DOCTOR WHO in 3D: 'The Day of The Doctor' revisited

I recently treated myself to a 47" 3D television, and have naturally been trying out some 3D content at home. Someone already bought me The Hobbit 3D Blu-ray, but I also bought cheap 3D demo discs from eBay, and couldn't resist buying 3D Pacific Rim from Amazon. However, my new television has also provided an opportunity for me to watch last year's Doctor Who 50th anniversary special in 3D, as intended, so I thought I'd lay down some quick thoughts below:

Firstly, the menu and navigation of "The Day of The Doctor" Blu-ray is abysmal in every respect. Considering this is such an important release for the long-running show, I'm saddened more care and creativity wasn't involved. Or any creativity. Maybe there just wasn't time, as they wanted to get this disc released quickly, but are you seriously telling me nobody could even include a static image of the one-sheet poster? There isn't even a pop-up menu available while you're watching, so if you want to change settings you have to leave the show and hop back to the main menu (as you would on DVD, like a home theatre Neanderthal).

Blu-ray Review: STAR TREK - Season One, episode 1-7

To celebrate today's 46th anniversary of Star Trek, I've reviewed the first seven episodes of this 1960s science-fiction classic, from its excellent remastered Blu-ray...

This is where all those famous voyages began. Star Trek isn't the longest-running science-fiction property in the world (that distinction belongs to Doctor Who, which debuted three years earlier in 1963), but it's easily the most diverse and successful; with five cartoons/sequels/spin-offs, eleven feature films (currently), and all manner of tie-in books, toys and merchandise to its name. Gene Roddenberry first developed the idea of a "Wagon Train to the stars" back in 1964, inspired by the Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon serials from his childhood, but wanted to create something less trifling and more optimistic about mankind's future. Gulliver's Travels was another muse of his, as Star Trek would likewise tell extraordinary stories with a moral backbone propping everything up.

Salt (2010)

Angelina Jolie's perhaps the best female action star working in Hollywood, and a good dramatic actress to boot. She alternates her roles well (alternating highbrow work like The Changeling and A Mighty Wind with popcorners like Tomb Raider and Wanted), and director Philip Noyce's Salt is definitely in the latter camp. From the pen of Kurt Wimmer (Thomas Crown Affair, Ultraviolet), a screenwriter who often appropriates other films and ideas for his own ends (his Equilibrium was The Matrix-meets-1984), this movie is a preposterous escalation of thrills and spills, rarely stopping to catch its breath. Imagine a season of TV thriller 24, mostly told from the perspective of the villains, condensed into less than two hours, and that's what Salt delivers -- in handfuls, forget a pinch.

Evelyn Salt (Jolie) is a highly-skilled CIA agent (once detained and tortured in North Korea until her German husband (August Dieh) arranged her return to the US), tasked with interviewing Russian defector Orlov (Daniel Olbrychski) who claims his country's visiting president is going to be assassinated by a Soviet sleeper agent. The twist being that the informant identifies Salt as the appointed assassin, and Salt appears to confirms her guilt by going on the run, chased by her dumbfounded friends/colleagues Peabody (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and Winter (Liev Schreiber). But is Salt an activated sleeper determined to complete her mission, even if her cover's been blown? Maybe she's a double-agent with honourable intentions? Or does Salt have her own agenda?

Salt is one of those runaway train-style viewing experiences, which doesn't stay still long enough for you to worry about its ludicrous plot and outdated viewpoint. The whole story is predicated on Cold War concerns that make it something of a throwback to thrillers from the '70s and '80s -- but in a media currently dominated by Islamic extremists, Salt's ex-Soviet radicals felt like a welcome change of pace. The downside is that they obviously don't captures a current mood or political anxiety, which means Salt is intentionally dated in its values. Would the movie really not have worked with more apposite villains for this day and age?

Jolie is a strong presence and totally believable as a female Jason Bourne with added iciness, but there's unfortunately no clear delineation between Evelyn Salt (loving wife, patriotic American) and Evelyn Salt (loyal commie, merciless killer), while Jolie herself is perhaps too A-list for you to believe the outcome will be anything too surprising. Still, it could have been worse: Tom Cruise was the original lead, when the script was called Edwin Salt, until he decided flexing comedy muscles in Knight & Day would be a better career move.

Overall, Salt is a wild confection of old-school concerns and modern verve; mainly relying on its pace, succession of tight action sequences, and a few genuine surprises. It's very possible to guess its twists and the ultimate outcome, but the film does a good job keeping you gripped with the unfolding mayhem and consequently distracted from thinking too far ahead. Or at least, that's how I approached this material, and I was rewarded with a gloriously daft but entertaining action-thriller in the 24 tradition.

Blu-ray Review

Picture (2.40:1, 1080p/AVC MPEG-4) The video presentation is very good, if not extraordinary. Detail is sharp and there's a nice layer of film grain, with very deep blacks and strong colour. It's nothing dazzling, but it's a transfer you won't have many complaints about.

Sound (English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, French DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1) The lossless DTS-HD track is excellent; immersive, clear and offering near-constant delights. Dialogue remains crisp throughout, there's great use of rear speakers during the many action sequences, and the music score is distinct and balanced at all times. Fantastic.

Special Features

First, it's worth noting that you get three different cuts of the film on this disc: Theatrical, Director's Cut, and Extended Edition. Is that a record for a movie making its home video debut? I watched the extended edition, figuring it would contain the most material.

Spy Cam (PiP) You can watch this extra within the movie itself, as it offers a rolling commentary from director Noyce and star Jolie, with Making Of footage and interviews. (Note: only accessible on the Theatrical cut)

Commentary: The director Phillip Noyce provides a very good audio commentary that's more insightful and interesting than the PiP track, even if it mostly sounds rehearsed. Noyce includes many anecdotes about his own dealings with the world of espionage (his father trained spies), and Salt's similarities to his '90s flop The Saint.

The Ultimate Female Action Hero (8 mins) A behind-the-scenes featurette focusing on Angelina Jolie and her natural aptitude for action roles like this.

The Real Agents (13 mins) A collection of real stories from genuine spies, including a KGB Major General and various CIA officers. Their stories focus on elements used in the movie, such as sleeper agents and false identities. Interesting.

Spy Disguise: The Looks Of Evelyn Salt (5 mins) Brief featurette about the makeup used on the film, particularly the latex used to turn Jolie into a man.

The Modern Master Of The Political Thriller: Phillip Noyce (10 mins) Essentially a retread of his audio commentary, but briefer and with the visual element. Unnecessary.

False Identity: Creating A New Reality (7 mins) A quick look at the visual effects of Salt, which involved a lot more compositing of fake elements into real shots than you'd imagine. A good extra feature, but deserved more attention.

Salt: Declassified (30 mins) The disc's focal extra is this documentary about the making of the film, which unfortunately recycles lots of footage from the other extras. Still, that means simply watching this documentary covers a lot of bases, fairly broadly.

The Treatment (30 mins) Radio interview with Noyce, which covers things he's already spoken about elsewhere on the disc -- twice! Consequently surplus to requirement.

Extras MovieIQ, if you're so inclined.

DIRECTOR: Phillip Noyce
WRITER: Kurt Wimmer
CAST: Angelina Jolie, Liev Schreiber, Chiwetel Ejiofor, August Diehl & Daniel Olbrychski
RUNNING TIME: 100 mins (theatrical) BUDGET: $110m

The Karate Kid (2010) [Blu-ray]

DIRECTOR: Harald Zwart
WRITERS: Christopher Murphey (story by Robert Mark Kamen)
RUNNING TIME: 140 mins. BUDGET: $40m

The 1984 original is a childhood touchstone for me; a movie I revisited in adulthood a few years ago, surprised to find myself still engaged with its coming-of-age tale about a teenage boy defeating bullies, gaining a surrogate father, and finding first love. The 2010 remake was a project I couldn't help being cynical about during its development, and while the resulting movie isn't an insult to the '80s classic (surpassing the original in a few ways), it ultimately fails to match its predecessor.

The story remains largely intact: a half-orphaned boy, Dre (Jaden Smith), moves with his mother (Taraj P. Henson) to a new town (Beijing, China), has trouble adapting to his new life, develops a crush on a local girl, Mei Ying (Wen Wen Han), finds himself the target of a bully, Cheng (Zhenwei Wang), and is later taught how to defend himself by Mr Han (Jackie Chan), a modest handyman who knows Kung Fu. In this remake, parts of the story are strengthened by reasonable changes (the culture-shock of emigrating from Detroit to Beijing provides a more exotic setting and canvas), but the story is weakened by appealing to a younger crowd (casting a 12-year-old boy cripples the love story element, reducing it to cutesy puppylove).

Jaden Smith (son of celebrity couple Will Smith Jada Pinkett-Smith) has clearly been given the lead through nepotism, but he's fairly likeable and you grow to respect his physical commitment to the role. The skills of original stars Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita were always laughable (how Daniel made it to the tournament final, I'll never know), so the remake benefits from the fact Smith's clearly an athletic boy who's done the training, while Chan has obvious credentials when it comes to screen violence.

Jaden Smith in The Karate Kid: Sony Official Site

Chan's character may lack the iconic feel of Morita's Mr Miyagi (with his buff suit, pidgin English, and Sphinx-like expression), but he nonetheless acquits himself very well. In fact, this is probably the best performance of Chan's career to date, as it relies far more on acting than speaking lines in-between kicking people in the face and falling out of high windows. The guy's in his mid-50s now, so giving him a contemplative part that benefits from his reputation, but doesn't require him to do many stunts (beyond a skirmish where Chan uses kids as weapons against themselves), is one of the best ideas in this remake's head.

But while the premise and Chan prevent the whole thing from seriously derailing, The Karate Kid proves a flop in other areas. The bullying Cheng is a wonderfully creepy antagonist who dishes out nasty beatings, but his motivation isn't as sharp (stubborn jealousy that Mei likes Dre); said romance between Dre and Mei is excruciatingly mawkish (even for 12-year-olds); Master Li (Yu Rongguang) is a poor counterpart for Martin Kove's nasty dojo master in the original; and how Dre develops muscle memory, by repetitively taking his jacket on-and-off, isn't handled as well as seeing his predecessor perform a variety of household chores (paint the fence, sand the floor, wax the car, etc.)

However, the fact remains the premise of The Karate Kid (the adolescent underdog overcoming obstacles in his life by finding strength with himself) is a very potent staple of many cinematic stories, and this remake does a competent job whenever it's holding the original's coattails. Harald Zwart's direction isn't astonishing, but it's career best for him, and the photography of China's is as rich and evocative as you could hope. If nothing else, the scenery and vibrancy of Beijing is captured nicely, just as the Chinese authorities demanded of the production in exchange for allowing them such access.

Overall, if you're old enough to have seen the original (ideally in the '80s) and it's since become one of your childhood memories, this remake will have you breathing a deep sigh of relief. It isn't terrible, it's just only ever great when it's following the original's lead without straying off-course. If you have no connection to the 1984 version, I daresay you'll enjoy this on its own merits. Fundamentally, it's still telling a time-honoured story you can't help but respond to on some level, which is its greatest strength.

Jaden Smith & Jackie Chan in The Karate Kid: Sony Official Site

Blu-ray Review

Picture (2.40:1, 1080p/MPEG-4 AVC) I always find movies with beautiful scenery offer the best HD experiences, and this Blu-ray does a great job showing us the magnificence, colour and texture of Beijing and China. Detail is great (check out Jaden's hair braids), blacks are deep, colours pop, and everthing has a beautifully filmic look.

Sound (English DTS-HD MA 5.1, French DTS-HD MA 5.1) An immersive audio experience, with resonant dialogue and nice use of the rear speakers to bring the hustle and bustle of Beijing to life in your livingroom. It's quite a surprise, actually; nuanced, nimble and immersive.

Special Features

Chinese Lessons: In this feature, you can learn various Chinese phrases by having the disc launch you to relevant points in the movie where the language is spoken. It's hardly worth bothering with for teens and adults, but younger kids may find it an interesting introduction to learning another language.

"Never Say Never" Justin Bieber Music Video (HD, 4m) Do you like teenybopper Justin Bieber? Yes? Then watch this. If you answered "no", avoid like syphilis.

Just For Kicks: Making Of Karate Kid (HD, 20m) A typical EPK-style featurette, broadly covering the movie and its links to the '84 original. Quite good as a one-stop visit, but everything it has to offer is detailed better in the other extras.

Interactive Map Of China: An okay use of Blu-ray capabilities, as the movie's location shoots are explored in production footage by clicking on various points on a map of China: the Great Wall (HD, 2m), Wudang Mountains (HD, 5m), Beijing Film Studio (HD, 3m), Shaolin School (HD, 2m), and Sports Arena (HD, 2m).

Alternate Ending (HD, 4m) Jackie Chan didn't get to demonstrate much physicality in the finished film, but this alternate ending reveals that the original intention was for his Mr Han to fight the evil Master Li, mere seconds after Dre's final fight. It's quite nice to see Chan do his stuff, but this isn't a particularly amazing fight, and was deservedly cut. It would have stolen the thunder from Dre, and ended the film on a strange, violent note.

Production Diaries (HD, 30m) Here you'll find 9 diaries, accessible separately if you desire. It's actually a diverting half-hour, with lots of good behind-the-scenes footage that's paced well and shouldn't bore you.

Extras: MovieIQ, as is standard for Sony discs.

Don't forget: you can win a copy of The Karate Kid on Blu-ray by entering my competition. Closing date: 20 November 2010.

GLEE: The Complete First Season (2009) [Blu-ray]

I've already reviewed the first half of Glee's freshman year here, so I'm going to be brief with my recap of the entire first season. Suffice to say, the second half definitely suffered from a desperation to keep the ball rolling, amidst fresh pressure because by then it was clear Glee was a breakout hit. Character arcs looped (how many times did gay Kurt and his macho father essentially go over the same emotional beats?), the musical numbers started to increase because each episode's plot rarely filled the timeslot, the plots themselves became tenuous (see "Funk"), returning guest-stars flopped (Kristin Chenoweth), new characters didn't quite work (Rachel's birth mother, Rachel's new boyfriend), and the ongoing storylines started to crawl or were practically dropped altogether (Schue's marriage breakup, Quinn's baby).

Glee's sense of self-belief and talented cast rescued it, and there was still enough comedy and barnstorming performances to keep most episodes buzzing away merrily. It's rarely boring (although it comes close when the stories feel rehashed), and there's enough vim and spirit to pull you through the bad patches, heading towards the entertaining finale.

For a more detailed look at each episode, revisit my archive of reviews:

Jane Lynch as Sue Sylvester

1.1 - "Pilot"
1.2 - "Showmance"
1.3 - "Acafellas"
1.4 - "Preggers"
1.5 - "The Rhodes Not Taken"
1.6 - "Vitamin D"
1.7 - "Throwdown"
1.8 - "Mash-Up"
1.9 - "Wheels"
1.10 - "Ballad"
1.11 - "Hairography"
1.12 - "Mattress"
1.13 - "Sectionals"
1.14 - "Hell-O"
1.15 - "The Power Of Madonna"
1.16 - "Home"
1.17 - "Bad Reputation"
1.18 - "Laryngitis"
1.19 - "Dream On"
1.20 - "Theatricality"
1.21 - "Funk"
1.22 - "Journey"

Blu-ray Review

Picture (1.78:1, 1080p/MPEG-4 AVC) Unexpectedly, the visual quality of this high-definition transfer isn't the glossy and colourful thing of beauty you'd quite rightly expect to see. Colours are often quite dull and the impact of the series colour palette is undermined. Hardly unwatchable, and still an improvement in detailing over the DVD's comparatively muddy release, but it's a disappointing transfer of a TV show that should have made been a demo-worthy TV release.

Sound (DTS 5.1 Master Audio) Likewise, the audio track may be a lossless DTS 5.1 MA mix, but the musical impact of this Blu-ray is a disappointment. It's clear and robust with strong dialogue, but there's not much going on with the rear speakers and the songs blast out mainly from the front rather than envelop you from all angles. Taken as a whole, the A/V presentation of Glee on Blu-ray is far below what you'd imaging this show to have achieved on the format. I sincerely hope future box-sets up their game.

Special Features

Many of the extra features contained on this four-disc Blu-ray have been taken from the DVD's Volume 1 release, so my written assessment of those extras has been copied from my previous DVD review. Blu-ray exclusive extras are all those presented in HD, with the old DVD extra's unfortunately stuck in standard-definition.

Behind The Pilot: A Visual Commentary with Cast & Crew: The Emmy-winning Director's Cut of Glee's pilot is shown, with the cast and crew giving their simultaneous commentary inside a letterboxed window next to the footage. This is surprisingly insightful, interesting and fun, with most of the principal cast and crew seated in a private screening and giving various anecdotes and behind-the-scenes trivia. Recommended.

Glee Sing Along Karaoke (HD, 10m) Do you want to sing-a-long to some of season 1's songs? Here your wish is granted, with karaoke versions of "Alone", "Somebody To Love", "Keep Holding On" and the ubiquitous "Don't Stop Believing" cued up and ready.

Glee Music Jukebox (HD) Handy feature across all four discs, where you can jump straight to each episode's musical segments. You can even randomize the playlist. If you're primarily a fan of Glee's singing and dancing, this is the ideal way to get an immediate hit.

Staying In Step With Glee (HD, 6m) The show's choreographer, Zach Woodlee, presents a tutorial on how to dance to Glee's version of "Rehab".

Bite Their Style: Dress Like Your Favourite Gleek (HD, 9m) The show's costume designer, Lou Eyrich, reveals the decisions behind each character's distinct look. Mildly interesting.

Unleashing The Power Of Madonna (HD, 11m) The music producer and cast reminisce about the mid-season Madonna tribute episode.

The Making Of A Showstopper (HD, 17m) A look at how the finale's rendition of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" was adapted for Glee.

Welcome To McKinley! (SD, 5m) The funniest extra is undoubtedly this faux video presentation by Principal Figgins (Iqbal Theba), who gives a hilariously inept and self-conscious guide to the facilities of McKinley High for the benefit of freshmen. This is possibly the best thing Theba's done on the show, as worrying as that might be, so please give him more to do on the actual show!

Glee Music Video (SD, 3m) Queen's "Somebody To Love" gets glee'd to a so-called music video that plays like a slo-mo promo for Glee. This actually encapsulates the show's quirky appeal, although it's a pity it's presented in stereo and not surround sound.

Full Length Audition Pieces (SD, 4) Here you can watch the full performances of Rachel singing "On My Own" (3 mins.) and Mercedes performing "Respect" (1 min.), which were the respective actresses audition pieces for the show.

Fox Movie Channel Presents Casting Session (SD, 12m) The most substantial featurette on the disc is this look at how they cast the show by holding auditions at Fox. We learn, as if there was any doubt, that the creators were after performers who were "triple threats" (i.e can act, sing and dance), that Lea Michele was the first to be auditioned and walked in fresh from a car accident picking glass out of her hair, and that Corey Monteith's audition tape had him drumming on tupperware and wine glasses, amongst other things. A nice peek behind the curtain, but a shame it only focused on a few of the core actors.

Deconstructing Glee with Ryan Murphy (SD, 3m) The co-creator of Glee gives his brief thoughts on what the show's all about and its themes, for what it's worth.

Dance Boot Camp (SD, 3m) Choreographer Zach Woodlee gives us a quick insight into how the cast get into shape for the dance routines, and it's again mentioned that Corey Monteith is the weak link (but we knew that from the show.)

Jane Lynch - A To Glee (SD, 1m) Resolutely pointless soundbite from Jane Lynch while sat in makeup, with a few clips of her character Sue Sylvester to bookmark.

Meet Jane Lynch (SD, 1m) Considering Lynch plays the show's best character, the most disappointing thing about this Glee box-set's extras is how marginalized she is. Here's a so-brief-it's-unnecessary extra that could, and should, have been far more extensive.

Things You Don't Know About... (SD) A handful of Glee's cast answer trivial questions about themselves, each lasting approximately 1 minute. Very underwhelming.

Video Diaries (SD, 17m) The cast were given camera-phones to record their trip from L.A to New York, to attend the Fox Upfronts presentation of Glee last summer. Here you'll see each actor's video-diary of the day, truncated to a few minutes per person. Jane Lynch, Lea Michele, Matthew Morrison, Corey Monteith, Kevin McHale, Amber Riley, Chris Colfer & Dianna Agron all participated. The result is rather unfocused and sometimes confused, but nevertheless a fun candid look into each actor's day. You can sense the group  camaraderie and excitement about being on the cusp of network success. Each actor's diary is playable separately, but I recommend you "Play All" and sit back.

The Evil Dead (1982) [Blu-ray]

The quintessential "video nasty" of the early-1980s, Sam Raimi's cult classic The Evil Dead is remarkable for a horror movie made on a pittance with a cast of friends (including Bruce Campbell as Ash, who would go on to achieve legendary status in B-movie circles, off the back of this 1982 student film.) It's extremely violent and bloodthirsty, but what lingers in your soul is the creeping sense of dread and palpable threat that infects every moment, making The Evil Dead arguably more successful as a suspense film than horror.

In classic spam-in-a-cabin style, four twentysomething friends arrive at an abandoned shack deep in the woods, only accessible over a rickety bridge, only to accidentally summon demons by playing a tape recording of the cabin's previous occupant translating the incantations of a grimoire ("The Book Of The Dead", the film's original title). They soon find themselves under siege from an evil presence in the woods outside -- symbolized by Raimi's now iconic roving camera shots accompanied by ominous, continuous groaning. It's the simplest and most clichéd setup imaginable, but ideal for a young filmmaker to test his skills without having to fret about plot and character. This movie is all about atmosphere and visuals, tightening the screws of tension with its malevolent voyeur lurking outside, until an explosive final hour of blood-soaked mayhem.

It's peculiarly amusing, too, although we'd have to wait for the sequel-cum-remake to grab hold of The Evil Dead's comic potential and allow Campbell full reign to mix goofy with gruesome. It's also great to see many of Raimi's visual signatures already in evidence this early in his career; from the aforementioned use of a camera as the POV of something unseen and deadly, to the snappy cuts of routine activities to give them a sense of cool purpose (most notable when Ash is methodically chaining his girlfriend to a table before he cuts her in half with a chainsaw). The Evil Dead is overshadowed by the slicker and funnier Evil Dead 2, but it remains a marvellous example of low-budget moviemaking that touched a nerve back in the '80s, and still has a raw power that overcomes its meagre cost and questionable acting talent.

Sony Official Site

Blu-ray Review

Picture (1.85:1, 1080p/AVC MPEG-4) There have been countless re-releases of The Evil Dead, but its debut on a high-definition format is a persuasive reason to quadruple-dip. In a remaster of the original 16mm print, this movie has never looked better. Suddenly full of texture and depth, the previously mottled visuals of the woodland become crystal clear in HD. It's a remarkable improvement; even the grain looks wonderful, like a thin mist the world's been marinated in. DVD releases were guilty of erasing the grain through Digital Noise Reduction (DNR), but this treatment is preferable. Deep blacks, natural skin tones, a great transfer. Apparently, Raimi has used digital techniques to erase a few errors (like a member of the crew appearing in shot), but I can forgive that kind of revision. It's hardy at the George Lucas level of amendments. One downside for cinephiles is that this release of Evil Dead on Blu-ray doesn't contain the 1.33:1 original ratio, which was accessible via seamless branching on the US disc.

Sound (English 5.1 DTS-HD MA) The Evil Dead has often had its sound upgraded, as the film is perfect for jolts using the rear speakers and audio effects can become truly immersive as they swirl around your front room. The DTS-HD track is another improvement over the movie's copious DVD releases, bringing additional weight, depth and clarity. It's not quite the onslaught you may be hoping for, with a lot of audio still anchored at the front, and a few action sequences passing by as a disappointment, but it ultimately does a solid job sustaining atmosphere. Some people equipped with 7.1 systems may bemoan the lack of a 7.1 track, particularly considering the previous DVD release contained a DTS-ES 6.1/7.1 track.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: A new track from writer-director Sam Raimi, producer Rob Tapert and star Bruce Campbell, taking a different approach than previous commentaries they've done by discussing their experience actually getting the movie into production. They also chat about this version's restoration for HD, which Raimi supervised.

PiP: Join Us! The Undying Legacy Of The Evil Dead This is a great Picture-In-Picture documentary/interview track that plays over the actual film.

One By One We Will Take You: The Untold Saga Of The Evil Dead (SD, 53m) Meaty featurette about the film's genesis, featuring interviews with Rob Tapert (producer), Mike Sullivan (special effects), and celebrity fans like directors Edgar Wright (Shaun Of The Dead) and Eli Roth (Hostel).

Treasures From The Cutting Room Floor (SD, 59m) Just shy of an hour's worth of B-roll footage and outtakes, there to be devoured by true fans.

At The Drive-In (SD, 12m) The cast/crew of The Evil Dead descend on a Chicago screening of the movie, to chat about the movie and hand out some free DVDs.

Discovering Evil Dead (SD, 13m) A featurette from Blue Underground telling the story of how The Evil Dead got noticed in the UK and its impact there as a notorious "video nasty".

Make-Up Test (SD, 1m) Raw footage of the various make-ups used, but unfortunately very brief.

Sony Official Site

LOST: The Complete Sixth Season (2010) [Blu-ray]

[SPOILERS] Now the dust has settled, we can reflect on the divisive final season of ABC's Lost with some distance and clarity. As a dyed-in-the-wool fan there's always a danger your love for a TV show makes you blind to its failings, or at least keener to overlook them. Alternatively, it can make you too critical in the moment because you're demanding perfection, making you unable to take a step back to see the bigger picture with a level head.

The sixth season of Lost caused internet quakes when its final episode, the literally tremorous "The End", was simulcast worldwide. There was no way a finale to a complex six-year story involving dozens of characters, multiple storylines, and a plethora of questions, could satisfy absolutely everyone. The writers made a judgement and opted to focus on character and emotion, rather than coldly dispense logical answers. And that's fine. Of course, quite why rewarding answers, while focusing on character and eliciting an emotional response, can't be packaged together, is perhaps the great unanswered question of this series.

I've already reviewed Lost season 6, so won't recycle my thoughts about each episode in an abridged fashion. Instead, please browse my archive of reviews:

6.1 & 6.2 - "LA X"
6.3 - "What Kate Does"
6.4 - "The Substitute"
6.5 - "Lighthouse"
6.6 - "Sundown"
6.7 - "Dr. Linus"
6.8 - "Recon"
6.9 - "Ab Aeterno"
6.10 - "The Package"
6.11 - "Happily Ever After"
6.12 - "Everybody Loves Hugo"
6.13 - "The Last Recruit"
6.14 - "The Candidate"
6.15 - "Across The Sea"
6.16 - "What They Died For"
6.17 & 6.18 - "The End"

With the benefit of hindsight, how do I feel about Lost's swansong four months later, having now read a multitude of reviews and heard the impassioned responses from everyone? Well, I still remain impressed by the overall journey and breathtaking enormity of the challenge in creating a show like Lost, which became the most multifaceted and imaginatively fertile sci-fi hits of the past few decades. Lightning in a bottle we're unlikely to see repeated any time soon.

But the final season did fail in many ways, perhaps crippled by the fact its mythology was in flux for too long. I truly believe that, had the writers been told they had to wrap things up by season 4, during production of season 3, they could have pulled everything together far better at that mid-series point. Instead, knowing they'd been guaranteed three years by ABC meant season 4 and 5 had to create fresh questions for the fans to chew on. They did this by introducing largely superfluous ideas/plot-points (time-travel, a hydrogen bomb) and brand new characters (Charlotte, Miles, Faraday, Lapidus), that bloated the show and ensured the final season became too unwieldy once it arrived. Looking back, with some necessary tweaking, season 4 would have been a more effective finish-line. There's an argument to say that's where it ended spiritually, at the very least, with season 5's twin storylines (returning to the Island, living in the '70s) having little to no impact on the sixth season's events.

And naturally, with a half-dozen years of feverish anticipation from an rabid fanbase who could concoct elaborate theories to explain Lost's many riddles (some of which were better than the eventual explanation), nothing could surpass that voracious hive-mind's inflated expectations. But I think we're forgetting how exciting and emotionally rewarding many episodes of the sixth season were, or how perfect the final scene with Jack in the bamboo field was... so, really, Lost may not have had the perfect ending we craved and deserved, but its legacy's intact because it dazzled for much longer than it disappointed.

Blu-ray Review

Picture (1.78:1, 1080p/AVC MPEG-4) This is my first time sampling the delights of Lost in high-definition, and the season 6 box-set didn't fail to impress. There's a depth of colour and detail that standard-definition can't capture, so the 1080p image quality here really "pops" and gives you a fresh appreciation for the show's production standards. Naturally, it helps that Lost's filmed on location in beautiful Hawaii, so the lush scenery in HD is worth seeing alone.

Sound (English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, English DD2.0, French DTS 5.1, Spanish DTS 5.1, Spanish (Latin American) DD2.0, Portuguese (Brazilian) DD2.0) Similarly, I've rarely heard Lost in surround sound, and the DTS-HD 5.1 audio track added extra depth to the ambiance of the show. Previously impressive action sequences are now even better with a thriving sound mix, while Michael Giacchino's beautiful score really sings through in HD.

Special Features

Audio Commentaries: Showrunners Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse give two smattering of audio commentaries across the box-set, including season premiere "LA X", but the most interesting is for "Across The Sea" because it was such a polarizing mythology episode. If you're a fan of "Darlton"'s official ABC podcasts, you'll know they're an entertaining double-act who are acutely aware of the response and the range of attitudes towards their show. They're once again wary of spoiling any ongoing discussion of the series, by giving "official" answers now Lost is over, which some people may take issue with, but I personally I agree they should leave loose-ends for die-hard fans to chew on. After all, discussion of Lost was 50% of many people's enjoyment, so why not let that continue now the show's over?

That said, they do give credence to a popular fan theory that Mother (Allison Janney) was actually a "Smoke Monster" during the episode (explaining her single-handed destruction of a village's well-armed inhabitants, and why she likely conned her adopted sons into both becoming her successor and killing her). Cuse and Lindelof definitely stick to their guns when it comes to defending this episode, which enraged some quarters of fandom. They deliver a few decent arguments for why "Across The Sea" should be re-evaluated, but none of it's convincing enough for me to forgive the handful of ridiculous answers this episode gave us. I think the key reason many fans were upset is that "Across The Sea" answered mysteries that have been teased for years using information that only appears during this 43-minute episode. How could anyone possibly have guessed the genesis of the Smoke Monster using the clues breadcrumbed throughout season 1-5? It kind of devalues the effort uberfans put in trying to decipher it all, no?

Two other commentaries exist on the box-set for "Dr. Linus" (with writers Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz, joined by actor Michael Emerson) and "Ab Aeterno" (with writers Melinda Hsu Taylor and Greggory Nations, joined by Nestor Carbonell), and both are entertaining insights into the creative process I think fans will appreciate. Of course, it's very frustrating than there's no commentary track for finale "The End", which is definitely the episode most fans would appreciate some insight into. Frustratingly, during the "Across The Sea" yakker, Lindelof and Cuse mention they'll record an audio commentary for the finale one day, perhaps evidence that some kind of "Ultimate" box-set will be released in the future.

Flight 815: A Crash Course (HD, 8m) On Disc 1 you can watch this very entertaining catchup video for the events of season 1-5, narrated by a hilariously deadpan woman.

The New Man In Charge (HD, 12m) Comfortably the most hotly-anticipated extra feature on this box-set is this official coda to Lost's finale -- a canonical "last act" that gives a glimpse of Ben (Emerson) and Hurley's (Jorge Garcia) era as protectors of the Island. Arguably even more divisive than the finale, it's essentially a way to explain a handful of the show's trivial mysteries (who was organizing the DHARMA food drops? What was the "Hurley bird" was? What were the polar bears trained for? What was Room 23 used for?) It basically exists to fan-service anal fans, but even if you don't likes the rather awkward way it dispenses its answers (via DHARMA-brand DVD), I appreciated the thought and it did clarify half-a-dozen minor questions.

Crafting A Final Season (HD, 38m) The key documentary of this box-set takes a look at the creation of the sixth season and Lost's legacy as a whole. It features other TV executive-producers giving their opinions on Lost's journey and its place in TV history, from Shawn Ryan to Stephen J. Cannell, and many of the show's actors fretting about if/when their characters might die. In one particularly moving moment, we see Jorge Garcia reading the finale script and crying when he reaches a significant point for his character Hurley, which is rather beautiful to see. This featurette definitely works very nicely as a glimpse behind-the-scenes as this huge show drew inexorably closer to its end.

A Hero's Journey (HD, 9m) A short featurette on how Lost's storytelling utilizes the principles set out by author Joseph Campbell's "Hero's Journey".

See You In Another Life, Brotha (HD, 9m) More behind-the-scenes footage taken throughout season 6's filming, paying particular attention to the "flashsideways" plot-device and its use of mirrors. We're also reminded of the many callbacks to season 1, as a means of bringing the show full circle.

Lost On Location (HD) A collection of brief featurettes, each focusing on a prominent episode from the final season. "LAX" (6m) shows us the impressive Temple set made of polystyrene on the lot and the details of its hieroglyphics; "The Substitute" (3m) looks at the dangerous cliff side stunt from that episode featuring Josh Holloway and the stunt crew; "Recon" (3m) reveals how the episode's car crash was filmed; "Ab Aeterno" (5m) features an intriguing look at the Black Rock set and how a "fake pig" was used for one scene; "Happily Ever After" (5m) shows us how Henry Ian Cusick and Dominic Monaghan filmed the underwater sequences following a car crash into an L.A marina; and "The Candidate" (6m) keeps an aquatic theme with a look at the claustrophobic submarine set that was flooded with many of the principle actors inside.

Deleted Scenes (SD, 10m) As is typical of deleted scenes packaged together, most if not all don't really add much to the conversation. "On Guard", "Bearing Fruit", "Maternal Instincts", "Parched", "A Helping Hand", "Fatalities", "The Lab & The Well", "Epiphany" and "Desmond's Task" all sound a lot more intriguing than they ultimately are. Dispensable.

Lost Bloopers (HD, 4m) This assortment of outtakes isn't exactly side-splitting material, but it's generally good fun if you enjoy seeing actors crack up, fluff their lines, or trip up.

Miscellaneous: The season 6 box-set comes equipped with ABC's Season-Play facility, which is a Blu-ray exclusive way to create a viewing profile that tracks exactly where you are when watching the series, even if you eject the disc and watch something else inbetween. A useful feature for hardened marathon box-setters.

Cemetery Junction (2010) [Blu-ray]

WRITERS & DIRECTORS: Ricky Gervais & Stephen Merchant
CAST: Christian Cooke, Felicity Jones, Tom Hughes, Jack Doolan, Ricky Gervais, Matthew Goode, Ralph Fiennes & Emily Watson
RUNNING TIME: 95 mins. BUDGET: $18m

Renowned as purveyors of small-screen "cringe comedy" with The Office and Extras double-hitters, Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant turn their talent to a coming-of-age movie that stretches their formula into fresh tonality. Cemetery Junction is as well-observed, humane and humorous as their television work, spinning a yarn that's often predictable and clichéd, but so full of warmth and likeable performances that it's impossible to hate.

Set in Reading, Berkshire, 1973 (where Gervais himself grew up, making this a rose-tinted, quasi-autobiographical tale), we're introduced to the three jack-the-lad leads: handsome Freddie (Christian Cooke), who's scared of a future working in a factory like his underachieving dad (Gervais); charismatic Bruce (Tom Hughes), who already works in said factory and can't seem to escape the home he shares with the alcoholic father he pities; and "Snork" (Jack Doolan), their podgy friend/sidekick who refuses to grow up. All three are stuck in a rut in the titular Cemetery Junction district of town; aptly named because each are about to make a decision that'll determine where their grown-up lives will lead, to avoid dying with a heart-full of regrets.

Cemetery Junction: Sony Official Site

Freddie aspires to be a door-to-door salesman for the Vigilance life insurance company, run by local-boy-made-good Mr Kendrick (an underused Ralph Fiennes), whose sweet daughter Julie (Felicity Jones) was once his Freddie's childhood sweetheart, but whose ignorant fiancé Mike (Matthew Goode) is now Freddie's sales mentor. As Freddie learns how to successfully talk old people into setting aside money to ensure their loved-ones are provided for when they die, rather than focus on the here-and-now, the movie essentially becomes a parable about young people living for the moment and chasing love and dreams, because money and social standing isn't all it's cracked up to be.

There's no denying Cemetery Junction's storyline is a ramble of clichéd and obvious story arcs, but there's some comfort in watching the story travel down a route as the train track that provides the climactic escape route. The lack of surprises does prevent the film from becoming the mini-classic it feels intended to be, but its predictability it kept in check thanks to some genuinely funny moments, personable characters, and an embracive heart.

While the movie suffers from a railed storyline, the direction and writing keep things light-footed, while the casting is superb. Each of the leads may be stuck in storylines with developments you can see coming a mile off, but they're such a pleasure to spend time with it hardly matters. Gervais's supporting role is only really there to provide trailer-bait and shoehorn in some dinner table gags, but there's a really lovely turn from Emily Watson as a housewife in a loveless marriage who wants her daughter to choose a different path. It's a shame Fiennes wasn't given more to do, as his one memorable scene (giving a retiring employee a stilted, unrehearsed "golden handshake" in front of the entire workforce) seemed to prove he could have been a more memorable component, instead of a big-name to lend the film some A-list gloss.

Overall, Cemetery Junction isn't the homespun classic it's aiming to be, but it proves Gervais and Merchant have additional skills up their sleeves, and it's certainly a refreshing alternative to the often downbeat crime/horror-orientated British movie. There's a slight whiff of TV-standard drama at times, but a punchy script and strong performances do a marvellous job of raising the quality and taking you down a narrative path that, while foreseeable, is nevertheless very scenic and involving.

Cemetery Junction: Sony Official Site

Blu-ray Review

Picture (2.40:1, 1080p) The film looks incredibly vibrant and beautiful, reflected in the excellent image quality on display here. Dazzling colours with a rich sense of depth, if a little too soft at times, with natural skin tones and acute texturing.

Sound (English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1) Crisp, strong and immersive sound-mix, particularly when the movie starts spewing out classic '70s music tracks. The sense of atmosphere is always there, from the factory scenes, to the countryside, to the nightclubs.

Special Features

Audio Commentaries: Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant give a typically enlightening and humourous commentary with some lively banter and fun anecdotes. Actors Christian Cooke and Jack Dolan also give a commentary track, but one that's a little dry and certainly pales into insignificance compared to the Gervais/Merchant yakker.

Deleted Scenes (HD, 14 mins.) Quite a tedious selection of scenes deservedly cut.

Blooper Reel (HD, 14 mins.) Hilarious sequence of outtakes, most focusing on Ricky Gervais cracking up and ruining takes. I'm sure this will become a YouTube hit within days, if it isn't already.

The Directors: A Conversation With Gervais & Merchant (HD, 15 mins.) Interesting and funny featurette with the writer-directors outlining exactly what they intended to achieve with the movie.

The Lads Look Back: The Stars Discuss Cemetery Junction (HD, 10 mins.) Decent featurette with Cooke, Dolan and Hughes reminiscing about their experience making the movie.

Seventies Style: Production & Costume Design (HD, 9 mins.) A surprisingly engaging featurette about the costuming, helped by the interspersed interviews with Gervais and Merchant.

Production Featurettes (HD, 7 mins.) Five short documentaries, originally released on Ricky Gervais's official website. Unremarkable.

Extras: The awful MovieIQ and BDLive are bundled with this disc, as usual for Sony.

Breaking Bad: The Complete Second Season (2009) [DVD]

Continuing from the truncated first season, AMC's award-winning Breaking Bad tackled its first unabridged year and succeeded in spreading its wings and taking things to the next level. Cancer-stricken milquetoast chemistry teacher Walter White (Bryan Cranston) and dropout meth-head Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) continued their uneasy partnership, cooking crystal meth out of financial necessity and greed, respectively -- despite the fact Walt's health improves and Jesse finds a soul mate girlfriend who offers him an alternative lifestyle. Elsewhere, Walt's burly brother-in-law Hank (Dean Norris) found a DEA transfer to the El Paso "major leagues" was more of a nightmare than he could handle.

It's a fantastic season that swelled in confidence, packed full of marvelous performances, with tense and horrifying moments that linger in the memory. However, it's also true that the second-half isn't quite as strong as the first (which benefited from the momentum of season 1's finale), and the manner in which a piecemeal flashforward mystery is resolved will split audience reaction (inventively left-field or stupidly unpredictable?) But despite some flaws in the final cluster of episodes, Breaking Bad's second season is too brilliantly written and acted to cause you lasting concern. It's a more complete, complex, and expansive season compared to what came before (the introduction of Bob Odenkirk as crooked, misogynist lawyer Saul is recommendation alone) and cemented Breaking Bad as one of the finest television dramas around.

Episodically, check out my reviews written during the original broadcast:

2.1 Seven Thirty-Seven (4/5) "... confident, ghoulish, rough-edged, dark, compelling human drama."
2.2 Grilled (4/5) "... a tense and satisfying hour of entertainment with a superb ending that tightened the screws on Walter even tighter."
2.3 Bit By A Dead Bee (3/5) "... a less enthralling episode compared to the preceding [one], but no less tense and mesmerizing in its own special way."
2.4 Down (3/5) "... my least favourite episode of this second season, but still an episode with a lot of merit and some excellent performances."
2.5 Breakage (4/5) "... an important turning point for the season."
2.6 Peekaboo (4/5) "... great episode... fascinating and brilliantly acted."
2.7 Negro y Azul (4/5) "... excellent episode from a great series that takes it sweet time, but always delivers."
2.8 Better Call Saul (4/5) "... this episode just motored along and the plot really unfolded into fresh, exciting new territory."
2.9 4 Days Out (4/5) "... a wonderful character piece for Walt and Jesse, strengthening their shaky relationship, capped with a significant moment for [the] broader picture."
2.10 Over (3/5) "... started out on a mildly humdrum note, but grew and deepened along the way."
2.11 Mandala (4/5) "... another excellent episode from a season that's regularly above average and quite often a superb piece of work."
2.12 Phoenix (5/5) "... offered several surprise developments, and a ghastly climax to leave you feeling hollow."
2.13 ABQ (5/5) "... perfect acting, great scripts, with some big advancements in the storyline and some tragic moments that stick in the memory like a safety-pin."

DVD Review

Picture (1.78:1, Anamorphic Widescreen) A very good transfer, although these days I'm so spoiled by the clarity and vibrancy of Blu-ray that DVD releases look rather feeble. But in thinking back to my pre-HD days, this transfer does a solid job and showcases the show's excellent cinematography very well. Most importantly, it retains the show's beautiful mix of grubby and glossy visuals.

Sound (English Dolby Digital 5.1, German Dolby Digital 5.1) There isn't much of a continuous soundtrack to Breaking Bad, so the show only occasionally bursts into life. That said, this box-set handles the audio very well and the DD5.1 mix subtly uses sound effects to build atmosphere. Some people may be frustrated to find there's no English subtitles available on this four-disc release.

Bonus Features

Breaking Bad: Disc 1 Bonus Features

Commentary for "Seven Thirty-Seven": Creator Vince Gilligan and star Bryan Cranston (who also directed this episode) are joined by fellow cast members Aaron Paul (Jesse), R.J Mitte (Walt Jr), Anna Gunn (Skyler) and Betsy Brandt (Marie) to discuss the premiere episode. Everyone does a fine job mixing anecdotes with interesting facts about the production process, and Cranston is brilliant throughout. I especially liked his response to Gilligan's amazement that he was able to direct and act in this episode: "my secret is that I don't do either one very well." Also interesting to hear that one shot of Skyler's pregnant stomach was shot months later, using Betsy Brandt's real stomach (who was pregnant throughout the season).

Deleted Scenes: "Loading His Gun" (0.58m), "Reflections" (0.20m), "Blueberry Muffins" (0.44m) I prefer to think of these as missing scenes that are so brief and unremarkable they're barely worth watching.

Inside Breaking Bad: "Seven Thirty-Seven" (3.29m), "Grilled" (2.56m), "Bit By A Bee" (3.46m), "Down" (3.27m). Gilligan, writer John Siban, Cranston, Gunn, Paul, Dean Norris (Hank), special effects expert Dennis Petersen, Mitte and Brandt discuss each episode's creation.

Behind The Scenes: "The Cast On Season 2" (2.51m) Gilligan, Cranston, Norris, Mitte, Brandt, Paul and Gunn broadly discuss what the season is all about. "Season 2 – What's In A Name?" (3.02m) Gilligan goes through each episode, revealing the meanings behind the titles and some of the story ideas (such as how "4 Days Out" was based on the classic movie Flight Of The Phoenix).

Season 1 Recap (1.32m) Exactly what it sounds like.

Breaking Bad: Disc 2 Bonus Features

Deleted Scenes: "Walt's Return" (0.53m), an unremarkable scene.

Inside Breaking Bad: "Breakage" (2.35m), "Peekaboo" (3.02m), "Negro y Azul" (3.59m) More brief making of featurettes on those respective episodes.

Behind The Scenes: "Making Of 'Negro y Azul' Music Video" (2.01m) finds staff writer John Shiban talking about the discovery of narcocorrido (drug ballad) music and the desire to add that into the show; and "The Tortoise Scene" (2.49m) finds Shiban and Gilligan talking about how decapitations are a real part of the Mexican drug cartel's scare tactics, while Dennis Petersen looks back at gluing a fake Danny Trejo head to the back of a tortoise. All in a day's work, huh?

"Negro y Azul Music Video" (3.17m) The excellent, unabridged music video that opened the aforementioned episode is presented in all its glory.

Breaking Bad: Disc 3 Bonus Features

Commentary for "Better Call Saul": Gilligan, Cranston, Paul, writer Peter Gould and Michael Slovis (the excellent direct of photography) are on hand to lead you through this episode in a track that's especially memorable for Cranston's impression of Dean Norris.

Commentary for "4 Days Out": Gilligan, Cranston, Paul, Slovis and director Michelle McClaren talk about the excellent "bottle show" of the season; designed to cut costs with a limited location, it actually became a highlight of the season. This commentary is interesting for the insights into production worries about filming in the vicinity of an airport and in the middle of a desert.

Deleted Scenes: "The Yearbook" (1.00m) with Saul checking out Walter White in his high school yearbook; "Raincheck?" (0.45m) with Jesse kissing a leggy Jane in their home; "Waiting For Results" (0.45m) with Walter and Skyler in the hospital waiting room as he has a coughing fit; and "Internal Thoughts" (2.08m) with Walt looking at his bruised knuckles in his bedroom, before imagining his doctor while staring at himself in a bathroom mirror.

Inside Breaking Bad: "Better Call Saul" (3.12m) and "4 Days Out" (3.12m) with DP Michael Slovis and "Over" (3.37m) all offer fun peeks behind the curtain of production.

"Better Call Saul" Commercial (0.48) The delightfully cheap and silly advert for the show's shyster lawyer is presented here. It's just a shame Bob Odenkirk himself is missing from these extra features.

Trailers: "Breaking Bad" season 2 trailer (0.32m), "The Tudors – Season 3" (2.41m), "Damages – Season 1" (1.32m) and "The Shield" (1.40m)

Breaking Bad: Disc 4 Bonus Features

Commentary for "ABQ": Gilligan, Cranston, Paul, Gunn, Brandt and Mitte are joined by recurring guest-star John de Lancie (who played Jane's father Donald) on this episode's yak-track, as they chew the fat about product placement, colour palettes and tell a few fun anecdotes.

Deleted Scenes: "Walt's Demonstration" (2.19m) with Walt teaching a class about liquids that can't be mixed unless an emulsifier is added; "Baby-proofing" (1.01m) has Walt making his family home safe for the arrival of a new baby; "Welcome Holly" (0.45) shows baby Holly being taken home for the first time; "Rescuing Jesse" (1.07m) has Walt helping Jesse get out of a slum with help from Saul's "cleaner" Mike; and "I'll Drive" (0.52m) finds Walt offering to drive Skyler home.

Inside Breaking Bad: "Mandala" (3.50m), "Phoenix" (3.42m) and "ABQ" (3.52m) are all expounded upon in bitesized, enlightening featurettes.

Cop Talk with Dean Norris: This is a faux-documentary piece that's perhaps the zaniest extra feature on the entire box-set, with Dean Norris interviewing real cops about their jobs. These are chopped up into chapters: "Cop Stuff" (2.10m) where Norris talks to various cops about their profession, many of whom look exactly like him; "Chick Cops" (2.10m) where Norris asks male cops about their opinion on female cops; "Donuts" (3.15m) where Norris shares some donuts with the cops because it's "the lifeblood of our force"; and "Stakeout" (3.10m) with Norris and the cops stuck in the back of a car eating donuts while on stakeout.

Behind The Scenes: "The Special Effects" (3.16m) with Dennis Peterson, "The Props" (4.32m) with Mark Hansen the prop master; "The Sets" (4.00m) with Robb Wilson King the production designer; "Locked In The Trunk" (1.32m) with Aaron Paul explaining how they filmed a sequence when Walt and Jesse were trapped in a trunk together; "Inside The RV with Aaron Paul" (3.05m) where Aaron Paul takes us inside the famous RV's set, with its removable sides; "The Crew" (3.29m) with a glimpse of a read through and some meetings; and "A Look Ahead" (2.05m) has insight into what season 3 will involve from Gilligan. I think these were my favourite featurettes of the box-set, as someone who enjoys seeing the physical craft that goes into creating a TV show's reality. You just don't think about the fact all the interior RV scenes aren't shot in a real RV, do you.

Original Webisodes: I dislike webisodes/mobisodes, and Breaking Bad doesn't strike me as a show that even warrants them. But these were fairly enjoyable, even if they essentially feel like a way to give some of the minor actors something to do. Here we have: "The Break In" (4.40m) with Badger helping Walt pick a lock in the dead of night; "Good Cop/Bad Cop" (2.48m) where Marie dresses as a slutty cop and teases Hank in their bedroom (it's not as erotic as it sounds, unfortunately); "Wedding Day" (4.41m) where a bearded Walt helps a white-suited Hank cope with cold feet on his wedding day; "Twaughthammer" (4.05m) is a candid video of Jesse's band, with a cheap music video intercut into the rehearsal footage; "Fallacies – by Twaughthammer" (2.58m) is the full music video (directed by Jesse Pinkman); and "Marie's Confession" (2.43m) has Marie speaking candidly to a camcorder about her troubles. Yawn.

Walt's Warning (2.46m): Bryan Cranston presents www.waltswarning.com, which is a viral video the production undertook where viewers could interact with the audience. I had no idea this even existed, so it's worth a look.

Gag Reel (3.53m) Bloopers galore. For such a dark series, it's great to see the cast cracking up and having a lot of fun making it.

Season 3 Sneak Peek (2.15m) A scene from the third season premiere, with Walt cleaning his pool.

Vince Gilligan's Photo Gallery: Self-explanatory assortment of behind-the-scenes photos.

Armored (2009) [Blu-ray]

DIRECTOR: Nimród Antal
WRITER: James V. Simpson
CAST: Matt Dillon, Jean Reno, Laurence Fishburne, Amaury Nolasco, Milo Ventimiglia, Skeet Ulrich & Columbus Short
RUNNING TIME: 88 mins. BUDGET: $20m

Directed with unfussy precision by Nimród Antal, Armored is a B-movie heist with an interesting mix of actors helping keep interest in what unfortunately doesn't have a devastating impact, killer twist or unexpected resolution up its sleeve to turn it into a cult classic. It's content to be a serviceable and occasionally inventive crime thriller with a decent premise that's easy to achieve on a relatively low budget and limited locations...

Ty Hackett's (Columbus Short) a veteran of the Iraq War now employed by a security company to transfer money between banks as part of an armoured car transport team. The guardian of his delinquent kid brother following the death of their parents, money's tight and social services are threatening to take Ty's sibling into care, so in desperation he agrees to help his work colleagues steal $42 million from the Federal Reserve by faking their own robbery mid-transit and hiding the cash in an abandoned steel mill. As expected, even simple and apparently infallible plans tend to go awry when you involve so many people and fail to consider every variable -- not least a crisis of conscience...

Armored: Official UK Sony Site

This is a neat idea for a tight, efficient thriller. Armored proves to be watchable and occasionally compelling, helped by the surprising calibre of the cast: Matt Dillon as greedy ringleader Cochrane, Laurence Fishburne as unhinged Baines, Skeet Ulrich as the desperate Dobbs, a wasted Jean Reno as loner Quinn, Amaury Nolasco (Prison Break) as the conflicted Palmer, and Milo Ventimiglia (Heroes) as a young cop who stumbles upon the heist. Short makes for a decent lead, but this is one of those movies where everyone's on the level of archetypes and he's simply "the black guy with a conscience" who decides to sabotage the robbery once it starts to go off the rails and results in the death of an innocent bystander.

The majority of Armored is a fun and (literally) contained piece of tight drama, particularly once Ty locks himself inside a debilitated armoured truck with $21 million and every intention of raising the alarm, meaning his "friends" are under pressure to neutralize him and retrieve the remaining money before their superiors begin to suspect something's happened.

Armored also works as reflection of widespread public contempt and anger at the banking system, as it essentially boils down to a blue-collar gang stealing back the millions that taxpayers have pumped into the banks to keep them afloat during the global recession. Is it coincidence the security firm's called Eagle Shield, as that bird of prey's the symbol of the United States? The characters in Armored may be stealing, but there's a Robin Hood flavour to their plan, and I have no doubt audiences will feel a degree of sympathy seeing everyday folk recoup some of the public's lost finances, at least until desperation and greed starts to push the characters into dark, unforgivable places.

Armored: Official UK Sony Site

Blu-ray Review

Picture: (2.35:1, 1080p/AVC MPEG-4) A very detailed and generally pleasing image, especially during close-ups, although the black levels looked crushed occasionally.

Sound: (English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, French Dolby Digital 5.1) A solid sound-mix with clear dialogue, rumbling bass, and a strong dynamic range with good use of speakers, but nothing to raise it above enjoyable.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Producer Dan Farah joins actors Skeet Ulrich and Milo Ventimiglia for a yak-track consisting of anecdotes and some insight into what didn't make the cut from the script. As expected whenever actors get together, it's a little lacking in many areas and there are some noticeable silences, so I wouldn't recommend this. Shame director Nimród Antal wasn't involved in this.

Planning The Heist: Making Of (HD, 15 mins.) A decent featurette that looks at how the movie was put together and individual characters, plus a nice anecdote from Nimród Antal about how a real armoured truck company severed ties with the production crew when they were robbed shortly after providing the film crew some insight into their working practices. A word of warning: don't watch this if you haven't seen the movie first, as it gives away a few twists.

Armed & Underground: Production Design (HD, 6 mins.) Serviceable EPK about how production designer Jon Gary Steele created the abandoned steel mill (a real location for exteriors, but a sound-stage for the interiors), but this wasn't really engrossing.

Crash Course: Stunts (HD, 11 mins.) Take-it-or-leave-it featurette about the film's stunts by Lance Gilbert, which didn't grab my interest until a reveal that in one sequence Gilbert was strapped onto a truck's roof to drive the vehicle from above, but removed using digital technology.

Previews: Trailers for "2012", "Michael Jackson's This Is It" and the ubiquitous "Blu-ray Is High Definition" promo.

Extras: BD Live and MovieQ functionality is included, for the few people who bother to use them.