Elegy: Reflections on Angkor

• Hardcover, bound in chocolate brown silk
• 30x30 cm (approx 12x12") coffee-table art book
• 104 tritone plates
• Printed in Italy

Respected cultural critic and author David Kepesh (Ben Kingsley) is a middle-aged college professor who, for years, has lived in a state of "emancipated manhood." His romantic conquests are many; his lasting commitments, few. But when a stunning young student named Consuela Castillo (Penelope Cruz) enters his life, her otherworldly beauty captivates him to the point of obsession. Soon, their erotic relationship evolves into an undying and passionate love in this gripping drama that explores the power of love to blind, reveal and transform.There are very few men who wouldn’t eagerly sell their souls to be with Penelope Cruz (or whatever character she happens to be playing). But with Elegy, director Isabel Coixet and screenwriter Nicholas M! eyer (adapting a novel by Philip Roth) pose some thorny questions: How many are willing, let alone able, to see past a woman’s beauty and embrace her true being? And when beauty fades, what then? David Kepesh (Ben Kingsley) is a successful New York author, teacher, and literature maven; a semi-celebrity due to regular TV appearances, he’s self-satisfied if not exactly smug, seemingly unconcerned about his advancing age (he’s now in his sixties, but as he tells us in voice-over, "In my head, nothing’s changed") or his strained relationship with the son (Peter Sarsgaard) who still resents him for abandoning his marriage years ago, and content with his occasional and purely sexual relationship with a middle-aged businesswoman (Patricia Clarkson). All of that changes when Consuela Castillo (Cruz) enrolls in one of his classes. More than 30 years his junior, she’s not just gorgeous but mature and smart as well. And for all his worldly cool, charm, and experience, once ! he’s involved with Consuela, David turns into just another p! ossessiv e, jealous, obsessed ("On the nights she isn’t with me, I am deformed"), and insecure man, convinced that it’s only a matter of time before their age difference pulls them apart. It’s a given that David will see to it that his self-fulfilling prophecy comes true. But will his lies and fear of commitment prove to be his ruination, or will the tragedies that ensue help him find a path to redemption? The film’s various performers (including Dennis Hopper as David’s best pal) and overall sophisticated, grownup tone, along with Cruz’s almost impossible beauty, make Elegy consistently watchable and compelling. --Sam GrahamIn these tales, now available in trade paperback, Batwoman battles a madwoman known only as Alice, inspired by Alice in Wonderland, who sees her life as a fairy tale and everyone around her as expendable extras! Batwoman must stop Alice from unleashing a toxic death cloud over all of Gotham City â€" but Alice has more up her sleeve than ! just poison, and Batwoman’s life will never ever be the same again.Handsome womanizer C?esar is disfigured in a car wreck, and as he attempts to pick up the pieces of his life, bizarre situations and events seem to occur as a result of his accident.
Genre: Foreign Film - Spanish/misc SA
Rating: R
Release Date: 18-DEC-2001
Media Type: DVDImagine if an actor's director like Eric Rohmer--whose films consist almost entirely of conversation between pairs or small groups of people--made a film that incorporated elements from movies like Dark City, eXistenZ, The Thirteenth Floor, The Truman Show, and Total Recall. The result might resemble Alejandro Amenabar's remarkable second feature, Open Your Eyes, which favors ideas over effects and offers twist upon twist with mind-warping agility. This film rewards multiple viewings, pushing the viewer toward one perception of reality, then switching to anot! her until reality itself is called into question. Melodrama, l! ove stor y, and psychological thriller combine with a dash of science fiction, forming a plot that is both disorienting and deceptively precise.

Set in Madrid, the story defies description, but this much can be revealed: young, handsome Cesar (Eduardo Noriega) is vain, rich, charming, and--following a botched suicide-murder scheme by a jilted lover--horribly disfigured. He'd fallen in love with Sofia (Penélope Cruz) but is now an embittered husk of his former self, stuck in a "psychiatric penitentiary" on a murder charge and hiding behind an expressionless mask. His reality has crumbled, but as the film's agenda is gradually revealed, we realize that there are other factors in play. Exposing that agenda would be a criminal offense against those who haven't seen the film; suffice it to say that Open Your Eyes takes you into the twilight zone and beyond, and does so cleverly enough to prompt Tom Cruise to produce and star in an English-language remake, Vanilla Sky. T! he 2001 remake, directed by Cameron Crowe, costars Cameron Diaz and Penélope Cruz, who reprises her original role. --Jeff ShannonLarry Levis was an outstanding poet, and a student and colleague of Philip Levine. Levine, who edited this posthumous manuscript, writes that Levis's "early death is a staggering loss for our poetry, but what he left is a major achievement that will enrich our lives for as long as poetry matters." That's high praise, and the poems in Elegy are sturdy enough to carry the weight of those expectations. Especially striking is "The Oldest Living Thing in L.A.," an encounter between urbanites trapped within the prisons of their routines, and an ancient-seeming possum crossing a busy city street: "It would lift its black lips & show them / The reddened gums, the long rows of incisors, / Teeth that went all the way back beyond / The flames of Troy & Carthage..." Levis's writing is marked by memorable imagery that reson! ates both to the world of our daily lives and our mythic long! ings for transcendence.According to The New York Times, John McDermott is "the Ansel Adams of Angkor.... His pictures are not just beautiful but iconic... dreamlike photos, which look as though they were taken in an ancient, forgotten world... becoming, in essence, the defining images of Angkor." McDermott's magical images let us enter an Angkor that is rapidly vanishing: the hidden realm of temples lost in the forest, a nineteenth century explorer's dream. He first came to Angkor in 1995 to witness a total eclipse of the sun. Inspired by the surreal, otherworldly light of the eclipse, he returned again and again over the next several years to create a definitive artistic portrait of the ancient Khmer temples. McDermott's photographs capture a unique moment in the history of Angkor: a pause on the cusp of their transition from remote jungle ruins to high profile international destination. In his images you can still wander solitary and alone through the giant stone causeway to a slu! mbering Angkor Wat, or watch in silence as a nun lights incense at a sunlit stupa. Created in a fourteen-year labor of love, Elegy is the definitive collection of McDermott's Angkor photography, with over 100 photographs. This exquisite coffee-table art book, with its lush images and subtle tonalities, was printed in Italy by Editoriale Bortolazzi Stei, one of the premier fine-art book printers in the world. The book is hardbound with a chocolate brown silk cover (the US edition has no dust cover), 256 pages, 104 tritone plates, 30x30 cm or approximately 12x12".

Cloud b Twilight Constellation Night Light, Turtle

• Transforms nurseries and bedrooms into a starry sanctuary that comforts and calms children
• Projects a complete starry night sky onto the walls and ceiling of any room; Dimensions: 14" long, 5" tall
• Three soothing color options blue, green and amber to create magical, tranquil environments
• Auto shut-off; 45 minutes sleep timer
• Includes three AAA batteries; Ideal for ages 2 to adult

Comforting and adorable, the Twilight Turtle nightlight projects a complete starry night sky onto the walls and ceiling of any room, making night-time less scary and more fun. Choose from three soothing color options to create a magical, tranquil environment that helps children from age three and up to ease into restful sleep.

The Twilight Turtle offers: Projection of starry night sky for tranquil sleep. Hand-painted details contribute to an artisti! c look. Three soothing color choices. Illustrated Star! Guide h elps identify constellations.

The soft glow also serves as a night light.

Project the night sky in your child's bedroom for a magical, tranquil sleep. View larger.

Artful, Soothing and Educational
The winner of several industry awards, including the Editor's Choice blue ribbon from Baby Talk, each Twilight Turtle is individually hand painted for a unique, artful look that complements any nursery or children's room. Plush and soft, with a sturdy p! lastic shell, this nightlight is best placed on the floor in the center of the room, where it projects a starry night sky onto the ceiling and walls. For interactive fun, parents can also sit with their children and identify and describe the features of eight major constellations, including the Big Dipper and the Big Bear, with the help of the beautifully illustrated Star Guide. The Twilight Turtle also includes a warm-hearted story about how Twilight Turtle, separated from his father, uses the constellations to find his way home.

User-Friendly Operation
Simply pressing the button on the turtle's shell ignites the stars and keeps them glowing for a full 45 minutes--just enough time for most children to drift into sleep. At this point, the Twilight Turtle automatically shuts off to preserve battery life. Another push of the button reactivates the projection. In addition, the easy selection of the three soothing color choices allows your child not only to learn! to identify different colors, but also to truly experience th! em as we ll. Amber radiates warmth and peace; green creates a healing and renewing atmosphere; and blue helps calm the senses. The soft, illuminating glow the Twilight Turtle emits also serves as a nightlight that makes the darkness less frightening.

Makes a Great Gift
A great gift for children who are afraid of the dark, or even adults who have trouble falling asleep, the Twilight Turtle runs on three "AAA" batteries (included). It also comes with a certification of adoption, and measures a compact 14.0 x 5.0 inches (WxH), so it's easy to display and store.

About Cloud b
Cloud b, the baby sleep specialist, was established by two new mothers with the philosophy that every baby deserves a sound night's sleep for healthy development. That's why all of Cloud b's products are developed in consultation with an advisory board of pediatricians and sleep specialists with a single focus: to achieve a better, safer sleep for baby.

What's in the Box
! Twilight Turtle, Constellation Guide, adoption certificate and three "AAA" batteries.

Also available:

Twilight Ladybug

Gangs of New York [Blu-ray]

• Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Language: English, French
• Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
• Run Time: 167 minutes
• Actors: Roger Ashton-Griffiths, Jim Broadbent, Peter-Hugo Daly, Daniel Day-Lewis, Leonardo DiCaprio

This motion picture event from acclaimed director Martin Scorsese earned 10 Academy Award(R) nominations including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor, along with 5 Golden Globe Award nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Song! Leonardo DiCaprio (TITANIC), Cameron Diaz (CHARLIE'S ANGELS), and Daniel Day-Lewis (THE BOXER) star in this epic tale of vengeance and survival! As waves of immigrants swell the population of New York, lawlessness and corruption thrive in lower Manhattan's Five Points section. After years of incarceration, young Irish immigrant Amsterdam Vallon (DiCaprio)! returns seeking revenge against the rival gang leader (Day-Lewis) who killed his father. But Amsterdam's personal vendetta becomes part of the gang warfare that erupts as he and his fellow Irishmen fight to carve a place for themselves in their newly adopted homeland!Gangs of New York may achieve greatness with the passage of time. Mixed reviews were inevitable for a production this grand (and this troubled behind the scenes), but it's as distinguished as any of director Martin Scorsese's more celebrated New York stories. From its astonishing 1846 prologue to the city's infernal draft riots of 1863, the film aspires to erase the decorum of textbooks and chronicle 19th-century New York as a cauldron of street warfare. The hostility is embodied in a tale of primal vengeance between Irish American son Amsterdam Vallon (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his father's ruthless killer and "Nativist" gang leader Bill "the Butcher" Cutting (Daniel Day-Lewis, brutally inspired), so name! d for his lethal talent with knives. Vallon's vengeance is onl! y margin ally compelling; DiCaprio is arguably miscast, and Cameron Diaz (as Vallon's pickpocket lover) is adrift in a film with little use for women. Despite these weaknesses, Scorsese's mastery blossoms in his expert melding of personal and political trajectories; this is American history written in blood, unflinching, authentic, and utterly spectacular. --Jeff ShannonThis motion picture event from acclaimed director Martin Scorsese earned 10 Academy Award(R) nominations including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor, along with 5 Golden Globe Award nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Song! Leonardo DiCaprio (Titanic), Cameron Diaz (Charlie's Angels), and Daniel Day-Lewis (The Boxer) star in this epic tale of vengeance and survival! As waves of immigrants swell the population of New York, lawlessness and corruption thrive in lower Manhattan's Five Points section. After years of incarceration, ! young Irish immigrant Amsterdam Vallon (DiCaprio) returns seeking revenge against the rival gang leader (Day-Lewis) who killed his father. But Amsterdam's personal vendetta becomes part of the gang warfare that erupts as he and his fellow Irishmen fight to carve a place for themselves in their newly adopted homeland!Gangs of New York may achieve greatness with the passage of time. Mixed reviews were inevitable for a production this grand (and this troubled behind the scenes), but it's as distinguished as any of director Martin Scorsese's more celebrated New York stories. From its astonishing 1846 prologue to the city's infernal draft riots of 1863, the film aspires to erase the decorum of textbooks and chronicle 19th-century New York as a cauldron of street warfare. The hostility is embodied in a tale of primal vengeance between Irish American son Amsterdam Vallon (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his father's ruthless killer and "Nativist" gang leader Bill "the Butcher" Cutti! ng (Daniel Day-Lewis, brutally inspired), so named for his let! hal tale nt with knives. Vallon's vengeance is only marginally compelling; DiCaprio is arguably miscast, and Cameron Diaz (as Vallon's pickpocket lover) is adrift in a film with little use for women. Despite these weaknesses, Scorsese's mastery blossoms in his expert melding of personal and political trajectories; this is American history written in blood, unflinching, authentic, and utterly spectacular. --Jeff ShannonThis motion picture event from acclaimed director Martin Scorsese earned 10 Academy Award(R) nominations including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor, along with 5 Golden Globe Award nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Song! Leonardo DiCaprio (TITANIC), Cameron Diaz (CHARLIE'S ANGELS), and Daniel Day-Lewis (THE BOXER) star in this epic tale of vengeance and survival! As waves of immigrants swell the population of New York, lawlessness and corruption thrive in lower Manhattan's Five Points section. Af! ter years of incarceration, young Irish immigrant Amsterdam Vallon (DiCaprio) returns seeking revenge against the rival gang leader (Day-Lewis) who killed his father. But Amsterdam's personal vendetta becomes part of the gang warfare that erupts as he and his fellow Irishmen fight to carve a place for themselves in their newly adopted homeland!Gangs of New York may achieve greatness with the passage of time. Mixed reviews were inevitable for a production this grand (and this troubled behind the scenes), but it's as distinguished as any of director Martin Scorsese's more celebrated New York stories. From its astonishing 1846 prologue to the city's infernal draft riots of 1863, the film aspires to erase the decorum of textbooks and chronicle 19th-century New York as a cauldron of street warfare. The hostility is embodied in a tale of primal vengeance between Irish American son Amsterdam Vallon (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his father's ruthless killer and "Nativist" gang lea! der Bill "the Butcher" Cutting (Daniel Day-Lewis, brutally ins! pired), so named for his lethal talent with knives. Vallon's vengeance is only marginally compelling; DiCaprio is arguably miscast, and Cameron Diaz (as Vallon's pickpocket lover) is adrift in a film with little use for women. Despite these weaknesses, Scorsese's mastery blossoms in his expert melding of personal and political trajectories; this is American history written in blood, unflinching, authentic, and utterly spectacular. --Jeff ShannonAn epic tale of vengeance and survival Gangs of New York now hits harder than ever on Blu-ray Disc. Directed by Academy Award winner Martin Scorsese (2006, Best Director, The Departed), this motion picture event stars two-time Oscar winner Daniel Day-Lewis (1989, Best Actor My Left Foot; 2007, Best Actor, There Will Be Blood), Leonardo DiCaprio and Cameron Diaz. Feel your heart pound while weapons and cultures clash in a chaotic symphony of life and death. Surrender to the tumultuous atmosphere of 1860s New York as phenomenal sound and! stunning visual clarity transport you back in time. Prepare to experience Scorsese s masterpiece as never before on Blu-ray high definition.

Bonus Features include: Costume Design Featurette, Teaser Trailer, Set Design Featurette, History Of The Five Points Featurette, Exploring The Sets Of GANGS OF NEW YORK With Multiple Angles Utilizing 360 Degree Shots of The Sets, U2 Music Video The Hands That Built America, Discovery Channel Special Uncovering The Real Gangs Of New York, The Five Points Study Guide: Luc Sante Introduction And Five Points Vocabulary, Feature Commentary With Martin Scorsese, Theatrical TrailerGangs of New York may achieve greatness with the passage of time. Mixed reviews were inevitable for a production this grand (and this troubled behind the scenes), but it's as distinguished as any of director Martin Scorsese's more celebrated New York stories. From its astonishing 1846 prologue to the city's infernal draft riots of 1863, the film aspir! es to erase the decorum of textbooks and chronicle 19th-centur! y New Yo rk as a cauldron of street warfare. The hostility is embodied in a tale of primal vengeance between Irish American son Amsterdam Vallon (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his father's ruthless killer and "Nativist" gang leader Bill "the Butcher" Cutting (Daniel Day-Lewis, brutally inspired), so named for his lethal talent with knives. Vallon's vengeance is only marginally compelling; DiCaprio is arguably miscast, and Cameron Diaz (as Vallon's pickpocket lover) is adrift in a film with little use for women. Despite these weaknesses, Scorsese's mastery blossoms in his expert melding of personal and political trajectories; this is American history written in blood, unflinching, authentic, and utterly spectacular. --Jeff ShannonStudio: Buena Vista Home Video Release Date: 07/01/2008 Run time: 167 minutes Rating: RGangs of New York may achieve greatness with the passage of time. Mixed reviews were inevitable for a production this grand (and this troubled behind the scenes),! but it's as distinguished as any of director Martin Scorsese's more celebrated New York stories. From its astonishing 1846 prologue to the city's infernal draft riots of 1863, the film aspires to erase the decorum of textbooks and chronicle 19th-century New York as a cauldron of street warfare. The hostility is embodied in a tale of primal vengeance between Irish American son Amsterdam Vallon (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his father's ruthless killer and "Nativist" gang leader Bill "the Butcher" Cutting (Daniel Day-Lewis, brutally inspired), so named for his lethal talent with knives. Vallon's vengeance is only marginally compelling; DiCaprio is arguably miscast, and Cameron Diaz (as Vallon's pickpocket lover) is adrift in a film with little use for women. Despite these weaknesses, Scorsese's mastery blossoms in his expert melding of personal and political trajectories; this is American history written in blood, unflinching, authentic, and utterly spectacular. --Jeff Shannon

Ever After - A Cinderella Story

• Features include: -MPAA Rating: PG-13 -Format: DVD-Runtime: 121 minutes

A "modern" young woman of the 16th century, Danielle (Barrymore) is as independent and wise as she is beautiful and kind. Against remarkable odds, she stands up to her scheming stepmother (Huston) and works miracles on the lives of everyone around her, including the crown prince of France (Dougray Scott)!Now you can relive this captivating, contemporary retelling of the classic fairytale.Take away the Fairy Godmother, and what have you got left from the Cinderella fable? The story of a girl for whom a bad stroke of luck is no match for her internal strength and purity of heart. Drew Barrymore plays Cinderella's alleged inspiration, Danielle, in this romantic drama that purports to tell the "facts" behind the Grimm brothers' story. One of three daughters of a man (Jeroen Krabbé) who dies and leaves her fate in the hands ! of a conniving stepmother (Anjelica Huston), Danielle is cast into the lowly role of a servant. Meanwhile, her sisters are evaluated as possible mates for a French prince (Dougray Scott), but he's far more intrigued with Danielle's intelligence and beauty--not to mention her way with a sword and fist. Directed by Andy Tennant (who directed Barrymore in TV's The Amy Fisher Story), Ever After has that rare ability to win the heart and mind of a viewer simply by being committed to its own innocence, particularly where Barrymore's luminous performance is concerned. A contemporary take on an old, virtually forgotten Hollywood convention--the costume adventure with middling artistic ambition but real audience appeal--Ever After is a surprisingly delightful film. --Tom Keogh
!

Bride of Chucky

• Actors: Jennifer Tilly, Brad Dourif, Katherine Heigl, Nick Stabile, Alexis Arquette.
• Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC.
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1), French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround). Subtitles: English, Spanish.
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only)
• Rated R. Run Time: 89 minutes.

AFTER CHUCKY'S OLD FLAME RESUCES HIS BATTERED BODY FROM A POLICEIMPOUND HE TURNS HER INTO HIS NEWEST PLAYMATE AND PARTNER INCRIME. TOGETHER THE DEMONIC DUO EMBARK ON A HOMICIDAL HONEYMOON IN SEARCH OF TWO PERFECT SOULD TO STEAL. CHUCKY'S BACK. SPECIAL FEATURES: TALENT BIOS, WEB LINKS, DVD ROM APPLICATION AND MORE.Brace yourself: this is a clever, consistently entertaining, and even inspired continuation of the mean-spirited slasher series. For those not in the know, Chucky is a mop-top kid's doll come to life with the soul of a ser! ial killer and the voice of Brad Dourif (doing his best Jack Nicholson). Revived by his former paramour Tiffany (Jennifer Tilly, looking every inch a life-size Barbie in stiletto heels and skintight black leather), Chucky proceeds to turn his human sweetie into a pint-sized Talking Tina doll with attitude, and together they hit the road for a magic amulet and young new bodies to inhabit. They hitch a ride with sweet young runaways Katherine Heigl and Nick Stabile and leave a trail of corpses bloodied, burned, and cut to ribbons. The kids are cute, but the real heat is generated by the latex lovers who use murder as foreplay and consummate their renewed romance in a night of passionate sex ("Shouldn't you wear a rubber?" "I'm all rubber!"). Hong Kong director Ronny Yu (The Bride with White Hair) directs with a light touch and against all odds transforms walking dolls Chucky and Tiffany into funny, energetic, full-blooded characters: l'amour fou has never been m! ore crazy. John Ritter costars as Heigl's overprotective uncle! (anothe r obstacle on the road to dolly freedom) and Alexis Arquette is hilarious as a lanky goth nerd. The wild conclusion leaves room for another high-concept sequel. The DVD features two commentary tracks, a behind-the-scenes documentary, and "Jennifer Tilly's Diary." --Sean Axmaker

Everyone's Hero : Widescreen Edition

• Widescreen

Ten-year-old baseball fanatic Yankee Irving (voiced by newcomer Jake T. Austin) is always the last one picked for sandlot baseball games. But when Babe Ruth's prized bat is stolen during the 1932 World Series, Yankee steps up to the plate to help retrieve it for his beloved idol. He embarks on a wild cross-country journey that teaches him the stuff real heroes are made of, and along the way, Yankee learns the importance of perseverance and the true meaning of friendship.

A talking baseball and a talking bat might not be the most likely characters to inspire a personal revelation about perseverance and self-esteem, but in Everyone's Hero it's just those two things that help young Yankee Irving (Jake T. Austin) overcome his reputation as a baseball loser and become a true American hero. A ten-year old spurned by the neighborhood kids because of his repeated strike-outs at ba! t, Yankee is at a point of personal crisis. A chance encounter with a talking foul ball named Screwie (Rob Reiner) and some time spent with his father (Mandy Patinkin), who's a janitor for the New York Yankees, gives Yankee cause for some serious reflection. When Babe Ruth's famous bat "Darlin'" (Whoopi Goldberg) is stolen by opposing teammate Lefty Maginnis (William H. Macy) and Yankee's father is fired as a result of the theft, it suddenly falls to Yankee and his new friend Screwie to find Darlin' and return her to Babe Ruth before the Chicago Cubs loose the final game of the World Series to the New York Yankees. The combined efforts of Screwie, Darlin', and new friend Marti Brewster (Raven-Symoné) aid Yankee in conquering his own self-doubt and infuse him with the self-confidence and strength to profoundly affect both his family and the entire baseball world. Produced by Christopher Reeve, this CGI animated presentation features a great cast of characters and voice tale! nt, and an important message about the power of perseverance. ! (Ages 5 and older) --Tami Horiuchi

Beyond Everyone's Hero

Everyone's Hero: The Movie Storybook (Paperback)

More Sports-Themed Family Films

Nothing is Impossible: Reflections on a New Life by Christopher Reeve

Stills from Everyone's Hero

EVERYONE'S HERO/FIREHOUSE DOG - DVD MovieDVD

Home Alone 3 (Widescreen Edition)

• Features include: -MPAA Rating: PG -Format: DVD-Runtime: 102 minutes

A band of international crooks has hidden a military computer chip inside a toy car, but an airport mix-up lands it in the hands of whiz-kid Alex Pruitt (Alex D. Linz) who's home alone with the chicken pox in a quiet Chicago suburb. When the criminals zero in on Alex's house with their high-tech gadgetry, madness and mayhem kick into high gear as the pint-sized hero defends himself against the bumbling bad guys -armed with an outrageous array of ambushes and booby traps!Here's a perfect movie for kids, who never seem to tire of John Hughes's sure-fire slapstick formula. Working yet another variation on his mammoth 1990 hit, writer-producer Hughes (regarded by many as Hollywood's antichrist) strands a youngster in his own home with the chicken pox in this 1997 retelling. While his parents go to work, he sees a team of burgla! rs invading the neighborhood houses; in fact, they're spies, looking for a toy containing a stolen microchip. The inevitability of the finale--one kid holding off four professionals with toys and garden tools--will do nothing to lessen the amusement of youngsters, who love to see the bad guys get creamed. Adults may pause at the sadistic nature of some of Hughes's pranks, but kids will eat up the image of one of their own outwitting all the adults. --Marshall Fine