DVD
Writer finds memoir to be more of a mystery The Ghost, as Ewan McGregor's steadfastly anonymous protagonist is called in "The Ghost Writer," is a young author assigned to pen the memoirs of a retired British prime minister after the first author's mysterious death. The day the Ghost seals the deal, he's whisked to an island off Massachusetts, where former Prime Minister Adam Lang (Pierce Brosnan) lives in an elegantly appointed concrete bunker with his wife (Olivia Williams) and a staff of comely assistants. As the Ghost sets to work on the project, he realizes that Lang's distant reticence, a tight deadline and curiously tight security around the project will be the least of his problems. Director Roman Polanski smoothly threads viewers through a story that comes alive with flawless detail, convincing performances and an uncanny prescience. The DVD and Blu-ray (Summit, $27-$41) include commentary and interviews.
WASHINGTON POST
Also out Tuesday: "After.Life," "Diary of a Wimpy Kid," "Elvis on Tour," "Errol Flynn Adventures," "The Great Waldo Pepper," "Hawaii Five-O" (Season 9), "Heroes" (Season 4), "Kick-Ass," "The Kim Novak Collection," "A Prophet," "To Save a Life," and Blu-rays of "Blood Simple," "The Breakfast Club," "Bull Durham," "Escape From New York," "Humanoids From the Deep," "James and the Giant Peach," "Piranha" and "Road to Perdition."
GAME
Off-beat download a spanking-good time Considering the enduring popularity of the two things -- "Diablo"-style dungeon crawling and comedy -- that "DeathSpank" attempts to merge as one, it's amazing it's taken this long for the two to come together as naturally. The download-only game ($15 for PS3 via PlayStation Network and Xbox 360 via Xbox Live; rated Teen) starts off slow. Between the simplicity of the quest designs and the modest ambitions of the game's comedic writing and voice acting, it likely will be neither the best-playing dungeon crawler nor the funniest game you play this year. Fortunately, what "DeathSpank" doesn't do amazingly well, it does more than well enough -- so much so that the experience actually improves once the novelty of comedic dungeon crawling wears off. The quests are numerous, as is the bounty of armor, weapons and items waiting to be discovered. And the world's fleeting resemblance to an illustrated pop-up book works with the amusing tone to create a universe that, imperfections or not, is fun to explore.
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APP
Beam up by iPhone with new 'Star Trek' tool Apple's iPhone might be superior to the "Star Trek" communicator in many ways, but now you can have the best of both worlds by downloading the "Star Trek Captain's Log" ($1.99 via iTunes; rated 4+) application. With a flick of the wrist, it transforms the iPhone into a Starfleet communicator. The app records audio, takes text entries, snaps photos and maps your location via GPS. Yes, the iPhone does those things without the app, but the "Captain's Log" lets you do it in "Star Trek" style with classic "Trek" graphics and has you select a "preferred Enterprise class level," including captain, engineering and science/medical. The app also can log travels over social networks such as Facebook and Twitter and over e-mail. The app also taps into iPhone 4 functions such as the front-facing camera and the gyroscope support, showing off a 3-D model of the Enterprise.
MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL
WEB
Blog offers the lowdown on healthy eating After a summer of big beefy burgers and footlong hot dogs, you might need a break from all that mystery meat. Enter All Naturale (www.allnaturale.org). The blog is dedicated to providing the latest information and honest reviews of "all healthy, natural, organic, vegan and environmentally friendly things." And it does -- from recipes for vegan granola to ways to drink more water, and top foods to buy organic to tips and uses for cucumbers. Writing on the site is clear and concise and most of the entries include lists or tips. It's heavier on health and food tips and advice than it is on recipes. But the site does allow for searching and has separate tabs to organize past entries (food, green living, beauty, etc.). You also can find All Naturale on Twitter and Facebook. And it's been nominated for a 2010 Blogger's Choice Award.
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