Much like Chris Tucker seems only able to perform in Rush Hour movies, Orlando Bloom seems only capable of taking a role where the brandishing of antiquated weaponry is a requirement. Be it longbow, sword or musket – Bloom is your man!

It’s a fairly commonplace assertion that Bloom has cast himself in the mold of a modern Errol Flynn – having taken roles in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Pirates of the Caribbean and it’s sequels, Troy and Kingdom of Heaven. I don’t think is a totally negative thing to aspire to. Quite frankly, the movies are sorely lacking in brave adventure and derring-do. If someone were to come along and revitalize the persona, why not Bloom?

Okay, he’s a little bit pretty. Alright, not just pretty – but MAN pretty. Not the kind of rakish rouge you would expect to swing in from a rope and save you. But I suppose you take what you get.

I’ve been very interested in seeing Elizabethtown since I first saw the trailers. This is one of those movies where I thought it came out two weeks ago and then was really disapointed when it didn’t. Then I thought it came out again last week and was disapointed again. I really need to read the one-sheet posters for release dates much closer.

I’m excited pretty much because any movie with Cameron Crowe’s name on it is a "must-see" in my book. Between Say Anything…, Singles and Almost Famous, the man’s bitter-sweet storytelling hits me right where I live. I can do without Jerry Maguire and Vanilla Sky, but that’s why pencils have erasers, right?

I found it curious to learn that Crowe had Bloom in mind from the onset as his protagonist. When it looked like Bloom couldn’t do the role, he brought on another man pretty up-and-comer Ashton Kutcher to fill the role. I think this would have made the movie much less interesting for me. Good think Crowe thought Kutcher didn’t have any chemistry with Kirsten Dunst and fired him. Then again, cardboard boxes have more chemistry than Kirsten Dunst, so maybe it was just wish fulfillment on Crowe’s part to dump Kutcher when Bloom became available.

Elizabethtown is interesting in that I think it provides Bloom an opportunity to prove something he hasn’t tried before. That’s always exciting.

:: switching gears ::

I would be remiss if I didn’t take this opportunity to again mention that I will stop selling all t-shirts, hoodies and baby doll tees from the store on October 31. Leave a note here now means that it will stay up until Monday. That’s what they call "saturation," kids.

At any rate, three of the designs will be retired forever. So if you want "Under Construction," "Emerging" or "Truman in a Purse" now is the time to get them. After the 31st, the won’t be available ever again!

As for the other shirts – they’ll come back at some point, I just don’t know when. So maybe you’re thinking someone might enjoy a "Spoiler" t-shirt for a November birthday or maybe for the holidays. Best to grab them now because I don’t know if I can make them available by then.

I need to let you know that part of the reason I’m closing off this section of the store is so I can get caught up on orders. But the bigger reason is so I can begin work on a new book collecting the first year of Theater Hopper strips.

I’m having some trouble trying to decide how to distribute the information. Whether it’s one large book about 180 pages and retailing for $20 or splitting the content into two volumes of 90 pages each with the release dates spaced apart and retailing for $10.

There has been some debate about it in the THorum with more specifics than I can get into here. There is also a poll attached. I’d love to hear your feedback if you consider yourself someone interested in buying a Theater Hopper book. If you’re not comfortable posting in the THorum, I am also receptive to e-mails.

Thanks.