"The Mechanic" Trailer

Arthur Bishop (Jason Statham) is a 'mechanic' - an elite assassin with a strict code and unique talent for cleanly eliminating targets. It's a job that requires professional perfection and total detachment, and Bishop is the best in the business. But when his mentor and close friend Harry (Donald Sutherland) is murdered, Bishop is anything but detached. His next assignment is self-imposed - he wants those responsible dead.

His mission grows complicated when Harry's son Steve (Ben Foster) approaches him with the same vengeful goal and a determination to learn Bishop's trade. Bishop has always acted alone but he can't turn his back on Harry's son. A methodical hit man takes an impulsive student deep into his world and a deadly partnership is born. But while in pursuit of their ultimate mark, deceptions threaten to surface and those hired to fix problems become problems themselves.

"Red Riding Hood" Trailer

In "Red Riding Hood," Seyfried plays Valerie, a beautiful young woman torn between two men. She is in love with a brooding outsider, Peter (Shiloh Fernandez), but her parents have arranged for her to marry the wealthy Henry (Max Irons). Unwilling to lose each other, Valerie and Peter are planning to run away together when they learn that Valerie's older sister has been killed by the werewolf that prowls the dark forest surrounding their village. For years, the people have maintained an uneasy truce with the beast, offering the creature a monthly animal sacrifice. But under a blood red moon, the wolf has upped the stakes by taking a human life. Hungry for revenge, the people call on famed werewolf hunter, Father Solomon (Gary Oldman), to help them kill the wolf. But Solomon's arrival brings unintended consequences as he warns that the wolf, who takes human form by day, could be any one of them. As the death toll rises with each moon, Valerie begins to suspect that the werewolf could be someone she loves. As panic grips the town, Valerie discovers that she has a unique connection to the beast--one that inexorably draws them together, making her both suspect...and bait.

Free Fonts Download_Part 1

Assalammualaikum dan Salam 1 Malaysia,Font adalah elemen yang sangat penting dalam graphic design. Untuk merekabentuk sesuatu Font mestilah di ambil kira juga. Pastikan Font yang bersesuaian untuk tema yang bersesuaian. 

baca selanjutnya

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy eating everyone!

A Giveaway Before You Go Away-- Pick Your Title

I love the holidays--but it's brutal on the blog traffic. But it's a good kind of lull. I know I'm looking forward to eating and drinking myself into a stupor here in a couple of days. Like many of you I'm running around right now and getting things ready for the long weekend and blogging is something that definitely falls on the wayside. So I figured a giveaway was just the thing to hold my place until I get back to regular blogging. I have a lot of great titles and the dilemma of which one to choose, so I'm just going to put up a list and let you choose what book you'd like to receive.

Empress of Eternity by L.E. Modesitt

In the far future, an indestructible and massive canal more than 2,000 miles long spans the mid-continent of Earth. Nothing can mar it, move it, or affect it in any fashion. At its western end, where it meets the sea, is an equally indestructible structure comprising three levels of seemingly empty chambers.
Scientists from three different civilizations, separated in time by hundreds of thousands of years, are investigating the canal. In the most distant of these civilizations, religious rebellion is brewing. A plot is hatched to overthrow the world government of the Vanir, using a weapon that can destroy anything-except the canal. If used at full power it might literally unravel the universe and destroy all life forever. The lives and fates of all three civilizations become intertwined as the forces behind the canal react to the threat, and all three teams of scientists find their lives changed beyond belief.

Surrender to the Will of the Night by Glenn Cook

Piper Hecht’s first and greatest secret is that he knows how to kill gods. What’s not a secret is that he knows how to win wars
Piper Hecht’s secrets make him dangerous, but his skill and his reputation put him in danger—from his enemies, who fear what he might do, or who want revenge for what he has already done; and from his friends, who want to use his military gifts for their own purposes. His sister Heris and his living ancestor Cloven Februaren, the Ninth Unknown, have made Hecht part of their fight against the return of the dark god Kharoulke the Windwalker. At the same time, the half-mad Empress Katrin wants him to lead the armies of the Grail Empire eastward on a crusade against his old coreligionists the Praman.
Meanwhile, all around them, the world is changing. The winters are growing longer and harder every year, and the seas are getting shallower. The far north and the high mountain ranges are going under the ice, and fast. The Wells of Power, everywhere, keep getting weaker. And the old evils, the Instrumentalities from the Time Before Time, have begun to ooze back into the world. As ever, the genius of Glen Cook’s storytelling lies in his common touch: in soldiers who are like real soldiers, in men and women who love and laugh and sweat, with real hopes and real fears, united only in their determination to face the oncoming night.

The Bards of Bone Plain by Patricia McKillip

The newest novel from the World Fantasy Award-winning author of The Bell at Sealey Head.
With "her exquisite grasp of the fantasist's craft"* (Publishers Weekly) Patricia A. McKillip now invites readers to discover a place that may only exist in the mystical wisdom of poetry and music.
Scholar Phelan Cle is researching Bone Plain-which has been studied for the last 500 years, though no one has been able to locate it as a real place. Archaeologist Jonah Cle, Phelan's father, is also hunting through time, piecing history together from forgotten trinkets. His most eager disciple is Princess Beatrice, the king's youngest daughter. When they unearth a disk marked with ancient runes, Beatrice pursues the secrets of a lost language that she suddenly notices all around her, hidden in plain sight.

Out of the Dark by David Webber

Earth is conquered. The Shongairi have arrived in force, and humanity’s cities lie in radioactive ruins. In mere minutes, over half the human race has died. Now Master Sergeant Stephen Buchevsky, who thought he was being rotated home from his latest tour in Afghanistan, finds himself instead prowling the back country of the Balkans, dodging alien patrols and trying to organize the scattered survivors without getting killed. His chances look bleak. The aliens have definitely underestimated human tenacity—but no amount of heroism can endlessly hold off overwhelming force. Then, emerging from the mountains and forests of Eastern Europe, new allies present themselves to the ragtag human resistance. Predators, creatures of the night, human in form but inhumanly strong. Long Enemies of humanity…until now. Because now is the time to defend Earth.

The High King of Montival by S.M. Stirling

The New York Times bestselling author continues his post- apocalyptic series chronicling a modern world without technology.
With The Sword of the Lady, Rudi Mackenzie's destiny was determined. Now he returns to Montival in the Pacific Northwest, where he will face the legions of the Prophet. To achieve victory, Rudi must assemble a coalition of those who had been his enemies a few months before and forge them into an army that will rescue his homeland.
Only then will Rudi be able to come to terms with how the Sword has changed him, as well as the world, and assume his place as Artos, High King of Montival...


Side Jobs by Jim Butcher

The first short story collection in the #1 New York Times bestselling series-including a brand-new Harry Dresden novella!
Here, together for the first time, are the shorter works of #1 New York Times bestselling author Jim Butcher-a compendium of cases that Harry and his cadre of allies managed to close in record time. The tales range from the deadly serious to the absurdly hilarious. Also included is a new, never-before-published novella that takes place after the cliff-hanger ending of the new April 2010 hardcover, Changes. This is a must-have collection for every devoted Harry Dresden fan as well as a perfect introduction for readers ready to meet Chicago's only professional wizard.

Seed Seeker by Pamela Sargent

An adventure in colonization and conflict from acclaimed SF writer Pamela Sargent
Several hundred years ago, Ship, a sentient starship, settled humans on the planet Home before leaving to colonize other worlds, promising to return one day. Over time, the colony on Home divided into those who live in the original domed buildings of the colony, who maintain the library and technology of Ship, and those who live by the river, farming and hunting to survive. The Dome Dwellers consider themselves the protectors of “true humanity” and the River People “contaminated,” and the two sides interact solely through ritualized trade: food and goods from the River People in exchange for repairs and recharges by the Dome Dwellers.
Then a new light appears in the night sky. The River People believe it might be Ship, keeping its promise to return, but the Dome Dwellers, who have a radio to communicate with Ship, are silent. So Bian, a seventeen-year-old girl from a small village, travels upriver to learn what they know. As she travels through the colony of Home, gaining companions and gathering news, Bian ponders why the Dome Dwellers have said nothing. Has Ship commanded them to be silent, in preparation for some judgment on the River People? Or are the Dome Dwellers lying to Ship, turning Ship against their rivals?
Whatever the answer, life is about to change radically on both sides of the divide.

Bones of Empire by William C. Dietz

Second in the duology that started with At Empire's Edge- from the national bestselling author.
In a far-distant future, the Uman Empire has conquered and colonized worlds. Once thought invincible, its reign is now fragile as alien subjects and enemies conspire against it.
On holiday in the capital city, cop Jack Cato gets a glimpse of the Emperor-and realizes what he's looking at is a supposedly dead shape- shifter. His mortal enemy is still alive and once again on the run. And the fate of the Empire-and Cato's own honor-are at stake...



Echo by Jack McDevitt

A new novel of the fantastic unknown by the national bestselling author of Time Travelers Never Die.
Eccentric Sunset Tuttle spent his life searching in vain for forms of alien life. Thirty years after his death, a stone tablet inscribed with cryptic, indecipherable symbols is found in the possession of Tuttle's onetime lover, and antiquities dealer Alex Benedict is anxious to discover what secret the tablet holds. It could be proof that Tuttle had found what he was looking for. To find out, Benedict and his assistant embark on their own voyage of discovery-one that will lead them directly into the path of a very determined assassin who doesn't want those secrets revealed.

Ghost Town by Rachel Caine

While developing a new system to maintain the town's defenses, genius student Claire Danvers discovers a way to use the vampires' powers to keep outsiders from spreading news of Morganville's "unique" situation.
But when people in town start forgetting who they are-including the vampires-Claire has to figure out how to pull the plug on her experiment before she forgets how to save herself...and Morganville.


Just add your information to the form below (all information is guaranteed confidential and will be discarded once contest ends) and be sure to add what title you'd like to receive and I will randomly pick one winner by Wednesday December 8th. No multiple entries please-- all multiple entries will be discarded. Open everywhere. ((Extended until after Christmas due to lag time of holiday shipping. I will now pick TWO winners after Christmas and ship immediately after))

Good luck!

**Contest Closed**

Winners!

Better late than never right? I've got a couple of contests that have ended and I need to announce the winners.


For the short story contest featuring the titles "The Dragon and the Stars" and "Steampunk'd" the winner is:

Sierra St. Onge: South Windsor, CT


And the winner of an ARC copy of "The Painted Boy" by Charles DeLint, the winner is:

Simcha Lazarus; Israel


Congrats to the winners!

Ducan’s concept compact and eco friendly vehicle

This electric car designs of the future by Duncan Campbell. Which, Ducan’s concept this get design comes to futuristic look and at the same time answering our future need of compact and eco friendly vehicle.

This concept car features four-small electric motors attached directly to each wheel to avoid all heavy transmission stuff. It’s been designed to enable passengers better range of view of the road. The side view design was inspired by the eye shape as you can see the similarity in the first picture. Pretty cool but it looks more like a simple future car than futuristic.

Designer: Duncan Campbell





If you liked this vehicle, you would also be interested in:
www.tuvie.com

Sherlock Holmes-- The Original Mentalist

Some stories are timeless. I loved the big-screen version of "Sherlock Holmes" with Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law. It wasn't perfect, but it was atmospheric and had a wonderful 19th century sensibility. So when I was offered the chance to review the newest take on Sherlock Holmes (Sherlock) that originally aired on the BBC, I didn't hesitate to accept. But I was surprised when I got the discs to see that the show was set in modern-day London--which shows how well I read the synopsis when it was sent over. But the BBC knew what they were doing when they moved Sherlock Holmes from the late-1800's to today as Holmes isn't about the setting or the accouterments; it's all about his incredible mind.

I haven't read anything by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in years, so my memory of the Holmes canon is sketchy at best. And as much as I hate to keep bringing Robert Downey Jr.'s portrayal into a review of the new series, it's impossible not to use him as a benchmark as his characterization is what is foremost in my mind when I think of the character. But once I saw Benedict Cumberbatch's ("Atonement") take on the modern version of Sherlock Holmes, I had no problem setting a new standard and seeing Cumberbatch as the definitive Holmes.

The first season of "Sherlock Holmes" only consists of three 90 minute episodes that not only gives us a good dose of Holmes' formidable intellect, but establishes the origins of his friendship with Dr. John Watson (Martin Freeman). Both Holmes and Watson are the kind of men who have a hard time settling into a normal existence, but for different reasons. Watson, injured in the war in Afghanistan, hobbles around with a cane and a limp his psychiatrist says is psychosomatic, while Holmes lives a lonely life among the piles of clutter in his apartment at 221B Baker Street. A chance meeting with a mutual friend leads to an introduction between the two men and an unlikely partnership is born.

The first case that the two men work on is a strange series of apparent suicides. Holmes is brought in as a consultant to the investigation. Brilliant as he is-- and Holmes is one of a kind-- he is also abrasive and it quickly becomes obvious that Watson has a unique ability to tolerate Holmes' personality and it isn't long before Holmes leans on Watson's tolerance; often to Watson's chagrin. The cases Holmes and Watson investigate in each episode are, in the end, incidental to the really important aspects of the story. Is isn't the mystery as much as it's Holmes approach. When watching Sherlock use his powers of observation to decipher a crime scene it's impossible not to see the similarities between this show and The Mentalist, but "Sherlock" is far-and-away the superior series.

Cumberbatch's portrayal of Holmes has been described as "Aspergerish," though it has become common to say any character with obsessive tendencies must have Asperger's Syndrome. Whether Cumberbatch uses that as his inspiration or not, he does bring a single-mindedness to Holmes that is as endearing to watch as it would be off-putting to experience in real life. Holmes doesn't have empathy-- that's what Dr. Watson's character is for. What Holmes does have is an insatiable curiosity and an ego that won't allow him to walk away from a mystery even if his life is at risk. What makes the story of Sherlock Holmes really work is the balancing effect of Dr. Watson.

Because this series is so early in its development it's hard to know how true it will stay to the original stories written by Arthur Conan Doyle-- though I think the intent is to stay close to its inspiration. So far there have been allusions to Holmes' past drug use and penchant for playing the violin as well as the obvious disarray of his apartment. Watson's character is quiet and steady and altogether as essential to the narrative as Holmes. The biggest change appears to be the modern setting, but it really isn't much of a change at all. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are basically the template from which all buddy-cop shows come from and the story works no matter when it is set-- everything else is superfluous. There is also a very natural feeling the pairing of Cumberbatch and Freeman. The show would fail if the friendship between the two wasn't believable and they click right from the start.

I really enjoyed "Sherlock" due to the cleverness of Holmes' deductive powers and its droll humor. The show can seem a bit overlong at 90 minutes due to the limitations as a television drama. There are times when the villains can seem slightly cartoonish because the murder-of-the-week story-lines have a tendency to be a bit pedestrian-- though not as simplistic as "The Mentalist" can be thanks to our American craving for the 'Hollywood ending.' "Sherlock" is wonderfully acted and and excellent example of English humor and understatement. For those who don't get the BBC channel, "Sherlock" can also be seen on PBS. Definitely check this one out if you get the chance.

Skyline---Look Away!

At what point should I have left the theater? When the harried protagonists watched a nearby nuclear blast without any negligible consequence? When the male lead first "stared into the light" to become somehow infected by an alien presence? Or when I realized the alien invasion was motivated by a need to eat human brains (one can imagine how hungry these poor aliens were going through the universe in search of such rare and unsatisfying nourishment).

I always believe in writing a positive review. I don't want to tear apart a book or film. There is usually something worthwhile in even the worst endeavor. However, the only good thing about Skyline, its effects, is also the most disappointing element of the film. Skyline represents why the dropping cost of special effects is a mixed blessing for fans. Now a film maker can put something visually striking on the screen and still deliver the sort of story logic and hapless dialogue one used to get for a "B" drive-in film during the 1960's. This isn't just a horrendous film, it will stand as a monument to why 2010 has been such a bad year for the motion picture industry.

The Brothers Strause, the creative force behind Skyline should have stuck to doing the sort of special effects they did for such films as The X-Files and Titanic, and left directing a motion picture to more talented minds.