When you consider that old-fashioned tearjerkers are an endangered species in Hollywood, a movie like The Notebook can be embraced without apology. Yes, it's syrupy sweet and clogged with clichés, and one can only marvel at the irony of Nick Cassavetes directing a weeper that his late father John--whose own films were devoid of saccharine sentiment--would have sneered at. Still, this touchingly impassioned and great-looking adaptation of the popular Nicholas Sparks novel has much to recommend, including appealing young costars (Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams) and appealing old costars (James Garner and Gena Rowlands, the director's mother) playing the same loving couple in (respectively) early 1940s and present-day North Carolina. He was poor, she was rich, and you can guess the rest; decades later, he's unabashedly devoted, and she's drifting into the memory-loss of senile dementia. How their love endured is the story preserved in the titular notebook that he reads to her in their twilight years. The movie's open to ridicule, but as a delicate tearjerker it works just fine. Message in a Bottle and A Walk to Remember were also based on Sparks novels, suggesting a triple-feature that hopeless romantics will cherish. --Jeff Shannon

In the wake of Guy Ritchie's re-imagining, the BBC puts its own stamp on Arthur Conan Doyle's sleuth--and sets him in a London filled with cell phones and laptops. In the pilot, director Paul McGuigan (a keen visual stylist) introduces Sherlock Holmes (<em>Atonement</em>'s Benedict Cumberbatch) as a"high-functioning sociopath" and Dr. John Watson (<em>The Office</em>'s Martin Freeman) as an army veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder. Through a mutual friend, the two become flatmates at 221B Baker Street (Una Stubbs plays their landlady). Holmes, who consults with Scotland Yard inspector Lestrade (Rupert Graves) on his trickier cases, drafts Watson to assist him. <div class="productDescriptionWrapper">

In"Study in Pink," four people commit suicide by poison. When Holmes sets out to establish a link, he falls right into the culprit's clutches. Other cases concern a smuggling operation ("The Blind Banker") and a mad bomber ("The Great Game"). Though he doesn't make a formal entrance until episode 3, Sherlock's archenemy, Moriarty (Andrew Scott), has a hand in each mystery, while the detective's brother, Mycroft (co-creator Mark Gatiss), first appears when he tries to hire Watson as a spy, an offer the good doctor refuses. Through his job at a medical office, Watson also meets Sarah (Zoe Telford), who becomes his girlfriend.



Part of the fun of Jeremy Brett's Holmes (and <em>Agatha Christie's Poirot</em>) came from the period details, so this update takes a little getting used to--as does the occasional mumbled line--but Cumberbatch and Freeman share an enjoyable <em>Odd Couple</em> rapport, marked by flashes of deadpan wit, which compensates for the absence of deerstalker caps (Holmes favors scarves) and journals (Watson maintains a website). Extras include commentary on the finale, the original pilot, and a featurette, in which co-creator Steven Moffat (<em>Doctor Who</em>) notes that Cumberbatch was his only choice for the title role. <em>--Kathleen C. Fennessy</em>

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<strong>Please note this is a region 2 DVD and will require a region 2 or region free DVD player in order to play.</strong>



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At fortysomething, straight-laced Cal Weaver (Steve Carell) is living the dream-good job, nice house, great kids and marriage to his high school sweetheart. But when Cal learns that his wife, Emily (Julianne Moore), has cheated on him and wants a divorce, his"perfect" life quickly unravels. Worse, in today's single world, Cal, who hasn't dated in decades, stands out as the epitome of un-smooth.<br /><br /> Now spending his free evenings sulking alone at a local bar, the hapless Cal is taken on as a wingman and protégé to handsome, thirty-something player Jacob Palmer (Ryan Gosling). In an effort to help Cal get over his wife and start living his life, Jacob opens Cal's eyes to the many options before him: flirty women, manly drinks and a sense of style that can't be found at Supercuts or The Gap.<br /><br /> Cal and Emily aren't the only ones looking for love in what might be all the wrong places: Cal's 13-year-old son, Robbie, is crazy about his 17-year-old babysitter, Jessica, who harbors a crush on Cal. And despite Cal's makeover and his many new conquests, the one thing that can't be made over is his heart, which seems to keep leading him back to where he began.

If you’ve got too many pre-conceptions of just how a Sherlock Holmes movie should pan out, then it’s probably best that you check them in before popping this latest version in your player. Starring Robert Downey Jr. in the title role and accompanied by Jude Law as Watson, this film dispenses with some of the conventions of Holmes, and instead starts turning him into something of a period action hero.

Downey Jr. is more than up to the challenge too. Early scenes in Sherlock Holmes are more Fight Club than sleuth-influenced, with the hand of director Guy Ritchie behind the camera being very clear. But the film soon settles down and starts to have some fun, with the able assistance of Mark Strong and Rachel McAdams, among the supporting cast.

Yet this is Downey Jr.’s show, and he doesn’t waste the opportunity. He’s an engaging leading man at the worst of times, and he’s clearly having a ball here. What’s more, it’s immensely satisfying when his Sherlock Holmes gets down to the business of solving crimes, even though there are some really quite impressive action sequences to work through first.

There are problems, of course. There’s not enough flesh on the bones of some of the characters, and the early part of the film feels very different from the latter stages. But there’s solid groundwork here for the inevitable franchise, and watching Downey Jr. reprise the role of Sherlock Holmes over the next few years should be really quite good fun too. -- Jon Foster

From the first spell to the final battle! The entire eight-film Harry Potter collection is now available for you to own.



<br /> Join Harry, Hermione and Ron from their first year at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone all the way through to Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 2. In the epic finale, the battle between the good and evil forces of the wizarding world escalates into an all-out war. The stakes have never been higher and no one is safe. But it is Harry Potter who may be called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice as he draws closer to the climactic showdown with Lord Voldemort.<br /><br /> It all starts and ends here.<br /><br /> Titles Comprise:<br /><br /> Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone (2001)<br /> Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets (2002)<br /> Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban (2004)<br /> Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire (2005)<br /> Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix (2007)<br /> Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince (2009)<br /> Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010)<br /> Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011)<br /><br /><strong>Special Features</strong>



<br /><strong>Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince</strong><br /> Create your own Picture-in-Picture commentary<br /> J.K. Rowling: A Year in the Life<br /> Cast members guide to moviemaking<br /> What's on your mind? - Q & A with cast/crew<br /> One-Minute Drills - Cast members sum up their characters



<br /><strong>Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1</strong><br /> The Last Days of Privet Drive - Maximum Movie Mode<br /> Hagrid's Motorbike - Maximum Movie Mode<br /> Death Eaters Attack Cafe - Maximum Movie Mode<br /> Creating Dobby and Kreacher - Maximum Movie Mode<br /> Magical Tents! - Maximum Movie Mode<br /> The Return of Griphook - Maximum

Of all the folks in long underwear to be tapped for superhero films, Thor would seem to be the most problematic to properly pull off. (Hypothetical Hollywood conversation:"A guy in a tricked-out, easily merchandisable metal suit? Great! An Asgardian God of Thunder who says stuff like <em>thee</em> and <em>thou</em>? Um, is Moon Knight available?") Thankfully, the resulting film does its source material rather proud, via a committed cast and an approach that doesn't shy away from the over-the-top superheroics. When you're dealing with a flying guy wielding a huge hammer, gritty realism can be overrated, really. Blending elements from the celebrated comic arcs by Walter Simonson and J. Michael Straczynski, the story follows the headstrong Thunder God (Chris Hemsworth) as he is banished to Earth and stripped of his powers by his father Odin (Anthony Hopkins) after inadvertently starting a war with a planet of ticked-off Frost Giants. As his traitorous brother Loki (the terrific Tom Hiddleston) schemes in the wings, Thor must redeem himself and save the universe, with the aid of a beautiful scientist (Natalie Portman). Although director Kenneth Branagh certainly doesn't skimp on the in-jokes and fan-pleasing continuity references (be prepared to stick around after the credits, Marvel fans), his film distinguishes itself by adopting a larger-than-life cosmic Shakespearean air that sets itself apart from both the cerebral, grounded style made fashionable by <em>The Dark Knight</em> and the loose-limbed Rat Packish vibe of the <em>Iron Man</em> series. Glorying in the absolute unreality of its premise, Branagh's film is a swooping, Jack Kirby-inspired saga that brings the big-budget grins on a consistent basis, as well as tying in with the superhero battle royale <em>The Avengers</em>. <em>--Andrew Wright</em>

It all comes down to chemistry. And the two main stars of <em>Just Go with It</em>, Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler, thankfully, have chemistry to spare. Both actors have plenty of sheer likability and honest ease, as well as sparks in just the right places, which helps propel <em>Just Go with It</em> to its satisfying (if a bit predictable) conclusion. (Hollywood execs: Consider an update of <em>Moonlighting</em> starring these two.) If the premise, loosely based on the Goldie Hawn film <em>Cactus Flower</em>, stretches reality, the capability of the whole cast makes <em>Just Go with It</em> an enjoyable ride. Sandler plays Danny, a surgeon who falls for a much-younger bombshell, Palmer (swimsuit model Brooklyn Decker, a surprisingly natural actress). But when Palmer finds the fake wedding band that commitment-phobe Danny has used for his no-strings-attached previous relationships, the web of fibs begins. Danny asks his assistant, Katherine (Aniston), to pretend to be his soon-to-be-ex-wife, and Aniston plays it to the hilt. But soon Danny's wobbly house of cards includes Katherine's children--and, in the ultimate romantic-comedy trope, a group trip to Hawaii to work things out. The cast really is stellar, including very small supporting roles by Nicole Kidman and singer Dave Matthews, as an insufferable couple disliked intensely by Katherine. (Of course they end up in Hawaii with the gang, too.) Minka Kelly, Kevin Nealon, and Rachel Dratch also make memorable cameos. But it's Sandler and Aniston, along with the snappy direction by Dennis Dugan (<em>Happy Gilmore</em>, <em>Big Daddy</em>), who make <em>Just Go with It</em> one of the more romantic--and funny--romantic comedies in recent memory. Our advice: Sit back, and just go with it. --<em>A.T. Hurley</em>

<em>The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1</em> delivers strongly for the rabid fan base who have catapulted the young adult novel series and subsequent movie adaptations to the worldwide phenomenon that it's become, but it alienates a broader audience with a lack of any real action. Similar to the tone of <em>Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1</em>, the first film of the two-part <em>Twilight</em> conclusion is heavy on romance, love, and turmoil but light on fight scenes and gruesome battles. The movie doesn't waste any time getting to the goods and opens with Bella and Edward's much-hyped wedding scene. It works--the vows are efficient and first-time franchise director Bill Condon (<em>Dreamgirls</em>) moves the party along quickly and amusingly with a well-edited toast scene and some surprisingly moving moments between Bella and her father, cast standout Billy Burke. The honeymoon plays as a slightly awkward soft-focus made-for-TV movie, with a lot of long moments spent staring in the mirror and some love scenes that feel at once overly intimate and completely passionless. It's a relief when Bella retches on a bite of chicken she's cooked herself and quickly concludes she's pregnant with a potentially demonic baby. From bliss to horror, the Cullens return to Forks, where Bella spends the second half of the movie wasting away and Edward and Jacob are aligned in their anger and frustration over her decision. Throw in some over-the-top scenes with Jacob and his pack--including a strange showdown where the wolves communicate in their canine form by having a passionate nonverbal fight in their minds (a plot point that works much better in print, it's portrayed in the film via aggressive voice-over)--and the film overshoots intensity and goes straight to silly. The birth scene is horrific, but not as gruesome as in the book, and by the end, Bella has of course survived, though is much altered. The final scene features a delightfully campy Michael Sheen as Volturi leader Aro and makes it clear that the action and fun in <em>Breaking Dawn - Part 1</em> is ready to start. Fans will just have to wait until <em>Part 2</em> to get it. --Kira Canny

It takes a while, but the saga of one of the more fascinating characters put on the page or the screen in recent years comes to a satisfying conclusion with <em>The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest</em>, the last installment of the late Swedish author Stieg Larsson's so-called Millennium Trilogy. That character is Lisbeth Salander, the computer-hacking, Goth-loving, dark angel of revenge, played by Noomi Rapace with the same black stare and taciturn charisma that were so riveting in the first two films (<em>The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo</em> and <em>The Girl Who Played with Fire</em>, both also released in 2010). When we last saw her, Lisbeth was trying to kill her father, a Russian defector and abusive monster; in the process, the girl was seriously wounded by her half-brother, a hulking freak with a strange condition that renders him impervious to physical pain. As the new film opens, all three are still alive, and she's being taken to a hospital to recover while waiting to stand trial for attempted murder. Meanwhile, her champion and erstwhile lover, journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist), sets about uncovering the full extent of the conspiracy responsible for (among other crimes) Lisbeth's being sent to an asylum at age 12 while her father was protected by evil forces within the government. This investigation, which puts not only Lisbeth but also Blomkvist and his colleagues in considerable danger, leads to"the Section," a thoroughly repellent bunch of aging liars, killers, thieves, and perverts with a great many secrets they'd like to keep (the oily Dr. Peter Teleborian, who was responsible for Lisbeth's"treatment" as a child, emerges as the most vile antagonist since the guardian who brutally assaulted her in the first film). Although much of the exhaustive detail about these and other matters has been eliminated by director Daniel Alfredson (who also helmed <em>The Girl Who Played with Fire</em>) and screenwriters Jonas Frykberg and Ulf Ryberg for the purpose of adapting the novel to the screen, <em>The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest</em> is still quite long (148 minutes), and less kinetic and violent than the earlier films; there are some exciting sequences, but Lisbeth, previously an unlikely but magnetic action heroine, is seen mostly on a hospital bed or in a courtroom, and much of the film is spent on procedural matters. Still, the fact that the loose ends are wrapped up in fairly conventional fashion doesn't make the conclusion any less satisfying. In fact, the only real letdown comes from knowing that we won't get to see Noomi Rapace play Lisbeth Salander again. <em>--Sam Graham</em>

In fine (and bloody) style, HBO's <em>Boardwalk Empire</em> returns to 1920 when the ban on booze led to a syndicate of bootleggers and smugglers. Created by <em>Sopranos</em> scribe Terence Winter and coproduced by director Martin Scorsese, the story centers on Atlantic City treasurer Enoch"Nucky" Thompson (Steve Buscemi), who schemes in private while preaching temperance in public (Mark Wahlberg and Tim Van Patten also serve as producers). Jimmy (Michael Pitt, Buscemi's <em>Delirious</em> costar), a war veteran, acts as his right-hand man, while zealous Agent Van Alden (Michael Shannon) and refined mobster Arnold Rothstein (<em>A Serious Man</em>'s Michael Stuhlbarg) represent significant threats to his enterprise.

Nucky's other associates include his sheriff brother Eli (Shea Whigham), sexpot girlfriend Lucy (Paz de la Huerta), and distributor Chalky (<em>The Wire</em>'s Michael K. Williams). If Nucky has little regard for law and order, his soft side emerges in his dealings with Irish immigrant Margaret (Kelly Macdonald, excellent), who segues from abused wife to kept woman. As Nucky puts it,"I try to be good. I really do." After he sends Jimmy away a spell, his sidekick joins forces with Al Capone (Stephen Graham, <em>Public Enemies</em>) and disfigured vet Richard Harrow (Jack Huston), abandoning his son, common-law wife Angela (Aleksa Palladino), and mother Gillian (Gretchen Mol), who has a fling with Lucky Luciano (Vincent Piazza).



Inspired by Nelson Johnson's book, <em>Boardwalk Empire</em> takes a <em>Deadwood</em>-like approach to history by combining characters both factual and fictional with blue language and ladies without brassieres. Winter, who won an Emmy for <em>The Sopranos</em> episode <em>Pine Barrens</em>, takes liberties with the historical record, but the series never claims to represent the truth and nothing but--which is only fitting when everyone's hiding secrets. If the entire ensemble deserves praise, Buscemi rules the show as thoroughly as Nucky rules the city. <em>--Kathleen C. Fennessy</em>

At a time when mainstream comedy has been overtaken by rambling, pleasingly sloppy Judd Apatow-type improv-fests, director Will Gluck has been quietly doing his part to remind folks that sticking to the script and having a destination in mind can be fun, too. Much like his earlier <em>Easy A, Friends with Benefits</em> is a clever, just-this-side-of-painfully-hip relationship comedy that knows when to linger over a punch line and when not to break stride. A few minor speed bumps aside (filmmakers: can we can it with the musical montages, already?), it goes down extremely easy. The story in a nutshell: frustrated by the lack of viable dating options in their vicinity, two platonic friends (Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake) decide to embark on a casual, no-strings-attached physical relationship. However, as a briefly glimpsed clip from <em>Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice</em> foreshadows, things don't stay simple for very long. As opposed to the standard PG-13 rom com, things get surprisingly raunchy here, but organically so, with the slight snafus and briefly major embarrassments that should ring true to most relationship veterans. As in <em>Easy A</em>, Gluck has assembled a fantastically game supporting cast, including Woody Harrelson, Jenna Elfman, and especially the great Richard Jenkins and Patricia Clarkson as two vastly different parental figures, but it's really the two leads' show. Whether arguing the virtues of the band Kriss Kross or engaging in activities unprintable on an all-ages website, Timberlake and Kunis display the snappy back-and-forth of a classic cinematic coupling. When they're cooking, you don't want to be anywhere else. --Andrew Wright

A galaxy's worth of nihilism buried under a 70s Velveeta topping, <em>The Planet of the Apes</em> series stands today as a dark marvel of pop cinema, a group of wildly variable films that combine to form a giant inescapable kiss-off to the human race. (That said message was able to withstand such distractions as ever-cheapening makeup and Charlton Heston loudly pounding sand makes its achievements even more impressive, really.) Boasting a keen awareness of its predecessors' particular charms and a gem of a central CGI performance by Andy Serkis, <em>Rise of the Planet of the Apes</em> makes for a rather miraculous summer movie: a big-budget special effects extravaganza that also delivers a killer backhand. Sort of redoing 1972's <em>Conquest of the Planet of the Apes</em>, the film follows the events set in motion when a bereaved scientist (James Franco) attempts to create a cure for Alzheimer's, resulting in a supernaturally intelligent chimp named Caesar. The old bit about science tampering in God's domain quickly applies. Director Rupert Wyatt (<em>The Escapist</em>) displays an admirable sense of pacing, deftly levying the escalating action scenes with small character moments from the likes of John Lithgow and Brian Cox. That said, the film belongs to Caesar, whose path from wide-eyed innocent to reluctant revolutionary generates the ironic pulp empathy that gave the original series such a kick. Watching the climactic confrontation on the Golden Gate Bridge, it's distressingly easy to figure out which side to root for. Chuck Heston would no doubt grit his teeth in approval. Note: Those skeptical that this revamp could wholly retain the original's doomy backbeat would do well to stick around during the end credits. --Andrew Wright

<strong>Please note this is a region 2 DVD and will require a region 2 or region free DVD player in order to play.</strong>



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"Don't come again. Even if she begs. Forget about this house and everyone in it..."<br /><br /> On a cold winter's day, orphan Pip has a terrifying encounter with an escaped convict. Pip's innocent act of kindness towards this man is to have far reaching consequences for them both. Meanwhile, Miss Havisham, the reclusive owner of the grand and dilapidated Satis House, has requested Pip's presence as a playmate to her beautiful but cold-hearted daughter, Estella.<br /><br /> Then Pip's life is suddenly transformed by the generosity of a secret benefactor. Pip abandons his loving home on the marshes for the life of a London gentleman, hoping to win Estella's hand. But the encounters of his childhood are to haunt him and shape the man he becomes.<br /><br /> Sarah Phelps' gripping adaptation brings out the very best of Dickens' masterpiece - part thriller,<br /> part mystery, with a powerful love story at its heart.

United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), English ( Dolby Digital Stereo ), ANAMORPHIC WIDESCREEN (1.78:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Anamorphic Widescreen, Interactive Menu, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: The protagonist of The Gruffalo is a mouse. The story of the mouse's walk through the woods unfolds in two phases; in both, the mouse uses cunning to evade danger. The mouse goes for a walk in the forest and on his way encounters several dangerous animals (a fox, an owl, and a snake). Each of these animals, clearly intent on eating the mouse, invites him back to their home for a meal. The cunning mouse declines each offer. To dissuade further advances, he tells each animal that he is going to dine with his friend, a gruffalo, whose favourite food happens to be the relevant animal. The mouse describes the outlandish features of the gruffalo's monstrous anatomy. Frightened that the gruffalo might eat them, each animal flees. The mouse gloats to himself; he knows the gruffalo is a fictional monster: Silly old fox/owl/snake, doesn't he know? there's no such thing as a gruffalo! After he has seen off the last animal, however, the mouse is shocked to encounter a real gruffalo, bearlike and hideous and with all the frightening features the mouse thought that he was inventing. True to his reputation, the gruffalo threatens to eat the mouse, but again the mouse is cunning. He tells the gruffalo that he, the mouse, is the scariest animal in the forest. Laughing, the gruffalo agrees to follow the mouse as he demonstrates how everyone is afraid of him. The two walk through the forest, encountering in turn the animals that had earlier menaced the mouse. Each is terrified by the sight of the pair and runs off, and each time the gruffalo becomes more impressed with the mouse's apparent toughness. Exploiting this, the mouse threatens to eat the gruffalo, who himself flees. The sto...The Gruffalo (2009)