We’ve heard tons about Clint Eastwood’s Changeling so far this year, but everything has been pretty quiet concerning Eastwood’s other film coming out this year, Gran Torino (does anyone else find it just amazing that at age 78, Eastwood can still kick out two films in one year and even star in one of them?).
Eastwood talked with USA Today about his upcoming film and they released the official poster (which is ridiculously cool), some stills from the film, and an official release date: December 17. Between this and Changeling, Eastwood is going to have another stellar year at the Oscars, I’m thinking. About the film:
His Gran Torino character is Walt Kowalski, a racist Korean War veteran whose prized possession is a classic car that catches the eye of local gangs in his Detroit neighborhood. One of the troubled kids who covets the vehicle is from a family of Hmong immigrant neighbors, whom Kowalski has long resented. The story comes down to two objects … his 1972 Ford muscle car and his M-1 rifle. … He worked on the line in the Ford plant and retired and had this one car he bought himself. It’s sort of a symbol of his days with the Ford plant. The M-1 is sort of a symbol of his days in the military. … He’s clinging to the memory of the war. … The young kid, as part of a gang initiation, tries to steal it, and the old guy gets him at the end of the M-1, which becomes kind of a big deal … The kid has to do penance because of the pride of the Asian group. They make him do penance. He has to come over, and the old guy doesn’t want anything to do with him, doesn’t want him anywhere around. … The fastest way to rid himself of the boy, Kowalski decides, is to cooperate.
Sounds like we’ve got another winner from Eastwood, who is also producing and composing the music. What a guy.
UPDATE: We’ve got the trailer. Looks like classic Eastwood!
If you want to watch it onl1ne for free,...
But seriously, there’ve been a very select few over these last few years that have produced the quality of work he’s put out.
Comment by Andy — October 24, 2008
Comment by swarez — October 24, 2008
Comment by Kurt Halfyard — October 24, 2008
Comment by entertainmenttodayandbeyond — October 25, 2008
Comment by kurt — October 25, 2008
Comment by Andrew James — October 25, 2008
And I don’t think it is an argument that Million Dollar Baby’s weakest point was its cliched and melodramatic writing, Kurt. It was written by Paul Haggis, for chrissake! Still a solid movie though regardless and Hollywood has a place for melodrama.
And while Clint may never top The Outlaw Josey Wales, Unforgiven, or Bird… Letters from Iwo Jima was fantastic.
Comment by Jonathan B. — October 25, 2008
Comment by kurt — October 25, 2008
Comment by Andy — October 26, 2008
Forrest Gump is a good movie. How strange to dislike Forrest Gump but like Toy Story, but Kurt is strange. Take this for example: “Just watched this two weeks ago (…) Recommended to see a ratty old print, for some reason pops, snaps, faded colours and dirt on the print only add to the experience.”
How would you know what adds what to an experience when you’ve only had one? Just because you saw a ratty old print, doesn’t mean you have to shill for it.
Comment by Henrik — October 26, 2008
Hope this clarifies for you.
I find it highly amusing that you are a fan of Gump. What is in that one for you Henrik? And why the non-sequitor comparison of Gump to Toy Story? Strange indeed.
Comment by kurt — October 26, 2008
The Toy Story thing just came into my mind. I know I rag on Pixar alot, but I can’t understand why Forrest Gump would get pissed on for being lowest common denominator stuff, and Toy Story wouldn’t.
The Thing stuff was cleared up. Sorry for the misunderstanding.
Comment by Henrik — October 26, 2008
Clumsy is the best word for Forest Gump, I found its messages infuriatingly callow.
Comment by Kurt Halfyard — October 26, 2008
Forrest Gump isn’t clumsy. It’s episodic. But the no. 1 thing about it that saves it from everything that could make it horrible, is that it’s funny. It’s funny when he says Lt. Dan invested in some fruit company and said he won’t have to worry about money anymore.
Comment by Henrik — October 26, 2008
Gremlins is a goof-off flick with lots of sight gags, and a real visual-wacky-sense of humour. If you can’t see the (low brow) greatness in that little charmer, well then, your loss. (BTW, we are doing Gremlins 2, which certainly takes things in a much more free-form crazy mode than the first one which was hamfisted with a sappy/corny script that would do Forrest Gump proud).
And Toy Story is designed to be a childrens film. For what it is it is great populist entertainment with a few life-lessons thrown in for 5 year olds to understand. I can accept it at that level. Pixar started to step up its game with the Incredibles, Ratatouille and Wall-E in terms of making the structure a bit more complicated while holding true to their populist roots.
Comment by Kurt Halfyard — October 26, 2008
Comment by Andrew James — October 26, 2008
Comment by Marina Antunes — October 27, 2008