DVD of the Week: Viggo Mortensen says you're picking up Eastern Promises.

Every tuesday brings my DVD of the week pick. Since this is a rather flat month for DVD releases, I will be working a bit harder than usual to provide the weekly DVD release for the Cinemaphile.

Released on the 26th just in time for boxing day sales is David Cronenberg's wickedly awesome Eastern Promises which had a fairly successful release back in September. It is Cronenberg's followup to his A History of Violence, yet I found this one a more fluent and superior work, following the Russian mafia, a dead prostitute's baby, and an English nurse (Naomi Watts, luminously photographed) who has the dead girl's diary which traces it back to a driver (Mortensen) who can't seem to keep his mafioso friend (Vincent Cassel) at bay.

The film has wise pacing, a fully structured narrative and just enough Cronenberg moments to satisfy any fan of his work. The film also works tremendously on the small screen as well, bringing one closer to the characters and direction.

Also available on HD-DVD Combo format (although a bit pricey at $40).