When I was in my first year of college, I got to know one of the assistants in the department where my minor was housed. He was such a goofy guy–he loved music, especially things like Irish drinking songs and Dean Martin’s famous singles.

We were driving somewhere one afternoon, and he blasted “Mambo Italiano,” and sang along. It was such a goofy experience, but I have loved Dean Martin ever since, warts and all. As you probably know, he was one of the infamous members of “The Rat Pack,” which also included Frank Sinatra.

Dean Martin’s birth name is actually Dino Paul Crocetti; he was born in June of 1917 to parents that had emigrated from Italy to Steubenville, Ohio. Martin began his interest in music through taking up the drums as a teenager; however, many “hobbies,” and occupations came between the times he dropped out of the tenth grade and actually broke into show business.

He got involved in bootlegging and gambling for some time; he also took up boxing and suffered a broken nose, a permanently split lip, and shredded knuckles all before his sixteenth birthday.

At the time, he showed some promise in boxing, winning twelve out of thirteen matches, but he returned to gambling, becoming a roulette stickman at an illegal casino. What a life for such a young man! On the side, he began teaming up with local bands to sing. He adopted the stage name Dino Martini, taking a mild jibe at a famous opera star named Nino Martini.

His first real performing job was with the Ernie McKay Orchestra, but by the opening of the 1940’s, he had begun singing for the band leader Sammy Watkins. It was Watkins’ suggestion that he simplify his name from Dino Martini to Dean Martin.

It took a long time before Martin’s career began to soar; there were times when it seemed as though he would be a nightclub singer forever. When he met comedian Jerry Lewis, they teamed up almost immediately. Much of the rest is history–he performed with Lewis for some time, before moving on to a solo career and later joined The Rat Pack.

In the mid-1960’s, he developed a variety show named–what else?–The Dean Martin Show which aired on the NBC network. The show lasted almost ten years, welcoming such stars as Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Stewart, and Bob Hope.

In the ’70’s, Martin mostly dropped off the radar as far as show business was concerned. He did periodic tours with Sinatra and other performances with former partners–even one with Jerry Lewis.
Dean Martin passed away in 1995 at the age of 78. He had a lot of ups and downs, but he brought happiness and entertainment to millions. Now that’s amore!

DVDHunters (http://www.dvdhunters.com/)purchases from the web, sell and buy dvd’s. Art Gib is a freelance writer.

[tags]Dean Martin show[/tags]

Zach Efron is not another actor who can drive us crazy with awesome dance moves. He is not another other teen heartthrob. He is Zac Efron, people who just heard Zacs name maybe thought his name is spelled with an H.

No matter how you type or pronounce his name, the truth that Zac Efron is one of the hottest guys to appear in Hollywood cannot be changed. He may have that cool yet rebellious image but in reality he can just melt any girls heart as he pleases.

Youve seen him dance and sing in High School Musical but there is more to Zac Efron than what meets the eye (or ears for that matter). Zac is a sports enthusiast, and he is good at it. So good that he can actually be a professional athlete. Not that we want him to leave the big screen to flex more of his muscles, were just saying that Zac is the man! Skiing, rock climbing, golf, and snowboarding, you name it, Zac is into it!

The guy also knows how to play Piano and he is now learning how to play guitar. And he cannot just play the musical type of music, ballad, pop, you name it, he can play it. How cool and romantic is that? He is also into motoring; when he finds time he fixes and tweaks his vintage cars.

He is also a pet lover. He owns a Siamese cat with the name Simon, and two lovable Australian Shepherds named Dreamer and Puppy He is multi- talented, gorgeous and all the other good adjectives that you can think of!

Zach Efron is indeed really great in Hollywood. The success of three High School Musical films is undeniable. Although we cant attribute everything to Zac, it is a fact that if not for him, the High School Musical movie series wont be as popular as it is.

Other film accomplishments by Zac include starring in the movies Hairspray and 17 Again. He is also included in the most recent list of 100 Most Beautiful People and 25 of the Hottest Hollywood Stars.

Zac is just full of surprises. He continues to wow the fans and even the media with his performances. Who knows when the actor will receive his first Oscar award. Clearly, Zac isnt just all about looks. He is more than just a pretty face and chiseled body.

But contrary to what you may think, Zacs fans arent just the teens. People from all ages and even gender find him gorgeous. You might be interested to know that even people who ages fall to 40s and 50s, those who were once wowed by John Travoltas performance in Grease are also a fan of Zac Efron. Yes, you can talk about the resemblance in handsomeness and talent!

Zac Efron or Zach Efron, no matter how you read or pronounce name, an interesting fact that he is one of the biggest thing the Hollywood cannot be denied.

Find out more about Zach Efron and Zac Efron and get the latest celebrity gossip news on Wooden Spears celebrity gossip blog.

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Who could have guessed, watching the Starship Enterprise first set out in the 60s, that its five year mission would span four decades and bring Earth so much of the technology that today we take for granted?

At a time when even a landline house phone was still seen by many as a luxury, families entered the fictional world of Star Trek, watching in awe as Captain James T. Kirk spoke to his crew via a handheld communicator. Forty years on, with satellite navigation a given, billions of us own mobile technology. Already considering flip-top cell phones pretty outmoded, we attach Bluetooth devices, with no thought of Lt Uhura opening the hailing frequencies through an elaborate earpiece. Nor do we take a second glance at the handheld PDA, the modern day development from Kirk’s daily captain’s log. The touch screen technology of Star Trek is rapidly becoming second-nature to us: not only do we use it on our mobile phones and other hand-held devices, we tap screens at the airport, the station, the library, the supermarket - and as we enter and leave these buildings, we pass through doors that magically glide open before us, not stopping to consider their link with Star Trek fiction.

The icing on the cake is our ability to see people at the same time that we’re speaking to them. In the original Star Trek series, the crew on the Enterprise bridge can be seen engaging in serious audio-visual communication with the outside, strange new worlds. Modern technology has developed this concept of video-conferencing on a huge scale, making it a crucial element in business and political communications, whilst also providing us with the more humble webcam. Even with Captain Kirk at its helm, the bold Starship Enterprise could also have been blindly going where no man had gone before - it had no windows. Without the giant viewscreen on the bridge, Kirk and his crew would have been unable to see where they were heading. It’s strangely ironic to think that today’s modern society can view Star Trek DVDs via their flatscreen TV.

In medical science we can find further links. Picture Dr “Bones” McCoy valiantly saving the day, diagnosing diseases by scanning the body with his trusty tricorder device, surely the forerunner of today’s MRI and CAT scan procedures. And in the same way that “Bones” used his hypospray to painlessly pass medicine through the skin, modern day product design has brought us the Jet Injector.

Tricorder technology was also favoured by the Enterprise crew when it came to checking out the safety of new civilizations. Today, many emergency response teams use chemical detection equipment to help identify a threat, while police officers have Taser guns at their disposal, a weapon designed to stun - not unlike Star Trek’s hand-held phaser, which could also be set to kill. When there are problems with language barriers, the universal translator comes into its own: in today’s world the US army uses the Phraselator in Iraq for translating speech. Some websites, including Google, also adopt this technology and the first mobile phones with speech translation are coming onto the market - the next generation of the hand-held communicator.

Some of Star Trek’s fictional creations have not quite made it into reality yet, but give them time. Building on the tricorder and MRI/CAT scan concept, a company based in San Diego is developing a small portable device that can detect illnesses when it touches the skin. Meanwhile, the US Air Force Research Laboratory is working on a portable non-lethal deterrent weapon that uses a laser system to temporarily blind the enemy. It’s name? The Personnel Halting and Stimulation Response (PHASR) gun.

In today’s fast-pace modern society, we all have days when we wish Scotty would just beam us up. Nobody’s managed to turn the transporter into reality yet, but who knows? Maybe, quietly tucked away in a windowless laboratory somewhere in our new civilization, someone’s working on it!

Phil Byrne boldy takes Star Trek DVDs where no price comparison website for UK Star Trek Fans has gone before - featuring Star Trek DVD offers on all series episodes and feature films from the best of well known retailers.

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Over the years, a number of movies have featured casinos. For some of the movies the use of the casino was an incidental setting whereas for others it was instrumental and pivotal to the plot.

The most obvious film which comes to mind is Casino. Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro combined to bring this tale which was all about the comings and goings at a casino. It nicely showcased the history of Las Vegas over a 25 year period and what the casino meant to a number of people associated with it. Joe Pesci combined with the two on Raging Bull and returns here in a fine supporting role. It has finished showing in the cinema, but if someone wants to watch it they can download casino online.

A more recent movie which is specifically one of the casino games is 21. This is a story of a group of MIT students who were implementing a system of card counting in order to win at Blackjack. For a while their winnings were quite large but as usually is the case in stories such as this, things started to unravel and they were caught. Kevin Spacey plays the teacher of the students, while Kate Bosworth is one of the students.

Ocean’s Eleven is about a heist which occurs at a casino and Ocean’s Thirteen follows a similar storyline. Danny Ocean and his gang try to pull off one of the most daring and audacious raids in Las Vegas’ history. The games itself don’t really play much of a part although there is a scene at the end of Ocean’s Thirteen when one of the innocent victims receives a big windfall at one of the slots machines at McCarran Airport.

Another movie which features the slots is Whatever Happens In Vegas. Starring Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kuchar, the plot revolves around the antics following a jackpot slots machine that goes off. Kuchar wins a $3 million jackpot and Diaz argues since they just got married, that she is entitled to half of the winnings. A good idea, it isn’t really developed and there are quite a few holes in the plot. It was panned by the critics and didn’t turn out to be the hit that many imagined it would be.

As of yet, Hollywood hasn’t caught up with the technology. There haven’t yet been any movies made about an online casino. The fact is that someone sitting at their desk isn’t as glamorous as someone in Monte Carlo or Las Vegas. Likewise the bells, whistles and sirens of a casino aren’t apparent online. This is why the online casino hasn’t yet made the transition to the silver screen.

In many of the James Bond films, the action is set in a casino. Bond is a gambling man and the casino is where competition meets glamour. A Bond movie which revolves around the Casino is Casino Royale. The movie has been made twice and is one of the more famous Bond movies. In the remake, Daniel Craig plays a 007 agent who comes to learn a new definition of what it means to gamble. This movie was a smash hit at the box office.

Stuart Grayson is a freelance writer who covers all aspects of the gaming and online casino world. He is a huge fan of real casinos, and is also addicted to online slot games.

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In the post 9/11 society, political thrillers, you would think, would be taking a back seat to allow more escapist fantasy filmmaking to let audiences get away from their daily troubles. However, more and more films are coming out that challenge current societal opinion of the governments of the world, giving viewers a much more critical eye. Perhaps the latest film to do so features just enough of an adventure element that there will not really be any kind of uproar or backlash. That film is Eagle Eye.

After his twin government worker brother is killed, Jerry Shaw (played by Shia LaBeouf), a shiftless young man with no direction for his life is surprised to find that his brother’s financial assets have all been transferred to his account. And upon returning home he finds that his room is filled with weapons. To make things worse, he receives a cellphone call informing him that he will be arrested in thirty seconds.

Upon being captured by an FBI agent (Billy Bob Thornton). He is then guided again by the mysterious caller to escape with a woman (Michelle Monaghan) whose son has been taken. They find that the mysterious caller somehow needs them to help carry out a plot to kill the President of the United States against their wills. It is now a race against time for them to figure out a way to prevent a coup d’etat to change the position of power in the United States.

Eagle Eye is an interesting movie in the sense that it takes a very high concept of what happens when big brother not only starts watching us, but telling us what to do. However, the concept itself is so high that the majority of the things that occur are ridiculously improbable, if not impossible. Another problem is the fact that many of the performances are just run of the mill. Some of the characters seem to simply be written with only the most straight forward of dialogue with very little embellishment. The characters just seem stale when they speak.

The only character that does not seem to be made out of cardboard is Jerry, but even Shia LaBeouf’s portrayal of the character has flaws. The flaws are not so much in his acting, however. LaBeouf tries his best to act older, and is convincing as the character, but perhaps an actor the same age as the character would have been better.

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[tags]movie, eagle eye, shia lebouf, theater, cinema[/tags]

Today there are more and more ways to watch your favorite movies and television programs than ever before. The movies and television programs that you can download to your computer or watch online allow you to have a much greater control over your viewing experience.

The first major advantage of watching programming online through the various sites available is a greater time management. Everyone is busy today which makes your free time much more valuable. By watching your entertainment online, you are able to watch what you want, when you want. No more rushing to the television at the precise time that the program you want to see is airing. Download it when you have the time and watch when it is convenient for you.

You can certainly rent movies from a video rental store or through the mail, but it is not as simple and convenient as watching right from your computer without ever having to leave the house. Even the services that send you DVDs through the mail have to be returned. And you are at the mercy of the postal service when it comes to getting the next DVD on your list. With an online site to download your movies and television programming, you never have to go out or wait for the movie to come to you. Just sit back and enjoy the movie whenever you want.

With online movies and television programming, you have access to a much broader selection than you do in your local video store or even on your cable channels. There are thousands of television stations from all over the world ready and available to you with online viewing. Not only will you be able to find online television, but radio stations, movies and any type of programming you are in the mood for is available to you on your home computer. This great selection means that there is always something good to watch whenever you want.

This is the perfect set up for your home theater. If you have a home theater in your house and you have not set up the ability to watch movies streaming or downloadable on your system, then you are missing out on the next great innovation in home theaters. You can even offer your guests a great selection when they come over for a movie with the family. Think of how much fun it will be to pull up a selection of movies that you and your guests can watch any time you are looking for another movie.

For families with children, this allows you to monitor what your children are watching for movies and television programming. Take a look at the movie description before they are allowed to stream it to the home computer to make sure that it is appropriate material. You can also show your children some of the programming that was on when you were a child by searching for the old television programs that you loved. Who knows? They might like them as well.

Busy families can use this great new way to watch television and take control of their time once again. Family movie night can be when you decide and not when the movie is available in your local store. With online movies, you have a greater chance of seeing the movie when it is released than you would using the local DVD rental store. The new hot releases always sell out fast, but you will get your chance to see it when you decide by using an online movie site.

There are many reasons to begin watching movies and television programming online. The convenience alone makes it the perfect choice for those who just dont have the time to stop off at the local DVD store to pick up a movie. Instead, choosing to stream a new release or download the latest episode of your favorite show when you have the time available is just a much smarter way to watch.

Here are just a few of the benefits that you will get from watching movies and television programs online -

Convenience of getting the latest movies right from your own home.

Better time management.

Larger selection.

Watch the movie over and over again.

Watch the latest episodes of your favorite television series.

Never miss another movie or television show again.

Jacob George is an Internet Enthusiast and loves to Watch Movies online. For Online Movies & Free Movie Online Visit : Crackle.com .

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For this overview, I will just address the components of professional video production. This usually happens in three main phases; Pre-Production, Production and Post-Production. Here is an overview of each.

The pre-production process is where all the planning and preparation gets done. This is where you have a main concept and begin to bring it to life. It starts with an outline of the story or brief which is then is developed into a treatment and then a script. This is usually a long process with many tweaks and revisions. Once the script is complete, the production team comes to action and begins planning. In the next part of the process, storyboards are created, actors are cast and a shooting script is developed. Once these tasks are complete a shooting script is developed and the production team begins to plan for and schedule the shoot.

The second phase is called Production. This is where the film or video is actually shot and the story comes to life. Usually the story is not shot chronologically but in a way that makes the most logistical sense. This is usually a very time consuming process and will take weeks and sometimes months to get it all done. Once it’s complete we move into video editing and post production.

In post production the video editor begins to take all the video or film that was shot and make it into a story. He begins by taking each of the movie clips and picking the best shots. These are the ones that will be assembled into in the final movie. Depending on the amount of footage shot, editing can take weeks or months to complete. The first pass is called a rough edit and many revisions will happen before the movie is ready. Once the editing is complete, they begin to sweeten it by adding music and special effects that bring the production to life. This is also where titles go in and the final touches are put into the movie.

This overview is meant to give you an idea of what happens in the real production world. When we make our own video production, we will use some of the same steps that filmmakers have used for years. Also, since we typically have smaller crews, we will skip a few steps to make things flow. I hope you’ve enjoyed this brief look at the professional video production process. Now let’s get ready to make our own.

I have been a video producer, director, cameraman and video editor for over 20 years. I am creating some resources to help you learn the basics of video production to create lasting memories that you can share on the web. Visit http://www.iCreateVideo.com for more information.

[tags]create video, digital video, editing, how to capture video, software, video, Video Capture[/tags]

Today there are more and more ways to watch your favorite movies and television programs than ever before. The movies and television programs that you can download to your computer or watch online allow you to have a much greater control over your viewing experience.

The first major advantage of watching programming online through the various sites available is a greater time management. Everyone is busy today which makes your free time much more valuable. By watching your entertainment online, you are able to watch what you want, when you want. No more rushing to the television at the precise time that the program you want to see is airing. Download it when you have the time and watch when it is convenient for you.

You can certainly rent movies from a video rental store or through the mail, but it is not as simple and convenient as watching right from your computer without ever having to leave the house. Even the services that send you DVDs through the mail have to be returned. And you are at the mercy of the postal service when it comes to getting the next DVD on your list. With an online site to download your movies and television programming, you never have to go out or wait for the movie to come to you. Just sit back and enjoy the movie whenever you want.

With online movies and television programming, you have access to a much broader selection than you do in your local video store or even on your cable channels. There are thousands of television stations from all over the world ready and available to you with online viewing. Not only will you be able to find online television, but radio stations, movies and any type of programming you are in the mood for is available to you on your home computer. This great selection means that there is always something good to watch whenever you want.

This is the perfect set up for your home theater. If you have a home theater in your house and you have not set up the ability to watch movies streaming or downloadable on your system, then you are missing out on the next great innovation in home theaters. You can even offer your guests a great selection when they come over for a movie with the family. Think of how much fun it will be to pull up a selection of movies that you and your guests can watch any time you are looking for another movie.

For families with children, this allows you to monitor what your children are watching for movies and television programming. Take a look at the movie description before they are allowed to stream it to the home computer to make sure that it is appropriate material. You can also show your children some of the programming that was on when you were a child by searching for the old television programs that you loved. Who knows? They might like them as well.

Busy families can use this great new way to watch television and take control of their time once again. Family movie night can be when you decide and not when the movie is available in your local store. With online movies, you have a greater chance of seeing the movie when it is released than you would using the local DVD rental store. The new hot releases always sell out fast, but you will get your chance to see it when you decide by using an online movie site.

There are many reasons to begin watching movies and television programming online. The convenience alone makes it the perfect choice for those who just dont have the time to stop off at the local DVD store to pick up a movie. Instead, choosing to stream a new release or download the latest episode of your favorite show when you have the time available is just a much smarter way to watch.

Here are just a few of the benefits that you will get from watching movies and television programs online -

Convenience of getting the latest movies right from your own home.

Better time management.

Larger selection.

Watch the movie over and over again.

Watch the latest episodes of your favorite television series.

Never miss another movie or television show again.

Jacob George is an Internet Enthusiast and loves to Watch Movies online. For Online Movies & Free Movie Online Visit : Crackle.com .

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As we head into Independence Day weekend, for those who’d like to move beyond the evergreen “Yankee Doodle Dandy”, I want to suggest some classic titles scattered over the decades that each in their way evoke our country’s unique character- to paraphrase a favorite movie title, encompassing the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly…

If you haven’t seen any of these for a while, well now’s the time.

Mr. Deeds Goes To Town (1936)- Simple country boy Longfellow Deeds (Gary Cooper) inherits an immense fortune from a distant relative he doesn’t even know, and must then navigate a sea of handlers and hand-out requests to make sense of his new life as multi-millionaire. But those who think they can manipulate this tuba-playing rube are soon in for a rude awakening.

This charming slice of Americana from director Frank Capra is one of Cooper’s most appealing comic forays, as his plain-talking homespun reflection of rural America-foxes all those smug and greedy city-slickers. Thus the movie reinforces the recurring Capra theme of solid individual integrity over the mob of established, monied interests. The husky voiced Jean Arthur delivers a note-perfect turn as Babe Bennett, a hard-nosed lady journalist who first ridicules, then falls for Longfellow, much to her surprise. One of the screen’s authentic classics, this is pixilated comedy at its very best.

Young Mr. Lincoln (1939)- Charting the early life experiences of Abraham Lincoln (Henry Fonda) in Springfield, Illinois, this fictionalized biopic follows the future Civil War president from his first political speech in 1832 and the tragic death of girlfriend Ann Rutledge (Pauline Moore) to his first trial case as a lawyer. Throughout, we glimpse moments of anguish and triumph in the making of a moral leader, as well as his courtship of society belle Mary Todd (Marjorie Weaver). The film culminates with Lincoln summoning uncommon ingenuity in defending two young men accused of murder.

Fonda, who originally declined the role because of his awed reverence for Lincoln’s legacy, embodies Abe with plainspoken assurance and gutsy idealism. Weaver, as the future Mrs. Lincoln, and Alice Brady, as the mother of two sons presumed guilty of murder, round out a luminous studio cast. Don’t miss this stunning, mythic portrait of American greatness personified, by the legendary director of “Stagecoach.”

The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)- The great Sam Goldwyn produced this first, most ambitious movie about the plight of returning servicemen at the end of the Second World War. The film follows the unique readjustments to civilian life faced by three veterans: Fred Derry (Dana Andrews), a young officer coming back to a dead-end job, Al Stephenson (Fredric March), an older soldier returning to a loving family and stable career, and Homer Parrish (Harold Russell), a sailor who has lost both his hands in combat.

Each character is subtly drawn under William Wyler’s expert direction, evoking the complex challenges that confront veterans of all ranks - making sense of their own war experiences while readjusting to a changed America. Even with the requisite dose of sentimentality and romance, the film never strays far from its central premise that no matter what you return to in a time of peace, war changes you forever. Oscar-winner for Best Picture, Best Actor (March) and Best Supporting Actor (Russell, an amputee veteran, and non-actor!).

Picnic (1955)- Hal Carter (William Holden), a down-and-out former college football jock, hops a freight to Kansas to ask his wealthy former roommate Alan Benson (Cliff Robertson) for a job. Alan’s thrilled to see him (at first), but others distrust the rugged stranger, including Flo Owens (Betty Field), the socially ambitious mother of the girl Alan’s been dating, town beauty Madge (Kim Novak, in her film debut). She senses the potential chemistry between Hal and Madge, an attraction that might hurt Hal’s job search, and ruin Flo’s carefully laid plans for her daughter’s future. Matters come to a head at the town picnic.

Joshua Logan’s adaptation of the hit William Inge play captures the feeling of mid-twentieth century small town America as few other pictures have. Location shooting (in Technicolor) helps, with the crowd shots of real Kansans enjoying themselves during the picnic sequence particularly evocative. The two romantic leads do indeed heat up the screen, particularly during their memorable dance to the fifties standard, “Moonglow”. Robertson, Field, Rosalind Russell and Arthur O’Connell round out a first-rate cast. Attend this “Picnic”.

Medium Cool (1969)- TV cameraman John Cassellis ( an unrecognizable, pre- “Jackie Brown” Robert Forster) meets and falls for struggling single mom, Eileen (Verna Bloom), against the least opportune of back-drops: the turbulent 1968 Democratic Convention, when brutal police reaction to student demonstrations put the city of Chicago in chaos. John and sound-man Gus (Peter Bonerz) must capture the unfolding crisis for posterity, and in this volatile situation, it appears nothing is safe, including any future for John and Eileen.

Haskell Wexler’s one-of-a-kind film seamlessly blends narrative and documentary forms, as the actors actually played their scenes as the Chicago riots were exploding all around them. The heightened sense of immediacy and danger is palpable. Extremely well-played by Forster and Bloom, this is a fascinating, irreplaceable American time-capsule for the ages. Look for Peter Boyle as an impassioned right-winger.

Breaking Away (1979)- This strikingly buoyant coming-of-age picture set in Indiana tells of four local boys (and recent high-school grads) who must face their futures, but not before enjoying one last carefree summer. Protagonist Dave (Dennis Christopher) is obsessed with cycling, and on learning how many cycling champions come from Italy, cultivates an appreciation for all things Italian, much to the consternation of his conventional parents (Paul Dooley and Barbara Barrie). Dave’s cycling skills will eventually be tested against the snobby college guys in Bloomington’s annual bike race.

Director Peter Yates’s heartfelt, life-affirming movie will prove a winner for older kids and adults. Christopher is appealingly quirky in the central role and the film also showcases the budding talents of future stars Dennis Quaid and Daniel Stern as two of Dave’s buddies. Dooley is outstanding as Dave’s bewildered father, a solid Middle American you might actually buy a used car from.

Tender Mercies (1983)- Mac Sledge (Robert Duvall), once a successful country music balladeer, has a severe drinking problem and has finally hit bottom. It’s no surprise that when alcoholics reach this sad crossroads in life, they either wither away entirely or climb back up into the world. With the help of patient widow Rosa Lee (Tess Harper) and her young son, Mac gradually finds the strength to reclaim his life.

This quiet, unadorned gem, beautifully realized by Australian director Bruce Beresford from a brilliant Horton Foote screenplay, is an actor’s showcase, and Duvall makes the most of it, turning in a bravura performance that won him a well-deserved Oscar. (Trivia note: screenwriter Foote had also done the script for Duvall’s first film twenty years earlier: “To Kill A Mockingbird”, where the actor played the mysterious Boo Radley).

Born On The Fourth Of July (1989)- This riveting biopic of Vietnam protester Ron Kovic (Tom Cruise) opens with his all-American upbringing in Massapequa, NY, and entry into the war as a deeply patriotic enlisted man. Later, Kovic returns home disillusioned and psychologically scarred from a bullet wound that’s left him paralyzed from the waist down. Alienated and adrift in Mexico, the hard-drinking vet eventually begins to pull his life together, devoting his energies to anti-war activism.

Helmed by Vietnam vet Oliver Stone, “Born” is a profoundly moving portrait of a macho athlete whose horrific battle experience causes him to reassess his politics and reorient his give-’em-hell attitude. Cruise, in an ambitious turn away from heartthrob roles, plays Kovic with precision and conviction, especially at his darkest moments, delivering the finest work of his career. Co-written by Stone and Kovic, “Born” reflects the pain and anger felt by an entire generation of returning US soldiers, and will leave a lasting impression.

American Beauty (1999)- Leading an empty suburban life with his uptight, real-estate-agent wife, Carolyn (Annette Bening), and depressed teenage daughter, Jane (Thora Birch), sardonic forty-something Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey) decides to overhaul his body–and his life–when he falls madly in lust with gorgeous nubile Angela (Mena Suvari), Jane’s flirtatious best friend.

This superlative drama by theater director Sam Mendes peers at the dark side of American middle-class life with ripe, risque humor and aching poignancy. Both screenwriter Alan Ball and cinematographer Conrad L. Hall were honored along with Mendes at the 1999 Academy Awards for their evocation of suburban alienation, but Kevin Spacey, whose cool, cynical narration constitutes the film’s central nervous system, deserved all the acclaim he received for bringing Lester to life (including a Best Actor Oscar). Working in a subplot involving Lester’s new neighbors, an unhinged Marine (Chris Cooper) and his artsy, drug-dealing son (Wes Bentley), Mendes gives this “Beauty” a gut-wrenching finale that completes Lester’s transformation.

Transamerica (2005)- Just a week before pre-operative transsexual Bree Osbourne (Felicity Huffman), formerly Stanley, is about go under the knife to complete her male-to-female transformation, she learns that she has a 17-year-old son named Toby (Kevin Zegers), who’s in trouble with the law. Encouraged by her therapist, Margaret (Elizabeth Pena), to come to grips with her past, Bree bails Toby out of jail and takes him on a cross-country road trip to Los Angeles.

Expertly handled by first-time director Duncan Tucker, this funny, touching film belongs to a tradition of beautifully observed movies about nontraditional American families. Huffman is riveting to watch, especially in the scenes with her disapproving mother, Elizabeth (Fionnula Flanagan). But it is her rapport with Zegers, perfect as the troubled Toby, that gives the film its heart and soul, especially as he believes Bree is a goody-goody church type-not his father. Their trip-so often the arc of growth in great road films-is mutually nourishing and eye-opening. Settle in with “Transamerica” for a frank, heartfelt outing.

A featured movie blogger on The Huffington Post, John Farr lectures on timeless film and is editor of www.bestmoviesbyfarr.com, a website and blog that celebrate over 2,000 of the best features ever made, old and new, domestic and foreign.

[tags]Best Movies by Farr, Felicity Huffman, Fourth of July, Frank Capra, Fredric March, Gary Cooper, grea[/tags]

The “Rat Pack” had its beginnings in the 1950’s, but didn’t really reach its peak in popularity and interest until the next decade. The 1960’s version of the group, consisting of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Joey Bishop, and Peter Lawford became a symbol of real old-world Hollywood glamour and Las Vegas excess. Today, the Pack has become a subject of nostalgia and a symbol of a bygone era. Here’s a little bit about how this group came to be as well as its members.

What most people do not realize is that the genesis of this particular group of friends was a series of regular get-togethers hosted by Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall at their Holmby Hills home in Los Angeles. These parties were extremely exclusive and very few “outsiders” were ever allowed to attend. Of course, this exclusivity led to interest as well as jealousy and speculation from famous Hollywood denizens who were spurned. During the Bogie decade of the 50’s, Sinatra was the only participating member among the men who would form the membership of the group that would emerge in the following decade.

Women were always an integral and welcome part of the group, contrary to the Rat Pack’s reputation as a “males-only” affair. Over the years, regular members included Bacall, Judy Garland, Katharine Hepburn, Shirley MacLaine, Angie Dickinson, and even Marilyn Monroe.

After Bogart’s death in 1957, the members of the Rat Pack were primarily entertainers who often worked with one another in Las Vegas shows and also in the movies. The core group of Sinatra, Martin, Davis, and Bishop was gelled. Peter Lawford, brother-in-law to John F. Kennedy was also a member of the group, but when Kennedy did not let Sinatra in to his own inner circle Frank vented his frustrations on Lawford and their relationship was permanently severed. The group hated the “Rat Pack” name given them by the press, and never used it themselves or acknowledged it.

The Rat Pack gained its spot in the American imagination by performing together on the strip in Las Vegas. Their song, dance, and comedy routines were wildly popular and were instrumental in helping Sin City to become a popular entertainment destination. The men’s act was a rowdy one and often included supposed on-stage drunkenness. Most insiders agree, however, that it was only an act.

The Rat Pack was wealthy, attractive, talented, and exclusive: it truly symbolized old-world Hollywood glamour and sophistication. The 1960’s marked a turning point in American culture, however; as the country became more rebellious and modern, the Rat Pack’s appeal waned and the group disbanded. Each member went on to different projects: Sinatra and Davis sang on stage, Bishop did TV work, and Dean Martin went on to have a wildly successful television variety show that often featured riotous celebrity roasts.

The Pack has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity in recent years, thanks to nostalgia, and the new interest has resulted in a movie as well as several copy-cat reenactment groups.

DvdHunters.com (http://www.dvdhunters.com) is all about old movies series hard to find dvd’s movies. Art Gib is a freelance writer.

[tags]Dean Martin show[/tags]