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The World of DVD: Romance

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AN EDUCATION
***** The story of a teenage girl's coming-of-age set in Britain in the early 1960s on the cusp of the strait-laced, post-war period and the free-spirited decade to come.  Directed by award-winning Danish filmmaker Lone Scherfig (Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself, Italian for Beginners) from a screenplay by Nick Hornby (High Fidelity, About a Boy) it was adapted from a memoir by journalist Lynn Barber which originally appeared in the literary magazine Granta. "I'm still not entirely sure what it was about Lynn Barber's piece that had such a strong pull on me, but quite clearly there was one," says screenwriter Nick Hornby, who adapted journalist Lynn Barber's memoir, which originally appeared in the literary magazine Granta. The story tells of a brilliantly witty and attractive 16-year-old (Carey Mulligan) whose suburban life is about to be blown apart by the utterly unsuitable 30-something David (Peter Sarsgaard). The Bonus features include deleted scenes and a making of featurette.  Read more about An Education
A SINGLE MAN
***** A mesmerising journey into the heart and soul of a man who has lost the love of his life and needs to come to terms with the loss that overpowers his existence. Colin Firth delivers an astounding and controlled performance as a man whose life and dreams are shattered. Julianne Moore is a revelation in her powerhouse performance as a friend who shares his loss. Equally captivating is Matthew Goode as the idealistic lover and Nicholas Hoult is sensational as the guardian angel. Tom Ford's articulate direction aptly captures the frenzied mindscape of a man who has been blinded by love and whose loss creates an awareness that allows him to see the world around him for the first time. The story focuses on a 52 year old British college professor who is struggling to find meaning to his life after the death of his long time partner. He dwells on the past and cannot see his future as we follow him through a single day, where a series of events and encounters, ultimately leads him to decide if there is a meaning to life after Jim.  A Single Man is the ultimate romantic tale of love interrupted, and the exploration of the isolation that is an inherent part of the human condition, and ultimately the importance of the seemingly smaller moments in life.  Bonus Feature: An excellent featurette with interview.  Read more
THE ACCIDENTAL HUSBAND
*** Plenty of passion and lots of sparks, The Accidental Husband proves that a wild fiery love will snuff out a dull steady flame in a New York minute. Radio sensation Dr. Emma Lloyd (Uma Thurman) 'The Love Doctor', and her publisher/fiancé Michael (Colin Firth) thought getting a license to wed in New York would be easier than getting a driver's license. But when Emma carelessly dispenses some of her "chicken soup for the heart" over the Big Apple's airwaves, and a faithful listener takes her advice, Fireman Patrick Sullivan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) suddenly has his love life extinguished. Now Patrick wants to get even, and after reading about the good doctor's impending nuptials in the newspaper, he puts together the perfect recipe for sweet revenge:  Just take one know-it-all talk show host, one angry New York City fireman, one computer whiz who can hack into city hall, and presto! Emma can't get married because she already is . . . to Patrick! Read more
AUGUST RUSH
**** A charismatic young Irish guitarist (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) and a sheltered young cellist (Keri Russell) have a chance encounter one magical night above New York's Washington Square, but are soon torn apart, leaving in their wake an infant, orphaned by circumstance. Read more
ALFIE *** The provocative tale of a philosophical womanizer (Jude Law) who is forced to question his seemingly carefree existence. The features include commentary by writer-director Charles Shyer and film editor Padraic McKinley; Commentary by writer-director Charles Shyer and writer-producer Elaine Pope; an intimate discussion on the film's production, hosted by the director; The World of Alfie; The Women of Alfie; Deconstruction of a scene; deleted scenes with optional commentary by the director and editor. Read more
ALL OVER THE GUY *** Opposites attract in this romantic comedy about two very different men and their search of true love; the one is a neurotic gay man and X files addict whose favourite film is 'Gone With the Wind', and the other his straight best friend and next door neighbour. It stars Dan Bucatinsky (who also wrote the witty screenplay), and Adam Goldberg (Saving Private Ryan), with guest appearances by Christina Ricci, Lisa Kudrow and Doris Roberts (from Everybody Loves Raymond).  Features: deleted scenes, storyboards, cast interviews, alternate ending.
BELLA
***** If you enjoy films that deal with humanity and the human condition, then this heartwarming story about friendship, family and our capacity for love in the face of the unexpected is ideal. If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans. In Mexican director Alejandro Monteverde's emotional tale of self-discovery, two people whose lives are about to be changed forever discover that sometimes it takes losing it all to finally appreciate the things that truly matters. Read more
BRIGHT STAR
**** Obsession is a deadly force to be reckoned with on the big screen. In Jane Campion's exquisite romance, the obsessive nature of creativity and love are interwoven in a delicate story of two souls whose connection throws their lives and destinies into turmoil. Campion fell in love with the secret romance between the 23-year-old English poet Keats (Ben Whishaw), and his muse Fanny Brawne (Abbie Cornish), who was an outspoken student of fashion. Campion was "drawn to the pain and beauty and innocence of their love affair," depicted in Andrew Motion's book.  "They were so young; it was a true life Romeo and Juliet story well-documented but one I had not known.  I found myself weeping at the end of it. The story is so tragic and tender." A must for hopeless romantics, Campion perfectly captures the intimate silence of pure love and the innocence of doomed romance.  Read more 
BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN **** From Academy Award-winning filmmaker Ang Lee comes this gentle romance proving that true love knows no boundaries; Ang Lee's sensitive direction and moving performances from Jake Gylenhaal and Heath Ledger make this a must for hopeless romantics or anyone who would like to indulge in an emotional journey of the heart. This epic American love story is based on the short story by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Annie Proulx and adapted for the screen by the team of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana. There are some fantastic behind the scenes features, including interviews with the writers, directors and cast.  Read a conversation with the writers, cast, crew and director
THE BROTHERS BLOOM
**** Academy Award winner Rachel Weisz (The Constant Gardener), Academy Award winner Adrien Brody (The Pianist), Mark Ruffalo (Zodiac), and Academy Award nominee Rinko Kikuchi (Babel) star in The Brothers Bloom, a globe-trotting comedy about the last great adventure of the world's two best con men.Welcome to the world of The Brothers Bloom, where deception is an art and nothing is as it seems. The brothers have perfected their craft through years of fraternal teamwork. Now they've decided to take on one last spectacular job--luring a beautiful and eccentric heiress into an elaborate plot that takes them around the world.The Brothers Bloom are the best con men in the world, swindling millionaires with complex scenarios of lust and intrigue. Now they've decided to take on one last job - showing a beautiful and eccentric heiress the time of her life with a romantic adventure that takes them around the world. Read more
CANDY
**** An exceptional romance that explores the fatalistic relationship between two junkies. This story is a narration from an Australian man (Heath Ledger) who falls in love with two kinds of Candy: a woman of the same name and heroin. The narrator changes from a smart-aleck to someone trying to find a vein to inject, while Candy changes from an actress, call girl, streetwalker, and then a madwoman.   The features include audio commentary by director Neil Armfield and screenwriter Luke Davies, as well as interviews on them. Read more  Read more about what the cast have to say about their characters
CASANOVA
**** A charming and delightful romantic comedy; it is funny without being frivolous, visually spectacular, and has a script that crackles with wit.  He was the world's most notorious seducer. A swashbuckler, master of disguise and wit - it was said no woman could resist Casanova's amorous charms. Until now. For the first time in his life, the legendary Casanova (Heath Ledger) is about to meet his match with an alluring Venetian beauty, Francesca (Sienna Miller), who does the one thing he never thought possible: refuse him.   Features: Creating an adventure, Dressing in Style, audio commentary by director Lasse Hallstrom, Extended sequences, visions of Venice.Read more
CHÉRI **** Set in the luxurious demi-monde of pre-First World War Paris, CHÉRI is the story of the love affair between the beautiful retired courtesan Léa (Michelle Pfeiffer) and Chéri (Rupert Friend), the son of her old colleague and rival, Mme Peloux (Kathy Bates).
Léa has educated the spoilt and callow boy in the ways of love, but after six years Mme Peloux has secretly arranged a marriage between Chéri and Edmée (Felicity Jones), daughter of another rich courtesan, Marie Laure (Iben Hjejle). Read more
As the inevitable moment of parting approaches, Léa and Chéri try to come to terms with their imminent separation, but the roots of their life of ease and pleasure reach deeper than even they imagine and they begin to understand, too late, how much they mean to one another.

CLOSER
***** An intriguing story of passion, drama, love, and abandonment involving two couples, which only gets more complicated when the man from the first couple gets acquainted with the woman from the second coupling.Directed by Mike Nichols, with Julia Roberts, Jude Law, Natalie Portman, Clive Owen, Steve Benham. Set in contemporary London, Closer is funny and powerful, and reminiscent of such Nichols' classics as Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf and Carnal Knowledge. The screenplay is by Patrick Marber, based on his acclaimed stage production.  Features: Unfortunately the only feature is the music video. Read more 
COACH Hugh Dancy plays an unemployed Manhattan barfly and loser who needs to do more with his life and decides to find a job coaching a middle-school soccer team down the block from his trust-fund financed apartment. His good intentions are rewarded when he meets a beautiful doctor (Mamie Gummer). Through and unlike friendship with his thirteen-year-old star player, and a budding relationship with the doctor, he begins to understand that growing up is more complicated than he could have ever imagined.
COLD MOUNTAIN
*** Minghella could immediately envision Frazier's epic tale as a motion picture. "The book itself makes an irresistible case for adaptation to the screen," he notes. "It has an honourable hero, a journey, a purpose, a series of obstacles, a woman waiting with forbearance, and Cold Mountain itself, which stands in for a time and way of life that have been lost. At its heart the book has an intriguing, enduring question: Is it better to have tried and failed than never to have tried at all?"  There's some great features on this two-disc set in this romantic adventure that follows the intertwined paths of three people equally uprooted by war, three people whose physical and spiritual survival comes to depend entirely on one another. Read more
THE CONSTANT GARDENER **** A fusion of drama, romance and mystery. Although it is laced with elements of your typical John Le Carre political thriller, it is the romance that is the heartbeat of this film. Brought to the screen by a convergence of tremendous filmmaking talent from all over the globe, The Constant Gardener combines - as only motion pictures can -adventure, social relevance, and emotion. Read more
DEAR JOHN
**** A touching love letter to anyone who has ever been in love, Lasse Halstrom perfectly anchors this romance in the endearing relationship between a father and son, with Channing Tatum delivering a moving performance as  a young soldier in search of himself, and Richard Jenkins equally impressive as the father who desperately needs to connect with the world around him.  The film has a naïve innocence that is utterly charming and an honesty that is appealing. Rekindle the romantic inside you with this heartfelt story that delivers much more than it promises. Based on the novel by best-selling author Nicholas Sparks, it tells the story of a young soldier home on leave, and , the idealistic college student he falls in love with  (Amanda Seyfried)during her spring vacation. Over the next seven tumultuous years, the couple is separated by John's increasingly dangerous deployments. While meeting only sporadically, they stay in touch by sending a continuous stream of love letters overseas--correspondence that eventually triggers fateful consequences. Read more
DIRTY PRETTY THINGS
***** Stephen Frear's brilliant drama focuses on the extraordinary romance between two illegal immigrants. To the outsider, London is a sightseer's theme park, a rich assembly of landmarks and historic buildings, where blue plaques chronicle the passing of time right back to the Middle Ages. But like any modern city, London is a paradox; its true-blue heritage is supported by tourist money and, in many cases, employs personnel from all four corners of the world, working within various changing shades of legality. Read more
THE DUCHESS
***** Set at the end of the eighteenth century, The Duchess is the story of the beautiful and, glamorous Georgiana Spencer (Keira Knightley), the most fascinating woman of the age.  While her beauty and charisma made her name, her extravagant tastes and appetite for gambling and love made her infamous.  Married young to the older, distant Duke of Devonshire, intimate of ministers and princes, Georgiana became a fashion icon, a doting mother, a shrewd political operator and darling of the common people.  But at the core of her story is a desperate search for love.  The Duchess is a very contemporary tale of fame, notoriety and the search for love. Read more
DUPLICITY
***** Oscar winner Julia Roberts and Clive Owen join one another in the romantic caper from writer/director Tony Gilroy (Michael Clayton). Roberts and Owen star as spies-turned-corporate operatives in the midst of a clandestine love affair.  When they find themselves on either side of an all-out corporate war, they discover the toughest part of the job is deciding how much to trust the one you love. The Bonus Features include an audio commentary with writer-director Tony Gilroy and editor John Gilroy.  Read more  Read an interview with writer-director Tony Gilroy
ELIZABETH THE GOLDEN AGE
*****An exquisite, sumptuous cinematic feast, this period drama features Cate Blanchett in top form, reprising her Oscar-winning performances as Queen Elizabeth. Facing bloodlust for her throne and familial betrayal, she grows keenly aware of the changing religious and political tides of late 16th century Europe, and finds her rule openly challenged by the Spanish King Philip II. The bonus features include a fantastic making-of featurette as well as an in depth look into the design, creation and visual effects, deleted scenes and informative audio commentary by director Shekhar Kapur. Read more
ELIZABETHTOWN
    *** It follows the story of Drew Baylor (Orlando Bloom), a man down on his luck, as he journeys to his roots in small-town Kentucky to bury his father. Drew finds new life in his interactions with his colorful extended family, and in his unexpected romance with Claire (Kirsten Dunst), a quirky and persistent airline stewardess. Written and directed by Cameron Crowe. Read more 
THE ENGLISH PATIENT (2 Disc Special Edition)
*** Winner of an astounding nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Supporting Actress, this sweeping World War II romantic epic is based on the novel by Michael Ondaatje. After a badly burned pilot is pulled from the wreckage of his plane in the Sahara Desert, he's placed in the care of an army nurse and identified only as 'the English Patient'. As his memory slowly returns, a passionate and consuming love affair with a married woman is unveiled, and lives from both the past and the present become inextricably altered. Features: On Disc One there's Feature commentary by screenwriter and director Anthony Minghella, as well as commentary by Minghella and writer Michael Ondaatje. On Disc 2 there's a master class with Anthony Minghella, a documentary on the making of, a featurette on Michael Ondaatje, A documentary looking at 'From Script to Screen', with interviews with the cast and crew, Conversations with the filmmakers, The Work of Production Designer Stuart Craig.
THE GROOMSMEN ***** In the tradition of 'Diner' comes this delightful comedy-drama from writer-director Edward Burns. The countdown to Paulie's (Burns) wedding to his beautiful and pregnant  girlfriend (Brittany Murphy), reunites him with his childhood pals for a week-long raucous bachelor party. Features some delightful performances by John Leguizamo as a 'friend with a dark secret', and Matthew Lillard, Donal Logue and Jay Mohr as the groomsmen.
IT'S COMPLICATED
**** Writer/director Nancy Meyers ("What Women Want," "Something's Gotta Give," "The Holiday") directs Meryl Streep, Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin in "It's Complicated," a comedy about love, divorce and everything in between. Jane (Streep) is the mother of three grown kids, owns a thriving Santa Barbara bakery/restaurant and has--after a decade of divorce--an amicable relationship with her ex-husband, attorney Jake (Baldwin). But when Jane and Jake find themselves out of town for their son's college graduation, things start to get complicated. An innocent meal together turns into the unimaginable--an affair. With Jake remarried to the much younger Agness (Lake Bell), Jane is now, of all things, the other woman. Caught in the middle of their renewed romance is Adam (Martin), an architect hired to remodel Jane's kitchen. Healing from a divorce of his own, Adam starts to fall for Jane, but soon realizes he's become part of a love triangle. Should Jane and Jake move on with their lives, or is love truly lovelier the second time around? It's... complicated. Read more  Read a question and answer with Nancy Meyers
LAST CHANCE HARVEY
*****  Academy Award winners Dustin Hoffman (Rain Man) and Emma Thompson (Sense and Sensibility) reunite in this magnificent romance that celebrates new beginnings - at any age. The film is written and directed by Joel Hopkins (Jump Tomorrow). New Yorker Harvey Shine (Dustin Hoffman) is on the verge of losing his dead-end job as a jingle writer. Warned by his boss (Richard Schiff) that he has just one more chance to deliver, Harvey goes to London for a weekend to attend his daughter's (Liane Balaban) wedding but promises to be back on Monday morning to make an important meeting--or else. Harvey arrives in London only to learn his daughter has chosen to have her stepfather (James Brolin) walk her down the aisle. Trying to hide his devastation, Harvey leaves the wedding before the reception in hopes of getting to the airport on time, but misses the plane anyway. When he calls his boss to explain, Harvey is fired on the spot. Drowning his sorrows at the airport bar, Harvey strikes up a conversation with Kate (Emma Thompson), a sensitive, 40-something employee of the Office of National Statistics. Kate, whose life is limited to work, the occasional humiliating blind date and endless phone calls from her smothering mother (Eileen Atkins), is touched by Harvey, who finds himself energized by her intelligence and compassion. The growing connection between the pair inspires both as they unexpectedly transform one another's lives. Read more
LITTLE ASHES
***** A Spanish-British drama film, set against the backdrop of Spain during the 20s and 30s, as three of the era's most creative young talents meet at university and set off on a course to change their world. Luis Buñuel watches helplessly as the friendship between Salvador Dalí and the poet Federico García Lorca develops into a steamy love affair.When 18-year-old Dali (Robert Pattinson) arrives at the university in Madrid he is determined to become a great artist.He soon catches the attention of the varsity's social elite - poet Federico García Lorca (Javier Beltran) and aspiring filmmaker Luis Buñuel (Matthew McNulty). They form the nucleus of the most modern group in Madrid and their private lives become increasingly complex as Federico ignores the advances of devoted friend and writer Magdalena (Marina Gatell), and Salvador himself feels the pull of García Lorca's magnetism. When Salvador and Federico leave Madrid to spend the summer at the seaside village of Cadaques, at the home of Dalí's family, Federico finds himself accepted into the Dalí family as he and Salvador grow closer until, one night, their friendship becomes more. Even as they draw closer, their relationship appears doomed. Dalí finds García Lorca's obsession with him more than he is prepared to handle. Read more
LONDON
*** This scorching romantic drama revolves around a man (Chris Evans) whose passionate and stormy relationship with a woman named London (Jessica Biel) has ended, and who becomes a total wreck. While numbing himself senseless with drugs and alcohol, he discovers that her friends are throwing her a going-away bash. Furious over her plans, he crashes the party with his dealer (Jason Statham) in tow, hoping to prevent his ex-love from leaving town, no matter what the cost.. Features: Commentary, deleted scenes and a featurette.
LOVE ACTUALLY ***** Acclaimed screenwriter Richard Curtis (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill, Bridget Jones's Diary) now steps behind the camera for his directorial debut on his latest project, the ultimate romantic comedy. The features include a fantastic director's commentary. Read more 
MANAGEMENT
**** A romantic comedy that chronicles a chance meeting between Mike Cranshaw (Steve Zahn) and Sue Claussen (Jennifer Aniston). When Sue checks into the roadside motel owned by Mike's parents in Arizona, what starts with a bottle of wine "compliments of MANAGEMENT" soon evolves into a multi-layered, cross-country journey of two people looking for a sense of purpose. Mike, an aimless dreamer, bets it all on a trip to Sue's workplace in Maryland - only to find that she has no place for him in her carefully ordered life. Buttoned down and obsessed with making a difference in the world, Sue goes back to her yogurt mogul ex-boyfriend Jango (Woody Harrelson), who promises her a chance to head his charity operations. But, having found something worth fighting for, Mike pits his hopes against Sue's practicality, and the two embark on a twisted, bumpy, freeing journey to discover that their place in the world just might be together. Read more
MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA
***** Sumptuous and mesmerising.  Rob Marshall (Chicago) beautifully captures the spectacle and intimacy of the life of a Japanese girl searching for love in the 40s.  Set in a mysterious and exotic world which still casts a potent spell today, the story begins in the years before World War II, when a Japanese child is torn from her penniless family to work as a servant in a geisha house.  Bonus features include 4 behind the scenes featurettes including The Look of a Geisha (inside the wardrobe and makeup), the music of the film, Geisha bootcamp (how the actresses became geishas), and a Geisha dance. Audio commentary by director Rob Marshall and co-producer John DeLuca; production audio commentary by costume designer, production designer and editor.  Read more
MRS. HENDERSON PRESENTS **** Judi Dench plays a widow of wealth and connections, who is bored.  At 69, she is far too energetic and vital to fade into gentle widowhood. What she needs, says her friend Lady Conway, is a hobby. She buys a theatre - the Windmill Theatre in the heart of Soho.Read more
MATCH POINT *** Woody Allen's drama about ambition and obsession, the seduction of wealth, and the often discordant relationship between love and sexual passion. Perhaps most importantly, however, the story reveals the huge part luck plays in the events of our lives, refuting the comforting misconception that more of life is under our control than really is. Working with Allen for the first time, cinematographer Remi Adefarasin was impressed by the director's methods, noting, "Woody likes to stay close to the camera when we're rolling so he can see the actors' faces. He does not use a video monitor because he recognizes that they can be deceiving." Read more
NOEL  **** A superb drama involving the lives of five New Yorkers who are brought together by fate on Christmas Eve, seeking a miracle  The ensemble cast shines, particularly Susan Sarandon as the hopeful loner in search of a life, Penelope Cruz as the young woman who needs to sort out her troubled relationship with her fiancé, Paul Walker as the fiancé who needs to tame his jealousy,  and Robin Williams as the fallen priest who seeks redemption. A must for anyone in search of a character driven narrative that celebrates the triumph of the human spirit.   Read more
THE NOTEBOOK **** Undoubtedly one of the best romantic drama of the year. This full blooded love story for hopeless romantics following the turbulent journey of young lovers who forge a passionate summer. The features include 12 deleted scenes; a documentary on the filmmaker and the novelist/writer as well as commentary by the filmmaker and writer. Read more
OUT OF AFRICA 2 Disc Special Edition **** Sydney Pollack's masterful Oscar-winning adaptation of the true story of Karen Blixen, a strong willed woman who falls in love in a strange country, stars Meryl Streep and Robert Redford. Features: The bonus disc includes an original documentary 'Song of Africa', as well as commentary by director Sydney Pollack.

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