Jacob's Gift DVD

Starring:Max Lucado
Studio: Tommy Nelson
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

The broadcast series DNAngel plays like a junior version of X crossed with Saint Tail. Daisuke Niwa is polite, well-intentioned, and talented, but he's also physically clumsy and socially maladroit. He can't bring himself to confess his love to his pretty classmate, Risa Harada. On his 14th birthday, his weird mother and grandfather tell Daisuke that a family genetic quirk will now manifest itself, and he will transform into the supernatural thief, Dark Mousy. His grandfather's rabbit-like pet With turns into the dark, feathered wings that are de rigueur for this type of anime character. Despite the unfortunate name, Dark Mousy is what Daisuke would like to be: a tall, dashing bishonen (beautiful boy). Risa falls for Dark like a bento box of rocks, but as Dark, Daisuke accidentally kisses her twin sister, Riku, creating an adolescent romantic triangle.

Having created a situation and several characters, the filmmakers don't seem to know what to do them. Many of Daisuke's adventures as Dark have little or nothing to do with his career as a supernatural thief, and the tone of the episodes shifts erratically from mawkish to silly to melodramatic. Although Daisuke supposedly transforms into Dark, the alter ego sometimes appears as an independent entity. Hard-core bishonen fans may enjoy Dark's sultry charms, but most viewers will grow impatient with the unfocused stories and poorly defined characters in DNAngel. (Rated TV PG, suitable for ages 10 and older: mild violence) --Charles Solomon

Description

Adapted from the international best-selling manga series by Yukiru Sugisaki, D•N•Angel is a romatic adventure with a fantastic premise. High School hottie Risa has two suitors: shy Daisuke and the magical thief Dark. But the twist is that Daisuke and Dark share the same body, and it's Daisuke's love for Risa that allows Dark to take over! The only way to resolve this romantic disaster is for Daisuke to win the heart of his true love-but since she's only got eyes for Dark, that's not happening anytime soon!

Customer Reviews:

Excellent purchase.......2007-06-22

I've only read a little of the manga, but I was far more intrigued by the anime. The anime is very good and it has a wonderful ending. The characters are deep and intriguing. The action kept me on the edge of my seat. But I'm a romantic at heart and there was plenty of human drama and sweetness, and enough comedy to balance out the heavy plot.

I watched it in both English and Japanese. Daisuke and Satoshi I liked both in English and Japanese, but Dark I actually preferred in English. Risa I absolutely couldn't stand in English. Riku was fine in English, but I liked her better in Japanese. All the other characters were fine in either language.

The only thing I didn't like about it was the inconsistency of the plot pacing. It seems to drag out for a long time with all the thefts, but when we get to the end, it just rushes into a conclusion. But is an overall good purchase. The DVDs themselves lack only the commentary from the English cast that were on previous DVDs.

D.N.Angel gets an excellent review from me and I'll end up watching it for quite awhile.

Not as good as the manga.......2007-02-28

Now then let me first say that I've been a big fan of D. N. Angle since the manga was first previewed in new type four or five years ago. Add to this is that I've pretty much engraved every manga to come out into me perminately memory. I rented this series because I wanted to know how everything ended.

D. N. Angle is a good series, no doubt but I'm having trouble reviewing this one objectively for a few reasons. One is I just can't help but compare the manga version to the anime version. Two is the differences annoy and infuriate me.

Well lets start off the review with the englich voice acting which is good not great, I've heard better but it's descent. Two is animation, which is kind of odd, it his smooth but not fluid. This is probably because of the way it was directed with the camera constantly changing direction and refocusing of things, zooming in and out. Character designs are okay most are shallow but still somewhat likable. The music with all honesty was pretty good, not the best I've heard but still pretty good. The plot has quite a few twists that will keep you guessing. The ending felt rushed and lacking leaving you thinking wait that's it?

Now as you have probably noticed I personally did not really like this show. Mostly because of the huge difference in the anime and manga. This is a review for everyone that's read the manga like me and are thinking about buying this one. First the focus' are completely different. The anime mainly focus' on Daisake being the phantom thief and pretty much breezes over everything else, mean most of the first half of the series is just him doing jobs. The relationships which are the focus of the manga don't really start until about half way threw and then at a snails pace. In the manga Risa is betrayed as a brave and devoted girl that though selfish does care about Riku, other then that a normal girl. In the anime Risa is betrayed as more of a selfish, flake leaving you wondering what Daisake saw in her. Also in the manga Satoshi and Daisake are rather close even stated that Satoshi feelings of friendship towards Daisake are what causes him to transform. Another huge difference is that in the manga Daisake's feelings for Risa are kinda glossed over where as his relationship with Riku though romantic is like a wine that gets richer with time. In fact the last manga to come out had him wanting to save Risa from her situation not so much for his own feelings for her but because of the suffering it caused Riku. In the anime it's the reverse Daisake spends most of his time crushing on Risa and ignoring Riku all together. Another difference is that in the manga Dark is a far more tragic character, being able to love but never truly being able to be loved in return and eventually losing his love to his best friend, the one he's possessing then disappearing never to see them again. Also Dark's and Daisake's relationhip is far different in the two versions. In the manga Daisake and Dark are rather good friends with most of the comedy stemming from the two jeering each other or trying to keep their secret when they keep transforming at awkward times. The two act more like brothers then anything. Another jarring difference in the versions is in the manga Daisake's klutziness is an act which Riku notices, he actually is quite agile and graceful as well as sensitive where as in the anime he's a complete klutz/bonehead. Also Daisake's dad is the resident art/legend know it all and shows up a lot more and generally is more of the help.

Any way when everything's said and done I suggest you rent this one. If you can go get the manga it's much better, is unending at this point.

Great Anime!!.......2007-01-08

Very good Anime, the plot and storyline kept me wanting to see more of each epiode I probably watched each one more than three times each.

One of the best anime ever!.......2006-12-31

I got to admit that Amazon overpriced this item, but you wont tegret buying this item. This anime is about a boy named Daisuke Niwa who is has a special gene condition that whenever he sees this crush, Risa Harada, he turns into a famous phantom thief Dark Mousy. It is a rare magical boy anime & one of my favorite anime ever! I only rated it 4 stars because it is overpriced. But trust me, once you buy this item, you would want to watch it over & over again.

Amazon Overpriced This One.......2006-12-09

I bought this package two weeks ago and then found the same package at Best Buy for $59 ... not a sale special, just Best Buy's regular price. I am very disappointed with Amazon because they *used to be* a great value and Best Buy was the overpriced store.

Average customer rating:

If you liked Rose Red....
Loved this movie!
Spooky but good!
The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer
Diary of Ellen Rimbauer

The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer
Starring: Lisa Brenner , Steven Brand , Kate Burton , Tsidii Leloka , and Brad Greenquist
Director: Craig R. Baxley
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Rose Red (2pc)
The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer: My Life at Rose Red
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Stephen King's Storm of the Century

ASIN: B0000C2IQQ
Release Date: 2003-10-14

Customer Reviews:

If you liked Rose Red...........2007-05-25

If you liked Rose Red, you will like this DVD. It is a great companion piece to Rose Red. There is suspense, a little campy, I really enjoyed it.

Loved this movie!.......2007-01-22

I loved this movie! It wasn't as scary as I had hoped but other than that it was fabulous! Lisa Brenner is gorgeous and she shines as Ellen Rimbaur! It is a great prequel to "Rose Red", which is also fantastic.

Spooky but good!.......2007-01-10

This was an excellent movie for those who liked Rose Red since it is a sequel or prequel or some such thing. My daughter and I went to visit the Thornwood Castle where this movie and the outdoor shots for Rose Red were made. The Tour was fun and having seen both movies and read the books made it even better.

The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer.......2006-08-28

This is a prequel to Stephen King's ROSE RED, which I haven't seen or read. No matter. It's 88 minutes and I watched 18 of them. Great recreation of the early 20th century and a good spooky atmosphere, but the story just didn't pull me in. That probably says more about me than it does about the movie. Written by Ridley Scott, whose ALIEN franchise also does nothing for me.

Diary of Ellen Rimbauer.......2006-03-07

I read the book before seeing the movie. The book was good. The movie was terrible. I did not like it at all. The movie did not follow the book. The movie had inaccurate accounts compared to the book and the Rose Red movie.

Average customer rating:

the BEST Secret Garden
a bargain?
Double dose of Francis Hodgeson Burnett

A Little Princess/Secret Garden
Starring: Kate Maberly , Heydon Prowse , Andrew Knott , Maggie Smith , and Laura Crossley
Director: Agnieszka Holland , and Alfonso Cuarón
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Fairy Tale - A True Story
Back to the Secret Garden
A Little Princess
Little Women (Collector's Edition)
The Secret Garden (HarperClassics)

ASIN: B0009UZG5U
Release Date: 2005-08-30

Description

Two of Frances Hodgson Burnett's most treasured children's novels come to the screen in wondrous adaptations. Alfonso Cuaron (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban) directs A Little Princess, the magical story of a girl who uses her powers of imagination and zest for life to overcome hardships at a stern boarding school. And three lonely children are forever changed as they learn to trust each other while restoring and taking refuge in The Secret Garden. Agnieszka Holland (Europa Europa) directs and Francis Ford Coppola executive produces a luminous film in which magic and hope bloom.

Customer Reviews:

the BEST Secret Garden.......2006-02-10

I had a unique FORTUNATE experience to have Kate Maberly all to myself several times... it's not that way folks ! The one and only theater in my town (Fairborn, Ohio) was shutting down in about 1995 or so and the last show(s) I remember playing were "The Secret Garden". I know I snuck away from (Computer Science) classes to see Kate because she was SOOO! cute and she had that British accent nailed down!

Kate's is the VERY BEST that you will see for the "Secret Garden", but Amelia Shankley's is the VERY, VERY BEST that you will ever see for "A Little Princess"... you will cry and cry and thank God that Amelia has more guts than you do. Amelia endures tortures that we can only thank the Lord we don't need to go through.

a bargain?.......2005-10-13

This DVD looks like a bargain: two movies for the price of one. Is it? Like most apparent bargains, there is a catch.

The Secret Garden. Whether you've read the book or not, the BBC version (3 and a half hours long) is by far the best movie version of all four versions. The characters, scenery, accents, music--all are priceless. And it also follows the book. Every child deserves to see this movie. This version has just been released on DVD.

A Little Princess. If you've read the book A Little Princess, you're going to be disappointed in this movie. The movie throws the book away. If you haven't read the book, it's not a bad children's movie. But there is a better movie of A Little Princess which also throws the book away: the 1939 Shirley Temple version (which is available on DVD for only $4.99).

If you HAVE read the book, A Little Princess, you have only one choice: the Wonderworks version from the late 1970s. This version is excellent in every way (except for the casting of the main character), an English ambience, excellent casting of all the other characters, superb acting, good music, etc. It is over two and a half hours long and follows the book very closely. (Oddly enough, this version has just been re-released--on VHS!!! Hasn't Wonderworks ever heard of DVD?)

Bottom line: this DVD is not a bargain. Get the 1975 version of The Secret Garden and wait for the Wonderworks version to come out on DVD.
Warning: If you go for this deal and ever see one of the good movie versions someday, you're going to be very, very angry that you fell for this "bargain."

Double dose of Francis Hodgeson Burnett.......2005-09-02

A Little Princess, a classic story of a little girls hope, that has been remade several times, is presented in this two disc set.

The secret garden is another classic tale, that has been retold many times.

These movies are presented on 2 double sided DVD's, each one featuring a wide screen and a full screen version.
There are not many special features on the DVD's, but if you just want the movies, then this is the set for you.

Cromartie High School - Complete Collection

Average customer rating:

Awesome and Funny!
Hilarious!
Cromartie High
Hilarious anime, very rewatchable, and cheap to boot!

Cromartie High School - Complete Collection
Starring: James Reed Faulkner , Takuma Suzuki , Kira Vincent-Davis , Matt Crawford (II) , and Chris Nelson (VII)
Director: Hiroaki Sakurai , and Steven Foster
Manufacturer: Adv Films
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Azumanga Daioh - Class Album (Complete Series)

ASIN: B000FWHVNW
Release Date: 2006-08-01

Description

Japan's smartest comedy is totally stupid --- and maybe that's why we love it so! Based on Eiji Nanaka's award-winning manga, CROMARTIE HIGH SCHOOL is an absurdist romp through Japan's toughest, most notorious reform school. Populated by a motley crew of thugs, misfits, and the occasional gorilla, it won over legions of Japanese late night TV viewers. Now through this super affordable thin-pack, Japan's #1 comedy is soon to become North America's favorite funny anime. "A+" (Anime on DVD)

Customer Reviews:

Awesome and Funny!.......2007-02-22

I really enjoy watching this DVD! I think it is AWESOME and funny! I am so glad to purchase this DVD from Amazon!

Hilarious!.......2006-12-06

While I have seen my share of anime, I am not overly big on it-- often, the humor falls flat and there's only so many times I can handle sweatdrops for no apparent reason or the random nosebleeds that seem to ail the population. (Yes, yes, cultural differences and all that. I know.) Despite that, there have been a few shining examples of seriously GOOD anime and this is one of them. It's ridiculous, which is where is gets its humor... like the episode that is ALL about a tune no one can name but everyone can hum. I've only seen an episode or two of Seinfeld, but I understand it as a reference to pointless humor and so, if I must compare, this would rate up there next to Seinfeld in that manner. I think this was better than Seinfeld, though.

On a technical note, the dubbing is exceptional on these and if you've watched any amount of anime (or foreign films) you'll know that the right dubbing can make or break the experience. Often times, we're given no recourse but to watch it subbed because the dubbing is so bad. No so with these; they did a great job with the voice acting, so fear not!

Go into these expecting ridiculous, pointless humor and you'll be very, very pleased. This is the best anime I have seen in a long time and next to Ranma 1/2 and a few other classics, one of the few sets I would consider owning. Good stuff! Enjoy!!

Cromartie High.......2006-11-04

Funny, twisted, warped and that's just the first episode. With it's parodies of Japanese culture, twisted characters and all around screwiness, this is an original. If you are looking for something funny and different, then this is the anime for you.

Hilarious anime, very rewatchable, and cheap to boot!.......2006-10-23

I love box sets that cost almost as much as about two individual DVDs. This is a steal for an amazing series.

Now, this show is pure comedy. You will not find intricate plots or heart-felt relationships, but you WILL laugh. For example, should the main character tell his classmates that one of them is actually a robot? But wait, maybe they're right. Maybe he ISN'T a robot and just looks funny. Then everyone would think he's a jerk for calling the weird looking kid a robot. Awesome, cerebral comedy with commentary on how PC we can be sometimes. Plus, as a n added value, this anime has a much higher re-watchability factor than a show like, say, Escaflowne. With no true plot you can watch them again and again the way you might Seinfeld or Friends.

National Geographic - Legendary Shipwrecks

Average customer rating:

National Geographic - Legendary Shipwrecks
Starring: E.J. Smith , Martin Sheen , Bob Ballard , Charles Herbert Lightoller , and John Jacob Astor
Director: Nicolas Noxon
Manufacturer: Nat'l Geographic Vid
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00008V2TZ
Release Date: 2003-05-13

Description

Experience amazing adventures on the high seas, as National Geographic goes in search of history's greatest shipwrecks in this special collection of the most celebrated under-sea expeditions with Dr. Robert Ballard - famed discoverer of the Titanic. This

Average customer rating:

A Very Special Christmas Present
Gift
Extremely Pleasant reading
I din't like this book at all!!!!
Could be better

Jacob's Gift
Starring: Max Lucado
Manufacturer: Thomas Nelson
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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The Crippled Lamb: Collector's Edition
The Christmas Child: A Story of Coming Home
Because I Love You
All You Ever Need
Just the Way You Are

ASIN: 1400301750
Release Date: 2005-07-19

Book Description

Jacob's Gift…Jacob is a young boy who learns a powerful lesson from his carpentry teacher: "When you give a gift to one of God's children, you give a gift to Him" In this live action holiday treat.

Customer Reviews:

A Very Special Christmas Present.......2003-09-22

JACOB'S GIFT is another wonderful retelling of the Christmas story by Christian author Max Lucado. Jacob is a young carpenter apprentice who has a creative imagination. He often finds himself ridiculed by the other children who do recognize his talents, but the master carpenter, Rabbi Simoen, recognizes and encourages the talent of Jacob.

The class gets excited about a carpentry project that will be judged by Simeon's nephew, a carpenter who will be visiting Bethlehem very soon. Jacob decides to build hay troth on wheels. He is busy at work when he hears a cry from a stable. A child has been born, but it has no crib. Jacob wonders if he should ignore the cry, or give the young couple the unfinished hay troth to use as a crib even though it will mean he will not have a project for the contest. Jacob decides to give away the troth. When he begins to tell Rabbi Simeon why he has no project, the nephew arrives. He is none other than Joseph who proudly tells the story of his son as well as the generosity of the Jacob whose gift saved the day.

Lucado is again able to tell the familiar story of the birth of Christ in an interesting and engaging manner. The artwork by illustrator Robert Hunt will capture the imaginations of younger children. The book is also suited for older children as well since Jacob is probably a preteen and has to make an important moral choice

Gift.......2002-04-21

I have loved Max Lucado's books. HE writes with such passion and sincerity for children and for adults. I was, however, disappointed with this book. The story was simplistic and terribly predictable. I am usually able to turn to the illustrations to support the story, but this led me to another disappointment. Hunt's drawings simply were very busy. Good illustrations are able to tell the story by themselves, with no text. Even with the text, one would have trouble deciphering exactly what these drawings were depicted. The overall redeeming quality of this book is how it does present a Christian story and reminds all of us of the lowly life our Lord was born into.

Why 3 stars?:
While Max Lucado's books for children are normally wonderful, this one falls well short of the bar. The illustrations actually hurt the story, not support it. This is, however, a book about the glory that is Jesus Christ, and does therefore deserve to be read and shared with children.

Extremely Pleasant reading.......2001-11-29

I found the relationship between Jacob and Rabbi Simeon very, very touching.

I din't like this book at all!!!!.......2001-11-29

At first this book seemed like it was going to be soemthing special. It had everything I like people making stuff out of wood, people from strange religions, and a good message about trying hard. But then Jacob had a hallusination and then the book got really preachy and boring. I din't like the end either.

Could be better.......2001-11-24

This was a book I read because it was my younger brother's book for his class, so I guess I might be hard on it because I usually don't like school books, but this book wasn't as good as his teacher seemed to think it was. It's also pretty religious, which might not be good if you're not into books like that. I'm not, so I might be too hard on it, though most of his class didn't enjoy it either. Though I agree with the review that said that a person could learn a about Jewish culture from this book. Mostly though, it wasn't that good. There are cooler books if you're looking for something that's supposed to be inspirational, or for elementary school kids, and probably something that's not religious.

Average customer rating:

Bachelor Party / The Girl Next Door
Starring: Emile Hirsch , Elisha Cuthbert , Timothy Olyphant , James Remar , and Chris Marquette
Director: Luke Greenfield , and Neal Israel
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000BCE8TG
Release Date: 2005-12-13

Description

This outrageously funny look at one man's final moments of bachelorhood stars TOM HANKS as Rick, reluctant recipient of a bachelor bash given by a group of friends who view partying as their full-time religion. Rick's worried fiancée, Debbie (TAWNY KITAEN), dresses up in disguise and crashes the party to spy on her future husband. To complicate the night further, Debbies father hires her ex-boyfriend to win back his daughter. It turns out to be an evening the soon-to-be bride and groom will never forget. Eighteen-year-old Matthew Kidman (Emile Hirsch) is a straight-laced overachiever who has never really lived life - until he falls for his hot new neighbor (Elisha Cuthbert). When Matthew discovers his perfect "girl next door" is a former porn star, his sheltered existence spins out of control.

Dreamgirl 3 Pack (Shallow Hal / The Girl Next Door / There's Something About Mary)

Average customer rating:

Dreamgirl 3 Pack (Shallow Hal / The Girl Next Door / There's Something About Mary)
Starring: Emile Hirsch , Elisha Cuthbert , Timothy Olyphant , James Remar , and Chris Marquette
Director: Luke Greenfield , Bobby Farrelly , and Peter Farrelly
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

( D ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000ICM5IU
Release Date: 2006-12-26

Description

Includes the following titles:

Amazon.com

There are many reasons to recommend Troy as a good ol' fashioned Hollywood epic, especially if you've never read Homer's The Iliad. Dispensing with Greek gods altogether, this earnestly massive production (budgeted at upwards of $200 million) will surely offend historians and devoted students of the classics (for them, there's the History Channel's Troy). But there's politics aplenty in the grand-scale war that erupts when Trojan prince Paris (Orlando Bloom) makes off with Helen (blandly beautiful German model Diane Kruger), wife of Spartan ruler Menelaus (Brendan Gleeson), whose brother, the Greek king Agamemnon (Brian Cox) prods him into enraged retaliation. Greek warrior Achilles (Brad Pitt) brings lethal force to his battles (and there are many of them, mostly impressive), and his Trojan counterpart, Paris's brother Hector (Eric Bana), adds even more buffed-up beefcake to a film so chock-full o' hunks that there's barely room for Peter O'Toole (doing fine work as Trojan king Priam) and even less for Julie Christie, appearing ever-so-briefly as Achilles's melancholy mother. The drama is nearly as arid as the sun-baked locations (Mexico and Malta) that stand in for the Aegean coast, and many critics suggested that Pitt (who valiantly tries to give Achilles some tormented dimension) was simply miscast. But when you consider that Wolfgang Petersen also made The Perfect Storm, there's nothing wrong with enjoying Troy as a semi-guilty pleasure with a touch of ancient class. --Jeff Shannon

While Japan undergoes tumultuous transition to a more Westernized society in 1876-77, The Last Samurai gives epic sweep to an intimate story of cultures at a crossroads. In America, tormented Civil War veteran Capt. Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise) is coerced by a mercenary officer (Tony Goldwyn) to train the Japanese Emperor's troops in the use of modern weaponry. Opposing this "progress" is a rebellion of samurai warriors, holding fast to their traditions of honor despite strategic disadvantage. As a captive of the samurai leader (Ken Watanabe), Algren learns, appreciates, and adopts the samurai code, switching sides for a climactic battle that will put everyone's honor to the ultimate test. All of which makes director Edward Zwick's noble epic eminently worthwhile, even if its Hollywood trappings (including an all-too-conventional ending) prevent it from being the masterpiece that Zwick and screenwriter John Logan clearly wanted it to be. Instead, The Last Samurai is an elegant mainstream adventure, impressive in all aspects of its production. It may not engage the emotions as effectively as Logan's script for Gladiator, but like Cruise's character, it finds its own quality of honor. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

"Last" trip to "Troy".......2005-06-01

Epic adventure flicks come in two varieties -- there's the "Ben-Hur"/"Lord of the Rings" type, and then there's the "Alexander" type. Sadly, two of the much-hyped adventures of 2003 and 2004 were monumental duds, both artistically and critically.

"The Last Samurai" tells the tale of a alcoholic officer-turned-mercenary (Tom Cruise), who is dragged to Japan to train the emperor's troops in Western warfare. But when he is captured by a samurai rebellion force, he begins to respect them and their way of life -- even to the point of fighting alongside them.

"Troy" goes further back in time, to ancient Greece and Troy. The beautiful, married queen Helen (pretty but wooden Diane Kruger) has run off with Trojan prince Paris (Orlando Bloom), prompting all the Greek kings to lay siege to Troy in an effort to bring her back, with doomed hero Achilles (Brad Pitt) at the front lines.

Oddly enough, these two films suffer from opposite problems -- "Samurai" romanticizes history to the point of disbelief, while "Troy" strips away all mythological trappings. And it doesn't help either movie: the former is turned into a dewy-eyed star vehicle, while the latter loses many of its layers, and feels thin and undernourished. Achilles isn't much fun without his goddess mom and flawed invulnerability, is he?

Admittedly, the costumes and scenery for each are spectacular. "Troy" is set in an arid Mid-Eastern setting, and has some truly spectacular battle scenes between the Greeks and Trojans. And "Last Samurai" was filmed in New Zealand, which gave it plenty of green, dewy expanses and forests. Too bad each film is burdened with very clunky dialogue.

Tom Cruise plays a P.C., rather annoying version of a soldier, while Orlando Bloom and Brad Pitt do seem to be giving it their all, but are hampered by their thin characters. The supporting actors are given better roles and do a better job, most notably Eric Bana ("Troy") and Ken Watanabe ("Last Samurai"), both of whom shine beside the A-listers.

"Troy" and "The Last Samurai" were attempts at modern Hollywood epics, but with difficult storylines and thin characters, neither one works. They're nowhere near as bad as "Alexander," but nowhere near good either.

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Im Dienst der Liebe