Nominated for six Academy Awards including best picture, "Good Night, and Good Luck" is an extraordinary film fully deserving of all the hype. Unlike in previous films, superstar George Clooney wrote, directed and acted in this gem, which is different from movie that has come out in years.\nBased on a true story, "Good Night, and Good Luck" brings America back to the time when the thought of Communism struck fear in all Americans. In this era, even members of the media were afraid to take on the subject with the fear that Sen. Joseph McCarthy would target them as members of the Communist party. However, one man had no hesitation to report the news he saw: CBS reporter Edward R. Murrow (David Strathairn). Regardless of the risk, Murrow looked in the face of the U.S. government and military, taking them on in a way that might not have changed only television but perhaps the whole nation as well.\nUsually a film of this caliber features an array of fun special features with the release of a DVD. However, this film's DVD does not provide anything special. This is extremely disappointing since "Good Night, and Good Luck" is centered around actual events that took place in America's history. It is only
logical to think that there would be a large amount of added informative material to enhance the quality of the DVD. This DVD does contain a rather common director/producer commentary, theatrical trailer and a small featurette detailing what it was like creating this true story. The featurette includes some interviews with some of the real-life journalists chronicled in the film, discussing what it was like to work during this era of political and social unrest. The accounts are interesting, but ultimately lackluster as they are not as informative I hoped.\nWhile this DVD might not give audiences much bang for their buck in the special features section, "GNGL" is a brilliant film that everyone should see. Not only is this a great cinematic masterpiece, but it is also interesting to compare the state of the media during McCarthyism to present times. Watching this film made me curious to see what the next historic film might be about, but until then, "Good Night, and Good Luck"
