Thursday, December 1, 2011

Baby Geniuses/Superbabies: Baby Geniuses

  • DVD, Double Feature, Full Screen, Special Features
  • Sony Pictures, both movies 1:33 minutes each
DR. ELENA KINDER IS CONVINCED THAT ALL BABIES ARE BORN KNOWINGTHE SECRETS OF THE UNIVERSE. HER CAPTIVE STABLE OF BABY GENIUSESDON'T THINK ADULTS ARE READY FOR THAT INFORMATION AND SET OUT TOFOIL HER EVIL PLOT.When babies babble or draw, adults jokingly say they know what the baby is trying to communicate. What if a clinic found that these babblings and doodles were actually very intelligent responses or scribbling of an ancient form of communication? Well, it seems that all it would create is this tepid comedy. Kathleen Turner runs the clinic that believes babies have "universal knowledge" before they learn to speak (and dumb down). What she plans to do with this knowledge is never really understood, but know this: the plans are evil. The secret lives of babies have been pretty adorably fi! lmed previously with Look Who's Talking, but here the babies talk and move via visual effects like the animals in Babe. They also karate chop adults and talk about such adorable things as "diaper gravy." By the time the story (a variation of The Parent Trap) heats up (relatively speaking), there is not much left to engage us except some cute babies that just look odd as effects take over their mouths and movements. --Doug ThomasA SUPER-BABY WITH MYSTERIOUS POWERS COMES TO THE AID OF A NEW SET OF BRILLIANT TODDLERS IN THIS HIGH-ADVENTURE SEQUEL.When babies babble or draw, adults jokingly say they know what the baby is trying to communicate. What if a clinic found that these babblings and doodles were actually very intelligent responses or scribbling of an ancient form of communication? Well, it seems that all it would create is this tepid comedy. Kathleen Turner runs the clinic that believes babies have "universal knowledge" before they learn to ! speak (and dumb down). What she plans to do with this knowledg! e is nev er really understood, but know this: the plans are evil. The secret lives of babies have been pretty adorably filmed previously with Look Who's Talking, but here the babies talk and move via visual effects like the animals in Babe. They also karate chop adults and talk about such adorable things as "diaper gravy." By the time the story (a variation of The Parent Trap) heats up (relatively speaking), there is not much left to engage us except some cute babies that just look odd as effects take over their mouths and movements. --Doug ThomasDr. Elena Kinder (Kathleen Turner) is out to dominate the world. Two-year-old Sly is the only person in her way. Dr. Kinder and her partner in crime, Dr. Heep (Christopher Lloyd), have a covert research lab dedicated to cracking the code to a secret baby language. When Sly escapes from the lab, he joins his twin brother Whit in an effort to expose the nefarious plot. Raised by his uncle (Peter MacNicol), who cares! for special children, Whit is naive to the ways of the world, and is quickly captured by Dr. Kinder. Mistaken for Whit, Sly is taken back to his uncle, where he rallies the other foster babies into a Super commando rescue squad to invade the secret lab in an effort to squash Dr. Kinder's evil plot.When babies babble or draw, adults jokingly say they know what the baby is trying to communicate. What if a clinic found that these babblings and doodles were actually very intelligent responses or scribbling of an ancient form of communication? Well, it seems that all it would create is this tepid comedy. Kathleen Turner runs the clinic that believes babies have "universal knowledge" before they learn to speak (and dumb down). What she plans to do with this knowledge is never really understood, but know this: the plans are evil. The secret lives of babies have been pretty adorably filmed previously with Look Who's Talking, but here the babies talk and move via visual eff! ects like the animals in Babe. They also karate chop ad! ults and talk about such adorable things as "diaper gravy." By the time the story (a variation of The Parent Trap) heats up (relatively speaking), there is not much left to engage us except some cute babies that just look odd as effects take over their mouths and movements. --Doug ThomasWhen babies babble or draw, adults jokingly say they know what the baby is trying to communicate. What if a clinic found that these babblings and doodles were actually very intelligent responses or scribbling of an ancient form of communication? Well, it seems that all it would create is this tepid comedy. Kathleen Turner runs the clinic that believes babies have "universal knowledge" before they learn to speak (and dumb down). What she plans to do with this knowledge is never really understood, but know this: the plans are evil. The secret lives of babies have been pretty adorably filmed previously with Look Who's Talking, but here the babies talk and move via visual effects li! ke the animals in Babe. They also karate chop adults and talk about such adorable things as "diaper gravy." By the time the story (a variation of The Parent Trap) heats up (relatively speaking), there is not much left to engage us except some cute babies that just look odd as effects take over their mouths and movements. --Doug ThomasStudio: Sony Pictures Home Ent Release Date: 03/30/2010

Hellboy 2 The Golden Army 13 Inch Deluxe Action Figure Angel of Death

  • Made by Mezco in 2008
  • Size: 8.5 inch
  • For ages 8+
HELLBOY II:GOLDEN ARMY - Blu-Ray MovieThe feverish Hellboy II: The Golden Army is a very busy sequel that might have looked unhinged in the hands of a less visionary director than Guillermo del Toro. Ron Perlman returns as Hellboy, aka "Red," the Dark Horse Comics demon-hero with roots in the mythical world but personal ties in the human realm. Still working, as he was in Hellboy, for a secret department of the federal government that deals (as in "Men In Black") with forces of the fantastic, Red and his colleagues take on a royal elf (Luke Goss) determined to smash a longtime truce between mankind and the forces of magic. Meanwhile, Red's relationship with girlfriend Liz (Selma Blair), who can burst into flames at will, is going through a rocky stage observed by Red's fishy friend Abe (Doug Jones), himself str! uck by love in this film. Del Toro brilliantly integrates the ordinary and extraordinary, diving into an extended scene set in a troll market barely hidden behind the façade of typical city streets. He also unleashes a forest monster that devastates an urban neighborhood, but then--interestingly--brings a luminous beauty to the same area as the creature (an "elemental") succumbs to a terrible death. Del Toro's art direction proves masterful, too, in a climactic battle set in a clockworks-like stronghold tucked away in rugged Irish landscape. But it's really the juxtaposition of visual marvels with not-so-unusual relationship issues that gives Hellboy II a certain jaunty appeal hard to find in other superhero movies. --Tom Keogh




Stills from Hellboy II: The Golden Army (Click for larger image)















Genre: Action/Adventure
Rating: PG13
Release Date: 11-NOV-2008
Media Type: DVDThe feverish Hellboy II: The Golden Army is a very busy sequel that might have looked unhinged in the hands of a less visionary director than Guillermo del Toro. Ron Perlman returns as Hellboy, aka "Red," the Dark Horse Comics demon-hero with roots in the mythical world but personal ties in the human realm. Still working, as he was in Hellboy, for a secret department of the federal government that deals (as in "Men In Black") with forces of the fantastic, Red and his colleagues take on a royal elf (Luke Goss) determined to smash a longtime truce between mankind and the forces of magic. Meanwhile, Red's relationship with girlfriend Li! z (Selma Blair), who can burst into flames at will, is going t! hrough a rocky stage observed by Red's fishy friend Abe (Doug Jones), himself struck by love in this film. Del Toro brilliantly integrates the ordinary and extraordinary, diving into an extended scene set in a troll market barely hidden behind the façade of typical city streets. He also unleashes a forest monster that devastates an urban neighborhood, but then--interestingly--brings a luminous beauty to the same area as the creature (an "elemental") succumbs to a terrible death. Del Toro's art direction proves masterful, too, in a climactic battle set in a clockworks-like stronghold tucked away in rugged Irish landscape. But it's really the juxtaposition of visual marvels with not-so-unusual relationship issues that gives Hellboy II a certain jaunty appeal hard to find in other superhero movies. --Tom Keogh




Stills from Hellboy II: The Golden Army (Click for larger image)











Studio: Uni Dist Corp. (mca) Release Date: 11/11/2008 Run time: 120 minutes Rating: Pg13 The feverish Hellboy II: The Golden Army is a very busy sequel that might have looked unhinged in the hands of a less visionary director than Guillermo del Toro. Ron Perlman returns as Hellboy, aka "Red," the Dark Horse Comics demon-hero with roots in the mythical world but personal ties in the human realm. Still working, as he was in Hellboy, for a secret department of the federal government that deals (as in "Men In Black") with forces of the fantastic, Red and his colleagues take on a royal elf (Luke Goss) determined to smash a longtime truce between mankind and the forces of magic. Meanwhile, Red's relationship with girlfrien! d Liz (Selma Blair), who can burst into flames at will, is going through a rocky stage observed by Red's fishy friend Abe (Doug Jones), himself struck by love in this film. Del Toro brilliantly integrates the ordinary and extraordinary, diving into an extended scene set in a troll market barely hidden behind the façade of typical city streets. He also unleashes a forest monster that devastates an urban neighborhood, but then--interestingly--brings a luminous beauty to the same area as the creature (an "elemental") succumbs to a terrible death. Del Toro's art direction proves masterful, too, in a climactic battle set in a clockworks-like stronghold tucked away in rugged Irish landscape. But it's really the juxtaposition of visual marvels with not-so-unusual relationship issues that gives Hellboy II a certain jaunty appeal hard to find in other superhero movies. --Tom Keogh




Stills from Hellboy II: The Golden Arm! y (Click for larger image)











After an ancient truce existing between humankind and the invisible realm of the fantastic is broken, hell on Earth is ready to erupt. A ruthless leader who treads the world above and the one below defies his bloodline and awakens an unstoppable army of creatures. Now, it's up to the planet's toughest, roughest superhero to battle the merciless dictator and his marauders. He may be red. He may be horned. He may be misunderstood. But when you need the job done right, it's time to call Hellboy. Along with his expanding team in the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense - pyrotechnic girlfriend Liz Sherman, aquatic empathy Abe Sapien, and protoplasmic mysti! c Johann - the BPRD will travel between the surface strata and! the uns een magical one, where creatures of fantasy become corporeal. And Hellboy, a creature of two worlds who's accepted by neither, must choose between the life he knows and an unknown destiny that beckons him.Studio: Uni Dist Corp. (mca) Release Date: 01/27/2009 Rating: Pg13 The feverish Hellboy II: The Golden Army is a very busy sequel that might have looked unhinged in the hands of a less visionary director than Guillermo del Toro. Ron Perlman returns as Hellboy, aka "Red," the Dark Horse Comics demon-hero with roots in the mythical world but personal ties in the human realm. Still working, as he was in Hellboy, for a secret department of the federal government that deals (as in "Men In Black") with forces of the fantastic, Red and his colleagues take on a royal elf (Luke Goss) determined to smash a longtime truce between mankind and the forces of magic. Meanwhile, Red's relationship with girlfriend Liz (Selma Blair), who can burst into flames at will, is going! through a rocky stage observed by Red's fishy friend Abe (Doug Jones), himself struck by love in this film. Del Toro brilliantly integrates the ordinary and extraordinary, diving into an extended scene set in a troll market barely hidden behind the façade of typical city streets. He also unleashes a forest monster that devastates an urban neighborhood, but then--interestingly--brings a luminous beauty to the same area as the creature (an "elemental") succumbs to a terrible death. Del Toro's art direction proves masterful, too, in a climactic battle set in a clockworks-like stronghold tucked away in rugged Irish landscape. But it's really the juxtaposition of visual marvels with not-so-unusual relationship issues that gives Hellboy II a certain jaunty appeal hard to find in other superhero movies. --Tom Keogh




Stills from Hellboy II: The Golden Army (Click for larger image)











From the mind of visionary director Guillermo del Toro, this hauntingly designed 13" tall deluxe figure features an eyeless face, razor-sharp teeth, and poseable, eye-adorned wings that span approximately 10"! Intricately sculpted with a remarkable attention to detail, a must-have collectible for every Hellboy fan. Window box packaging.

The Go-Getter

  • GO GETTER, THE (DVD MOVIE)
ALL THE REAL GIRLS - DVD MovieYou'd think moviemakers would have run out of new ways of capturing the trials and joys of young love--but director David Gordon Green finds a fresh take in All the Real Girls, a bittersweet small-town romance. By leaving out the usual humdrum exposition of a courtship story, Green cuts right to the little moments that form the high and low points of a budding relationship. It's an impressionistic style aided by the wonderfully spontaneous and unpredictable acting of Paul Schneider (who also co-scripted) and Zooey Deschanel--who look like they're improvising, even though they're not. As in Green's excellent debut feature George Washington, a small town serves as an atmospheric backdrop--this place looks a couple of decades shy of the 21st century. The mosaic approach makes the film play like a collection of memories, someo! ne's first love recalled with fondness and just a bit of regret. --Robert HortonYou'd think moviemakers would have run out of new ways of capturing the trials and joys of young love--but director David Gordon Green finds a fresh take in All the Real Girls, a bittersweet small-town romance. By leaving out the usual humdrum exposition of a courtship story, Green cuts right to the little moments that form the high and low points of a budding relationship. It's an impressionistic style aided by the wonderfully spontaneous and unpredictable acting of Paul Schneider (who also co-scripted) and Zooey Deschanel--who look like they're improvising, even though they're not. As in Green's excellent debut feature George Washington, a small town serves as an atmospheric backdrop--this place looks a couple of decades shy of the 21st century. The mosaic approach makes the film play like a collection of memories, someone's first love recalled with fondness and just a bit! of regret. --Robert HortonSometimes you find love wher! e you'd least expect it. Just ask Lars (Academy Award-Nominee* Ryan Gosling), a sweet but quirky guy who thinks he's found the girl of his dreams in a life-sized doll named Bianca. Lars is completely content with his artificial girlfriend, but when he develops feelings for Margo, an attractive co-worker, Lars finds himself lost in a hilariously unique love triangle, hoping to somehow discover the real meaning of true love. Offbeat and endearing, this romantic comedy takes a fresh look at dating and relationships and dares to ask the question: What's so wrong with being happy?To some, Lars and the Real Girl will play as comedy; to others, tragedy. Though Craig Gillespie (Mr. Woodcock) allows Lars Lindstrom (a mustachioed Ryan Gosling, miles away from Half Nelson) a happy ending, the road is far from smooth. This rumpled Midwesterner couldn't be more miserable. His brother, Gus (Paul Schneider, All the Real Girls), and sister-in-law, Karin (Emily Mortimer, Love! ly and Amazing), fall over themselves to cheer him up, but Lars cannot be moved; he̢۪s been like that since childhood. Then a porn-addicted co-worker hips him to the lifelike Real Doll. The next thing everyone knows, Lars has a new girlfriend named Bianca. She's from Brazil, she's shy, and she uses a wheelchair. She's also made of silicon. (Because Lars is a devout Christian, hanky-panky is out of the question.) Since he's finally emerging from his shell, his doctor, Dagmar (Patricia Clarkson), advises Gus and Karin to play along with the "delusion." Soon the whole town, including Margo (Kelli Garner), who harbors a not-so-secret crush on her officemate, gets in on the action, forcing Lars to rejoin the human race or crawl deeper into psychosis. Written by Six Feet Under's Nancy Oliver, Lars and the Real Girl is built around such a preposterous premise, it's hard to know whether to laugh or cry. Fortunately, the actors play it straight. Gosling does his b! est to make Lars sympathetic, but Schneider and Mortimer, full! y convin cing in their concern, are the true heart and soul of this odd little film. --Kathleen C. Fennessy


Beyond Lars and the Real Girl


More from Ryan Gosling

Lars and the Real Girl Soundtrack

More Comedies from MGM


Stills from Lars and the Real Girl







The Great Depression hits home for nine-year-old Kit Kittredge when her dad loses his business and leaves to find work. Oscar nominee* Abigail Breslin stars as Kit, leading a splendid cast in the first-ever American Girl theatrical movie. In order to keep their home, Kit and her mother must take in boarders paying houseguests who turn out to be full of fascinating stories. When m! others lockbox containing all their money is stolen, Kits new ! hobo fri end Will is the prime suspect. Kit refuses to believe that Will would steal, and her efforts to sniff out the real news get her and her friends into big trouble. The police say the robbery was an inside job, committed by someone they knew. So if it wasnt Will, then who did it?A period piece set in the Great Depression and based on the extremely popular American Girl book series, Kit Kittredge is a moving and believable story about a smart 10-year-old girl whose family is profoundly affected by the Depression. May, 1934 finds Kit Kittredge (Abigail Breslin) living a very comfortable life in a nice home with her mother (Julia Ormond) and father (Chris O'Donnell) despite the Depression that is affecting many of her neighbors. When her father's auto dealership is taken back by the bank, Kit's father is forced to head for Chicago to look for work, leaving his family struggling to make ends meet by taking in borders. Kindhearted and generous by nature, Kit's nose for! news and her aspirations of becoming a great reporter lead her to write a portrait of the boardinghouse run by her mother, essentially a kid's view of the Depression as well as an article about hobos that challenges many commonly held prejudices. Kit determinedly submits her articles to the local Cincinnati Register paper, regardless of the chief editor's stern ways and obvious lack of interest. When her own family and boarders become the victims of a crime, Kit's must utilize her investigative skills to solve the crime and exonerate her friend Will (Max Thieriot). Breslin's performance in this film is stellar--viewers can't help but believe that she is Kit Kittredge. The filmmakers' attention to detail ensures that everything from scenery props to music and dialogue seem completely authentic, and performances by Joan Cusack as the mobile librarian, Stanley Tucci as the traveling magician, Jane Krakowski as the desperate-for-love dance instructor, and Zach Mills as Kit's y! oung friend, are all impressive. Serious American Girl fans, p! eriod fi lm lovers, and viewers just looking for a good story will love this film. (Ages 3 and older) --Tami HoriuchiYou'd think moviemakers would have run out of new ways of capturing the trials and joys of young love--but director David Gordon Green finds a fresh take in All the Real Girls, a bittersweet small-town romance. By leaving out the usual humdrum exposition of a courtship story, Green cuts right to the little moments that form the high and low points of a budding relationship. It's an impressionistic style aided by the wonderfully spontaneous and unpredictable acting of Paul Schneider (who also co-scripted) and Zooey Deschanel--who look like they're improvising, even though they're not. As in Green's excellent debut feature George Washington, a small town serves as an atmospheric backdrop--this place looks a couple of decades shy of the 21st century. The mosaic approach makes the film play like a collection of memories, someone's first love recalled w! ith fondness and just a bit of regret. --Robert HortonFabulous, fashionable and completely “hot,” The Real L Word is reality TV that only Showtime can bring you. Meet six of the most gorgeous, powerful, and fascinating lesbians of LA. They live life within the glamorous inner circle of Hollywood and no matter who you are, it won’t be long until you’re caught up in their drama.When a teenager s mother dies, his road trip in a stolen car to reunite with his long lost brother unexpectedly becomes a fun roller-coaster of self-discovery.

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (Single-Disc Edition)

  • Chipmunk singing sensations Alvin, Simon and Theodore are back for an encore in this hilarious
  • But they soon face some stiff competition when they meet the Chipettes ? a beautiful, talented trio
A L V I N ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Struggling songwriter Dave Seville (Jason Lee) opens his home to a talented trio of chipmunks named Alvin, Simon and Theodore, they become overnight music sensations. But when a greedy record producer (David Cross) tries to exploit the "boys", Dave must use a little human ingenuity and a lot of 'munk mischief to get his furry family back before it's too late!Families come in many different shapes and sizes, but few humans consider rodents members of the family. Dave Seville (Jason Lee) is no exception, so when this flailing musician finds three young talking chipmunks gorging themselves in his kitchen cupboards, Dave is quick to question his sanity and then toss the o! ffending chipmunks outside into the rain and restore order. When Dave hears the chipmunks singing outside his window, he realizes that that unusual trio might just be the world's next vocal sensation and he strikes a bargain with them--the chipmunks can stay with him if they sing his songs. While chipmunks Alvin (Justin Long), Theodore (Jesse McCartney), and Simon (Matthew Gray Gubler) quickly begin to see Dave as a father figure, it's strictly a business arrangement for Dave and he maintains an appropriate emotional distance. Dave's frustration with the chipmunks mounts as they unwittingly wreak havoc on his personal life, but when Dave's old friend and record label mogul Ian (David Cross) begins to exploit the chipmunks for personal gain, Dave suddenly realizes what an important part of his life, and indeed his family, the three chipmunks have become. Hilarity reins in this live action/CGI comedy with many memorable scenes--think chipmunks showering in the dishwasher, rid! ing in remote control planes, and bouncing off the walls under! the inf luence of a serious caffeine buzz. Catchy Chipmunks' songs both new and old promise to lodge themselves in the minds of viewers long after the credits roll and even those none-too-enchanted with the premise of singing chipmunks can't help but be entertained by this comical film. (Ages 6 and older with parental guidance due to mild rude humor) --Tami HoriuchiChipmunk singing sensations Alvin, Simon and Theodore are back for an encore in this hilarious “squeakquel” packed with more action and more nutty fun for the whole family! When a concert mishap lands Dave in the hospital, the Chipmunks take a break from superstardom and enroll in school to fit in with kids their age. But they soon face some stiff competition when they meet the Chipettes â€" a beautiful, talented trio of chipmunks discovered by Ian, the boys’ evil ex-manager! Dave (Jason Lee) isn't exactly the typical father figure with an average family, but he cares deeply about his adoptive chipmunks Alvin! (Justin Long), Theodore (Jesse McCartney), and Simon (Matthew Gray Gubler). While the performing life presents its own unique challenges, Dave always does his best to instill a sense of compassion and familial love into his young charges. When Alvin begins to get a little too caught up in his own stardom, Dave reminds him to share the spotlight with his fellow chipmunks, but Alvin gets carried away and ends up inadvertently injuring Dave on location in Paris. Aunt Jackie (Kathryn Joosten) steps in to look after the Chipmunks, but when her wheelchair rolls down a flight of stairs, only her irresponsible grandson Toby (Zachary Levi) is left to watch over the boys. An unemployed video gamer who lives with Jackie, Toby is completely unprepared for the responsibility of caring for the Chipmunks, but he agrees nonetheless. Starting school is not easy for the Chipmunks, and they are the target of bullying from their very first day. But Alvin eventually works his way in with the p! opular crowd, leaving Theodore and Simon to fend for themselve! s with l ittle support from Toby. The school principal (Wendie Malick) is one of the Chipmunks' biggest fans, and when the school's music department is about to be shut down due to lack of funds, she decides to enter them in a competition that will save the music program. Enter the Chipettes--female chipmunks Brittany (Christina Applegate), Eleanor (Amy Poehler), and Jeanette (Anna Faris), who are seeking their own chance for singing stardom--and the Chipmunks' dishonest ex-agent, Ian (David Cross), and the stage is set for some serious backstabbing competition. Craziness reigns as the two groups wage a musical war against one another, but in the end it all comes down to a question of what's more important--stardom or friendship. As in the first Alvin and the Chipmunks movie, the music is strangely appealing despite being performed mostly in falsetto, the characters are cute, the action is comical, and the life lessons ring true. (Ages 6 and older with parental guidance due to! some mild rude humor) --Tami Horiuchi

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