Thursday, November 17, 2011

The Deep End of the Ocean

  • Michelle Pfeiffer, Whoopi Goldberg, High School Reunion, Treat Williams, Jonathan Jackson, Cory Buck
A #1 New York Times bestseller, Mitchard's suspenseful and moving novel is now available in trade paperback

Few first novels receive the kind of attention and acclaim showered on this powerful story--a nationwide bestseller, a critical success, and the first title chosen for Oprah's Book Club. Both highly suspenseful and deeply moving, The Deep End of the Ocean imagines every mother's worst nightmare--the disappearance of a child--as it explores a family's struggle to endure, even against extraordinary odds. Filled with compassion, humor, and brilliant observations about the texture of real life, here is a story of rare power, one that will touch readers' hearts and make them celebrate the emotions that make us all one.

"Riveting . . . twists that will spin you arou! nd." --Newsweek

"A drama with the tension of a thriller that moves deeply into the emotional territory of family ties." --People

"Take a deep breath. . . . This riveting story won't let you come up for air." --US magazine Oprah Book Club® Selection, September 1996: The horror of losing a child is somehow made worse when the case goes unsolved for nearly a decade, reports Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel columnist Jacquelyn Mitchard in this searing first novel. In it, 3-year-old Ben Cappadora is kidnapped from a hotel lobby where his mother is checking into her 15th high school reunion. His disappearance tears the family apart and invokes separate experiences of anguish, denial, and self-blame. Marital problems and delinquency in Ben's older brother (in charge of him the day of his kidnapping) ensue. Mitchard depicts the family's friction and torment--along with many gritty realities of family life--with the candor of a j! ournalist and compassion of someone who has seemingly been th! ere. Int ernational publishing and movie rights sold fast on this one: It's a blockbuster.Few first novels receive the kind of attention and acclaim showered on this powerful storyâ€"a nationwide bestseller, a critical success, and the first title chosen for Oprah's Book Club. Both highly suspenseful and deeply moving, The Deep End of the Ocean imagines every mother's worst nightmareâ€"the disappearance of a childâ€"as it explores a family's struggle to endure, even against extraordinary odds. Filled with compassion, humor, and brilliant observations about the texture of real life, here is a story of rare power, one that will touch readers' hearts and make them celebrate the emotions that make us all one.Oprah Book Club® Selection, September 1996: The horror of losing a child is somehow made worse when the case goes unsolved for nearly a decade, reports Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel columnist Jacquelyn Mitchard in this searing first novel. In it, 3-year-old B! en Cappadora is kidnapped from a hotel lobby where his mother is checking into her 15th high school reunion. His disappearance tears the family apart and invokes separate experiences of anguish, denial, and self-blame. Marital problems and delinquency in Ben's older brother (in charge of him the day of his kidnapping) ensue. Mitchard depicts the family's friction and torment--along with many gritty realities of family life--with the candor of a journalist and compassion of someone who has seemingly been there. International publishing and movie rights sold fast on this one: It's a blockbuster.Few first novels receive the kind of attention and acclaim showered on this powerful storyâ€"a nationwide bestseller, a critical success, and the first title chosen for Oprah's Book Club. Both highly suspenseful and deeply moving, The Deep End of the Ocean imagines every mother's worst nightmareâ€"the disappearance of a childâ€"as it explores a family's struggle to en! dure, even against extraordinary odds. Filled with compassion,! humor, and brilliant observations about the texture of real life, here is a story of rare power, one that will touch readers' hearts and make them celebrate the emotions that make us all one.Beth Cappadora (Michelle Pfeiffer) is at her high school reunion when her 3-year-old son disappears from his brother's care. The little boy never turns up, and the family has to deal with the devastating guilt and grief that goes along with it. Nine years later, the family has relocated to Chicago. By a sheer fluke, the kid turns up, living no more than two blocks away. The authorities swoop down and return the kid to his biological parents, but things are far from being that simple. The boy grew up around what he has called his father, while his new family are strangers to him; the older son, now a teenager, has brushes with the law and behavioral problems. His adjustment to his lost brother is complicated by normal teenage churlishness, and the dad (Treat Williams) seems to expect everything ! to fall into place as though the family had been intact all along. It's a tightrope routine for actors in a story like this, being careful not to chew the scenery while at the same time not being too flaccid or understated. For the most part, the members of the cast deal well with the emotional complexity of their roles. Though the story stretches credulity, weirder things do happen in the real world. The family's pain for the first half of the film is certainly credible, though the second half almost seems like a different movie. Whoopi Goldberg plays the detective assigned to the case; casting her is a bit of a stretch, but she makes it work. All in all, a decent three-hanky movie in the vein of Ordinary People. --Jerry RenshawDEEP END OF THE OCEAN - DVD MovieBeth Cappadora (Michelle Pfeiffer) is at her high school reunion when her 3-year-old son disappears from his brother's care. The little boy never turns up, and the family has to deal with the devastatin! g guilt and grief that goes along with it. Nine years later, t! he famil y has relocated to Chicago. By a sheer fluke, the kid turns up, living no more than two blocks away. The authorities swoop down and return the kid to his biological parents, but things are far from being that simple. The boy grew up around what he has called his father, while his new family are strangers to him; the older son, now a teenager, has brushes with the law and behavioral problems. His adjustment to his lost brother is complicated by normal teenage churlishness, and the dad (Treat Williams) seems to expect everything to fall into place as though the family had been intact all along. It's a tightrope routine for actors in a story like this, being careful not to chew the scenery while at the same time not being too flaccid or understated. For the most part, the members of the cast deal well with the emotional complexity of their roles. Though the story stretches credulity, weirder things do happen in the real world. The family's pain for the first half of the film is! certainly credible, though the second half almost seems like a different movie. Whoopi Goldberg plays the detective assigned to the case; casting her is a bit of a stretch, but she makes it work. All in all, a decent three-hanky movie in the vein of Ordinary People. --Jerry Renshaw

Dan in Real Life

  • Steve Carell (THE 40-YEAR-OLD VIRGIN, TV's THE OFFICE), Hollywood's leading funnyman, stars in the hilarious comedy that's bursting with charm -- a movie you'll watch again and again. Advice columnist Dan Burns (Carell) is an expert on relationships, but somehow struggles to succeed as a brother, a son and a single parent to three precocious daughters. Things get even more complica
n/aSteve Carell’s best film performance to date can be found in the fitfully engaging Dan In Real Life, where his long-suffering persona suits a character who lets his long-dormant hopes rise for a moment, only to be shot down again. Carell plays Dan Burns, a newspaper columnist who writes about family issues and relationships. As a widower with three growing girls to raise, however, the difference between Dan’s printed wisdom and his struggles with fatherhood and loneliness is often vast. He’s put to ! a severe test when he packs up the kids for a cabin holiday with his parents and siblings, then falls for the exotic, if elusive, Marie (Juliette Binoche) during a solo excursion to a bookstore. Stirred by a woman for the first time since his late wife, Dan is shocked to find that Marie is actually dating his brother Mitch (Dane Cook), and that she’ll be spending the vacation with him in the midst of his family. From that point, the script, co-written by director Peter Hedges (Pieces of April), pretty much becomes a parade of difficult circumstances under which both Dan and Marie have to keep their attraction to one another secret. Certain scenes work better than others, but there is an overall monotony to the movie that isn’t helped by a lack of onscreen chemistry between Binoche and Carell. Both actors are fine on their own terms, but whatever is supposed to be clicking between Marie and Dan isn’t compelling enough to make one truly care that they get togethe! r somehow. Still, this is a film with plenty of moments to lik! e, espec ially when Carell gets to broaden his previous range of emotions in a movie. --Tom Keogh

Hunter - After The Fall (Book One)

  • Twenty-First Century Civilization Will Soon Collapse
  • Just One In Ten Thousand Will Survive The Apocalypse
  • You Have Been Chosen To Escape The Great Purging
  • Welcome To The Future...
Publishers Weekly Top 10 Best of the Year

In her new collection, Story Prize finalist Maureen F. McHugh delves into the dark heart of contemporary life and life five minutes from now and how easy it is to mix up one with the other. Her stories are post-bird flu, in the middle of medical trials, wondering if our computers are smarter than us, wondering when our jobs are going to be outsourced overseas, wondering if we are who we say we are, and not sure what we'd do to survive the coming zombie plague.

Praise for Maureen F. McHugh:

"Gorgeously crafted stories."-Nancy Pearl, NPR

"Hauntingly beautiful."-Booklist

"Unpredictable and poeti! c work."-The Plain Dealer

Maureen F. McHugh has lived in New York; Shijiazhuang, China; Ohio; Austin, Texas; and now lives in Los Angeles, California. She is the author of a Story Prize finalist collection, Mothers & Other Monsters, and four novels, including Tiptree Award-winner China Mountain Zhang and New York Times editor's choice Nekropolis. McHugh has also worked on alternate reality games for Halo 2, The Watchmen, and Nine Inch Nails, among others.<
This science fiction collection contains three stories: After Things Went Bad, Mr. Tinker, and At Home on Wintebury Circle.

From SIFT BOOK REVIEWS: "Even more than the distinctive voices, impeccable writing, and well-wrought characters, the dark captivating atmosphere will wrap around you and linger long after you have finished reading. These two are clearly talented writers with wicked imaginations. I believe each story ha! s something important to say about humanity and packs a punch ! the read er will feel for a while." -- Sarah NicolasThis science fiction collection contains three stories: After Things Went Bad, Mr. Tinker, and At Home on Wintebury Circle.

From SIFT BOOK REVIEWS: "Even more than the distinctive voices, impeccable writing, and well-wrought characters, the dark captivating atmosphere will wrap around you and linger long after you have finished reading. These two are clearly talented writers with wicked imaginations. I believe each story has something important to say about humanity and packs a punch the reader will feel for a while." -- Sarah NicolasThe apocalypse was yesterday. These stories are today.

In her new collection, Story Prize finalist Maureen F. McHugh delves into the dark heart of contemporary life and life five minutes from now and how easy it is to mix up one with the other. Her stories are post-bird flu, in the middle of medical trials, wondering if our computers are smarter than us, wondering when our jobs are going! to be outsourced overseas, wondering if we are who we say we are, and not sure what we'd do to survive the coming zombie plague.

Table of Contents

The Naturalist

Special Economics

Useless Things

The Lost Boy: A Reporter at Large

The Kingdom of the Blind

Going to France

Honeymoon

The Effect of Centrifugal Forces

After the Apocalypse

Praise for Maureen F. McHugh:

"Gorgeously crafted stories."â€"Nancy Pearl, NPR

"Hauntingly beautiful."â€"Booklist

"Unpredictable and poetic work."â€"The Plain Dealer

“Poignant and sometimes heartwrenching.”â€"Publishers Weekly

Maureen F. McHugh has lived in New York; Shijiazhuang, China; Ohio; Austin, Texas; and now lives in Los Angeles, California. She is the author of a Story Prize finalist collection, Mothers & Other Monsters, and four novels, including Tiptree ! Award-winner China Mountain Zhang and New York Times! edi tor's choice Nekropolis. McHugh has also worked on alternate reality games for Halo 2, The Watchmen, and Nine Inch Nails, among others.The apocalypse was yesterday. These stories are today.

In her new collection, Story Prize finalist Maureen F. McHugh delves into the dark heart of contemporary life and life five minutes from now and how easy it is to mix up one with the other. Her stories are post-bird flu, in the middle of medical trials, wondering if our computers are smarter than us, wondering when our jobs are going to be outsourced overseas, wondering if we are who we say we are, and not sure what we'd do to survive the coming zombie plague.

Table of Contents

The Naturalist

Special Economics

Useless Things

The Lost Boy: A Reporter at Large

The Kingdom of the Blind

Going to France

Honeymoon

The Effect of Centrifugal Forces

After the Apocalypse

Praise for Maureen F. McHugh:

"Gorgeously crafted stories."â€"Nancy Pearl, NPR

"Hauntingly beautiful."â€"Booklist

"Unpredictable and poetic work."â€"The Plain Dealer

“Poignant and sometimes heartwrenching.”â€"Publishers Weekly

Maureen F. McHugh has lived in New York; Shijiazhuang, China; Ohio; Austin, Texas; and now lives in Los Angeles, California. She is the author of a Story Prize finalist collection, Mothers & Other Monsters, and four novels, including Tiptree Award-winner China Mountain Zhang and New York Times editor's choice Nekropolis. McHugh has also worked on alternate reality games for Halo 2, The Watchmen, and Nine Inch Nails, among others."3 Years After" is a story about a Special Forces team put together to help our nation in a most fragile time. The post 9/11 world has forced the United States government to develop new ways to fight and counter terrorism. During the initial testing of the latest technological b! reakthrough, Time Travel, a catastrophic failure occurs. This ! strands the test team three years into the future. They are greeted by a new world which has been decimated by war and infested by zombies.

Will the team and humanity survive?

Do they figure out what happened in time?

This is the new version that has been edited."3 Years After" is a story about a Special Forces team put together to help our nation in a most fragile time. The post 9/11 world has forced the United States government to develop new ways to fight and counter terrorism. During the initial testing of the latest technological breakthrough, Time Travel, a catastrophic failure occurs. This strands the test team three years into the future. They are greeted by a new world which has been decimated by war and infested by zombies.

Will the team and humanity survive?

Do they figure out what happened in time?

This is the new version that has been edited.In volume one of his epic post-apocalyptic adventure saga, master storytelle! r John Phillip Backus brings this not-so-distant vision of the future to life with intriguing characters, gifted narrative, believable settings and mythic heroes and villains. Driven by a riveting storyline brilliantly illustrated by Asheville, NC artist, Chad Schoenauer, the author weaves his linguistic magic until the reader is utterly immersed in this brave new world and dare not fail to turn the next page for fear of missing out. On his own in the Wyoming wilderness, fourteen years after the End War and its aftermath nearly wiped out the human race, self-exiled survivor, Hunter Macintosh, is suddenly faced with more than he bargained for-three sisters and a child crossing the uncharted wilds alone. Suspicious at first, Hunter soon discovers they've traveled more than three hundred miles to find him, at the request of their father, Adam Planchet-Hunter's former commander and comrade-in-arms-whose besieged Colorado community is at risk of being overrun by lawless hordes! Honor-bound by a pledge made many years earlier, Hunter agrees to return with Elise Planchet to help turn the tide before all is lost. Set against the majestic backdrop of the North American Rockies, Hunter - After The Fall is an engrossing tale of adventure, betrayal and hope, where the true character of an individual is thoroughly tested and the outcome uncertain at best. Join Hunter and Elise as they battle bands of outlaws, enraged grizzlies, numbing blizzards, armed militias and their own stubborn hearts in an epic tale of good-versus-evil in a potential future all too easy to conceive!

The Complete Cat's Meow: Everything You Need to Know about Caring for Your Cat

  • ISBN13: 9780470641675
  • Condition: New
  • Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!
This ultimate celebration of the cat features witty quotes about felines and images by three of the world s most beloved animal photographers. Whether playing, pouncing, or just purring contentedly, these are some of the most adorable kittens and cats ever to grace the printed page.Being in the wrong place at the wrong time is not always a bad thing… Noah Anderson is odd and he knows it. He has a strong obsessive compulsive disorder that keeps him organized but distances him from the world around him. He doesn't have any friends, family, or even a lover. He's never had a lover. When he finds himself in the wrong place at the right time, Noah discovers that the dangers posed by having sex for th! e first time pale in comparison to having sex with the assassin that comes to kill him, even if it means his life. Gage Tynan is a killer. It's what he's always been. And he excelled at his job until he jumped into the car of a passing motorist when his latest mission goes wrong. The man driving is so odd that Gage suspects he might have been sent to harm him. Gage has no idea that the little man that asks him to take his cat will change his life in ways he has no clue of. Gage is dragged into a world of shifters and exiled kings, one where his strength will be called upon to keep Noah safe from the pride soldiers sent to keep him from taking the throne.This special 10th anniversary edition features Janet Kime's popular litter of cat quilt patterns, plus one dog quilt. Now in full color! Nineteen adorable projects include "Cowboy Cats," "Santa Claws Is Coming to Town," and "Fish Dreams". Use easy rotary cutting, speed piecing, and appliqué. Creative fabric choices ra! nge from snappy polka dots and plaids to dreamy pastels and la! ce.Many children love cats, and there is so much to know about America's most popular pet. Why do they meow, hiss, and purr? Why do they have whiskers, tails, and claws? Beginning readers can find out the answers to those questions and many more in this fun, fact-packed book filled with colorful feline photos and drawings.The all-in-one resource for cat owners

Do you consider cats valued members of the family? Do you want to ensure you're giving your beloved feline friend the very best possible care? Then this all-in-one, comprehensive cat care guide is for you!

From grooming to litter box issues to nutrition and much more, The Complete Cat's Meow covers all the bases to raising and caring for kitties. It also shows you how to introduce a new kitten to other pets, handle behavioral problems, and make life comfortable for cats of all ages.

  • Covers everything cat owners need to know about health, nutrition, behavior, and training
  • Compelling photos of a wide ! variety of breeds
  • Other titles by Arden: The Irrepressible Toy Dog; Small Dogs, Big Hearts

Whether you're a veteran cat owner or thinking about adding a feline to your family, The Complete Cat's Meow is your one-stop guide to comprehensive cat care.

Capote / In Cold Blood

  • Available Subtitles: English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Korean, Chinese, Thai
  • Available Audio Tracks: English (Dolby Digital 5.1), French (Unknown Format)
  • Commentary by director Bennett Miller and actor Philip Seymour Hoffman, Commentary by director Bennett Miller and cinematographer Adam Kimmel
  • Unanswered Prayers - a documentary on Truman Capote
  • 2 behind the scenes documentaries
In November, 1959, the shocking murder of a smalltown Kansas family captures the imagination of Truman Capote (Philip Seymour Hoffman), famed author of Breakfast at Tiffany's. With his childhood friend Harper Lee (Catherine Keener), writer of the soon-to-be published To Kill a Mockingbird, Capote sets out to investigate, winning over the locals despite his flamboyant appearance and style. When he forms a bond with the killers and their execution date nears, the writin! g of "In Cold Blood," a book that will change the course of American literature, takes a drastic toll on Capote, changing him in ways he never imagined. Stellar performances from Hoffman and Keener, as well as Academy Award® winner Chris Cooper (Adaptation) are why critics are calling Capote a "must-see movie."Bolstered by an Oscar®-caliber performance by Philip Seymour Hoffman in the title role, Capote ranked highly among the best films of 2005. Written by actor/screenwriter Dan Futterman and based on selected chapters from the biography by Gerald Clarke, this mercilessly perceptive drama shows how Truman Capote brought about his own self-destruction in the course of writing In Cold Blood, the "nonfiction novel" that was immediately acclaimed as a literary milestone. After learning of brutal killings in rural Holcomb, Kansas, in November 1959, Capote gained the confidence of captured killers Perry Smith (Clifton Collins, Jr.) and Dick Hickock ! (Mark Pellegrino) in an effort to tell their story, but he ult! imately sacrificed his soul in the process of writing his greatest book. Hoffman transcends mere mimicry to create an utterly authentic, psychologically tormented portrait of an insincere artist who was not above lying and manipulation to get what he needed. Bennett Miller's intimate direction focuses on the consequences of Capote's literary ambition, tempered by an equally fine performance by Catherine Keener as Harper Lee, Capote's friend and the author of To Kill a Mockingbird, who served as Capote's quiet voice of conscience. Spanning the seven-year period between the Kansas murders and the publication of In Cold Blood in 1966, Capote reveals the many faces of a writer who grew too close to his subjects, losing his moral compass as they were fitted with a hangman's noose. --Jeff ShannonOn November 15, 1959, in the small town of Holcomb, Kansas, four members of the Clutter family were savagely murdered by blasts from a shotgun held a few inches from th! eir faces. There was no apparent motive for the crime, and there were almost no clues.

Five years, four months and twenty-nine days later, on April 14, 1965, Richard Eugene Hickock, aged thirty-three, and Perry Edward Smith, aged thirty-six, were hanged from the crime on a gallows in a warehouse in the Kansas State Penitentiary in Lansing, Kansa.

In Cold Blood is the story of the lives and deaths of these six people. It has already been hailed as a masterpiece.In Cold Blood was a groundbreaking work when released in 1966. With it, author Truman Capote contributed to a style of writing in which the reporter gets so far inside the subject, becomes so familiar, that he projects events and conversations as if he were really there. The style has probably never been accomplished better than in this book. Capote combined painstaking research with a narrative feel to produce one of the most spellbinding stories ever put on the page. Two two-tim! e losers living in a lonely house in western Kansas are out t! o make t he heist of their life, but when things don't go as planned, the robbery turns ugly. From there, the book is a real-life look into murder, prison, and the criminal mind.Capote Famed author Truman Capote befriends two murderers while researching his celebrated book "In Cold Blood" - and finds himself changed to the core. In Cold Blood The powerful true story of a callous murder from the minds of the criminals who performed it. Based on Truman Capote's best-selling novel."Certainly as good [as Capote] and a lot more fun. Toby Jones is so physically right, you'll think Capote is playing himself." - Jack Mathews, NEW YORK DAILY NEWS 1959 Manhattan was a party, and none of the glitterati glittered brighter than Truman Capote. Then he saw a story in The New York Times: "Wealthy Farmer, 3 of Family Slain," and the party ended for Capote. He plunged into the murder case that inspired his great "nonfiction novel" In Cold Blood and led him into a fevered relationsh! ip with one of the two doomed killers. But there's more to the story than you know. Toby Jones (as Capote) leads Sandra Bullock, Daniel Craig, Sigourney Weaver and many more stars in a witty, moving and astonishing tale of obsession. What happened to the extraordinary literary talent that burned within Truman Capote? The answer may be found in a story at once famous and Infamous.Infamous is inevitably compared to Capote, since it also chronicles author Truman Capote's spiral into chaos while composing his masterpiece, In Cold Blood, a breakthrough non-fictional tale told as fiction. It's a shame that Capote's critical acclaim eclipsed this film's, as Toby Jones is perfectly convincing as Capote, with his small stature and eccentric manner. Infamous mimics the novel's fictionalized non-fiction, opening on "interviews" with Capote's New York friends like Diana Vreeland (Juliet Stevenson) and Babe Paley (Sigourney Weaver). The film, set in 19! 59, begins with Capote's discovery of the farm family murder s! tory and his trek out to Kansas with confidant, Nelle Harper Lee (Sandra Bullock). Stressing Capote's relationships with Lee, the film justifies Capote's marginal behavior by Lee's speaking about Capote's childhood neglect, which she also wrote into To Kill A Mockingbird. Capote's own description of his rough childhood then serves as a barrier breaker between himself and Perry Smith (Daniel Craig), the half of the Perry Smith-Dick Hickock killing team who is at first unwilling to talk. Infamous makes much of the sexual tension between Capote and Smith, implying that Capote persevered through his project for Smith's love. Based on George Plimpton's oral biography, Infamous deserves a stellar place in Capote-lore, as there is ample room for both competing films. --Trinie DaltonA landmark collection that brings together Truman Capote’s life’s work in the form he called his “great love,” The Complete Stories confirms Capote’s status as a mast! er of the the short story. This first-ever compendium features a never-before-published 1950 story, “The Bargain,” as well as an introduction by Reynolds Price. Ranging from the gothic South to the chic East Coast, from rural children to aging urban sophisticates, all the unforgettable places and people of Capote’s oeuvre are here, in stories as elegant as they are heartfelt, as haunting as they are compassionate. Reading them reminds us of the miraculous gifts of a beloved American original.When a horrific murder rocks the peaceful community of Holcomb, Kansas, legendary writer Truman Capote is inspired to record the shocking true story in his novel IN COLD BLOOD. Capote--accompanied by fellow wordsmith Nell Harper Lee (TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD)--travels to the Midwest in search of answers, and ends up becoming emotionally involved with one of the killers as they await trial.

Divine Intervention

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

The Bean Elite Kit Ultimate Abdominal Exerciser, Including Guide and Pump

  • With its unique "Bubble Top" comfort layer and ergonomic "S" shape design;
  • The Bean exercise equipment, works the abs, the stomach, and the mid section all at the same time
  • Work your entire body at home with no pain Comfortable shape supports your body while the rocking action does all the work
  • University tests prove that The Bean increases muscle activity up to 72 percent over regular exercises
THE BOARD OF A FAMED BRITISH MUSEUM HAS FINALLY FIGURED OUT HOW TO DISPOSE OF THEIR MOST USELESS EMPLOYEE,MR. BEAN,BY SENDING HIM TO AMERICA WITH THE PAINTING OF WHISTLER'S MOTHER. BEAN ISLOOSE AND LOS ANGELES WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN!Translating Rowan Atkinson's Mr. Bean character from British television to the big screen takes a bit of a toll, but there are some hilarious sequences in this popular comedy. Bean, a boy-man twit with a knack for getting into difficult binds ! (and then making them worse and worse and worse), is a London museum guard who is sent to Los Angeles in the company of the famous painting Whistler's Mother. He's mistaken as an art expert by the well-meaning curator (Peter MacNicol) of an L.A. museum, but Bean's famously eccentric behavior soon causes the poor guy to almost lose his family and job. The insularity of Bean's TV world is sacrificed in this film, and that change diminishes some of the character's appeal. But Atkinson is a man naturally full of comedy, and he doesn't let his fans down. --Tom Keogh Rowan Atkinson (Johnny English, Blackadder) stars as the iconic Mr. Bean, who never fails to leave a trail of merry mayhem and side-splitting laughter in his wake. His exploits have earned MR. BEAN a slew of awards and an international cult following, and now every one of his live adventures is conveniently packed up in one tidy box.

Included in this collector s set are all 14 episodes of the lan! dmark original series that introduced Mr. Bean to an adoring, ! if confu sed, world, as well as his two feature films Mr. Bean: The Movie and Mr. Bean s Holiday. And if that s not enough, a bonus helping of Mr. Bean: The Animated Series features him in the role he was drawn to play. It all adds up to the ultimate serving of Bean, so pull up a chair and dig right in.

Contents Include

THE WHOLE BEAN
BEAN: THE MOVIE
MR. BEAN S HOLIDAY
BONUS: THE ANIMATED SERIESBEAN THE MOVIE Call him hilarious. Call him laugh-out-loud funny. But whatever you do, call him BEAN. In the comedy that rocked America, Rowan Atkinson is the outrageous Mr. Bean, sent on a mission to California to escort the world famous painting of Whistler's Mother to its new home in the Grierson Gallery. He's also clumsy, crazy, wacky, wild, and certainly not someone you'd entrust one of the world's most valuable paintings to. With only hours to go before the official unveiling by the museum's benefactor, General Newton (Burt Reynolds), something terrible has happene! d to Whistler's Mother and only one man has the power to put it right. The only problem is... that man is BEAN. JOHNNY ENGLISH He knows no fear. He knows no danger. He knows… nothing! When the priceless Crown Jewels are stolen, bumbling Johnny English (Rowan Atkinson) is the only secret agent in the country (literally!) who can solve the crime. His prime suspects: a sinister businessman (John Malkovich) and a beautiful woman (Natalie Imbruglia) with a mysterious interest in Johnny's top-secret mission. Can the clueless superspy save the day without denting the nation's pride… or his super-cool Aston Martin?He captured the hearts of millions of viewers worldwide. His movie grossed nearly a quarter of a billion dollars worldwide. He's been called the most embarrassing man on the planet. Now the entire Mr. Bean series, the British comic phenomenon created by Rowan Atkinson (Blackadder, Four Weddings and a Funeral), is finally available in one comple! te package.Bean, Bean, maniacal nut / The more you watch, you ! bust a g ut! First unleashed in 1989, this sketch series was embraced by PBS viewers in the United States. In the tradition of the great silent clowns, Rowan Atkinson created a character with universal and multi-generational appeal (the sketches have little dialogue and are driven by often ingenious physical comedy). Like Bart Simpson, the resourceful, mischievous, and sometimes malevolent Bean is the inner child incarnate who acts on the impulses polite society normally represses. Atkinson has described Bean as "a 9-year-old boy, with an apparent lack of worldly experience, but an ingenuity that is quite clever in dealing with problems presented to him." These problems include not knowing a single answer on an exam, tactfully disposing of a revolting restaurant meal, changing into his swimsuit at the beach without first removing his pants, and, most hilariously, getting a turkey stuck on his head (a classic bit reprised in the ill-conceived 1997 feature film).

Atkinson has enjo! yed some mainstream success stateside. He was the nervous minister ("...your awfully wedded wife") in Four Weddings and a Funeral, and the voice of Zazu in The Lion King. But he mainly enjoys cult status among British comedy aficionados as a founding member of Not the Nine O'Clock News and the star of the Black Adder series. Bean is his crowning creation. In addition to all 14 episodes, this generous boxed set contains previously unaired sketches, Comic Relief appearances, and a segment about Bean's creation, which serves as a nifty introduction for the uninitiated. It also contains a preview for the new Mr. Bean animated series. This seems redundant. As this collection hilariously demonstrates, Bean is already animated enough. --Donald LiebensonMeet Ivy and Bean, two friends who never meant to like each other. This boxed set is a delightful introduction to these spunky characters. It includes the first three books in the Ivy and Be! an series, and a secret treasure-hiding boxwith a cool surpris! e inside !Rowan Atkinson (Bean, Love Actually, Johnny English) returns to his iconic role as the comical and endearing Mr. Bean in this outrageous comedy adventure! Mr. Bean (Atkinson) can't believe his luck when he wins a camcorder and an all-expense-paid vacatio Welcome back, Mr. Bean! After a too-long hiatus, it's a breath of fresh air to see you out and about, innocent as ever, unwitting in the havoc you wreak and clueless in the chaos you cause. In Mr. Bean's Holiday (the title echoes Jacques Tati's breezy 1953 classic Mr. Hulot's Holiday), the resourceful man-child Bean (Rowan Atkinson) wins a church raffle that packs him off to the beaches of the south of France. But getting there is all the funny, as he is detoured by one mishap after another. En route, he comes to the "aid" of a Cannes Film Festival judge's young son, who is separated (no thanks to Bean) from his father at the train station. Bean also stumbles upon a commercial shoot directed by a stereotypica! l egomaniacal American filmmaker (Willem Dafoe), and crosses paths with an aspiring actress (a charming Emma de Caunes) also on her way to Cannes. Mr. Bean's Holiday, an upgrade over the 1997 feature Bean, was a box-office smash around the world, but in the States, not so much. Here, the shock gag has replaced the sight gag, and this G-rated Holiday might be considered by more jaded viewers as out of step with contemporary tastes (unlike Borat, there is not a mean-spirited bone in Bean's gangly, malleable body). But in the classic tradition of the silent-movie clowns, Bean's visual comedy is universal and requires little translation (there are limited subtitles in this film). Younger children will find a kindred spirit in Bean, who exists in some kind of state of grace, whether trying to digest a disgusting seafood dinner or hilariously lip-syncing to an opera in a public square. --Donald LiebensonThe Bean Elite is an all-in-one workout t! ool that offers the benefits of a stability ball, incline benc! h and ba ck pain rehab device all rolled into one product. Whether you're a well-conditioned athlete or someone just getting back into shape, The Bean Elite offers a workout that's right for you. It comes with a support handle on the side to allow for a wider range of motion, extra support and more intense workouts.

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