Gyllenhaal's A Jarhead

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Jake Gyllenhaal in "Jarhead"
courtesy of Universal Home Video

"Gyllenhaal's A Jarhead"

Jake Gyllenhaal scored an Academy Award nomination for his role in "Brokeback Mountain." He also reaped tons of publicity from the film. But Gyllenhaal made other movies last year, one of which was "Jarhead." This movie, now out on DVD, was directed by Sam "American Beauty" Mendes and was based on an account of his life during the first Gulf War by Anthony Swofford.

Gyllenhaal plays Swofford in the film and shows all of his triumphs and tedium while preparing and then being in the war zone. The movie showcased Gyllenhaal's talent but was not successful because it was too episodic and also because it was one of the most non-action war movies ever made. The film emphasized how boring a lot of the time spent in the Gulf was, and that made for a tiresome and sometimes boring movie.

Through the magic of DVD's you can watch some of the film and then stop when it gets too tiresome and pick it back up at a later date. You can also focus on Gyllenhaal's performance and also that of Peter Sarsgaard who plays another member of his unit. By focusing on the acting and not the action you might enjoy the film more.

Kids are going to get excited, and a few adults too, when they learn "The Scooby-Doo/Dynamutt Hour: The Complete Series" is out on DVD. This is a four-disc set that contains thirty-two segments and that is a lot of fun for the family.

Scooby Doo and the Mystery Crew as well as Dynamutt and the Blue Falcon work on solving crimes that have an eerie bent to them. This is the trademark of all adventures with the characters and proves once again they can't be beat.

So reward your kids and the kid in you by getting the four disc set of "The Scooby Doo/Dynamutt Hour: The Complete Series." You will be howling with delight.

If you are a martial arts fan then you want to get "Zu Warriors." This is an action packed, visually stunning film that comes in two versions on the same DVD. You get the English language film and also the Chinese language film with English subtitles. How's that for service!

The star of the film is the exquisite Zhang Zi Yi who thrilled audiences in "Memoirs of A Geisha." She stars in this story of two clans that do battle in the mountains of China. It is the story of brave warriors and crafty villains, and it is told in an epic way with the choreographed battles being the centerpoint. You will not be disappointed by the beauty and grandeur in this film.

Stephen Dorff and Bob Hoskins co-star in "Den Of Lions," a modern day story about the Russian Mafia being active in Budapest and the means that are used to oust them from the country. Hoskins plays the Mafia kingpin and Dorff plays the man who is the mole in his organization.

This movie is full of intrigue and danger as well as romance, as Dorff's character falls for the daughter of the character played by Hoskins. This puts both of them in a precarious position, when Dorff betrays Hoskins to the FBI.

Hoskins is one of the best actors in films today and Dorff has his moments. You might do worse than picking up this thriller.

Another movie that may surprise you is the comedy "Undertaking Betty." Brenda Blethyn (who was so great as the mother in "Pride and Prejudice") is the star of the film. She plays Betty, a woman in love with Alfred Molina's character, who is an undertaker. She is married to a cheating scoundrel but she still doesn't want to scandalize her family with a divorce. So she comes up with a plan to fake her death. It should be simple since her boyfriend is the undertaker, but there is a competing undertaker (Christopher Walken) in the town and he wants to "undertake" Betty.

Blethyn and Molina are fine in their roles, as is Walken. Lee Evans and Naomi Watts have basically supporting roles. The cast is fine and the story is fun. What more could you want!

Finally there is "Meet the Orchestra: First Instruments." This is a DVD from the Baby Einstein Company and is recommended for children one year and up. It is an introduction to musical instruments and the sounds they make. It is hard to believe children can develop an ear for music at an early age but research shows they can. That is why exposure of this type is important.

So expose your child in the best way possible by getting this video. The Baby Einstein people know what they are doing, and it is to your child's benefit for you to expose them to the product they offer.

Click above to find out more about Jackie's books!