April 18, 2012 THE VILLADOM TIMES I & II • Page 19 Action abounds in newest ‘Mission: Impossible’ film by Dennis Seuling “Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol” (Paramount Home Entertainment) is the fourth installment of a franchise that has had a spotty history, but this one a fast-paced nail-biter. The Kremlin has been bombed and the blame has fallen on IMF. As a result, the U.S. President initiates Ghost Protocol, which abolishes IMF, and accuses Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his team of placing the bomb in an attempt to incite a global nuclear war. To clear the organization and himself of terrorism charges, Hunt assembles a new team to uncover the truth, using every bit of hightech gadgetry and ingenuity at their command. This time, however, they are entirely on their own. First-time live action director Brad Bird (“The Incredibles,” “Ratatouille”) has put together an exciting spy thriller that will remind viewers of the best of the James Bond films. The highlight is the dazzlingly photographed sequence of Hunt climbing the outside of a Dubai skyscraper. The film’s great moments also include an excitingly staged fight in a garage, an intense chase through a sandstorm, a vicious prison break, and the destruction of a famous Russian landmark. Cruise is effective as a man intent on clearing the name of the IMF and his team. Rather than being center screen for the entire film, he is ably supported by Paula Patton, Jeremy Renner, and Simon Pegg as fellow team members. There is also a self-deprecating tone to the movie -- a sort of wink to the audience that the creative team is in on the joke -- as precision gadgets fail at crucial moments, a comic sidekick (Pegg) offers some humor to lighten the mood, a stereotypical villain (Michael Nyqvist) appears to have stepped right out of a Sean Connery-era Bond film, and careful plans collapse and are replaced by quick-thinking improvisation. The two-disc Blu-ray/DVD combo pack contains a 50-minute documentary, “Impossible Missions,” which is composed of 11 featurettes on various special effects. Another 50-minute documentary, “Mission Accepted,” examines the difficulties of shooting on location and the benefits of exotic locales. There are also 15 minutes worth of deleted scenes with commentary by director Brad Bird, a digital copy, and several trailers. The movie is also available as a single-disc DVD. “Shame” (20th Century-Fox Home Entertainment) focuses on Brandon (Michael Fassbender), a young, single New York executive who is addicted to casual sex, prostitutes, and porn. The addiction is obliterating his humanity. He lives in a hell that he has fed and nurtured, but it was made by someone else. Viewers get a clue through his unhappy sister, Sissy (Carey Mulligan), who asks to crash at his bachelor pad while pursuing her dream of becoming Tom Cruise stars in ‘Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol.’ a professional singer. Director Steve McQueen gives “Shame” (continued on Crossword page)