higashimori
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« Reply #260 on: June 08, 2009, 06:55:16 AM » |
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 " Eastwood is grand in 'Torino' " Published online on Sunday, Jun. 07, 2009 By Donald Munro and Rick Bentley http://www.fresnobee.com/entertainment/story/1451474.html “Gran Torino” Grade A: Clint Eastwood works his magic in a beautiful movie that roars with humanity and humility. Eastwood's Walt Kowalski, racist and bitter, slowly warms up to the Hmong neighbors living next door.
Using his own iconic “Dirty Harry” image, Eastwood satisfies the big-picture craving we have for larger-than-life drama, but he also relishes subverting those conventions.
For all the intensity of the film, the screenplay by Nick Schenk and Dave Johannson is simple in that graceful way that marks hushed, artistic experiences.
WARNER BROS.
Clint Eastwood, right, works his magic in a movie that roars with humanity.
When you get to the closing credits and realize that Eastwood actually sings the title song you’re reminded that “Gran Torino” is infused with every last bit of him. This is very much a Clint show.
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higashimori
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« Reply #261 on: June 10, 2009, 02:58:51 AM » |
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" Clint Eastwood on Clint Eastwood: A Guided Tour " With 'Gran Torino' hitting DVD today, the iconic director/star reflects on 13 milestones in his long, distinguished career By Chris Nashawaty | Jun 09, 2009 http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,1547569,00.html Clint Eastwood doesn't care about awards or box office performance: ''I just want to do the stories I want to do.'' And over the past few years he's been on a tear of great stories — Mystic River, Million Dollar Baby, Flags of Our Fathers, Letters from Iwo Jima, Changeling and, now, Gran Torino. Eastwood sat down with us to talk about some of the 50-odd films on his résumé. The good, the bad, and even the ones with the orangutan. Here's what he had to say....
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right turn clyde
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Shockley, you big prick !
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« Reply #262 on: June 11, 2009, 11:10:43 AM » |
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Dan Dassow
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« Reply #263 on: July 28, 2009, 03:55:36 AM » |
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Although this review is not from the mainstream media it is notable for two reasons: It notes that Gran Torino is now showing on flights and is a positive review from a Catholic priest. Fr. Dwight Longenecker the author of the blog, is Chaplain to St Joseph's Catholic School and on the staff of St Mary’s, Greenville, North Carolina. Standing on my Head ( link to blog) Monday, July 27, 2009 Gran Turino On the flight out to St Louis last week I watched Clint Eastwood's lastest film. ...
Walt is a Catholic, but he doesn't have much time for the nice young priest who tries to help him. Eventually they both learn more about life and death and faith and love.
I won't spoil the movie for you, but I highly recommend it to you. You should know that there is some strong language and violence, but overall the film is very redemptive and very positive in its treatment of Catholic themes. It's a deeply human drama, dealing not only with bereavement, but with the shifting of American values, immigration, lack of aspiration for young people, gang culture and the love and loyalty of family. ... |
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Dan Dassow
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« Reply #264 on: August 08, 2009, 07:26:43 PM » |
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Friday, August 7, 2009 "Gran Torino" - A Film Reflection by Patty Mooney ( link) I had no idea how deeply I would be affected by this film until last night when I saw it, and then I couldn't get to sleep until around 4 in the morning. And I have never suffered from insomnia before!
I've long admired Clint Eastwood, going back to his days as Rowdy Yates on the television show, "Rawhide." From "Hang 'Em High" to "Unforgiven," and his days as Dirty Harry on the streets of San Francisco and New Orleans, Clint has always been both a "man's man" and a "woman's man," something that is not easy for an actor (or a director) to pull off. In his role as "Walt Kowalski," a bigoted and recently widowed Korean War veteran who is particular to Pabst beers and an endless supply of cigarettes, Clint embraces this hard-edged Polack in such a way that the viewer is always pulling for him. Even when you are gasping at the racial slurs he tosses at his Hmong neighbors, you know he is doing it out of emotional pain. The man just lost his wife; in addition to that, he is a combat veteran, who has probably been suffering with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) since 1952 when he earned a Medal of Valor. ... |
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Dan Dassow
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« Reply #266 on: September 14, 2009, 04:02:07 AM » |
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Ponderings on a Faith Journey ( link) The Thoughts and Opinions of a Disciples of Christ pastor and church historian. Sunday, September 13, 2009 Grand Torino -- A Meditation Bob Cornwall, pastor of Central Woodward Christian Church Troy, MI, United States I must start by saying that if you've not seen the movie and don't want to know the ending or even the plot, then you might not want to read further. Otherwise, I invite you to share in this meditation on Clint Eastwood's movie of a year ago, and now on DVD.
Grand Torino is a redemption story. Indeed, though the language may be rough and the violence very much present, it is a spiritually moving movie. Clint Eastwood stars and directs this movie filmed on location here in Metro-Detroit. I wasn't sure what to make of it prior to watching it -- I like Eastwood movies and appreciate his characters who are often silent and misunderstood. ... |
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Dan Dassow
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« Reply #267 on: October 15, 2009, 04:40:10 AM » |
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London Telegraph ( link) Jamie Cullum interview From collaborating with Clint Eastwood to getting engaged to Sophie Dahl, Jamie Cullum has had a life-changing year. As his much-anticipated third album is released, he talks about love, ignoring the critics, and mix tapes. By Craig McLean Published: 12:04PM BST 14 Oct 2009 Jamie Cullum has had a good summer. There was his appearance at the Glaston-bury festival, where he wowed the afternoon crowds on the Jazz Stage with his reworking of Please Don’t Stop the Music, the hit single by the American R&B singer Rihanna. He also found time to join Spinal Tap for a headbanging collaboration. ...
One thing was his collaboration with Clint Eastwood on the soundtrack to the actor/director’s film Gran Torino, released earlier this year. Cullum has known Eastwood’s son Kyle, a musician, for some time. Kyle lives in Paris and when he is in London often uses Cullum’s small Shepherd’s Bush studio (a bolthole Cullum has given the name Terrified Studios, a reference, he says, to his fear of studio technology) to record and rehearse. Last year Cullum helped Kyle with some other soundtrack work – Cullum took music that Clint Eastwood had composed for the John Cusack film Grace is Gone, married it to lyrics written by Eastwood’s neighbour Carole Bayer Sager, and recorded himself singing it. The plan was to have James Blunt sing the completed song on the Grace is Gone soundtrack.
'But Clint heard my demo and flipped out – “I love this, who is this guy?” ’ A noted jazz enthusiast, Eastwood asked Cullum to play at the Monterey Jazz Festival near his home in California. He then gave Cullum the script to Gran Torino, in which Eastwood was to play the lead character, a grizzled Korean war veteran who thinks his neighbourhood has gone to hell with immigrants. Could Cullum write an original song for the closing credits? 'Clint had the tune roughly worked out, a one-finger piano thing that he had written, and I wrote the lyrics after reading the script and fleshed out the tune with Kyle and his producer.’
Clint Eastwood loved the demo. So much so that he and Cullum ended up duetting on the song – Eastwood’s most notable vocal performance on a film since his duet with Merle Haggard in 1980’s Bronco Billy. A short time later Cullum was in Eastwood’s Bel Air home, 'in his front room, me at the piano, Clint sitting over there, recording our song,’ he says proudly. 'The second take is the one you hear in the movie.’ For co-writing the song Gran Torino, Cullum received a Golden Globe nomination. He was beaten by Bruce Springsteen, but the exposure means '20 or 30 million more people in America know who I am. In terms of offers to do things in America it’s been a massive, massive opportunity for me,’ he adds.
Despite this, it seems that a reaction closer to home has mattered almost more to him. To Cullum, Damon Albarn, the Blur/Gorillaz guru, has always been 'a total hero’, but he always felt like a nervous young pup whenever they met. Then one day earlier this year Cullum was walking down a street in west London, 'and he was coming back from a jog and said, “Hey, Jamie, that Gran Torino thing, nice one! How did you meet Clint?” ’ Cullum then adds with casual pride, 'I got proper respect from Damon Albarn. That was a big deal for me.’ ... |
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Dan Dassow
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« Reply #269 on: June 22, 2010, 01:07:58 AM » |
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Forbes ( link) Expert View
Estate Planning, As Told By Clint Eastwood In 'Gran Torino'
Liz Davidson, 06.21.10, 11:10 AM EDT
The right plan will maximize the good you do and minimize taxes.
When I rented the movie Gran Torino by Clint Eastwood, it was because my husband is a fan of the actor-director. Having seen the trailer of an angry old man yelling at people to get off his lawn, I wasn't even expecting to watch the film. But watch I did and came away thinking about life and leaving a legacy, big or small.
Clint Eastwood's character in Gran Torino, Walt Kowalski, helps a teenage neighbor in desperate need by becoming his mentor, though reluctantly at first. The impact this intervention has on the teenage boy, his family and the whole community, is significant. In the end (without giving it all away) his will is read and a special gift is left to the boy. ...
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higashimori
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« Reply #274 on: July 31, 2010, 07:17:23 PM » |
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" Watching Gran Torino " http://www.yousaytoo.com/watching-gran-torino/346164 Buzz It Gran Torino is a good movie in 2008. It is an American drama film directed and produced by Clint Eastwood, who also stars in the film. The film marks Eastwood's return to a lead acting role after four years, his previous leading role having been in Million Dollar Baby, and Eastwood has stated that this is his final film as an actor. The film features a large Hmong American cast, as well as Eastwood's younger son, Scott Eastwood, playing Trey.stars Clint Eastwood.
It's a compelling tale of unlikely friendship that develops between a bigoted Korean war veteran and an Asian teen who under threat from some gangbangers, tries to steal his car: a cherry 1972 Gran Torino. It's a great movie with good story, so watch it if you have time. |
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Dan Dassow
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« Reply #276 on: January 26, 2011, 08:06:39 PM » |
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Very negative article. The Bottom Line ( link) Associated Students, University of California, UC Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara CA Gran Torino Actor Reveals Behind-the-Scenes Racism 25 Jan 2011 Arts & Reviews Kriss Reyes-Ortiz Staff Writer |
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higashimori
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« Reply #277 on: March 16, 2011, 07:58:21 PM » |
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" Steal Clint Eastwood's car, make his day " By Morgan McCormick Senior Staff Writer http://www.technicianonline.com/mobile/features/steal-clint-eastwood-s-car-make-his-day-1.1303369 Clint Eastwood has a peculiar power in American cinema. Former man's man badass to beat, all star of the Man With No Name westerns, he moved into directing and made his acting a side project, and in return brought us some of the finest American cinema of the past several decades. He's one of the last directors out there who knows how to do a true American classic, and after he's gone we'll have to start all over again. It isn't as engaging a tale as his other legendary works, Unforgiven, Million Dollar Baby or even Changeling, but it does have a lot of heart and is something I'd recommend to anyone looking for a really well done film.
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