Friday, November 18, 2011

Catch Me If You Can: The True Story of a Real Fake

  • ISBN13: 9780767905381
  • Condition: New
  • Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!
An FBI agent (Hanks) tracks down and catches a young con artist (DiCaprio) who successfully impersonated an airline pilot, doctor, assistant attorney general and history professor, cashing more than $2.5 million in fraudulent checks in 26 countries.An enormously entertaining (if somewhat shallow) affair from blockbuster director Steven Spielberg. Leonardo DiCaprio stars as Frank Abagnale, Jr., a dazzling young con man who spent four years impersonating an airline pilot, a doctor, and a lawyer--all before he turned 21. All the while he's pursued by a dedicated FBI agent named Carl Hanratty (Tom Hanks), whose dogged determination stays one step behind Abagnale's spontaneous wits. Both DiCaprio! and Hanks turn in enjoyable performances and the movie has a bouncy rhythm that keeps it zipping along. However, it never gets under the surface of Frank's drive to lose himself in other identities, other than a simplistic desire to please his father (Christopher Walken, excellent as always), nor does it explore the complex mechanics of fraud with any depth. By the movie's end, it feels like one of Frank's pilot uniforms--appearance without substance. --Bret FetzerBased on the true story of frank abagnale jr. a successful con artist who managed to pass himself off as several identities and the fbi agent hot on his trail. Studio: Paramount Home Video Release Date: 05/01/2007 Starring: Leonardo Dicaprio Christopher Walken Run time: 141 minutes Rating: Pg13 Director: Steven SpielbergAn enormously entertaining (if somewhat shallow) affair from blockbuster director Steven Spielberg. Leonardo DiCaprio stars as Frank Abagnale, Jr., a dazzling young! con man who spent four years impersonating an airline pilot,! a doct or, and a lawyer--all before he turned 21. All the while he's pursued by a dedicated FBI agent named Carl Hanratty (Tom Hanks), whose dogged determination stays one step behind Abagnale's spontaneous wits. Both DiCaprio and Hanks turn in enjoyable performances and the movie has a bouncy rhythm that keeps it zipping along. However, it never gets under the surface of Frank's drive to lose himself in other identities, other than a simplistic desire to please his father (Christopher Walken, excellent as always), nor does it explore the complex mechanics of fraud with any depth. By the movie's end, it feels like one of Frank's pilot uniforms--appearance without substance. --Bret FetzerFrank W. Abagnale, alias Frank Williams, Robert Conrad, Frank Adams, and Robert Monjo, was one of the most daring con men, forgers, imposters, and escape artists in history.  In his brief but notorious criminal career, Abagnale donned a pilot's uniform and copiloted a Pa! n Am jet, masqueraded as the supervising resident of a hospital, practiced law without a license, passed himself off as a college sociology professor, and cashed over $2.5 million in forged checks, all before he was twenty-one. Known by the police of twenty-six foreign countries and all fifty states as "The Skywayman," Abagnale lived a sumptuous life on the lam-until the law caught up with him.  Now recognized as the nation's leading authority on financial foul play, Abagnale is a charming rogue whose hilarious, stranger-than-fiction international escapades, and ingenious escapes-including one from an airplane-make Catch Me If You Can an irresistible tale of deceit.

The uproarious, bestselling true story of the world's most sought-after con man currently in development as a DreamWorks feature film.

"I stole every nickel and blew it on fine threads, luxurious lodgings, fantastic foxes, and other sensual goodies.  I partied in every capital in ! Europe and basked on all the world's most famous beaches."When! this tr ue-crime story first appeared in 1980, it made the New York Times bestseller list within weeks. Two decades later, it's being rereleased in conjunction with a film version produced by DreamWorks. In the space of five years, Frank Abagnale passed $2.5 million in fraudulent checks in every state and 26 foreign countries. He did it by pioneering implausible and brazen scams, such as impersonating a Pan Am pilot (puddle jumping around the world in the cockpit, even taking over the controls). He also played the role of a pediatrician and faked his way into the position of temporary resident supervisor at a hospital in Georgia. Posing as a lawyer, he conned his way into a position in a state attorney general's office, and he taught a semester of college-level sociology with a purloined degree from Columbia University.

The kicker is, he was actually a teenage high school dropout. Now an authority on counterfeiting and secure documents, Abagnale tells of his years of i! mpersonations, swindles, and felonies with humor and the kind of confidence that enabled him to pull off his poseur performances. "Modesty is not one of my virtues. At the time, virtue was not one of my virtues," he writes. In fact, he did it all for his overactive libido--he needed money and status to woo the girls. He also loved a challenge and the ego boost that came with playing important men. What's not disclosed in this highly engaging tale is that Abagnale was released from prison after five years on the condition that he help the government write fraud-prevention programs. So, if you're planning to pick up some tips from this highly detailed manifesto on paperhanging, be warned: this master has already foiled you. --Lesley Reed

The Baby-Sitters Club #1: Kristy's Great Idea

  • ISBN13: 9780545174756
  • Condition: New
  • Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!
Sex, sex, and more sex!

Kelly Haven returns to gather together every single story in her Barely Legal Babysitters series…with a few surprises thrown in for good measure!

Tales of oral sex, anal sex, threesomes, naughty schoolgirls, Asian beauties, lesbian lust, and more, are included in this scorching hot collection that features tight, eighteen year old girls sucking, licking, and fucking their way into your hearts.

Featuring all-new multimedia material that takes you inside the story as only Kelly Haven and Sweet Nothings can do.

Also includes the bonus bestseller, His Daughter's Best Friend!

Erotic fiction so hot it'll melt your Kindle.
!
Includes excerpts from Her Best Friend's Dad by Rachel Boleyn, Diary of a Nympho: The Step Dad by Kelly Haven, and Hardcore Hotel: A Wrinkle Inside by Rachel Boleyn and Kelly Haven.
Sex, sex, and more sex!

Kelly Haven returns to gather together every single story in her Barely Legal Babysitters series…with a few surprises thrown in for good measure!

Tales of oral sex, anal sex, threesomes, naughty schoolgirls, Asian beauties, lesbian lust, and more, are included in this scorching hot collection that features tight, eighteen year old girls sucking, licking, and fucking their way into your hearts.

Featuring all-new multimedia material that takes you inside the story as only Kelly Haven and Sweet Nothings can do.

Also includes the bonus bestseller, His Daughter's Best Friend!

Erotic fiction so hot it'll melt your Kindle.

Includes excerpts from Her Best Friend's Dad by Rachel Boleyn, Diary of a Nympho: The Step Dad by Kell! y Haven, and Hardcore Hotel: A Wrinkle Inside by Rachel Boleyn! and Kel ly Haven.
Megan is tired of bad dates and boring young guys. She wants the experience only an older man can provide and she has her eyes set on serious and conservative Mr. Stevens. But when things start to heat up, they get hotter than she ever expected. Now he has her down on the couch, her legs spread wide and ready to do as she’s told just like a good girl should.

For Adults Only: This short story (over 3000 words) is full of hot, hardcore sex between a stepfather and his stepdaughter. All characters are represented as 18 or older.


This story is also included in OH, DADDY - THE 4 DADDY SEX STORY COLLECTION here on Amazon (Daddy Catches His Little Slut, The Babysitter is a Good Girl for Daddy, Pleasing the Partners at Daddy's Gangbang, Anything to Please Daddy).Megan is tired of bad dates and boring young guys. She wants the experience only an older man can provide and she has her eyes set on serious and conservative Mr. Stevens. But when! things start to heat up, they get hotter than she ever expected. Now he has her down on the couch, her legs spread wide and ready to do as she’s told just like a good girl should.

For Adults Only: This short story (over 3000 words) is full of hot, hardcore sex between a stepfather and his stepdaughter. All characters are represented as 18 or older.


This story is also included in OH, DADDY - THE 4 DADDY SEX STORY COLLECTION here on Amazon (Daddy Catches His Little Slut, The Babysitter is a Good Girl for Daddy, Pleasing the Partners at Daddy's Gangbang, Anything to Please Daddy).Eighteen-year-old Annie thinks she's over for a night of babysitting, but she's in for more than she bargained for when the hot twenty-four-year old son seduces her after the little body goes to bed. Things are about to get rough and raunchy when his dad and best friend join the fun. Can Annie handle the extreme group sex they're about to dish out?

EXCERPT:

! Mr. Dawson instantly appeared in the doorway as though he’d ! been lis tening in to their conversation. He unbuttoned the top button of his white shirt and stepped forward, clearing his throat. He sat down on the other side of Annie, and she felt the bed sag under his considerable weight. His fat hand rested on her bare knee.

“What are you doing?” she asked him.

“This,” he said.

Before she could object, Mr. Dawson grabbed her face and pushed his tongue into her mouth. She wanted to object â€" to push him away and slap him, to demand that he stop immediately. But Ryan’s hand fondled her breast, and she felt the familiar tingle inside her panties that signaled her getting horny.

Mr. Dawson’s hand fell back to her leg, and it slid up her thigh and disappeared underneath her skirt. His fingers probed against her panties, rubbing her through the thin, damp cloth. Ryan squeezed her breast through her shirt, and she gasped at his touch. Only Ryan’s touch kept her from screaming and running away! from Mr. Dawson’s pawing.

Ryan turned his face toward him and pulled her into a spectacular kiss. She melted into his embrace, barely noticing the fat, sweaty hand that had made its way inside her panties and was now dipping itself between her labia. Ryan’s tongue probed inside her mouth, sending shivers of ecstasy through her. She found herself reaching forward and grasping his stiffening cock through his shorts.

With Ryan’s kiss absorbing her, she hardly noticed when Mr. Dawson pulled her panties down and discarded them. Ryan deftly leaned back onto the bed, taking her with him as he continued to kiss her passionately. She paid no attention to the face that her legs were being spread apart, and the scruffy face of Ryan’s stepfather was burying itself firmly between them.

She was vaguely aware of the feeling of something warm and soft against her clit. Ryan continued to kiss her, running his fingers through her hair, keeping her me! smerized. His hands explored her body, reaching underneath her! shirt a nd grasping her small breast, cupping it gently and massaging it. She purred softly, the sound muffled by his kiss on her mouth.

Her hips began to writhe slightly as pleasure washed over her. She didn’t understand or even care why it was happening. All she could think of was the deliciousness of Ryan’s kiss, tasting faintly of alcohol, and his touch.Eighteen-year-old Annie thinks she's over for a night of babysitting, but she's in for more than she bargained for when the hot twenty-four-year old son seduces her after the little body goes to bed. Things are about to get rough and raunchy when his dad and best friend join the fun. Can Annie handle the extreme group sex they're about to dish out?

EXCERPT:

Mr. Dawson instantly appeared in the doorway as though he’d been listening in to their conversation. He unbuttoned the top button of his white shirt and stepped forward, clearing his throat. He sat down on the other side of Annie, and she felt th! e bed sag under his considerable weight. His fat hand rested on her bare knee.

“What are you doing?” she asked him.

“This,” he said.

Before she could object, Mr. Dawson grabbed her face and pushed his tongue into her mouth. She wanted to object â€" to push him away and slap him, to demand that he stop immediately. But Ryan’s hand fondled her breast, and she felt the familiar tingle inside her panties that signaled her getting horny.

Mr. Dawson’s hand fell back to her leg, and it slid up her thigh and disappeared underneath her skirt. His fingers probed against her panties, rubbing her through the thin, damp cloth. Ryan squeezed her breast through her shirt, and she gasped at his touch. Only Ryan’s touch kept her from screaming and running away from Mr. Dawson’s pawing.

Ryan turned his face toward him and pulled her into a spectacular kiss. She melted into his embrace, barely noticing the fat, sweaty hand that had made its w! ay inside her panties and was now dipping itself between her l! abia. Ry an’s tongue probed inside her mouth, sending shivers of ecstasy through her. She found herself reaching forward and grasping his stiffening cock through his shorts.

With Ryan’s kiss absorbing her, she hardly noticed when Mr. Dawson pulled her panties down and discarded them. Ryan deftly leaned back onto the bed, taking her with him as he continued to kiss her passionately. She paid no attention to the face that her legs were being spread apart, and the scruffy face of Ryan’s stepfather was burying itself firmly between them.

She was vaguely aware of the feeling of something warm and soft against her clit. Ryan continued to kiss her, running his fingers through her hair, keeping her mesmerized. His hands explored her body, reaching underneath her shirt and grasping her small breast, cupping it gently and massaging it. She purred softly, the sound muffled by his kiss on her mouth.

Her hips began to writhe slightly as pleasure washed over her. She did! n’t understand or even care why it was happening. All she could think of was the deliciousness of Ryan’s kiss, tasting faintly of alcohol, and his touch.Todd learns that his vivacious new babysitter has an insatiable hunger for older men, and when he returns home later that evening he discovers just how badly that appetite needs to be fed!

This story contains graphic sexual descriptions and is intended for the delight of adults only.

PLEASE NOTE:

This Quickie tale (along with many others) can also be found in Erotica: Tales of Flesh, Complete Edition - as well as Erotica: Tales of Flesh, Collection Two.Todd learns that his vivacious new babysitter has an insatiable hunger for older men, and when he returns home later that evening he discovers just how badly that appetite needs to be fed!

This story contains graphic sexual descriptions and is intended for the delight of adults only.

PLEASE NOTE:

This Quickie tale (alo! ng with many others) can also be found in Erotica: Tales of Fl! esh, Com plete Edition - as well as Erotica: Tales of Flesh, Collection Two.Eighteen year old Nikki has been babysitting for her long-time crush and widower, Carl McKade, for two years. She would do anything to get his attention, including proving that she’s old enough for a real man now. So when Mr. McKade arrives home late one night, naughty Nikki decides to pass up payment to suck and fuck her way into his grieving heart.

Sneak Peek: “Have you ever been with a man before?” Carl asked.
Though Nikki had slept with a few teenage boys from her school, she had never been with a man. Not a real one. Mr. McKade was more than twenty years older than her. He was a man. He had hair on his chest and a huge cock in his hand. Nikki couldn’t wait to explore.
“They’ve all been boys,” she giggled coyly. “So far.”

Mature Content: loaded with hot, graphic sex, including oral sex and erotic sex between an older man and his teenage babysitter. All cha! racters are represented as 18 or older.

XXX : Over 3500 words of hardcore sex and forbidden pleasure!
Eighteen year old Nikki has been babysitting for her long-time crush and widower, Carl McKade, for two years. She would do anything to get his attention, including proving that she’s old enough for a real man now. So when Mr. McKade arrives home late one night, naughty Nikki decides to pass up payment to suck and fuck her way into his grieving heart.

Sneak Peek: “Have you ever been with a man before?” Carl asked.
Though Nikki had slept with a few teenage boys from her school, she had never been with a man. Not a real one. Mr. McKade was more than twenty years older than her. He was a man. He had hair on his chest and a huge cock in his hand. Nikki couldn’t wait to explore.
“They’ve all been boys,” she giggled coyly. “So far.”

Mature Content: loaded with hot, graphic sex, including oral sex and erotic sex between an olde! r man and his teenage babysitter. All characters are represent! ed as 18 or older.

XXX : Over 3500 words of hardcore sex and forbidden pleasure!
The first of the new Collector's Club Editions features a new logo, bright new cover, and fill-in pages to personalize as Kristy comes up with the idea for the Baby-sitter's Club with friends Claudia, Stacey, and Mary Anne. It all began with a great idea ... and the inspiring original story of the Baby-sitters Club is back! Kristy Thomas's brilliant business plan gets off to a great start with the help of Claudia Kishi (vice-president), Mary Anne Spier (secretary), and Stacey McGill (treasurer).


Amazon Exclusive Inteview with Author Ann M. Martin

Q: It's been a decade since the last Baby-sitters Club books came out, and 24 years since the first book was published. What was it li! ke to come back to the BSC after so many years away?

Martin: I had a great time re-visiting the characters. It was fun to explore their lives in the prequel, “"The Summer Before," and to figure out what led the girls to form The Baby-sitters Club, something that would eventually change their lives. It was like a reunion with friends--friends who haven’t changed a bit.

Q: Kristy, Claudia, Mary Anne, and Stacey are very different characters, which is in part why the series was and is still so popular. Every reader can relate to at least one of the characters. So, we have to ask you--which character are you most like?

Martin: I am most like Mary Anne who is the shy and quiet one. Like me, Mary Anne enjoys more solitary pursuits such as reading and needlework. My favorite character, however, is Kristy. I think she's my alter ego.

Q: Were you allowed to baby-s! it when you were twelve? If so, were they any funny or awful s! tories y ou'd like to share?

Martin: Yes, I did a lot of baby-sitting when I was twelve. One of the worst and also funniest things that ever happened was when I was baby-sitting for our neighbors and the kids wanted to wash their parents' car. They started the job with much enthusiasm--using Brillo pads.

Q: More than 200 BSC books were published in the eighties and nineties. Are there any that you are particularly fond of and why?

Martin: My favorite Baby-sitters Club book is "Kristy's Great Idea," which is the first book and sets the series in motion. I also like the more serious books such as "Claudia and the Sad Good-bye," which deals with the death of Claudia’s grandmother. This book was written shortly after my own grandmother died. My other favorite BSC books include “Kristy and the Secret of Susan,” in which the members of the BSC baby-sit for a child with autism, and "Jessi's Secr! et Language" in which the girls learn American Sign Language in order to communicate with a sitting charge with profound hearing impairment.

Q: Why do you think that the series is so well-loved and has endured over so many years?

Martin: I think the characters in the BSC books are easily relatable. The books deal with timeless topics including friendship, family, and school. Also, the books tackle serious issues including racism, bullying, kids with disabilities (physical and mental), and death of a loved one. These issues were relevant to kids in the 1980s and 1990s, and are still relevant to kids today. In addition to being relatable, these are characters readers can aspire to. The kids run a business--in this case, a baby-sitting business. They are entrepreneurial, independent, creative, and confident. And at the heart of the series is the friendship--the "glue" that binds these characters. Sure, they have fight! s, but they're loyal and they support one another. I think a l! ot of us --even adults--can relate to that.

Q: "The Summer Before" takes place during the summer before the girls enter the seventh grade--where suddenly there's a ton of pressure to fit in. The months leading up to it can be filled with anxiety, excitement, and anticipation. Do you remember how you spent the summer before seventh grade?

Martin: I was nervous that summer because in the fall I would be going to a new school â€" the junior high (this was in the time before middle schools). Even the words "junior high" seemed terribly grown-up. My friends and I would be attending school with eighth-graders, who were one step away from high school. I spent that summer reading, going to the community pool, taking a family trip to Cape May, New Jersey, doing some baby-sitting, and also recovering from surgery. But the knowledge that I would soon be in junior high school colored every day and every activity and did lend the summer! an air of both anxiety and anticipation.

Q: Despite the fun the girls have together in "The Summer Before," they're all dealing with pretty tough problemsâ€"moving away, an absentee father, a first crush. How did you choose the issues you wanted to focus on?

Martin:  One of my favorite things about writing a series was that the characters themselves generated plot ideas for later books. One of the themes that developed as the series progressed was that of Kristy's relationship with her father. It was an idea I enjoyed exploring, and when I had the opportunity to write the prequel I realized that this summer would be a charged time for Kristy, and that I could introduce the issues she had with her father here; then they could unfold in the later books. The same applied to Stacey. Her reasons for moving to Stoneybrook had been revealed in later books, but I realized that during this particular summer the reader could! actually watch the events take place. The other issues â€" a ! first cr ush, wanting more independence yet still feeling like a kid--are themes that I felt would resonate with most "tween" readers.

Q:
Even though the books have been out of print for ten years there are still some very devoted fans. Surely you must have received a ton of letters about the series over the years. Are there any that stick out in your mind?

Martin: The most memorable are stories of girls who have written to me and told me that I’ve made an impact on their lives, that The Baby-sitters Club books have turned them into readers. Some have also said that the BSC books made them aspire to become writers. I’ve also heard from a lot of the original fans who grew up to become teachers, librarians, editors, journalists, entrepreneurs, etc. To know that this series inspired a generation of readers and writers is very humbling.

Q: There’s been a lot of speculation in the blogosphere abo! ut where Claudia, Kristy, Mary Ann, and Stacey would be now, in 2010, had they grown up. Do you have any thoughts on what path each would have taken?

Martin:  I understand the fascination of the older BSC fans who would like to know what happened with the characters when they got older. It’s thrilling to realize that after all these years the fans remain passionate about the books and the characters in The Baby-sitters Club. I can see Kristy running a business--I can also see her being in politics. I think Mary Anne became a teacher. I imagine Stacey went into fashion--not as a designer, but maybe on the business side. And Claudia became an artist. I think fans can fill in for the rest of the characters!



Arctic Tale

  • Awe-inspiring adventure
This heartbreaking documentary puts a face on the sad statistics of global warming--and though it's not a human face, it's the perhaps even more effective face of an adorable polar bear cub, Nanu, along with her mother, her brother, and her natural enemy, the equally heart-melting Seela the walrus. With breathtaking footage of life on the arctic tundra, the directors spin a highly emotional tale of the melting ice caps and the effect of their disappearance on every species in the ecosystem. Since the film is essentially aimed at children, the cuteness factor is off the charts, aided by the slightly grating use of sound effects, a slangy voiceover by Queen Latifah, and a kid-friendly pop/folk soundtrack. And, as in a National Geographic special, viewers learn some interesting and neutral facts about polar bears, walruses, narwhals, foxes, and other northern creatures. T! he narrative, however, returns repeatedly to the grim conditions that are killing off our planet's wildlife, one family at a time. The directors take pains to create a hopeful ending, with a sweet pair of life-goes-on epilogues and a closing credit sequence featuring conservation tips, but the message of the film is sobering and hits its mark with kids and adults alike.The frozen Arctic is home to polar bears and walruses, two very different types of animals whose struggle to survive against the elements is only being made more difficult by a changing climate. Directors Adam Ravetech and Sarah Robertson filmed walruses and polar bears in the Arctic for 15 years in order to create this amazing story about the lives of Nanu the baby polar bear and a newborn walrus dubbed Seelah. Striking footage from land and sea is combined with effective narration by Queen Latifa and pop music by Joby Talbot to chronicle these creatures' lives from the babies' first days of existence, thr! ough two years of training in hunting and fighting by their re! spective mothers and the changes in the icy world that are necessitating new adaptations by these animals, and a contemplation of the chances of both species' continued survival. Like March of the Penguins, the footage of the animals of the Arctic and the formation and breaking up of the ice is exquisite, but perhaps even more striking is the clear evidence of climate change in the delayed formation of the ice in the autumn and its progressively earlier thawing and breaking up each spring. The polar bears' and walruses' resilience and instinctual ability to adapt and change in the face of the negative effects of global warming in order to survive is stressed, and viewers are left pondering why man cannot similarly adapt and change his ways in order to positively affect the world. Bonus features include an interesting "making of" featurette with Adam Ravetech and Sarah Robertson that describes their travels, trials, and enormous gratitude for the assistance of the Intuit pe! ople and a fun Are We There Yet? World Adventure: Polar Bear Spotting mini-adventure for kids in which Molly and Sam go looking for polar bears in a tundra buggy. (Ages 5 and older) --Tami Horiuchi

Smiling Fish & Goat on Fire - Movie Poster 28"x41"

Hugo Dark Blue By Hugo Boss For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 4.2 Ounces

  • Packaging for this product may vary from that shown in the image above
  • This item is not for sale in Catalina Island
LAPD Lt. Carter Shaw (Dylan McDermott) and his special undercover task force understand that to collar criminals, one must first get on their level. They also know that going undercover may require cutting ties with those who mean the most. Adrift, isolated and frequently faced with situations that strain the line between right and wrong, these officers know that all that matters is loyalty to each other and to the task at hand: bringing down the bad guys.
From Jerry Bruckheimer Television (the CSI Trilogy, Without a Trace, Cold Case) comes another edgy and atmospheric series about dedicated law enforcers operating in the shadows and leading double lives. Omari Hardwick, Logan Marshall-Green and Nicki Aycox also star. This 4-Disc, 10-Episode Season One Collection of! their edge-of-your-seat investigations will take you to the edge of darkness - and beyond.

This product is manufactured on demand using DVD-R recordable media. Amazon.com's standard return policy will apply.

Set during the tense times of the LA riots, the film tells the story of Eldon Perry, veteran officer of the Los Angeles Police's special investigation squad as he tutors a new police officer who comes to learn the depth of corruption in his own police department.
Genre: Feature Film-Action/Adventure
Rating: R
Release Date: 23-DEC-2003
Media Type: DVDThe Rodney King riots of April 1992 hang like a keg of dynamite over Dark Blue, a crackling tale of Los Angeles police corruption that gives Kurt Russell one of the best roles of his underrated career. Adapted by Training Day screenwriter David Ayer from a story by L.A. Confidential novelist James Ellroy, the plot finds Russell's rule-bending dete! ctive teamed with a promising young partner (Scott Speedman) w! hose eth ics have yet to be tainted. Their boss (Brendan Gleeson) is a lawless maverick, maneuvering the unwitting detectives into covering up a lucrative robbery scam, while L.A.P.D.'s Deputy Chief (Ving Rhames) campaigns to bring them all down. While adhering to familiar cop-thriller formula, director Ron Shelton (Bull Durham) escalates tension with forceful impact, drawing a climactic parallel between the King riots and the fallout from Russell's cynical behavior. It's a powerhouse combination, allowing Russell to find shades of complexity in a character who realizes, almost too late, that he's a devil in the hell of L.A. --Jeff ShannonStudio: Tcfhe/mgm Release Date: 01/04/2011 Rating: RDARK BLUE - Blu-Ray MovieThe Rodney King riots of April 1992 hang like a keg of dynamite over Dark Blue, a crackling tale of Los Angeles police corruption that gives Kurt Russell one of the best roles of his underrated career. Adapted by Training Day screen! writer David Ayer from a story by L.A. Confidential novelist James Ellroy, the plot finds Russell's rule-bending detective teamed with a promising young partner (Scott Speedman) whose ethics have yet to be tainted. Their boss (Brendan Gleeson) is a lawless maverick, maneuvering the unwitting detectives into covering up a lucrative robbery scam, while L.A.P.D.'s Deputy Chief (Ving Rhames) campaigns to bring them all down. While adhering to familiar cop-thriller formula, director Ron Shelton (Bull Durham) escalates tension with forceful impact, drawing a climactic parallel between the King riots and the fallout from Russell's cynical behavior. It's a powerhouse combination, allowing Russell to find shades of complexity in a character who realizes, almost too late, that he's a devil in the hell of L.A. --Jeff ShannonIntroduced in 1999. Fragrance notes: a fresh, invigorating scent of mosses and citrus. Recommended use: daytime.

The Farmhouse: New Inspiration for the Classic American Home

Capturing the Friedmans

  • Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival, and with over $3 million at the box office to date, Capturing The Friedmans is nothing short of the most riveting, provocative, and hotly debated films of the year. Despite their predilection for hamming it up in front of home-movie cameras, the Friedmans were a normal middle-class family living in the affluent New York suburb of G
Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival, and with over $3 million at the box office to date, Capturing The Friedmans is nothing short of the most riveting, provocative, and hotly debated films of the year. Despite their predilection for hamming it up in front of home-movie cameras, the Friedmans were a normal middle-class family living in the affluent New York suburb of Great Neck. One Thanksgiving, as the family gathers at home for a quiet holiday dinner, their front door ! explodes, splintered by a police battering ram. Officers rush into the house, accusing Arnold Friedman and his youngest son Jesse of hundreds of shocking crimes. The film follows their story from the public?s perspective and through unique real footage of the family in crisis, shot inside the Friedman house. As the police investigate, and the community reacts, the fabric of the family begins to disintegrate, revealing provocative questions about truth, justice, family, and -ultimately-truth. With an abundance of exclusive DVD bonus features supplied on a second disc, Capturing the Friedmans is sure to capture you and pin you to your seat.A Sundance Grand Jury prize winner and a true conversation starter, Capturing the Friedmans travels into one apparently ordinary Long Island family's heart of darkness. Arnold and Elaine Friedman had a normal life with their three sons until Arnold was arrested on multiple (and increasingly lurid) charges of child abuse. Becaus! e the Friedmans had documented their own lives with copious ho! me movie s, filmmaker Andrew Jarecki is able to sift through their material looking for clues. Yet what emerges is more surreal than fiction: the youngest Friedman son went to jail, the eldest became a birthday-party clown. In the end, we can't be sure whether Arnold Friedman is a monstrous child molester or the victim of railroading. The portrait of a disconnected family is deeply disturbing, either way, and this film is further proof that a documentary can be just as spellbinding as anything a great storyteller dreams up. --Robert Horton

The Alphabet Killer

  • A ten year old girl is found brutally murdered outside the small blue-collar city of Rochester, New York, and obsessed police detective Megan Paige (Eliza Dushku of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER and DOLLHOUSE) suffers a mental breakdown while trying to solve the crime. But when the child-killings resume two years later, Megan s return to the investigation also brings back her own horrific hallucination
Between 1971 and 1973, three young girls, ages ten to eleven, were found sexually assaulted and slain near Rochester, New York. The girls all had double initials for their first and last names and were found dead in suburbs with names in which the first letter co-ordinated with the girls' initials. Two prime suspects later committed suicide. A third suspect, Kenneth Bianchi, went to California where he went on to become one of the infamous Hillside Stranglers, but to this day he insists he had nothi! ng to do with the so-called Double Initial, or Alphabet, murders. The crimes remain unsolved, but interest in the case was re-energised with the release of a fictionalised motion picture loosely based on the murders. This factual account, the first book fully devoted to the case, explores the crime and the ongoing investigation.Between 1971 and 1973, three young girls, ages ten to eleven, were found sexually assaulted and slain near Rochester, New York. The girls all had double initials for their first and last names and were found dead in suburbs with names in which the first letter co-ordinated with the girls' initials. Two prime suspects later committed suicide. A third suspect, Kenneth Bianchi, went to California where he went on to become one of the infamous Hillside Stranglers, but to this day he insists he had nothing to do with the so-called Double Initial, or Alphabet, murders. The crimes remain unsolved, but interest in the case was re-energised with the release o! f a fictionalised motion picture loosely based on the murders.! This fa ctual account, the first book fully devoted to the case, explores the crime and the ongoing investigation.Between 1971 and 1973, three young girls, ages ten to eleven, were found sexually assaulted and slain near Rochester, New York. The girls all had double initials for their first and last names and were found dead in suburbs with names in which the first letter co-ordinated with the girls' initials. Two prime suspects later committed suicide. A third suspect, Kenneth Bianchi, went to California where he went on to become one of the infamous Hillside Stranglers, but to this day he insists he had nothing to do with the so-called Double Initial, or Alphabet, murders. The crimes remain unsolved, but interest in the case was re-energised with the release of a fictionalised motion picture loosely based on the murders. This factual account, the first book fully devoted to the case, explores the crime and the ongoing investigation.A ten year old girl is found brutally murdered ou! tside the small blue-collar city of Rochester, New York, and obsessed police detective Megan Paige (Eliza Dushku of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER and DOLLHOUSE) suffers a mental breakdown while trying to solve the crime. But when the child-killings resume two years later, Megan’s return to the investigation also brings back her own horrific hallucinations.  Even if she can prove a ‘double initial’ connection to the slayings, will she hang onto her sanity long enough to catch a psychopath? Cary Elwes (SAW), Michael Ironside (STARSHIP TROOPERS), Bill Moseley (THE DEVIL’S REJECTS), Carl Lumbly (ALIAS) and Academy Award® winner Timothy Hutton co-star in this chilling thriller directed by Rob Schmidt.In the spirit of suspense films and television shows that focus on the sleuth’s attempt to make something out of senseless violence, Alphabet Killer is less about the murders it details than about the detective,! Megan Paige (Eliza Dushku of Buffy the Vampire Slayer), who suffers mentally for studying brutality. Though opening scenes show young girls slayed at various wooded Rochester, New York crime scenes, the film quickly digresses into Megan’s stressed relationship with her co-detective lover, Kenneth Shine (Cary Elwes), who watches her obsession with the case spiral out of control. As murders continue, Megan gets psychic leads and is haunted by the ghosts of the wrongly deceased, but cannot solve the case. Megan’s diagnosis as a schizophrenic complicates matters greatly, and elevates the film into deeper story, especially when one senses, through subtle filmic clues, the creepiness of Megan’s therapist, Richard Ledge (Timothy Hutton). Some silly, dramatized enactments of mental illness on Dushku’s part do not help convince the viewer through fine acting, though one may be willing to look past this in hopes for pending potential spookiness. And the conundrum posed by Megan in her therapy group is engaging: manic peop! le do often excel due to intuition, yet it is their ability to experience the world differently that gets them into trouble. Although the ghosts hallucinations are unconvincing, and Dushku probably could have used more research before she took the role, Alphabet Killer captivates because it shows how convoluted layers of reality can confuse even the sharpest detective. The disturbing thing about Alphabet Killer is not the film itself but the idea behind it: that the majority of what we know and trust is illusory, and that truth is discovered best through madness. --Trinie Dalton

Stills from The Alphabet Killer (Click for larger image)