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Lawrence Musgrove (Sean Combs) sits on Death Row, just a few hours away from execution. In his wake he leaves his detached wife Letica (Berry) and overweight son Tyrell (Coronji Calhoun) alone and penniless with little hope for a better future. Meanwhile, under the thumb of his racist, tyrannical father (Peter Boyle), second-generation executioner Hank Grotowski (Billy Bob Thorton) is training the family's next-in-line Sonny (Heath Ledger) for his first "job." But all will not go as planned, and the repercussions will affect both families forever. Leticia and Hank would seem to be the last people ever to have even a cup of coffee, let alone fall in love, but their shared loss will eventually bring them together. These two battered souls will not have an easy path to reconciliation, waiting for an absolution that may never come.

I hate using words like "Uncompromising," "Unrelenting" or "Unforgettable" in a review, because after you've seen them splashed across countless subway posters and TV ads, they soon become meaningless. But all apply in spades to Monster's Ball, my pick as one of the best pictures of 2001. Director Marc Forster doesn't pull a single punch, and the script by Milo Addica and Will Rokos is literate, thought-provoking and full of left turns. Berry and Thorton create real, believable characters out of what could have been offensive caricatures, and these may be two of the most finely-etched portrayals in recent memory. Roberto Schaefer's stark photography and the minimalist score by Asche and Spencer (actually the trio of Chris Beaty, Thad Spencer and Richard Werbowenko) helps to create an oppressive atmosphere that lives and breathes like a character all onto its own.

It is a shame that so much has been made of the film's controversial sex scene, because ironically that may be one of the film's easiest scenes to watch. The painful, conflicting emotions this film traffics in are far more disturbing. Some have questioned the film's closing scenes, as well as the leaps the script sometimes makes for its characters, but Monster's Ball is ultimately not about easy solutions, but rather the choices one makes, which aren't always the right ones. Yet it is this very uncertainty that makes the film relevant - I rarely knew what to expect, and while I felt a sense of disquiet throughout, it has been a long while since I felt so compelled to stay with a film. Don't miss it.

Video: How Does The Disc Look?

Presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen, this is a surprisingly strong presentation. Despite the film's low budget, which necessitated the use of bare-bones lighting and low-key, high-contrast film stocks, this is a smooth, vibrant image that ranks up there with more bigger- budget, slick productions. Director of photography Roberto Schaefer's stark compositions are nicely rendered; colors are very well-saturated but rock-solid and free of bleeding or smearing. Blacks are rich and contrast strong, and Schaefer's use of high-key lighting is wonderfully moody. The print is pristine if intentionally grainy at times, yet the image still looks smooth and clear. Detail is strong with nice shadow delineation even in the darker scenes, and edge enhancement and artifacting are not apparent. This is quite a wonderful transfer and certainly a surprise.

Audio: How Does The Disc Sound?

Like the video, the audio is equally impressive. Primarily a dialogue-driven film, Monster's Ball still features an evocative, haunting, minimalist soundtrack by Asche and Spencer. Proving that low budget doesn't have to mean boring, this mix is full of subtle, enveloping touches. Dynamic range and fidelity are excellent, with full and warm highs and a strong low end that features a .1 LFE channel with surprising kick. Surrounds are used sparingly but forcibly - you won't find any gimmicks, just a finely-tuned use of the rears at key moments. I wish more filmmakers would take a cue from this soundtrack, because "effective" doesn't have to equal "loud." Very nice.

Also included is an English 2.0 surround track, English and Spanish subtitles and English Closed Captions.

Supplements: What Goodies Are There?

I will admit that I was initially suspicious when, late last year, Lion's Gate announced that they would begin to distribute their own product on DVD instead of relying on a major studio. Many an indie has attempted the same thing in the past, but ultimately failed to deliver much in the way of quality. But luckily I was wrong. If their recent releases are any indication, such feature-laden gems such as Rose Red, Lantana and now Monster's Ball are only the beginning, and Lion's Gate is fast becoming one of the best indies around.

First up we have not one but two screen-specific audio commentaries, the first with director Marc Forster and director of photography Roberto Schaefer, the second with Forster and actors Billy Bob Thorton and Halle Berry. I have to admit to preferring the second track with the cast; the first is a bit dry and tech-oriented in nature, and just isn't as interesting as Thorton and Berry. After an admittedly awkward first few minutes - the trio seems uncomfortable and not sure what to say - this turns into a witty, intelligent look at the acting process. As the participants themselves point out, for a film with such intense subject matter, the making of the film was anything but. Thorton has a very dry sense of humor, and by the time they get to the big sex scene, they're talking about the last thing you'd expect - red bubblegum! A bit slow at times, but well worth a listen.

Up next is a 4-minute montage of behind the scenes footage that's more of an outtakes reel than a real making-of, and cloyingly divided into little subsections ("Thorton Relaxes Before a Scene," etc.) The majority of the reel features Thorton and Berry goofing around on the set, and while their ability to get into character in a matter of seconds is pretty amazing, we ultimately learn little. Better is the 8-minute Scoring the Film featurette, which is one of the better looks at the scoring process that I've seen in a long time. Included are interviews with director Forster and composers Chris Beaty, Thad Spencer and Richard Werbowenko (aka Asche and Spencer) and we get some peeks at the group improvising cues and on the scoring stage. An very underappreciated aspect of the film, it's nice to see this team get their due, as they've created a subtle, almost crafty score. Nicely done, although admittedly this might not be all that interesting to those not into film scores.

Also included are a collection of 7 deleted scenes, all presented in anamorphic widescreen. I liked a few of these scenes, but nothing seemed particularly essential. Berry and Thorton have a couple of fine moments, and the majority of these segments seemed cut for time. But, here they are. Rounding out the extras are the film's video trailer in full screen - alas, the original theatrical trailer is not included - and a hidden promo or two for other Lion's Gate titles, if you can find,em. (Unfortunately, due to last minute snafus the originally announced IFC "Anatomy of a Scene" special is not included on this disc.)

DVD-ROM Exclusives: What do you get when you pop the disc in your PC?

No ROM extras have been included.

Parting Thoughts