He had been primarily a maker of documentary and television films, and surely "Cinema Paradiso" heralds a new beginning.

As he demonstrated a decade ago with his semi-autobiographical film, "Cinema Paradiso," Giuseppe Tornatore can be awfully good at plucking nostalgic heartstrings.

This, at long last, is Kingdom of Heaven as it was meant to be seen. It is finally a great film - the film Ridley Scott fans wanted and hoped it would be when they first saw it in theaters.