DVD Review: Gran Torino

Garrett Conti - Knight Ridder/Tribune

While most folks are enjoying shuffleboard and retirement at the age of 79, Clint Eastwood continues to add to his legendary standing in Hollywood. Eastwood's latest -- "Gran Torino" -- proves that the silver-screen icon still has what it takes as an actor and director to produce outstanding work. In his latest, Eastwood plays a retired Ford factory worker and Korean War veteran whose wife recently passed away. Out of touch with his family, Walt Kowalski is an old-fashioned guy who says what he wants to, be it a racial slur or a shot at someone's manhood. Walt's attitude comes to the forefront in his Detroit neighborhood, where the minorities are moving in around him and houses aren't being properly kept up. As time goes by, though, his Asian neighbors penetrate his rough exterior, and Walt warms to them, even taking one young man under his wing. "Gran Torino" is a wonderful, rewarding story, and standout performances by Eastwood, Bee Vang and Ahney Her -- making their cinematic debuts -- elevate this exceptional movie. It's Eastwood's film, and his performance in front of and behind the camera serves as a reminder of the tremendous talents the man has honed throughout his exceptional career. Without a doubt, "Gran Torino" stands near the top of the list when discussing 2008's movie landscape. Very limited special features include a couple of featurettes on the symbolic Gran Torino and its part in the film. A few other special features make their way into Blu-ray editions. R; 2008.

Our Take: 3.5 Stars.

Buy It: Eastwood's dependability continues with "Gran Torino."

'The International'

Intelligent and stylish, "The International" is an action-packed espionage thriller that leaps off the screen. Directed by Tom Tykwer -- the same fellow responsible for the 1998 surprise hit "Run Lola Run" -- "The International" will remind some of Matt Damon's Bourne Trilogy, with its numerous locales and smart dialogue, believable skirmishes and a story that grips the viewer from the start. In that mix comes one of the greatest shootout sequences in a film since the bullet-riddled encounter in 1995's "Heat." The talented Clive Owen assumes the lead role of Louis Salinger, a disheveled Interpol agent looking to stop an international arms ring that's backed by one of the most powerful banks in the world. The ring doesn't hesitate to distribute to terrorist organizations. As Salinger and his partner -- Eleanor Whitman (played superbly by Naomi Watts) -- close in on the these money-hungry dealers, they become the targets, too. In tow with the film are a handful of excellent featurettes. At the top is "Shooting at the Guggenheim," an in-depth look at one of the more memorable scenes from "The International." Three additional featurettes also are worth a watch. Commentary with Tykwer and writer Eric Singer, and deleted scenes also are included. Look for even more in Blu-ray editions. R; 2009.

Our Take: 3 Stars.

Buy It: Brawn and brains in one two-hour package.

'Fired Up'

Nicholas D'Agosto and Eric Christian Olsen get their cheer on in this lousy comedy about two horny football players who step off the field as a way to score more chicks. While "Fired Up," the directorial debut of Will Gluck, is a an original concept for a comedy, this one's downfall is lackluster writing, plot holes and a predictable ending. Shawn (D'Agosto) and Nick (Olsen) are the stars of the high school football squad, but their focus is hooking up with as many women as they can. When the opportunity arises to pass up two weeks of brutal football camp for the female-heavy cheer camp, the two players jump into action. After convincing the cheerleaders that they're for real, Shawn and Nick find themselves surrounded by beautiful women. Long story short, they eventually understand the hard work that goes into the sport of cheerleading, take to the pom poms and see the error of their lustful ways. It's a predictable, albeit welcome, ending to a dismal hour-and-a-half film. Unrated and rated versions of the film, along with a Blu-ray package, will be available in stores. All three editions are alike, except for an uncensored gag reel and press junket on the unrated and Blu-ray versions. Two boring featurettes, with D'Agosto and Olsen talking about how hard cheerleading was, are available across the board. NR; 2009.

Our Take: 1.5 Stars.

Skip It: Show some spirit and S-K-I-P right past this title.

'Crossing Over'

American citizenship is the focal point of "Crossing Over," an above-average drama with some excellent performances by Harrison Ford, Cliff Curtis, Alice Eve and Jim Sturgess. Unfortunately, the film has some faults in its presentation. The plot is missing some very important elements. Characters find themselves in dramatic situations with little or no explanation as to how they got there. These key points might have added another half-hour to the feature, but that would've been fine, because "Crossing Over" shows potential in laying out the difficult road immigrants have in trying to become U.S. citizens. Much like 2004's "Crash" or 2006's "Babel," this film -- written and directed by Wayne Kramer -- weaves together a handful of stories from different perspectives. For example, Ford assumes the role of an immigration officer looking for an illegal alien who lost her son. Ford's partner is Curtis, whose family emigrated from Iran, and they add to the drama that develops throughout the plot. All the pieces fit together at the conclusion, but looking back, it's tough figuring out how it all went down. Another setback for the "Crossing Over" DVD is the lack of special features. It would be nice to see a few of the deleted scenes that might have filled in some of the holes. R; 2009.

Our Take: 1.5 Stars.

Rent It: An interesting take on the immigration issue.

"Reaper: Season Two": Like AMC's "Breaking Bad," "Reaper" is one of the best shows on TV -- the CW, specifically -- that no one watches. That might be the reason why the show is facing cancellation after its second season. Season Two, much like the show's first season, is highly entertaining, mixing moments of drama with loads of comedy and likable characters. The show's plot focuses on Sam Oliver (Bret Harrison), a young fellow who has the responsibility of rounding up escaped souls from hell and sending them back. Why? His parents sold his soul to the devil when he was a baby. The show doesn't focus just on Sam's hellish responsibility, though. Some great friends -- Rick Gonzalez, Tyler Labine and Missy Peregrym also star -- add interesting subplots. Mix in some demons and visits from Satan (Ray Wise), and a devilishly good time can be had. A gag reel and deleted scenes add more laughs to the four-disc, 13-episode set. NR; 2009.

Our Take: 3 Stars.

"The Jack Lemmon Film Collection": Five of Jack Lemmon's better films -- "Phffft" (1954, PG), "Operation Mad Ball" (1957, G), "The Notorious Landlady" (1962, G), "Under the Yum Yum Tree" (1963, NR) and "Good Neighbor Sam" (1964, PG) -- make up this outstanding collection that touches on a great body of work from a Hollywood icon. Another reason to pick up this six-disc collection from the two-time Academy Award winner is the package's special features. Leading the way is a fantastic two-part documentary on Lemmon and his life on the silver screen. Top-notch actors such as Kevin Spacey, Andy Garcia and Shirley MacLaine weigh in on Lemmon in this documentary. A few other odds and ends also are available. 2009.

Our Take: 3.5 Stars.

More Movie Releases: "Sisterhood" (Isabelle Defaut, NR, extras), "Legend of the Bog" (Vinnie Jones, R) and "Spinning into Butter" (Sarah Jessica Parker, R).

More TV Releases: "The Shield, Season Seven: The Final Season" (four discs, 13 episodes, extras), "The Cleaner: The First Season" (four discs, 13 episodes, extras) and "Perry Mason: Season Four, Volume One" (four discs, 16 episodes).

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