Add This to Your Queue: Gran Torino

Remember when we used to "review" movies on this site? Let's give that another whirl, shall we?

Saturday afternoon, I popped in Gran Torino, the Clint Eastwood movie from last year that wasn't The Changeling. (Seriously, how does this old man keep pumping out 2 movies in a year?! Madness, I say!) I'd heard great things about the movie and Eastwood's performance and, I must say, the hype was warranted.

Eastwood plays Walt Kowalski, a veteran of the Korean war who's recently lost his wife. He lives in a once lovely neighborhood in Detroit (apparently, those did exist at one point), now rundown and almost exclusively Asian (we are to believe Walt it the last remaining white dude). Needless to say, the combination of PTSD from Korea and Asian neighbors is not such a good mix for old Walt. Anyway, through a series of events, Walt becomes close with the two teenagers next door and a wacky comedy of cultural and generational misunderstandings ensues. (I kid, I kid. There is very little wackiness (though Walt is racist as hell and it's pretty amusing. Only Eastwood could make this curmudgeonly character so lovable)). It's actually an interesting look at culture clashes and the lack of respect paid to the heroic elders in this country. Funny, sad, political and thought provoking, Gran Torino is absolutely worth your 2 hours and your tears.

P.S. If you've seen this and you are male, please comment of my theory that this is the new Braveheart (i.e. the movie to make men cry). Thank you in advanced.