Over the weekend I watched Righteous Kill and (finally) Gran Torino. Righteous Kill was entirely too predictable. I was watching it because a friend liked it and recommended it, but as soon as it became clear there would be no last minute surprise tangent to offset the obvious "twist", it felt like a chore.
Gran Torino was excellent. Eastwood's character is so over the top most of the time that it almost feels like a through and through comedy. I didn't take his character to be so much a racist, as simply someone from another era. He was a product of his day and time, and of his environment. In that way, he is not really that much different from the gang who are giving Thao a hassle, or in other ways from Thao himself - because he does give in and attempt to steal the Gran Torino for his initiation. So, Walt's (slightly less than voluntary) mentoring of Thao is a way for both of them to break away. Not exactly ground breaking, but it works. This is one I will definitely buy when it comes out on DVD.
There were two distinct types of laugher in the theater, though, when I saw this. Most of it seemed genuine, but then there were the nervous outbreaks which were far too loud and went on far too long. These were, I would take it, people who were too offended or shocked to laugh at most of it, but were nervously trying to "fit in." Sort of ironic considering one of the messages of the movie - (Which, regrettably I will have to paraphrase) - The things that stick with a man the most aren't the things he's ordered to do.
Vagrancy - Be careful who you wake up in a twenty four hour parking lot.
His name was Not Johnny - A young man becomes a sort of superhero after a crippling injury. He