Monday, November 21, 2011

Coco Chanel

  • Academy Award winning actress Shirley MacLaine stars as Coco Chanel in this critically acclaimed film that charts the rise of one of the most influential designers of the 20th century. From her humble childhood and early days as a young dressmaker's assistant, to her passionate love affair with a dashing Englishman and ultimate success as a pioneering fashion icon, Coco Chanel is the story of a gl
Audrey Tautou (The Da Vinci Code, Amélie) shines in this intriguing portrait of the early life of Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel, the orphan who would build a fashion empire and be known universally by her nickname, Coco. She journeys from a mundane seamstress job to boisterous cabarets to the opulent French countryside, possessing little more than her unwavering determination, unique style and visionary talent. Also starring Benoît Poelvoorde (In His Hands) and Alessandro Nivola (Junebug). Featuring lush settings and stunning costume design, Coco Before Chanel is the gripping and dramatic story of an icon who defied convention and defined the modern woman.Before she became Coco, the world-famous fashion designer, Gabrielle Chanel (Audrey Tautou in a fiercely determined performance) struggled to make ends meet. After her mother's death, her father deposited her and her sister, Adrienne (Marie Gillain), at an orphanage, where they learned to sew (and where Chanel developed a taste for monochromatic ensembles). They went on to become cabaret singers, but when Adrienne runs off with a wealthy suitor, the newly christened Coco must go it alone until she meets gentleman farmer Étienne Balsan (Benoît Poelvoorde). She lives comfortably at his chateau, but he refuses to take her out in public, so she puts her skills as a seamstress to good use and designs outfits for his lady friends, like Emilienne (Emmanuelle Devos), an actress. Chanel's sit! uation improves further when British investor Arthur "Boy" Cap! el (Ales sandro Nivola with an impeccable French accent) enters the scene. Her working-class origins present less of a problem with Capel, though the couple will have other issues with which to contend. In the meantime, he gives her the money to open her own Parisian studio, and the film ends with the tweed suit-clad Chanel of the popular imagination. Until that time, writer-director Anne Fontaine (The Girl from Monaco) presents a very different character, a woman who wasn't worldly or sophisticated, but who saw no reason why fashion--or "style," as she called it--should be complicated or uncomfortable. In transforming herself, Coco Chanel transformed an entire industry and, arguably, an entire gender. --Kathleen C. Fennessy


Stills from Coco Before Chanel (Click for larger image)








Audrey Tautou (The Da Vinci Code, Amélie) shines ! in this intriguing portrait of the early life of Gabrielle Bon! heur Cha nel, the orphan who would build a fashion empire and be known universally by her nickname, Coco. She journeys from a mundane seamstress job to boisterous cabarets to the opulent French countryside, possessing little more than her unwavering determination, unique style and visionary talent. Also starring Benoît Poelvoorde (In His Hands) and Alessandro Nivola (Junebug). Featuring lush settings and stunning costume design, Coco Before Chanel is the gripping and dramatic story of an icon who defied convention and defined the modern woman.Before she became Coco, the world-famous fashion designer, Gabrielle Chanel (Audrey Tautou in a fiercely determined performance) struggled to make ends meet. After her mother's death, her father deposited her and her sister, Adrienne (Marie Gillain), at an orphanage, where they learned to sew (and where Chanel developed a taste for monochromatic ensembles). They went on to become cabaret singers, but when Adrienne runs off ! with a wealthy suitor, the newly christened Coco must go it alone until she meets gentleman farmer Étienne Balsan (Benoît Poelvoorde). She lives comfortably at his chateau, but he refuses to take her out in public, so she puts her skills as a seamstress to good use and designs outfits for his lady friends, like Emilienne (Emmanuelle Devos), an actress. Chanel's situation improves further when British investor Arthur "Boy" Capel (Alessandro Nivola with an impeccable French accent) enters the scene. Her working-class origins present less of a problem with Capel, though the couple will have other issues with which to contend. In the meantime, he gives her the money to open her own Parisian studio, and the film ends with the tweed suit-clad Chanel of the popular imagination. Until that time, writer-director Anne Fontaine (The Girl from Monaco) presents a very different character, a woman who wasn't worldly or sophisticated, but who saw no reason why fashion--or "styl! e," as she called it--should be complicated or uncomfortable. ! In trans forming herself, Coco Chanel transformed an entire industry and, arguably, an entire gender. --Kathleen C. Fennessy


Stills from Coco Before Chanel (Click for larger image)








Academy Award winning actress Shirley MacLaine stars as Coco Chanel in this critically acclaimed film that charts the rise of one of the most influential designers of the 20th century. From her humble childhood and early days as a young dressmaker's assistant, to her passionate love affair with a dashing Englishman and ultimate success as a pioneering fashion icon, Coco Chanel is the story of a glamorous woman who was hard to love and harder to ignore. Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild nominated, Coco Chanel is a must-see film for every lover of fashion and romance.Lovers of fashion, Paris, and love will adore Coco Chanel, a stylish biopic about the legend! ary fashion designer whose incredible vision and style would g! o on to become one of the most influential of the 20th century. And while Coco (née Gabrielle) Chanel's focus on her work was undeniable, and expertly chronicled in Coco Chanel, so, too, are her passionate loves--giving the film its depth and humanity. Shirley MacLaine shines as the older Coco, looking back at her legacy from the middle of the century, with her longtime companion and No. 1 booster, Marc Bouchier (Malcolm McDowell), at her side. MacLaine is equal parts arrogant, dismissive, and steadfast in her objective--yet just vulnerable enough to let viewers see the real woman beneath the hard exterior of international success. The stunning cast includes the Czechoslovakian-born Barbora Bobulova as the young Coco--as gamine and winsome as the young Shirley MacLaine--a determined young woman willing to work hard in a man's field and stay true to her own vision. Fashion fans will love learning the story of Chanel's rise from her poor beginnings in an orphanage to he! r hardscrabble start as a seamstress in Paris, slowly making contacts (and charming dashing young gentlemen) and insinuating her idea of elegant chic into the minds of a populace hungry for it. Chanel's conception of a fashion empire included the then-revolutionary idea of incorporating other products, like perfume; the young Coco, in creating her signature scent, said when launching Chanel No. 5, "I am sure this will be my lucky number." The DVD includes a fascinating making-of feature that shows the details of shooting on location and how the filmmakers got the period details absolutely parfait. --A.T. Hurley

Herbie - Fully Loaded

  • Start your engines! Lindsay Lohan (MEAN GIRLS, FREAKY FRIDAY) does the driving when Herbie -- the fun-lovin', free-wheelin', '63 VW Beetle with a mind of its own -- returns better than ever in Disney's all-new, revved-up comedy adventure! Though a third-generation member of a NASCAR family, Maggie Peyton (Lohan) has always been forbidden from following her racing dreams by her over
Start your engines! Lindsay Lohan (MEAN GIRLS, FREAKY FRIDAY) does the driving when Herbie -- the fun-lovin', free-wheelin', '63 VW Beetle with a mind of its own -- returns better than ever in Disney's all-new, revved-up comedy adventure! Though a third-generation member of a NASCAR family, Maggie Peyton (Lohan) has always been forbidden from following her racing dreams by her overprotective father (Michael Keaton â€" FIRST DAUGHTER). But she has no idea her life is about to take a huge u-turn! After discovering th! e irresistible Herbie in a junkyard, they form a magical team that will save her family and rewrite the racing record books! With Breckin Meyer (ROAD TRIP), Matt Dillon (THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY), and an all-star cast along for the ride, you better believe ol’ Number 53 has some new tricks under his hood!The simple pleasure of watching a living car squirt oil in a villain's face just never goes away. Disney, in their effort to revitalize the Herbie franchise, has made the wise choice of not trying too hard--aside from a small bit of skateboarding action, just about every element of Herbie: Fully Loaded would fit right into the 1963 original (groovily titled The Love Bug) or its various sequels. Maggie Peyton (Lindsay Lohan, the fiery-tressed starlet of Mean Girls and Freaky Friday) wants to join her family's dynasty of race car drivers, but her father (Michael Keaton, Batman Returns) worries that she'll get hurt. Instead, as a! college graduation gift, he buys her a junked-out Volkswagen ! Beetle-- which turns out to be Herbie, a car with a mind of its own. Soon Maggie and Herbie are racing against an arrogant racing champion (Matt Dillon, Crash, There's Something About Mary) and duking it out with monster trucks, eventually hoping her father's heart will change. Herbie: Fully Loaded is formulaic fluff, but executed with cheerful enthusiasm; everyone involved has clearly embraced the mix of slapstick hijinks and light family drama. There's even a handful of cameos by NASCAR drivers. The result is every bit as ridiculous yet entertaining as its forebears. --Bret Fetzer

Attwood Braided Polypropylene General Purpose Rope

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JACKIE ISN'T FIGHTING FOR GLORY. SHE'S FIGHTING FOR RESPECT.INSPIRED BY A TRUE STORY, JACKIE IS A SASSY, BRASSY BOXINGMANAGER-IN-THE-MAKING DETERMINED TO CHANGE 'LETHAL' LUTHER SHAW FROM A MERE STREET PUNK INTO A WORLD CLASS PRIZEFIGHTER.The Rocky formula nearly wears out its welcome in Against the Ropes, a highly fictionalized feel-good drama based on the life of pioneering female boxing promoter Jackie Kallen. In an egregious effort to distill the essence of Kallen's achievement, director Charles S. Dutton (who fared better with HBO's The Corner) has strictly played it safe, delivering a foregone conclusion almost from the very first scene. Burdened with a by-the-numbers screenplay by Cheryl Edwards (Save the Last Dance), the film gets a much-needed boost from Meg Rya! n, playing Kallen as a brassy, smoky-voiced dynamo, rising to the challenge when a rival promoter (played with fierce bravado by Tony Shalhoub) dares her to play hardball in a male-dominated sport. Jackie's trump cards are Luther (Omar Epps), a promising contender with untried talent, and a once-legendary trainer (played by director Dutton) coaxed out of retirement to guide Luther to the middleweight championship. No surprises here, just a handful of energetic performances, an abundance of raw ambition, obligatory setbacks, and the nagging feeling that you've seen it all before. --Jeff ShannonThe "Rocky" formula nearly wears out its welcome in "Against the Ropes", a highly fictionalized feel-good drama based on the life of pioneering female boxing promoter Jackie Kallen. In an egregious effort to distill the essence of Kallen's achievement, director Charles S. Dutton (who fared better with HBO's "The Corner") has strictly played it safe, delivering a foregone conclus! ion almost from the very first scene. Burdened with a by-the-n! umbers s creenplay by Cheryl Edwards ("Save the Last Dance"), the film gets a much-needed boost from Meg Ryan, playing Kallen as a brassy, smoky-voiced dynamo, rising to the challenge when a rival promoter (played with fierce bravado by Tony Shalhoub) dares her to play hardball in a male-dominated sport. Jackie's trump cards are Luther (Omar Epps), a promising contender with untried talent, and a once-legendary trainer (played by director Dutton) coaxed out of retirement to guide Luther to the middleweight championship. No surprises here, just a handful of energetic performances, an abundance of raw ambition, obligatory setbacks, and the nagging feeling that you've seen it all before. "--Jeff Shannon"The Rocky formula nearly wears out its welcome in Against the Ropes, a highly fictionalized feel-good drama based on the life of pioneering female boxing promoter Jackie Kallen. In an egregious effort to distill the essence of Kallen's achievement, director Charles S. Dutto! n (who fared better with HBO's The Corner) has strictly played it safe, delivering a foregone conclusion almost from the very first scene. Burdened with a by-the-numbers screenplay by Cheryl Edwards (Save the Last Dance), the film gets a much-needed boost from Meg Ryan, playing Kallen as a brassy, smoky-voiced dynamo, rising to the challenge when a rival promoter (played with fierce bravado by Tony Shalhoub) dares her to play hardball in a male-dominated sport. Jackie's trump cards are Luther (Omar Epps), a promising contender with untried talent, and a once-legendary trainer (played by director Dutton) coaxed out of retirement to guide Luther to the middleweight championship. No surprises here, just a handful of energetic performances, an abundance of raw ambition, obligatory setbacks, and the nagging feeling that you've seen it all before. --Jeff ShannonAGAINST THE ROPES/NECESSARY ROUGHNESS - DVD Movie

Wrestling the Hulk

How many people! can say they stood up against wrestler Hulk Hogan and came ou! t victor ious? Linda Hogan did just that. After twenty-four years of dealing with his cheating, mistreatment, and lies, Linda needed to step out of her marriage ring and start a new life.

In Wrestling the Hulk, the woman who was loved by television audiences for being the supportive wife and mother on VH1’s hit show Hogan Knows Best is now revealing for the first time what life with the wrestling icon was really like behind the scenes. Linda takes readers through some of her most personal moments: from her first intimate experiences with Terry Bollea (aka Hulk Hogan) to their ringside courtship, from helping him launch a successful career and start a family to the crumbling of their marriage because of infidelity.

After two decades of being “Mrs. Hulk Hogan,” Linda finally summoned the courage to move on and love her life. She has found happiness in a new relationship with a younger man, proving that it’s never too late to start over.

Wrestl! ing the Hulk

How many people can say they stood up against wrestler Hulk Hogan and came out victorious? Linda Hogan did just that. After twenty-four years of dealing with his cheating, mistreatment, and lies, Linda needed to step out of her marriage ring and start a new life.

In Wrestling the Hulk, the woman who was loved by television audiences for being the supportive wife and mother on VH1’s hit show Hogan Knows Best is now revealing for the first time what life with the wrestling icon was really like behind the scenes. Linda takes readers through some of her most personal moments: from her first intimate experiences with Terry Bollea (aka Hulk Hogan) to their ringside courtship, from helping him launch a successful career and start a family to the crumbling of their marriage because of infidelity.

After two decades of being “Mrs. Hulk Hogan,” Linda finally summoned the courage to move on and love her life. She has found happines! s in a new relationship with a younger man, proving that it’! s never too late to start over.

Wrestling the Hulk

How many people can say they stood up against wrestler Hulk Hogan and came out victorious? Linda Hogan did just that. After twenty-four years of dealing with his cheating, mistreatment, and lies, Linda needed to step out of her marriage ring and start a new life.

In Wrestling the Hulk, the woman who was loved by television audiences for being the supportive wife and mother on VH1’s hit show Hogan Knows Best is now revealing for the first time what life with the wrestling icon was really like behind the scenes. Linda takes readers through some of her most personal moments: from her first intimate experiences with Terry Bollea (aka Hulk Hogan) to their ringside courtship, from helping him launch a successful career and start a family to the crumbling of their marriage because of infidelity.

After two decades of being “Mrs. Hulk Hogan,” Linda finally summoned the courage to move on and! love her life. She has found happiness in a new relationship with a younger man, proving that it’s never too late to start over.

The Rocky formula nearly wears out its welcome in Against the Ropes, a highly fictionalized feel-good drama based on the life of pioneering female boxing promoter Jackie Kallen. In an egregious effort to distill the essence of Kallen's achievement, director Charles S. Dutton (who fared better with HBO's The Corner) has strictly played it safe, delivering a foregone conclusion almost from the very first scene. Burdened with a by-the-numbers screenplay by Cheryl Edwards (Save the Last Dance), the film gets a much-needed boost from Meg Ryan, playing Kallen as a brassy, smoky-voiced dynamo, rising to the challenge when a rival promoter (played with fierce bravado by Tony Shalhoub) dares her to play hardball in a male-dominated sport. Jackie's trump cards are Luther (Omar Epps), a promising contender with untried talen! t, and a once-legendary trainer (played by director Dutton) co! axed out of retirement to guide Luther to the middleweight championship. No surprises here, just a handful of energetic performances, an abundance of raw ambition, obligatory setbacks, and the nagging feeling that you've seen it all before. --Jeff Shannon1/8 x 45-Feet, Diamond Braided Cordage, Multiple Colors
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