Universal Pictures also recently released stills for their upcoming film "2 Guns", which hits theaters this Friday. The upcoming action comedy stars Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg. With star power like that, it is sure to take over the top spot this weekend at the box office.

For more information on this film, you can visit the film's official website at: http://www.2guns.net

Plot Synopsis:

For 12 months, DEA agent Robert “Bobby” Trench (Washington) and U.S. naval intelligence officer Michael “Stig” Stigman (Wahlberg) have been reluctantly attached at the hip. Working undercover as members of a narcotics syndicate, each man distrusts his partner as much as the criminals they have both been tasked to take down.

When their attempt to infiltrate a Mexican drug cartel and recover millions goes haywire, Bobby and Stig are suddenly disavowed by their respective superiors. Now that everyone wants them in jail or in the ground, the only person they can count on is the other. Unfortunately for their pursuers, when good guys spend years pretending to be bad, they pick up a few tricks along the way.

Paramount Pictures recently released information for the upcoming DVD/Blu-Ray release of Robert Zemeckis' Flight. The film quietly made $92 million at the box office considering that the film stars Denzel Washington and boasts an exceptional supporting cast including John Goodman , Don Cheadle , Kelly Reilly , Bruce Greenwood , Melissa Leo and Brian Geraghty .

Special Features on the Blu-Ray include Origins of Flight, The Making of Flight, Anatomy of a Plane Crash and Q&A Highlights. No features were announced for the DVD.

"Fight" hits stores and on demand on February 5th.

Press Release:

"One of the most memorable movie-going experiences of the year" ( Richard Roeper , " Richard Roeper & The Movies"), the "keenly felt, knuckle-biting drama" ( Lisa Schwarzbaum , Entertainment Weekly) FLIGHT makes its Blu-ray, DVD, Digital Download and On Demand debut on February 5, 2013 from Paramount Home Media Distribution. Hailed by critics and audiences alike, FLIGHT is directed by renowned filmmaker Robert Zemeckis ( Forrest Gump , Cast Away) and stars the incomparable Denzel Washington in a performance that "will be talked about for years" ( Peter Travers , Rolling Stone) and has earned him Golden Globe®, SAG and Critics' Choice award nominations. Written by John Gatins , the film tells the story of Whip Whitaker, a commercial airline pilot who miraculously lands a plummeting airplane during a breathtaking sequence described as "the hairiest, scariest, most realistic, and thrilling plane crash in movie history" ( Richard Corliss , Time). But despite his heroics, Whip comes under investigation and begins what may be an even more harrowing personal descent. FLIGHT also boasts an exceptional supporting cast including John Goodman , Don Cheadle , Kelly Reilly , Bruce Greenwood , Melissa Leo and Brian Geraghty .

FLIGHT will be available in a Blu-ray/DVD combo pack with UltraViolet™ and compelling special features that take audiences behind-the-scenes to learn about the film's journey to the screen, how the filmmakers created the terrifying plane crash, and more. In addition, the two-disc set includes highlights from a Q&A panel. The film will also be available as a single-disc DVD.

All Blu-ray releases available for purchase will be enabled with UltraViolet, a new way to collect, access and enjoy movies. With UltraViolet, consumers can add movies to their digital collection in the cloud, and then stream or download them – reliably and securely – to a variety of devices.

* Best Actor in a Leading Role, Training Day, 2001; Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Glory, 1989
** Best Director, Forrest Gump , 1994

FLIGHT Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack
The FLIGHT Blu-ray is presented in 1080p high definition with English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles. The DVD in the combo pack is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 TVs with English 5.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles. The combo pack includes access to a digital copy of the film as well as the following:

Blu-ray

Feature film in high definition
Origins of Flight
The Making of Flight
Anatomy of a Plane Crash
Q&A Highlights

DVD

Feature film in standard definition

FLIGHT Single-Disc DVD
The single-disc DVD is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 TVs with English 5.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles. The disc includes the feature film in standard definition.

Paramount Pictures presents an Imagemovers/Parkes + MacDonald production: "Flight," directed by Robert Zemeckis . Produced by Parkes/MacDonald Production's Walter F. Parkes and Laurie MacDonald , and ImageMovers' Robert Zemeckis , Steve Starkey , and Jack Rapke . The executive producer is Cherylanne Martin . Original screenplay by John Gatins .

The advertisements for Robert Zemeckis’ “Flight” are actually quite deceptive. It almost looks to be a mystery of sorts as we wonder if Denzel Washington’s character of Whip Whitaker was drunk or not when he crash landed the commercial airplane he was flying. Whip ended up saving a lot of lives, but is the company that owns the airline he flies for trying to make him take the blame so that they can reduce their own loses? Looking at the commercials and the trailers for “Flight,” it looked as if the film was being sold as something relatively easy cinematic affair. However, it turns to be something far more complex and ambiguous than what Hollywood is used to putting out.

“Flight” isn’t a mystery at all but instead a character study about a man who is overwhelmed by his addictions and has yet to be honest not only with others but most of all with himself. From the start we can see that Captain Whip Whitaker (Denzel Washington) is one messed up dude. Waking up in his hotel room after an evening tryst with stewardess Katerina Marquez (Nadine Velazquez), we see him drink some beer, smoke a cigarette, argue with his ex-wife over their son’s school tuition and then snort some cocaine. All of this happens before he puts on his uniform and heads over to his plane to get ready for takeoff.

Whip clearly has no business flying a plane under those conditions, but fly it he does. When a malfunction suddenly forces it to go into a vertical dive, he manages to roll over to where he’s flying upside down, just long enough to stabilize the descent and land it in an open field. Next thing Whip knows, he is waking up in a hospital room only to discover that the real nightmare for him is about to begin.

It says a lot about the star power of Washington and Zemeckis that they could get a movie like “Flight” made today. Made for only $30 million, far less than what it cost Zemeckis to make “The Polar Express” or “A Christmas Carol,” this is almost like one of those character driven dramas from the 1970s in that it gives us a main character who is not particularly likable, and yet we are compelled to follow him all the way to the movie’s end.

What I loved about the screenplay by John Gatins is how it revels in the ambiguity of its characters and the situations they are stuck in. We know Whip was far from sober when flying that plane, and yet we cannot help but wonder if his heroic act can somehow excuse his personal sins. His lawyer Hugh Lang (Don Cheadle, terrific as always) tells him at one point that ten other pilots were placed in flight simulators which recreated the event and they ended up killing everybody on board. But there is one big difference between Whip and all those pilots: they were all sober.

We can always count on Washington to give some of the best performances in movies today, and his work in “Flight” is unsurprisingly superb. It’s also the riskiest role he has played in a long time as his character is far from likable and apparently determined to drive everyone away who tries to reach him. Heck, Detective Alonzo Harris from “Training Day” almost seems like a nicer person than Whip, and he tried to have his partner killed! But we always find ourselves rooting for Washington no matter what character he plays, and he does an exceedingly brave job in uncovering this character’s wounded humanity for all to see.

I do have to say, however, that I am amazed at the enormous amount of alcohol Whip consumes throughout the movie. Any normal person would most likely have experienced liver failure long before the story reaches its final act.

Much has been said about how this is Zemeckis’ first live action movie since the year 2000 when he made “Cast Away” and “What Lies Beneath.” But what people should really take note of is that this is the R-rated movie he has directed since “Used Cars,” and that came out in 1980. Having made so many films that were largely geared towards the whole family, it’s tempting to think he was no longer in a position to helm one with such complex characters and issues.

But with “Flight,” Zemeckis does some of his most memorable work behind the camera in some time. There are moments where he paints some dramatic strokes that are broader than they need to be, but he never once shies away from the ambiguous nature and fascinating questions which Gatins’ screenplay elicits. He also does a brilliant job in one crucial scene involving a minibar in a hotel room, and the suspense of it had the audience I saw the movie with absolutely enthralled.

And of course, he stages a very frightening plane crash that tops the one he put together in “Cast Away.” Even from the safety of a movie theater, that sequence is truly harrowing to sit through and its images hang over the rest of “Flight” like an ominous shadow.

Another superb performance comes from Kelly Reilly who plays Nicole Maggen, a former photographer who is trying to free herself from the throes of a nasty heroin habit. Reilly may be best remembered for her role in the deeply unsettling horror film “Eden Lake,” and her portrayal here feels very honest in how she presents an addict’s day to day struggle to stay clean.

There’s also a number of other terrific supporting performances to be found here from actors like John Goodman who looks to be channeling Jeff Bridges’ Dude character from “The Big Lebowski” (a movie he coincidentally was also in) for his role of Harling Mays. Goodman provides the movie with its needed scenes of comic support, and he proves to be as entertaining here as he was in “Argo.”

Bruce Greenwood, who increasingly lends the movies he appears in a strong integrity, is also really good as Whip’s longtime friend Charlie Anderson. Also showing up in a small but pivotal role is the great Melissa Leo whose sweet voice can’t hide her relentless pursuit of the truth as FAA investigator Ellen Block.

I didn’t think I’d see another movie in 2012 other than Paul Thomas Anderson’s “The Master” that offered very complex characters in ambiguous situations. As a result, “Flight” turned out to be a big surprise for me as it challenges viewers in ways a strong dramatic film should. It offers us yet another great Denzel Washington performance, and it reminds us of what a terrific director Robert Zemeckis can be regardless of whether or not the characters in his films are computer generated.

* * * ½ out of * * * *

Now, from the mechanics of hell, we bring you this week’s edition of the Hollywood Remake Machine. Yes they’re back, plundering the films of the past to suck you in with whatever dollars are left from your wallet (and that’s even if you’re unemployed). This week’s victim is “The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3.” Based on the book by John Godey, it was first made into a movie back in 1974 with Walter Matthau as policeman Garber, and Robert Shaw as Bernard Ryder. Some may have forgotten, but there was another remake of this as a TV movie back in 1998 with Edward James Olmos, Lorraine Bracco, and Vincent D’Onofrio. But it looks like one single remake was just not enough, so Hollywood remade it AGAIN, and this one is further proof that… Oh wait a minute… This one is actually good! What happened? Could it be? YES!!! …Ahem… Excuse me for going overboard there. We aren’t exactly talking about a classic, but of one that delivers the goods.

This version of “Pelham 1 2 3” comes to us from director Tony Scott, the man who gave us “Top Gun” and “Beverly Hills Cop II” among other movies, and who is also the younger brother of Ridley Scott. Along with Tony in this one is an actor he has worked with several times before, Denzel Washington. In addition, you have John Travolta as the chief hijacker of the bunch. They take on the roles that were first immortalized on the big screen by Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw. The basic premise of the movie remains the same: a group of hijackers (but of course, they are called terrorists these days) takes over a subway train, stops it in a tunnel, unhooks the other cars on the train, thus leaving them with one train car to worry about, and then they make their intentions clear. They want $10 million dollars in exactly 60 minutes, and not a minute over. For every minute they are late, they will shoot a hostage. This particular story will always be referred to as “Die Hard on a subway.” With all the amazing advances in technology, you’d figure that this premise would not work in today’s world with utter dependence on electronics to keep us informed and in touch. This is especially the case considering the paranoid feeling that the FBI and CIA are watching us all the time.

But Tony Scott gives us a film that, unlike the 1998 TV movie, is not simply a shot for shot remake. Tony takes the premise and updates it for today’s world, and gives us an action thriller that is more psychological than anything else. Just when you think you know where the story is heading, it takes a sharp turn and leaves you wondering what will happen next. I imagine there might be some gaps in logic to be found here, but I certainly wasn’t thinking about them while watching the movie. I was too busy getting caught up in the suspense and excitement of it all. For once, the excuse of cell phones not working actually makes sense and doesn’t simply insult our collective intelligence. Plus, all the characters (including the bad guys) make effective use of the technology available to them to where each side is manipulating the other.

Brian Helgeland, the screenwriter of “LA Confidential” and “Mystic River,” scripted this version (David Koepp did some work on it too, but he was not given credit). While the 1974 version functioned more as a cat and mouse game between the cops and the hijackers, this one is more focused on the relationship between Garber and (as Travolta’s character asks Garber to call him) Ryder. This brings me to one of the things I really liked about this version; we get characters who are morally compromised, and who have more in common with each other than they realized, and the line between them is not simply black or white. How they see each other really humanizes the story and keeps it from becoming just another average action flick.

Denzel Washington’s character of Garber is essentially a good guy, but he has been accused of bribery and is up on charges that leave is a heavy cloud of uncertainty hanging over his every move. For a ridiculously brief moment, I thought Denzel would be wrong for this role. Throughout his great career, we have seen him play many powerful leaders and of men in charge (or so they think) of everything and everybody around him. To see him play a regular blue collar kind of guy, being the big superstar that he is, made me worry that I wouldn’t buy him as a Garber the train dispatcher. What the hell was I thinking?! Denzel more than sells himself in the part as a regular joe, and you feel every ounce of his frustration as he struggles to maintain a situation he was not supposed to be put into. Whatever you think of his character, he makes you root for him despite the things he may have done wrong. Denzel once again reminds us (especially those who foolishly forgot) that he is one of the very best film actors, period.

John Travolta has had an iffy record in playing the bad guy, and this is mainly because we spent so much time watching him be the hero when we were younger. Sure, he did the bad guy really well in John Woo’s “Face/Off,” but then he played one of the most pussy-whipped bitches of a mob boss ever in “The Punisher.” By the way, that was one of the worst adaptations of a Marvel Comic ever! But as “Ryder,” Travolta gives us a furiously good performance and creates a very effectively dangerous character he doesn’t always sell you on. This is the same guy who a year or two ago, gave us the delightful Edna from “Hairspray.” Whereas Robert Shaw’s mercenary character was in control of his emotions, Travolta’s character is a powder keg of resentment and vengeance. Ryder is not a mercenary, but a former broker on Wall Street who just finished a stretch in prison, and now he has a score to settle with the city that sent him to the big house for 10 years instead of letting him plea bargain for 3. I almost wanted to laugh when I saw him with those tattoos on his neck, but Travolta really does come off as a bad ass mofo you do not want to mess with.

The mayor of New York is also back in the story, having been absent from the 1998 TV remake, and he is still despised as ever. This time, he is played by Tony Soprano himself, James Gandolfini. Once again proving to be another great actor working today, he manages to give us an elected official that is selfish and yet resourceful. James also keeps the character from becoming a simple caricature which is what we usually get with a character like this. Along with Washington, he gets some of the movie’s best lines thanks to Helgeland. Of course, does this mean that he will always be typecast as a crook since he is playing a politician? That’s just a thought.

I also have to say that I was really pleased to see Luis Guzmán cast as Phil Ramos, a disgraced motorman who is going along with Ryder’s revenge on the Big Apple. It feels like it has been far too long since I last saw Luis in a movie, and ever since I first saw him in “Carlito’s Way,” he has been and continues to be one of the most reliable of character actors. Always giving a memorable performance in every single movie he does, Luis gives a man who is a little more in touch with reality than Ryder is.

What I really liked about this version of “Pelham 1 2 3” is that it manages to not just repeat every single scene you saw in the original. Both Tony Scott and Brian Helgeland have effectively managed to update the story to a post 9/11 world where the threat of terrorism always feels like it’s around the corner, waiting like a snake to strike. Also, by giving a lot of focus to the two main characters and making them far from perfect adds a little more reality and genuine feeling to the more intense moments of the movie. I am so sick of the flawless hero in the movies who doesn’t have a single thing wrong with him or her. We need these characters to have flaws that we can recognize in ourselves so that we can relate to them and share in their danger, a danger they didn’t ask to be a part of. Thanks to the filmmakers and actors, they pulled it off very well.

The movie does share similar moments with the 1974 version, but it deviates from it in ways I couldn’t have seen coming. The ending is also a lot different from the original, which by the way was one of my all time favorites. All the same, I’m glad Tony Scott and company didn’t try to top the cleverness of that one. It would have been cool, but that is a hard ending to match. While this one ends in a more routine way, it is still exciting.

There’s also no topping the original’s film score which was composed by David Shire. The music was one of my favorite things about the film, and the soundtrack is one of my all time favorites. Still, frequent Tony Scott collaborator Harry Gregson-Williams gives us a combination of orchestral and electronic music that gives the film the propulsive feel it really needs. Looking back, I don’t think I have given Harry enough credit for the work he has done.

Tony Scott has more or less been in the shadow of his big brother Ridley, and while his career has been successful, his movies never seem to get the same amount of respect as do Ridley’s. His use of flash frames and slow motion can be off-putting at times, but this is the same guy who gave us “Crimson Tide” and “True Romance.” With “The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3,” he gives one of the more exciting action movies that lifted me out of the doldrums of a so far weak summer movie season. Tony doesn’t bring a lot that is new to this kind of story, but he keeps things exciting throughout, and I felt myself on the edge of my seat in a way I didn’t expect to. In a lot of ways, this movie was a pleasant surprise, being that it is another gosh darn remake.

If I were compare, I obviously think the 1974 original is still the best adaptation of John Godey’s exciting novel. I won’t bother too much with the 1998 TV movie since that felt a lot like a shot for shot remake a la “Psycho” or “Funny Games.” But Scott’s film of “The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3” is far more entertaining than any remake has a right to be these days. Scott has managed to take this material and make his own, and he is surrounded by a great cast. This makes me want to watch “Domino” at some point because I missed that one while it was in theaters.

Looking for a good action picture? I don’t think you can go wrong with this one.

***1/2 out of ****