Brandon Routh

Superman on Film, Television, Radio and Broadway
$49.95
"Superman on Film, Television, Radio and Broadway" is the finest book on the marketplace for superman lovers. Bruce Scivally writes succinctly and informatively about every aspect of the Man of Steel. The chapters include photos from authentic archives which highlight the content. The descriptions are captivating. Author Scivally has an amazing command of all the details of Superman's life and times. When one finishes this excellent work, the reader will have a fine understanding of how Superman appeared in the media throughout his 70 year career. One of the finest books I have ever read. I recommend it highly. Charley Levi, Deerfield,IL

Fling
$29.99
This is one of those movies one is either going to love or either going hate - no in between. As for me, I hated the movie. The only other movie that I would consider on a parallel plane as far as drama goes is Requiem for a Dream. I believe it necessary to review, at least in part, Requiem for a Dream in order to contrast it to Fling.

Before I begin the review I believe it necessary to state that the two situational contexts which I'm most emphatic about are as follows; situations which involve substance abuse or situations which involve human sexuality.

Requiem for a Dream seemed to be a classic example of bad situations gone worse; the acting was great and couldn't have better shown the dark reality of those addicted to or involved with drugs. While some saw Requiem as unnecessarily pessimistic, I saw it as a harsh reality.

Now for Fling, lets start off with the good. The atmosphere was superb, the acting was flawless, and had the drama was very intense. Now, before you dismiss my review as an unsubstantiated contradiction, let me explain what the bad (in my eyes) was.

Obviously, the movie was about open relations, hence the title. The issue that I have is that the plot (in my opinion) exemplifies the most pessimistic decisions the characters in the movie could possibly make. Every character in the movie is not only immature and selfish but also lacks any ability to contemplate the actions of their consequence or the capacity to take five seconds out out of their day to contemplate their future.

Essentially, I find it grossly offensive that most of the public is going to view this as an archetype for open relationships as oppose to its out of context atypical application in the real world. And yes, I know the point of the movie was to show the bad, dramatic side to open relations; I just feel they took it to an extreme, one which made me feel particularly uncomfortable.

Life Is Hot in Cracktown (unedited version)
$26.97
I did not expect entertainment. Prior to seeing the film, I read a handful of plot synopses on "Life is Hot in Cracktown" which all painted a picture of a complex narrative spanning dozens of characters and their problems with sex, drugs, money, or life in general. I also sough out specifics on why the film is rated R, to wit: strong violence, rape, drug content throughout, graphic sexuality, nudity, and pervasive language (for those who keep score). I was aware of the comparisons to the 2004 Oscar-winning film "Crash", high praise to be certain, and further evidence that this was to be a weighty film. The sort of film that wrestles with the inexplicable human predilection for self-destruction and its inevitable fallout on the unfortunate bystanders.

So I did not expect entertainment. Unfortunately, in trying to so fervently rail against the injustices of man, the film collapses under its own weight as it minutely details the flaws and excesses of each character yet provides no cohesive statement about the entire convoluted affair. It isn't that the film should provide some cliched moral lesson or even a hollow attempt to suggest solutions, it's that the film comes off as an excessive and overwrought effort to shock the audience with explicit depictions of, well, nearly everything. Aside from the graphic rape scenes, one of the most disturbing scenes was one in which three young men robbed and horrifically brutalized an elderly man in his own apartment. Watching the film unfold gives the impression that it seeks to exploit the very vices it is presumably intended to attack.

The low budget is a plus for this film, however, as the lack of Hollywood gloss only heightens the gritty feel. Though the cast is composed of relatively unknown actors, it's a strong collection of up-and-comers along with a handful of veteran C-listers. Desmond Harrington (of "Dexter" fame) and Kerry Washington ("The Last King of Scotland") were two stand outs. "Life is Hot in Cracktown" is an ambitious film that ultimately bites off more than it can chew. There's a good deal to appreciate here, especially for a low budget independent, yet there's simply not a great deal to recommend.

Stuntmen
$24.98
A zany documentarian and his trusty cameraman find themselves entangled in a venomous rivalry between the entertainment industry s two leading stuntmen. Through his efforts to uncover as much as possible about the riff, our documentarian Steve stumbles upon a family s secret that threatens to destroy the entire stunt community. What initially was supposed to be a series of sparse interviews for a behind-the-scenes special has transformed into something much larger; the documentation of the demise of a once proud tradition.