GRAN TORINO

Starring: Clint Eastwood, Bee Vang, Ahney Her and Cory Hardrict

Directed by: Clint Eastwood

Rated R for language throughout and some violence

Genre: Drama

By John Delia

Clint Eastwood does it again with Gran Torino, a very good film that deals with life and it’s stumbling blocks. Eastwood shows his mastery for portraying subjects that are interesting and imaginative and he doesn’t fail here. If you like dramatic films that give you a view of society that you don’t readily see, than watch Gran Torino now on DVD.

Eastwood portrays Walt Kowalski, an iron-willed and inflexible Korean War veteran living in a changing world, who is forced by his Hmong immigrant neighbors to confront his own long-held prejudices. A retired autoworker Kowalski fills his days with home repair, beer and monthly trips to the barber. Though his late wife's final wish was for him to take confession and ask for forgiveness for his past deeds, for the bitter Walt there's nothing to confess.

Things are getting worse, gangs are starting to take over the neighborhood and his next-door neighbor boy Tao has been encouraged to join one, but has tried to resist. During a confrontation in the boy’s front yard by the gang, Walt chases the teens away. The family rewards Walt with food and friendship, which he refuses. Eventually Tao’s resistance breaks down and the gang orders him to steal Walt’s prized possession. Walt catches Tao in the act and takes aim at killing him, but allows him to run away. So starts a series of life challenges for both Walt and Tao.

Eastwood is at his best when his films involve a life struggle. As Walt, a cantankerous old codger who has pushed away his children and makes war on his new neighbors, Eastwood commands the screen. He is very convincing here with his crass and no holds barred racist attitude that touches almost every ethnic group. I enjoyed his banter between his son’s who seem to want the best for him, but more than likely want to move on from the years of not being loved.

As a director Eastwood brings out some very good performances in the young teens that are the antagonists and antithesis within the storyline. Vang does a great job as Tao, the Hmong boy who is the target of the gang. And Ahney Her gives a touching performance as his sister who sees the good side of Walt and tries to release him from his haunts.

The bonus features are few and concentrate on the Gran Torino while weaving in some of the making of. The first one Manning the Wheel: The meaning of Manhood As Reflected in American Car Culture is the better of the two as Eastwood does most of the talking. The second feature is called Gran Torino: More Than a Car where the filmmakers visit Detroit during an auto buffs event and try to show how men have bonded with their vehicles. But, the best DVD bonus is the fact that you can use the captions feature that helps to make the film better understood. Since Eastwood talks with a raspy voice and the Hmongs talk very fast, I enjoyed the film better with the captions running.

The film does contain a lot of racial slurs and is Rated R for language throughout and some graphic violence, so be cautioned.

FINAL ANALYSIS: Gran Torino is a very good film that has great acting by Eastwood. (3.5 of 5 Palm Trees)

THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON

Starring: Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchette, Jason Flemyng, Tilda Swinton, Taraji P. Henson, Elle Fanning and Julia Ormond

Directed by: David Fincher

PG-13 for brief war violence, sexual content, language and smoking

By John Delia

Nominated for best picture of 2008 The Curious Case of Benjamin Button now on DVD has stellar acting, amazing make-up and CGI, superb directing and remarkable cinematography. I loved the odd yet touching romantic drama that held my interest throughout the nearly three-hour length. If you like films with wonderment at every turn, then The Curious Case of Benjamin Button should fill your fantasy.

The film, based on a story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, centers on the birth of a child who is so hideous that his mother is forced by her husband to abandon it at a retirement home. A worker at the home takes the child in as her own and raises him. Aging backward, from his eighties the boy starts to grow in mind much like normal children, but still in the shell of an old man. As his life progresses we get to rummage though his loves, a stint in the war, his travels and the wonders of change all seen from the odd perspective of reverse ageing.

I found the film very fascinating as it played out showing the reverse aging process while the other characters aged normally. The film is brilliant in capturing the life of Benjamin as he catches up to his childhood with stopovers along the way.

Pitt does a terrific job of keeping in character throughout the film even under the most difficult circumstances of portraying Benjamin at challenging age levels. His ability to project to me the believability of the character’s age progression shows genuine talent.

In support Blanchette as older Daisy who tells the story, and Swinton as a forlorn Elizabeth Abbott who falls in love with Benjamin are excellent. The two pull the story together and make it romantic and interesting. I also enjoyed the acting of Elle Fanning as the younger Daisy who befriends Benjamin while others shun the boy.

Topping the cast however, is Henson as Queenie the housekeeper who takes Benjamin in and raises him. With an endearing performance, Queenie’s devotion in keeping the odd looking boy is moving and admirable.

Special features on the 2-Disc special edition include a four-part documentary. I really liked The Curious Birth of Benjamin Button that shows how the filmmakers were able work with small people to bring young Benjamin to life on the screen.

The film is rated PG-13 for brief war violence, sexual content, language and smoking, so be sure to take this into consideration when deciding watch the DVD with immature children.

FINAL ANALYSIS: The amazing and enjoyable film is a must see. (5 of 5 Palm Trees)

DVD’s IN THE NEWS

By Al McGhee

BEVERLY HILLS CHIHUAHUA March 3, 2009: Beverly Hills Chihuahua is now on DVD and at local stores. The canine comedy follows the adventure of Chloe (Drew Barrymore) a diamond-clad pooch from Beverly Hills gets lost when while on vacation in Mexico. Being a Chihuahua helps her along since it’s the national dog of Mexico. Papi (George Lopez) an amusing Chihuahua who’s crazy about her heads to Mexico to find her. While there Chloe gets help from Delgado (Andy Garcia). Its Disney at it’s best as show by the huge box-office it got when it opened in theatres.
The DVD’s bonus features include Deleted Scenes, Blooper Scooper, Legend of the Chihuahua” Animated Short and Feature Audio Commentary by Director Raja Gosnell.

AIR BUD Special Edition March 3, 2009: The original Air Bud is now on DVD. The movie that started it all gets a chance to show off again. When Josh Framm, a 112-year-old boy, finds himself in a new city with no friends, he’s too shy to try out for the basketball team, However, while practicing one day he meets Buddy, a runaway golden retriever who surprises him with his ability to score baskets. The two become friends and later teammates in this cunning release from Disney.
The DVD’s bonus features include Dog-U-Commentary with The Buddies and the Original Theatrical Trailer.

HAPPY-GO-LUCKY March 10, 2009: The Golden Globe Award Winner for Best Actress in a Motion Picture-Comedy or Musical, Sally Hawkins is featured in this funny upbeat comedy about a schoolteacher whose unstoppable optimism guides her life. Bubbling forth with giggles, laughter and jokes, life’s a bowl of cherries, even when she comes across a few pits. Whether it’s a cranky driving teacher or a fiery flamenco instructor, Poppy emphases life on the Sunnyside of the street.
The film has bonus features including Behind The Wheel of Happy-Go-Lucky, Happy-In-Character and Audio Commentary By Director Mike Leigh. The film is a Miramax release.

THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMAS March 10, 2009: The movie drama is based on a best selling novel by John Boyne. Eight year old Bruno has to move away from his Berlin home when his father a high ranking officer in the German Army during WWII gets relocated to a small rural area just outside a concentration camp for Jews. Lonely and bored Bruno takes walks exploring the woods nearby. On one trip he sees a boy behind a fence and starts to communicate with him. When his parents find out about his friendship with the boy, things take a turn for the worse.
The Bonus features include Deleted Scenes, Friendship Beyond The Fence Featurette and Feature Commentary by Writer Director Mark Herman and Author John Boyne. The film is a Miramax Release.

DISNEY/MIRAMAX RELEASE FILMS ON DVD & BLU-RAY
By Al McGhee

February 10, 2009 BLINDNESS (Rated: R) MIRAMAX
A mysterious epidemic sends a city reeling toward the edge of madness, while one woman tries to preserve a small pocket of humanity in the taut thriller Blindness, coming to DVD on February 10, 2009. Presented by Miramax Films and based on Nobel Laureate José Saramago’s masterful novel, this intense and gritty drama, called a "powerful and provocative" movie by Stephen Schaefer of the Boston Herald, was nominated for the 2008 Palme d’Or, the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival.

February 10, 2008 PHINEAS AND FERB: The Daze Of Summer
(Rated: TV-G) DISNEY
Summer fun lasts forever when you hang with Phineas and Ferb, so pull up a beach chair and get ready to laugh with 5 hilarious episodes from the smash-hit Disney Channel Original Series. Viewers can get in on the fun with the exclusive Googolplex Mall Science Fair Games and can create their own experiments! Super-smart and seriously funny stepbrothers Phineas and Ferb come up with unusually exciting ways to spend the lazy, crazy "daze" of summer -- like searching for pirate's treasure, traveling to Mars, building Greek chariots and hosting a Medieval jousting tournament! While the guys are cramming each long day with cool friends, awesome
adventures and totally rocking music, their pet platypus, Perry (aka Agent P), continues to protect the world from the evil Dr. Doofenschmirtz. And, of course, their big sis, Candace, keeps busy texting her friends and trying to bust the bros.

February 10, 2009 PRETTY WOMAN (Blu-ray) (Rated: R)
Get ready to fall head over heels one more time when Pretty Woman comes to Blu-ray™ Hi-Def on February 10, 2009 from Buena Vista Home Entertainment. One of the world’s most popular romantic comedies returns with crystal clear picture and pristine sound, as well as special features guaranteed to melt hearts all over again. Academy Award® Winner Julia Roberts (Best Actress, Erin Brockovich, 2000) and Golden Globe® winner
Richard Gere (Best Actor In A Motion Picture - Musical Or Comedy, Chicago, 2002) light up the screen in director Garry Marshall’s ( The Princess Diaries, Beaches) classic Cinderella story.

February 10, 2009 WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE: Supernaturally Stylin’
(Rated: TV-G) DISNEY
Enjoy hilarious episodes from the smash-hit Disney Channel Original Series and join stars Selena Gomez and the cast for an exclusive look at their personal styles -- plus viewers can visit the show's fabulous costume closets! Wizards-in-training Alex Russo (Gomez) and her brothers Justin and Max are having an awesome time experimenting with their supernatural powers -- but they still have a lot to learn! Viewers will be spellbound as they stir up outrageously funny situations such as using the freeze-frame spell so Alex can make her mark in the fashion industry, figuring out the quirky side effects of Wizard Wear and saving Justin when he falls into "puppy love" and turns into a werewolf! As these cool kids juggle their ordinary lives with their extraordinary powers,
it's a sure thing there will be more magic and mayhem brewing with the WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE!

February 17, 2009 HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 3: Senior Year
(DVD & Blu-ray) (Rated: G)
The worldwide blockbuster that thrilled kids of all ages is now the entertainment event of 2009 when Disney’s High School Musical 3: Senior Year –Extended Edition, arrives on Blu-ray and DVD from Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment on February 17th.
America’s favorite Wildcats (Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Corbin Bleu, Lucas Grabeel, and Monique Coleman) are back for their exciting final year at East High. Director Kenny Ortega pulls out all the stops with incredible new music and exhilarating dance numbers that will blow away devoted franchise fans and newcomers alike. And, now viewers can see the movie like never before, with the all-new 3-disc Deluxe Extended Edition which features the never before seen extended movie on both DVD and Blu-ray disc – in one set! Plus, this Deluxe set also includes DisneyFile digital copy, and exclusive bonus features such as deleted scenes, bloopers and much more.

BUENA VISTA HOME ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCES JANUARY DVD RELEASES

SWING VOTE (Now available)

Swing Vote is now on DVD and Blu-ray Hi-Def starring Kevin Costner, Dennis Hopper, Kelsey Brammer, Nathan Lane, Stanley Tucci and George Lopez, is hit comedy by Touchstone Pictures.

The movie centers on Bud Johnson (Koster) who finds himself the attendion of the nation media when his vote is accidently not counted. Just a regular guy, Bud actually never registered to vote, unfortunately for him, his righteous daughter registerd for him. When the final count is made, Bud finds himself the tie-breaker for deciding the President of the United States.

Political operatives swarm his tiny hometown in New Mexico in an all-out battle for his ballot and there are no lengths the Republican incumbent Andrew Boone (Kelsey Grammer) and Democratic candidate Donald Greenleaf (Dennis Hopper) won’t go to in order to curry Bud’s favor. As the underhanded antics of their campaign managers, played by Stanley Tucci and Nathan Lane, create some havoc, Bud realizes that beyond the implications for the nation, this is his shot at winning his daughter’s respect.

The DVD and Blu-ray Bonus Features include:

Inside the Campaign: The Politics of Production – Go behind the scenes for a look at the all-star cast, the real political pundits and the small town location of Belen, New Mexico that all combined to bring this movie to life.

Deleted & Extended Scenes – With optional commentary by director and writer Joshua Michael Stern

Audio Commentary – Feature commentary with writer and director Joshua Michael Stern and writer Jason Richman.

BRIDESHEAD REVISITED (Now available)

Now on DVD from Miramax Films is the provocative story of love, power and betrayal, Brideshead Revisited. The film features a performance by two-time Oscar Winner Emma Thompson. Based on Evelyn Waugh’s much-loved novel of the same name, the film recreates the decadent world of British aristocracy. Director Julian Jarrold transports viewers to patrician England in the 1920’s where an aspiring young artist yearns for a woman and a house he can never attain in stunning locations in England, Morocco and Venice, and featuring period costuming and British countryside settings.

Charles Ryder (Matthew Goode), a young man of modest means but considerable ambition, has just begun his studies at Oxford University, when he encounters flamboyant aristocrat and fellow student Sebastian Flyte (Ben Whishaw). Infatuated with his new friend’s hedonistic lifestlye, Charles eagerly accompanies him to the family’s opulent mansion, Brideshead, where the eccentric clan and the palatial 18th century estate entrance him. But when Charles falls for Sebastian’s beautiful sister Julia (Hayley Atwell), his friend reacts with jealousy and the siblings’ domineering mother, Lady Marchmain (Emma Thompson), rules out the possibility of marriage for reasons of class and religion. As Charles becomes further involved with the Marchmain family, he realizes that at Brideshead, everything comes at a price.

The DVD bonus features include:

The World of Brideshead—Invites viewers to go behind the scenes with the cast and

crew of Brideshead Revisited as they reveal the painstaking attention to detail required

to capture the lavish world of British aristocracy between the wars.

Audio Commentary—Feature commentary with director Julian Jarrold, producer Kevin

Loader and screenwriter Jeremy Brock.

Revealing Deleted Scenes—With optional commentary by director Julian Jarrold,

producer Kevin Loader and screenwriter Jeremy Brock.

MARY POPPINS 45 Anniversary Edition (January 27)

Available at store on January 27 is the Oscar nominated Mary Poppins 2 disc 45th Anniversary Edition with special bonus features and an exclusive behind the scenes look at the Broadway show. Based on the popular children’s story by P.L. Travers, Mary Poppins tells the story of a magical nanny who changes the lives to two rowdy, but neglected kids. The film introduced the word Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious to millions of youngsters when it came out in 1963. Some of the memorable songs include Just a Spoonful of Sugar, Step in Time and Jolly Holiday. The film was an innovator in combining live action with animation and Dick Van Dyke’s dance with the penguins started it all. In addition to a lot of bonus features tied in with the Broadway show, a special The Cat That Looked Like a King short is also on the bonus disc.

THE SECRET OF THE MAGIC GOURD (January 27)

Available on January 27 is Walt Disney Pictures’ The Secret of the Magic Gourd. The film tells the story of Raymond, a young daydreamer whose vivid imagination has made him an outcast at school. On a solo fishing trip, Raymond reels in the mysterious magic gourd, who offers to make all his wishes come true. When each of Raymond’s seemingly simple wishes backfires, creating unintentional consequences for the boy, he realizes that "there's no such thing as an unearned reward," but with a little hard work, he can create his own kind of magic and achieve his dreams. The movie features the voice of High School Musical’s Corbin Bleu as the title character.

Bonus features include a multi-level game called Too Many Toys, a featurette on the making of the film, bloopers and a music video.

BABYLON A.D. 

Starring: Vin Desel, Michelle Yeoh, Melanie Thierry, Lambert Wilson and Mark Strong

Directed by: Mathieu Kassovitz

Rated:  This version of the film is Unrated and contains added violence, action, language and sexuality

By John Delia

This is one of those action junkie films that gets you involved in the plot with a lot of explosions, fighting, chases with a lot of shooting, fantasy guns, rockets, oh and did I say explosions.  Actually the science fiction plot is rather good and if you like stories that take place in the future and involve the salvation of mankind, than this movie is for you.

The plot is very intriguing.  It is the not-too-distant future. Thousands of satellites scan, observe and monitor our every move. Much of the planet is a war zone; the rest, a collection of wretched way stations, teeming megalopolises, and vast wastelands punctuated by areas left radioactive from nuclear meltdowns. It is a world made for hardened warriors, one of whom, a mercenary known only as Toorop (Diesel), lives by a simple survivor's code: kill...or be killed. His latest assignment has him smuggling a young woman named Aurora (Thierry) along with her guardian Sister Rebeka (Yeoh) from a convent in Kazakhstan to New York City.  When Toorop finally finds out the value of the person he is transporting, he has to make a decision that may cost him his life.

It was great seeing Diesel and Yeoh team up in a film.  The two are consummate warriors and they show a lot of their stuff in this film.  I loved the scene where Diesel has to fight a veritable giant in a cage.  The combat between the two is sometimes comical due to their size.  As for Yeoh her age has not deterred from her ability to make the movies that made her famous in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.  She still has the talent and ability to knock her adversary into tomorrow.

The cinematography, especially the snowmobile shoot-out is amazingly beautiful and well choreographed.  CGI works it’s magic here, but it’s the cameras capturing the fast moving ski-carts as they blaze across the snow covered mountain side trying to outrun two jets armed with rockets and machine guns, that do all the work.  Whether it is a dark interior or a submarine cracking though the ice or a car chase with Hummers, the cameras are shooting with wide-open lenses capturing all the action.

In addition to bringing the film to you Unrated and Extended, the special bonus features are heavy and include two-discs, one of which allows you to make a digital copy of the film to save in the event the original gets damaged.  But the winners here are the science fiction featurette tell alls; Babylon Babies, Artic Escape, Hummers in Flight and Fit for the Screen.  If you like seeing how it was done then scope out this section of disc number one.  

Topping the special bonuses however is a special digital graphic novel that is the prequel to Babylon A.D.  Unique in that it sets up the why of the story, but a spoiler, I would not view this until you have seen the film.  

The film contains a lot of violence, some sexuality, and strong language and should be viewed by responsible adults.

FINAL ANALYSIS:  Babylon A.D. is an action junkie’s best friend. (4 of 5 Palm Trees)

DEATH RACE

Starring: Jason Statham, Joan Allen, Ian McShane, Tyrese Gibson and Natalie Martinez

Directed by: Paul W.S. Anderson

R for strong violence and language

By John Delia

The DVD of Death Race has appeared on retailer’s store shelves, but this video shouldn’t be on the shelf for long. Packed with high-octane bonus features and an unrated version of the film, Death Race packs a wallop.
The film itself shows like a video game, it runs like a video game and it feels like a video game, but Death Race is a bone-crunching movie. Hard punching, heart throbbing action with a heated storyline, it slams into your television or computer screen with all the power of some of Paul W.S. Anderson’s previous big screen winners; Mortal Kombat, Resident Evil and Alien vs. Predator.
The film follows the story of Jensen Ames (Statham), a former champion racecar driver who gets framed for the murder of his wife and is sent to Terminal Island, a New York prison set in 2020. Only the most vicious of prisoners are housed on the Island and Warden Hennessey (Allen) uses her scheming creative juices to get a lot of cash from their notoriety. Creating a race where top drivers chosen from the inmate’s race to a finish creating death and mayhem along the way, and it’s computer televised. The brutal ‘sport’ has a favorite called Frankenstein and when the hideous driver gets pulverized one race day in a burst of fire, the warden must find a way to replace the icon without loosing the ratings. When Ames arrives at the prison, the warden cooks up a scheme that includes him and Frankenstein.
The special effects team deliver the gunfire and spectacular explosions. Bullets pelting the back of cars, missiles slamming into walls, spikes ripping tires and total chaos are the best ways to describe the action in the film.
As for the acting, there isn’t much need for any. Much like The Terminator and Die Hard, a few good phrases, some dialogue for plot and it’s a wrap. Statham does his best Transporter, Crank, and War impression and that’s all he really needs. But there’s one actor that needs to be mentioned and that’s Joan Allen. Her interpretation of the evil warden is right on the money. She totally does a convincing job showing that power can be truly diabolical.
Anderson continues to keep the flames burning with super powered characters doing his bidding. Resident Evil and Alien vs. Predator have to be two of the most high-energy flicks ever made. With Death Race, it’s just another day at the office. Throwing anything explosive he can into the film, not overdoing the dialogue or bothering to present a complicated plot, Anderson gives the ultimate in mindless chaos. Just what the action lover needs to escape a day at the office or a week of pounding the books.
The bonuses on this disc include some extremely entertaining features. While I liked the making of called Start Your Engines: Making A Death Race with explanation by director Anderson, I enjoyed the second feature about the stunts even better. The feature is called Behind the Wheel: Dissecting the Stunts and it blew me away. The amazing thing about it is the number of cars they needed to make the film, with no CGI being used, stunt drivers driving the cars, the special ramps, wires, battering rams, and special rigs to throw cars through the air. When you see cars flipping through the air and slamming into a barrier, it is all for real. Even Statham and several other actors drive their cars and do some of stunts in the film.
Please note that the film is rated R for ultra violence, language and brutality, so please do not let the youngsters play the DVD.

FINAL ANALYSIS: Death Race is a high-octane film for explosive action lovers that plays excitingly well on the small screen. (4 of 5 Palm Trees)

BODY OF LIES

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Russell Crowe, Golshifteh Farahani and Mark Strong

Directed By: Ridley Scott

R for strong violence including some torture, and for language throughout

By John Delia

Body of Lies starts with a bang and keeps the excitement going to the very end. Think James Bond fighting terrorism in the Middle East. For those who like their action mixed with a good storyline and a reasonably good ending, this film should be on your list to see on the big screen.
The movie follows Roger Ferris (DiCaprio) the best man U.S. Intelligence has on the ground, in places where human life is worth no more than the information it can get you. In operations that take him around the globe, Ferris' next breath often depends on the voice at the other end of a secure phone line, CIA veteran Ed Hoffman (Crowe). Strategizing from a laptop in the suburbs, Hoffman is on the trail of an emerging terrorist leader who has orchestrated a campaign of bombings while eluding the most sophisticated intelligence network in the world. To lure the terrorist out into the open, Ferris will have to penetrate his murky world, but the closer Ferris gets to the target, the more he discovers that trust is both a dangerous commodity and the only one that will get him out alive. When he starts an affair with Aisha (Farahani) however, mixing business with pleasure takes on a whole new meaning.
I liked DiCaprio in the role of the CIA agent being dangled as bait at times while his boss (Crowe) oversees the operation thousands of miles from the danger. Still the consummate actor, DiCaprio here reminds me of his performance in Blood Diamond, which turned out to be one of his best performances. With Body of Lies he commands the screen and makes his character a standout.
As for Crowe, however, I believe his talent was wasted in the film. Pictured as a frumpy, overweight CIA chief with little to do than pressure DiCaprio’s character from most times miles away, Crowe’s Hoffman could have been played by any B list actor who probably would have put a lot more vigor into the role.
Scott’s direction continues to be great with total command of each scene making the film a winner. Although I did not agree with the ending, the energy Scott puts into the film keeps the film entertaining.
Body of Lies contains some harsh language and horrifying scenes of terrorist bombings and should be considered when deciding whether to take youngsters to see the film.

FINAL ALALYSIS: With Body of Lies, Scott brings an explosive film to the screen. (3 ½ of 5 stars)