Well … I’m alive. After all that celebratin’ that I did on New Year’s Eve I need a bit of New Year’s Day to recuperate … I managed to evade death (once again) and went out with David and his sisters Lara and Eden for a bit of food (salad for me, thanks) and a movie. We went out to see Gran Torino (which was sold out but easily sneak-inable after buying tickets for something else):
Imagine my surprise to learn that the movie is set in Highland Park, MI which is one of the more desolate ‘burbs of Detroit. I’ve spent some time in the area and can attest that the filmmakers got the setting right. Gran Torino tells the tale of an uber racist widower who refuses to leave his neighborhood despite being the “only American” left. With his gruff demeanor and racist insults, he manages to alienate everyone in his general vicinity … except for the young Hmong girl who lives next door. As much as the overt racist language was hard for me to endure, it was used in the film quite expertly. Clint Eastwood’s character, the racist bastard that he is, ends up offending everyone … hurling racist epithets at everyone equally, thereby negating his racist nature (he’s just a regular ol’ mean SOB). The film is a very powerful one and altho there are some parts that I found a bit hard to believe (especially when Clint’s character and Sue, the Hmong teenager next door become a new sort of Odd Couple) I loved it entirely. There is a lot of emotional exploitation and the movie ends on a somber note but the story is an interesting one and I wouldn’t be surprised if Clint walks away with some Academy Award nominations. I love the Detroit shout-outs … Pabst Blue Ribbon is featured prominently as is Lake Shore Drive in Grosse Pointe, MI. I used to drive along Lake St. Clair on Lake Shore Drive on my way to work when I taught in Grosse Pointe … it was a nice surprise to see it on the big screen. Gran Torino is not a family friendly film but it is one that I wholly recommend. I am not sure if Clint Eastwood has many more performances in him like the one he delivers in this film … it’s a must see, IMHO.
My friend Brad Walsh posted a bunch of the portraits that he shot at his NYE party on Wednesday night … here are a few of his amazing photos, featuring some of my fave people on Earth:
You can see all of his photos from the party HERE.
2009 looks like a great year thus far (now that I’m no longer on death’s door). I got to talk a bit with Diana, who returned home from Iceland yesterday. She assures me she had a great time :) Not sure what the plan is for tonight … but it’s cold here in NYC. We’ll have to see if anything worthy enough of frostbite will get us out of the apt.
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