Don’t bank on them
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The International
Sony, $28.96; Blu-ray, $39.95
In “The International,” Clive Owen and Naomi Watts play upright lawmen -- he for Interpol, she for the Manhattan DA’s office -- who work together to bring down a bank involved with money-laundering for terrorists and despots. The subject couldn’t be much more relevant, dealing as it does with how the benign amorality of global finance drifts easily into outright evil. But aside from a few thrilling action set-pieces (including one humdinger set in the Guggenheim), director Tom Tykwer takes a too-muted approach to this material, confusing sobriety with sophistication. The DVD and Blu-ray editions are awfully serious as well, adding a commentary by Tykwer and screenwriter Eric Singer, a set of thorough behind-the-scenes featurettes and a picture-in-picture option that combines all of the above.
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The Cleaner: The First Season
Paramount, $49.99
Some of the best shows on TV -- heck, some of the best shows in the history of TV -- have been debuting on basic cable lately, but A&E;’s original series “The Cleaner” isn’t quite in the same class as “The Shield,” “Breaking Bad” or “Mad Men.” Benjamin Bratt plays a recovering addict who runs a service that helps families stage interventions for their wayward members. The notion that Bratt’s character may have replaced the kick of drugs with the thrill of kidnapping junkies is intriguing, but “The Cleaner’s” addict-of-the-week stories play too much like a typical TV procedural. The first-season DVD set includes selected episode commentaries and some short featurettes.
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Crossing Over
Weinstein, $19.98
Writer-director Wayne Kramer’s social drama “Crossing Over” is an earnest mash-up of “Crash,” “Traffic” and “House of Sand and Fog” that follows a handful of characters as they intersect and yell at one another in Southern California. A powerful cast (anchored by Harrison Ford, Ashley Judd and Ray Liotta) tries to give Kramer’s punchy contemplation of national identity the gravity it requires. But “Crossing Over” is way overheated, relying on forced conflicts and ethnic stereotypes to make fairly obvious points. The DVD arrives completely devoid of features.
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Fired Up
Sony, $28.96; Blu-ray, $39.95
For a teen sexploitation film, “Fired Up” has a solid premise -- about two jocks who switch from football to cheerleading to infiltrate a camp full of young ladies -- but the PG-13 rating and unlikable lead performances sabotage a potentially fun romp. The “Fired Up” DVD and Blu-ray editions perfunctorily add some of the skin missing from the theatrical version, along with a commentary track, a gag reel and a trio of featurettes.
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Gran Torino
Warner, $28.98; Blu-ray, $35.99
The racially charged drama “Gran Torino” was Clint Eastwood’s biggest hit in years, largely because screenwriter Nick Schenk’s story of a grizzled old racist and his troubled Hmong neighbors is at once funny, exciting and touching. And Eastwood’s performances -- in front of and behind the camera -- are enjoyably unfussy. The DVD includes featurettes about cars and manhood; the Blu-ray also includes a featurette about Eastwood’s directing style.
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All titles available Tuesday.
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