Eragon

DVD

2009 

Widescreen

Condition: Like-New
UPC:024543426981

Based on the first novel in Christopher Paolini's popular INHERITANCE trilogy, ERAGON is a fantastical adventure in a vein similar to that of the LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy and THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA. A classic story of a quest driven by destiny and set in a land where elves, magicians, and humans live side by side, the battle between good and evil, innocence and cynicism, is taken up once again. John Malkovitch camps it up as the evil King Galbatorix, a former guardian of peace who long ago went over to the dark side. He now rules over a land from which dragons have all but disappeared, until humble farm boy Eragon (newcomer Edward Speelers) happens upon a mysterious blue object that turns out to be a dragon egg. Eragon befriends the charming dragon cub, Saphira (voiced with aplomb by Rachel Weisz), and becomes her rider, designating him as the principal warrior in the fight against evil. Jeremy Irons steals the show as the wise and mysterious old man who becomes Eragon's mentor, guiding him through the tasks of saving a princess (Sienna Guillory) battling an evil sorcerer (Robert Carlyle, TRAINSPOTTING), and fending off hordes of the hideous Urgals. All of this will strike the seasoned fantasy viewer as familiar territory, but the formula is given life by veterans Malkovitch and Irons, as well as the young Speelers. The film was shot mostly in Hungary, whose breathtaking landscape combines to great effect with excellent cinematography. The special effects, created by LORD OF THE RINGS' Digital Magic and STAR WARS' Industrial Light and Magic, more than live up to the precedent set by those films, while the dragon is film's true star.


Underworld: Evolution

DVD

2006

Widescreen Special Edition

Condition: Like-New
UPC:043396144385


Bloodthirsty vengeance is measured out in buckets, not spoonfuls for this hard-hitting vampire movie sequel. The story picks up right where the first UNDERWORLD left off, in the midst of a war between Lycans (werewolves) and vampires, with the gorgeous death-dealer, Selene (Kate Beckinsale), on the run with her vamp-wolf hybrid lover, Michael (Scott Speedman). This go-'round, there are flashbacks to three centuries earlier and the separation of two ultra-bad brothers, one vampire and one Lycan. The Lycan gets locked in a hidden tomb/prison and the feud begins. In the present, the winged vamp brother Marcus (Tony Curran) is determined to find his Lycan sibling and free him, which would wreak unimaginable havoc on the world. Selene's got to stop it, and the result is mayhem, with great gun battles, bashings and hackings, mysterious artifacts, orgies, and sneaking around in the dripping wet crypts and catacombs. Beckinsale looks great with her jet-black hair, skintight leather bodysuit, red lips, and glowing blue eyes. Director Len Wiseman obviously has a great love for this alternate universe; he keeps the action humming, the blood running, and the cast well-stocked with seasoned British actors like Sir Derek Jacobi, Bill Nighy, and Steven Mackintosh. The sex and violence may still be a bit intense for youngsters, but for the vampire crowd, it's a moveable feast of generous, still-twitching proportions.


The Covenant

DVD

2007

Widescreen and Full Frame Editions

Condition: Like-New
UPC: 043396166622

Renny Harlin (DIE HARD 2, DEEP BLUE SEA) directs this supernatural thriller about descendants of powerful New England families. The sons of Ipswich are legendary at Spenser Academy, the local boarding school. Handsome and popular, these four teenage friends can trace their roots to the founding families of the Ipswich Colony, settled in the late 1600s. For years these Massachusetts families have harbored the secret that they possess supernatural powers. Their descendants--Caleb (Steven Strait), Reid (Toby Hemingway), Tyler (Chace Crawford), and Pogue (Taylor Kitsch)--have inherited magical powers that first manifested themselves when the boys turned 13 years old. In a nutshell, they can do anything. As they approach their 18th birthdays, they are preparing to "ascend," which means their powers will grow stronger. The downside? The magic is seductive and addictive, and causes premature aging with each use. Ringleader Caleb tries to keep his friends from using magic recklessly, but as the school year begins, strange events and a strong gut instinct convince Caleb that someone is using very powerful magic. Meanwhile, Caleb is exploring his newfound affection for transfer student Sarah (Laura Ramsey). To Caleb's dismay, Sarah becomes a pawn in a power struggle with a descendant of the fifth founding family of Ipswich, a line thought to be lost during Salem's witch trials. Is Caleb strong enough to maintain his power and keep his family and friends safe, or will he yield to this new threat and sacrifice himself? The film draws interesting parallels between the luring, addictive power of magic and the addictions real teenagers face. The sufficiently creepy setting echoes New England and sets the stage for supernatural phenomena. THE COVENANT also stars Sebastian Stan as Chase Collins, a wealthy newcomer to Spenser, and Jessica Lucas as Kate, Sarah's roommate and Pogue's girlfriend.



Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within

DVD

2001

2-Disc Set

Condition: Like-New
UPC:043396062498

Directed by Hironobu Sakaguchi (who also created the best-selling series of video games that inspired the film), the groundbreaking FINAL FANTASY, which stars a startlingly lifelike cast of animated characters, is the first photo-realistic computer-generated feature film ever made. In the year 2065, Earth has been taken over by a race of alien phantoms and transformed into a barren wasteland sprinkled with dome-enclosed barrier cities--the last remaining bastions of human civilization. Dr. Aki Ross (voiced by actress Ming-Na) has teamed up with Captain Gray Edwards (Alec Baldwin) to search for the "eighth spirit," a powerful entity dwelling in an unknown life form somewhere on the planet. It holds the key to perfecting a system of energy waves that will neutralize the phantoms. Ross's opponent is the reckless General Hein (James Woods), who is determined to put a stop to the alien invasion by firing a satellite cannon directly into a nest of phantoms located deep within the Earth, even though this could mean obliterating the planet itself and all life upon it.


Sphere

DVD

1998

Condition: Like-New
UPC: 085391533122

When psychologist Norman Goodman (Dustin Hoffman) wrote a report for the government on how to deal with extraterrestrial life forces, he didn't expect his recommendations to be used. Now that a secret government agency is investigating what may be an alien spaceship that has been discovered partially buried on the floor of the Pacific Ocean, Norman finds that the plan he outlined is being put into effect and that the team he named in his report has been assembled. In addition to Norman, there is Harry Adams (Samuel L. Jackson), a mathematician; Ted Fielding (Liev Schreiber), a physicist; and Beth Halperin (Sharon Stone), a biochemist and Norman's old flame. Led by the secretive Barnes (Peter Coyote), the foursome undergoes a crash course in diving and living under the sea in a naval habitat and begins investigating the mysterious vessel, discovering a huge glowing sphere made of an unidentifiable substance with a shimmering, almost liquidlike surface. As the investigation continues, a series of strange, horrific events leads the team of scientists to doubt each other's sanity and motives. The film is based on the best-selling novel by Michael Crichton.


Animatrix

DVD

2003

Widescreen

Condition: Like-New
UPC: 085393731625

ANIMATRIX: Taking the characters and premise from the groundbreaking science-fiction film THE MATRIX, this ambitious project compiles nine short films directed by animation specialists from Japan, Korea, and America. The action is rapid-paced, and combines different styles of animation from CGI to anime to more traditional animation, producing a unique and varied look even more stunning than its predecessor. A sampling of the talent includes MATRIX creators Larry and Andy Wachowski, Yoshiaki Kawajiri (NINJA SCROLL), Peter Chung (AEON FLUX), and Shinchiro Watanabe (COWBOY BEBOP).


The Brothers Grimm

DVD

2005

Condition: Like-New
UPC: 786936692174

Director Terry Gilliam, who brought his magical storytelling talents to such films as TIME BANDITS and THE ADVENTURES OF BARON MUNCHAUSEN, sets his sights on the Brothers Grimm, turning their life into a playfully grim fairy tale all its own. Set in early 18th century French-occupied Germany, THE BROTHERS GRIMM stars Matt Damon as Will Grimm and Heath Ledger as Jake Grimm, siblings who travel the countryside as snake-oil salesmen, convincing unsuspecting towns that they are haunted and agreeing to get rid of the demons--for a price. In the meantime, they set their tales down in writing, creating a wealth of oddball, offbeat, and frightening characters. But after they are caught by General Delatombe (Jonathan Pryce) and his sidekick, Cavaldi (Peter Stormare), they are sent to the tiny village of Marbaden to solve the mysterious disappearance of a number of young girls, placing them in the middle of a fantasy world unlike any they'd ever invented. They enlist the help of a peasant woman, Angelika (Lena Headey), and they set off for the evil forest to save the lives of the girls--and themselves. Gilliam has once again built a unique, entertaining land where anything can happen, and he throws in references to such Grimm tales as Little Red Riding Hood, Hansel and Gretel, Cinderella, Rapunzel, and the Frog Prince for good measure. The movie also features Mackenzie Crook and Richard Ridings as the Grimms' cohorts, Monica Bellucci as the Mirror Queen, and Julian Bleach and Bruce McEwan as two of Cavaldi's henchmen.


Highlander

DVD

1997

10th Anniversary Directors Cut

Condition: Like-New
UPC: 017153589528

Russell Mulcahy's original saga of immortal Scotsman Connor Macleod, one of a race of immortals who can only be killed when beheaded with a sword. After living in peace for four centuries, he is challenged by an old enemy named Kurgan. During a fierce sword battle in the 1500s, Connor MacLeod, a simple Scotsman known as a poor fighter, is mortally wounded -- but he does not die. MacLeod learns from the mysterious Ramirez that he is of a race of immortals. These rare knights never age and never reproduce, they can only meet death by the blade of another of their kind. Leaping back and forth through the centuries, MacLeod once again meets the evil Kurgan who nearly killed him 500 years ago.