Hard Eight

Hard Eight (Stephanie Plum, No. 8)
$7.99
Ranger fans will love this new edition to the Stephanie Plum series! I think this is the best book so far and it shows a human side of Stephanie... This book strays from the bounty hunting a bit when Stephanie decides to help her parents neighbor Mabel on her search for her daughter, Evelyn and granddaughter, Annie. Ranger and Stephanie's relationship evolves and this book is so entertaining. Valerie,Stephanie's sister is also in this book.

Although Ramirez is dead, his owner is still alive and no I am not talking about Jimmy Alpha.

Read it!!!!!

Boogie Nights
$26.98
Boogie Nights is a great movie, a blend of insight in the porn industry (similar to Singin' in the Rain's theme of how talkies ___________ up silent films, although it's not lighthearted or satrized), Character study that comments on certain things of society, partying and fun ala Dazed, and a pop culture landscape of the disco scene, the other part of the 70's (the most impressive thing is it makes the disco scene look somewhat decent). While Boogie Nights suffers from some bits of third person syndrome, it helps that these characters are interseting, they are usually doing something interesting, and this is another set of characters that are hard not to love.

Boogie Nights has a unusual background, as all these people are porn stars one way or another. But this movie portrays these porn stars in such a good light, as these guys are just another family, people with ambition, who are open minded, good people, and are able to talk about $#% in such a natural way. And even though the porn and nudity doesn't at all turn me on (similar to Eyes Wide Shut), it doesn't have to. Besides, Boogie Nights has much to offer than pornography. This is a real movie, made with real directing, real actors, a cross between Clerks/Slacker conversations and a plot with drama (not the girl kind). Not to mention a disco sound track that would make Tarantino proud, this is the kind of sound track Tarantino could put together if he had to put disco music in order to get into the mood.

One thing I don't quite understand is how the Tarantino comparison really comes up being close. Tarantino's movies are ultra sylized genre busters. Paul Thomas Anderson's movies don't feel anything like a Tarantino movie. I think the only thing is that both directors are maverick directors who write their own material, and as evident with Boogie Nights, both can compose a sound track. I'm actually not familiar with other Anderson movies actually, but there are clear differences between the two directors.

Sure, I don't like this as much as Dazed or a Tarantino movies, but Paul Thomas Anderson has much in common with the other film majors who came from watching hundreds of mmovies and developing their own style through something.

B-

Hard Eight (Special Edition)
$14.94
Paul Thomas Anderson became a household name in 2007 when his very dark, very poignant masterpiece known as `There Will Be Blood' swept the critics circle and delivered to Daniel Day-Lewis is second Best Actor Oscar. Sure, Anderson had made a dent in the late 90's with `Boogie Nights', but to be honest it wasn't until that shocking bowling pin scene in `Blood' that the world opened their eyes and realized that this mad had something to say.

Rewind back to 1996, before `Boogie Nights' fever was ignited.

`Hard Eight' (or `Sydney') is a small and quiet film about one mans search for redemption. In the films opening scene Sydney approaches down-and-out loser John and offers him help. It's a mystery as to why Sydney would care about this stranger, but we (the audience) play along and wait for all to be revealed. Sydney and John high-tail it to Vegas where John falls in love with Clementine, a cocktail waitress that sells her tail on the side. John also befriends Jimmy, a sordid fellow who knows too much information for his own good.

The film is really a blank canvas, allowing the actors to do what they do best; act. The entire cast (or should I say, the four main stars) all do a remarkable job with the material. John C. Reilly is one of my favorite supporting actors working today. He just has this naturalness about him I adore, and here he has it in spades. He's like a puppy dog, the way John walks around Sydney with apparent admiration. The final phone conversation ("I love you too") is heartbreakingly telling of this mans true talent. Gwyneth Paltrow also delivers a strong performance here, playing off her own restrained sense of charm; and Samuel L. Jackson proves once again why he was probably the best supporting actor of the 90's (I mean, really; between this, `Jungle Fever', `A Time to Kill', `Pulp Fiction' and `Jackie Brown', he was on fire).

But this movie is all about one man; Philip Baker Hall. With a restrained sense of emotional compliance Hall finds the soul of Sydney and manages to show us everything he stands for and everything he longs to become. His performance is so subtle, so controlled yet it bleeds with realism and it feels so complete. He offers us a look at a man detached from himself, for it is the only way he can cope with his own actions.

But, the films downfall, like I mentioned, is that it is a blank canvas. The plot is very thin, to a fault almost. The film works, mainly because of the performances within it, but to be honest I really would have liked a little more meat on the bones. Because of the fact that there are very few moments of real action and not a lot of character to develop the film can tend to drag in areas.

Overall the film is well worth watching, for Hall alone even. It is a rewarding film that marks the beginning of Anderson's fruitful career. It may be his least impressive film overall, but it is still a very good film and it sports a slew of dynamic performances.

Punch-Drunk Love (Two Disc Special Edition) (Superbit Collection)
$28.96
I was under the impression that the movie would have a case due to the picture of the case. It came in a burned cd holder! The movie still works fine so it isn't that important but i would rather have it in a case.