Close to Home

• Inia divided city, friendship isitheir last line of defense. In the nation of Israel, military service is compulsory for all citizens. Now an award-winning drama offers an in-depth look at young women's lives in the service. Dutiful Mirit (Naama Schender) is assigned to a street patrol with the rebellious Smadar (Smadar Sayar). Plunged into the simmering tensions of Jerusalem, they find the

By the New York Times bestselling author of the Do It Yourself home renovation mysteries...

4th book in the Savannah Martin romantic mystery series, following A Cutthroat Business, Hot Property, and Contract Pending, by bestselling author Jenna Bennett AKA Jennie Bentley.

SYNOPSIS:

Sometimes, trouble hits too close to home.

Savannah's late. The kind of late that comes with midnight feedings and the pitter-patter of little feet. And while it's a circumstance that ! should make everyone happy - now she can finally settle down and marry Todd Satterfield, the way everyone's been hoping and praying! - it isn't Todd's baby. And Rafe Collier, whose baby it is, didn't sign on for fatherhood.

Add in the murder of Savannah's sister-in-law Sheila, the trial of Sheila's friend Marley, and the disappearance of Rafe's twelve year old son David - the kid he never knew he had - and things get complicated fast. And there is worse to come: When Rafe comes back to Nashville to help look for David, and learns that Savannah's pregnant, things do not work out the way Savannah hopes. In the end, she's left with nothing she wanted and a whole lot of trouble she didn't, and when she gets in over her head, Rafe's not there to save the day.

ALSO IN THIS SERIES:

A Cutthroat Business (May 2011)
Hot Property (June 2011)
Contract Pending (July 2011)
Close to Home (September 2011)
A Done Deal (December 2011)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jenna Bennett is the Ne! w York T imes bestselling author of the Do It Yourself home renovation mysteries from Berkley Prime Crime - written as Jennie Bentley - as well as the Savannah Martin/Cutthroat Business mysteries written as Jenna Bennett. A former Realtor® and home renovator, she makes her home in Nashville, Tennessee, with a husband, two boys, and a house full of pets.

ALSO BY THIS AUTHOR:

Fatal Fixer Upper, DIY-1 (November 2008) written as Jennie Bentley
Spackled and Spooked (August 2009) written as Jennie Bentley
Plaster and Poison (March 2010) written as Jennie Bentley
Mortar and Murder (January 2011) written as Jennie Bentley
Flipped Out (October 2011) written as Jennie Bentley


By the New York Times bestselling author of the Do It Yourself home renovation mysteries...

4th book in the Savannah Martin romantic mystery series, following A Cutthroat Business, Hot Property, and Contract Pending, by bestselling author Jenna Bennett AKA! Jennie Bentley.

SYNOPSIS:

Sometimes, trouble hits too close to home.

Savannah's late. The kind of late that comes with midnight feedings and the pitter-patter of little feet. And while it's a circumstance that should make everyone happy - now she can finally settle down and marry Todd Satterfield, the way everyone's been hoping and praying! - it isn't Todd's baby. And Rafe Collier, whose baby it is, didn't sign on for fatherhood.

Add in the murder of Savannah's sister-in-law Sheila, the trial of Sheila's friend Marley, and the disappearance of Rafe's twelve year old son David - the kid he never knew he had - and things get complicated fast. And there is worse to come: When Rafe comes back to Nashville to help look for David, and learns that Savannah's pregnant, things do not work out the way Savannah hopes. In the end, she's left with nothing she wanted and a whole lot of trouble she didn't, and when she gets in over her head, Rafe's not there ! to save the day.

ALSO IN THIS SERIES:

A Cutthr! oat Busi ness (May 2011)
Hot Property (June 2011)
Contract Pending (July 2011)
Close to Home (September 2011)
A Done Deal (December 2011)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jenna Bennett is the New York Times bestselling author of the Do It Yourself home renovation mysteries from Berkley Prime Crime - written as Jennie Bentley - as well as the Savannah Martin/Cutthroat Business mysteries written as Jenna Bennett. A former Realtor® and home renovator, she makes her home in Nashville, Tennessee, with a husband, two boys, and a house full of pets.

ALSO BY THIS AUTHOR:

Fatal Fixer Upper, DIY-1 (November 2008) written as Jennie Bentley
Spackled and Spooked (August 2009) written as Jennie Bentley
Plaster and Poison (March 2010) written as Jennie Bentley
Mortar and Murder (January 2011) written as Jennie Bentley
Flipped Out (October 2011) written as Jennie Bentley

There are human bones buried in an open field, the remains of a lost teenaged ! boy whose disappearance devastated a community more than thirty-five years ago ... and scarred a guilt-ridden friend forever.

A long-hidden horror has been unearthed, dragging a tormented policeman back into a past he could never truly forget no matter how desperately he tried. A heinous crime that occurred too close to home still has its grip on Chief Inspector Alan Banks -- and it's leading him into a dark place where evil still dwells. Because the secrets that doomed young Graham Marshall back in 1965 remain alive and lethal -- and disturbing them could cost Banks much more than he ever imagined.

Having already shown, in 1999's In a Dry Season, that he can plumb historical homicide for gripping modern drama, Peter Robinson goes further in Close to Home, telling parallel stories about teenage boys lost in a grownup world, decades apart. The first is Graham Marshall, a childhood pal of Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks, who vanished mysteriously ! in 1965, the supposed victim of a pedophile. Hearing that Grah! am's bon es have finally been unearthed, Banks quits his vacation in Greece and heads to his hometown of Petersborough, England, hoping to assist the investigation--and, perhaps, assuage his guilt over his friend’s fate. Meanwhile, Banks's colleague and ex-lover, Annie Cabbot, is busy probing the recent disappearance of 15-year-old Luke Armitage, the sensitive, brainy son of a rock star who committed suicide during Luke's infancy. After Cabbot catches hell for interrupting what may or may not have been a legitimate ransom payment for Luke's return, she seeks Banks's advice, drawing these two plot lines neatly together.

As this intense and intricately crafted puzzler develops, blending fiction with a bit of fact (the Kray brothers, who ran a criminal ring in London's East End during the mid-20th century, play off-camera roles here), Robinson explores Banks's troubled relationship with his parents, especially his working-class father, who "had never approved of his choice of ! career." He also raises doubts about a famed copper who’d originally tackled the Marshall case, involves Banks romantically with a damaged detective whose investigative diligence threatens her safety, and shows Cabbot as someone better and stronger than merely Banks's protégé. Working with themes of lost youth and the dark secrets hidden in small towns, Robinson delivers in this 13th Banks novel a police procedural of remarkable human depth. --J. Kingston Pierce(Drama) Two young, different female soldiers patrol the anxious streets of Jerusalem, questioning Palestinians and looking for suicide bombers. The rebellious one finds the army demeaning; the controlled one is obedient. Under intense pressure, against a backdrop of any-minute-now terrorist attacks, a friendship takes hold and roles reverse.

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Suspense Collection (Seven/Heat/Insomnia/The Devil's Advocate)

• 4 FILM FAVORITES: SUSPENSE COLLECTION (DVD MOVIE)

DEVIL'S ADVOCATE - DVD MovieToo old for Hamlet and too young for Lear--what's an ambitious actor to do? Play the Devil, of course. Jack Nicholson did it in The Witches of Eastwick; Robert De Niro did it in Angel Heart (as Louis Cyphre--get it?). In The Devil's Advocate Al Pacino takes his turn as the great Satan, and clearly relishes his chance to raise hell. He's a New York lawyer, of course, by the name of John Milton, who recruits a hotshot young Florida attorney (Keanu Reeves) to his firm and seduces him with tempting offers of power, sex, and money. Think of the story as a twist on John Grisham's The Firm, with the corporate evil made even more explicit. Reeves is wooden, and therefore doesn't seem to have much of a soul to lose, but he's really just our excuse to meet the devil. Pacino's the main attraction, g! leefully showing off his--and the Antichrist's--chops at perpetrating menace and mayhem. The film was directed by Taylor Hackford (Against All Odds, Dolores Claiborne). --Jim EmersonHotshot attorney accepts tempting offer from an elite New York law firm only to find himself fighting for his soul.
Genre: Suspense
Rating: R
Release Date: 7-SEP-2004
Media Type: DVDToo old for Hamlet and too young for Lear--what's an ambitious actor to do? Play the Devil, of course. Jack Nicholson did it in The Witches of Eastwick; Robert De Niro did it in Angel Heart (as Louis Cyphre--get it?). In The Devil's Advocate Al Pacino takes his turn as the great Satan, and clearly relishes his chance to raise hell. He's a New York lawyer, of course, by the name of John Milton, who recruits a hotshot young Florida attorney (Keanu Reeves) to his firm and seduces him with tempting offers of power, sex, and money. Think of ! the story as a twist on John Grisham's The Firm, with t! he corpo rate evil made even more explicit. Reeves is wooden, and therefore doesn't seem to have much of a soul to lose, but he's really just our excuse to meet the devil. Pacino's the main attraction, gleefully showing off his--and the Antichrist's--chops at perpetrating menace and mayhem. The film was directed by Taylor Hackford (Against All Odds, Dolores Claiborne). --Jim EmersonHeat, Seven, The Devil's Advocate, Insomnia HEAT INCLUDES: • Widescreen Format [16x9 2.4:1] • Theatrical Trailers • Languages & Subtitles: English & Français (Main Feature. Bonus Material/Trailer May Not Be Subtitled). SE7EN INCLUDES: • Widescreen Format [16x9 2.4:1] • Cast Biographies/Filmographies • Subtitles: English, Français & Español. THE DEVIL’S ADVOCATE INCLUDES: • Widescreen Format [16x9 2.4:1] • Commentary by Director Taylor Hackford • Over 30 Minutes of Deleted Scenes • Production Notes • Theatrical Trailers & TV Spots • Languages: English & Fran! çais • Subtitles: English, Français & Español (Main Feature. Bonus Material/Trailer May Not Be Subtitled). INSOMNIA INCLUDES: • Widescreen Format [16x9 2.4:1] • Additional Scene • 2 Commentaries: • Director Christopher Nolan (Commentary in Order of Shooting Sequence) • Hilary Swank, Production Designer Nathan Crowley, Editor Dody Dorn, Cinematographer Wally Pfister and Screenwriter Hillary Seitz • 4 Featurettes: • Day for Night: Making the Movie • 180°: A Conversation with Christopher Nolan and Al Pacino • In the Fog: Cinemtography and Production Design • Eyes Wide Open: The Insomniac’s World • Stills Gallery • Theatrical Trailer • Languages: English & Français (Dubbed in Quebec) • Subtitles: English, Français & Español (Main Feature. Bonus Material/Trailer May Not Be Subtitled).

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Goodbye Bafana Framed Poster Movie 11 x 17 Inches - 28cm x 44cm Joseph Fiennes Dennis Haysbert Diane Kruger Patrick Lyster

• Quality frame moldings are custom cut to the exact size of the poster
• We use special non glare Plexiglas so your poster will look its best from any angle even in highly lit areas
• Custom frame is hand crafted with care by our highly experienced staff
• Protected with heavy bubble wrap and shipped in a sturdy corrugated box.
• Approximate 11 x 17 Inches - 28cm x 44cm Goodbye Bafana Style A Framed Poster

Joseph Fiennes (Running with Scissors, Shakespeare in Love) and Dennis Haysbert (TV's 24) star in the incredible true story of the deep bond that develops between political prisoner Nelson Mandela and James Gregory, the racist white South African who was Mandela's prison guard for more than 20 years. Based on Gregory's controversial memoir, Goodbye Bafana, The Color Of Freedom powerfully chronicles the life-changing journey both men experience during Mandela's impriso! nment - as one man confronts the racism he has always known, the other's struggle for freedom makes him a worldwide symbol of South Africa's heroic fight for democracy.Inspired by James Gregory's memoir, Goodbye Bafana, The Color of Freedom offers an inside look at the 27-year incarceration of future South African President Nelson Mandela (24's Dennis Haysbert). Apartheid-friendly guard Gregory (Shakespeare in Love's Joseph Fiennes), social-climbing spouse Gloria (National Treasure's Diane Kruger), and their two children move to Robben Island, home of the infamous political prison, in 1968. Because he speaks Xhosa, Gregory’s superior charges the warder with censoring correspondence and supervising visits between the African National Congress (ANC) leader and his wife, Winnie (Faith Ndukwana). As it transpires, the guard had a black childhood friend named Bafana, and his relationship with Mandela rekindles Gregory’s long-lost belief in ! racial equality. Directed by Denmark's Bille August (The Be! st Inten tions), The Color of Freedom captures the natural beauty of South Africa and the unnatural fashions of yesteryear (including Kruger's '60s-era foundation garments). The actors also give it their all, particularly Fiennes, who nails the Afrikaner dialect, but predictability and underdeveloped personalities dilute the drama (it's also worth noting that Mandela hasn't corroborated the facts in Gregory's book, contributing to its controversial reputation). The six-foot-four Haysbert's dissimilarity to the Nobel Peace Prize winner also proves distracting. Like Blood Diamond and other recent motion pictures concerning African history, August's effort means well, but fails to register as more than a made-for-TV movie with superior production values. --Kathleen C. FennessyAn account of how the author was Nelson Mandela's gaoler for over twenty years. Despite opposing political views and Gregory's initial dislike of Mandela, the two gradually formed a firm fr! iendship, becoming each other's confidant and source of comfort. Gives insight into the character and political beliefs of Mandela.United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), French ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), Spanish ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), English ( Subtitles ), French ( Subtitles ), Spanish ( Subtitles ), ANAMORPHIC WIDESCREEN (2.35:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Interactive Menu, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: White prison guard James Gregory's life is profoundly altered when he meets the prisoner Nelson Mandela, whom he ends up guarding for more than twenty years. ...Goodbye Bafana ( Il Colore della liberta' ) ( Detenuto 46664 )Approximate 11 x 17 Inches - 28cm x 44cm Goodbye Bafana Style A

Pop Culture Graphics' trained staff custom frame to order and ship directly to you, ready to hang. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed.

We use! special non glare Plexiglas so your poster will look its best! from an y angle even in highly lit areas.

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Dragon Hunters

• DRAGON HUNTERS - DVD (DVD MOVIE)

When the peaceful inhabitants of the beautiful planet Terra come under attack from the last surviving members of humanity adrift in an aging spaceship, the stage is set for an all-out war between the two species for control of the planet. But will an unlikely friendship between a rebellious young Terrian (voiced by Evan Rachel Wood) and an injured human pilot (Luke Wilson) somehow convince their leaders that war is not the answer?Earthlings are the bad guys in this animated saga, which was released to theaters in 3-D. And the good guys? That would be the Terrans, big-eyed little tadpole creatures whose planet is about to be invaded by human beings in search of a permanent living space--and hey, if the atmosphere of this alien planet isn't exactly fit for humans, the visitors can always blast the place with an oxygen-producing terra-forming machine that will ma! ke it habitable. The only collateral damage is that the natives will be killed off. Huh? As you can see, the allegorical undertones here are, well, overtones, all of which might seem less heavy-handed if the story were absorbing and the characters were compelling, but director Aristomenis Tsirbas concentrates on the environmental message and the non-show-offy 3D design. We mostly follow a Terran (voiced by Evan Rachel Wood) who comes upon a lone astronaut (Luke Wilson), much to the confusion of her Terran quasi-boyfriend (Justin Long). In the absence of a lot of plot excitement, kids might take some enjoyment in the nerdy declarations of a cute robot (David Cross). Can the brutal intentions of the invading general (Brian Cox) be stopped in time to save Terra? Will you still be awake to learn the answer? --Robert Horton


Stills from Battle for Terra (Click for larger image) When the peaceful inhabitants of the beautiful planet Terra come under attack from the last surviving members of humanity adrift in an aging spaceship, the stage is set for an all-out war between the two species for control of the planet. But will an unlikely friendship between a rebellious young Terrian (voiced by Evan Rachel Wood) and an injured human pilot (Luke Wilson) somehow convince their leaders that war is not the answer?Earthlings are the bad guys in this animated saga, which was released to theaters in 3-D. And the good guys? That would be the Terrans, big-eyed little tadpole creatures whose planet is about to be invaded by human beings in search of a permanent living space--and hey, if the atmosphere of this alien planet isn't exactly fit for humans, the visitors can always blast the place with an oxygen-producing terra-forming machine that will make it habitable. The only collateral damage is ! that the natives will be killed off. Huh? As you can see, the ! allegori cal undertones here are, well, overtones, all of which might seem less heavy-handed if the story were absorbing and the characters were compelling, but director Aristomenis Tsirbas concentrates on the environmental message and the non-show-offy 3D design. We mostly follow a Terran (voiced by Evan Rachel Wood) who comes upon a lone astronaut (Luke Wilson), much to the confusion of her Terran quasi-boyfriend (Justin Long). In the absence of a lot of plot excitement, kids might take some enjoyment in the nerdy declarations of a cute robot (David Cross). Can the brutal intentions of the invading general (Brian Cox) be stopped in time to save Terra? Will you still be awake to learn the answer? --Robert Horton


Stills from Battle for Terra(Click for larger image) When a forgotten enemy returns, the fate ! of the w orld lies with a spirited princess and an unlikely hero. Take an exciting journey to a spectacular realm of magic, fantasy, romance, and adventure.


**Special Features:
*Audio Commentary from the Directors
*Behind the Scenes
*Sounds of Delgo
*Meet the Characters
*Animated Short: Chroma Chamelon
*6 Deleted ScenesDelgo is a computer-animated film that is at once fantasy, action, and drama, with an added dose of comedy. The most amazing thing about the film, besides the fact that it was 10 years in the making, is its rich graphic rendering of a world that's unlike any other. The backgrounds have an almost painted quality and the contrast of the stark, resource depleted planet of the Nohrins and the natural, dreamlike world of Jhamora is striking thanks to intense color saturation and an impressive level of visual detail. Despite its uniqueness, Jhamora is plagued by an all-too-common conflict rooted in the cultural and moral ! differences of its two peoples. This epic story follows two young teenagers, Nohrin Princess Kyla (Jennifer Love Hewitt) and Lockni Jhamora native Delgo (Freddie Prinze Jr.), who share a common dream of cultural acceptance and cooperation as they fall into friendship and then love. Exiled Nohrin Sedessa (Anne Bancroft), who was banished from Jhamora for killing King Zahn's (Louis Gossett Jr.) wife (Princess Kyla's mother), and General Raius (Malcolm McDowell) kidnap Princess Kyla--an event which leads to Delgo and his bumbling friend Filo (Chris Kattan) being imprisoned for the crime and incites war between the two peoples. Can peace possibly return to Jhamora without the total extermination of either the Nohrin or the Lockni people? Battlefield action on the ground and in the sky is intense and omnipresent throughout the film and the story is interesting, if not original, but the animation is at times rather choppy and almost video-game-like and somehow the film just isn't! all that engaging. Bonus features include commentary with co-! writer a nd producer Marc Adler, co-director and co-writer Jason Maurer, and animation and visual effects supervisor Warren Grubb; a behind the scenes look at how the voice talent shaped the film's characters, a featurette detailing the composer's and sound designer's thoughts about the sounds of Delgo; meet the characters and creatures functions, and six deleted scenes. (Ages 10 and older) --Tami Horiuchi

Stills from Delgo (Click for larger image)

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KAENA:PROPHECY - DVD MovieOriginally a computer-generated, animated feature presented in 3-D, the French-American Kaena: The Prophecy still looks eye-poppingly spectacular in a regular, two-dimensional format. The post-apocalyptic tale concerns an adventurous young woman, Kaena (voiced in English by Kirsten Dunst), who is a member of a race--one of many--that inhabit an enormous tree called the Axis, rising 100 miles from Earth's surface. While her people's leader, Opaz (Richard Harris), insists his tribe's sole purpose is collecting sap and honoring the gods who provide sustenance, Kaena is more interested in exploring. Signs that the Axis might be dying sends Kaena on a mission to find out why; along the way she enc! ounters a slavemaster race, the Selenites, and their vicious q! ueen (An jelica Huston). Fantastic to look at, Kaena: The Prophecy is graphically dense, constantly moving, and truly inventive when it comes to designing creatures that appear equal parts vegetable and animal. --Tom KeoghZoe is a little girl who believes in fairy tales. In order to help her uncle Lord Arnold get rid of a terrible dragon, Zoe decides she has to find some heroes. When she meets Gwizdo and Lian-Chu, a couple of two-bit, fly-by-night dragon hunters, she decides that she s going to believe in them and set out on an adventure to bring peace to the land.

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Dead Silence [Blu-ray]

• UK Import
• Blu-ray
• Region-Free

New unrated version more gruesome and horrifying than anything seen in theaters. Dare to unlock the deadly curse of Mary Shaw... From the writers and director of Saw comes a new thriller of relentless terror! Ever since Mary Shaw was hunted down and killed, the small town of Ravens Fair has been haunted by horrific deaths. When a local's wife is brutally murdered, he returns home to unravel the terrifying legend of Mary Shaw and the reason why when you see her, you should never, ever scream. Starring: Donnie Wahlberg, Ryan Kwanten, Amber Valletta, Bob Gunton, Michael Fairman, Judith Roberts, Laura Regan Directed by: James WanYou Scream. You Die. Dare to unlock the deadly curse of Mary Shaw... From the writers and director of Saw comes a new thriller of relentless terror! Ever since Mary Shaw was hunted down and killed, the small town of Rav! ens Fair has been haunted by horrific deaths. When a local's wife is brutally murdered, he returns home to unravel the terrifying legend of Mary Shaw and the reason why when you see her, you should never, ever scream. Starring: Donnie Wahlberg, Ryan Kwanten, Amber Valletta, Bob Gunton, Michael Fairman, Judith Roberts, Laura Regan Directed by: James WanBilly in Dead Silence inevitably recalls other possessed dolls such as those in Devil Doll, but he is an entertaining dummy nonetheless. As a variation on evil-doll films like Child's Play or Puppet Master, Dead Silence stars a dummy who isn't a killer himself but a vehicle for a vengeful ghost. Previously owned by Mary Shaw, a ventiloquist who was murdered by local Ravens Hill villagers for kidnapping a boy to turn him into a human puppet, Billy houses Mary Shaw's spirit while she gets revenge on all those who killed her. Jamie Ashen (Ryan Kwanten) unravels Billy's mystery after Billy is delivered! to his door to claim Jamie's wife's life, since she is pregna! nt with Jamie's son. Mary Shaw aims to obliterate his entire Ashen clan, since they were partially responsible for her death. Plot, from there, teeters on the ridiculous, as Mary (via Billy) rips peoples tongues out left and right. Jamie's futile attempts to stop Shaw's ghost result in his discovering a gruesome secret about his brutal, abusive father. Writer Leigh Whannell and director James Wan, of Saw, made this almost comical film about 101 dummies, all relatives of Billy's, who are slaves to their sadistic creator. With many direct references to '80s horror films, and a soundtrack theme song almost exactly like Phantasm's, Dead Silence's charm banks on its lack of computer-y special effects rather than its originality. Billy's sly violence is creepy but funny, making for a relatively lighthearted horror film that won't traumatize as much as it makes one chuckle. â€"Trinie DaltonOld ladies, ventriloquist dummies, decrepit small-towns, and dolls are all explo! ited for their full creepy potential in DEAD SILENCE, a relatively innocent but thoroughly scary horror feature from the makers of SAW. After a heavily stylised black-and-white opening credit sequence that shows the story's central ghost, Mary Shaw, constructing her beloved ventriloquist dolls back in her heyday, the film transports viewers to the present. As newlyweds Jamie (Ryan Kwanten) and Lisa Ashen potter lovingly about their apartment far from their hometown of Raven's Fair, it is clear that something bad is about to happen. This dread is only further cemented when a knock on the door leads the lovebirds to discover an unmarked box containing a worn but eerily lifelike ventriloquist's dummy. When Jamie goes out to pick up some takeout, he returns to find his wife's mangled body (minus her tongue) propped up like the dummy seemingly responsible for her death. With detective Jim Lipton (Donnie Wahlberg) on his heels, and a very guilty dummy in his passenger seat, grieving Jamie returns to Raven's Fair with the hunch that his wife's death is linked to the town's murdered ventriloquist, Mary Shaw. Once grand, Raven's Fair is now in a state of decay, and many of its inhabitants have died mysterious and brutal deaths in the years since Jamie was last home. Jamie arrives at his wealthy father's home, only to find a young new bride (Amber Valetta) by his side. No one wants to talk about Mary Shaw, let alone whisper her name. If Jamie is going to get to the bottom of the Mary Shaw legend, he'll have to face the town's past on his own. Arriving in the midst of the gore/torture trend (SAW, HOSTEL), DEAD SILENCE comes as a breath of fresh air. It's nice to see that a horror movie can still use gore with discretion and deliver a fright through old-fashioned scare tactics and a premise as simple as a ghost story.Billy in Dead Silence i! nevitably recalls other possessed dolls such as those in Devil Doll, but he is an entertaining dummy nonetheless. As a variation on evil-doll films like Child's Play or Puppet Master, Dead Silence stars a dummy who isn't a killer himself but a vehicle for a vengeful ghost. Previously owned by Mary Shaw, a ventiloquist who was murdered by local Ravens Hill villagers for kidnapping a boy to turn him into a human puppet, Billy houses Mary Shaw's spirit while she gets revenge on all those who killed her. Jamie Ashen (Ryan Kwanten) unravels Billy's mystery after Billy is delivered to his door to claim Jamie's wife's life, since she is pregnant with Jamie's son. Mary Shaw aims to obliterate his entire Ashen clan, since they were partially responsible for her death. Plot, from there, teeters on the ridiculous, as Mary (via Billy) rips peoples tongues out left and right. Jamie's futile attempts to stop Shaw's ghost result in his discovering a gruesome secret ab! out his brutal, abusive father. Writer Leigh Whannell and dire! ctor Jam es Wan, of Saw, made this almost comical film about 101 dummies, all relatives of Billy's, who are slaves to their sadistic creator. With many direct references to '80s horror films, and a soundtrack theme song almost exactly like Phantasm's, Dead Silence's charm banks on its lack of computer-y special effects rather than its originality. Billy's sly violence is creepy but funny, making for a relatively lighthearted horror film that won't traumatize as much as it makes one chuckle. â€"Trinie Dalton

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