Dreamgirls (Two-Disc Showstopper Edition) (2006)

For those of you who aren't familiar with DREAMGIRLS it was a hit Broadway musical, created in 1981, based "loosely" on the real monster girl group The Supremes, Berry Gordy and Motown. And although it took almost 25 years to make, the movie version is spectacular.

Following the meteoric rise of the fictitious "Dreams," the story takes place in Detroit in 1962 and ends in Los Angeles in 1975. In between you witness the joy, sorrow and bitterness--as some dreams die, while others live. And being a period movie, DREAMGIRLS doesn't feel dated or unrealistic. It captures the excitement and turbulence of the 60s or at least the romanticized ideal of it...perfectly.

Anyway enough about the movie and on to the DVD.

This dvd set contains two dvds:

***DVD #1 FEATURE FILM; 12 EXTENDED/ADDITIONAL MUSICAL NUMBERS

I won't list the 12 songs but the title track "Dreamgirls" and the show stopper "And I Am Telling You..." are not part of this 12. With the exception of the song "Effie, Sing My Song," at least from what I could tell, most of these musical numbers are just different edits/film cuts than those that made it into the film. For instance, you'll see more of the performance rather than the cutaways to other scenes, which you see in the movie...so they're not sung differently.

What's good about this is that you get to see the entire performance of the opening acts(The Stepp Sisters, L'il Albert and The Tru-Tones, Tiny Joe Dixon) without the cutaway shots that show what's going on behind the stage. No additional lyrics: the songs are exactly as they are on the deluxe edition music cd of Dreamgirls: Music From The Motion Picture [2-CD Deluxe Edition].

One alternative musical number that's very different is the song "Effie, Sing My Song." In the movie, the lines are spoken. However they did film the song version where C.C. and Effie share a duet. And that's included here.

***DVD #2 DOCUMENTARY ON THE MAKING OF DREAMGIRLS; ORIGINAL AUDITION AND SCREEN TEST VIDEOS; FEATURETTES ABOUT THE FASHION, FILM EDITING, THEATRICAL LIGHTING; PRE-VISUALIZATION SEQUENCES; IMAGE GALLERY

In all fairness, I haven't seen the entire second dvd. The reason being is that the documentary on the making of DREAMGIRLS is nearly TWO-HOURS long! Running at one-hour and fifty-five minutes, the documentary called "Building the Dream" chronicles the journey that started as an idea from Broadway creators Tom Eyen, Henry Krieger, and Michael Bennett to finally becoming the most hyped and anticipated film of 2006. But don't worry, that's not the beef of the documentary. Most of it takes you behind the scenes of what it took to put this huge movie together from the set design to the casting; from the choreography to staying true to the original score.

It's a fascinating look at the challenges director Bill Condon faced when deciding to take on this project. I always thought that "Dreamgirls" would've been easy to make into a film because you already started with everything in place. How wrong I was! Not only are you competing in a genre not too popular today, but you have to compete with the beloved original. Well, I must pay homage to Condon. He pulled it off.

Anyway, the documentary is told through home video of the recording sessions, casting calls, set design, rehearsals etc., as well as principal cast member interviews and of course the main people working behind the scenes like director Condon, executive producers, choreographers, music producers etc.

If nothing else, this documentary alone is worth the extra price for the two-set dvd of DREAMGIRLS.

And for those of you die hard fans of the original Broadway show or soundtrack, who liked this movie version, will be happy to know that the song "A'int No Party" is supposed to be included in the "audition tapes" section of the special features. There is a snippet of it in the documentary and Anika Noni Rose was working that song. So I'm sure it has to be included in the screen tests. But even if it isn't, remember I haven't seen the entire second dvd, the documentary "Building The Dream" makes up for it.

Anyway, if you enjoyed the movie, you'll enjoy this dvd set. It's a dream that will give you "more and more." If you haven't seen the movie, well you're in for a treat. It's exciting and keeps you at the edge of your seat. And not being an action film, that's saying a lot!

Musicals aren't really my thing. Many feel forced as the cast breaks out into song at the most bizarre of times. Cheesy is perhaps the best descriptor, but occasionally I enjoy a good toe-tapping flick if it's done right. And DREAMGIRLS is definitely done right. It certainly ranks up there with MOULIN ROUGE and CHICAGO as one of the more recently successful musical films, it too being a period piece (covering the late 50s through the early 70s).

Acting in these style of films tends to lend itself more to dance moves than actual roleplaying of characters, but there are two highly mentionable performances in Dreamgirls: first time actress Jennifer Hudson of American Idol fame, and a major comeback role for Eddie Murphy. Hudson took home Best Actress trophies from The Golden Globes, The BAFTAs, The Screen Actors Guild and The Oscars for her portrayal of Effie White, the powerful and ultimately embittered lead singer for The Dreamettes. Eddie Murphy as James "Thunder" Early is surprisingly excellent, perhaps helping wash away the stains of DADDY DAYCARE and THE ADVENTURES OF PLUTO NASH from his more recent, acting, downward spiral. Murphy can sing alongside Hudson and Beyonce and hold his own, too.

The added entertaining fact about Dreamgirls is that there's an actual story behind the music, making this film much more watchable than many musicals which rely solely on their high notes rather than acting skill. This story is firmly entrenched in the early music industry as a "white-washed" form of entertainment, separating it from "black music"...until Curtis Taylor (Jamie Foxx, JARHEAD), a car salesman in search of more, jumps into the music biz and launches his own record label (Rainbow Records). Foxx's Taylor character is another smashing success for him in that he makes this man both lovable and despised as he turns from caring manager to control freak.

Likewise, Murphy's Early character is someone who's moral ground we're never quite sure of. He's a married man with womanizing tendencies, but he's also a musical purist, trying to create sounds that are true to him while at the same time dismantling what he once was (a great, yet small, singing sensation). His fall from grace hits the viewer hard as heroin, time, and his own industry begin taking their toll.

But veterans Murphy and Foxx can't hold a candle to newcomer Hudson's performance. She is the crux that holds the entire production together, and she does so with power, grace and a great emotional range. The ending is sure to choke-up many viewers.

The only complaint I can lodge against the entire film was within one small section where Effie (Hudson) breaks out into a long chorus about being wronged by Foxx and the other Dreamettes. This seemed rather awkward and I would've liked to have seen this acted out in dialogue rather than burst into song.

Still, this is a powerful musical film that deserves much praise ...and has rightfully gotten it.

Buy Dreamgirls (Two-Disc Showstopper Edition) (2006) Now

"Dreamgirls," originally a hit Broadway production in the 1980s, is a lavish musical inspired by the history of Motown and its super group The Supremes. Like the songs in "Grace of My Heart" which is clearly based on the career of Carole King, the soundtrack music of "Dreamgirls," good as it is, can't match the power of the real Motown sound. Actually the film's musical numbers hardly sound like Motown Sound, but still some of them are real showstoppers thanks to the film's gifted stars, especially the dynamic singing voice of Oscar-winner Jennifer Hudson.

In "Dreamgirls" you should not expect much from the story, which runs a familiar course of superstars or celebrities, with the meteoric rise of three R&B singers (played by Beyoncé Knowles, Jennifer Hudson and Anika Noni Rose) to the fame and their subsequent troubles and ego-clashing within the members and their shrewd, business-minded producer/manager (Jamie Foxx). It is a same old story you have heard somewhere else in gossip magazines. .

Once the three girls' dreams come true with the glitter of showbiz, it takes the center of their lives, and once it does, none of the characters are allowed to breathe much. Anika Noni Rose and Danny Glover are not given enough time for their characters, and even the role of Beyoncé Knowles is not fleshed out satisfactorily. Eddie Murphy is outstanding as a popular singer and ladies' man named James "Thunder" Early (with a haircut like Little Richard's), but there is nothing new in Thunder's story about his love affair and fading stardom.

Still I enjoyed watching "Dreamgirls". I know it has lots of shortcomings, and I hear the complaints from the fans of the original stage (which I haven't seen). Yes, I know. Perhaps the number of the film's shortcomings depends on each viewer's taste or expectations, and I liked the filmed version of "Dreamgirls" for what it is. I like it for its entertainment values such as gorgeous costumes, beautifully staged live scenes and cinematography, plus the powerful, emotionally-charged songs by Jennifer Hudson, all of which compensate for the lack of a better story.

Read Best Reviews of Dreamgirls (Two-Disc Showstopper Edition) (2006) Here

Firstly I really enjoyed the musical numbers from every character. The loose story of the Supremes, I mean Dreams is fairly entertaining but not as engrossing as I would have hoped. I found I didn't really care that much about any of the characters. I especially didn't like the Hudson character Effie. I was hoping for her fall since her first minute on screen. She has a nice voice, but I couldn't stand her character. I guess I was hoping this would play less like a broadway show and go deeper into the characters like a movie. As it jumped forward in time, often I was hoping it would slow down a bit to see the transformation that every character seem to go through. This is worth seeing if only for the great music.

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This film belongs to Hudson and Murphy who are both far more talented than most ever expected.

I knew Jennifer Hudson could sing from her stint on American Ido, but I had no idea that was an actress too and I mean a top quality actress capable of pulling off an Academy Award in her very first film. It's my sincere hope that we will see much more of her in the future even if the roles don't include music. Hudson is simply an acting find and a visual delight to behold on the screen. She is a charming as she is talented.

Eddie Murphy's performance is as much high energy, flamboyant, and satrical as it is subtle, emotional and insightful. I was floored by his flawless performance in this film and found it a terrible shame that he followed this dynamic performance with the totally distasteful Norbit which was released just prior to the Academy Awards and in which some believe cost him the Oscar.

Members of the Academy are well-known for voting out an actor or actress based upon his or her personality as was the case with Madonna who gave an Oscar-caliber performance in Evita, but was shunned because she was . . . well . . . Madonna, and for voting out an actor or actress based upon a poor follow-up film released the same year and don't want to reward what they may consider a "fluke" performance as with Whoppie Goldberg in The Color Purple (thankfully she finally got her well-deserved Oscar for Ghost) years later.

I believe Murphy really blew his Oscar chances for this film because of "Norbit" and that isn't fair, but it was predictable based on past Academy voting tendencies. I generally believe in not holding things against a performer or a specific performance, but I have to admit that even I have moments of extreme bias, like anyone else, so I can understand how that happens. This may have been Murphy's only real good shot at an Oscar, but we can always hope that he will be given another juicy role like this one to strut his considerable talents.

Beyonce Knowles is no great actress, but she has terrific stage/screen presence that more than compensates for anything that she is lacking in genuine acting talent. To her credit, I actually had trouble recognizing her early in the film. I even asked my wife, "Where the hell is Beyonce? I thought she had a big role in this film." My wife then pointed her out and I was rather surprised at how well she disappeared into her role. However, the more I thought about it the more I thought she didn't just "disappear" in what started out as a supporting role, but was simply more out shined and out-acted by Jennifer Hudson. I don't mean that as an insult to Beyonce or her acting talent as she does have acting talent, but when surrounded by more genuine talent her limitations are clear no matter how beautiful she is, or how gifted she is as a singer, or how engaging she is generally as a stage performer.

Moving on to Jamie Foxx I have to say that I was somewhat disappointed with his performance in the film. I can't pinpoint the problem, but I just feel that he felt somewhat out of his league amongst these great female performers. His performance was simply below what he is capable of delivering, but that doesn't mean he was awful or miscast; he just wasn't at his best.

Now, one might question that with all this talent in the film why so many on here haven't given it 5 stars. I think the problem with this film is with the director. The film seems disjointed somehow. The editing isn't very smooth, transitions are weak, and the lack of focus on just who the "stars" are in the film creates an uneven film that works better in clips. In other words, the sum of the parts don't equal the whole. That may explain why so many "liked" the film, but didn't "love" it. It goes down smooth enough, but it never became what it could have become and that feeling is usually the fault of the director.

Overall, this is a fun and entertaining musical with some strong, dynamic performances, but still somewhat weak for this genre.

The Adventures of Milo and Otis (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) (1989)

ever since way back when, i was maybe 6 years old, i still remember when i first rented it from the video store. it took my little breathaway. whenever i went back to rent a movie, i begged my mom to let me rent it again, until she finally bought it for me.

this beautiful tale has so many layers, heart, and spirit, i can't begin to explain it. the first thing i should mention is, dont get fooled to thinking animals got hurt during the making of this, because they DIDNT. Masanori Hata takes VERY good care of his animals. he shot milo and otis on his own private island in Japan. the original movie was called the Adventures of Chatran, and it was longer. ( i've never seen it, i've been looking for years ) i hope someday i will see it. koneko monogatari ( milo and otis ) makes me cry at the beauty, sadness, and then joy finally. its a celebration of life. you can't dismiss it as a mere " kid's movie", it is for everyone. i detest the "adult" mindset, because it disables them from experiancing all forms of beauty. this is not a movie to me, it's a part of me, and it shares a special place in my heart.

i love milo and otis. jeffro

I didn't know what to think before seeing this movie. The opinions were so disparate. Now that I've seen it, I find I agree with both camps. It is a delightful AND troubling film.

This is a simple but timeless story of adventure and friendship. Milo the mischievous kitten and Otis the pug puppy are best friends. Otis even pursues his friend when he's carried down the river after jumping into a wooden box. Soon, both of them are lost as well as separated from each other. The adventures they have with other animals are amazing, numerous and varied. They interact with a bear cub, raccoon, fox, seagulls, a turtle, a fawn and many others. The interactions will amaze you -I couldn't believe a pug was riding on a turtle's back!

The footage is incredible, and does make one worry about the animals. While the director has said that the animals were raised together and are friends, and this is believable, it cannot account for the cat being attacked by seagulls and later falling from a very high cliff into the ocean. This troubles me.

Dudley Moore's narration is flawless. He captures every voice perfectly. Background music is gentle orchestral pieces. You will be amazed (and maybe a little troubled). Your children will definitely enjoy it, and adults will, too.

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Milo and Otis is an absolutely adorable movie! I own a pug and let me tell you that Otis's mannerisms and the way he behaves is very true to the breed. Otis is very ornery and gets into so many things, just like pugs really do. I felt so bad and wanted to cry when he got stuck out in the snow towards the end of the movie. I am very glad that he made a friend in Milo and their travels together will warm the coldest of hearts. The end is a perfect end to their travels and now there is not just two of them anymore!

Read Best Reviews of The Adventures of Milo and Otis (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) (1989) Here

This DVD is fantastic, it contains a widescreen presentation of a movie that kids love and parents will not get sick and tired of. This is an adventure/coming of age story of a dog and a cat, with nary a human being in sight. All kinds of animals make appearances and contribute to the plot! Narrated by Dudley Moore, who died recently (last year?) with some of the best cinematography EVER amazing nature footage that will always captivate little ones attention. Highly, highly recommended.

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....killed in this film is a retard, that thing about 20 cats being killed is a rumour that was bred by paranoia and ignorance. I can say that this film is amazing in what they accomplished with these animals and Dudley Moore is awesome as the narrator, but the editing was kind of awkward which is understandable when you are piecing fragments of non-cohesive shots. i watched this becuase it is a remarkable achievement as a film. but really, everything that you see in the film is a very basic, and usually very obvious, camera trick made to allude that it was more "dangerous" than it realy was. first off, the japanese man who made this owns a farm and is a devote animal lover so I strongly doubt he would have allowed an animal to be killed. Also, its a trivia fact that ONLY 4 cats were used this film and that was only to show an age progression. really, their was no assembly line of death in this movie. So lets break down the "stunts" in the film.

1. the scene where the pug and bear "fight". The bear in this film was obviously domesticated and was really only playing rough with the dog because by nature, bears play rough. the dog was only slapped on his hind by the bear and not even scratched because it was not an attack, it was play that was meant to look like one with the magic of editing. He did get dunked in the water a few times though which was kind of funny.

2. the box scene where the cat drops off a waterfall. the cat coudnt have been injured. the fall was made to look bigger than it really was with the use of the camera and really coudnt have been more than five feet, and cats are very limber and can sustain a much greater fall than that on solid ground.

3. Seagulls pecking the cat? I didnt see a single seagull even touch the cat. the cat was just running around all erratic to make the situation look really distressing. One gull lifted his wings up to stand his ground from the cat, that was pretty much it.

4. Now the big one, the cliff drop. If you look at the actual shot, you will notice the cat really only fell about a quarter of the way into the ocean but was filmed in a way to suggest that he had fallen from the top.

5. heres a funny one, one person actually believed that the fish really bit the cats tail which is really laughable. the fish that you saw being dragged by the cat was a dead fish prop attached to the cats tail, and then was replaced with a live fish flopping on the ground in the next shot. this film must have been exhausting to make.

6. oh yeah, the crab that pinched the cats cheek. well...ok, that was real. you got me that time. even though that crab was smaller than a baby kitten and could not have broken through his skin.

7. Were they psychologically harmed? doubtful. the average cat or dog owner does far more psychologically damaging things to their pet, you strap a leash on them. you confine them to your backyards. put them in cages to transport them like cargo. really, its a subjective viewpoint.

You know how I know that animals were really looked after intensely when this was made? because the editing is clumsy as hell. If they really were at a complete disregard for animal safety, then they could have gotten these shots to flow much easier and it wouldnt have taken them four years to make it.

If there are any more that i missed, you could probably figure them out for yourself if you stop watching it in such an emotional state and look at it like a film. I suppose the reason they did not include the message "no animals were harmed...." is becuase that was not the standard in 1980's Japan at the time, and instead the message "all animals were treated under the care of supervisors with regard to their safety...etc." was used instead. trust me, i watched the entire film with every allegation that people have made about it in mind and would be surprised if any animal was even injured in the making of this film.

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Clerks II (2-Disc Special Edition) (2006)

I bought this set at Best Buy on New Year's Eve for only $30, and I wasn't dissapointed.

It comes in a Happy Meal-esque box, complete with a plastic cup with straw, a Mooby's visor, a Mooby's nametag, and a little worksheet with puzzles and stuff on it. The visor is actually pretty cool, and the cup is a quality thick plastic cup. I wouldn't pay over $50 for this at any time, but if you can get it for a decent price, it's easily worth it.

The film itself is also very good. It ranks near the top, if not my favorite of all Kevin Smith films.

The final chapter of the "New Jersey Chronicles" is am almost satisfying ending to a series of films extending about 15 years.

its more than 10 years after the events of clerks. Dante and Randall's situation hasnt improved much. they're still working basically the same jobs. in the opening scene the quick stop pretty much burns down. the rest of the movie after that takes place at Mooby's fast food place, Dante and Randall's other job.

ive always found Dante to be a kind of bland character, just like TC in Mallrats, but they both have that outrageous sidekick (randall) so it balances out well.

Clerks 2 carries the torch of the original perfectly, with classic characters and always entertaining strings of dialogue. the movie has a satisfying ending which properly brings closure to the chronicles. i wish Kevin would keep it up though. even after all these years, these characters havent played themselves out at all, even if their own creator thinks thats the case. Kevin Smith is arguably my favorite writer/director, so im kind of biased, but all of his work that ive seen couldnt be any better in my opinion.

like most DVD's Kevin Smith puts out, this has the special features to keep anybody busy for a while, including an hour and a half long documentary on the making of Clerks 2.

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The original Clerks is a landmark movie; made on a budget of $28,000, it became a huge cult hit and began the "Askewniverse", the film and comic book world populated by characters like Jay (Jason Mewes), Silent Bob (Kevin Smith), and the Hicks family (all played by Brian O'Halloran). While Clerks II is the first direct sequel to any Askewniverse film, it, like all the others, has certain elements that have writer/director Kevin Smith's fingerprints all over it.

The story starts 10 years after the end of Clerks. Dante Hicks (O'Halloran) and Randal Graves (Jeff Anderson) still work at the Quick Stop and RST Video stores, respectively, despite the fact that they are now in their 30's. As the movie opens, Dante opens the shutters to see that the building is on fire due to Randal's negligence. For the next year, the two of them work at Mooby's, a fast food restaurant. Though their setting has changed, they are still clerks. They still have to put up with annoying customers, but now they have to make food as well. They also have coworkers to put up with, notably Elias (Trevor Fehrman) a 19-year-old who still kisses his mother goodbye everyday when she drops him off. He and Randal are usally arguing about who grew up with better pop culture, with Randal backing Star Wars and Elias championing Lord of the Rings and Transformers. We also meet their boss in this movie (in the original Clerks, we never met their superior and only knew him as "The Boss"). Becky (Rosario Dawson) is a cool and very tolerant (in Randal's case) manager who likes hanging out with Dante while Randal and Elias work. Jay and Silent Bob are also still in the lives of Dante and Randal. Since the Quick Stop burned down, they had to find a new place to hang out in front of, and they chose Mooby's. They are still drug dealers, but now they themselves are clean.

The majority of the film takes place on Dante's last day of work. He is leaving New Jersey forever with his fiancee Emma (Jennifer Schwalbach Smith, Kevin Smith's real-life wife) the following day, much to Randal's disappointment. Randal doesn't like Emma very much, and the feeling is mutual, and Dante himself seems to prefer Becky. He seems a lot more relaxed and happy around her than with Emma, who was a jerk to him in high school (though more on this subject later).

Clerks II has many callbacks to the first and has all of Smith's trademarks, but it is definitely its own movie. In both this and the original, we see Dante's morning routine for opening the store, he paints a girl's toenails in each film, Dante does something on the roof, Dante is caught between two girls, and there are some others that I don't want to spoil. Jason Lee and Ben Affleck both make appearances, who have appeared in every Smith film since Mallrats (the movie after Clerks). This film, according to Kevin Smith, is the last film of the Askewniverse (though that's what he said about Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back), and it serves to tie up most of the loose ends (as Smith calls it, it is an epilogue of the Askewniverse).

This is definitely a film that merits repeat viewings. On top of being laugh-out-loud hilarious, it is so good that you will most likely miss parts of the dialogue due to the audience laughing so hard. I would see it now, then wait a few weeks when the crowds have thinned out, then go see it again.

This film was made for only $5,000,000, which is small by Hollywood standards, but is 185 times greater than the budget for the first film. It is my opinion that Smith tried to do a lot of things that he could not have done in the first movie. Dante and Randal leave the restaurant to go somewhere, but this time, we actually see where they go (in Clerks, they went to a funeral, but we didn't see what went on because it would have been too expensive to hire extras and rent another location). There is also a hilarious dance sequence where Dante and Becky are dancing on the roof while other people in the film start dancing in their various places (and Randal "wrangles" across the counter), and the shots of Dante and Randal in their car are not shot from the back seat.

The one problem I had with this film is the love story. I don't think it was terrible, but it seemed a little trite for a Kevin Smith movie. It was very straightforward; the minute that Becky even hinted at her feelings for Dante, we knew that these two were meant for each other. In the first Clerks, thing were more ambigous about which girl Dante should go for. Still, when it wasn't being cheesy, it provided for some laughs.

This part isn't so much a problem as an observation. Clerks II definitely does not feel like an indie film. I guess that's natural, because if you have $5,000,000 to make a film that will be inexpensive, you might as well go the whole nine yards. Also, and this is a very convoluted analysis (and is probably over-analysis), but one of the things Kevin Smith said is that this is a film about being in your 30's while the first was about being in one's 20's. Maybe the indie film has a closer connection with one's 20's (you are young, just starting off in your life as an adult, can't afford much), but once you get to your 30's, things are more mainstream and you can achieve just a little more if you try.

In summation, Clerks II is a great movie, definitely one of the funniest I've seen since The 40-Year-Old Virgin. Be warned that it is extremely vulgar (Smith was afraid of getting an NC-17 rating despite no violence or nudity), so don't bring the kids or easily upset friends. But with Kevin Smith, you really can't expect anything else.

Read Best Reviews of Clerks II (2-Disc Special Edition) (2006) Here

Well, I know Clerks II doesn't come to mind when wanting to show off HiDef Picture and Sound quality, Clerks II still looks damn fine in HD, and will impress any fan.

Video Quality:

Clerks II is presented in the MPEG-4 AVC codec, and holds up nicely against VC-1. Many reviewers have complained about the hot overblown contrast of the cinematography, but to tell you the truth, it never bothers me as I think it feels more real. Considering most of the film is set inside a fast food resturant in the middle of the day, you'd expect that.

Film Grain is evident but never really distracts, as it just adds to the low-budget nature of the film. Clarity and sharpness are top-notch and is never an issue, and detail always manages to hit it's mark. There is some slight digital grain on BG walls and floors, but overall not a bad transfer.

Score: 3.5/5

Audio Quality:

Sound wise, Clerks II HD-DVD fairs up as you could imagine for a dialogue driven film. Dialogue is always clear from the front speakers, yet the surrounds and LFE are rarely used. It does it's job, and the HD-DVD comes with a bonus Dolby Digital TrueHD track (which is not displayed on the back cover).

Score: 3/5

Extras:

Like it's DVD cousin, this HD-DVD gets all the bells and whistles of special features, but THIS TIME round, they're displayed in 1080i HD glory. Ok, it's not everything, but it's nice to see the behind the scenes in all their glory. The docos are very funny and entertaining (as you'd expect from Kevin Smith), and the 3 audio commentaries will not dissapoint any fan.

Score: 5/5

Overall:

I am a HUGE fan of Kevin Smith, and in my opinion Clerks II is his strongest film to date. It's hilarious, laugh-out-loud gross yet heart felt at times.

Call me insane, but Clerks II was one of the main reasons I chose HD-DVD over Blu-ray. It's a gem of a movie that any fan should be without in there HD-DVD collection.

Overall Score: 5/5

-zallapo

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SPOILERS alert here. Also, I have to say this upfront: I actually liked JERSEY GIRL, so take this review for whatever you think it's worth.

No worries, fans of CLERKS. Kevin Smith didn't eff it up. With CLERKS 2, our trousers-challenged maverick writer/director crafts an admirable and wickedly funny sequel to his 1994 indie, black and white cult hit. Once again, Smith creates a rallying film for the disenfranchised and the disinclined. And he brings his usual bag of tricks: the bawdy humor, the character-driven interplays, the pop culture indulgences, and the beloved characters.

Here's the plot: It's been a decade since we last met up with Dante Hicks (Brian O'Halloran) and Randal Graves (Jeff Anderson), who had been whiling their dead end lives away in a convenience store and a video shop. Well, CLERKS 2 finds the Quick Stop burnt down due to a coffee machine mishap and the hapless duo now toiling at the haphazardly frequented fast food joint Mooby's. At first glance, not much has really changed. With the lack of steady customers, the duo still finds plenty of time to goof around and mouth off. Now in their thirties, Randal is still as abrasive as ever, but Dante seems to have finally decided to get his life into gear. This is his last day working at Moody's. Tomorrow, he's driving out of Jersey with his cute fiancee Emma (Jennifer Schwalbach Smith, the director's wife) and moving to Florida, where he's promised a job by her pops and even a house by her moms. He's pretty much made up his mind, though certain doubts linger. His best buddy Randal thinks he's taking the easy way out, a sentiment echoed by Becky (the easy-on-the-eyes Rosario Dawson), their sexy and cool supervisor at Moody's, who herself doesn't buy into romantic love. But Dante is determined to go. What he doesn't know is that this day has some life altering surprises in store for him. There, so much for the plot.

First of all, Kevin Smith's great strength is his ear for dialogue. Folks have already made mention of Smith's directing skills, or, rather, how little they've progressed ever since the first CLERKS. I happen to think he's a pretty decent filmmaker, but, I really believe the field in which he truly excels is writing. And I'm not talking about flowery diction and high-faluting prose. I'm talking about words from the gut, the real-life crap that people say or want to say as they go thru their day to day existence. CLERKS 2 revels in its playful but obscene riffs as much as it does in its theme of slackerhood and its tendencies for pop culture references. Whether the topic is sexual etiquette, the superiority of one cinematic trilogy over another, or the sensitive issue of standing still as life passes one by, Smith's words, as spoken by the film characters, are honest, sometimes vulgarly honest.

The humor in this film made me howl. It's not drawing board wit, no. The comedy is vintage CLERKS, ranging from scatological, to sexual, to racial, to just plain juvenile. Off the top of my head, the scenes where I laughed the longest and loudest are the LORD OF THE RINGS versus the STAR WARS trilogy debate, the "porch monkey" bit, and the donkey scene (or to quote the Sexy Stud: "interspecies erotica").

I have to say that Rosario Dawson helps greatly to elevate this movie from being merely an exercise in incessant hanging out and talking trash. She is sunny, winning, beautiful, and is a natural actress. You might wonder initially what draws her to a frumpy looking guy like Dante, but it's her attraction to such a normal guy and even kind of a loser that makes the movie work even better for me. Her Becky exudes such a level-headed yet whimsical personality that I thought, yes, she could actually fall for this numbnut, bless her heart. Their relationship nicely depicts how a good friendship could, in time, transform into something more. From the special features, I found out that Bryce Howard, Sarah Silverman, and Liv Tyler were wooed for the part of Becky. Frankly, I now find it hard to picture anyone but Dawson in that role, though I'm sure Liv wouldn't have been too shabby.

Brian O'Halloran as the quietly harried Dante is again effective here, but it is Jeff Anderson who shines brighter as the rude, crude, and irresponsible Randal. His moments with Dante while they were incarcerated near the movie's end are searingly real, raw, and heartfelt. And to think that Anderson, at first, had to be talked into doing this sequel. Jennifer Schwalbach Smith, in the thankless role of Emma, Dante's fiancee, manages to pull off a nice performance in her few scenes. Trevor Fehrman as the 19 year old, Lord of the Rings and Transformers fanatic, Elias, is a bit over the top, but funny enough (his Pillowpants bit is giggly funny). Meanwhile, Jason Mewes as Jay and the director himself as Silent Bob are back after spending six months in rehab (the characters, not the actors, though Mewes did have his drug problems) and remain amusing, as ever. It's nice to know that, though they continue to ply their drug dealing trade, they've at least found Our Savior, Jesus Christ. Cameos are also made by Smith regulars Ben Affleck and Jason Lee, and even Wanda Sykes pops in for a while, but not long enough to hurt the film.

The bonus features (of over six hours, as boasted on the dvd cover): disc one includes three film commentaries (the best one is the second commentary selection, which offers Smith and most of the cast), plenty of deleted scenes, and "A Closer Look at Interspecies Erotica"; disc two has the engrossing hour and a half long behind-the scenes-look "Back to the Well: Clerks 2," an extended blooper reel (which is mostly bland, excepting those takes with Rosario yep, she got to me), and "Trains Wrecks: Video Production Diaries" (including Jason Lee's "The Tongue Song"). Most of the special features come with the option of an intro by Kevin Smith and Scott Mosier.

This flick is low brow, vulgar to the extreme and, certainly, gasp inducing. But CLERKS 2 also has plenty of heart and, surprisingly, several sweet moments, which surface when you least expect it. Kevin Smith made this film as a fond salute to the slacker generation who adored the first CLERKS and also as an homage to his younger, more unsure self who was just starting out and who believed back then that more things seemed possible to achieve. CLERKS 2 is a movie about a day in the life of several ordinary folks, whose copious downtime, on the surface, is filled with nonsensical junk. But, when you get right down to it, these seemingly throwaway moments depict and define their lives, and, as such, they prove to be very real. I'm personally giving this one 5 stars, but, remember, I also liked JERSEY GIRL.

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Weekend

Weekend is a film that can be blatantly described as a Gay/ lesbian film. But the irony of handing it that title is that Weekend itself is a terrific analyzation of the boundaries often placed between the gay community and the straight community. In this film we follow two gay men who have just met: Russell (Tom Cullen): A life Guard who is still a tad insecure about his sexuality, and Glen (Chris New) an outed artist who plans to go to America to flee the boundaries that hold him back in England. The film follows the two over the course of one weekend, the majority spent in Russell's small apartment, where the two men learn about each other, have sex, and have fascinating conversations pertaining to the stigmas placed on homosexuals in a "Straight" world. It is somewhat cliché now to describe a film as having a "documentary feel", but what other way is there to describe Weekend? Here is a film that is so intimate, so realistically acted and full of moments so private that it is impossible to look away. The performances are magnetic and unforgettable while the script is one of immense intelligence.

At its core the film deals with homosexual issues yes, but does that mean it is only for gays and lesbians? Only if you're one of those people who also think Spike Lee films and Roots are only for black people. If anything this is a film that should be viewed more so by straight people. It is a superb document on the humanization of homosexuals. It shows us that we all are pining for the same existential things: Acceptance and love. Those two things might be wrapped in different looking packages between different people, but beneath the exterior the same kind of love is there. For that insightful revelation alone I would recommend Andrew Haigh's Weekend, but there is so much more to it. It is an exceptional film that follows in the footsteps of such great films as Before Sunrise. and like that film it haunts you for days afterward. One of the best films of 2011 no doubt.

Pros: Very well acted, Great script, Kudos to putting John Grant in the Soundtrack.

Cons: None

One of the most romantic gay films I have ever seen. The reviewer before me must be even more cynical than I am to have totally missed out on the chemistry that these two have. They are not your typical gay characters, in fact it just so happens they are gay. No "after school special" or "Lifetime" feel here. No tragic illness or event. Just good conversation and attraction.

The end practically left me in tears. The relationship that builds between the two is a joy to watch.

I am not easily entertained and especially critical of film. I usually prefer more cerebral fare like David Lynch or Woody Allen. But once in a great while a film comes along that surprises you and touches your heart (and not by manipulation ala New Years Day, etc.). Sit back and watch these two very different people in a realistic portrayal of discovering each other and themselves.

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My partner and I saw this movie in NYC at the IFC Theatre a few months ago, and it really moved us. We're not young, not into drug culture, and weren't seeing it hoping for a glimpse of some eye candy. We had read a review in The New York Times, checked it on Rotten Tomatoes and seen what a high rating both critics AND audiences alike had given it, and that was the draw for us. What a raw and beautiful film...!!

The two lead characters in the movie have very little in common, at least in my estimation, except for the fact that they're both gay, young, attractive, and affected by the slings and arrows of surviving in a predominantly straight world. They're very opposite, and therein lies the attraction. Yes, they use recreational drugs like a lot of gay youth. I think the movie does a good job of exploring the demons that cause them to have the kind of low self-worth that drives many gay people to abuse substances. Yet, there is a beauty in the love that develops very quickly between them--despite their self-destructive tendencies. Much bubbles to the surface in their drug fueled time together that might otherwise lie dormant if substances weren't being used, and the crashing down of walls that is the result.

Seldom have I seen a film of such gritty honesty. It is uncomfortable seeing the story unfold. But somehow it manages to crawl under the skin with the precision of a microscope of acuity, revealing so much about what drives us gay humans to the extremes that a marginalized existence sometimes does. I thought it said more about how societal pressures, whether real or imagined, get in the way of gay people being able to just live and love. A must see!

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I always appreciate when a big DVD label like Criterion (they picked up the North American DVD/Blu-ray release) courts smaller noteworthy offerings that might not ordinarily receive a big distribution. Taking on Andrew Haigh's "Weekend" is certainly one of their more interesting offerings. Some might consider it a niche choice with its homosexual themes and same sex coupling, but "Weekend" has a lot to say about how people (of any gender or orientation) connect or don't connect in the modern world. It is a small film, to be sure, that is graced with both a minimalism and a naturalism that might remind you of Mike Leigh's most organic projects. The narrative takes place over the course of one weekend largely within the confines of an apartment. It is a piece that is bolstered by a thoughtful screenplay and two great performances. If you're looking for a big story, this micro-budgeted indie is NOT the picture for you. But if you enjoy realistic dialogue about the human condition, about life, about love and relationships--there is plenty to be admired here.

Basically, "Weekend" is structured as a brief encounter, a fleeting moment. A relationship in microcosm is played out over a couple of days. The film is completely understated and its quiet effectiveness might sneak up on you. It's a typical enough story, I suppose. Russell (Tom Cullen) heads out to a club looking for some action and as the evening comes to a close, he ends up going home with Glen (Chris New). Neither is under the illusion that this is anything other than a hook-up. In fact, it doesn't appear that the two men share much common ground. What follows is an encounter fueled by drinking, drugs, and sex. But unexpectedly, they also let down their guards and really start to connect. In many ways, "Weekend" is about that moment where two people fall in love. It's not a big or dramatic moment, but a subtle shift of how you view someone else--how you seem to fit. While the film does touch on some issues specific to the homosexual community, its underlying themes are much more universal than you might imagine.

The film played very well on the festival circuit, even picking up two British Independent Film Awards, one for Best Achievement In Production and one for Most Promising Newcomer Tom Cullen. Cullen is quite exceptional. His Russell is more aloof, more introspective, but as he starts to share more of himself--the openness and vulnerability are etched across his face. Chris New is believable and outspoken, cynical and frank, but with a need to connect maybe he doesn't even fully understand. If the thought of two men having sex or sharing intimacy bothers you, this might not be your first choice. But both actors really make this work, giving of themselves both physically and emotionally. In the end, it's bittersweet, real, natural, and unassuming. What it achieves, it does so quietly, unexpectedly and with surprising subtlety. Perhaps this tiny little movie is not for everyone, but for those that appreciate realistic adult drama--this is a weekend trip worth taking. About 4 1/2 stars. KGHarris, 5/12.

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My partner and I saw this movie in NYC at the IFC Theatre a few months ago, and it really moved us. We're not young, not into drug culture, and weren't seeing it hoping for a glimpse of some eye candy. We had read a review in The New York Times, checked it on Rotten Tomatoes and seen what a high rating both critics AND audiences alike had given it, and that was the draw for us. What a raw and beautiful film...!!

The two lead characters in the movie have very little in common, at least in my estimation, except for the fact that they're both gay, young, attractive, and affected by the slings and arrows of surviving in a predominantly straight world. They're very opposite, and therein lies the attraction. Yes, they use recreational drugs like a lot of gay youth. I think the movie does a good job of exploring the demons that cause them to have the kind of low self-worth that drives many gay people to abuse substances. Yet, there is a beauty in the love that develops very quickly between them--despite their self-destructive tendencies. Much bubbles to the surface in their drug fueled time together that might otherwise lie dormant if substances weren't being used, and the crashing down of walls that is the result.

Seldom have I seen a film of such gritty honesty. It is uncomfortable seeing the story unfold. But somehow it manages to crawl under the skin with the precision of a microscope of acuity, revealing so much about what drives us gay humans to the extremes that a marginalized existence sometimes does. I thought it said more about how societal pressures, whether real or imagined, get in the way of gay people being able to just live and love. A must see!

NEW Pan's Labyrinth - Pan's Labyrinth (2006) (steelb (Blu-ray)

This is the way fairy tales used to be -before they got bleached, pressed, and de-linted by half-wits trying to protect tender ears. Before they got Disney-fied. Sure, there's violence here, some of it shocking, but none of it gratuitous. Could it give a kid nightmares? Maybe. But given today's pablum stories, maybe it's about time.

Pan's Labyrinth takes us directly into the subconscious, and into the storyforms that infuse all of the great myths, fairy tales, and religions. It's a rich and satisfying stew of symbolism, mystery, and redemption. Multilayered and inspiring, it's a film you'll want to see again. It's hard not to gush, but it's been so long since a movie this good has made it into the quasi-mainstream.

What makes Pan's Labyrinth most effective is it's juxtaposition of harsh "reality" and the mysterious world that lives side by side with it. The heroine, a young girl who may carry a magical seed of immortality (the soul of god's only child who once ventured into the world of men, suffered, and died long ago), is contacted by shapeshifting fairies who lead her to a faun (much like the mythological Pan) who says she may reclaim her throne and escape the mortal world by performing three tasks. The faun in Pan's Labyrinth is every bit as complex as the mythological Pan, a creature perhaps older than the gods themselves. There's something sly, and perhaps even sexual about this elegant and almost alien faun, as he represents the forces at play inside this sensitive young girl. In fact, like every good fairy tale, all of the strange, wondrous, and chilling creatures represent facets of the subconscious, including baby-eating ghouls, flitting fairies, and gluttonous toads.

Pan's Labyrinth is a commentary on the resiliency and power of the human imagination, and takes us to the place where dreams are spun and the great heroic tale of overcoming (of the self and the world) takes root. That spark of the divine in all of us -or at least the hope of it -powers the great story of our lives, and we need tales like this to remind of us of the magic and transformative power of story telling. In the flickering light of the theater, like some great hearth around which we've gathered, Pan's Labyrinth took me back to my childhood, and made me think of so many of the great stories I'd read over the years -of demonic dogs with saucer-sized eyes, of child-stealing trolls, and evil stepmothers. And, finally, of the champions who venture down into those great cracks in the Earth, where the roots of mythic trees twist and wind and the greatest treasure of all can be found: the noble, heroic, and undying spirit that lies within us.

First of all, this film is not suitable for children. It is intended to be an adult fairytale with a young girl as its protagonist. Everyone I know who have viewed this film has loved it, including my 75 year old father, who is not really into foreign films or art films.

The is not suitable for children for a few scenes of torture and violence. While difficult to watch, it serves to create a sense of real peril, ugliness, cruelty and evil that propels our protagonist to seek comfort in another world of grotesque beauty. She is a young girl in the midst of a brutal civil war where both sides reside under her roof, and the only reason she is safe is because her mother is pregnant by a fascist general. There is a sense that this safety is precarious and could evaporate quickly due to circumstances beyond her control.

The protagonists other world is sparked by a discovery of an old labyrinth by the old house where the general holds his position and has a doctor see to the pregnant mother's ailing health.

This other world that is created is amazingly done and is beautiful in its grotesquely Gothic way. The original score is perfect for the film with its haunting humming lullaby. The young girl is perfect young heroine that is flawed but lovable. You want her to fulfill her destiny and escape to her throne in a magical place. The rest of the cast are amazing showing the full range of humanity in a time of war from immense cruelty to amazing courage and compassion. The film itself has a great sense of pacing, almost poetic writing, and is able to keep up the feeling of suspense.

The movie is sad, beautiful, cruel, agonizing, and has kept haunting me. The film made me cry and at times took my breath away. It made me feel great to see such a well-made movie in the era of over hyped corporate films. This had the craftsmanship of an expert watchmaker.

The lullaby still lingers in my mind.

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If anyone wants to know where the dark, creepy fairy tales of old went, here's a hint: Guillermo del Toro is doing a pretty good job with the fairy tales for adults.

"Pan's Labyrinth" ("El Laberinto del Fauno") is a sequel of sorts to "The Devil's Backbone," a magical realism film about the Spanish Civil War. But this movie takes us deeper into a world that is half real, half ominous fairy tale, with a unique and imaginative story and some really excellent acting -in short, a triumph.

Time and place: 1944, Spain. Ofelia (Ivana Baquero) and her very pregnant mother travel to meet her new stepfather, the brutal and murderous Captain Vidal (Sergi López). Ofelia loathes her new stepfather, but is transfixed by the eerie forests around them -and one night she is visited by a fairy, and encounters a giant faun who tells her that she is Princess Moanna of the netherworld, and must return there.

To do so, he tells her that she must do three things, and gives her a strange book. Ofelia menages first task, but is frightened out of her wits by the second task, which involves a hideous monster with eyes in its hands. Even worse, her mother's pregnancy is getting more dangerous. As the guerillas and the fascists clash, Ofelia faces being trapped outside the netherworld forever... and being offered a terrible choice if she wants to get in.

Fairy tales have become cleaned-up and cutesy over time, so that children can read them without nightmares. But del Toro knows that the best fairy tales are the eerie, bizarre ones for adults, that are connected somehow to the real world. That is what makes "Pan's Labyrinth" so brilliantly dark and heartfelt.

Del Toro obviously crafted this with care, directing it in a dreamlike style and brilliant visuals. The eerie atmosphere of Ofelia's wanderings -the delicate yet menacing faun, the chalk doors, the monuments, and the pasty nightmare with eyes in its palms -is both a contrast and a parallel with the everyday world, which Ofelia hopes to escape.

At first, it seems like the post-Civil War and fairy tale stories don't mesh, until you see that the "real world" story is Ofelia's motivation to escape from all the fear, pain and sorrow. But Del Toro's biggest triumph is an ending that is beautifully bittersweet, and which turns out to hinge on Ofelia's newborn brother.

But del Toro's biggest triumph is in the instant connection we feel to Ofelia, with her love of the fantastical and her desire to go somewhere "safe." Baquero is absolutely wonderful in this, as a girl who isn't entirely of this world -in her heart, she belongs somewhere beyond. And López is the ideal villain -you spend the whole movie wanting to see him gruesomely killed.

Half "Mirrormask" and half gritty war story, "Pan's Labyrinth" is one of the best fantasy stories in years -dark, passionate and beautifully made. Definitely a great movie.

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As I write this review, I am listening to the Pan's Labyrinth OST for the sixth time on the film's official website. Without question in my mind, Pan's Labyrinth definitely has the best soundtrack of 2006, perhaps even 2007, though as of this review the year is not yet ended.

Like most movies, I read many reviews of Pan's Labyrinth before deciding to see it. As a long-time admirer of Roger Ebert's reviews, I took his praise of the film seriously and decided to dole out seven bucks. I missed the opening shot. Perhaps it was best that way, since it would have probably influenced my perception of the rest of the movie.

Pan's Labyrinth was advertised as a fairy tale for adults and the trailers were predominantly concerned with the handful of fanciful creatures and little Ofelia. Coincidentally, a few months later, another movie used the same advertising ploy to draw in viewers. Many complained that the trailers for Bridge To Terabithia made it out to be another Narnia and thus misleading, even though they could have saved themselves the trouble by simply reading a synopsis of the novel the movie was based on. The parallels between Pan's Labyrinth and Terabithia struck me as sign that American cinema was veering towards a precipice over which it would plummet into the abyss of Roald Dahlian theatrics. Not surprisingly, criticisms for Pan's Labyrinth and Terabithia were very similar -the ads were misleading, there was not enough fantasy and too much reality. Again, they should have simply done some reading before going to the movie. The old addage isn't always true, ignorance isn't always bliss.

Much of the criticism surrounding Pan's Labyrinth is directed towards the violence and adverse ratio of fantasy to war, as well as use of subtitles (Americans hate reading, it seems). Both complaints show a widespread lack of understanding about some of the film's fine points and overall ignorance. With regard to the violence, Pan's Labyrinth is indeed a violent, gory movie. Seeing as how it's set during wartime, specifically WWII, it is really no different than other wartime films such as Glory or the History Channel mini-series Band Of Brothers. War is grisly and Guillermo del Toro doesn't pussyfoot away from that fact. He includes scenes of gore which, aside from that of Captain Vidal stitching his mouth back together a sign of Vidal's stout resilience and possibly even an allusion to the Joker's smile could hardly be considered excessive. Nobody loses a head or limb; guts don't spill out all over the ground; nails don't protrude out of eye sockets -the level of gore in Pan's Labyrinth is hardly worth criticizing.

Captain Vidal, the main antagonist, is what many would consider truly evil. Some argue his character is unrealistically evil, that he's too sadistic. It seems people are wont to forget Newton's rule of thumb -for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Throughout the film, action and reaction drive the military and rebels. Action, reaction. Push, pull. One thing leads to another. Captain Vidal commands a military outpost resisting Republican rebels. His father died in Morocco and the death greatly affected Vidal. He takes his frustration out on the rebels. As a military man, he knows there is a possibility he might be killed, so he yearns for an heir. Enter his wife Carmen, pregnant with Vidal's son, or so he likes to believe. The camp's physician warns against presuming the child's gender, compounding Vidal's stress. Action, reaction. Push, pull. Carmen brings her daughter Ofelia. Had she been a boy instead, perhaps Vidal would have accepted her. Or perhaps not. Action, reaction. Enter the faeries.

The beauty of this film is del Toro's weaving of reality and fantasy. As I said, I missed the first minute of the movie and as such may not have put it in the correct perspective. The first faerie appears separate from Ofelia as a mantis which follows her to the camp. One night it visits her in bed where she asks, "Did you follow me here? Are you a fairy?" at which point she shows the mantis a picture of a fairy and it turns into one, albeit with an insectoid head. Del Toro claims this was intended to distinguish his faeries from the classic beautified representations. Indeed, nothing in the fantasy realm is beautiful to the viewer, but rather grotesque and at times fearsome. Everything in the supernatural realm mirrors the world in which Ofelia lives. There is nothing wholly beautiful. Even the beauty of child-bearing is marred by pain and blood, as Carmen suffers numerous maladies as she struggles to carry Vidal's heir to term.

The supernatural never appear in the same scene as any other character except Ofelia, excluding the faerie's nocturnal visit while Carmen was fast asleep. Aware of this, it's easy for the viewer to perceive everything as being in Ofelia's head, but the two worlds collide when Ofelia puts a mandrake root under her ailing mother's bed and Carmen gradually recovers, much to everyone's amazement. But Vidal, ever distrustful of Ofelia, mistakes her actions as an attempt on the unborn heir's life. Carmen defends her daughter and after Vidal leaves the room admonishes her for believing in such superstitions. She then tosses the mandrake root into the fireplace, at which point she immediately goes into labor and soon after dies during childbirth. Without Carmen to protect Ofelia, Vidal links the young girl with a treacherous maid and has Ofelia imprisoned in her room. At wit's end, Ofelia cries out for help and is visited once more by the ambiguous faun.

It is at this point which the recurring assumption that Pan's Labyrinth is about escapism becomes fundamentally incorrect. In review after review, the fantasy realm is just that -fantasy. It's all in Ofelia's head as a means for her to escape the harsh realities of the embattled world around her. In actuality, Ofelia not only brings the real world into the "fantasy realm," but she brings fantasy into the real. The labyrinth itself is real. The faeries are insectoid. The toad was inspired by Vidal's umbrella. The terrifying Pale Man was an amalgram of metaphors. And her home kingdom... To mention anything about that would be a spoiler. But after she has been locked in her room, the faun visits Ofelia and gives her a quest: "Fetch your brother and bring him to the labyrinth as quickly as possible." At this point fantasy and reality collide head-on. Ofelia escapes from her prison through supernatural means and kidnaps her brother, thus involving Captain Vidal in the mythical quest.

Escapism -the desire to retreat into imaginative entertainment to escape the harshness of reality. Escapism is sitting in front of a television eight hours a day instead of going out partying. Escapism is chatting or writing lengthy reviews on Amazon instead of hanging out with friends. Escapism is definitely not what Pan's Labyrinth is about. For Ofelia, reality and fantasy are one and the same.

And when all is said and done and the credits roll, you may find yourself questioning your own beliefs. What is real? What is fantasy? And just who really had the most fanciful thoughts? Ofelia with her fairy kingdom? The rebels with their fight for freedom from national oppression? Or Captain Vidal with his unwaivering desire for a son to follow in his footsteps?

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One of the most beautiful, haunting, heart-breaking and, ultimately, exhilarating films I've ever seen (4 times in a theater, alone). This is great film-making that will creep back into your thoughts long after you've seen it and it will make you embarrassed about that last piece of Hollywood bilge you saw. At it's core is an uncanny performance by a young lady named Ivana Baquero as Ofelia that is so honest and brave that it will break your heart AND lift you up. The director Guillermo Del Toro deftly balances the ugliness of fascist, war-torn Spain and the fantasy world that may be Ophelia's refuge without undermining either.

If you treasure great film, you will want to hold on to this one. It's a gem.

NEW C.r.a.z.y. - C.r.a.z.y. (blu-ray) (Blu-ray)

I had the pleasure of seeing this award-winning French Canadian film at the 2005 Toronto Film Fest. I would dearly like to see it again -even at the exorbitant price of $45 -but I have to refrain for the time being. The reason: the details don't specify whether or not this film has ENGLISH SUBTITLES, and I strongly suspect that it DOESN'T. (It's been my experience with Quebec DVD films in the past that if they don't specifically MENTION subtitles, there ARE no subtitles.) I've inquired about this to Amazon, but have not received the courtesy of a reply yet. So, much as I would like to recommend that you check out this amazing character-driven film right away, I can only suggest that you hold off for the time being, until the issue is cleared up. (Unless you SPEAK French, of course ... then go for it!)

* Update: Thanks to another Amazon user, I found out that the DVD was available from an alternate source for a lot less money and definitely DID have English subtitles. I strongly believe that it's the same version that Amazon is offering. Why they refuse to update the details is a mystery, but you can now consider it safe to purchase if you don't speak French.

I rarely review items on Amazon, but I just saw this film and believe it deserves far more attention than it is getting in the U.S. If you like movies about people, family, and relationships and don't like Hollywood's oversimplified characters and facile plots, this film is for you.

The story in a nutshell: lower middle class parents raise 5 sons in suburban Montreal from 1960 to the present. There are 2 main themes: the father's relationships with his sons, and the struggle of one of the sons to reconcile his identity with his parents' expectations.

While I was watching this film, I kept waiting for one of the usual missteps: a character simplified to keep the story moving, an action or phrase that isn't genuine, an actor briefly stepping out of character. It didn't happen! This 2 hour movie was flawless in how it portrayed this family and the times they lived in. But don't get the idea this is some french version of Forest Gump. This movie encapsulates a time and place by focusing on the individuals and letting their unique lives tell the story of the generation.

I would be remiss if I didn't comment on the superb acting from this cast you've probable never heard of (I sure hadn't). If this film was in english the actor playing the father would be a slamdunk for the best supporting actor Oscar. The portrayals of the mother, the eldest son as an adult, and all the sons as children were superb. Finally, I would call the lead character's performance a Tour de Force if it weren't for the fact that this somehow implies it was overdone. It wasn't it was just perfect!

A word of warning. These characters speak Quebecois. Don't expect your high school french or even your college french/english dictionary to let understand the dialogue without subtitles. This is a shame because the color imparted by language is part of the story, especially the French Canadian swear words based on the Catholic liturgy.

Go out of your way to see this film. It's a gem.

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It's already Canada's official entry at the Oscars and has been distributed in 50 countries. It also boasts one of the most enthusiastic ratings response on the IMDb () and it's just been made available on DVD on Amazon. See:

It's a coming-of-age story set in Quebec in the 60's, 70's and 80's in a suburban family of five boys. It's been variously acclaimed as the "Best Canadian Film ever" and the "Best Quebec Film of the past 20 years", which is not surprising as the best Canadian films are almost invariably from Québec.

I personally think it deserves all the accolades. On top of good acting, a gripping story, gut-wrenching situations, a wonderful recreation of the era, and a very real Québec atmosphere, it offers visual explosions of pure cinematic genius. It it doesn't get the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar let alone the nominationthere is something seriously wrong with America!

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C.R.A.Z.Y. is a rare film. Wonderful, comic, beautiful, poetic, tragic, and moreit effectively captures the cultural norms and social atmosphere of Montreal in the late 70s. More importantly, it tells the story of a suburban, working class family and their confrontation with the most formidable of challenges that could threaten any family's stability.

Brutally honest, morally visceral, and cleverly presented, C.R.A.Z.Y. will alter the meaning of the word, permanently, for anyone who is willing to accept that the most important foundations of family are love and acceptance.

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This could be the best foreign film and for my money one of the best films at the 2005 Oscars.

My wife and I still talk about the film. It is a story about a Quebec family (French) with the focus on the coming of age/coming out story of one of 5 boys. Well done and sensitive, it follows the boy from birth to middle age providing a real insight into what it was like for this person discovering his homosexuality. While the story focuses on his relationship with his father, his mother's role is priceless and the music was exceptional.

A French Canadian masterpiece.

One Week (2008)

Ben Tyler discovers at the beginning of the film that he has a short time to live and despite the urgings of his fiancee and family to enter treatment immediately, he heads out on the road on a motorcycle. He takes photos of himself at man-made and natural landmarks, he meets people along the way who give him insights such as "if you need to ask if you are really in love, you aren't," and "I work the ranch without making enough money because there are other kinds of payments."

The other kinds of payments are hard to put into words. Things like being in contact with the wide open beauty of the land, or surfing, or enjoying the company of others.

It is a complex film that captures the feeling of settling for second best, of believing what people tell you about yourself, and then discovering they were wrong.

As a Canadian I identified strongly with Ben's journey. He has a romantic core, wants to instill some passion in his bored students -but fails; he is unassuming and undemanding and states that if he could read the paper and drink coffee with his fiancee at their favorite coffee shop for the rest of his life, that would be enough; and Ben's journey is realistic -the most danger he encounters is getting drowsy and skidding out of control on a squashed skunk. He wakes in the ditch with nothing broken and tries to dance and celebrate, but that is not his style. He is uncomfortable with too much outward exuberance. The real story is going on inside.

Ben is perhaps not a typical Canadian, but he is "my" kind of Canadian, and so I was cheering for him quietly, in my head, while I sipped tea and though of having a Tim Horton's donut. You see there is a kind of rebellious streak in Ben that I like, he is finding his identity after all, but his rebellion leads towards insight, not violence or crime or block busting. He takes the world as it is, noticing, accepting. Even if the giant chair or moose or giant "whatever" is less than wonderful -he smiles at them.

There is a self deprecating humour about all this, a kind of "lets not get too excited -or too disappointed" attitude that sounds boring when you say it, but works so well in the film -and in life really. Life is what it is, after all, even with cancer. So in good Canadian style Ben wakes up (literally and metaphorically) and goes home to his family.

If you like intelligent films in which each frame has a poetic thoughtfulness, this movie will hit the mark.

I am not Canadian, nor is my store in Canada, but I still thought this was a great Canadian travel film. This was one of the more realistic cancer films I have seen in a bit, and (I feel) not worthy of the hate club that campaigns against it.

Simply put, it is a film about a man who travels across his country after being diagnosed with a terminal illness. Like other good travel films, we see a sampling of the beautiful country that Canada has to offer, we encounter every-day personalities of people along the way and we learn a few lessons about ourselves and what life might be about. The difference here is that we get a insightful narration by Campbell Scott (most recognized of late with his role in Phoebe in Wonderland), which in itself provided some nice laugh-out-loud moments.

I laughed at unexpected moments, saw some incredible Canadian scenery, and did not feel anything was contrived or cardboard (as most complainants have stipulated). The special features give this four-star film a five. The low-def "Making-of" contained just the right amount of logistical material on production, the commentary and interviews provide plenty of information for the followers and the remaining HD gallery, after party and trailer add just the right amount of extras to show the fun side of this film.

The Blu quality is slightly better than the DVD, but there is still plenty of grain and and (very minute) random artifact. The grandiose panoramas could have been a bit clearer, the DTS was never fully utilized, even with the plethora of songs, but the presentation was still adequate. Not a reference Blu, but the film and special features make this a higher rating.

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This was a great movie to stumble onto, thanks to Amazon's free Prime streaming. It's a great, scenic, peaceful, thought-provoking movie with good acting from the main character. And a nice motorcycle, to boot!

I found it well-written, with very little cruft, and without being overly dramatic. There is some great, understated humor altogether, it strikes me as a very Canadian film :)

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A Canadian sleeper, "One Week" is a small, quiet, and thoughtful little film that I think will be a pleasant surprise to most. A rather lightweight movie about mortality and making the most out of what we're given--the film, which might have been insufferably maudlin, is played for mostly comic affect. It's an interesting, and mostly effective, choice because it is the tone of "One Week" which makes it stand out. So low key and understated, at times, as to barely register--the piece eschews traditional big dramatic moments for a quirky introspection provided in a silky narrative by Campbell Scott. At times, the film veers into overly precious territory and I'm not sure that it doesn't want to be a comic fable. I think, however, it is more successful as an unassuming character piece as opposed to a hokey allegory.

Joshua Jackson plays a young teacher who is diagnosed with a Stage 4 cancer. With such a bleak prognosis, Jackson wants to reconnect with life before assuming the role of a patient. Leaving his family and fiancee, Jackson embarks on a motorcycle adventure across Canada. Along the way, as you might expect, Jackson learns how to live again--to embrace the side of him which had been relegated to the past in pursuit of adult responsibilities. The trip is filled with colorful and wise locals, ridiculous tourist traps, and mildly amusing scenarios that all help to identify what Jackson holds precious. As if that weren't enough, the Scott narrative observes the action and provides either a gently humorous punchline or an example of how a brief occurrence has lifelong repercussions. I love Scott--but it is in this voice-over that "One Week" becomes slightly strained and contrived.

The film is, also, a lovely tribute to the Canadian landscape. A travelogue of wilderness beauty, the movie has a lot to recommend it visually. But to anchor the scenario and keep you invested--there has to be a compelling lead. Jackson is this movie. I think that he underplays his role with precision, and his effortless likability is a huge selling point. There is something incredibly natural about the way this film unfolds which makes me forgive its less successful narrative reaches. As the film progresses, the tone becomes more serious as is appropriate. But the overuse of melancholic music starts to supplant actual plotting. Yes, it cues sadness--but it's too easy, especially for a film that has tried to establish a unique voice. All in all, though, I think people will love this film and find everything else nitpicking. So who am I to argue? About 3 1/2 stars which I'll round up for good intentions. KGHarris, 3/11.

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I strongly recommend this video for the searchers among us. We need not be aware of a life changing moment greater than the "knowing smile" of those who have survived life's challenges....

"One Week" offers a glimpse into the human condition, the ever new journey beyond each moment, each turn, each sunrise, sunset...

Besides being a great visual treat, the simplicity is easily entered into.. take a couple of hours to take stock of your life.

There are some "edgy" moments which are unfortunately part of nearly every "artistic" genre today... "One Week" is no exception... make sure you view BEFORE allowing an impressionable youth absorb some of the scenes.

Otherwise, it does a good job of depicting the minimalistic life that "a motorcycle journey" endears. Beautiful scenery in Canada!!

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Gran Torino (+ BD-Live) (2008)

Throughout his illustrious acting career, Clint Eastwood has delivered a series of iconic characters, such as The Man with no name, Dirty Harry, Josie Wales, and Will Munny in Unforgiven.

Throughout his illustrious directing career he has delivered outstanding movies such as Unforgiven, Mystic River, and Million Dollar Baby, for which he has won five Academy Awards, for best Picture, Best Director, and including the Irving Thalberg Life Achievement Award.

The actors who have worked with him have been blessed with Oscar: Gene Hackman for Unforgiven, Tim Robbins and Sean Penn for Mystic River, Morgan Freeman and Hilary Swank for Million Dollar Baby.

In Gran Torino he both directs and acts, and delivers an acting performance that will be remembered long after the final credits roll, in its unique way, as memorable as any other character he has created.

Gran Torino is the second best movie I have seen this year. Not just for the acting, not just for the directing, but for the storytelling, and the emotional journey on which it takes you, the laughter, the feeling of being gripped, and its more surprising moments.

In the opening scenes, we have the exposition of the character. We get to know Walt Kowalski, by how people act around him, and his seemingly hateful attitude towards people. More is conveyed through a scowl, and a snarl than with words. When the mischievous grandchildren go through his stuff in the basement, we see the Silver Star he won in Korea. There are three other important symbols in the movie, the lighter, the gun, and the car.

We see a hero with a warrior past, a patriot who fought for a cause greater than himself. Clearly, his bigotry stems from those experiences.

He's not just mean, he's 'get of my lawn' mean. He's Dirty Harry 'Go ahead punk, make my day!,' mean.

His dead wife's priest bugs him to hear his confession, at her request. The priest in a way is his wife's conscience.

When he snarls down the barrel of his rifle, at the neighborhood punk: 'I could blow your head off, and sleep like a baby,' you get the sense that he means it.

So, with all that happens, we see the change in his decision making, from someone reluctant to be involved in his neighbor's affairs, and a story can turn on something as random as looking at an empty beer cooler.

For all his faults, Walt has mature masculine character. Even though he is a difficult father, he has taught his children character. So, when he sees the boy next door lacks character, and a strong male role model, he takes him under his wing, and teaches him how to be a man.

The scenes where the boy practises Walt's high octane ball busting banter, are the funniest in the movie. Through knowing Walt, he makes decisions he never would have made by himself. In so doing, Walt finds meaning and purpose, and a chance for redemption, and the boy becomes a man.

The Academy's actor awards tend to go to actors in two types of role:

1.PsychopathNo Country for Old Men, The Usual Suspects, There Will Be Blood, Training Day, Silence of the Lambs.

2.Mentally Disabled, Social or Physical Handicap, overcomes great adversity or discriminationShine, As Good as It Gets, A Beautiful Mind, Ray, Scent of a Woman, Capote, Philadelphia, The Pianist, A Beautiful Life.

Every rule has an exception. Russell Crowe in Gladiator played a character with thematic similarities to Walt.

For a 78 year old man to direct and be lead actor in a movie of this caliber is an achievement worthy at the very least of being nominated for the highest award for Acting, Directing or both.

I hope you find this review helpful.

People react strongly to "Gran Torino," either embracing its depiction of a flawed but heroic racist old coot, or deriding the movie simply because its apparent political incorrectness makes them nervous. But even if the Academy does not bestow one award on what is probably Clint Eastwood's last movie as an actor, remember this: "Gran Torino" is a more intelligent film on the state of race relations today than "Crash" (a multiple Oscar winner) ever pretended to be.

The story is about Walt Kowalski, a grizzled Korean War vet and widower who spends his time drinking, smoking, and polishing his 1972 Ford Gran Torino, a vintage example of Detroit muscle. Because he installed the car's steering column himself, the car represents not only a classically American fixation on the automobile, but also a blue-collar, pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps work ethic, one that Eastwood himself would no doubt agree with. (If for some reason you don't believe me, read his "What I've Learned" interview in the latest issue of Esquire.)

Kowalski mentors an aimless Hmong teenager named Thao, who is being pressured to join his cousin's gang. This is where the "Karate Kid" comparison comes in, which is inaccurate, partly because the characters of "Gran Torino" exhibit considerably greater depth. The boy who plays Thao (and in fact all of the Hmong characters) is not a professional actor, so although his portrayal is sometimes rather wooden, there really isn't any substitute for authenticity. Eastwood came of age in an era when Hollywood produced war movies using, say, a Chinese actor to portray a Japanese soldier. It's clear from the casting of "Gran Torino" (and "Letters from Iwo Jima," for that matter) that Eastwood prefers to do things his own way.

Kowalski makes fun of Thao (calling him "Toad"), but also teaches the boy how to earn an honest living. In the process, he becomes closer to Thao's family than he is to any of his own kin, who have degenerated into a distant, crass, materialistic clan of their own, far removed from the values Kowalski attempted to pass on.

The steady stream of racist epithets in "Gran Torino" will cause some people to laugh uncomfortably, others to laugh with delight, and still another group to glare at those who are laughing. Ultimately, however, this unsettling portrayal of one man's deep prejudices evolves into a different story altogether. It is not possible to show the audience a path away from a racist mentality without showing honestly where that mentality came from--a feat which "Crash," in spite of its heavy-handed moralizing, never came close to pulling off.

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Can Clint Eastwood go wrong? After striking gold a few months ago with the brilliant "Changeling," he releases "Gran Torino," another one of the year's best films. What a masterful storyteller Eastwood is, so focused on creating that perfect balance between story and character. He doesn't disappoint with "Gran Torino," a nearly flawless film that gives us characters we believe in and a story so compelling that it's virtually impossible to not be absorbed by it. What we have here is a cross-generational, cross-cultural story about people who can learn so much from each other despite being different. It's about regret, sadness, redemption, and growth, which isn't to say that it's conventional or archetypal; Eastwood plays a contemporary version of a Wise Old Man, someone who draws on life experience to teach an undeveloped youth. What's unique is that, regardless of what life has taught him, this Wise Old Man still has a lot to learn.

He has a name, of course: retired Ford factory worker Walt Kowalski. As a veteran of the Korean War, Kowalski has seen and done a lot of things he wishes he hadn't. He's bitter, antisocial, and politically incorrect. After his wife's funeral, we discover that he doesn't get along too well with his sons, specifically Mitch (Brian Haley) and his wife, Karen (Geraldine Hughes), who seem to believe that his age automatically makes him codependent and eligible for a spot in a retirement home. His grandchildren don't appreciate him one bit; the granddaughter only wants his stuff, hand-me-downs to take with her to school. They don't make things easy for him, but then again, he doesn't make things easy for them, either. It's a vicious cycle of resentment and miscommunication.

As this is being established, we're introduced to a teenage boy named Thao (Bee Vang), who lives next door to Kowalski with his large Hmong family. He's the black sheep of his deeply traditional family, always doing chores that the women are supposed to do. Having no direction in life, he's pressured by his cousin, nicknamed Spider (Doua Moua), to join his neighborhood gang. As an act of initiation, Thao must sneak into Kowalski's garage and steal his most prized possession: A 1972 Gran Torino. The attempt backfires. Some time later, Spider arrives with his posse and tries to abduct Thao. The resulting scuffle is broken up when Kowalski points his shotgun at the gang members and demand they get off his lawn.

Within no time at all, Kowalski's front steps are covered with tokens of appreciation from Thao's family, none of which go appreciated. But then Kowalski gets to know Thao's sister, Sue (Ahney Her), a remarkably independent young woman. Quick-witted and outgoing, she takes Kowalski's racial slurs in stride, believing that a good man lies behind the disgruntled façade. As he spends more time with Sue and her family, he begins to realize that he has more in common with them that with his own family, which, in all likelihood, scares him more than it brings him comfort.

When Thao formally apologizes for trying to steal Kowalski's Gran Torino, Kowalski puts him to work doing various chores, like repainting a house and fixing gutters. Hardly a scene goes by when he isn't verbally berating Thao, although it's obvious from the start that he's doing it to toughen him up, to make him believe that his life has a purpose and that he should actively be trying to find it. Part of this involves getting Thao to talk like a man. There's a priceless scene in which Kowalski brings Thao to a barber, who has been sharing insults with Kowalski for a number of years. Afterwards, Kowalski arranges for Thao to work at a construction site; the boss, as it turns out, is the perfect man for Thao to test his new vocabulary on. What Kowalski doesn't realize is that he's learning just as much from Thao, especially in matters of caring for other people. Eventually, Kowalski comes to the conclusion that Thao and his family will never be at peace so long as Spider and his gang are around.

The film's most fascinating character is Father Janovich (Christopher Carley), a twenty-seven year old priest who promised Kowalski's wife that he'd look after him upon her death and get him to confess. Initially, Kowalski wants nothing to do with Janovich, who gives sermons on matters of life and death yet has no real idea what it means to face your own mortality. Kowalski knows--he served his country in Korea. "What do you know about life?" Janovich calmly asks. "Well," says Kowalski, "I survived the war. I got married and had a family." There's absolutely no joy in his voice when he says this. Gradually, he begins to appreciate Janovich; he many not have all the answers, but at least he's willing to listen.

The brilliance of this movie comes not from the development of the characters, but from the way the characters interact with one another. Virtually no one is on friendly terms at the start, but by the end, there's an understated feeling that respect has been earned on all sides. Kowalski refers to Thao as his friend only once, and while it was nice to actually hear it, it still didn't come as a surprise given everything that had been leading to that moment. At a certain point, you just knew how Kowalski felt. "Gran Torino" is such a wonderful film, so carefully structured, so perfectly cast, so rewarding for the audience. To make just one great film in a year is the mark of real talent. But to make two great films in the same year, now that's the work of genius.

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Some have criticized "Gran Torino" as being too simple, cliched and hurt by the performances of the film's first-time actors.

But this is one of those rare movies that's bigger than the sum of its parts. In recent years, I have yet to see a film that managed to get both men and women to cry. And that it would provoke such strong emotions is not evident until the last act.

It may seem simple and cliched on the surface, and while I knew that Clint Eastwood's character Walt would eventually warm up to his Hmong neighbors, I didn't expect that the movie would also have me, a guy who doesn't cry at movies, wiping my eyes. And not just once, but the three other times I saw the film at the theater. And I heard other people crying at every viewing.

Each time I viewed it, it was just as powerful, if not more.

Walt is an old, bitter racist, who just about hates everyone, including the young pastor who visits him regularly at the request of Walt's late wife, and his own children and their families.

On paper, the story seems simple, but its power is hard to deny. It's part drama, part comedy, part tale of one man's racist surface, but as the credits roll, you realize that the power of the movie, the emotional buttons it pushes, make this a movie that rises above the acting, above its direction, above its script, to make something deeper and emotionally touching than most would have expected.

There are subtle touches and small scenes that any other director would not have folded into the film. And they do go by like a breeze for the most part. They'll have you laughing, smiling or shaking your head.

And it's good that Eastwood's character does not make a complete (and unrealistic) 360 degree turn, as you see in most American movies.

And given what Eastwood has delivered in most of his movies, most notably as Dirty Harry and his various Westerns, you expect a big showdown to come, and that showdown does come, but not with the ending you expect.

Eastwood has made powerful movies before, but this one really seemed to touch the core of many people, across many age groups, and racial/ethnic designations.

On a side note, Eastwood has also done what so many Hollywood studios and filmmakers choose not to do, which is portray Asian-Americans as regular, everyday people, living in America. That's no small feat, as most Hollywood studios go out of their way to not cast Asian-Americans and not show the lives of Asian-Americans. They rather change the race of the characters, even when they're basing a movie on a real-life story about Asian-American people, or offer easy, ignorant stereotypes.

Eastwood only deserves credit, because it's something that should have been done decades ago.

And while this movie may not get much kudos from the snobby critics in the big film world, it has a emotional pull that even some recent Eastwood movies don't have.

It may not have won any big awards, but it's a movie I plan on watching for years to come.

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With 175 reviews to read you probably won't get around to reading mine. But Gran Torino may just be Clint Eastwood's finest acting, and it certainly one of the best films he's directed. It's both iconic building on Dirty Harry and Unforgiven and subtle. As an actor friend of mine once said back in the late 1970's about Clint: "He's got one look. But boy, is it a good look."

Gran Torino is the embodiment of that statement. When Clint levels his rifle at the scum, and says he could blow their heads off, go in, and sleep like a baby, he's probably the only man on earth you'd believe saying something like that. His eyes, his carriage, his intensity.

Underneath that patented Dirty Harry glare is a performance of such subtlety, minute inflections, and being it's virtuoso. He's like a worn out pair of jeans, a well-oiled and used baseball mitt. Clint Eastwood uses his entire body of work as a back drop to this performance, and builds on it to take us along for the ride.

I'm not going to share the plot as others have so far. It's a film about values and tradition. About accountability. Doing the right thing up to and including making sure his old dog is taken care of. What's masterful about the film is that he takes what could have been a caricature in the hands of another actor and director and makes it believable.

Much has been made of his racist language. At first it's jarring. It's so all encompasing and over the top in the beginning of the film you can't help but concentrate on it. But he takes it from Archie Bunker territory with character development and plot arc to the point where you no longer actually hear the stupid words. You are too focused on the man's character and who he really is. A real racist would never have entered his neighbor's home, and certainly wouldn't have eaten their food. The reviewer who said he's racist because he doesn't know any other way to be is spot-on.

The Hmong cast is outstanding. I especially loved the interaction between Walt and Grandma two peas in a pod. Bee Vang as Tow was solid as the boy who becomes a man. Ahney Her as Sue is the driver of the changes in Walt. If she couldn't hold her own with Clint the film wouldn't have worked. She does, and in the bargain, Gran Torino is a very satisfying, impressive film.

Like Gran Torinos, and Clint Eastwood, they don't make 'em like this anymore.

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