‘Gran Torino’ Download and Reviews

October 13, 2009 by Paul Wall  
Filed under Crime, Drama

“Gran Torino” Movie Details

Gran Torino tagline:
Gran Torino - DVD Cover

Gran Torino DVD Cover

Actors:
John Anton Family Friend
Ramon Camacho Latino #3
Christopher Carley Father Janovich
Clint Eastwood Walt Kowalski
William C. Fox Family Friend
Nana Gbewonyo Monk
Brian Haley Mitch Kowalski
Cory Hardrict Duke
Ahney Her Sue Lor
Brian Howe Steve Kowalski
Jerry Lee Hmong Gang Banger 2
Anthony Moscato VFW Verteran
Doua Moua Fong
Doua Moua Spider
Austin Douglas Smith Daniel Kowalski
Directors: Clint Eastwood
IMDB Rating: 8.4/10 out of 107,982 votes

“Gran Torino” Movie Review

“Gran Torino” Plot Summary

Disgruntled Korean War vet Walt Kowalski sets out to reform his neighbor, a young Hmong teenager, who tried to steal Kowalski’s prized possession: his 1972 Gran Torino.

Clint’s best performance since Million Dollar Baby

I saw Gran Torino opening weekend and after hearing rave reviews, I was looking forward to it. After seeing it, I realized what people were excited about, it was Clint’s performance, this is a man you do not want to mess with. He’s the perfect good guy with a bad guy’s lust for vengeance. I love his growls, he sounds like a great guard dog, I would love to just have him by my door if a salesman comes by to make that noise. I can’t believe what a triple threat Clint is: he’s a writer, director, and an actor, not to mention that he’s great at all three of them. He presents Gran Torino with grace and style of an old man that society has forgotten about because of his bad mood not realizing that deep down, he’s truly a good man

Walt Kowalski, a retired Polish American Ford automobile assembly line worker and a Korean War veteran, lives with his dog Daisy in a changing neighborhood which is dominated by immigrants. At the start of the movie, Walt is attending his wife’s funeral, bristling at the shallow eulogy of young Father Janovich. Similarly, he has little patience with his two sons, Mitch and Steve, and their families, who show little regard for Walt’s grief or the memory of their dead mother. Walt’s sons see him as ‘always disappointed’ with them and their families, unaware of their obnoxiousness. Walt’s teenage Hmong neighbors, a shy Thao Vang Lor and his feisty sister Sue, live with their widowed mother and grandmother. The Hmong gang, at that point, tries to persuade Thao to join them. Thao’s initiation is to steal Walt’s prized car, a 1972 Gran Torino Sport. Walt interrupts the robbery, pointing a rifle in Thao’s face and forcing him to flee. After a few days, Spider and his gang return. With Sue at his side, Thao manages to verbally confront them to no avail. The gang drags Thao off his porch in an attempt to assault him. His family tries desperately to fend off Spider and his cohorts. The conflict ends when Walt, who fought in the United States Army’s 1st Cavalry Division, threatens the gang members with his M1 Garand rifle and orders them to get off his lawn. They leave the neighborhood, telling Walt to watch his back

After seeing Sue being harassed by three black teenagers, while her ‘date’ cannot help her, Walt steps in to rescue her, confronting the teenagers and threatening them with a pistol. Sue gets to know Walt, and invites him to a family barbecue on his birthday, bringing him closer to her family, explaining Hmong culture and that during the Vietnam War they fought on ‘his’ side. Sue, Thao, and their mother visit Walt the next day, with Thao’s family forcing him to work for Walt for a week to atone for his attempted theft of the Gran Torino. Walt has Thao clean up the neighborhood until his debt is paid and shows Thao the ways of American men. Meanwhile, the Hmong gang keeps pressuring Thao to join them. But when he refuses, the Hmong gang goes too far in getting their revenge leading to Walt wanting more than punishment, he wants justice

I highly recommend Gran Torino if you get the chance to see it, it has terrific performances and a touching story. I’m really surprised that Clint didn’t get more recognition for his strength in Walt, he became that character and I loved how he protected the family that he once hated. It was wonderful to see all these characters develop and grow together, they had great chemistry and made this movie into a great one. I think down the line, Gran Torino is going to be considered a classic, this is a terrific movie and deserves it’s praise.9/10

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‘Lions for Lambs’ Download and Reviews

August 11, 2009 by Paul Wall  
Filed under Drama, War

“Lions for Lambs” Movie Details

Lions for Lambs tagline: If you don’t STAND for something, you might FALL for anything
Lions for Lambs - DVD Cover

Lions for Lambs DVD Cover

Actors:
Robert Redford Professor Stephen Malley
Meryl Streep Janine Roth
Tom Cruise Senator Jasper Irving
Michael PeГ±a Ernest Rodriguez
Andrew Garfield Todd Hayes
Peter Berg Lt. Col. Falco
Kevin Dunn Howard – ANX Editor
Derek Luke Lt. Arian Finch
Larry Bates Soldier #1
Christopher May Soldier #2
David Pease Soldier #3
Heidi Janson Soldier #4
Christopher Carley Sniper
George Back Student #1
Kristy Wu Student #2
Directors: Robert Redford
IMDB Rating: 6.2/10 out of 20,707 votes

“Lions for Lambs” Movie Review

“Lions for Lambs” Plot Summary

Injuries sustained by two Army ranger behind enemy lines in Afghanistan set off a sequence of events involving a congressman, a journalist and a professor.

Simple but strong

An excellent plot line, brilliantly directed, great cast, not one of Tom’s best performances, but non the less impeccable. The underlying critique of the severe levels of apathy we face in society nowadays is so subtle that it screams a wake up call. All Redford fans will surely be delighted as this is definitely one of his best pieces. I loved the way he approached the subject, which in it self is not an easy one to develop under the circumstances and what fascinates me is that the movie is so fluid, mind opening, non-invasive and easy to grasp that it almost leaves you with the impression that anyone could have done it, which of course is far from the truth. I think this should be a mandatory classroom video for both high school and college students alike, because everyone can benefit from the psychological momentum this movie captures and conveys so beautifully.

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