Sunday, November 20, 2011

The Godzilla Collection

National Geographic's Restless Earth Collection (Asteroids Deadly Impact/Volcano/Nature's Fury)

  • Discover the devastating powers of earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, volcanoes and other earth-shattering forces of nature in dramatic scenes of destruction and inspiring human courage captured by the acclaimed filmmakers of National Geographic. Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DOCUMENTARIES Rating: NR Age: 727994760269 UPC: 727994760269 Manufacturer No: G76026
Narrated by Oprah Winfrey, Emmanuel's Gift tells the story of a disabled orphan in Ghana, West Africa, whose father abandoned him, village dismissed him, and country thought him better off dead. This is the story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah, who had nothing, but gave everything--and changed a nation forever.: If you are born disabled in Ghana, West Africa you are likely to be poisoned, or left to die by your family; and if you are not poisoned or left for dead, you're likely to be hidden away in a room; and if you're not hidden, you are de! stined to spend your lifetime begging on the streets. Of the twenty million people in Ghana, two million are disabled. This is the story of one disabled man whose mission-and purpose- is to change all that forever. In Emmanuel's Gift, filmmakers Lisa Lax and Nancy Stern have uncovered a story as compelling as it is important. Narrated by Oprah Winfrey, the film chronicles the life of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah, a young Ghanaian man born with a severely deformed right leg, who today, against incalculable odds, is opening minds, hearts and doors-and effecting social and political change throughout his country. While Emmanuel's message is vital: people with disabilities are valuable contributors to any society, his method is inspirational. Emmanuel begins his quest with a bicycle ride, over 600 kilometers, across Ghana with one leg-and continues to spread his vision with grit and resolve. Lisa Lax and Nancy Stern have been documenting Emmanuel's plight for over a year, having shot ! over 100 hours of powerful imagery. The film includes original! footage shot in Ghana, California, Oregon and New York, as well as photographs and other acquired film/video of Emmanuel's early years. Through it all, they have created an intimate insight into the mind and heart of a visionary whose unforgettable journey transcends continents and cultures and becomes each of ours to share.Grammy-nominated fingerstyle guitar virtuoso Tommy Emmanuel has toured in Europe, Asia, South America, and the United States, bringing his music from the Australian outback to the rest of the world and creating legions of new fans in the process. None other than the incredible Chet Atkins has referred to him as "One of the greatest guitarists in the world," and Tommy is quick to acknowledge Chet as his principal inspiration. Modestly referring to himself as "an entertainer who happens to play the guitar," Tommy captivates his audiences with his humor, charisma and musicianship, delivering knockout performances around the globe. Tommy's energy and the ideal acous! tics of the Sheldon Concert Hall make this a video performance to be cherished. This DVD features nearly two hours of performance, including all of the material from both of the VHS volumes entitled Tommy Emmanuel in Concert! Live at the Historic Sheldon Auditorium. Academy Award winner Tim Robbins stars in this compelling film from Pedro Almodovar, the renowned director of Volver and Talk to Her. Powerfully acted and critically acclaimed, The Secret Life of Words is a moving story about discovering love and hope when least expected. A wounded oil worker forms an unlikely and emotional relationship with a nurse based on his need to divulge the secrets of his past and her mysterious silence about her own identity. Jack Mathews of the New York Daily News calls it "remarkably compelling…one you won't soon forget."In the Secret Life of Words, a wounded man and a hearing impaired woman forge an unlikely relationship that transcends romance. They reach an understanding t! hat speaks as much for the affection they hold for one another! , as it does their need to simply be recognized. Academy Award winner Tim Robbins (Bull Durham, The Shawshank Redemption) stars opposite Sarah Polley (The Sweet Hereafter) in this emotional drama directed and written by Isabel Coixet (who also collaborated with Polley in My Life Without Me). Polley plays Hanna, an emotionally-stilted factory worker who is forced to take a vacation. Instead of jetting off to the Caribbean or the South of France for some sun, Hanna opts for Northern Ireland where she is hired to work as an oil rig nurse, despite the fact that she may never have actually had any medical training. Robbins portrays Josef, a chatty burn victim who is left temporarily blind, but still has enough life in him to flirt with Hanna. She would rather turn down her hearing aid and make as little contact with others as possible. Slowly, the two share secrets and help each other recover--him physically, her emotionally. While the burgeoning love story is! a bit implausible, the film does a good job in exploring two characters with complicated backgrounds. --Jae-Ha KimThe Gift of Mystical Insight provides the basis, the evidence and the logic of why mystical experiences occur. It gives a reader the impetus to reach for that unique, blessed experience so that the mystical state - ultimate reality - can finally be attained. Whether you are religious, an agnostic or an atheist, a priest, psychologist, scientist or philosopher, or you belong to the laity, you cannot but gain from its insights, wisdom, anecdotes and supporting parallel quotes. You may soon realize from within the self that mystical experiences are no longer a mystery, and that the gift humans have always sought above all other gifts is release from human suffering through that sudden realization. Here insights are plentiful, but more importantly you have reason that provides the impetus to reach for an illumination unlike anything you have ever imagined, o! r can possibly imagine. The meaning and importance of "the mov! ing pres ent" will become known to you. Wisdom can and does become a part of your soul. Self-esteem will be yours. You will understand the meaning of feeling and being one with the universe. You will realize that the true nature of the human being is goodness, not evil. This book may contain the most important message you will ever read. The Gift of Mystical Insight will be a message you will want to spread. If this first edition book contains the basis, the evidence and the logic to the mystical experience as it claims, you may be holding a collector's copy.%The Gift of Mystical Insight provides the basis, the evidence and the logic of why mystical experiences occur. It gives a reader the impetus to reach for that unique, blessed experience so that the mystical state -- ultimate reality -- can finally be attained.  Whether you are religious, an agnostic or an atheist, a priest,  psychologist, scientist or philosopher, or you belong to the laity, you cannot but gain from its insigh! ts, wisdom, anecdotes and supporting parallel quotes.  You may soon realize from within the self that mystical experiences are no longer a mystery, and that the gift humans have always sought above all other gifts is release from human suffering through that sudden realization.  Here insights are plentiful, but more importantly you have reason that provides the impetus to reach for an illumination unlike anything you have ever imagined, or can possibly imagine.  The meaning and importance of  "the moving present" will become known to you.  Wisdom  can and does become a part of your soul.  Self-esteem will be yours.  You will understand the meaning of feeling and being one with the universe. You will realize that the true nature of the human being is goodness, not evil.  This book may contain the most important message you will ever read.  The Gift of Mystical Insight will be a message you will want to spread.  If this first edition book contains the basis, the ev! idence and the logic to the mystical experience as it claims, ! you may be holding a collector's copy. %The Gift of Mystical Insight provides the basis, the evidence and the logic of why mystical experiences occur. It gives a reader the impetus to reach for that unique, blessed experience so that the mystical state -- ultimate reality -- can finally be attained.  Whether you are religious, an agnostic or an atheist, a priest,  psychologist, scientist or philosopher, or you belong to the laity, you cannot but gain from its insights, wisdom, anecdotes and supporting parallel quotes.  You may soon realize from within the self that mystical experiences are no longer a mystery, and that the gift humans have always sought above all other gifts is release from human suffering through that sudden realization.  Here insights are plentiful, but more importantly you have reason that provides the impetus to reach for an illumination unlike anything you have ever imagined, or can possibly imagine.  The meaning and importance of  "the moving present" w! ill become known to you.  Wisdom  can and does become a part of your soul.  Self-esteem will be yours.  You will understand the meaning of feeling and being one with the universe. You will realize that the true nature of the human being is goodness, not evil.  This book may contain the most important message you will ever read.  The Gift of Mystical Insight will be a message you will want to spread.  If this first edition book contains the basis, the evidence and the logic to the mystical experience as it claims, you may be holding a collector's copy. Discover the devastating powers of earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, volcanoes and other earth-shattering forces of nature in dramatic scenes of destruction and inspiring human courage captured by the acclaimed filmmakers of National Geographic.

Fujifilm Instax Wide Instant Film Twin Pack

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EXPIRED - DVD MovieDVDWhen ex-hero David Corbin receives an unexpected wedding invitation from the girl he once loved, he sets out on a journey to South Ryshard to crash the event and proclaim his true feelings to her. With help from his close friend, Veronica, and a girl named Kimberly, David battles his way through crooked agents, a crazed farmer and a demon hybrid to reach the wedding on time. Only when he runs into Turquoise, a mysterious woman on her own mission to stop the wedding and procure an enchanted timepiece, does he realize that the fate of humanity hangs in the balance.

Carrie Green is days away from marrying Jerad Montlier, one of the richest men in the world. Lacking any memory of her past, and displaying a peculiar spiral birthmark on her shoulder blade, Carrie is spun ! into further confusion when a diary with her name on it falls into her possession. Reading the entries inside sparks a recollection of her past and reveals the horrifying trap that’s been set.

As heroes’ paths collide, the beginning of the end launches in this epic first volume of the Expired Reality series.
When ex-hero David Corbin receives an unexpected wedding invitation from the girl he once loved, he sets out on a journey to South Ryshard to crash the event and proclaim his true feelings to her. With help from his close friend, Veronica, and a girl named Kimberly, David battles his way through crooked agents, a crazed farmer and a demon hybrid to reach the wedding on time. Only when he runs into Turquoise, a mysterious woman on her own mission to stop the wedding and procure an enchanted timepiece, does he realize that the fate of humanity hangs in the balance.

Carrie Green is days away from marrying Jerad Montlier, one of the richest men in! the world. Lacking any memory of her past, and displaying a p! eculiar spiral birthmark on her shoulder blade, Carrie is spun into further confusion when a diary with her name on it falls into her possession. Reading the entries inside sparks a recollection of her past and reveals the horrifying trap that’s been set.

As heroes’ paths collide, the beginning of the end launches in this epic first volume of the Expired Reality series.
Fujifilm Instax Instant Color Film is professional grade and provides superior performance.

Halloween [Blu-ray]

  • The film which ushered in the modern age of horror stands well above its many sequels and clones because John Carpenter's taut direction makes it truly scary. Jamie Lee Curtis, in her debut role, plays a babysitter who must protect herself from the deadly Michael Myers, a mental institution escapee who killed his sister on Halloween fifteen years earlier. Called "the most successful independent mo
The film which ushered in the modern age of horror stands well above its many sequels and clones because John Carpenter's taut direction makes it truly scary. Jamie Lee Curtis in her debut role plays a babysitter who must protect herself from the deadly Michael Myers a mental institution escapee who killed his sister on Halloween fifteen years earlier. Called "the most successful independent motion picture of all time" HALLOWEEN is also one of most frightening films ever made.System Requirements:Run! ning Time: 92 mins.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: HORROR Rating: R UPC: 013131542899 Manufacturer No: DV15428Halloween is as pure and undiluted as its title. In the small town of Haddonfield, Illinois, a teenage baby sitter tries to survive a Halloween night of relentless terror, during which a knife-wielding maniac goes after the town's hormonally charged youths. Director John Carpenter takes this simple situation and orchestrates a superbly mounted symphony of horrors. It's a movie much scarier for its dark spaces and ominous camera movements than for its explicit bloodletting (which is actually minimal). Composed by Carpenter himself, the movie's freaky music sets the tone; and his script (cowritten with Debra Hill) is laced with references to other horror pictures, especially Psycho. The baby sitter is played by Jamie Lee Curtis, the real-life daughter of Psycho victim Janet Leigh; and the obsessed policeman played by Donald Pleasence is named Sam Loo! mis, after John Gavin's character in Psycho. In the end! , though , Halloween stands on its own as an uncannily frightening experience--it's one of those movies that had audiences literally jumping out of their seats and shouting at the screen. ("No! Don't drop that knife!") Produced on a low budget, the picture turned a monster profit, and spawned many sequels, none of which approached the 1978 original. Curtis returned for two more installments: 1981's dismal Halloween II, which picked up the story the day after the unfortunate events, and 1998's occasionally gripping Halloween H20, which proved the former baby sitter was still haunted after 20 years. --Robert Horton Halloween is as pure and undiluted as its title. In the small town of Haddonfield, Illinois, a teenage baby sitter tries to survive a Halloween night of relentless terror, during which a knife-wielding maniac goes after the town's hormonally charged youths. Director John Carpenter takes this simple situation and orchestrates a superbly moun! ted symphony of horrors. It's a movie much scarier for its dark spaces and ominous camera movements than for its explicit bloodletting (which is actually minimal). Composed by Carpenter himself, the movie's freaky music sets the tone; and his script (cowritten with Debra Hill) is laced with references to other horror pictures, especially Psycho. The baby sitter is played by Jamie Lee Curtis, the real-life daughter of Psycho victim Janet Leigh; and the obsessed policeman played by Donald Pleasence is named Sam Loomis, after John Gavin's character in Psycho. In the end, though, Halloween stands on its own as an uncannily frightening experience--it's one of those movies that had audiences literally jumping out of their seats and shouting at the screen. ("No! Don't drop that knife!") Produced on a low budget, the picture turned a monster profit, and spawned many sequels, none of which approached the 1978 original. Curtis returned for two more install! ments: 1981's dismal Halloween II, which picked up the ! story th e day after the unfortunate events, and 1998's occasionally gripping Halloween H20, which proved the former baby sitter was still haunted after 20 years. --Robert HortonNo Description Available.
Genre: Horror
Rating: NR
Release Date: 2-OCT-2007
Media Type: Blu-RayHalloween is as pure and undiluted as its title. In the small town of Haddonfield, Illinois, a teenage baby sitter tries to survive a Halloween night of relentless terror, during which a knife-wielding maniac goes after the town's hormonally charged youths. Director John Carpenter takes this simple situation and orchestrates a superbly mounted symphony of horrors. It's a movie much scarier for its dark spaces and ominous camera movements than for its explicit bloodletting (which is actually minimal). Composed by Carpenter himself, the movie's freaky music sets the tone; and his script (cowritten with Debra Hill) is laced with references to other horror pic! tures, especially Psycho. The baby sitter is played by Jamie Lee Curtis, the real-life daughter of Psycho victim Janet Leigh; and the obsessed policeman played by Donald Pleasence is named Sam Loomis, after John Gavin's character in Psycho. In the end, though, Halloween stands on its own as an uncannily frightening experience--it's one of those movies that had audiences literally jumping out of their seats and shouting at the screen. ("No! Don't drop that knife!") Produced on a low budget, the picture turned a monster profit, and spawned many sequels, none of which approached the 1978 original. Curtis returned for two more installments: 1981's dismal Halloween II, which picked up the story the day after the unfortunate events, and 1998's occasionally gripping Halloween H20, which proved the former baby sitter was still haunted after 20 years. --Robert Horton Halloween is as pure and undiluted as its title. In the small! town of Haddonfield, Illinois, a teenage baby sitter tries to! survive a Halloween night of relentless terror, during which a knife-wielding maniac goes after the town's hormonally charged youths. Director John Carpenter takes this simple situation and orchestrates a superbly mounted symphony of horrors. It's a movie much scarier for its dark spaces and ominous camera movements than for its explicit bloodletting (which is actually minimal). Composed by Carpenter himself, the movie's freaky music sets the tone; and his script (cowritten with Debra Hill) is laced with references to other horror pictures, especially Psycho. The baby sitter is played by Jamie Lee Curtis, the real-life daughter of Psycho victim Janet Leigh; and the obsessed policeman played by Donald Pleasence is named Sam Loomis, after John Gavin's character in Psycho. In the end, though, Halloween stands on its own as an uncannily frightening experience--it's one of those movies that had audiences literally jumping out of their seats and shouting at th! e screen. ("No! Don't drop that knife!") Produced on a low budget, the picture turned a monster profit, and spawned many sequels, none of which approached the 1978 original. Curtis returned for two more installments: 1981's dismal Halloween II, which picked up the story the day after the unfortunate events, and 1998's occasionally gripping Halloween H20, which proved the former baby sitter was still haunted after 20 years. --Robert Horton

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There is an indescribable freedom that comes from physically deceiving the world.

If you are a fan of Halloween then you know the euphoria of pretending to be Frankenstein or a prostitute or Spiderman or Wonder Woman or a tiger or Dorothy or any old somebody or something that you are not.

To be free of social constraints, to melt the wor! ld as you know it for an evening, to be tantalized by uniqueness, causes tens of millions of people to be filled with glee on the last day of October. Some people spend a week's pay and a year's plotting to come up with the perfect costume that will blow their friends' minds away.

For some reason, people experience untold amounts of elation when they get to pretend to be somebody who they are not.

Multiply that by 50,000 and you would come close to the level of euphoria you'd reach if you got to actually parade around in the skin of somebody else for a few days. Just imagine if, all of a sudden, with the mere injection of a needle, you became Asian or a midget or a man. A quick sting in the ribs and you're blonde or pretty or have an Afro. Just imagine becoming any of these combinations and infinitely more. Since you are no longer actually you, you are immediately freed up to talk to whomever you want to talk to without fear of them judging you. All of! a sudden, you can take revenge on enemies, commit crimes and ! be lasci vious without fear of repercussions. All of a sudden, you are free.

Imagine how much fun it would be to be anybody or anything you wanted to be!

And with absolutely no constraints, no restrictions, no limitations, no boundaries, no gravity!

Wouldn't that be great?!

The novel blurred explores this scenario and makes the following analogy:

Drop a frog into a pot of water and he'll swim about contentedly. Fatten him up with a few flies and he'll be the happiest frog in the world. He will swim around blissfully, unaware that a fire has been built beneath his pot, only that it has become warmer, until he is finally cooked alive.

blurred turns this figurative frog into Sam Senior who swims naively in a social milieu that has had a fire applied to it for generations. Brilliant in his use of the innernet (an internet connection in the brain), Sam can navigate dozens of websites simultaneously. A NetJeopardy champion ! on a full ride at a prestigious university, Sam's future looks bright. Perpetually checking social sites while surfing the net, even as he converses with people nearby, Sam doesn't initially realize that he is being held in the ubiquitous sway of a constant communication that paradoxically leads to a lack of real communication, a lack of deep communication.

However, Sam takes a class where he learns about a (possibly) mythological drug, DNA, which instantly alters a person's physical identity and is used primarily for either recreational sex, crime, or revenge. His professor teaches his class by having students read about "drops" he has taken where he engages in the above activities. Slowly, Sam begins to realize that the pot he is swimming in is getting too hot.

Mirrored by a future that suffers from a general dearth of love, Sam's loneliness is palpable. For, although the future is excessively promiscuous, love and sex are not always interchangeable. ! A hopeless romantic, Sam wants to wait for just the right woma! n before engaging in intercourse. Of course, with most people taking several sex partners a month, everyone mocks him as prude.

As the world begins to blur together, like water in a boiling pot, Sam quests after love. Buffeted about by reality, he finally finds the arms of a fascinating woman. Simpatico, they both realize that there is nothing in a transitory world but one another and the hope that their love can carry them through the darkness that is postmodernity.blurred is life when communications become utterly instantaneous and ubiquitous. When email is the new snail mail, texting is walking through sand with snow boots, and even Twitter is a bit too detailed.



blurred is what happens to the present as different cultures are absorbed into a monolithic, computer dominated culture that is attempting to rebuild the Tower of Babel.



blurred is the tale of a young man, Sam Senior, Jr., who can simultaneously blog, email and s! urf the net, even as he is having conversations with people who are standing directly in front of him. Using a program that is connected directly to his brain to accomplish all this, his ability to multitask makes him a celebrity at a very young age.



blurred then explores how a constant surge of communication leads paradoxically to a lack of real communication, a lack of deep communication. This steady flow of information leads to people being too "found" to ever become "lost." And lost people are the best at finding love. Therefore, the future suffers from a general dearth of love in a society that is mirrored in Sam's loneliness.



A hopeless romantic, Sam wants to wait for just the right woman before engaging in sexual intercourse. Of course, this being the promiscuous future with most people taking several different lovers a month, everyone mocks him as a prude. Nevertheless, as his friends engage in one sexual activity aft! er the other, Sam stands tall in his conviction ... for awhile! .
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There is a parable about a frog dropped into a pot of cool water who swims about contentedly even as a fire is built under him for cooking purposes. blurred substitutes out the frog with modern humanity and the fire with progress. The question is, do you jump out of the pot or continue to swim in the water while it’s still nice and warm?

There is a parable about a frog dropped into a pot of cool water who swims about contentedly even as a fire is built under him for cooking purposes. blurred substitutes out the frog with modern humanity and the fire with progress. The question is, do you jump out of the pot or continue to swim in the water while it’s still nice and warm?blurred is life when communications become utterly instantaneous and ubiquitous. When email is the new snail mail, texting is walking through sand with snow boots, and even Twitter is a bit too detailed.



blurred is what happens to the present as different cult! ures are absorbed into a monolithic, computer dominated culture that is attempting to rebuild the Tower of Babel.



blurred is the tale of a young man, Sam Senior, Jr., who can simultaneously blog, email and surf the net, even as he is having conversations with people who are standing directly in front of him. Using a program that is connected directly to his brain to accomplish all this, his ability to multitask makes him a celebrity at a very young age.



blurred then explores how a constant surge of communication leads paradoxically to a lack of real communication, a lack of deep communication. This steady flow of information leads to people being too "found" to ever become "lost." And lost people are the best at finding love. Therefore, the future suffers from a general dearth of love in a society that is mirrored in Sam's loneliness.



A hopeless romantic, Sam wants to wait for just the right woman before engaging in sexual in! tercourse. Of course, this being the promiscuous future with m! ost peop le taking several different lovers a month, everyone mocks him as a prude. Nevertheless, as his friends engage in one sexual activity after the other, Sam stands tall in his conviction ... for awhile.



There is a parable about a frog dropped into a pot of cool water who swims about contentedly even as a fire is built under him for cooking purposes. blurred substitutes out the frog with modern humanity and the fire with progress. The question is, do you jump out of the pot or continue to swim in the water while it’s still nice and warm?

There is a parable about a frog dropped into a pot of cool water who swims about contentedly even as a fire is built under him for cooking purposes. blurred substitutes out the frog with modern humanity and the fire with progress. The question is, do you jump out of the pot or continue to swim in the water while it’s still nice and warm?Australia released, PAL/Region 4 DVD: it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player.! You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), English ( Dolby DTS 5.1 ), ANAMORPHIC WIDESCREEN (1.78:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Anamorphic Widescreen, Commentary, Deleted Scenes, Interactive Menu, Scene Access, Short Film, Teaser(s), Trailer(s), SYNOPSIS: After high school graduation, the tradition of 'Schoolies Week' has emerged at a Queensland's Gold Coast resort in which 70,000 kids from all over Australia congregate for a hedonistic week of drinking, drugs, and sex. Five couples travelling to this party of a life-time are in for the ride of their lives. ...BlurredSpeck Products ShieldView Anti-Glare Screen Protector for iPhone 4

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Full Screen Edition)

  • The next installment in the Harry Potter series finds young wizard Harry Potter (DANIEL RADCLIFFE) and his friends Ron Weasley (RUPERT GRINT) and Hermione Granger (EMMA WATSON) facing new challenges during their second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as they try to uncover a dark force that is terrorizing the school. Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: SCI-FI/FANTASY Rating:&nb
From Christopher Munch, the director of The Hours and Times, comes this unforgettable tale of intense brotherly love. Harry (Bryce Johnson) is a 23-year-old former boy-band idol who is watching his 16-year-old brother Max (Cole Williams of Boys Life 4) follow in his footsteps. Harry escorts Max on a long-promised camping trip to Los Angeles' San Gabriel Mountains. What starts out as fun quickly turns serious as they bond in ways that neither could have anticipated. Artful and provocative, sexy and controversia! l, Harry and Max proves that the road to adulthood is never a straight line.The next installment in the Harry Potter series finds young wizard Harry Potter (DANIEL RADCLIFFE) and his friends Ron Weasley (RUPERT GRINT) and Hermione Granger (EMMA WATSON) facing new challenges during their second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as they try to uncover a dark force that is terrorizing the school.First sequels are the true test of an enduring movie franchise, and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets passes with flying colors. Expanding upon the lavish sets, special effects, and grand adventure of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry's second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry involves a darker, more malevolent tale (parents with younger children beware), beginning with the petrified bodies of several Hogwarts students and magical clues leading Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint), and Hermione (Emma Watson) to a ! 50-year-old mystery in the monster-laden Chamber of Secrets. H! ouse elv es, squealing mandrakes, giant spiders, and venomous serpents populate this loyal adaptation (by Sorcerer's Stone director Chris Columbus and screenwriter Steve Kloves), and Kenneth Branagh delightfully tops the supreme supporting cast as the vainglorious charlatan Gilderoy Lockhart (be sure to view past the credits for a visual punchline at Lockhart's expense). At 161 minutes, the film suffers from lack of depth and uneven pacing, and John Williams' score mostly reprises established themes. The young, fast-growing cast offers ample compensation, however, as does the late Richard Harris in his final screen appearance as Professor Albus Dumbledore. Brimming with cleverness, wonderment, and big-budget splendor, Chamber honors the legacy of J.K. Rowling's novels. --Jeff Shannon
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