Gran Torino (2008; Clint Eastwood)

Walt Kowalski is not a happy camper. Recently widowed and dealing with uncaring family, this racist old Vietnam vet is not living an envied life. He has to deal with his overbearing (all growed up) son and his family, while those pesky Asian immigrants are moving in next door. But throughout the course of the film, our antihero learns to love. I.e. a more updated variation on the old timer with regrets he played in Unforgiven.

When I first saw this film during its run in theaters, my initial reaction was intermittent lulz and muted indifference. Revisiting it years later, I am happy to report that I liked it much more. Granted, it’s still one of the weaker entries in Eastwood’s filmography, and the things that I didn’t like about it then still bother me now. First off, some of the most over-the-top and awful excuses for gangsters I've seen in any film. They're hardly as threatening as they are annoying. Also troublesome is Walt's immediate family, and how rather than coming off as neglectful and uncaring (which is surely what this film was going for), they were just stria hgt-up assholes. Maybe Walt was onto something by choosing not to connect with them.

But this recent viewing did more to clear some things up than retread what made me dislike it in the first place. One thing that was very difficult to accept before was how accepting the Asian family was of Walt’s racist attitude, as he continues to act like a crotchy old bastard even when he befriends them. I never quite understood how they could find his racist mannerisms charming, but watching it again, I realized this: they don’t. Despite having a new circle of friends, Walt isn’t about to change who he is entirely, and the family accepts that and chooses to go along with Walt’s mannerisms and put up with him.

As I said earlier, this film is not in the upper tier of Eastwood's filmography, but it is still quite good. I certainly like it more now than I did when it first came out, warts and all.

Happy New Year

Okay, I know I’m a little late here, but I’ve been occupied with filling my (soon to be over) Christmas break with as much social and material time with friends and whatnot as possible.

Now, I’m fully aware that it’s customary for people to make resolutions they plan to keep, but to be perfectly honest, I never held much stakes in New Year’s resolutions. Not because I think they’re useless or it’s a bad idea in general. Quite the contrary, I actually think that these kinds of resolutions are a fine way of keeping everyone in balance. The reason I choose not to make any for myself is because I’ve never been that good at either making or keeping them.

Of course, there are things I still hope for in 2011. I would very much like to hold onto old friendships, especially the ones I’ve managed to hold onto up until this point. And I want to get a better hold on what I want to do with my life, just like any normal person who finds themselves in my same position would want. Plus an addition few other miscellaneous, albeit smaller and far less significant resolutions, such as expanding my filmic knowledge and making this blog more official.

So, until then my fellow non-readers, go forth and wreck havoc on the world.

Peace.