CLINT EASTWOOD: OUR DIRTY HARRY OR MILLION DO$$AR BABY?!

Hi Friends,

Mission India for Ethan Hunt...

How have you been? Did you catch up with the latest English flicks in town? J Edgar,Twilight-Breaking Dawn-I?? And are you looking forward to MI-Ghost Protocol releasing this month?Yo Yo...I definitely am!All those in India, not just Santa Claus but Tom Cruise is also coming this month!! And as I am reading right now... it's tomorrow!! And a few lucky ones will also be watching the premier of MI-Ghost Protocol with the actor himself! In fact, I searched a lot about the all India contest that Viacom18 and Indian actor,Anil Kapoor were organizing for 1500 fans but tough luck...I didn't find that! :-( 

Anyway here's a consolation, HBO is also giving away 5 couple passes to the Red Carpet screening of the film. Here's the link... check it out, you never know you might be that lucky one! http://tinyurl.com/cj49wt7



Bella's making everyone nauseous!

In Twilight- Breaking Dawn-I... if reports are to be believed,the birth scene towards the end of the film made cine goers nauseous in different parts of the world. But you gotta hand it to the director and the technical team... after all they had to visually depict the transformation taking place within Bella and the birth of the new 'one'! And don't think I'm a tough nut either...when it could make people queasy...I wonder what'd I feel as I sit down to watch this one!

And J Edgar...it hasn't released in some parts of the world...Is it so? Can anyone update me on it? At least in my country, I didn't see it advertised or mentioned of in the film weekly columns or spoken about in the media. But I'm game for this one too! So...as of now, the count on my list of films is two and in the next two weeks it'd be three with MI-Ghost Protocol! Talking about Clint Eastwood's J Edgar...I happened to watch another one of his brilliant films which I thought of sharing with you all as this month's posting. Go for it!

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 Film       - GRAN TORINO

Starring -  CLINT EASTWOOD         ... Walt Kowalski

                 CHRISTOPHER CARLEY ... Father Janovich

                 BEE VANG                       ... Thao       

                 AHNEY HER                    ... Sue

My Rating  -  8 on 10

Attaboy...what a film! Simple yet Powerful; Eastwood rocks!

Firstly,before I talk about the film I would like to make a mention on why is it that a film as Gran Torino failed to make a cut at the Oscars held that year...it simply amazes me on how a good film as this was even left out from the list of nominations!

The disgruntled Mr. Kowalski...

When you watch Gran Torino you realize that the film is all about love, forgiveness, friendship and sacrifice for a greater good. But when you scratch the surface and you begin to study the psyche of Walt Kowalski's (Clint Eastwood) character, a veteran war hero you find that Gran Torino is also about a man's triumph over his inner demons of being perceived as tough, incapable of loving,cold and unforgiving which may have been a direct impact on the horrors of war he had been a witness to and how along the way he becomes a saviour to a newly migrated family in the neighbourhood and also ends up finding his spiritual moorings. 

Beginning of a new friendship....

I particularly liked the treatment in the film on the unusual friendship forged between Walt and the young Thao, their interactions, the bonhomie bonding between the two communities in the neighborhood, the one last time Walt goes to confession and the ending which was definitely worthy of mention.Now, if the climax had been "bam bam" it would have been straight from Eastwood's early films, 'ala the cowboy' ending and that's something I was anticipating after seeing Walt prepare for the final assault. It is also interesting to note that while today's film end on a violent note where the hero returns home glorified; Gran Torino is subtle, powerful and yet it has the same impact on you.

Walt Kowalski..the good neighbour!

Gran Torino in some shades also reminded me of Robert Pattinson starrer Remember Me which also dealt with a man's inner and external conflicts except that the latter dealt with sacrifice for the family's better good while Gran Torino transformed an indifferent, indignant underdog into becoming the hero of his neighborhood. But the underlying message in both the films demanded sacrifice whether it took the path of spirituality in Gran Torino or even if took a Gandhian philosophy in Remember Me to transcend the lives of the protagonists. In Gran Torino you find a good neighbor in Mr Kowalski!!

Clint Eastwood, an actor or a director? Though he was and is our much loved 'Dirty Harry' but over the years...he has definitely come to be our 'Million Dollar Baby'!! Definitely...a must watch! You can read this review on imdb as well - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1205489/reviews-777

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Hope you enjoyed reading this month's posting. And if you did...then do write in!

Take care and ciao until next month...

Love,

Sonyaa