Film Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1

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OTTOM LINE: The Harry Potter franchise finally takes a step up and delivers a much more thrilling, dramatic and character driven piece, although it does suffer in some places for being too long.

THE GOOD: This seventh film in the franchise is something of a surprise, at least given its nature compared to the previous films. There is a grim seriousness, combined with a thrilling narrative, spot on performances and beautifully-shot sequences that immediately elevate this film above its predecessors. Serving as a build-up to the inevitable second part, this film primarily deals with both Harry Potter (Radcliffe) and Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) as they both set about building to their inevitable confrontation. The majority of the film does not take place in Hogwarts, which is a breath of fresh air. Instead, Harry and his friends Hermione and Ron set out on a quest to destroy the Horcruxes while Voldemort searches for the most powerful magic wand ever created that formed part of the "Deathly Hallows".
As Harry and company are in effect on the run, chased by all manner of nasties, the narrative is quite thrilling, and the script allows for the three protagonists to engage each other in dramatic ways as the Horcruxes have a psychological effect on all three of them. Voldemort is as good as ever, with a fantastic opening scene where he feeds a captive to his snake. Another nice touch is when Hermione tells the story of the Deathly Hallows and it segues in to a voiceover with a well designed and executed animated sequence. Director David Yates has the freedom to develop a fantastic story, and although we are only getting half of it in this instalment, the results are thrilling and entertaining, even for those who are not so in to the travails of Harry Potter.
THE BAD: The inevitable problem with this film is that it ends on a cliffhanger. The frustration you feel when you are being told a good story and then it does not end is something that will no doubt fuel the box office fire when the second part is released. Having said that, where the cliffhanger occurs in this story is actually quite good as it really does leave you hanging for more. The film also suffers in some parts for being a little long-winded. Clocking in at two and a half hours, the film definitely loses its pace at certain points, mainly due to some scenes that do not advance the plot as well as others.

For the original review, follow this link: http://www.allaboutmovies.net/filmreviewharrypotterandthedeathlyhallowspart1.htm
Todd Murphy is a staff reviewer at the film/DVD review web site, http://www.allaboutmovies.net - for all the latest reviews on the newest releases.

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Black Swan - Movie Review

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lack Swan is a spellbinding descent into madness and a haunting look at the pressures of obsession and being an entertainer.

Darren Aronofsky delivers again with this year's Oscar-worthy Black Swan. The eccentric director takes us on a suspenseful and edgy thrill ride as we take a look into the life of an entertainer and the pressures of the business as she struggles to maintain herself while being lost in the role. Natalie Portman's eerie performance pulls you in and never lets you go, as this dark thriller brings you face-to-face with obsession and madness.
Black Swan tells the story of Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman), a seasoned ballet dancer for a New York ballet company. Still living with her mother Erica (Barbara Hershey), the two have a creepy relationship. Erica, a former ballerina herself, exhibits a smothering control over Nina and plays the "stage mother" type as ballet consumes Nina's life and her mother is right there to push her along the whole time, pressuring Nina. Nina seems to be a sheltered girl who appears unhealthily attached to her mom; and her mom to her. Even Nina's room is haunting in its own sense, cluttered with girlie things and stuffed animals like some 6 year-old girl. And this is much the way Erica treats her, coming in to tuck her in and kiss her goodnight each night before putting on the music box for Nina to sleep.
Nina's life takes a big turn one day when the director of the ballet company decides to start anew for the next season of their production of 'Swan Lake'. Looking for a new lead, the director, Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel) has the girls competing; the opportunity consuming Nina's life. Nina, much to her surprise, ends up landing the role and becomes the new lead. However, Leroy's new vision of Swan Lake asks for the lead to play the role of both White Swan and Black Swan. While Nina is perfect for the role of the White Swan, her innocent and timid nature is not so fitting for the Black Swan. Enter Lily (Mila Kunis). Lily becomes Nina's understudy as Leroy takes a liking to her as well. Nina is perfect for the pure and pristine White Swan. However, Lily completely embodies the dark and sensual Black Swan. This sends the two girls into a competition with one another. As their rivalry transforms into a twisted friendship, Nina begins to attempt to get in touch with her dark side. She seeks to find the Black Swan in herself wanting to be perfect for the production and to avoid being replaced by Lily.
As Nina seeks to find that darker and more sensual side of herself, Thomas Leroy continues to tell her that she must let go in order to encompass both swans. This is a hard feat for the innocent, timid and inhibited Nina, but slowly, with the help of Lily, she begins to realize that side of her own self. And let go she does. She soon finds herself dancing on the edge as she descends into madness. Struggling to hold on to herself and her career, Nina loses herself. We begin to question what's even real anymore as her life is consumed by this obsession and disturbing events begin to fill her life.
Watching Natalie Portman allow herself to be completely consumed by this role is a thing of beauty really. Her range in this film alone provides great merit to her acting ability. Watching that young, sweet, innocent girl transform into a dark beast of obsession and becoming lost in a world of dementia and madness is quite the feat to behold. This transformation from one extreme to the other is done with such precision and is so convincing you can't help but be intrigued the whole while. Such a nuanced and edgy performance, Portman should be a shoe-in for Best Actress come Oscar time. In fact, after seeing her performance, if she doesn't win that award, I may lose faith in the Academy. Yes, it was that good. Much like Bale's performance should be an automatic Best Supporting Actor win.
One of the more riveting aspects of the movie is watching Aronofsky illustrate the idea of life imitating art. As you watch Nina's descent into madness, you begin to notice how her life begins to parallel the very story which she's expected to tell on the stage. The White Swan, the epitome of purity and innocence, is slowly destroyed and devoured by its "twin" the Black Swan. Likewise, we watch as Nina's dark side begins to take her over, destroying that once innocent girl in the process. The obsession completely consuming her.
Watching Black Swan I can't help but be reminded of Heath Ledger. Almost 3 years ago now, Ledger died. This wasn't long after wrapping up on his role of The Joker in Nolan's The Dark Knight. While the role was not a cause of his death, it was talked about by others around him how it was hard for him to completely shake that role. His total immersion into the Joker role and that dive into the dark abyss stuck with him, in a manner, even beyond the set. This wouldn't be the first time you'll ever hear of a method actor that becomes so immersed in a role, that it sticks with them and changes them. That it takes time to shake it, and over the course of that role, the character changes who they are as a person. I think Aronofsky's Black Swan gives an excellent insight into these 'dangers' of actors and entertainers that give themselves over to a role so completely. And the pressures of being "perfect" for their role as they live for their art. Much like these method actors, Nina's obsession with "perfection" in her role consumes who she is as a person beyond the stage.
Black Swan is a tale of how obsession can destroy us. It's a look at how that for which we long too deeply can be that which becomes our downfall. The movie is an eerie look at how we can lose our true selves in that obsession. How innocence can be devoured by greed; and how, in the darkest corners of our psyche, even the most beautiful spirit can harbor an unbearable ugliness. It's a haunting tale of how the pressure of being perfect can break us.
Such a harrowing tale, Black Swan is absolutely a beauty to behold and a very riveting thrill ride that is definitely one of the best films of the year. From the excellent cinematography to the great score put together by Clint Mansell to the writing from Heinz/Heyman/McLaughlin, Black Swanclicks on all cylinders. Darren Aronofsky delivers a must-see, dark and haunting thriller that shows why he is considered one of the greats of our generation.
Rating: 9/10

If you like this movie review and found it helpful, visit my site couchpotatoclub.com for other reviews of recent movies as well as the latest DVD and movie news.

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An Audio Book Library Provides A World Of Pleasure

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world of pleasure awaits you with the use of audio books. So many people thoroughly enjoy reading, but few actually can read as much as they would like. Reading is a fascinating pastime and has rewards of its own, however, there is also much benefit that can be gained from listening to books as well.

A lot of the joy that comes from listening to it, seems to take us back to the time when we were children. We can actually recapture the joy of closing our eyes and listening while someone reads a story that transports us to another time and place.
It becomes a lot of fun to collect different audio books, and it doesn't have to cost you an arm and a leg for your collection. They can be purchased both new and used, rented, checked out at the library or downloaded. There are also ones that are free of charge.
When a person is a book worm and wants to have a library, most of the time, they purchase books new, as there may be others in their family that reads them as well. Sometimes, people will also purchase books on sale or in used condition. This creates a nice rounded library that they may be proud of. For more zealous readers, it may be more convenient to go to the local library and check out books. The same can also be said of audio books. There are numerous audio libraries scouring the country, where you too, may have the pleasure of checking out a variety of these stories on CD.
Where To Find A Free Audio Book
To begin your search for a free audio book, you may wish to start by looking at your local library. There are also a number of sites on the internet, where you are able to download them for free. All you need to do is type "free audio book" into Google. There will be so many results, including books for sale or rent, and those for free, you'll be simply amazed.
A very helpful organization that provides free public domain audio books is called LibriVox. This company has volunteers who record free ones and publish the files onto the internet. From there they are offered as free downloads. This company has a goal to record all books in the public domain.
There are a variety of free audio books and included in this list, are books for entertainment, books to learn languages, university and educational courses, inspirational books and promotional material as well.
Remember you can turn a monotonous task or an otherwise boring time, into a period of pleasure in your life by listening to one. Start by introducing a free audio book into your world, and you'll soon realize, they need to become a permanent part of your life.

Get to know more on the convenience and multitasking benefits of audio books by visiting our website and also take advantage of our top recommendations including free audio books you can take on trial!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andy_Immotna

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How To Join An Audio Book Club To Enjoy Your Favorite Titles

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f you have a passion for audio books, and sometimes have difficulty in finding where they are available, you may want to join an audio book club. Every month, you will receive a new title from the book club or you may even request to receive them more often. You can set your preferences according to what meets your need. Joining an one will help you to conserve your hard earned money, much more so than if you were to buy them from a bookstore or even online. From the many sources online, you'll want to research them until you find the one that is just right for you. Once you join, you will be able to start enjoying new titles that will arrive in your mailbox, as many times as you would like.

If you are familiar with the DVD or CD clubs that offer hundreds of titles for mere pennies, its through the means of charging a monthly fee that they are able to provide this service. They keep sending you the titles that you want, until time comes, that you no longer wish to receive them. Most people have found that this is a wonderful way to get your music, or favorite movies. Well, this same principle is the way the audio book club works. You will choose titles that you want to receive and you will then find them in your mailbox. There are some clubs that charge by the title, while other clubs will charge monthly. So, it really doesn't matter which way you prefer, you can be assured that you will always get the titles delivered to you and will always have something interesting to listen to.
Listen All The Time
Signing up to become a member of an audio book club, allows you to receive news on all the new releases, as well as the best rated ones. This way you will always be up to date concerning the best books that are available for your listening pleasure. Think how much nicer your commute to work will seem, if you can pop a CD in your player and escape the long lines of traffic, to a place far away. Many people also enjoy listening to audio books while they are flying to one location from another.
Technology Makes It Easier
The newest thing many audio book clubs are offering to their customers, is the ability to download, right to their computers. How nice is that! Then by loading the file to their MP3 player or iPod, they can listen to their favorite audio books whenever they choose that is most convenient for them.

Get to know more on joining audio book clubs by visiting our website and also take advantage of our top recommendations including free audio books you can take on trial!

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QuickBooks Training - Why You Need It?

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he QuickBooks Training is quite useful for any young person interested in IT as it gives them essential tools to be more productive and versatile in their overall working. The best part of this training is that it has many dimensions. There are many paths and many levels for the different users for this so you can utilize this according to your own goals and desires very easily. Here are few ideas you should keep in mind while following this training.

There are many ways to obtain this training including the class room lectures, videos, tutorials, books, or hands on training. The different options have different costs and time associated with them. While many new students find it quite useful to have the hands on training, this is rather difficult to obtain as the organizations offering the jobs relating to the QuickBooks often require some one who is already trained and well versed to this.
The QuickBooks training has many benefits including the Accounting, and Finance requirements. One needs not to be fully qualified to be an accountant for using this however as there are different modules and wizards that help you in different stages for this. Most small and medium size firms are using this software to manage the finance and keeping the tracks of the different aspects of any projects. As a result of this QuickBooks has been found to be quite handy in keeping things organized and easy to manage.
The QuickBooks can also be quite useful as additional qualification for the different individuals interested in the field of Finance and Management. With this you can easily understand the key aspects of the management and book keeping quite easily. This can be great tool for any one trying to find job not only in this field but in variety of departments like sales, manufacturing and production.

For more information about Quickbooks Training and Quickbook Training visit my website.

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Living The Simpler Life: 8 Essentials to Practice Everyday

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had read the book, before I read Sam's bio and realized how young he was! I enjoy reading how he is living example of the principles taught in the book.

The main concept of the book is of course "simplifying your life" a theme I have been reading and putting into practice in my own life this last year.
I feel like Sam has been reading my mind when it comes to many of the concepts he writes about. The idea that "simplicity" is as unique as a grain of sand on a beach is what draws me to Sam and his book.
Sam write about the "8 Simplicity Essentials"

1. Accurate Self-Knowledge
2. Purging the Unnecessary
3. The Willingness to Say "No"
4. A Focus on Conscious Consumption
5. Cultivating Patience
6. Mindfulness
7. A Desire For Less
8. An Attitude of Gratitude

Accurate Self-Knowledge - "Knowing yourself, or self-knowledge, is the simplicity essential that will guide you through this journey." - To me this is always the place to start unless we have a clear understanding of our personal values, motivations and passions we can not make decisions that will create a more satisfying and complete life for ourselves.
Purging the Unnecessary - "Simplification is the process of expelling everything that isn't central to your values in favor of what is." - This is where you get physical, really do you need all that stuff? All those clothes, all those books, all those knickknacks?
The Willingness to Say "No" - " Every choice represents a trade-off and the more you add to your schedule and responsibilities the more trade-offs between quality and time you will face." - Projects, commitments, responsibilities, why do you feel the need to do everything? Where do you draw that line between quantity and quality? Does everything you are doing align with your personal values, if not why are you doing them? We have choices!
A Focus on Conscious Consumption - " When we weigh our decisions against our values, we begin to live a more fulfilling life." Amen brother! To me simplicity is not at all about making this huge sacrifice, it is about making appropriate decisions. Why are we making this decisions to buy? and then are we buying items that align with our values? too many times we are not even thinking when we buy we are acting on impulse or habit, change can be as simple as thinking about a purchase for 24 hours before making a decision.
Cultivating Patience - "Patience manifests itself through increased focus and a calm, measured approach to life." In this amazing time of modern advances we can easily be caught up in the speed of technology. Learning and practicing patience and a calm mind can be a difficult task, you first need to recognize things can be done differently, then you must train your mind to focus nothing. I believe this is learning that should take a lifetime.
Mindfulness - " Mindfulness, by my definition, is the ability to be fully aware in all you do by ignoring the past and future and focusing on the present. This abstract skill is paramount to living a simpler life at all levels." As a beginning runner I was awe struck this first time that I realized I was "in the flow" of running. It was only a few minutes but the only thing I knew was the sound of my feet hitting the ground and the ease in which it came. This is the experience I look for every time I run now. This can be true of MANY activities find the one that creates your mindfulness!
A Desire For Less - "For me, a life of simplicity is a life of richness. Replacing quantity with quality can be applied to almost every aspect of your life, not just possessions." Use everything we have to the fullest, choosing quality over quantity and realizing that "things and stuff" is not what will make you happy.
An Attitude of Gratitude - "I describe gratitude as having an attitude of thankfulness and appreciation. I think the key component of this definition is the word "attitude." I think that often we in North America forget just how awesome we have it. And we do have the power to change things for others once we feeling in our hearts the "attitude of gratitude" will we see how we can easily help others.

"Simplifying your life can be a scary endeavor. Stripping physical and mental complexity uncovers the true person underneath. You'll be worried that you aren't motivated enough, smart enough, tough enough, or unique enough to possibly live a life of simplicity. When that true person is revealed and there is no longer any crutch on which to rely, excuses no longer exist."

An old soul speaking through a rising star, Sam writes with insight that can speak directly to your heart. I am grateful to share this journey with you!

The Passion Diva - Lori Smith presents: Simple Step to Self Care - 6 Day ecourse - Each day you have the opportunity to create a passionate nurturing lifestyle. You can start small and take small steps forward to create some thing wonderful.
Start your ecourse TODAY, Click the link and enter your Name and Email address! http://tinyurl.com/296wozx

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Buying Tips for Electric Bass Guitars

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ecognize a few tips when shopping for a quality guitar. Finding a great bass guitar is not like buying fruit at a grocery store. You must understand the finer points of what makes a good guitar, and obtain value for the price you pay.

Let us establish what exactly an electric bass guitar actually is. A great bass guitar will be an instrument in extremely good form, and will produce the musical sound you are searching for. Truly, because instruments are generally expensive, an individual will wish to make sure the instrument is genuine and meets their expectations.
The first area to search for a guitar is the web. One may discover great instruments for affordable price tags. Typically the industry insiders will know the subtle nuances of instruments. These people will understand the finer points more so than cashiers working the weekends for extra money. Knowledge of a Fender guitar is acquired, not learned over night. Consequently you actually are cautioned to carry out every thing in your capabilities to verify the guitars are genuine and in working order. Research the seller's reputation online. Talk to prior customers. Find out if the competing companies respect the seller.
You also want to learn what makes an instrument to be viewed as a great quality bass guitar. These types of consist of brands such as Epiphone, Muerlle, Fender, Gibson, Henderson, Williams. You may want to know the variety of timber from which the body of the instrument is actually made. Timber such as north eastern high quality, alder, eastern pine or white-ash is a signal which the bass guitar is premium wood. Furthermore, the condition in which the instrument is identified is very crucial.
A bass acoustic guitar that is not in great shape should be avoided if at all possible. You ought to find out information on just how this was employed and how old this is. Spend extra effort talking to the seller. The neck of the guitar should be pristine. Examine the neck for damages or warping due to excessive sun exposure. The base will be one of the most crucial parts of the instrument. The base will play a key role in the instrument's sound quality.
Good luck and enjoy your instrument.

Searching for electric bass guitars as gift ideas? Visit Fender guitars today. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Amber_Livingston

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10 Christmas Gift Ideas for Musicians

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here are a lot of people on our holiday shopping list that are just really hard to shop for. We all have the Dad who has everything, or sister and law that you don't know too well, but if you have a musician on your list your gift ideas are almost limitless and it is very hard to get it wrong. Honestly a lot of the items in this list are things that musicians need but hate buying themselves, which makes them great gift ideas.

Here are 10 small holiday gift ideas for musicians.
1. Guitar strings
Guitar players always need strings and they are quite honestly the most annoying expense a guitar player has. If you are going to buy guitar strings don't skimp, they will be floored by a couple packs of Elixr Nanowebs if you stick those in the stocking. Because us guitar players are always breaking strings and replacing them we tend to buy the cheap stuff, usually a pack for around $5.00 but this is a Christmas gift right? Go ahead and pick up that $13.00 pack of high quality strings and they will be smiling.
2. Metronomes
Learning to keep time is a crucial skill for any musician. If the person on your list is still learning their instrument a good quality metronome makes a great gift. You can even find all in one devices that have a metronome, tuner, and chord finder all in one which is really convenient for guitar players. If you can find a metronome that lets you use many different sounds that is even better as sometimes the classic click track sound gets really old. There are also new metronomes on the market that have simple drum machines included so you can play to an actual beat not just a straight click, a very nice feature to have.
3. Music stand with carrying case
All performing musicians regardless of instrument should have a good sturdy music stand. Having your music or lyrics at eye level while you practice or perform is vital to playing your instrument. Now there are two types of stands; the classical wire music stand, or the more rugged stage stand. West Music actually makes a nice wire frame stand that comes with a carrying case; it's a lot like those fold up chairs in a bag.
4. Guitar Polish and Cleaner
There are a lot of dirty guitars out there and they are begging to be cleaned. Most axe men will give their guitar a quick wipe down with a rag when they change the strings but this doesn't do nearly enough. A good guitar polish and cleaner will help protect the guitars glossy finish. It's about more than keeping it clean its also about protecting your investment, a good axe is not cheap.
5. Percussion Practice Pad
Have a drummer on your list? Is he constantly banging his sticks on random surfaces? Try giving him a Practice Pad for Christmas. This is a great gift that I wish more drummers had. They can keep it with them wherever they go so if they feel the need to whack something with their sticks they have a nice quiet practice pad to hit instead of the kitchen table. Make sure you find a percussion pad that has good feel and bounce to it on one side and a quieter stiffer pad on the other.
6.New Drum Sticks
Since we have drummers on our minds I'll stick with that theme. Drummers can never have enough sticks, sticks break all the time and its good to have a hefty supply on hand at all times. Guitar players always need back-up strings but it is no where near the amount of back-up sticks a drummer needs. Now there are many different types of drum sticks and they come in many sizes, thickness, and weight. I recommend sneaking around and finding some of your drummer's old sticks to make sure you get them the right one.
7. Instrument Stands
Whether it be guitar or keyboard a good stand can go a long way, especially for a gigging musician. A strong sturdy gig stand for a keyboard player is an absolute must on stage as the stage can be a dangerous place. For guitars there are many different types of stands, gig stands that fold up nicely are a great gift as normal stands don't travel well. The fold up stands can fit in a backpack so they are really easy to carry from home to the stage.
8. Gig bag
Guitar players love their gig bags; it's like their Himalayan mountain survival pack. It needs to not only carry their guitar but all of there tools, cables, effects pedals, CDs, and much more. This makes an awesome gift, if you can find a gig bag with backpack straps and lots of auxiliary pockets the guitar player on your list will be very grateful. Gig backs get worn out and beat up and need to be replaced every once in a while.
9. A Good Pair of Headphones
Any musician out there knows the importance of a good set of cans, no not those cans, we're talking headphones people! This is a great gift if you know a musician who records their music at home as most of the time they spend recording music they have headphones strapped to their heads. Finding a good pair of headphones that provide comfort and great sound is hard as there are many to choose from. I for one love my Sony 7506's, they provide both the comfort and the hyped mid range sound I love, if you have a singer on your list they will love the Sony's.
10. A Good Music Book
This last one is rather broad but there are so many different books on music that cover a wide array of topics it would be hard to recommend one type of book. You could get a song book that has the notation written out for "The Wall" by Pink Floyd or a biography on Roger Waters. Musicians like talking and reading about music so a good music book that you think will either; help them learn their craft or just entertain them is always a good holiday gift.
I hope this gift list has helped you with your last minute holiday shopping. Buying for a musician is easy as there are a countless number of things they have on their wish list, but these above items are on their need list and trust me they aren't asking Santa for new guitar strings. So go ahead and fill up their stocking with the things they need and they'll thank you.

My name is Jason Broyer and I am an independent musician and songwriter.
You can read more of my music industry gear reviews and insights here: Music Gear Reviews
For more holiday gift ideas suited specifically to guitar players please read this article: Gift Ideas for Guitar Players

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DVD Review - OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies

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et in 1955, this is the movie that did what the Austin Powers franchise could not: it managed to spoof the spy genre while staying true to the form of classic spy films.

Jean DuJardin stars as Hubert Bonisseur de La Bath, agent OSS 117. DuJardin's performance is absolutely brilliant. Agent OSS 117 looks suave and sophisticated, but beneath his fashionable tux beats the heart of a well-meaning but clueless imbecile. On assignment in Egypt, moments after meeting her, he manages to insult his contact (the stunning Berenice Bejo as Larmina El Akmar Betouche) by bursting into incredulous laughter when she mentions that over a million people speak Arabic. "Silly girl, do you know how much a million is?!" The insults don't stop there. OSS 117 is clearly a man with unnaturally high self esteem, and some of the best comedic moments stem from his overconfidence.
This spoof hits all the right notes, winking at western colonialism and our sexist past. Clueless racism is also poked fun at, as OSS 117 asks the Egyptian foreman at his "cover" job as a chicken importer how many children he has. "Eight, nine?" he inquires, his voice dripping with concern and sincerity.
The action sequences acted as the straight man in this movie, and the choreography for the fight scenes were enjoyable to watch, but one of the best surprises about this film was its cohesiveness. Most parodies are a string of jokes loosely bound together to make a movie, but "OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies" feels like a complete film. Much of the credit has to go to DuJardin; his willingness to make a complete ass of himself a key element in the success of this French comedy.
Product Details
Actors: Jean Dujardin, Bérénice Bejo, Aure Atika, Philippe Lefebvre, Constantin Alexandrov
Directors: Michel Hazanavicius
Format: Anamorphic, Color, DVD, NTSC
Language: French, English
Subtitles: English
Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only.)
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Number of discs: 1
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Music Box Films
DVD Release Date: September 30, 2008
Run Time: 95 minutes

For more information on French cinema go to I Love French Movies, where you'll find information on some of the best action, comedies, and dramas that the French have to offer, as well as a few American movies that were filmed in France. (C) Will Atkinson

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My Top 12 Favorite Basketball Movies

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f you like basketball then you are aware of the drama and excitement that goes into a game as some of the best players score with spectacular dunks or last second 3-point shots from half court. This is what makes basketball one of the most interesting games in sports. But if you are like me, then you also enjoy a good movie with a basketball theme whether it be a drama or a comedy. So sit back and enjoy reading this article as I list my top 12 favorite basketball movies and maybe you will agree that these are the best choices to grace your movie collection.
Here are my top 12 favorite basketball movies from #12 to #1:
12.) Blue Chips (1994)- Nick Nolte stars as Pete Bell, a college basketball coach for the fictional Western University Dolphins. Desperate after a losing season, the team begins to give incentives to players in hopes of recruiting new talent. In the end, Pete Bell becomes disgusted in what his team has become and announces after a press conference about all the activities that have been going on and resigns as coach. Real life NBA players, Shaquille O'Neal and Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway have key roles in this movie as well.
11.) Teen Wolf (1985)- This entertaining film stars Michael J. Fox as Scott Howard, who discovers that he has a family "curse" that allows him to become a werewolf. When he unexpectantly changes into the wolf during a game, he starts to become very popular among his peers and leads his basketball team from last to first place. Although he is admired by most of the school, his "transformation" becomes a problem for his close friends because of his popularity and arrogance he now has. In the end he plays a game as himself instead of the wolf and after being fouled during the final seconds of the game, he makes two foul shots that win the game by one point.
10.) Rebound: The Legend of Earl "The Goat" Manigault (1996)- Don Cheadle stars as Earl "The Goat" Manigault, a street baller whose life spiraled out of control because of heroin abuse. Once destined for the NBA because of his basketball skills and dunking ability, his addiction leads him to prison where he is able to overcome his drug problem and start a tournament for kids in Harlem called "Walk Away From Drugs". Forest Whitaker and James Earl Jones also star.
9.) Hoosiers (1986)- Gene Hackman stars as Norman Dale, a controversial coach who lost his previous job for striking a student. At first, he is not well liked by the town because of his defensive-style of coaching and his temper, which leads him to be ejected on several occasions. The town is holding a meeting to decide whether they should get rid of Dale when Jimmy Chitwood, the best player in town, announces he will play for the team only if Dale is the coach. From this point on, Hickory becomes an unstoppable team in which they advance to the state finals and win it in the final seconds. This movie is a prime example of the underdog prevailing.
8.) Glory Road (2006)- This film is based on a true story dealing with the events leading to the 1966 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship, in which the late Don Haskins, head coach of the Texas Western College led a team with an all-black starting lineup, a first in NCAA history. Josh Lucas stars as Coach Haskins and Jon Voight has a part as Coach Adolph Rupp.
7.) He Got Game (1998)- Spike Lee wrote and directed this sports-drama about Jake Shuttlesworth, a prison inmate convicted of murdering his wife. Jake is also the father of Jesus Shuttlesworth, the top-ranked basketball prospect in the country. Jake is released on parole for a week by the governor in order to persuade his son to play for the governor's alma mater in exchange for a heavily reduced prison sentence. Denzel Washington stars as Jake and real-life NBA player, Ray Allen, stars as Jesus Shuttlesworth.
6.) The Air Up There (1994)- Kevin Bacon stars as Jimmy Dolan, a college basketball assistant-coach who wants to find a new star for his team since he believes this will get him a promotion to Head Coach at the school. After seeing a video of a new prospect named Saleh, Jimmy travels to Africa and tries to persuade him to play for the school. Saleh is the chief's son and has his own responsibilities at home since the tribe's land is threatened by a mining company with their own basketball team. In the end, the tribe and the mining company face each other in a winner-take-all basketball match and Jimmy plays with the tribe.
5.) White Men Can't Jump (1992)- This movie is the story of Billy Hoyle and Sidney Deane, white and black basketball players of the outdoor courts who team up together to hustle other street ballers who are under the assumption that Billy can't play because he is white. They team together for a two-on-two tournament and win the $5,000 dollar prize but Billy's gambling habits cause problems with his relationship with his girlfriend Gloria, who ends up leaving him. Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes star as Billy and Sydney and Rosie Perez stars as Woody's girlfriend Gloria.
4.) The Basketball Diaries (1995)- This movie is a biopic of the life of Jim Carroll, a once promising star basketball player for his high school. His life starts to unravel as he becomes addicted to heroin and will go to great lengths to supply his habit, even going as far as stealing, robbing, and prostituting himself. Leonardo DiCaprio stars as Jim Carroll.
3.) Eddie (1996)- Whoopie Goldberg stars in this hilarious movie. She plays Edwina "Eddie" Franklin, a limousine driver and avid Knicks fan who attends every game with a small group of fellow fans in the nosebleed section of Madison Square Garden. During halftime of one game she is one of three fans chosen to take part in a publicity stunt where if she makes a free-throw shot she will get a chance to become an honorary coach, which she wins. After the Knicks head coach is forced to quit before a game, Eddie is then named head coach. She is able to steer the team into play-off contention after a dismal start and soon earns the respect of the team.
2.) Coach Carter (2005)- This movie is based on a true story, in which Richmond High School head basketball coach Ken Carter made headlines for benching his undefeated team for poor academic results. This movie not only focuses on the basketball season but also on the personal lives of the team off the court. Samuel L. Jackson is impressive as Ken Carter and also casts a young ensemble of future stars such as Channing Tatum and Rick Gonzalez.
1.) Semi-Pro (2008)- This is a hysterical movie from start to finish. It stars Will Ferrell as Jackie Moon, a singer who used the profits from his one hit single, "Love Me Sexy" to buy a basketball team from the American Basketball Association called the Flint Tropics where he is owner, head coach, and starting forward. The plot centers on the merger of the league into the NBA where only four teams from the ABA will be allowed into the NBA. Jackie proposes that the top four teams should be the ones to go to the NBA. This sets the stage for one hilarious movie. Woody Harrelson and Andre Benjamin co-star.
So this concludes my list of twelve favorite basketball movies. Whether you are looking for a drama or a hilarious comedy, you can't go wrong with these twelve movies. So next time you are at your local video store, be sure to pick up a copy of one of these great movies.
THEY ARE A SLAM DUNK!

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