It’s Sunday again and that means that it’s Weekend Wrap Up time.

This week:

We look at the weekend box office; Colin Farrell and Keira Knightley move to London Boulevard; Michael Uslan talks The Shadow; Spider-Man knows Good People; George Clooney returns to TV and Charlie’s Angels 3 appears to be heading this way!

In this Weeks Weekend Movie News Wrap Up::

Clint Eastwood drives to the top of the box office with Gran Torino; Ewan McGregor is Pierce Brosnan’s Ghost; Sienna Miller will not be visiting Nottingham; Morricone is not a Basterd; Moore, Neeson and Seyfried know Chloe; the Joker may have the last laugh in Batman 3 and Farrell, Weir and Harris are on their Way Back.

Short version: It’s really very simple: If you’re a Clint Eastwood fan going way back, you’re going to LOVE Gran Torino.

Screen Rant reviews Gran Torino

You know I’m getting pretty used to taking heat for my movie reviews, and I have no doubt that it’ll happen again for this review of the Clint Eastwood written and directed film, Gran Torino. But you know what? I don’t care, and I don’t apologize for my reviews. You may be entitled to your opinion, but you know what? So am I – like it or not. So… onward.

Gran Torino is the story of Walt Kowalski, an old veteran of the Korean War. As the film opens we see that his wife has just died, and within seconds of his appearance we know exactly what sort of character Walt is: a cranky, grizzled (and racist) old timer who despises what’s become of the people in the world around him.

Over at Esquire there’s an interview with Clint Eastwood, and I just had to post some excerpts here. This has been a rough year for Hollywood in regards to the passing away of some awesome actors and directors from an earlier era. An era before political correctness and sensitivity training ruled the day.

We’ve lost the likes of old greats like Roy Scheider, Charlton Heston, Paul Newman and Sydney Pollack (among many others). And I’m already dreading the day we lose Clint Eastwood.

This weeks Weekend Movie News Wrap Up features:

The Box Office; Brad Pitt gets Lost; Pesce is Smokin’ Aces; we learn more details about Stallone’s The Expendables; Twilight really is Near Dark and Kenneth Brannagh talks Thor!

The 2009 Golden Globe Nominations have been officially announced and it looks like The Dark Knight has been almost totally snubbed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.

That’s right folks, The Dark Knight received just one nomination: a Best Supporting Actor nod for Heath Ledger’s groundbreaking (and freaky) turn as The Joker. No Best Director nomination for Chris Nolan; no Best Screenplay nomination for Chris and Jonathan Nolan; no Best Original Score nomination (although Dark Knight composers Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard are both nominated in that category for work on two other films).

This week:

The A-Team doesn’t come together; Ripley’s Believe it or Not gets a director; Steven Soderbergh has Cleopatra coming at ya; Crispin Glover teams with Tim Burton and McG gets into the spy business with Dead Spy Running .

Clint Eastwood is directing and starring in Gran Torino, a new movie coming out this December. The trailer was released a few days ago but I hadn’t taken the time to watch it.

What was I thinking? This movie looks like it’s going to be fantastic!

Yes, it’s that time of the week again.

This week:

Rob Reiner reads the Book of Shadows; 13 isn’t unlucky for Mickey Rourke and Jason Statham; we take a peek at Clint Eastwood’s Gran Torino; will you see Saw V and Spider-Man makes sure that Sam Raimi doesn’t know Jack.

I don’t know why I’m disappointed, deep down I knew that Clint Eastwood’s Gran Torino wasn’t going to be a new Dirty Harry movie… but it’s good to dream – isn’t it?

Moviehole got the low down on the film, which is a coming of age comedy and presumably Oscar bait. According to the site this is the plot:

“(The Gran Torino) is the prized possession of the film’s central character (he doesn’t budge when his granddaughter mentions that she’d like the car when pop finally keels over) a senior named Walt, grandfather and local sour-puss. When a local Asian boy named Tao attempts to steal the car, Walt, against the advice of others (largely the local priest), forms his own form of punishment.”

“Ultimately, Walt sets Tao on the right path – giving him a job (even if it’s just doing things around the house for the old man) and teaching him how to communicate with others.”

Apparently the film is filled with humor, which is a big change of pace for Eastwood, who seems to be taking himself very seriously recently. Too seriously!

So what is up with old Clint?