L.A. Confidential (Two-Disc Special Edition)

• L.A. Confidential is "tough, gorgeous and vastly entertaining" (James Maslin, The New York Times) and won 1997 Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actress (Kim Basinger) and Best Adapted Screenplay (Brian Helgeland & Curtis Hanson). Three cops, a call girl, a mysterious millionaire, a tabloid journalist fuel a labyrinthine plot rife with mystery, ambition, romance and humor. Format: DVD MOVI

Landmark movie in the film noir tradition, Roman Polanski's Chinatown stands as a true screen classic. Jack Nicholson is private eye Jake Gittes, living off the murky moral climate of sunbaked, pre-war Southern California. Hired by a beautiful socialite (Faye Dunaway) to investigate her husband's extra-marital affair, Gittes is swept into a maelstrom of double dealings and deadly deceits, uncovering a web of personal and political scandals that come crashing together for one, unforgettable night in...Chin! atown. Co-starring film legend John Huston and featuring an Academy Award®-winning script by Robert Towne, Chinatown captures a lost era in a masterfully woven movie that remains a timeless gem.Roman Polanski's brooding film noir exposes the darkest side of the land of sunshine, the Los Angeles of the 1930s, where power is the only currency--and the only real thing worth buying. Jack Nicholson is J.J. Gittes, a private eye in the Chandler mold, who during a routine straying-spouse investigation finds himself drawn deeper and deeper into a jigsaw puzzle of clues and corruption. The glamorous Evelyn Mulwray (a dazzling Faye Dunaway) and her titanic father, Noah Cross (John Huston), are at the black-hole center of this tale of treachery, incest, and political bribery. The crackling, hard-bitten script by Robert Towne won a well-deserved Oscar, and the muted color cinematography makes the goings-on seem both bleak and impossibly vibrant. Polanski himself has a brief, memorabl! e cameo as the thug who tangles with Nicholson's nose. One of ! the grea test, most completely satisfying crime films of all time. --Anne HurleyRoman Polanski's brooding film noir exposes the darkest side of the land of sunshine, the Los Angeles of the 1930s, where power is the only currency--and the only real thing worth buying. Jack Nicholson is J.J. Gittes, a private eye in the Chandler mold, who during a routine straying-spouse investigation finds himself drawn deeper and deeper into a jigsaw puzzle of clues and corruption. The glamorous Evelyn Mulwray (a dazzling Faye Dunaway) and her titanic father, Noah Cross (John Huston), are at the black-hole center of this tale of treachery, incest, and political bribery. The crackling, hard-bitten script by Robert Towne won a well-deserved Oscar, and the muted color cinematography makes the goings-on seem both bleak and impossibly vibrant. Polanski himself has a brief, memorable cameo as the thug who tangles with Nicholson's nose. One of the greatest, most completely satisfying crime films of a! ll time. --Anne HurleyLandmark movie in the film noir tradition, Roman Polanski's Chinatown stands as a true screen classic. Jack Nicholson is private eye Jake Gittes, living off the murky moral climate of sunbaked, pre-war Southern California. Hired by a beautiful socialite (Faye Dunaway) to investigate her husband's extra-marital affair, Gittes is swept into a maelstrom of double dealings and deadly deceits, uncovering a web of personal and political scandals that come crashing together for one, unforgettable night in...Chinatown. Co-starring film legend John Huston and featuring an Academy Award®-winning script by Robert Towne, Chinatown captures a lost era in a masterfully woven movie that remains a timeless gem.Roman Polanski's brooding film noir exposes the darkest side of the land of sunshine, the Los Angeles of the 1930s, where power is the only currency--and the only real thing worth buying. Jack Nicholson is J.J. Gittes, a private eye in ! the Chandler mold, who during a routine straying-spouse invest! igation finds himself drawn deeper and deeper into a jigsaw puzzle of clues and corruption. The glamorous Evelyn Mulwray (a dazzling Faye Dunaway) and her titanic father, Noah Cross (John Huston), are at the black-hole center of this tale of treachery, incest, and political bribery. The crackling, hard-bitten script by Robert Towne won a well-deserved Oscar, and the muted color cinematography makes the goings-on seem both bleak and impossibly vibrant. Polanski himself has a brief, memorable cameo as the thug who tangles with Nicholson's nose. One of the greatest, most completely satisfying crime films of all time. --Anne HurleyRoman Polanski's brooding film noir exposes the darkest side of the land of sunshine, the Los Angeles of the 1930s, where power is the only currency--and the only real thing worth buying. Jack Nicholson is J.J. Gittes, a private eye in the Chandler mold, who during a routine straying-spouse investigation finds himself drawn deeper and deeper into a jigs! aw puzzle of clues and corruption. The glamorous Evelyn Mulwray (a dazzling Faye Dunaway) and her titanic father, Noah Cross (John Huston), are at the black-hole center of this tale of treachery, incest, and political bribery. The crackling, hard-bitten script by Robert Towne won a well-deserved Oscar, and the muted color cinematography makes the goings-on seem both bleak and impossibly vibrant. Polanski himself has a brief, memorable cameo as the thug who tangles with Nicholson's nose. One of the greatest, most completely satisfying crime films of all time. --Anne HurleyJack Nicholson returns as private eye Jake Gittes in this atmospheric Chinatown follow-up that's hit upon "the elusive sequel formula for somehow enhancing a great original" (Mike Clark, USA Today).Much has changed since we last saw Jake. The war has come and gone; 1948 Los Angeles teems with optimism and fast bucks. But there's one thing Jake knows hasn't changed: "Nine times out of ten, if you foll! ow the money you will get to the truth." And that's the trail ! he follo ws when a routine case of marital hanky panky explodes into a murder that's tied to a grab for oil--and to Jake's own past.Set more than a decade after the story in Chinatown, this 1990 sequel brings Jack Nicholson back to the screen as L.A. private detective Jake Gittes. Older, fatter, worn, and frustrated, the Jake of 1948 is still haunted by the tragic events of the earlier film. While investigating a case involving adultery and questionable land dealings by an L.A. tycoon (Harvey Keitel as the other Jake), Gittes unexpectedly confronts a few old ghosts and discovers that the resource of choice in Southern California--one for which people die--is no longer water but oil. The film had a notorious production history, with Nicholson taking over the project from writer-director Robert Towne, and the dense plot can be difficult to follow. But if The Two Jakes doesn't measure up to the legendary status of its stylish predecessor, the film does satisfy o! n its own terms and brings the events of Chinatown to a moving conclusion. Terrific work by Keitel and supporting players Meg Tilly, Madeleine Stowe, Eli Wallach, and Ruben Blades. --Tom KeoghRoman Polanski's brooding film noir exposes the darkest side of the land of sunshine, the Los Angeles of the 1930s, where power is the only currency--and the only real thing worth buying. Jack Nicholson is J.J. Gittes, a private eye in the Chandler mold, who during a routine straying-spouse investigation finds himself drawn deeper and deeper into a jigsaw puzzle of clues and corruption. The glamorous Evelyn Mulwray (a dazzling Faye Dunaway) and her titanic father, Noah Cross (John Huston), are at the black-hole center of this tale of treachery, incest, and political bribery. The crackling, hard-bitten script by Robert Towne won a well-deserved Oscar, and the muted color cinematography makes the goings-on seem both bleak and impossibly vibrant. Polanski himself has a bri! ef, memorable cameo as the thug who tangles with Nicholson's n! ose. One of the greatest, most completely satisfying crime films of all time. --Anne HurleyLA CONFIDENTIAL:SPECIAL EDITION - DVD MovieIn a time when it seems that every other movie makes some claim to being a film noir, L.A. Confidential is the real thing--a gritty, sordid tale of sex, scandal, betrayal, and corruption of all sorts (police, political, press--and, of course, very personal) in 1940s Hollywood. The Oscar-winning screenplay is actually based on several titles in James Ellroy's series of chronological thriller novels (including the title volume, The Big Nowhere, and White Jazz)--a compelling blend of L.A. history and pulp fiction that has earned it comparisons to the greatest of all Technicolor noir films, Chinatown. Kim Basinger richly deserved her Supporting Actress Oscar for her portrayal of a conflicted femme fatale; unfortunately, her male costars are so uniformly fine that they may have canceled each other out with the Academy vot! ers: Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, Kevin Spacey, and James Cromwell play LAPD officers of varying stripes. Pearce's character is a particularly intriguing study in Hollywood amorality and ambition, a strait-laced "hero" (and son of a departmental legend) whose career goals outweigh all other moral, ethical, and legal considerations. If he's a good guy, it's only because he sees it as the quickest route to a promotion. --Jim Emerson

Mister Lonely

• When a Michael Jackson impersonator (Diego Luna) living in Paris falls for a Marilyn Monroe impersonator (Samantha Morton) during a performance at a retirement home, the lovestruck pair retreats to a seaside castle in the Scottish highlands populated by a commune of reclusive impersonators. Earning a living can be a difficult endeavor in the City of Lights, and in order to make ends meet, one man

From Harmony Korine, screenwriter of Kids, comes a haunting portrait of life in small-town America. Through a collection of dreamlike and devastating images, Korine offers a glimpse of Xenia, Ohio, a world existing in the aftermath of a tornado.JULIEN DONKEY-BOY - DVD MovieFrom Harmony Korine, screenwriter of Kids, comes a haunting portrait of life in small-town America. Through a collection of dreamlike and devastating images, Korine offers a glimpse of Xenia, Ohio, a world existing in the aftermath! of a tornado.Filmmaker Larry Clark reunites with Kids screenwriter Harmony Korine, with some additional directorial assistance from cinematographer Ed Lachman, for this look at a group of troubled teens and their guardians living in Southern California. Ken Park takes its name from the skate park where an ancillary character takes his own life in the film's opening moments, and then proceeds to chronicle the somewhat-interrelated lives of his classmates.

The audience is introduced to Tate (James Ransome), a young man living in relative misery with his board-game-playing grandparents. Also tormented by his living situation is Claude (Stephen Jasso), a quiet, shy teen constantly henpecked by his brutish father (Wade Andrew Williams). Meanwhile, the vapid Shawn (James Bullard) occasionally trades verbal spars with his mother, in between leaving the house for erotic sessions with his girlfriend's mom. Finally there is Peaches (Tiffany Limos), living alone with her devoutly religious father as she covertly experiments with her boyfriend (Mike Apaletegui).

Though Ken Park played at such festivals as Toronto and Telluride in the fall of 2002, it would languish on the shelf for months and months afterward, as its non-commercial content made finding a U.S. distributor near-impossible.

Uncut & Uncensored Anamorphic (16:9) Widescreen Version
English 5.1 & Russian 5.1 Audio Options
Optional Russian SubtitlesMISTER LONELY - DVD MovieFollowing an eight-year hiatus, Harmony Korine returns triumphantly with Mister Lonely, a more traditionally structured drama than his previous experiments, Gummo and Julien Donkey Boy. First recognized for writing the Larry Clark film, Kids, Korine ruled the 1990s for expressing disenchanted youth. As his previous films focused on self-destructive characters, Mister Lonely is a departure though it still points to Korine's interest in the carnivalesque. In this far-fetched fairy tale, a Michael Jackson impersonator (Diego Luna) living in Paris is invited by a Marilyn Monroe look-alike (Samantha Morton) to join her commune of misfits in a remote Scottish castle. Upon arrival, Michael meets the likes of Charlie Chaplin (Denis Lavant), Abe Lincoln, Madonna, the Queen of England (Anita Pallenberg), and the Pope (James Fox), who is usually drunk. As a dark romance unfolds between Maril! yn and Michael, a second narrative involving missionary nuns in Panama unfolds, revealing stunning footage of them jumping out of planes sans parachutes to test faith. Their airplane is piloted by Father Umbrillo, played by Werner Herzog, who at this point could be called Korine's patron saint. The absurdist, comitragic plot challenges the viewer's suspension of disbelief, and is much less reality-based than Korine's previous movies. His filmic experiments work best when the nuns' story intertwine with the impersonators', presenting deep commentary on faith, embodying another person, and escapism. Throughout, rich color and costuming provide a visually provocative experience. As each film of Korine's is unique in structure and approach, Mister Lonely has been long anticipated and will prod fans to guess what Korine has up his sleeve next. --Trinie Dalton

The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters

• In this hilarious, critically acclaimed arcade showdown, a humble novice goes head-to-head against the reigning Donkey Kong champ in a confrontation that rocks the gaming world to its processors! For over 20 years, Billy Mitchell has owned the throne of the Donkey Kong world. No one could beat his top score until now. Newcomer Steve Wiebe claims to have beaten the unbeatable, but Mitchell isn't re

AMERICAN MOVIE - DVD MovieStruggling filmmaker Mark Borchardt is the subject of American Movie, and he may also be the most determined man you'll ever meet. The straggly haired, fast-talking, Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, native lists his greatest influences as Dawn of the Dead, Night of the Living Dead, and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. He began making horror movies as a gangly adolescent, and is now set on finishing Coven (which he pronounces like "woven"), the "35-! minute direct market thriller" he has worked on for two years. In the process, he steadfastly battles immense debt, the threat of losing his kids, and birds chirping gleefully through scenes set in the dead of winter. His mother would rather do her shopping than be an extra, his brother contends he's best suited for factory work, and his father just wants him to "watch the language."

Standing by him through it all is Mark's childhood buddy, Mike Schank, who is the strongest weapon against drug use a task force could ever hope for, and Uncle Bill, begrudging financier of Coven, who appears to be wasting away before our very eyes. In less perceptive hands these two could easily become caricatures--the burnt-out stoner and the crotchety old coot--but through director Chris Smith's lens we see why Mark loves them, why they love Mark, and why each of these stories is uniquely compelling.

Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the 1999 Sundance Film Festival, the film h! as been compared to Spinal Tap and Waiting for Guffm! an-- two unquestionably hilarious mock-documentaries--and, indeed, American Movie has plenty of laugh-out-loud moments. But in the spoofs, we feel encouraged to point and giggle at the poor slobs trying to get a piece of the action. Smith, however, offers us a funny and overwhelmingly affectionate portrait; you may sit down expecting to laugh at Mark's pie-in-the-sky hopes, but you soon find yourself bursting with admiration. "The American dream stays with me each and every day," Mark says, and by the end, we want nothing more than for it to come true. (The DVD version includes the complete short film "Coven.") --Brangien Davis This limited edition, special collectors' DVD set celebrates 25 years of the Sundance Institute. It contains ten ground-breaking films that embody the sprit of independence, creative risk-taking, and diversity that define the Sundance Film Festival. Bonus materials include a booklet and an 11th disc with behind-the-scenes footage from the Sun! dance Institute Labs and never-before-seen interviews with filmmakers and founder Robert Redford.In this hilarious, critically acclaimed arcade showdown, a humble novice goes head-to-head against the reigning Donkey Kong champ in a confrontation that rocks the gaming world to its processors! For over 20 years, Billy Mitchell has owned the throne of the Donkey Kong world. No one could beat his top score until now. Newcomer Steve Wiebe claims to have beaten the unbeatable, but Mitchell isn't ready to renquish his crown without a fight. Go behind the barrels as the two battle it out in a vicious war to earn the title of the true King of Kong. The stuff of gladiatorial battle is here: good versus evil, right versus wrong, nerd versus... super-nerd? At any rate, it's a more entertaining showdown than most fictional movies can muster. The King of Kong is the saga of Steve Wiebe, a Redmond, Washington dweeb who sets a new record in the video game Donkey Kong, only t! o see his accomplishment challenged by the grand poobahs of th! e gaming establishment. And if you don't know how pernickety the grand poobahs of the gaming establishment can be, well, one of the pleasures of this movie is finding out about this collection of oddballs. It seems Wiebe has toppled a score that has stood since 1982, when eminent "Gamer of the Century" Billy Mitchell set it, and Mitchell isn't too happy about being overthrown. A black-mulleted showboat, Mitchell provides the perfect counterpoint to Wiebe's mild-mannered family man, and the smaller fish around him are no less colorful. This is one of those movies you watch in delighted disbelief, marveling that such people exist--and that they gladly allowed themselves to be filmed. Director Seth Gordon does an important thing in presenting this world of eccentrics: he doesn't mock them, or provide editorial nudging; he simply lets them be. The result is an ingratiating classic. --Robert Horton

Breaking Upwards

• BREAKING UPWARDS (DVD MOVIE)

In a fresh modern spin on Woody Allen s Annie Hall, director Daryl Wein depicts two witty, charmingly klutsy and real New Yorkers but instead of falling in love, they re trying to fall out of love. Like Allen s best work, this film is also bursting with a brilliant cast including Emmy and Tony winner Andrea Martin (SCTV, My Big Fat Greek Wedding); Tony winner Julie White (Transformers, Monsters Vs. Aliens), and Tony nominee Pablo Schreiber (Vicky Cristina Barcelona, TV s The Wire). Daryl and Zoe (played by real-life couple Wein and Zoe Lister-Jones) still care for each other, but the zip has gone out of their romance. They decide to craft a really good breakup: instead of just saying goodbye after all, they still like each other they date four days a week and see other people for the other three days. Simple, right? Not once their mothers and friends and would-be ! lovers get in on the act. Co-written by Wein and Lister-Jones along with Peter Duchan, and based on Wein and Lister-Jones' real-life experiences, Breaking Upwards is the freshest romance in years.

Large Black Bear with Cub Lawn Garden Statue

• 7 " X 7 " X 11 " High
• Made Of Weather Resistant Resin
• Can Be Displayed Inside Or Outside
• Very Ornate-Right Down To The Nails
• Very Nice Quality! Great Gift Idea!

Pedro (Jos Luis Garca-Prez) is an attractive and homosexual dentist who lives a sexually active lifestyle. He offers to take care of his nine-year-old nephew Bernardo (David Castillo) for two weeks while the child's mother, Pedro's older sister Violeta (Elvira Lindo), goes off to India with her latest "hippie" boyfriend. Pedro modifies his sexual behavior but quickly finds out that Bernardo is extremely comfortable and mature in his attitude towards life. When Violeta suddenly becomes detained in India, Pedro finds himself the boy's caretaker and must face the challenges of raising a child.An amusing and touching film about reinterpreting the idea of "family," Bear Cub tells the engaging story of Pedr! o (José Luis García-Pérez), an attractive gay dentist living an active single life in Madrid. He offers to take care of his adorable 9-year-old nephew Bernardo (the remarkable David Castillo) for two weeks while the child's mother travels abroad with her latest "hippie" boyfriend. When Mom suddenly becomes detained in India, however, Pedro must become the boy's caretaker. And to further complicate matters, the boy's grandmother begins a custody battle for the child. Never overly sentimental or sensational, director Miguel Albaladejo (Manolito Four-Eyes) has crafted a funny and charming audience pleaser that inspired the Chicago Tribune to proclaim the film "striking and refreshing."Very Very Cute! Adorable Momma Bear + Cub-7 " Long 7 " Wide X 11 " High - Weighs About 3 Lb-Made Of Weather Resistant Resin-Would Look Great In The Garden- Finished On All Sides-Can Be Displayed Inside Or Outside-Very Nice Quality! Very Ornate- Great Gift Idea!

Disney Cinderella Story Book Pillow w/ Musical Bookmark

• Plush comfy pillow that's an entire classic storybook
• Great for sleepovers, naptime and travel
• Perfect for storytime and learning to read

(Note: The price has been reduced for two weeks.)

Award winning author, Opal Carew
writing as Amber Carew

Can Vanessa risk falling in love with a man obsessed with a fantasy woman -- even though that woman is her?
Vanessa always wanted to be Cinderella. Taking the opportunity to attend a lavish masquerade ball -- even if she wasn't invited --was just too delightful an opportunity to resist. When Nicholas Powers dragged her into his arms for the most explosive kiss she ever experienced, she floated on cloud nine. It is a fantasy night she'll never forget, even though she knows she would never have a chance with him. Especially when she winds up working for him as a temp and sees him obsessing about finding his ! Cinderella... a fantasy she can never fulfill.

Nick had never felt such fiery passion as he did when he held the dazzling beauty in his arms. She aroused him as no other woman could, then she ran away with his heart, leaving behind only an antique glass slipper earring. If only the mask hadn't hidden her features. Knowing no other woman could ever make him feel the way she did, he swears to find her and make her his. Why, then, does his little spark of a secretary make his pulse quicken?

Previously published as Masquerade of Love.(Note: The price has been reduced for two weeks.)

Award winning author, Opal Carew
writing as Amber Carew

Can Vanessa risk falling in love with a man obsessed with a fantasy woman -- even though that woman is her?
Vanessa always wanted to be Cinderella. Taking the opportunity to attend a lavish masquerade ball -- even if she wasn't invited --was just too delightful an opportunity to resist. When Nich! olas Powers dragged her into his arms for the most explosive k! iss she ever experienced, she floated on cloud nine. It is a fantasy night she'll never forget, even though she knows she would never have a chance with him. Especially when she winds up working for him as a temp and sees him obsessing about finding his Cinderella... a fantasy she can never fulfill.

Nick had never felt such fiery passion as he did when he held the dazzling beauty in his arms. She aroused him as no other woman could, then she ran away with his heart, leaving behind only an antique glass slipper earring. If only the mask hadn't hidden her features. Knowing no other woman could ever make him feel the way she did, he swears to find her and make her his. Why, then, does his little spark of a secretary make his pulse quicken?

Previously published as Masquerade of Love.About the movie: It's a musical twist on an enduring classic! Katie (Lucy Hale of Pretty Little Liars) dreams of being a recording artist but is continually thwarted by her cruel stepmot! her (Missi Pyle) and stepsister (Megan Park of The Secret Life of An American Teenager). When Katie falls hard for Luke (Freddie Stroma), the new boy at her Performing Arts School, she tries to get his attention with her singing. But when her stepsister takes credit for Katie's amazing voice and Luke falls for the wrong girl, Katie must learn to stand up for her dreams before her stepmother forces Katie to sing Luke into the arms of her wicked stepsister.Sometimes you have to make your own happily ever after.

Working at the Glass Slipper is anything but a fairytale for Cyn Elder. After one especially long day, all she wants is to kick off her shoes and put her feet up, but she reluctantly lets her friends drag her out to a new club.

Movie mogul and fledgling club owner Parker Maguire is bored with the Hollywood scene and its plastic women, and the club scene isn’t proving to be much better. Until he finds a sassy woman refusing to back down from his ! overzealous bouncer.

Cyn is a breath of fresh air, ! neither impressed by celebrity status nor bowled over by his charisma and wealth. She’s honest, genuineâ€"and arousing in more ways than he could have ever imagined. For once, Cyn puts herself before her shop and lets herself by swept off her feet by a man who pursues her with a delightful vengeance.

Her father’s evil girlfriend and her two lazy daughters, however, see Cyn’s new happiness as nothing more than a threat to their own comfortable lives. Their plot to break the two lovers up could turn Parker and Cyn’s “once up a time” into a “happily never after.”

Unless Cyn’s Fairy Drag Queen can pull something out of her pink-chiffon sleeve…

Warning: This title contains hot, dirty, workplace sex; hot, dirty, sauna sex; heck…just hot, dirty sex in general. As well as fairies of the non-magical variety, and dreams coming to life.Sometimes you have to make your own happily ever after.

Working at the Glass Slipper is anything b! ut a fairytale for Cyn Elder. After one especially long day, all she wants is to kick off her shoes and put her feet up, but she reluctantly lets her friends drag her out to a new club.

Movie mogul and fledgling club owner Parker Maguire is bored with the Hollywood scene and its plastic women, and the club scene isn’t proving to be much better. Until he finds a sassy woman refusing to back down from his overzealous bouncer.

Cyn is a breath of fresh air, neither impressed by celebrity status nor bowled over by his charisma and wealth. She’s honest, genuineâ€"and arousing in more ways than he could have ever imagined. For once, Cyn puts herself before her shop and lets herself by swept off her feet by a man who pursues her with a delightful vengeance.

Her father’s evil girlfriend and her two lazy daughters, however, see Cyn’s new happiness as nothing more than a threat to their own comfortable lives. Their plot to break the two lovers up could tur! n Parker and Cyn’s “once up a time” into a “happily ne! ver afte r.”

Unless Cyn’s Fairy Drag Queen can pull something out of her pink-chiffon sleeve…

Warning: This title contains hot, dirty, workplace sex; hot, dirty, sauna sex; heck…just hot, dirty sex in general. As well as fairies of the non-magical variety, and dreams coming to life.It’s a modern and enchanting twist on an enduring classic! Katie (Lucy Hale of Pretty Little Liars) dreams of being a recording artist but is continually thwarted by her cruel stepmother (Missi Pyle) and stepsister (Megan Park of The Secret Life of the American Teenager). When Katie falls hard for Luke (Freddie Stroma), the new boy at her Performing Arts school, she tries to get his attention with her singing. But when her stepsister takes credit for Katie’s amazing voice and Luke falls for the wrong girl, Katie must learn to stand up for her dreams before her stepmother forces Katie to sing Luke into the arms of her wicked stepsister.The teen music scene meets classic fairy tale ! in this modern telling of Cinderella. The story is familiar enough: stepdaughter Katie (Lucy Hale of Pretty Little Liars) is a virtual indentured servant for her mean stepmother Gail (Missi Pyle), cleaning the house and catering to her every need and whim, as well as those of daughter Bev (Megan Park of The Secret Life of the American Teenager) and son Victor (Matthew Lintz). When a famous music producer enrolls his son Luke (Freddie Stroma) at the arts school where Katie's mom is the dean and Katie and Bev study, there's a definite attraction between Katie and Luke. Unfortunately, Gail comes up with a plan to propel Bev into superstardom, which destroys any chance of a relationship between Katie and Luke, along with Katie's chances of realizing her dream of becoming a recording artist. What Gail doesn't count on is Katie's resourcefulness, the tendency of the oppressed to band together, and the emotional power of a song. What's bothersome about this f! ilm is that most of the main characters are one-dimensional an! d unlika ble. Gail is a mean-spirited woman who drinks too much, mistreats her stepdaughter, has unreasonable expectations for her daughter, and basically ignores her bright and totally out-of-control son. Bev is a pretty girl who lacks a sense of morality and the gumption to stand up for herself, and Victor is a self-absorbed terror who acts without consideration for others or any fear of negative consequences. Katie is more likable as the stoical teen who endures a bad situation while developing her musical talent and trying hard to be a good friend, but viewers will find her inability to assert herself quite frustrating. Luke is a similarly likable, talented young musician whose aspirations are thwarted by his father's expectations. Gail, Bev, and Victor all get at least a glimpse of the errors of their ways in this film, but while Victor's enlightenment is somewhat believable, Bev's flash of insecurity and compassion for Katie is unconvincing and short-lived, and Gail's momentary! delusion of humanity is quickly negated by the (off-screen) consumption of a bottle of wine. The musical numbers are great in this film and there's a Bollywood dance scene that's well choreographed and quite fun, but in the end, that just isn't enough to offset the stereotypical, shallow characters. --Tami HoriuchiIf you are one of Hilary Duff's most ardent pre-teen fans, chances are you'll find something to enjoy in A Cinderella Story, but everyone else should proceed with caution. It's an updated fairy tale for the age of instant messaging, which is how Sam (Duff) develops a crush on Austin (Chad Michael Murray) before realizing that this Tennyson-quoting poet-at-heart is actually her San Fernando Valley high school's star quarterback and most desirable hunk. In a role that squanders her proven comedic gifts, Jennifer Coolidge is Sam's Botox-injected evil stepmother, and lame attempts at comedy turn her dimwitted stepsisters into buffoons, like many of the! other cast members who struggle to find anything funny! in the screenplay. So we're left with the bland, blonde charms of Hilary Duff, who fared better in The Lizzie McGuire Movie, but manages to salvage her mainstream appeal in a comedy for which "cute" is not necessarily a compliment. --Jeff Shannon
Plush comfy Classic Storybook pillow, where bedtime and story time become one. Great for sleep overs, nap-time, and travel. Perfect for story time and learning to read. Includes audio bookmark with fun sounds from the story. Ages 3 & up.

Closing Escrow

• CLOSING ESCROW is the story of three quirky families seeking to buy their next home. They re all moving for different reasons and none of them are getting along with their real estate agents.African American attorneys Bobby and Tamika have hired Hillary Macella as their real estate agent. Hillary is a racially hyper-sensitive white woman dealing with more than her share of white guilt. That is unt

CLOSING ESCROW - DVD Movie

3 Pack of Universal Touch Screen Stylus Pen (Red + Black + Silver)

• Brand new GTMax Band.
• Quantity:3
• Soft rubber tipped end prevents from scratching your handheld screen.

A magical train ride on Christmas Eve takes a boy to the North Pole to receive a special gift from Santa.One couldn't select a more delightful and exciting premise for a children's book than the tale of a young boy lying awake on Christmas Eve only to have Santa Claus sweep by and take him on a trip with other children to the North Pole. And one couldn't ask for a more talented artist and writer to tell the story than Chris Van Allsburg. Allsburg, a sculptor who entered the genre nonchalantly when he created a children's book as a diversion from his sculpting, won the 1986 Caldecott Medal for this book, one of several award winners he's produced. The Polar Express rings with vitality and wonder.

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25th! Anniversary Edition Includes
To commemorate this special anniversary, a lavish gift edition has been created. The set includes a silver foil border, a CD audio recording read by Liam Neeson, a note from Chris Van Allsburg, and a silvery keepsake "All Aboard" ornament.

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Amazon Exclusive: A Letter from Chris Van Allsburg

Dear Amazon Readers,

Over the past twenty-five years, many people have shared stories with me about the effect that reading The Polar Express has had on their families and on their celebration of Christmas.

One of the most poignant was told to me five or six years ago at a book signing in the Midwest, on a snowy December evening. As I inscribed a book to a woman in her sixties, she told me that it was the seco! nd copy she had owned, and wanted to know if she could she tel! l me wha t had happened to the first. "Of course," I answered.

A dozen years earlier the woman, who had no children of her own, befriended a neighbor, a boy of about seven, named Eddie. He would often cross his driveway to visit her.

She had a collection of picture books, which she read to him, but around the holidays, the only story he ever wanted to hear, over and over, was The Polar Express. One year she offered to give him the book, but Eddie declined because he wanted to hear her read it aloud to him, which she continued to do every year until the boy and his family moved away.

Years later the woman learned from a mutual acquaintance that Eddie had grown up and become a soldier. He was stationed in Iraq. Since Christmas was approaching, the woman decided to send him a gift box. She included candy, cookies, socks, and her old copy of The Polar Express. She wasn't sure what a nineteen-year-old battle-weary soldier would do with the book in ! an army barracks in the Middle East, but she wanted him to have it. A month later, after the holidays had passed, she received a letter from Eddie.

He told her he was very happy to have heard from her and to get the box of gifts. He had opened it in his barracks, just before curfew, with some of his fellow GIs already in their bunks. A soldier in the next bunk spotted the book. He knew it well from his own childhood and asked Eddie to read it. "Out loud?" he asked. "Yeah," his buddy told him.

Eddie, quietly and a little self-consciously, read The Polar Express. When he'd finished and closed the book, a moment of silence passed. Then from behind him a voice called out, "Read it again," and another joined in, "Yeah, read it again," and a third added, "This time, louder." So Eddie did.

He wrote to the woman that he'd stood up and read it to his comrades just the way he remembered she had read it to him.

All aboard,

Chris Van All! sburg

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< p align="left"> Recipes and Activities to Celebrate the 25th Anniversary of The Polar Express
(Click on Images for the Recipe or Activity [PDF])

Snacks for Santa

Candy Cane Sugar Cookies

Polar Chocolate Nougat Caramel Squares

Christmas Snowball Cookies

Hot Chocolate

Fun and Games

A Polar Express Word Search

A Polar Express Crossword

A Polar Express Maze

A Polar Exp! ress Drawing Sheet

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Keep a PDA stylus on hand so you're always ready to jot a note or tap the touch screen without using your finger.