IMAX: Space Station (Single Disc Blu-ray 3D / Blu-ray Combo)

Tomorrow begins here, at the breathtaking intersection of Hi-Def Blu-ray 3D depth and clarity and high-resolution 70mm IMAX photography: 220 miles above the Earth at a speed of 17,500 MPH aboard the most complex scientific project ever assembled – the International Space Station. Tom Cruise narrates this fascinating look at the high-flying laboratory where today’s space heroes develop technologies to make possible future voyages to Mars and provide solutions to earthbound problems. Blast off into the next home entertainment frontier!

The partnership with NASA and IMAX films continues with a tour of the next step in space exploration: the International Space Station (ISS). Sixteen countries helped build this giant station (still being built upon the film's release in 2004). We see the first building blocks being constructed, including shots from inside the slick NASA shuttle launches to the friendly informalities of the Russian program. The crystal-clear pictures of the station and the Earth are the best aspects of this film. The entertaining footage delivers human elements, but sometimes the carefulness of experimentation makes for boring photography; a test of a super-cool jet pack has the astronaut moving mere inches. To the film's benefit, the narrator is Tom Cruise with a script tailored to his strong suits (the first line of "What an incredible sight!" is vintage Cruise). The film is also so light on its feet with a nice dose of music, including "Up on the Roof" and the Talking Heads "Naive Melody," that it makes up for the staginess of some of the scenes. The film was shown in 3-D in theaters but only 2-D for home video. --Doug Thomas