Impossible missions hit Blu-ray

A couple of very different movies have hit Blu-ray, including a rollicking action adventure flick and a much more intimate family-friendly tale.

The big one is Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, which stars Tom Cruise in his fourth outing in the TV-based action franchise. This time, he gets busted out of a Russian prison only to be given his biggest challenge to date – stop nuclear annihilation. One of the things that makes this Mission: Impossible big screen adventure interesting is that it brings director Brad Bird to the live action big screen field, and he does a fantastic job. Bird directed the incredible The Incredibles, which is no slouch of a Blu-ray itself, and with this new flick he displays a sure touch in creating a lighthearted action flick that practically demands you have a supersized popcorn handy when you watch it. Indeed, there's never a dull moment as the movie's 132-minute running time whizzes past, barely giving you time to catch your breath.

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The film's sense of humor helps us suspend our disbelief at such things as Tom Cruise doing the human fly routine high on a high-rise and, though Simon Pegg is along mostly as the comedy relief (not to discount the importance or competence of his character!), his good nature is infectious. The Blu-ray is as fantastic as the story line, with a finely detailed 1080p/24 picture that's a real treat. Colors are rich and deep, the black levels are excellent and the whole shebang is pop-off-the-screen clear. The Dolby TrueHD 7.1 lossless audio soundtrack is up to snuff as well, and deserves full marks, which is just what you want in a movie with a lot of explosions, gunfire and the like. You also get an entire second Blu-ray of extras, some of which are well worth a look. Then there's We Bought a Zoo, in which Cameron Crowe is back behind the camera, crafting a gently sappy family flick that never lets its basic predictability get in the way of the story. Crowe, who made such films as Jerry Maguire and Almost Famous, tells the true story of writer Benjamin Mee (Matt Damon, of "Team America" infamy), a recent widower who – surprisingly enough, considering the film's title – buys a small, inoperative zoo and moves his family there to start anew. Along the way, he has to bring the zoo back up to code so it can be reopened while rebuilding his relationship with his talented but confused son. Throw a precocious little daughter and a diverse crew of zoo employees into the mix – as well as some beautiful animals – and you have what could, in lesser directorial hands, be a predictable suck-fest. Crowe makes it work, though, and even though you know what's going to happen, you're glad it does. There's no sex, not even any real romance. Sure, Damon and co-star Scarlett Johansson look as if they might hook up, but the real romance comes via the torch Mee still carries for his late wife. There's also so little cussing it seems strange that 20th Century Fox has chosen to include a "family friendly" soundtrack to accompany the regular one. The "Zoo" Blu-ray is also very good. The video quality is great, with a nice and clean picture that brings the lovely cinematography to life. Colors are rich, detail is fine, and the black levels are terrific. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround audio track is also first rate. Cameron Crowe is known for his use of music – usually via popular recordings that enhance the mood – and this film is no different. And the music sounds really good. The rest of the soundtrack works equally well. Every channel is used, whether it be for ambiance, animal sounds, whatever. When the bear roars at Damon's character, it comes across so clearly it's easy to imagine what must be going through Mee's head at the time (thoughts of flight!). Rain splattering around you, animals in the distance – and of course dialogue – all comes through beautifully. Not quite the reference quality of discs such as Ghost Protocol, but very enjoyable nonetheless. Extras include an audio commentary with director Cameron Crowe, Actor JB Smoove and Editor Mark Livolsi, and it's a very enjoyable one. Copyright 2012 Jim Bray TechnoFile.com