“Saving Sarah Cain”
Directed by Michael Landon, Jr., “Saving Sarah Cain” is a sweet film with an Afterschool Special vibe about a family thrown together by unfortunate circumstances.
Author: Jae-Ha Kim
Weekend getaways
To quote songwriter Frank Loesser, baby it’s cold outside. And nothing helps beat the winter doldrums than a weekend getaway to some place fabulous. We know what you’re thinking: There’s not enough time to plan a trip… It’ll be too expensive… It’s not really a romantic getaway if you have to plan all the details rather than your man. Don’t worry about that. We’ve got all that figured out. Read on.
Marriage minded: Though the author is happily married, her book looks at a woman not so lucky in love
Fairy tales often end happily ever after the couple vows to each other, “I do.” Anastasia Royal knows better. With her debut novel “Undoing I Do,” the Wilmette-based author paints a funny, poignant and realistic portrait of what happens when a golden couple’s marriage unravels.
Go Away With … Marlee Matlin
After winning an Academy Award for her breakthrough performance in “Children of a Lesser God,” Marlee Matlin has proven herself to be a serious actress with a deft comedic touch. But Matlin, 42, is also an accomplished author of children’s books. Her latest, “Leading Ladies,” which features a spunky young heroine who Matlin says is a lot like she was as a child, picks up where her previous novels left off.
Marlee Matlin: ‘A Chicago girl, inside and out’
Since winning the Academy Award for her breakthrough performance in “Children of a Lesser God,” Marlee Matlin has been renowned for her acting. But Matlin also is an accomplished author of children’s books.
A psychiatrist and his former patient tell her story of multiple personalities
When Karen Underhill entered his office 18 years ago, psychiatrist Richard Baer had no idea that his troubled patient would become the subject of his debut book, “Switching Time.”
Go Away With … Taylor Hanson
It has been a decade since Hanson burst onto the music charts with their ubiquitous hit single “MMMBop.” Today, the boys are all young men in their 20s with families of their own. The trio of brothers – lead guitarist Isaac, drummer Zac and keyboardist-vocalist Taylor – is still making beautiful music together and touring to promote their latest album “The Walk.” As it turns out, “The Walk” provided inspiration for the Oklahomans to return to South Africa (where they had recorded some of their album) over the Thanksgiving holiday to donate 50,000 pairs of shoes.
“The Beyonce Experience Live”
Though Beyonce Knowles has earned fame as an actress and a spokesmodel, she is first and foremost a singer, as she showcases in the entertaining concert film The Beyonce Experience Live. Polished, effortlessly glamorous, and a strong showman, Knowles is the Diana Ross of the 21st century. The singer-songwriter is equally comfortable belting out a rocking dancing number or crooning a heart-wrenching ballad.
“CSI” — Seventh Season
The seventh season of “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” is as solid as any of the series’ previous years. The stories are strong, the actors share potent chemistry, and the characters are believable because they are flawed human beings. This year, “CSI” delves into the complicated romance between head investigator Gil Grissom (William Petersen) and his underling Sara Sidle (Jorga Fox). The two are reticent to let their colleagues in on their relationship, and the season finale offers a gasp-inducing prospect of their future together.
Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium
Equal parts whimsical and bittersweet, “Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium” is a family-friendly movie that will charm youngsters. Dustin Hoffman stars in the titular role of an eccentric 243-year-old owner of a magical toy store.
Go Away With … Joss Stone
British singer-songwriter Joss Stone is just 20, but she has strong ideas about what she likes. And now that she’s got some power in the music business, she’s not shy about voicing her opinions. “I was only 16 when I made my first record so I wasn’t allowed to do what I wanted,” says the bluesy singer, whose latest CD is “Introducing Joss Stone.” “My first two albums were really a learning period for me, which was also a little irritating at times. But with this album, I took everything that I learned and went with it. It’s the first album I’ve made where I feel it’s really representative of who I am.”
“I Love New York”
“I Love New York” is as trashy as the role Pollard plays. Unlike ABC’s “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette,” which at least goes through the motions of picking suitable contenders, VH1 has stacked the deck against New York (and, let’s face it, the men). Their nicknames (Token, Trendz, White Boy) are more interesting than they are.
“Wings” — Season Five
Despite some outdated clothes and hairdos, “Wings” has a timeless quality that makes repeat viewings of the sitcom worthwhile. A comedy with heart, the show–which originally aired during the 1993-1994 season–is filled with humor, great acting, and a cast that shares genuine chemistry. At its core, “Wings” is about the relationship between the Hackett brothers.
“Oasis: Lord Don’t Slow Me Down”
For all intents and purposes, Noel and Liam Gallagher are Oasis. So in Oasis: Lord Don’t Slow Me Down, it doesn’t really matter that the rest of the band (which includes Ringo Starr’s son Zak Starkey on drums) wasn’t in the lineup when the group made it big in 1995 with songs such as “Wonderwall.” The two-disc DVD offers a documentary as well as a concert filmed in the group’s native Manchester, England, in 2005. In its heyday, Oasis was at the top of its game.
“CSI: Miami” — Season 4
A marriage, a murder, and a mole all play relevant roles in the fourth season of CSI: Miami. Easily the most stylistic show in the CSI franchise, the series stars David Caruso (NYPD Blue) as Horatio Caine, the lead investigator with the Miami Police Department. With his black clothing, Caine stands out in a sea of pastel-clad colleagues that include ballistics expert Calleigh Dusquene (Emily Procter), underwater recovery whiz Eric Delko (Adam Rodriguez), and medical examiner Alexx Woods (Khandi Alexander).
Go Away With … Josh Duhamel
“It was so much fun making [‘Transformers’],” says Duhamel, 34. “People ask if it was difficult to physically prepare for the role of a soldier, but it wasn’t really hard work to be honest. I was expecting an intense boot camp where they would kick (our butts) for three weeks. But it was kind of fun. It was more difficult getting all the terminology correct. I had a mouthful of words that I kept getting wrong – I think it took about 20 takes for me to finally get one scene correct.”
“CSI: Miami” — Season 5
The fifth season of CSI: Miami begins with revenge: Lead CSI Horatio Caine (David Caruso) and underwater recovery whiz Eric Delko (Adam Rodriguez) travel to Brazil to avenge the murder of Horatio’s wife Marisol (who was Eric’s sister). While there, Horatio also helps his sister-in-law and nephew after his brother is murdered by drug lords. (Never mind that the crime-fighting duo seem to have carte blanche to do as they like in a foreign country.) The scenes are beautifully shot and the rhythm of the first few episodes are reminiscent of classic Miami Vice.
“Veronica Mars” — Third and Final Season
Equal parts “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Nancy Drew,” “Veronica Mars” is smartly written and well-acted. This third and final season of the critically acclaimed (but viewer-challenged) series ends as all good shows should–by leaving viewers wanting more and wondering how their favorite characters will fare in the future.
“Heart: Dreamboat Annie Live”
Thirty-one years after Heart released its breakthrough album “Dreamboat Annie,” the Seattle-based band has made a DVD companion to that record. The concert performance for “Heart: Dreamboat Annie Live” was recorded in April 2007 at the Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles. The rest of the DVD includes documentaries on the band, along with interviews with Ann and Nancy Wilson–the sisters who are Heart.
“NCIS” — Season 4
The fourth season of NCIS begins with one of the investigators being charged with assassinating an Iranian prisoner. Former Mossad intelligence agent Ziva David (Cote de Pablo), who was introduced last season, has been framed, and there’s only one man who can clear her name. Unfortunately, lead investigator Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon) has retired to Mexico. But since Harmon is the star of the show, Gibbs returns to the United States to help out his colleague.