Sunday, November 27, 2011

Chasing Liberty

  • Condition: New
  • Format: DVD
  • Closed-captioned; Color; DVD; Widescreen; NTSC
While on a diplomatic trip to Europe with her parents, first daughter Anna (Mandy Moore) escapes the secret service and meets mysterious stranger Ben Calder, who also happens to be an undercover agent.Even when she's playing a girl with a head full of air in a plot full of holes, Mandy Moore manages to make Chasing Liberty wholesomely appealing. It's too bad that "wholesome," in this case, means frolicking around Prague, Venice, and Berlin as the U.S. President's daughter, eluding Secret Service agents, defying her second-term President father (Mark Harmon, totally miscast), and trusting complete strangers in a world where potential terrorism seems like nothing more than a pesky distraction. In other words, first daughter Anna Foster (Moore) is a complete idiot, oblivious to danger in a fluffy rom! antic fantasy that's part Roman Holiday (the good part) and part bubble-gum star vehicle. Don't blame Mandy for daring to shed her good-girl image; even her innocent skinnydipping scene was handled by a "butt double," and she's irresistible as she falls for the mutually smitten Secret Service agent (promising newcomer Matthew Goode) assigned to keep her out of harm's way. Another budding romance involving two bickering agents (Annabella Sciorra, Jeremy Piven) is perfunctory at best, but if you're looking for a picturesque, sweet-natured tour of Europe with a pair of likeable lovebirds, Chasing Liberty makes for a pleasantly brief vacation. --Jeff Shannon

A Bit of Fry and Laurie - The Complete Collection... Every Bit!

  • Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie are best known outside of their native U.K. for the various acting roles they've taken in major productions. In Fry's case, big-screen roles in WILDE and PETER'S FRIENDS helped establish his name. In Laurie's case, the hit TV show HOUSE made him a firm favorite with American audiences. They are also known and loved for their joint turn in the irreverent
Dorian Lever wants to romance unwed mother-to-be Sally Jackons but his brother Angus wants to kill her. Sally, the local drive-thru order taker, is caught up in the darkly funny family brouhaha that is largely orchestrated by the Levers' manipulative mother.er.
Genre: Feature Film-Comedy
Rating: PG13
Release Date: 1-JUN-2004
Media Type: DVDA man is frightened to death by a menacing military helicopter, piloted by two young Texan men who just happen to be the dead man's stepson! s, Dorian and Angus (Luke Wilson and Jake Busey). To complicate matters, the dead man had had an affair with young Sally (Drew Barrymore), a clerk at the local Burger-Matic who didn't know the guy was married. Now she's pregnant and looking for a supportive guy to be her unborn child's potential father. Dorian fits the role quite nicely, but Angus thinks Sally knows about the helicopter incident, and their scheming mother (Catherine O'Hara) is trying to mastermind a cover-up, and....

So goes the cleverly amusing plot of this light, character-based romantic comedy, which proves Barrymore's charm and versatility once again, gives O'Hara one of her best roles, and moves right along at its own amiable pace. Small-town romance combines with darkly tinged comedy (scripted by X-Files staffer Vince Gilligan), and first-time director Dean Parisot guides it all with casual assurance. There's nothing going on here that's particularly inspired, but Barrymore and Wilson (an! off-screen couple during production) make a delightful pair, ! and the cast makes the most of some hilarious down-home dialogue. All in all, a very pleasant diversion. --Jeff ShannonGrunge rock. Fast food. And da family. What's not to love? Matt Dillon leads a gifted ensemble in singles (Disc 1/Side A), Cameron Crowe's rock-laced tale of Seattle twentysomethings (including Bridget Fonda and Kyra Sedgwick) searching for and running from romance. Want fries with that? In Home Fries (Disc 1/Side B), Drew Barrymore plays an unwed mother-to-be and Burger-Matic employee who's the focus of attention of two offbeat brothers: one (Luke Wilson) who wants to marry her...one (Jake Busey) who wants to murder her. Next, Hugh Grant walks the wawk and talks the tawk as Mickey Blue Eyes (Disc 2). He becomes Noo Yawk's most unlikely mobster when his romance with a schoolteacher (Jeanne Tripplehorn) entangles him in the workings of her mob family (headed by James Caan).Summer Catch Rock Star Home Fries Addicted to LoveA man is frightened to death by a mena! cing military helicopter, piloted by two young Texan men who just happen to be the dead man's stepsons, Dorian and Angus (Luke Wilson and Jake Busey). To complicate matters, the dead man had had an affair with young Sally (Drew Barrymore), a clerk at the local Burger-Matic who didn't know the guy was married. Now she's pregnant and looking for a supportive guy to be her unborn child's potential father. Dorian fits the role quite nicely, but Angus thinks Sally knows about the helicopter incident, and their scheming mother (Catherine O'Hara) is trying to mastermind a cover-up, and....

So goes the cleverly amusing plot of this light, character-based romantic comedy, which proves Barrymore's charm and versatility once again, gives O'Hara one of her best roles, and moves right along at its own amiable pace. Small-town romance combines with darkly tinged comedy (scripted by X-Files staffer Vince Gilligan), and first-time director Dean Parisot guides it all with casua! l assurance. There's nothing going on here that's particularly! inspire d, but Barrymore and Wilson (an off-screen couple during production) make a delightful pair, and the cast makes the most of some hilarious down-home dialogue. All in all, a very pleasant diversion. --Jeff ShannonBIT OF FRY & LAURIE:COLLECTION EVERY - DVD MovieIf terms like "pimhole" and "lesbotic tendencies" reduce you to a fit of giggles, you've already discovered the daffy pleasures of Fry and Laurie. Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie have gone on to other successes in film and television (not only did they gain acclaim and adoration as the title characters of Jeeves & Wooster, Laurie has become a household name in the U.S. as the star of House), but their comedy collaborations from the 1980s and '90s have earned them a place in the pantheon of British humor, somewhere between Monty Python and Ricky Gervais. They specialize in "linguistic elasticity," amazing flights of verbal lunacy ranging from overwrought poetry criticism to inventing their own swearwords! to protest censorship. A Bit of Fry & Laurie: The Complete Collection... Every Bit! includes all four Fry & Laurie seasons, broadcast between 1987 and 1995. Conservatism is a regular target--an early sketch about a father protesting his son being taught biology is startlingly current--but politics generally takes a back seat to ridiculousness. Fry impersonates Michael Jackson; a doctor prescribes cigarettes; an exceedingly gracious jewelry salesman woos a customer with candied sweets; Fry and Laurie, with righteous indignation, castigate their audience for laughing at serious matters like alcoholism and genital fungus. The fourth series isn't as inspired, overall, but it does feature sparkling moments, such as a version of It's a Wonderful Life starring Rupert Murdoch. Armed with a startling array of false facial hair (and, as the seasons progress, an increasing amount of drag), Fry and Laurie introduce notions like screaming lettuce, a synchronized lo! sing team, and the Omar Sharif Comedy Hour. It's divine sillin! ess; any fan of British comedy will delight in "Every Bit" of Fry and Laurie. --Bret Fetzer

Deuce Bigalow Male Gigolo/Hot Chick

  • Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo A professional fish tank cleaner, Deuce (Schneider) finds himself in desperate need of cash to quickly repair the damage he's done to a client's luxurious apartment! The fun really takes off when Deuce decides the only way out of this jam is to switch to the world's oldest profession and offer his services as a lover for hire! The Hot Chick The hilarious
The hit-making producers of BIG DADDY now deliver DEUCE BIGALOW: MALE GIGOLO -- a hilarious, must-see smash starring the always outrageous Rob Schneider (THE HOT CHICK, THE ANIMAL) in his funniest role yet! A professional fish tank cleaner, Deuce (Schneider) finds himself in desperate need of cash to quickly repair the damage he's done to a client's luxurious Malibu apartment! Then the fun really takes off when Deuce decides the only way out of this jam is to switch to the world's oldest profession -- and offer his ! services to ladies everywhere as a lover for hire! A wild and raunchy comedy that always aims to please -- you won't be able to resist this sidesplitting laugh riot!Saturday Night Live alum and Adam Sandler sidekick Rob Schneider plays the title character of Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo, a miserable fish-tank cleaner who stumbles onto a new and different lifestyle when he looks after the fish of a high-priced male prostitute (Oded Fehr from The Mummy). Deuce teams up with a man-pimp (Eddie Griffin), gets harassed by a crazed cop (William Forsythe), and of course falls in love with a cute client (Arija Bareikis). The nonsensical plot is festooned with gags about wet T-shirts, foul-mouthed senior citizens, flatulence, Tourette's syndrome, narcolepsy, and just about everything else you might imagine. More surprising is that, by and large, the movie works. It's a combination of bad taste and goodheartedness, similar to There's Something About Mary, wh! ich Deuce Bigalow is clearly emulating. It's not the pa! t "peopl e should learn to accept themselves for who they are" theme or the formulaic happy ending; it's that the movie understands that sex is not the same thing as happiness or contentment. For all its crassness, Deuce Bigalow actually treats its characters as people, and the result is silly, obnoxious, and enjoyable. --Bret FetzerComedy superstar Rob Schneider is back once more as Deuce Bigalow, the big-hearted male gigolo with the least down below. Fleeing to Europe following a near run-in with the Malibu PD, Deuce finds himself thrust back into the pleasure-for-pay profession when his former pimp (Eddie Griffin) is wrongly accused of murdering Europe's highest-priced man-whores. Working under-the-covers, Deuce seduces a bevy of super-freaky female clients (as well as Dutch supermodel Hanna Verboom) to learn the identity of the real killer in this outrageous laugh-orgy that will have you screaming with delight from start to finish!If the repeated use of the phrase "! man-whore" is your recipe for hilarity, Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo is your movie. Rob Schneider (The Hot Chick, The Animal) returns as the hapless male prostitute, in this case lured back into the man-whore lifestyle in order to investigate the killings of European man-whores. His former pimp T.J. (Eddie Griffin, Undercover Brother) has set up shop in Amsterdam, where he finds himself accused of both the man-whore murders and of being a homosexual. From this slender, ridiculous premise springs dozens of gags about flatulence, breasts, and male sexual organs--in fact, the number of phallus stand-ins (noses, swords, man-whore of the year awards) would seem excessive to Aristophanes. And yet, despite all things crass and tawdry, Schneider remains bizarrely innocent, and this movie, like the first one, feels inexplicably sweet. The fundamental ethos of Deuce Bigalow is that everyone, no matter how they look, deserves to be loved. Such a downright! Christian sentiment is rarely packaged in a movie featuring a! cat bit ing a man's testicles or a woman gushing wine out of her tracheotomy hole, yet that's all part of the ineffable mystery of Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo. Also featuring Jeroen Krabbe (The 4th Man, The Living Daylights). --Bret FetzerUPC:786936788747
DESCRIPTION:(Deuce Bigalow Male Gigolo) -The hit-making producers of Big Daddy now deliver Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo -- a hilarious, must-see smash starring the always outrageous Rob Schneider (The Hot Chick, The Animal) in his funniest role yet! A professional fish tank cleaner, Deuce (Schneider) finds himself in desperate need of cash to quickly repair the damage he's done to a client's luxurious Malibu apartment! Then the fun really takes off when Deuce decides the only way out of this jam is to switch to the world's oldest profession -- and offer his services to ladies everywhere as a lover for hire! A wild and raunchy comedy that always aims to please -- you won't be able to resist this sides! plitting laugh riot!

(Hot Chick) - The hilarious Rob Schneider has been a gigolo. He's been an animal. And now a curse will make him something he's never been before -- a woman! Jessica Spencer is the hottest, most popular girl in high school. But she gets a big dose of reality when she wakes up in the body of a 30-something-year-old lowlife male (Schneider) and quickly discovers that trading on your looks isn't so easy when you're a girl who constantly needs a shave. How in the world can Jessica convince her friends (Anna Faris, Scary Movie, Scary Movie 2; Matthew Lawrence, Mrs. Doubtfire; Eric Christian Olsen, Not Another Teen Movie) it really is her? And how can she change herself back into a teenage girl? The Hot Chick is a wild and wacky gender-bending comedy everyone can enjoy -- no matter what sex you are.
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Halloween Blu-ray Triple Pack(Halloween 6, H20, Halloween Resurrection)

  • 1080i/p widescreen 2.35:1/1.78:1
  • Includes Three Films, Halloween 6, H20, and Resurrection
  • 264 minutes
Original HALLOWEEN star Jamie Lee Curtis (HALLOWEEN: H2O, TRUE LIES) is back and joined by Busta Rhymes (SHAFT) and Tyra Banks (COYOTE UGLY) in the terrifying HALLOWEEN: RESURRECTION -- the latest in this electrifying horror film series! The reality programmers at DangerTainment (Rhymes, Banks) have selected Rudy (Sean Patrick Thomas -- SAVE THE LAST DANCE), Bill (Thomas Ian Nicholas -- AMERICAN PIE 1&2), and a group of thrill-seeking teenagers to spend one fun-filled night in the childhood home of serial killer Michael Myers. But the planned live broadcast turns deadly when their evening of excitement becomes a night of horror as Michael himself decides to crash the party!Number 8 in the Halloween line maintains connections to John Carpenter's original. Resurrection! picks up the thread of Halloween: H2O, with poor Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) now in a psychiatric hospital and determined to shut down homicidal Michael Myers once and for all. After this prologue, the story shifts to the old Myers house, where a TV reality show has enticed six teenagers to spend a single night in the spooky home. Needless to say, things are spoiled when Michael barges in: "I so did not sign up for this," sighs the young heroine, when the bloodletting begins. The mayhem is being broadcast live on the Internet, which makes the film a bit like Rear Window with Instant Messaging. The interesting premise is routinely handled, but that's enough to make this one of the better sequels in the series. Maybe they finally finished off Michael in this one, wink wink. --Robert HortonOriginal Halloween star Jamie Lee Curtis (You Again) is back and joined by Busta Rhymes and Tyra Banks in the terrify! ing Halloween: Resurrection, another installment in the! electri fying horror film series.

The reality programmers at DangerTainment (Rhymes, Banks) have selected Rudy (Sean Patrick Thomas, The Fountain), Bill (Thomas Ian Nicholas, American Pie) and a group of thrill-seeking teenagers to spend one fun-filled night in the childhood home of serial killer Michael Meyers. But the planned live broadcast turns deadly when their evening of excitement becomes a night of horror as Michael himself decides to crash the party.Number 8 in the Halloween line maintains connections to John Carpenter's original. Resurrection picks up the thread of Halloween: H2O, with poor Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) now in a psychiatric hospital and determined to shut down homicidal Michael Myers once and for all. After this prologue, the story shifts to the old Myers house, where a TV reality show has enticed six teenagers to spend a single night in the spooky home. Needless to say, things are spoiled when M! ichael barges in: "I so did not sign up for this," sighs the young heroine, when the bloodletting begins. The mayhem is being broadcast live on the Internet, which makes the film a bit like Rear Window with Instant Messaging. The interesting premise is routinely handled, but that's enough to make this one of the better sequels in the series. Maybe they finally finished off Michael in this one, wink wink. --Robert HortonHALLOWEEN: RESURRECTION
The reality programmers at DangerTainment have selected a group of thrill-seeking teenagers to spend one fun-filled night in the childhood home of serial killer Michael Meyers. But the planned live broadcast turns deadly when their evening of excitement becomes a night of horror as Michael himself decides to crash the party.

HALLOWEEN: H2O
Now the headmistress of a private school, Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) is still struggling with the horrifying, 20-year-old me! mories of the maniacal killer Michael Myers...when he suddenly! reappea rs with a vengeance. Laurie's rebellious son, his girlfriend, and the school security guard will become Michael's newest victims unless Laurie can conquer her greatest fears and put evil in its place once and for all.

HALLOWEEN: THE CURSE OF MICHAEL MYERS
In a single horrifying night, Michael Myers' masked reign of terror changed Halloween forever. Now, six years after he was presumed dead in a fire, Myers has returned to kill againâ€"and this time there's no escape. As the homicidal fury builds to a spine-tingling climax, the long-hidden secrets of the screen's most maniacal murderer are revealed...with shocking results.Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995)1080i The sixth entry in the series has Dr. Sam Loomis once again in pursuit of the homicidal Michael Myers. Now driven by a satanic power, Myers chases his grown niece and her child to his midwestern hometown of Haddonfield. Although the town is trying to overcome it's past history of nightmarish bloodletting, a local radio shock jock is stirring things up again and the unlucky residents of Myers' former house are turning up dead. Halloween: H2O (1998)1080i After faking her death and changing her name to evade the murderous Michael Myers, Laurie Strode, now a teacher at a Southern California private school, is again targeted by her nemesis. Most of the school goes away on a trip, but her son John stays behind along with his girlfriend and a couple of other kids. John is now the age that Laurie was when Michael first attacked her friends, and she is scared and seemingly over- protective. But her fears are proved right when Michael returns to town, stalking first the teens and then Lauie herself. Halloween: Resurrection (2002)1080p The nurses at Grace Anderson Sanitarium tell stories of patient Laurie Strode. She's the sister of the murderous legend Michael Myers - and 3 years ago, she thought she had destroyed her sibling for good.

Heaven

Elf (Infinifilm Edition)

  • Features include: -MPAA Rating: PG -Format: DVD-Runtime: 97 minutes
This hilarious Christmas film tells the tale of a young orphan child who mistakenly crawls into Santa's bag of gifts on Christmas Eve and is transported back to the North Pole and raised as an elf. Years later Buddy learns he is not really an elf and goes on a journey to New York City to find his true identity.

DVD Features:
Audio Commentary:2 commentaries with Will Ferrell & Director
DVD ROM Features
Deleted Scenes
Featurette:Film school for kids Tag along with Will Ferrell How they made the North Pole Kids on Christmas and more!
Other:2-Disc Infinifilm DVD Widescreen version on Disc 1 and Fullscreen version on Disc 2 Spanish Language Track Elf Karaoke Read-Along Infinifilm Fact Tack Buddy's Adventure Game Elf Decoder Card and more!

Elf is genuinely ! good. Not just Saturday Night Live-movie good, when the movie has some funny bits but is basically an insult to humanity; Elf is a smartly written, skillfully directed, and deftly acted story of a human being adopted by Christmas elves who returns to the human world to find his father. And because the writing, directing, and acting are all genuinely good, Elf is also genuinely funny. Will Ferrell, as Buddy the adopted elf, is hysterically sincere. James Caan, as his rediscovered father, executes his surly dumbfoundedness with perfect aplomb. Zooey Deschanel, as a department store worker with whom Buddy falls in love, is adorably sardonic. Director Jon Favreau (Swingers) shepherds the movie through all the obligatory Christmas cliches and focuses on material that's sometimes subtle and consistently surprising. Frankly, Elf feels miraculous. Also featuring Mary Steenburgen, Bob Newhart, Peter Dinklage, and Ed Asner as Santa Claus. ! --Bret Fetzer


Stil! ls from Elf (click for larger image)


Evita

  • Directed by award-winning filmmaker Alan Parker, Evita is the riveting true-life story of Eva Peron, who rose above childhood poverty and a scandalous past to achieve unimaginable fortune and fame. Despite widespread controversy- her passion changed a nation forever! Winner of the coveted Academy Award for Best Song (1996) and 3 Golden Globe Awards (Best Picture, Best Actress and Best Song)- criti
Few times in the history of Hollywood has a film been released with the scope and daring of EVITA! Now, experience this landmark achievement as entertainment megastar Madonna -- in the role of a lifetime -- joins Antonio Banderas (ASSASSINS, DESPERADO) for the year's most talked about motion picture event! Directed by award-winning filmmaker Alan Parker (MISSISSIPPI BURNING), EVITA is the riveting true-life story of Eva Peron (MADONNA), who rose above childhood poverty and a scandalous past to achie! ve unimaginable fortune and fame. Despite widespread controversy, her passion changed a nation forever! Winner of the coveted Academy Award(R) for Best Song (1996) and 3 Golden Globe Awards (Best Picture, Best Actress, and Best Song) -- critics nationwide hailed EVITA as a triumphant must-see masterpiece -- and so will you!After more than a decade of false starts and several potential directors, the popular Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice musical finally made it to the big screen with Alan Parker (The Commitments) at the helm and Madonna in the coveted title role of Argentina's first lady, Eva Perón. A triumph of production design, costuming, cinematography, and epic-scale pageantry, the film follows the rise of Eva Perón to the level of supreme social and political celebrity in the 1940s. Like Madonna, Perón was a material girl (she was only 33 when she died); she was instrumental in the political success of her husband, Juan Perón (Jonathan Pryce). But Eva was al! so a supremely tragic figure whose life was essentially hollow! at its core despite the lavish benefits of her nearly goddess-like status. The film has a similar quality--it's visually astonishing but emotionally distant, and benefits greatly from the singing commentary of Ché (Antonio Banderas), who serves as a passionate chorus to guide the viewer through the elaborate parade of history. --Jeff Shannon

House of Flying Daggers [Blu-ray]

  • Condition: New
  • Format: Blu-ray
  • AC-3; Color; Dolby; Dubbed; Subtitled; Widescreen
THE ILL-FATED ROMANCE BETWEEN AN IMPERIAL BODYGUARD & A PRINCETAKES THE LOVERS ON A DANGEROUS JOURNEY WHERE ROYAL FAMILYSECRETS ARE REVEALED.Curse of the Golden Flower, a fictionalized historical glimpse into the brutally complicated politics of Emperor Ping's (Chow Yun Fat) reign during the Tang Dynasty, shows the viewer just how far a megalomaniac must go to gain and retain power in medieval China. Lavish sets, massive ceremonial displays, and perversely fascinating battle scenes impress similarly to the special effects Americans have come to love and expect from Chinese action films like Zhang Yimou's previous House of Flying Daggers and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. An intricate plot involving the Emperor's wife, Empress Phoenix (Gong Li) and their three sons, Crown Prin! ce Xiang, Prince Jie, and Prince Cheng, most closely follows the Empress's secret plan to force abdication upon her corrupt husband as revenge for his slowly poisoning her with Black Fungus tea. Opening on the eve of the Chysanthemum Festival, 928 A.D., the Empress obsessively embroiders gold chysanthemums to adorn her army's uniforms while hatching plans with Jai to overthrow the Crown Prince for control of the throne. Meanwhile, a side plot develops as the Emperor's ex-wife and mother to Crown Prince Yu reemerges as Yu's lover. By the time the Festival occurs, family members are pitted against each other in a King Lear-ian web of lies that can only result in demise. The most sophisticated narrative aspect of Curse of the Golden Flower is that as the royal family crumbles, the Emperor's death grip on China remains unwavering. Gorgeous scenes set in the palace and costume design displaying China's upper class decadence cannot fail to entertain. The paradox bet! ween good and evil, here, is highlighted by how the Emperor su! ccessful ly rules despite, and because of, his utter cruelty. --Trinie DaltonFrom the director of Hero and House of Flying Daggers comes the martial arts epic masterpiece whose savage beauty and exquisite elegance has mesmerized and captivated audiences around the world. Set in the lavish and breathtakingly colorful world hidden from the eyes of mere mortals behind the walls of the Forbidden City, a tale of a royal family divided against itself builds to a mythic climax as lines are crossed, trust is betrayed, and family blood is spilled in the quest for redemption and revenge. Starring Chow Yun Fat of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon as the embattled Emperor and Gong Li of Memoirs of a Geisha as his poisoned Empress, Curse of the Golden Flower grants you entry into a dazzling and spectacular world of betrayal, vengeance and passion that will change the way you think of martial arts forever.Curse of the Golden Flower, a fictionalized his! torical glimpse into the brutally complicated politics of Emperor Ping's (Chow Yun Fat) reign during the Tang Dynasty, shows the viewer just how far a megalomaniac must go to gain and retain power in medieval China. Lavish sets, massive ceremonial displays, and perversely fascinating battle scenes impress similarly to the special effects Americans have come to love and expect from Chinese action films like Zhang Yimou's previous House of Flying Daggers and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. An intricate plot involving the Emperor's wife, Empress Phoenix (Gong Li) and their three sons, Crown Prince Xiang, Prince Jie, and Prince Cheng, most closely follows the Empress's secret plan to force abdication upon her corrupt husband as revenge for his slowly poisoning her with Black Fungus tea. Opening on the eve of the Chysanthemum Festival, 928 A.D., the Empress obsessively embroiders gold chysanthemums to adorn her army's uniforms while hatching plans with Jai to overthrow th! e Crown Prince for control of the throne. Meanwhile, a side pl! ot devel ops as the Emperor's ex-wife and mother to Crown Prince Yu reemerges as Yu's lover. By the time the Festival occurs, family members are pitted against each other in a King Lear-ian web of lies that can only result in demise. The most sophisticated narrative aspect of Curse of the Golden Flower is that as the royal family crumbles, the Emperor's death grip on China remains unwavering. Gorgeous scenes set in the palace and costume design displaying China's upper class decadence cannot fail to entertain. The paradox between good and evil, here, is highlighted by how the Emperor successfully rules despite, and because of, his utter cruelty. --Trinie DaltonCrouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Named "Best Picture of the Year" by over 100 critics nationwide! Two master warriors (Chow Yun Fat and Michelle Yeoh) are faced with their greatest challenge when the treasured Green Destiny sword is stolen. A young aristocrat (Zhang Ziyi) prepares for an arr! anged marriage, but soon reveals her superior fighting talents and her deeply romantic past. As each warrior battles for justice, they come face to face with their worst enemy - and the inescapable, enduring power of love. Set against 19th-century China's breathtaking landscape, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is the action-packed, box office smash from acclaimed director Ang Lee (Sense and Sensibility, The Ice Storm) featuring stunning martial arts choreography by Yuen Wo Ping (The Matrix).

Curse of the Golden Flower
From the director of Hero and House of Flying Daggers comes the martial arts epic masterpiece whose savage beauty and exquisite elegance has mesmerized and captivated audiences around the world. Set in the lavish and breathtakingly colorful world hidden from the eyes of mere mortals behind the walls of the Forbidden City, a tale of a royal family divided against itself builds to a mythic clima! x as lines are crossed, trust is betrayed, and family blood is! spilled in the quest for redemption and revenge. Starring Chow Yun Fat of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon as the embattled Emperor and Gong Li of Memoirs of a Geisha as his poisoned Empress, Curse of the Golden Flower grants you entry into a dazzling and spectacular world of betrayal, vengeance and passion that will change the way you think of martial arts forever.

House of Flying Daggers
"Prepare your eyes for popping," in this "martial-arts fireball that throws in a lyrical love story, head spinning fights and dazzling surprises" (Rolling Stone). "A gorgeous entertainment" (A.O. Scott, New York Times). Mei is an exotic, beautiful blind dancer, associated with a dangerous revolutionary gang, known as the House of Flying Daggers. Captured by officers of the decadent Tang Dynasty, Mei finds herself both threatened - and attracted - to the most unusual circumstances. Here, her heart and loyalties battle each other, amid warriors in the t! reetops and dazzling combat - the likes of which have never before been seen!great film .A pair of police deputies at the end of China's Tang Dynasty attempt to save a beautiful dancer, with revolutionary ties, from capture.
Genre: Feature Film-Action/Adventure
Rating: PG13
Release Date: 1-JAN-2007
Media Type: DVDNo one uses color like Chinese director Zhang Yimou--movies like Raise the Red Lantern or Hero, though different in tone and subject matter, are drenched in rich, luscious shades of red, blue, yellow, and green. House of Flying Daggers is no exception; if they weren't choreographed with such vigorous imagination, the spectacular action sequences would seem little more than an excuse for vivid hues rippling across the screen. Government officers Leo and Jin (Asian superstars Andy Lau and Takeshi Kaneshiro) set out to destroy an underground rebellion called the House of Flying Daggers (named for their weapo! n of choice, a curved blade that swoops through the air like a! boomera ng). Their only chance to find the rebels is a blind women named Mei (Ziyi Zhang, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) who has some lethal kung fu moves of her own. In the guise of an aspiring rebel, Jin escorts Mei through gorgeous forests and fields that become bloody battlegrounds as soldiers try to kill them both. While arrows and spears of bamboo fly through the air, Mei, Jin, and Leo turn against each other in surprising ways, driven by passion and honor. Zhang's previous action/art film, Hero, sometimes sacrificed momentum for sheer visual beauty; House of Flying Daggers finds a more muscular balance of aesthetic splendor and dazzling swordplay. --Bret Fetzer"Prepare your eyes for popping," in this "martial-arts fireball that throws in a lyrical love story, head spinning fights and dazzling surprises" (Rolling Stone). "A gorgeous entertainment" (A.O. Scott, New York Times). Mei is an exotic, beautiful blind dancer, associated with a dangerous re! volutionary gang, known as the House of Flying Daggers. Captured by officers of the decadent Tang Dynasty, Mei finds herself both threatened - and attracted - to the most unusual circumstances. Here, her heart and loyalties battle each other, amid warriors in the treetops and dazzling combat - the likes of which have never before been seen!No one uses color like Chinese director Zhang Yimou--movies like Raise the Red Lantern or Hero, though different in tone and subject matter, are drenched in rich, luscious shades of red, blue, yellow, and green. House of Flying Daggers is no exception; if they weren't choreographed with such vigorous imagination, the spectacular action sequences would seem little more than an excuse for vivid hues rippling across the screen. Government officers Leo and Jin (Asian superstars Andy Lau and Takeshi Kaneshiro) set out to destroy an underground rebellion called the House of Flying Daggers (named for their weapon of choice, ! a curved blade that swoops through the air like a boomerang). ! Their on ly chance to find the rebels is a blind women named Mei (Ziyi Zhang, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) who has some lethal kung fu moves of her own. In the guise of an aspiring rebel, Jin escorts Mei through gorgeous forests and fields that become bloody battlegrounds as soldiers try to kill them both. While arrows and spears of bamboo fly through the air, Mei, Jin, and Leo turn against each other in surprising ways, driven by passion and honor. Zhang's previous action/art film, Hero, sometimes sacrificed momentum for sheer visual beauty; House of Flying Daggers finds a more muscular balance of aesthetic splendor and dazzling swordplay. --Bret Fetzer
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