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Post by Organized Chaos on Jan 21, 2009 23:00:31 GMT -5
I took my dad to see this last Friday since he's a big Eastwood fan. We enjoyed it. I thought Clint did a great job. I had my doubts of him playing another tough guy since he's getting on in years, but he pulled it off. If he isn't at least nominated for several awards for this, the fix is on.
He plays a Korean War Vet & retired Ford worker who's once perfect neighborhood becomes a neighborhood of foreigners, mostly Asian. He's a man who was simply from a different time with different views. Basically just a grumpy SOB. I told my g/f that that was surely going to be me at that age and she was happy to agree. ;D He befriends some of the neighbors and discovers they aren't so bad after all. All while taking on a local Asian gang.
One couple did get up and leave the theater about 30 min. to an hour in. I guess they were offended by his racism. He is pretty colorful to people. But if that kind of thing doesn't bother you, it's a great movie to see.
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Post by tara on Jan 22, 2009 10:24:47 GMT -5
I really want to see this one. I love Clint Eastwood. I don't go to movies though, I would rather wait til the video come out.
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Post by Organized Chaos on Jan 22, 2009 17:02:46 GMT -5
We're the same way, we hardly ever go to the theater since it's so expensive. I've gone to 2 in the past month and that's the most I've been to in years! But the last 2 we've gone to, we went to the $5 theater. It's either that or wait until Kerasotes theaters release something on their 5 Buck Club list.
As I suspected, neither Eastwood nor the movie received any Oscar nominations. I mean, if a Batman movie (The Dark Knight) or Hellboy II can get all kinds of nominations (not that they're bad movies) I don't see why Gran Torino and Eastwood didn't.
I hope there's a better reason than simply too many people would be offended by him or the movie receiving such a prestigious award since he plays such a racist character. That should have nothing to do with it but in today's politically correct society I fear that may be a factor.
Total snub by the Oscars. Yet another reason why I don't have any respect for awards shows, especially this one.
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Post by tara on Jan 22, 2009 20:11:57 GMT -5
We do the drive in during the summer. We will go a few times, it's always a double or triple feature for $6 so it's worth while. Occasionally we even torture the kids and make them sleep in the car so we can watch a couple movies. My mom buys a ton of movies so we use her house as our blockbuster, lol, and Monday redbox codes. I must be the only one, but I didn't think the Dark Night was that good. I imagine a dead actor makes it seem better than it is..
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Post by tara on Jan 22, 2009 20:12:36 GMT -5
BTW OC- I LOVE the avatar
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Post by Organized Chaos on Jan 23, 2009 0:06:33 GMT -5
We have a drive in about 30 min. from here. I've only been twice in my life. The first time (was a teenager) the movie stunk so we left early. The 2nd was several years ago when Terminator 3 was new. My boy was only about 2 so we put him in his PJ's, took some snacks & drinks and just let him fall asleep knowing he wouldn't last long.
Funny you mention dead actor. I've heard that Ledger does do a great job, but I can't help but wonder how many awards he would've actually won if he'd still been alive. I think they're making such a fuss since he's gone. A Batman movie is not something you normally see at the Oscars.
I do want to see it though.
Thank you. Come back ONE YEAR!
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wisey
Hero in training
Posts: 11
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Post by wisey on Jan 24, 2009 17:15:57 GMT -5
I realise that this thread is about Gran Torino but you seem to be using it more to slate Batman. I watched Gran Torino last night and to be honest, I'm not sure what all the fuss is about. Yes, Clint gives a great performance, but the film is very slow and pretty boring. None of the supporting cast give good performances and the film is nothing like what it is being represented as in the trailer. The trailer included all the scenes with the gang except the final one and pretty much all the non boring scenes in the film. As to your comments about Batman: I've heard that Ledger does do a great job, but I can't help but wonder how many awards he would've actually won if he'd still been alive. I think they're making such a fuss since he's gone. Heath Ledger gives the best performance of his life and probably would have been nominated for an oscar whether he was dead or not, I was not expecting much from him in this role after seeing his other movies (and as it is hard to follow Jack Nicholson's seminal portrayal of the character) but having watched The Dark Knight, now I am disappointed that he cannot be in the next one! And: A Batman movie is not something you normally see at the Oscars. Batman (1989) won an oscar and was nominated for a further 16 awards with 7 wins including a couple for Nicholson's performance. Batman Returns (1992) was nominated for 2 oscars and Batman Begins (2005) was also nominated for an oscar. These others two films also won and were nominated for a number of other awards. Perhaps you should give a film the respect of actually seeing it before you start criticising it.
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Post by Organized Chaos on Jan 24, 2009 18:58:04 GMT -5
I'm not sure what thread you're reading, but no one is slating Batman. Tara simply said she didn't think it was that good. I'm a big fan of the first 2 with Michael Keaton. They went downhill from there until they got to Batman Begins. Perhaps you should give a film the respect of actually seeing it before you start criticising it. Perhaps you shouldn't accuse me of criticizing the movie when I did no such thing. I said I heard Ledger does a great job in the movie. That's not criticizing the movie. I said I doubt he would've gotten the same amount of recognition if he hadn't died. That's not criticizing the movie and I stand by that opinion. I said Batman is not the type of movie you'd normally see at the Oscars. Again, that's not criticizing the movie. What I probably should have said was that when someone thinks of an Oscar nominated or especially an Oscar winning movie, they do not think of Batman. I've heard it was a good movie and I do want to see it. Yes, I enjoyed Gran Torino. I never said the supporting cast did a phenomenal job. I said the movie, especially Eastwood, was snubbed by the Oscars. I think the trailer said it all. An old man living in a neighborhood of foreigners and has trouble with a gang of them. If you haven't noticed, nearly every movie out there puts its best scenes in the trailer. Including parts that you're eager to see only to discover that it didn't make the final cut. Gran Torino isn't any different.
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wisey
Hero in training
Posts: 11
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Post by wisey on Jan 25, 2009 0:26:32 GMT -5
Fair enough, sorry if I sounded abrasive. On re-reading your thread you are right, it is not criticising the movie as much as I thought. Your rewording of the comment about the oscars is much better. I guess I was just annoyed by it as I really enjoyed the movie (although in some ways not as much as Batman Begins) and even went to see it twice at the theatre which is a lot considering I rarely go to the theatre at all. (I went 4 times in 2008, 2 of which were to Batman!)
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Post by Organized Chaos on Jan 26, 2009 19:56:22 GMT -5
I definitely want to see it. The last time I rented a movie, I was in the mood to laugh & chose You Don't Mess With The Zohan instead of The Dark Knight. It turned out to be the wrong choice. It'll be the next movie I rent.
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