CHAOS SWIRLS AROUND THE WINDY CITY’S COUNTY HOSPITAL AS WARNER HOME VIDEO RELEASES ER: THE COMPLETE NINTH SEASON ON DVD JUNE 17, 2008
All 22 Episodes with Bonus Features on this Six-Disc Collector’s Set
BURBANK, CA (March 26) – Created by best-selling author Michael Crichton, the ninth Emmy® Award Winning season of ER explores the turmoil of Chicago’s public hospital emergency room and the lives of its devoted doctors who must make split-second decisions which determine life or death. The hard-working staff finds themselves in the throes of love affairs, promotions and oversea assignments as Warner Home Video sets to release ER: The Complete Ninth Season to DVD on June 17, 2008 for $49.98
This riveting, action-packed season opens with staff members of County General Hospital confined to the ER and under lockdown for two weeks. Dr. Carter’s (Noah Wyle) playful love affair becomes a pending crisis while Dr. Kovac’s (Goran Visnjic) wild partying affects his performance around the office. The physicians are pleased when Dr. Weaver (Laura Innes) is promoted to a position outside the ER, but frustrated to learn Dr. Romano (Paul McCrane) will be her replacement. The challenges they face at home and constant drama at work drive Dr.’s Carter and Kovac to pursue professional opportunities in Africa in search of solace. The County General employees struggle to find balance as they tackle the demands of their jobs and personal lives in the ninth season.
Written by Ryan the Admin - Visit My Website
--------------------------
Ryan is from California. He graduated from USC with a degree in English. In his free time, when he isn't working as a Literary Illusions gopher (er...editor) he enjoys writing short stories.
Writer: John Logan, Stephen Sondheim, Hugh Wheeler Director: Tim Burton Cast: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter Rating: R Studio: Dreamworks Video Release Date: April 1, 2008
I love movie musicals when they are well written, entertaining, and engaging. I should like movie musicals considering how many musicals I’ve been in and how many classes I took, in college, concerning musicals both on stage and in the movies. With that in mind, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I heard Johnny Depp and Tim Burton had teamed up, together, to bring Sondheim’s best musical (at least my favorite of all his work), Sweeney Todd - The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, to the big screen. I wasn’t sure how Sweeney Todd would transfer from stage to screen because some musicals transfer exceptionally well and others just don’t work at all.
The story of Sweeney Todd in its various incarnations, dates back to the 1800s, when the legend of the London butcher was first published. Since then, the story has changed with each creative individual’s vision for the characters and the story. Sweeney Todd - The Demon Barber of Fleet Street was first staged in 1979 by Sondheim. The composer spent over 25 years turning down ideas from Hollywood before consenting to allow Burton to adapt the musical into a screenplay. The only stipulation was that Sondheim had to approve casting. Burton, had his own stipulation, and that was that Johnny Depp had to be the lead character, Sweeney Todd.
At first, Sondheim wasn’t sure whether Depp could handle the score, vocally. There is no doubt Depp is a talented actor, but Sondheim had the same concerns I did. Could a cast of “Hollywood-ish” actors carry a music-intensive score? I wasn’t sure if Johnny Depp could sing at all. Evidently, Depp impressed Sondheim enough for him to agree to allow Burton to cast him in the lead. From there, the adaptation ofSweeney Todd - The Demon Barber of Fleet Street was in development, and I must say, I’m all the better for seeing this.
Release Information: Sweeney Todd - The Demon Barber of Fleet Street opened in 1,250 theaters on December 21, 2007. The film had a successful opening weekend, grossing close to $10 million and since then, the popularity of the film, in correlation with the many positive reviews the critics have given it, have lead the film to a worldwide gross total of over $142 million as of the beginning of March. Not wanting fans of the movie to have to wait too long before releasing the film on DVD, Paramount has been promoting the DVD heavily before its April 1, 2008 DVD release.
Written by Dominick - Visit My Website
--------------------------
Dominick Evans is in his late 20's. He spends his days working as a full time writer/editor and a part time musician/composer. His passions in life include music, directing films, watching movies, reading books, watching sports, wheelchair football, politics and spending time with his family (fiancée Ashtyn, son Robert, and shih-tzu Oliver). Other interests include being an advocate for the disability and GLBT communities.
Writer: Goran Dukic, Etgar Keret Director: Goran Dukic Cast: Patrick Fugit, Shannyn Sossamon, Shea Whigham, Tom Waits, Will Arnett, Leslie Bibb, John Hawkes, Mikal P. Lazarev Rating: R Studio: Lionsgate Release Date: March 25, 2008
I’d seen multiple previews for Wristcutters: A Love Story on other DVD releases by Lionsgate. My initial thought was that I wanted to see it. I knew it was an independent film and while initially, the premise sounded original and the trailer looked decent, I know that Lionsgate isn’t always the greatest when it comes to their independent flicks. I have been let down by plenty of horror movies in the past (not that this is a horror flick), that bear the Lionsgate label. Still, I’ve had moments where I’ve actually enjoyed a release and those moments are always excellent. I just hoped the film lived up to my expectations and the anticipation I felt in wanting to see it.
Suicide is a funny thing. It’s not funny ha-ha. It’s funny ironic. When you think about suicide you think about troubled, sometimes tortured souls. You think about the tragically ill, just trying to find some piece of mind. You have to ask yourself a question about whether suicide is really acceptable by whatever powers that be are out there. Does God, Zeus, Athena, Buddha, the Flying Cow with horns or whatever you worship, accept the fact that suicide occurs? Do the powers that be punish you for your suicide attempt? Christians sure seem to think so, but do those who kill to escape pain face as much punishment as those who kill to get out of a shitty life situation?
Written by Dominick - Visit My Website
--------------------------
Dominick Evans is in his late 20's. He spends his days working as a full time writer/editor and a part time musician/composer. His passions in life include music, directing films, watching movies, reading books, watching sports, wheelchair football, politics and spending time with his family (fiancée Ashtyn, son Robert, and shih-tzu Oliver). Other interests include being an advocate for the disability and GLBT communities.
The album’s first single, the pop/R&B-flavored “Leavin’” (produced by Tricky and The-Dream, the team behind Rihanna’s 2008 Grammy award winning hit “Umbrella”) is one of the few songs on Departure that is not autobiographical, according to Jesse.
Written by Ryan the Admin - Visit My Website
--------------------------
Ryan is from California. He graduated from USC with a degree in English. In his free time, when he isn't working as a Literary Illusions gopher (er...editor) he enjoys writing short stories.
Writer: David Benioff Director: Marc Forster Cast: Khalid Abdalla, Atossa Leoni, Shaun Toub, Sayed Jafar Masihullah Gharibzada Rating: PG-13 Studio: Dreamworks Release Date: March 25, 2008
Reviewing movies gives me a chance to see numerous previews. When I say numerous, I mean just about any that are available. I see the majority of previews for companies that I review for on a regular basis. This means that I see loads of Paramount trailers amongst other companies. So, for about a month prior to the release of The Kite Runner I watched its trailer on every single Paramount movie that came my way. That was a lot of movies. At first, I remarked at how interesting the trailer made the movie seem and how much I wanted to see it. At some point, that want turned into a need, probably because I couldn’t handle seeing the trailer anymore. I began to know all the words by heart and it was just too much for me.
This film was inspired by the novel of the same name, which was written by first time novelist Khaled Hosseini. The film follows the path of the book for the most part and offers a story that was good enough to be nominated for two Golden Globes and one Academy Award. That all being said, this movie has received much more than its fair share of praise. In fact, the child actors in this film were said to have feared for their lives. It has been said that Paramount actually helped the children and their guardians to relocate to ensure that they would be safe from harm. Meanwhile, this movie, which is set in Afghanistan, has been banned from being watched in the country because the powers that be there feel that certain scenes depict the country in a negative light.
Written by Ashtyn - Visit My Website
--------------------------
Ashtyn Evans is a writer, advocate, free thinker, and all around cynical person. Always quick to find the negative in anything pop culture, she loves being a part of that which she despises.
Ashtyn and Dominick own numerous blogs together, as well as a full-time writing business. In her spare time she is a full-time college student studying History and Psychology. She plans to one day give up her freelance career and be a full-time blogger, novelist, and domestic goddess.
She can be contacted for writing projects, fan mail, or just to say hi. (She really is friendlier than we make her look).
Writer: Sam Denoff Director: Gary Nelson Cast: Billy De Wolfe, Goldie Hawn, Joby Baker, Julie Parrish, Ronnie Schell, Burt Taylor Rating: Not Rated Studio: S’more Entertainment Release Date: January 9, 2007
Good Morning World is one of those shows that I ordered for review, but prior to that point I had no idea that it even existed. My primary reason for even ordering it was that it had an incredibly young looking Goldie Hawn on the cover. When I considered the fact that she was part of the cast I couldn’t really turn it down. I mean really. What’s not to like about the lovely Goldie Hawn? Good Morning World offers up Hawn and many other talented individuals in a comedy that revolves around two radio DJs. The show is reminiscent of many others in that time period. One show that comes to mind is Dick Van Dyke. There is plenty of comedy, jokes, and chemistry between the cast members that make it seem shocking that the show did not last longer than it did.
Being a fan of older sitcoms, this really was a treat to watch. All of the talent seems to be perfectly cast, which allows them to shine in their respective roles. The show is funny without being too over the top and has enjoyable, amusing characters that you can’t help but want to see more of after each show is over. It’s a great show that is surprisingly much better than I had anticipated. It leaves me wondering why I can’t be this lucky with all the material that is on my desk awaiting my thoughts.
Written by Ashtyn - Visit My Website
--------------------------
Ashtyn Evans is a writer, advocate, free thinker, and all around cynical person. Always quick to find the negative in anything pop culture, she loves being a part of that which she despises.
Ashtyn and Dominick own numerous blogs together, as well as a full-time writing business. In her spare time she is a full-time college student studying History and Psychology. She plans to one day give up her freelance career and be a full-time blogger, novelist, and domestic goddess.
She can be contacted for writing projects, fan mail, or just to say hi. (She really is friendlier than we make her look).
Writer: Patrick Sean Smith, Carter Covington, Jessica O’Toole, Amy Rardin, Sharon Bordas, Damon Hill Director: Michael Lange, Nick Marck, Gil Junger Cast: Jacob Zachar, Spencer Grammer, Scott M. Foster, Jake McDorman, Aaron Hill, Paul James, Thomas Kijas, Clark Duke Rating: Studio: Walt Disney Release Date: March 18, 2008
You know, I remember the Greeks at my college. A few were my friends. Some of them were ridiculous. Some of them were just flat out moronic and others were in it because it was an “academic” sorority or frat. I just really wasn’t into all the social stuff associated with becoming Greek. I also didn’t feel I was popular enough to join a group, excluding the academic ones, though I wasn’t desperate enough to join those groups either. Let’s face it, the Greeks weren’t for me…well, at least not those Greeks (for those who don’t get this reference or don’t read my columns much, I am a follower of an Ancient Hellenic (Greek) religion).
So, when I heard ABC Family would be airing a show about college students in the Greek system, I decided to pass on it. That is, until I received the DVD for Greek – Chapter One. Having to watch it for review made me realize just how entertaining this show is. It’s sort of like watching a train wreck or any event in Paris Hilton’s life. You think it’s kind of dumb, but in a fascinating way in which you simply cannot look away. It’s kind of like watching a donkey show.
This show received virtually no advertising outside of the ABC Family channel. Still, it managed to develop a following and I have to say, it is a fairly realistic portrayal of what I’ve seen as an outsider looking in, at a Greek system based at a Midwestern school. I went to school in Ohio (not far from Miami University – which is what the school Cyprus-Rhodes University is loosely based upon) and the Cyprus, Ohio setting is the setup for most of the universities I’ve either been to or attended in Ohio. This is like reliving my college days, only from the Greek perspective.
Written by Dominick - Visit My Website
--------------------------
Dominick Evans is in his late 20's. He spends his days working as a full time writer/editor and a part time musician/composer. His passions in life include music, directing films, watching movies, reading books, watching sports, wheelchair football, politics and spending time with his family (fiancée Ashtyn, son Robert, and shih-tzu Oliver). Other interests include being an advocate for the disability and GLBT communities.
Writer: Frank Darabont, Stephen King Director: Frank Darabont Cast: Thomas Jane, Marcia Gay Harden, Laurie Holden, Andre Braugher, Toby Jones, William Sadler Rating: R Studio: Genius Products Release Date: March 25, 2008
There are three surefire words/names that will get me to want to watch a movie. One of those is horror and the other two are Stephen King. I will admit that some of his ideas have not transferred well onto screen (does Dreamcatcher ring a bell?), but movies like Carrie, Cujo, and, more recently, 1408 were absolutely fabulous. All I knew about The Mist was Stephen King was involved. As a fan, that was really all I needed to know to be ready to enjoy an evening of suspense thanks to the master of horror.
I have to admit, I was shocked. This is what horror is meant to be. It’s thrilling and chilling, but not necessarily in the ways you expect. It’s ironic and unforgiving, much like life, and it’s utterly shocking. At the end, I just sat there baffled. I understood what had happened and yet, I couldn’t believe it. It made me realize why I love Stephen King’s work. He really doesn’t seem to conform for anyone or anything. While so many horror movies these days are trite and unexciting (The Saw Series and House of 1,000 Corpses excluded) The Mist hits home dead on and offers a film that horror and suspense lovers will not want to miss for anything!
Release Information:
This Stephen King venture was handled by Frank Darabont. If you’re a huge King movie fan you may recognize the name from such masterpieces as The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile. This is the third time the duo has worked together and while those other films were good, this step into the more horror end of the suspense genre shows that the third time is the charm! King’s novella was not an entirely new concept for a horror movie. You have elements of a biblical apocalypse, for starters, and so the possibility exists that the movie may seem like something you’ve seen before. However, with the grace of a King and Darabont pairing, the movie comes out tasting as bittersweet as you might expect.
Written by Ashtyn - Visit My Website
--------------------------
Ashtyn Evans is a writer, advocate, free thinker, and all around cynical person. Always quick to find the negative in anything pop culture, she loves being a part of that which she despises.
Ashtyn and Dominick own numerous blogs together, as well as a full-time writing business. In her spare time she is a full-time college student studying History and Psychology. She plans to one day give up her freelance career and be a full-time blogger, novelist, and domestic goddess.
She can be contacted for writing projects, fan mail, or just to say hi. (She really is friendlier than we make her look).
Literary Illusions is proud to be giving away one of three copies of Pauly Shore’s Natural Born Komics on DVD. To enter all you need to do is leave us a comment. Please be sure to only leave one. Comments are moderated to avoid spam, so it will not show up right away. People who leave multiple comments will be deleted from the contest altogether. If you do not see your comment within a day then by all means leave another one. Otherwise, do not worry as we accept comments several times a day.
To enter you need to be 18 years of age and a resident of the US. If you have won a contest within the last 30 days you are not eligible. Winners will be announced here. If we do not hear from you within 3 weeks from the date the winners are announced you forfeit your prize and we will select another winner. Prizes will be shipped within 45 days from the day you win.
We will begin choosing winners for this the week of April 5, 2008, which means you have until April 4, 2008 at 11:59 to enter.
Written by Ryan the Admin - Visit My Website
--------------------------
Ryan is from California. He graduated from USC with a degree in English. In his free time, when he isn't working as a Literary Illusions gopher (er...editor) he enjoys writing short stories.
IN TIME FOR EARTH DAY 2008 THE 11th HOUR ARRIVES ONTO DVD APRIL 8 FROM WARNER HOME VIDEO
$4.99 SRP to encourage purchase to spread the word and spark change
Produced and Narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio
Burbank, CA, January 29, 2008– Make a world of difference and join the fight to save our planet when The 11th Hour comes to DVD April 8th from Warner Home Video. Narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio, this captivating documentary explores the perilous state of our planet, and the means by which we can change our course. Contributing to this crucial film are noted politicians, scientists and other ambassadors for the importance of a universal ecological consciousness.
The 11th Hour is directed by Nadia Connors and Leila Conners Peterson and features narration from Academy Award® Nominee Leonardo DiCaprio (The Departed, Blood Diamond).
The 11th Hour will be available on a single disc in widescreen format for only $4.99. The DVD packaging is produced with 100% certified renewable resources, environmentally friendly. A portion of the profits will be donated to Global Green.
Written by Ryan the Admin - Visit My Website
--------------------------
Ryan is from California. He graduated from USC with a degree in English. In his free time, when he isn't working as a Literary Illusions gopher (er...editor) he enjoys writing short stories.
Writer: Mark Young Director: Mark Young Cast: Robert Carradine, Michael Madsen, Rider Strong, Vinnie Jones, Rachel Miner Rating: R Studio: Lionsgate Release Date: March 18, 2008
Ever since last year and the release of the 8 Films to Die for and Captivity I have been anxiously awaiting the next round of horror films in the “To Die For” lineup. This year’s lineup was quite interesting, albeit not always very scary. The fun thing about these films is that many of them had talent that you recognize from other movies or television. That example works perfectly with Tooth and Nail considering such names as Rider Strong (Boy Meets World), Robert Carradine (Revenge of the Nerds), Rachel Miner (The Black Dahlia), Vinnie Jones (The Condemned), and numerous other recognizable names are in this film.
With names like the above mentioned actors, you would think that you would get a movie that is what it claims to be. Tooth and Nail claims to be scary. Is it scary? That depends on who you’re asking and how big their tolerance level towards horror is. Did it scare me? Not really. However, it was entertaining and something that I would probably watch again. When you take that into consideration and also consider that most horror movies I see I end up wanting to toss out the window, this one isn’t so bad.
Written by Ashtyn - Visit My Website
--------------------------
Ashtyn Evans is a writer, advocate, free thinker, and all around cynical person. Always quick to find the negative in anything pop culture, she loves being a part of that which she despises.
Ashtyn and Dominick own numerous blogs together, as well as a full-time writing business. In her spare time she is a full-time college student studying History and Psychology. She plans to one day give up her freelance career and be a full-time blogger, novelist, and domestic goddess.
She can be contacted for writing projects, fan mail, or just to say hi. (She really is friendlier than we make her look).
CHAOS SWIRLS AROUND THE WINDY CITY’S COUNTY HOSPITAL AS WARNER HOME VIDEO RELEASES ER: THE COMPLETE NINTH SEASON ON DVD JUNE 17, 2008 
Writer: John Logan, Stephen Sondheim, Hugh Wheeler
Writer: Goran Dukic, Etgar Keret
Writer: David Benioff
Writer: Sam Denoff
Writer: Patrick Sean Smith, Carter Covington, Jessica O’Toole, Amy Rardin, Sharon Bordas, Damon Hill
Writer: Frank Darabont, Stephen King
Literary Illusions is proud to be giving away one of three copies of Pauly Shore’s Natural Born Komics on DVD. To enter all you need to do is leave us a comment. Please be sure to only leave one. Comments are moderated to avoid spam, so it will not show up right away. People who leave multiple comments will be deleted from the contest altogether. If you do not see your comment within a day then by all means leave another one. Otherwise, do not worry as we accept comments several times a day.
IN TIME FOR EARTH DAY 2008 THE 11th HOUR ARRIVES ONTO DVD APRIL 8 FROM WARNER HOME VIDEO
Writer: Mark Young