Secondhand Lions (New Line Platinum Series)
07. Jul, 2010 
10 Comments
Secondhand Lions (New Line Platinum Series)
- ISBN13: 9780780646391
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
This comedic and touching family film follows the adventures of a shy young boy (Haley Joel Osment) who is sent to spend the summer with his eccentric uncles (Michael Caine, Robert Duvall). At first shocked by his uncles’ unconventional behavior that includes ordering African lions through the mail, the boy soon becomes enthralled with unraveling the mystery that has followed the uncles for years. Hearing tales of their exotic adventures involving kidnapped princesses, Arabian sheiks and lost tr
Rating: 
(out of 466 reviews)
List Price: $ 12.98
Price: $ 3.25
Hocus Pocus
- ISBN13:
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
You’re in for a devil of a time when three outlandishly wild witches — Bette Midler (BEACHES, BIG BUSINESS), Sarah Jessica Parker (HONEYMOON IN VEGAS), and Kathy Najimy (SISTER ACT) — return from 17th-century Salem after they’re accidentally conjured up by some unsuspecting pranksters! It’s a night full of zany fun and comic chaos once the tricky 300-year-old trio sets out to cast a spell on the town and reclaim their youth — but first they must get their act together and outwit three kids an
Rating: (out of 274 reviews)
List Price: $ 14.99
Price: $ 5.66
Review by Tucker Andersen for Secondhand Lions (New Line Platinum Series)
Rating:
As this film opens, a sullen fourteen year old Walter (Haley Joel Osment) is about to be deposited with his two gruff and irascible old uncles against his will by his mother Mae (Kyra Sedgwick) while she supposedly pursues her education and a career. Hub and Garth McCann, played respectively by Robert Duvall and Michael Caine, are no more enamored of the arrangement than is Walter, but an uneasy truce occurs between them as Walter comes to understand their eccentricities and in fact serves as somewhat of an outlet for Garth’s desire to settle down somewhat in his final years. One of the elements twhich makes the film a true delight is the extreme nature of the antics of these “old men”, whether it is shooting at traveling salesmen for fun or alienating their relatives to maintain their solitude. The backdrop to the story is that Hub and Garth are rumored to be quite wealthy; and in fact Walter’s mother instructs him to attempt to locate the source and location of their supposed wealth. (Perhaps the mafia, or bank robberies, or the foreign legion?)As Walter settles in with them and their numerous dogs (and a pig who thinks he’s a dog), the “plot suddenly thickens” as Hub acts strangely and Walter discovers mysterious evidence of a beautiful young woman somewhere in their history. Garth tells Walter a fantastic tale of foreign adventure and intrigue involving Hub and the enchanting princess Jasmine, and the story is actually incorporated into the movie in the form of the adventure epics of fifty years ago with Emanuelle Vaugier playing the role of Hub’s lost love. Meanwhile, some “used” circus animals arrive, including a tired and sick old lion who Walter nurses back to health as he enjoys the “jungle” habitat provided by the corn field that has emerged from their failed attempt to grow a vegetable garden. The movie reaches a wonderful climax as the forces of good confront the forces of evil (true comic book style) and Walter is forced to confront the fact that life is full of surprises, not all of which include happy endings, and that we have to be strong enough to accept unpleasant truths and move on.But, of course, any description of the plot doesn’t convey the appeal of this film; the storyline is simply the backdrop for the life which is infused into this movie by the superb performances of the stars, the excellent directing, and the way in which the story unfolds. It is fun yet touching, with enough elements of the unexpected interspersed with truly laugh out loud humorous incidents to make the almost two hours fly by. It’s hard to know who is more appealing, those old second hand lions Robert Duvall and Michael Caine (who put their superb talents to use in a film they have stated that they really enjoyed making) or Jasmine, the circus lion who late in life was destined for her moment of glory. And the story has a marvelous symmetry, both in the juxtaposition of the opening and closing scenes and in the brief appearance of Josh Lucas as the adult Walter. Finally, the climatic moment is followed by a gradual conclusion to the story which incorporates a truly wonderful finale.In some aspects this is a far from perfect film; in some respects it would be easy to write a critical review detailing the fact that the plot was pure fantasy and that no attempt was made to seriously address many of the issues which the movie raises. But such criticisms would not be consistent with the mood which the movie evoked for me and the remainder of the audience. This movie is about life, about its surprises and its enjoyment, and as corny as it is it is also great fun. I enjoyed it so much that I have chosen to ignore one of my personal reviewing rules; I decided to round up my rating to five stars in spite of the fact that I haven’t decided if it is good enough so that I will want to own the DVD. I know that I’ll enjoy watching it several more times and decided that was good enough. So, go see this lighthearted film when you want to smile and laugh and feel good about life and it will confirm that whether you’re old or a teenager it’s still possible to learn and grow and have a good time. Tucker Andersen
Review by Zinta Aistars for Secondhand Lions (New Line Platinum Series)
Rating:
It occurs to me as I sit here pondering my review of “Secondhand Lions” that I must somehow cloak the first words that come to mind. Words, phrases, such as “a feel-good movie” or “good family fun” or “heart-warming.” As if it were, well, “uncool” to label a movie such things these days, almost like a movie kiss of death. Isn’t this a time of Hollywood special effects? Of hot babes and pyrotechnics? Of gratuitous violence and sensationalism? So it is. And so this movie is not. And oh, we are a glad audience for it!Haley Joel Osment, to whom many of us in the movie audience were introduced in “Sixth Sense,” plays Walter, a young boy whose mother (Kyra Sedgewick) pursues everything in life but motherhood. He finds himself dumped like excess baggage on the well weathered front stoop of his two uncles’ country house. The uncles, played with wonderful eccentricity by Michael Caine and Robert Duvall, resist but later embrace their young nephew. How the three bond into a true family is a tale that does indeed warm the heart, lighten the spirit, and perhaps even restore a faded belief in today’s cynical world that goodness, yes, goodness, still has a place on the silver screen. Osment is absolutely first rate in this movie, and the two vintage stars, Caine and Duvall, still shine as brightly as ever, if not more so.It may be that the popularity of movies such as this could send Hollywood a message. Good is still good on the movie screen.
Review by D. COLLIER for Secondhand Lions (New Line Platinum Series)
Rating:
This was a great movie. I just saw it last night — for the second time. With Robert Duvall, Michael Caine, and Haley Joel Osment, how could they go wrong? But there’s many a film out there that boasts a multi-talented all-star cast and yet still fails to deliver the goods.SECONDHAND LIONS is not one of them.The story is about young Walter who is just barely in his teens and is sent to live with his two great uncles. He constantly hears rumors of their hidden treasure that they stole from Al Capone, or took from a wealthy Arab, or obtained through a lawsuit, or…whatever you want to believe. Throughout the movie, Walter learns from his uncles, Hub and Garth, how to grow into a man and what the truly important things are in life; and Garth and Hub learn from Walter how to enjoy life to the fullest.The drama here is fantastic, and only once does the emotionalism get a little over-the-top (which is why I gave it four stars instead of five). The acting is fantastic. In this adventurous film you’ll be reminded of images of INDIANA JONES, LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, among many others….I wish every goofball (i.e. summer blockbuster) filmmaker in Hollywood — you know, the ones that think creative filmmaking means having alot of CGI characters jumping around on skyscrapers and fighting villains in Power Ranger suits — would simply sit down and watch SECONDHAND LIONS. Then they would know how to make a good movie.
Review by D. Bell for Secondhand Lions (New Line Platinum Series)
Rating:
Secondhand Lions is a movie for almost the entire family, except for young children who might find it a little slow-moving and possibly boring. It combines fine acting, a good story, and real values without resorting to sex and profanity. Basically it is the story of young Walter (Haley Joel Osment), whose immature tart of a mother, Mae (Kyra Sedgwick), dumps him at the home of his two grand-uncles Garth (Michael Caine) & Hub (Robert Duvall). As she leaves him, she tells him that there is a rumor that they were Mafia hit men and have a fortune hidden. “Look for it,” are her last words as she takes off, ostensibly to go to the court reporting school in Fort Worth. We eventually learn that she has dumped him before, even in an orphanage.Garth & Hub are eccentrics who shoot at fish in the lake and at the occasional traveling salesmen who come down the road to their house. Although they are not pleased to have the boy, they accept him. He is horrified to learn they have no television, no telephone, no air conditioning. One day a lion is delivered to their farm. They had hoped to hunt and kill the beast, but it is old and lazy and refuses to leave its crate. So of course they adopt it as a pet. Some relatives who have come to try to weasel themselves into the uncles’ will let the lion out, and it finds a home in the cornfield, as close as it can come to a jungle. One night he sees Hub sleepwalking with a toilet plunger, which he brandishes like a sword. Garth begins to tell Walter a fantastic story about their youth, in which they were shanghaied from their European travels and commandeered into the French Foreign Legion. At this point we see the young Hub, magnificently portrayed with great panache by the handsome, mustached Christian Kane in a very energetic performance, as he fights with the Legion, often rescuing the less athletic Garth. Afterwards he fights against slavery, falls in love with the beautiful and spunky Princess Jasmine, and battles apparently insurmountable odds to be with her, gaining a fortune in the process. Walter & his uncles grow fond of each other, and an encounter in the general store in which Hub singlehandedly overcomes four young punks armed with knives lends credence to Garth’s tale.Mae eventually returns with a sleaze of a boy friend (Nicky Katt) who hits Walter when he refuses to reveal the hiding place of the money. Jasmine, the lion, attacks him to protect Walter.Eventually Mae wants to take Walter home, and he must choose between life with her and life with his uncles.The ending of the movie, which I don’t want to reveal, is very satisfying. Josh Lucas appears briefly as the adult Walter, who has become a successful cartoonist with his strip Walter & Jasmine, based on his and his uncles’ lives, as they told it to him.All of the actors did a fine job, although I wish that Kane had been allowed to speak his lines instead of using Caine’s voiceover for his scenes. I highly recommend this movie and look forward to buying the DVD.
Review by !Edwin C. Pauzer for Secondhand Lions (New Line Platinum Series)
Rating:
Trying to please a date, I allowed myself to be dragged to this movie. It turned out to be one of those occasions that you’re glad you went along. Since I am estrogen intolerant (chick flicks) and many women are testosterone intolerant (manly flicks), this movie strikes a balance.
It begins with two old men performing acrobatics in a biplane over a Texas twilight sky. But on the horizon is a self-centered and irresponsible mother who drops her son with the two great uncles he’s never seen before. The disinterested great uncles agree to take him for the summer. The boy notices a trunk his first night in the house and begins to look at the pictures and past of both of these eccentric men. He is intrigued and discovers more about their past with each event he experiences that summer. The more he learns, the closer he gets to his great uncles, and they with him.
When the mother returns to pick up her son, the climax begins, but that would be telling you the end of the story. I recommend you see it instead.
There is humor and action without violence. Language or skin are not a problem either. This movie is highly recommended for all audiences. It’s a keeper.
I don’t see that woman anymore, but I have shown this to several new dates since! They loved it.
Review by Monty Moonlight for Hocus Pocus
Rating:
In the 1600s, the Sanderson sisters bewitched people. The three aging women, lusty Sarah, portly Mary, and sinister leader Winifred, were particularly fond of performing a certain spell that would keep them alive and young forever, with repeat use of course. Unfortunately, that particular spell required a living child as the key ingredient! One fateful Halloween night, that unpleasant honor went to adorable little Emily Binx, sister of teenaged Thackery, who immediately ran to his sibling’s aid when he heard she’d been lured by Sarah Sanderson to the witches’ home in the woods. This was not a well thought out plan though, and the cost was not only the life of his sister Emily, but his own humanity as well. Emily’s lifeforce was drained from her body by the three Sanderson witches, and big-brother Thackery Binx was transformed into an immortal black cat, cursed to live forever with the guilt of his failure to save his sister! Luckily for the rest of the children of Salem, the Sanderson sisters were captured that night and hung for their crimes, but not before their living book of spells revealed to them a curse to bring the three back from the dead on All Hallow’s Eve when a virgin lights the black flame candle.
300 years later, teenager Max Dennison is a newcomer to Salem, struggling to adjust after growing up in a California lifestyle. It isn’t going well for Max. Bullies are stealing his sneakers right off his feet, the girl of his dreams snubs him due to his lack of interest in Halloween, and his little sister, Dani, is ever the pest. Now, he must spend the evening escorting her door to door for trick or treating while their parents enjoy the town Halloween dance. Things are about to go from bad to worse for Max, however. Just when he believes things are looking up after he and Dani convince dream-girl Allison to take them to the old Sanderson house, Max’s efforts to impress the girl lead him to light the black-flame candle himself, bringing Sarah, Mary, and Winifred Sanderson back from the dead! From there on out, it’s a non-stop, fun-filled chase as the witches pursue the children, determined to make sassy-mouthed Dani the subject of their next youth spell, which must be performed before dawn or else the witches will be gone forever! With the immortal, talking black cat Binx guiding them along, Max, Dani, and Allison work together to outrun, outwit, and outlast the evil trio and their magical arsenal, with the fate of all the children of Salem hanging in the balance!
In “Hocus Pocus,” director Kenny Ortega, who also gave us the equally underrated and enjoyable cult-classic “Newsies,” brings us a perfect Halloween movie that’s actually great fun any time of year! With a fantastic cast headed up by the legendary Bette Midler and “Eerie Indiana’s” Omri Katz, awesome music (Hey, Disney, where’s the soundtrack?!), a hilarious script that incorporates all the Halloween essentials, and brilliant special effects, “Hocus Pocus” easily ranks as one of my favorite films of all-time! Moments such as the bus ride, the encounter with the motorcycle cop, the visit to the Master’s house, and, of course, the Sanderson sisters performing “I Put a Spell On You” at the town party just make this movie fun, fun, fun! The witches may be creepy at times and totally dangerous, but they have a Three Stooges vibe going throughout that keeps things from getting too scary. However, this film CAN be a bit much for younger kids. Yes, despite feeling generally like a typical Disney live-action flick from the `90s (a great time for Disney live-action), there are some surprising moments. The witches do off little Emily in the beginning of the film by stealing her “essence,” they do use some mild swearing and the virgin joke is unnecessarily hammered into the ground, and, yeah, some folks might find certain aspects scary, but only the very young I’d wager. Basically, this film was targeted at `tweens and teens, and, had they gone to see it, it would probably have been a hit. Unfortunately, it wasn’t till repeat airings on the Disney Channel that most people discovered this gem of a holiday film. As for me, I saw it in theaters and am so glad I did! I wish we’d get more Halloween films like this one! This is how I like to see witches on Halloween! Cackling, riding brooms across the sky, and hunting trick or treaters! That’s the concept of Halloween witches that scared me as a kid, and that’s what I’d like to see more of in Halloween films today! The DVD is sadly bare-bones. Totally disappointing for such a spectacular cult classic! Still, it is without a doubt a must own for annual viewings at the very least!
For more must watch Halloween viewing, check out “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown,” “Sleepy Hollow,” “Ichabod and Mr. Toad,” the original “The Worst Witch,” “Garfield Holiday Celebrations,” the Casper, Addams Family, and Harry Potter films, “Return to Oz,” “Raggedy Ann and Andy and the Pumpkin Who Couldn’t Smile,” “The Night Dracula Saved the World,” “The Monster Squad,” “Ernest Scared Stupid,” “The Witches,” “Mad Monster Party,” “Spaced Invaders,” “Love At First Bite,” “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein,” and see my Halloween listmania lists for more! Also, for more great `90s Disney live-action films, check out the Mighty Ducks film series, “The Adventures of Huck Finn,” “Dick Tracy,” “Cool Runnings,” “Newsies,” “Tom and Huck,” the “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” films, “101 Dalmatians,” “Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book,” “The Santa Clause,” “Tom and Huck,” “White Fang,” “Heavyweights,” “The Rocketeer,” “Three Musketeers,” “Iron Will,” and more! But don’t forget about classic Disney live-action either, or their great `80′s stuff, like my number one favorite film, “Who Framed Roger Rabbit!” With great new stuff like “Herbie: Fully Loaded,” “Holes,” “Pirates of the Caribbean,” and the upcoming “Chronicles of Narnia,” it seems that Disney live-action is still going strong!
Review by Barry for Hocus Pocus
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This movie is criminally underrated. First of all, the film wasn’t the flop people think it is. It did over 45 million at the box office. Okay, that settled, let’s dig in. Three witches from the 1800′s are hung for taking the souls out of children in Salem, Mass. Present day Salem, a lonely teen resurrects the three hags accidentally while visiting their old cottage that has turned into a mini museum. The witches, well cast and perfectly played by Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy, set out on Halloween night to take the souls from the children as they trick or treat. The three lead actresses are perfect in their roles. They really bring them to life. This is a fun, light hearted film that the whole family can enjoy. The setting and decoration is perfect and has that great Halloweeny feel. There’s also a funny cameo by Penny Marshall and Garry Marshall as husband and wife(but who are real life brother and sister in case you didn’t know). This is a real great vehicle for Bette Midler. She fits perfectly. You’ll also recognize Thora Birch(American Beauty)as the little sister. The film is a wonderful family treat that will delight and entertain the whole family.
Review by Bubbles for Hocus Pocus
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I have loved this movie ever since my mom took me to see it in the theater when I was 6 years old. Ever since (even after I was allowed to watch actual scary halloween movies) this has been my very favorite movie to put in the DVD player, pop some popcorn and have fun.
If you are looking for a movie to laugh all the way through or something to watch with the kids I suggest you pick up a copy of this movie. You won’t regret it!
Review by Rebecca for Hocus Pocus
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I looooove HOCUS POCUS! This is the best flick you could possibly find for a Halloween night. It’s humorous and lighthearted, and can be pretty scary for kids under the age of 8. I’m 17 years old, and I still think HOCUS POCUS is the best Halloween flick. This movie is basically about the three Sanderson witch sistes who lived long ago in the 1600s during the Salem Witch Trials, in Massachusetts. Winifred, Sarah, and Mary want to make themselves look younger and more beautiful. So in the beginning, they create a spell that will suck the lives out of children who are more beautiful then they are and then they will receive all that beauty and youthfulness. Anyway, Thackery Binks is a young boy who lived during the time of the Sanderson witches. One morning when his kid sister, Emily Binks, runs off, he realizes that she’s being hypnotized by the Sanderson sisters to go to their home in the middle of the woods so they can take her life. Thackery races off to rescue his sister, only to find that he is too late. The Sanderson sisters find Thackery in their house and attack him, turning him into a black cat forever, unless someone can break the spell. That night, the Sanderson sisters are found by the townspeople and are hanged for killing Thackery. The Sanderson sisters promise the townspeople that they will come back to life when someone lights the black candle in their home. Then 300 years go by and it is the present day. Max is a young teenage boy who moves with his family to Salem, Massachusetts from Los Angeles, California. On Halloween, his teacher tells his class the story on the Sanderson sisters, like she always does every year. Max, being new in town, doesn’t believe the story of the three witches. Allison, a girl in his class whom he has a crush on, tells Max that the story is true, even though Max still doesn’t really believe her. On Halloween night, when Max takes his little sister Dani out trick-or-treating, they end up going to this large house which happens to be the home of Allison. When he sees Allison, Max suggests to Allison and Dani that they all go to the Sanderson witches home – which has been turned into a museum – to see if the story his teacher told them really was true. Dani believes the story and doesn’t want to go. But Allison agrees to it and then Dani, who has to go since their parents are at a Halloween party, agrees to go. They get to the home of the Sanderson sisters and find Thackery, who is still a black cat. Thackery tells them about the Sanderson sisters and Max, who still wants to prove that he is right that the witches don’t exist, lights the black candle, bringing the Sanderson sisters back to life. Now, Max, Allison, and Dani are on a wild and hilarious chase to catch and destroy the Sanderson sisters before it is too late (which would be at dawn the next morning) and before the Sanderson sisters can suck the lives out of all the children in town. Bette Midler and Sarah Jessica Parker are excellent in this film, so are Omri Katz (who plays Max), Kathy Namijy, Vinessa Shaw, and a very young Thora Birch. I recommend this movie to anyone who loves Halloween!
Review by Catie for Hocus Pocus
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I’m a 16 yr old who still watches Disney(So sue me, I hate MTV and the Pop rage). I never knew this movie was in theatres until I read these reviews! I just finished watching Hocus Pocus on TV tonight and thought I’d look it up on Amazon to see if it were on DVD/VHS. This movie is a classic, and I watch it every time it comes on. I have the soundtrack, which consists of like 2 songs, on Kazaa Media. It’s the greatest halloween movie of the 90s for kids, and even teenagers, because I know alot of kids at school like it as well. Hope this review will help someone out! I would recommend this movie to anyone-my dad says it’s one of the few things SJP did that was decent acting, lol!