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This Week
St. Vincent de Paul Society
Distributes bags of food to the needy on Saturdays from the Parish Hall at 9:30am. The second collection on the first weekend of every month helps to fund this program.
We are a Why Catholic Parish!
One of the greatest benefits of Small Faith Communities (SFC) is their witness as Catholics taking responsibility for their own faith life and spiritual growth. Recently I was an observer at a parish Small Christian Community meeting that was setting its vision for the future. The members felt that the Church's call for the new evangelization and the witness given by Pope Francis in living out the faith was an opportunity to revisit their roots.
At the conclusion of the conference, the following vision emerged: "The root of the Small Christian Community is responding to being called to live a life of Christian values, to carry a sense of the Lord today, and witness a renewal of vision."
The Why Catholic program was implemented by the Archdiocese of Miami in our parish in February 2014. It is a four year program.
Those who hope in the Lord, renew their strength
Isaiah 40:31
ABCD: Give and You Shall Receive
Click here to view the video >>
Thank you to all those who have sent in their pledges, if you have not done so as yet, there is still time. So far we have surpassed our goal by approximately $3,000.00.
Parish Goal $103,950.00.
Pledges so far $107,556.00.
Funds to reduce your parish debt
The second collection TODAY provides funds to reduce your parish debt. Please give generously.
Annual Mission Appeal
The Franciscan Sisters of Allegany would like to thank all our parishioners for their spirit of welcome and hospitality that they received during their recent visit to our parish, over $2,900.00 was received to benefit their mission program.
Their address is: 10495 NE 2nd Avenue in Miami Shores, if anyone would like to send prayer requests to them.
Holy Hour Prayer Group
Thank you also to Martha Sanchez and the Holy Hour Prayer Group for their recent gift of $250.00 towards the Parish Debt.
Sacrament of Matrimony
Congratulations to Eric Moreno and Katie Martens who received the sacrament of Matrimony last Saturday.
Feeding the needy
The second collection on the weekend of August 7th will be taken up to provide funds for our St. Vincent de Paul Society, to enable them to continue their mission of feeding the needy of the Parish.
Garage Sale
Sunday, August 7th from 9:00am to 2:00pm in the Parish Hall, all funds will benefit our English Emmaus Retreat for Men taking place November 4th to 6th.
Donations for the sale can be dropped off in the Parish Office during the week from 9:00am to 5:00pm.
The Search for God in Diverse Religious Experiences; The New Age, Santeria and Spiritism
August 9th, 10th & 11th, your parish community of St. Joseph invites you to know and understand three new challenges: The Search for God in Diverse Religious Experiences; The New Age, Santeria and Spiritism.
These three sessions will be conducted by Fr. Juan J. Sosa in the Parish Hall beginning at 7:30pm.
Please fill out the registration form in the bulletin today.
Taize Prayer Service
Take place on Friday, August 12th at 7:30pm.
Annual Seminary Burse Collection
The Annual Seminary Burse Collection will take place during the second collection on August 14th. This fund provides for the formation of those whom God is calling to the Priesthood. Thank you for your continued generosity.
Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Monday, August 15th. Mass will be at:
8:00am & 5:30pm in English.
7:00pm in Spanish.
From the Pastors Desk: Fr. Juan Torres
Due to his physical condition, after a series of tests, with the recommendation of his doctors, and at his own request, Archbishop Thomas Wenski has agreed to grant retirement to our parochial vicar, Fr. Juan Torres as of June 30, 2016.
The Archbishop is grateful to the community of St. Joseph for the care and concern our parishioners have shown toward Father during the five months he spent with us. Father, in turn, has chosen to move to the diocese of Orlando, where most of his family resides. In the hope that we will welcome another parochial vicar in the near future, let us continue to pray for vocations to the priesthood and the religious life.
Bilingual Mass with a healing service
He cured many who were sick with various diseases, and he drove out many demons (Mark 1:34)
Join us at a bilingual Mass with a healing service on August 18th at 7:00pm in our Church. Our pastor, Rev. Juan J. Sosa will be presiding with Deacon Luis Entriago, who is the National Coordinator of Charismatic Renewal Movement in Cuba.
May 2016
|Building Repairs:
|$ 1,229.36
|$ 5,600.28
|General Assessment:
|$ 3,552.22
|Prop. Liability:
|$ 6,209.70
|Bank Loan:
|$ 7,099.81
|Salaries & Benefits:
|$ 29,928.81
Collections : $ 25,440.97
Totals : $ 53,620.18
Deficit : $ 28,179.21


text: Romney: Debates chance to talk 'pathway forward' Add to ... AP Video Published Tuesday, Oct. 02, 2012 1:06AM EDT Last updated Tuesday, Oct. 02, 2012 2:13AM EDT During a campaign stop in Denver, Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney explained how the upcoming debates are a chance for both he and President Barack Obama to talk about the 'pathway forward' for America. Watch More Video: Michelle Obama on Hillary Clinton: 'I'm with her' Cheers, jeers as Democrats start 2016 convention DNC chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz resigns following e-mail leak Kaine: Clinton is 'opposite of Trump' White House response to Trump: U.S. commitment to NATO 'ironclad' Eric Trump: Time for president with common sense Michelle Obama sings Beyonce on 'Carpool Karaoke' Trump will bring about 'huge' change: Pence Cruz booed as he withholds Trump endorsement Tiffany Trump reveals her father's softer side Muslim Americans rally voters to stop Trump Christie: Republicans must unite against Clinton Trump campaign defends Melania's speech amid plagiarism claims 'I blame Hillary Clinton': Mother of State Dept. official killed in Benghazi Melania Trump's speech strikingly similar to Michelle Obama's 2008 address Melania Trump gives a warm address at the GOP convention Clinton: Not enough to 'yell at your TV screen' to beat Trump 'IDK NOT TRUMP THO' and other election merchandise from Urban Outfitters Clinton promises to prosecute police killers with 'full weight of the law' We play the Trump board game (so you don't have to) Comments AA More Related to this Story Video: Expectation game dominates presidential debate Video: Denver prepares for U.S. Presidential debate Video: Romney's path to victory appears to narrow

subset: commoncrawl


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Nursing Jobs in Cullman, AL
(6 Jobs)
Registered Nurse - RN - Nurse Northside Hospital, located in Atlanta, GA , provides compassionate care for all stages of life and serves as a market leader in Women's Services, Maternity and Newborn Services, Surgery, Robotic Surgery and Cancer Care. We a
Atlanta, GA
23 miles
4 weeks ago
Company Overview: Alvarez & Marsal is a leading independent global professional services firm, specializing in providing turnaround management, performance improvement and corporate advisory services, is seeking to expand its Healthcare Industry Group pra
Alvarez & Marsal
Acute Care Registered Nurse – Bonus/Relocation Hospital Corporation of America is searching for Acute Care Registered Nurses to join our team in Denver, CO . HCA is hiring full-time Registered Nurses for day or night shifts in the following units: Med/Sur
View 3 more
Saint Francis Health System Saint Francis in Tulsa, Oklahoma is currently seeking experienced RNs. $10,000 sign-on bonus* & enhanced relocation package Job Description Saint Francis is growing! We are looking for experienced Critical Care nurses to become
View 1 more
Home Instead Senior Care® Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA) Wanted for Caregiver Opportunities Entry Level Caregiver Job Description Do you enjoy getting to know people and building relationships that will last? Do you have a heart for helping those in n
Home Instead Senior Care
4 weeks ago
Five Star Senior Living, a national healthcare and senior living provider headquartered in Newton, Massachusetts, proudly offers the highest quality service and care with the warmth and hospitality of home. Founded in 2000, Five Star has two major operati
20 miles
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text:
Good morrow, all.
My first question here, but I've been keeping an eye on this site for a long time. In fact, it's helped me create about three dozen (albeit simpler) batch files so far! I'm finally having a difficult time searching for an answer. Forgive me if it's covered but nothing I've located is quite right for my application.
Here is the code I am working with. The process is as follows. If file.zip exists, goto an unzip command; else, wait five minutes and check again. This will loop continuously until it finds a file.
IF EXIST "\\server\folder\subfolder\file.zip" (
GOTO zipexist
ECHO File not found. Lets wait, say, 5 minutes ...
TIMEOUT /t 300 /nobreak
GOTO checkexist
ECHO Unzipping will begin in 30 seconds.
And the code continues on.
It works beautifully, actually. The issue I am having is if a file never exists - if it never got uploaded, for example or there was no file for the day. I have tried using some options with the
SLEEP command and using something I found on MS TechNet about
SET DELAY=nn with no avail. I am trying to find a wrapper(?) for this simple if/else statement that will only allow it to run for nn minutes and if no file.zip is found, terminate the batch file. This will, ultimately, run on a server-side process so no user will be available to make a judgement call.
Are there any suggestions on how to accomplish this in a similarly simple way? I realise there are a lot of options but sometimes the syntax confuses me; I'm still learning.
Please forgive any dumb questions that follow this initial post! :) I'm getting there, I'm sorry I'm a little slow.


text:
This flashy mare is approximately 4 years old. At least 15 hands but has grown a lot since we got her. She was rescued about 8 months ago and is now ready…SOLD
AQHA 5 year old, Atta Cat daughter with lots of cutting training. She has AQHA two month old filly by Smart Santana. Both are for sale. Call Brandy…SOLD
Beautiful Dun Filly by World Champion Reining Horse, Freckled Pine MD. Out of a Docs Remedy mare. Very Athletic, not for a beginner. Amazing Show Prospect…SOLD
Beautiful, well muscled, cute little head. This colt has a HUGE hip and gorgeous head. He is nominated to Breeders Trust, Breeders Trust Futurity, and…SOLD
This filly is modern and breedy. She will be big. Mom is 16'3 hands. She is Breeders Trust, Breeders Trust Futurity, Triple Crown, and Oregon Bred.…SOLD
Don't let her age fool you. She is super gentle. Rainy has over 6 months of professional training in reining and is coming along great. Moves off your…SOLD
This double registered mare has outstanding pedigree. Dam is an aqha gbf Pretty Coosa mare and sire is Awesome Mr Conclusion. She is n/n, 15'2 hands…SOLD
Dixie is a great horse for a youth to show. She has her ROM. Has been ridden and show by kids. She does Showmanship, Western, and English. If your youth…SOLD


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text:
Paternos At The ParkItalian, Bars, Restaurants
601 Morris St
(304) 720-7640
Erik H.
Best porterhouse anywhere close to Charleston!!! Great atmosphere and service. Waitstaff are very well trained and make you feel welcome. Just an...read more
Jacqueline A.
It was obvious that the Lasagna was old and was definitely not fresh- reheated. The home made meatballs were okay. The service was good, friendly...read more
Val Y.
Good 'modern day Italian" Really enjoyed the fact they didn't coat everything with Marinara sauce like they do in typical Italian chains.read more
Sean M.
Great vibe, terrific food, lots of energy. Not cheap, but give iit a try, you won't be disappointed.read more
Cristy D.
The Parmesan chips are yummy!read more
Amye G.
Stuffed shells are the bombread more
deals for Charleston, WV
$20 for $25
14728 State Rt 554, Bidwell, OH 45614(17 reviews)


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Hourly - Expert ($$$) - Est. Time: 1 to 3 months, 10-30 hrs/week - PostedSkills: CSS3 jQuery twitter bootstrap
Task 1: We need to take a working website developed in asp.net webforms (approximate version 2008) using vb.net, and move a set number of pages and master pages over to MVC. We would like to switch over to c# for the programming language as well. We have an html page design that is mobile responsive (bootstrap) that we would like to incorporate as a new layout file (to replace the current master page). The total number of pages in the design that need to be moved are about 20 pages, and about 20 input forms. The page styles and layouts are extremely repetitive. So once one page is working and designed, much of the other pages and inputs are going to be very similar. Currently the site is built on LinqtoSQL, we believe it is a good idea to move over to Entity Framework, so we are looking for guidance on this as well starting from an existing database design with existing data. Task2: We have an MSSQL database that is probably version 2008. It is hosted on Arvixe (a regular webhost). Our goal is to move the website to Microsoft Azure. The database is not huge, and can easily be scripted and copied over. There is an ASP.NET database and a website database. We are looking for guidance on what database solution to use that will be scalable on Azure and be cost effective. (We think Azure DB is what we need). Task 3: To make the site run on Azure and hand us back the project as a visual studio c# website project that is integrated with Azure.


text:
5 Steps To Getting Rich (Read This First)
9 Comments- Get free updates of new posts here
In a big hurry? Download a 2-page overview of personal finance.
Read below for richer details, though. Pardon the pun.
1. Know what you spend.
How much did you spend on food last week? What do you pay for housing (rent, repairs, utilities, tax, etc) every year? Without knowing how you're spending money, you can't begin to make any money. Here's how to track your spending.
2. Start with little steps, like your bank.
You shouldn't be paying any annual fees. You should have a good credit card. And you should know the tricks to save yourself money from the banks. You can start today by calling your bank, checking what annual fees you're paying, and asking them to switch you to a free account. Details on how to save on banking.
3. Your money should earn more money for you.
At the end of the year, if you didn't work at all and didn't spend one penny, you should still have more money. Even when your money is just sitting there, it earns you interest. What's even better is that, if you invest sensibly in stocks and other areas, you can see excellent and relatively predictable returns over the long term. Details on using your money to earn more.
4. Don't let money run your life.
Certain things are worth spending a lot on if they make you happy. I love pens and salsa, even if they don't make financial sense. The minute your rules start making you feel crazy, it's time to re-examine your rules. More about not going money-crazy.
5. Don't be stupid.
Everything I write on this site is centered around aggressive but sensible investing. That means investing for a 10-year outlook (better: 30) and ignoring the morons on CNBC every day. Buying and selling stocks every day also sounds sexy, but it's actually very dumb.
It means having a goal and planning for it, not cashing out the minute things go bad.
It means recognizing that if you're in your twenties, your tolerance for risk is enormous–you can make more aggressive investments, use compounds interest to earn tons of money, and ignore many lower-yield investments your parents have to make out of necessity. More about thinking aggressively.
Finally, Not Being Stupid means you can learn these things yourself, not pay someone else to do them for you.
Want to learn this in person? Ok. I teach a free 1-hour class that covers everything (and more) from this site. See the I Will Teach You To Be Rich course details.
- Stay current with updates: Sign up for the free IWillTeachYouToBeRich newsletter
- Learn all of this (and more) in my 1-hour IWillTeachYouToBeRich class
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Sweeney / Sweeney 2 (Widescreen) [2 Discs]
~ John Thaw
Offered by 5A/30 Entertainment
10 used & new
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Shut it sunshine you�re nicked!
April 22 2003
This review is from:
Sweeney / Sweeney 2 (Widescreen) [2 Discs] (DVD)
If you've never heard of, or seen, "The Sweeney" before, these two films were spun off from an original TV series made in the UK from 1975 - 1978. "The Sweeney" was a hard-hitting - for its time - police series set in the world of the Flying Squad - in Cockney Rhyming Slang "Sweeney Todd" = Flying Squad - a team of plain clothes detectives, based in London's New Scotland Yard, dealing with serious crime. The show mainly concerned itself with the exploits of "Detective Inspector Jack Regan," played by John Thaw, and his sidekick, "Detective Sergeant George Carter," played by Dennis Waterman.
What set this show apart from every cop show that had come before, at least in the UK, were the characters of Regan and Carter themselves. There was no master sleuth solving crimes with the help of a 7% solution, no coldly logical Poirot solving cases with a generous helping of mustache wax, no comical Columbo hiding his intellect behind a shabby raincoat and interminable "last" questions, and no Harry Callahan style uber-cop toting "The most powerful handgun in the World!" Nope, Regan and Carter were just a couple of ordinary blokes, smokin', swearin', gettin' blind drunk - whether on or off duty! - shaggin' birds, and endlessly chasin' skirts... they just happened to be cops!
Of the pair, Regan was by far the most ruthless, he wasn't too concerned if he had to beat a confession out of some slag, or lean on a grass to get what he wanted, which was basically to put the bad guys behind bars. George was just as down to earth and pragmatic in his approach to the "Law," but tried to do things ever so slightly more by the book than his boss, and would often cover for him when things got sticky with the Brass. The show was strong meat for its time, and generated quite a lot of complaints from those who liked their policemen to be seen politely helping little old ladies across the road... I guess you could say it was the "NYPD Blue," or "The Shield," of its day.
"Sweeney!" and "Sweeney 2" are really two extended episodes of the show, but they do reign in the rhyming slang that was such a part of the TV series as the films were obviously intended for a wider audience. "Sweeney!" opened out the usual TV format and involved Regan and Carter in dirty goings on in high places, corrupt politicians, murdered prostitutes, and blackmail, while "Sweeney 2" took them back to their roots, in having to deal with a ruthless team of blaggers - bank robbers. And strangely enough, after watching both films back to back, for only the first time since I saw them in the cinema on their original release, it's "Sweeney!" that, for my money, comes off best.
The film has a great ensemble cast, including the wonderful Ian Bannen as the corrupt politician in question, and Barry Foster - sporting what has to be the Worlds most god-awful American accent! - as his nefarious press agent. The story twists and turns and ends up with Regan on the run, through the streets of London, from a team of well armed hit men, with a high-class prostitute in tow, trying to figure out what on Earth's going on! This story allows Thaw to explore Jack Regan's character in some depth, and the climax of the film shows you just how ruthless he can be.
"Sweeney 2" should've been a blinder; Regan and Carter are chasing 'round London after a gang of blaggers who wave gold-plated sawn-off Purdy shotguns in peoples faces to get what they want, and they're not shy about using them either! But for some reason I can't put my finger on, the film just doesn't gel, it should, but for me it didn't. However, it's saved by some blackly comic scenes, especially the one where a young lady returns Regan's keys to him - in a very "personal" place - while he's sleeping off the booze, and a spectacularly violent ending.
I guess that with the arrival of the lovable "Mockney's," as seen in Guy Ritchies "Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels," and "Snatch," plus his burgeoning coterie of imitators, Brit crime dramas have become ever so slightly fashionable. The best of the bunch, in my humble opinion, are the superb "Get Carter," starring Michael Caine, "The Long Good Friday," which was Bob Hoskins' powerhouse debut, and "Sexy Beast" which features a terrifying, blistering performance, by Ben Kingsley.
I'm not so sure how "Sweeney!" and "Sweeney 2" will play to an American audience unfamiliar with the series and the characters, but I gave these films a 5 Star review because, for me, they're a wonderful nostalgia rush, and take me back to my teens in the 70's. Ah yes, the 70's... the "Decade that taste forgot!" An innocent time, when people could wear platform shoes, voluminous flares, migraine inducing tie-dyes, even mullets, and feel no shame. It's said that if you remember the 60's you weren't really there. Well, if you remember the 70's you probably cringe at the tasteless, tacky horror of it all. Punk had yet to really put the boot in, Elton John still had hair, Michael Jackson was recognizably human, and the world was mercifully free of Britney Spears!
But I digress, "The Sweeney," whether it's the TV series or the films, stands or falls on the relationship between Regan and Carter, this is what binds the stories together, as well as tight plotting, and excellent characterization across the board, not only from Thaw and Waterman, but the minor characters as well. In fact, watching these films is like perusing a who's who of British TV actors from the 70's, including the ever dependable Denholm Elliot, in "Sweeney 2," who US viewers will recognize as "Marcus Brody" from the "Indiana Jones" movies.
The Day the Earth Stood Still (Bilingual)
~ Michael Rennie
44 used & new
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gort� Klaatu barada nikto�
April 5 2003
This review is from:
The Day the Earth Stood Still (Bilingual) (DVD)
To those of us of a "certain" age, those words will surely resonate far more strongly than "Use the Force, Luke," or even "Beam me up, Scotty!" (Hey, I know the Trek line is a misquote, but you know what I mean!) "The Day The Earth Stood Still" is THE seminal Sci Fi film of the 50's, the film that finally treated extraterrestrials as something more than bug-eyed monsters intent on taking over the World, stealing our beer, and our girlfriends, for no other reason than that they could!
The film hits the ground running, through a documentary style montage, we see worldwide reaction to the news that a strange craft is orbiting the Earth at incredible speed. Cut to Washington DC, and said craft, a beautifully classic "saucer," lands in a park, scattering picnickers and baseball players like confetti. The next thing we know, the Military are on hand ASAP to deal with the "threat;" the saucer opens, and out steps Klaatu, an emissary from a "Federation of Planets" type body. They have been observing us with increasing worry; at our endless propensity for self-destruction, our development of nuclear weapons, but more importantly, our first, faltering steps into space.
Klaatu holds out with a gift for the President, and is immediately shot by a trigger-happy GI, thinking the device is an alien "death-ray..." not a particularly good start to interstellar relationships! As Klaatu writhes on the ground, from out of the ship steps the "iron fist" within Klaatu's "velvet glove;" an 8ft tall, indestructible robot named Gort. Now Gort HAS a death-ray, and he unleashes it in short order, not indiscriminately against the troops and civilians, but with precision, as he zaps rifles, artillery pieces, and finally a couple of tanks, into oblivion!
When you think about it, this is an incredibly original, and thoughtful, scene. In just about every film of this kind that had come before - and more than a few that have come since! - this kind of action would have resulted in wholesale destruction...Anyway, Gort's reaction to the attack on Klaatu betrays a superior intelligence at work: a measured response to a threat situation, instead of just nuking the planet to dust and ashes!
Klaatu is taken to hospital for treatment. But frustrated at "our" inability to come together and heed his "message," he transforms himself, with the help of a freshly dry-cleaned suit, and a monogrammed briefcase, into "Mr Carpenter," so he can lose himself within human society, all the better to study us. It is in this part of the film that the 1950's "Reds under the bed" paranoia really comes into focus.
Mr Carpenter befriends a mother, "Helen," wonderfully played by Patricia Neal, and her young son "Bobby" played by Billy Gray. And I think it's this casting, plus the characterization, that does so much to make the film work. The main casting coup was getting Michael Rennie in the role of Klaatu. At the time, Rennie was a stage actor working in Britain, he'd never been seen in the US, so when he walks out of the saucer, he really is, to all intents and purposes, an "alien," unknown and unfamiliar. Tall, almost painfully slim, aesthetic in appearance, urbane in his manner, he really was as far removed from the "alien invader" look and persona as it was possible to get! Patricia Neal's "Helen" is a single mother, an unusual lead role in 50's cinema, and she imparts her character with a great deal of self-sufficiency and "grit." Again, not the usual running/screaming/fainting leading lady. Billy Gray is a joy to watch, he portrays "Bobby" with that breathless wide-eyed innocence - "...can we go see the spaceship mister, can we, huh , can we please mister?!?!?!" - that really only existed, if ever, in 50's America.
Luminous black and white photography, a solid story, a tight, pared-to-the-bone script, naturalistic(!) performances, integral "news broadcasts" and "interviews," plus a gorgeous soundtrack, all come together to tell the fantastical tale of TDTESS in an almost documentary style.
This was one of the first films I looked for on Amazon when I got my hands on a new shiny-disc player last year, and having watched this wonderful film on TV and video over the years, I can say that this DVD release was well worth the wait! The restoration is superb - never having owned a Laser Disc system I can't comment on those versions - and is light years ahead of the last video version I purchased back in the 90's. My one regret is that while restoring the film they didn't take out the "wires" and the "lacing," on Gort's suite, that can be momentarily seen in one pivotal sequence. But that is a minor gripe; this is a superb, intelligent Sci Fi film, fully deserving of its "classic" status, and a must-have for any serious lover of the genre!
Wicker Man [2 Discs] [Widescreen & Wooden Box]
~ Edward Woodward
Offered by JM Video Show Place
9 used & new
5.0 out of 5 stars
Shocks are so much better absorbed with the knees bent�¿
April 5 2003
This review is from:
Wicker Man [2 Discs] [Widescreen & Wooden Box] (DVD)
So says Lord Summerisle in �¿The Wicker Man,�¿ a true cinematic rarity, an original, and �¿intelligent,�¿ horror film, just as Kubrick�¿s �¿2001�¿ is the quintessential �¿intelligent�¿ Sci Fi film. Boasting a superbly constructed story, an exemplary caste tailor made for their roles, and a truly shocking and disturbing ending, �¿The Wicker Man�¿ is a masterful exercise in escalating dread, with a harrowing climax that will leave you drained.
I once heard this film referred to as the �¿Citizen Kane�¿ of horror films, but if I were to compare it to one of Orson�¿s greats, I would say it bares a closer resemblance to the �¿Magnificent Ambersons.�¿ The reason for this is plain when you�¿ve searched for the film in the database; you find two listings, �¿The Wicker Man,�¿ and �¿The Wicker Man (Limited Edition).�¿ The former is the original cinematic release of the film, butchered and incomplete, the latter is a restored version that gives us 11 minutes of unseen footage, most of it important back story fleshing out the central character of Sergeant Neil Howie, wonderfully played by Edward Woodward. I said �¿a�¿ restored version, because what�¿s presented to us is still not the complete film, but for more on that you have to watch the excellent documentary included in the �¿extras.�¿
Without giving too much away for those who haven�¿t seen it, the basic story is as follows. Sergeant Howie - monstrously uptight and VERY Christian - a policeman on the Scottish mainland, receives an anonymous letter from Summerisle, off the Western Coast, telling him about the disappearance of a young girl, Rowan Morrison, and hinting at dire events to come. Howie flies off to the isle alone to investigate, and collides headfirst with the pre-Christian, or Pagan, belief system practiced there.
Everywhere is godless symbolism; pagan fetishes, rampant lasciviousness, a mother putting a frog into a child�¿s mouth to cure a sore throat, the villagers, and even the Rowan�¿s own family, denying all knowledge of the girl. As if that wasn�¿t enough, the good Sergeant Howie discovers something that for him, is absolutely the final straw�¿ a ruined and desecrated church.
With his search for the girl being stonewalled at every turn, and the realization that, from his point of view, the islanders are an utterly godless bunch, our hero turns, in high dudgeon, and extreme exasperation at the islanders beliefs and practices, to the head of the community, Lord Summerisle, played with relish and splendid urbanity by non other than Christopher Lee!
His assumption that a �¿Lord of the Land�¿ will behave in a civilized and Christian manner is rudely dashed when he sees young girls dancing naked �¿round a fire in the Manor grounds. Incredulous at this wanton display, he takes his Lordship to task, to which his Lordship calmly replies, �¿Well naturally! It's much too dangerous to jump through fire with their clothes on!�¿ Poor Sergeant Howie really is out of his depth, his Lordship not only condones the godless rituals of the islanders, he�¿s their spiritual leader, �¿We are a deeply religious people,�¿ he gently admonishes the blustering police officer.
With the knowledge that he is utterly alone, Sergeant Howie determines to discover the truth about Rowan Morrison. As distasteful as it is to him, he investigates the island religion in the local library, and becomes convinced that young Rowan is being held against her will, to be �¿used�¿ in some dreadful pagan ritual. From here the story accelerates to its harrowing conclusion, one that made my blood run cold when I saw it first, and still has the power to unsettle, all these years later.
This is an extraordinary film, literate and lyrical, part horror film, part investigative thriller; it is a film I think you could genuinely say is unique, just don�¿t expect any chainsaws or psychos! The performances are all 5 Star, with Christopher Lee in particular stating in the documentary something I have heard often over the years, that it is his favorite performance�¿ an opinion I certainly would NOT disagree with! In fact I would go so far as to say that I think Lee and Woodward have never been better.
As I said before, the �¿Limited Edition�¿ is, without a doubt, the version to watch, but be warned, whilst the transfer of the film is excellent overall, the restored footage is of noticeably inferior quality�¿ although it does come in a very cool wooden box! Another element of the film that deserves recognition is the soundtrack; written especially for the production, it has a wonderful late 60�¿s/early 70�¿s folk feel about it, which adds immensely to the atmosphere of the film. And the documentary I�¿ve mentioned? Excellent! The makers managed to sit down with all the major player in the film, including Woodward and Lee, indeed, this is one of the most extensive interviews I�¿ve seen with Lee, who has his own theories as to what actually happened to the original �¿Wicker Man�¿ footage! If you are looking for an intelligent and unsettling film experience, then �¿The Wicker Man�¿ is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
High Plains Drifter (Widescreen) (Bilingual)
~ Clint Eastwood
30 used & new
1 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Hell is a town named Lago...
Feb. 18 2003
This review is from:
High Plains Drifter (Widescreen) (Bilingual) (DVD)
"High Plains Drifter" was only Clint Eastwood's second directorial effort, but already we can see that a master is at work, and if that wasn't enough, he also stared in, and produced the film, through his own "Malpaso" company. The film is very straightforward, at least on the surface. The small, isolated coastal town of Lago doesn't much take to strangers, rather like the desert town in Spencer Tracy's "Bad Day At Black Rock," and for a similar reason; Lago hides dark and dismal secrets that have damned it's residents to a living Hell. Then one day, from out of the desert's shimmering heat-haze, rides "The Stranger," and as it says on the jacket, "They'll never forget the day he drifted into town."
The Stranger, nameless and taciturn, is an obvious twist on the "Man With No Name," but taken here to it's logical extreme; Eastwood has given us, in the character of The Stranger, a figure that is undoubtedly one of the most brutally amoral anti-heroes in film history. With a running time of only 84 minutes, Eastwood doesn't waste a minute of that screen-time in getting the story into high gear. Starting with an eerily atmospheric, deceptively calm, opening sequence, The Stranger arrives in Lago. Within minutes he has gunned down 3 thugs who baited and goaded him, thinking they had an easy mark, and in the films most controversial scene, 'rapes' a woman he meets in the street!
I said that "High Plains Drifter" was a straightforward film, at least on the surface, but to truly understand the actions of The Stranger you have to look beyond the obvious. "High Plains Drifter" plays as a revenger, but it's more than that, it's a psychological western, and one, I think, that stands alongside Brando's "One Eyed Jacks;" The Stranger is as a mirror to the rotten and corrupted soul of Lago.
The town is fearfully awaiting the arrival of three ghosts from its past, convicted killers who were set up and imprisoned on trumped-up charges; soon to be released, their first order of business will be to head back to Lago and extract their pound of flesh from each and every one of the people who betrayed them. And that brings us full-circle, the thugs The Stranger gunned down were hired by the town to protect them from the returning killers!
Most of the townspeople, but especially the mayor and his cronies, are hypocrites and gutless cowards, both morally and physically; unable to live with their past actions, they use weasel words and spurious justifications to salve their collective conscience, and in doing so, Lago itself becomes their prison. After witnessing the speed and accuracy of The Stranger, they beg him to stay and protect them. At first he's not interested, 'til they offer him "anything," an "open check," for his services... he takes them at their word. 3 pairs of hand-tooled boots, a gun belt, a silver-tooled saddle, unlimited gut-rot, beer, and cigars later, The Stranger tells them he won't do their dirty work for them, but he'll teach them how to do it for themselves.
I said that you have to look beyond the obvious to understand the actions of The Stranger. While in the store he gives two jars of candy and a stack of blankets to an old Indian and his grandchildren, not out of any act of kindness towards them, but because he knows it'll upset the racist store owner. Similarly he watches as the boot-maker delightedly calculates his check for the boots etc, only to smile as the man is told it's all free of charge, the bar owner is overjoyed as The Stranger buys him a cigar and orders a round for everyone, only to be crushed by the same news. He then humiliates the mayor and sheriff in front of the whole town by giving their positions to the town joke, a midget named Mordecai. And that brings us to the 'rape' scene that has upset so many people. As I said, The Stranger is a mirror to the towns rotten soul; it's blatantly obvious that the woman wants this powerful and masculine man, but on HER terms, well, she gets what she wants, but on HIS terms. In fact the only character that manages to surprise The Stranger is the Preacher, who shows, in one cynically comical scene, that he's quite capable of serving God and mammon both! An ambush of the killers is planned, and as a final act of degradation, The Stranger has the residents paint the whole town red, renames it "Hell," and sets up a "Welcome Home Boys" street party for the returning killers... needless to say, they return to one HELL of a party!
"High Plains Drifter" is a wonderful film that works on many different levels; watch it for the fun in seeing The Stranger blowing away the bad guys and humiliating the craven townspeople, or delve deep inside the character of The Stranger and see just how far "revenge" can be taken... HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Get Carter (1971)
~ Michael Caine
Offered by 5A/30 Entertainment
10 used & new
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
The girl... tell me about, the girl.
Jan. 26 2003
This review is from:
Get Carter (1971) (DVD)
"Get Carter" has got to be THE standout performance of Michael Caine's highly variable career. Caine, who was the undisputed "King of Cool" in 60's swinging London, has readily admitted that he took many a script just for the money... something he had in common with Sir Laurence Olivier! Anyway, I guess this is why we not only have the superlative "Carter," plus "Zulu," "The Ipcress File," "The man who would be king," and "Little Voice" amongst others, but we also have "The Swarm" and, "Jaws: The Revenge," 'nuff said?!
Caine's performance in "Carter" is breathtaking; you can't take your eyes off him for a moment as he completely jettisons his likable "cheeky cockney geezer" persona, seen in such films as "The Italian Job," and "Alfie." Here, Caine plays Jack Carter, a cold hearted, cold-blooded killer, an enforcer for the London Mob. I jokingly mentioned "Jaws: The Revenge" in my introduction, but one of the characteristics that makes Caine's portrayal of Jack Carter so memorable are his eyes. Throughout the whole film they're dead, like a sharks, with not a trace of humanity reflected in them; they say that the eyes are the windows to the soul, and with that being the case, Jack Carter's soul must be a thing of unmitigated darkness.
Carter is out to discover the truth behind his brother's death in the North of England, and if needs be, to exact bloody revenge on all concerned. The official report is that his brother's death was a suicide, needless to say, Carter doesn't believe that for a second... and with good reason.
The film begins with a prologue set in London, where Jack asks for time off from his enforcing duties to travel north; permission is reluctantly given, and Carter soon finds himself immersed in a desperately sleazy world of pornography and drugs. He starts making waves almost as soon as he arrives, roughing up the locals, asking questions people don't want to answer; "Do you, know a man, named Albert Swift?" It's obvious that no one, from the local porn-king, to his dead brother's girl, who may, or may not know the truth, wants him snooping around.
The story of "Get Carter" is brutally straightforward, and this is reflected in the actions of the title character. As the evidence starts to mount that his brother was in fact murdered, Jack becomes a terrifying angel of death, cutting a bloody swathe through assorted local low-life and scum. And it's this aspect of the film that sets it, and the character of Carter himself, apart from just about every other "gangster" film ever made. With neither pity nor remorse, and driven by the only emotion he can feel, a burning hatred for those who killed his brother and corrupted his family, Jack Carter sets about single-handedly exacting a terrible revenge.
In nearly all gangster movies, big, when it comes to guns, is good, and BIGGER is BETTER. The 'hero' invariably dispatches his adversaries to the grave with a witty quip and a hail of lead, preferably of the .357 or .44 magnum variety, lovingly captured in a hi-definition, slow motion ballet of death. This is a modern cinematic fantasy, and when done well - see nearly anything directed by John Woo - gives the viewer a visceral thrill to be sure, but it's not real.
The violence perpetrated by Jack Carter is real, shockingly so. He has a gun, two actually, a shotgun he uses in a blackly comic scene to warn off a couple of the boys sent from London to bring him back, and a pistol he uses in a brief shoot-out, but mainly shoves in peoples faces to make sure he gets what he wants. When it comes to dealing out retribution, knifing a man to death who's on his knees begging for his life, beating a man almost unconscious and then throwing him off an office block, half drowning a woman in her bath, kidnapping another woman and injecting her with a heroin overdose, or beating a man to death with the stock of his shotgun, Jack definitely prefers the personal touch... he's just that kind of a guy!
There's a rawness to "Get Carter" that is almost unique. The portrayal of the criminal underworld is grim and repellant, with, thankfully, no attempt at all made to mitigate the actions or character of Jack Carter, a very brave move on the part of the director, Mike Hodges, and Michael Caine himself. It would have been easy for Caine to have given us a nod or a wink, something to let us know that Carter isn't all THAT bad, but what we get is Jack, in all his undiluted savagery.
The most telling scene, and a stunning performance by Caine, is one where he's watching a porn film. What we see of the movie is shabby and degrading, and I won't go into details for obvious reasons. Jack watches, a cold, wry smile hovering around his lips as he enjoys a smoke, but his expression slowly changes to one of horror and disgust as he recognizes one of the participants. Then finally, and possibly for the first and only time, Jack Carter cries tears of pain and despair for another human being. This plays out wordlessly; you see it all written on Jack's face, as I said, a stunning performance by Michael Caine. "Get Carter" is an incredible film, it isn't always comfortable to watch, the final scenes will leave you drained and breathless, but it is a film I would recommend without any hesitation whatsoever.
Fail:Safe (Special Edition) (Bilingual) [Import]
~ Henry Fonda
Offered by importcds__
19 used & new
5.0 out of 5 stars
Is it possible...
Jan. 20 2003
This review is from:
Fail:Safe (Special Edition) (Bilingual) [Import] (DVD)
"Fail-Safe" has often been described as "Dr Strangelove" without the laughs - even in the Amazon review above! - well, as much as I'm a huge fan of "Strangelove," I feel that this description does "Fail-Safe" a terrible disservice. In "Strangelove" Kubrick took the Cold Ward doctrine of MAD, Mutually Assured Destruction, and turned it into a megaton black farce, whereas "Fail-Safe" takes the same concept and presents it as frighteningly banal reality. And it's this very ordinariness that makes "Fail-Safe," in my humble opinion, the superior and far more chilling film.
The basic set-up is simple; it's the early 1960's and the Cold War is pretty frosty. During the standard investigation of a UFO by the military, a possible incursion into US airspace by the Soviets, the nuclear bombers that are always in the air are sent towards their "Fail-Safe" points, about which they orbit while waiting to be sent to their targets if the UFO turns out to be a pre-emptive attack by the USSR. The alert turns out to be false, an off-course commercial airliner instead of the Red Hoards, and the various flights are recalled. But a technical error occurs, and one flight of 6 aircraft, armed with multiple 20 megaton nuclear weapons, passes beyond its "Fail-Safe" point and heads towards it's assigned target of Moscow.
What happened?! Is this a deliberate act of aggression on behalf of the USA, or is it a "glitch" as they claim, or are they running a double bluff, disguising an act of war as a technical error, or has the situation been engineered by the Russians as a pretext for a devastating counter strike; what are the Americans and the Russians to do, can they possibly trust each other? These are the central questions of the film.
The emotional core of the film is Henry Fonda as "The President;" the decent humanitarian personified. It's as if his character, "Juror No. 8/Mr Davis" from "12 Angry Men," has been made Commander In Chief. As he's desperately trying to convince the Soviet Premier that the nightmare of global destruction they're rushing toward is the result of a dreadful accident, he even uses the same line repeatedly that his character in "12 Angry Men" uses; "Is it possible?!" And these, by far, are the most riveting parts of the film, The President, locked away in his bunker beneath the White House with his interpreter, superbly played by a VERY young Larry Hagman, talking to the Soviet Premier on the Kremlin "Hot-Line."
Knowing that the Russians are watching, the President sends US fighters after the bombers to shoot them down before they can reach Soviet airspace; the attempt fails as each of the fighters runs out of fuel and ditches in arctic waters, losing the crews. He then contacts the Premier and explains the situation, the accident, and discusses what can be done to stop a nuclear war if Moscow is bombed.
And this scene, by far, is one of the most chilling ever filmed. The President, speaking through his interpreter, makes a desperate offer to the Soviets; a terrible sacrifice of blood will be made if even one of the bombers gets through and drops its payload on Moscow. I don't want to say anything else about this wonderful film and ruin it for you if you haven't already seen it, suffice to say, that this scene, almost 40 years on, still has the power to make your blood run cold.
But as superb as Fonda's performance is, the film is not wholly dependent upon him. There is a wonderful ensemble cast headed by Dan O'Herlihy - "The Old Man" from RoboCop - Walter Matthau, Frank Overton, and, in his first staring role, Fritz Weaver. Of the supporting cast, Walter Matthau, as the right wing Hawk, Professor Groeteschele, desperately urging the President to take advantage of the screw-up and nuke the Soviets to dust anyway, thus ensuring the final victory of Capitalism over Communism, almost steals the show; a wonderful performance. And Fritz Weaver, in his first staring role, takes his part and runs with it, as an uptight Colonel, gradually coming undone as the countdown towards WWIII accelerates.
This film, superbly acted by all concerned, even Dom DeLuise in a bit part as a weapons technician, and flawlessly directed by Sidney Lumet, is an almost forgotten masterpiece. Filmed in stark black and white, it has an almost documentary feel about it, and with the story set in just 4 main locations, there's a suffocating feeling of claustrophobia about the whole enterprise. This is, without a doubt, along with 1965's "The Bedford Incident" - WHEN are we going to get a DVD release?!?!?! - the greatest of the Cold War thrillers, and I recommend it without hesitation.
Terminator 2: Judgment Day (Ultimate Edition)
~ Arnold Schwarzenegger
Offered by WonderBook-USA
36 used & new
5.0 out of 5 stars
Terminator reborn...
Jan. 4 2003
This review is from:
Terminator 2: Judgment Day (Ultimate Edition) (DVD)
Just like the original "Terminator," I can't imagine anyone reading this review, or looking at the Amazon entry and thinking about buying the film in it's "Ultimate Edition" DVD version, and not actually knowing what the film is about. The original "Terminator" became an icon; it entered our collective memories - "I'll be back!" - became a cultural phenomenon, a cinematic urban legend with a life all it's own, and "T2" is the next step in its evolution.
And 'evolution' is a good way of looking at it. "T2" is not some cheesy installment in a bloated cinematic franchise, designed to generate mega-$'s for all concerned, while shortchanging the viewer with a bland or worthless story line, cardboard FX, and Z-list performances. No, "T2" is a legitimate continuation of the original "Terminator," creating more of the backstory and mythology of the "Terminator" universe, and taking us closer to the day when Skynet achieves consciousness and decides to wage its war of global extermination against Mankind. In fact, the genesis of the "T2" story can be seen in one of the deleted scenes contained on the "Terminator, Special Edition" disc; Sarah Connor, tired of being hunted, decides to take the fight to Skynet's creator, the Cyberdyne Corporation, which, as shown in yet another deleted scene, is where the climactic fight against the original terminator took place!
And this, literally, is the key to "T2." When the original terminator was crushed in the press, the company salvaged its CPU/chip, damaged and inoperable, plus one arm. It's the research done on the CPU that leads to the computing breakthrough that leads to the creation of Skynet, which created the terminators in the first place! And just as Skynet sent a terminator back through time to ensure John Connor couldn't interfere with its plans, Sarah Connor attempts to stop the creation of Skynet itself in the present... you see where this is going? There're probably a couple of pretty nasty time-travel paradoxes involved in all of this - maybe we should ask Dr Who! - but it doesn't matter, the story carries you effortlessly along and doesn't let you start going 'round and 'round in those kinds of ever diminishing circles!
The basic set-up is as follows, having failed in killing Sarah Connor in the original "Terminator," Skynet dispatches yet another terminator, a state of the art T-1000, this time to kill John Connor while he's a young teenager. And just as before, the adult John Connor dispatches a guardian, in the shape of an old T-800 terminator, reprogrammed to protect him at all costs.
And it's the difference between the two terminators that is one of the main joys of the film. The T-1000 is a shape-shifting "liquid metal" creation, able to morph into almost any guise it needs, as long as the end result is the same basic size, or volume, as itself. This basic characteristic is one of the elements that delayed the making of "T2." James Cameron had the idea for the "shape shifter" when making the original "Terminator," but it took the intervening years for cinematic CGI FX to catch up with Cameron's imagination, so the T-1000 could be portrayed convincingly on-screen!
Robert Patrick plays the "human" T-1000, and his performance is as different from the original terminator as is the technology he represents. "Ahnald's" original performance set the standard, relentless and robotic, unstoppable, like a semi spinning out of control on an ice covered freeway; get out of the way or be obliterated. Robert Patrick gives a more subtle, more nuanced, performance; he's smaller, sleeker, faster, his is the relentlessness of a shark moving in for the kill, a thing of terrible beauty that cannot be swayed or negotiated with. But the T-1000 also knows something of human frailty, of pain, and how to use it to its advantage. Whereas the original terminator simply slaughtered anything that got in its way, the T-1000 actually tortures Sarah Connor in one scene in an effort to make her give up her son, telling her, "I know this must hurt..."
"Ahnald's" performance, as the old-tech T-800 model terminator, is also more varied, and this is explained in, what I think is, the most important scene deleted from the original theatrical release, but reinstated in this "Ultimate Edition." Sarah, having been broken out of an asylum by her son and his newest bestest buddy - his very own terminator! - is holed up in a disused gas station with John and the Terminator. The T-800 explains, while Sarah digs bullets out of its back, that it's possible for the terminators to learn, to adapt to their environments, but a switch on the CPU has to be reset to allow this behavior; the default setting is the unstoppable hunter killer, with no need of subtlety. But here's the catch, to make the change, which will allow the Terminator to better protect John, the CPU has to be removed, effectively shutting down the Terminator, then reset and reinstalled. The CPU is removed, but Sarah tries to destroy it, saying it'll be one less terminator, and John, exerting his authority for the first time, convinces his mother that they need the Terminator if they are to survive, and more importantly, stop the creation of Skynet. From here on in, the film roars to its finale as Sarah takes the fight to Cyberdyne by, literally, zeroing in on Dr Miles Dyson, the scientist who obsessively cracks the secret of the original terminator CPU.
"T2" lacks the sheer visceral punch of the original; it's a more refined, mature, and carefully thought out film, but that's no criticism, the set pieces will blow you away, and the CGI, absolutely state of the art at the time, STILL stands up today. This is controlled action and mayhem for grown-ups, and "Ahnald" was true to his word when he said, "I'll be back!"
The Others (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
~ Nicole Kidman
Offered by TUNESUS
37 used & new
5.0 out of 5 stars
Jan. 3 2003
This review is from:
The Others (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) (DVD)
"The Others" is a cinematic rarity these days, a good, old fashioned, ghost story! In fact it's so old fashioned that some of the things you won't find in it are killer cyborgs, acid spewing aliens, or genetically engineered puking dog-thing snot-monsters! But don't worry, because what you will find is a superb story, a clutch of breathtaking performances, and a palpable sense of dread that will have you sitting on the edge of your seat 'til the very end.
The story is set during the last years of WWII on an island off the British coast. On this island is a secluded, fog-bound mansion, inhabited by a single mother, who's husband went off to the war, and their two children who suffer from a strange condition, "Xeroderma Pigmentosum," which means they are hyper-sensitive to light. The mansion is permanently shrouded in fog outside, and permanently dark inside, as the heavy drapes in each window are kept permanently shut to protect the children. Any prolonged exposure to full sunlight will result in the children being subjected to blistering, 3rd degree burns, or even death.
The mother, Grace Stewart, a breathtaking performance by Nicole Kidman, is overly protective of the children, to say the very least. She frets and worries incessantly about their condition, and is compulsive in her checking of door-locks, and the security of the drapes over the windows. The children, Anne and Nicholas, luminously portrayed by Alakina Mann and James Bentley, live a stifling twilight existence within the walls of the mansion, dealing as best they can with their medical condition, and the suffocating love of their mother.
As we meet Grace for the first time, screaming herself awake from an unseen nightmare, we can see that she's under incredible pressure, and at the end of her rope. She's barely able to cope with the loss of her husband, the children's condition, and running the mansion single-handedly, the servants having deserted the family a week ago, without even collecting their last weeks pay! But help arrives in the nick-of-time, in the shape of 3 estate workers, a housekeeper, scullery maid, and gardener. Grace is initially suspicious of the 3 as she had yet to post a "Help Wanted" ad in the village shop. The housekeeper, Mrs Mills, wonderfully played by Fionnula Flanagan, explains that they used to work at the mansion in years gone by, and called on the off-chance of finding work, in doubtless trying times.
As if the initial set-up isn't bizarre enough, with the arrival of the new staff things start to get really strange; inexplicable noises, talk of ghosts, a photographic "Book of the Dead," musical instruments playing unaccompanied... and Mrs Mills knows far more than she's letting on, as do the scullery maid and the gardener!
I'm not going to say anything else about the film; I don't want to spoil it for you if you haven't seen it already, I'll just say that I'm not ashamed to say I did NOT guess the final twist in the tale! In fact, I actually saw the film twice when it was first released, because the cinema was evacuated about half way through when there was a tornado warning in the area; I couldn't wait to go back and see it again the next day!!!
Much has been said about Nicole Kidman's performance, and I have to say she is amazing! Highly-strung, brittle, compulsive, fiercely protective of her children...and her accent is wonderful! She drives the film relentlessly, along with the performances of Fionnula Flanagan, and the children; James Bentley, as Nicholas, in particular, gives an incredible, jaw-dropping performance. But it's the writing and directing of Alejandro Amenabar that is the secret of "The Others." The story is wonderful, and the direction exemplary; Amenabar builds the tension and sense of dread relentlessly, 'til you don't think you can stand it any longer!
This is a 2-disc set, and the "extras" disc contains a couple of interesting items. There's the ubiquitous "making of" feature, and a documentary on a family who's children actually suffer from "Xeroderma Pigmentosum," the disease featured in "The Others." There's also an SFX feature... like I said, no killer cyborgs, snot monsters etc, what SFX?!?!?! I was certainly surprised by the explanation; this film just goes to show how subtle modern CGI effects can be.
A Beautiful Mind (Widescreen Awards Edition) (2002) (Bilingual) [Import]
~ Russell Crowe
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5.0 out of 5 stars
A numbers game...
Jan. 1 2003
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A Beautiful Mind (Widescreen Awards Edition) (2002) (Bilingual) [Import] (DVD)
"A Beautiful Mind" is a truly inspirational film... that really shouldn't work at all! Look at the subject matter: a withdrawn, socially inept mathematical genius comes up with a "Big Idea," has a nervous breakdown, wins a Nobel Prize, and lives happily ever after! (Not the usual mindless "blockbuster" fodder that fills the multiplexes!)
Okay, so that's a rather trite summing up of the film, but the story of John Forbes Nash is an inspiration in itself, and this filmed version, as opposed to the book, which I have not as yet read, has an immediacy that grabs you and immerses you in the troubled mind of our, ultimately, likeable and sympathetic hero.
Nash didn't have a nervous breakdown per-se, but suffered from schizophrenia for most of his adult life. Not wishing to spoil the film for you if you haven't seen it already, all I will say is that Nash saw and experienced people and situations that were pure figments of his imagination, driven by the secrecy and paranoia of a McCarthy era Reds-under-the-Bed state of mind, Nash became unable to distinguish fantasy from reality.
Nash's moment of revelation, his epiphany, came when he almost hurt his wife and child. From that moment on he became 'self-aware' in a way that few people, I suspect, are capable of, he 'reasoned' that he was 'mad' and simply chose ignore the product of his madness, his visions and hallucinations. They remained with him, and as far as I know still do, but through shear force of will, he controlled them and integrated them into his everyday existence. They no longer had any power over him; he was, and is, in control of his life.
His Nobel Prize came about when a later generation of economists and analysts rediscovered his "Big Idea," and he was finally given the recognition that was long overdue. Without us knowing it, Nash's theories and equations touch us all as we live in a free-market economy.
"A Beautiful Mind" is a beautifully made film that I can't recommend highly enough. The difficult mathematical aspect of the film is handled in such a way as to make it immediately accessible to a non-Nash genius, and shouldn't put you off. Nash's life is truly inspirational, and this film should be seen by all, it shows how one man can overcome so much personal adversity, and still contribute so much to his family and friends, and ultimately to us all.
It Doesn't Take a Hero: The Autobiography of General Norman Schwarzkopf
by Norman Schwarzkopf
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5.0 out of 5 stars
A soldiers story...
Jan. 1 2003
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It Doesn't Take a Hero: The Autobiography of General Norman Schwarzkopf (Paperback)
"It doesn't take a Hero" is the remarkable story of a remarkable man, the title of which comes from a quote Schwarzkopf gave during an interview with Barbara Walters in 1991; "It doesn't take a hero to order men into battle. It takes a hero to be one of those men who goes into battle."
Schwarzkopf's story is very different from his compatriot, the now Secretary of State, Colin Powell. The two men are of completely different temperaments, and their tales are told in ways that reflect their personalities. Powell's book is rather dry, with the occasional flash of self-depreciatory humor... and you get the feeling that this was included on the advice of his co-author!
"It doesn't take a Hero" is full of blunt, sometimes brutal, soldiers wit; one of the funniest examples concerns a Sergeant who swore relentlessly, and had to tell his assembled troops that they were now being commanded by a Colonel - not Schwarzkopf by the way - who didn't take to profanity in any way, shape, or form. The sergeant lined them up, and cursing with practically every other word, told them to cut out the ... swearing or else! Although this may look terribly contrived, when you read the book, you simply know that it happened, just the way Schwarzkopf says it did.
When you read Powell's story you respect him for what he achieved, mainly his rise from immensely humble origins to high political office, but when you read Schwarzkopf's, you can't help but like the man, warts and all.
As well as the brutal humor, Schwarzkopf is also brutally honest about his home life. He came from a well-to-do middle class family, his father was a West Point graduate, who later led the hunt for the Lindbergh kidnappers, and served President Roosevelt on a special assignment in Iran between the Great Wars. They lived in the best house in their town, and even employed a maid, but there was a dark family secret... his mother's alcoholism. The hurt and the pain this caused himself, his father and sisters, is dealt with openly and honestly, and you cannot help but feel that the inclusion of this was a very difficult decision for him to make.
The part of the book that deals with his duties in Vietnam is very well written, and like Powell, he also rails against the stupidity and arrogance of the politicians and 'Brass' who ordered young men to lay down their lives in that far away land for no good reason. And like Powell, he became equally convinced that he had to do something to change the army from within; it was either that or resign. In that respect he and Powell were remarkably similar in their thoughts and actions.
But far and away the most interesting part of the book is his telling of the Gulf War, Desert Storm. It is probably true to say that without "Stormin'" Norman, there wouldn't have been a, successful, Gulf War. His experiences in the Middle East as a young man, he lived with his father when he was posted to Iran, gave him a unique insight into the Arab world that served him personally, and the coalition as a whole, very well indeed.
He was able to play on the links his father had with Arab Royalty, and then forged his own links with the current Saudi Royal Family, working with Crown Princes on a first name basis to get things done, everything from releasing endless millions of dollars in payments to the US - what is the daily rental on an aircraft carrier?! - to arranging for "tent cities" to be erected to shield the incoming troops from the scorching desert sun.
But for me, the most interesting aspect of the Gulf War section was the politics of the coalition, especially in the Arab world, something that was almost completely missing in Colin Powell's telling. In this crucial, although mostly unknown area of the War, Schwarzkopf's experiences in the Middle East were invaluable. Middle Eastern politics are a lethal mine field at the best of times - us Brits have had our fingers burnt on more than one occasion over the years! - and pouring hundreds of thousands of free thinking, free drinking, Western troops of endless religious and moral persuasions into the autocracy that is the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, should have been a recipe for utter disaster!
Schwarzkopf's deft handling of the endless 'difficulties' involving religious services, the consumption of alcohol, the reading of magazines of dubious 'artistic' merit, even the receiving of Christmas cards and the erection of Christmas decorations, were handled with a skill and subtlety that one would not have thought a mere 'soldier' possible. And then of course there was the Israeli question. The one thing above all else that would have blown the coalition apart would have been Israel attacking Iraq in retaliation for the Scuds that fell on Israeli territory. Although much of the efforts to keep Israel out of the action were handled direct from Washington, Schwarzkopf's handling of the Saudi's in particular, on the ground as it were, was masterful.
"It doesn't take a Hero" is a fascinating tale, a real inspiration, it shows what one man can achieve through clear thinking, a positive attitude, boundless enthusiasm, and a profound love, not only of his own country, but of mankind. I would recommend it highly.
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"A must read for every Christian and a feast for the spiritually hungry." – John MacArthur
Desiring God, 25th Anniversary Reference Edition: Meditations of a Christian Hedonistby John Piper
For 25 years, pastor John Piper has been provoking Christians with the simple but paradigm-shattering truth that God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him.
Satisfaction. Happiness. Joy. The pursuit of pleasure in God is not/i>
For 25 years, pastor John Piper has been provoking Christians with the simple but paradigm-shattering truth that God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him.
Satisfaction. Happiness. Joy. The pursuit of pleasure in God is not only permissible; it's essential.
Building his message on hundreds of Scriptures, especially from the Psalms, the apostle Paul, and Jesus himself—and echoing the likes of Blaise Pascal, Jonathan Edwards, and C.S. Lewis—Piper beckons us to approach God with the hedonist's abandon. Finally, we are freed to enjoy Jesus not only as our Lord and Savior, but also our all-surpassing, soul-satisfying Treasure.
As important today as ever, Desiring God may turn your Christian world upside down. And that will be a good thing, for the glory of God, and for your deepest joy.
This 25th-anniversary reference edition includes an updated introduction by John Piper, appendices and supplemental resources, and brief testimonials from readers profoundly affected by Desiring God.
"I do not come to the Bible with a hedonistic theory of moral justification. On the contrary, I find in the Bible a divine command to be a pleasure-seeker—that is, to forsake the two-bit, low-yield, short-term, never-satisfying, person-destroying, God-belittling pleasures of the world and to sell everything 'with joy' (Matthew 13:44) in order to have the kingdom of heaven and thus 'enter into the joy of your master' (Matthew 25:21). In short, I am a Christian Hedonist not for any philosophical or theoretical reason, but because God commands it (though He doesn't command that you use these labels!)….
"Only one thing ultimately matters: glorifying God the way He has appointed. That is why I am a Christian Hedonist. That is why I wrote this book."
—John Piper
Editorial Reviews
Product Details
- 9781601423092
- Publisher:
- The Crown Publishing Group
- Publication date:
- 01/18/2011
- Pages:
- 416
- Product dimensions:
- 6.30(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.40(d)
Read an Excerpt
Desiring God, 25th Anniversary Reference EditionMeditations of a Christian Hedonist
By John Piper
Multnomah BooksCopyright © 2011 John Piper
All right reserved.
C h a p t e r 1
The Happiness of God
Foundation for Christian Hedonism
The ultimate ground of Christian Hedonism is the fact that God is uppermost in His own affections:
The chief end of God is to glorify God and enjoy Himself forever.
The reason this may sound strange is that we are more accustomed to think about our duty than God's design. And when we do ask about God's design, we are too prone to describe it with ourselves at the center of God's affections. We may say, for example, that His design is to redeem the world. Or to save sinners. Or to restore creation. Or the like.
But God's saving designs are penultimate, not ultimate. Redemption, salvation, and restoration are not God's ultimate goal. These He performs for the sake of something greater: namely, the enjoyment He has in glorifying Himself. The bedrock foundation of Christian Hedonism is not God's allegiance to us, but to Himself.
If God were not infinitely devoted to the preservation, display, and enjoyment of His own glory, we could have no hope of finding happiness in Him. But if He does in fact employ all His sovereign power and infinite wisdom to maximize the enjoyment of His own glory, then we have a foundation on which to stand and rejoice.
I know this is perplexing at first glance. So I will try to take it apart a piece at a time, and then put it back together at the end of the chapter.
"Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases" (Psalm 115:3). The implication of this text is that God has the right and power to do whatever makes Him happy. That is what it means to say that God is sovereign. Think about it for a moment: If God is sovereign and can do anything He pleases, then none of His purposes can be frustrated.
The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates
the plans of the peoples. The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the
plans of his heart to all generations. (Psalm 33:10–11)
And if none of His purposes can be frustrated, then He must be the happiest of all beings. This infinite, divine happiness is the fountain from which the Christian Hedonist drinks and longs to drink more deeply.
Can you imagine what it would be like if the God who ruled the world were not happy? What if God were given to grumbling and pouting and depression, like some Jack-and-the-beanstalk giant in the sky? What if God were frustrated and despondent and gloomy and dismal and discontented and dejected? Could we join David and say, "O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water" (Psalm 63:1)?
I don't think so. We would all relate to God like little children who have a frustrated, gloomy, dismal, discontented father. They can't enjoy him. They can only try not to bother him, or maybe try to work for him to earn some little favor.
Therefore if God is not a happy God, Christian Hedonism has no foundation. For the aim of the Christian Hedonist is to be happy in God, to delight in God, to cherish and enjoy His fellowship and favor. But children cannot enjoy the fellowship of their Father if He is unhappy. Therefore the foundation of Christian Hedonism is the happiness of God.
But the foundation of the happiness of God is the sovereignty of God: "Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases" (Psalm 115:3). If God were not sovereign, if the world He made were out of control, frustrating His design again and again, God would not be happy.
Just as our joy is based on the promise that God is strong enough and wise enough to make all things work together for our good, so God's joy is based on that same sovereign control: He makes all things work together for His glory. If so much hangs on God's sovereignty, we should make sure the biblical basis for it is secure.
The sheer fact that God is God implies that His purposes cannot be thwarted—so says the prophet Isaiah:
"I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me,
declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things
not yet done, saying, 'My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all
my purpose.'" (Isaiah 46:9–10)
The purposes of God cannot be frustrated; there is none like God. If a purpose of God came to naught, it would imply that there is a power greater than God's. It would imply that someone could stay His hand when He designs to do a thing. But "none can stay his hand," as the newly awakened Nebuchadnezzar says:
His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures
from generation to generation; all the inhabitants of the earth are
accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host
of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay
his hand or say to him, "What have you done?" (Daniel 4:34–35)
This was also Job's final confession after God had spoken to him out of the whirlwind: "I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted" (Job 42:2). "Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases" (Psalm 115:3).
This raises the question whether the evil and calamitous events in the world are also part of God's sovereign design. Jeremiah looks over the carnage of Jerusalem after its destruction and cries:
My eyes are spent with weeping; my stomach churns; my bile is poured
out to the ground because of the destruction of the daughter of my
people, because infants and babies faint in the streets of the city.
(Lamentations 2:11)
But when he looked to God, he could not deny the truth:
Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has commanded
it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that good and bad come?
If God reigns as sovereign over the world, then the evil of the world is not outside His design: "Does disaster come to a city, unless the LORD has done it?" (Amos 3:6).
This was the reverent saying of God's servant Job when he was afflicted with boils: "Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?" (Job 2:10). He said this even though the text says plainly that "Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and struck Job with loathsome sores" (Job 2:7). Was Job wrong to attribute to God what came from Satan? No, because the inspired writer tells us immediately after Job's words: "In all this Job did not sin with his lips" (Job 2:10).
The evil Satan causes is only by the permission of God. Therefore, Job is not wrong to see it as ultimately from the hand of God. It would be unbiblical and irreverent to attribute to Satan (or to sinful man) the power to frustrate the designs of God.
The clearest example that even moral evil fits into the designs of God is the crucifixion of Christ. Who would deny that the betrayal of Jesus by Judas was a morally evil act?
Yet in Acts 2:23, Peter says, "This Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men." The betrayal was sin, but it was part of God's ordained plan. Sin did not thwart His plan or stay His hand.
Or who would say that Herod's contempt (Luke 23:11) or Pilate's spineless expediency (Luke 23:24) or the Jews' "Crucify, crucify him!" (Luke 23:21) or the Gentile soldiers' mockery (Luke 23:36)—who would say that these were not sin? Yet Luke, in Acts 4:27–28, records the prayer of the saints:
Truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant
Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with
the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and
your plan had predestined to take place.
People lift their hand to rebel against the Most High only to find that their rebellion is unwitting service in the wonderful designs of God. Even sin cannot frustrate the purposes of the Almighty. He Himself does not commit sin, but He has decreed that there be acts that are sin,2 for the acts of Pilate and Herod were predestined by God's plan.
Excerpted from Desiring God, 25th Anniversary Reference Edition by John Piper Copyright © 2011 by John Piper. Excerpted by permission of Multnomah Books, a division of Random House, Inc.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Meet the Author
John Piper is an internationally known pastor and author. He serves as pastor for preaching at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is a graduate of Wheaton College, Fuller Theological Seminary, and the University of Munich, Germany (Doctor of Theology). Winner of three Gold Medallion book awards, he has written over forty books, including Future Grace, A Godward Life, The Dangerous Duty of Delight, and The Pleasures of God. John and his wife, Noel, have five children and an increasing number of grandchildren.
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The initial prognosis for the Volkswagen Up! in Japan is going the same direction as the name of the car: three weeks after launch, 3,000 orders have been placed in Nippon. That beats Ford's sales total for the entire year and is almost a month's worth of BMW imports. Posting those numbers, Japan's Nikkei newspaper says the Up! "may beat the Golf subcompact to become the German automaker's most successful new-car launch in Japan."
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59VW Up! says "What closed market?" by recording 3,000 Japanese orders in 3 weeks
160REPORT: Detroit Three call Japan's cash-for-clunkers program unfair
- Chris Shunk
- Dec 11, 2009
- 160
The U.S. Car Allowance Rebate System (a.k.a. 'cash-for-clunkers') program was a short-term boon for automakers participating in our market. Sales went up, inventory went down and nearly 700,000 vehicles that would likely have otherwise ended up on used car lots were destroyed. And since the U.S. is essentially a free market where automakers around the globe are allowed to participate, Japanese and European automakers benefited from the program as well. In fact, Japanese automakers fared even bet
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- Volvo shoots for self-drivers by 2021
- Jeep spends $1 billion on factories
- Find Parts & Accessories for your vehicle!
- Obama rolls out new EV plan
- Infiniti dealers ranked best, Tesla worst
- Compare Volvo XC90 and Lincoln MKX


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With the development of the gigabit-Ethernet passive optical network (GEPON), the polling mechanism is widely used in allocating bandwidth of GEPON in order to solve the bottleneck problem of an access network. The polling mechanism is effective in GEPON bandwidth allocation. However, the mechanism has some problems of its own that are quite prominent and cannot be solved by the mechanism itself, such as the waste of time slot, waste of authorized window, waste of idle queue, and so on. This paper proposes a dynamic programmable scheduling mechanism that can effectively solve the problems of the polling mechanism. At the same time, the dynamic programmable scheduling mechanism can provide a greater degree of flexibility that enables service providers to decide, adjust, and achieve their own bandwidth allocation logic after the network is fixed. In addition, to a large extent, the proposed mechanism can promote interoperability among different GEPON systems.
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For 28 years, U.S. Rep. Rick Boucher divided his time between the mountains of Southwest Virginia and the ornate buildings on Capitol Hill.
By all accounts, the long-serving congressman's roots and life in the 9th District thoroughly influenced his work in Washington — and vice versa.
Boucher was known on Capitol Hill for his work on the cutting edge of technology and telecommunications, and he consistently tried to use that knowledge to build a 21st century economy in Southwest Virginia.
Results will appear in the Jan. 7, 2011 edition of The Gazette.
By CHRISTOPHER BROOKE and BEN BOMBERGER
HILLSVILLE — Severe cuts to Virginia Cooperative Service personnel is no way to grow a new generation of community leaders, said concerned citizens protesting the agency's restructuring.
Five speakers talked to the Carroll Board of Supervisors earlier this month about the benefits of having an Extension office and personnel in the county — not five counties sharing one.
WOODLAWN — Gooch Harmon — noted local historian, clothing and boot outlet proprietor and car dealer — passed away at his home on Christmas Day at the age of 82.
Gleaves "Gooch" Howard Harmon Jr. of Woodlawn was recently profiled by The Gazette, for his vast collection of relics preserving many aspects of Carroll County's past.
Harmon's Museum is a local landmark, housed in the Woodlawn outlet stores billed as the "Boot Capital of Virginia."
With the snowfalls and an ice storm that have already happened this year, Galax can only hope for a milder winter in 2011, said City Manager Keith Barker, as the city looks at new ways of preparing for the worst.
Last year, the city budgeted $80,000 for snow removal and $20,000 for overtime. However, the city spent well over $150,000 clearing snow and ice last year, with at least $97,400 spent on snow removal materials alone, and another $26,600 in overtime pay for crew.
HILLSVILLE — A developer hopes that road blocks to turning two private streets over to Hillsville have come down since her last request in 2004.
Martha Crowder asked that the town take over maintenance of Smythers and Crowder streets, and the request had the backing of one citizen and Mayor Bill Tate.
Saying she represented taxpayers, landowners and residents of the two tar-and-gravel streets built in 2002, Crowder asked the town council members to take these two streets into their system.
INDEPENDENCE — More Grayson County residents will now be eligible for a tax relief program after supervisors approved changes to the county's Elderly and Disabled Tax Relief Program earlier this month.
County Administrator Jonathan Sweet brought a recommendation to the board of supervisors last month to increase various aspects of the program — which provides relief for elderly residents on fixed incomes who struggle to pay their taxes.
HILLSVILLE — Cana farmers have asked the Carroll supervisors to approve the creation of an agricultural and forestal district along with the comprehensive plan.
Bennie Quesenberry, president of the Carroll County Farm Bureau, made the request to the supervisors Dec. 14, at the same meeting where county officials approved the updated comprehensive plan.
This request follows an informational session from November, organized by Cana farmers with Virginia Cooperative Extension Agent Webb Flowers.
INDEPENDENCE — Two suspects have been charged in connection with the alleged theft of the Toys For Tots donation box from Dollar General on Nov. 17.
Independence Police Cpl. Matthew Adams said he received a tip that the suspect police were looking for in the case was in town last Wednesday night.
Adams, along with Grayson County deputies and Sgt. Gary Hash, were searching the area when the suspect was located in a yard at 403 West Main Street.
Christopher Michael Cardona, 27, of Elkin, N.C., was arrested and charged with grand larceny.
HILLSVILLE — It's been 100 years now since the first acts that led to the 1912 courthouse shootout between county officials and members of the Allen family, an incident that left an indelible stamp on Carroll County.
Centennial observances already have begun for the anniversary of the March 14, 1912, tragedy that left five dead and led to the execution of two of the Allens involved.
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