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Orlando Bloom in "Kingdom of Heaven"
courtesy of Fox Home Entertainment
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"Orlando the Hero"
Ridley Scott knows all there is to know about making action adventures. After all he directed "Gladiator" and "Black Hawk Down." Now he has a new adventure out on DVD titled "Kingdom of Heaven." This movie is set during the Crusades and stars Orlando Bloom as a rugged hero.
A rugged hero? Give me a break. Bloom is great playing a sidekick ("Pirates of the Caribbean"), but he is not totally believable as the main leader of massive forces. In this film he is the knight who battles hordes of troops to save Jerusalem from the infidels.
The movie is exciting, and on the DVD there are more than five hours of extras. Still the film is a little tiring and in parts just confusing and boring. Bloom is miscast but Liam
Neeson, Edward Norton and Jeremy Irons are not.
"Kingdom of Heaven" is a movie better watched at home on DVD than in a theater where you couldn't take a break from it. In small doses and small parts it is much better entertainment.
Much better adventure comes in the form of BATMAN. Yes, there is life in the "caped crusader" series yet. Especially when you now have Christian Bale playing Bruce Wayne/Batman and Michael Caine is Alfred. They are the stars of "Batman Begins" a re-telling of the Batman legend and how it all started.
The film is directed by Christopher Nolan who made his mark with "Memento." He knows exactly how to handle this film and gives it a dark polish. Liam Neesom and Katie Holmes are also in the film, but the actor I liked best is Cillian Murphy who plays "the Scarecrow." He later returned to scare people in "Red Eye."
This is a great film and one you will want to own on DVD. Christian Bale is the new face of Batman and he is a perfect choice. May the makers of the James Bond series be as lucky with their selection of Daniel Craig.
A documentary adventure you will probably enjoy is the one titled "Beyond the Gates of Splendor." This film tells the true story of five missionaries who gave their lives to reach and influence a tribe of Ecuadorian Indians. This took place in the 1950's and many, many years after the reported death of the five missionaries their families searched out the same tribe. Now that, ladies and gentlemen, is faith and dedication.
The Indians of the Waodani Tribe are interviewed in this film as are some of the descendants of the slain missionaries. This makes the film hard-hitting and impressive.
Documentaries are very much in as entertainment these days and "Beyond the Gates of Splendor" is a very good film of this type.
If you have not been on an isolated island you must have heard the announcement that "Cinderella" is now available on DVD. The sound and the colors of this animated film have been refreshed and enhanced.
This is one of Disney's truly classic animated movies and a new generation of children needs to be exposed to the magic. They will not be disappointed. My five-year-old granddaughter was entranced from beginning to end. So spread some musical magic by bringing home this new release of Cinderella" plus extras today!
Have you heard of a super hero named "Atomic Betty"? Do your kids know about her? Well she was new to me. I didn't know there was a series of adventures about a sweet and smart girl who everyone thinks they know but in actuality don't have a clue. This sweet and smart girl is actually "Atomic Betty," who is a Galactic Guardian and Defender of the Cosmos.
You can get your kids two DVD's, and each one contains eight episodes, of this character's adventures. She battles space creatures and zooms from planet to planet. She is a futuristic heroine and her adventures will hold your children in thrall.
The DVD's are titled "Atomic Betty, Volume I: Betty, Set, Go!" and "Atomic Betty, Volume 2: Betty to the Rescue!" Get them both today. |
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©2005 Jackie K. Cooper |
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Click above to find out more about Jackie's books!
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