This is a film that reminds you to always fight the good fight.
http://www.thegreatdebatersmovie.com/
Monday, December 31, 2007
The Great Debaters
Eastern Promises
 |
|---|
Every sin leaves a mark.
Two thumbs up! I'm a huge Cronenberg fan and this is one of his best. So much research went into every detail, down to the smallest tatoo. This is a great follow-up to A History of Violence.
IMDb: "The film follows the mysterious and ruthless Nikolai (Viggo Mortensen), who is tied to one of London's most notorious organized crime families. His carefully maintained existence is jarred when he crosses paths with Anna (Naomi Watts), an innocent midwife trying to right a wrong, who accidentally uncovers potential evidence against the family. Now Nikolai must put into motion a harrowing chain of murder, deceit, and retribution."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Promises
American Gangster
 |
|---|
Sit down and strap in as director Ridley Scott takes you into the world of kingpin Frank Lucas in the 1970s.
IMDb: "Following the death of his employer and mentor, Bumpy Johnson, Frank Lucas establishes himself as the number one importer of heroin in the Harlem district of Manhattan. He does so by buying heroin directly from the source in South East Asia and he comes up with a unique way of importing the drugs into the United States. As a result, his product is superior to what is currently available on the street and his prices are lower. His alliance with the New York Mafia ensures his position. It is also the story of a dedicated and honest policeman, Richie Roberts, who heads up a joint narcotics task force with the Federal government. Based on a true story."
Sunday, December 30, 2007
The Last Legion
I had such hopes for this film, but was deeply disappointed. "The Last Legion" is the last film you should think about renting. A decent cast and wardrobe cannot make up for pithy dialogue and a choppy storyline.
AMG: Based on "Valerno Massimo Manfredi's best-selling book comes to life ... [as an] epic set during the fall of the Roman empire. The year is 470 A.D., and as rebels overtake the city of Rome, twelve-year-old emperor Romulus Augustus escapes to join up with a small band of survivors who make their way to Britain in search of the diminutive ruler's ultimate legion."
Thursday, December 27, 2007
'There Will Be Blood' is a masterpiece
By Christy Lemire
Associated Press
(AP) -- Someday, we're probably going to look back at "There Will Be Blood," Paul Thomas Anderson's epic about greed, lies, manipulation and insanity, and call it his masterpiece.
Which is incredible because, except for the inescapable intensity, it's nothing like his previous films; if Anderson's name weren't on it, you'd never know it was his. It's thrilling to see him reinvent himself this way, applying his formidable directing talents in a totally different fashion.
Gone are the film-school tricks he made his name with in "Boogie Nights" and "Magnolia" (and this critic loved those movies). Anderson has moved out of contemporary L.A. and away from the histrionics of the carefully orchestrated ensembles he set there. He now seems more interested in storytelling and character development.
What a character he's created in Daniel Plainview -- and what a performance he's gotten out of Daniel Day-Lewis.
As a turn-of-the-century oil man, Day-Lewis gives one of the more terrifying turns of his long and eclectic career. He just completely dominates. He can be charming and cruel in the same breath, and with an accent reminiscent of John Huston, he says and does whatever he must to get his way.
That includes taking over a chunk of the central California coast and building a town there so that he can drill. (Anderson based his script very loosely on Upton Sinclair's 1920s muckraking novel "Oil!") A one-time silver miner, Plainview accidentally finds gold one day and sets his sights higher; this all takes place at the film's start, which stunningly lasts 15 wordless minutes.
... Just as Plainview enjoys his greatest success, though, he also suffers his greatest heartbreak. He gets his gusher but the spectacular derrick explosion leaves H.W. without hearing. This also marks the beginning of the end of Plainview's sanity, which at best was tenuous. The more money he makes, the more his mind and morals deteriorate.
Could this be Anderson's cautionary tale about the evils of greed and wealth? Hardly. He's never judged his characters before (porn stars, junkies) and he's not about to start now. It's more like a character study of a fascinating and deeply flawed man during a time of great change in our country. Reading much more into his intentions would be foolish.
... the climax is a jaw-dropper, one that hopefully hasn't already been ruined for you through news reports -- you may have a hard time getting out of your seat. It'll knock you out.
It's worth the emotional investment. "There Will Be Blood," which is both a threat and a promise, is one of those movies that will stick with you and change your mood for days.
"There Will Be Blood" is rated R and runs 158 minutes.
Associated Press
(AP) -- Someday, we're probably going to look back at "There Will Be Blood," Paul Thomas Anderson's epic about greed, lies, manipulation and insanity, and call it his masterpiece.
Which is incredible because, except for the inescapable intensity, it's nothing like his previous films; if Anderson's name weren't on it, you'd never know it was his. It's thrilling to see him reinvent himself this way, applying his formidable directing talents in a totally different fashion.
Gone are the film-school tricks he made his name with in "Boogie Nights" and "Magnolia" (and this critic loved those movies). Anderson has moved out of contemporary L.A. and away from the histrionics of the carefully orchestrated ensembles he set there. He now seems more interested in storytelling and character development.
What a character he's created in Daniel Plainview -- and what a performance he's gotten out of Daniel Day-Lewis.
As a turn-of-the-century oil man, Day-Lewis gives one of the more terrifying turns of his long and eclectic career. He just completely dominates. He can be charming and cruel in the same breath, and with an accent reminiscent of John Huston, he says and does whatever he must to get his way.
That includes taking over a chunk of the central California coast and building a town there so that he can drill. (Anderson based his script very loosely on Upton Sinclair's 1920s muckraking novel "Oil!") A one-time silver miner, Plainview accidentally finds gold one day and sets his sights higher; this all takes place at the film's start, which stunningly lasts 15 wordless minutes.
... Just as Plainview enjoys his greatest success, though, he also suffers his greatest heartbreak. He gets his gusher but the spectacular derrick explosion leaves H.W. without hearing. This also marks the beginning of the end of Plainview's sanity, which at best was tenuous. The more money he makes, the more his mind and morals deteriorate.
Could this be Anderson's cautionary tale about the evils of greed and wealth? Hardly. He's never judged his characters before (porn stars, junkies) and he's not about to start now. It's more like a character study of a fascinating and deeply flawed man during a time of great change in our country. Reading much more into his intentions would be foolish.
... the climax is a jaw-dropper, one that hopefully hasn't already been ruined for you through news reports -- you may have a hard time getting out of your seat. It'll knock you out.
It's worth the emotional investment. "There Will Be Blood," which is both a threat and a promise, is one of those movies that will stick with you and change your mood for days.
"There Will Be Blood" is rated R and runs 158 minutes.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Scholastic Plans to Put Its Branding Iron on a Successor to Harry Potter
By MOTOKO RICH
Published: December 18, 2007
With the Harry Potter series now completed, Scholastic, the United States publisher of those wildly successful books by J. K. Rowling, is moving forward with what it hopes will be its follow-up blockbuster series.
Called “The 39 Clues,” this series will feature 10 books — the first of which is to go on sale next September — as well as related Web-based games, collectors’ cards and cash prizes. The project demonstrates Scholastic’s acknowledgment that as much as the publisher heralded the renewed interest in reading represented by the Harry Potter books, many children are now as transfixed by Internet and video games as they are by reading.
... The series, to be officially announced by Scholastic on Tuesday morning, will be aimed at readers 8 to 12 and offer mystery novels telling the story of a centuries-old family, the Cahills, who are supposed to be the world’s most powerful clan. According to the books, famous historical figures ranging from Benjamin Franklin to Mozart were members of the family. The plots will revolve around the race by two young Cahills, Amy, 14, and Dan, 11, against other branches of the family to be the first to find the 39 clues that will lead to ultimate power.
Rick Riordan, the best-selling author of the Percy Jackson series, which includes “The Lightning Thief” and “The Sea of Monsters,” mythologically themed books aimed at preteens, has written the first title in this new series, “The Maze of Bones.” He has also outlined the story arc for the next nine installments.
The books will come out once every two or three months, and the publisher has already signed Gordon Korman, the author of “Swindle” and “Schooled,” aimed at middle school children, to write Volume 2. Peter Lerangis, who created and wrote all the Spy-X and Watcher series of books, and has ghostwritten for The Baby-Sitters Club and Three Investigators series, will write the third title; Jude Watson, who has written several “Star Wars” prequels, will write the fourth.
An online game will allow readers to search for the 39 clues themselves, while solving puzzles and playing mini-games that will be refreshed daily. Mr. Levithan said the site would include blogs written from the points of view of characters, and maps, treasure hunts and videos, many with historical and geographical content.
... Mr. Riordan was drawn to the series partly because of the gaming component. “I’m a gaming geek from way back,” he said, recalling his passion for Dungeons and Dragons as a teenager. Now he plays online games like World of Warcraft with his two sons.
But he said he didn’t try to write the first book with specific gaming outcomes in mind. “My main concern was crafting an adventure novel that would stand on its own, even if kids never access the Internet at all,” Mr. Riordan said.
Click title for full article.
Published: December 18, 2007
With the Harry Potter series now completed, Scholastic, the United States publisher of those wildly successful books by J. K. Rowling, is moving forward with what it hopes will be its follow-up blockbuster series.
Called “The 39 Clues,” this series will feature 10 books — the first of which is to go on sale next September — as well as related Web-based games, collectors’ cards and cash prizes. The project demonstrates Scholastic’s acknowledgment that as much as the publisher heralded the renewed interest in reading represented by the Harry Potter books, many children are now as transfixed by Internet and video games as they are by reading.
... The series, to be officially announced by Scholastic on Tuesday morning, will be aimed at readers 8 to 12 and offer mystery novels telling the story of a centuries-old family, the Cahills, who are supposed to be the world’s most powerful clan. According to the books, famous historical figures ranging from Benjamin Franklin to Mozart were members of the family. The plots will revolve around the race by two young Cahills, Amy, 14, and Dan, 11, against other branches of the family to be the first to find the 39 clues that will lead to ultimate power.
Rick Riordan, the best-selling author of the Percy Jackson series, which includes “The Lightning Thief” and “The Sea of Monsters,” mythologically themed books aimed at preteens, has written the first title in this new series, “The Maze of Bones.” He has also outlined the story arc for the next nine installments.
The books will come out once every two or three months, and the publisher has already signed Gordon Korman, the author of “Swindle” and “Schooled,” aimed at middle school children, to write Volume 2. Peter Lerangis, who created and wrote all the Spy-X and Watcher series of books, and has ghostwritten for The Baby-Sitters Club and Three Investigators series, will write the third title; Jude Watson, who has written several “Star Wars” prequels, will write the fourth.
An online game will allow readers to search for the 39 clues themselves, while solving puzzles and playing mini-games that will be refreshed daily. Mr. Levithan said the site would include blogs written from the points of view of characters, and maps, treasure hunts and videos, many with historical and geographical content.
... Mr. Riordan was drawn to the series partly because of the gaming component. “I’m a gaming geek from way back,” he said, recalling his passion for Dungeons and Dragons as a teenager. Now he plays online games like World of Warcraft with his two sons.
But he said he didn’t try to write the first book with specific gaming outcomes in mind. “My main concern was crafting an adventure novel that would stand on its own, even if kids never access the Internet at all,” Mr. Riordan said.
Click title for full article.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Quote of the Day
"Now I'm in Wal Mart (DON'T ASK) and it's straight hell on earth in here. I just saw Beezlebub . . . he's stuck in a checkout line with a cart full of stuff."
- JJJ on Shopping Hell
- JJJ on Shopping Hell
Peter Jackson to produce 'The Hobbit'
NEW YORK (AP) -- Peter Jackson and New Line Cinema have reached agreement to make J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit," a planned prequel to the blockbuster trilogy "The Lord of the Rings."
Jackson, who directed the "Rings" trilogy, will serve as executive producer for "The Hobbit." A director for the prequel films has yet to be named.
Relations between Jackson and New Line had soured after "Rings," despite a collective worldwide box office gross of nearly $3 billion -- an enormous success. The two sides nevertheless were able to reconcile, with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios (MGM) splitting "The Hobbit" 50/50, spokemen for both studios said Tuesday.
"I'm very pleased that we've been able to put our differences behind us, so that we may begin a new chapter with our old friends at New Line," Jackson said in a statement. "We are delighted to continue our journey through Middle Earth."
Two "Hobbit" films are scheduled to be shot simultaneously, similar to how the three "Lord of the Rings" films were made. Production is set to begin in 2009 with a released planned for 2010, with the sequel scheduled for a 2011 release.
Jackson, who directed the "Rings" trilogy, will serve as executive producer for "The Hobbit." A director for the prequel films has yet to be named.
Relations between Jackson and New Line had soured after "Rings," despite a collective worldwide box office gross of nearly $3 billion -- an enormous success. The two sides nevertheless were able to reconcile, with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios (MGM) splitting "The Hobbit" 50/50, spokemen for both studios said Tuesday.
"I'm very pleased that we've been able to put our differences behind us, so that we may begin a new chapter with our old friends at New Line," Jackson said in a statement. "We are delighted to continue our journey through Middle Earth."
Two "Hobbit" films are scheduled to be shot simultaneously, similar to how the three "Lord of the Rings" films were made. Production is set to begin in 2009 with a released planned for 2010, with the sequel scheduled for a 2011 release.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Johnny Depp: 'I don't want to be a product'
LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- To Johnny Depp, freedom means simplicity and anonymity.
Johnny Depp's new film is "Sweeney Todd," which opens Christmas Day.
"I'm sure it will be a possibility someday again. Maybe when I get old. They get tired of you," the actor tells Esquire magazine in its January issue, available Friday. " 'Didn't you used to be Johnny Depp?' That will be the clincher."
The 44-year-old star of "Sweeney Todd," which opens Christmas Day, talked with the magazine about the lessons he's learned over his two decades in Hollywood.
His friend and mentor Marlon Brando taught Depp to keep his private life private.
"That's your world and it's nobody else's business," he recalls Brando saying. "It's not anybody's entertainment."
A self-described people-watcher, Depp says he's learned to enter restaurants through the kitchen and hotels through the parking garage.
"It'll definitely make you a little weird if you're constantly being stared at," he says.
While he loves his work, Depp says he's "not a great fan of all the stuff that goes along with it."
"I don't want to be a product," he says. "Of course you want the movies to do well. But I don't want to know ... who's hot now and who's not and who's making this much dough and who's boffing this woman or that one. I want to remain ignorant of all this. I want to be totally outside and far away from all of it."
Johnny Depp's new film is "Sweeney Todd," which opens Christmas Day.
"I'm sure it will be a possibility someday again. Maybe when I get old. They get tired of you," the actor tells Esquire magazine in its January issue, available Friday. " 'Didn't you used to be Johnny Depp?' That will be the clincher."
The 44-year-old star of "Sweeney Todd," which opens Christmas Day, talked with the magazine about the lessons he's learned over his two decades in Hollywood.
His friend and mentor Marlon Brando taught Depp to keep his private life private.
"That's your world and it's nobody else's business," he recalls Brando saying. "It's not anybody's entertainment."
A self-described people-watcher, Depp says he's learned to enter restaurants through the kitchen and hotels through the parking garage.
"It'll definitely make you a little weird if you're constantly being stared at," he says.
While he loves his work, Depp says he's "not a great fan of all the stuff that goes along with it."
"I don't want to be a product," he says. "Of course you want the movies to do well. But I don't want to know ... who's hot now and who's not and who's making this much dough and who's boffing this woman or that one. I want to remain ignorant of all this. I want to be totally outside and far away from all of it."
Bonham Carter, Burton Welcome Baby Girl
NEW YORK (AP) - Helena Bonham Carter and Tim Burton have welcomed their second child, a girl, in London, the actress' representative told a magazine.
The star and director of the upcoming musical film "Sweeney Todd" are "absolutely delighted," Karon Maskill told People for a story posted Sunday on the magazine's Web site.
"It's a lovely Christmas present for the family," Maskill said.Bonham Carter, 41, had joked before the birth that the baby might grow tired of listening to musical rehearsals."
Maybe the baby's going to come out with his hands on his ears: 'Shut up!'" she said.
The actress and Burton, 49, also have a 4-year-old boy, Billy.
"Sweeney Todd" hits theaters this week.
The star and director of the upcoming musical film "Sweeney Todd" are "absolutely delighted," Karon Maskill told People for a story posted Sunday on the magazine's Web site.
"It's a lovely Christmas present for the family," Maskill said.Bonham Carter, 41, had joked before the birth that the baby might grow tired of listening to musical rehearsals."
Maybe the baby's going to come out with his hands on his ears: 'Shut up!'" she said.
The actress and Burton, 49, also have a 4-year-old boy, Billy.
"Sweeney Todd" hits theaters this week.
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Chicago Ranks 4th Most Eventful City
BUT WE ALREADY KNEW THAT.
12/8/07
NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) - For singles, New York is the place in the United States to find events. For pet lovers, it's San Diego and bookworms should head to Los Angeles.
The first annual 'Most Eventful Cities' ranking by Web site Eventful.com has listed 2007's 25 most happening U.S. locations based on millions of events listed in cities with a population of 100,000 or more while also looking at certain categories.
12/8/07
NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) - For singles, New York is the place in the United States to find events. For pet lovers, it's San Diego and bookworms should head to Los Angeles.
The first annual 'Most Eventful Cities' ranking by Web site Eventful.com has listed 2007's 25 most happening U.S. locations based on millions of events listed in cities with a population of 100,000 or more while also looking at certain categories.
Here is the list of the top 25 '2007 Most Eventful Cities:
1. New York, New York (pop. 8,214,426)
2. Los Angeles, California (pop. 3,849,378)
3. San Francisco, California (pop. 744,041)
4. Chicago, Illinois (pop. 2,833,321)
5. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (pop. 1,448,394)
6. Tucson, Arizona (pop. 518,956)
7. Houston, Texas (pop. 2,144,491)
8. Phoenix, Arizona (pop. 1,512,986)9. San Diego, California (pop. 1,256,951)
10. Washington, District of Columbia (pop. 581,530)
11. Boston, Massachusetts (pop. 590,763)
12. Miami, Florida (pop. 404,048)
13. Seattle, Washington (pop. 582,454)
14. Atlanta, Georgia (pop. 486,411)
15. Dallas, Texas (pop. 1,232,940)
Click title for full article.Monday, November 19, 2007
Young People Don't Read Much
Study Links Drop in Test Scores to a Decline in Time Spent Reading
By MOTOKO RICH
Published: November 19, 2007
Harry Potter, James Patterson and Oprah Winfrey’s book club aside, Americans — particularly young Americans — appear to be reading less for fun, and as that happens, their reading test scores are declining. At the same time, performance in other academic disciplines like math and science is dipping for students whose access to books is limited, and employers are rating workers deficient in basic writing skills.
That is the message of a new report being released today by the National Endowment for the Arts, based on an analysis of data from about two dozen studies from the federal Education and Labor Departments and the Census Bureau as well as other academic, foundation and business surveys. After its 2004 report, “Reading at Risk,” which found that fewer than half of Americans over 18 read novels, short stories, plays or poetry, the endowment sought to collect more comprehensive data to build a picture of the role of all reading, including nonfiction.
In his preface to the new 99-page report Dana Gioia, chairman of the endowment, described the data as “simple, consistent and alarming.”
Among the findings is that although reading scores among elementary school students have been improving, scores are flat among middle school students and slightly declining among high school seniors. These trends are concurrent with a falloff in daily pleasure reading among young people as they progress from elementary to high school, a drop that appears to continue once they enter college. The data also showed that students who read for fun nearly every day performed better on reading tests than those who reported reading never or hardly at all.
The study also examined results from reading tests administered to adults and found a similar trend: The percentage of adults who are proficient in reading prose has fallen at the same time that the proportion of people who read regularly for pleasure has declined.
In an interview Mr. Gioia said that the statistics could not explain why reading had declined, but he pointed to several commonly accepted culprits, including the proliferation of digital diversions on the Internet and other gadgets, and the failure of schools and colleges to develop a culture of daily reading habits. In addition, Mr. Gioia said, “we live in a society where the media does not recognize, celebrate or discuss reading, literature and authors.”
Click title for full article.
By MOTOKO RICH
Published: November 19, 2007
Harry Potter, James Patterson and Oprah Winfrey’s book club aside, Americans — particularly young Americans — appear to be reading less for fun, and as that happens, their reading test scores are declining. At the same time, performance in other academic disciplines like math and science is dipping for students whose access to books is limited, and employers are rating workers deficient in basic writing skills.
That is the message of a new report being released today by the National Endowment for the Arts, based on an analysis of data from about two dozen studies from the federal Education and Labor Departments and the Census Bureau as well as other academic, foundation and business surveys. After its 2004 report, “Reading at Risk,” which found that fewer than half of Americans over 18 read novels, short stories, plays or poetry, the endowment sought to collect more comprehensive data to build a picture of the role of all reading, including nonfiction.
In his preface to the new 99-page report Dana Gioia, chairman of the endowment, described the data as “simple, consistent and alarming.”
Among the findings is that although reading scores among elementary school students have been improving, scores are flat among middle school students and slightly declining among high school seniors. These trends are concurrent with a falloff in daily pleasure reading among young people as they progress from elementary to high school, a drop that appears to continue once they enter college. The data also showed that students who read for fun nearly every day performed better on reading tests than those who reported reading never or hardly at all.
The study also examined results from reading tests administered to adults and found a similar trend: The percentage of adults who are proficient in reading prose has fallen at the same time that the proportion of people who read regularly for pleasure has declined.
In an interview Mr. Gioia said that the statistics could not explain why reading had declined, but he pointed to several commonly accepted culprits, including the proliferation of digital diversions on the Internet and other gadgets, and the failure of schools and colleges to develop a culture of daily reading habits. In addition, Mr. Gioia said, “we live in a society where the media does not recognize, celebrate or discuss reading, literature and authors.”
Click title for full article.
Amazon Pitches a Wireless IPod for Books
I HAVE TO KEEP AN EYE ON THIS HOT ITEM. I'M NOT CONVINCED OF THE PRICE POINT.
NEW YORK TIMES
By Saul Hansell
Amazon.com introduced its electronic book reader today at a packed event in New York. Unlike other products in this area, Amazon’s $399 Kindle is designed to be used without ever connecting to a computer. Instead it has a wireless Internet connection that lets users browse Amazon’s online store on the device and download a book in less than a minute.
Amazon is trying to do for books what Apple has done for music. It has linked its device tightly to its own online bookstore, just as the ITunes music store is tied into the iPod. Amazon has 90,000 titles for sale at launch, including books from all major publishers.
Best sellers and new releases will cost $9.99. That represents a substantial savings off of Amazon’s already discounted prices. Amazon is currently selling hardcover bestsellers for roughly $13 to $20 and trade paperbacks for $8 to $11.
The Kindle will also download and display newspapers, magazines and blogs. But in an era when most Internet content is offered free with advertising, Amazon has decided to charge monthly fees for these publications. The company says the fees will cover the cost of transmitting the information over the wireless network. Kindle users do not need to pay separately for a wireless data service.
Click title for full article.
NEW YORK TIMES
By Saul Hansell
Amazon.com introduced its electronic book reader today at a packed event in New York. Unlike other products in this area, Amazon’s $399 Kindle is designed to be used without ever connecting to a computer. Instead it has a wireless Internet connection that lets users browse Amazon’s online store on the device and download a book in less than a minute.
Amazon is trying to do for books what Apple has done for music. It has linked its device tightly to its own online bookstore, just as the ITunes music store is tied into the iPod. Amazon has 90,000 titles for sale at launch, including books from all major publishers.
Best sellers and new releases will cost $9.99. That represents a substantial savings off of Amazon’s already discounted prices. Amazon is currently selling hardcover bestsellers for roughly $13 to $20 and trade paperbacks for $8 to $11.
The Kindle will also download and display newspapers, magazines and blogs. But in an era when most Internet content is offered free with advertising, Amazon has decided to charge monthly fees for these publications. The company says the fees will cover the cost of transmitting the information over the wireless network. Kindle users do not need to pay separately for a wireless data service.
Click title for full article.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
The Bargainist
Check out this site for one stop coupon shopping: http://www.bargainist.com
Amazon.com - Magazine subscriptions from $3
HOT! Posted 1 day, 18 hours ago
Amazon.com currently has a $5 instant rebate on select magazine subscriptions, making many only $3 and $5. The Bargainist Best Bets: Esquire, Marie Claire, and Wired. Discount is taken during checkout.
Ann Taylor / Ann Taylor Loft - Friends & Family Sale 25% off
HOT! Posted 14 hours, 43 minutes ago
Shop at any Ann Taylor or Ann Taylor Loft stores during their Friends & Family Sale for 25% of all purchases. Online shoppers use coupon code 10701080, and in-store shoppers use this printable coupon. Expires 11/18/2007.
Kenneth Cole - 50% Off markdowns coupon Posted 14 hours, 44 minutes ago
Shop Kenneth Cole retail stores for an additional 50% off all current markdowns. Use this printable coupon at checkout. Expires 11/30/2007.Urban Outfitters - 10% Off purchases coupon
Posted 3 days, 22 hours ago
Save 10% on purchases from Urban Outfitters with coupon code MYSTATE109. Save on apparel, shoes, and accessories for men and women, as well as home furnishings and decor. Expires 11/30/2007.Banana Republic - 20% Off purchases coupon
HOT! Posted 4 days, 20 hours ago
Save 20% on all purchases from Banana Republic with coupon code BRHOLIDAY. And don't worry, this coupon takes us through the holiday shopping with an expiration of 12/24/2007.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Free Movie Screenings!
CHECK IT OUT:
http://www.filmmetro.com/
Just register and pick the screening you want to see.
Remember, with most screenings it's first come, first serve. So get there early!
I signed up to see "August Rush" this weekend.
http://www.filmmetro.com/
Just register and pick the screening you want to see.
Remember, with most screenings it's first come, first serve. So get there early!
I signed up to see "August Rush" this weekend.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Novelist, playwright Ira Levin dead at 78
NEW YORK (AFP) - Ira Levin, the playwright and novelist who wrote "Rosemary's Baby," "The Stepford Wives" and "The Boys From Brazil," has died at the age of 78, the New York Times reported Tuesday.
Levin died Monday at his home in Manhattan, apparently of natural causes, the newspaper quoted his son Nicholas as saying.
Able to write a variety of genres, from mystery and horror to Broadway comedy, Levin sold tens of millions of books despite producing only seven novels in four decades, the Times quoted his agent Phyllis Westberg as saying.
Levin was born in New York in 1929 and served in the US Army briefly in the early 1950s after leaving university. He went on to write for television before publishing his first novel, "A Kiss Before Dying," in 1953.
He also wrote for theater, notably adapting a novel by Mac Hyman into the 1955 Broadway comedy hit "No Time for Sergeants," and penning comic thriller "Deathtrap," in 1979, which ran on Broadway before also being made into a film.
Levin died Monday at his home in Manhattan, apparently of natural causes, the newspaper quoted his son Nicholas as saying.
Able to write a variety of genres, from mystery and horror to Broadway comedy, Levin sold tens of millions of books despite producing only seven novels in four decades, the Times quoted his agent Phyllis Westberg as saying.
Levin was born in New York in 1929 and served in the US Army briefly in the early 1950s after leaving university. He went on to write for television before publishing his first novel, "A Kiss Before Dying," in 1953.
He also wrote for theater, notably adapting a novel by Mac Hyman into the 1955 Broadway comedy hit "No Time for Sergeants," and penning comic thriller "Deathtrap," in 1979, which ran on Broadway before also being made into a film.
Alex Rider author sees 3 more books
By Mike Collett-White
LONDON (Reuters) - The author of the hit Alex Rider kids' spy series says there are probably three more books to follow the seventh instalment just published, but hopes of a movie franchise may have been dashed after just one film.
"Snakehead," the latest Alex Rider adventure, follows the 14-year-old super-spy on a treacherous mission to infiltrate ruthless gangs smuggling weapons, drugs and people across Southeast Asia.
In what Anthony Horowitz calls "the most scary chapter I've ever written," Alex is imprisoned at a centre where his body parts are to be removed for transplants.
"What makes it so horrible is the fact that people involved are so charming -- not my usual comical villains, but quite monstrous," Horowitz said in a telephone interview. "It is a very dark chapter."
The 52-year-old Briton said he deliberately wove real elements into his action-packed adventures, which are often compared to those of James Bond minus the sex.
In "Snakehead" there are clear references to the plight of refugees, tsunamis, the recent Live 8 anti-poverty pop concerts and ethnic tensions in Afghanistan.
"The success of the books is connected in part to the fact that they are always dealing with the real, recognisable world."
Horowitz said he would probably wind up the bestselling Rider series at 10 books, meaning three more stories that will take him another five years to complete.
Horowitz appearing at Tivoli Theatre, Downers Grove on 1/17/08
Click title link for full article
LONDON (Reuters) - The author of the hit Alex Rider kids' spy series says there are probably three more books to follow the seventh instalment just published, but hopes of a movie franchise may have been dashed after just one film.
"Snakehead," the latest Alex Rider adventure, follows the 14-year-old super-spy on a treacherous mission to infiltrate ruthless gangs smuggling weapons, drugs and people across Southeast Asia.
In what Anthony Horowitz calls "the most scary chapter I've ever written," Alex is imprisoned at a centre where his body parts are to be removed for transplants.
"What makes it so horrible is the fact that people involved are so charming -- not my usual comical villains, but quite monstrous," Horowitz said in a telephone interview. "It is a very dark chapter."
The 52-year-old Briton said he deliberately wove real elements into his action-packed adventures, which are often compared to those of James Bond minus the sex.
In "Snakehead" there are clear references to the plight of refugees, tsunamis, the recent Live 8 anti-poverty pop concerts and ethnic tensions in Afghanistan.
"The success of the books is connected in part to the fact that they are always dealing with the real, recognisable world."
Horowitz said he would probably wind up the bestselling Rider series at 10 books, meaning three more stories that will take him another five years to complete.
Horowitz appearing at Tivoli Theatre, Downers Grove on 1/17/08
Click title link for full article
Ken Follett is latest Oprah Winfrey pick
By HILLEL ITALIE, AP National Writer
NEW YORK - Oprah Winfrey went for the big time Wednesday with her latest book club pick, choosing Ken Follett's 973-page "The Pillars of the Earth," an announcement that will likely mean hundreds of thousands more sales for an author with a huge, international following.
Follett, a 58-year-old native of Cardiff, Wales, is famous for spectacular thrillers such as "Lie Down With Lions," "Eye of the Needle" and "World Without End," published last month, and a sequel to "The Pillars of the Earth," which came out in 1989.
Follett has called "The Pillars of the Earth," a love story set in England in the 12th century, his favorite novel. According to his Web site, the book still sells around 100,000 copies a year in the United States alone.
"My publishers were a little nervous about such a very unlikely subject but paradoxically, it is my most popular book," Follett writes on his Web site.
"It's also the book I'm most proud of. It recreates, quite vividly, the entire life of the village and the people who live there. You feel you know the place and the people as intimately as if you yourself were living there in the middle ages."
A year after "Pillars" came out, Follett was so popular he agreed to a two-book, $12.3 million deal with the Dell Publishing Company. He reportedly has 90 million readers worldwide and recently signed with Penguin Group (USA), which released "World Without End," for a planned multigenerational trilogy set in the 20th century.
NEW YORK - Oprah Winfrey went for the big time Wednesday with her latest book club pick, choosing Ken Follett's 973-page "The Pillars of the Earth," an announcement that will likely mean hundreds of thousands more sales for an author with a huge, international following.
Follett, a 58-year-old native of Cardiff, Wales, is famous for spectacular thrillers such as "Lie Down With Lions," "Eye of the Needle" and "World Without End," published last month, and a sequel to "The Pillars of the Earth," which came out in 1989.
Follett has called "The Pillars of the Earth," a love story set in England in the 12th century, his favorite novel. According to his Web site, the book still sells around 100,000 copies a year in the United States alone.
"My publishers were a little nervous about such a very unlikely subject but paradoxically, it is my most popular book," Follett writes on his Web site.
"It's also the book I'm most proud of. It recreates, quite vividly, the entire life of the village and the people who live there. You feel you know the place and the people as intimately as if you yourself were living there in the middle ages."
A year after "Pillars" came out, Follett was so popular he agreed to a two-book, $12.3 million deal with the Dell Publishing Company. He reportedly has 90 million readers worldwide and recently signed with Penguin Group (USA), which released "World Without End," for a planned multigenerational trilogy set in the 20th century.
Potter role goes to experienced actress
LONDON (Reuters) - The role of Lavender Brown, Ron Weasley's girlfriend in the new Harry Potter film, has gone to an established actress, according to a source close to the film.
Around 7,000 young hopefuls auditioned in July for the role of Brown, who spends much of her time kissing fellow Hogwarts pupil Weasley in "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince."
But the source said the part went to 20-year-old Jessie Cave, who has appeared with Helen Mirren in the film "Inkheart" and who is to star in the BBC's CBBC drama "Summerhill," which goes out early next year.
But Cave got the thumbs-up from Rupert Grint, who plays Weasley.
He told CBBC's "Newsround": "I was involved with the Lavender Brown audition and the whole Lavender thing. Her name's Jessie and she is really cool and it's going to be really funny."
Click title link for full article
Around 7,000 young hopefuls auditioned in July for the role of Brown, who spends much of her time kissing fellow Hogwarts pupil Weasley in "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince."
But the source said the part went to 20-year-old Jessie Cave, who has appeared with Helen Mirren in the film "Inkheart" and who is to star in the BBC's CBBC drama "Summerhill," which goes out early next year.
But Cave got the thumbs-up from Rupert Grint, who plays Weasley.
He told CBBC's "Newsround": "I was involved with the Lavender Brown audition and the whole Lavender thing. Her name's Jessie and she is really cool and it's going to be really funny."
Click title link for full article
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Demon Barber, Meat Pies and All, Sings on Screen
NYT: SOME time in 1980, during the five months that the grim and glorious musical “Sweeney Todd” played the Theater Royal Drury Lane, a California college student visiting London bought a ticket. And another and another and another.
Tim Burton, obsessive watcher of horror movies and a worshiper of Vincent Price, had discovered “The Demon Barber of Fleet Street,” not to mention Stephen Sondheim. And after stewing in his imagination on and off for some 25 years, that encounter has been channeled into Mr. Burton’s new film version, scheduled to arrive Dec. 21, with Johnny Depp as Sweeney, Helena Bonham Carter as Mrs. Lovett and the smoke-blackened streets of Victorian London as the setting for their danse macabre.
Click title for full article. Can't wait to see this one!!
www.sweeneytoddmovie.com
Tim Burton, obsessive watcher of horror movies and a worshiper of Vincent Price, had discovered “The Demon Barber of Fleet Street,” not to mention Stephen Sondheim. And after stewing in his imagination on and off for some 25 years, that encounter has been channeled into Mr. Burton’s new film version, scheduled to arrive Dec. 21, with Johnny Depp as Sweeney, Helena Bonham Carter as Mrs. Lovett and the smoke-blackened streets of Victorian London as the setting for their danse macabre.
Click title for full article. Can't wait to see this one!!
www.sweeneytoddmovie.com
'Harry Potter' offshoot unveiled
NOW HOW THE HELL IS THE COMMON MAN SUPPOSED TO READ THIS?
LONDON, England (AP) -- J.K. Rowling has completed her first book since concluding the tale of teen wizard Harry Potter -- an illustrated collection of magical fairy stories titled "The Tales of Beedle the Bard."
LONDON, England (AP) -- J.K. Rowling has completed her first book since concluding the tale of teen wizard Harry Potter -- an illustrated collection of magical fairy stories titled "The Tales of Beedle the Bard."
Only seven copies of the book are being printed, Rowling said Thursday. One will be auctioned next month to raise money for a children's charity, while the others have been given away as gifts.
Rowling drew the illustrations herself and provided the handwriting for the five stories that make up the collection of fairytales.
"The Tales of Beedle the Bard" is mentioned in the final Potter book, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," as a gift left by headmaster Albus Dumbledore to Harry's friend Hermione.
"'The Tales of Beedle the Bard' is really a distillation of the themes found in the Harry Potter books, and writing it has been the most wonderful way to say goodbye to a world I have loved and lived in for 17 years," Rowling said in a statement.
The volume, bound in brown morocco leather and mounted with silver and semiprecious stones, will be auctioned at Sotheby's on December 13 with a starting price of $62,000. Proceeds will go to The Children's Voice, a charity that helps vulnerable children across Europe.
"It's not about Harry, Ron and Hermione, but it comes from that world," she told BBC radio in an interview broadcast Thursday. "So it's been therapeutic in a way."
Rowling said she was working on a new book, "a half-finished book for children that I think will probably be the next thing I publish."
On Wednesday, Rowling and the makers of the Harry Potter movies filed a lawsuit against RDR Books, a small U.S. publisher that plans to bring out a companion volume based on the Harry Potter Lexicon fan Web site.
Rowling has said she plans to produce her own encyclopedia of the wizarding world and says the book would infringe on her intellectual property rights.Roman Polanski to direct `The Ghost'
LONDON - Roman Polanski will direct a film adaptation of "The Ghost," the best-selling political thriller by Robert Harris.
The book's narrator is a ghostwriter, hired to help a former British leader complete his memoirs, who becomes enmeshed in a web of espionage and political intrigue.
It has caused ripples in Britain for its parallels to former Prime Minister Tony Blair, who has known Harris for 15 years. Like Blair, fictional premier Adam Lang is a once-popular politician brought down by his close alliance with the United States in its "war on terror."
"There's a lot of psychological intrigue in the story, as well as espionage and politics, and most of the action takes place in an oceanfront house during the middle of winter — all of it classic Polanski territory," Harris said.
Clink link above for full article.
The book's narrator is a ghostwriter, hired to help a former British leader complete his memoirs, who becomes enmeshed in a web of espionage and political intrigue.
It has caused ripples in Britain for its parallels to former Prime Minister Tony Blair, who has known Harris for 15 years. Like Blair, fictional premier Adam Lang is a once-popular politician brought down by his close alliance with the United States in its "war on terror."
"There's a lot of psychological intrigue in the story, as well as espionage and politics, and most of the action takes place in an oceanfront house during the middle of winter — all of it classic Polanski territory," Harris said.
Clink link above for full article.
Friday, November 2, 2007
License to Wed
What they needed was a creative license to make this sickly, sweet film about two fools rushing in, with obtrusive priest (Robin Williams) en tow.
Leave this one on the shelf!
Leave this one on the shelf!
Monday, October 29, 2007
Mr. Brooks
This film had me stuck to my chair! Jacket: “Earl Brooks (Kevin Costner) has a thriving business, a devoted wife, a loving daughter … and a terrible secret. He’s a psychopathic serial killer, and no one has ever suspected him. Unable to control his horrific addiction, Brooks gives in to his sadistic, all-to-real alter ego (William Hurt) and succumbs to his murderous urges. But a pesky witness (Dane Cook) to his latest crime and a stubborn detective (Demi Moore) on the case add shocking new twists to an already terrifying game of cat and mouse.”
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Starter for 10
Jacket: “James McAvoy (The Last King of Scotland) is Brian, a small town kid trying to navigate his first year at a top university, along with a ragtag group of misfit friends. Brian’s life-long dream is to compete on the
The Lives of Others
“In East Berlin , five years before the fall of the Berlin Wall, Captain Gerd Wiesler (Ulrich Mühe) of the secret Stasi police is given the mission to spy on a celebrated writer and actress couple (Sebastian Koch, Martina Gedeck) for the German Democratic Republic. But Wiesler's loyalty begins to erode as his immersion in "the lives of others," in love, literature and freethinking, makes him acutely aware of the shortfalls of his own existence.” Academy Award winner for Best Foreign Language Film. Official Web Site
I didn't think I'd like this film because it beat "Pan's Labryinth" for the Oscar for Best Foreign Film, but I found myself entangled in the web of The Lives of Others.
I didn't think I'd like this film because it beat "Pan's Labryinth" for the Oscar for Best Foreign Film, but I found myself entangled in the web of The Lives of Others.
The Ultimate Gift
Jacket: “Based on Jim Stovall’s best-selling novel, The Ultimate Gift sends a young man of privilege on an improbable journey. Trust fund baby Jason Stevens loves all of life’s gifts, as long as they’re bankable. But when his wealthy grandfather, Red, dies, Jason receives a most unusual inheritance: 12 tasks, which Red calls “gifts,” to challenge Jason to grow as a man. If he succeeds, the experience will not only change Jason forever, but he will discover the real meaning of wealth.” Kleenex rating: 1.
Offside
Jacket: “The
Chalk
Jacket: “In the ‘doc’ comedy style of “The Office” and “Best in Show,” Chalk pulls you into the frantic and awkwardly painful journey of three novice teachers as they navigate one memorable school year. Director Mike Akel provides a rare and realistc teachers’ perspective into the absurd, provocative and occasionally volatile world of public education. In a country where 50% of teachers quit within the first three years, Chalk delivers an enormous dose of heart, hilarity, and hope for
The Secret by Rhonda Byrne
(NF) The big secret here is that the Universe is governed by the Law of Attraction. If you want something, just think it, believe it and put it out there. This isn’t new, New Age jargon, it’s been around for centuries. Final analysis: Believe in yourself. Save yourself $20.
Adventure Divas
Adventure Divas: Searching the Globe for a New Kind of Heroine by Holly Morris (NF) This book makes you want to go out and change the world! This should be mandatory reading for young women everywhere. Publisher: “After years of working behind a desk, Holly Morris had finally had enough. So she quit her job and set out to prove that adventure is not just a vacation style but a philosophy of living and to find like-minded, risk-taking women around the globe. With modest backing, a small television crew, her spirited producer-mother, Jeannie, and a whole lot of chutzpah, Morris tracked down artists, activists, and politicos — women of action who are changing the rules and sometimes the world around them.”
Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay
(Fiction) Book 1. This is disturbingly addictive to read. I can’t wait to hack into the next two books! Season 1 on Showtime is slightly different from this book. Jacket: “Dexter Morgan appears to be the perfect gentleman. He is handsome and polite, and has been in a relationship for nearly a year and a half. Yet appearances can be deceiving, for Dexter is a serial killer who has slain many people. But in this tale, he’s the good guy, for there is one little twist — Dexter only snuffs out other murderers. When another serial killer, with an eerily similar style, starts grabbing headlines, Dexter has a fairly morbid thought. Am I being challenged?”
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)