Elixir

• ISBN13: 9781442408531
• Condition: New
• Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!

Even when Hilary Duff is at her most un-Lizzie McGuire-like, it's impossible not to like her, as she proves on this reinvention-themed, girl-grows-up album. Free her from the constraints of the teen-queen slumber party scene and she'll crank up the guitars and "Fly," as she does on the feel-good first single; give her a minute to reflect on life as a multi-hyphenate (in her case TV princess-movie star-pop goddess) and she'll come clean with "Underneath This Smile," an introspective winner not lacking--and yet not reaching--for sunshine, or "Who's That Girl," an unapologetic embrace of self-contradiction. Songwriters Diane Warren ("I Am") and Charlie Midnight, whose contributions to Duff's last a! lbum don't seem so yesterday as yet, pitch in, as does Hilary's star-in-her-own-right sister Haylie (the boyfriend-blasting "Mr. James Dean"). If there's evidence of the mixed-up lovable kook millions of teens once modeled themselves after here, it is only in the title: Hilary Duff may be the follow-up to the 5 million-selling Metamorphosis, but the real metamorphosis for Miss Duff takes place here. --Tammy La GorceHilary Duff (A Cinderella Story) shines in this sparkling romantic comedy based on the book Diary of a Working Girl by Daniella Brodsky. Lane, a fashion journalist, gets the assignment of a lifetime when Cosmopolitan magazine hires her to write a story about finding love in the workplace. Posing as a corporate assistant, Lane finds herself torn between the office's eligible men in suits and a dashing stranger (Chris Marmack, The O.C.) who sweeps her off her feet. Will she find the "magic man" who fulfills her fantasy checklist, or will her st! ory have an ending as unexpected as love itself? The appealing! cast in cludes Michael McMillan (True Blood) and Matt Dallas (Kyle XY), with Emmy-winner Jaime Pressly (My Name is Earl) and the hilarious Jennifer Coolidge (Legally Blonde).Finding the right man is harder than any full-time job, but does where a woman works impact her chances of finding Mr. Right? Fashion writer Lane (Hilary Duff) is convinced that it does, and when she shares her opinion with an editor (Jaime Pressly) at Cosmo magazine, it lands her a once-in-a-lifetime chance to write a cover story. The catch is, she has to go undercover in the business world to get the real scoop on finding true love in the workplace. Posing as a businesswoman is more difficult than Lane initially thinks, but the sheer mass of men in suits at the office is more than enough reward for her hard work. Much to her surprise, Lane quickly discovers that the businessmen who have every quality on her "Magic Man" checklist leave her decidedly unexcited, while she finds men like her boss Tom (Micha! el McMillian), who possesses virtually none of those magic qualities, simultaneously incomprehensible and incredibly intriguing. Based on the book Diary of a Working Girl by Daniella Brodsky, Beauty & the Briefcase is similar to The Devil Wears Prada and Confessions of a Shopaholic. Duff's performance doesn't quite measure up to those of Anne Hathaway or Isla Fisher, but she does a fine job, and while this made-for-TV movie isn't on par with its theatrical counterparts, it is very well done. All in all, Beauty & the Briefcase is an enjoyable romantic comedy that's definitely worth watching. (Ages 10 and older) --Tami HoriuchiSince Sage was kidnapped, Clea has no way of knowing if he is alive or dead. And even though she has only just discovered they were soulmates, she feels like a part of her is lost forever. What’s worse, she can’t even turn to her best friend Benâ€"because every time she looks at him, all she sees is his betr! ayal.

But waiting for something to happen is not an option,! so Clea is ready for action. Suffering through dreams of seeing Sage with another woman, she makes an uneasy alliance with Sage’s enemies and sets out to be reunited with Sage...in this life or the next.Limited Japanese edition of the TV/film/pop star's #1 debut album features 15 tracks including 2 bonus tracks, 'A Day In The Sun' & 'Girl Can Rock'. Includes 8-page full color photo book & a 20-page sleeve booklet with song lyrics, credits & many more color photos. Copy Controlled. Avex. 2003.She may have played a teenaged girl mistaken for a pop star in The Lizzie McGuire Movie, but after releasing a Christmas album in 2002, and crooning two songs on the movie’s soundtrack, Hilary Duff looks like she means business. The only trouble is, she doesn’t sound like it. Although dubbing her first album Metamorphosis, the disc is anything but. Her singing is as coy and kittenish as her on-screen persona and she mugs her way through most of the 13 songs with charm and ap! lomb, but little natural singing talent. But to her credit, the actress has managed to cover a multitude of vocal sins by hiring a team of crack producers, who double her voice whenever possible, giving many of the tracks the rather anthemic feel of a cheerleading squad. The best songs on the disc are the three masterminded by the Matrix, the same production team that oversaw Avril Lavigne's hit disc and they give the lissome actress’s singing some attitude and grit, like on the infectious and spectacularly bratty "So Yesterday," and the cleverly conceived "Math," complete with heavy metal guitar riffs. But Duff is not inhabiting that saucy jailbait territory staked by Britney Spears. At the ripe old age sixteen, she’s much more Barbies than bustiers. --Jaan UhelszkiHilary Duff stars as Terri, a small town girl with the voice of a big-time singer. Following her dreams, she heads to L.A. for the summer at a famous music school. Life in the big city is full of surp! rises, but with the help of some cool friends, an encouraging ! teacher, and a super cute boy, this All-American girl will have the time of her life.

DVD Features:
Deleted Scenes:w/optional directot commentary
Featurette:Behind-The Scenes
Full Screen Version:Both Widescreen & Fullscreen versions on one disc
Music Video:Hilary Duff's "Fly"
Other:Interactive Jam--compose your own song and get critiqued by a professor
Outtakes
Theatrical Trailer

Perky teen starlet Hilary Duff wholeheartedly embraces the kind of earnest innocence all parents wish their daughters had. In Raise Your Voice, Terri Fletcher (Duff, A Cinderella Story, The Lizzie McGuire Movie) yearns to go to a prestigious music conservatory in Los Angeles. Her father (David Keith, An Officer and a Gentleman) won't let her because L.A. is a bad place--but her loving mom (Rita Wilson) and kooky aunt (Rebecca DeMornay, Risky Business) sneak her away. Once there, she gets! a sassy roommate-of-color, geeky cool friends, a snooty rival, and a sexy British boyfriend (Oliver James, What a Girl Wants). Of course, all conflicts with family and friends come to a head at a big competition at which Terri rediscovers herself. Formulaic? Yes (see also Fame, Dirty Dancing, and School of Rock). Bland? Yes. Will preteen girls enjoy it anyway? Maybe, because Duff plays it so sincere. --Bret FetzerDignity isn't for sale. It comes from within. Hilary Duff has always carried herself with dignity, from her 2001 TV debut starring in "Lizzy McGuire," through big screen hits like "Cinderella Story" and "Cheaper by the Dozen," to her career as a multi-platinum recording artist, with more than 13 million albums sold to date. Now Hilary brings her customary class and splash to her new Hollywood Records CD "Dignity. At 19, Hilary has matured into a sophisticated singer and songwriter. Hilary has co-written all the songs on 'Dignity! ', always aiming high and ultimately creating an album of dept! h and co nsequence. To realize her vision for the new CD, she teamed with Grammy-Award winning Kara Dioguardi ( Gwen Stefani, Pussy Cat Dolls, Enrique Iglesias, Kelly Clarkson), as well as top producer/songwriters like Chico Bennett & Richard Vission (Madonna, Usher, Killers), Tim & Bob (Nas, Madonna, Jennifer Lopez), Vada Nobles (Rhianna, Lauryn Hill, Faith Evans, Natasha Bedingfield, Warren G), Fredwrecke (Snoop Dog, Eminem, Fergi) Will.I.Am and Rhett Lawrence. In the title track, she talks about her experiences and observations of living in Los Angeles ("Where's your dignity/I think you lost it in the Hollywood Hills"). "Danger" explores the suspect advances of an older man, while "With Love" turns the world's most common song topic upside down. ("I can take your honesty/All your words weigh heavily/I'm listening to you all the time"). The song 'Stranger' reveals a relationship that is picture perfect in public, but cold behind closed doors. With every track, Hilary probes life an! d love more intensely, and with more vulnerability than she has before. This is the deluxe CD/DVD version which includes 9 music videos.In the most dignified way possible, "Dignity"--the title track to this fizz-bomb of a dance-pop disc--sends a disgusted eye-roll and a flagrant puh-lease to underwear-eschewing celebutantes everywhere: "You'd show up to the opening of an envelope," sings Duff, who hangs onto her signature sweetness despite having entered full-on diss mode. "It's not news when you've got a new bag/It's not news when you're looking your best/Come on, give it a rest." Well said. And sung. Not that calling out the phony and the full of it is what Duff, or Dignity, is all about. Mostly, the disc is a beat-studded chronicling of an incredibly healthy 19-year-old psyche: On "Happy," she's happy despite an ex's attempts to make her miserable; on "With Love"--maybe her catchiest, most grown-up song to date--she's willing to accept rejection as long as! kindness plays a role in its delivery. Musically, with the he! lp of gr oove-conscious producers like Tim & Bob and Will.i.am, Duff edges ever closer to adult sensibilities; her goofball Lizzie McGuire days seem far behind. It's an evolution anybody could have seen coming, actually. Has there ever been a starlet with her head on straighter? --Tammy La GorceAs the daughter of a renowned surgeon and a prominent Washington D.C. politician, Clea Raymond has felt the glare of the spotlight her entire life. And though she dreads the paparazzi who track her every move, she herself is a talented photojournalist who takes refuge in a career that allows her to travel to the most exotic parts of the world. But after Clea’s father disappears while on a humanitarian mission, eerie, shadowy images of a strange and beautiful young man begin to appear in Clea’s photosâ€"a man she has never seen in her life.

When Clea suddenly encounters this man in person she is stunnedâ€"and feels an immediate and powerful connection. As they grow closer, ! they are drawn deep into the mystery behind her father’s disappearance and discover the centuries-old truth behind their intense bond. Torn by a dangerous love triangle and haunted by a powerful secret that holds their fate, together they race against time to unravel their past in order to save their futureâ€"and their lives.