The Pirates! Band of Misfits Trailer

The Pirates! Band of Misfits Trailer

The wizards of stop-motion mirth at Britain's Aardman Animations have significantly stepped up their art, craft, and storytelling style in The Pirates! Band of Misfits. Commonly known as Claymation (though the elaborately rendered miniature sets and figures are constructed with high-tech Plasticine), the process involves painstaking manipulation of physical forms to create the smooth movements and clever nuance of character that made Aardman famous with their iconic Wallace & Gromit shorts and the features Chicken Run and Flushed Away. The source material is a series of books by Gideon Defoe that are of the for-kids-and-grownups-alike variety, which means The Pirates! is perfect family fare that has plenty of intelligent asides to counterbalance the wacky and slapstick shenanigans. The story is set on the tropical high seas and in the heart of Victorian London, where Queen Victoria herself (voiced by Imelda Staunton) has a starring role. The movie takes giddy pleasure in making her out to be a nefarious no-goodnik who has plenty of secrets, though none of the lacy unmentionable variety. The real star is the Pirate Captain (a husky-sounding Hugh Grant) who's more interested in procuring cured pork for his ship's regular "Ham Nite" feasts than plundering for valuable booty. This becomes kind of a problem when he enters the Pirate of the Year contest and finds himself up against the stiff competition of Black Bellamy (Jeremy Piven), Cutlass Liz (Salma Hayek), and Peg Leg Hastings (Lenny Henry), all of whom have oodles of jewels and doubloons to back up their bids. But the Pirate Captain has a bird in the hand that may win him the prize yet. His ship's mascot Polly is not a parrot as he and the crew believe, but rather the world's only surviving dodo, so identified by Charles Darwin (David Tennant) when his famous ship the Beagle is attacked by the pirates. Darwin assures the captain that Polly is worthy of winning him Scientist of the Year and untold riches. So it's off to London and into the malevolent schemes of both Darwin and Victoria. A madcap series of events leads to an air-sea showdown of breathtaking proportions that blends meticulous stop-motion technique with top-flight CG effects. Throughout the movie the attention to detail is sensational, even in the most throwaway gags. An underlying cleverness is woven into every precisely composed scene, adding to the overall sense of comic timing and the meticulous elements of story that imbue every movement. The laughs come fast and furious, especially in several elaborate set pieces that include a wild bathtub ride down a seemingly endless staircase, and the bravura finale that swoops and soars through, over, and around Victoria's behemoth of a steampunk sea vessel. The speed of the jokes and the sophisticated action never overshadow the wildly amusing story and dotingly-thought-out character details. Among the lovable and eloquently voiced ensemble pirate crew are the Pirate with a Scarf (Martin Freeman), the Albino Pirate (Anton Yelchin), the Pirate with Gout (Brendan Gleeson), the Surprisingly Curvaceous Pirate (Ashley Jensen), and the Pirate Who Likes Sunsets and Kittens (Al Roker). But more than anyone it's codirectors Peter Lord and Jeff Newitt who are primarily responsible for deftly keeping The Pirates! afloat in what could easily become another memorable Aardman franchise. --Ted Fry

New DVD Releases August 28 2012

Movies & TV New DVD Releases August 28 2012

The Lucky One
By Nicholas Sparks

Based on Nicholas Sparks' bestseller The Lucky One, Zac Efron stars alongside Taylor Schilling and Blythe Danner in this romantic drama directed by Academy Awardr-nominated writer/director Scott Hicks. U.S. Marine Sergeant Logan Thibault (Efron) returns from his third tour of duty in Iraq, with the one thing he credits with keeping him alive-a photograph he found of a woman he doesn't even know. Learning her name is Beth (Schilling) and where she lives, he shows up at her door, and ends up taking a job at her family-run local kennel. Despite her initial mistrust and the complications in her life, a romance develops between them, giving Logan hope that Beth could be much more than his good luck charm.

The Lucky One Trailer

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Battleship
Directed by Peter Berg

The battle for Earth begins at sea in this epic action-adventure starring Liam Neeson, Taylor Kitsch, Rihanna, Alexander Skarsg†rd and Brooklyn Decker. An international naval coalition becomes the world's last hope for survival as they engage a hostile alien force of unimaginable strength.  Ripping across sea, sky and land, Battleship is "a big bold blast" (MSN Movies), packed with spectacular visual effects and explosive action.

Battleship Trailer

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Think Like a Man
Directed by Tim Story

Four interconnected and diverse friends from a pick-up basketball league have their love lives shaken-up after the women they are pursuing buy Steve Harvey's book and start taking his advice to heart. For years women have been asking other women for advice when no one but another man can tell them how to find and keep a man. When the band of brothers find out that they have been betrayed by one of their own, they conspire to use the book's teachings to turn the tables.  It's only when the truth is told by all parties that the couples finally get together for true love.

Think Like A Man Trailer

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The Pirates! Band of Misfits
Directed by Peter Lord

Set sail for a fun-filled voyage of hilarious pirate antics with the biggest Band of Misfits on the seven seas! When the infamous Pirate Captain (Hugh Grant) is shunned once again by his rivals Black Bellamy (Jeremy Piven) and Liz Cutlass (Salma Hayek), he sets his sights to win the coveted Pirate of the Year Award! With his trusted "parrot" Polly and rag-tag crew at his side, Pirate Captain will need to battle a diabolical queen, save a young scientist and never lose sight of what a pirate loves best: Adventure!

The Pirates! Band of Misfits Trailer

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Darling Companion
Directed by Lawrence Kasdan

In Darling Companion, Beth (Diane Keaton) saves a bedraggled lost dog from the side of the freeway on a wintry day in Denver.  Struggling with her distracted, self-involved husband Joseph (Kevin Kline) and an empty nest at home, Beth forms a special bond with the rescued animal.  When Joseph loses the dog after their daughter's (Elisabeth Moss) wedding at their vacation home in the Rockies, Beth, distraught and angry with Joseph, enlists the help of the few remaining guests (Dianne Wiest, Richard Jenkins, Mark Duplass) and a mysterious woman (Ayelet Zurer) in a frantic search.

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Starship Troopers: Invasion
Artist Not Provided

A distant Federation outpost Fort Casey comes under attack by bugs. The team on the fast attack ship Alesia is assigned to help the Starship John A. Warden stationed in Fort Casey evacuate along with the survivors and bring military intelligence safely back to Earth. Carl Jenkins, now ministry of Paranormal Warfare, takes the starship on a clandestine mission before its rendezvous with the Alesia and goes missing in the nebula. Now, the battle-hardened troopers are charged with a rescue mission that may lead to a much more sinister consequence than they ever could have imagined....

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Headhunters
Directed by Morten Tyldum

Roger is a charming scoundrel and Norway's most accomplished headhunter. He lives a life of luxury well beyond his means and chooses to subsidize his expensive lifestyle through stealing highly prized art. When his beautiful wife, an art gallery owner, introduces him to a former mercenary in the possession of an extremely valuable painting, he decides to risk it all in order to obtain it, and in doing so, he discovers something which makes him a hunted man.

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Monsieur Lazhar
Directed by Phillippe Falardeau

Nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, Monsieur Lazhar tells the moving and poignant story of a Montreal middle school class shaken by the death of their well-liked teacher, and the 55-year old Algerian immigrant who offers his services as a substitute teacher and aids the process of collective healing.

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I Am Gabriel
Directed by Mike Norris

Promise, Texas is no place to raise a family. There's no rain, businesses are failing, and the kids can't wait to grow up and move away. Some folks say the town is cursed. But just when things are at their darkest, a mysterious boy wanders out of the wilderness with nothing but the clothes on his back and a strange mat tucked under his arm. He has a message for the people of Promise, but they're slow to listen. They are blind to the similarities between the slow death of the town and their own parched souls. Confronted by their spiritual shortcomings, the town's indignation turns to outrage. Still, the boy holds true to his message: there is no hope without Christ, and Promise can only be remade through earnest communion with the Father. In the end, with his back against the wall - surrounded by skeptics - the boy is forced to reveal his true identity.Directed by Mike Norris (Walker Texas Ranger) and starring John Schneider (Smallville) and Dean Cain (Lois & Clark), I Am Gabriel is a lesson in connecting with those that really matter, whether they be on earth - or in Heaven.

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Ergo Proxy: Box Set (Classic)
Directed by Shuko Murase

The domed city of Romdo is supposed to be perfect, but Re-l Mayer, a young female inspector from the Civilian Intelligence Office, knows better. In this place where humans and robots coexist, she receives a strange message: something is awakening.

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Quadrophenia (Criterion Collection)
Directed by Franc Roddam

The Who’s classic rock opera Quadrophenia was the basis for this invigorating coming-of-age movie and depiction of the defiant, drug-fueled London of the early 1960s. Our antihero, Jimmy (Meantime’s Phil Daniels), is a teenager dissatisfied with family, work, and love, who identifies with the fashionable, pill-popping, scooter-driving mods, a group whose opposition to the motorcycle-riding rockers leads to a climactic riot in Brighton. Director Franc Roddam’s rough-edged film is a quintessential chronicle of youthful rebellion and turmoil, with Pete Townshend’s brilliant songs (including “I’ve Had Enough,” “5:15,” and “Love, Reign O’er Me”) providing emotional support, and featuring Sting (Dune) and Ray Winstone (Sexy Beast) in early roles.

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Life Happens
From Universal Studios

Krysten Ritter, Kate Bosworth and Rachel Bilson star in this sharp and witty comedy about single living, friendship and the joys of life's curveballs. When a one-night-stand results in an unexpected pregnancy, things take a sudden turn for Kim (Ritter) and her roommates, Deena (Bosworth) and Laura (Bilson). Jumping back into the dating scene, Kim copes with single motherhood amid fears that toting a tot will be a dating buzz-kill. Costarring Jason Biggs, Justin Kirk and Kristen Johnston.

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The Birds [DVD + Digital Copy] (Universal's 100th Anniversary)
From Universal Studios

Nature runs amok in Alfred Hitchcock's chilling adaptation of the Daphne du Maurier story, as a small California coastal town finds itself under attack by gulls, crows and other fine feathered "friends." Rod Taylor, Tippi Hedren, Jessica Tandy, Suzanne Pleshette star.

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Apartment 143
Directed by Carles Torrens

A team of parapsychologists sets out to investigate a series of anomalous phenomena taking place in a newly occupied apartment. Telephone calls with no caller, mysterious shadows, extraordinary light emissions, flying objects, and exploding light bulbs are some of the events they will face while recording their every step with state-of-the-art technology. Using infrared filming, digital photography, psychophonic recordings, movement detectors, and magnetic field alteration meters, the group's attempts to contact the "other side" will grow increasingly dangerous as they near a point of no return...

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Lovely Molly
Directed by Eduardo Sanchez

From the masters of horror who brought you The Blair Witch Project comes a terrifying new vision of evil that will redefine horror once again. A mysterious evil is waiting for Molly (Gretchen Lodge), who moves with her new husband into her late father’s empty country house. Haunted by dark demons, she is soon left alone to confront a lurking presence inside the house – one that could drive her beyond the edge of pure fear. Hailed as “guaranteed to haunt you” (Dread Central), Lovely Molly breaks new ground in raw, cutting-edge horror, delivering scares that slice to your very soul. You will never want to turn off the lights again!

From New DVD Release August 28 2012 & Buy Cheap New DVD Movies Augst 28 2012

DVD Releases September 4 2012 >>>

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Think Like A Man Trailer

Think Like A Man Trailer

Fans of Steve Harvey's wildly popular relationship self-help book, Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man--and even people unfamiliar with the book but interested in love, lust, and related topics--will enjoy the fictionalized film based on it, Think Like a Man. Harvey's book's tenets involve letting a woman's softer side show more, and understanding that men have different sexual needs. The book has been polarizing, but Think Like a Man, the film, gives women more of an even playing field, and handles the topics with a lighter touch. The stars are uniformly excellent and believable, including Gabrielle Union, Taraji P. Henson, Michael Ealy, Chris Brown, and Kevin Hart. They help make up four couples in which the women have decided to take the advice in Harvey's book and use the recommendations to get their men on track. When the men discover this, they in turn try to turn the tables on their women. While one wishes so much manipulation weren't necessary in personal relationships, both Harvey's advice and Think Like a Man's softer point of view have merit. The struggles of the couples are believable, and the viewer secretly hopes there will at least be a few happy endings (it's not a spoiler to say there are). Crisply directed by Tim Story (Barbershop, Fantastic Four), Think Like a Man is a funny, moving chick flick that will appeal to guys too. --A.T. Hurley

Battleship Trailer

Battleship Trailer

Following the success of Transformers and G.I. Joe, Hasbro brings another of its beloved properties to the big screen, with explosive and cheerfully improbable results. The situation: Aliens splash down outside Hawaii, surrounding the islands with an impenetrable force field and wreaking havoc on the captive population. While the world outside watches helplessly, a skeleton crew of naval officers and civilians (led by Taylor Kitsch's cocky washout and Rihanna's weapons expert) must figure out a way to save the planet while being seriously outgunned. Director Peter Berg, whose previous films The Rundown and Hancock displayed a playful tweaking of genre conventions, keeps things surprisingly high and tight here, depicting military tactics and the chain of command with an honest respect, including casting actual combat veterans in pivotal supporting roles. While such a reverent approach is certainly admirable, it coexists uneasily with the inherent goofiness of the premise, particularly during the climactic scene where the heroes sit down in front of a grid and, yes, fire a missile at B7. (Note: Nobody actually gets to say "You sunk my battleship," but Liam Neeson, in an extended cameo as an admiral, sure looks like he wants to.) However, while the narrative might be missing a few pieces, Berg's film undeniably delivers the action-movie goods, staging a number of all-out combat scenes with verve and ingenuity. (Special kudos to whoever designed the main weapon of the aliens, a razor-toothed sphere of gears that chews up the scenery with a tangible sense of delight.) Audiences looking for coherence may need to keep on looking, but Battleship definitely sports the maximum number of bangs for the summer-movie buck. Bring on Kerplunk: The Motion Picture. --Andrew Wright

The Lucky One Trailer

The Lucky One Trailer

As a tourism advertisement for Louisiana, where filming took place, The Lucky One makes the most of a scenic state. As an opportunity for Zac Efron (High School Musical) to prove his acting mettle, it's less successful. On his third tour of duty in Iraq, Efron's Sgt. Logan Thibault finds a photograph of a pretty blonde that reads "keep safe" on the back. After a series of close scrapes, he credits his survival to the memento. Upon his release, Logan retrieves his German shepherd and sets out for North Carolina (it's never clear how he figures that out as a destination). When he finds Beth (Taylor Schilling), who runs a kennel with her grandmother (Blythe Danner), he doesn't know how to tell her about the picture, so he takes a job working with the dogs, and befriends her son (Riley Thomas Stewart), a chess prodigy, while inspiring jealousy in her hotheaded ex-husband, Keith (Jay R. Ferguson, who looks more like a marine than Efron). The climactic storm at the end provides the opportunity for Logan to come clean and for Keith to prove he isn't a complete loser, allowing romance to bloom between the central couple. In drawing from the novel by Nicholas Sparks, Shine's Scott Hicks offers a picture-postcard romance that feels too much like a Lifetime movie. Though Efron, who made a stronger impression in Me and Orson Welles, never overacts, his recessive performance renders Logan more opaque than necessary. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

New DVD Releases August 21 2012

Movies & TV New DVD Releases August 21 2012

NCIS: The Complete Ninth Season
Directed by Arvin Brown, Dennis Smith, James Whitmore Jr., Leslie Libman, Mark Horowitz

NCIS (Naval Criminal Investigative Service) is more than just an  action drama. With liberal doses of humor, it's a show that focuses on  the sometimes complex and always amusing dynamics of a team of special  agents forced to work together in high-stress situations. From murder  and espionage to terrorism and stolen submarines, these special agents  travel the globe to investigate all crimes with Navy or Marine Corps  ties.

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The Closer: The Complete Seventh Season
From Warner Home Video

The final season of the critically acclaimed series stars Emmyr winner Kyra Sedgwick as Deputy Police Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson, a top-notch investigator who has put some of Los Angeles' most brutal killers behind bars. With her keen investigative instincts and brilliant interrogation techniques, Brenda often closes her cases by eliciting a confession or cornering a suspect through sometimes-questionable methods. Now, her career may be on the line as a result of her frequently unorthodox methods, and her tactics are coming under the scrutiny of the L.A.P.D.'s new Chief of Police, who is on the verge of announcing an extensive reorganization that could spell the end of Major Crimes. Joining the series in a starring role this season is two-time Oscarr nominee Mary McDonnell as Captain Sharon Raydor

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Bernie
Directed by Richard Linklater

In the tiny, rural town of Carthage, TX, assistant funeral director Bernie Tiede was one of the town's most beloved residents. He taught Sunday school, sang in the church choir and was always willing to lend a helping hand. Everyone loved and appreciated Bernie, so it came as no surprise when he befriended Marjorie Nugent, an affluent widow who was as well known for her sour attitude as her fortune. Bernie frequently traveled with Marjorie and even managed her banking affairs. Marjorie quickly became fully dependent on Bernie and his generosity and Bernie struggled to meet her increasing demands. Bernie continued to handle her affairs, and the townspeople went months without seeing Marjorie. The people of Carthage were shocked when it was reported that Marjorie Nugent had been dead for some time, and Bernie Tiede was being charged with the murder.

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The Dictator - BANNED & UNRATED Version
Directed by Larry Charles

The creators and star of Borat bring you the jaw-dropping comedy about  what happens when the worldʼs worst dictator comes to America. Stuck in  New York and stripped of his power, Aladeen (Sacha Baron Cohen) is  finally forced to live his ultimate nightmare…the American dream. Get  ready to laugh ʻtil it hurts with the uncensored cut, featuring  never-before-seen footage, thatʼs “outrageous and shamefully funny!”*

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Doc McStuffins: Friendship Is The Best Medicine (DVD + Digital Copy with GWP Stickers)

The Doc Is In…Doc McStuffins that is! Dottie “Doc” McStuffins is an amazing six-year-old girl who has a special secret. She has the ability to talk to toys and stuffed animals. Doc also has a passion for helping others. Along with her loyal and trusty team  – Hallie the hippo, Lambie the lamb, Stuffy the dragon, Chilly the snowman and Squeakers the fish – she heals and tends to all the toys and stuffed animals that need help and fixes all the “boo-boos” that happen throughout the day! Whatever the problem, the Doc is always in, and everyone always gets better!

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A Separation
Directed by Asghar Farhadi

Simin wants to leave Iran with her husband Nader and daughter Termeh but when Nader refuses to leave behind his Alzheimer-suffering father, Simin sues for divorce.  Her request having failed, Simin goes back to her parents, but Termeh decides to stay with Nader.

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Freelancers
From Lions Gate

The son of a slain NYPD officer joins the force, where he falls in with his father's former partner and a team of rogue cops. His new boss, Sarcone, will see if he has what it takes to be rogue through many trials and tribulations of loyalty, trust and respect. When the truth about his father's death is revealed, revenge takes over him and he won't stop until justice has been truly served.

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Shiva Rea: Core Yoga
From Acacia

A strong core means so much more than flat abs. A healthy core helps you stand taller, look leaner, and feel more energetic. Led by Shiva Rea—called a "powerhouse yoga teacher" by the New York Times—these seven flowing yoga segments focus on the core, upper body, and lower body. Reap the soul-nourishing benefits of yoga while you sculpt a long, lean torso and a strong, supple back.  Filmed at White Sands National Park and Kauai's Limahuli Garden, this gorgeously shot DVD features Shiva's popular Yoga Matrix. Select segments from over an hour of yoga to customize your practice each time. Creative and highly effective, Core Yoga is an inspiring way to reshape your body and ignite your inner fire.

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Regular Show: The Slack Pack
From Warner Brothers/Eurpac

Cartoon Network Redefines Regular by debuting its hit animated comedy series Regular Show on DVD with the Launch of Regular Show Slack Pack. The Emmy nominated hit comedy (Outstanding Animated Program) has been part of the popular Monday night line up on Cartoon Network along with the hit show Adventure Time. Regular Show features Mordecai and Rigby, two groundskeepers at a park whose attempts to escape their everyday boredom take them to fantastical extremes. The job is so deadly dull that the two friends will do anything they can to avoid it. Regular Show Slack pack features 12 episodes from seasons 1 and 2.

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Elevator
Directed by Stig Svendsen

9 people stuck on an elevator one has a ticking bomb - the other 8 will do absolutely anything to survive. The bomb cannot be defused. There is no escape and no promise of rescue. The unthinkable becomes the only reasonable solution. In a suspense thriller, both classic and contemporary, the passengers on Elevator are squeezed so tightly by fear and panic, the only possible result is horror. With minutes to live, there is no time for civilized morals. Nine sophisticated, Wall Street party-goers reveal the real people behind the facade. Crafted by the award-winning team of Norwegian director, Stig Svendsen and writer-producer Marc Rosenberg, they create a story as chilling as Hitchcock s Psycho and as demented as Polanski s The Tenant . An amazing ensemble cast (Christopher Backus, Anita Briem, John Getz, Shirley Knight, Amanda and Rachel Pace, Devin Ratray, Tehmina Sunny, Joey Slotnick and Waleed Zuaiter) creates a pressure cooker drama you won t soon forget.

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Bonsai
Directed by Cristian Jimenez

Julio is a struggling young writer who has hit a wall. Unemployed and involved in a half-hearted relationship with his neighbor, things are finally starting to look up when he gets an interview with a renowned author to transcribe his latest work. Things don t go as planned, however, and Julio doesn t get the job. Instead of admitting the truth to his girlfriend, he pretends to be transcribing the novel when actually writing his own story. Searching for inspiration and a plot, Julio revisits a romance he had eight years ago when studying literature in Valdivia. As Julio s novel progresses, so does his fondness for the past and of the love he let slip away. Based on an internationally acclaimed novella, BONSAI is a subtly affecting examination of the lies we tell ourselves in order to get by.

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Bilitis
Directed by David Hamilton

A schoolgirl spends the summer with a couple whose marriage is on the brink. Only, the schoolgirl falls in love with the wife. Meanwhile, she pursues a local teenage boy and tries to find a suitable male lover for the wife, so that they can both enjoy an affair simultaneously. Can the schoolgirl accomplish this before the end of summer? Famed female photographer David Hamilton directed this beautifully sensual study of the awakening sexuality of a young schoolgirl, written by a young Catherine Breillat Fat Girl, Romance, The Last Mistress,, based on the French classic Les Chansons de Bilitis. Unavailable in the US for nearly three decades, Bilitis is vintage, French erotic cinema at its finest.

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John Paul Jones
Directed by John Farrow

The fierce battle has taken a grim toll. Lashed to a British man-of-war, the fledging Continental Navy's Bonhomme Richard is sinking and half its crew is lost. English demand surrender. "I have not yet begun to fight!" the colonial commander replies. Indeed he has not. Because - for the first time in naval warfare - he sends brave Marines into the rigging to hurl grenades into the rival ship's hold...and the battle turns.

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Children Of The Hunt
From R SQUARED FILMS INC

The year is 2052, and if you want to hunt a human for sport, The Brotherhood of Mars can make it happen. After witnessing the all out brutality of the hunt, Brotherhood of Mars guard, Morgan Farber (David Stevens, PUNCH DRUNK LOVE ) states his protest against the company and is cast into the hunt. Morgan survives only to find himself in the company of the hunted ""Garbage People,"" lead by Mayor Paulo (Darren Dalton, RED DAWN and THE OUTSIDERS) and Naomi (Crystal Largen, NATIONAL LAMPOON'S PUCKED).

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God's Ears
From Monarch Home Video

A mildly autistic man and a dancer form a friendship that helps them better understand the world that appears to have left them both behind. After crossing paths seemingly by chance, Noah (Michael Worth) and Alexia (Margot Farley) take a journey that forces them both out of their comfort zones and challenges their perceptions of love.

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Hide Away
Directed by Chris Eyre

HIDE AWAY is a stirring drama that follows the story of a successful businessman (Lucas) attempting to resurrect his life. Entering an idyllic harbor as a broken and haunted man, he buys and boards the dilapidated sailboat Hesperus. Disturbed at night by unsettling dreams of his past, he finds the boat becomes a beacon of hope as he begins the challenge of bringing back the shine to the tarnished vessel - and to his life.

From New DVD Release August 21 2012 & Buy Cheap New DVD Movies Augst 21 2012

DVD Releases August 28 2012 >>>

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