Friday, November 18, 2011

Levis Men's Faux Leather Aviator Bomber, Brown, XX-Large

Five Conversations You Must Have with Your Daughter

  • ISBN13: 9780805446661
  • Condition: New
  • Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!
Here is an intriguing and sophisticated murder mystery of an upstanding military officer - the base commander's daughter - who's been leading an unsavory double life.

When a professional military woman with a pristine reputation is found raped and murdered, a preliminary search turns up certain paraphernalia, and sex toys that point to a scandal of major proportions, The chief investigator is reluctant to take the case when he learns that his partner will be a woman with whom he had a tempestuous affair and an unpleasant parting. But duty calls and intrigue begins when they learn that several top-level people may have been involved with the "golden girl" - and many have wanted her dead.
It's Nelson DeMille at his best - exciting, suspenseful and highly provocative.Long before the John Travolta film of The General's Daughter (which the author extols in the foreword), Nelson DeMille's seventh mystery was the breakout hit of his career. The rapid-fire dialogue and scenes are cinematic, and the storytelling puts most movies to shame.

The book has three heroes: Paul Brenner and Cynthia Sunhill of the army's Criminal Investigation Division and Capt. Ann Campbell, found dead with her underpants around her neck on the firing range at Fort Hadley, Georgia. Brenner and Sunhill are lowly warrant officers, but as investigators they can theoretically arrest their superiors--as long as their case is airtight. This ups the tension level, as does the fact that Brenner and Sunhill once had an adulterous affair.

The chief problem, though, is too many suspects. Capt. Campbell, the daughter of the general who runs the base, is literally a poster woman! for the New Army, a West Point grad and Gulf War hero who pos! ed in a life-size recruitment poster. It's pinned up on her basement wall--and when the sleuths touch the poster it swings back to reveal a hidden playroom stocked with sex toys and videos of many army guys in pig masks and the captain in high heels. She was a high-IQ "two percenter"--and Brenner finds that two percenters often wind up on his desk as homicide suspects. Why is this one a victim? It has something to do with the collected works of Nietzsche on her bookshelf, corruption in high places, and the rag and bone shop of the heart.

This is one racy read, and it crackles with authenticity. DeMille is a Vietnam veteran who does for military justice what John Grisham does for civilians. --Tim Appelo When eighteen-year-old heiress Averie Winston travels to faraway Chiarrin, she looks forward to the reunion with her father and her handsome fianc‚, Morgan. What she finds is entirely different from what she expected. She realizes that Morgan is not the man she though! t he was; and she finds herself inexplicably drawn to another. Handsome Lieutenant Ket Du'kai is like no one Averie has ever met, and she enjoys every moment she spends with him, every delicious flirtation. Averie knows she's still engaged to another man, but she can't help but think about Lieutenant Du'kai, and she wonders if he feels the same.Here is an intriguing and sophisticated murder mystery of an upstanding military officer - the base commander's daughter - who's been leading an unsavory double life.

When a professional military woman with a pristine reputation is found raped and murdered, a preliminary search turns up certain paraphernalia, and sex toys that point to a scandal of major proportions, The chief investigator is reluctant to take the case when he learns that his partner will be a woman with whom he had a tempestuous affair and an unpleasant parting. But duty calls and intrigue begins when they learn that several top-level people may have been inv! olved with the "golden girl" - and many have wanted her dead. !

It's Nelson DeMille at his best - exciting, suspenseful and highly provocative.Long before the John Travolta film of The General's Daughter (which the author extols in the foreword), Nelson DeMille's seventh mystery was the breakout hit of his career. The rapid-fire dialogue and scenes are cinematic, and the storytelling puts most movies to shame.

The book has three heroes: Paul Brenner and Cynthia Sunhill of the army's Criminal Investigation Division and Capt. Ann Campbell, found dead with her underpants around her neck on the firing range at Fort Hadley, Georgia. Brenner and Sunhill are lowly warrant officers, but as investigators they can theoretically arrest their superiors--as long as their case is airtight. This ups the tension level, as does the fact that Brenner and Sunhill once had an adulterous affair.

The chief problem, though, is too many suspects. Capt. Campbell, the daughter of the general who runs the base, is literally a poster woman for t! he New Army, a West Point grad and Gulf War hero who posed in a life-size recruitment poster. It's pinned up on her basement wall--and when the sleuths touch the poster it swings back to reveal a hidden playroom stocked with sex toys and videos of many army guys in pig masks and the captain in high heels. She was a high-IQ "two percenter"--and Brenner finds that two percenters often wind up on his desk as homicide suspects. Why is this one a victim? It has something to do with the collected works of Nietzsche on her bookshelf, corruption in high places, and the rag and bone shop of the heart.

This is one racy read, and it crackles with authenticity. DeMille is a Vietnam veteran who does for military justice what John Grisham does for civilians. --Tim Appelo Here is an intriguing and sophisticated murder mystery of an upstanding military officer - the base commander's daughter - who's been leading an unsavory double life.

When a professional military wo! man with a pristine reputation is found raped and murdered, a ! prelimin ary search turns up certain paraphernalia, and sex toys that point to a scandal of major proportions, The chief investigator is reluctant to take the case when he learns that his partner will be a woman with whom he had a tempestuous affair and an unpleasant parting. But duty calls and intrigue begins when they learn that several top-level people may have been involved with the "golden girl" - and many have wanted her dead.

It's Nelson DeMille at his best - exciting, suspenseful and highly provocative.

From the cradle to college, tell your daughters the truth about life before they believe the culture’s lies.

For mothers with girls newborn to eighteen, Five Conversations You Must Have with Your Daughter is simply a must-have book. Youth culture commentator Vicki Courtney helps moms pinpoint and prepare the discussions that should be ongoing in their daughters' formative years.

To fully address the dynamic social and sp! iritual issues and influencers at hand, several chapters are written for each of the conversations, which are:

1. You are more than the sum of your parts

2. Don’t be in such a hurry to grow up

3. Sex is great and worth the wait

4. It’s OK to dream about marriage and motherhood

5. Girls gone wild are a dime a dozen—dare to be virtuous

The book is linked to online bonus features offering invaluable tips on having these conversations across the various stages of development: five and under, six to eleven, twelve and up.


Virtua Fighter 5

  • Two New Characters, El Blaze and Eileen, round out the cast of 17 dynamic fighters. El Blaze is a Mexican wrestling champion that uses the Lucha Libre fighting style, and Eileen, originally from China, uses Kou Ken (Monkey Kung Fu style) which she learned
  • Stunning highly-detailed 3D fi ghting environments inspired by locations around the world allow players to challenge their opponents in unique types of arenas.
  • New offensive move lets players move around their opponent from the side and back allowing players to be more strategic with their battle.
  • Customize characters with the enhanced attachment system and customization engine giving players more fl exibility than ever before when creating their characters.
  • Next-Gen presentation includes HD resolution (widescreen) and Dolby® Digital 5.1CH sound.
Small-town boy Shawn MacArthur (Channing Tatum, G.I. Joe: The R! ise of Cobra, Public Enemies) knows firsthand that every day in New York City is a struggle to survive. So when scam artist Harvey Boarden (Terrence Howard, Iron Man, Hustle and Flow) gives him a chance to be something more in the brutal underground world of bare-knuckle street-fighting, Shawn decides that he has something worth fighting for and puts everything on the line to win. Every knockout brings him closer to the life he’s always wanted, but also traps him in a dangerous web he can’t escape.The last thing you might expect from a movie called Fighting is excellent acting, but that’s what you’ll get. A scam artist named Harvey (Terrence Howard) sees a young would-be hustler named Shawn (Channing Tatum, Step Up, Stop-Loss) in a street scuffle and lures him into a no-rules fighting circuit. Shawn’s relentless drive to win leads him to unexpected success, but when he gets put into a big fight with a professional boxer, Harvey asks Shawn to take a dive. The plot ! sounds like a thousand boxing movies, but the difference is al! l in the texture. Fighting takes place in a very real New York City, with cramped, make-shift apartments, cluttered streets, and seedy nightclubs. Scenes get knocked sideways by odd bits of life and character quirks that feel organic, not shoehorned in by some clever screenwriter. There’s a marvelous scene where Shawn is trying to woo the Puerto Rican waitress he’s smitten with (Zulay Henao, Feel the Noise), but they keep getting interrupted by her suspicious mother--which sounds like a rom-com cliche, but is completely transformed by the wonderfully human interplay among the actors. Howard has always had a magnetic talent, but Tatum reveals an engaging vulnerability that contrasts nicely with his big-slab-of-beefcake look. The movie hearkens back to 1970s classics like Midnight Cowboy and Dog Day Afternoon, and though it doesn’t achieve the same emotional heights, it’s reaching in the right direction. Writer/director Dito Montiel (whose previous film, A Guide to Recognizing! Your Saints, also featured Tatum) promises to make some truly memorable movies. --Bret Fetzer

Stills from Fighting (Click for larger image)
Small-town boy Shawn MacArthur (Channing Tatum, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, Public Enemies) knows firsthand that every day in New York City is a struggle to survive. So when scam artist Harvey Boarden (Terrence Howard, Iron Man, Hustle and Flow) gives him a chance to be something more in the brutal underground world of bare-knuckle street-fighting, Shawn decides that he has something worth fighting for! and puts everything on the line to win. Every knockout brings! him clo ser to the life he’s always wanted, but also traps him in a dangerous web he can’t escape.The last thing you might expect from a movie called Fighting is excellent acting, but that’s what you’ll get. A scam artist named Harvey (Terrence Howard) sees a young would-be hustler named Shawn (Channing Tatum, Step Up, Stop-Loss) in a street scuffle and lures him into a no-rules fighting circuit. Shawn’s relentless drive to win leads him to unexpected success, but when he gets put into a big fight with a professional boxer, Harvey asks Shawn to take a dive. The plot sounds like a thousand boxing movies, but the difference is all in the texture. Fighting takes place in a very real New York City, with cramped, make-shift apartments, cluttered streets, and seedy nightclubs. Scenes get knocked sideways by odd bits of life and character quirks that feel organic, not shoehorned in by some clever screenwriter. There’s a marvelous scene where Shawn is trying to woo the Puerto Ri! can waitress he’s smitten with (Zulay Henao, Feel the Noise), but they keep getting interrupted by her suspicious mother--which sounds like a rom-com cliche, but is completely transformed by the wonderfully human interplay among the actors. Howard has always had a magnetic talent, but Tatum reveals an engaging vulnerability that contrasts nicely with his big-slab-of-beefcake look. The movie hearkens back to 1970s classics like Midnight Cowboy and Dog Day Afternoon, and though it doesn’t achieve the same emotional heights, it’s reaching in the right direction. Writer/director Dito Montiel (whose previous film, A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, also featured Tatum) promises to make some truly memorable movies. --Bret Fetzer

Stills from Fighting (Click for larger image)
Virtua Fighter returns with the next release in the series. Virtua Fighter 5 includes new features like enhanced gameplay mechanics, added characters, new fighting styles, and redesigned environments.

Glass: A Portrait of Philip in Twelve Parts

Bop It Bounce

  • Little-Middle-Big challenges you to bounce at exactly the right height and Free For All lets you bounce it out freestyle.
  • Build your skills on your own or compete against your friends to find out who?s the ultimate ?Bounce Master?!
  • Ball-bouncing game with electronic voice commands features six skill games for you to play on your own or compete against your friends!
  • Includes game unit, ball and instructions.
  • For 1 or more players.

Jack Ryan always wanted to play pro ball. But he couldn't hit a curveball, so he turned his attention to less legal pursuits. A tough guy who likes walking the razor's edge, he's just met his match -- and more -- in Nancy. She's a rich man's plaything, seriously into thrills and risk, and together she and Jack are pure heat ready to explode. But when simple housebreaking and burglary give way to the deadly pursuit of a really big! score, the stakes suddenly skyrocket. Because violence and double-cross are the name of this game -- and it's going to take every ounce of cunning Jack and Nancy possess to survive . . . each other.

Bounce has electronic voice commands to prompt you through 6 slammin' skill games. Max Bounce: You have only 30 seconds to bounce your fastest. Infinite Bounce: Keep the ball bouncing until you can bounce no more. Hang time: Catch as much air as you can in 5 bounces. Right height: The game calls the shots - hit it high or hit it low. Little-Middle-Big:Hit it high...hit it low...then hit it in the middle. Free form: Bounce it freestyle - that's any way you like. Bop it. Bounce comes with an electronic game unit, a ball, and instructions. Requires 3 'AAA' batteries (not included).You've got to bounce your best to win in this awesome BOP IT Bounce game! This ball bounce game features an electronic voice command to cue you through six different challenging games: Max Bounce tes! ts how fast you can bounce in 30 seconds, Infinite Bounce test! s how lo ng you can keep bouncing, Hang Time tests how high you can bounce, Right Height challenges you to match the shots called by the electronic voice, Little-Middle-Big challenges you to bounce at exactly the right height, and Free For All lets you bounce it out freestyle. Build your skills on your own or compete against your friends to find out who's the ultimate "Bounce Master"!
Bop It! Bounce
Bop It! Bounce
At a Glance

Age: 8 and up

Players: 1 or more players

Requirements: 3 AAA batteries (not included)
At a Glance
Bop It! Bounce
Includes electronic voice command and six different challenging games. View larger.

Features:
  • Ball-bouncing game with electronic voice commands features six skill games for you to play on your own or compete against your friends!

  • Includes game unit, ball and instructions.

What's in the Box
Game unit, ball and instructions.



Eight Below (Full Screen Edition)

  • Inspired by a true story and the hit Japanese film NANKYOKU MONOGATARI, Frank Marshall s (ALIVE, CONGO) EIGHT BELOW captures a rugged world of ice, snow, and threatening weather that few will ever experience in person. As a guide for a National Science Foundation Research Base in Antarctica, Jerry Shepard (Paul Walker) is perfectly content to spend his time exploring the wilderness with his sled d
On what should be a routine rescue mission during World War II, the submarine USS Tiger Shark picks up three survivors of a U-boat attack. But for the crew -- trapped together in the sub's narrow corridors and constricted spaces -- the unexpected visitors seem to spark a series of chilling, otherworldly occurrences! Starring Hollywood favorites Olivia Williams (THE SIXTH SENSE, THE POSTMAN), Bruce Greenwood (THIRTEEN DAYS, DOUBLE JEAPOARD), and Matt Davis (LEGALLY BLONDE, BLUE CRUSH).Inspired by the! vintage thrillers of Val Lewton and Jacques Tourneur, Below is a superbly crafted spookfest primed for cult-favorite status. As he did with The Arrival and Pitch Black, director David Twohy revitalizes a B-movie staple--in this case, the World War II submarine thriller--by turning it into a nerve-wracking funhouse of smoke and mirrors, where chilling visions tease the brain and stir paranoia among a close-knit group of terrified characters. When a U.S. sub takes on three survivors from a sinking British ship, its captain (Bruce Greenwood) uncovers secrets while concealing his own. As the sub's recent history unfolds, its crew is increasingly haunted by ghostly images, fleeting and subliminal, while the threat of German attack looms ominously overhead. More of a mood piece than a truly satisfying thriller, Below favors tense atmosphere over cohesive plotting, but it's so visually captivating, and so tautly acted by a fine ensemble cast, that its ! narrative flaws are easily forgiven. --Jeff ShannonOn w! hat was supposed to be a routine rescue mission during World War II, the submarine USS Tiger Shark picks up three survivors of a U-boat attack. But the crew begins to noticeâ€"while trapped together in the sub's narrow corridors and constricted spacesâ€"that the visitors seem to spark a series of chilling, otherworldly occurrences. Starring Hollywood favorites Olivia Williams (TV's Dollhouse), Zach Galifianakis (The Hangover Part II), Jason Flemyng (Clash of the Titans), Bruce Greenwood (Barney's Version) and Matthew Davis (TV's The Vampire Diaries).Inspired by the vintage thrillers of Val Lewton and Jacques Tourneur, Below is a superbly crafted spookfest primed for cult-favorite status. As he did with The Arrival and Pitch Black, director David Twohy revitalizes a B-movie staple--in this case, the World War II submarine thriller--by turning it into a nerve-wracking funhouse of smoke and mirro! rs, where chilling visions tease the brain and stir paranoia among a close-knit group of terrified characters. When a U.S. sub takes on three survivors from a sinking British ship, its captain (Bruce Greenwood) uncovers secrets while concealing his own. As the sub's recent history unfolds, its crew is increasingly haunted by ghostly images, fleeting and subliminal, while the threat of German attack looms ominously overhead. More of a mood piece than a truly satisfying thriller, Below favors tense atmosphere over cohesive plotting, but it's so visually captivating, and so tautly acted by a fine ensemble cast, that its narrative flaws are easily forgiven. --Jeff ShannonIt's Mitchum vs. Jurgens as the commanders of an American destroyer and a German U-boat play a deadly game of cat and mouse.In The Enemy Below Robert Mitchum and Curt Jurgens are respectively captains of a U.S. destroyer and a German U-boat whose vessels come into conflict in the South Atla! ntic. Both are good men with a job to do, the script noting Ju! rgens' d istaste for Hitler and the Nazis and engaging our sympathy with the German sailors almost as much as the Americans. Made at the height of the cold war of the 1950s, the film delivers a liberal message of co-operation wrapped inside some spectacular action scenes and a story which builds to a tense and exciting, moving finale. --Gary S. DalkinWalt Disney Pictures presents EIGHT BELOW, the thrilling tale of incredible friendship between eight amazing sled dogs and their guide Jerry (Paul Walker). Stranded in Antarctica during the most unforgiving winter on the planet, Jerry's beloved sled dogs must learn to survive together until Jerry â€" who will stop at nothing -- rescues them. Driven by unwavering bonds of friendship, enormous belief in one another, and tremendous courage, Jerry and the dogs make an incredible journey to reunite in this triumphant and inspiring action-adventure the whole family will treasure.Despite a likable cast of humans, it's the canine stars wh! o steal the show in Eight Below, a terrific live-action adventure in the time-honored Disney tradition. Based on a true story that was previously filmed (much differently) as the 1983 Japanese hit Antarctica, this above-average family film takes place in 1993 and focuses on a dog-sled guide at an Antarctic research station (Paul Walker) who is forced by a severe storm to abandon eight beloved sled dogs for the duration of a harsh Antarctic winter. Left to fend for themselves, the rugged and resourceful dogs encounter danger at every turn, surviving for nearly six months while Walker and his closest colleagues (engagingly played by Bruce Greenwood, Moon Bloodgood, and American Pie's Jason Biggs) join forces to mount a daring rescue mission. Having endured similarly extreme conditions on his 1993 film Alive, director Frank Marshall brings an abundance of natural splendor (and minimum use of digital wizardry) to spectacularly arctic locations in Nor! way, Greenland and Canada, and Walker (star of The Fast and! the Fur ious) lends an amiable sincerity to his compassionate role. For most viewers, however, it's the remarkable dogs (six Siberian huskies and two malamutes) who make Eight Below so thoroughly entertaining. It's not quite an instant family classic, but it comes pretty doggone close. --Jeff Shannon

WOW Christmas: 30 Top Christian Artists and Holiday Songs

  • Includes, Avalon Winter Wonderland, Michael W. Smith
  • Emmanuel, Point of Grace O Holy Night, Steven C. Chapman
  • Christmas is all in the Heart, Yolanda Adams Have yourself a merry little
  • Christmas,Amy Grant Breath of Heaven(Mary's Song)
  • 31 Songs in all. Rachel Lampa Ave Maria, Donnie McClurkin, Hark the hearld Angels Sing...Kathy Mattea Mary Did you Know? Kirk Franklin the Night that Christ was born...
Narrated by Oprah Winfrey, Emmanuel's Gift tells the story of a disabled orphan in Ghana, West Africa, whose father abandoned him, village dismissed him, and country thought him better off dead. This is the story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah, who had nothing, but gave everything--and changed a nation forever.: If you are born disabled in Ghana, West Africa you are likely to be poisoned, or left to die by your family; and if you are not poisoned or left for dead, you're ! likely to be hidden away in a room; and if you're not hidden, you are destined to spend your lifetime begging on the streets. Of the twenty million people in Ghana, two million are disabled. This is the story of one disabled man whose mission-and purpose- is to change all that forever. In Emmanuel's Gift, filmmakers Lisa Lax and Nancy Stern have uncovered a story as compelling as it is important. Narrated by Oprah Winfrey, the film chronicles the life of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah, a young Ghanaian man born with a severely deformed right leg, who today, against incalculable odds, is opening minds, hearts and doors-and effecting social and political change throughout his country. While Emmanuel's message is vital: people with disabilities are valuable contributors to any society, his method is inspirational. Emmanuel begins his quest with a bicycle ride, over 600 kilometers, across Ghana with one leg-and continues to spread his vision with grit and resolve. Lisa Lax and Nancy Ste! rn have been documenting Emmanuel's plight for over a year, ha! ving sho t over 100 hours of powerful imagery. The film includes original footage shot in Ghana, California, Oregon and New York, as well as photographs and other acquired film/video of Emmanuel's early years. Through it all, they have created an intimate insight into the mind and heart of a visionary whose unforgettable journey transcends continents and cultures and becomes each of ours to share.Grammy-nominated fingerstyle guitar virtuoso Tommy Emmanuel has toured in Europe, Asia, South America, and the United States, bringing his music from the Australian outback to the rest of the world and creating legions of new fans in the process. None other than the incredible Chet Atkins has referred to him as "One of the greatest guitarists in the world," and Tommy is quick to acknowledge Chet as his principal inspiration. Modestly referring to himself as "an entertainer who happens to play the guitar," Tommy captivates his audiences with his humor, charisma and musicianship, delivering kn! ockout performances around the globe. Tommy's energy and the ideal acoustics of the Sheldon Concert Hall make this a video performance to be cherished. This DVD features nearly two hours of performance, including all of the material from both of the VHS volumes entitled Tommy Emmanuel in Concert! Live at the Historic Sheldon Auditorium. Academy Award winner Tim Robbins stars in this compelling film from Pedro Almodovar, the renowned director of Volver and Talk to Her. Powerfully acted and critically acclaimed, The Secret Life of Words is a moving story about discovering love and hope when least expected. A wounded oil worker forms an unlikely and emotional relationship with a nurse based on his need to divulge the secrets of his past and her mysterious silence about her own identity. Jack Mathews of the New York Daily News calls it "remarkably compelling…one you won't soon forget."In the Secret Life of Words, a wounded man and a hearing impaired woman forge an unli! kely relationship that transcends romance. They reach an under! standing that speaks as much for the affection they hold for one another, as it does their need to simply be recognized. Academy Award winner Tim Robbins (Bull Durham, The Shawshank Redemption) stars opposite Sarah Polley (The Sweet Hereafter) in this emotional drama directed and written by Isabel Coixet (who also collaborated with Polley in My Life Without Me). Polley plays Hanna, an emotionally-stilted factory worker who is forced to take a vacation. Instead of jetting off to the Caribbean or the South of France for some sun, Hanna opts for Northern Ireland where she is hired to work as an oil rig nurse, despite the fact that she may never have actually had any medical training. Robbins portrays Josef, a chatty burn victim who is left temporarily blind, but still has enough life in him to flirt with Hanna. She would rather turn down her hearing aid and make as little contact with others as possible. Slowly, the two share secrets and help each other reco! ver--him physically, her emotionally. While the burgeoning love story is a bit implausible, the film does a good job in exploring two characters with complicated backgrounds. --Jae-Ha KimIn this gory horror comedy classic from Troma Team Video, two kindly little old ladies turn into flesh-eating, denture-gnashing demons when they open a mysterious package! When the sweet seniors invite their family to a birthday party, one nephew who is not invited, a devil-worshipper whose activities have resulted in his being removed from the sisters' inheritance, decides to take his revenge! He sends a party gift that turns the scene into a frolic of the macabre: the aunts turn cannibal and eat up all their guests! Rabid Grannies will make you scream and laugh at the same time, and this DVD comes fully loaded with unreleased scenes, special effects outtakes and demos by James Desert, a director’s commentary, and a special episode of Troma’s Edge TV!(Drama) Something the Lor! d Made tells the emotional true story of two men who defied th! e rules of their time to launch a medical revolution, set against the backdrop of the Jim Crow south. Working in 1940s Baltimore on an unprecedented technique for performing heart surgery on "blue babies," Dr. Alfred Blalock (Alan Rickman) and lab technician Vivien Thomas (Mos Def) form an impressive team. As Blalock and Thomas invent a new field of medicine, saving thousands of lives in the process, social pressures threaten to undermine their collaboration and tear their friendship apart.Something the Lord Made recounts the relationship between Dr. Alfred Blalock (Alan Rickman) and Vivian Thomas (Mos Def). It begins in 1930s Nashville when imperious cardiac surgeon Blalock hires Thomas, an African American carpenter, as his janitor. When the latter reveals a passion for medicine and facility with surgical instruments, Blalock promotes him to lab tech. Thomas isn't given a raise, works side jobs to make ends meet, and is expected to be grateful. Along the way, he follows Bla! lock from Vanderbilt to Johns Hopkins, where they save thousands of lives through their pioneering work, but will Thomas ever get any credit? The film provides a satisfying answer to that question. Joseph Sargent (A Lesson Before Dying) directs with subtlety and intelligence, while Rickman and Mos Def are in top form, often underplaying where most actors would do otherwise. Something the Lord Made won the 2004 Emmy for outstanding made-for-TV movie. --Kathleen C. FennessyIt was only a matter of time before the folks behind the wildly successful WOW series turned their eyes toward Christmas. After all, holiday releases by Christian artists flood the market every year, and there's plenty of stock to choose from. WOW Christmas does, indeed, capture a nice range of styles and artists from releases over the last few years. Among the sweeter moments are Michael W. Smith's new standard, "Emmanuel," Point of Grace's angelic "O Holy Night," Rebecca St. Ja! mes's quirky "Sweet Little Jesus Boy," and the Mark Schultz-Ni! chole No rdeman gentle treatment of "Silent Night." There are a couple of curiosities here, as well: Avalon jazzing up the old standard "Winter Wonderland" with a Manhattan Transfer-like big-band sound; and Fred Hammond's soulful "Go Tell It on the Mountain." And if that's not offbeat enough, we also get the flat-out weirdness of Audio Adrenaline's punked-out "Little Drummer Boy." For the most part, though, WOW Christmas spices up the classic Yule tunes with freshness and creativity, making it a must disc for your holiday party. --Michael Lyttle
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