Midwinter's Tale, A - DVD

To be or not to be? To act or not to act? They are the same question to Joe, a struggling (read: jobless) actor whose every sinew and synapse cries out to perform -- and to soften the blow of not landing a part in a mega budget sci-fi movie. So in the stalwart (read: desperate) tradition of actors everywhere, Joe vows to put on a show, a special (read: even more desperate) version of the greatest play in the English tongue. Writer/director Kenneth Branagh serves up a Hamlet on wry with this salute to dyed-in-the-wool and often wooly-brained thespians. Michael Maloney plays Joe, maxing out his credit cards and wits to realize a dream. Does he succeed? With Richard Briers, Joan Collins, Nicholas Farrell, Absolutely Fabulous alumna Jennifer Saunders and Julia Sawalha and more joining Maloney, one thing is certain: the show must go on.

This modern retelling of William Shakespeare's final masterpiece is an exciting, mystical and magical fantasy with Academy Award-winner Helen Mirren (Best Actress, THE QUEEN, 2006) leading a star-studded cast including Russell Brand (GET HIM TO THE GREEK) and Alfred Molina (THE SORCERER'S APPRENTICE). Exiled to a magical island, the sorceress Prospera (Mirren) conjures up a storm that shipwrecks her enemies, and then unleashes her powers for revenge. Directed by the visionary Julie Taymor - and complete with exclusive bonus features and an Academy Award nomination for Best Costume Design (Sandy Powell, 2010) - THE TEMPEST, with it's innovative twist, is a supernatural dramedy filled with Shakespearian villains, lovers and fools that will leave you spellbound.

Set in a mythic New York City and spanning more than a century, "Winter's Tale" is a story of miracles, crossed destinies, and the age-old battle between good and evil.