Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Arthur/Arthur 2: On the Rocks

  • Dudley does right! Dudley Moore is Arthur, the irrepressible, irresponsible playboy who faces marriage to a woman he detests to keep his fortune and then meets the right woman (Liza Minnelli) from the wrong side of the tracks. John Gielgud won an Academy Award (1981 Best Supporting Actor) as Arthur's acerbic valet. "I'll alert the media," he says when Arthur announces his intention to take a bath.
Russell Brand reinvents the role of lovable billionaire Arthur Bach, an irresponsible charmer who has always relied on two things to get by: his limitless fortune and lifelong nanny Hobson (Academy Award® winner* Helen Mirren) to keep him out of trouble. Now he faces his biggest challenge: choosing between an arranged marriage to ambitious corporate exec Susan (Jennifer Garner) that will ensure his lavish lifestyle, or an uncertain future with the one thing money can’t buy â€" Naomi (Greta Gerwig! ), his true love. With Naomi’s inspiration and some unconventional help from Hobson, Arthur will take the most expensive risk of his life and learn what it means to be a man in this re-imagining of the beloved Oscar®-winning* romantic comedy Arthur. As a high-concept Hollywood pitch, remaking the charming Dudley Moore 1981 comic romp about a man-child billionaire playboy with a rather serious drinking problem and installing Russell Brand as the new lead sounded like a pretty good idea. With Brand's reputation as a semi-reformed bad boy and actual recovering alcoholic/addict (not to mention his parlayed success from English standup fame to movies like Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Get Him to the Greek), he was a great casting choice to reprise Moore's devilishly innocent character. In many ways Brand is among the heirs to first-wave loony British comics like Moore, Peter Sellers, and Spike Milligan, along with actors like Steve Coogan, Eddie Izzard, and Rick! y Gervais. But something happened in the 30-year translation t! hat has deflated a lot of charm from the 2011 Arthur. Brand is probably the best thing about the movie, although he's never quite able to capture the characterization of a genuinely agreeable immature cad that Moore portrayed so adorably. This is Russell Brand playing another version of himself, which isn't such a bad thing, just not quite adorable enough. Brand is a smart, funny, and quick-on-his-feet improviser, and lot of that comes through, but he'd probably be the first to admit that he's no Dudley Moore.

The basics of the story remain unchanged. Arthur Bach is a trust fund child who is stuck in childhood, even though his pampered bubble of wealth now brings him toys like prostitutes, famous movie prop cars (the Batmobile, the Back to the Future DeLorean, the Scooby-Doo Mystery Machine, and others all make appearances), and all manner of grownup baubles at every fleeting whim. His stuck-in-childhood mode seems to be blamed on the loss of his doting fath! er at a very young age. But now at 30, his prim mother (Geraldine James) wants him to grow up, stop embarrassing the huge corporation that bears their name, and marry a respectable girl (Jennifer Garner) who will tame him and give the company a veneer of respectability. Upon threat of being cut off from the family fortune, Arthur reluctantly agrees, but then immediately falls for the real girl of his dreams, a lowly--and poor--Manhattan tour guide (Greta Gerwig), who falls for him too. She doesn't even care about the money. The issue of drink is handled somewhat differently 30 years after Dudley Moore made such a loveable and unrepentant chronic inebriant. Since it's kind of a more significant societal issue, the filmmakers haven't really been able to make it as much of a fun and funny part of who Arthur is (plus, Dudley Moore did a drunken shtick that was fairly classic, while there doesn't seem to be much difference between Brand's drunken and sober Arthur). Arthur's drin! king is treated as a genuine problem in this update, which als! o provid es comedy the dilemma of dealing with seriousness. Fortunately the sense of forward momentum, Brand's general likeability, and the pervading sunny tone cover up a lot. The other big selling point and major change from the original is the character of Hobson, who for Dudley Moore was a dour butler played by John Gielgud, and for Russell Brand is a disapproving nanny in the persona of Helen Mirren. Both Hobsons were best friends to Arthur, and Mirren's statuesque gravitas brings a lot to the authentic lifelong affection that seems real as handled by both actors. Overlooking some slackness in the script, Brand and Mirren give this bright, shiny updated Arthur longer legs than it might otherwise have had in striding cleverly into audiences' hearts. --Ted FryARTHUR - DVD MovieWhen you get caught between the moon and New York City (ahem), chances are you'll find yourself taking another look at this hit comedy starring Oscar-nominated Dudley Moore as the charmingly witty, pe! rpetually drunken millionaire Arthur Bach. Arthur falls in love with a waitress (Liza Minnelli) who doesn't care about his money, but unfortunately Arthur's stern father wants him to marry a Waspy prima donna. The young lush turns to his wise and loyal butler (Oscar-winner John Gielgud) for assistance and advice. Arthur was a huge hit when released in 1981, as was its Oscar-winning theme song by Christopher Cross. Few remember that the movie was, sadly, the only one ever made by writer-director Steve Gordon, who died less than a year after the film's release. Consistently funny and heartwarming, Arthur was hailed as a tribute to the great romantic comedies of the 1930s. --Jeff ShannonDudley does right! Dudley Moore is Arthur, the irrepressible, irresponsible playboy who faces marriage to a woman he detests to keep his fortune…and then meets the right woman (Liza Minnelli) from the wrong side of the tracks. John Gielgud won an Academy Award® (1981's B! est Supporting Actor) as Arthur's acerbic valet. "I'll alert t! he media ," he says when Arthur announces his intention to take a bath. The title tune also won Oscar® gold for Original Song. A business deal bilks Arthur out of his fortune and he must (egad!) get a job in the sequel Arthur 2 on the Rocks. But laughs are still the common currency as Moore, Minnelli and Gielgud return. Enjoy!Dudley does right! Dudley Moore is Arthur, the irrepressible, irresponsible playboy who faces marriage to a woman he detests to keep his fortune?and then meets the right woman (Liza Minnelli) from the wrong side of the tracks. John Gielgud won an Academy Award? (1981 Best Supporting Actor) as Arthur's acerbic valet. "I'll alert the media," he says when Arthur announces his intention to take a bath. The title tune also won Oscar? gold for Original Song. A business deal bilks Arthur out of his fortune and he must (egad!) get a job in the sequel. But laughs are still the common currency as Moore, Minnelli and Gielgud return. Enjoy!

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)

  • Fantasy Adventure. Acclaimed director Tim Burton brings his vividly imaginative style to the beloved Roald Dahlic Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, about eccentric chocolatier Willy Wonka (Depp) and Charlie, a good-hearted boy from a poor family who lives in the shadow of Wonka's extraordinary factory. Long isolated from his own family, Wonka launches a worldwide contest to select an heir to his
Willy Wonka's famous chocolate factory is opening at last! But only five lucky children will be allowed inside. And the winners are: Augustus Gloop, Veruca Salt, Violet Beauregarde, Mike Teavee, and Charlie Bucket, Our Hero, a boy who is honest and kind, brave and true, and good and ready for the wildest time of his life!Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and its sequel, Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator, along with Roald Dahl's other tales for younger readers, make him a true star ! of children's literature. Dahl seems to know just how far to go with his oddball fantasies; in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, for example, nasty Violet Beauregarde blows up into a blueberry from sneaking forbidden chewing gum, and bratty Augustus Gloop is carried away on the river of chocolate he wouldn't resist. In fact, all manner of disasters can happen to the most obnoxiously deserving of children because Dahl portrays each incident with such resourcefulness and humor.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a singular delight, crammed with mad fantasy, childhood justice and revenge, and as much candy as you can eat. The book is also available in Spanish (Charlie y la Fabrica de Chocolate). (The suggested age range for this book is 9-12, but nobody this reviewer has met can resist it, including New York City bellhops, flight attendants, and grumpy teenagers.) Fantasy Adventure. Acclaimed director Tim Burton brings his vividly im! aginative style to the beloved Roald Dahl classic Charlie and ! the Choc olate Factory, about eccentric chocolatier Willy Wonka (Depp) and Charlie, a good-hearted boy from a poor family who lives in the shadow of Wonka's extraordinary factory. Long isolated from his own family, Wonka launches a worldwide contest to select an heir to his candy empire. Five lucky children, including Charlie, draw golden tickets from Wonka chocolate bars and win a guided tour of the legendary candy-making facility that no outsider has seen in 15 years. Dazzled by one amazing sight after another, Charlie is drawn into Wonka's fantastic world in this astonishing andenduring story.Mixed reviews and creepy comparisons to Michael Jackson notwithstanding, Tim Burton's splendidly imaginative adaptation of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory would almost surely meet with Roald Dahl's approval. The celebrated author of darkly offbeat children's books vehemently disapproved of 1971's Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (hence the change in title), so it's only f! itting that Burton and his frequent star/collaborator, Johnny Depp, should have another go, infusing the enigmatic candyman's tale with their own unique brand of imaginative oddity. Depp's pale, androgynous Wonka led some to suspect a partial riff on that most controversial of eternal children, Michael Jackson, but Burton's film is too expansively magnificent to be so narrowly defined. While preserving Dahl's morality tale on the hazards of indulgent excess, Burton's riotous explosion of color provides a wondrous setting for the lessons learned by Charlie Bucket (played by Freddie Highmore, Depp's delightful costar in Finding Neverland), as he and other, less admirable children enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime tour of Wonka's confectionary wonderland. Elaborate visual effects make this an eye-candy overdose (including digitally multiplied Oompa-Loompas, all played by diminutive actor Deep Roy), and the film's underlying weirdness is exaggerated by Depp's admirably risky bu! t ultimately off-putting performance. Of course, none of this ! stops Bu rton's Charlie from being the must-own family DVD of 2005's holiday season, perhaps even for those who staunchly defend Gene Wilder's portrayal of Wonka from 34 years earlier. --Jeff ShannonSummary:
0

About the Author:

•0
Author: Roald Dahl
Illustrator:0
Publisher:Knopf Books for Young Readers
Published Date:09/11/2001
Format:Hardcover
ISBN:0375815597
#of pages:#N/A
Deliciously madcap mayhem and out-of-this-world fantasy--this is what you'll find within the casing of this boxed set of two of Roald Dahl's most brilliant creations: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator.

For decades, delighted readers of all ages have explored Willy Wonka's fabulous chocolate factory, met the Oompa Loompas, and sampled the chocolate river along with Augustus Gloop. And later, they have zoomed off into the stratosphere in the most remarkable ! elevator ever created. Now, a new generation of readers barely needs to pause between the first and the second of Roald Dahl's masterful volumes. Hardcover editions of each title, illustrated of course by the incomparable Quentin Blake, are tucked in a handy cardboard sleeve, ready for the next set of hungry eyes. Sadly, the convenience of the set is counterbalanced by the poor quality of the paper used for the books. Classics like these deserve thick, creamy, opaque pages; not the flimsy, rough, semitransparent sheets used here. (Ages 7 and older) --Emilie Coulter

Features include:

•MPAA Rating: PG
•Format: Blu-Ray
•Runtime: 115 minutes
Mixed reviews and creepy comparisons to Michael Jackson notwithstanding, Tim Burton's splendidly imaginative adaptation of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory would almost surely meet with Roald Dahl's approval. The celebrated author of darkly offbeat children's books vehe! mently disapproved of 1971's Willy Wonka and the Chocolate ! Factory< /I> (hence the change in title), so it's only fitting that Burton and his frequent star/collaborator, Johnny Depp, should have another go, infusing the enigmatic candyman's tale with their own unique brand of imaginative oddity. Depp's pale, androgynous Wonka led some to suspect a partial riff on that most controversial of eternal children, Michael Jackson, but Burton's film is too expansively magnificent to be so narrowly defined. While preserving Dahl's morality tale on the hazards of indulgent excess, Burton's riotous explosion of color provides a wondrous setting for the lessons learned by Charlie Bucket (played by Freddie Highmore, Depp's delightful costar in Finding Neverland), as he and other, less admirable children enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime tour of Wonka's confectionary wonderland. Elaborate visual effects make this an eye-candy overdose (including digitally multiplied Oompa-Loompas, all played by diminutive actor Deep Roy), and the film's underlying weirdne! ss is exaggerated by Depp's admirably risky but ultimately off-putting performance. Of course, none of this stops Burton's Charlie from being the must-own family DVD of 2005's holiday season, perhaps even for those who staunchly defend Gene Wilder's portrayal of Wonka from 34 years earlier. --Jeff Shannon

DVD features
The second disc is filled with a number of distinctive featurettes. The likely crowd-pleaser in most households is "Attack of the Squirrels," which recounts how those fuzzy little creatures (a combination of hard-to-train live animals, animatronics, and computer graphics) can be ornery in their own right. "The Fantastic Mr. Dahl" is a 17-minute look at author Roald Dahl through vintage footage and new interviews with family, friends, and colleagues. "Becoming Oompa-Loompa" follows Deep Roy as he is filmed over and over again through his dance steps and music performances.

Roy is a constant throughout the kids' activities as well. You! can follow him to learn two different dance steps "Augustus G! loop" an d "Violet Beauregarde," and make him taste weird candy inventions in a simple game. "Search for the Golden Ticket" is a five-part challenge that tests your remote-control fingers, your deductive abilities, or your luck. Finally, if you just want basic behind-the-scenes information, "Making the Mix" is a collection of featurettes (around 40 minutes total) covering the film's casting, music, production design, and special effects. --David HoriuchiA poor little boy wins a ticket to visit the inside of a mysterious and magical chocolate factory. When he experiences the wonders inside the factory, the boy discovers that the entire visit is a test of his character.Having proven itself as a favorite film of children around the world, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory is every bit as entertaining now as it was when originally released in 1971. There's a timeless appeal to Roald Dahl's classic children's novel, which was playfully preserved in this charming musical,! from the colorful carnival-like splendor of its production design to the infectious melody of the "Oompah-Loompah" songs that punctuate the story. Who can forget those diminutive Oompah-Loompah workers who recite rhyming parental warnings ("Oompah-Loompah, doopity do...") whenever some mischievous child has disobeyed Willy Wonka's orders to remain orderly? Oh, but we're getting ahead of ourselves ... it's really the story of the impoverished Charlie Bucket, who, along with four other kids and their parental guests, wins a coveted golden ticket to enter the fantastic realm of Wonka's mysterious confectionery. After the other kids have proven themselves to be irresponsible brats, it's Charlie who impresses Wonka and wins a reward beyond his wildest dreams. But before that, the tour of Wonka's factory provides a dazzling parade of delights, and with Gene Wilder giving a brilliant performance as the eccentric candyman, Wonka gains an edge of menace and madness that nice! ly counterbalances the movie's sentimental sweetness. It's tha! t willin gness to risk a darker tone--to show that even a wonderland like Wonka's can be a weird and dangerous place if you're a bad kid--that makes this an enduring family classic. --Jeff ShannonWe recommend you read this unit on your kindle machine with a 1 font for best viewing
This unit study offers many wonderful activities to use while having students read the book. There are between 6 and 10 lessons. Activities in this lesson include Fill in the Blank, Multiple Choice, True and False, Comprehension, Encyclopedia Skills Activity, Journal Activity, Vocabulary, Sequencing, Handwriting, Main Idea, Prediction, Comparison

Literature Skills Activities including: Main Character, Main Setting, Main Problem, Possible Solutions, Character Traits, Character Interaction, Cause and Effect, Description, Pyramid of Importance, Villain vs. Hero.

Creative Writing Activities including: Letter, Fairy Tale, Mystery, Science Fiction, Fable, Dream or Nightmare, Tall! Tale, Memoir, Newberry Award, A Different Ending.

Writing Skills Activities including: Description, Expository, Dialogue, Process, Point of View, Persuasion, Compare and Contrast, Sequel, Climax and Plot Analysis.

Poetry Skills Activities including: Couplet, Triplet, Quinzain, Haiku, Cinquain, Tanka, Diamanté, Lantern and Shape Poem.

Create a Newspaper Layout Activities including: Editorial, Travel, Advice Column, Comics, Society News, Sports, Obituary, Weddings, Book Review, Want Ads, Word Search.

Poster Board Activities including: Collage, Theater Poster, Wanted Poster, Coat of Arms, Story Quilt, Chalk Art, Silhouette, Board Game Construction, Door Sign, Jeopardy.

We also offer more activities including instructions for a lapbook at our home site. If you purchase this unit study and let us know by sending us proof of purchase, we will download this unit in PDF version to you which has more activities and the lapb! ook instructions.

We recommend you read this unit o! n your k indle machine with a 1 font for best viewing
This unit study offers many wonderful activities to use while having students read the book. There are between 6 and 10 lessons. Activities in this lesson include Fill in the Blank, Multiple Choice, True and False, Comprehension, Encyclopedia Skills Activity, Journal Activity, Vocabulary, Sequencing, Handwriting, Main Idea, Prediction, Comparison

Literature Skills Activities including: Main Character, Main Setting, Main Problem, Possible Solutions, Character Traits, Character Interaction, Cause and Effect, Description, Pyramid of Importance, Villain vs. Hero.

Creative Writing Activities including: Letter, Fairy Tale, Mystery, Science Fiction, Fable, Dream or Nightmare, Tall Tale, Memoir, Newberry Award, A Different Ending.

Writing Skills Activities including: Description, Expository, Dialogue, Process, Point of View, Persuasion, Compare and Contrast, Sequel, Climax and Plot Analysis.

Poetry ! Skills Activities including: Couplet, Triplet, Quinzain, Haiku, Cinquain, Tanka, Diamanté, Lantern and Shape Poem.

Create a Newspaper Layout Activities including: Editorial, Travel, Advice Column, Comics, Society News, Sports, Obituary, Weddings, Book Review, Want Ads, Word Search.

Poster Board Activities including: Collage, Theater Poster, Wanted Poster, Coat of Arms, Story Quilt, Chalk Art, Silhouette, Board Game Construction, Door Sign, Jeopardy.

We also offer more activities including instructions for a lapbook at our home site. If you purchase this unit study and let us know by sending us proof of purchase, we will download this unit in PDF version to you which has more activities and the lapbook instructions.

Fantasy Adventure. Acclaimed director Tim Burton brings his vividly imaginative style to the beloved Roald Dahl classic Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, about eccentric chocolatier Willy Wonka (Depp) and Charlie, a good-he! arted boy from a poor family who lives in the shadow of Wonka'! s extrao rdinary factory. Long isolated from his own family, Wonka launches a worldwide contest to select an heir to his candy empire. Five lucky children, including Charlie, draw golden tickets from Wonka chocolate bars and win a guided tour of the legendary candy-making facility that no outsider has seen in 15 years. Dazzled by one amazing sight after another, Charlie is drawn into Wonka's fantastic world in this astonishing andenduring story.Mixed reviews and creepy comparisons to Michael Jackson notwithstanding, Tim Burton's splendidly imaginative adaptation of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory would almost surely meet with Roald Dahl's approval. The celebrated author of darkly offbeat children's books vehemently disapproved of 1971's Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (hence the change in title), so it's only fitting that Burton and his frequent star/collaborator, Johnny Depp, should have another go, infusing the enigmatic candyman's tale with their own unique b! rand of imaginative oddity. Depp's pale, androgynous Wonka led some to suspect a partial riff on that most controversial of eternal children, Michael Jackson, but Burton's film is too expansively magnificent to be so narrowly defined. While preserving Dahl's morality tale on the hazards of indulgent excess, Burton's riotous explosion of color provides a wondrous setting for the lessons learned by Charlie Bucket (played by Freddie Highmore, Depp's delightful costar in Finding Neverland), as he and other, less admirable children enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime tour of Wonka's confectionary wonderland. Elaborate visual effects make this an eye-candy overdose (including digitally multiplied Oompa-Loompas, all played by diminutive actor Deep Roy), and the film's underlying weirdness is exaggerated by Depp's admirably risky but ultimately off-putting performance. Of course, none of this stops Burton's Charlie from being the must-own family DVD of 2005's holiday season, perhaps ! even for those who staunchly defend Gene Wilder's portrayal of! Wonka f rom 34 years earlier. --Jeff Shannon

DVD features
The second disc is filled with a number of distinctive featurettes. The likely crowd-pleaser in most households is "Attack of the Squirrels," which recounts how those fuzzy little creatures (a combination of hard-to-train live animals, animatronics, and computer graphics) can be ornery in their own right. "The Fantastic Mr. Dahl" is a 17-minute look at author Roald Dahl through vintage footage and new interviews with family, friends, and colleagues. "Becoming Oompa-Loompa" follows Deep Roy as he is filmed over and over again through his dance steps and music performances.

Roy is a constant throughout the kids' activities as well. You can follow him to learn two different dance steps "Augustus Gloop" and "Violet Beauregarde," and make him taste weird candy inventions in a simple game. "Search for the Golden Ticket" is a five-part challenge that tests your remote-control fingers, your deductive abili! ties, or your luck. Finally, if you just want basic behind-the-scenes information, "Making the Mix" is a collection of featurettes (around 40 minutes total) covering the film's casting, music, production design, and special effects. --David Horiuchi

Twice turned into a feature film, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a delectable classic about a child's dreams and the eccentric chocolate-maker who makes them come true. When Willy Wonka's hallowed chocolate factory holds a worldwide contest awarding tours to the lucky, five children emerge as winners, including a glutton, a gum- chewing nitwit, a spoiled brat, and a TV addict. Only Charlie Bucket, the story's earnest hero, stands to win the exotic riches of Wonka's empire-if he avoids the pitfalls of his fellow contestants and stays true to his heart. Ingenious and entertaining, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a true modern classic.


The Devil Came On Horseback

  • An up-close, honest, and uncompromising look at the crisis in Darfur, THE DEVIL CAME ON HORSEBACK exposes the ongoing tragedy in Sudan as seen through the eyes of one American witness. Using the exclusive photographs and first hand testimony of former U.S. Marine Captain Brian Steidle, the film goes on an emotionally charged journey into the heart of Darfur, Sudan, where in 2004, Steidle became
The Devil Came on Horseback is an intense, vivid autobiographical report from the heart of violent Darfur and a call to action by a former American Marine who became a military observer for the African Union. The first extensive on-the-ground account of the genocide in Sudan, it leads us through the tragic impact of an Arab government bent on destroying its black African citizens and the frustrating complexity of international inaction. At the same time, it is a powerful memoir of one soldier's ! awakening to conscience and his awkward, heroic transformation from Marine to humanitarian. While bearing witness to unmentionable atrocities, this compelling story offers evidence that the actions of just one committed person have the power to transform the world.
This intense, vivid report and call to action
from the heart of violent Darfur, by a former
Marine working as an unarmed military
observer for the African Union, is a powerful
memoir of a young man's awakening to
conscience and the first extensive on-theground
account of the genocide in Sudan.


Former United States Marine Brian Steidle served for six months in Darfur
as an unarmed military observer for the African Union. There he witnessed
first-hand the ongoing genocide, and documented every day of his experience
using email, audio journals, notebook after notebook and nearly 1,000
photographs. Gretchen Steidle Wallace, his sister, who wrote this ! book with
Brian, corresponded with him throughout his ti! me in Da rfur. Fired upon,
taken hostage, a witness to villages destroyed and people killed,
frustrated by his mission's limitations and the international community's
reluctance to intervene, Steidle resigned and has since become an advocate
for the world to step in and stop this genocide.


The Devil Came on Horseback depicts the tragic impact of an Arab
government bent on destroying its black African citizens, the maddening
complexity of international inaction in response to blatant genocide, and
the awkward, yet heroic transformation of a former Marine turned
humanitarian. It is a gripping and moving memoir that bears witness to
atrocities we have too long averted our eyes from, and reveals that the
actions of just one committed person have the power to change the world.
This intense, vivid report and call to action
from the heart of violent Darfur, by a former
Marine working as an unarmed militaryobserver for the African Union, is a powerful
memoir of a young man's awakening to
conscience and the first extensive on-theground
account of the genocide in Sudan.


Former United States Marine Brian Steidle served for six months in Darfur
as an unarmed military observer for the African Union. There he witnessed
first-hand the ongoing genocide, and documented every day of his experience
using email, audio journals, notebook after notebook and nearly 1,000
photographs. Gretchen Steidle Wallace, his sister, who wrote this book with
Brian, corresponded with him throughout his time in Darfur. Fired upon,
taken hostage, a witness to villages destroyed and people killed,
frustrated by his mission's limitations and the international community's
reluctance to intervene, Steidle resigned and has since become an advocate
for the world to step in and stop this genocide.


The Devil Came on Horseback depicts the tragic im! pact of an Arab
government bent on destroying its black Af! rican ci tizens, the maddening
complexity of international inaction in response to blatant genocide, and
the awkward, yet heroic transformation of a former Marine turned
humanitarian. It is a gripping and moving memoir that bears witness to
atrocities we have too long averted our eyes from, and reveals that the
actions of just one committed person have the power to change the world.An up-close, honest, and uncompromising look at the crisis in Darfur, THE DEVIL CAME ON HORSEBACK exposes the ongoing tragedy in Sudan as seen through the eyes of one American witness.

Using the exclusive photographs and first hand testimony of former U.S. Marine Captain Brian Steidle, the film goes on an emotionally charged journey into the heart of Darfur, Sudan, where in 2004, Steidle became witness to a genocide that to-date has claimed over 400,000 lives. As an official military observer, Steidle had access to parts of the country that no journalist could penetrate. Unprepa! red for what he would witness and experience, Steidle returned to the U.S. armed with his photographs, intent on exposing the images and stories of lives systematically destroyed.

A 2007 world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, this astonishingly propulsive and dramatic film from award-winning filmmakers Annie Sundberg and Ricki Stern (The Trials of Darryl Hunt), is a heartfelt account of what this particular American witness saw and, just as important, what he did afterward.

DVD Features: Bonus Short Film: Supporting Survivors; Take Action Save Darfur: How to HelpThe Devil Came on Horseback presents a first-person account of the genocide in Darfur. Former Marine Captain Brian Steidle joined the African Union in 2004 to help monitor the cease-fire in Sudan. As he puts it, "All I had was a camera, a pen, and paper. I was totally unprepared for what I'd see." An unarmed military civilian, he describes his observations, via voice-over and audio record! ings, as filmmakers Annie Sundberg and Ricki Stern alternate b! etween t heir contemporary footage and his images of slaughtered civilians and incinerated villages. When his contract ends, Steidle leaves in disillusionment. He wrote his reports and took his pictures, but nothing changed. Since reporters lacked the same degree of access, he goes to The New York Times, and they publish his photographs. The soldier-turned-activist proceeds to spread the word everywhere he can. Aside from Steidle, the film features his sister Gretchen Wallace, founder of Global Grassroots (an organization working with female victims in Sudan and Rwanda), and Senator Barack Obama, who has also made Darfur his personal mission. The title comes from a loose translation of janjaweed, the government-backed Arab militias behind the atrocities to which Steidle bore witness. (Steidle and his sister use the same title for the book they wrote together.) As in their previous documentary, The Trials of Darryl Hunt, Sundberg and Stern maintain a measured tone, but t! heir subject's horrifying images speak for themselves. The Devil Came on Horseback is accompanied by Wallace's Supporting Survivors, a short film about Global Grassroots. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

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A captivating novel about the woman who chaperoned an irreverent Louise Brooks to New York City in 1922, and the summer that would change them both.

 

Only a few years before becoming a famous actress and an icon for her generation, a fifteen-year-old Louise Brooks leaves Wichita to make it big in New York. Much to her annoyance, she is accompanied by a thirty-six-year-old chaperone who is neither mother nor friend. Cora Carlisle is a complicated but traditional woman with her own reasons for making the trip. She has no idea what she’s in for: Young Louise, already stunningly beautiful and sporting her famous blunt bangs and black bob, is known for her arrogance and her lack of respect for convention. Ultimately, the five weeks they spend together will change their lives forever.

 

For Cora, New York holds the promise of discovery that might prove an answer to the question at the center of her being, and even as she does ! her best to watch over Louise in a strange and bustling city, ! she emba rks on her own mission. And while what she finds isn’t what she anticipated, it liberates her in a way she could not have imagined. Over the course of the summer, Cora’s eyes are opened to the promise of the twentieth century and a new understanding of the possibilities for being fully alive.

Robert the Marquess of Haverton desires a chaperone to keep from falling prey to the married, widowed, and single ladies of London. The Duchess of Waverly is sympathetic to her son's predicament and helps him find a suitable female to fill the position. Miss Catherine Hayward accepts this unusual job. She is surprised to find that the need to keep her new charge from being compromised is genuine. It isn't long before her sympathetic and protective feelings give way to more pleasant, fanciful notions of sharing his company. Soon Catherine finds herself falling for her employer, the Marquess, which makes her the exact type of woman from whom he is to be protected.

Faster, thinner, stronger, the 4G-enabled, Android-powered DROID RAZR by MOTOROLA for Verizon Wireless packs strength and smarts into a stylish package. Reinforced with Corning Gorilla Glass and encased in laser-cut KEVLAR fiber,the DROID RAZR is compressed into a deceptively thin profile to create the thinnest 4G LTE smartphone.



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  • GPS navigation

  • Wireless-N Wi-Fi

  • Stereo Bluetooth 4.0

  • Personal/corporate e-mail
At a Glance

Slice through multiple tasks simultaneously with a dualâ€"core 1.2 GHz processor and 1 GB of LP DDR2 RAM, and enjoy brilliant optics with the 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Advanced display. A rear-facing 8-megapixel camera also allows you to capture stunning still photos and Full HD 1080p videos while on the go. It's also outfitted with a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera with HD 720p video recording for on-the-go chats.

The Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Mobile Broadband network provides speeds up to 10 times faster than Verizon Wireless' 3G network. With 4G LTE, you'll enjoy simultaneous voice and data capabilities, allowing ! you to check e-mail, browse the web, download an app, and chec! k direct ions on Google Maps while on a call. Verizon Wireless' 4G LTE Mobile Broadband network currently reaches one-third of all Americans, with plans to expand the network to the company's entire 3G coverage area over the next three years (learn more about 4G below).

You can share your high-speed 4G connectivity with multiple devices--laptop, another phone, MP3 player, and more--via Wi-Fi using the built-in Mobile Hotspot functionality (additional service charge applicable).

With 16 GB of onboard storage and an included 16 GB microSD card, you'll be able to keep loads of photos and videos directly on the device--and you can use optional microSD memory cards up to 32 GB for even more storage potential. Other features include GPS for navigation and location-based services, low-energy Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity for hands-free devices and stereo music streaming, and up to 12.5 hours of talk time (see full specifications below).

DROID is a trademark of Lucasfilm Lt! d. and its related companies. Used under license. KEVLAR is a registered trademark of DuPont used under license by MOTOROLA Mobility, Inc.

Secretly Smart

The DROID RAZR's advanced artificial intelligence monitors your behavior and selfâ€"optimizes to keep you running at peak effectiveness. Deploy your favorite apps even faster. Switch into silent mode automatically to avoid detection. Streamline everyday tasks to get 25 percent more battery life per charge.

DROID RAZR by MOTOROLA at Play

The DROID RAZR's multiplayer gaming capabilities allow you to challenge friends to live peer-to-peer gaming, viewed through the device's 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Advanced display with qHD resolution (960 x 540 pixels)--delivering console-quality graphics. The integrated HDMI connectivity also enables you to connect the device to your HDTV (or HDMI-compatible monitor) to experience your games, as well as purchased HD content in full 1080p (HDMI cable sold separat! ely).

For multitaskers, the DROID RAZR's Mirror Mode fu! nction e nables simultaneous streaming of video to the TV and on the device. You can also wirelessly stream video and audio to compatible DLNA devices.



Eyeâ€"piercing color and blinding brilliance from the 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Advanced display (view larger).

DROID RAZR by MOTOROLA at Work

As a fully featured work device, the DROID RAZR comes equipped with corporate e-mail, remote wipe and data security, and government-grade encryption capabilities that IT departments appreciate. It comes pre-loaded with the following apps to make your business life a breeze.

GoToMeeting: With the! free GoToMeeting app, join online meetings in seconds by tapping a link in an email. Easy-to-use, intuitive features let you view presentations, mockups and reports--whatever the presenter shares on-screen.
Quickoffice: Create, view and edit spreadsheets, presentations and Microsoft Word documents on the go.
Smart Actions: The Smart Actions app helps you extend battery life and automate everyday tasks so you can spend your time more efficiently. With Smart Actions, you can automatically turn down the ringer when you step into work, change the Bluetooth and GPS settings when you get home to save battery.
MOTOPRINT: Print wirelessly to any! postscript printer via Wi-Fi without the hassle of cords.

PC Power from Your Smartphone

Create, edit, and interact with all your documents, media, and content using Motorola's webtop application when connected to one of several optional docks. The DROID RAZR by MOTOROLA can be used to browse your favorite web sites with a full Firefox desktop browser, view social networking sites, and use HTML5 web-based applications and supported cloud computing services while running your Android applications in a window. And calls and text messages continue uninterrupted even if the phone is removed from the dock.

The optional HD Station for DROID RAZR enables you connect to a big screen (via HDMI port) as well as plug in peripherals such as a keyboard or a mouse via its three USB ports for a PC-like experience while using the webtop application.

The Lapdock 100 has an incredibly thin design with a 10.1-inch screen, full keyboard, and trackpad--plus a battery that delivers up to 5 hours of power. Simply dock your DROID RAZR into the back of the Lapdock 100 to turn it into an active, connected machine that's lighter and smaller than most laptops on the market.

Vital Statistics

The DROID RAZR by MOTOROLA weighs 4.48 ounces and measures 5.15 x 2.7 x 0.28 inches. Its 1780 mAh lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 12.5 hours of talk time, and up to 200 hours (8.5 days) of sta! ndby time. It runs on the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network, as ! well as EV-DO, Rev A 3G and CDMA 800/1900 frequencies where 4G LTE is not available.

What's in the Box

DROID RAZR by MOTOROLA handset, rechargeable battery, charger, USB cable, 16 GB microSD card, quick start guide





8-megapixel camera with Full HD 1080p video capture (view larger).

Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Network

The Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network allows you to download photos, apps, and games in seconds and entire movies in minutes. LTE (or Long Term Evolution provides significantly increased upload and download speeds over 3G! networks, as well as significantly reduced latency (or lag time). Verizon Wireless expects 4G LTE average data rates to be 5-12 megabits per second (Mbps) on the downlink and 2-5 Mbps on the uplink in real-world, loaded network environments.

With these blazing fast speeds, you'll be able to stream HD movies without the annoyance of constant pauses to buffer the video stream--as well as quickly download HD-quality movies right to your phone in minutes. Additionally, you'll be able to download a new song file in about 4 seconds or upload a photo to your favorite social networking site in about 6 seconds.

The Verizon Wireless 4G LTE mobile broadband network will also redefine the mobile office for business users. Business applications that used to require wired networks will be untethered forever, allowing you maximized productivity and efficiency while you're out of the confines of your office. Enhanced security lets you tap into most VPN networks with less wai! ting, and faster responsiveness enables you to upload 10 MB pr! esentati ons back to your team in less than 25 seconds.

In areas serviced only by 3G, you can expect download speeds of 600 Kbps to 1.4 Mbps and upload speeds of 500 to 800 Kbps in Mobile Broadband coverage area.

Verizon Wireless Services

Backup Assistant: This complimentary service automatically back up your mobile contacts to your online address book. If your phone is lost, stolen, or damaged, or you decide to upgrade, easily restore your saved address book to your new phone. You can also add, delete, edit, and print your contacts online and send the changes to your mobile phone. There are no subscription fees for the service.

VZ Navigator Capable: With this GPS-enabled phone, you'll be able to access the Verizon Wireless VZ Navigator service (additional charges applicable) for voice-prompted turn-by-turn directions, heads-up alerts, local search of nearly 14 million points of interest in the US (such as landmarks, res! taurants and ATMs), and detailed color maps.

V CAST Video: Enjoy unlimited, on-demand access to full episodes of your favorite television shows from all of the major networks, plus the latest in local and national news, live and recorded sports and entertainment and weather. You will receive over 100 channels with over 250 full episode shows and an impressive list of live sporting events each month.

Visual Voice Mail: This innovative service enables you to delete, reply, and forward voice mail messages without having to listen to prior messages or voice instructions. Visual Voice Mail is the ideal tool for the busy mobile professional who may need to prioritize which messages he or she listens to first. Features include on-screen access to voice mail message status, save up to 40 messages for 40 days (or archive permanently), create up to 10 different caller ID-based greetings, and reply via call back, text or even voice mail.!



Connectivity

  • Ultra-fast 4G LTE connectivity via the Verizon Wireless 4G Mobile Broadband network, with expected download speeds of 5 to 12 Mbps and upload speeds of 2 to 5 Mbps. Where the 4G LTE network is unavailable, the phone will connect with the Verizon Wireless 3G network.
  • Wireless-N Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g) for accessing home and corporate networks as well as hotspots while on the go.
  • 4G Mobile Hotspot capability allows you to create a Wi-Fi hotspot using your Verizon Wireless 4G LTE connection, which can then be shared among up to eight Wi-Fi-capable devices (up to eight devices on 3G).
  • Low-energy Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity backward compatible with older Bluetooth-enabled peripherals and includes stereo audio streaming.
  • Onboard GPS for navigation and location services. !
    • Integrated Google Maps with turn-by-turn navigation, street and satellite views.
    • Optional VZ Navigator service for GPS navigation with voice-prompted turn-by-turn directions.

Communications & Internet

  • Full messaging capabilities including SMS text, MMS picture/video and IM instant messaging
  • Full HTML browser (Webkit 5) with Flash 10.1 Support
  • Personal and corporate e-mail access with support for Exchange ActiveSync as well as personal e-mail accounts (Google push, Yahoo!, POP3, IMAP).

Hardware

  • Dual-core 1.2 GHz processor up to 2x the power of single core smartphones for fast web browsing.
  • 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Advanced multi-touch display (Quarter High Definition; 960 x 540 pixels) with scratch-resista! nt Corning Gorilla Glass.
  • MicroUSB port
  • Micro HDMI port with 1080p HMDI Mirror Mode output to your HDTV or monitor.
  • 1780 mAh lithium-ion battery (non-removable)
  • 3.5mm headphone jack

Memory

  • 16 GB internal memory
  • 16 GB microSD card with support for optional cards up to 32 GB.
  • 1 GB RAM for improved multitasking (LP DDR2).

Camera

  • 8-megapixel camera with launch from lock screen.
  • Full HD 1080p video capture with image stabilization for crisp and clear videos.
  • Front-facing 1.3-megapixel camera for video chats with HD 720p resolution.

Multimedia

  • Music player compatible with MP3, WMA, and AAC/AAC+
  • Video player compatible with MPEG4, H.264, H.263, WMV
  • Access ! to VCAST Videos



Android Gingerbread Operating System

Android Gingerbread

The Motorola DROID RAZR runs the Android 2.3 operating system (dubbed Gingerbread)--the fastest version of Android available for smartphones yet. It features a cleaner, more refined interface with new icons, improved top notification bar, and more intuitive navigation.

Multitasking in Gingerbread allows you the ability to run more than one app at a time. If you're playing a game, you can easily switch to an incoming e-mail and then switch back to the game without losing your place. And like the previous version of Android ("Froyo"), Gingerbread ! provides support for Adobe Flash Player 10.1 for access to the! full We b.

The onscreen keyboard makes it easier to type thanks to additional spacing between the keys and larger font sizes. And the more you use the keyboard, the easier typing will be as the enhanced suggest feature records previous input history to make better suggestions.

The DROID RAZR also brings one-touch access to the popular Google mobile services you use every day. It also provides easy access to both personal and corporate e-mail, calendars, and contacts supported by Exchange Server and Gmail. And through Android Market, you'll get access to thousands of useful applications, widgets, and fun games to download and install on your phone, with many more apps being added every day.

Google Integration
  • Android Market for browsing and downloading thousands of free and paid apps
  • Pre-loaded Android apps: Browser, Calculator, Calendar (Google or Corporate), Camera, Clock, Contac! ts, Email, Gallery, Messaging, Music, News & Weather, Phone, Settings, Video Player, Voice Dialer, Voice Search, YouTube
  • Google applications: Gmail, Google Search, Google Voice Search, Google Latitude, Google Maps, Google Places, Google Talk
  • Google Maps Navigation with spoken turn-by-turn directions showing real-time traffic and 360° views of the destination

 

Also Available for This Android Device

Amazon Appstore for Android
Get a great paid app for free every day.

Kindle
Buy a book once and read it everywhere with our free Kindle Reading App for Android.

Amazon MP3
Shop 15 million songs and stream your Cloud Drive music directly from your Android device.

IMDB
Find local movie showtimes and TV listings, watch trailers, and search the world's largest source of entertainment! information.

Audible
Download audiobooks directly to your Android device, then listen wherever you go, get audiobook news, earn badges, and more.

Amazon Mobile
Shop for millions of products, get product details, and read reviews--right from your mobile device.



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