First Look: 'Mist,' '1408' Blu-ray Cover

As first announced last month, Frank Darabont's 'The Mist' will mark the Weinsteins' first Blu-ray release of a theatrical title when it hits stores on August 5. The studio will then follow it up with another hit Stephen King adaptation '1408,' due a little over a month later on September 16.

Tech specs see both 'The Mist' and '1408' receiving BD-50 dual-layer presentations (with 'The Mist' also a two-disc set), with 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 video and Dolby TrueHD 5.1 Surround audio.

Extras will mirror the previous DVD editions, with both films presented in unrated versions and brimming with extras including audio commentary, featurettes, deleted scenes, and more.

Finally, the Weinstein Co. had revealed the final high-res box art for both releases.

Hellboy 2 Smokin Hot At No.1 US Box Office

Guillermo Del Toro brings Hellboy 2 as the box-office champ last weekend with USD$ 35.8million [my prediction USD$42.5million] while 'Journey To The Center of The Earth' grabbed USD$20.5 million [my prediction USD$18million] and as expected 'Meet Dave' crashes so badly - 'Flop of The Summer' only settling for USD$5.3million [more lower than my prediction of USD8.5million] eventhough more than 3,000 plus cinemas showing this movie, Eddie Murphy is so easily to resist nowadays. - Ibrahem.S

A week before The Joker unleashes chaos, moviegoers passed the time by driving the comic book sequel Hellboy II: The Golden Army to a number one debut while also showing up in solid numbers for the 3D adventure Journey to the Center of the Earth. On the other hand, Eddie Murphy's new comedy Meet Dave was totally ignored and suffered a dismal debut becoming the summer's biggest flop. Holdover pictures in the top ten performed well with each dropping by less than 50%.

One superhero with an attitude problem replaced another in the top spot as Universal's actioner Hellboy II debuted ahead of the pack with an estimated $35.9M in its first weekend of release. Directed by Guillermo del Toro (Hellboy, Pan's Labyrinth), the PG-13 film opened 55% better than the $23.2M bow of its 2004 predecessor which Sony released. It went on to gross a mediocre $59M but grew its audience on DVD and cable. Golden Army averaged a sturdy $11,200 from 3,204 theaters. Budgeted at $85M, the new Hellboy took advantage of a built-in audience of fans and the starpower that its director has generated after winning three Oscars for Labyrinth. Reviews were very favorable and the studio is keeping the door open for a sequel, even though del Toro will spend the next three years in New Zealand making back-to-back Hobbit films.

Close behind in second place was Will Smith's latest blockbuster Hancock which dropped 47% to an estimated $33M to boost its cume to a robust $165M after twelve and a half days. That's an exact match to the total that 2005's sci-fi action offering from Independence Day weekend War of the Worlds took in after its second session. The Steven Spielberg-Tom Cruise collaboration suffered a bigger drop of 53% and a smaller sophomore take of $30.5M, but did not have the extra revenue from night-before-opening previews like Hancock.

It was a strong hold for Smith especially with the solid debuts of two new action films. Hancock also gave the superstar actor his fifth consecutive $150M+ blockbuster further cementing his status as the most bankable star in Hollywood. The road ahead could be a rough one though given Friday's eagerly-awaited launch of the competing superhero juggernaut The Dark Knight, but a final domestic tally in the neighborhood of $250M could result. Overseas, the badass crimefighter soared to $180.2M in sales catapulting the worldwide cume to an eye-popping $345M in less than two weeks. The $150M production could fly to $500-600M globally.

Opening well in third place was the 3D adventure tale Journey to the Center of the Earth starring Brendan Fraser with an estimated $20.6M. The New Line/Warner Bros. film launched in 2,811 theaters and averaged a solid $7,321 per site. However, the grosses from 3D and traditional 2D theaters were like night and day. A whopping 70% of the total venues did not have equipment to offer the film in 3D and those theaters averaged only about $2,000 each. But the 854 sites that did screen the PG-rated film in 3D averaged close to $20,000 per playdate and accounted for more than 80% of the weekend business. Most of those charged higher ticket prices too which helped to boost the grosses. Reviews were generally good for the $60M-budgeted project. Journey also had a limited international premiere grossing $4.2M from five markets led by $2.1M in the United Kingdom and $1.5M in Brazil.

Disney and Pixar followed in fourth with WALL•E which grossed an estimated $18.5M in its third frame dropping 43%. The decline was bigger than Ratatouille's 38% dip during its third session a year ago this same weekend. The robot pic opened $16M better than the rodent comedy, but now their third weekend tallies are nearly identical as WALL•E's legs have not been as sturdy. Still, look for this latest animation gem to roll its way to roughly $220M domestically.

Angelina Jolie had an eventful weekend welcoming in two new babies and also having twin films in the top ten. Her action thriller Wanted placed fifth with an estimated $11.6M, down 42%, boosting Universal's cume to $112M. The actress also voiced Tigress in Kung Fu Panda further down on the chart. Jolie has now upped her counts for both children and $100M career blockbusters to six each.

Get Smart came in sixth with an estimated $7.1M, down only 36%, and reached $111.5M after 24 days for Warner Bros.

Stealing the 'Flop of the Summer' title from Speed Racer, Eddie Murphy stumbled into seventh place with a disastrous opening for his new comedy Meet Dave which grossed just $5.3M, according to estimates. The PG-rated film landed in 3,011 theaters and averaged a puny $1,760. It was the third worst opening in box office history for a film released in more than 3,000 theaters and certainly the poorest for a pricey star vehicle. The only films to open worse were last year's The Seeker: The Dark is Rising ($3.7M from 3,141 sites) and 2006's Hoot ($3.4M from 3,018 playdates).

Carrying a budget of roughly $60M, buzz was always bad for Meet Dave and the concept of Murphy playing a human-looking spaceship operated by a mini crew inside of him, with a captain also played by the funnyman, did not fly with audiences. Competition also played a part as every film that ranked higher also offered action, comedy, or both. Dave's opening was a far cry from the solid $34.2M debut that Murphy's comedy Norbit scored last year and joins the Oscar-nominated comedian's hall of box office shame along with The Adventures of Pluto Nash, Holy Man, and Best Defense. [Source from: boxofficeguru.com]

#	Title	Jul 11 - 13				Weeks		Cumulative	Distributor
1	Hellboy II: The Golden Army	$ 35,885,000				1		$ 35,885,000	Universal
2	Hancock	33,000,000				2		165,034,000	Sony
3	Journey to the Center of the Earth	20,580,000				1		20,580,000	New Line
4	WALL•E	18,509,000				3		162,772,000	Buena Vista
5	Wanted	11,586,000				3		112,045,000	Universal
6	Get Smart	7,105,000				4		111,468,000	Warner Bros.
7	Meet Dave	5,300,000				1		5,300,000	Fox
8	Kung Fu Panda	4,300,000				6		202,043,000	Paramount
9	Kit Kittredge: An American Girl	2,357,000				4		11,047,000	Picturehouse
10	Indiana Jones and the Kingdom...	2,250,000				8		310,477,000	Paramount

Hellboy 2 In Theaters This Week 10 July

It's gonna be a Hellboy's 2 week indeed. Three wide releases this weekend, which include the superhero sequel "Hellboy II: The Golden Army," the 3-D adventure release "Journey to the Center of the Earth," and the Eddie Murphy comedy "Meet Dave."
Previously, "Hellboy" the graphic novel series opened to $23.2 million in April 2004, en route to $59.6 million domestically and $99.3 million worldwide. The sequel is expected to do better business in light of the acclaim for director Guillermo del Toro's 2006 release "Pan's Labyrinth," and the tendency of sequels to outgross originals. "Journey to the Center of the Earth" starring Brendan Fraser will be a more family theme genre will most probably shown in theaters that supported 3D on fewer than 1,000 3-D screens -- a low number considering that the whole point of the movie is to show it in the growing format. While Fox's "Meet Dave" starring Eddie Murphy reteaming with "Norbit" director Brian Robbins, Murphy tries some sharp physical comedy on for size, and though he's terrific (especially as that space ship), too often the Fox vehicle is content to meet the jokes halfway. Hopefully better than "The Adventures of Pluto Nash" which was a biggest flop. The critics are quite not in favor as well for this sci-fi comedy flick.
My predictions this weekend 1) Hellboy II: The Golden Army USD$42.5Million, 2) Journey to the Center of the Earth USD$18Million and 3) Meet Dave USD$8.5Million - Ibrahem.S


Hellboy 2: The Golden Army
Copyright © 2008 Universal Pictures


Ron Perlman returns to the title role as Hellboy, a humanoid creature born in the flames of Hell and brought to Earth as an infant. Raised in secret, the adolescent "HB" becomes an agent for the secret Bureau for Paranormal Research and Development (BPRD), a covert government agency which serves as the planet's line of defense against otherworldly evil. Selma Blair will also reprise the role of Liz Sherman, a pyrokinetic human who is HB's colleague and love interest.

"Hellboy 2" will expand the world of Hellboy and surround him with characters both new and familiar as he confronts a deadly threat to mankind.

	July 11th, 2008
	Guillermo del Toro
	Guillermo del Toro
	Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Luke Goss, Thomas Kretschmann, Doug Jones, Luke Goss, Anna Walton, Brian Steele, Roy Dotrice, John Hurt
	Universal Pictures
	Action, Adventure
	hellboymovie.com
	PG-13 for for sequences of sci-fi action and violence, and some language
	110 minutes

Journey To The Center of The Earth
Copyright © 2008 Warner Bros Pictures

When a group of kids find Jules Verne's original manuscript for his book "Journey to the Center of the Earth," they discover that he actually took the trip himself, and using the manuscript as a map, they follow his course into the earth's core.

	July 11th, 2008
	Eric Brevig
	D.V. DeVincentis
	Brendan Fraser, Josh Hutcherson, Anita Briem
	Warner Bros. Pictures
	Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
	journey3dmovie.com
	PG for intense adventure action and some scary moments
	92 minutes

Meet Dave
Copyright © 2008 20th Century Fox Pictures

Seeking a way to save their doomed world, a crew of tiny, human-looking aliens arrives on earth in the perfect disguise--a spaceship shaped like an ordinary man.

	July 11th, 2008
	Brian Robbins
	Bill Corbett, Rob Greenberg
	Eddie Murphy, Gabrielle Union, Ed Helms, Elizabeth Banks, Judah Friedlander, Pat Kilbane
	20th Century Fox
	Comedy, Sci-Fi
	meetdavemovie.com
	PG for bawdy and suggestive humor, action and some language
	90 minutes

Persistence pays off for "Hellboy" sequel

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - No offense to the red-skinned, gun-wielding, cigar-chomping demon, but he had to rely on several real-life heroes before "Hellboy 2: The Golden Army" could make it to the screen.

The movie, which Universal opens Friday, is the only franchise in recent memory that began at one studio -- in this case Columbia -- that ended up at another, for which credit goes to the perseverance of filmmaker Guillermo del Toro and producer Larry Gordon. While the occasional TV series ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "Scrubs") has jumped from one network to another, film studios virtually never let a franchise go to a competitor.

Created by artist Mike Mignola, "Hellboy" was first published in 1993 by Dark Horse Comics and quickly gained attention in Hollywood. Then-fledgling Spanish filmmaker Del Toro expressed interest in an adaptation, which had Gordon attached as a producer.

But while the comic influenced the lighting in Del Toro's American debut "Mimic," that movie don't set the box office on fire.

When Gordon and Dark Horse publisher Mike Richardson began shopping Del Toro's first "Hellboy" screenplay in 1998, they met with plenty of resistance. Why does he have to be red? Does he need to have a tail? Can we call him something other than Hellboy?

Although they managed to set up the project at Sony-based Revolution Studios, the project continued to face an uphill battle. Executives were reluctant to make the film without a star, pushing such actors as Bruce Willis and Vin Diesel on the filmmakers. With the project stuck in development hell, Del Toro hopped on New Line's "Blade 2."

A week after that action horror movie opened to $32.5 million in March 2002, Revolution greenlighted "Hellboy."

Just more than two years later, "Hellboy," starring Ron Perlman as the demon, hit screens. It cost around $60 million and made around $60 million. Even-steven.

Del Toro wanted to do a sequel but Columbia, which had a say in any follow-up under the terms of Revolution's Sony pact, wasn't interested. So Del Toro busied himself with other projects, flirting with "Halo" at Universal and "Killing on Carnival Row" at New Line.

Not wanting to give up on "Hellboy 2," Gordon urged Revolution chief Joe Roth to pry the title out of Columbia's hands.

That set in motion a series of moves: Revolution owned the title but had to formally check whether the studio wanted to exercise its right to make a sequel. Since Columbia was uninterested, Roth asked permission to let Gordon take the project elsewhere. Columbia, after more meetings, eventually let the title go, thinking that any sequel would only enhance the value of the original "Hellboy."

None of the other studios were quick to bite, though. "It was not an immediate battle to get it," Del Toro said.

The story would have ended right there and then if it weren't for one thing: "Pan's Labyrinth."

Del Toro's passion project began building buzz in mid-2006, and execs started jockeying for his next project. And what did he want to do? That sequel to "Hellboy."

"He was so dedicated to making a second movie," said a source close to the production. "If you wanted to be in business with Guillermo, you had to make that film."

Del Toro shrunk the budget to $85 million and circulated it again. This time, Universal -- especially eager to work with international filmmakers -- bit. The studio struck a first-look deal with Del Toro and the new "Hellboy" wound up with a trio of owners: Revolution, which retained a small piece, and Gordon and Universal, which split the rest.

"We knew we were doing 'Hellboy 2" after 'Pan' came out," one source close to both movies said.

The sequel set up shop in the Czech Republic last spring and summer, taking advantage of the country's film rebate. Del Toro, in an unusual move, fought hard to shoot everything using only first unit photography.

"To have the scope we wanted, at 85 (million dollars), was a f---ing pain in the ass," Del Toro said. "It meant really brutal hours, six-day weeks on a 130-day shoot."

Del Toro and creator Mignola have an idea for a third movie, but that will depend on several factors, not least of which are box office performance and Del Toro's timetable: The filmmaker is spending the next four to five years working with Peter Jackson on the two "Hobbit" movies.

Summing up the experience of making the sequel, Del Toro was his usual charming and blunt self. "It was hard as f---," he said. [Source from: Reuters/Hollywood Reporter]

DVD/ Blu-ray Chart 5th July

Top Blu-ray Sales 5th July 2008

1	10,000 B.C. (WB, $35.99)
2	VANTAGE POINT (SONY, $38.96)
3	JUMPER (FOX, $39.98)
4	NATIONAL TREASURE 2: BOOK OF SECRETS (DIS, $34.99)
5	THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES (PAR, $39.99)
6	THE BUCKET LIST (WB, $35.99)
7	RAMBO (LG, $39.99)
8	FOOL'S GOLD (WB, $35.99)
9	MEET THE BROWNS (LG, $39.99)
10	DRILLBIT TAYLOR (PAR, $39.99)

Top DVD Sales 5th July 2008

THIS WEEK			TITLE (LABEL/DISTRIBUTOR)		RELEASE DATE	RATING
1			MEET THE BROWNS (LG, $29.95)		07/01/2008	PG-13
2			VANTAGE POINT (SONY, $28.96)		07/01/2008	PG-13
3			10,000 B.C. (WB, $28.98)		06/24/2008	PG-13
4			THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES (PAR, $29.99)		06/24/2008	PG
5			DRILLBIT TAYLOR (PAR, $29.99)		07/01/2008	PG-13
6			DEFINITELY, MAYBE (UNI, $29.98)		06/24/2008	PG-13
7			JUMPER (FOX, $29.99)		06/10/2008	PG-13
8			FOOL'S GOLD (WB, $28.98)		06/17/2008	PG-13
9			NATIONAL TREASURE 2: BOOK OF SECRETS (DIS, $29.99)		05/20/2008	PG
10			THE BUCKET LIST (WB, $28.98)		06/10/2008	PG-13
11			WELCOME HOME ROSCOE JENKINS (UNI, $29.98)		06/17/2008	PG-13
12			RAMBO (LG, $29.95)		05/27/2008	R
13			FUTURAMA: BEAST WITH A BILLION BACKS (FOX, $29.98)		06/24/2008	NR
14			THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL (SONY, $28.96)		06/10/2008	PG-13
15			THE CLOSER: SEASON 3 (WB, $39.98)		07/01/2008	NR
16			SEMI-PRO (NL/WB, $28.98)		06/03/2008	R
17			WITLESS PROTECTION (LG, $29.95)		06/10/2008	PG-13
18			INDIANA JONES: THE ADVENTURE COLLECTION (PAR, $59.98)		05/13/2008	PG-13
19			THE SWORD IN THE STONE (DIS, $29.99)		06/17/2008	G
20			THE GOLDEN COMPASS (NL/WB, $28.98)		04/29/2008	PG-13

"Hancock" joins legion of box office superheroes

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Welcome to the Summer of the Superheroes. The international appeal of Will Smith and the overseas market's fondness for action heroes saw "Hancock" open to a mighty $78.6 million from 55 territories during the weekend, according to final data issued Monday.

The Sony release became the fourth comic-book adaptation to dominate an opening overseas weekend since May, when "Iron Man" bowed to $95.5 million from 57 markets. Since then, "The Incredible Hulk" bowed with $31 million from 38 markets, and "Wanted" exploded last weekend with $32.5 million from 22.

Still to come is "Hellboy II: The Golden Army," starting out this weekend, and the new Batman picture "The Dark Knight," which is set for a wide release in mid-July.

Sony executives are estimating that "Hancock" will reach a foreign gross in the mid-$300 million range by the time it completes its offshore run.

According to Sony, "Hancock" opened at No. 1 in 52 markets, with the U.K. delivering $19.2 million; Germany, $12.6 million; Korea, $8.5 million; Australia, $7.3 million; and China, $6.6 million. Eleven markets, including France and Russia, are scheduled to open this weekend.

"Kung Fu Panda" took in $39.6 million from 39 markets -- 18 of them new -- lifting its international total to $153.6 million. Weekend action was highlighted by $11.9 million from the U.K., $5 million from Germany, $2.5 million from Brazil, $2.2 million from Poland and $1.1 million from Argentina.

"The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" -- opening at No. 1 in 10 new markets -- reached an international total of $194.2 million after gathering $24.6 million from 42 territories.

The fantasy -- which has taken in $27.1 in seven weeks in Japan, $15.3 million in two in the U.K., and $14.2 million in two from France -- opens July 31 in Germany and August 14 in Italy.

The Angelina Jolie thriller "Wanted" hauled in $17.8 million from 23 territories, raising its international gross to $63.5 million. "Wanted" opened at No. 1 in Italy ($2.2 million) and held the top post in Russia for a second weekend with $5.9 million.

Rounding out the weekend's top five was the much-acclaimed animated film "WALL-E," which took in $13.6 million from 11 countries, with No. 1 entries in eight markets, including Mexico ($5.5 million) and Russia ($5.2 million). "WALL-E's" overseas rollout continues through December, when it opens in Japan. [Source from: Reuters/Hollywood Reporter]

"Dark Knight" a gripping character study

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - "The Dark Knight" is pure adrenaline. Director Christopher Nolan, having dispensed with the introspective, moody origin story of 2005's "Batman Begins," now puts the Caped Crusader through a decathlon of explosions, vehicle flips, hand-to-hand combat, midair rescues and pulse-pounding suspense.

Nolan is one of our smarter directors. He builds movies around ideas and characters, and "Dark Knight" is no exception. The ideas here are not new to the movie world of cops and criminal, but in the context of a comic book movie, they ring out with startling clarity. In other words, you expect moralistic underpinnings in a Martin Scorsese movie; in a Batman movie, they hit home with renewed vigor.

None of this artistic achievement denies the re-energized Warner Bros./DC Comics franchise its commercial muscle. Those bags of money in the movie's opening bank heist are nothing compared with the worldwide boxoffice haul "Dark Knight" will take from theaters following its July 18 release via Warner Bros. Repeat viewings are a certainty.

Repeat viewings might also be a necessity. That adrenaline rush comes at a cost: With the film's race-car pace, noise levels, throbbing music and density of stratagems, no one will follow all the plot points at first glance.

"Dark Knight" revolves around notions of the yin and yang between Hero and Villain and of those gray areas where social conscience and individuality collide. Thinking logically, Nolan and his co-writer/brother Jonathan, working from a story by Christopher Nolan and David S. Goyer, imagine that the heroism of Bruce Wayne's Batman (a returning and very buff Christian Bale) is a double-edged sword. (A theme the current "Hancock" toyed with but badly mucked up.) Cleaning up the streets of Gotham City turns the crime cartels into an even more dangerous beast that, once cornered, resorts to its own doomsday machine: the maniacally clever and criminally amoral Joker (the late Heath Ledger). And vigilante justice is nonetheless "justice" from outside the law. So who or what polices him?

Blu-ray 8th July Release

The Ruins (Blu-ray)

Paramount Home Entertainment / 2008 / Unrated
Street Date: July 08, 2008

Genres: Suspense, thriller

Starring: Jonathan Tucker, Jena Malone, Laura Ramsey
Director: Carter Smith (VII)

Plot Synopsis: Whether you consider plants a source of terror or not will ultimately determine how you feel about the grisly horror movie The Ruins, but director Carter Smith and his cast and crew certainly give their all in bringing the chills of Scott Smith's novel to the big screen. Jena Malone (Saved) and Shawn Ashmore (the X-Men franchise) are the name actors in a pair of American couples down Mexico way who are ambushed by hostile Mayans and forced to the top of an ancient temple, where a monstrous and diabolically clever entity awaits them. Director Smith and his talented crew (which includes cinematographer Darius Khondji of Se7en fame and composer Graeme Revell) create a visually impressive spookshow but can't quite deliver genuine suspense (gore, however, is handled capably), and Scott Smith's script boils away much of the character development and mounting terror in his book, which also strands the likeable cast. The movie's monster, so alarming and imaginative in the original novel, is likely to provoke as many laughs as screams from filmgoers, especially when it reveals its unique talent. [Amazon.com]


Sleepwalking (Blu-ray)

Starz Home Entertainment / 2008 / Rated R
Street Date: July 08, 2008

Genres: Drama

Starring: Charlize Theron, Nick Stahl, AnnaSophia Robb
Plot Synopsis: A moving drama about the deep familial bond that develops between a 30-year-old man and his young niece after the girl's mother suddenly leaves town.

Disc Features:
Featurette: "A Mother's Shame, A Family's Pain: The Making of Sleepwalking"


Batman Begins (Blu-ray)

Warner Home Entertainment / 2004 / 134 Minutes / Rated PG-13
Street Date: July 08, 2008

Overall Grade A must own collection





Genres: Action, adventure

Starring: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson
Director: Christopher Nolan

Plot Synopsis: Batman Begins explores the origins of the Batman legend and the Dark Knight's emergence as a force for good in Gotham. In the wake of his parents' murder disillusioned industrial heir Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) travels the world seeking the means to fight injustice and turn fear against those who prey on the fearful. He returns to Gotham and unveils his alter-ego: Batman a masked crusader who uses his strength intellect and an array of high tech deceptions to fight the sinister forces that threaten the city.

Disc Features:

• Featurette: "Genesis of the Bat" (SD, 15 minutes) -- Culled from the same basic set of EPK and on-set interviews as all the featurettes, "Genesis of the Bat" serves as a good point of introduction. Director Christopher Nolan and screenwriter David S. Goyer handle the lions share of the explanation, and illustrate how the film was conceived, as well as the development of the reboot.
  
• Featurette: "Batman: The Journey Begins" (SD, 14 minutes) -- Details the casting of the film, including the once-controversial choices of Christian Bale and Katie Holmes. There's also a look at the film's villains, notably the underrated Cillian Murphy.
  
• Featurette: "Path to Discovery" (SD, 14 minutes) -- Chronicles the challenges of shooting the film's opening scenes and backstory in the cold climate of Iceland.
  
• Featurette: "Saving Gotham City" (SD, 13 minutes) -- Highlights the film's excellent action scenes, which were staged with as little CGI as possible -- one of the reasons 'Batman Begins' remains, for me, superior to most other blockbusters these days.
  
• Featurette: "Shaping Mind and Body" (SD, 13 minutes) -- My fave of the featurettes, as Bale is put through the paces, training to play such an iconic character. Many feel Bale is the best Batman yet, and I can see why. He seems to have an innate understanding of the character, and he certainly has the right physicality for the part. The behind-the-scenes fight footage here is also cool.
  
• Featurette: "Gotham City Rises" (SD, 13 minutes) -- This one pays a visit to the production design team, who had the massive task of reimagining the fabled city for a new generation of Batman fans, as well as having to work within real-world locations in some instances, such as Wayne Manor.
  
• Featurette: "Cape and Cowl" (SD, 8 minutes) -- This one really fetishizes the Batsuit, with a tour of its conception, construction and application. And I will admit, all that hot black rubber is a turn-on...
  
• Featurette: "Batman: The Tumbler" (SD, 14 minutes) --Pays tribute to the kick-ass Batmobile, which the Nolan originally conceived as "a Lamborghini crossed with a Humvee." Even Holmes gets into it, admitting that for the first time, she realizes "why guys love cars so much." Think she bought one for Tom Cruise?
  
• Still Gallery (SD) -- Focuses exclusively various advertising concepts for the film's multi-million dollar marketing push. Separate sections for the U.S., International and pre-release campaigns are included.
  
• Confidential Files (SD) -- A rather extensive assortment of animated text pages featuring more stills and concept art for the various "Hardware," "Enemies" and "Allies and Mentors" of 'Batman Begins.' This is actually a very cool, well put-together and informative extra, so don't skip it just because it might seem like a bunch of lame production notes.
  
• MTV Special: "Tankman Begins" (SD) -- A fairly funny spoof that was created for the 2005 MTV Movie Awards. Entertaining at first, but like most of these type shorts, runs out of steam quickly.
  
• Theatrical Trailer (HD) -- The only video in HD, though this is not really the full trailer but just a teaser.

Batman: Gotham Knight (Blu-ray)

Warner Premiere / 2008 / 76 Minutes / Unrated
Street Date: July 08, 2008

Genres: Animated, Comic Book, Fantasy

Plot Synopsis: Batman: Gotham Knight is a fresh and exciting new entry into the Batman mythos, spinning out of a 40-year history in animation including the Emmy-winning Batman: The Animated Series, widely considered a pivotal moment in American animation. A cross section of distinguished creators, award winning producers, and acclaimed writers weave six interlocking stories that reveal Bruce Wayne’s journey to Dark Knight, each with stylish art from some of the world’s most revered animation visionaries.

Disc Features:
• Documentary: "A Mirror for the Bat: The Evil Denizens of Gotham City" - A stimulating documentary covering Gotham City's most nefarious of characters, combined with a look into the symbiotic relationship Batman shares with his enemies
• Featurette: "Batman and Me a Devotion of Destiny: The Bob Kane Story" - The comprehensive chronology of the remarkable life of the creator of Batman
• "Sneak Peek: Wonder Woman" - DC Universe animated original movie
• "Batman: The Animated Series" Bonus Episodes - Bruce Timm selects his favorite episodes


Chicago and Earth, Wind & Fire: Live at the Greek Theatre (Blu-ray)

Image Entertainment / 2005 / 173 Minutes / Unrated
Street Date: July 08, 2008

Genres: Music

Plot Synopsis: The teaming of legendary groups Chicago and Earth, Wind & Fire was the tour hit of the summer. Playing to sold-out venues, this spectacular show brought the GRAMMY®-winning artists together in a show that both individually and together highlighted their revolutionary melding of rock, soul and jazz as well as their numerous #1 and Top 10 hits. Now you can have a front-row seat for this amazing concert, performed at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. Every moment, all the energy and excitement of this final show of the tour was captured in high-definition for this extraordinary Blu-ray experience.

Disc Features:
• Bonus Track: "Drum Duel"


Roy Orbison: A Black & White Night (Blu-ray)

Image Entertainment / 1997 / 64 Minutes / Unrated
Street Date: July 08, 2008

Genres: Music

Starring: Roy Orbison
Plot Synopsis: A special one-time event documenting one of rock and roll's greatest and most unique performances. Recorded live at the Cocoanut Grove in Los Angeles, Roy Orbison is joined by an eclectic ensemble of rock and roll superstars. Highlighting this all-star line-up are Jackson Browne, Elvis Costello, T-Bone Burnett, J.D. Souther, Jennifer Warnes, k.d. lang, Bonnie Raitt, Bruce Springsteen and Tom Waits. Orbison and fellow performers spend a scintillating hour performing many of his greatest hits.

Songs: Only the Lonely, Dream Baby, The Comedians, Ooby Dooby, Leah, Running Scared, In Dreams, Crying, Candyman, Go Go Go, Mean Woman Blues, It's Over, Oh Pretty Woman, Dream You, Blue Bayou, Claudette, Uptown, Blue Angel.

Disc Features:
• Bonus Song: "Blue Angel"


The Moody Blues: Lovely to See You - Live at the Greek (Blu-ray)

Image Entertainment / 2005 / 106 Minutes / Unrated
Street Date: July 08, 2008

Genres: Music

Starring: The Moody Blues
Plot Synopsis: Concert. The 20-strong tracklist includes: 01. Lovely to See You / 02. Tuesday Afternoon (Forever Afternoon) / 03. Lean on Me (Tonight) / 04. The Actor / 05. Steppin' in a Slide Zone / 06. The Voice / 07. Talking Out of Turn / 08. I Know You're Out There Somewhere / 09. The Story in Your Eyes / 10. Forever Autumn / 11. Your Wildest Dreams / 12. Isn't Life Strange / 13. The Other Side of Life / 14. December Snow / 15. Higher and Higher / 16. Are You Sitting Comfortably? / 17. I'm Just a Singer (In a Rock & Roll Band) / 18. Nights in White Satin / 19. Question / 20. Ride My Seesaw

Disc Features:
Band Interview (SD, 18 minutes) - There's no documentary or featurette provided for 'Live at the Greek,' so fans will have to make due with this Q&A. Unfortunately, the editors left out the Q part, and all we get are the band answering questions we never hear. Luckily, it's fairly easy to get the gist of it, but this seems like a pretty tacked-on extra. (Note the video is 480i/MPEG-2 only.)