Comments on: Eastwood’s Gran Torino

By: Marina Antunes

Marina Antunes — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 16:47:38 +0000

I can’t believe it but Eastwood still looks like he can kick anyone’s ass. Trailer looks good. This is one I may be the movie to sway dad to the movies. Looking forward to it if just for that!

By: Andrew James

Andrew James — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 00:39:16 +0000

That trailer is every shade of awesome. The look on Eastwood’s face is classic, angry Dirty Harry but amped up a couple of notches to include crotchety old man. luv it.

By: Kurt Halfyard

Kurt Halfyard — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 00:33:07 +0000

I guess it has to do with bucketing. Gump had aspirations of being a big life-affirming drama. I see you treat the film like a silly gag-comedy, which is probably a better way to look at the film.

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.

By: Henrik

Henrik — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 23:58:54 +0000

It is lowest common denominator though, but somehow people don’t care about that in the case of something like Toy Story, or Gremlins, but Forrest Gump? Oh that doesn’t have any charm at all and that’s just for all the idiots to go and fall in love with.

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.

By: Kurt Halfyard

Kurt Halfyard — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 23:28:40 +0000

Toy story is not praised for being lowest-common denominator, it is praised for being a very solid children’s film. It just does what it does very, very well. It was innovative at the time, and brought simple-good-storytelling back the animated-family movie that had been starting to flail in the Disney camp.

Clumsy is the best word for Forest Gump, I found its messages infuriatingly callow.

By: Henrik

Henrik — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 22:43:18 +0000

Forrest Gump is funny. The tying of the plot to major events in american history amuses me greatly. And Gary Sinise is awesome in the film.

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.

By: kurt

kurt — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 21:51:53 +0000

I’ve seen THE THING dozens of times over the years, VHS, DVD, rep cinema screenings. And seeing it two Thursdays ago with a faded print seemed to add just the right touch to the movie.
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.

By: Henrik

Henrik — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 20:45:50 +0000

This trailer rules, there just aren’t enough fantasy-fulfillment out there directed towards the elderly. Not many could pull this off and still be entertaining in their hammy acting, but I think Eastwood in this trailer was hilarious.

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.

By: Andy

Andy — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 19:18:57 +0000

Good god. That trailer was great. CLASSIC Eastwood. I don’t think there’s any question that he is the toughest old man alive. Possibly the toughest old man ever.

By: kurt

kurt — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 21:47:04 +0000

Forrest Gump – Cute, insulting, over-simplified and lowest common denominator. I’ll give it the Innovative for the integration of Hanks into footage, but as a movie it stinks.

By: Jonathan B.

Jonathan B. — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 19:56:58 +0000

Post updated with trailer.

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.

By: Andrew James

Andrew James — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 17:16:21 +0000

Don’t know about Oscar worthy, but I like M$B. And Forrest Gump is pretty fucking great too. Nothing lazy about that movie at all. Innovative, original, touching, well acted, well directed, funny, sad, cute, brilliant.