Notorious

For a film all about a man nicknamed Biggie, it really wouldn't do to serve a small helping of extras, and the DVD doesn't disappoint with more than 50 minutes of footage. Features include Behind the Scenes: The Making of Notorious; I Got a Story to Tell: The Lyrics of Biggie Smalls; Notorious Thugs: Casting the Film; Biggie Boot Camp; and Anatomy of a B.I.G Performance. Though there's plenty of interesting material, there is some overlap among the sections, and the whole thing could really have been condensed into one decent 40-minute 'Making of' documentary.

Given that rap is such an integral part of the movie, I was also hoping to see some music videos on the extras, such as Biggie's hit song Juicy (even the Puff Daddy and Faith Evans ballad I'll Be Missing You would have been better than nothing). I don't know whether there's a valid reason why the videos couldn't be shown, but to me this seemed like a glaring omission.

Nonetheless, the material that is on the disc is well worth a watch, and includes moving interviews with the late star's real mum and son (who also plays the young version of his dad in the film), as well as the director, other members of the cast and crew, and some of Biggie's old friends.

With every minute that passes, the team's desire for authenticity becomes increasingly apparent, from the careful casting to the choreography right down to the labelling on the drinks bottles. Whether you liked the movie or not - and personally I did - you can't fail to admire the effort that's gone into bringing this film to fruition. A must-see for B.I.G fans.