Movie Info:
Writer: Vadim Jean
Director: Vadim Jean, Terry Pratchett
Cast: David Jason, Sean Astin, Tim Curry, Jeremy Irons, Brian Cox, James Cosmo, Christopher Lee, Janet Suzman, David Bradley, Nigel Planer, Stephen Marcus
Rating: Not Rated
Studio: Rhi Entertainment

Release Info:
Original Release: March 23, 2008
DVD Release Date: July 14, 2009
Online Availability: Amazon for $12.99

I’ve never read anything about the Discworld. I am not exactly sure why. Maybe because I’m not British. At one point, I was a vociferous reader, so it seems like I would have come across these books, but alas I never did. Watching this made for television British adaptation of the books has made me interested about Sir Terry Pratchett and his Discworld series of books. The stories seem to be right up my alley.

The Color of Magic is actually a two part adaptation of the first two novels in the Discworld series. Part One chronicles “The Color of Magic” and Part Two continues through the story for “The Light Fantastic.” Having no personal knowledge of the Discworld, I cannot testify as to whether this adaption is faithful to the books. I can tell you that many fans claim it does follow the stories for the most part, but obvious chunks had to be cut out to condense the books down to fit a logical timeline. Otherwise, the movie might have been a massive affair, more than six or seven hours long if not more!

Going into this review I knew absolutely nothing about this movie. I didn’t even know who the actors were in this until I popped in the DVD. I can say that I’m pleasantly surprised by who is in this. I know that fans of the book complained about the casting of Sean Astin as Twoflower. I don’t know how he is portrayed in the books, but I like Astin and I believe he played the zany character well. For the world, he was rather ‘exotic’ as the tourist, even if he wasn’t off Asian descent, as many fans of the book assumed Twoflower was.

David Jason was very good as Rincewind. I know there were rumblings about his selection, as well, due to his age. Again, I haven’t read the books. As someone not involved in the Discworld prior to viewing this DVD, all I can judge is by Jason’s performance in this movie. He was excellent. Terry Pratchett has also supported the casting of David Jason and Sean Astin. Since he created the Discworld, he should have the final say in who plays his characters. In these cases, he approved.

The supporting cast includes Tim Curry, Christopher Lee, Jeremy Irons, and Brian Cox, to name a few. Tim Curry steals his scenes, but the rest of the cast is great, too. I really enjoyed Lee’s voicing of Death. The plot for this two-part movie flows well. It’s an interesting story, one that stays pretty faithful to the books. There were obvious parts of the books that had to be cut out, just to maintain a decent length, but I don’t feel that this makes the movie any less enjoyable.

The Color of Magic Plot
On the back of a giant turtle, the Great A’Tuin, sits four elephants. These elephants hold up the Discworld. One of the most populated areas of the Discworld is Ankh-Morpork. This is home of the Unseen University, a higher institute of learning for wizards. The protagonist of this story is a wizard by the name of Rincewind (David Jason). Rincewind has been at the Unseen University for the past 40 years. He appears to be a bumbling idiot to those in charge at the University, but really he’s a funny character.

Rincewind is kicked out of the university because he hasn’t learned any spells in the past 40 years. The University believes it is from lack of effort/initiative on Rincewind’s part, but in fact, it is later revealed that Rincewind has one of the eight spells from the most powerful spellbook ever, the Octavo, in his head, and he is incapable of learning any additional spells because the other spells fear being in the same head as the Octavo 8.

Rincewind meets an interesting fellow at the local inn, Twoflower (Sean Astin). Twoflower is from the Discworld’s Counterweight Continent. He is the Discworld’s first tourist. He is travelling with excessive amounts of gold, something that is abundant where he is from, but is rare in Ankh-Morpork. The gold attracts Rincewind, who agrees to be his guide around the city, for a small fee, of course.

Rincewind isn’t the only one who takes notice of Twoflower. The innkeeper and other unsavory individuals want the gold. When they try to dispose of Twoflower, Rincewind becomes more than just a guide. Twoflower’s luggage also protects him. It is magical, made of a special pearwood, and it can move around on its own legs.

When fire breaks out in Ankh-Morpork, Rincewind must help Twoflower escape. They travel across the Discworld, going on several adventures. Rincewind, in particular, faces Death (voiced by Christopher Lee), at nearly every turn, but because he has the Octavo spell, he is saved time and again. Eventually, the two end up in Krull, at the edge of the Discworld. This is where a group of scientists have set out to discover the gender of the great turtle, and they’ve thrust Rincewind and Twoflower into the midst of this great yet potentially life ending adventure.

Back at Unseen University, Ymper Trymon (Tim Curry), the same wizard who got Rincewind expelled, has power on his mind. The way to gain power is by killing other wizards and steeling their pointy shoes. Trymon works his way through the administration by killing, all with the goal of becoming the Archchancellor. Of course, he has bigger goals, that involve the Octavo and the spells within it.

Storyline/Plot: 4 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 4 out of 5 stars
Acting: 5 out of 5 stars
Directing: 4 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
The visual quality for The Color of Magic is pretty good, especially since this was originally a made for TV movie. The Color of Magic is presented at a 1.85:1 aspect ratio in anamorphic widescreen. The picture is clear, with very little fuzz. There is a sharpness to the image. The color palette is vibrant, with solid, sharp black levels. The level of saturation provides for a high-quality production. There are some DVD issues, such as visible edge enhancements and the occasional compression error, but dirt and grain are kept to a minimum.

The menu on the The Color of Magic is bare bones. There are just two options, Play Movie and Scene Selection. I like to check out the audio options, but nothing was on the menu and there were no subtitles to be found. I had to look on the box to find out this was a Dolby Digital mix, and look on the web to find out that the main track is English Dolby Digital 5.1 surround. While this audio track sounds good, there was no need for volume toggling, the music soundtrack was appropriate, and the sound effects made good use of the surround element, playing out mainly in the rare speakers, it’s disappointing to think that the hearing impaired will be unable to enjoy this delightful movie.

Visual: 4 out of 5 stars
Audio: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
Unfortunately, there are zero bonuses included on this DVD.

Bonus Features: 0 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
If you like fantastical stories about imaginary worlds, interesting storylines, humorous, in depth characters, and great actors, The Color of Magic is well worth checking out. Fans of the Discworld should be happy with this adaptation, as it stays faithful to Pratchett’s work. For a TV movie, the quality of The Color of Magic is great. While this movie won’t be for everyone (especially those who like mindless action or romance films), this is one the whole family can enjoy together.

Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: The Color of Magic, Discworld, Terry Pratchett, Movie Adaptation, UK, David Jason, Sean Astin, Rincewind, Twoflower, Book Series, TV on DVD

Movie Info:
Writers: Jody Savin, Randall Miller
Director: Randall Miller
Cast: Alan Rickman, Bryan Greenberg, Shawn Hatosy, Mary Steenburgen, Bill Pullman, Eliza Dushku, Danny DeVito (cameos by Tracey Walter, Ted Danson and Ernie Hudson)
Rating: R
Studio: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment

Release Info:
Theatrical Release: December 5, 2008
DVD Release Date: June 9, 2009
Online Availability: Amazon for $13.99

Complex character development does not bog down a fast-paced plot in Nobel Son. Double-crossing twists and unexpected blindsiding turns only reveal layers of personality and depth of storyline.

While there isn’t much I can say about the plot without giving spoilers away, I will say that it was brilliantly written and directed; that the remarkable ensemble cast really worked well together to make sure that the plot, not any one star, was the real scene stealer; and that I would recommend this movie to those who can stomach a fair amount of violence as a vehicle for exploring some of the darker natures of humanity.

One of the darker themes explored is cannibalism, both in a literal and symbolic sense. The movie opens with Montaigne’s famous quote about it being “more barbaric to eat a man alive than to eat him dead,” and closes on Barkley (the son of a Nobel Prize winner) reading his interpretation of this, in a quote from his finished anthropology thesis on anthropophagy (cannibalism). An early reference in the movie also mentions that Barkley’s mother, Sarah, testified at the trial of cannibalistic serial killer, Jeffrey Dahmer — a fact that seems not inconsequential when paired with the subject of Barkley’s thesis, and the other more subtle symbolic ways in which this theme is played out.

Despite having been a favorite at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival, the film garnered poor critical acclaim, and its theatrical release was widely ignored. Personally, I had never even heard of this film until being asked to review it — and that’s a shame, considering both its quality and its star power. It is my hope that the DVD release will finally help bring this film to the appreciative audience it deserves.

The Nobel Son Plot
Arrogant and sleazy chemistry professor, Eli Michaelson (Rickman), has just won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Early scenes depict not only Eli’s true nature, but also what other characters, including students, colleagues (Danson, Walter) and his family, really think of him. Flanked by wife, Sarah Michaelson (Steenburgen), a noted forensic psychologist whose claim to fame includes having testified at Jeffrey Dahmer’s trial, he debarks for Sweden to claim his prize and all the honor and glory that accompany it.

However, there’s a hitch in their travel plans when son, Barkley Michaelson (Greenberg), a Ph.D. student working on his thesis on cannibalism, fails to show up at the airport on time. When Eli later receives a phone call from a scrambled voice claiming to have kidnapped Barkley for a ransom of the Nobel Prize money ($2,000,000), Eli dismisses it as a ruse by Barkley to get out of trouble for having missed the flight. It isn’t until a bloody thumb arrives, in a package addressed to Sarah, that Eli takes seriously the possibility that Barkley has actually been kidnapped.

Just who has taken Barkley – and why – are revealed as the plot advances through twists and turns. And just as the plot seems to be coming to a predictable conclusion, the script is flipped and nothing is as it seems. Details that didn’t quite seem right the first time are revealed as elegantly engineered bits of foreshadowing, on a second viewing of the film.

Storyline/Plot: 5 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 4 out of 5 stars
Acting: 5 out of 5 stars
Directing: 5 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
The DVD is presented in widescreen 2.35:1 color. The images are clear, and even scenes taking place in the dark or near-dark are lit in such a way that it is not difficult to see what is going on. There are some interesting visual effects, notably the scene interspersed with the credits, which is both violent and visually captivating, drawing the viewer into the plot of the film before any dialogue is established.

Light and shadow are used effectively to illustrate some gory and gruesome effects with just enough detail to make them seem realistic, but enough shadow to hide the “strings and wires,” as it were. Uniquely styled cinematography keeps pace with the tight storytelling rather than entangling it. While this was not a “special effects” movie of the type that demands a full sized movie screen or a high definition television on which to view it, the visual effects were well done and skillfully enhanced the overall storyline.

Likewise, the soundtrack was a coherent accompaniment to the plot, rather than an annoying distraction, as, IMO, the soundtracks to the bulk of action movies tend to become. Perhaps this is because much of the score was composed and performed by Grammy-nominated DJ and remixer, Paul Oakenfeld. Blood-pumping techno beats are interwoven with multi-layered orchestral elements, creating a rich tapestry of sound.

Along with his own music, he skillfully blended in pieces by The Chemical Brothers, Spitfire, Blossom Dearie, Groove Armada, and Emjay and the Atari Babies. The music showcases the plot but never overshadows it. The way in which the music was employed to this end is reminiscent of Fight Club and Eyes Wide Shut (both 1999).

Dialogue clean of competing background noise, and clear diction by the cast, made this movie remarkably easy to hear and understand without having to pause and go back to settle disagreements on what was really said! The audio was presented in English Dolby Digital 5.1, with Closed Captioning. Subtitle options include English and Spanish. A commentary track was offered as well (see Bonus Features for details).

Visual: 4 out of 5 stars
Audio: 5 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
Special features include a commentary track with Randall Miller, Jody Savin, Bryan Greenberg, Mike Ozier and Eliza Dushku; a featurette on the making of the movie; 3 deleted scenes, with optional commentary; 2 different trailers for the movie; and 3 trailers for other movies.

The commentary track was interesting to listen to, and did shed some insights on the film. However, with so many commentators, they were often talking over themselves, and some of the comments, particularly Jody Savin’s, were made at such a low volume that they were barely audible above the track of the movie playing in the background. Also, as the commentary was not subtitled, it would be unavailable to deaf or hard of hearing viewers.

The featurette was interesting, and some of the techniques used in the movie were explained. Casting choices were also highlighted. If you enjoyed the movie, the featurette is worth watching. It should not be watched before the movie, however, as it gives away multiple spoilers.

The deleted scenes were fairly brief and while they did enhance the character development, they were not essential to the plot. Still, as short as they were, and as tightly edited as the movie was, it seems a shame to have cut them. The commentary tracks for the deleted scenes were insightful as well, but, again, Jody Savin’s comments were all but inaudible, due to her frustratingly soft speaking voice.

The trailers included the “Redband Trailer” and the “Theatrical Trailer.” For me, neither really captured the true essence of this film. However, both gave away key plot points that could be considered spoilers. I had never even heard of this film before viewing it to write this review, and I can honestly say that I am glad I did not see either of these trailers first.

The special features also included trailers for three other films, How to Lose Friends and Alienate People, Slumdog Millionaire, and Choke.

Bonus Features: 3 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
If you’re looking for a quick fix of an uncomplicated thriller set to mind-numbingly loud music, this movie is not for you. If you’re looking for an easily predictable plot that will give you the self-congratulatory feel-good moment of triumph for having successfully predicted the outcome ten minutes in, this movie is not for you. If you’re looking for shallow character development and gratuitously vapid sex and violence, then this movie is not for you. But if you’re able suspend your expectations and settle back for an unpredictable thrill-ride of a black comedy meets psychological drama as it barrels its way through complicated twists and turns of unpretty sex and disturbing violence, you’re in for a treat. While this movie is not destined for mass appeal, I predict that it will find a solid niche audience and take its place as a cult classic among fans of more than one generation.

Overall Rating: 4.43 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: DVD, DVD Review, Movie Review, Nobel Son, Alan Rickman, Bryan Greenberg, Shawn Hatosy, Mary Steenburgen, Eliza Dushku, Danny Devito, thriller, black comedy

Movie Info:
Writers: Justin Haythe
Director: Sam Mendes
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Kathy Bates, Kathryn Hahn, Dylan Baker, Michael Shannon, David Harbour
Rating: R
Studio: Paramount

Release Info:
Theatrical Release: January 23, 2009
DVD Release Date: June 2, 2009
Online Availability: Amazon for $16.99

Every once in a while, a movie comes along that is painfully uncomfortable to watch. Back in 1997, we fell in love with Jack and Rose in Titanic and in turn became enamored by their players, Kate Winslet and Leo DiCaprio. Well the duo, who have amazing chemistry together, are back at it, making films as a couple, only this time you are enamored with them for an entirely different reason.

The characters Kate and Leo play have excessive amounts of flaws. That’s the entire point of the movie. It’s almost hard to watch them, together or apart. The acting is so superb, your emotions run the gamut as you watch this film. Add in an amazing plot developed by Justin Haythe and standout direction by Sam Mendes and you have a masterpiece in the works.

As excellent as Sam Mendes is as a director, it is Kate and Leo who carry this movie. The two play off each other in a way few couples in Hollywood do, these days. Their talent is seldom seen anymore, and adding in their brilliant screen presence makes for a sordid tale. The supporting cast, which includes Kathy Bates compliments that of the main characters, carrying the story beyond, to a point where all the pieces fall into place perfectly.

With a story that might seem mundanely tragic, otherwise, this talented cast and crew find something worthy of screen time in Revolutionary Road. While I’ve not read the book upon which this story was based, I have to wonder how lifeless it might be, as the actors brought life to these, selfish, self-centered characters you truly don’t want to give a damn about otherwise.

The Revolutionary Road Plot
The Revolutionary Road plot centers around Frank and April Wheeler (DiCaprio and Winslet). They are both restless souls who want something more than what suburbia has to offer. Frank vows he’ll never end up like his father, working as a businessman and April dreams of an exotic life abroad, particularly in Paris. As time passes, and the two vow not to become mundane, they quickly fall into a cookie cutter existence not untypical in the 1950s.

The Wheelers end up having two children, so they move to the Connecticut suburb of Revolutionary Road, hoping to give their kids a better life. April is a stay at home mother, a dissatisfied housewife who wants to get out and explore the world. Frank is stuck in a similar job at the same company where his father worked, taking the train into New York City every day for his job. The two often get in bitterly heated arguments about how their life could have and should have been.

Frank sometimes becomes violent. They put on a happy face for their neighbors, a group as judgmental as Frank and April themselves. They also blame each other for becoming that which they vowed never to become. Frank ends up cheating on April, and April ends up doing some unthinkable things as well. Still the couple never truly gives up on one another, if only for the sake of their children.

When April proposes that Frank move them all to Paris, claiming she’ll get a job as a secretary to allow him to pursue his dreams, he initially refuses, but the idea of escape from a life he never meant to lead gets Frank to thinking. Eventually, the two decide it is a brilliant idea, even though their neighbor’s disapprove. Still, nothing is ever that easy in suburbia, when responsibilities are meant to be kept, no matter how much they keep you anchored to the place you never want to be.

Storyline/Plot: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 4 out of 5 stars
Acting: 5 out of 5 stars
Directing: 5 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
I cannot compliment the visual quality of Revolutionary Road enough. Presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen, you’d be hard pressed to find a visual flaw on this disc. The vibrant spectrum of colors dazzle on screen. Black tones are rich and fleshtones are perfectly realistic. No compression, edge enhancements or dirt grace the screen, making this a transfer worthy of its time.

The audio quality for Revolutionary Road is nearly as good as the visual quality. The English: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround track was bolstered by the subtle yet complimentary score. The music was as effective as the dialogue at setting the tone for this film. There is no need to play with volume controls. The dialogue is crisp and clear, finding a decent balance that is consistent throughout the entire movie. Additional tracks in Spanish and French, both Dolby Digital 5.1 accompany the English track. Closed Captioning is available on the English track and subtitles are also available in English, Spanish, and French.

Visual: 5 out of 5 stars
Audio: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
The bonus offerings for Revolutionary Road are pretty good. Things start out with a full film commentary with Director Sam Mendes and Screenwriter Justin Haythe. This is one of the most informative commentaries I’ve ever heard. This talks a lot about adapting the film and ways they were able to bring this story to life. I especially enjoyed what Mendes brought to the table.

The featurette on this DVD is “Lives of Quiet Desperation: The Making of Revolutionary Road.” This is your standard making of, though less back patting goes on in this than in others I’ve seen. Mendes, Winslet and DiCaprio really delve into the material and share their experiences in making this film, together. This is nearly a half-hour in length and gets fairly in depth. For a making of, it’s great!

There are a selection of deleted scenes with optional commentary by Sam Mendes and Justin Haythe. I like to watch them first, with it off, then listen again with the commentary on. There are only a handful of deleted scenes here. In all, around ten minutes of footage is added. You can see why these were deleted, but they do add some exposition to the story.

Other than movie trailers for other movies by Paramount, that’s about all that’s available.

Bonus Features: 3 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
I found Revolutionary Road to be one of the most painful films I’ve ever watched. That being said, brilliantly acted and directed, however mundane this story might seem on the surface, Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet bring this tragic tale to life. With superb visual and audio quality and a few decent bonuses, this is one movie you’ll want to own, especially if you appreciate the actors and their director.

Overall Rating: 4.43 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: DVD Review, Drama, Paramount, Kate Winslet, Leonardo DiCaprio, Sam Mendes, Revolutionary Road, Frank and April Wheeler, Trapped Marriage, Suburbia, 1950s, Kids, Knox

Movie Info:
Writers: Nick Schenk
Director: Clint Eastwood
Cast: Clint Eastwood, Christopher Carley, Bee Vang, Ahney Her, Brian Haley, Geraldine Hughes, Dreama Walker, Brian Howe, John Carroll Lynch, William Hill
Rating: R
Studio: Warner Bros

Release Info:
Theatrical Release: January 9, 2009
DVD Release Date: June 9, 2009
Online Availability: Amazon for $16.49

“Ever notice how you come across somebody once in a while you shouldn’t have fucked with? That’s me.” – Walt Kowalski

I grew up in Toledo, Ohio. That’s only an hour from Detroit. The Midwest is very distinct in certain aspects. Clint Eastwood, one of the greatest directors/actors of all time, has managed to capture a Midwestern essence that isn’t easily understood outside the actual Midwest. I’ve heard this film called racist. I’ve heard awful things said about it, but having grown up in a similar environment to the one that is available in the film means I get it. It means I get the character of Walt Kowalski. I know a Walt Kowalski and I understand why he is set in his ways the way he is.

This area of the Midwest (I’m now a proud resident of Michigan – still one hour from Detroit) thrived thanks to the factory jobs that made this part of the country successful for several decades. Today, those factory jobs have all but disappeared, but when the Walt Kowalskis of the world were raising their families these industries thrived. My own grandmother worked in a factory, making weapons, during WWII. While my grandfather was a Toledo mailman, my grandmother, who had a job since she was a young teenager (her family suffered greatly during the Depression) had almost always had a job, usually in a factory, even after she was married.

The car industry was the most popular industry in this part of the Midwest. I live near the birthplace of GM currently, grew up in the hometown of Jeep and lived near a Chrysler plant. The car industry helped build the Midwest up and Walt Kowalski comes from that generation of car workers that was/is proud to be American. Today, where more people are proud to buy Japanese or from some other overseas company (I own a GM car myself – a Chevy Uplander), the Walts of the world are still buying American because they believe in supporting the economy of the great nation they served either in war or as a hard working American citizen.

My grandfather will be 91 in September. He was raised in an entirely different generation than I was. I was born well after the civil rights movement had happened (he was born in 1918 and I in 1980). When he was a kid, blacks and whites did not have to integrate in schools. Where I went to school with people of different races, my grandparents were raised at a time when segregation was not only allowed, it was encouraged. Being raised in that environment has made it incredibly hard for these ‘old dogs’ to change.

As a kid, I recall my grandfather gleefully telling me how he offered black licorice to a schoolmate of one of his children and how tickled he was when she said ’she didn’t like black candy.’ To him, it wasn’t him being racist. To him, it was harmless fun. He saw it as something that was very amusing since a black girl wouldn’t want to eat candy that matched her skin color (coincidentally, he doesn’t like coconut, despite being white). I recall my grandmother locking the car doors as we passed through the poorer areas of Toledo, so the black people would not get us. I also recall hearing them say things like ‘these neighborhoods were good and decent neighborhoods until (insert racial minority group) moved in.’

To them, this isn’t racist. To us, intelligent, college educated individuals who have friends from every spectrum of the color chart, it sure sounds racist, but then we’ve all been raised to believe that discrimination of this type is wrong. Still, you can teach an old dog new tricks. Slowly but surely, these older Americans are learning to adapt and change. My grandfather voted for Barack Obama last year. Voting in a half-African American man is something he never thought he’d do. We’ll ignore the fact he didn’t necessarily want to vote in a woman, because voting for any minority was a major step forward for him. He could have put aside his politics as a staunch Democrat and voted for the white guy out of principle, but he didn’t.

Clint Eastwood’s movie Gran Torino is a commentary on life. He perfectly explains how these older Americans in the Midwest act. He perfectly explains how they are changing, slowly, and beginning to accept people of other races. Few elderly adults stay in the homes they lived in, in the neighborhoods where they raised their children. Those who do, in the Midwest, are often left behind by neighbors. My grandfather paid off the home where he and my grandmother raised three children, in the 1970s. That was before I was born. He’s owned his home free and clear for over 30 years. He’s lived there for going on 60. I can see why these people don’t leave, but they are having to adapt to the changing neighborhoods around them, and that is not easy for them to do.

I thought the acting for Gran Torino was good. Save for Clint Eastwood, most of the cast is made up of unknown actors. They did great for their first film, and I could see the events of this movie really happening in Michigan. I’m proud to say that Gran Torino was filmed in Michigan. It was filmed in the suburbs of Detroit. The film reminds me of home in every way. I cannot get over how much work Clint put into making this film look and feel realistic. It works. Plus the beautiful 1972 Gran Torino Walt owns is just the eye candy a classic car junkie like me needed to see to enhance my viewing experience.

The excellent script, compelling character development and high quality filmmaking provide viewers with a gritty, realistic experience of life in Detroit today. Nobody could have made this film as good as Clint Eastwood does. I respect his body of work and hope this isn’t the last film he acts in, even though he says it is. If that’s true, Hollywood has lost a true acting legend…one that can never be replaced.

Oh, and on a side note, my dad was 100% Polish American. I am 50% Pole and I have to say that when he was alive he was about as cranky as Walt Kowalski was in this movie. I don’t recall my father ever saying anything racist (he was always a rather accepting man – at least of people’s differences), but he certainly had the cranky old man down. I also believe that Walt has the exact same lawn chairs my grandfather has (and uses to sit on his porch every night).

The Gran Torino Plot
Polish American, retired Ford employee, and all around cranky guy, Walt Kowalski is at the funeral of his wife, Dorothy. Walt is a veteran of the Korean War. He is haunted by the things he did during the war, and as such he’s had a very hard time forming a relationship with his sons, Mitch (Brian Haley) and Steve (Brian Howe). This has led them to believe he’s old fashioned, stuck in the 50s, and pretty much a pathetic curmudgeon.

At the funeral, the non-religious Walt is turned off by the sermon of Father Janovich (Christopher Carley). Dorothy had attended mass regularly and had formed a friendship with the young priest. He speaks of life and death, something Walt believes the 20-something priest knows nothing about. Still, throughout the movie, Janovich, keeping a promise he made to Dorothy to get Walt back to church and to confession and he tries to befriend and get to know Walt, displaying obvious, genuine concern for him, which grows the more the priest gets to know him.

Walt lives in Highland Park, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit, with his yellow lab, Daisy, who is also starting to show her age. Back when Walt was raising a family, it was a middle class, suburban neighborhood full of white families. The neighborhood today is filled with Asian immigrants, many of which he refers to as ‘zipperhead.’ He can’t seem to get away from the minorities in the neighborhood, but he’s too old to move out of the home where he lived for years (and built a family) with his wife.

Walt’s children are self-absorbed assholes who think that Walt should go live in an elderly community. They only bother with him when they think that they can get something from him and can’t wait until he dies so they can have his money, sell his house, and own his beautiful, vintage Gran Torino, a Torino he helped to build. Walt’s granddaughter, Ashley (Dreama Walker) can’t wait for him to die. She’s rude and assumes it’s okay because he’ll probably have no one else, but her, to leave the Gran Torino to.

After the funeral, Walt is on his own. He mows his lawn with an old fashioned push mower, sits on his porch, people watching with Daisy, gets his hair cut at the same barber he always goes to, enjoys cold beers (Pabst Blue Ribbon) and consistent cigarette smoking, and he’s as independent as it gets. He doesn’t want anything to do with his Asian neighbors though. His next door neighbors are a feisty 20-something named Sue (Ahney Her), her shy, sensitive and intelligent teenage brother, Thao (Bee Vang), their mother and their grandmother. Walt wants nothing to do with them and he makes that very clear.

Thao’s cousin Spider (Doua Moua), is in a Hmong gang. He constantly stops by to harass Thao into joining. He also convinces Thao to break into Walt’s garage and steal Walt’s Gran Torino as his initiation. They underestimate Walt and Thao is lucky to escape without being caught (or shot). Eventually, Thao feels bad and later confesses for what he did.

Before he confesses, Walt is witness to the gang returning to beat Thao up for failing his initiation. When they end up on Walt’s lawn, he runs them off with a M1 Garand he used during the Korean War. The family tries to thank him, but Walt tells them to fuck off. When the Hmong neighbors hear of his good deeds, they shower Walt in presents, which pisses Walt off. Finding out Thao tried to steal his car makes him even more furious.

Soon after, Walt finds Sue and her white, wannabe gangsta, friend Trey (Scott Reeves aka Scott Eastwood) getting pushed around by three, African American teenagers. When Walt shows up he pulls a gun on them, scares them, and gives Sue a ride home. After that, she sweetens him up enough to become friends with him. As she does, he slowly starts to accept Sue isn’t so bad, but continues to hate Thao.

After getting acquainted with Hmong customs, the somewhat racist Walt slowly begins to see the good things about this particular Asian culture. He continues to struggle with memories of Korean, where he killed people who looked like his neighbors without a second thought, and he continues to keep an eye out for both Thao and the gang of thugs. When Thao’s family offers him up for service (a week as Walt’s servant) to pay back his debt for trying to steal the Gran Torino, Walt sees this as an opportunity to improve the neighborhood. Walt also begins to discover that without his own family willing to support him, his road is lonely, especially since he does not seem to have any friends.

Storyline/Plot: 5 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 5 out of 5 stars
Acting: 4 out of 5 stars
Directing: 5 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
The visual quality for Gran Torino is presented at a 2.40:1 aspect ratio in anamorphic widescreen. This looks like your typical Eastwood/Stern production. There is a clear, vivid picture throughout. There is no tint to the color of the film, with natural light shining primarily in the majority of scenes. The color saturation is stellar with natural skintones, vibrant bright shades and rich tones of darkness. The black levels are sharp and steady, with very few compression errors, dirt, or other visual flaws present in this transfer. While this film has grit to it, and that grainy feel that makes it look hardcore, I believe this was meant to be done intentionally.

The audio is presented in three different tracks; English, French and Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 surround mixes are present. English is the primary track included. The majority of the film relies on the dialogue, which comes through with a crisp, enunciated sound. This leaves much of the sound in the front of the speakers. However, the score/soundtrack and the sound effects utilize the back of the speakers with plenty of surround action booming through your speakers. I only had to toggle the volume slightly, when the music occasionally got too loud, and then had to turn it up for the volume, so overall this mix wasn’t perfect, but it didn’t suck either.

Visual: 4 out of 5 stars
Audio: 3 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
There aren’t too many bonuses here, but what is here seems like a lot of fun. The first bonus is a featurette called “Manning The Wheel: The Meaning of Manhood as Reflected in American Car Culture”. Coming in at just under ten minutes it looks at the 1972 Gran Torino and how symbolic it is to the Walt Kowalski character. Clint Eastwood and the other crew members talk about what their first car was, how much it meant to them and how much they all love cars. The crew also lists what type of car would be their ‘dream car’ to own.

The second (and last) featurette is less than four minutes in length and is called “Gran Torino: More Than A Car: Visit Detroit And The Woodward Dream Cruise.” This looks at the importance of cars, especially in the Midwest and Michigan (Detroit) in particular. There is footage from the Michigan auto cruise event and this feature explores how wonderful muscle cars are. As a fan of muscle cars and attendee of auto shows in Michigan (and Ohio) I liked and could relate to this featurette.

Finally, there is a digital copy of the film. Overall, not much is here.

Bonus Features: 2 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
Gran Torino is so much more than what it appears to be in the beginning. This is a movie that will leave the most thoughtful of people in awe. Sure, at times it feels racist and makes you almost want to laugh that someone could say the things that are said by Walt Kowalski, but the movie itself is about far more than name calling and the inner destruction of a Detroit neighborhood. Though quiet in its approach and marketing technique, I have to say, this was easily one of the best movies I saw this year. That being said, you would be crazy not to own this.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: Warner Bros, Gran Torino, Clint Eastwood, Detroit, Racism, Cars, Gangs, Punks, Zipperhead, Toad, Violence, Ford

Movie Info:
Writers: Robert Celestino
Director: Robert Celestino
Cast: Chazz Palminteri, Christine Lahti, Tom Guiry, Michael Lerner, Linus Roache, Michael Rispoli, Roma Maffia, Frank John Hughes, Arthur J. Nascarella, Saverio Guerra, Chad McKnight, Lauri Johnson, Dean Marrazzo, John ‘Fastjack’ Farrell, Bill Allison
Rating: Magnolia Home Entertainment
Studio: R

Release Info:
Theatrical Release: January 9, 2009
DVD Release Date: May 19, 2009
Online Availability: Amazon for $24.99

Yonkers Joe has an incredibly talented cast and offers plenty of redeemable qualities. It seems obvious that the writer/director, Robert Celestino spent a good deal of time researching the topics for this film. The main problem though is that while some of Joe seems so authentic and real, other parts are substandard and drag down the picture. It ends up having that flip flop feeling to it because of the two competing storylines. Maybe if the plots would have been in two, separate pictures they would have done better (the one certainly would have), but keeping them together causes them both to suffer.

If you concentrate on the gambling aspects you will be looking at a great plot. Well, maybe it’s not great, but it’s solid and has plenty of potential. A good group of small time hustlers that excel in games like cards and dice decide to try and move to craps. Their goal is to score big at a Vegas casino. All of this is worth watching. Even in its dullest moment (and there aren’t too many) it builds to something better. Unfortunately, this isn’t the entire movie. If it were, it could have had a more 21 feel to it and that wouldn’t have been so bad.

The other end of the spectrum is off the charts in comparison to this first side. The second half deals with Joe being a father. His son has Down’s Syndrome and has lived in a home to help him with his care. However, at 18 he will be put on the street. Joe tries to connect with his son throughout the other half of the movie. This part will be touching to the Lifetime crowd, but others will find it tedious and disruptive. I am with the second group of people. The filmmaker would have been better off to make two movies because it would have been easier to make both shine on their own. Yonkers Joe fails because the touching, coming of age, do what’s right, sentiment gets in the way of the seedy action and gambling. Just when things start to get good you have the urge to fall asleep because another parenting scene pops up.

Both Palminteri ( The Usual Suspects) and Lahti (The Executioner’s Song, Just Between Friends) give excellent performances as a couple that work the dice and are always looking for the next big score. The story takes the two and their crew from the small time casinos to the perpetual lights and life of Vegas. Of course, things don’t go off without a hitch. The buildup is decent and there is little to complain about in these moments. The sad thing is that they just don’t save the overall movie. Yonkers Joe ends up being the should have been that couldn’t be thanks to what they made it instead.

The Yonkers Joe Plot
Yonkers Joe (Palminteri) hits the screen in a casino. He stands, watching a woman named Janice (Lahti), who we later learn is his wife. She is caught cheating and is about to be removed when Joe alerts her that it happened. Soon after, the couple realizes that these casinos and their tactics to remove cheaters are really dragging them down. Joe comes up with a plan that involves him and his crew scoring big in Vegas at the craps tables. In moments like these, Yonkers Joe is at the top of its game.

Joe and Janice work the casinos on occasion, but Joe also does some smaller time stuff and works with his crew on various cons. His best friend Stanley (Michael Lerner) is often on hand to make sure that Joe doesn’t blow his top. We later learn that in the midst of all this criminal activity he also has time to be a father. Well, sort of. You see, Joe has a son Joe Jr. (Tom Guiry) that he had with another woman.

Joe’s son has a developmental disability and though he was never a good father he is doing his best to change that now. Of course, this relationship is taken for granted and rushed because Joe has a score to settle with the casino he wants to hustle. Much of the relationship with Jr is sped through and things that would take considerable amounts of time are resolved in moments. Things get worse when actions that Jr takes (such as trying to rape Janice) are punished mildly and then ignored. In the end, little resolution is had with this relationship and it appears pointless to have interrupted the decent casino story for no reason.

Storyline/Plot: 3 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 3 out of 5 stars
Acting: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Directing: 2 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
There aren’t many good things to say about this video quality. You would expect more from 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen, but if you do, in this case, you will be let down. The image is soft more often than not, and you will see plenty of grit. It’s fairly grainy, which may not be a problem in some movies, but it seems to be overly prevalent (and not in the good way) in Yonkers. These camera tricks are put on too heavy here and it ends up affecting the overall feeling of the picture. Fans of the movie will probably be disappointed with this quality.

The audio, is handled with a Dolby Digital 5.1 mix. There isn’t too much action here so much of the sound is placed on the front channels. The dialogue always remains easy to hear. Surround sound is not used often, if at all, in this film. There are spots when they could have offered more power, but it’s a real subtle audio track. There is also a Dolby Digital 2.0 track available. Subtitles are present in Spanish.

Visual: 2 out of 5 stars
Audio: 3 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
I would have been more than happy to report a lack of bonus features, but there are actually a few present on the Yonkers Joe DVD. The features consist of five featurettes.

“Behind the Scenes Featurette” – The first featurette lasts for close to 15 minutes and is about as basic as they come. There are a lot of interviews here and things just feel forced. There aren’t many laughs or interesting antidotes. It’s just plain, bordering on boring featurette.

“The Moves” – This is one of the better featurettes. In at around six minutes, Celestino takes the time to show the moves (both card and dice) and tricks that were in the movie. The reason that it is fun is because we get to watch him do them on his own.

“Meet Fast Jack” – This gives you a chance to hear from John “Fast Jack” Farrell, the technical consultant on Yonkers. Like the one above, this isn’t a bad featurette. It’s entertaining as Farrell appears to be quite a character.

“The Look” – Using footage and interviews you get a chance to learn more about the visual style that was employed in the film. This featurette lasts for a little over five minutes.

“Yonkers Joe Premiere” – The final featurette comes in at around seven minutes long. As you might have guessed it deals with the films premiere. You get a chance to see various interviews and footage from the opening night of the film.

Bonus Features: 3 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
This would have received a much better rating and a recommendation had the story stayed with the casino action and less with the poor performance of a dysfunctional father and son. Having two stories in one movie that are so uneven just doesn’t work. The quality of the video is another reason this movie shouldn’t be recommended. If you have to see it check it out on Netflix or cable. Don’t bother wasting your money by buying or renting this one.

Overall Rating: 2.79 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: Yonkers Joe, DVD, Movie, Magnolia Home Entertainment, Michael Lerner, Chazz Palminteri, Christine Lahti