace Prize winner also proves distracting. Like Blood Diamond and other recent motion pictures concerning African history, August's effort means well, but fails to register as more than a made-for-TV movie with superior production values. --Kathleen C. FennessyAn account of how the author was Nelson Mandela's gaoler for over twenty years. Despite opposing political views and Gregory's initial dislike of Mandela, the two gradually formed a firm fr! iendship, becoming each other's confidant and source of comfort. Gives insight into the character and political beliefs of Mandela.United Kingdom 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: English ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), French ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), Spanish ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), English ( Subtitles ), French ( Subtitles ), Spanish ( Subtitles ), ANAMORPHIC WIDESCREEN (2.35:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Interactive Menu, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: White prison guard James Gregory's life is profoundly altered when he meets the prisoner Nelson Mandela, whom he ends up guarding for more than twenty years. ...Goodbye Bafana ( Il Colore della liberta' ) ( Detenuto 46664 )Approximate 11 x 17 Inches - 28cm x 44cm Goodbye Bafana Style A

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Godzilla Bandai 6.5 Inch Classic Figure Godzilla Millennium

  • Godzilla Bandai 6.5 Inch Classic Figure Godzilla Millennium
Godzilla Bandai 6.5 Inch Classic Figure Godzilla Millennium

Bring It On: Fight to the Finish

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BRING IT ON - DVD MovieSunny, happy Torrance (Kirsten Dunst) is the new leader of the Toros, the cheerleading squad of Rancho Carne, an affluent San Diego high school that has lousy football players but one hell of a cheerleading team. National champions, they're the ones who bring in the bodies to the football games with their award-winning moves and sassy grace, and they're poised to take their sixth national cheer title. Torrance's new reign as cheer queen, though, is cut short when she discovers that her snotty, duplicitous forerunner was regularly stealing routines from the East Compton Clovers, the hip-hop influenced cheerleaders of a poor inner city school, and passing them off as the original work of the Toros. Scrambling to come up with a new routine for the Toros--and do the righ! t thing by giving the Clovers their due--Torrance butts heads with the proud and understandably wary Isis (Gabrielle Union), the leader of the Clovers, who wants nothing to do with a rich blond white girl, but does want to get her squad to the championships. Problem is, only one team can take home the national title. Who's it gonna be?

An unexpected box-office hit in the late summer of 2000, Bring It On is a smart, snappy teen comedy that bristles with good cheer (literally) and lively, down-to-earth characters. The story may be fairly predictable (who's going to win the big championship?), but director Peyton Reed and screenwriter Jessica Bendinger have fleshed out their characters with formidable strength and provided them with sharp dialogue. Dunst is a radiant comedian, projecting warmth, determination, sincerity, and a sublime airheadedness, and Union is an impressive dancer and counterpart to Dunst, matching her admirably despite her limited onscreen time.! An excellent young supporting cast rounds out the film, most ! notably Eliza Dushku (Faith of Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and Jesse Bradford (Steven Soderbergh's King of the Hill) as siblings new to Rancho Carne, who become Torrance's best friend and potential new boyfriend, respectively. All in all, a pleasantly surprising and intelligent teen movie. Don't miss the opening sequence, a hilarious send-up of all those high school cheerleading routines you had to sit through at boring pep rallies. --Mark EnglehartBring on the spirit, spunk and sass with everyone's favorite cheerleading series in the Bring It On
Collection! All four high-energy, fun Bring It On movies are here: Bring It On, starring Kirsten Dunst; the hilarious sequel Bring It On Again; the elecGet ready for more fun, attitude and excitement in this all-new comedy! When popular Britney Allen (Hayden Panettiere) moves from posh Pacific Vista to working-class Crenshaw Heights, her life goes from cheer-topia to cheer-tastrophe. Britney finds herself at odds with ! her new classmates, especially head cheerleader Camille (Solange Knowles-Smith). But when she wins a spot on the cheer squad and faces her former team in a cross-town cheer-off to star in music sensation Rihanna's upcoming video, only one team can "bring it" and earn a place in cheer history! Starring: Solange Knowles, Hayden Panettiere, Gus Carr, Marcy Rylan, Cindy Chiu, Giovonnie Samuels, Francia Raisa, Danielle Savre, Jessica Nicole Fife, Jake McDorman, Eric Bruskotter, Kiersten Warren, Rihanna Directed by: Steve RashBring It On: All or Nothing is the idealized version of what happens when a rich girl from an elite California school is forced to transfer to an urban setting for her senior year of high school. Former head cheerleader Britney (Hayden Panettiere, Ice Princess) finds herself with a quandary--does she join the new squad, or does she stick to the promise she made to her old teammates that she'll never cheer again? Given that this is the second s! equel to the Bring It On franchise, which started with ! Kirsten Dunst's 2000 flick, and that there's really no reason for this movie to exist without a match-up between Britney's old and new squads, of course she must bring her pompoms out of retirement. In between routines, she manages to land the hottest male cheerleader, Jesse (Gus Carr), and befriend Camille (Beyonce's little sis Solange Knowles-Smith), the feisty head of the squad. She even excuses Britney from practice when the latter lies and says her family pet has died: "Who am I to stand between a white girl and her dead dog?" Beyond the inclusion of a few broad stereotypes dealt for laughs, this straight-to-DVD movie doesn't dwell on any real racial issues that a spoiled white girl actually might face at a predominantly ethnic school. Unlike Dunst's film, which was mindless but well-crafted, this sequel asks nothing of its actors but to look good and leap high. Bring It On: All or Nothing has already been brought. Twice. --Jae-Ha KimHigh-flyin' fun, hot music an! d no-holds-barred competition go to new heights in this all-new comedy! The feisty East Coast Jets have ruled the Cheer Camp Championships with spunk and attitude for the past few years. Now the spirited West Coast Sharks thinThe world of cheerleading crashes full-force into the world of young love ala Romeo and Juliet and West Side Story in this boy meets girl, Sharks versus Jets, cheerleading competition where the West-Coast Sharks cheerleading team takes on the reigning champion East-Coast Jets in a cheer camp championship that will culminate in a world-wide tour. Passion and attitude pervade both cheer squads and team leaders Carson (Ashley Benson) and Brooke (Cassie Scerbo) are intent on defeating one another by any means necessary. A chance encounter between Jet Penn (Michael Copon) and Shark Carson sparks a quick romance, but team rivalry and suspicion repeatedly put the two at odds with one another. When a rumble between the Sharks and Jets injur! es a significant number of cheerleaders from both teams, the r! ivals mu st either forfeit any chance of victory or find a way to work together to combine their strengths and defeat a host of significant challengers. The parallels to West Side Story are purposeful and strong, but the incessant snobbish, self-absorbed attitudes of the cheerleaders, the stereotypical actions and slang of many characters, and the surprising lack of actual cheer footage make this program unappealing and at times downright distasteful. Great music like "Get Me Bodied" by Beyoncé Get Me Bodied , "Never Stop" by Hilary Duff Never Stop, "Division" by Aly and AJ Insomniatic and "He Said, She Said" by Ashley Tisdale He Said, She Said permeates the entire show and the actual cheer footage is spectacular. Aptly rated PG 13 for language, suggestive content, and rude humor. --Tami HoriuchiChristina Milian stars as sassy cheer captain Lina Cruz, whose world is turned upside-down when her family moves from the urban streets of East ! Los Angeles to the sunny beach town of Malibu. At her new school, Lina clashes with Avery, the ultra-competitive all-star cheer captain, while also falling for Avery’s super-cute brother, Evan. Lina’s always been able to rise to a challenge, but can she create a new all-star squad, beat Avery at the Spirit Championships, and still keep her romance with Evan? Hot music, fierce competition and high-flyin’ fun continue in this all-new movie!Like its predecessors in the Bring It On franchise, Bring It On: Fight to the Finish focuses on a perky cheerleader who's taken out of her comfort zone and ends up excelling in her new environment. This time around, the focus is on Lina Cruz (singer Christina Milian), whose family moves from East Los Angeles to Malibu. The streetwise teen makes an instant frenemy of alpha female Avery (Rachele Brooke Smith)--also a cheerleader--at her new school. Never mind that the two girls don't get along. There's more drama when ! Lina and Avery's brother Evan (Cody Longo) fall for each other! . Though Lina describes her new classmates as living "lifestyles of the rich and annoying" and Avery refers to Lina and her Latina friends as "illegal cheermigrants," the two really aren't that different. Both live for cheerleading and are super driven when it comes to their sport of choice. The viewer gets the impression that if both girls shared the same ethnicity (or at least a similar bank account), they'd be besties at school. The Bring It On franchise was spawned by Kirsten Dunst's hit film from 2000, which clearly had better writing and acting, as well as a larger budget to work with. While films like Bring It On: Fight to the Finish aren't going to win any awards, they do have an appeal to teenage girls and/or cheerleading fans. The plot really doesn't matter so much as the cheerleading choreography and the driving music behind it. And there's plenty of both in this production. --Jae-Ha Kim

Stills from Bring! it On: Fight to the Finish (Click for larger image)


The Hangover: Part II Movie Monkey Poster Print - 11x17

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Phil (Bradley Cooper), Stu (Ed Helms), Alan (Zach Galifi anakis) and Doug (Justin Bartha) travel to exotic Thailand for Stu's wedding. What could go wrong? Director Todd Phillips' explosively funny follow-up to his award-winning smash hit demonstrates that though what happens in Vegas may stay in Vegas, what happens in Bangkok can hardly be imagined! Just when you were starting to sober up after The Hangover… along comes The Hangover Part II--a deft dose of hair of the dog that will keep fans of the original screaming with laughter once again. Director Todd Phillips brings back his great cast--Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis, Justin Bartha, and Ed Helms for anot! her splendid exercise in debauchery--and its painful aftermath. And perhaps surprisingly, The Hangover Part II keeps the laugh levels high. While the element of surprise is not here in the sequel, writer Craig Mazin, Scot Armstrong, and Phillips have upped the shock factor, resulting in humor that's sometimes not exactly politically correct, but is fall-down funny anyway. In The Hangover Part II, Stu (Helms) is marrying a Thai-American woman (Jamie Chung), and the entire wedding party is flying to Thailand for the ceremony. Quicker than you can say "bachelor brunch," the boys are off on some kind of mystery adventure that results in some pretty serious, and pretty hilarious repercussions. (There's an unfortunate tattoo incident, one not easily covered up; there's an unexplained monkey--in a Rolling Stones shirt--now added to the entourage; and one of the group is missing.) The setup is familiar, but the ensemble of actors is so confident, their chemistry so ea! sy, that the viewer enjoys their long, strange trip with bust-! out-loud laughs. And you can't ask for much more in a buddy comedy. --A.T. HurleyPhil (Bradley Cooper), Stu (Ed Helms), Alan (Zach Galifi anakis) and Doug (Justin Bartha) travel to exotic Thailand for Stu's wedding. What could go wrong? Director Todd Phillips' explosively funny follow-up to his award-winning smash hit demonstrates that though what happens in Vegas may stay in Vegas, what happens in Bangkok can hardly be imagined! Just when you were starting to sober up after The Hangover… along comes The Hangover Part II--a deft dose of hair of the dog that will keep fans of the original screaming with laughter once again. Director Todd Phillips brings back his great cast--Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis, Justin Bartha, and Ed Helms for another splendid exercise in debauchery--and its painful aftermath. And perhaps surprisingly, The Hangover Part II keeps the laugh levels high. While the element of surprise is not here in the sequel, writer Craig Mazi! n, Scot Armstrong, and Phillips have upped the shock factor, resulting in humor that's sometimes not exactly politically correct, but is fall-down funny anyway. In The Hangover Part II, Stu (Helms) is marrying a Thai-American woman (Jamie Chung), and the entire wedding party is flying to Thailand for the ceremony. Quicker than you can say "bachelor brunch," the boys are off on some kind of mystery adventure that results in some pretty serious, and pretty hilarious repercussions. (There's an unfortunate tattoo incident, one not easily covered up; there's an unexplained monkey--in a Rolling Stones shirt--now added to the entourage; and one of the group is missing.) The setup is familiar, but the ensemble of actors is so confident, their chemistry so easy, that the viewer enjoys their long, strange trip with bust-out-loud laughs. And you can't ask for much more in a buddy comedy. --A.T. HurleyPhil (Bradley Cooper), Stu (Ed Helms), Alan (Zach Galifi anakis) and Do! ug (Justin Bartha) travel to exotic Thailand for Stu's wedding! . What c ould go wrong? Director Todd Phillips' explosively funny follow-up to his award-winning smash hit demonstrates that though what happens in Vegas may stay in Vegas, what happens in Bangkok can hardly be imagined! Just when you were starting to sober up after The Hangover… along comes The Hangover Part II--a deft dose of hair of the dog that will keep fans of the original screaming with laughter once again. Director Todd Phillips brings back his great cast--Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis, Justin Bartha, and Ed Helms for another splendid exercise in debauchery--and its painful aftermath. And perhaps surprisingly, The Hangover Part II keeps the laugh levels high. While the element of surprise is not here in the sequel, writer Craig Mazin, Scot Armstrong, and Phillips have upped the shock factor, resulting in humor that's sometimes not exactly politically correct, but is fall-down funny anyway. In The Hangover Part II, Stu (Helms) is marrying a Th! ai-American woman (Jamie Chung), and the entire wedding party is flying to Thailand for the ceremony. Quicker than you can say "bachelor brunch," the boys are off on some kind of mystery adventure that results in some pretty serious, and pretty hilarious repercussions. (There's an unfortunate tattoo incident, one not easily covered up; there's an unexplained monkey--in a Rolling Stones shirt--now added to the entourage; and one of the group is missing.) The setup is familiar, but the ensemble of actors is so confident, their chemistry so easy, that the viewer enjoys their long, strange trip with bust-out-loud laughs. And you can't ask for much more in a buddy comedy. --A.T. HurleyThe Soundtrack contains twelve songs from the film along with eight hilarious sound bites fans will be quoting for years to come. Among the songs included on the album are Ed Helms' "Allentown," a new song in the spirit of his incredibly popular "Stu's Song" from the soundtrack of 2009's s! mash hit "The Hangover." Additional new music includes a song! from Da nzig, along with music from the Ska Rangers, who are featured in the film, Kanye West, Mark Lanegan, Deadmau5, Wolfmother, and more. The Hangover: Part II Movie Monkey Poster Print - 11x17

Funny Games

  • FUNNY GAMES (DVD MOVIE)

Genre: Suspense
Rating: R
Release Date: 10-JUN-2008
Media Type: DVD Michael Haneke is a modern master, which his spellbinding films Cache and The Piano Teacher proved to an international audience. When it came time for a Hollywood remake of his ultra-disturbing 1997 picture Funny Games, who better than Haneke himself to helm the new version? And indeed, the second Funny Games bears the impeccable sense of control and technique that the Austrian version had: it is a horrifyingly precise account of a family terrorized by two psychopathic young thugs at a vacation home. For anyone who's already seen the '97 film, this new one--a nearly shot-by-shot transcription of the original--will seem superfluous, no matter how impressive the performances of Naomi Watts and Tim Roth are. (Michael Pitt and Brady Corbe! t are suitably creepy as their menacers, too.) For newbies, the movie might be as infuriating and thought-provoking as Haneke intends it to be. That's because Funny Games is an intellectual game itself, a direct rebuke to the audience that gobbles up gratuitous violence and cynical manipulation. Haneke sets up our expectations, and then refuses to provide the conventional catharsis… or the conventional anything. All of this was pretty bracing in the first go-round, but feels like gamesmanship in the remake. Even if you dig what Haneke's up to, this is a brutal movie-watching experience. --Robert HortonStudio: Kino International Release Date: 03/11/2008 Run time: 104 minutesIt is impossible to have a neutral opinion about the Austrian thriller Funny Games--a movie so relentless in its ability to shock that it gained pariah status on the film festival circuit in 1997. In the warped tradition of A Clockwork Orange, Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer! , and Blue Velvet, this is a film--directed with el! ectrifyi ng audacity by Munich-born Michael Haneke--that addresses the controversy of screen violence by making the viewer as guilty as the Leopold and Loeb-like killers who terrorize a young family of three during their summer vacation. They arrive as friendly neighbors, seducing the family with phony congeniality, but soon Funny Games reveals its devious strategy, turning savage and appalling... and completely captivating for those who can endure the terror. There's actually less violence than you'd see in a typical American horror flick such as Scream, but Haneke's forceful staging effectively fulfills his agenda of viewer complicity; we vividly experience this doomed family's fate and feel helpless to save them. So helpless, in fact, that Haneke dares to offer a hint of respite by giving a victim the upper hand, only to "replay" the same scene with the darkest of outcomes. Funny Games is guaranteed to outrage some viewers with its manipulative schemes, but th! ere's no denying the film's visceral impact, generated by Haneke's expert handling of a superior cast. Don't even think of allowing anyone under age 17 to watch this film; all others should proceed with caution. --Jeff Shannon

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