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Voldemort is tightening his grip on both the Muggle and wizarding worlds and Hogwarts is no longer the safe haven it once was. Harry suspects that dangers may even lie within the castle, but Dumbledore is more intent upon preparing him for the final battle that he knows is fast approaching.

Together they work to find the key to unlock Voldemort's defenses and, to this end, Dumbledore recruits his old friend and colleague, the well-connected and unsuspecting bon vivant Professor Horace Slughorn, whom he believes holds crucial information. Meanwhile, the students are under attack from a very different adversary as teenage hormones rage across the ramparts.

Harry finds himself more and more drawn to Ginny, but so is Dean Thomas. And Lavender Brown has decided that Ron is the one for her, only she hadn't counted on Romilda Vane's chocolates! And then there's Hermione, simmering with jealousy but determined not to show her feelings. As romance blossoms, one student remains aloof. He is determined to make his mark, albeit a dark one. Love is in the air, but tragedy lies ahead and Hogwarts may never be the same again.

Christina Hendricks was born in 1975, in Knoxville, Tennessee, and raised in Idaho and Virginia. After modeling in New York and London, she made her on-screen debut in the 1999 TV movie Sorority before landing a role on Beggars & Choosers in 2000. A recurring role on ER in 2002 led to appearances on Firefly, which earned her a SyFy Genre Award and a regular role on Kevin Hill. More guest appearances on series such as Cold Case, Without A Trace and Las Vegas followed before she landed the virtually tailor-made role of sultry '60s secretary Joan Holloway on the AMC series Mad Men in 2007. Christina Hendricks has also been featured in the indie films La Cucina and South of Pico.

 One look at this voluptuous redhead should make it clear why Christina Hendricks made our Top 99 list. Physical attributes aside, her perfect portrayal of a seductive secretary in the testosterone, tobacco and booze-fueled world of 1960s-era Madison Avenue in the first season of Mad Men helped her character, Joan Holloway, become more prominent in the second season, which aired in 2008. Christina Hendricks shared a Screen Actors Guild nomination for ensemble performance in 2008 with her costars, and we look forward to catching up with all of them again this year for the highly anticipated third season of Mad Men. She'll also costar with Dermot Mulroney in the film Driving Lessons.

If you don’t routinely watch TV shows made in Spain, you may not think you know who Paz Vega is, but if you don’t know her by name, you likely know her heartbreakingly beautiful Andalucían face from films like Hable con ella or Spanglish. Meanwhile, Spanish viewers know her best as Laurita Arteagabeitia from the most pop

Paz Vega closed out 2008 as Plaster of Paris in Frank Miller’s The Spirit, giving us just a taste of what this gorgeous actress is all about. Fortunately, her profile should skyrocket in 2009 thanks to a number of upcoming releases, including Christopher B. Landon’s Burning Palms, Triage with Colin Farrell and the thriller Not Forgotten. It shouldn’t be too long before Paz Vega’s name is spoken with the same reverential awe as another Spanish-born beauty and international star -- Penelope Cruzular sitcom in Spanish history, 7 Vidas.

Emily Blunt is an English actress who has appeared in films such as Charlie Wilson’s War, Dan in Real Life and The Devil Wears Prada. She began her acting career at the age of 16, after attending an arts school. She started landing roles soon after that, eventually getting her big break in 2003, when she garnered critical acclaim for her role in Henry VIII. In 2007, she earned a Golden Globe for her role in the British film Gideon’s Daughter.

Emily Blunt has three films slated for release over the next year, including a starring role in the flick The Wolf Man, costarring Anthony Hopkins and Benicio Del Toro. She is also now on the market, after recently ending a three-year relationship with Canadian singer Michael Buble.

Dania Ramirez was born in the Dominican Republic, where she caught the acting bug at a young age. Working in a convenience store in New York City, at the age of 15, Dania Ramirez was discovered by a modeling agency, and was offered a part in a small local commercial. From there, she started to pursue acting more seriously, and headed to the West Coast. After relocating to Los Angeles, she earned minor roles in She Hate Me and X-Men: The Last Stand. She went on to land a part in the TV show Heroes.

Camille Belle is one of Hollywood’s emerging starlets. Her credits date back through much of her life, and she has been rumored to be romantically attached to one of the Jonas brothers and Twilight star Robert Pattinson (though not at the same time).

Camilla Bella’s career highlights include The Quiet, the horror remake When A Stranger Calls, and starring as Daniel Day-Lewis’ daughter in The Ballad of Jack and Rose. The exotic looks of this half-Brazilian actress, who stands at 5’8”, understandably reminds us of the Brazilian model invasion that followed Gisele Bundchen’s successful storming of the fashion world. While Camilla Belle does do some modeling, the bilingual actress largely sticks to acting, like her 2008 stint in 10,000 BC.

With no fewer than four projects scheduled for 2009, get ready for Camilla Bella to explode. Among others, she’ll appear in the Heroes-like Push with Dakota Fanning, as well as Three Stories About Joan, Bruce Willis’ directorial debut.

The Emmy award-winning Katherine Heigl started modeling at age 9, and made early appearances on-screen with roles in Steven Seagal's Under Siege 2 and the slasher doll saga Bride of Chucky. It was her breakout role on TV's Roswell in 1998 that made her a familiar face.

In 2007, Katherine Heigl scored a double whammy with an Emmy win for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for Grey's Anatomy and a role as Seth Rogen's pregnant companion in the smash hit Knocked Up. She continued her streak by headlining the 2008 comedy 27 Dresses. This summer, she'll appear opposite Gerard Butler in The Ugly Truth.

While Katherine Heigl has been busy winning our affections on-screen, she's also found time to flaunt her perfect bod in photo shoots for magazines like Maxim and FHM -- the latter featured her in two installments of its 100 Sexiest Women in the World feature. In 2008, reader and staff votes put her at the top of AskMen.com's list of the Top 99 Most Desirable Women.

Katherine Heigl has done little to send our eyes elsewhere. 27 Dresses was an outright chick flick, but its success means we'll be seeing a lot more of her in 2009, both on Grey's Anatomy and in the battle-of-the-sexes comedy The Ugly Truth, costarring Gerard Butler.

This is an extraordinary film about the creation of the American corporation, its legal organizational model, its global economic dominance and its psychopathic tendencies, and its incredible ambition to influence every aspect of culture in its unrelenting pursuit of profit.

The Corporation was spawned from Joel Balkan's in depth book, "The Corporation: A Pathological Pursuit of Profit and Power". (Due to be released in March this year) The film and book begins in the 18th century, in the establishment of the 14th Amendment. Initially the 14th Amendment was designed after the Civil War to give ex slaves' legal rights, like any other citizen of the United States, but through a maze of legal precedents, the business corporation organization model was now deemed a "legal person" with all the civil rights accorded to a citizen. This highly absurd precedent has paved the way for corporations to literarily get away with murder, because a "corporation" is not an individual that you can put in jail. In effect, a corporation has no moral or social obligations; their only obligation is the pursuit of profit. This film offers numerous examples of unethical practices resulting in death for many people, and because of their status under the 14th Amendment, and endless legal loopholes, have gotten away with terrible crimes against humanity and the environment with no more than a fine, a mere slap on the wrist.

As the law treats corporations as "persons", Balkan thought it appropriate to put the various behaviours of these companies under psychological examination. What this psychological study illustrated is that corporations, as "persons" behave and display the symptoms of the clinical psychopath. A psychopath typically does not have a social conscience, is guilt free after committing heinous acts, and will destroy anything or anybody that prevents them from attaining the object of their particular obsession - in this case, the relentless pursuit of profit.

This documentary took several years to produce with over 650 hours of footage, director(s), Jennifer Abbot and Mark Achbar, had to chisel down this amazing amount of material into a comprehensible film. What is most astounding is the range of people interviewed for this film, that argue from all sides of the "corporation issue": Ira Jackson, Ray Anderson - CEO of Interface, the world's largest carpet manufacturer; Noam Chomsky, Richard Grossman, Howard Zinn, Michael Moore, Milton Freidman - Noble Prize winning economist; Jeremy Rifkin - President, Foundation of Economic Trends; Dr. Robert Hare - Consultant to the FBI on psychopaths, and many more individuals from all sides of the debate.

When Balkan wrote his book and then collaborated with Mark Achbar to produce this film, what they did not want was the film to appear as just some left-wing diatribe, attacking the corporations, but to illustrate to people how the corporation began, how they have evolved and what they could well turn into if the people do not become involved in the democratic process, ensuring our governments take back the reigns of power.

After viewing this film, it becomes all too evident that these large corporations have too much power, whose mandate is not the common good of the people, and who will go to any lengths, legally and otherwise, in the pursuit of profit and the bottom line.

I believe this is one of the best and most important documentary films to be made in many years.

Ok, let me get this straight. They made a documentary about Al Gore giving a lecture? About global warming? Okay, I'm already asleep. Snore. Yawn. Why don't I just stay home and save the money I would spend to take a nap.

All kidding aside, if you know anything about Al Gore, you know this is a subject he is extremely committed to and passionate about. Very passionate. And after five years of some of the worst, most harmful environmental policy to ever come out of Washington, DC, there is no better time for "An Inconvenient Truth".

I know many consider Gore to be less than a captivating speaker. But in "An Inconvenient Truth" he comes across as a different man because he is so passionate and committed to the subject of global warming, he comes across as a different man. Informed, knowledgeable, conversational and persuasive, if he were like this during the election, there would be no Florida Recount in our history books. Okay, so that didn't happen. But the result is that Gore, much like Clinton and Carter, are trying to do something with their status to help better the world. Gore has long been an environmental advocate and it shows. He knows the facts inside and out; people have provided him with statistics, graphs, charts and more, and he uses them in this presentation.

As Gore states, he has given the lecture more than a thousand times around the globe. Because of this, he is extremely comfortable addressing large audiences, giving them a lot of scientific research to digest. Remarkably, he makes it easy to understand, pointing out key facts, walking us through some of the more difficult to understand ideas and problems. He also knows when the audience needs a break and interjects humor here and there. At one point, he shows a spoof of an educational film animated by the people at "The Simpsons". At others, he makes fun of himself and his political ambitions and woes.

Davis Guggenheim, the filmmaker, has apparently presented Gore's lecture virtually intact. As Gore moves around on a dais, clicking for the next slide, he makes persuasive points. But he also reaches a couple of key points. When this happens, the filmmakers smartly pull back from the lecture, giving us a portrait of a few key moments in Gore's life. The argument he makes in his lecture is persuasive, intelligent and well thought out, but because we learn more about the man making the presentation, these points have even more resonance. Not only do these moments give us more details about Gore, they also provide a respite from the scientific data, allowing us to absorb what we have learned.

At one point, Gore states that the data is irrefutable and it appears to be. Remarkably, the filmmakers show footage of various people attacking Gore, or claiming the data he is presenting is not based in fact. Yet, we can see it for ourselves, right in front of us. And I am sure Gore could easily provide a bibliography of resources for us to check out all of the facts he uses. What would drive some of these people to attack Gore and this data? Some of the clips are from Gore's days as a Senator and Vice President, so some of that can be contributed to political parties trying to one-up each other. But currently, Gore does not hold political office, yet the current administration seems intent on giving every break to the worst polluters in the country, allowing them to make as much money as possible while they pollute and pollute and pollute. Gore shows a slide about this argument. Apparently, there is the thought good environmental policy will impact the economy. How do these same people explain the relationship between Toyota, Honda, Ford and GM? Toyota and Honda manufacture vehicles with far better gas mileage than their competitors and are much more successful because of it. An argument Gore makes very convincingly.

Thankfully, Gore stays away from political bias. More or less. A couple of times, he makes funny remarks about his failed run for the presidency, or he makes a pointed comment about the current administration, but by and large his comments are directed at us and what we should do to save our planet. The film isn't void of bias, but there could certainly have been a lot more. The fact the filmmaker and Gore showed some restraint makes his presentation even more persuasive.

The film ends with a series of `calls to action' as the credits begin. Frankly, these aren't needed because Gore's arguments are so convincing. But they are effective. As one call to action states "Urge everyone you know to see this film." Well, folks, that's what I am doing. Go and see this film. We need to do something before it is too late to do anything. Hopefully, this film will one day be viewed as a historical document of the beginning of a great change and not as a horror film.

I found this DVD both richly entertaining and extremely informative. Having been an atheist myself for over thirty years now, I considered myself knowledgeable on the subject matter of this DVD. Yet I was surprised - and quite delighted - by how much new insight I gained from this superb documentary.

For example, I did not previously realize that the Pauline Epistles make no reference at all to the virgin birth, to Mary and Joseph, to Bethlehem, to Herod, to *any* words allegedly spoken by Jesus, to anything pertaining to Jesus' earthly ministry, nor to any of the miracles Jesus supposedly performed. Paul mentions only the cruci-"fiction," resurrection and ascension, tales handed down to Christianity from older mythologies, as Brian Flemming powerfully demonstrates here.

Better than any other source I've seen, this DVD explains how the time-gap between Jesus' alleged death and the writing of the Gospels lends credibility to the assertion that Jesus probably never existed. Moreover, even if Jesus did exist, the stories surrounding him, such as the slaughter of the innocents, have no historical corroboration and therefore lead an objective viewer of this DVD to conclude that the Gospel accounts couldn't possibly be true (whether or not Jesus existed).

This documentary was also extremely funny where appropriate. When Brian Flemming summarized the highlights of Jesus' career, the footage running in the background - along with Flemming's casual manner of speaking - left me laughing more boisterously than I have since watching the original Monty Python episodes. What was especially funny was that Flemming's summary of the Gospels was perfectly on-target and did not distort scripture in any way. The DVD therefore succeeded in showing that the Bible, when viewed objectively, is truly laughable.

I also thoroughly enjoyed this DVD because I got to see video of individuals whose writings I have admired for years, such as Bob Price, Sam Harris, and Richard Carrier. People sometimes come across differently on camera than they do in print. But all of the extended interviews on the DVD showcased the intellect of these scholars as impressively as their books.

The physical production and packaging of this DVD are equivalent to anything marketed by Sony Pictures or Warner Brothers. I was expecting to receive a one-off DVD with an adhesive label. But what I received was a highly professional product in every sense of the word. My enthusiastic compliments to Brian Flemming and to everyone who participated in this important project. I hope that additional DVDs will be forthcoming.

First there was Kevin Smith, with his patented brand of hugely over-the-top raunch in CLERKS. As he "matured," he added a level of true feeling behind this work in CHASING AMY. And then he sort of lost his way with a few pretty awful films. Meanwhile, Judd Apatow established himself as the King of Sweet Raunch with 40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN, KNOCKED UP, SUPERBAD, etc. In these films, the characters spoke about sex with a level of filthy detail never before heard. They indulged in reckless behavior. They were the kinds of people films had for decades told us were "bad." Yet we recognized people we knew in them, or even ourselves. They were also infused with an innocence and an acknowledgement that behind all the strutting bluster, we all just want to be loved. They acknowledged the weakness in men, and the strength in women who can make these men pull themselves up by their bootstraps and start to take life seriously. This was the Apatow "brand."

Now Kevin Smith has come storming back to reclaim his part of that little mountain. While his ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO doesn't re-establish him as King, it reminds us that Apatow and others owe him a debt...and that he's still capable of out-raunching the raunchiest stuff we've seen. And, as will be no surprise to anyone who has seen the trailers for the film, he mixes in the "sweet" stuff pretty well too.

The presence of Apatow disciple Seth Rogan makes the film seem more like an Apatow film than perhaps it really is. For example, in movies like SUPERBAD, there is actually relatively little sex being had. Characters talk about it, and they sure would like to be indulging in it...but not much happens. In ZACK & MIRI, a great deal of sex is had and shown. It is a far more visually explicit movie than Apatow's (the full frontal male nudity in WALK HARD being a notable exception). I wouldn't want to compare the level of explicit imagery in the dialogue side by side with a SUPERBAD, but I suspect that ZACK & MIRI is also verbally just a smidge more explicit as well.

Zack (Rogan) and Miri (Elizabeth Banks) have been friends since first grade, and now, on the eve of their 10th High School Reunion, they are roommates sharing a rundown rental and one very run down car. They both have dead-end jobs and apparently no ambition. They also have not paid bills in quite awhile. While neither seems exactly HAPPY with life, both are content in the little routines they have to get through the day.

Miri forces Zack to go with her to the reunion, because she's hoping to shamelessly throw herself at the "boy" she crushed on in school (Brandon Routh). Zack, meanwhile, has an interesting conversation with this guys boyfriend (a hilarious Justin Long, as we've never seen him), who apparently is a well-known gay porn actor. Naturally, Miri is crushed to find this guy she intended to sleep with is gay, but the two are more upset to find their hot water and electricity has been turned off. But Zack comes up with the "great" idea to make a pornographic movie in order to pay their bills.

I won't dwell on the specifics anymore, but you can imagine how things might develop. The two hapless friends have no money and no video camera, so they have to turn to friends to underwrite their crazy venture, and an unlikely troupe of filmmakers develops. There are obligatory scenes of auditions and the struggle to come up with the right title for the film. (If this weren't a "family" site, I'd share a few...the one involving a twist on LAWRENCE OF ARABIA just about made me spew soda through my nose)

It's all quite, quite raunchy. While not literally as explicit as a real porn film, not all that much is held back. I can sure see why Smith had to fight to avoid an NC-17 rating. Under absolutely no circumstances to you want to see this film with your kids...no matter how old your kids are!

Will Zack & Miri find out they are right for each other? Will doing porn ruin their discovery? The film holds few plot related surprises, frankly. It is the verbal dazzle that keeps you entertained.

And the performances. Seth Rogan pretty much gives us the same character again...but he does have an ease about his acting that makes him enjoyable. His characters may be insecure, but Rogan is not. But it is Elizabeth Banks who surprises the most. I've seen her in a lot of smaller roles (on "Scrubs", for example) and to be honest, she's struck me as vaguely perky but lightweight. Here, it is frankly a bit startling to see her right in this raunchy mix, her mouth as dirty as anyone else. Smith has empowered her, that's for sure (don't know if that's a good thing for "society" or not). She also finds some true depths in Miri, particularly as the film winds down, that elevate her performance to a special level. It's not Oscar winning stuff, exactly, but it will make people sit up and take notice of her. This, and her praised performance in W., have made it quite a good year for her.

The movie is hilarious. That's what you want to know, isn't it? My wife and I both laughed uproariously many time. It will offend you, too. Smith loses control a few times, with some random scenes that grind the story to a halt. Most revolved around the character played by Jason Mewes (better known as "Jay" in a myrid of Smith's earlier films) a young man who makes it into the film due to some "special talent." He's funny, but his stuff seems out of place...as though Smith stopped his movie to let his old buddy riff on some dirty stuff. There's also some stuff about a constipated actress that devolves into the nastiest couple of seconds you've ever seen, that even so are unbelievable, unlikely, unfunny AND distract from a key moment for the story.

(By the way, I apologize if I've offended anyone with the review...tough to talk much about this film without stretching the boundaries a little. If you find my review offensive...please skip the film.)

Overall, Smith has made a funny and sometimes tender film. If Judd Apatow had never existed, this film would be groundbreaking. Now it is a familiar formula, with the raunchy dial turned to 11. But, if that's something you've enjoyed before, you'll get many big laughs from ZACK & MIRI!

I was very disappointed with this DVD. So much so that I'm returning my copy of it. I saw the movie in theatres, and found it masterful. The amazing tone is part of the beauty of the film, and the subtitles on the US DVD release are a travesty. They remove most of the subtlety from the tone and characters (see http://iconsoffright.com/news/2009/03/let_the_wrong_subtitles_in_to.html for examples). The movie I saw in theatres was a masterpiece; the movie on this DVD (using subtitles) is a mediocrity. If you are going to buy this DVD, either download and use the theatrical subtitles or use the mediocre dubbing track. As for me, I'm going to look for another region's copy or wait for a re-release.

In the end, this DVD is a masterclass on why good subtitle translations are critical in foreign films.

Spencer Karen Grammer was born on October 9th, 1983, in Los Angeles, California. Born to actor Kelsey Grammer and his first wife, dance teacher Doreen Alderman, she grew up in Los Angeles at a time when her dad was a successful TV star on Cheers. Although Grammer initially had an interest in zoology, she found herself drawn to her dad's line of work.

Spencer Grammer got her first real sample of acting in 1991 in a toothbrush commercial, followed by a walk-on extra role in Cheers (thanks, dad). In time, more commercials would follow for Grammer, including a department store ad and higher-profile spots for Kodak and MTV. While she was getting her feet wet in acting, Grammer kept up with her education -- first graduating from Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, and then moving to New York to attend Marymount Manhattan College.

spencer grammer joins the cast of as the world turns
Initially starting in art history studies in college, Spencer Grammer made the switch to theater to match her career interests. When she wasn't hitting the books, she continuously auditioned for new roles, following her father's advice of bringing truth and honesty to her work. After a dance appearance for MTV's Learn to Hip Hop: Volume 2 video in 2003, Grammer won the role of Sheila on the new CBS series, Clubhouse. The series didn't have legs, but she moved on and essayed other new series like Jonny Zero before landing a guest spot as Kimmie Haynes on the popular show, Third Watch. Additional roles on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and The Bedford Diaries would follow.

In 2006, Spencer Grammer became the third actress to portray Dr. Lucy Montgomery on the daytime soap opera, As the World Turns. Her run on the series lasted over 90 episodes and she also branched out into films like the short film The Path of Most Resistance and the feature Beautiful Ohio, which won awards at the Northampton Film Festival and Sarasota Film Festival respectively.

spencer grammer stars on greek
Only two short weeks after she left the cast of As the World Turns, Spencer Grammer had a new audition -- this time for the ABC Family series, Greek. She won the part and was faced with the prospect of playing Casey Cartwright, a sorority leader who finds herself trapped in a love triangle. Because of her new professional commitment, Grammer temporarily left her studies at Marymount Manhattan College, but she returned in 2008 to complete her degree in theater.

Now entering her third season on Greek, Spencer Grammer has enjoyed becoming friends on and off-camera with her castmates and establishing herself as a professional actress. In addition to her critically praised and solidly rated TV series, Grammer has continued to seek out acting roles for film. Most recently, she appeared uncredited in the intense drama, Descent starring Rosario Dawson.

In the early 80's Jim Henson created one of the most ambitious fantasy films ever: The Dark Crystal. It was a movie that had a completely realized world with its own creatures and flora... and it was performed entirely by puppets. Not the Muppet kind that Henson is famous for, mind you. These were serious creations that involved serious innovations in animatronics. While many loved the movie and it was critically acclaimed many others didn't "get it". There was no human interaction in the movie whatsoever and that put off people. Also the movie was serious with none of that Muppet mayhem Henson fans are so used to. That put off a few more people.

The next evolutionary step in Jim's grand scheme of fantasy puppetry was Labyrinth, and they filled in the gaps that The Dark Crystal left for those who couldn't (or wouldn't) "get" the concept of a fully realized fantasy setting that is outside of our own. How does he do it? Let me tell you...

Step One - Human actors. Labyrinth included the young, yet already talented Jennifer Connelly as their heroine and well-established musician and actor David Bowie as her nemesis. Now you get the fun of a complete puppet world while at the same time you have human characters that interact in that same environment. Thus giving the viewer a better connection to the puppet characters.

Step Two - Better puppets. The Dark Crystal is a masterpiece in of itself, however the technology used to animate the puppets was in its infancy and if you had to be picky about it you can pick away at the limitations of the puppets in that movie. With Labyrinth you get updated technology, which gives you puppets who can show emotions better. Case in point is the goblin Hoggle, who is the starring puppet. So much attention to detail went into his facial expressions that you can actually see the fear, disgust, anger, and joy in his eyes. Add to that other puppetry innovations and you have a world of cool puppets.

Step Three - Keep it fun. The Dark Crystal was a grandiose and serious film that included some funny moments now and then. Labyrinth is the opposite. Is a fun film where the characters meet up with unexpected and often times crazy situations. Makes this fantasy adventure feel more comical in the same way it would reading a fun bedtime story.

Step Four - Keep the original concept. Jim Henson did The Dark Crystal with the thought that he wanted to create a whole different world inhabited by beings and creatures portrayed entirely by puppets. Labyrinth is essentially the same thing, but done in a different way. Walking through the movie's namesake (the maze that leads to the goblin city) is definitely like being in another world that's both fascinating and fun. Much of what you see is visually impressive and essentially relish in the fact your eyes can play tricks on you. Brian Froud is again signed on as the conceptual designer and his work shines just as well in this iteration as it did with Dark Crystal.

Labyrinth also has the destinction of having songs specially written for the movie by David Bowie. Keep in mind this movie was in the 80's so what you get is 80's Bowie, and there are a couple scenes that flow more like music videos (or musical numbers) than standard scenes.

You might get the impression I am dogging on Dark Crystal in order to lift up Labyrinth. Can't be farther from the truth. However I do know the differences between the two films and how the other was made in response to the first. Labyrinth is the folk tale while Dark Crystal is the fantasy book. I believe both are fantastic movies.

The original DVD for Labyrinth was a good compilation right from the start, and is superceded only now with the Anniversary Edition. Here's what you get:

Documentary Making of the Labyrinth - Has interviews with actors, puppet performers and production staff including Jim Henson, Brian Henson, David Bowie (who gives us some insight on his character) and Jennifer Connelly as well as lots of details on design and production of the movie. This documentary is a gem for those of you want solid behind-the-scenes details and was in the original DVD and is included on the Anniversary edition.

Journey Through the Labyrinth: Kingdom of Characters and The Quest for Golden City - These two all new featurettes include updated interviews with the cast and crew and never before seen footage from the Jim Henson archives. Kingdom of Characters focuses on... you guessed it... the main characters in the movie including conceptual design for the puppets (although Hoggle seems to be mostly left out, likely because there is so much of him in the original documentary) and background info on the actors. The Quest for the Golden City is mostly design details on the labyrinth, Goblin City and castle itself. These featurettes do well to fill in the gaps left by the original documentary. The extra footage is test footage of the puppets and such, with some production footage as well. I noticed some of the production footage was a rehash of what's on Making of the Labyrinth, but the crosstalk is few and far between.

Confused by all the Army of Darkness DVD releases (some in print, some out of print, some lingering halfway between)? I know I was. But I've done some research and figured it out, and here's how it breaks down:
1. The original DVD release-- was the original theatrical version of the movie with few extras. Good picture, good sound, S-Mart ending. If you just want to watch the best available version of the movie, you might get this one (if you can still find it; it's out of print now). It also has the familiar movie poster cover with an overly muscled Bruce and the hokey "Low on gas" slogan.

2. The director's cut-- with the silly Molly Hatchet cover and the original ending. There are many minuses: key lines are changed (not necessarily for the better). Much of the footage looks really horrible, including the entire concluding battle. All the deleted scenes have the feel of an eBay-purchased bootleg. Bottom line: AOD fans will like to see the material, but this is hardly the movie's best presentation. It's still circulating but they're not making any more of them.

3. The special edition-- probably the best DVD release of the movie to date. The 2 disc version (which, like the director's cut, is nearing the end of its availability) is great. It features both the watchable theatrical version and the borderline-unwatchable director's cut. It has commentary, unlike every other release, although the commentary is only available when viewing the director's cut. It has a making-of featurette.

The single disc version (now the primary version of AOD available) is only a slight downgrade; basically, it's the theatrical release, lookin' and soundin' fine, with the original ending as an extra, and the making of featurette also included. (The commentary is sadly missing.)

In summary: You can't go wrong with the single disc special edition or the even better double disc special edition. Avoid the director's cut unless you already own the original DVD and just want to see all the new footage in all its grainy glory. The original DVD is a fine purchase if you just wanna watch the movie, already.

What everybody should know about 2010: It is not 2001! Sounds stupid, but it explains about everything. 2010 is the continuation of the storyline of 2001, but it tells the story in a completely different way.
2001 was slow and silent. It was filled with emotions and impressions. 2010 offers the same but combines it with a far more interesting plot. On one hand it tells the story nine years after the Discovery Incident, as a team of russian and american scientists try to find answers and on the other hand it explains the fate of Bowman and HAL 9000 ... and ultimately of mankind.

The movie never gets boring and keeps you guessing until the end. The actors are marvelous. The hangar scene between Floyd (Roy Scheider) and Bowman (Keir Dullea) alone is better than any other scene in 2001. The russian/american conflict may be a bit out of date (! ), but it never spoils the movies true message.

2010 is not better than 2001. It is different. It is the answer to a question and the beginning of a new one. You have to watch this film. And i also recommend the other two (book) sequels from Arthur C. Clarke (2061 and 3001).

Stana Jacqueline Katic was born on April 26, 1978, in Hamilton, Ontario. The daughter of Croatian parents, Stana Katic and her family moved to the United States when she was still a young girl and settled in the small community of Aurora, Illinois. After graduating near the top of her class at West Aurora Senior High School in 1996, Stana Katic decided to relocate back to Canada after she was accepted into the University of Toronto (where she studied international law and biology).

stana katic gets bit by the acting bug
It was around that time that Stana Katic inadvertently stumbled into the world of performance, after a friend asked her to take on a starring role in an obscure 1999 indie short, entitled Acid Freaks. Bitten by the acting bug, Stana Katic enrolled in Chicago’s DePaul University’s prestigious Theatre School (which ranks John C. Reilly, Judy Greer and Gillian Anderson among its alumni) and subsequently began auditioning for a variety of locally shot productions.

After appearing in a number of stage plays (including Romeo & Juliet, The Seagull and Richard III), Stana Katic made her cinematic debut with a bit part in 2003’s gangster drama Shut-Eye. 2004 proved to be her break-out year, however, as the struggling actress booked a series of guest appearances on such well-regarded shows as Alias, JAG and The Shield. Although she followed that up with roles in both movies (2005’s Pit Fighter and 2006’s Truth About Kerry) and TV (The Closer and ER), Stana Katic’s turn as terrorist sympathizer Collette Stenger on 24’s fifth season instantly ratcheted up her visibility within the Hollywood community.

stana katic in quantum of solace
Stana Katic’s reputation as a promising up-and-comer paved the way for appearances within a succession of increasingly high-profile projects, including a small but pivotal role alongside Morgan Freeman, Greg Kinnear and Selma Blair in the 2007 drama Feast of Love. And although she continued to dabble within the world of film -- most notably with a brief appearance opposite Daniel Craig in 2008’s Quantum of Solace -- Stana Katic primarily pursued opportunities on the small screen as a means of furthering her career.

In addition to her one-off guest spots on programs like Brothers & Sisters and The Unit, Stana Katic also made a few stabs at starting on a show from its inception -- with her starring role opposite Sean Bean in the 2006 pilot Faceless certainly the most notable example of this. Though directed by Smokin’ Aces filmmaker Joe Carnahan, Faceless was relegated to the network scrap heap alongside Stana Katic’s other would-be series (including a 2007 thriller from 24 creator Robert Cochran, entitled Company Man).

stana katic in stiletto
Stana Katic’s luck changed in 2009 when she was cast opposite Nathan Fillion in the quirky ABC detective show Castle, in which she plays a hard-nosed cop who is reluctantly paired up with best-selling author Richard Castle (Fillion). Though the series hasn’t received a second-season pickup yet, Stana Katic remains busy with other projects, including an upcoming revenge thriller entitled Stiletto and a role alongside Natasha Henstridge in the Canadian mini-series Would Be Kings.

Viola Lynn Collins was born June 1, 1979, in Houston, Texas, but spent her formative years in Singapore. It was there, thousands of miles away from home, that she was first bitten by the acting bug when she played Mrs. Claus in a Christmas pageant.

lynn collins attends juilliard
By the time she returned to the United States, Lynn Collins had no doubt that she wanted to become a professional actress. She relocated to New York City where she received her Bachelor of Arts from Juilliard. The school provided her with a solid foundation in the dramatic arts. She made her television debut in 1999 in an episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. She then spent the next two years refining her skills in the theater where she enjoyed an outstanding run as Ophelia opposite Liev Schreiber in Hamlet, followed by a turn as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet.

lynn collins appears in 50 first dates and 13 going on 30
Lynn Collins returned to the small screen in 2001 with roles in the short-lived sitcom The Education of Max Bickford and in the made-for-TV movie Earth Angels. Although neither production vaulted her into stardom, they did help her get her foot in the door. She continued her upward ascent the following year when she scored a recurring role on the spooky TV series, Haunted. The show gave Lynn Collins’ career a much-needed shot in the arm, and she soon cashed in with small parts in the romantic comedies Down with Love starring Renee Zellweger and Ewan McGregor, 50 First Dates with Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore and 13 Going on 30 featuring Jennifer Garner and Mark Ruffalo.

lynn collins breaks through in the merchant of venice
Lynn Collins finally graduated from supporting parts to a lead role in 2004 when she beat out hundreds of other actresses to play Portia in The Merchant of Venice. The film, which also starred Oscar winners Al Pacino and Jeremy Irons, beautifully showcased her ability to carry a production. “I think it happened sort of at the right time,” she says. “My personal life and my professional paralleled each other. I've heard some actors say that, that only happens once, maybe twice, in a career. And I think that's what this was for me.” Her outstanding performance earned her a Golden Satellite Award nomination along with plenty of lucrative offers for additional films.

lynn collins appears in true blood
After taking some time off to consider her options, Lynn Collins returned in 2006 with substantial roles in Bug, starring Ashley Judd, The Lake House with Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock and The Dog Problem featuring Giovanni Ribisi. Her performances since have been consistently excellent, even if the projects she’s chosen have sometimes fallen flat. 2007’s The Number 23, for instance, was largely panned by critics, and 2008’s Eavesdrop, Life in Flight and Uncertainty all flew well under the radar. Fortunately, Lynn Collins did score one major critical success in 2008, thanks to her well-received recurring role on HBO’s True Blood, an inventive dramatic series created by Oscar winner Alan Ball.

lynn collins stars in x-men origins: wolverine
Lynn Collins can be seen next playing Hugh Jackman’s love interest in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Unlike some of her other films, this particular project required very little preparation. “[My costars] were all on super-buff diets, and I had pizza most of the time,” she says. “They were so jealous of me. I didn't have to beef up in this movie. I just had to wear skimpy clothes.” The eagerly anticipated film opens everywhere on May 1, 2009.

Julie Fiona Roberts was born on October 28, 1967, in Smyrna, Georgia. The daughter of a vacuum salesman and a church secretary, Julia isn't the only Roberts to have pursued an acting career: her brother and sister are also actors, albeit not as famous as Julia -- few even know their names.

julia roberts the actress
As a 17-year-old girl with big dreams, Julia headed to the Big Apple to join her actress sister, Lisa. Starting out as a model in order to make a living, Julia took acting classes on the side in order to perfect her trade. She finally received her big break after her brother, B-movie actor Eric Roberts, convinced a director to cast his little sister in the film Blood Red (1989).

Fours years passed between the production of Blood Red and its release, over the span of which Julia found television work on such series as Crime Story and Miami Vice. In 1988, she landed roles in the films Satisfaction and Mystic Pizza. Her role in the latter did not go unnoticed, and audiences and critics alike would soon remember the name Julia Roberts (who actually changed her name from Julie to Julia when she applied for a SAG card in order to distinguish herself from another actress registered under the same name). In 1990, Oscar acknowledged Julia's work in Steel Magnolias, costarring Sally Field and Dolly Parton, by honoring her with a nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

julia roberts in pretty woman
Oscar nomination considered, none of Julia's roles to that date approached the success of 1990's Pretty Woman. Julia's portrayal of prostitute-turned-princess Vivian Ward was so flawless that it seemed as though the role was written for her (it wasn't). This performance garnered her a second Oscar nomination, this time for Best Actress, and cemented Julia as a Hollywood fixture.

After Pretty Woman, Julia's success at the box office continued with the thrillers Flatliners (1990) and Sleeping with the Enemy (1991), but then her film career took a turn for the worse. The tearjerker Dying Young (1991) and Steven Spielberg's Peter Pan adaptation Hook (1991) were box-office and critical disasters.

While Julia's film career was experiencing highs and subsequent lows, her romantic life was taking a similar bumpy ride. Her wedding to Kiefer Sutherland was canceled just days before the set date, and only a few days later she was romantically linked to actor Jason Patric.

julia roberts in the pelican brief
At this time, Julia was in the midst of a two-year film hiatus, interrupted only by a cameo in Robert Altman's The Player. Her 1993 role in The Pelican Brief, costarring Denzel Washington, marked Julia's Hollywood comeback. The following years were marked with such hits as 1995's Something to Talk About and 1996's Everyone Says I Love You, along with misses, like 1994's Ready To Wear and I Love Trouble, and 1996's Mary Reilly.

On a personal note, Julia Roberts' love life once again made headlines, but this time because of her marriage to country star Lyle Lovett. They were married from June 1993 to March 1995, and their union raised many eyebrows.

By 1997, the Julia Roberts everyone loved was back in full form. Her role in the summer hit My Best Friend's Wedding, along with Dermot Mulroney and Cameron Diaz, earned her a Best Actress Golden Globe nomination and marked the start of a whole new kind of success for Julia. That same year, she costarred with Mel Gibson in Conspiracy Theory.

Stepmom also fared well, but it was Julia's only project of 1998. The following year she came back with a vengeance with two summer blockbusters: Notting Hill, in the role of a world-famous movie actress (not much of a character stretch) with Brit-hunk Hugh Grant, and Runaway Bride, which re-teamed her with Richard Gere.

julia roberts in erin brockovich
It was her role as a single mother who takes on a massive corporation in 2000's Erin Brockovich that launched Julia to the next tier in her career. This job bumped Julia into the $20-million club, along with heavy hitters Tom Cruise and Jim Carrey, and earned her the Best Actress Oscar, Golden Globe and SAG Award.

While 2001 brought disappointments in the form of The Mexican, with James Gandolfini, and America's Sweethearts, with Billy Crystal and Christopher Walken, Julia's career remained, for the most part, steady with successes (including 2001's Ocean's Eleven). This stability came thanks in part to director/producer Steven Soderbergh, who cast Julia in Erin Brockovich and Ocean's Eleven, among other projects.

As for her personal life, following a three-year romance with actor Benjamin Bratt, Julia began dating cinematographer Daniel Moder. They were married in a surprise midnight ceremony on July 4, 2002.

julia roberts in closer
2004 was a big year for Julia, with two December movie releases -- the drama Closer, with costars Natalie Portman, Jude Law and Clive Owen, and the sequel Ocean's Twelve (the only sequel she has ever appeared in), with Brad Pitt, Catherine Zeta-Jones, George Clooney, and Andy Garcia. Julia was unable to attend the premieres or celebrity junkets for these two flicks as she gave birth to twins on November 28, 2004. Although the twins were due January 2005, Julia had remained on bed rest when she gave birth to son Phinnaeus Walter and daughter Hazel Patricia.

julia roberts in charlotte's web
In 2006, Julia added the Warner Bros. animated film Ant Bully to her resume -- lending her voice to the ant character Hova. Her voice costars, Nicolas Cage and Meryl Streep, also joined the colony.

After Ant Bully, Julia took on another children's film as the leading arachnid: supplying the voice of Charlotte the spider in Charlotte's Web (2006). While the classic children's tale has been redone countless times, Julia brought new life to the eight-legged creature. John Cleese, Oprah Winfrey and Kathy Bates also felt the farm life was for them and lent their voices to the family film.

julia roberts in duplicity
From children's films to dramas, Julia seems to be able to do it all. In the 2007 film Charlie Wilson's War, Julia took on political intrigue with costars Tom Hanks and Philip Seymour Hoffman. In 2009, Julia continued her return to the limelight in the con-job romantic comedy Duplicity, costarring Clive Owen.

Born July 11, 1963, in Medford, Oregon, Lisa Rinna spent her entire life in her home state -- having attended Medford Senior High School and the University of Oregon -- before moving to Los Angeles where she landed a job as a model for the Wilhemina Agency. Her undeniable beauty helped land her roles on the Valerie Harper sitcom Valerie and as the girlfriend to Jason Bateman's character in several episodes of The Hogan Family, before finally hitting it big as Billie Reed on NBC's seminal soap Days of Our Lives.

lisa rinna joins the cast of melrose place
After charming audiences as one half of daytime power couple Billie and Bo on Days of Our Lives, Lisa Rinna did a complete 180 when she was cast as the conniving Taylor McBride on FOX's wildly popular prime-time soap Melrose Place. Although she joined the show after its early peak years, Rinna still managed to make her mark by lying, cheating, drugging, birthing, and clawing her way to screen vixen infamy. Since departing the show in 1998, Rinna has managed to maintain a career in television with guest appearances in 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter, Veronica Mars and Entourage, among others.

lisa rinna marries harry hamlin
In 1997, Lisa Rinna married L.A. Law heartthrob Harry Hamlin, and they have since gone on to establish themselves as one of Hollywood's most stable celebrity couples. The parents of Delilah Belle and Amelia Gray have starred in multiple made-for-television movies together including the sex-addiction drama Sex, Lies and Obsession. The couple have been very open about their sex life, especially Rinna, who makes frequent appearances on The Howard Stern Show where she discusses intimate details about various sexual acts that she performs on her husband. She's admitted to taking oral sex classes with friend Cindy Crawford, and has perfected a mysterious hand-oriented technique called "The Basket Weave." Harry Hamlin, your career may be all but dead, but we would still trade places with you in a heartbeat. Kudos.

lisa rinna joins dancing with the stars
When Lisa Rinna joined the second season of ABC's surprise smash Dancing With The Stars, men everywhere suddenly stopped making a fuss when their girlfriend's asked them to sit through an episode. Unfortunately, she was eliminated on the seventh episode, and we were forced to endue Jerry Rice's pirouettes instead. Since her elimination, Rinna has taken advantage of her suddenly heightened public profile by replacing Joan Rivers as the host of TV Guide Network's red carpet coverage, and as a guest host on Live with Regis and Kelly. She is also developing a reality show based on her marriage and was recently one of the oldest women to grace the cover of Playboy.