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Paranormal Activity 2 Review

The original Paranormal Activity felt fresh, and audience reaction was almost as entertaining as the film itself.Documentary style horror films are nothing new of course.Blair Witch started the trend, and films such as Quarantine and Cloverfield have helped evolve the genre.Still, many movie goers typically love or hate these types of films.Although the original was a gem and personal favorite of mine, Paranormal Activity 2 seems to have lost the spark of the original.The first film was written and directed by Orin Peli, and was his first crack at film making.The actors in the original used their real names, and both Katie Featherston and Micah Sloat were initially paid only $500 for their work.The film was purchased by Dreamworks Pictures, who were then bought out by Paramount.I wanted to highlight these facts because I believe they are the root cause of Paranormal Activity 2's issues.The movie sports a new director and a small army of writers.There were two creative choices that I believe were detrimental to the film.The first was the choice to include the characters of the original in the sequel.Paranormal Activity 2's plot runs concurrent with the original, and the primary focus of the film lies with Katie's sister Kristi and her family.I was hoping this film would disconnect itself from the first film.The persistence just doesn't work.The second folly lies in the use of multiple cameras.The plot handles this by implementing a scene in which it appears someone has broken into Kristi's home and tossed the family's belongings about, but nothing appears to be stolen.The family's reaction is to have security cameras installed throughout the home.One of the reason's I enjoyed the first film was it's "less is more" approach when it came to shooting.Any mystery or sense of suspense found in the first film is all but lost on Paranormal Activity 2, simply because the audience is shown everything.Paranormal Activity 2 is a chore to watch.The film focuses far too heavily on it's characters, and not enough on the advertised subject matter.The acting varies in quality.Kristi(Sprague Grayden) was the worst of the crew, and her daughter Ali(Molly Ephraim) the best.There are long stretches of no activity whatsoever, let alone that of the paranormal variety.There were several attempts at what I can only describe as demographic gimmickry.The inclusion of children, and specifically a toddler, seemed to be a cheap tactic aimed at enhancing the fears of parents in the audience.For those who have seen the first film in theatres, one of the most memorable aspects of the Paranormal Activity experience were the audience reactions.Screams from the women, surprised exclamations from the men, and everyone asking if what they just saw was real.I can say without a doubt that audience reaction was not even a factor in Paranormal Activity 2, I never heard a murmur from anyone else in the theatre, and I can't think of a single scene that would elicit such a reaction.Any dramatic points of Paranormal Activity 2 can be seen coming from a mile away.The film also tries to heavily play up the "is this real?" aspect of the documentary style horror film genre.The film opens with a message stating "Paramount Pictures would like to thank the families of the deceased", and the film ends with a black screen, waiting to roll out credits until five minutes have passed.Both Paranormal Activity films are absolute fiction, and I find it hilarious that the filmmakers tried so hard to keep that fact a mystery.I haven't met anyone who believes these films are anything but a fictional production.At this point, I hope the franchise dies.I thought the original was genius, and I believe Orin Peli deserves more credit for the film, instead of a backseat writing position on the sequel.Paramount Pictures made far too many mistakes with the sequel, and I believe this is a perfect example of how not to handle a sequel.

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Premium Rush

Being a bike messenger probably won't make you the most popular person on the road.You're darting in and out of traffic, coming close to hitting civilians and generally causing frustration whenever.This occupation can certainly be a difficult way to make a living, but it can be even more difficult if you're like the protagonist in Premium Rush.On this day, he's unknowingly delivering something the could change lives, and maybe even end his.Wilee (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) spends his days on the streets of New York City delivering packages as a bike messenger.He might be the best at what he does and that's because he's a risk taker.His bike only has one gear and he refuses to employ brakes of any kind, since he believes they will get you killed on this job.Although these practices put him at risk for certain accidents he wants to keep his life and has mentally prepared for the usual threats that come with his current occupation.But on this day, the young man who's gained a reputation for being reckless, might be in store for more than just the usual threats.After he goes on a run to receive his last envelope of the day, he runs into something different.He finds himself running for his life as he's being chased by people that seem to want him dead, whatever it is that he's carrying or both.Going in, I was looking forward to a movie that had fast-paced, full throttle, non-stop type of action taking place.Just by watching the trailers you would think that's what you were going to get along with some potentially creative use of bikes flying through high traffic while Wilee is doing all he can to avoid all sorts of trouble.Just thinking about all of the possibilities that could from this movie was intriguing for me.You obviously get some action with Joseph Gordon-Levitt zipping around the streets of "The Big Apple," so that's not truly an issue.The issue is that none of this action is anywhere near fantastic or even memorable.These scenes are just vanilla for the most part and don't contain anything extraordinary or all that fun.It lacks any real punch, there aren't too many bike tricks on display and there's never a sense of actual danger for any of the characters that are on the side of Gordon-Levitt.Because of its lack of danger, Premium Rush feels it was made for release on Nickelodeon or The Disney Channel.You take out the little bit of profanity that you had, a couple of scenes and alter the very end of the film, and that's essentially what you have.Based on what I saw beforehand, I was thinking that I was going to see some things that would be similar to something like Speed or Die Hard with a Vengeance as far as pacing and energy, but it might be geared more toward teenagers.I was wrong and it looks as if their target audience was closer to pre-adolescent kids.They didn't take many risks in creating the story for this film and it's quite obvious that they never really tried or wanted to.I figure that they threw in the profanity and that last part of the final action scene just to make it appear somewhat edgy.They had to know that this film was way too safe and it didn't deliver on what they promised in the trailers or the television advertisements.When looking at the other aspects of the film outside of the action, it should come as no shock that there is a love story going on in Premium Rush.It sometimes feels like there's some sort of love story in every movie released these days.For some reason, I didn't think one would be in here since it's supposed to be this high adrenaline type of movie about some young guy who rides a bike around town for a living and due to the fact that it's barely even an hour and a half long.The truth is, they used the love story to connect the primary story together with some of the characters and to fill in some of the time that would have otherwise been nothing but empty space.It's clear to me that they didn't have a bunch of ideas to work with because of this, and the very bland reasoning for everything that's taking place in the movie.As I said, the movie isn't very long.If you take out most of this extra stuff that's essentially unnecessary, you'd have something that would be lucky to reach the forty five minute mark.Besides the love story, one of the other things that I found to be only good to consume time are the flashbacks that they use to progress the plot.They do explain the story by going back to the recent past, but they also disrupt the action that we are given an opportunity to watch.I would have preferred to see the plot unfold as the movie went on and as the audience, we could see it all unfold over time.Instead of that, they just spell it for us with these scenes and it also kills some of the suspense that could have been added.When I step back and look at the movie, I might have expected too much from it.You're talking about a feature length film that's based on guys who ride bikes around the streets to make deliveries.How much could they possibly add to make an actual feature length movie out of something like this? After seeing it and dissecting it, that would explain why Premium Rush is so short, why they felt the need to overuse an otherwise useless love story and why they included so many scenes where they hit the rewind button to tell the back story.It looks like they just simply had a difficult time coming up with anything interesting to put in the movie.Score. 2/5.Rating. PG-13.Director. David Koepp.Cast. Joseph Gordon-Levitt Dania Ramirez Michael Shannon Wole Parks Jamie Chung Aasif Mandvi.Film Length. 90 minutes.Release Date. August 24, 2012.Distributor. Columbia Pictures.

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Review: Red Lights

If you're like I used to be and you've experienced the occasional bout of insomnia, then you've more than likely found yourself flipping through the channels at three or four o'clock in the morning hoping to get tired sooner or later.During this time, you might have seen infomercials talking about psychics or shows showing televangelist who magically heal people with life-threatening illnesses.I've seen things like that on television years ago, but I never thought anyone would make a movie about people like that.Apparently, writer/director Rodrigo Corts thought that doing just that was a good idea and that's why we have the movie Red Lights.In the story written by Corts, Margaret Matheson (Sigourney Weaver) and Tom Buckley (Cillian Murphy) are paranormal investigators who make a living disproving supernatural powers and exposing the fraudulent people who claim to have them at their disposal.They believe that these abnormal occurrences are impossible and that everything has to have a logical explanation connected to it.This team has taken on and embarrassed plenty of pretenders, but there is Simon Silver (Robert De Niro), someone who Matheson refuses to go after.Against Matheson's wishes, Buckley and his understudy Sally (Elizabeth Olsen) decide to investigate him anyway.That decision may be prove costly though, and it may give them some answers that they might not want to hear.Red Lights is a weird movie for me to review.After watching it, I was left with very little to really speak about, because it didn't have much to offer in a positive or negative way.We watch these investigators ply their trade and attempt to expose potential frauds, and we also learn a bit about the characters involved and a few of their motives over the course of the film.From there we witness some supernatural activity that may or may not be legitimate and it seems that these investigators are getting deeper and deeper into something that they don't know about.This is where Corts tries to add some suspense to the movie, but it never quite gets there in my opinion.The movie itself was flat and it doesn't accomplish what it set out to accomplish.There are multiple scenes in Red Lights that lead you to believe that the movie will start to get going and the movie will be decent at the very least, but those instances would always amount to nothing due to the fact that it would always seem that the script would always find its way back to mediocrity.This is due in large part to the failed attempts at suspense that I was speaking of.It's hit or miss and many of its hits are eventually fruitless and don't do much as far as furthering or improving on the plot.This movie does boast a cast that has some acting credentials.You have a blend of veterans like Robert De Niro and Sigourney Weaver mixed in with the younger but established Cillian Murphy and the relatively new Elizabeth Olsen.With all of what I would consider to be legitimate acting talent, the director of this movie render the cast useless.Their characters aren't very good and Olsen in particular had very little to actually do except stand in the background and make a comment every once in a while.The others did what they could, but you could feel the lifeless script pulling the movie down despite their efforts.While there aren't that many positives in Red Lights, I will say that the end is nice and it's better than anything else that's shown in the film.It contains a big twist that is at least a fine pay off for your viewing patience and it also helps to explain some of the things that occur throughout the entire film.There is an issue here however.Although the film's climax is intriguing and it does answer some questions, it also creates more questions when you think the movie over and many of those can't be answered if you tried.As much as I like this part of the movie, it blew a large amount of the story out-of-order and pushes the movie into non-sensical territory.In an awkward way, this ending that I think of as having good quality actually hurts Red Lights as a whole when you connect it to all of the previous scenes that came before it.There's a big trade-off here and it's highly unlikely Corts didn't see coming beforehand.You get a nice ending, but you lose so much else when that ending forces the movie not to make much sense at all.As a member of the audience, you sit through this film that doesn't contain anything that ever reaches anywhere near above average only to find yourself wondering how certain characters in the movie missed so many signs that are obvious from the outset and other signs that should have been obvious from the outset.The movie was at least average to slightly below average for me at first, but it took a dip from my point of view after taking the whole thing in.I honestly wanted to like Red Lights, because I enjoy watching films explore the possibilities of the paranormal and the supernatural.I also wanted it to be some good, because it also had a couple of actors that I think highly of in the savvy veteran Robert De Niro and the rising newcomer Elizabeth Olsen.The truth is, no matter how much I wanted it to succeed, it just wasn't a worthwhile experience.The execution is flawed and it appears to be suffering from a sub par script.There's only one person to blame here for these innate flaws that flow through Red Lights, and that's the director who just happened to write it as well.He wanted a smart psychological thriller, but what he got was something that wasn't smart, psychological or the least bit thrilling.Score. 2/5.Rating. R.Director. Rodrigo Corts.Cast. Sigourney Weaver Cillian Murphy Robert De Niro Elizabeth Olsen Toby Jones Joely Richardson.Film Length. 113 minutes.Release Date. July 13, 2012 (Limited).Distributor. Millenium Entertainment.

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Review: The Salt of Life

The Art House genre may not be that popular in film, but it's something that a growing number of movie fans may continue to get into as time goes by.The movies of this genre offer their own unique perspective and are usually geared toward a specific audience.They focus more on character development and may not have a clear beginning, middle or end either.The genre's description would probably best describe Gianni Di Gregorio's film The Salt of Life.In The Salt of Life, Gianni Di Gregorio stars as a retired man named Gianni.He goes through life dealing with his overbearing and not so frugal mother (Valeria De Franciscis), his daughter (Teresa Di Gregorio), his daughter's slacker boyfriend (Michelangelo Ciminale), his young and incredibly attractive neighbor (Aylin Prandi) and many more people.Gianni feels that there is something missing in his life and he finds out what it may be when he sees many of his fellow older friends find love with beautiful younger women.He decides to go looking for love and he enlists the help of friends to do it.His only problem finding the time to do this? He still has to deal with the responsibilities of life.The Salt of Life basically tells the story of life through the eyes of a lovelorn old man.We don't usually get movies from that perspective, so it was unique based on that alone.We find our lead character Gianni going through life attempting to find a purpose.He's coming to terms with being an old man, but he's still wants more.That's where some of the film stands out.It becomes an interesting process watching him go across town and while he learns about his reality.It shows some of the truths of aging and the revelations that may come with it.This poses questions that are rarely asked on-screen and the answers being given are sometimes delivered in a humorous and "to the point" way.The answers, the actors and the story turn the movie into something that's wise, funny and warm-hearted in many ways.It appears to be handled and created by someone who knows about life and is broadcasting what he knows to the screen.It's interesting watching this film that Di Gregorio directed, co-wrote and starred in.He uses the real names of many of the actors and even uses his actual daughter to play his on-screen daughter.It looks like he's just having fun with it and did a solid job in the process.This movie is an impressive feat, because of what it is and due to the fact that it's only the second film that the multi-talented Di Gregorio has directed so far.Many of the characters in The Salt of Life are like normal everyday people.There are no outrageous personalities that you'd normally get in the American made versions of these types of films about family.They're down to earth and a lot of viewers may even recognize some of the traits in the characters in some of the people that they may know in their own lives.When it comes to the style and comedy in The Salt of Life, I would say that it's close to what I saw in Jeff, Who Lives at Home.It's subtle and comfortably fits into the real world.As far as the premise is concerned, it's somewhat similar to movies like Superbad, but it features a retired sixty year old man instead of a bunch of kids and it's far more charming and innocent.To see an older man living in a world of wonder as if he was a teenager is way more engaging than I would have ever thought it could be.The Salt of Life is a nice, breezy and delightful movie.You can say that Gianni Di Gregorio makes light of being an older man and he uses a few odd situations to do it.The movie itself is so positive and bright that you might not even notice how negative some of the actual parts of the story are.Something like this should probably more depressing and miserable, but he turns it around and makes it into something cheerful and entertaining instead.This doesn't contain comedy that's would be considered "Laugh Out Loud" funny, but it does have several moments that will make I really liked.The good comes from the comedic subtleties that are in the film and the sense of normalcy and reality that's included with it.This is a movie that manages to be lively and vibrant in spite of the laid back tone and despondent back story that it adheres to.Score. 3/5.Rating. NR.Director. Gianni di Gregorio.Cast.Gianni Di GregorioValeria De FranciscisAlfonso SantagataElisabetta PiccolomniAylin PrandiValeria CavalliKristina CepragaMichelangelo CiminaleTeresa Di Gregorio.Film Length. 90 minutes.Release Date. March 2, 2012 (Limited).Distributor. Zeitgeist Films.Country. Italy.

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Middle school is horrific enough for any 5th grader's first day. But for Bill Dookes, it's a festering, rotting, undead nightmare! Since Bill's deadbeat dad got arrested trying to burn the house down for the insurance, Mom's had to make ends meet by volunteering to various medical research companies for cash. This would be fine if she hadn't brought home a mysterious zombie virus! Now Bill has to deal with skin problems and body chemistry changes that make puberty look like a walk in the park! And then there's his ever-growing appetite for BRAINS!

Boogeyman 2 - The Review Of The Boogeyman Movie

Boogeyman is a dark imaginary creature created by desperate mothers who just want to control their hyper active children and put them to sleep.Well what happens, when the Boogeyman becomes real? What if he really gets up from underneath your bed a fine midnight and kill you mercilessly? The movie is all about exploring this possibility.In the start, the parents of a small girl and her brother get stabbed right in front of their eyes, who they assume to be Boogeyman.Day by day, their phobia of the Boogeyman increases.Well at near 17's the boy, called Henry gets admitted to a mental rehabilitation centre.But the sister that is Laura, maintains that she is perfectly fine and doesn't need any treatment .But later when her brother gets discharged from the centre, Laura starts getting nightmares and she voluntarily opts into the mental rehabilitation centre.She expects to heal herself from the Boogeyman phobia.But instead, she starts seeing him everywhere in the centre.There are a lot of brutal murders in the centre, and Laura keeps on insisting that the killer is none other than the Boogeyman himself.No one believes her.This is how the story goes and how does Laura manage to escape from the Boogeyman, when she is the last person to remain alive in the centre.The entire movie is filled with gore and suspense .And not to forget the sudden screaming, banging, chasing sounds throughout, which adds more scare to the movie.Dr Allan, played by Tobin Bell is convincing in his role of being a head psychiatrist and you always get a doubt that Dr Allan is the Boogeyman himself.Ironically Tobin Bell has played a part of the psycho ( Jigsaw) in the SAW series.I would like to add that The Boogeyman 2 is a mixture of elements from Saw ,hostel genre and I know what you did last summer, Urban Legend genre.The Boogeyman is a excellent movie overall and i would rate the movie 8 on 10.And don't forget, be frightened of the Boogeyman !

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Addictive Book Series

Have you ever read a book that left you hungry for the next title in the series? Or anxiously anticipating and counting down to the release of a new title? These are addictive books- books that you simply can't put down once you start reading the first page! What makes a book series so addictive? Here's our two-cents' worth of bestselling book series.Mind-Blowing Plots.Every bestselling novel must have an exciting and sustainable plot that engages the readers thoroughly throughout the book series.Usually, book titles in a series are based on the same concept but with different emphasis to demonstrate progression in the storyline.For example, The Hunger Games trilogy revolves around a strong plot that has attracted countless readers and received positive critical reviews.Based on a dystopic world with an authoritarian government, children are forced to represent their district as tributes in the Hunger Games, where they fight to survive.As the death toll increases, only one winner will remain.This thrilling concept is truly a perfect start for an excellent plot that attracts readers of all ages.Has it ended? What's Next?After faithfully finishing one title, the ending of the novel sometimes is left open-ended with many unanswered questions, leaving room for imagination for the readers to anticipate the next title in the series.In Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter series, Book 3), readers are left wondering what is to happen to Sirius Black after escaping from prison and Harry Potter after learning about the truth behind his parents' deaths.The suspense left off from the 3rd book then creates excitement for the 4th book, which has another open-ended ending that creates more excitement for the 5th book.And the cycle continues.Characters You Just Can't Part With.In every "addictive" book series, there are often characters that you simply just want to see more of throughout the novel.Take for instance the anguish experienced by fans of the star-crossed Twilight saga lovers Bella and Edward when the pair was torn apart over and over again.Or the sympathy that readers felt for Greg in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid as he struggled with his middle school problems.Growing to love the book's characters, readers then become more motivated to find out more about their favourite characters by reading on in the series.For Aspiring Novelists.Bestselling book series usually encompass a perfect mix of characters, plot and quality writing that effectively engages readers in the storyline.It is no wonder why these novels have gathered such a strong fan base for the novels.Aspiring novelists who hope to launch a series one day should certainly consider these points when aiming to write an "addictive" book series that will be popular with readers.

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Diary Of Wimpy Kid 2 The Cheapest (2x6) Diary Of A Wimpy Kid Rodrick Rules Blue Bookmark Online

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Does Your Child Gain Strength Or Stress From School?

How to Help Your Children Become Strong, Successful Learners.My Son's Path To Reading..Before discussing specific strategies for helping your kids through the learning process, I'd like to share our experience with our son.This summer my son not only read but thoroughly LOVED his first full-length novel.Up until now he had excitedly begun a countless number of books only to lose interest when the storyline became too confusing, complicated or "boring." He would find some enjoyment in short, amusing picture books like "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" or "Captain Underpants" and comic books, magazines and non-fiction books like "The Guinness Book of Records" would engage him on occasion.Losing his self, however, in a story that went on for over 20 pages? - Wasn't happening.I mention this not because there is anything so unique about a boy taking his time in discovering the world of books but because in a few weeks he will turn twelve and to be honest I was beginning to resign myself to the fact that he would just be one of those people who hates reading anything longer than a newspaper.What made it impossible to fully accept this fact however, was the knowledge that he wanted, truly wanted, to read.Since he was little he would excitedly choose sophisticated and wonderful novels (Lord of the Rings, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Hobbit, Tales of Narnia), eagerly begin reading them or ask me to read them and then as I watched his eyes glaze over with confusion, give up as he (and I) realized that the story was not clicking.Attempts to pick age-level or even below age level books met with frustration,("They are for babies") or an even bigger confidence blow as he realized it was often difficult to follow even those choices.Nevertheless, despite many moments of frustration, he persevered in his quest to one day enjoy reading.During the early years we attributed it to age.Being an advocate of not pressuring kids to read I held back.. "Just wait and see, don't pressure - as he gets older it will come." He got older - it did not come - at least not when we had hoped it would.The mere mention of a book he was curious about would send me running to the bookstore in hopes that this "may be the one." Consequently he acquired a nice collection of books which although enthusiastically started, were quickly discarded only to collect dust on his shelf.By third grade we knew something was amiss.Friends, even the ones who "did not like reading," were suddenly finding books with which they could connect.Despite his many strong social and physical abilities outside the classroom, school became a place of stress and since so much time and attention is given to school, he in turn was becoming a stressed little boy.In our case, ultimately switching schools was quite helpful.But in hindsight what was most effective was in addition to finding other opportunities for him to be successful (camp, finding the right sport), we never stopped sending the message, both verbally and non-verbally, that we continued to have faith that one day he would be the reader he hoped to be.While visiting him at camp we took a trip to a local New Hampshire bookstore.He selected yet another book that he thought "looked good." Reluctant to get it at first because it seemed a bit long, involved and "dark", I did what every parent hoping and praying their child will read does - I bought it.When I received a letter a week later asking me to please send the second book in the series as he had finished the first, I thought he was joking.He wasn't.As any parent of a child with a learning difficulty knows, there are many levels involved in the process of coming to accept and then tackle this predicament.First we need to make that leap of acknowledging that yes there is a problem.This brings up its own range of emotions.Then it's the process of honing in on just what specifically is going on and how best to help.For my son, we discovered it had to do with the way his brain "processed" and remembered the information it was receiving.Words like decoding and encoding became familiar terms.Fortunately his teachers were supportive and helpful, both to him and to us.This is crucial.Parents need support, information, guidance and encouragement just as much as children.Finding professionals who were able to offer this to us was instrumental in helping us best help our son.Whether or not your child has a learning disability or is struggling with certain subjects or styles of teaching, the most important thing as parent is to never give up hope, encouragement or confidence that sooner or later your child will reach his goals.School should be a place in which your child gathers strength -not stress.The key is to offer support however, NOT pressure.Support communicates that you believe in them - pressure communicates tension.Ten points every parent should know..There are ten critical points I believe every parent should know when it comes to their child's education but especially important for those parents of children for whom learning presents an even greater challenge.They are as follows..1.Know your child's learning style.Some children learn best visually, others from listening.Be aware of where your child succeeds and where they struggle; ask teachers.Identify there areas of competence.Every child possesses areas of strength and it is up to parents to promote them.Educator Howard Gardner revolutionized the field of education with his theory of "multiple intelligences." Gardner, a firm believer that there is not one but at least 7 styles of learning, helped parents and educators recognize that there are a number of different ways in which their child can be "smart." While everyone has some element of each, most people favor one or two specific styles.These styles include. Linguistically (through words and language), Logically, (through numbers and math), Musically, Bodily, Spatially and Visually, Interpersonally, and Naturally (through the natural environment).Once you know how your child best processes information, provide opportunities for them to be successful.If they respond to music and rhythm, let them choose an instrument, if they do well in the great outdoors, find a camp that will build on these skills, if it's interpersonally, find them opportunities to help others.For more information on Howard Gardner go to http.//www.Howardgardner.Com.2.NEVER give up.Rest assured that interests and capabilities change over time.What your child struggles with one day, he suddenly "gets" another.If your child is interested in something that turns out to be not right for him, allow him the luxury of figuring it out on his own.Trust me, he will.Our job as parents is not to "save" our kids but to be supportive when they fail or make mistakes.Research shows that two of the biggest predictors of future alcohol or drug abuse problems for kids are. academic pressure and disconnection from parents.3.Focus on what your child CAN do.If your child is totally disorganized but is a whiz at math, communicate your respect for their math ability rather than harping on their lack of organization.If they bring home a B in science but a C in spelling - let them know they should be proud of themselves for the B.4.Find ways to connect apart from schoolwork - demonstrate that while important, academic work is not everything.This can mean taking a break for a short hike, breakfast out once a week or a game of cards.The more we find ways to connect, the more relaxed our children will feel.The more relaxed they feel the more they will want to succeed.5.Be flexible.Accept their limits and their preferences.Be willing to change your approach if it is not working.If you want them to read "Magic Treehouse" but they want to read "Captain Underpants", let them.6.Avoid labeling.Instead, describe the situation. "Tommy has trouble sitting still," or "Mary loses her place often when reading" rather than being quick to label a child "Hyper", "ADD" or "Learning Disabled." These terms have their place especially when working with doctors and school systems, however, it is best to avoid using them blindly or around our children until we have a firm grasp of the issue they are facing.You don't want them believing that their problem is something set in stone that can't be changed.Labels tend to make children feel that way.7.Allow your children to choose what they want to read not what you think they should read.Whether it's a magazine, a comic book, a below or above level book, allowing kids to choose their reading material goes a long way in getting them to read.More and more middle school teachers around the country, instead of assigning the usual "classics" are trying this approach with impressive results.(See New York Times cover story, August 29, 2009.. "Students Get New Reading Assignment. Pick Books You Like" ) It is hard to get children to love and appreciate a classic until they first learns to appreciate what a book can do.Letting them choose their material offers them this opportunity.8.Help your children recognize that mistakes are experiences from which to learn.Share mistakes you have made from which you learned invaluable things.Share with your children the good things that came from some of your mistakes.This is so important for helping children build resilience.9.Believe them when they say they just don't "get it." Empathize.Share things you did not understand in school when you were younger.Avoid dismissing their claims, (especially if they are recurring) that school is too hard or too boring as just another example of not "applying themselves." Often it is more than that.Listen to what your children have to say.10.Be pro-active.Stay involved, know their teachers, how they teach, who to go to if you have a concern or problem.Talk to other parents.Be willing to explore other options, schools, programs or tutors if need be.(By the way, what was the book that finally grabbed my son? It was the first in a series by author Darren Shan called "Cirque Du Freak." He's now finishing up the third and will be getting the fourth and fifth in the series for his 12 birthday!).

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Evil Dead II (1987)

Evil Dead II is a 1987 horror comedy film distributed by Anchor Bay Entertainment.It stars Bruce Campbell as Ash Williams, Sarah Berry as Annie Knowby, Danny Hicks as Jake, and Kassie Wesley as Bobby Joe.It is written by Sam Raimi and Scott Spiegel.The director is Raimi.The story, as before, takes place in a secluded cabin.Ash and his girlfriend Linda take a romantic vacation to, what they believe to be, an abandoned cabin.After they arrive, Ash comes across a book and a recording of the place's previous owner.The recording recites mysterious words that bring to life a malevolent spirit that possesses living bodies.The being quickly takes control of Linda, forcing Ash to decapitate her in self-defense.After he buries her, it briefly takes him.But as the sun rises, he returns to his old self.When he tries to escape, he discovers that the bridge they had travelled over is out.He is trapped with the evil.If one goes by the title alone, one may think this is a typical sequel.Well, it is and it isn't.Sometimes in a sequel, there is a brief summary of the end of the previous film.This time, the whole story is condensed into the first 10 minutes of its successor, with a few changes such as the elimination of characters and a somewhat different storyline.Some would classify beginning as almost a complete remake in itself.One may actually be able to say that this film is a remake and a sequel put together.Despite the dark concept of demonic possession that is prominent, Evil Dead II is not without its humorous moments.After Linda rises from her grave, for instance, the audience witnesses the corpse performing a bizarre dance with her head repeatedly falling off and being placed back on.Also, later on, Ash's hand is possessed and it throws him all around the kitchen, smashing dishes on his head and attempting to stab him.To wrap, Evil Dead II is a humorous remake and sequel that will scare you and make you laugh at the same time!

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Diary Of Wimpy Kid 2 Get Cheap Pirate Lock & Key Diary

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List Price : $9.99 Price : $8.89
as of 2012-09-25 11:12 AM

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Diaries are for dreaming! Children love a locked book where they can record their private musings, their dreams, their thoughts, - even their doodles. Dream, write and imagine the possibilities!

• Keep thoughts, treasures and secrets recorded to always be remembered
• Write or draw on the 240 colorful lined pages
• Safely keep these adventurous remembrances under lock and key
• Printed with vegetable based inks on recycled papers
• For ages 5 years and older

The Pacific DVD Set - Stunning Epic by Steven Spielberg Is Available at Bargain Prices

Finding yourself the Pacific DVD set for less than the recommended retail price is really simple if you know where to look.This awesome World War 2 epic is a must see at whatever the cost to you but, to pay less than your friends or other people is even better, I think that you will agree.So, how do you get your hands on the Pacific DVD set at a bargain price then? You could go to the mall or local store but, I have found that you can make significant savings buying online.The high street stores cannot compete on the same level as an online store when it comes to offering you discounts, coupons or just general low pricing as their profit margins tend to be higher and so you, the customer ends up paying more than is necessary.By finding a site that has done the hard work for you in sourcing the stores that give you the best offers and discounts you will be onto a sure fire winner.You are definitely not alone in searching for this amazing compilation of DVD viewing and looking at reviews it is easy to understand why.It would seem that Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg really have gone all out on this collaboration and produced a miniseries that just screams classic.Not only have they given an emotional and thought provoking insight into the lives of three specific marines but, with the use of World War 2 veterans also recounting their own memories of the horrors endured you have further proof should you be in need of it that, what you view is very authentic.With historical influences and different cultural perceptions between the two sworn, bitter enemies also analysed it becomes very (sadly) apparent as to why there was such merciless brutality on both sides during this most horrific conflict.Some of the graphics and scenes are so compelling and thorough that the only way they could be any more intense is if you were actually there.The attention to detail has to be the creation of sheer genius.The Pacific DVD set is a master piece not only because of the drama that unfolds before your eyes both on and off the battle field but behind the scenes too and let us be honest, paying even less for all of this than your average Joe will give your viewing even more of an impact.

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True Lies Review

As far as movies are concerned, Arnold Schwarzenegger has been relatively quiet for the past several years.He hasn't really done many movies or anything since the early part of this century.He was at his peak in the 80′s and 90′s and back then, he was far more active while making movies like "Terminator", "Terminator 2″, "The Predator", "Total Recall" and others.He's made quite a few movies that I've liked and one of those was called "True Lies".It featured a deep cast that had Arnold, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Tom Arnold leading the way.Harry Tasker (Schwarzenegger) is a man who leads a double life.Along with seemingly living a normal everyday existence, he is also heavily involved in covert operations as he is a part of a U.S.Government counterterrorism group named The Omega Sector.His real job is always kept a secret.It's so much of a secret that he can't allow his wife (Jamie Lee Curtis) or daughter (Eliza Dushku) to know what he really does.They believe that he's actually a computer salesman.As he uncovers a terrorist group led by Salim Abu Aziz (Art Malik), he also has to try to keep his family from falling apart as they become more and more frustrated with the fact that he's never around.This movie is almost done in typical Schwarzenegger style.It's loaded with a ton of action, but this is one of those occasions where they've thrown some comedy into the mix.Adding Tom Arnold and some comedic situations fit well in a movie this heavy on action.The comedy is presented in a way that doesn't allow it to get in the way and disrupt the flow of the film."True Lies" allows Arnold Schwarzenegger to be Arnold Schwarzenegger and that should be good news for fans of his work.He goes around beating people down, blowing things up, and wasting bad guys along the way.You'll get a lot of that in this movie and it's quite fun to watch.Along with the action and comedy, you actually have a solid plot that is based on a French comedy named "La Totale!".James Cameron does well blending all of the action, espionage, and comedy together with the story to make this a very balanced movie.This doesn't have anything to do with the movie, but the one thing that I can't help but notice is that Arnold usually plays an American, but he always has that European (Austrian) accent.How come none of the other characters in his movies recognize this? He can play a cop from New York or a man in the U.S.Military, but he always has an accent.I know it doesn't matter, but that's one thing that I've always found to be funny about his movies.He's American, but he has a non-American accent and no one ever seems to notice.Regardless of how implausible that is, it doesn't take away from this or any other movie he made that I found entertaining.I've liked several of his movies throughout the years and it's good to hear he's coming back to his old Hollywood stomping grounds in some capacity by having a larger role in "The Expendables 2″ movie.All in all, I hope that I'll like his upcoming projects as much as I did some of his older stuff.Until those come out, I'll have no problem watching films like "True Lies".Score. 7/10.Rating. R.Director. James Cameron.Cast. Arnold Schwarzenegger Jamie Lee Curtis Tom Arnold Tia Carrere Art Malik Eliza Dushku Bill Paxton.Film Length. 141 minutes.Release Date. July 15, 1994.Distributor. 20th Century Fox.

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Diary Of Wimpy Kid 2 Backpack - Diary Of A Wimpy Kid Youth Write-On T-shirt: Youth Small (6-8) - Royal Blue Reviews

Diary Of Wimpy Kid 2 See Backpack - Diary Of A Wimpy Kid Youth Write-On T-shirt: Youth Small (6-8) - Royal Blue Details

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as of 2012-09-24 10:03 PM

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This is an officially licensed Diary Of A Wimpy kid product.This t-shirt features the Wimpy Kid. The shirt comes with a washable marker to write in the talk bubble. The marker washes out in warm water and will not harm other clothing in the wash.

Review: Shame (2011)

We've heard a lot about sex addiction over the past couple of years thanks to a few celebrities that will remain nameless.After they were exposed for their indiscretions, we've seen them cry or talk about how sorry they were while blaming their infidelities on this addiction.I was a skeptic when it came to these people claiming sexual addiction, but some people seem to legitimately have this problem.In the film Shame, we get to see what this addiction might be like for people who might actually be dealing with this.In Shame, Brandon Sullivan (Michael Fassbender) is a 30-something year old who is living the life that he wants to in New York City.He has a good job, he lives alone and he gets to have emotionless sex with countless women.That's all great for him, but he has two problems to deal with.His estranged sister Sissy (Carey Mulligan) comes back to town and needs a place to stay for a while and he's also a sex addict.Once his sister moves in, things go out of whack for Sullivan and he slowly, but surely begins to lose control of his carefully constructed life.I was hesitant to see this movie at first, because of its NC-17 rating.I thought they would probably show some parts of the male anatomy, but I was just hoping they wouldn't show any male crotch shots.I finally went to go see it and I'm happy to say that they didn't show any of those shots.In reality, Shame wasn't even as graphic as I thought it was going to be.There were probably only one or two scenes that really went over what you'd usually see in a film and one of those was done in a very artistic manner.While sexual addiction gets most of the attention in this film, much of the focus in Shame was also put on other things that were just as important.Brandon's addiction is also compounded by his emotional issues and his severe lack of social skills.His interactions with other people throughout the film are tense and uncomfortable at times and it makes for great viewing.The purpose of those scenes appear to be a way of showing just how out of touch he is due to his flaws and his inability/unwillingness to change them.Some of his most awkward interactions come from his dealings with his sister.The relationship between them is a damaged one and they never really explain why.Like most of his other relationships, it's tense and there's an obvious wall in between them that Brandon refuses to take down.As I said earlier, they never tell you why they are like this, but you can also say that not knowing their family's back story adds to the suspense.Those emotional and social deficiencies are the real draws to me.Director Steve McQueen makes those issues even more pronounced by making the city of New York more of a reflection of Brandon's empty and isolated life.It's cool how he sucks the life out of the Big Apple in this film.It doesn't give us a view of an entire city, but a world according to Brandon.I think this approach puts an emphasis on the true feelings of the main character and makes them hard to ignore.McQueen forgoes sensationalism and instead bases his main character's addictions in the realm of realism and substance.Using this method allows Shame to maintain its credibility when showing things that can be viewed as touchy and sensitive subjects.Michael Fassbender was excellent at putting all of what needs to be seen on display and turning his role into what appears to be an accurate depiction of a man with emotional problems, sexual addictions and a certain level of anti-social behavior.Their abilities and the performance of Carey Mulligan gives this film exactly what it needs to tell its story properly.Score. 3.5/5.Rating. NC-17.Director. Steve McQueen.Cast. Michael Fassbender Carey Mulligan Nicole Beharie James Badge Dale Hannah Ware Elizabeth Masucci.Film Length. 99 minutes.Release Date. December 2, 2011 (U.S.) January 13, 2012 (U.K.).Distributors. Fox Searchlight Pictures (U.S.) Momentum Pictures (U.K.).

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The Sorcerer's Apprentice Review

I was not expecting much from director Jon Turteltaub.He previously directed National Treasure and 3 Ninjas, and as I feared, if you mix the two films together and add some magick, you pretty much have The Sorcerer's Apprentice.Dave, a young kid who wonders into an antique shop, happens to meet a sorcerer named Balthazar Blake.Dave later becomes the sorcerer's apprentice, where he is given a crash course lesson on sorcery and has to ready himself to stop the villain, Maxim Horvath, from destroying the world.In his free time, Dave basically stalks his childhood crush, Becky, who is definitely out of his league.Nicolas Cage plays our master sorcerer, Balthazar Blake, and is the only actor that seems to fit his character at all.Cage plays an excellent sorcerer, and really brings the action to life with the way he moves his hands.Cage's acting is the only thing that kept me watching through most of the film, but he did seem to just give up at the end.Jay Baruchel had to be the worst pick to play Dave, the apprentice.I would have been happier with Steve Urkel taking that role, and not the one kid Urkel would have picked on.Although, Baruchel did slightly start to get his act together at the end of the movie, it was not near enough to drag him out of the hole he had already dug.The only other cast member who catches your eye is Teresa Palmer, who plays Becky.Palmer seems to be next in line behind cage on the talent scale in this film, and she is pretty damn good looking to boot.That leaves us with Alfred Molina playing Maxim Horvath, the bad guy.Having playing Dr.Octopus in Spider Man 2, you would think Molina would be able to pull off a decent villain, but he somehow figured out how to bring Mr.Rogers into the mix.Molina's character name, pronounced "whore bath", every time it was said, did get a small chuckle out of me.The special effects were decent and a scene from a classic Disney musical is good for a smile, but really Nicolas Cage is the only thing making this movie watchable at all.The Sorcerer's Apprentice is not a bad watch if you're a hardcore Nicolas Cage fan or you're just in the mood for something goofy.The movie is worth a watch, but I would definitely put it at the end of your list of movies to see.

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Diary Of Wimpy Kid 2 Bargain Diary Of A Wimpy Kid, Book 1

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List Price : $14.99 Price : $8.33
as of 2012-09-24 10:03 AM

Product Description

Boys don’t keep diaries—or do they?

The launch of an exciting and innovatively illustrated new series narrated by an unforgettable kid every family can relate to

It’s a new school year, and Greg Heffley finds himself thrust into middle school, where undersized weaklings share the hallways with kids who are taller, meaner, and already shaving. The hazards of growing up before you’re ready are uniquely revealed through words and drawings as Greg records them in his diary.

In book one of this debut series, Greg is happy to have Rowley, his sidekick, along for the ride. But when Rowley’s star starts to rise, Greg tries to use his best friend’s newfound popularity to his own advantage, kicking off a chain of events that will test their friendship in hilarious fashion.

Author/illustrator Jeff Kinney recalls the growing pains of school life and introduces a new kind of hero who epitomizes the challenges of being a kid. As Greg says in his diary, “Just don’t expect me to be all ‘Dear Diary’ this and ‘Dear Diary’ that.” Luckily for us, what Greg Heffley says he won’t do and what he actually does are two very different things.

Since its launch in May 2004 on Funbrain.com, the Web version of Diary of a Wimpy Kid has been viewed by 20 million unique online readers. This year, it is averaging 70,000 readers a day.

 

F&P level: T

• ISBN13: 9781436109819
• Condition: New
• Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!

Twelve is a Hell of a Drug

It's typical for movies involving drugs to make everything onscreen look dirty, but the atmosphere in "Twelve" has a sheen to it that's almost immaculate.The characters aren't the ones you'd expect to see in a film like this, either - they're trust-fund babies living on Manhattan's Upper East Side, and even when they wind up in the bad part of town, their naivete makes them seem less vulnerable.Although lots of people take drugs to escape reality, the world these characters live in is so perfect that drugs come off as just another perk they take for granted."Twelve" is one of those films that's got a bunch of characters who each hold parts of the plot that make up the whole, but the fulcrum here is a dealer named White Mike (Chace Crawford), the go-to guy for teenagers who want to get stoned.Since losing his mother to cancer a few years ago, Mike's been pretty introverted and indifferent, even when he's around his childhood friend, Molly (Emma Roberts).The only relationship that holds some meaning for him is the one he has with another dealer named Lionel (50 Cent), whom he assists in selling a drug called Twelve - it's so new that it costs $1,000 a hit, which is kind of steep even for Jessica (Emily Meade), a socialite from a wealthy family.There are plenty of other wealthy teenagers here, but their lives aren't as splendiferous as you'd think.The most troubled of the bunch would probably be Chris (Rory Culkin) - on top of how uncomfortable he is around his dream girl, Sara (Esti Ginzburg), he's also got to deal with his brother, Claude (Billy Magnussen), a recovering addict with an arsenal of guns and swords in his room.So jealous is Claude of his brother for getting all of their mom's (Alexandra Neil) affection that the thought of using those weapons on Chris grows more tempting every day.With this many characters crammed into a 93-minute film, it's really something to see the actors making them work rather than just keeping them afloat.In spite of how much older they are than the characters they're playing, they stay true to the innocence they represent, which makes it all the more effective to see how they go about losing it.Sure, life's just one big party at that age, but how do you come to terms with reality when the party's over?

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2 Short Reviews Of Famous Movies In Spanish With English Subtitles

Spanish movies have a certain flair about them.Some might consider them exotic.Others might label them sexy.But you just have to look at Spanish actors who have come over to Hollywood to see what I mean.Think about Salma Hayek, Antonio Banderas and Penelope Cruz.That said, Spanish directors have also made a name for themselves in the international movie scene.Among them are Pedro Almodvar and Alexandro Gonzalez Inarritu.But good looks and melodic sounding language aside, Spanish movies with English subtitles have a quality about them which I find hard to explain.But thanks to the DVD format, we can now enjoy movies in Spanish with English subtitles, among other languages available.Volver Volver is a critically acclaimed Spanish film starring Penelope Cruz.It becomes evident early in the movie that this part is perfect for Ms Cruz.The Academy Award nomination she received for her role cements that notion.Volver's director, Pedro Almodvar, does a fantastic job as he tackles the subject matter - death - and how different generations of a small town react to it.He artfully unfolds the intriguing story line which slowly reveals the complicated relationships which bind the characters.Volver is not a story about the fear of death.Rather, it is the story of how life goes on after death.It looks at the burden of unforgiveness the living have to carry once death has closed the door reconciliation.It also looks at sins and secrets which linger long after the sinner has departed.The performances by Cruz, the film's cinematography and art direction and careful direction of Almodvar all make for one of the most entertaining movies in Spanish with English subtitles of 2006.I would personally give it 5 stars.Amores Perros What an incredible debut for director Alexandro Gonzalez Inarritu.His first attempt at direction resulted in Amores Perros becoming an award-winning film and also an Academy award and Golden Globe nominee for best foreign film.Set in Mexico City, Amores Perros tells three stories of love and complicated relationships in a violent city.In the heart of these stories, the fate of two dogs hang in the balance as the characters are brought briefly together by a car accident.Unlike Pulp Fiction, Ameros Perros need not have the individual stories linked by a common event.I gather Inarritu chose this style to link the theme of the movie Each story could story could have stood alone as each explores the very definition of love from different points of view.I would also rate this as one of the best Spanish movies with English subtitles around.5 stars, no less.

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Diary Of Wimpy Kid 2 Funko Diary Of A Wimpy Kid 8'' Plush Sale

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List Price : $12.99 Price : $9.70
as of 2012-09-23 10:03 PM

Product Description

ADORABLY awkward and well.....wimpy.

• Didn't you always want your very own wimpy kid
• From the book and film Diary of a Wimpy Kid
• 8" plush based on protagonist Greg Heffley
• Add to your collection
• Stylized and fun

Children's Book Review - Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series by Jeff Kinney

Recommended for ages 9-12.Graphic novels have become all the rage these days.Their multiple pictures and drawings help to interest readers, especially reluctant ones, and get them reading.Is it any wonder then, that the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series of books, by Jeff Kinney, are so popular?The series started with Diary of a Wimpy Kid.We are introduced to middle schooler Greg Huffley, who sets the tone for the entire series immediately by insisting that this is a journal, not a diary.But when Mom bought it for him, she got one that said "diary" on it, even though he specifically told her not to.Great.This first book follows Greg as he gets into trouble with his easy-going best friend, Rowley.Rowley takes the rap for a stunt Greg pulled and didn't fess up to.The second book, Rodrick Rules, starts with giving Greg a taste of his own medicine.When he and his older brother are left home alone overnight, he misses out on all the fun but ends up having to clean up the mess and hiding Rodrick's secret for him.We meet more funny characters at Thanksgiving, when Aunt Loretta, Uncle Joe, and the kids come over.Watch what a smart thing Dad does to get them all to leave early.Book 3, The Last Straw, finds Greg and his family making New Year's resolutions.Greg decides his will be to help other people improve.When Mom decided Greg is old enough to start doing his own laundry, he reacts in a typical wimpy kid way.He starts wearing things more than once.Gross.The latest in the series, Book 5, The Ugly Truth, finds Greg growing up and out of the cute kid phase.He enters puberty and has to go to a dentist for adults, where he has the fear of gingivitis scared into him.Kids absolutely love this series of graphic novels.Each book has numerous stick figure drawings to illustrate the action.Reluctant readers are drawn in by the humor and trouble Greg gets into, and the mischief he creates.Parents, however, may take offense at the fact that Greg is basically a lazy kid, the type whose influence is not appreciated on his peers.He's pretty self centered and has no trouble passing blame off onto others, like his friend Rowley, or little brother Manny.But if you want your child to get reading, this one is an almost guaranteed hook.Adults enjoy the series also, although they may shake their heads at his irresponsible ways.If you haven't read any of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, by Jeff Kinney, I suggest you do.You'll see why it is still the most popular series of books with kids.

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