Cineplex Entertainment kicks off 100-year celebration

Jan 19, 2012

Cineplex Entertainment will celebrate 100 years of movies and moviegoing memories with a yearlong program of activities. Throughout 2012, Cineplex will host a variety of events, exclusive contests, special promotions and more.

“There’s something magical about the moviegoing experience that brings people together and evokes great memories in a person’s life,” said Ellis Jacob, president and CEO of Cineplex Entertainment. “Whether it’s their first movie, first date or another significant event, going to the movies today creates just as many memories as it did 100 years ago.”

The yearlong celebration begins on Jan. 19—National Popcorn Day. Guests who visit any Cineplex theatre that day will receive a free small popcorn with the purchase of any size drink. The popcorn will be served in a special retro-style red and white souvenir popcorn box. Cineplex will also launch www.cineplex.com/celebrate100, a micro-site featuring the latest information on the 100-year celebration festivities and special polls and content looking back at the history of movies.

Cineplex has also commissioned Ipsos Reid Public Affairs to conduct a thorough review of Canadian moviegoers’ habits, preferences and favorite movies and movie stars. Throughout the year, Cineplex will reveal various survey elements including fun facts and other data that will provide a “Canadian perspective” on the movie industry and the Canadian movie landscape which historically has been dominated by American research data.

The history of today’s Cineplex Entertainment can be traced back to 1912, when Adolph Zukor founded the Famous Players Film Corp. (today’s Paramount Pictures) and a few years later merged with Canadian N.L. Nathanson’s company to form Famous Players-Lasky Corp. In 1920, their goal was to build a large chain of theatres across Canada and by 1921 they operated 20 theatres with approximately 20,000 seats. That chain evolved through many different owners and brands until the merger of Cineplex Galaxy and Famous Players to form Cineplex Entertainment in 2005.

Jan 19, 2012

Cineplex Entertainment will celebrate 100 years of movies and moviegoing memories with a yearlong program of activities. Throughout 2012, Cineplex will host a variety of events, exclusive contests, special promotions and more.

“There’s something magical about the moviegoing experience that brings people together and evokes great memories in a person’s life,” said Ellis Jacob, president and CEO of Cineplex Entertainment. “Whether it’s their first movie, first date or another significant event, going to the movies today creates just as many memories as it did 100 years ago.”

The yearlong celebration begins on Jan. 19—National Popcorn Day. Guests who visit any Cineplex theatre that day will receive a free small popcorn with the purchase of any size drink. The popcorn will be served in a special retro-style red and white souvenir popcorn box. Cineplex will also launch www.cineplex.com/celebrate100, a micro-site featuring the latest information on the 100-year celebration festivities and special polls and content looking back at the history of movies.

Cineplex has also commissioned Ipsos Reid Public Affairs to conduct a thorough review of Canadian moviegoers’ habits, preferences and favorite movies and movie stars. Throughout the year, Cineplex will reveal various survey elements including fun facts and other data that will provide a “Canadian perspective” on the movie industry and the Canadian movie landscape which historically has been dominated by American research data.

The history of today’s Cineplex Entertainment can be traced back to 1912, when Adolph Zukor founded the Famous Players Film Corp. (today’s Paramount Pictures) and a few years later merged with Canadian N.L. Nathanson’s company to form Famous Players-Lasky Corp. In 1920, their goal was to build a large chain of theatres across Canada and by 1921 they operated 20 theatres with approximately 20,000 seats. That chain evolved through many different owners and brands until the merger of Cineplex Galaxy and Famous Players to form Cineplex Entertainment in 2005.

Marcus Theatres will acquire the former OMNIMAX Theatre located in the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center adjacent to the company’s 10-screen Duluth Cinema at 300 Harbor Drive in Duluth, MN. More »

Cinemagic Stadium Theaters received approval to build a new cinema complex at the Center at Hobbs Brook in Sturbridge, Mass., for a summer 2012 opening. More »

Industry veteran Herb Burton, who for 21 years was the executive director of ShoWest, passed away on Jan. 25. More »

The National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) will honor industry veteran Ted Pedas, president of Circle Management Company, with the 2012 NATO Marquee Award as part of CinemaCon's "State of the Industry: Past, Present and Future" presentation on April 24 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. More »

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Megaplex Theatres chooses Cinedigm for digital deployment

Feb 8, 2012

Cinedigm Digital Cinema Corp. announced a long-term virtual-print-fee (VPF) deployment agreement with Megaplex Theatres. Megaplex will be providing its own financing in the Cinedigm exhibitor-buyer deal structure. The rollout comprises 90 screens at six Megaplex locations, with the majority of installations expected to be completed by summer 2012.

Cinedigm's Digital Cinema division facilitates the funding, installation and operations support, along with ongoing VPF administration, for a company's digital-cinema rollout plans.

In its combined Phase One and Phase Two d-cinema deployment program, Cinedigm has signed 10,189 screens overall, installed 8,950 digital screens, and signed digital screens deals with 184 exhibitors.

Feb 3, 2012

Cinedigm Digital Cinema Corp. announced a long-term virtual-print-fee (VPF) deployment agreement with Megaplex Theatres. Megaplex will be providing its own financing in the Cinedigm exhibitor-buyer deal structure. The rollout comprises 90 screens at six Megaplex locations, with the majority of installations expected to be completed by summer 2012.

Cinedigm's Digital Cinema division facilitates the funding, installation and operations support, along with ongoing VPF administration, for a company's digital-cinema rollout plans.

In its combined Phase One and Phase Two d-cinema deployment program, Cinedigm has signed 10,189 screens overall, installed 8,950 digital screens, and signed digital screens deals with 184 exhibitors.

GDC Technology announced that its SX-2000A Digital Cinema Server with Integrated Media Block (IMB) successfully passed the full range of tests required by the Compliance Test Plan for the DCI Digital Cinema System Specification (DCSS). More »

As part of a national initiative to usher America’s drive-in theaters into the digital age, Christie is a sponsor of the 12th annual convention for the United Drive-In Theatre Owners Association (UDITOA), Feb. 6–9, in Kissimmee, Florida.   More »

A new report from the European Audiovisual Observatory and MEDIA Salles shows that around 18,500 digital screens had been installed in Europe by the end of 2011. More »

Epic Theatres of DeLand, Florida has converted 69 screens to digital projection with Barco DLP Cinema® projectors. More »

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Cinemas to present UFC bout live in 3D

Jan 27, 2012

Tickets are now available for the first-ever live 3D broadcast of an Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC) pay-per-view event on the big screen. The championship fight card, “UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit,” will air live in more than 100 Cinedigm and NCM Fathom theatres nationwide on Saturday, Feb. 4, at 10 p.m. ET from Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

The night’s main event pits Nick Diaz against Carlos Condit for the interim UFC welterweight title. The co-main event features heavyweight Roy “Big Country” Nelson battling Fabricio Werdum.

Tickets for the UFC event are available for purchase now at www.ufc.com/3D, as well as at theatre box offices across the country.

Jan 27, 2012

Tickets are now available for the first-ever live 3D broadcast of an Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC) pay-per-view event on the big screen. The championship fight card, “UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit,” will air live in more than 100 Cinedigm and NCM Fathom theatres nationwide on Saturday, Feb. 4, at 10 p.m. ET from Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

The night’s main event pits Nick Diaz against Carlos Condit for the interim UFC welterweight title. The co-main event features heavyweight Roy “Big Country” Nelson battling Fabricio Werdum.

Tickets for the UFC event are available for purchase now at www.ufc.com/3D, as well as at theatre box offices across the country.

Marcus Theatres will acquire the former OMNIMAX Theatre located in the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center adjacent to the company’s 10-screen Duluth Cinema at 300 Harbor Drive in Duluth, MN. More »

Cinemagic Stadium Theaters received approval to build a new cinema complex at the Center at Hobbs Brook in Sturbridge, Mass., for a summer 2012 opening. More »

Industry veteran Herb Burton, who for 21 years was the executive director of ShoWest, passed away on Jan. 25. More »

The National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) will honor industry veteran Ted Pedas, president of Circle Management Company, with the 2012 NATO Marquee Award as part of CinemaCon's "State of the Industry: Past, Present and Future" presentation on April 24 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. More »

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Epic Theatres installs Barco d-cinema at Deltona XL houses

Jan 30, 2012

Epic Theatres of DeLand, Florida has converted 69 screens to digital projection with Barco DLP Cinema® projectors. Included in the deployment is the installation of two DP4K-32B models for two “Epic XL” large-format premium cinema screens in its new Deltona, Florida location.

The Deltona location, which opened on Dec. 20, boasts the area's only cinema with two 69-foot, large-format Epic XL auditoriums featuring RealD XLW 3D. Barco installed 12 screens at this location, including six 3D auditoriums. The new deployment follows installations of Barco's DP2K and DP4K digital cinema projectors in Florida and North Carolina.

Clint DeMarsh, VP for Epic Theatres, called Barco “the only supplier that could provide the light levels and image quality we needed on our Epic XL screens.”

Terri Westhafer, Barco’s director of business development, noted that Epic has been “on board with Barco since the beginning of changing from film to digital, and we appreciate their loyalty and vision as they have equipped their state-of-the-art Deltona theatre with 4K equipment.”

Jan 30, 2012

Epic Theatres of DeLand, Florida has converted 69 screens to digital projection with Barco DLP Cinema® projectors. Included in the deployment is the installation of two DP4K-32B models for two “Epic XL” large-format premium cinema screens in its new Deltona, Florida location.

The Deltona location, which opened on Dec. 20, boasts the area's only cinema with two 69-foot, large-format Epic XL auditoriums featuring RealD XLW 3D. Barco installed 12 screens at this location, including six 3D auditoriums. The new deployment follows installations of Barco's DP2K and DP4K digital cinema projectors in Florida and North Carolina.

Clint DeMarsh, VP for Epic Theatres, called Barco “the only supplier that could provide the light levels and image quality we needed on our Epic XL screens.”

Terri Westhafer, Barco’s director of business development, noted that Epic has been “on board with Barco since the beginning of changing from film to digital, and we appreciate their loyalty and vision as they have equipped their state-of-the-art Deltona theatre with 4K equipment.”

GDC Technology announced that its SX-2000A Digital Cinema Server with Integrated Media Block (IMB) successfully passed the full range of tests required by the Compliance Test Plan for the DCI Digital Cinema System Specification (DCSS). More »

As part of a national initiative to usher America’s drive-in theaters into the digital age, Christie is a sponsor of the 12th annual convention for the United Drive-In Theatre Owners Association (UDITOA), Feb. 6–9, in Kissimmee, Florida.   More »

Cinedigm Digital Cinema Corp. announced a long-term virtual-print-fee (VPF) deployment agreement with Megaplex Theatres. More »

A new report from the European Audiovisual Observatory and MEDIA Salles shows that around 18,500 digital screens had been installed in Europe by the end of 2011. More »

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Marcus Theatres to acquire Duluth OMNIMAX

Feb 8, 2012

Marcus Theatres will acquire the former OMNIMAX Theatre located in the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center adjacent to the company’s 10-screen Duluth Cinema at 300 Harbor Drive in Duluth, MN.

Marcus Theatres will convert the domed theatre, which closed in April 2011, to a nearly 70-foot-wide UltraScreen® auditorium. This will be the 14th UltraScreen in the company’s circuit. Construction on the project will begin shortly, with an anticipated opening in late spring 2012.

“The Duluth UltraScreen will be the ultimate visual entertainment experience featuring the latest MDX [Marcus Digital Xperience] technology from Marcus Theatres,” said Bruce J. Olson, president. The theatre will feature 4K digital projection and a 39,000-watt, 7.1 digital sound system featuring JBL’s Screen Array speaker system.

Olson said the glass wall connecting the current OMNIMAX lobby area with the Duluth Cinema will be removed. “A new box office for both the existing screens as well as the new UltraScreen will be relocated to the current OMNIMAX lobby. The existing Duluth 10 theatre lobby will be re-carpeted and will now feature self-service soda stations, which is extremely popular with our guests at other Marcus Theatres locations.”

The theatre will also offer a new “Take Five” lounge. Olson notes, “A liquor license will be applied for and if granted in March, we will design and install a full-service cocktail lounge, serving a complete selection of mixed drinks and imported beers, as well as a variety of appetizers, pizza and finger foods. The lounge will be open to non-theatre-going patrons as well as moviegoers. The new lounge will seat between 50 and 60 guests and will feature both tables and chairs for dining, as well as luxuriously appointed soft leather seating for sipping a cocktail before or after a movie.”

Feb 8, 2012

Marcus Theatres will acquire the former OMNIMAX Theatre located in the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center adjacent to the company’s 10-screen Duluth Cinema at 300 Harbor Drive in Duluth, MN.

Marcus Theatres will convert the domed theatre, which closed in April 2011, to a nearly 70-foot-wide UltraScreen® auditorium. This will be the 14th UltraScreen in the company’s circuit. Construction on the project will begin shortly, with an anticipated opening in late spring 2012.

“The Duluth UltraScreen will be the ultimate visual entertainment experience featuring the latest MDX [Marcus Digital Xperience] technology from Marcus Theatres,” said Bruce J. Olson, president. The theatre will feature 4K digital projection and a 39,000-watt, 7.1 digital sound system featuring JBL’s Screen Array speaker system.

Olson said the glass wall connecting the current OMNIMAX lobby area with the Duluth Cinema will be removed. “A new box office for both the existing screens as well as the new UltraScreen will be relocated to the current OMNIMAX lobby. The existing Duluth 10 theatre lobby will be re-carpeted and will now feature self-service soda stations, which is extremely popular with our guests at other Marcus Theatres locations.”

The theatre will also offer a new “Take Five” lounge. Olson notes, “A liquor license will be applied for and if granted in March, we will design and install a full-service cocktail lounge, serving a complete selection of mixed drinks and imported beers, as well as a variety of appetizers, pizza and finger foods. The lounge will be open to non-theatre-going patrons as well as moviegoers. The new lounge will seat between 50 and 60 guests and will feature both tables and chairs for dining, as well as luxuriously appointed soft leather seating for sipping a cocktail before or after a movie.”

Cinemagic Stadium Theaters received approval to build a new cinema complex at the Center at Hobbs Brook in Sturbridge, Mass., for a summer 2012 opening. More »

Industry veteran Herb Burton, who for 21 years was the executive director of ShoWest, passed away on Jan. 25. More »

The National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) will honor industry veteran Ted Pedas, president of Circle Management Company, with the 2012 NATO Marquee Award as part of CinemaCon's "State of the Industry: Past, Present and Future" presentation on April 24 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. More »

AMC Theatres announced the sixth annual AMC Best Picture ShowcaseSM. More »

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Single screens struggle as Europe converts to digital

A new report from the European Audiovisual Observatory and MEDIA Salles shows that around 18,500 digital screens had been installed in Europe by the end of 2011. This means that over 52% of European screens are now capable of digital projection, up from just 4% three years ago.

While the initial phase of large-scale digital conversion during 2009 and 2010 had been more or less entirely driven by 3D installations, the rollout in 2011 was for the first time driven by 2D screens. This suggests that the rollout has entered its second major phase and is now driven primarily by full conversions of larger circuits under virtual-print-fee (VPF) schemes and by public initiatives ranging from legislation (France), publicly funded industry-wide conversion schemes (Norway and the Netherlands) to direct public funding schemes, 60 of which have been identified at national, sub-national and pan-European level, including the new MEDIA 2007 scheme.

Analysis based on a comprehensive site-by-site listing of analog and digital cinemas as of 2010 clearly shows that small cinemas and exhibitors have significant problems converting to digital. By the end of 2010, only 11% of single-screen cinemas had installed a digital screen, compared to 89% of multiplexes. These small cinemas, however, form a characteristic part of the European cinema landscape, with single-screen cinemas alone accounting for almost 60% of all European cinemas. Though presumably not vital for overall box-office results, these smaller cinemas play an important social and cultural role in many communities. The fact that these screens have not yet converted highlights the fact that commercial financing models cannot cover all European cinemas, causing a funding gap for between 15% and 20% of European screens.

At the same time, given the high penetration rates in various European markets, the end of 35mm distribution seems to be approaching rapidly. Distributors in Belgium, Luxembourg and Norway, which was the first country worldwide to become fully digital in mid-2011, were expected to end 35mm distribution as early as 2011/2012 and a total of 11 territories had converted at least 50% of their screens by mid-2011, including the two leading markets France and the U.K.

Once large distributors switch to digital distribution in such major markets, demand for film stock will drop significantly, putting pressure on 35mm economics on a pan-European level. This could cause financial strain for those distributors and exhibitors still depending on it, the report states. Many of these are presumably small companies now faced with a growing competitive disadvantage: Digital cinema increases the economies of scale related to both film exhibition as well as distribution, so bigger companies stand to benefit more than smaller players from the transition to digital, in terms of both cost savings and increased revenue potential. This economic reality will ultimately lead to fundamental change in the fragmented European theatrical landscape and poses a challenge to the European independent sector, characterized as it is by a large number of small exhibitors and distributors.

The 130-page European Digital Cinema Report provides the latest figures on digital screens and penetration rates across 35 European markets. For further information see:
www.obs.coe.int/oea_publ/market/european_digital_cinema.html.

Jan 30, 2012

A new report from the European Audiovisual Observatory and MEDIA Salles shows that around 18,500 digital screens had been installed in Europe by the end of 2011. This means that over 52% of European screens are now capable of digital projection, up from just 4% three years ago.

While the initial phase of large-scale digital conversion during 2009 and 2010 had been more or less entirely driven by 3D installations, the rollout in 2011 was for the first time driven by 2D screens. This suggests that the rollout has entered its second major phase and is now driven primarily by full conversions of larger circuits under virtual-print-fee (VPF) schemes and by public initiatives ranging from legislation (France), publicly funded industry-wide conversion schemes (Norway and the Netherlands) to direct public funding schemes, 60 of which have been identified at national, sub-national and pan-European level, including the new MEDIA 2007 scheme.

Analysis based on a comprehensive site-by-site listing of analog and digital cinemas as of 2010 clearly shows that small cinemas and exhibitors have significant problems converting to digital. By the end of 2010, only 11% of single-screen cinemas had installed a digital screen, compared to 89% of multiplexes. These small cinemas, however, form a characteristic part of the European cinema landscape, with single-screen cinemas alone accounting for almost 60% of all European cinemas. Though presumably not vital for overall box-office results, these smaller cinemas play an important social and cultural role in many communities. The fact that these screens have not yet converted highlights the fact that commercial financing models cannot cover all European cinemas, causing a funding gap for between 15% and 20% of European screens.

At the same time, given the high penetration rates in various European markets, the end of 35mm distribution seems to be approaching rapidly. Distributors in Belgium, Luxembourg and Norway, which was the first country worldwide to become fully digital in mid-2011, were expected to end 35mm distribution as early as 2011/2012 and a total of 11 territories had converted at least 50% of their screens by mid-2011, including the two leading markets France and the U.K.

Once large distributors switch to digital distribution in such major markets, demand for film stock will drop significantly, putting pressure on 35mm economics on a pan-European level. This could cause financial strain for those distributors and exhibitors still depending on it, the report states. Many of these are presumably small companies now faced with a growing competitive disadvantage: Digital cinema increases the economies of scale related to both film exhibition as well as distribution, so bigger companies stand to benefit more than smaller players from the transition to digital, in terms of both cost savings and increased revenue potential. This economic reality will ultimately lead to fundamental change in the fragmented European theatrical landscape and poses a challenge to the European independent sector, characterized as it is by a large number of small exhibitors and distributors.

The 130-page European Digital Cinema Report provides the latest figures on digital screens and penetration rates across 35 European markets. For further information see:
www.obs.coe.int/oea_publ/market/european_digital_cinema.html.

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Chronicle

It's not hard to link the recent spate of "found footage" films to the phenomenon of YouTube-- more and more people are video taping their daily lives, so why not pretend some actual interesting stories popped up in there? But few found-footage films actually recreate the circumstances in which most people, kids especially, whip out the video camera. Whether bored at home and in the mood to spill his guts, or recording some particularly awesome stunt in the backyard with his pals, Chronicle's lead character Andrew (Dane DeHaan) establish a real reason to have the camera front and center, making this low-budget superpowers adventure feel more honest and intimate from the very start.

It doesn't last, unfortunately, and as the stakes rise in Chronicle the found footage-- which expands from Andrew's camera to a whole slew of phones and security cameras-- wears out its welcome. But Chronicle largely keeps up that sense of authenticity, and the movie's ragged feel is only appropriate for the barely known actors and newcomer writer/director who made it happen. Director Josh Trank and writer Max Landis cooked the story up together, clearly raised on a diet of superhero origin stories, and by tweaking the genre in the right places while providing the requisite thrills, they offer a canny little adventure with just enough verve to sail over its bumpier parts.

Andrew is our window into the story, the lonely kid with the camera coping with an abusive dad (Michael Kelly) and a slowly dying mom, but the story doesn't pick up until, by chance, he explores a mysterious cave in the company of his cousin Matt (Alex Russell) and popular kid Steve (MIchael B. Jordan). The trio discovers some odd glowing alien-ish life form, Andrew's camera naturally goes on the fritz, and when he picks it back up all three boys have discovered they can move things with their minds. Jordan, a veteran of The Wire and Parenthood, is the most experienced of the actors and it shows; his natural charisma and enthusiasm for what these powers can do lifts the story out of Andrew's moping, though the more involved Andrew gets in developing his skills, it becomes clear his darkness will start winning out eventually.

It's a neat twist to see double-edged sword of super powers, where a troubled boy can choose to use it for good, like Peter Parker, or take his revenge on the world that's done him wrong-- Andrew probably thinks Magneto has a lot of good ideas. While that conflict nicely sets up the grand-scaled finale, the film's best parts are in the discovery, when the boys figure out how to fly and play football in the clouds, or run around a toy store playing pranks just slightly more advanced than your average high school nonsense. Chronicle works well within its limits, but I almost wish it were even smaller, allowing more possibilities of how telekinesis might help or hurt you in high school, rather than giving in to the demands of the more typical superhero movie third act.

With CGI effects that range from passable to glaring, and a found footage gimmick that eventual hurts more than it helps, Chronicle isn't a low-budget genre masterwork like Attack the Block, but it's also a whole lot better than many of the more traditional superhero movies we've seen. Lean and goal-oriented, with more than a few fresh ideas as well as an innate understanding of the hero's journey storytelling, Chronicle marks an auspicious debut for Trank and Landis, a strong argument for Michael B. Jordan as a bona fide movie star, and a promising future for DeHaan and Russell. These guys haven't quite transformed the superhero genre, but they seem capable of that-- or pretty much anything else.

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The Devil Inside

The Devil Inside is a strange movie that meanders more than follows a directional story arc, which isn?t a huge surprise given that it?s the latest in a long series of found footage pseudo-documentaries. The impetus behind using shaky camerawork and spliced first person interviews is to create something unpredictable that feels very much in the moment. The Devil Inside accomplishes that goal, but in doing so, also leaves the audience unable to grasp larger meanings and unable to anticipate where the action might be headed.

There?s a reason most horror movies establish a clear premise not long into their run times. Directional momentum allows for the building of suspense, which makes the shocking moments that much more terrifying. The Devil Inside zigs and zags so many times at such a frenetic pace that it leaves the audience only enough time to react. That makes for an exciting movie but also one that feels a bit pointless and contrived at the end. Viewers need breaks in the action to understand and then re-evaluate. Without those pauses, it?s just a carnival ride. As carnival rides go though, I?ve been on far worse.

When Isabella Rossi (Fernanda Andrade) was a little girl, her mother (Suzan Crowley) murdered three people. The two priests and the nun were at her house to perform an exorcism. They wound up dead, and she wound up committed to a Catholic mental institution in Italy. Now, decades later, her daughter wants to understand why it happened and to do so, she must meet with the mother she hasn?t seen in years. To help document the experience, she brings along a cameraman (Ionut Grama) and attends a class on exorcism. There she meets the two men who set the rambling plot in motion.

They?re Ben (Simon Quarterman) and David (Evan Helmuth), two Catholic priests who secretly perform exorcisms on patients they think the Church has misdiagnosed as suffering from mental illnesses. The pair agree to examine Isabella?s mother and almost immediately conclude she?s possessed by four demons. The quadrangle of entities are unlike anything the two good-natured men have ever faced before, and it?s not long before they realize the Satanic lieutenants can jump from person-to-person, unleashing a fast-moving game of Guess Who that?s high on danger and low on coherence.

Admittedly, this hot potato possession is kind of fascinating to watch, but it?s also extremely difficult to follow. By the end, Isabella?s mother is on the back burner and the audience is left trying to verify with their neighbors whether it was Mrs. Peacock or Colonel Mustard who used the knife in the operating room, if it even matters. I?d like to say there?s a point, but after it all in concludes so far from the original destination, it?s hard to assign value. That?s the downside of these found footage pseudo-documentaries. They?re like highlight films featuring characters you vaguely know.

Maybe if the highlights were a bit more graphic, it would make up for the film?s shortcomings in the way of personalities, but because The Devil Inside is so beholden to the found footage game, viewers often miss the bloodiest parts. We?re just vaguely aware something awful has happened somewhere just off camera. Only getting glimpses definitely makes it feel more authentic, but it also minimizes the gravity of the moment. Since there are so many moments in the film that are full of enough gravity to radically shift the plot, that?s a big problem.

Whether The Devil Inside ever overcomes that problem is more a matter of taste than fact. It?s not good. It?s not awful. It?s somewhere in the middle, which based on your own personal like of horror flicks, might be enough to buy a ticket. I?ll never see it again, but part of me doesn?t hate the fact that I saw it once.

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Man On A Ledge

It?s one thing for a movie to ask you to suspend disbelief and another for it to ask you to suspend all logic. Though action films and thrillers regularly break the laws of physics and biology, strong characters and story will allow you go along with them for the sake of diversion. Man on a Ledge, however, includes far too many logical leaps, and lacks any interesting elements, resulting in an asinine, poor excuse for entertainment.

The movie begins as Nick Cassidy (Sam Worthington) rents a hotel room in New York City, takes a step out of his window on to a ledge, and threatens to end his own life. But while the cops and New York citizens all think that Nick is threatening suicide, the truth is that he is just a decoy. A former cop, Nick was framed and arrested for stealing a wealthy businessman?s (Ed Harris) precious diamond and by walking out on the ledge has kick-started a plan to prove his own innocence. Nick?s brother, Joey (Jamie Bell), and the brother?s girlfriend, Angie (Genesis Rodriguez), are pilfering the very same jewel that Nick supposedly stole.

While most heist films are built on the clever ways in which the main characters are able to overcome obstacles and various security devices, Nick, Joey and Angie's plan is extraordinarily dumb. From their plan to trick the surveillance cameras by sliding a photograph over the lens (when the guard is conveniently looking away) to the fact that breaking and entering is always a crime (even if you?re doing it to prove your own innocence), the plot of the movie makes no sense and constantly has the audience questioning the intelligence of the characters. The reality is that if anyone were to try to reenact this exact crime in real life it would take the cops about 15 minutes to figure out what was going on and haul all of the criminals to jail.

Man on a Ledge is a thriller completely devoid of thrills, as the viewers never get the sense that the heist may fail or that Nick is in any real danger. Not helping is Asger Leth?s direction. While you?d think a film about a man on a ledge would occasionally try to induce vertigo or mess with the acrophobics watching the film, the movie might as well be set five feet above the ground for the number of times that it uses the high elevation to elicit any kind of reaction. Scenes outside of the hotel are constantly shot from the same angle, with Worthington huddled against the stone face of the building and a cop occasionally leaning out the window to talk to him. Eventually the repetition and tedium of the composition wears you down to the point that even when things do get mildly interesting in the plot it all still looks the same.

Though this is supposed to be Nick?s revenge, he is completely dull and neutralized by the simple fact that he is stuck on a ledge. He is involved with the heist, as he does occasionally speak to his teammates through a radio in his collar, but he?s not calling the plays or giving them precise directions, just checking in on progress. The real action is happening with Joey and Angie, but they have no real stake in the situation other than their loyalty to Nick. He?s nothing more than what the title says he is. And we're only told about the bad stuff that Harris's character does, so that without third-person exposition, you'd think he was just an ordinary rich guy who owns a diamond and yells a lot. You can?t cheer for the hero because he?s not doing anything and you can?t root against the villain because he?s so passive. So who cares?

The fact that Pablo F. Fenjves? script went through so many hands without the logical fallacies being pointed out and fixed is nothing short of astonishing. The supporting cast, which includes great names like Edward Burns, Kyra Sedgwick, Anthony Mackie, William Sadler and Titus Welliver, is completely wasted, as most of them just spend their time either standing in a hotel room or standing on the New York streets. I?m sure Man on a Ledge sounded interesting when it was first pitched, but the result is garbage.

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Red Tails

World War II has been so thoroughly mined by the movies that it's shameful to realize how few of them have focused on African-American soldiers. There's no doubt that the story in Red Tails, about a Tuskegee Airmen unit based in Italy, deserves to be told, but it's a shame this important bit of history comes wrapped in such a garish and ungainly package. Though George Lucas is only involved as an executive producer, the movie feels as flat-footed, awkward and broad as his Star Wars prequels, and with even less imagination. Lucas and director Anthony Hemingway have assembled an impressive cast of young actors who provide the movie with its moments of spark and genuine rapport, but they're strangled by obtuse writing and a story that so grandiose it stops feeling important at all.

Terrence Howard and Cuba Gooding Jr. are the headliner stars of the film, but they're both genuinely awful in it, Howard speechifying in closed-door meetings with generals (including Bryan Cranston) and Gooding in charge of the 332nd Fighter Group out in the field, chomping inexplicably on an old wooden pipe in nearly every scene. At least their roles are small, leaving most of the focus to the roster of energetic young actors, who sell a remarkable amount of the atrocious dialogue. Nate Parker is the squad leader, a strait-laced pilot who is also harbors a secret drinking problem, and he establishes a nice rapport with David Oyelowo as "Lightning," a good-natured showoff who sparks up an unlikely romance with a local Italian woman. When the Airmen are finally assigned combat duty we get to know the rest of the team a little better, but they're mostly limited to single descriptors-- the rookie, the wise friend, the musician, the ambitious one, etc.

The scenes in which we see these guys hanging out, joshing with the plane mechanic Coffee (The Wire's Andre Royo) or going over footage of their best flights, are just as clunkily written as the rest of the film, but they often feel fresh anyway. Sad as it is, we've never really seen black World War II soldiers on film, and even when the rest of the plot points feel haphazardly lifted from wartime newsreels and Snoopy vs. The Red Baron, the soldiers' efforts to prove themselves equal to their white brothers-in-arms are genuinely moving. Of course, it might just be projecting-- so many of these actors have shown talent elsewhere but remained in limited supporting roles, stuck in a movie industry that hasn't seen a black male movie star emerge in 20 years.

George Lucas famously had to put up his own money to get Red Tails made, and it's immediately obvious where the cash went-- scenes in the Italian villages or on the military base look flat and overlit, but every single aerial sequence is crammed to the gills with glossy CGI, which lends the scenes some thrills even without looking entirely authentic. There's no moment when you believe these guys are actually in the cockpits, or feel the impact of explosion or bullet holes, but it's fair to say you've never seen aerial World War II battles quite like this. It's more CGI George Lucas excess, sure, and not used nearly as well as his money could have provided, but in a movie as long and frequently dull as Red Tails, you'll be grateful for them all the same.

Wearing its heart and ideals on its sleeve, Red Tails is hard not to root for, but impossible to love all the same. It's bursting with promising young talent on the screen, but behind the camera Hemingway and Lucas are incapable of eking out a story from what ought to be fascinating and revelatory history. The 332nd Fighter Group has long deserved its moment in the spotlight, but they also deserve a movie better than this one.

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Contraband

You've got to give it to Mark Wahlberg, who seems to have stumbled into one of the steadiest careers in Hollywood through sheer force of will. He managed to leave his underwear model and rapper days behind through a tight friendship with David O. Russell, which led him to awards season successes like The Fighter, paved the way for his Oscar-nominated role in The Departed, and also gave him the ability to headline a series of disposable thrillers tailor-made to prove he's still a man's man. Contraband, if you couldn't tell from the poster in which he duct tapes wads of money to his abs, is another one of those, long and loopy and completely absent dramatic stakes.

It's not too surprising that Wahlberg would sign on for something like this, or that he could put together a supporting cast-- among them Ben Foster, Giovanni Ribisi, J.K. Simmons-- who seem equally half-asleep as he is. But Contraband marks the directorial debut of Icelandic director Baltasar Kormakur, who made a splash there with similarly themed thrillers, and who starred in the original Icelandic version of this story, Reykjavik-Rotterdam. With so much invested, why on earth would he turn in a movie so plodding, so unconcerned with the basic cause and effect beats of storytelling, or so convinced of its own grittiness while also lacking any real-world logic? There is a Mark Wahlberg movie about counterfeit money smuggling we would all fall over ourselves to see, but Contraband scratches the surface of that idea just enough that you badly wish you were seeing the better version.

As described in some flatfooted expository dialogue at the beginning of the film, Wahlberg's Chris Farraday and his BFF Seabastian (Foster) "were the Lennon and McCartney of smuggling" before they gave up the game, but of course, Chris is called in for "one last job" when his brother-in-law runs afoul of some drug dealers. Chris sneaks on to a container ship and marshals some of his buddies from the old days to help him pick up crates counterfeit cash of Panama City, sell it off back home in New Orleans and repay his brother-in-law's debt, all while leaving his wife (Kate Beckinsale) and two sons back at home in the same town where those angry drug dealers live. Wahlberg moves through the film with almost enough confidence to brush off this sort of giant logic problems, but the more complications and violence Contraband throws your way, the harder it is to believe the movie has any idea what it's doing.

Kormakur wrings some tension out of a few scenes that rely on a ticking clock, like Chris racing to hide the loot on board the ship before the captain notices, or even when Chris's wife is put in an especially preposterous sort of mortal danger. But stretching out nearly two hours, Contraband squanders its tiny bit of goodwill with a hotdogging, "gritty" attitude that's never reflected in the actual story. With Wahlberg in dull leading man mode and even the usually reliable Foster failing to cut loose, Contraband is not nearly as fun as it could have been, but not dramatic or realistic enough to get by as an honest thriller either. If this is the kind of filmmaking Kormakur is trying to sell to America, he can keep it-- we've got plenty of it anyway.

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Abduction [Blu-Ray]

Abduction is a bad, bad movie. Taylor Lautner is not a good actor. John Singleton hasn?t made a watchable movie since Boyz n the Hood, and that was 20 years ago! This supposed action movie has hardly any actual action, and the plot is ridiculous even for this type of brainless flick. But yes, Lautner takes his shirt off, so line up, girls.

The Movie:

Unless there was a movie released last year that features two goats in a bare field farting for three hours straight, then it?s pretty clear that Abduction was the worst movie of 2011. Star Taylor Lautner seems like a very nice guy, and if I had pecs like his I?d try to convince everyone I was an action hero too. But he?s not. Instead, he looks alternately intense and angry, and runs around Pennsylvania as if that were all it takes to make an enjoyable action movie. Clearly, it?s not.

The film goes wrong almost from the get-go. The first scene shows Lautner?s Nathan on the hood of a buddy's truck, ripping down a back road at 75mph with Nathan screaming, ?Faster, faster!? while laughing like a mental patient, his friends hooting and screeching, loud rock music blaring. It?s like someone is screaming, ?Hey, look at this crazy guy, he?s crazy!!!!!!!!? Of course, the target audience, Twilight fans, may not pick that up, so when the car stops at a house party, one of Nathan?s friends says, ?You?re so crazy.? Get it? He's crazy!!!!!

Nathan?s not just crazy, he?s also maybe been abducted as a child. Maybe his parents (good actors Jason Isaacs and Mario Bello, slumming) aren?t his parents, and maybe the CIA is trying to help or kill him, and maybe some Eastern European thugs are trying to kill him, too! The plot is pretty idiotic and requires logic suspension and coincidence credulity that most people won't be able to achieve. The CIA is represented by Alfred Molina and Sigourney Weaver, and it?s possible Nathan?s real father holds the key to some important thing. The thing?s relation to Nathan doesn?t seem really clear, but we?re just supposed to go with it.

Director John Singleton stages awkward and poorly shot action scenes, including a fight in Nathan?s home between his ?parents? and some random guys that is really awful. Every supposed action scene is juiced with heavy rock music that I guess is supposed to make you feel that something exciting is happening, when really it?s not. In fact, near the end of the movie, you realize Lautner?s sum total of ?action-y? stuff is one fight on a train and one parkourish run through a sports stadium. There are some gun fights, but he?s not involved in them, and other than leading the bad guy (Michael Nyqvist) outside of the stadium to hopefully get shot by someone else, he doesn?t do that much.

The lame action is a hamper to an action movie, but no more so than Lautner?s lack of chemistry with?everyone. He?s just wooden in scenes that are supposed to be emotional. He doesn?t seem all that interested in his supposed budding girlfriend (Lily Collins), and while he could probably kick my ass, he really doesn?t seem all that tough. If you are on the fence about this, don?t see it. If you?re a fifteen year old twi-hard, let?s just say Lautner ends up shirtless in the first three minutes and the line forms to the right.

The Disc:

The Blu-ray for Abduction is the first I?ve seen to have a digital copy where you don?t have to stick a disc in your computer to retrieve it. You simply go to the Lionsgate web store and enter the code provided, and viola. It is exclusive to one particular brand, but the whole thing is much nicer than having to use the disc, and you wonder why it hasn?t always been like this.

So, even though the Blu-ray includes a digital copy, there is only one disc. The main drawback is that the disc contains the movie, and it?s such a lousy movie that it?s hard to be very excited about the disc. That said, I give them credit for at least making the movie crisp, clear, and loud. You can?t fault the technical specs of the disc. It?s terrible to watch, but everything is really sharp!

The three main featurettes can be viewed two different ways. First as standalone features that cover different aspects of the main star and the production. Or, in lieu of a commentary track, the featurettes are blended into a picture-in-picture viewing of the film itself. While the film plays, the star, director, etc. are talking about or showing behind-the-scenes info for that particular scene, or something about the movie in general. It?s pretty slick. Unfortunately, it requires you to watch the movie again, so beware -- that?s not a good idea.

The featurettes include ?Abduction Chronicle,? which shows Lautner going scene by scene (somewhat) and providing his ?journal? about the scene. He?s a very appealing guy, and you see that more in this extra than you do in the movie. He doesn?t get too in-depth on any one scene, but he does provide some insights.

The second featurette, ?Initiation of an Action Hero,? can be summarized thusly: Taylor does most of his own stunts. Taylor does most of his own stunts. Taylor does most of his own stunts. So, if you are wondering who does most of Taylor?s stunts?it?s Taylor. Okay, so that will save you the time of watching that one.

The last one, ?The Fight for the Truth? is a standard making-of segment. Most of the actors are interviewed, and the director, writer, and producers share their thoughts. It?s wrapped up with a gag reel that is actually pretty funny. Mostly funny faces to the camera and actors falling down or stumbling. Nothing earth shattering, but pleasant.

You don?t want to get this movie in any way, shape, or form. The extras aren?t terrible or anything, but it?s just not a good movie, and listening to someone talk about how they loved the script or the director is sorta painful in context. Plus, the attempted coronation of Lautner as a new action hero is just sad. If he wants that title, he needs to make movies that you?d actually want to sit through. This ain?t it.

Distributor: Lionsgate Home EntertainmentStarring: Taylor Lautner, Lily Collins, Alfred Molina, Jason Isaacs, Maria Bello, Sigourney WeaverProduced by: Doug Davison, Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Dan Lautner, Roy Lee, Lee Stollman

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Colombiana

A gorgeous girl, lots of guns, some cool missions, revenge. What more could you ask -- no, no, don?t look too close at that part -- what more could you ask for in a movie?

The Movie:

Colombiana begins with a really long montage of stock footage for the opening credits. Incredibly long. Almost two solid minutes. That may not seem like long, but look up at the ceiling and count out two minutes. Now pretend you?re waiting for a movie to start. It?s not encouraging to see that much padding up front.

Fortunately, the film recovers quickly. It?s 1992 in Bogot?, and Fabio (Jesse Borrego) has announced his retirement to his boss, drug cartel kingpin Don Luis (Beto Benites). Alas, despite the kind words and pleasant tones, Don Luis doesn?t take well to his man trying to have a life of his own, and within the hour Fabio and his wife are gunned down in front of their young daughter, Cataleya (Amandla Stenberg). Cataleya?s been prepared, though, and she escapes her would-be killers and is able to buy sanctuary from the American embassy. At least until she gets to America and slips away to find her uncle Emilio (Cliff Curtis). Now that she?s finally able to break down, the young girl confesses her one desire -- to become a trained killer and get revenge.

Fifteen years later, Cataleya (Zoe Saldana) is all grown up and doing just that. She?s become a top hit-woman for hire, leaving a drawing of her namesake orchid on every victim to warn Don Luis that she?s coming. The only problem is that the FBI, following standard procedure, hasn?t released that little detail to the press. Once they finally do, though, Don Luis -- now a guest of the CIA living in the U.S. -- and his lieutenant, Marco (Jordi Molla), are just as interested in finding the lethal lady as she is in finding them.

Colombiana bills itself as being ?From the Writers of Taken,? and the sad truth is that it?s often a warning sign when the publicists stoop to giving credit to the writers. Much like that long opening I mentioned, though, you don?t need to be worried. This movie is almost non-stop action, from the Parkour-style chase across the rooftops of Bogot? to Cataleya?s often elaborate assassination assignments. Plus it?s got all the thrills of a heist movie as we watch her execute her missions, slipping in and out of police stations and high-security mansions with a style that would make the Impossible Missions Force jealous. You can even sympathize a little bit with her clumsy attempt to have a normal relationship with an artist (Michael Vartan), even though she has to keep him completely in the dark about her past, her chosen career, and her name.

The big catch here is that, like many non-stop action films, Colombiana doesn?t hold up well to examination. There isn?t much tension because -- unlike Taken, where we?ve got the ticking clock of Liam Neeson trying to rescue his kidnapped daughter -- Cataleya?s motivation is pure revenge. And revenge is kind of timeless. The only ticking clock is her quest to get to Don Luis before he dies of old age or someone else kills him.

In fact, I?ll go one step deeper into examining the plot. Cataleya?s really the only motivating force in this plot. Everyone else has moved on from her parents? deaths except her. While it?s a horrible thing when her friends and family are killed, the film skirts over the fact that the mob only came searching because Cataleya kept goading them on. She?s the one demanding that Don Luis acknowledge her -- he just wants to sit in the sun and drink. At the end of the day, the film?s giving us a homicidal, revenge-driven assassin and asking us to feel sorry for her because her parents died 15 years ago and her obsession keeps getting everyone around her killed. It wants to be Batman Begins without the costume, but it feels more like Death Wish without the sympathetic lead character.

Again, though, that?s just if you think about it too much. Let?s face it -- Zoe Saldana?s just plain gorgeous, lots of stuff gets blown up, and the movie?s loads of fun if you don?t look past the surface. There are worse ways to spend an evening.

The Disc:

There?s a pile of previews at the top of this disc, but they?re set up as a single large block that?s a bit tough to navigate. I know I?m in the minority with my odd love of previews, though, so I won?t fault them too much for this.

There are two special features. The ?Making Of? is a 25-minute press kit piece that talks about a lot of things and looks pretty, but doesn?t really offer any specifics on the different scenes and set pieces. Saldana and director Megaton talk in a general way about filming in different countries, fight scenes, firearms, and so on, but there?s nothing groundbreaking or that interesting. ?Cataleya?s Journey? is shorter and focused on the main character. They add actress Stenberg to the mix, and her youth and enthusiasm make it more interesting, but it?s still just as vague as the ?Making Of? featurette and you end up feeling like you didn?t quite get your money?s worth.

Colombiana is a very solid B movie that managed to get some A-level talent and money behind it. It?s not going to win any awards, but if you watch it for what it is and try not to think, it?s pretty fun.

Starring: Zoe Saladna, Jordi Molla, Lennie James, Cliff Curtis, Michael Vartan, Amandla Stenberg, Callum Blue, Beto BenitesProduced by: Luc Besson and Ariel ZeitounWritten by: Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen

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Real Steel [Blu-Ray]

Directed by Shawn Levy, Real Steel is set in the not so distant future and stars Hugh Jackman as a former boxer who is now attempting to get by in the robot-boxing circuit. The cost of investing in robots and the not-entirely predictable world of sports gambling has put Charlie Kenton in a sticky spot, but when money comes his way, as well as his estranged child Max (Dakota Goyo) and the lucky discovery of an outdated, discarded robot, an opportunity for victory and redemption presents itself. Charlie?s boxing experience proves to be especially useful, and in a way, allows him to get back in the ring again through the robot.

The Movie:

One of the things that works best withReal Steel is the pacing. Set to a soundtrack of rock and hip-hop, as well as Danny Elfman?s score, the film doesn?t waste any time telling its story. It takes us through the bonding of Max and Charlie as father and son, their fast ascent in the sport of robot boxing thanks to their ?new? robot Atom, and Charlie?s friendship (possibly more) with Evangeline Lilly?s character, Bailey Tallet. In the end, we?re given just the right amount of character set-up to allow us to care about them enough to want to watch them win.

When watching Real Steel, it?s easy to draw comparisons to other films. The story of a father attempting to bond with his son while also pursuing a goal in a competitive sport is reminiscent of Sylvester Stallone?s Over the Top, especially when factoring in the child?s aunt?s interest in obtaining custody of Max. Meanwhile, the robot/kid bonding draws a parallel to Terminator 2. And then there?s the underdog story of a smaller robot going up against a well-funded machine, which feels a bit like Rocky IV. There?s also a slight Fast and the Furious edge to the shiny way the sport of robot boxing is portrayed, in mashing machinery with competitive sports, minus the illegal element.

While Real Steel doesn?t come off as all that original, neither does it feel like a direct rip-off of any one thing. In fact, it seems to tap into the heart of the films we might compare it to and draw some of the best from all of them, merging them into an exciting and heart-warming story about a boy, his dad, and a robot. And then there?s robots beating the metal out of other robots. You can?t really go wrong there.

The futuristic setting doesn?t feel that far off from our reality, which works nicely, as does the borderline overuse of product placement throughout the film, with HP?s logo popping up here and there, as well as other well-known brands such as Bing and Sprint. It feels like we?re being advertised at, which is probably about the direction the world is headed in, so there?s no break from reality there. Another strength of the film is how quickly it moves along. We aren?t forced through barely relevant side-stories in an attempt to flesh out the plot. What we get is a story of a friendship formed between the two lead characters, a tale of redemption as a former boxer finds a way to use his fighting experience toward a new sport, and some really great robot-fighting scenes. The attention to detail when it comes to the setting as well as the robots is also well worth noting.

Real Steel finds the formula to create an exciting and highly entertaining story, and it executes it well, delivering an ending that is only a little bit predictable but works to cap off a satisfying movie experience, with just enough story and robot-fights to leave us smiling.

The Disc:

My first experience with a DVD commentary came when I purchased Ghostbusters, back when I bought my first DVD player over a decade ago (a Sony, which still works). I remember being blown away by the concept of getting to listen to the filmmakers talk about the movie while they watched it. It was brilliant. While I?ve enjoyed listening to many a commentary since then, never have I felt as blown away by a bonus feature as I was in that first experience... until I used the Real Steel Second Screen feature included on the Blu-ray disc. This option takes the commentary to the next level, giving us a virtual tour of the movie, guided by director Shawn Levy, while we watch it.

The ?Second Screen? feature is actually an app that requires the use of a laptop or a compatible tablet. I used my iPad to try it out, and after a lengthy download process (that may be improved by the time the Blu-ray officially released), I installed the app and was actually prepared to be a mixture of bored and irritated by it. In general, I?m not a fan of having to download or sign up for stuff when it comes to DVD/Blu-rays. I don?t like to clutter up my devices with single-use movie features. So, I should admit that I went into this Second Screen thing feeling a bit apprehensive and wondering what the app could offer that a picture-in-picture commentary couldn?t. As it turns out, quite a lot.

The Second Screen app syncs with the movie, either by BD-play or using the microphone on your device. Using my Playstation 3 as the Blu-ray player, I was able to sync using the BD Play option. From there, the movie plays, with the commentary audio coming through the television, while the app scrolls through a timeline of photos, videos, and other interactive features on the iPad (or whatever compatible device you're using). For example, since many of the robot scenes involve the use of motion capture, during those moments in the film, the app shows videos and photos of how the scene looked before the actor was digitally replaced with a robot.

While the Second Screen feature offers a ton of additional content, the Blu-ray itself sports a number of features, including deleted and extended scenes, and a featurette that shows Sugar Ray Leonard as he works with Hugh Jackman in preparation for his role as a boxer. The ?Countdown to the Fight: The Charlie Kenton Story? featurette is a faux-special featuring character interviews and a recap of Charlie?s story leading up to the much-hyped fight between Atom and mega-robot Zeus.

While those features are exclusive to the Blu-ray, both the DVD and Blu-ray discs include bloopers, a feature that shows how the actual robots were built (and points out some of the scenes in the movie where we?re looking at ?real? robots, as opposed to the CGI ones used in the fighting and practicing scenes), and another one that breaks down the making of the ?Metal Valley? scene (the junkyard scene where they find Atom). Given how much went into that scene in terms of building the set and working out the stunt coordination, the featurette is well worth watching. The DVD also includes a commentary.

Distributor: Dreamworks PicturesStarring: Hugh Jackman, Dakota Goyo, Evangeline Lilly, Anthony Mackie, Kevin DurandProduced by: Shawn Levy, Susan Montford, Don Murphy

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Safe House Trailer

Safe House Trailer

Oscar winner Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds star in the action-thriller Safe House. Washington plays the most dangerous renegade from the CIA, who comes back onto the grid after a decade on the run. When the South African safe house he's remanded to is attacked by mercenaries, a rookie operative (Reynolds) escapes with him.

Now, the unlikely allies must stay alive long enough to uncover who wants them dead. For the past year, Matt Weston has been frustrated by his inactive, backwater post in Cape Town. A "housekeeper" who aspires to be a full-fledged agent, the loyal company man has been waiting for an opportunity to prove himself. When the first and only occupant he's had proves to be the most dangerous man he's ever met, Weston readies for duty.


Tobin Frost has eluded capture for almost a decade. One of the best ops men that the CIA's known, the ex-intelligence officer has given up assets and sold military intel to anyone with cash since he turned. From trading secrets to North Korea to aiding splinter cells, the damage he's done to the U.S. is immeasurable. And he's now back on the reservation with a secret. As soon as Frost is brought in for debriefing, mercenaries come and tear apart Weston's safe house. Barely escaping, the unlikely partners must discover if their attackers have been sent by terrorists or someone on the inside who will kill anyone standing in the way.

Now it's up to Weston to figure out who he can trust before they're both eliminated from the game.

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